Better in Black by Cassandra Clare (Shadowhunter Chronicles book 22)

The Good Storm  Tessa and Will Herondale are on their honeymoon in Paris, after the events of The Infernal Devices. 

The Beautiful Ajatara 

Cordelia and James Herondale as well as Cordelia’s parabatai/James’s sister Lucy are tricked into thinking Lucie’s unfinished story will be published. The demon Ajatara 

Who the Wolves Love 

Luke Garroway writes a love letter to Jocelyn Fray while she is in a coma in The Mortal Instruments series. 

Zachary’s Day Out 

Alistair Carstairs and Thomas Lightwood have been living together for a year now and they are recruited into babysitting Alistair’s 18-month-old brother Zachary. 

The Judgment of King Kieran

It’s been a while since I read The Dark Artifices, so I had forgotten Kieran, Mark, and Cristina’s little love triangle: King Kieran and his two consorts. Mark and Cristina are summoned to the Unseelie Court where Kieran is tasked with choosing the next Lord of All Storms as the previous one was slain

A Surfeit of Annas 

In this story, Anna Lightwood and Ariane (Ari) Bridgestock deal with challenges to their relationship in the aftermath of the events in The Last Hours a year ago. 

Bred in the Bone 

Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn encounter an “Endarkened” version of Emma from the alternate timeline of Thule. 

City of Broken Hearts 

Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood investigate the actions of the jilted greater demon named Ajatara

The Time of Two 

Jace and Clary set out to find Max Trueblood, Jace‘s adoptive mother Maryse Lightwood’s brother. 

Too Wise to Love 

Nene, a faerie who vows to never love anyone, tells us this “faerie tale”. This is Ash Morgansternś origin story.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Shadowhunters.com

Children of Anguish & Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi (Legacy of Orïsha book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue & Vengeance, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“New allies rise.

The Blood Moon nears.

Zélie faces her final enemy.

The king who hunts her heart.

When Zelie seized the royal palace that fateful night, she thought her battles had come to an end. The monarchy had finally fallen. The maji had risen again. Zélie never expected to find herself locked in a cage and trapped on a foreign ship. Now warriors with iron skulls traffic her and her people across the seas, far from their homeland.

Then everything changes when Zélie meets King Baldyr, her true captor, the ruler of the Skulls, and the man who has ravaged entire civilizations to find her. Baldyr’s quest to harness Zélie’s strength sends Zélie, Amari, and Tzain searching for allies in unknown lands.

But as Baldyr closes in, catastrophe charges Orïsha’s shores. It will take everything Zélie has to face her final enemy and save her people before the Skulls annihilate them for good.” - taken from Goodreads.

The five year wait for this conclusion was not worth it. The story went completely off track from the first two books and the ending was less than desired.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

 

“Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad - author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book was incredible! Fantasy, books, and romance, what more could you ask for. I loved everything about the story; the mystery, the slow burn romance, the lyrical writing, Effy’s attitude. I couldn’t wait for the ending to see if my suspicions came true. Definitely a top 10 book of the year for me.

Visiting Ava Reid’s website.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie (The Forest Grimm book 1)

 

“Where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists...

"Tell me again, Grandmère, the story of how I die."

The Midnight Forest. The Fanged Creature. Two fortune-telling cards that spell an untimely death for 17-year-old Clara. Despite the ever-present warning from her fortune-teller grandmother, Clara embarks on a dangerous journey into the deadly Forest Grimm to procure a magical book - Sortes Fortunae , the Book of Fortunes - with the power to reverse the curse on her village and save her mother.

Years ago, when the villagers whispered their deepest desires to the book, its pages revealed how to obtain them. All was well until someone used the book for an evil purpose―to kill another person. Afterward, the branches of the Forest Grimm snatched the book away, the well water in Grimm’s Hollow turned rancid, and the crops died from disease. The villagers tried to make amends with the forest, but every time someone crossed its border, they never returned.

Now, left with no alternative, Clara and her close friend, Axel―who is fated never to be with her―have set their minds to defying fate and daring to accomplish what no one else has been able to before. But the forest―alive with dark, deadly twists on some of our most well-known fairy tales―has a mind of its own.” - taken from Goodreads.

