A Queen’s Game by. Katharine McGee | ARC Review

My Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธ๐Ÿ’ซ

Title: A Queen’s Game

Author: Katharine McGee

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 11/12/24

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Royalty, Romance, Historical Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The New York Times bestselling author of the American Royals series invites you to visit 19th-century Europe amid the glamour and intrigue of the Victorian era. In this historical romance inspired by true events, three princesses struggle to find loveโ€”and end up vying for the hearts of two future kings.

In the last glittering decade of European empires, courts, and kings, three young women are on a collision course with historyโ€”and with each other.

Alix of Hesse is Queen Victoriaโ€™s favorite granddaughter, so she can expect to end up with a prince . . . except that the prince sheโ€™s falling for is not the one sheโ€™s supposed to marry.

Hรฉlรจne dโ€™Orlรฉans, daughter of the exiled King of France, doesnโ€™t mind being a former princess; it gives her more opportunity to break the rules. Like running around with the handsome, charming, and very much off-limits heir to the British throne, Prince Eddy.

Then thereโ€™s May of Teck. After spending her entire life on the fringes of the royal world, May is determined to marry a princeโ€”and not just any prince, but the future king.

In a story that sweeps from the glittering ballrooms of Saint Petersburg to the wilds of Scotland, A Queenโ€™s Game recounts a pivotal moment in real history as only Katharine McGee can tell it: through the eyes of the young women whose lives, and loves, changed it forever.

Content Warning: slap in the face

I remember reading and enjoying American Royals but I never finished the series. So when I saw this was about European royals, not going to lie, I wanted to read this for the drama. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ If you want royals, there are all kinds of royals in this one. Apparently Queen Victoria of Britain had 22 grandchildren? And she was trying to marry a few of them to one another – I’m so glad they don’t do that anymore. In this story, there is a lot of drama going on between who is going to marry who. I’d say it got mostly interesting in the second half of the story.

+ I did like the historical aspect of the story and learning a little bit more of Queen Victoria’s grandkids.

+ This story is told between 3 POVs: Alix, Hรฉlรจne, and May – each girl with a different background and each girl trying to make an advantage marriage. Alix was okay – she’s the demure one, Hรฉlรจne is the fun and flirty one and May is probably the more interesting one because though she’s plain, she gets caught up with blackmail plans by of course, an American heiress trying to infiltrate the royal crowd.

Dislikes:

~ The beginning is too slow and I wasn’t connecting to any of the characters. I wasn’t sure if I cared enough about their marital market drama until the second half.

~ I think because there is no real connection to the characters, I didn’t feel anything for the romance either. Maybe also the fact they were cousins were turning me off. The romance does happen quick for the girls except for May, who is the more practical of all of them, but it’s just too fast with no real investment for me in the couples.

~ The ending is abrupt and even though I did enjoy the messiness and drama of the second half, I don’t think I’ll read the sequel.

My Thoughts:

This one didn’t quite work out for me but I did enjoy the second half of the story. I just didn’t connect to the characters, or romance, but I did like the blackmail. I think younger readers would enjoy this one though if you liked the American Royals series.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram๐Ÿ“š) | Twitter (X)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

Book Review | Americanย Royals โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ๐Ÿ’ซ

WWW Wednesday | 11/13/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three Wโ€™s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

We are in mid-November and I’m in a slump but I don’t mind. I’m just trying to make it to the end of the year and it’s now the holidays so ๐Ÿซ  here comes the rush! I’m definitely not in the holiday spirit yet – is it hot in your area still? Our weather feels like it’s shifting a little but it will get a tiny bit cold, some rain, then hot in the day – the ants who were bothering me this summer are still HERE. So annoying…anyway I hope you guys are experiencing some nice, cool, Fall weather!

What are you currently reading?

