Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills

 

“It’s not all sugar and spice at Basil’s Bakery, where seventeen-year-old Aurelie is an overworked, underappreciated apprentice. Still, the job offers stability, which no-nonsense Aurelie values highly, so she keeps her head down and doesn’t dare to dream big—until a stranger walks in and hands her a set of Seeking stones. In a country where Seeking was old-fashioned even before magic went out of style, it’s a rare skill, but Aurelie has it.

The stranger, who turns out to be a remarkably bothersome bounty hunter named Iliana, asks for Aurelie’s help rescuing someone from the dangerous Underwood—which sounds suspiciously like an adventure. When the someone turns out to be Prince Hapless, the charming-but-aptly-named prince, Aurelie’s careful life is upended. Suddenly, she finds herself on a quest filled with magic portals, a troll older than many trees (and a few rocks), and dangerous palace intrigue.

Even more dangerous are the feelings she’s starting to have for Hapless. The more time Aurelie spends with him, the less she can stand the thought of going back to her solitary but dependable life at the bakery. Must she choose between losing her apprenticeship—or her heart?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book was not what I was expecting from this author of several previous romance books. Instead, the author changed up her story, a humorous fantasy adventure story where romance takes a back seat. Full of surprises and the true meaning of friendship, readers will enjoy Mills’ latest book.

Visit Emma Mills’ website.

Saint by Adrienne Young (Fable book 0.5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! Not really. This is a standalone novel about Fable’s infamous father, Saint. Fans of the series, Enjoy!

“As a boy, Elias learned the hard way what happens when you don’t heed the old tales.

Nine years after his lack of superstition got his father killed, he’s grown into a young man of piety, with a deep reverence for the hallowed sea and her fickle favor. As stories of the fisherman’s son who has managed to escape the most deadly of storms spreads from port to port, his devotion to the myths and creeds has given him the reputation of the luckiest bastard to sail the Narrows.

Now, he’s mere days away from getting everything his father ever dreamed for him: a ship of his own, a crew, and a license that names him as one of the first Narrows-born traders. But when a young dredger from the Unnamed Sea with more than one secret crosses his path, Elias’ faith will be tested like never before. The greater the pull he feels toward her, the farther he drifts from the things he’s spent the last three years working for.

He is dangerously close to repeating his mistakes and he’s seen first hand how vicious the jealous sea can be. If he’s going to survive her retribution, he will have to decide which he wants more, the love of the girl who could change their shifting world, or the sacred beliefs that earned him the name that he’s known for―Saint.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great story about how Fable’s parents met. Fans of the series will enjoy diving back into the world and discovering Saint’s background and how it influenced the man he would become. Readers learn how Saint and Isolde met and began their trading empire. A great wrap up to this series that will leave you wanting to go  back and reread the earlier books.

Visit Adrienne Young’s website.

Endure by Sara B. Larson (Defy book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in this trilogy, Defy and Ignite, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

King Damien and Alexa have brought hope back to the people of Antion. Trying to rebuild the kingdom his father enslaved, a new threat had emerged from outside of the kingdom. Alexa wants to go after and save her friend Rylan. She also needs to find a way to kill Rafe and free herself from his control before she can do harm to Damien. Alexa had received a message from Rafe that she must come alone if she wants Rylan alive. If anyone else comes, he is dead. Word of General Tinso’s letter declaring war on Antion is circulating throughout the palace and people want to know what measures Damien if or will take against his Blevon. When one of King Armando’s black sorcerers escapes from the dungeon and makes it to the throne room, he unleashes a magical smog that causes Alexa and several others to fight against their friends. She knows that she really isn't fighting against Damien but it still doesn't make the situation any easier. When the smog dissipates, several of their friends are dead. Alexa, Damien and their surviving friends are devastated.

After the funeral pyres are lit, Damien leaves abruptly, causing concern amongst his friends and guard. Alexa goes to him and neither likes where their conversation is heading. Damien asks Alexa to stay with him. He cannot lose her as well. She loves Damien and has even accepted his marriage proposal but she loves Rylan as well. He has been there for her just like her twin brother Marcel, especially since Marcel's death.  If she didn't go after him, she would be unable to live with the guilt. Damien understands but thinks their goodbye will be their last, he doesn't think Alexa's luck will hold out. She promises to return and become Antion’s queen.

Will Alexa be successful in her attempt to rescue Rylan? Can she kill Rafe and set herself free from his curse? What is the real reason behind General Tinso’s act of war against Antion? Does Alexa return to Damien and become his queen?

Fans of  the Defy trilogy will want to see how Alexa’s story ends.

Visit Sara B. Larson’s website.

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

“Revenge is worth its weight in gold.”

