A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J Spann

“The gods are dead. All that’s left are the Players…

The performers of the Playhouse are as worshipped as they are feared, their enchanting shows bending hearts, minds, and even reality itself. Vicious, godlike, lethal. Eighteen-year-old Riven Hesper knows the dangers better than anyone, after her own encounter with a Player resulted in a curse that is slowly killing her.

When the Playhouse announces the spectacle of a lifetime—a chance for one mortal to steal a Player’s immortality—Riven sees her last chance to live. Desperate for answers, she infiltrates the competition. There, she finds Jude, the Playhouse’s brilliant, merciless Lead Player, whose charm is as dangerous as his Craft, and strikes a deadly bargain to save her life.

But with time running out and the Playhouse’s secrets unraveling into a disturbing picture, Riven faces a grim possibility: she might not be the hero of her story after all. In fact, she may be the villain.

Because the Playhouse doesn’t just tell stories. It rewrites them.

And Riven’s might end in blood.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book has such a unique premise and format that worked together perfectly. With a plot line that revolves around actors and their theater, it was refreshing to see this book set up like a play itself with acts and scenes instead of chapters. The last half of the book really picked up the pace of the story leading to a shocking but satisfying ending.

Visit Shannon J Spann’s website.

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

“To find love is a curse ...

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris's parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.” - taken from Goodreads.

This story is best summed up as The Bachelor set in a fairy tale. Arris must marry but he hopes to avoid the fate of his grandfather and other descendants. He wishes to live a full first life before his second life, and when he becomes a tree. For Arris, marriage means murder at the hands of his wife. When Demelza unexpectedly shows up to the competition, she offers Arris her truth-seeking abilities as a veritas swan to keep him safe from a murderous bride. As the competition heats up, what happens when true love begins to develop?

Visit Roshani Chokshi’s website.

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

 

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father's shoppe hasn't sold anything magical in decades, and it's only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon's teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools' gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow's fakes into exactly what they're purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri's help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.”- taken from Goodreads.

This was a fantastical quest full of mystery, magic, friendship, and romance. Willow Stokes inherited her father’s shop full of nonmagical objects and debt upon his sudden death. She can barely keep her head above water and doesn’t really let anyone into her life, including Finlay, who wants Willow’s heart. When a stranger arrives in town who claims to be cursed with magic, Willow sees a way out of her situation. If she can convince Brianna to help her sell her “magical” items in her shop, she will help her find a cure for her curse. Can these two girls work together to solve each other’s problems or will Willow find a way to sabotage herself again?

Visit Mara Rutherford’s website.

The Sleepless by Jen Williams (Sleepless Duology book 1)

“Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .

Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous monster forest. Saved from the brink of death by a god, her skin will poison anyone she touches.

Artair is on a mission—one that takes him face-to-face with Elver at her most ruthless. But her defenses are useless when she discovers he's the only human impervious to her deadly gift. For Artair isn't human: he's one of the Sleepless, cursed to share his body with an evil spirit.

Lucian inhabits their body while Artair sleeps, and he is hell-bent on manipulating Elver for his dark purposes. But Elver is harbouring secrets too, and she has her own reasons for feigning an alliance with these two souls.

Caught in the crossfire of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand, it is only a matter of time before the paths the three of them choose to take will set alight the very foundations of their world.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a unique fantasy with a unique triangle. Elver is a monster. Her touch is deadly to the human touch. Artair is one of the Sleepless. His body is inhabited by an evil spirit when he falls unconscious or asleep. Lucian is the “evil spirit”. As the journey takes these three to find out the mystery behind the Sleepless, their worlds become entangled until the hard truth is discovered. Readers will be left waiting on the final book to see how the story ends.

The duology ends with The Dreamless out on May 7, 2026.

Visit Jen Williams’ website.

The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard

 

“Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie's instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there's a murderer at large.

But her investigation is quickly disrupted by the rivalry between her school and the school of the partying teens she got arrested. For over twenty years now, the two student bodies have had an ongoing prank war, and Freddie's failed attempt at Good Samaritanism has upped the ante. Big time. Worse, the clever―and gorgeous―leader of the rival prank squad has set his sights on Freddie.

As more pranks unfurl, more bodies also start piling up in the forest. But it's the supernatural warning signs around town―each plucked straight from an old forgotten poem called "The Executioners Three"―that worry Freddie the most. She knows the poem and its blood curse can’t be real, but she's quickly running out of time to prove it.

Because the murderer―or executioners?―knows she's onto them now, and their next target might just be Freddie. - taken from Goodreads

With a throwback to 1999 and all of the cool references from that year, Freddie Gellar soon finds herself involved in a creepy murder mystery that only seems relevant to her.. With weird happenings occurring in the town that seems to relate to an old poem that she uncovers, Freddie is in a race against time before the next victim is discovered.

Visit Susan Dennard’s website.

Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven

 

“They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one.

Evelyn remembers all her past lives. She also remembers that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being whose soul―and survival―is tethered to hers.

The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her for bone marrow transplants in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to:

1. Find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life―before they find her first.

2. Figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse.

3. Try not to fall in love.” - taken from Goodreads.

Visit Laura Steven’s website.

