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.

Stay With My Heart by Tashie Bhuiyan

 

“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.

Visit Tashie Bhuiyan’s website.

Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (Legendborn Cycle book 3)

 

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.

Visit Tracy Deonn’s website

The Bitter End by Alexa Donne

 

“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?

Visit Alexa Donne’s website.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson (This Dark Descent book 2)

 

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.

Visit Kalyn Josephson’s website.

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou (Threads That Bind book 2)

 

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

“It’s been five weeks since Io left Alante to follow the golden thread, and she’s no closer to finding the god on the other end. She spends her days in constant, grueling travel and her nights worrying over the fate-thread she shares with Edei—which seems to be fraying. Making matters worse, she and Bianca soon realize that their only lead has shaken them off, snapped the golden thread, and disappeared.

But not before Io gathers some crucial clues. Her investigation leads her to a new mystery, a rash of sibling disappearances across the Wastelands that seems to be connected to the murders in Alante. And all signs point to Nanzy, the golden city, as the center of the whole conspiracy.

As Io and Bianca make their way to Nanzy, they make powerful enemies, find allies new and old, and uncover a horrifying plot that traces back centuries. The more Io learns, the more she begins to suspect that the future of the world may truly rest on her shoulders. But she will have to determine how much of the future is her choice—and how much is simply her fate.” - taken from Goodreads.

This second volume picks up after the events of the first one. I did find that it had a bit of a slow start with just Io and Bianca chasing down their only clue to the events that transpired in Alante. The story really picks up once more of the characters from the first book come into play. Still at the heart of the story, Io must learn who she can and can’t trust when the final showdown occurs. This was a good conclusion to this duology.

Visit Kika Hatzopoulou’s website.

Games Untold: An Inheritance Games Collection by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Inheritance Games book 4.5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t started this series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“There is nothing frivolous about the way a Hawthorne man loves.

An amnesiac playboy and the woman with every reason to hate him. A daredevil, his favorite heiress, and three nights in Prague. An unlikely pairing between a cowboy and a goth. Four brothers with an inescapable bond, strengthened by the family they chose, in a house of wonders that promises to always deliver one more secret.

Discover their stories of love and loss, power, puzzles, and life-and-death secrets in this mind-blowingly romantic collection that proves that when you love the way Hawthornes love, there is no going back.” - taken from Goodreads.

That Night in Prague (novella) - a Jameson and Avery story

The Same Backward as Forward (novella) - the story of how Toby Hawthorne and Hannah/Sarah (Avery’s mother) met and fell in love.

The Cowboy and the Goth - inside look at two of the least known characters in the book, Nash and Libby 

Five Times Xander Tackled Someone (and One Time He Didn't) - complete hilarity via Xander 

One Hawthorne Night - in which Grayson must atone for ignoring his brothers, karaoke style 

What Happens in the Treehouse - the brothers Hawthorne throw Nash a unique bachelor party

$3CR3T $@NT@ - Christmas with a Hawthorne twist

Pain at the Right Gun - a surprising revelation to what really happened in Prague.

Book two in the Grandest Game spin-off, Glorious Rivals, is expected on July 29, 2025.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 8 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

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

“Jace’s nightmares are getting worse, as is his fear of hurting the one he cares for most. But he can’t avoid Clary forever... Meanwhile, Simon receives a note threatening his girlfriend’s life. When the Shadowhunters track down its source, what they find might be the most sinister thing they have ever encountered...” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the eighth volume in this graphic novel series retelling that concludes the storyline of City of Fallen Angels. The final page does offer a teaser for a ninth volume that will start the story with City of Lost Souls. Release date is not yet known.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

The Rival by Emma Lord

“At long last, Sadie has vanquished her lifelong academic rival — her irritatingly charming, whip smart next door neighbor, Seb — by getting the coveted, only spot to her dream college. Or at least, so she thinks. When Seb is unexpectedly pulled off the waitlist and admitted, Sadie has to compete with him all over again, this time to get a spot on the school’s famous zine. Now not only is she dealing with the mayhem of the lovable, chaotic family she hid her writing talents from, as well as her own self doubt, but she has to come to terms with some less-than-resentful feelings for Seb that are popping up along the way.

But the longer they compete, the more Sadie and Seb notice flaws in the school’s system that are much bigger than any competition between them. Somehow the two of them have to band together even as they’re trying to crush each other, only to discover they may have met their match in more ways than one.” - taken from Goodreads.

A cute rom-com about a boy and a girl who have grown up together since birth. Academic rivals, Sadie is glad to leave Seb behind to attend college alone. Unfortunately, her dream is short-lived when she runs into Seb at an interest meeting for the school’s famous zine. With only one spot open, Sadie finds herself once again competing against Seb. But soon the two frenemies find themselves drawn to each other. 

Visit Emma Lord’s website.

