Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (Legendborn Cycle book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Legendborn and Bloodmarked, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

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

Check out Simon Teen if you need a refresher of the first book.

Check out Simon Teen if you need a recap of the second book. 

“Severed from the Legendborn. Oathbound to a monster.

Bree Matthews is alone. She exiled herself from the Legendborn Order, cut her ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who can’t understand the impossible cost of her powers. This is the only way to keep herself—and those she loves—safe.

But Bree’s decision has come with a terrible price: an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society. In exchange for training to wield her unprecedented abilities, Bree has put her future in the Shadow King’s hands—and unwittingly bound herself to do his bidding as his new protégé.

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war with their Round Table fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, as Selwyn has also disappeared. When Nick is detained by the Order’s Merlins, he invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to convene at the Northern Keep and grant him an audience. No one knows what he will demand of them...or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree runs from who she is, the past will always find her.” - taken from Goodreads.

Several new characters are introduced and some secrets are uncovered in this massive tome that I thought was the conclusion to this series. Nope, with that ending, book four is on the horizon.

Book four is to be determined.

Visit Tracy Deonn’s website

Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz (The Anatomy Duology book 2)

 

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

“Hazel Sinnett is alone and half convinced the events of the year before—the immortality, Beecham’s vial—were a figment of her imagination. She doesn’t even know if Jack is alive or dead. All she can really do now is treat patients and maintain Hawthornden Castle as it starts to decay around her.

When saving a life leads to her arrest, Hazel seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: Hazel has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly granddaughter of King George III. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamour and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death.

As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn't the only thing at stake for her. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.” - taken from Goodreads.

With her family and Jack gone, Hazel is working as a female surgeon at her family's castle in Edinburgh. She has made a quiet life for herself until she saves the life of a young woman that causes her to end up in prison. Resigned to her fate, Hazel is shocked when she is released to become the personal physician of the ailing Princess Charlotte. Quickly immersed in society, Hazel soon learns her fair share of secrets and schemes surrounding the royal family. Will Hazel be able to survive the politics of the day and whatever happened to her beloved Jack? 

Visit Dana Schwartz’s website.

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (Legendborn book 2)

 

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

Check out the Riveted blog for a recap Legendborn.

“The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.” - taken from Goodreads.

One month has passed since the conclusion of Legendborn and Bree must deal with her new found reality. The second book in the trilogy, the action and story never slows down in this installment. With more of the Order revealed and Bree’s ancestors revealing their history, she finds that there are few people she can trust. With shocking twists and confessions to the very end, fans will be eagerly awaiting the publication of the third book.

Visit Tracy Deonn’s website.

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew

 

“Delaney Meyers-Petrov is tired of being seen as fragile just because she's Deaf. So when she's accepted into a prestigious program at Godbole University that trains students to slip between parallel worlds, she's excited for the chance to prove herself. But her semester gets off to a rocky start as she faces professors who won't accommodate her disability, and a pretentious upperclassman fascinated by Delaney's unusual talents.

Colton Price died when he was nine years old. Quite impossibly, he woke several weeks later at the feet of a green-eyed little girl. Now, twelve years later, Delaney Meyers-Petrov has stumbled back into his orbit, but Colton's been ordered to keep far away from the new girl... and the voices she hears calling to her from the shadows.

Delaney wants to keep her distance from Colton -- she seems to be the only person on campus who finds him more arrogant than charming -- yet after a Godbole student turns up dead, she and Colton are forced to form a tenuous alliance, plummeting down a rabbit-hole of deeply buried university secrets. But Delaney and Colton discover the cost of opening the doors between worlds when they find themselves up against something old and nameless, an enemy they need to destroy before it tears them -- and their forbidden partnership -- apart.” - taken from Goodreads.

Lane is excited to start at Godbole and get out from underneath her overprotective parents. Deaf, she soon finds herself struggling with her classes and her professors are no help. When the mysterious and aloof Colton Price offers to help her catch up, Lane is quickly drawn into the secretive mission of Godbole where not everyone survives. A dark and twisted tale that will leave readers wondering what is going on.

Visit Kelly Andrew’s website.

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi (The Gilded Wolves book 3)

 

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

“In love they breathed. In destiny they believed. In the end, will divinity be their demise?

After Séverin's seeming betrayal, the crew is fractured. Armed with only a handful of hints, Enrique, Laila, Hypnos and Zofia must find their way through the snarled, haunted waterways of Venice, Italy to locate Séverin.