Dating and Dragons by. Kristy Boyce – 35% – some progress (arc)

Vilest Things by. Chloe Gong – 14% – not much progress (Libby)

Bloodguard by. Cecy Robson (KU) – 3% – not much progress

What the Woods Took by. Courtney Gould (arc) – 1% barely started it but I will be getting into it more

Last Fashion House in Paris by. Renee Ryan (arc) – 11%

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

What are you reading right now?

Destination Titlesย  | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 11/12/24

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This weekโ€™s topic is:

Destination Titles (titles with name of places in them. These places can be real or fiction!) 

The Last Fashion House in Paris by. Renee Ryan – Paris of course!

The Road of Bones by. Demi Winters – there is actually a place in the book called the Road of Bones.

Starling House by. Alix E. Harrow – it’s the name of a house.

All Roads Lead to Rome by. Sabrina Fedel – Rome!

The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde – the Holly Library

The Lake House by. Sarah Beth Durst – a sketchy lake house

House of Sky and Breath by. Sarah J. Maas – exactly as the title says!

The Hazel Wood by. Melissa Albert – would you go into the Hazel Wood?

The Hacienda by. Isabel Caรฑas – it’s a spooky hacienda!

Where the Library Hides by. Isabel Ibaรฑez – a library is a place so that’s why I put this here

What’s on your TTT?

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram๐Ÿ“š) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (shop)


Top Ten Tuesday Topics:

November 5: Covers with [Item] on the Cover (You choose the item! It can be anything at all.)
November 12: Destination Titles (titles with name of places in them. These places can be real or fiction!) (this was a topic Rachel @ Sunny Side came up with for a freebie week last year and has let me steal it!)

November 19: Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books On My TBR (submitted by Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits)
November 26: Thankful/Thanksgiving Freebie
December 3: Freebie
December 10: Books to Read During a Storm (these can be cozy/comfy reads, books with storms in them, atmospheric reads for dark and stormy nights, light reads to combat the heavy weather, etc.) (Submitted by Astilbe.)
December 17: Books on My Winter 2024-2025 to-Read List
December 24: Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes (List the top 10 books youโ€™d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wishes. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address or include the email address associated with your e-reader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if youโ€™d like. Please donโ€™t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!)
December 31: Best Books I Read in 2024

Goodreads Monday: Is She Really Going Out With Him? By. Sophie Cousens

Happy Monday!

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme where you chose a random book from your Goodreads TBR and show it off. This meme is hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog.

Title: Is She Really Going Out With Him?

Author: Sophie Cousens

Pages: 384

Links: Goodreads | Amazon

Publication Date: 11/19/24

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year, a hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcรฉe who agrees to let her children play matchmaker, for fans of Nora Goes Off Script.

Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs love when she has two kids, a cat and an ex-husband to think about? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. So in a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.

From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters and the mailman, even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take a chance on love?

Do you have plans to read this book? Let me know in the comments below!

Weekly Wrap Up | 11/10/24

Aloha friends!

My week started good because it was my birthday on Monday. I had a massage at the spa on Sunday and lunch afterwards with family. Then Tuesday hit (USA Election Day) and I experienced the 5 stages of grief in the span of a few days. It has sucked but I’m glad I’m not alone in my despair. I’m now in the mode of – to quote Taylor Swift “I think I’ve seen this film before…and I didn’t like the ending…”.

I hope you all have a great week!

Blog Posts:

Books I Read:

  • Is She Really Going Out with Him? by. Sophie Cousens

Currently Reading:

  • Vilest Things by. Chloe Gong
  • Window Shopping by. Tessa Bailey

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Nobody Wants This (Netflix) – my friend told me to watch this one and it’s pretty good so far!
  • The USA election…๐Ÿ˜’

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Most Anticipated Book Releases | November 2024

There are some exciting book releases coming up this month!โ€‚

This is what I’m looking forward to:

The titles above are books I haven’t read but I think I also should showcase the arcs I read that are releasing this month. So here they are:

What is your most anticipated book release this month?

First Lines Fridays – Can You Guess What Book? | 11/8/24

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but donโ€™t give anything else about the book away just yet โ€“ you need to hook the reader first
  • Finallyโ€ฆ reveal the book!

