Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

 

“Two sisters went missing on their class trip—Grace, the outgoing athlete who is friends with just about everyone, and Maddy, the wallflower wilting in her sister’s shadow who'd rather absorb herself in her journal than talk to her classmates.

But when Grace is found—injured, with no memory of what happened—everybody thinks she’s lying. It’s hard not to look guilty with Maddy’s blood on her clothes.

Desperate to save her sister—and prove her own innocence—Grace must piece together what happened on that school trip with the help of her sister’s notebook and classmates who may not be telling the police everything that about that tragic night.

She will discover her sister’s secrets can’t stay quiet…but what if her own are the most terrifying of all?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an unexpected mystery for me, but in a good way. Told by both sisters, Grace in the present and Maddy in the past, readers will be clamouring to discover what Grace is trying to remember about that night. Heartbreaking at times, the ending completely caught me off guard. So glad that I read/listened to this book.

Visit Megan Davidhizar’s website.

The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor (The Broken Citadel book 1)

 

SPOILER ALERT/WARNING!The main character is forced to kill animals against her will. Be prepared.

“Will he steal her heart... or her chance at the throne?

Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals—only after killing them with her bare hands. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power.

Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future—and revenge. But he'll have to manipulate Mance and earn her trust to pull it off.

As the deception and carnage mount, Mance must find a way to save her realm without becoming the ruthless monster she's been bred to be. And when Silver discovers that his actions are fueling the violence that Mance wants to prevent, he'll have to choose between his ambition and the girl he’s falling for.” - taken from Goodreads.

Mancella just wants out from under her father’s control. Forced to slaughter animals against her will to harness their powers, she is trying to find a way to save their realm before she becomes just like her father. When she begins to place her trust and heart with the one person who is working against her, can she change the situation before it is too late?

Silver is ready to change his future after the destruction wrought by Mancella’s father to his life. Working against Mancella with a secretive supporter, Silver soon realizes that he and Mancella both want the same thing. Can the two come to an agreement and work together before it is too late?

Book two is TBA.

Visit D.L. Taylor’s website.

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me: the New Republic book 1)

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a continuation of the Shatter Me series. Readers will be a bit lost if they haven’t read the earlier books.

“James Anderson had a plan. Or half of one. All that matters is that he managed to do what his older brother, the famous Aaron Warner Anderson, never did: infiltrate Ark Island, the last refuge of The Reestablishment. In the past decade no outsider has breached the stronghold of the authoritarian regime, but James is in. In a prison cell, sure, but as far as James is concerned, a win is a win.

It’s been ten years since the fall of The Reestablishment. Ten years since the notorious duo — Juliette Ferrars and Aaron Warner Anderson — led a worldwide rebellion and established the New Republic of the West. But after a decade of unsettling quiet, The Reestablishment is ready to make a devastating move, and they have the perfect person for the job.

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. She always has a plan. On Ark Island, where constant surveillance is packaged as security, even emotions must be experienced with caution. A trained assassin, her every movement is monitored by synthetic intelligence—and when she’s given an order to kill, she never hesitates.” - taken from Goodreads.

It was so good to be back in the world of Shatter Me. Ten years have passed and Warner and Adam’s little brother, James is the star of this series. With the Reestablishment having one surviving foothold left, James is determined to gather intel for his older brother, even though he has to go against Warner’s wishes. Unfortunately, James doesn’t expect what he uncovers. With that cliffhanger ending, fans will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this installment. Fans of the previous series will be glad to see that the previous characters that active roles in the new series, not just brief mentions.

Book two is TBD.

Visit Tahereh Mafi’s website.

Fearless by Lauren Roberts (Powerless trilogy book 3)

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

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

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

“Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya…

And Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate—and the fate of those around her—forever.

In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins?” - take from Goodreads.

Picking up immediately from the ending of Reckless, Paedyn finds herself torn between Kitt and Kai. Without giving too much away, this book does answer all of the mysteries surrounding our characters and doesn’t rush the ending. An excellent end to this trilogy.

Visit Lauren Roberts’ website.

Rebel Witch by Kristin Ciccarelli (Crimson Moth book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Heartless Hunter, 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.

“A WITCH...

Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...

Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...

When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.” - taken from Goodreads.

Two months have passed since the end of the first book.Without giving too much away, our characters must make some heart wrenching decisions that keep the story moving. This book was an incredible ending to this duology that has to be one of my favorite books of the year.

Visit Kristen Ciccarelli’s website.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne

 

“Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important are the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. I would know. I'm one of them. We disrupt class ranks, club leaderships, and academic competitions...among other things. We improve our own odds by decreasing the fortunes of others. Because hyper-elite competitive college admissions is serious business. And in some cases, it's deadly.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book kept me guessing until the very end as to who the killer was and why. With a heavy splash of Mean Girls vibes and cutthroat competition, readers will be along for the ride even if they cannot completely relate to the story.  

Visit Alexa Donne’s website.

The Shadow Bride by Shelby Mahurin (The Scarlet Veil book 2)

 

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

“Célie’s life is over. She took her final breath trying to save the people she loves—including the powerful and enigmatic vampire king, Michal, who refused to let her go. When Célie wakes, she cannot walk in the sun; she can hear her friends’ heartbeats and she craves their blood. Michal has cursed her to the eternal existence of a vampire.

But Célie isn’t the only dead roaming the earth. Her sister, Filippa, has returned as a shadow of her former self, and other revenants are rising from their graves intent on revenge. The fragile balance between life and death has broken, awakening an even darker force—and he is coming for Célie, ready to claim her as his Bride. With the fate of their world at stake, Célie and Michal must set aside their searing attraction to mend the veil and right the balance, once and for all.” - taken from Goodreads.

Even though this book is the last in the duology, the ending wraps up the five arc series beautifully. Without giving too much away, our characters are put through the wringer before the end. A definite read for fans of the previous books.