The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears

 

“Deep within the imperial palace at Timbuktu, Amie has suffered a devastating loss. Once the daughter of a prosperous salt merchant Amie’s life was cruelly overturned in a matter of months. At sixteen, Amie now finds herself disinherited, framed for a scandalous crime, and forced to serve Princess Mariama of Mali . Her father, Emperor Sulyeman, has created a series of impossible trials for his daughter's suitors. When they fail, he publicly boils them alive, littering Mariama’s path to marriage with ninety-nine corpses.

At first, Amie’s life at court is drudgery—the chores are difficult, the servants despise her, and Princess Mariama is prone to mood swings—but the more she learns about the princess's circumstances, the closer the two girls become. Amie and her intended, Kader, plan to escape Timbuktu and make a new life far away from the shadow of death that has fallen upon the emperor’s court, but she finds herself increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn’t understand.

When a mysterious discovery forces her hand, she must choose between fleeing with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. Amie will need to draw on all of her strength and courage to make the perilous journey through the desert to seek the aid of an exiled god in a final, desperate attempt to take charge of her own destiny.” - taken from Goodreads.

Set in medieval Mali and based on a Malian fairy tale, Amie’s world comes crashing down when she is accused of infidelity and her engagement to her sweetheart is broken. Disowned by her parents, she becomes a lady in waiting for Princess Mariama. The two become close friends and Amie comes up with a plan to save Mariama's 100th suitor from certain death. Unfortunately, her newest suitor is Amie's beloved, Kader. Determined to save them both and create a future for themselves, Amie is forced to choose between Kader and Mariama.

This book had a great premise, but the ending felt a bit rushed for me.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons (Death Games book 1)

 

“Four years ago, five kids started a game. Only four survived.

Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors—Dax, Maddy, Emerson, and Owen—have reunited for one strange and terrible reason: they’ve been summoned by the ghost of Ian, the friend they left for dead.

Together they return to the tunnel where their friendship ended with one goal: find Ian and bring him home. So they restart the deadly game they never finished—an innocent card-matching challenge called Meido. A game without instructions.

As soon as they begin, they're dragged out of their reality and into an eerie hellscape of Japanese underworlds, more horrifying than even the darkest folktales that Owen's grandmother told him. There, they meet Shinigami, an old wise woman who explains the rules:

They have one night to complete seven challenges or all of them, Ian included, will be stuck in this world forever.

Once inseparable, the survivors now can’t stand each other, but the challenges demand they work together, think quickly, and make sacrifices—blood, clothes, secrets, memories, and worse.

And once again, not everyone will make it out of Meido alive.” - taken from Goodreads.

If you can make it to the second half of the book, the story really ramps up and will draw you in. A Jumanji type game that is steeped in Japanese folklore, readers will want to know what really happened to Ian four years ago and what secrets will be uncovered as the game unfolds. I wasn’t expecting how the story ends and will probably pick up the second book to see how this series ends.

Book two, She Waits For You Beyond the Dark, is due out March 11, 2025.

Visit Kristen Simmons’ website

Reckless by Lauren Roberts (Powerless trilogy book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Powerless, 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 two books.

‘The kingdom of Ilya is in turmoil…

After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to.

Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice.

Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts – and the battle between duty and desire is deadly.” - taken from Goodreads.

This series does not slow down in book two. Pardyn is on the run for her life after that fateful interaction with the King at the end of the first book. Sent by the King/Kitt to bring her back, Kai is torn by his feelings for Paedyn and his duty to his kingdom and King. With secrets uncovered that will only change their futures, readers will be left in a state of appeal by this book's ending

Book three, Fearless, is due out on April 8, 2025.

Visit Lauren Roberts’ website.

Powerless by Lauren Roberts (Powerless trilogy book 1)

 

“She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.

He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.” - taken from Goodreads.

I LOVED this book that reminded me of a mashup between Throne of Glass and The Hunger Games. Paeydn is just trying to survive in the Loot. Unknowingly saving Prince Kai brings her to the attention of the kingdom and a place in the Purging Trials. As an illegal Ordinary, her secret is in danger of being exposed, especially by the most powerful Elite in the kingdom, the very prince she saved. As the Trials continue, Paeydn and Kai are continually thrown together and find their feelings becoming more complicated. With a few twists and uncovered secrets at the end, readers will be ready to read the next book.

I actually read Powerless as a tandem read with the novella Powerful. 

Book two, Reckless, is now out.

Visit Lauren Roberts’ website.

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma (Immortal Dark book 1)

 

“It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.

Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.

When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book does start off slow as there is a ton of backstory and world building to start off this trilogy. Kidan Adane is alone in this world as the only family she has left has passed. Her twin sister June has disappeared. The only clue she has to her disappearance is the name of her family's vampire, Susenyos Sagad. Brought to Uxlay University to lay claim to her family's house, she must live with Susanyos and pass a class in order to inherit. The only cute that Kidan has about June’s disappearance is that she was taken by Susenyos. Kidan must find her way in the Uxlay world as an outsider while living under the same roof as Susenyos. 

As the story unravels, reader's will be anxious to discover who the real monsters are and what secrets lie at Uxlay's gate.

Book two is due to be published on Sept. 11, 2025.

Visit Tigest Girma’s website.