June 6, 1877

Kate Thompson is left with a heart full of vengeance after a group of men kill her father. Two days after her eighteenth birthday, she hears hooping and hollering while she is down by the creek. She arrives back home to find her father hanging from the mesquite tree that her mother is buried under. She sees a group of men fleeing on horseback and the house on fire. Kate is able to get one shot off and a man falls. After burying her father next to her mother, she is surprised to find the man she shot is gone. He isn’t dead but she is able to follow his blood trail into Prescott and finds him sitting in a saloon. She has disguised herself as a man so as not to draw as much notice. Kate follows him to the outhouse where she finds him checking on his wound. She is able to catch him off guard. He laughs at her when he realizes that she doesn’t know about the secrets her father kept. She wants to know how they found him and he reveals that the clerk at Goldwaters’ was very informative. He informs her that she will never catch up to the others. Kate shoots him in the skull before heading to Goldwaters’

At Goldwaters’, it doesn't take Morris the clerk long to recognize Kate. Her father was trying to play matchmaker between the two of them, much to Kate’s chagrin. She inquires if anyone has come in asking about her father. He describes the group of men she saw leaving and asks her if everything is alright. She knows there is no one in a position of authority to help her. Kate loads up on some supplies and leaves before she can shoot Morris for inadvertently revealing her father. Back at home, Kate begins shifting through the remains of their cabin. She notices that her father’s journal is missing from its place by the bed. She assumes that it was destroyed in the fire. Kate does find the remaining bits of gold dust that her father had from his prospecting days. She is dismayed to find a note that her father had left for her. It reads that if anything were to happen to him, Kate is to go see his friend Abe in Wickenberg. She spends the night in the barn before going to find Abe. He may know what secrets her father was keeping from her.

Stopping at a saloon in Walnut Grove, Kate decides to try and find out some information about Abe before arriving in the bustling mining town of Wickenberg. Coy at first, an overweight barmaid/prostitute tells her where she can find him. Kate also asks the bartender if any of her friends came through. Describing the man and stating that he was riding with a group, the bartender pulls a gun on her. He asks her to leave, saying that her kind aren’t welcome. Not really understanding, Kate asks what her kind might be. The Rose Riders, he answers. Kate backs out and mounts her horse. Even with a gun trained on her back, she is thrilled to have discovered some new information on her father’s killers. Making camp for the night, Kate thinks that the Riders might be Waylon Rose’s gang. They were notorious for robbing stagecoaches in New Mexico and came west to Arizona when the gold rush began. Kate falls asleep wondering what brought Rose out of his normal territory to look for her father.

Kate is awoken the next morning by a wild hog but soon hears voices. The men from the saloon are looking to collect the bounty on the Riders since Kate stated that she was a friend. One man goes to stand guard over their horses while the other unties one of Kate’s. He shoves it away before she is able to stop him. Kate pulls her gun on him and tells him to stop. The man says that he cannot let her go and slaughter Abe’s family. With no choice, Kate shoots the man before he can kill her. She scares off the remaining man before packing her horse to leave. Down a horse, she has to leave most of her stuff behind. Kate hopes that Abe will be the effort.

Arriving at Abe’s the next morning after riding all day and night, Kate is surprised by the size of his place and wonders if he runs a ranch now instead of working in the mines. Two boys close to her age are standing outside. After talking it over, the older one comes over and directs Kate to Wickenberg. She lets him know that she is actually looking for Abe. He tells her that her got kicked in the head by a horse two years earlier and died the same day. Kate is desperate until she sees the look of grief flash over the boy’s face and offers her condolences. The boy introduces himself as Jesse Colton, Abe’s son and asks Kate for hers. She blurts out the first thing that comes to her mind, Nate Thompson. Jesse asks what her father’s name was and gets excited to find out that it was Henry. He calls his younger brother Will over and the three of them head towards the farmhouse.Turns out that Abe had something of Henry’s that he was keeping in case his child ever showed up on their doorstep.

In the farmhouse, Nate meets the boys’ sister, Sarah. After breakfast, Jesse gives Nate the letter from her father. In it, he details for Kate how he and her mother came across a dead man with a cache of gold and a leather journal detailing where the mine could be found. Kate realizes that her father’s journal wasn’t burned, but stolen. He details how he changed his name, became friends with Abe and eventually moved to Prescott. Her father writes that not even Abe knows the whole truth. In order for her to be safe, he asks her to stay with Abe. Folding up the letter, Kate hears Sarah and Jesse arguing over Nate. She decides to leave and find her father’s killers before they can find the gold.

Jesse and Will catch up to Kate/Nate as she is leaving Wickenberg. The two boys are on their way to pick up some cattle in Tucson. The three of them traveling together will be safer than splitting up. Kate/Nate reluctantly agrees if the boys will quit constantly talking. She is heading to Phoenix and will spilt from them there. Along the way, the three of them come across a burned out carriage. The driver has been shot, the passengers burned and any money is gone. The dead driver carries the same mark that the Riders left on Kate’s father. She wants to at least burn the man’s body rather than leave it for the vultures. She is touched when Jesse helps her.

