Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the trilogy, Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight, Stop! I don’t want to ruin this series for you.

“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil pressed their hands to their hearts and started the apocalypse.”

The ninth day of August marked the Arrival of one thousand angels on Earth. Time would forever be marked as “before” and “after”. Communication links around the world failed as news of the arrival went viral. In Morocco, Zuzana and Mik saw the news footage and raced back to the Kasbah to warn Karou. The rest of the world freaked out over what the arrival of angels would mean.

Jael’s ruthless Dominion is on Earth to get weapons of mass destruction to take back to Eretz. Deception is Karou’s only hope to lead the chimera army. Ziri has been resurrected into the White Wolf’s body and is on board with her plans. The chimeras are not pleased that Thiago is keeping Akiva and his sister Liraz safe on Earth. But the trouble on Earth isn’t as bad as the trouble that is brewing in Eretz. With stormhunters gathering and the sky changing to the color of a bruise, something isn’t right.

Knowing that they must get their sides to work together to fight Jael, Karou still hasn’t forgiven Akiva for killing the only family she had ever known. With an undeniable attraction still brewing between them, can the dreams of peace between an angel and a devil come true?

Do the bastard brethren of angels led by Akiva join forces with the chimera army? Can Thiago/Ziri keep his true identity a secret? What is happening in Eretz? Will Jael and the Dominion be defeated? Why are the stormhunters gathering? Can Karou and Akiva find their way back to each other?

Visit Laini Taylor's website.

Night of Cake and Puppets – book 2.5 

An enovella about how Zuzana and Mik worked up the nerve to finally talk to one another. A sweet night in Prague.

Ruins by Dan Wells (Partials Sequence book 3)

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

“Humanity’s final hour. Her final stand.”

Dr. McKenna Morgan and her army of Partials are threatening war against the human residents of East Meadow if Kira Walker is not turned over to her. Each day the residents did not surrender her, one of them would be executed. Partials were bred to be stronger and more resilient than humans but they only have a twenty year life span. Dr. Morgan believes Kira, a previously unknown Partial model, holds the key to curing the expiration date. Outnumbered ten to one, the humans lost one of their own every day for over a month before a renegade found an abandoned nuclear warhead. Just as a group of leaders decide their best possible course of action would be to evacuate Long Island before the detonation, the radio message stops. Even if the Partials have Kira, the group decides to move forward.

Kira has turned herself in to Dr. Morgan. Dr. Morgan is working with Dr. Vale to find a cure for the expiration date. Kira has none of the genetic handicaps that the other Partials have, including the expiration date. Dr. Morgan hopes that something in Kira’s genetic code can help save the Partials. All of the Partial doctors and leaders have already died and what remains are the soldier models. Their numbers are steadily dwindling and a new wave is expected to die in just a few weeks. Time is running out for everyone; Partials and humans. Kira has given herself up in the hope of saving everyone.

Samm stayed behind with Heron at the Preserve. Unlike the humans on Long Island with no cure for RM, Dr. Vale kept nine Partials comatose in order to harvest the Lurker pheromone, the basis for the cure for RM. The Preserve humans have been able to have healthy children while those on Long Island have not. Samm is part of the last purchase order of Partials. Their expiration date is in eight months. He knows that Kira left to go help find a cure but Samm wonders if he will ever see her again.

Nandita Merchant created the Partials and RM. She kidnapped four girls and used them for experimentation. She lied to everyone about the girls’ true nature. Ariel, Kira and Isolde are actually Partials. Ariel’s own baby died two years ago and now Isolde’s son Khan is sick with a mysterious disease and it looks fatal. It seems that hybrid children can die as well. They are packing to leave Long Island along with Senator Kessler, Xochi, Madison and her miracle baby Arwen, the first human child to survive in twelve years. Two Partial soldiers almost discover Nandita and Arwen before the group can leave East Meadow. They are planning to head to the Plum Island Disease Research Center, a completely isolated lab where Nandita worked. There, she hopes to study Khan’s illness and find a cure.