“Y’know, there’s really no need for all this violence.”

โฌ‡๏ธ

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โฌ‡๏ธ

โฌ‡๏ธ

โฌ‡๏ธ

โฌ‡๏ธ

โฌ‡๏ธ

โฌ‡๏ธ

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Can you guess what book it is?

Did you guess it? Have you read this one?

๐Ÿ“– ~ Yolanda

Stranger Skies by. Pascale Lacelle | ARC Review

My Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ๐Ÿ’ซ

Title: Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods, #2)

Author: Pascale Lacelle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 608

Publication Date: 11/5/24

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Categories: Young Adult, Series, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Romance, LGBT+, Dark Academia

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time!

Opening locked doors has a priceโ€”even for those who hold a key. After going through the door that called to them both in dreams, Emory and Romie find themselves in the the same verdant world written of in Song of the Drowned Gods, albeit a twisted, rotting version of it. A sinister force has awoken with their arrival, intent on destruction as it spills across realms, and now Emory and Romie must stop it before it reaches their own shores.

Meanwhile, Baz and Kai are desperate to follow their friends through the door to other worlds, but a mishap pulls them back in time insteadโ€”where they come face to face with Cornus Clover himself, famed author of Song of the Drowned Gods. Stuck together in the past, they must navigate a very different Aldryn as they unravel the schoolโ€™s darkest secrets. Across time and worlds, Emory, Romie, Baz, and Kai find their fates eerily interwoven with the heroes from Cloverโ€™s book. But when stories canโ€™t be trusted, friendships are put to the test, and deadly enemies are not always as they seem, they must decide who gets to be a heroโ€”and who is desperate enough to see themselves become a villain.

Content Warning: violence

I enjoyed Curious Tides, which is the first book in this series so I was very curious to see where this story went. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ I like the dual stories going with Romie and Emory in one place and Kai and Baz in another. I think it worked well seeing both worlds happening at the same time. I thought the world building was really good and expanded.

+ There was a little romance stirring in this book between two people that was hinted in book one. I love to see it, but it definitely comes at the end of the book and we’ll see what happens in book three. It’s definitely a slow burn. On the other hand where Emory had all the romance in book one, her relationship with Romie is what needs to be fixed and I liked to see their friendship journey.

+ There is magic, lots of action and so much going on in both worlds. Baz as a Timespinner even gets to go into the past with Kai to the point where I’d say things really changed for these magic wielders. I thought that part was very interesting and realized how large this world building is.

Dislikes:

~ I found this one a little too long and the pacing was off and there were parts that dragged. I do think it’s long because there was so much happening with the story, and lots more characters being introduced. But I did take a few weeks to finish this one.

Final Thoughts:

I did like how this world opens up in this book. There is so much going on and different worlds to explore. There is also a lot more characters introduced but at times I felt it dragged and was a bit too long for me. I think people who love fantasy though will love this one.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram๐Ÿ“š) | Instagram (crafts๐ŸŽจ) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle | Bookย Review โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

WWW Wednesday | 11/6/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three Wโ€™s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

I had no energy to read this past week but I did finish some arcs! I think I’m in kind of a slump with Halloween, the USA election and the holidays coming up? I’m kind of mental tired right now!

What are you currently reading?

Dating and Dragons by. Kristy Boyce – 35% – some progress (arc)

Vilest Things by. Chloe Gong – 14% – not much progress (Libby)

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by. Sophie Cousens (arc)

Bloodguard by. Cecy Robson (KU)

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

What are you reading right now?