As the three travel along, Jesse tries to talk Nate out of his need for vengeance but his advice falls on deaf ears. Kate also knows that it won’t be too long before the Colton brothers figure out that Nate is a girl. After Jesse goes to sleep one night, Will fills Kate/Nate in on why Jesse is the type of person that he is. He has been responsible for the family for a long time and has experienced loss too many times. The next morning, Kate/Nate apologizes to Jesse and attempts to make amends. The three head out looking for a river to water their horses. They first notice the low water level and then Jesse sees that they are not alone. He spies two men through his binoculars and passes them off to Nate. She sees two men along the ridge above and the two of them know something isn’t right. It looks like an ambush. Kate/Nate looks through the binoculars again and notices the symbols carved on the horses’ saddles. It’s the Rose Riders and they are aiming for them.

What happens when Jesse and Will discover that Nate Thompson is actually Kate Thompson? Will she reveal the truth about why her father was killed? Will she uncover her father's secrets? Can she find the Rose Riders and exact her revenge or will Kate learn that vengeance is a road best left untraveled? And will love find it’s way into Kate’s heart?

Visit Erin Bowman’s website.

Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen (Scarlet book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Scarlet and  Lady Thief, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the series for you.

“We all need something - someone - to fight for …”

Prince John has hidden Scarlet from his mother and her grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her hopes of escape or rescue are dashed when he takes the necklace Eleanor gave her and informs her that King Richard, her father, is being held for ransom by the Holy Roman Emperor. If John has her necklace, Eleanor would know that she is dead. When two guards come to her cell, David says that they are just moving her. The other guard, Thomas, informs them both that there has been a change of plans. They are to kill her per John’s orders. When David refuses, a scuffle breaks out and David, who is loyal to Eleanor, overpowers Thomas with Scarlet’s help. The two are able to leave when Scarlet poses as dead.

On their way to London, they run into Allan who has been looking for Scarlet. Prince John had a letter sent to Robin informing him of Scarlet’s execution. Robin never believed it and had sent Allan to look for her. Scarlet is hopeful but Allan tells her that  he hasn’t had time yet to send Robin a letter. Feeling downtrodden, her spirits soar when Allan hands her a bundle of letters that Robin has written to her. Dirty, she doesn’t want to touch them. The innkeeper’s daughter, Kate, takes her to get cleaned up. Afterwards, Kate tells her that everywhere, not just Nottingham, is bad under John’s rule.

Scarlet knows that she needs to get to Eleanor if she has any hope of stopping Prince John. To make matters worse, the Holy Roman Emperor is demanding an exorbitant amount of silver for King Richard’s return. In order to raise the money, Eleanor has levied a stiff tax that the downtrodden people of England cannot afford. Going to Robin’s friend, Lord Winchester, he provides Scarlet with a safe haven.He offers to get word of her safety to Robin, but she must think about it. Scarlet tells him of her thoughts that Prince John plans to kill Richard to claim the throne. Scarlet knows that in order to keep everyone safe, she must remain hidden and await word from Eleanor.

Can Scarlet stopp Prince John? Will King Richard return to England and reclaim his throne and his daughter? Does Scarlet join forces with Eleanor or can she trust her? What did Robin write in his letters to Scarlet? Will Scarlet and Robin be able to live happily ever after?

Visit A.C. Gaughen’s website.

Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins (Rebel Belle book 2)

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

“Some titles aren’t won - they’re earned.”

Since the disastrous night of the Cotillion, Harper Price, David Stark and Ryan Bradshaw have been trying to fulfill the duties of the roles that have been forced upon them. David is an Oracle and his “aunt” Saylor protected him, literally with her life. When she died, she passed on her powers as Mage to Ryan. With Harper as his Paladin, a superpowered warrior, and Ryan by his side, David hasn’t had a substantial vision since that night. A spell was cast at the Cotillion that intensified his powers, which included the ability to make more Paladins. David has no idea that Harper and Ryan have been working to keep his visions to a minimum and insubstantial.

While on a “mission” to keep a couple of Harper’s friends from a less than successful future marriage, David is struck by a substantial vision. All he will tell her is that they need to go, now. Harper sends Ryan a text to meet them at the twins’ house. It is an emergency. Ryan is waiting on them when they arrive and Harper fills him in on what he has missed. She has him alter the twins’ memories so that they don’t recall witnessing David’s vision. David is in a hurry, insisting that they need to leave right away. He drives the three of them out into the country and stops where a burnt plantation home once stood. In it’s place now is a beautiful replica that Harper can sense the magic surrounding it. Turns out that David has led them to the Ephors, the very group that Saylor died to protect him from.

The three walk inside the house. They are staring at a painting when a voice behind them says that it is titled, “The Oracle Speaks”. Standing behind them is a man in his forties, dressed in a suit. He informs them that the Ephors can help David with his visions. Harper reminds them about Saylor’s warnings but David asks Alexander where Bee is. Harper’s thoughts immediately turn to her missing best friend. The four of them move into a study to talk about the vision. Alexander states that the Ephors want to help David learn about his powers as the Oracle. He notices that David has grabbed Harper’s hand and finds it interesting. No other Oracle and their Paladin had a romantic relationship. With all of the visions, there isn’t time. Harper tells Alexander that the three of them have everything under control. That’s when Alexander drops the bomb that Harper isn’t a full Paladin.

