Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello

 “City girl Tia Solanké is dreading the festive season. She and her boyfriend are on a break and the last thing she wants is to spend Christmas away from London. Dragged to Saiyan Hedge Farm by her mother, Tia takes an instant disliking to the countryside estate. She falls in horse manure, is chased by sheep and the Wi-Fi sucks. How can she stalk her ex and concoct a foolproof plan to win him back from here?

Country boy Quincy Parker and his family run the farm, and this year they’ve been selected to host the biggest event in the town’s calendar—the Winter Ball. Preparations are underway, and Quincy is working around the clock to make it a success. The only problem is, he’s told everyone he has a date to the ball, when in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth.

At first, Tia and Quincy don’t see eye to eye, until they realize they both have something to gain by pretending to be a couple. But when a snowstorm threatens to cancel the Winter Ball, their fake relationship is put to the test. Will Tia and Quincy be able to keep up appearances and save the day, or will real feelings get in the way?” - taken from Goodreads.

Tia is unhappy to be spending the Christmas holidays in the countryside, away from her boyfriend who wants to take a break from their relationship. A true city girl, she struggles at the farm much to her chagrin. Determined to find a way back to London for her boyfriend’s party, even though he is distant, she strikes up a deal with super cute Qunicy. She will be his fake girlfriend for the town’s winter ball if he will take her to London for the party. What starts as a sham between them soon turns into something more. Will Quincy and Tia’s Christmas wishes come true? 

Visit Abiola Bello’s website.

Royal Scandal by Aimee Carter (Royal Blood book 2)

 

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

“American girl turned monarchy nightmare, Evan Bright, has gotten used to the press about her but the media attention has only seemed to get worse. 

From desperate clickbait articles about her and the President's son to Royal Record headlines pitting her against Princess Maisie, it seems everyone is dying for Evan to return back to America for good. Meanwhile Evan is receiving mysterious threats about her real story being revealed in a tell-all biography. 

When more information is leaked about Evan, she fears she will always be Britain's media villain. But the threats escalate when there is an attempted assassination with no suspects...and Evan believes the person is in the palace's walls. 

They say what doesn't kill you will make you stronger...but what if it's the royal family who wants you dead?” - taken from Goodreads.

Six months have passed since american teenager Evan Bright was outed as the illegitimate daughter of Alexander II,the king of England. The road hasn’t been easy for Evan either in the media spotlight or privately with the royal family. When an assassination attempt on Evan’s life almost succeeds, she takes it upon herself to uncover who wants her dead. And that person is closer than she wants. Uncover all of the dark secrets that the British royal family would like undiscovered as Evan finds out who is determined to be rid of her, once and for all.

Book three is due out in 2025.

Visit Aimee Carter’s website.

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter (Royal Blood book 1)

 

“As the King of England’s illegitimate daughter, 17-year-old Evan Bright knows a thing or two about keeping secrets.

But when she’s forced to spend the summer in London with her father and the royal family, who aren’t exactly thrilled she exists, her identity is mysteriously revealed, and suddenly the world is dying to know every juicy lie the press prints about her.

After a fun night turns deadly and Evan becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation, the escalating rumors and fallout threaten to tear her life apart. As she fights to uncover the truth about what happened, she discovers royal secrets that are even more scandalous than she imagined – secrets that could change the monarchy forever.

And her own may be next.” - taken from Goodreads.

All Evangeline Bright wants is to leave behind her boarding school and return to her mother. When her latest escapade at boarding school lands her in jail, her father’s representative decides to take Evan back to her father, the King of England. Definitely not welcomed by the royal family, it’s not long before her existence is leaked to the press. With few friendly faces in the palace, Evan finds herself as the prime suspect of the murder of Jasper Cunningham, the boy who befriended her and then attempted to take advantage of her at his party. Determined to clear her name and make her way in the palace, can Evan discover the truth about Jasper’s death while finding her role in the royal family? A delightful read that I sailed through.

The good news is that there will be two more books in the Royal Blood series.

Visit Aimee Carter’s website.

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson (Truly Devious book 5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first four books in the series, Stop! You may not know some of the past details revealed in the previous books.

“Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an interesting installment in the Truly Devious series. With David studying in London, Stevie and her friends concoct a plan to study abroad so that she can visit David. Upon arrival, they meet one of David’s friends, Izzy, who wants Stevie’s help to solve the murders of two of her aunt’s college roommates. Blindsiding her aunt Angela with Stevie’s arrival, Izzy panics when Angela disappears. Begging for Stevie’s help, it’s not long before she is on the case. Told between flashbacks to June 1995 and the present, can Stevie solve this latest mystery that she has stumbled upon before she needs to leave for Ellingham?

