The Phoenix Illusion

The Phoenix Illusion (2018) Lisa Shearin

The 6th SPI Files book finds Mac and and her friends celebrating when a house suddenly appears in an empty lot–and catches on fire.

More distressingly, the house that appeared is Rake’s, and it’s from his homeworld (which isn’t Earth).

First, Mac remains one of my favorite fictional law officers, because of her attitude.

As much as I wanted to be as badass as my coworkers, I’d come to accept that it simply wasn’t gonna happen, but that didn’t stop me from training and trying. It was the least I could do for the people who had to work with me.

Her power is being a seer, which doesn’t give her any help in a fight, and since her power is rare (several previous seers for SPI were killed) she needs to be protected. But she has no interesting in being helpless, so she trains to be able to protect herself as best she can, which is really a lesson to all of us.

Not that protectiveness doesn’t sometimes bug her.

Rake’s worrying didn’t lessen Ian’s worrying, and between the two of them, I’d be lucky if I ever got to pee by myself again.

The other thing I particularly enjoy about this series is that it’s relatively light and amusing.

When they came here, elves spread out and settled all over the place. However, a lot of them gravitated toward places like Los Angeles and New York to become actors, singers, models, and dancers. If your favorite celeb looks or sounds too good to be human, chances are they’re not.

I cut loose with profanity’s greatest hits. Too bad there wasn’t anyone around to hear me. They’d have been impressed. Or appalled.
…
I silently recited the flip side to profanity’s greatest hits.

There is an acknowledgement of boinking in this story, but no details, just as there is an acknowledgement of cursing (see above). I actually like the lack of boinking, and didn’t notice the lack of cursing at all, which makes this series more than acceptable for older teens.

She says she’s not done with this series, and I’m glad to hear that, because I really enjoy these books.

Publisher: Murwood Media, LLC
Rating: 8/10

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