What’s New This Month? November 2024 New Book Releases

For a few years I did a weekly book release post but I feel like putting it in one monthly posts, just to make it easier on me. So here are some November book releases:

November 5, 2024

Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods Trilogy, #1) by. Pascale Lacelle

Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time!Opening locked doors has a priceโ€”even for those who hold a key. After going through the door that called to them both in dreams, Emory and Romie find themselves in the the same verdant world written of in Song of the Drowned Gods, albeit a twisted, rotting version of it. A sinister force has awoken with their arrival, intent on destruction as it spills across realms, and now Emory and Romie must stop it before it reaches their own shores. Meanwhile, Baz and Kai are desperate to follow their friends through the door to other worlds, but a mishap pulls them back in time insteadโ€”where they come face to face with Cornus Clover himself, famed author of Song of the Drowned Gods. Stuck together in the past, they must navigate a very different Aldryn as they unravel the schoolโ€™s darkest secrets. Across time and worlds, Emory, Romie, Baz, and Kai find their fates eerily interwoven with the heroes from Cloverโ€™s book. But when stories canโ€™t be trusted, friendships are put to the test, and deadly enemies are not always as they seem, they must decide who gets to be a heroโ€”and who is desperate enough to see themselves become a villain.

Goodreads | Amazon


Where the Library Hides by. Isabel Ibaรฑez

The stunning conclusion to the story that started in What the River Knows. A lush immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, and a rivals-to-lovers romance like no other!

1885, Egypt

Inez Olivera is left reeling from her cousin Elviraโ€™s murder, and her motherโ€™s betrayal, and when Tรญo Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance, sheโ€™s left with only one option to consider.

Marriage to Whitford Hayes.

Former British soldier, her uncleโ€™s aide de camp, and one time nemesis, Whit has his own mysterious reasons for staying in Egypt. With her heart on the line, Inez might have to bind her fate to the one person whose secret plans could ruin her.

Goodreads | Amazon


November 12, 2024

The Courting of Bristol Keats by. Mary E. Pearson

From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance

After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an โ€œauntโ€ sheโ€™s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meetโ€”and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realmโ€”the one he is from.

Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae king, Tyghan. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her fatherโ€”dead or alive.

Goodreads | Amazon


Games Untold: An Inheritance Games (#4.5) by. Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Romance, luxury, and secrets abound in this thrilling new collection that take readers deeper into the world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series

There is nothing frivolous about the way a Hawthorne man loves.

An amnesiac playboy and the woman with every reason to hate him. A daredevil, his favorite heiress, and three nights in Prague. An unlikely pairing between a cowboy and a goth. Four brothers with an inescapable bond, strengthened by the family they chose, in a house of wonders that promises to always deliver one more secret.

Discover their stories of love and loss, power, puzzles, and life-and-death secrets in this mind-blowingly romantic collection that proves that when you love the way Hawthornes love, there is no going back.

Goodreads | Amazon


Pickleballers by. Ilana Long

A pickleball newbie looking to recover from lifeโ€™s swings and misses crosses paddles with love in this debut romantic comedy.

Meg Bloomberg is in a pickle. When Megโ€™s ex turns out to be a total dink, she and her bestie take off for a mood-lifting pickleball excursion to Bainbridge Island. Itโ€™s supposed to be an easy lob, a way to heal, not the opening serve to a new courtside romance thatโ€™s doomed to spin out.

No matter how Meg tries, she canโ€™t shake her feelings for Ethan Fine. A charismatic environmental consultant and Bainbridge local, Ethan seems like the real dill. But when Meg discovers that Ethan is sabotaging her home court, she decides the match is over.

Itโ€™s time for Meg to take control of her own game. And maybe, just maybeโ€ฆlove will bounce back.

Goodreads | Amazon


Skyshade (Lightlark, #3) by. Alex Aster

The pulse-pounding third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Lightlark Saga, by acclaimed author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster

Love kills kingdomsโ€ฆ

Back in Grimโ€™s castle on Nightshade, Isla is reeling in the wake of a brutal battle and the devastating truths it exposed. Her futureโ€”and the fate of the worldโ€”now hinge on a heart split in two.

Past Isla, who fell in love with the ruler of Nightshade, fights to resist feelings she considers treasonous. The Isla of the present, who has seen the ruin her powers can cause, will do anything to save Lightlark and its king.

