The Crimson Brand is the second book in The Phoenix Girls series by Brian Knight, and I found it to be an even better read than the first installment. I would say that it’s possible to read this book without having read the first one, but there are so many questions that are asked and answered, some of which picking up on threads from the previous book, that it would certainly be worth picking up book one, The Conjuring Glass, and getting a full look at the story. (I really enjoy that about this book, by the way! Each book introduces its own new plot elements, and then with the second book you have some questions being resolved from the first book, only to add new ones, but the novel still works as a story on its own.)

In Book Two, Penny and her friends are back in Aurora Hollow, the sacred grove where the girls have found magic — magic that helped them defeat the evil Birdman who terrorized their town almost half a year ago. But the girls’ trouble has only just begun, because now they’ve drawn attention to themselves, and enemies are coming. Their vulpine guide, Ronan, is agitated and won’t give them the whole story, their family lives are fracturing, and someone is trying to buy Penny’s land, which holds Aurora Hollow. And they’re seducing her godmother to get it. A whole mess of trouble rests on the shoulders of these girls, and their various problems may not be unrelated.

One of the things I wanted from the last book was to see them using their magic more and playing around with it to find out what it can do, and this book really delivers on that front. I love stories about girls learning and using magic. It’s my truest weakness. And the magic system in this series is so interesting. The way it works, the way they’re taught, and the way they use it…it’s the kind of thing that makes me go, “I wish *I* was a Phoenix Girl.” and that, for me, is the best feeling I can get from a book. Wanting to be a part of it, wanting it to be real. I enjoy that part of reading a book more than almost anything else.

The Phoenix Girls are an especially enjoyable group, because they’re smart, they’re creative, and they’re made of tough stuff. The girls keep fighting for each other, and in this book they have a lot to fight for — and against. Friendship and family are important themes in this novel, and while there are mentions of romantic attractions, I actually like that the author doesn’t focus on those things. And I’m not the kind of person who usually says that — most of the time I don’t enjoy anything without a romantic plotline.

Like the first book, I found The Crimson Brand to be an intense read that didn’t allow me to put the book down until I’d finished. I cared about the characters and I was worried about what would happen to them in the story, and the author gave me good reason for concern. Though this is a young adult book, the story doesn’t pull punches and the girls were often placed in real danger. It still felt like a YA novel though — in the best way. Books like this are the reason I love YA so much, even though I’m about a decade out of its target audience.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and seeing what the future holds for the girls and their families, and figuring out exactly who is who and what happened with the last generation of Phoenix Girls.

Note: I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. This has no bearing on the content of my review.

The Phoenix Girls have survived their first set of adventures and, as they slowly grow into a team, they are also growing toward adulthood. Their relationships with their families and the community are changing, becoming more complex yet at the same time more defined. In this series, teen crises are muted.

Here the girls, now expanded to include a new member, begins to explore the limits of their magical powers and the book is focused on them and their strengths rather than on their relationship with Ronan their spirit guide. The story progresses nicely and is just scary enough. I think it is well suited to younger teens on up. It is a bit thin for an adult reader, but would probably make a good book to read together.

Unlike most other reviewers, I do not think that this second book of the Phoenix Girls series can be read as a stand-alone. There was quite a bit of time between my reading the first and second books and I had trouble remembering what had happened in the first book, and the second book was hard to understand. For someone who had not read the first book at all, I would think the story would lose a lot.

I received a review copy of "The Crimson Brand: Phoenix Girls II" by Brian Knight (JournalStone) through LibraryThing.com. ( )

I hadn't read the first book in the series and as such found this book difficult to get into - I wasn't really sure who Ronan was or what he was looking for - but once past the first chapter or so I did get into it.

The story revolves around a group of girls who have magical powers and the mystery and trouble they get into and beings they encounter as a result. It's well-written and fun and only suffered a little because I didn't have the backstory from the first book. I feel there is much to be explained going forward.

It's a good story for a younger teen or preteen, enjoyable and engaging.

*i received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

This second installment was just not as engaging as the first as there seemed to be a tad too many storylines and they never quite came together fully, especially the parts involving the title. ( )

The Crimson Brand is book two in The Phoenix Girls series and I really enjoyed it. Adventure, friendship, monsters and magic contained within. While I had read the first book, I feel you could read this book without reading the first one. If you've read the first one, you would get a better feel of the characters and more understanding of the story. However, I feel that you can still enjoy this book without reading the first. I also like that it had an ending without being a cliff hanger, so I'm not frustrated while waiting for a year while the third book get released!

I really enjoyed the continuation of the story line, the growth of the characters, the involvement and mystery surrounding new and old characters, and the creatures and magical world Mr. Knight has created. Would recommend for grade school age and older readers who like reading about strong girls, magic, spooky creatures and adventure. ( )