Harper must undergo the Periamos ritual. She doesn’t have a choice in the matter and her test began when she arrived. Should she fail, a new Paladin will come forth, one that has already started her training. All three turn around and see Bee walk into the room. She looks completely unharmed. They rush her and David is stricken when he realizes that he cannot see either girls’ future. Alexander says that it would be an unfair advantage during the Periamos. Harper attempts to argue but Alexander cuts her off. She will have to complete three mental or physical tests by the end of the moon cycle. Either she will live or die at the end. Bee is her replacement should she fail. If Harper is successful, Bee will no longer have her Paladin powers. David accepts Alexander’s offer of help because he feels that they really need it.

Will Harper survive the Periamos? Can David trust Alexander or will Harper’s fears come true? Who is Alexander? What visions does David have of the future? Can Harper and David’s relationship survive?

The trilogy will finish out with a third yet untitled book sometime in the future.

Visit Rachel Hawkins’ website.

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton (Seeker book 1)

“The truth will end them all.”

Quin Kincaid has been training since she was eight to become a Seeker, a protector of the weak and defender of justice. It is a family legacy that is centuries old. She believes that a Seeker’s purpose is worthy. Now at fifteen, she and her cousin Shinou are having what might be their final practice fight. John Hunt, a year older, will attempt to prove that he still belongs. He arrived at the isolated Scottish estate at the age of twelve to begin his training. When the very real fight with Briac, Quin’s father and Alistair, Shinobu’s father, is over, Briac tells Quin and Shinobu to meet at midnight at the standing stone to take their oaths. John, a superior fighter who failed the test will meet with him at dinner time in the commons where they will speak freely.

John and Quin leave the training barn separately. He heads towards the woods, knowing that Quin will be meeting him there. In love with each other, they meet secretly and erroneously think no one knows of their relationship. Discussing John’s failure during the fight, Quin believes that her father, although a cruel man, will allow John to continue his training. John isn’t so sure but doesn’t voice his opinion. Knowing the truth behind the Seekers, he had promised his mother before she died that he would attempt to take back what rightfully belongs to their family.  While hiding amongst the trees, a aircar lands at the estate. A rarity, Quin sneaks back home to eavesdrop on her father’s conversation, leaving John alone in the woods.

Caught eavesdropping, her father and the young man from the aircar leave the house to head outside for some privacy. Her mother sees her and asks if she was listening in. Quin refutes by asking if they are arranging her marriage. Quin’s parents had an arranged marriage. Her mother had trained as a Seeker but never took the oath. No, her mother says and that she hopes that Quin will be able to choose her mate based on love. She then asks her how far she and John have gone in their relationship. Kissing is all but Quin is stunned that everyone seems to know. The conversation turns to the oath that night. Her mother tells her to think about what she will be doing. Once she takes her oath, there will be no going back. Quin is adamant about fulfilling her destiny. She and John will be Seekers together. She leaves as her mother begins to tear up.

That same day, Alistair takes Shinobu into the nearest town. They end up outside of a house where a girl, Alice, resides. Alistair asks him if he really wants to take the oath. If he doesn’t become a Seeker, he could have a life in the town with a girl like Alice who would love him. His father knows that he is harboring feelings for Quin, who is a distant cousin, but she doesn’t feel the same way. Shinobu is just as adamant about taking the oath as Quin. His father turns his face away and seems to also be wiping away tears.

Leaving her mother behind, she goes outside and their visitor has left already. Instead, she does see her father walking with John, a hand on his shoulder. What she doesn’t know is that the conversation is going very badly. John reminds Briac of his promise but Briac counters that the promise was to train him, not necessarily make him a Seeker. John knows the truth behind the Seekers and asks what will Quin say when she finds out. Briac is undeterred. They walk towards a deserted barn to find a modern hospital room hidden inside. On the bed hooked up to tubes and wires is a decimated person that John is unable to tell the age or even sex of. The room is a reminder for those who fail at what the disruptor, a Seeker weapon, can do to them. John is livid at the inhuman treatment of the unknown person but Briac tells him that it serves it’s purpose. He is being sent back home to his grandfather.

At midnight, Quin finds Shinobu, their fathers plus the two Dreads who live on the estate at the standing stone. Everyone is dressed in black. The young Dread is heating an iron poker in the fire. Having only seen the athame, “the finder of hidden ways”, twice before, Quin is thrilled to finally learn the secrets of the Seekers. She and Shinobu are both shocked when her father pulls out a similar instrument to the athame, only longer. He says that it is the lightning rod, the companion that allows the athame to come to life. Briac strikes them together and draws a circle that opens into There. Everyone including the two Dreads step in. The circle close but Briac opens a second one. As the second circle collapses in on itself, Quin sees a manor house at the bottom of the hill. Seemingly peaceful, she looks at Shinobu and they are both confused. Not really expecting a truly horrible scene, she wonders what injustice they might find inside. All six head down the hill.

