Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray (Bitten book 2)

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

“Welcome back to the Wolf Queen’s Court.

Vanessa Hart is done being a victim. After the brutal winter massacre stole everything from her, she vows vengeance against her enemies once and for all—even if that means killing the boy she once loved...

Vanessa bides her time playing the role of a docile subject. But beneath her mask, she sharpens her powers, embracing the werewolf within while weaving a complicated web of lies, betrayals, and alliances to topple the throne.

Unfortunately, vengeance isn’t easy, and nothing in the Wolf Queen’s Court is ever as it seems. As the darkness of the castle bleeds into human society, it’s clear no one is safe. Cora’s vicious reign grows stronger by the day, Sinclair continues hiding deadly secrets, and Calix—the boy Vanessa might loathe most of all—is threatening her every plan.

With nowhere to run and no place to hide, Vanessa sheds the last of her humanity to play this lethal game of werewolves. And if she doesn’t win, the consequences will destroy her life—and the entire world as she knows it—forever.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an incredible ending to this story. I don’t want to give too much away but the ending and epilogue were phenomenal. Book two was as good if not better than the beginning of the story.

Visit Jordan Stephanie Gray’s website.

Checking You Out by Jennifer Chen

“Lizzie Wei is a huge book nerd, and proud of it. And when she realizes there is a mysterious reader who has been checking out all of her favorite books from the library, she can’t help but get a crush on someone she’s never even met. Her friends make it their mission to find Lizzie’s long lost book soulmate and convinces her to leave notes for her crush. But what if the person Lizzie is looking for, isn’t at all what she expects?

Dylan Lin loves reading, secretly anyway. Ever since a bullying incident at his last school, he’s hidden his love of fantasy novels, instead leaning into his jock persona. Now he's the tennis team captain, runs every day, and actively avoids reading. So, when he decides to start volunteering at a kitten nursery, and his super cute co-volunteer Lizzie asks if he likes reading, he says no. He never expects the look of complete and utter disappointment on Lizzie’s face.

Lizzie is certain her secret crush isn’t Dylan. It can’t be! But when he accidentally makes an obscure reference to her favorite book during their volunteer shift, she’s not so sure anymore. Can Lizzie forgive Dylan for lying? And can Dylan be brave enough to be himself?” - taken from Goodreads.

Lizzie enjoys two things in life, fantasy books and cats. When she meets the cute athletic Dylan at the cat's shelter, she is immediately disappointed to learn that he hates to read. In actuality, Dylan loves fantasy novels, but after the extreme bullying he took at his old school, he is determined not to let anyone know about his past. 

Lizzie discovers that someone has been checking out her favorite books from the public library. She is determined to find out who they are. The more she works with. Dylan, the more she likes him but Lizzie doesn't know if she can be with someone that isn't a reader. What happens when she discovers who her book soulmate is?

Visit Jennifer Chen’s website.

Escape Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me - The New Republic/Series Two book 3)

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

“James Anderson needs a new plan. He’s ready to make real moves to destroy the looming threats against their world, but no one is taking him seriously. James is tired of being underestimated by his own family. He wants five uninterrupted minutes alone with Rosabelle. He wants to kill Sebastian.

And he’s done waiting for permission.

Rosabelle Wolff needs to stick to the plan. Which means she needs to stay away from James and the dangerous feelings he brings out in her. When she’s near him she loses control, and she’ll need absolute control if she has any hope of convincing Sebastian—and through him, Klaus—that she’s still carrying out the original plan to destroy the rebel regime.

In the meantime, Warner needs to stay out of her business.

Aaron Warner Anderson is trying not to kill Rosabelle. They might be reluctant allies, but that doesn’t mean they get along. Every day is a new kind of hell for Warner. He’s worried about his wife; he’s worried about his world. He can’t decide what to do about James until he understands Rosabelle’s true motives—and when he’s finally delivered the answers he needs, the stakes prove astronomical. All roads lead to heartbreak and destruction, no matter what choice he makes.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book picks up immediately from the fall out at the end of the third book. James is trying to save Rosabelle from her past, even against her will. Rosabelle is determined that only she can save everyone from the Ark. Aaron doesn't trust Rosabelle because she is still keeping secrets. And he is beyond worried over Ella and her rapidly approaching due date.