Is Kira the key to both human and Partial survival? What kind of Partial is Kira? Why was she built and why was her true existence kept a secret? Can the humans and Partials learn to live and work together? Will the cure to the Partial expiration date be found? Does Nandita’s group make it to Plum Island? Will a cure be found for Khan? Can Samm and Kira find their way back to each other? Will anyone survive?

Visit Dan Wells' website.

gasp by Lisa McMann (Visions series book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first two books in the series, crash and bang, Stop! I don't want to ruin the series for you.

"Seeing is believing."

Jules had a vision about Sawyer and an accident involving his family's restaurant. Her actions saved not only his life but eight others as well. With her mission fulfilled, she inadvertingly passed on the vision curse to Sawyer. He foresaw a mass school shooting where several people died. With the help of Jules' brother Trey, the three of them were able to keep anyone from getting killed. in a mass shooting at the University of Chicago.

 Since Jules passed on the curse to Sawyer, she believes that he may have passed it onto one of the shooting survivors. She is determined to find that person, but how do you convince a total stranger that neither one of you are clinically insane?

Will Jules find out who Sawyer passed the vision curse on to? Why did she have the first vision to begin with? What will the next vision deal with? Can she find a way to stop the curse from happening to someone else?

Visit Lisa McMann's website. 

Take Me On by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits book 4)

SPOILER ALERT! The story between Haley and West takes place after the climatic event involving West's sister in Crash Into You. To fully understand the story, you definitely need to read that book first! Take Me On takes place between chapters 76 & 77 in Crash Into Me. Reader be warned.
 
Haley Williams left her grandfather's gym a year ago to train at her now ex-boyfriend's instead. That arrangement only lasted six months. A former national championship kick boxer, she has gone to her grandfather to ask him to write her a recommendation letter for a much needed scholarship for college. At first, her grandfather isn't angry with her. She tells him that she just cannot take home another stack of bills to her parents. With her family down on their luck since her father lost his job, she is desperate to leave her situation behind. It's not been a good day for her since she also received a rejection letter from Notre Dame. Her grandfather will take care of the payment notices. Haley hands him the scholarship application. When her grandfather sees that the scholarship is for someone majoring in kinesiology, he flat out refuses.

West Young is reeling from the tragic events in his family and he places most of the blame on himself. It's only February and he just received a rejection letter for the University of Louisville on top of the fact that he was just expelled from Worthington Preparatory for fighting. It didn't matter that he was defending his sister's honor, it was the last straw. He is standing on the sidelines watching his family fall apart and he feels responsible. Avoiding the hospital and his father's wrath, he watches from the shadows as his mother leaves a seedy bar. He promised her that he will go visit Rachel.

On her way home from the pharmacy with her father's medication that they have saved for over the past two months, Haley notices trouble. Two guys are standing in the shadows watching her. She doesn't need the trouble because if she is late for curfew, her nasty uncle won't let her in the house. She shouts at them that she has no money and they let her know that they are interested in the medicine. Desperate to keep it to help her father, Haley knows that six months out of the gym has caused her to be out of shape. She steps off of the curb in an attempt to make a run for it when a car slams on its brakes. Haley just stepped out in front of West and he just stopped barely in time. West is taking in aloof Haley's details as she is trying to formulate a plan. He offers her a ride home but with his fancy car in a bad part of town, she thinks she will take her chances. She tells West to act as if he is still talking to her and she slips off. Not wanting her to leave, he blows her cover. The two guys take off running after her and West follows.

Haley has a slim chance of escaping. The two guys are gaining on her but she is shocked to see West come to help her. He gets beat up pretty badly and Haley knows that she will never make curfew if she stops to help him. When West gains some of his senses back, he discovers that Haley has called someone. Actually she called Rachel on his phone. Since her accident, Isaiah has rarely left her bedside and he answered. He in turn calls Abby to go get West. Abby and Haley go to school together and West is confused. Abby, his sister's best friend goes to Worthington with her, not Eastwick High School. Haley heads home and Abby takes West with her. The next morning, West questions why Isaiah and Abby would help him and Abby answers that they would do anything for Rachel. He wonders why his sister would be friends with the two of them. Abby tells him to never trust anything that she tells him except that she knows why his mother has a standing date every month at the bar.