Not knowing how much time has passed, Quin and Shinobu wake up covered in someone else's blood and retch. Briac tells them to get it together. He asks the Dreads if they have met the standards and the Big Dread says yes. Alistair just stares at the coals of the fire. Briac asks that the brand to be brought over and the Young Dread does. He asks Shinobu first if he is ready to take his oath and become a sworn Seeker. Quin notices that Shinobu has a look of our hatred on his face. Quin is forced to kneel next to Shinobu and is asked if she is ready. Looking at her father whom she resembles so much, she realizes that they are nothing alike on the inside. Quin suddenly realizes just how much her father has lied to her. Held at knifepoint by the Dreads, Quin realizes that her father will kill her if she doesn't recite the oath. She has gone There and there is no turning back. Quin starts and Shinobu soon joins her. The Dread places the hot poker against their wrists. They are both now branded Seekers.

If being a Seeker is no longer as honorable as Quin was led to believe, what do they actually do? What promise to Briac make to John’s family? Why did he want to become a Seeker so badly? Who was the man arrived in the aircar? What happened the night Quin and Shinobu took their oaths? Why did Shinobu have a look of hatred on his face? What does Quin after she discovers her father’s deceit? Will Shinobu tell Quin how he feels about her? Are Quin and John able to maintain their relationship? Why are the Dreads an important part of the Seeker community? What secrets do they know. Do any more Seekers exist elsewhere in the world?

A fantasy set in the future with a definite medieval feel, book two in the trilogy, Traveler, is due out in 2016.

Visit Arwen Elys Dayton’s website.

Ignite by Sara B. Larson (Defy book 2)

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

King Damien's coronation was one month earlier and so far there hasn't been a single threat. Damien had to assassinate his own father, King Hector, to keep the people of their kingdom, Antion, safe from his cruel rule. Alexa is determined to keep Damien safe, even though it means keeping her feelings for him buried and a secret from him. She broke his heart when she lied and said that she didn't love him. While on guard duty one night, Deron the captain of the guard, alerts her to a messenger at the gate. The messenger claims to be from Dansii to alert them that the delegation sent by King Armando will arrive within the next two days. Armando, Hector's brother, had never send anyone but Iker in the past. Deron and Alexa are immediately suspicious. Potential plans are discussed but Damien will make a final decision in the morning. Alexa finishes her shift but not without her thoughts straying back to Damien and the hurt look in his eyes every time he looks at her. She goes to her room to sleep for a bit but will not divulge what is bothering her when Rylan attempts to ask.

Alexa is plagued with nightmares of Iker and is awakened shortly after laying down to the news that the Dansiian delegation will arrive within the hour. She enters the throne room and the tension between her and Damien is thick. She takes her place by his immediate side and watches as the doors open. Elijan has yet to return from his scouting mission. Just then, he flies through a side door and whispers in Damien's ear. Alexa can't hear if a sorcerer accompanies them but the room is stunned when a beautiful, young woman enters. Lady Vera announces that her father is King Armando's most trusted advisor and that she wouldn't be perceived as a threat to bring words of congratulations. Alexa notices how Damien is looking at her and how Vera is sizing up Alexa. She asks for a bath before delivering her message. Damien invites her to dinner and she is shown to her rooms. After she leaves, Damien requests that Alexa and Deron guard him at dinner. Jealousy subsides a bit in Alexa when she realizes that Damien does have his guard up when it comes to Lady Vera.

Immediately after the Dansiian delegation leaves, the doors unexpectedly open again to a delegation from Blevon. General Tinso, Elijan's father, is not with them. A tall man strides in between the ten soldiers accompanying and tells Damien that he has "brought peace between our two nations at great cost." Alexa notices that his voice is empty of emotion and Elijan staringat him. Damien addresses him cautiously that the cost was worth the result. No, the man states. Peace was not the result and before Alexa can react, he drives a sword through Deron's upper arm and that says that Antion will never know peace. All chaos breaks lose. Alexa drives her sword through the back of the man who stabbed Deron. The blank look in his eyes disappears. With clear eyes, he is crying and speaks in Blevonese. Alexa doesn't understand him but Damien draws her attention. She drops just before she can be struck by a sword. Turning around, Alexa sees the man turning purple. Damien is using his powers and kills the man. All of the Blevonese soldiers lie dead on the throne room floor. Alexa asks what the dying man said to her and Elijan tells her that he said that he didn't mean it, it wasn't him. Damien will stand by the peace treaty with Blevonese but every one is to be suspicious. Before the throne room can be cleaned, General Ferraun, head of Antion's army comes in with bad news. A town on the Blevonese border was attacked by a black sorcerer. There were no survivors because he was leading a group of Blevonese soldiers.