What secrets is Rosabelle still hiding? Will Ella be ok and can Aaron survive whatever happens? Can James save Rosabelle from herself?

Great news for fans. This series has two more books planned. Dates to be determined.

Visit Tahereh Mafi's website.

Catching Feelings by Emily Charlotte (Varsity book 2)

SPOILER ALERT. It's not necessary to read the first book in this series, Heart Check, but it will greatly enhance your reading pleasure with this one. Previous characters do play a minor role.

“When Sabrina and Tyler meet by accident outside (okay, inside) the football locker rooms, it’s not a big deal. After a rocky summer, Sabrina is focused on leading the Spirit Committee to its best year ever, while Tyler is eager to leave behind the mess from his old school with a second chance playing football as a transfer. Neither is looking for romance.

But as the team’s newest (and most eligible) varsity athlete, Tyler is suddenly the center of attention. And Sabrina is busy dodging Ryan, her longtime flirtationship who is determined to take her to the homecoming dance. Ryan is exactly the kind of chaos Sabrina doesn’t need, so she asks Tyler to go as friends instead. Eager to fend off other unwanted advances, Tyler is happy to accept.

Of course, this was before Sabrina realized Tyler is Ryan’s cousin. But as long as they’re just friends, everything should be fine. Tyler is less willing to ignore the connection he feels toward Sabrina, but he’s also desperate to keep his past buried. When the chemistry between them becomes impossible to deny, can their carefully laid plans survive the fallout, or will secrets and social pressure threaten everything they’ve built?” - taken from Goodreads.

Sabrina is hiding a world of hurt from her parents divorce underneath her bubbly exterior. She is in charge of the school spirit committee and is determined to make senior year the best Hamilton Lakes has ever seen. On top of it all, she wants to avoid Ryan Thompson's attempts to be her homecoming date at all costs.

When new student Tyler shows up, he is soon proclaimed the most eligible athlete at Hamilton Lakes. All he wants to do is keep his head down, play football and avoid the drama from his old school at all costs. But a chance and counter with Sabrina causes sparks to fly between the two of them that neither expected. Soon the two decide to go to homecoming as each other's date, but only as friends as a way to keep from being overwhelmed by all the girls and Ryan.

It's not long before. Sabrina and Tyler start to become more than friends. But with secrets that they're keeping from one another, can their relationship survive?

Visit Emily Charlotte’s website.

The River She Became by Emily Varga (River & Salt book 1)

“I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.

Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.

Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema seeks: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.

With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.

To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of losing their heart to each other.” - taken from Goodreads.

Yaseema and her family are trapped in the Empire, starving as Fae objects are taken from the land and the magic is slowly disappearing. Determined to put a stop to it, she steals artifacts for safekeeping from the Empire during her work as an archivist. When she is discovered stealing a prize piece of jewelry, she must leave her family behind. She is able to escape when she passes through the barrier in the river into the land of Fae.

Kiyan is a prince in hiding. The Court of Water has been taken over by the Court of Salt and the royal family has been trapped inside of a mountain. Working behind the scenes to help the rebel cause, Kiyan has one hope to rescue his trapped family, the lost crown of a fae Queen. Discovering Yaseema by the river, he saves her from a deadly creature and becomes fascinated by the strange human who has entered the land of the fae. 

It turns out both Kiyan and Yaseema are looking for the same relic but for completely different reasons. Can the two of them learn to trust one another in order to work together?

With a heartstopping ending, readers will be awaiting book two, TBD.

Visit Emily Varga’s website.

Stars, Stripes, & Summer Nights by Celeste Dador

“All Abby wants is one normal summer before college. No headlines. No drama. Just a chance to breathe.

