Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor

 

“All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.

The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.

With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.” - taken from Goodreads.

The Hotel Magnifique is legendary for not only its magical enchantments but for its ability to travel to a new location each night. Since her mother's death, Jani has cared for her younger sister Zosa and works a dead-end job. When the Hotel arrives in their town, the sisters quickly accept jobs to work there to better their lives, Unfortunately, the Hotel isn’t what it seems and Jani and Zosa soon find themselves in danger. A great mysterious fantasy read.

Visit Emily J. Taylor’s website.

Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders (Unstoppable book 1)

 

“Outsmart Your Enemies. Outrun the Galaxy.

Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachael, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

The story continues with book two, Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak.

Visit Charlie Jane Anders’ website.

Loveboat Reunion by Abigail Hing Wen (Loveboat Taipai book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Loveboat Taipai, Stop! I don’t want to ruin this companion story for you.

“Sophie Ha and Xavier Yeh have what some would call a tumultuous past.

Hearts were broken, revenge was plotted—but at least they're friends now. They left the drama behind them back in Taipei—at their summer program, Loveboat—forever.

Now that fall is here, they're focusing on what really matters. Sophie is determined to be the best student Dartmouth’s ever had. Xavier just wants to stay under his overbearing father’s radar, collect his trust fund when he turns eighteen, and concentrate on what makes him happy.

But the world doesn’t seem to want either to succeed. Sophie’s college professor thinks her first major project is “too feminine.” Xavier’s father gives him an ultimatum: finish high school or be cut off from his inheritance.

Then Sophie and Xavier find themselves on a wild, nonstop Loveboat reunion, hatching a joint plan to take control of their futures. Can they succeed together . . . or are they destined to combust?” - taken from Goodreads.

I devoured this book in just two days and enjoyed it so much more than the first installment. The chemistry between Sophie and Xavier was off the charts as they begin to see the hidden parts of one another and discover their strengths. This was a great story about the meaning of family, friends, and following your dreams.

Visit Abigail Hing Wen’s website.

Of Princes and Promises by Sandhya Menon (St. Rosetta’s Academy book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Of Curses and Kisses, Stop! I don’t want to ruin this companion story for you.

“Caterina LaValle is determined to show she’s still the queen of St. Rosetta’s Academy. Sure, her crown may be slightly askew after her ex-boyfriend, Alaric, cheated on her, but she’s a LaValle. She’ll find a way to march right back in there, her hands clutching the strings to the whole puppet show. This time, she’s going to be untouchable.

Rahul Chopra knows that moment he shared with Caterina LaValle at the winter formal meant something. Surely she feels it, too. He’s a little uncertain how someone like him (socially inept to a point way past “adorkable”) could fit into her world, but he’s loved Caterina for years. He knows they’ll find a way.

When Caterina finds out Alaric is taking a supermodel to the upcoming gala, she knows she cannot arrive without the perfect date. But the thought of taking another superficial St. R’s boy exhausts her. The solution? Sweet-but-clueless Rahul Chopra and a mysterious pot of hair gel with the power to alter the wearer into whatever his heart desires.

When Rahul tries it, he transforms instantly into RC—debonair, handsome, and charming. But transformation comes with a price: As Rahul enjoys his new social standing, the line between his two personas begins to blur. Will he give up everything, including Caterina, to remain RC? Or will this unlikely pair find their way back to each other?” - taken from Goodreads.

This story was a unique list on The Frog Prince fairy tale. Having read the first book a while ago, I was afraid I wouldn’t remember the story. Starting just weeks later, this book started out slow for me as Caterina makes over Rahul for a party. Once these two begin to see each other for who the other really is, the story took off for me. With an underlining mystery, Caterina and Rahul must fight for their happily ever after.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

What I Like About You by Marisa Kanter

 

“There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He’s an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything…

Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn’t Halle—she’s Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn’t: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

That is, until Halle arrives to spend senior year in Gramps’s small town and finds herself face-to-face with real, human, not-behind-a-screen Nash. Nash, who is somehow everywhere she goes—in her classes, at the bakery, even at synagogue.

Nash who has no idea she’s actually Kels.

If Halle tells him who she is, it will ruin the non-awkward magic of their digital friendship. Not telling him though, means it can never be anything more. Because while she starts to fall for Nash as Halle…he’s in love with Kels.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a quirky love triangle between Nash, Halle, and Halle's online Persona, Kels. Having only meant and interacted with the internet, Halle, who keeps her real identity a secret online, is shocked to meet Nash in real life when she moves to her grandfather's hometown. Halle immediately knows who Nash is but she doesn't divulge her true identity. Soon Nash is everywhere Halle goes but she never tells him who she really is. Drawn to each other, Nash still feels a pull towards Kels, even though they've never met in real life. Will Halle come clean before it's too late?

This was a meet-cute romance that involves books and blogs.

Visit Marisa Kanter’s website.

Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli

 

“Adriana Russo is figure skating royalty.

With gold-medalist parents, and her older sister headed to the Olympics, all she wants is to live up to the family name and stand atop the ice dance podium at the Junior World Championships. But fame doesn’t always mean fortune, and their legendary skating rink is struggling under the weight of her dad’s lavish lifestyle. The only thing keeping it afloat is a deal to host the rest of the Junior Worlds team before they leave for France.

That means training on the same ice as her first crush, Freddie, the partner she left when her growth spurt outpaced his. For the past two years, he’s barely acknowledged her existence, and she can’t even blame him for it.

When the family’s finances take another unexpected hit, losing the rink seems inevitable until her partner, Brayden, suggests they let the world believe what many have suspected: that their intense chemistry isn’t contained to the ice. Fans and sponsors alike take the bait, but keeping up the charade is harder than she ever imagined. And training alongside Freddie makes it worse, especially when pretending with Brayden starts to feel very real.

As the biggest competition of her life draws closer and her family’s legacy hangs in the balance, Adriana is caught between her past and present, between the golden future she’s worked so hard for, and the one she gave up long ago.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was the perfect love triangle, square, octagon book. Reminding me of one of my favorite movies, The Cutting Edge, Adriana is put in an awkward situation when her former ice dancing partner comes to train at her family’s rink for the world competition. Both have new partners and are surrounded by the rest of their teammates. Full of the expected ups and downs on and off the ice, Adriana must decide if the risks of following her heart and worth the possible hurt. 

Visit Jennifer Iacopelli’s website.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

 

“Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I didn't know what to expect from this book going in. Myra Whitlock is a portrait artist with a deadly secret. She is able to alter people through her painting and magic. When she is hired by the governor's wife to “resurrect” her dead son, Myra is desperate for the money to get medical help for her younger sister even though her life will be in danger. Once at the Harris Mansion, Myra soon realizes that not everything is what it seems. Full of intrigue and mystery, readers will be shocked by the ending.

Visit Jessica S. Olson’s website.