Visit Maureen Johnson’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 

Visit Becky Dean’s website.

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

 

“For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela’s role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything—including Lila herself—fell apart.

Worried about Lila’s mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: Spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila…until she meets Orion Maxwell.

A teashop clerk with troubles of his own, Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. From Winchester’s drama-filled music scene to the sweeping English countryside, it isn’t long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila’s mind—one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I love this author's first book but her second was even better. Lila’s life has been turned upside down. Her grandmother recently died, her boyfriend of three years dumped her right before prom, and her best friend has decided to take a gap year and spend it as a volunteer in Africa and didn’t tell her. When Lila breaks down over the stress, her parents sent her to England for the summer to spend it with a cousin. This book was phenomenal! Lila doesn't want to leave Miami but it doesn't take long for her to find her place in England and to move forward from past hurts and discovered an unimaginable future. A definite read!

Visit Laura Taylor Namey’s website.

Everyday Magic by Emily Albright (The Heir and the Spare book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a companion story to The Heir and the Spare. You can read this one without having read the first book but there are several spoilers or scenes that will make more sense if you do. 

“He runs with A-list stars, but will he run her life?”

“For once, Maggie McKendrick just wants to control her own life. Her overbearing Hollywood director father has it all planned out for her: UCLA, law school, then working as an entertainment lawyer, preferably for him. But Maggie has other, more creative-spirit friendly, plans. Namely, Thrippletons School of Fashion and Design in England, and then onto becoming a designer, preferably a wildly successful one. The big snag in her plan? Getting it past her dad.

A movie shoot takes the family to the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and closer to Maggie’s dream school. While there, she runs into the charming Preston Browne. Maggie is intrigued and decides to bend her no guys rule—instituted after her ex used her to get close to her dad. Forced to keep secrets from Preston in order to protect the future plans she’s made, Maggie finds herself falling for the tall Brit. And for once in her life she knows that he’s interested in her, not her Hollywood connections. When Maggie's father blackmails her into dating his lead actor, she isn’t left with a choice. The biggest problem isn’t having to date hunky, mega-hottie, Ben Chambers. No, it’s praying she doesn’t lose Preston in the process.

Excelling at her dream school, Maggie’s personal life is a tangled mess. She needs to decide if living a lie is worth losing Preston or chance going against her father and facing his wrath. When the tabloids expose the truth of her fake relationship with Ben, Maggie's world is thrown into a tailspin. Ultimately, Maggie must find the courage to take risks and forge ahead on her own path.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved diving back into this world and was pleased to read Preston’s story. Preston was the one character that I had felt sorry for. Meeting Maggie McKendrick is life-changing for both of them. Maggie is trying to get out from underneath her father’s domineering control and become a fashion designer. We also get to delve into Preston’s life more. Of course, the road to true love never runs smooth. The only complaint that I have about this book was that the ending seemed a little far fetched. I did enjoy the appearances by Evie Gray from the first book.

Visit Emily Albright’s website.

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright (The Heir and the Spare book 1)

“She's secretly royal. He secretly loyal.”

"Family can be complicated. Especially when skeletons from the past pop up unexpectedly. For American Evie Gray, finding out her deceased mother had a secret identity, and not one of the caped crusader variety, was quite the surprise. Evie’s mom had a secret life before she was even born, one that involved tiaras.

In this modern day fairytale, Evie is on a path to figure out who her mom really was, while discovering for herself what the future will hold. Charged with her late mother’s letters, Evie embarks on a quest into her past. The first item on the list is to attend Oxford, her mom’s alma mater. There, Evie stumbles upon a real life prince charming, Edmund Stuart the second Prince of England, who is all too happy to be the counterpart to her damsel in distress.

Evie can’t resist her growing attraction to Edmund as they spend more time together trying to unravel the clues her mother left behind. But, when doubts arise as to whether or not Edmund could ever be with an untitled American, what really ends up unraveling is Evie’s heart. When Evie uncovers all the facts about her mom’s former life, she realizes her mom’s past can open doors she never dreamed possible, doors that can help her be with Edmund. But, with everything now unveiled, Evie starts to crack under the pressure of new family responsibilities and the realization that her perfect prince may want her for all the wrong reasons.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book has been on my TBR pile for several years but I just hadn't picked it up. Needless to say I am so glad that I finally read it, and in just over one day. It was just the pick me up I was needing right now. The story felt a little familiar but was so much better than any other book like this I've read. I loved that Evie's mom sent her on a quest of sorts to uncover her past and how supportive Edmund was of her. Both Evie and Edmund's group of friends at Oxford were awesome. Now on to read about Preston's story in Everyday Magic. He is the one character I really needed to see have his own happily ever after.

