Royal Vengeance by Aimee Carter (Royal Blood book 3)

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

“Evangeline Bright has only one shot to prove she isn’t a traitor: by finding the real mastermind behind the plot that almost killed her father, the King of England.

With the help of Kit, her steadfast boyfriend, Evan must find a way to outsmart the real threat to the throne no matter the cost, because the deadliest enemy the monarchy has faced in over a century is back with a vicious vengeance. And Evan soon uncovers the reason why.

A scandal so huge that if it ever becomes public, it will tear the monarchy apart.

To protect her loved ones, Evan must silence her enemies for good—because if the truth gets out, it won’t just shatter the monarchy. It’ll shatter Evan’s entire family.” - taken from Goodreads. 

Without giving too much away, this book picks up after the events of book two. Evan, with the help of Kit, is determined to stop whoever is behind the plot to take out the royal family. This was a very satisfying ending to this trilogy.

Visit Aimee Carter’s website.

Empire by Sabaa Tahir (Heir duology book 2)

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

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

“A crumbling empire.

An ancient evil.

A lost homeland.

A lie that could destroy the world.

In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are losing a war against the vicious Kegari horde. Quil’s armies dwindle, his faith falters, and the woman he loves vanished months ago, leaving him brokenhearted. Torn between his duty to his people and his desire to discover Sirsha’s fate, Quil embarks on a dangerous quest for aid—from the most treacherous of allies.

Sirsha Westering finds herself tethered to Div, an ancient evil unleashed by a terrible tragedy. Div delights in tormenting Sirsha, hungering for her magical heart. Even as Sirsha struggles for control of her own fate, she is desperate to shield Quil from Div’s destructive power. But Div won’t release Sirsha without a fight. To earn her freedom, Sirsha must uncover Div’s past—and face horrors in her own.

Cero bet-Dafra, former right hand of the Kegari leader, Aiz, now finds himself pitted against her. As Aiz slips further into violence and delusion, Cero must discover if his people have any hope of a future or if they’re condemned to an unending cycle of violence. His journey will force him to confront hidden truths, ancient secrets, and a lie that could destroy the world.” - taken from Goodreads.

Wow! The conclusion of this duology back in the world of Ember in the Ashes blew me away. I don’t wait to give anything away but readers are treated to a brief recap of Heir in the beginning. It did take me a little bit to get my head wrapped around the story again with the multiple POV. This book did break me before the surprising ending which does leave the door open for more stories from this world.

Visit Sabaa Tahir’s website.

Lies Between Us by Jessica Goodman

“Do you ever really know the people you love?

For the Gold sisters and Silver brothers, life has been idyllic, growing up in side-by-side waterfront mansions in a town where doors are never locked and the police do little more than issue speeding tickets. The Golds and Silvers have known each other their entire lives, as neighbors, as friends, as family.

But one carefree summer takes a dark turn when a beach party ends in tragedy and their perfect world cracks wide open. Suddenly, the bonds that tie these families together are strained by suspicion and fear. Painful secrets surface, revealing the fragile truths they've all been hiding.

Lucy, the oldest Gold girl, harbors a crushing secret from her boyfriend, one of the Silver boys. Millie, the middle sister, quietly yearns for the one person she can't have. And the youngest, Frankie, uncovers something that could blow their island apart.” - taken from Goodreads.

A summer of secrets between the Silver boys and the Gold girls explodes when the body of Billy Godwin is discovered. The youngest gold sister, Frankie takes it upon herself to play detective to find out what happened to Billy Godwin. Told between the present day and the uncovering of the events that occurred on the night of the party that Billy died, Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats until the very end to discover what really happened and who was to blame.

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

“When Dawson Sumter goes missing, all he leaves behind is a smattering of blood in room 4 of the debt-ridden motel owned by Neera Singh's family. Disappearances like this aren't uncommon in the rural Georgia town of Carrion, especially every thirteen years when a periodical cicada brood returns from underground, shrieking their deafening screams.

For Neera, Dawson is another reminder that in this corner of the South, the rich only get richer, and the poor—well, nothing good comes their way.

Neera sets out to investigate Dawson’s whereabouts—if he even still lives—along with three other teens: Isaiah, son of a prominent judge and clandestine true crime podcaster; Reid, son of the wealthiest man in the region; and Sam, estranged daughter of the local hitman. As they find themselves entangled in a messy web of secrets and lies, they discover the riches of the adjacent Lake Clearwater community may have a terrifying source of power dating back to the town’s founding and an ancient urban legend about three devils, each more sinister than the next. How deep does the rot go, and can they find a way to escape its reach?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book reminded me of the Charlie Daniels song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Except in Carrion, Georgia, local folklore has it that there are actually three devils at the crossroads, each one more sinister than the next. They each prey on desperate residents in rural, backwater Georgia where the uber rich live close by who keep their secrets even closer.

