Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao
“For Gemma's whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents—and thus her ties to Taiwanese culture—were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance.
There's just one major problem: to complete the hunt, she has to go to her grandfather's home in Taiwan. And the only way she can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, Gemma finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is about much more than money—it's about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.” - taken from Goodreads.
“Tan Lee finds himself embroiled in an unusual love triangle, all while trying to defuse a heist, unravel a conspiracy, and navigate the most complicated babysitting assignment ever in this YA novel by national bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen.
After a magical kiss at Prom, best friends Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool it off, a plan that goes awry when their parents jointly head off to Hawaii and leave Tan and Winter to babysit Tan's sister Sana together. If that isn't complicated enough, Tan's ex-girlfriend from Shanghai arrives on his doorstep with money stolen from her billionaire father and thugs on her heels.
Tan soon finds himself on the run, trying to out-manuever international hackers and protect his friends, family and sister - and his own heart.” - taken from Goodreads.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Last Bloodcarver, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.
“Kochin is a heartsooth -- a rare being with the ability to heal any wound. Any wound, that is, except death.
Intent on defying nature and bringing Nhika back to life, Kochin keeps her body in a life-preserving casket and waits for a miracle. Stricken with grief and descending into madness, Kochin realizes the answer to his desperate quest can only lie in one place: Yarong, the lush yet battle-ridden island the first heartsooths called home.
Months later, Nhika wakes in a familiar manor-house, with Kochin nowhere to be found. As she traces his footsteps across Theumas, she discovers the haunting path he walked to bring her back, and a world changed by war.
When Kochin discovers the true and grisly way to resurrect a person from the grave, he must decide exactly how much he is willing to sacrifice, in order to reunite with the woman he loves…” - taken from Goodreads.
Told between Kochin six months ago and Nhika in the present time, this story was slow to wrap up until the end.
“In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.
Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.
Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.
But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.” - taken from Goodreads.
A compelling mystery told between the past as the present.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Forest Grimm, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.
“The story hasn't ended yet.
After surviving the Forest Grimm and defeating the Wolf, Clara and Axel have made it back to their village, the one place they can be safe behind the forest's borders. But when the forest itself begins luring in more villagers, it's clear that Clara and Axel have only treated the symptoms of the forest's curse, not the cause—and it's getting worse.
Burdened with visions of the past and learning to navigate her fragile new relationship with Axel, Clara finds herself entering the forest with Axel yet again to discover the truth once and for all: the identity of the murderer who caused the curse. As they fight murderous woodsmen with incomprehensible riddles, ladies who will drag you into an eternal dance, and ghosts with the power to wield the forest against them, Clara and Axel realize the stakes are higher than ever. If they don't survive the dark, deadly twists of the forest once more, not only will they never escape, they may also no longer have a home to escape to.” - taken from Goodreads.
A satisfactory conclusion to this fairy tale inspired duology.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
“Liana Sarkar lives and breathes music, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her A&R coordinator father. Maybe if she succeeds, he’ll finally give her the time of day instead of drowning himself in work to distract from the grief of her mother’s passing.
When Liana accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band, Third Eye, she makes it her mission to steer them towards success—without them discovering her role in their setback. But as she gets closer to Third Eye, especially their enigmatic leader Skyler Moon, it becomes harder to hide the truth.
With both her heart and their futures on the line, will Liana be able to undo the damage she’s caused?” - taken from Goodreads.
Once again, another great love story from one of my new must read authors. With a heavy influence of music throughout the story, Liana is mentally struggling since her mother’s death. When an aspiring musician lies to Liana, causing her to champion him to her record producing father, she is determined to right her wrong without her father’s involvement. The closer Liana gets the the members of Third Eye, especially its leader Skyler Moon, the lines begin to blur and it’s just a matter of time before the horrible truth is discovered.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Legendborn and Bloodmarked, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.
Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.
Check out Simon Teen if you need a refresher of the first book.
Check out Simon Teen if you need a recap of the second book.
“Severed from the Legendborn. Oathbound to a monster.
Bree Matthews is alone. She exiled herself from the Legendborn Order, cut her ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who can’t understand the impossible cost of her powers. This is the only way to keep herself—and those she loves—safe.
But Bree’s decision has come with a terrible price: an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society. In exchange for training to wield her unprecedented abilities, Bree has put her future in the Shadow King’s hands—and unwittingly bound herself to do his bidding as his new protégé.
Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war with their Round Table fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, as Selwyn has also disappeared. When Nick is detained by the Order’s Merlins, he invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to convene at the Northern Keep and grant him an audience. No one knows what he will demand of them...or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.
As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree runs from who she is, the past will always find her.” - taken from Goodreads.
Several new characters are introduced and some secrets are uncovered in this massive tome that I thought was the conclusion to this series. Nope, with that ending, book four is on the horizon.
Book four is to be determined.
“When a winter storm traps eight teens in a remote ski cabin, they find themselves stranded with a killer—who may be one of their own.
The trip of a lifetime might be the death of them all.
The students of LA’s elite Warner Prep can’t wait for their Senior Excursion—five days of Instagrammable adventure in one of the world’s most exclusive locations. This is not your average field trip.
Which is why eight students can’t believe their bad luck when they end up on a digital detox in an isolated Colorado ski chalet. Their epic trip is panning out to be an epic bore . . . until their classmates start dropping in a series of disturbing deaths. The message is clear: this trip is no accident.
And when a blizzard strikes, secrets are revealed, betrayals are exposed, and survival is at stake in a race to the bitter end.” - taken from Goodreads.
Eight students are on a school trip with their school counselor for a weekend detox retreat. In a mountain chalet without the internet, things begin to go off the rails the following morning when one student is discovered dead. With no way to call out, the counselor decides to take the snowmobile down the mountain to get help. Soon after, a blizzard hits and the cabin is plunged into darkness when the power goes out. Soon the remaining students realize that there is a killer in their midst when the bodies begin to pile up.
Told between the present and a party that took place 3 years earlier, can the killer be uncovered before it is too late?
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, This Dark Descent, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.
“The Illinir may be over, but the race for Enderlain’s future has just begun. The hunt for the old king’s lost heir is on, and the first to find them will win the throne.
Mikira has allied herself with the rebels in pursuit of the lost heir, but the deeper her search takes her, the closer she gets to the royal family's wicked past.
Ari is struggling to control her own growing power as she grapples with a dark secret that may be her undoing — and the truth behind Damien's greatest foe.
Damien, the new head of House Adair, joins the race to find the heir and secure the crown. But as his influence at court grows, so does his paranoia and hunger for power.
Reid is trying his best to stay true to the friend who's always had his loyalty — and the flame who has his heart — while trapped in a web of chaos and lies.
But a darker force is festering in Enderlain’s underbelly, and Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid will need to find a way back to each other — and themselves — before the kingdom is torn apart.” - taken from Goodreads.
The Illinor is over but things didn’t end well for everyone. This book does start off slow as the next phase of the story unwinds. Secrets pull our main characters apart but an unforeseen threat forces everyone to work together. Told from three points of view, our characters struggle until the end to work together to save Enderlain.
