One True Loves by Elise Bryant

 

“Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.

She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.

Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.

But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.” - taken from Goodreads.

Even though this is a companion novel, there is no need to have read the first book to enjoy the Lenore’s story. Heart broken and not thrilled about her college plans, Lenore is adrift. While on the family's Mediterranean cruise, her parents have given her a deadline, decide her future by the end of the trip. After a different disastrous encounter with the handsome Alex Lee, can Lenore find her one true love and satisfy her parents demands? 

Visit Elise Bryant’s website.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

“Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.” - taken from Goodreads.

Aderyn is a gravedigger. When the bone houses (the risen dead) begin to leave the supposedly cursed forest and terrorize her small community, she knows that she must do something. When the mysterious Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker, arrived and wishes for Ryn to guide him through the forest oh, she jumps at the chance to save our family home. A spellbinding tale, Ren and Ellis attempt to break the curse of the bone houses and solve the Mysteries that haunt their lives 

Visit Emily Lloyd-Jones’s website.

Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean

 

“Britt Hanson has always preferred scoring goals on the soccer field to analyzing dusty old books. But when an injury ends her dream to play in college, she jumps at the chance to compete in a scavenger hunt in England that takes her to the locations of classic novels—the prize money would change her life!

Once in the UK, she meets bookish and very British Luke Jackson. He can't actually help her with any of the clues (against the rules), but something about Luke compels her to invite him to join her. She wouldn't mind getting to know him—and listening to his accent.

To win, Britt must outsmart three competitors who aren't afraid to play dirty while solving clues and traveling around the English countryside. With Luke as her partner, the trip takes some unexpected turns, and Britt learns that sometimes you have to follow the map—and other times, you need to throw caution to the wind and go wherever the cobblestoned road leads you.” - taken from Goodreads.

Due to a life-altering injury, soccer player Britt Hansen sees her college plans go up in smoke. When she is offered the opportunity to participate in its literary scavenger hunt in England with a significant monetary prize, Britt jumps at the chance. Starting on her quest, she meets the handsome Luke Jackson, who tags along but isn't allowed to help her on her journey. As she deciphers the clues, Luke helps Britt see that she can have a different future than she planned and vice versa. A meet-cute that ends on a high note 

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The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder (The Bone Spindle book 1)

 

“Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn't believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who's been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi--until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she's stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way--not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane's heart, along with whatever else she's after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.” - take from Goodreads.

What would it be like to live in a fairy tale, horror and all? In this gender-swapped story of Sleeping Beauty, Fi and Shane embark on an action-filled adventure against impossible odds to find the sleeping prince and break the curse. With secrets between the two, can Fi and Shane learn to trust and work together? With several unanswered questions, readers will be eagerly anticipating the final book.

The story will be concluded on February 7, 2023, with The Severed Thread,

Visit Leslie Vedder’s website.