Elijan believes that the recent attack and the one years earlier on Alexa's village are connected. Not really wanting to recall the details of the day when her parents were killed, she offers up what she remembers. Alexa realizes that the black sorcerer that day looked like Iker. Elijan adamantly believes that his country isn't behind the attacks but doesn't tell Damien why he thinks that way. All Alexa knows is that she protected Damien once before, she will do everything in her power to do it again.

Shortly after dinner begins, a guard rushes in to state that the Lady Vera's dinner has been poisoned. Her taster dropped to the floor ten minutes after taking a bite.  The room is in an uproar and Lady Vera excuses herself clearly miffed. Alexa thinks she saw a slight smile on her face before leaving. Lisbet is fetched to see to the taster. Later, Lisbet declares the taster dead. In the chaos afterwards, not only does the dead man's body disappears but Lisbet's son and Damien's half brother, Max, does as well. A full scale search of the castle turns up no signs of either. Damien calls off the search inside the castle when a ransom note for Jax is found. Alexa is forced to finally get some sleep but only on the condition that she can search for Jax when the sun comes up.

After a disastrous late night meeting with Damien where she lets him kiss her before she puts a stop to it, Damien tells her the next morning what the note written in Blevonese said. In exchange for Jax's return, kidnappers want Alexa. She is determined now more than ever to find Jax for Damien.

Who is behind Jax's disappearance? Could it be the same as the black sorcerer attacks? Is it Blevon, Dansii or someone else? Is this latest attack related to the one on Alexa's village years ago? What is the truth behind Lady Vera's visit? Does Alexa discover the truth in time to prevent another war? Will Jax be returned? Can Alexa move past her feelings for Damien or will she no longer be able to fight them?

Readers will be left clamoring for the final installment in the Defy trilogy.

Visit Sara B. Larson's website.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

“Some hate us, some fear us, some worship us. But all know us.”

Adelina Amouteru survived the blood fever that swept through Kenettra a  decade ago. Her mother, like all infected adults, died. Her younger sister, Violetta, recovered unscathed. Adelina emerged flawed, a malfetto. Her left eye swelled so that the doctor had to cut it out with a red hot knife and a scar runs down the side of her face. She uses her hair to help conceal her scar. While her sister's hair remained black and shiny, Adelina's turned to a "strange, ever-shifting silver." Malfettos are feared and considered bad luck. Adelina's father, a struggling businessman, has had difficulty marrying her off. When she overhears her father accept payment from a businessman for her hand, she is shocked. Then she hears that she will be his mistress not his wife. He is already married and who would want to be married to someone like her. Adelina decides that tonight will be the night she finally flees her father’s house. Caught by Violetta as she is climbing out the window, she begs her to keep quiet. Adelina slips on her way out due to the heavy rainfall and drops some of the items she was taking in hopes to sell. She makes it to the stable and saddles her favorite stallion. They race through the storm until they reach the edge of the marketplace in Dalia. Her horse freezes up and that’s when she hears her father’s horse approaching. Calm yet clearly angry, Adelina’s father attempts take her home. He taunts her that she will never receive an offer any better than the one he accepted. She whispers that she hates him and he slaps her face, while still holding her by the hair. Something inside of Adelina snaps. With a rush of energy and blinding light, Adelina conjures ghostly phantoms who taunt her father. He tries to escape and she tries to stop the phantoms. Her father stumbles away, smashing into his horse before falling into the mud. The animal startles and rears up. It’s hooves land on her father’s chest, killing him.

Adelina is in shock. She never meant to kill her father, only to escape. Leaving her father’s body behind, she rides north in hopes of reaching the capital, Estenzia, where she can blend in. Five days later, she is found by a woman who offers her a place to sleep. The next morning, two Inquisition soldiers, the king’s peacekeepers, wake her up and drag her before the Inquisition. Violetta is there. She doesn’t answer that Adelina is her sister but her face gives her away. The Inquisitor charges Adelina with the murder of her father. Violetta proclaims her innocence and that she only tried to help her. Adelina is dragged to a prison cell where she has spent the past three weeks. Tomorrow, she will be executed.

Just before Adelina is set to die, the neighboring prisoner asks if she is really one of the Young Elites. He laughs as he asks her to break him out. Adelina ignores him and scoffs at the idea. She has been unable to recreate the strange illusions from the night of her father’s death. Hours later, Adelina is dragged to her execution. Once outside the Inquisition tower, she is blinded by the daylight and deafened by the shouts from the crowd who have gathered to watch her die. She is carried onto the platform when her body collapses and shackled to a stake. She is surprised to find out that the Lead Inquisitor of Kenettra, Master Teren Santoro, is a young man and he has come to see her die. Teren tells the crowd that the so-called Young Elites were demonic and will be brought to justice. Teren steps towards Adelina so they can see one another up close. He remarks to her after sweeping the mashed hair from her face that it was a shame; she would have been pretty. He signals farewell and lights the pyre. Terrified, Adelina is finally able to call forth her powers. The crowd grows quiet as the day grows dark with what turns out to be phantom locusts. The soldiers draw their swords and Adelina is unable to put out the flames. An Inquisitor draws his sword and moves towards her when she sees a figure move into her line of sight as the flames begin to die down. The Inquisitor tells him to stand aside and before she can blink, the boy sinks a dagger deep into the soldier's side. The other Inquisitors notice their fallen comrade and come to his aid. Barely missing being cut in half, the boy cuts off another soldier's hand. Adelina notices other masked figures darting around dressed the same as the boy. Teren shouts that it is The Reaper. As Inquisitors rush for him, he raises his hand and brings down his hand and separates himself from them with a wall of flame. He comes towards Adelina's and she sees his hooded face and silver mask. He melts her shackles with his flame to free her. She slumps down and he catches her. As he is carrying her away, the last thing Adelina sees is the silver dagger insignia on his armguard.