As the line between enemy and friend is tested, Isla is more desperate than ever to understand the oracleโ€™s final prophecy and change her heartrending fate. But a storm is coming. And with it, a long-buried evil greater than anything the realms have faced before.

With the clock ticking on her destiny and the survival of two warring kingdoms hinging on her own shattered heart, Isla Crown will either save the worldโ€”or destroy it.

Goodreads | Amazon


Midnights with You by. Clare Osongco

โ€œWhere were you thinking of going?โ€
โ€œNowhere.โ€
โ€œGreat,โ€ he says lightly, putting the car in gear. โ€œThen weโ€™ll go there.โ€

Seventeen-year-old Deedeeโ€™s life is full of family ghosts and questions she canโ€™t ask. She longs for an escape, but guilt holds her backโ€”that, and the fact that her strict Filipino single mom wonโ€™t let her learn to drive. But one sleepless night leads Deedee down a road she never thought possible: secret driving lessons with the new boy next door, Jay, whose turbulent family life also keeps him up until sunrise.

As midnights stretch into days, Jay helps Deedee begin to unravel her past, and as shared secrets blossom into love, Deedee starts to imagine a life where happiness is possible. But the deeper she digs into the trauma that has shaped her, the more that trauma threatens to tear Deedee and Jay apart. Together, these two must decide if the pain theyโ€™ve both inherited has the power to choose their fate, or if they have the power to choose for themselves.

Goodreads | Amazon


More Than This: The Davenports by.Krystal Marquis

The anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller featuring escapist romance and a wealthy Black family in 1910s Chicago

Like the blazing Chicago sun, the drama is heating up for the Davenports and their social set. Before the summer of 1910 drops its last petal, the livesโ€”and lovesโ€”of these four young women will change in ways they never could have imagined:

Newly engaged Ruby Tremaine is eagerly planning her wedding to the love of her life when a nasty rumor threatens her reputation and her marriage. Olivia Davenport has committed to the social justice cause and secretly hopes sheโ€™ll be reunited with dashing lawyer Washington DeWightโ€”until her parents decide sheโ€™s to marry someone else. Amy-Rose Shepherd is making her lifelong wish of owning a salon come true, but when an incident forces her to return to Freeport Manor, sheโ€™s back in the path of John Davenport, who still holds her heart. Helen Davenport is determined to get over her own heartbreak and bring the Davenport Carriage Company into the new century, even if it means teaming up with a thrill-seeking racecar driver who just loves to get under her skin.

Inspired by the real-life story of the Patterson family, More Than This is the second book in critically adored Davenports series, following four empowered and passionate young Black women as they navigate a rapidly changing society and discover the courage to steer their own paths in lifeโ€”and love.

Goodreads | Amazon


Our Deadly Designs (This Dark Descent, #2) by. Kalyn Josephson

The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent, called “a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride” by acclaimed author Ava Reid.

The Illinir may be over, but the race for Enderlainโ€™s future has just begun. The hunt for the old kingโ€™s lost heir is on, and the first to find them will win the throne.

Mikira has allied herself with the rebels in pursuit of the lost heir, but the deeper her search takes her, the closer she gets to the royal family’s wicked past.

Ari is struggling to control her own growing power as she grapples with a dark secret that may be her undoing โ€” and the truth behind Damien’s greatest foe.

Damien, the new head of House Adair, joins the race to find the heir and secure the crown. But as his influence at court grows, so does his paranoia and hunger for power.

Reid is trying his best to stay true to the friend who’s always had his loyalty โ€” and the flame who has his heart โ€” while trapped in a web of chaos and lies.

But a darker force is festering in Enderlainโ€™s underbelly, and Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid will need to find a way back to each other โ€” and themselves โ€” before the kingdom is torn apart. Hearts will be broken and new bonds will be forged in this explosive finale to This Dark Descent, where spellbinding fantasy meets Jewish mythology in a cut-throat race for the throne โ€” and Enderlainโ€™s survival.