Meanwhile, Séverin must balance the deranged whims of the Patriarch of the Fallen House and discover the location of a temple beneath a plague island where the Divine Lyre can be played and all that he desires will come to pass.

With only ten days until Laila expires, the crew will face plague pits and deadly masquerades, unearthly songs and the shining steps of a temple whose powers might offer divinity itself... but at a price they may not be willing to pay.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Ten days. That's all Lalia has left. The race is on to save her life. After the shocking cliffhanger of the second book, no one knows what the future holds. Without giving too much away, fans will be satisfied with how things wrap up for this rag-tag group of friends.

Visit Roshani Chokshi’s website.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (Legendborn book 1)

 

“After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This book was everything that I wanted in a fantasy read and more. Reeling from the sudden death of her mother after an argument, Brianna Matthews heads off to the early college program at UNC Chapel Hill with her best friend, Alice Chen. On their first night there at an off campus party, Bree discovers a hidden world and gets into trouble. When the dean assigns her a student mentor, Nick Davis, Bree discovers that her mother hid some pretty important things from her. With Nick's help, Bree is on a mission to uncover her mother's secrets.

This was a unique twist on the Arthurian legend. Bree is African-American and finds herself thrust into a genteel white society where she must hide her newfound abilities and learn who she can trust. The storyline explodes at the end with shocking reveals and a cliffhanger.

Book two is expected in 2022.

Visit Tracy Deonn’s website.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski (The Midnight Lie book 1)

SPOILER ALERT! The Midnight Lie is set in the same world as the author’s Winner trilogy but it is not necessary to read them before enjoying this book.

“Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, beloved author Marie Rutkoski returns with an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us—and the lies we tell ourselves.” - taken from Goodreads.com

A midnight lie, “A kind of lie I told for someone else's sake, a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. Or a lie that is not technically false, like a misleading truth.” (pg. 22)

To me, this fantasy read almost like a mystery instead. Who is Nirrim? What are her mysterious powers? Where did they come from? Why is Raven so protective and controlling? And who is Sid? The whole book felt like a major build-up to me, but the last 100 pages, oh wow! I definitely wasn't expecting that ending. I cannot wait to see what happens now in the second book.

Book two will be published in the future.

Visit Marie Rutkoski’s website.

Heart of Flames by Nicki Pau Preto (Crown of Feathers book 2)

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

“Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev must stop the advancing empire from destroying the Phoenix Riders in this fiery sequel to Crown of Feathers, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake calls “absolutely unforgettable!”

You are a daughter of queens.

The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.

Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.

Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.

Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.

As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.

I pray you are able to pass through the flames". - taken from Goodreads.com

Even at 640 pages, this story does not drag in the least. Secrets are revealed and alliances begin to form for what promises to be an explosive conclusion to this phenomenal series. Book two ends with several cliffhangers but once again I’m reminded why this series has become one of my absolute favorites!

Book three is expected to be published in 2021.

Visit Nicki Pau Preto’s website.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (Alex Stern book 1)

WARNING! This is an adult title. Mature readers only.

"Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Ninth House is Leigh Bardugo’s first foray into ADULT literature. This is a book with adult themes just like Stephen King. The first third of the book is a bit slow as Bardugo sets the storyline and setting and may turn some teen readers off. With that said, this was an incredible murder mystery that left me speechless at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed how the ending sets up the plotline for book two due out on June 1, 2021.

Visit Leigh Bardugo’s website.

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto (Crown of Feathers book 1)

“I had a sister, once…

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us.

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.

Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.

Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken. “ - taken from Goodreads.com

This book started a bit slow for me but boy did it pack a punch by the end. Crown of Feathers has everything that a fantastic fantasy read needs; secrets, deception, mystery, and romance. When everything comes tumbling down and reveals are made, readers will be floored. Even better, that incredible epilogue will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book to see how this fantastic story moves forward. Definitely one of my favorite reads of this year!!

Book two, Heart of Flames, is due out February 11, 2020.

Visit Nicki Pau Preto's website.

Mist, Metal, and Ash by Gwendolyn Clare (Ink, Iron, and Glass book 2)

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

“In an alternate 19th-century Italy, Elsa has an incredible gift: she can craft new worlds with precise lines of script written in books. But political extremists have stolen the most dangerous book ever scribed―one that can rewrite the Earth itself.