Visit Emily Albright’s website.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

“For fans of The Princess Bride comes the comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey.

Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger—and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that’s the least of Jane’s problems. She’s about to become Queen of England.

Like that could go wrong.” - taken from Goodreads.com

“Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?” - taken from the front flap

Who was Lady Jane Grey? According to Wikipedia.com,  “Lady Jane Grey (1536/1537 – 12 February 1554), also known as Lady Jane Dudley[3] or the Nine-Day Queen,[4] was an English noblewoman and de facto monarch of England and Ireland from 10 July until 19 July 1553.
The great-granddaughter of Henry VII through his younger daughter Mary, Jane was a first cousin once removed of Edward VI. In May 1553, she was married to Lord Guildford Dudley, a younger son of Edward's chief minister, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. When the 15-year-old king lay dying in June 1553, he nominated Jane as successor to the Crown in his will, thus subverting the claims of his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth under the Third Succession Act. Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London when the Privy Council decided to change sides and proclaim Mary as queen on 19 July 1553. Jane was convicted of high treason in November 1553, which carried a sentence of death, although her life was initially spared. Wyatt's rebellion of January and February 1554 against Queen Mary I's plans to marry Philip of Spain led to the execution of both Jane and her husband.
Lady Jane Grey had an excellent humanist education and a reputation as one of the most learned young women of her day.[5] A committed Protestant, she was posthumously regarded as not only a political victim but also a martyr.”

In what can be best described as a historical fantasy, our trio of authors have changed history and given a comedic twist to it. The Tudor period of British history is one of my favorites. The story of Lady Jane Grey is quite tragic but the authors have taken great pains to rewrite history. Instead of England being divided between the Protestants and the Catholics due to Henry VIII’s split from the church to divorce his first wife, the English are divided between the Eðians (people who are able to shift into various animal forms) and the Verities (those who cannot). The first half of the book is pretty accurate to history but part two is a big deviation from what we know. To me, this book didn’t disappoint. I loved all of the puns, twists of history, and side references by the authors. A definite read for history or fantasy fans.

Visit the My Lady Jane website.

Half Lost by Sally Green (The Half Bad trilogy book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Half Bad and Half Wild, Stop! I don’t want to ruin Nathan’s story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher on the series.

“Nathan Byrn is running again. The Alliance of Free Witches has been all but destroyed. Scattered and demoralized, constantly pursued by the Council’s Hunters, only a bold new strategy can save the rebels from total defeat. They need the missing half of Gabriel’s amulet—an ancient artifact with the power to render its bearer invincible in battle.

But the amulet’s guardian—the reclusive and awesomely powerful witch Ledger - has her own agenda. To win her trust, Nathan must travel to America and persuade her to give him the amulet. Combined with the Gifts he has inherited from Marcus, the amulet might just be enough to turn the tide for the Alliance and end the bloody civil war between Black and White witches once and for all…” - taken from Goodreads.com

Visit Sally Green’s website.

Half Wild by Sally Green (Half Bad Trilogy book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Half Bad, Stop! I don’t want to ruin Nathan’s story for you.

Kept in a cage for two years by the Council of White Witches, Nathan was trained to kill his father, the most violent and feared of Black Witches. Now Nathan has escaped, and he dreams of a quiet life of freedom with Annalise, the girl he loves - but Annalise is a prisoner, wasting away in a death-like sleep. Nathan's friend Gabriel is missing, likely dead, and although Nathan has found his unique magical Gift, he can't control it. The Council's Hunters are on his trail, so he is always on the run. Nathan's only hope of survival is to join with new friends and old enemies in an alliance to bring down the Council, and they want Nathan's help: they, too, want Nathan to be a killer. Maybe that's the only way out. Maybe that's just who he is now. - Goodreads.com

The story concludes on March 29, 2016 with Half Lost.

Visit Sally Green’s website.

Half Bad by Sally Green (Half Bad book 1)

Wanted by no one.
Hunted by everyone.

"Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?" - taken from Goodreads.com

Nathan's story continues with book two i the trilogy, Half Wild.

Visit Sally Green's website.

The Doomsday Box by Herbie Brennan (Shadow Project book 2)

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

Danny, Opal and Michael are back and still work for the top secret Shadow Project. A new member, Fuchsia, has joined their team and possesses some mysterious abilities. Their newest assignment turns out to be for the CIA and involves a reclaimed military project from the 1960s, Project Rainbow. The project involved time travel and teleportation but unfortunately the space-time distortion that was created couldn’t be closed. The US government sealed it shut until recently when the decision to reopen it was made. But in drilling the concrete bunker open, an alarm from inside near the rift goes off. The Shadow Project is brought in to see what or who triggered the alarm.