But when a run-in at the White House with Gabriel Calabrese—a maddeningly carefree small-town photographer—spirals into a pizza delivery scandal that makes front-page news, Abby’s plans disappear overnight. To escape the fallout, she’s sent to a charming country inn run by Gabriel’s family.

Now she’s stuck with the last person she wants to see.

As Abby and Gabriel team up to save his family’s Fourth of July festival—and tackle Abby’s secret summer bucket list—sparks begin to fly. Especially when he helps her experience all the “real” teen moments she’s missed: parties, picnics… and maybe even a first kiss.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a super sweet romance. Abby is the First Daughter of the United States and she doesn't get to live the life of a normal teenager. Everyone believes she and the Vice President’s son Oliver, are destined to be a couple, even Abby herself. But when she meets her aunt’s godson Gabe at a state dinner, her summer plans are abruptly changed when she causes a minor scandal over a pizza delivery. Abby and her younger sister are sent to Mystic Hollow, Virginia for the month of June to stay with their aunt at an inn owned by Gabe's mother.

The more time Abby and Gabe spend together working on her summer bucket list, the closer the two become. Can any relationship between Abby and Gabe survive her return to DC?

Visit Celeste Dados’s website.

All We Hunger For by Anna Mercier

“In Anespérer, where magic comes alive through artistic skill, Elara Rousseau knows she'll never be selected for the Objet d’Art. The high-stakes baking competition will elect a new Souverain to join the ruling council, and someone from the slums would never be considered. But when a brooding figure from her past sneaks her into the Objet, Elara has the chance to compete for a better future... as long as no one uncovers her traitorous secret.

Nikolas Dupont will do whatever it takes to impress his powerful father, a Souverain who hasn't officially recognized his son―like handpick a contestant to win and become his father's political pawn. But Elara is more than he bargained for, and she ignites his own subdued passions.

Against all odds, Elara excels and becomes a hero to the city's poor, all while Nik’s faith in his father crumbles and the sparks between them burn brighter. As the competition heats up, Elara and Nik must choose: fight to win the competition and secure a future of safety for them both, or use the power of Elara’s art to spark a revolution.” - taken from Goodreads.

I don't watch a lot of cooking shows but I feel like this could be like the Great British bake off or chopped but with higher stakes. Elara, the daughter of an executed revolutionary leader is given the opportunity to compete to become one of the next leaders of the kingdom. There under false pretenses, Elara soon finds herself sponsored by Nikolas who is trying to impress his powerful father. When her magical cooking abilities thrushed her into the spotlight, she and Nik find themselves at the center of a new revolution where their safety is on the line.

With a slow burn romance between Elara and Nik, readers will find themselves rooting for the two to ignite a change.

Visit Anna Mercier’s website.

Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen

“Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.

Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins, and to meet the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.

Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.

And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.” - taken from Goodreads. 

Finley has plans for the future. They get turned upside down when her graduation trip with her mother to New York City gets changed to a visit to her mother's. A strange family. Not knowing anyone, things get worse for her when her boyfriend dumps her while he's on a cruise. Cruise. It's not too long before Finley uncovers her mother's secrets and begins to find a place in her new found family. And of course, a new boy is soon in the picture to shake up what she thought she knew.

Visit Sarah Dessen’s website.

Her Hidden Fire by Cliodhna O’Sullivan (Her Hidden Fire book 1)

“If he has the ability to wield magical powers, everyone will rejoice – especially the girl who loves him.
But what happens when they realize she has the gift?

In a world where dragons stalk the skies and magical abilities are an elite privilege, the ruling family of Ailm’s Keep is on a knife. Can Ionain, the heir apparent, channel magic, or will the family be cast out and replaced by a cruel master from a neighbouring land?

So when Éadha, a servant girl who loves Ionainain, discovers that she can draw power, she finds herself in grave danger. It’s extremely rare for a girl to have this talent, and certainly never outside the great families. At Ionain’s moment of truth, Éadha makes a desperate gamble to save him, Ailm’s Keep, and ultimately herself.