I was not expecting this book to be a mashup of Grimm’s fairy tales, but I do think it works. Clara is determined to save her mother from the Forest Grimm, even if it costs her her life. She knows it will because her grandmother’s tarot card readings have always foretold her death. Armed with the knowledge to get past the deadly forest’s border, she and her friend Axel tempt fate on their journey to the Forest Grimm.

Book two, The Deathly Grimm, is set to be published in 2024.

Visit Kathryn Purdie’s website.

Cursed by Marissa Meyer (Gilded book 2)

 

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

“Be still now, and I will tell you a tale.

Adalheid Castle is in chaos.

Following a shocking turn of events, Serilda finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of make-believe with the Erlking, who is determined to propel her deeper into the castle’s lies. Meanwhile, Serilda is determined to work with Gild to help him solve the mystery of his forgotten name and past.

But soon it becomes clear that the Erlking doesn’t only want to use Serilda to bring back his one true love. He also seeks vengeance against the seven gods who have long trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If the Erlking succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever.

Can Serilda find a way to use her storytelling gifts for good—once and for all? And can Serilda and Gild break the spells that tether their spirits to the castle before the Endless Moon finds them truly cursed?” - taken from Goodreads.

A quick recap of where our story left off. Be warned for potential spoilers! Serilda is pregnant with Gild’s child but she is the only one who knows the truth. The Erlking has married her as part of his great plan and will be passing off her child as his own. As the moon phases countdown to Serilda’s due date, can she and Gild stop the Erlking, keep their child safe and discover Gild’s true name all while breaking their curses?

A long but satisfying ending to this duology.

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore (Graceling Realm book 5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read any of the books in the Graceling series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you. This book is a continuation of the story told in Winterkeep.

“In the immediate aftermath of the events of Winterkeep, Bitterblue and her entourage begin the journey back to Monsea with the only copies of the formulas for the zilphium weapon. Bitterblue must decide what she will do with her world-shaping power. But before they've even made it halfway home, storms drive their ship off course and then wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must make a harrowing trek across the ice in order to make it back to Monsea.” - taken from Goodreads.

This fifth installment in the Graceling Realm is told from a newcomer to the series, Hava, with a secret family connection. Told in three parts, this adventure takes place not only on land but starts at sea. As a longtime fan of this series, I was pleasantly surprised to see the return of most of the characters from the previous books in this story.

Visit Kristin Cashore’s website.

Ashes of Gold by J. Elle (Wings of Ebony book 2)

 

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

“Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she’s a girl from the East Row. And girls from the East Row don’t give up. Girls from the East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from the East Row break themselves out.

But reuniting with her friends is only half the battle. When she finds them again, Rue makes a vow: she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father’s people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit—with half a foot back in Houston and half a heart that is human as well as god, she’s not sure she’s the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past.

When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve…because if she doesn’t, it isn’t just Yiyo that will be destroyed—it will be Rue herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

I loved Rue’s unbending desire to restore her people’s magic and end the lies of the Chancellor. Unfortunately, the story drug on to the point that I was losing interest. Finding out the backstory of the Chancellor was great and trying to figure out who betrayed Rue was maddening. I am glad that I did finish the book.

Visit J. Elle’s website.

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle (Wings of Ebony book 1)

 

“Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue's taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders.

Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.

Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Rue has spent her whole life in the east row neighborhood of Houston with her mother and little sister. All that changes when her mother is shot dead on their front stoop and the father she has never known whiskers her away to the magical unknown island of Ghizon. One year later, Rue takes a forbidden trip to see her sister, She quickly becomes aware of how her two separate worlds are on a collision course towards destruction. 

A haunting fantasy that deals with magic, genocide, racism, and vengeance.  Perfect for the fans of the Orisha trilogy by Tomi Adeyemi or The Hate U Give.

Book two, Ashes of Gold, is due out on January 11, 2022.

Visit J. Elle’s website.

Gilded by Marissa Meyer (Gilded book 1)

 

“Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.

Or so everyone believes.

When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles and their fairytale-bending storylines. I was a little disappointed by this book because it did not grab my attention right away. With a super slow world-building background story in the first half, the second half of the book more than made up for everything. Gilded is a twisted retelling of Rumpelstiltskin with the Wild Hunt thrown in, Serilda, blessed or cursed by the god of stories and lies, is an outcast since she is seen as bad luck by the townspeople. When she draws the attention of the Erlking by claiming to be able to spin straw into gold, Serilda finds herself in an impossible situation. Saved by a ghostly boy who is trapped in the castle, she soon finds herself caught up in a centuries-old mysterious curse.