Adelina wakes up several days later in a luxurious suite like none she has ever seen before. Clean and her wounds bandaged, she is even more surprised when a servant enters dressed more elegantly than most of the merchants she has dealt with. She has brought Adelina her breakfast. The servant is about to leave and fetch someone when they hear him walking down the hall. Enzo Valenciano enters. He tells Adelina that he is the former crown prince of Kennettra. Enzo is also a survivor of the blood fever and a malfetto. Disfigured and considered bad luck, his sister’s husband claimed the crown when his father, the king, died. He is also the leader of the Dagger Society, a secret group of Young Elites who rescue other malfettos captured by the Inquisition. Adelina is shocked to find out who she is with. Everyone knows the names of the Young Elites; The Reaper, The Magiano, The Windwalker, The Alchemist. She is even more surprised to find out that her powers are of interest to them.

Enzo sends her to see Raffaele Bessette, another member of the Black Daggers. Raffaele takes her to a chamber to perform the first of several tests. This one will see what her strengths and weaknesses are and how her energy connects to the world. During the final part, Adelina reacts severely. She and Raffaele stare at one another. She asks what the last results mean. He replies hatred in one’s chest and darkness in oneself; fear and fury. Enzo will have to how decide how he feels about her and what it will mean about her training. She is not yet a member of the Dagger Society. Adelina will need to be able to have complete control over her powers. What Raffaele doesn’t say outright is that if she cannot control her powers, the Dagger Society will kill her.

What are Adelina’s powers? Why did it take so long for her powers to manifest? Can she master them? Will she become a member of the Dagger Society? Why do some malfettos have special powers? How does Enzo plan to use the Society? What happens when Adelina is unable to control her hatred?

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Visit The Young Elites website.

The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas (The Burning Sky book 2)

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

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

Prince Titus of the Domain and Iolanthe Seabourne, aka Archer Fairfax, had planned to spend a simple, peaceful summer in the Labyrinthine Mountains but even the best laid plans change. Despite the numerous scenarios the two planned for, Iolanthe being alone in the mountains wasn’t one of them. During a diplomatic reception at the Citadel, Titus is approached by a woman whose beauty rivaled Lady Callista’s. She asks him about his elemental mage. Trying to cover his shock, he lets her know that Atlantis has already questioned him extensively. She tells him that she isn’t an agent of Atlantis and he wants to know why he would change his answer when he doesn’t know where she is. The woman says that they know she is the prophesied one and they want to keep her safe from the Bane. The guards discover her and she quickly takes her leave.

Titus and Iolanthe, still disguised as Fairfax, reunite back at Eton College. Their group of friends, including Wintervale and Kashkari, make plans for a visit to to Baycrest House, Sutherland’s uncle’s property in Norfolk. The house sits on a cliff overlooking the North Sea. The week before they all leave, Wintervale is called home by his mother. He doesn’t return before the boys leave. At the house, the boys spent the night drinking by a bonfire and roasting sausages. Titus and Fairfax fake drinking in case the cognac is spiked with a truth serum. Eventually, everyone retires to their rooms to sleep it off. Titus uses the time to work at the laboratory. Fairfax keeps an eye on everyone. Titus vaults back to Bayside Manor. Fairfax asks him when the new entrance will be done. Soon he replies. She tells him that he looks tired and should get some sleep. Titus falls asleep with a smile on his face that Iolanthe put there.

When he wakes up, Titus is still smiling having dreamed of Iolanthe. He hears her voice outside through the window. Titus notices that the clock reads 2:14, the exact same time from his mother’s prophecy. That prophecy states that he will witness “the feat of elemental magic that will change the lives of everyone involved.” It was that same time that he saw Iolanthe’s lightning strike. He steps onto the balcony and notices a storm brewing. He sees Fairfax and Cooper play croquet below. They invite him to join when Titus notices that his wand is warming, alerting him specifically to a nautical danger. Fairfax feels the signal too. He uses a far-seeing spell to search and sees an Atlantean vessel five miles out pursuing a dinghy with Wintervale as the only passenger. Before he can react, Titus sees Wintervale point his wand at the vessel. Suddenly, the sea calms before a whirlpool forms and pulls the Atlantean ship under. Titus is shocked. Wintervale just created a great feat of elemental magic.