Opal checks out the rift’s chamber in an out-of-body experience and gives the all clear. The decision is made to continue opening the chamber. Everyone is in awe of the rift except for Fuchsia, who fights the urge to be physically sick. Mr. Carradine, the CIA liaison to the Shadow Project, seems familiar with the rift chamber. Soon Colonel Saltzman, the US military commander of Project Rainbow notices a box at the rift and opens it. Carradine calmly and forcibly tells him to put it back. Fuchsia feels like “Pandora’s Box” was opened.

Several hours later the members of the Shadow Project are placed under quarantine with the sudden death of Colonel Saltzman. The suspected cause is the Black Death. Mr. Carradine decides the only way to stop Cobra is to send the Shadow Project kids back in time to talk Cobra from leaving the box in the future. But can the four of them find Cobra in 1962 and successfully talk him out of doing something 20 years in the future? Can they survive Moscow during the height of the Cold War? Will they be successful and make it back to their bodies as well as same the world?

Visit Herbie Brennan’s website.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall book 2)

SPOILER ALERT!! If you haven't read the first book in the series, Hex Hall, Stop! I don't want to ruin the story for you.

 It has been six months since the tragic events at Hex Hall that Sophie Mercer was involved with. Archer Cross has left school and Sophie is patiently waiting her father's arrival to take her to England for the Removal procedure. When he comes to get her, Sophie is allowed to bring her vampire roommate, Jenna and her newly revealed betrothed, Cal, the school's handyman to England for the summer. But when they arrive at the Council's headquarter's, Sophie learns that someone is creating demons. Can Sophie and her father find out who is responsible for the demons before all out war breaks out between the Prodigium and L'Occhio di Dio? And just where does the reappearance of Archer fit into the grand scheme of things?


Readers will be left hanging for the next book in the series. Hex Hall book three will be out in 2012.

Visit Rachel Hawkins' website.

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

"Her name is Fever."

Fever Crumb is the youngest member of the Order if Engineers and the only female. Dr. Crumb found her one evening in a basket by the road on his way home from consulting on an archaeological dig. Although it was well known that females were not capable of rational thought, it was decided that she should stay with the Order. She might make a useful engineer if she was raised in the Order. And her appearance would cause concern if she went to live in London where the rule of the Scriven was still fresh in the minds of its citizens. Her eyes are two different colors; one dark brown and the other a soft lichen gray.

A minor archaeologist named Kit Solent has requested an engineer to come live with him at his home on Ludgate Hill and help him study artifacts from a new dig that he has discovered.  The engineer he requested is Fever. Fever is excited and a bit nervous about her first assignment. She has never left in her home in Godshawk's Head and visited the city itself. Soon after stepping off the tram, Fever gets lost and finds herself at the Stragglemarket where her looks attract a lot of unwanted attention.

Kit Solent believes he has found a seret vault that belonged to Auric Godshawk, the last Scriven overlord. Scriven were not human and were killed in an overthrow by the people. Kit cannot unlock Godshawk's vault but thinks that Fever can. Fever soon finds herself having memories and recalling vivid details from a past time. Meanwhile someone is following Fever with the intent of elimatinating her based on the fact that she looks different. Soon the question that Fever and everyone else is asking is Who or What is Fever Crumb?

Fever's story will be continued in A Web of Air in April 2010.
Visit Philip Reeve's website.

The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan

Danny Lipman is a thief who has the misfortune of robbing the wrong house one night. What looked like an old run-down country house was actually a disguise for a top-secret government organization known as the Shadow Project. A joint venture between the CIA and MI6, the project uses teenage spies for its covert missions. The teens use astral projection or an out-of-body experience to travel around the world. When Danny accidentially witnesses a mission experience between Opal and Michael, project coordinators realize that Danny has a special talent that would be extremely useful to the project. When Sir Roland Harrington's daughter Opal disappears while on a mission, Danny is given a choice; join the Shadow Project or go to jail. A deal is made that is almost too good to be true.

Danny joins the project and is quickly thrown into investigating the Sword of Wrath, a terrorist organization. He soon finds out that both the Project and the Sword of Wrath are not what they seem. Opal is found but is still in great danger as is the Project itself. As Danny finds out more about what is going on, he also discovers some truths about himself and those around him.

The book is told in revolving points of view between Danny, Opal, Sir Roland, Michael and Danny's grandmother; who has a few surprises of her own. The next book in the series, The Doomsday Box continues Danny's story in January 2011. The reader is not left with a major cliffhanger dealing with the battle, but there are several unanswered questions and the quiet beginnings of a love triangle. This a the book for those readers who enjoyed Catherine Fisher's Incarceron and The Maze Rinner by James Dashner.

Visit Herbie Brennan's website.