Amber & Dusk by Lyra Selene (Amber & Dusk book 1)

“Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies. 

So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers.

But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Was this the best fantasy book I’ve ever read? No, but it wasn’t the worst. This book started off slow for me with all of the worldbuilding. I did find Sylvie to be a great character who knew what she wanted and didn’t back down or give up, no matter how many times someone told her that she should leave. It took a while for her to open her eyes to what was going on.

The author has loosely based the court of the Amber Empire on French King Louis XIV. Once the truth about Sylvie came to light, I was ready to finish the book to see how it ended,

Book two, Diamond & Dawn is due out on December 3, 2019.

Visit Lyra Selene’s website.

Dark Shores by Danielle Jensen (Dark Shores book 1)

“In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences. 

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world. 

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Dark Shores is a book that I had difficulty putting down. The setting is loosely based on the Roman empire and even includes some Latin words. This story greatly reminded me of Tricia Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King. Teriana is a pirate out to save her family and crew when she is sent with one of the empire’s strongest military legion’s. Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh and is blackmailed by the ruling senator of the empire to conquer new land. Teriana and Marcus are enemies thrown together to save those they love and willing to do whatever it takes. 

What I loved about this book was the enemy becoming more storyline. Also, the deception at work to keep the two apart was great. Unfortunately, some questions are left unanswered making the wait for book two just a bit grueling.

Visit Danielle Jensen’s website.

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto (Crown of Feathers book 1)

“I had a sister, once…

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us.

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.

Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.

Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken. “ - taken from Goodreads.com

This book started a bit slow for me but boy did it pack a punch by the end. Crown of Feathers has everything that a fantastic fantasy read needs; secrets, deception, mystery, and romance. When everything comes tumbling down and reveals are made, readers will be floored. Even better, that incredible epilogue will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book to see how this fantastic story moves forward. Definitely one of my favorite reads of this year!!

Book two, Heart of Flames, is due out February 11, 2020.

Visit Nicki Pau Preto's website.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (Gilded Wolves book 1)

“Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin will need help from a band of experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can't yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much.

Together, they'll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.” - taken from Goodreads.com

At the beginning of this book, I was heavily reminded of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology and the sextuplet of main characters that everyone roots for. I kept comparing Severin to Kaz. The further you get into the story, these six characters begin to grow on you. Mythology, history, and math are woven throughout the story. Readers will soon be flipping through the pages to uncover the secrets everyone is hiding.

Needless to say, things don’t go exactly as our characters wish. WIth the ending chapters setting up the next book, readers will be ready to see where Severin and the gang go next.

Book two in the trilogy, The Silvered Serpents, is due out on February 2, 2020.

Visit Roshani Chokshi’s website.

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (The Star-Touched Queen book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! A Crown of Wishes is a companion story to The Star-Touched Queen. Reading the previous book isn’t necessary to enjoy this story. Gauri is briefly mentioned in the first story. This book centers on two different characters.

Check out Book Series Recaps for refresher on the first book.

“Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I literally started this book last year while on vacation and then laid it down once at home. I only got just over 100 pages in. One year later and another few vacation days, I decided to try and finish this book. Boy, am I glad that I did. I thoroughly enjoyed Gauri and Vikram’s journey in their attempts to win the Tournament of Wishes and be accepted by their kingdoms.

This is a companion book to The Star-Touched Queen where readers are briefly introduced to Gauri. Queen’s storyline is about her older sister Maya. It’s not necessary to read one book before the other but Maya does make a cryptic appearance to Gauri that previous readers will fully understand.

Visit Roshani Chokani’s website.

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

“Charlie Grant's older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can't wait for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. There's the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won't stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren't speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo. Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner's nephew is unexpectedly, distractedly cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she'll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book is completely different from any other Morgan Matson book I read before. Don't go in expecting a cute Romance. The story of the grant family takes place over three very hectic and chaotic days. Charlie, the youngest of the five Grant children, is excited for her family to be together for one last weekend at her older sister's wedding and her mother's retirement before their house is sold. Mrs. Grant is a famous cartoon has to strip is based on her family.

What makes this book great is the fact that everything that could go wrong does, and how the Grant family weathers the impending storms.

Visit Morgan Matson’s website.