Titus rescues Wintervale from the sea and brings him the the manor house. He is resting and Iolanthe knows something is wrong with Titus. Finding a moment alone, Titus tells her what he witnessed with Wintervale. He tells her that although he saw her pillar of lightning at 2:14, someone woke him up at that time as they did every day in hopes of Titus discovering the event from his mother’s prophecy. Today, he awoke on his own at 2:14 and everything was exactly as the prophecy said it would be. He cannot recall all of the details of the day he saw Iolanthe but after rereading his mother’s diary, Titus believes that Wintervale not Iolanthe is the mage from his prophecy.

With this discovery, everything that Titus and Iolanthe believe and have worked for is thrown into question. Titus is relentless that Wintervale is the mage from the prophecy. Titus and Iolanthe find their lives ripped apart. Can Iolanthe come to grips with the fact that she might not be the one to help Titus with the prophecy? Will Titus allow Iolanthe to help him with his mission against Atlantis? Is Wintervale really the great elemental mage or is it Iolanthe? What happens when Wintervale comes down with a mysterious illness? Could there possibly be two mages? Is Princess Ariadne’s prophecy true or open to interruption? Who was the woman who approached Titus at the Citadel? Can Titus and Iolanthe continue to work together?

Love, danger and mystery surround Titus and Iolanthe in their latest adventure. Fans will be eagerly waiting for the final book in the Elemental trilogy.

The Testing trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau

Book one – The Testing 

The Seven Stages War left Earth a damaged and devastated world. The first four stages were brought about by manmade warfare on the Asian side of the planet and spread. During the last three stages, Earth retaliated against man for the biochemical destruction and radiation by unleashing earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. The United Commonwealth chose the former site of Wichita, Kansas as its capital because of its non-strategic location and the fact it escaped the first four stages of the war. Its new name is Tosu City.

Malencia "Cia" Vale resides in the Five Lakes colony with her parents and four older brothers. Five Lakes is one of the smallest and farthest colonies from Tosu City. She is graduating today. At sixteen, she is by far the youngest member of her class. Cia is hoping that she will be chosen for The Testing. Only the best and brightest graduates are chosen by the Commonwealth for the program. Her eldest brother, Zeen, was disappointed when he wasn’t chosen for The Testing. Their father was and attended the university where he learned to genetically alter plants and trees to be able to survive in Earth's blighted soil. His sons work with him. Cia has also been offed a job but she is more mechanically inclined and usually kills plants. Rumors swirl at the ceremony that a special guest will make an announcement. Cia is disappointed when no one is chosen for The Testing. The rumor was just a rumor after all.

The next morning, Cia's mother persuades her to go to Kip Drysten's to ask him for a job. He repairs farm equipment. Cia is relieved when he is out on a job and won’t be home for several days. She rides to the town square and is relieved that most people there are too busy to speak to her. Cia finally begins the ride back home to help her mother prepare for her graduation party that night. On the way, she runs into one of her brothers. Magistrate Owens had sent a message to their father requesting Cia's appearance at her house in just under an hour. She has to hurry to make it.

It turns out that Cia is the last to arrive. Also sitting at Magistrate Owens's house are three of her fellow graduates; Tomas Endress, Malachi Rourke and Zandri Hicks. Cia sits next to Tomas when he smiles and motions for her to sit next to him. Owens apologizes for the short notice and introduces Michal Gallen, a Tosu City official. He was supposed to attend the graduation ceremony but was delayed. He reads from a sheet of paper explaining The Testing. He ends his speech by announcing that all four of them have been chosen. They will leave in the morning. When Zandri ask if she can decline, Michael informs her that she doesn't have a choice; it is the law. Failure for not presenting oneself for The Testing is a form of treason. Everyone in the room knows that treason is punishable by death.

Cia returns home to tell her family and finds her party is in full swing. Her father is the first to notice the official United Commonwealth bag hanging from her shoulder and he immediately announces to everyone what it means. Her brothers are the first to congratulate her but she notices that her eldest brother Zeen slipping out of the room. The party turns out to be Cia's last chance to tell her friends goodbye. While helping her mother clean up afterwards, her mother weighs in on what Cia take with her. Her father comes and asks if he can take a walk with Cia to spend a little quiet time. They head out into the garden. He tells her that should have never been chosen. Shocked and angry at first, Cia cannot believe the secrets that her father divulges. He tells her to trust no one. She is no longer sure what she should expect at The Testing.

What is the purpose of The Testing? Why was Cia and the others from Five Lakes chosen after so many years of no candidates? Are the horrors that her father remembers really true? Can Cia trust the one boy from home who wants to form an alliance? Will Cia or anyone else survive? 

Book two – Independent Study

“Failure is not an option.”

Book three – Graduation Day
 
“The final test is the deadliest"

 Visit Joelle Charbonneau’s website.