Haley's brother and cousin have covered for her with her uncle about curfew and help her sneak into the house. Her brother Kaden sees that their father's medicine is gone. She realizes that the two guys stole it and that is why they left. Devastated, cousin Jax sends Kaden out of the room. Jax looks at Haley and realizes the truth about what happened. She beats herself up over her promise to herself about never fighting again. The next morning, she finds her father the kitchen looking at the newspaper. The job hunt isn't going well and Haley tells her father that Kaden has entered a fight in a few months. Her father says that he will probably meet up with Matt in the ring. It's a shame that she taught Matt how to defeat her own brother. She had hoped the knowledge would inspire him to get back into the gym to train Kaden. He asks her about college and scholarships but she lies and says that things are going good. He tells her that he hopes that they can stay in Kentucky until she and her brother graduate but they are thinking about going to California to live with an elderly aunt. Haley is devastated at how things are turning out. Matt's little brother, Conner, was one of the two guys who jumped her the night before and they will be out looking for blood.

West shows up at the hospital to find his mother crying. The specialist has informed them that the damage to Rachel's legs is severe. West continues to beat himself up over his sister's situation. When he runs into his father, he informs West that he has enrolled him at Eastwick to finish his senior year. The delicate dam of emotions between the two of them erupts when West goads him over his hand in the accident by inadvertently guessing the truth. Furious, his father kicks him out of the house. At first, West thinks he isn't serious but his father gives him two hours to get his stuff before he calls the police. He follows his father down the hall and ends up at the last place he wants to be, Rachel's room. He hates seeing her laid up in bed and Isaiah hovering by her side. Ethan tells him that their parents aren't going to pick the fight over Isaiah now since he is the only person Rachel listens to. West leaves.

At school on Monday, Jax is relentless in trying to get the truth about Friday night from Haley, but she is tight lipped. He wants to know why she is still protecting Matt but in reality she is protecting her family from Matt and his brother Conner. Standing in the hall after Jax walks away, West comes up next to her. Horrified that he will be seen by Matt, she tells him that he needs to leave. Nope, he goes to Eastwick now since he was kicked out of Worthington for fighting. Knowing that he is trouble, she attempts to stay away from him for his own protection. Karma isn't on Haley's side when it turns out that they share first period together. Haley got under West's skin the first time he laid eyes on her. Taking a good look at West, he has affected Haley in the same way. He is unable to keep his eyes off of Haley as he walks by her seat. Her heart is beating erratically as he passes and she looks up at the doorway. Matt is standing there and she is sure that he saw at least the last part where West touched her as he walked by. She realizes that she will be lucky if she makes it to lunch without a fight.

In the cafeteria, all heck breaks loose. Jax, Kaden and their group sit in one corner while Matt and his boys are in another. Haley is sitting at a table with some girls and the topic of conversation turns towards West, who has just walked in. Haley is speechless when West comes over. She gets up to leave and sees Conner, who she wants to avoid at all costs. Before she can turn around, Matt comes up to her and demands that they talk. She knows if she doesn't, her family will get involved. Matt wants to know who beat up his brother and why. He doesn't believe that she did and Conner won't admit a girl got the best of him. Jax and Kaden join the fray and the discussion on how to settle the situation heats up. Haley is mortified when West walks up. Conner throws a few barbs and West gets his first close look at Haley and realizes that the rumor of her being a former fighter is true; she has a black eye underneath her makeup and her knuckles are busted. West doesn't believe anyone should hit a girl and at that moment confesses to beating Conner. Knowing that they cannot fight in school, Conner says that he will meet West in the ring in a couple of months when his wrist is healed. Everything Haley has worked to avoid for the past year comes crashing down.