As Éadha and Ionain enter a whirlwind of patriarchy, class, heartache and jealousy, they learn about power’s terrible cost – a price others willingly pay to maintain theirs.

How far would you go to empower the one you love?” - taken from Goodreads.

Éadha as a servant at Ailm’s Keep. Most of her life she has been the friend of her crush, Ionain. Approaching their 17th birthdays. The time has come to determine if Ionain possesses the magic to keep his family from being disgraced and losing the Keep. Unfortunately he doesn't but Éadha does. To keep from being discovered that she possesses magic, she passes some of her power to Ionain to keep from being humiliated. But once she does, Éadha must keep up the farce to save them both.

Traveling to the Lambay Islands to train, Éadha is able to go along because it is discovered what little magic she has allows her to be a Keeper. Thrown into a world she doesn't fit into, Éadha must figure out a way to keep her magic hidden in order to keep herself safe while supplying Ionain enough power unknowingly to keep his lack of magic from being discovered. But soon she needs a cruel classmate who is out to destroy her while another who has more than a casual interest in her.

Can Éadha keep all of her secrets from being found out? And who can she really trust in the cutthroat world she suddenly finds herself in?

With a climatic ending, readers will be eager to read book two, Her Rising Flame, due out November 5, 2026.

Visit Cliodhna O’Sullivan’s website.

Thorn Season by Keira Azar (Thorn Season book 1)

“In the Kingdom of Daradon, a persecuted few are Wielders, in possession of a magical Spectre–a shimmering thread that can extend beyond their visible body to give a loving caress, pick a lock . . . even kill. Feared for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted.

Alissa Paine, heiress and daughter of a Hunter family . . . is also a Wielder. At eighteen, Alissa knows she’s escaped execution thus far only due to painful self-control and the efforts of her beloved father.

Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and betrayal—and caught between two equally dangerous one a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairy-tale prince, who would destroy her if he knew the truth—and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own.

With the threat of discovery lurking around every corner—and romance becoming an increasingly dangerous temptation—Alissa will find that she has more to lose than her secrets. It’s Rose Season at the palace, but to survive she’ll need to become the most vicious of thorns. ..”- taken from Goodreads.

Alissa is hiding a secret, one that carries a death sentence. She is a Wielder with magical thread-like abilities. Her father and his family are Hunters, tasked with eradicating Wielders from the kingdom of Daradon. Determined to stop any more Wielder deaths, she arrives at the Palace of King Erik for the upcoming Rose Season, which is like presenting the coming-of-age ladies of the Kingdom. This year. King Erik is using this time to find a wife and soon sets his sights on Alissa, which is not a good thing 

To make matters worse, there is a visitor to the palace from a neighboring kingdom, ambassador Keil. Keil also takes an interest in Alissa. He also turns out to be a Wielder and is looking for the same thing as Alissa, the magical compass that detects Wielders that the hunters have lost. As the Rose Season progresses, the more danger that Alissa finds herself in without knowing who she can trust. 

With an unresolved ending that sets up the next book in the series, readers will be anxiously awaiting the next book, Sharpest Court, due out Nov. 3, 2026.

Visit Keira Azar’s website.