The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie (The Forest Grimm duology book 2)

 

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

“The story hasn't ended yet.

After surviving the Forest Grimm and defeating the Wolf, Clara and Axel have made it back to their village, the one place they can be safe behind the forest's borders. But when the forest itself begins luring in more villagers, it's clear that Clara and Axel have only treated the symptoms of the forest's curse, not the cause—and it's getting worse.

Burdened with visions of the past and learning to navigate her fragile new relationship with Axel, Clara finds herself entering the forest with Axel yet again to discover the truth once and for all: the identity of the murderer who caused the curse. As they fight murderous woodsmen with incomprehensible riddles, ladies who will drag you into an eternal dance, and ghosts with the power to wield the forest against them, Clara and Axel realize the stakes are higher than ever. If they don't survive the dark, deadly twists of the forest once more, not only will they never escape, they may also no longer have a home to escape to.” - taken from Goodreads.

A satisfactory conclusion to this fairy tale inspired duology.

Visit Kathryn Purdie's website.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber

 

“THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY…

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her . . . and they’re closer than she ever realized. - taken from Goodreads.

This Gothic mystery/romance book gave me Dark Shadows vibes. Estela is left an orphan after a mysterious accident kills everyone on a subway car but her. Soon a previously unknown aunt sends her a ticket to come and live in Spain with her. Once there, the mystery about her family and the cursed castle they reside in intensifies.. The ending did wrap up a bit too quickly for me in this standalone novel.

Visit Romina Garber’s website.

Masquerade of the Heart by Katy Rose Pool (Garden of the Cursed book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Garden of the Cursed, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories for you.

“Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs must deal with the aftermath of her fake romance with one of the most powerful nobles in the illustrious—and deadly—Evergarden society , all while uncovering the mystery behind her mother's disappearance. 

Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos. Tensions rise between the Five Families and trouble brews in the Marshes—and Marlow is at the center of it all. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Adrius refuses to speak to her, publicly vowing to find a wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it. But the closer she gets to her father, the more she starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.

Marlow has learned by now that in a city steeped in secrets and lies, not everything is as it seems. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide who to trust—and how high a price she’s willing to pay for the truth.” - taken from Goodreads.

A satisfying conclusion to Marlow's story as she attempts to stop her newfound father's magical aspirations. With help from old and new friends, the race to stop Vale and save the city of Caraza is heart pounding until the very end. Fans of this duology will be happy with the ending.

Visit Katy Rose Pool’s website.

Burning Crowns by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber (Twin Crowns book 3)

 

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

“Twin queens Rose & Wren survived the Battle for Anadawn and brought back magic to their kingdom. But danger lurks in Eana’s shadows.

Wren is troubled. Ever since she performed the blood spell on Prince Ansel, her magic has become unruly. Worse, the spell created a link between Wren and the very man she’s trying to forget: Icy King Alarik of Gevra. A curse is eating away at both of them. To fix it they must journey to the northern mountains—under the watchful guard of Captain Tor Iversen—to consult with the Healer on High.

Rose is haunted. Waking one night to find her undead ancestor Oonagh Starcrest by her bed, she receives a warning: surrender the throne—or face a war that will destroy Eana. With nowhere to turn and desperate to find a weapon to defeat Oonagh, Rose seeks help from Shen-Lo in the Sunkissed Kingdom, but what she finds there may break her heart.

As Oonagh threatens all Rose and Wren hold dear, it will take everything they have to save Eana–including a sacrifice they may not be prepared to make.” - taken from Goodreads.

Not quite the ending that I was expecting but the storyline is wrapped up by the ending.

Visit Catherine Doyle’s website.

Visit Katherine Webber’s website.

Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool (Garden of the Cursed book 1)

“Since fleeing the gilded halls of Evergarden for the muck-filled canals of the Marshes, Marlow Briggs has made a name for herself as the best godsdamn cursebreaker in Caraza City. But no matter how many cases she solves, she is still haunted by the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

When Adrius Falcrest, Marlow's old friend and scion of one of Caraza's most affluent spell-making families, asks her to help break a life-threatening curse, Marlow wants nothing to do with the boy who spurned her a year ago. But a new lead in her mother’s case makes Marlow realize that the only way to get the answers she desperately seeks is to help Adrius and return to Evergarden society—even if it means suffering through a fake love affair with him to avoid drawing suspicion from the conniving Five Families.

As the investigation draws Marlow into a web of deadly secrets and powerful enemies, a shocking truth emerges: Adrius’s curse and her mother’s disappearance may just be clues to an even larger mystery, one that could unravel the very foundations of Caraza and magic itself.” - taken from Goodreads.

I loved this book! Marlow is a cursebreaker and when Adrius comes to her for help, she wants nothing to do with the boy who rejected her. She soon realizes that by helping Adrius, she may uncover what happened to her mother. Drawn into the politics of not only the upper crust of Evergarden but the Marshes, Marlow will need to do her best to keep from the same fate as her mother, missing. With the killer ending, readers will be eagerly waiting on the next book. 