What occurred between Haley and Matt that she feels that she needs to protect her family from him? Why did she step away from kickboxing? Can her family get back on its feet again? Will West be able to fight his demons and make peace not only with his family but himself? Why does his mother make a visit to the bar every month? Does the Young family finally begin to heal their deepest wounds? What happens between Haley and West when she decides to train him as a kick boxer? 

Visit Katie McGarry's website.

Of Neptune by Anna Banks (The Syrena Legacy book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first two books in the series, Of Poseidon and Of Triton, Stop! I don't want to ruin the series for you.

All Emma and Galen want is a break from everything that has happened over the past summer. They just want to escape to the mountains for some time alone but Grom doesn't want them to since the agreement with the Archives is still new. Antonia, Emma's grandfather and the Poseidon King, tells Emma of a place near Chattanooga, Tennessee that the discovered while searching for her mother after she disappeared. He believes that she should visit a town called Neptune but doesn't tell her why. While it's not the Rocky Mountains, she and Galen head off for some alone time.

While traveling, the two of them stop by the side of the highway. The situation heats quickly but is extinguished when someone knocks on the window to see if they need help. Pulling themselves together and not wanting to break any Syrena rules, Galen suggests that they stop since he doesn't want to drive in any bad weather. Emma looks online and sees that there are some caves and springs nearby. They decide to explore one.

Upon finding a spring, the two of them go swimming. Galen finds it odd that no birds are feeding on the school of minnows just below the Warner's surface. He assures Emma that they will be safe from the lightening underwater. Below, they find the entrance to a cave. No fish are around and. Galen wants Emma to stay behind him but eventually they go in side by side. Galen notices that the water feels different to him. Emma kisses his concern away but then he feels it. The pulse in the water isn't lightning strikes nor is it Syrena. Emma finally notices what he is talking about. Galen has a look of panic on his face and realizes that something is ahead of them. A school of fish swims out and Emma tries to question them. She notices that Galen is still staring in front of them. Then, Emma sees a boy swimming without any gear or equipment. He comments that she has the gift of Poseidon and introduces himself as Reed.

Emma quickly realizes the Reed is also a half breed like her. She asks him where he came from and he tells her Neptune. It turns out that Neptune is home not only to half breeds but full Syrena and human who keep their secret. Since half breeds are illegal, Emma wonders how they have evaded detection for so long. With Reed unable to keep his attraction to Emma a secret, Galen becomes possessive. They take Reed back to Neptune and discover that it looks and functions like any other small town except for the mermaid connection. The only "human" in town is a botanist, Mr. Kennedy, who for the past month has been looking for new plant specimens. Against Galen's better judgment, the two check into the B&B to learn about Neptune.

Why did Antonis want Emma to go to Neptune? What do they discover there? Is Mr. Kennedy really a botanist? How has the community gone undetected for so long? Will Emma and Galen be able to weather this latest complication to their relationship?

Visit Anna Banks’ website.

City of Heavenly Fire by Casandra Clare (Mortal Instruments book 6/Shadowhunters book 9)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read any of the previous books in the Mortal Instruments series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series. Also, you should have read all three books in the Infernal Devices trilogy as well. The ending events of the trilogy will be SPOILED if you read this book first. For maximum enjoyment and understanding, read both the Mortal Instruments series and Infernal Devices trilogy intermixed by publication order.

“The END is also the BEGINNING…”

 In this stunning conclusion to the Mortal Instruments series, Sebastian Morganstern has taken his need for vengeance against the Shadowhunters and Downworlders to the ultimate level; The Mortal War. Finding out who will live and who will die will have readers gripping the edge of their seats until the end. But this book isn’t just an ending to the Shadowhunters’ story but also a beginning to the next chapter, The Dark Artifices. Book one, Lady Midnight, will jump five years to Los Angeles in 2012 and continue the story of Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn, whose lives were forever changed by the events of the Mortal War. Fans of the series will be pleased to see how the history of the Shadowhunters unfolds.

The tenth book in the Shadowhunters series, Lady Midnight, will be published in the fall of 2015.

Visit Cassandra Clare's website.