Meet Me on Mistletoe Lane by Cassie Miller

Release date is October 6, 2026

“Gianna Mancini is a Christmas romantic. She loves everything about the holiday— especially the Mullings Creek Holiday Market that opens every year in the center of town. While Gianna adores her small-town life, she still dreams about traveling the world and getting away from her overbearing family. But on the same day she receives an acceptance to a study abroad program, the town’s beloved market owner unexpectedly passes away, leaving the property to a literal Scrooge from NYC!  The town has just thirty days to convince the new owner not to sell. His flirtatious son, James comes up with a he and Gianna can fake date so she can bring her holiday flair closer to his family. While Gianna is on board with whatever it takes to save their beloved market, Sam—who has been secretly pining after Gianna for years—is not so keen on James snuggling up with his best friend next to the Christmas tree. But as the lines between Gianna and James begin to blur during gingerbread contests and candy cane hunts, so do the lines of friendship between Gianna and Sam under the glow of the town’s holiday twinkle light display. Soon both boys are ready to be under the mistletoe with Gianna. Who will be her first real Christmas kiss? The future of the market and her town just may depend on it.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a cozy Christmas romance that takes place in a small Hallmark-esque town. Gianna Mancini finds out that her dream of a semester abroad in Italy comes true. That same day the town discovers that the owner of the town’s beloved market building died owing back taxes. When Mr. Bailey and his son James arrive in town to sell the building, Gianna is determined to find a way to thaw the Grinchy heart of Mr. Bailey and save the market building from developers. 

Hatching a plan with James to fake date in an attempt to spread some Christmas cheer to his father, Gianna soon finds that her heart is torn between her fake boyfriend and her best friend Sam. With countdowns looming around her, Gianna will need to make some decisions not only about her future but about who will be by her side.

Full of Christmas movie quotes that foreshadow that chapter's action, a lovable dog named Sally, and a fierce family that supports their own, readers will be rooting for Gianna no matter what choices she makes.

Visit Cassie Miller’s website.

Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray (Bitten book 1)

“After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either 

swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game. - taken from Goodreads.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. One night on the beach for a party changes everything for Vanessa. Her best friend is murdered, she is bitten by an unknown werewolf, and her father turns her over to the Wolf Queen's Court without question. Thrown into a world she previously didn’t know existed, Vanessa soon discovers that the world of werewolves isn’t very forgiving on an unwanted addition. Determined to find out who killed her friend and bit her, Vanessa soon discovers that she isn’t sure who she can trust. With a dramatic reveal at the end, readers will be clamoring for the next book in the series.

The story concludes with book two, Devoured, out on October 6, 2026.

Visit Jordan Stephanie Gray’s website.

First and Forever by Lynn Painter

“Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyotes football. So when she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain, she is distraught—and disgruntled. All she did was shove Coyote Carl away when he made a move on her, but everyone else just saw a woman attacking their team’s beloved mascot. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of their PR nightmare, he thought that meant saying a few words on the team’s behalf. Instead, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. Duffy pelts him with fiery jabs but is also clearly diehard about the Coyotes—color him intrigued…and attracted.

The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. A strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, he’s surprised to discover being with Duffy is much easier than he thought, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. Harboring this secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great meet cute between two young adults who are trying to find their footing now that they are “grown ups”. Duffy and Conner soon find themselves falling for each other even though their relationship starts out as a PR stunt unknown to her. Even though this is an adult title, the story is very appropriate for high school students who love Lynn Painter's previous books.

Visit Lynn Painter’s website. 

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

Storm Breaker by Nisha J. Tuli (Storm Breaker book 1)

“For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book has all of the things that I am looking for in a great story and is the perfect mashup of The Hunger Games and Divergent. Poet is hiding a secret that will get her killed if it is discovered. Determined to get out from under her father’s control, she soon discovers that her choices have far reaching consequences that she never imagined. When the mysterious outsider Rook becomes the one person she thinks she can trust, turns out to be hiding secrets of his own, Poet makes the decision that she hopes will save her life. With plenty of romance, mystery, and intrigue, readers will be left waiting on the next book after a true cliffhanger ending.  Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year!

Book two is expected to be out on Sept. 1, 2026.

Visit Nisha J. Tuli’s website.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before : the graphic novel adapted by Barbara Perez Marquez

“What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed and, suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Experience Lara Jean’s story all over again in an all-new graphic novel format!” - taken from Goodreads.

Super cute graphic retelling of the story. I hope this series continues in graphic format.