Goodreads | Amazon


November 19, 2024

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent

New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante’s Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods.

Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampireโ€”her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who turned her, redemption feels impossible.

But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.

Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray himโ€ฆ by killing the god of death.

Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. Yet, most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darknessโ€”and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.

As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in, and angry gods are growing restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.

Goodreads | Amazon


A Legend in the Baking (Fake It Till You Bake It, #2) by. Jamie Wesley

After accidentally going viral on social media, a cupcake-baking football player gets assistance from a social media mavenโ€”and his best friend’s little sisterโ€”to help promote his new bakery.

August Hodges was supposed to be the silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes. Emphasis on silent. That is until his impromptu feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and baking cupcakes isnโ€™t a threat to masculinity goes viral, making him the hottest bachelor in town. With a new location in the works, August and his partners decide to capitalize on this perfect opportunity to help cement their place in the community. But the hiring of his best friendโ€™s younger sister, the woman who has haunted some of his best dreams for years, was as much of a shock as his new-found fame.

Social media manager Sloane Dell fell hard for her brotherโ€™s best friend the moment she met him more than a decade ago, but that teenage infatuation cost her dearly. Still, she accepts her brotherโ€™s request to revamp the bakeryโ€™s social media presence to take advantage of Augustโ€™s newfound popularity, knowing itโ€™s the big break her fledgling career needs. Sheโ€™ll just ignore the fact that August is still August, i.e. sexier and sweeter than any man has a right to be. And that he drives her crazy with his resistance to all her ideas.

They vow to leave the past in the past. But when an explosive make-out session makes it clear their attraction burns hotter than ever, Sloane and August are forced to reconsider what it means to take a risk and chase your dreams.

As theyโ€™re both about to find out, allโ€™s fair in love and cupcakes.

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The Half King by. Melissa Landers

A king by day.ย Shadow by nightโ€ฆ

The Great Betrayal changed everything for the Allied Realm. Long ago, the kingdomโ€™s noble houses rose up against the goddess… and for their treachery, the firstborn of each noble family was cursed.

One with perilous beauty.
One with destructive knowledge.
One with insatiable bloodlust.

But the royal house Mortara received the worst affliction of all. For while the king exists during the day, he fades into nothingness at night…until his twenty-first birthday, when he will be lost to the shadows forever.

Now an acolyte has arrived at court. Like all the second-born children of the Allied Realm, sheโ€™s destined to serve the goddess and become a Seer…only Cerise Solon has no gift of foretelling. In fact, she has no magical gift at all.

Instead, sheโ€™s surrounded by courtiers and priestsโ€”smiling sycophants whose hearts are filled with secrets and lies. And at the center of it all sits His Majesty Kian Hannibal Mortara, with his haunting eyes, sharp tongue, and an unerring ability to send her pulse skittering at the worst possible moments.

Falling for him is unthinkable. Because the king is the last of his line, and as the specter of his twenty-first birthdayโ€”and the full force of his curseโ€”approaches, the kingdom holds its breath.

But thereโ€™s only one way to save a dying king… and it lies with the one person whoโ€™s hiding the biggest secret of all.ย Cerise.

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Is She Really Going Out With Him? By. Sophie Cousens

Columnistย Anna Appleby has left her love life behindย after a painfulย divorce. Who needs love when sheย has two kids, a cat and an ex-husbandย to think about? Besides, she’dย rather be single than subject herself to the hell ofย online dating.ย But her office rival is vying for her column,ย and no column meansย no stable source of income. So in a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique ย Seven dates,ย all found offline,ย chosen by her children. From awkwardย encountersย to unexpected connections, Anna gamelyย begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters and the mailman, even her celebrity crush.ย But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she beย brave enough to take a chance on love?

