Ami's Hoard

3.5 stars

This was only my second book of Keri Arthur after Memory Zero and I found it a better experience. At least I will definitely check out the sequel.

I enjoyed the fact that this book had phoenix as main character; I don't think I've read one before. Usually I stuck with the usual vampire, weres, or witches. I liked the whole myth about phoenix, about how they were spirits with three forms (flesh, fire, bird) which made their power pretty intriguing.

HOWEVER, I thought the whole life vs. love mates kind of making a simple justification of phoenix never being able to truly be monogamists; which meant that I had to settle with one of my irks in Urban Fantasy/Paranormal romance genre -- the "everyone falls in love or at least sexually attracted/involved with the heroine". No, I'm not slut shaming Emberly -- that thought never crossed my mind. I just prefer the part about anything sexual with Jackson, Rory, or Sam to be a little less. More action, less sexual thoughts/acts *shrugs*

The mystery of Crimson Death virus and red cloaks (human or vampires infected by red plague, making them vampires but can still walk in sunlight) was a good read -- though it wasn't 100% solved by the end of this book. It did reasons for Em joining Jackson's Hellfire Investigations, while still crossing path with her ex, Sam (seriously, what is Sam's darkness??) who worked at Paranormal Investigations Team (PIT). I imagine it will be a lot more of HEAVY confrontations between Em and Sam in book #2.