Slow Burn by Bethany Rutter

“Sixteen-year-old Ruby has worked hard to be happy in her body, even when other people—including her brother and her PE teacher—insist there's something wrong with her for being fat. All Ruby cares about is hanging out at the skate park this summer with friends. But her brother’s bullying words get under her skin, and in order to prove to him (and her impressionable little sister) that fat girls can do anything, Ruby finds herself signed up for the annual 5K Dawson Dash. There’s just one problem: She can’t run. The cute new boy next door can, however, and when Ollie offers to help her train, Ruby takes him up on it, even if it means he'll see her at her sweatiest and most vulnerable. Young athletes of all stripes, especially those marginalized in sports due to body differences, will find a hero in good-humored Ruby. With its all-audience appeal, her joyful story delivers upbeat romance and affirmation that our bodies are just right, just the way they are.” - taken from Goodreads

This book was more geared to body positivity than the slow burn romance with the new boy next door. Determined to run a race and prove her fat shaming brother wrong, Ruby begins to train with Oliver. Leading up to the race itself, we see Ruby at her most vulnerable, including dealing with her parents’ separation. Not the romance I was expecting but a great book about being oneself.

Originally published in the UK in 2024 as Slowcoach.

Visit Bethany Rutter’s website.

The Beasts We Raise by D.L. Taylor (The Broken Citadel book 2)

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

“Newly-appointed Prime Mancella is desperate to keep the peace within her realm and within herself. Having recently acquired the power to physically split into separate versions of herself, her identity is beginning to fracture―along with her land, which is on the brink of war. The only semblance of normalcy in her life is her budding romance with thief-turned-confidant, Silver. . . at least until the mysterious Prime Reltas arrives at her doorstep asking, or rather demanding, her hand in marriage.

If Mance wants to avoid a fight that will devastate her realm, she’ll have to consider the proposal. Even if it destroys Silver. But Mance isn't ready to give up just yet. Desperate to free herself from the betrothal, Mance must seek allyship from other Primes and learn to control her new magic. If she fails, her decision to refuse Reltas's proposal will implode the delicate state of affairs across the realms, setting off a catastrophic war―and shatter two hearts in the process.” - taken from Goodreads.

Even though this is the second and final book in the duology, this book reads like a separate story in which you already know all of the characters. This volume contains the POV of both Silver and Mance, as well as four different personalities that Mance can split off with the magic she claimed from her cousin. It is a race against time for everyone as Mance tries to keep from an arranged marriage as well as keep peace between the other Primes. A great ending to the story.

Visit D.L. Taylor’s website.

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith (The Rose Bargain book 2)

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

“Wed to one brother.
In love with the other.

Having won the hand of the faerie King Bram, Ivy is now Queen of England.

But with his ascension to the throne, Bram unleashed the fae into the human world. After hundreds of years of being kept from their favorite playthings, the Others are looking to make up for lost time—and they do, with wicked revelry that sweeps through the country.

To survive, Ivy acts the sweet, devoted wife. Behind the smile, she plots to banish her husband, save her sister Lydia, and reunite with the love of her life, Emmett.

Yet Emmet and Lydia are trapped in the Otherworld, where fae games are deadlier than ever—and a queen must play most viciously of all. Or see herself dethroned.” - taken from Goodreads.

Even though the first book in this duology ended in a cliffhanger, this book was a bit slow to start. Without giving too much away, Ivy, Lydia, and Emmett must find a way to get out from under Bram’s cruel reign of not only England but the Otherworld. The epilogue to the story was great, without giving too much away, I wish it hadn’t been so one sided.

Visit Sasha Peyton Smith’s website.

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me - The New Republic book 2)

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

“Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiraling; her defenses are coming undone.

And there’s only one person to blame.

James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything—but keeping her alive might help save his world.

If only he could convince his older brother.

Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

Volcanic tension, breathless reveals, breakneck action—and a dystopian world that never stops raising the

Welcome back to The New Republic.” - taken from Goodreads.

Without giving too much away, the action in this book picks up immediately following book one. Told from James, Rosabelle, and Warner’s points of view, the story continues to flow nonstop up until that unexpected ending that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next book.

Book 3 is due in 2027.

Visit Tahereh Mafi's website.