Path of the Phoenix is the first installment in L. Scott Clark's young adult epic fantasy series titled The Sorcerer's Guide. Jet Black is a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore studying at Chadwick's boarding school in Santa Barbara, California. After barely surviving a disastrous natural catastrophe that results in the death of thousands in the city of Silverton, Jet finds himself equipped with supernatural abilities and plagued by visions of mysterious entities. When Jet tries to decipher the contents of an ancient book of magic, he learns of the existence of The Rivalry that foretells the release of the Demon Prince Arisol from his age-old imprisonment. As the ancient beings Lucretius and Faunal exert control over their classmates, Jet and his friends must do everything they can to stop them from wreaking destruction and havoc.

Path of the Phoenix is an entertaining fantasy romp that is bound to please readers of young adult books. L. Scott Clark's action-adventure tale of a sixteen-year-old teenager thrust into the midst of ancient entities and elemental magic while simultaneously trying to navigate friends, rivals, and studies is a joy to behold. The characters felt likable, and Jet and Mckenzey's relationship was very endearing to me. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Jet and Shane, which gave me vibes of Harry and Malfoy's relationship in the Harry Potter series. The plot moves at a decent pace, and L. Scott Clark provides plenty of ancient lore in which to immerse the reader in the story. I would recommend Path of the Phoenix to young adults who enjoy fantasy stories.

Path of the Phoenix by L. Scott Clark is the first book in the Sorcerer's Guide series. Jet Black isn't a typical boy with elemental magic running through him. His abilities were ignited thanks to a blaze of destruction that saw the end of his town and the discovery of an ancient book called the Sorcerer's Guide that foretells of an upcoming war, trapped beasts, and a warning of a dangerous demon. To navigate this strange world, he turns to the Sorcerer's Guide to understand this dangerous reality where he finds treasure, creatures unlike anything he's ever seen, and powers that are steadily growing. As he navigates his new surroundings and his place in the school, he also deals with a bully nosing into his business and embarks on an adventure to find an artifact that is said to have power over a demon.

L. Scott Clark has created an adventure of magic and discovery, then interweaves his journey with the school setting. The boarding school serves as the backdrop against a sorcerer's tale with the life of a normal teenager twisted by a bully turned into a dangerous arch-nemesis. Shane, the bully, has tried to destroy Jet since he first arrived and this is an intricate part of his growing abilities and creates constant obstacles that Jet has to fight against. Jet has friends that he surrounds himself with that ground him and provide him with companions through the battle that comes his way. Romance is lightly woven into the story as part of Jet's coming-of-age journey as he discovers his strength, courage, and powers. The story is built on secrets that push Jet to search for the truth about what happened to his town and the secrets within his own family's history. Path of the Phoenix is a tale of rebirth, discovery, and strength with suspense and adventure that bring a hero's journey to life.