The Camelot Betrayal by Kiersten White (Camelot Rising book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Guinevere Deception, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE IN CAMELOT: King Arthur is expanding his kingdom’s influence with Queen Guinevere at his side. Yet every night, dreams of darkness and unknowable power plague her.

Guinevere might have accepted her role, but she still cannot find a place for herself in all of it. The closer she gets to Brangien, pining for her lost love Isolde, Lancelot, fighting to prove her worth as Queen’s knight, and Arthur, everything to everyone and thus never quite enough for Guinevere–the more she realizes how empty she is. She has no sense of who she truly was before she was Guinevere. The more she tries to claim herself as queen, the more she wonders if Mordred was right: she doesn’t belong. She never will.

When a rescue goes awry and results in the death of something precious, a devastated Guinevere returns to Camelot to find the greatest threat yet has arrived. Not in the form of the Dark Queen or an invading army, but in the form of the real Guinevere’s younger sister. Is her deception at an end? And who is she really deceiving–Camelot, or herself?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Why after being so slow in the beginning did the sucker punch of the entire series occur at the end? I enjoyed delving deeper into this twist on the Arthurian legend as Guinevere struggles to uncover the secrets surrounding Camelot and her own identity. The cliffhanger ending and betrayals revealed will leave the reader clamoring for the final book in this trilogy.

The Camelot Rising trilogy concludes on December 7, 2021 with The Excalibur Curse.

Visit Kiersten White’s website.

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

 

“A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.

From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship...

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I really thought this book was going to be a cute retelling of Disney's The Parent Trap. And it was to some extent but the reasoning behind the girls’ separation was a bit heartbreaking if not a little bit unbelievable. There is a touch of romance but it is not the main focus of the story. I couldn't put down this book in my attempt to discover why Abby and Savannah were separated. I can definitely see why Reese Witherspoon picked this title for her YA book club.

Visit Emma Lord’s website.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer (Cursebreakers book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Face your fears, fight the battle.

Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and a magical scraver by her side. As Grey's deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.

As the two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and a dangerous enemy returns, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an incredible end to this amazing trilogy. Told from all four previous points of view, the story of clothes as Rhen tries to break free from Lilith’s  brutal curse and end it once and for all. On the brink of war, will Rhen, Harper, Grey, and Lia Mara be able to achieve the peace they desire? The story isn't wrapped up with the neat bow but instead of allows readers to fantasize about their own ending. 

Visit Brigid Kemerer’s website.

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare (The Lost Hours book 2, Shadowhunters book 14)

SPOILER POTENTIAL! This is the second book in this series. Please stop if you haven’t read the first book, Chain of Gold.

“Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.” - taken from Goodreads.com

OMG! I don’t know how Ms. Clare continues to draw me into the Shadowhunters’ realm without getting bored. This book was so incredible that I couldn’t wait to get to the end yet never wanted the story to stop. And that ending is a killer cliffhanger! One year is going to be a terrible wait.

Book three, Chain of Thorns, is expected in March of 2022.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.
Visit Shadowhunters.com

All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace (All the Stars and Teeth book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, All the Stars and Teeth, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.: - taken from Goodreads.com

I enjoyed getting back into Amora's world. With the loss of her father, she is now queen but rules with a heavy heart. Not to mention a little curse she must deal with. Our heroine tries to stay strong but Amora eventually begins to allow her crew of friends in. With a heart-wrenching ending, fans will be thrilled with the journey. Hand this duology to fans of Tricia Levenseller.

Visit Adalyn Grace’s website.

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

 

“Authorized to kill ...and sell books”

“In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.” - taken from Goodreads.com

How could I not love this book? It’s not very often that I find a story where the main character shares my name. This was a fun-filled, light-hearted fantasy that romps through jolly old England as Susan is determined to discover who her father is even after she stumbles across the Booksellers of London. Teaming up with Merlin and Vivien, who are on a quest of their own, the three find themselves on an unexpected adventure of a lifetime.

Visit Garth Nix’s website.

The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor

 

“Math is one thing. Love is another.

Emma Woodhouse is a genius at math, but clueless about people. After all, people are unreliable. They let you down—just like Emma's sister, Izzy, did this year, when she moved to California for college. But numbers...those you can count on. (No pun intended.)

Emma's senior year is going to be all about numbers, and seeing how far they can take her. When she and George, her Coding Club co-president, are tasked with brainstorming a new project, The Code for Love is born—a matchmaking app that goes far beyond swiping, using algorithms to calculate compatibility. George disapproves of Emma's idea, accusing her of meddling in people's lives. But all the happy new couples at school are proof that the app works. At least at first.

Emma's code is flawless. So why is it that perfectly matched couples start breaking up, the wrong people keep falling for each other and her own feelings defy any algorithm? Emma thought math could solve everything. But there's nothing more complex—or unpredictable—than love.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This story is a cute modern redo of Jane Austen's Emma. Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley are co-presidents of the coding club at Highbury High. The club decides to go with Emma's idea to create an app named The Code for Love, their take on Match.com for their school. Of course, math and numbers soothe Emma, but as the club begin to match their classmates to one another, she starts to realize that love isn't as simple as a mathematical formula. A super cute rom-com.

Visit Jillian Cantor’s website.