The action of this story really picks up once all the pieces start fitting together. Raiders will be left wondering how Serilda will be able to break the curse. 

The conclusion to the story, Cursed, is out on Nov. 8, 2022.

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

Supernova by Marissa Meyer (Renegades book 3)

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

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first two books.

“All's fair in love and anarchy...

Nova and Adrian are struggling to keep their secret identities concealed while the battle rages on between their alter egos, their allies, and their greatest fears come to life. Secrets, lies, and betrayals are revealed as anarchy once again threatens to reclaim Gatlon City.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an EPIC conclusion to this trilogy! Secret identities are revealed and long-standing mysteries are solved, to several shocking plot twists. By the end, Nova learns what it is to be a hero and a villain. But that epilogue! Come see me when you have this book because we need to talk. 

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

“Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism!

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I’ve been wanting to read this graphic novel for quite some time so when the audio version went on sale, I decided to give it a try. Boy, am I glad that I did. I wasn’t sure how a graphic novel would translate into audio but with a full cast of characters, original music, and sound effects, the story of Nimona and Lord Blackheart comes to life. A highly enjoyable listen.

Visit Noelle Stevenson’s website.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer (Renegades book 1)

“Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I have been holding off reading this book since it first came out. With the second book out, I decided to go ahead and give the audio version a listen and I'm glad I finally did. I will say that the story starts out extremely slow. With this being the first book in a new series, the world building and background stories of the two main characters takes several chapters to flesh out.

Nova Artino is an Anarchist, the bad guys, and the niece of Ace Anarchy, who was killed by Captain Chromium, the head of the Renegades, the good guys. Ace was the last remaining member of her family. Her parents and sister were killed by a rival villain gang as she hid hoping that the Renegades would come to save her. They didn't, but Uncle Alec/Ace did and took her in. Nova, aka Nightmare, became the youngest member of the Anarchists.

When Nova’s assassination attempt on Captain Chromium fails, nightmare becomes wanted by the Renegades. Nova's Anarchist family believes the best way to exact Revenge would be for Nova to compete in the Renegades trials as a renegade, Nova could glean inside information on how to bring them down. What she doesn't count on is finding new friends.

The most important thing Nova and readers will discover is what does it really mean to be a hero or a villain. As it turns out, there really isn't a clear-cut answer. And that last sentence is a game changer!

Book two, Archenemies, is now out.

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne (Rosemarked book 1)

“To take on an empire, you must have nothing to lose.”

“A healer who cannot be healed . . .

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.

A soldier shattered by war . . .

Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.

Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Ok, this book did take me a bit to get into. It wasn’t until Zivah and Dineas begin to interact did the story draw me in. These two are not friends and only begrudgingly agree to work together. As their relationship progresses and they begin to infiltrate their respective areas in the capital city, the action picks up. Told in alternating viewpoints, readers find out what exactly happened to cause the plague outbreak and why. Readers are left with a cliffhanger ending that sets up the upcoming battle.

Umbertouched will conclude the story in 2018.

Visit Livia Blackburne’s website.

The Savage Dawn by Melissa Grey (The Girl at Midnight book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, The Girl at Midnight and The Shadow Hour, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories for you.

“The sides have been chosen and the battle lines drawn.”

Echo awakened the Firebird. Now she is the only one with the power to face the darkness she unwittingly unleashed . . . right into the waiting hands of Tanith, the new Dragon Prince. Tanith has one goal in mind: destroy her enemies, raze their lands, and reign supreme in a new era where the Drakharin are almighty and the Avicen are nothing but a memory.

The war that has been brewing for centuries is finally imminent. But the scales are tipped. Echo might hold the power to face the darkness within the Dragon Prince, but she has far to go to master its overwhelming force. And now she’s plagued by uncertainty. With Caius no longer by her side, she doesn’t know if she can do it alone. Is she strong enough to save her home and the people she loves?