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The Whispering Night (The Luminaries, #3) by. Susan Dennard

The forest is more dangerous than ever in this highly-anticipated, pulse-pounding, and swoon-worthy conclusion to the bestselling Luminaries trilogy.Winnie Wednesdayโ€™s future is looking bright. Hemlock Falls is no longer hunting the werewolf, she and Erica Thursday are tentative friends, and Winnie finally knows exactly where she stands with Jay Friday.With everything finally on track, Winnie is looking forward to the Nightmare Masquerade, a week-long celebration of all things Luminary. But as Luminaries from across the world flock to the small town, uninvited guests also arrive. Winnie is confronted by a masked Diana and charged with an impossible taskโ€•one that threatens everything and everyone Winnie loves.As Winnie fights to stop new enemies before time runs out, old mysteries won’t stop intruding. Her missing father is somehow entangled with her search for hidden witches, and as Winnie digs deeper into the long-standing war between the Luminaries and the Dianas, she discovers rifts within her own family she never could have imagined.What does loyalty mean when family and enemies look the same?

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November 26, 2024

Heart-Shaped Lies by. Elizabeth Agyemang

John Tucker Must Die meets A Good Girlโ€™s Guide to Murder in this tongue-in-cheek mystery about three feuding exes of a social media prank star who are forced to work together to uncover the truth behind his death when his deactivated account resurfaces online with claims that one of them killed him.

Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh have nothing in commonโ€”except they just found out that theyโ€™re all dating Tommy Harding, the internetโ€™s most famous teen prank star.

KIARA is the girlfriend who the cameras know and love, the academic star who Tommy parades around in public to keep his image in check.

PRISCILLA is Tommyโ€™s co-star. As a beauty influencer and an accomplice to Tommyโ€™s notorious antics, sheโ€™s always known that the two of them could be the Internetโ€™s power coupleโ€”if only he would confess to his girlfriend what really goes on during their โ€˜rehearsalsโ€™.

And NEVAEH is the good girl, the pastorโ€™s daughter whoโ€™d never dream of dating a boy whoโ€™s already taken.

When a viral post from Tommyโ€™s social media account exposes his cheating ways during their high school class trip to Floridaโ€™s biggest theme park, the girls are crushedโ€”and furious. Tommy claims his account was hacked. Now, Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh want him out of their lives. Forever. After all, Tommy doesnโ€™t just hold their heartsโ€”he holds their secrets, too.

But when Tommyโ€™s body is found the next morning, their so-called wish becomes a twisted reality. Because Tommy may be gone, but the internet is forever. And the girls are about to go from strangers to suspectsโ€ฆ.

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Tale of the Heart Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #4) by. Nisha J. Tuli

After Lor makes the biggest mistake of her life, she finds herself on the run from the Aurora King and decides it’s time to end this, once and for all. But when a new enemy emerges to claim her freedom, the entire fate of Ouranos comes to rest on her shoulders.

As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn’t recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother’s mistakes.

When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld’s shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, sheโ€™s competing for everyone’s future, not just a crown.

The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.

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Darkly by. Marisha Pessl

What would you kill for?

When an ad for an internship with the Louisiana Veda Foundation poses this question, seemingly every high school student in the country rushes to apply. Arcadia โ€œDiaโ€ Gannon has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda, the late game designer whose obsessive creations have attained a cultlike status, ever since she and her mom played Disappearing Actโ€”but Dia has never won anything in her life. So sheโ€™s shocked when sheโ€™s chosen as an intern, along with six other teenagers from around the world.

Little is known about Louisiana Veda. Her game-making empire, Darkly, was renowned for its ingenious, terrifying toys and games, rife with hidden symbols and secrets. But after Vedaโ€™s mysterious death, Darkly went bankrupt, and production was discontinued. The remaining games are priced like highly sought-after works of art, with the rarest and most notorious items commanding tens of millions of dollars at auction.

Now the interns are thrust into the enigmatic heart of Louisiana Vedaโ€™s operation, and Dia immediately questions everything: Who are these other kids? Why do they all seem to have something to hide? And why was she really chosen? It soon becomes clear that this summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this month?

Happy Reading!

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