The story will continue with book two, Masquerade of the Heart, out June 18, 2024.

Visit Katy Rose Pool’s website.

The Darkening by Sunya Mara (The Darkening book 1)

 

“Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen's soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman's axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen's soldiers--led by a paranoid prince--catch up to Vesper's father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, she'll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a compelling story about a city under siege by a vast storm. Home to beasts, those who survive touching the storm are cursed. The child of failed revolutionaries, Vesper is determined to save her father after he is captured by Prince Dalca. Dalco is the last in a long line of royals who attempt to keep the city safe and believes Vesper’s father is the key to his salvation. The two work together to find a way to save their city, but at what cost?

The conclusion, The Lightstruck, will be out August 29, 2023

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken (Silver in the Bone book 1)

 

“Tamsin Lark didn’t ask to be a Hollower. As a mortal with no magical talent, she was never meant to break into ancient crypts, or compete with sorceresses and Cunningfolk for the treasures inside. But after her thieving foster father disappeared without so much as a goodbye, it was the only way to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.

Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian vanished with a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring.

As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

This book wasn't what I expected going in. A horrific fantasy that sounds a new twist on the legend of King Arthur and Avalon, readers will soon be drawn into Tamsin's story. Living in a magical world without magic of her own, she is determined to find a way to break her brother's curse.  On the hunt for a special relic that could break Cabell's curse, the two end up in Avalon with a partner they never dreamed of, Emrys Dye. Upon their arrival, Avalon isn't what they expected. It's a land of devastation where finding what they are looking for becomes near impossible. 

With an incredible cliffhanger ending, readers will be eagerly waiting to see how the story concludes. 

Book two is not yet titled 

Visit Alexandra Bracken’s website.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson (Sorcery of Thorns book 1.5)

 

“In this sequel novella to Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city's most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate's wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor's occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another...

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas - along with their new maid Mercy - will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they're due to host the city's Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel's ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great glimpse into the lives of Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas since the conclusion of Sorcery of Thorns. Will Elisabeth and Nathaniel be able to break the curse on Thorn Manor and can the two of them finally decide to be together? This novella was a nice wrap up of these characters. 

Visit Margaret Rogerson’s website.

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan (Buried and the Bound book 1)

“As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone.

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He's road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn't even know his true love's name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it's haunting. Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse.

But when the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown... even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.” - taken from Goodreads.

This is the book where fairies are definitely not friendly nor is the woods. Told in three POVs of our three main characters, Aziza, Leo, and Tristan, readers are introduced into the wicked and magical town of Blackthorn, Massachusetts. Aziza is a hedgewitch whose purpose is to protect the town. Tristan is a necromancer who traded ten years of his life to a hag in order to save someone. Leo is looking to break the curse that caused him to forget his true love on his sixteenth birthday. Working together to save not only the town but themselves, plenty of secrets are uncovered but not all are answered.

The story will be continued with a second book.

Visit Rochelle Hassan’s website.

 

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

“Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.

The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book is set in the same world as the author’s The Bone Houses but comes with a completely new set of characters. Mer is a water diviner who is trying to stay out of reach of a ruthless prince who has used her in the past. She unknowingly identifies the water sources of his enemies so that he could have the wells poisoned.. When the prince’s former spymaster and Mer’s “keeper” comes to her with a proposition to unseat the prince, she joins in.

 Part fantastical fairy tale, part heist, my favorite character in this story was the Corgi. This story is based on the Welsh myth of cantre’r gwaelod. Fans of The Bone Houses will enjoy the epilogue.

Visit Emily Lloyd-Jones’s website.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

“Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.” - taken from Goodreads.

Aderyn is a gravedigger. When the bone houses (the risen dead) begin to leave the supposedly cursed forest and terrorize her small community, she knows that she must do something. When the mysterious Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker, arrived and wishes for Ryn to guide him through the forest oh, she jumps at the chance to save our family home. A spellbinding tale, Ren and Ellis attempt to break the curse of the bone houses and solve the Mysteries that haunt their lives 

Visit Emily Lloyd-Jones’s website.

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder (The Bone Spindle book 1)

 

“Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn't believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who's been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi--until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she's stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way--not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane's heart, along with whatever else she's after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.” - take from Goodreads.

What would it be like to live in a fairy tale, horror and all? In this gender-swapped story of Sleeping Beauty, Fi and Shane embark on an action-filled adventure against impossible odds to find the sleeping prince and break the curse. With secrets between the two, can Fi and Shane learn to trust and work together? With several unanswered questions, readers will be eagerly anticipating the final book.

The story will be concluded on February 7, 2023, with The Severed Thread,

Visit Leslie Vedder’s website.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen (Violet Made of Thorns book 1)

 

“Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.” - taken from Goodreads.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year. Violet is torn between love and duty. A Seer, Violet came into her position after she saved the prince from death as children. Years later, both are struggling to live under the former Seer's prophecy. Violet is torn between her head and her heart, serving Cyrus's father or being with Cyrus. When her visions turn dark, Violet must make a choice that affects everyone.

The ending was fantastic and I can't wait for the second book.

Visit Gina Chen’s website.