Not all is what it seems in Carrion/Lake Clearwater. And as readers dive deeper into the story, the more all of the pieces of this story come together as Sam, Neera, Reid, and Isaiah race to figure out what has happened to Dawson Sumpter, the one person who initially ties them together. This was an excellent Southern Gothic mystery/thriller that will keep readers eagerly anticipating what really is going on in Southwest Georgia. The audio version was incredible.

Visit Xan Kaur’s website.

They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

“Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.

The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. Mila was the top runner on her team back home and at first, Ellie and Stella view her as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been lookigfor a friend. In a moment of weakness, she even shares her darkest secret with Mila. For her part, Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.

With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.” - taken from Goodreads.

The Steckler sisters are opposites in every way except for their love of cross country running. Striving to be the best, the two are out to impress the college scouts who have taken notice. This year is poised to be the best until fellow runner and competition Mila Keene moves to town. Before too long, both Stella and Ellie begin to see Mila as more than competition; Stella as a friend and Ellie as a confidant. With regions living on the horizon, Mila goes missing. Even though years have passed since the unsolved murders of some female teenage runners, the town of Edgewater begins to fear that its notorious nickname, Deadwater, is being revived. Soon all eyes of the town have landed on Stella and Ellie as suspects even though they also wonder what happened to Mila. 

What secrets are Stella and Ellie holding close? And what happened to Mila Keene?

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven

“At an elite boarding school, 8 students are selected for an exclusive program, but only one will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams. 

Effy is piecing together a story about the tragic betrayal that led to her mother's death. Arlo hopes to publish a novel—but he's also trying to start a new chapter with Effy after he broke her heart and ghosted 3 years earlier. Everyone has a compelling reason to be there—they all want a big break—but only the most ambitious will prevail as the students are eliminated one by one.

Their mentor is the one and only Meredith Graffam, an enigmatic writer, director and actress, whose unorthodox teaching methods push them past the breaking point. Under Graffam's tutelage, the students reveal their darkest secrets, take unthinkable risks, and slowly start to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

As the eight students dwindle down to four over the Jan term, secrets will be uncovered at an alarming rate. As the truth is slowly uncovered, what happens is never what one would expect.

From an author who has written books that have absolutely torn my heart into pieces, I never expected a psychological mystery like this one. Perfect for fans of Lois Duncan.

Visit Jennifer Niven’s website.

It’s Not Me, It’s You by Alex Light

 

“Jackie Myers is a fraud. Or she might be a genius—the jury’s still out. The thing is, she secretly runs "pleasebreakmyheart," a gone-viral account aimed at breaking hearts and ending relationships—and she just used it to break up her insufferable eternal nemesis's picture-perfect relationship.

Wilson is the buttoned-up, type-A assistant manager of her nightmares—but it turns out he’s also, apparently, a really great boyfriend.
So with her conscience (and paycheck) on the line, Jackie decides there’s only one thing to do: She’s going to help Wilson win his ex-girlfriend back. Which should be easy, considering Jackie hates him…right?” - taken from Goodreads.

Dead Below Deck by Jan Gangsei

 

“It was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.

But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.

What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water." - taken from Goodreads.

An incredible mystery that I devoured in two days. Told in reverse chronological order from the moment everyone realizes that Giselle is missing to the beginning of the spring break cruise, readers learn what is going on between Giselle and Maggie. The plot is enhanced through flashbacks from Giselle's diary as well as current police reports. This book ends with a shocking reveal that rates won't see coming.

Visit Jan Gangsei’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.

Royal Scandal by Aimee Carter (Royal Blood book 2)

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book three is due out in 2025.

Visit Aimee Carter’s website.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

 

“Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd never send them of course -- she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings -- but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. "You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain . . . I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft..."

Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them... that is, until they're accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare -- now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie -- Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate…” - taken from Goodreads.

Sadie Wen is an overachiever, determined to better her life. She is a good girl who is determined not to rock the boat. Sadie has taken out her frustrations with her classmates by responding to what she truly feels in unsent emails that reside unsent in her draft folder. Unfortunately for her, her drafts are mistakenly sent, the majority of them addressed to Julius Gong. Julius is her school rival in everything. When most of the school turns against her, Julius stays by her side. Can enemies become friends and even go beyond?

Visit Ann Liang’s website.

All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom book 3)

 

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

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

“As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder.

Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true.

Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both.

Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge. . . ..” - taken from Goodreads.