Whether Echo is ready to face this evil is not the question. The war has begun, and there is no looking back. There are only two outcomes possible: triumph or death.“ - taken from Goodreads.com

Readers will be unable to put down this epic conclusion to what I see as an underrated series. The ultimate battle has begun between, good and evil, dark and light, Avicen and Drakharin. Echo is determined to stop Tanith’s power play once and for all. Guided by her love for her friends, the final showdown between the two is not only satisfying but heart-breaking as well  A definite recommendation for fantasy lovers everywhere.

Visit Melissa Grey’s website.

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab (Monsters of Verity book 2)

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

Check out Book Series Recaps for refresher on the first book.

“THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.

KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.

AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

THE WAR HAS BEGUN.

THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.

Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.

Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Things get darker for August and Kate as they attempt to take back Verity from Sloan and his monsters. But when a new monster comes upon the scene that is unlike anything anyone has ever seen, Kate and August, as well as his family, will have to learn to work together to stop it in its path. Readers will be turning the pages to see how this story ends.

Visit Victoria Schwab’s website.

The Shadow Hour by Melissa Grey (The Girl at Midnight book 2)

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

“A battle has been won. But the war has only just begun.”

“Everything in Echo’s life changed in a blinding flash when she learned the startling truth: she is the firebird, the creature of light that is said to bring peace.

The firebird has come into the world, but it has not come alone. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and Echo can feel a great and terrible darkness rising in the distance. Cosmic forces threaten to tear the world apart.

Echo has already lost her home, her family, and her boyfriend. Now, as the firebird, her path is filled with even greater dangers than the ones she’s already overcome.

She knows the Dragon Prince will not fall without a fight.

Echo must decide: can she wield the power of her true nature—or will it prove too strong for her, and burn what’s left of her world to the ground?

Welcome to the shadow hour.” taken from Goodreads.com

This book picks up immediately after the first. Echo is now the firebird and she must decide what that will mean for her life. With her new and old friends, they try and determine how they will save not only themselves but the world from the new Dragon Prince. The action and reveals build slowly but readers will race to the end to see what happens. The last two pages slayed me but excited for book three. A definite read for fantasy lovers.

The final book in the trilogy is The Savage Dawn, due out July 11, 2017.

Visit Melissa Grey’s website.

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (Monsters of Verity book 1)

“There’s no such thing as safe.”

“Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Kate Harker wishes that she could be a monster. August Flynn is but all he wants is to be human. Verity is filled with monsters and Verity City is divided in half after the phenomenon twelve years ago in which violence began to have very real consequences. Every act of violence in V City leads to the production of a monster, the more violent, the deadlier the monster. Callum Harker, Kate’s father, rules the northern part of the city through fear and intimidation. Citizens are only under his protection if they pay for it and the Malchai, monsters that are the product of killing, have pledged their loyalty. Henry Flynn, rules the southern half by protecting its citizens through an armed force that includes three Sunai, the rarest monsters produced from mass killings.

After burning down a chapel at her sixth boarding school, Harker finally relents to Kate returning to V City and home. She will be attending Colton Academy as a senior. Kate only wants her father to see her as his daughter and heir. August’s Sunai brother, Leo, convinces their father to allow August to leave their compound and attend Colton. His job is to get close to Kate Harker and gather information. The tenuous truce between the north and south is strained to the point of breaking and the Flynn’s think that they can use Kate as leverage. August isn’t sure that it is such a great idea.

Once at Colton, August and Kate find themselves drawn to one another. The more Kate digs for information on “Freddie Gallagher”, August’s pseudonym, and finds nothing, she realizes that August just might be Henry Flynn’s unknown third Sunai. When her plan to bring August to her father and gain his approval ends in an attempted assassination attempt on her life that is staged to look like August was behind it. Soon, August Flynn is the only “person” Kate can trust when her father doesn’t believe his trusted Malchai, Sloan, is behind everything. On the run for their lives, August and Kate learn that the boundaries between human and monster aren’t clear cut.

Who tried to kill Kate Harker? Can August keep her safe? Who can the two of them trust? Will the truce in V City break? Is Kate Harker really a “monster” and following in her father’s footsteps? Does August embrace his monster side and turn over Kate or will his humility win out?

With that chilling ending, reader will be eagerly awaiting on the conclusion with Our Dark Duet in 2017. The movie rights to the book have also been sold.

Visit Victoria Schwab’s website.