This is the book where all of our characters come together and the real story begins. I didn’t know going into this book that there would be five books total, but that’s a good thing. The action really picks up when everyone arrives in Tulan. Cyrus is having trouble keeping his secrets a secret, Alizeh is trying to do what is best for the Jinn, Kamran is looking for vengeance, and Hazan is being mysterious. Once again, readers are loft with another cliffhanger. This series is perfect for fans of the author’s Shatter Me series.

Book four is due out in 2025.

Visit Tahereh Mafi’s website.

Borrow My Heart by Kasie West (Borrow My Heart book 1)

 

“When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friend for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We've Never Been.

Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.

Asher is cute, charming . . . and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he's waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing.

It's not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she's not who she says she is? Wren's not so sure. . . . After all, rules exist for a reason.” - taken from Goodreads.

A cute story about a girl who saves a stranger from embarrassment after being stood up by an online girl who seems to be catfishing him. What starts out as a one sided fake dating arrangement soon turns into something real until a secret is uncovered. The fact that Wren works at an animal shelter makes the story that much sweeter. 

Book two is expected in 2024.

Visit Kasie West’s website.

The Counselors by Jessica Goodman

“Camp Alpine Lake is the only place where Goldie Easton feels safe.

She's always had a special connection to the place, even before she was old enough to attend. The camp is the lifeline of Roxwood, the small town she lives in. Alpine Lake provides jobs, money and prestige to the region. Few Roxwood locals, though, get to reap the rewards of living so close to the glam summer that camp, with its five-figure tuition and rich kids who have been dumped there for eight weeks by their powerful parents. Goldie's one of them.

Even with her "townie" background, Goldie has never felt more at home at camp and now she's back as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, to arrive. Because Goldie has a terrible dark secret she's been keeping and she is more in need of the comfort than ever.

But Goldie's not the only person at camp who has been lying. When a teen turns up dead in the lake late one night, she knows that the death couldn't have been an accident. She also knows that Ava was at the lake that same night.

What did Ava see and what does she know? Why hasn't she said anything to Goldie about the death? Worse--what did Ava do?

But asking questions offers no answers, only broken bonds of lifelong friendship, with hidden danger and betrayals deeper than Goldie ever imagined.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was another great whodunit by the author that will keep you on your toes until the end. Told by Goldie between Then and Now, readers will be haunted by all of the secrets she keeps and uncovers during one summer at the ultra prestigious Camp Alpine Lake. 

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

The Liar’s Crown & The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen (Dominions books 1 & 2)

 

“Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.

Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.

As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.

Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.” - taken from Goodreads.

The Dominions trilogy tells the story of Meren who has been raised in secret and trained to be the body double of her twin sister Tabra, the queen of Aryd. Kidnapped while posing as her sister, Meren keeps her true identity a secret while trying to get back to Tabra before it is too late. As she grows closer to her mysterious kidnapper, she discovers that not all as it seems.

I adored this book and immediately picked up the second installment. With another cliffhanger ending, fans will be eagerly awaiting the ending.

The trilogy concludes with The Shadows Rule All, due out on April 2, 2024.

Visit Abigail Owen’s website.

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson (The Agathas book 1)

 

“Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex–best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke will be coming back. . .

Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.

In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need--the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.” - taken from Goodreads.

Alice Ogilive returns to the halls of Castle Cove High School on Halloween after disappearing for five days and finishing her house arrest. Behind in her classes, Alice’s parents hire a tutor for her, fellow classmate Iris Adams. Far from being two peas in a pod, Alice and Iris soon bond over trying to find out what happened to missing classmate, Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex best friend. With the help of Agatha Christie, the girls are convinced they can discover who killed Brooke while proving Steve Anderson’s innocence. But Castle Cove holds its secrets close and the closer Alice and Iris get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in.

Book two, The Night in Question, is out now.

Visit Kathleen Glasgow’s website.

Visit Liz Lawson’s website.

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter (Royal Blood book 1)

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit Aimee Carter’s website.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

 

“Eight hours.

Six friends.

One sniper . . .

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realize that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.” - taken from Goodreads.

What if you think you are in the wrong place at the wrong time but find out that someone has executed the perfect plan and now you’re trapped? When Red and her friends become lost on a deserted road, they initially think they are just having some bad luck. But when the tires are shot out on the RV and their tormentor knows all six of their names, the sinking realization that they are in danger hits hard. Someone is keeping a secret that their captor is willing to kill for. Who is keeping the secret and who will die? The suspense is carried through right until the last sentence. 

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games book 3)

 

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

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

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

“Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an exciting ending to the mystery of why Tobias Hawthorne left his billions to the unknown Avery Grambs. With lots of secrets left to be uncovered and a new danger lurking, will Avery survive to inherit the money? 

And there’s more! Book four, The Brothers Hawthorne, is due out on August 29, 2023.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.