Now Elsa must track down the friend who betrayed her and recover the book before its destructive power is unleashed. Can she handle the secrets she’ll uncover along the way―including the ones hiding in her own heart?” - taken from Goodreads.com

It didn’t take me long to get back into this story. Elsa and her new friends believe that Leo has betrayed them by returning to his father’s side. Unknowingly to them, Leo is trying to keep Elsa safe in the only way he knows how. A bit slow at times, the action picks up at the end. I can’t say that book two completely wraps up the story bust as of now, there is no word on whether there will be a third book.

Visit Gwendolyn Clare’s website.

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare (Ink, Iron, and Glass book 1)

“Can she write a world gone wrong?

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation by her mother—a noted scriptologist.

But when her home is attacked and her mother abducted, Elsa must cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative 19th-century Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of pazzerellones—young people with a gift for mechanics, alchemy or scriptology—and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and a tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Ink, Iron, and Glass is a unique steampunk story with an alternative history twist. Elsa lives in the “scripted” world of Veldana with her mother Jumi. Both mother and daughter are scriptologists, but they and the world they live in are scripted by a man named Montaigne. When Jumi is kidnapped, Elsa is forced to go to the real world to find her. There she finds that Montaigne is dead, his house is on fire, and the worldbook that contains Veldana is missing.

Elsa discovers a group of young adults who are gifted like herself, scriptologists machinists, or Alchemists, who helped her begin to search for her mother. With a rich world building plot, a slow-burning romance, and shocking reveals, fans will be initially heartbroken but clamoring for the next book in the series.

Book two, Mist, Metal, and Ash, is due out February 19, 2019.

Visit Gwendolyn Clare’s website.

Sparks of Light by Janet B. Taylor (Into the Dim book 2)

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

“For the first time in her life, Hope Walton has friends . . . and a (maybe) boyfriend. She’s a Viator, a member of a long line of time-traveling ancestors. When the Viators learn of a plan to steal a dangerous device from the inventor Nikola Tesla, only a race into the past can save the natural timeline from utter destruction. Navigating the glitterati of The Gilded Age in 1895 New York City, Hope and her crew will discover that high society can be as deadly as it is beautiful.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I read the first book in this series 18 months ago and I’ll admit, it took me awhile to get back into Hope’s world. I remembered the gist of the story but there were some details I didn’t recall until they were mentioned in the book and sometimes I still was a bit lost. I love the historical time-traveling plot but wasn’t sure what aspects of 1895 the author would touch on. Let’s just say that I was literally on the edge of my seat for about 100 pages for Hope’s escape from a situation she was forced into. The ending is a bit heartbreaking but I cannot wait to see what time period the Viators are thrust into for what seems to be a thrilling conclusion to this story.

Publication date and title of book three are unknown at this time.

Visit Janet B. Taylor’s website.

The Midnight Star by Marie Lu (The Young Elites book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two book sin the series, The Young Elites and The Rose Society, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

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

“There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.

Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all that she’s achieved.

Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds when a new danger appears, putting not only Adelina at risk, but every Elite and the very world they live in. In order to save herself and preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Mi Adelinetta! You are the evil villain but really no one understands you. In this final installment of the Young Elites trilogy, you and the other Elites face your greatest enemy and must put aside your differences and work together to not only save yourself but the world in which you live in. As with any great quest, not everyone will survive. As with Lu’s Champion, fans will be torn over the masterpiece that is the epilogue.

Visit Marie Lu’s website. Visit the Young Elites’ website.

Into the Dim by Helen B. Taylor (Into the Dim book 1)

Known mostly as “that homeschooled girl” in her small town, Hope Walton has crippling phobias and an eidetic memory that doesn’t exactly endear her to her adoptive father’s very blond, very southern family. When her mom is killed in a natural disaster thousands of miles from home, the sixteen-year-old recedes even further from her insular life. But after being shipped overseas to an aunt she’s never met, Hope learns there’s more to her mother’s “death” than she ever dreamed.

At her aunt’s manor, high in the Scottish Highlands, Hope begins to unravel the shocking truth about her family. Her mom was more than a brilliant academic but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. And she is alive, though currently trapped in the twelfth century during the age of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Now, in a last-ditch effort to save her mom, the sheltered teen must join the Viators, a team of time-jumping Indiana Joneses, who have only seventy-two hours to stage a rescue.

Passing through the Dim, Hope enters a brutal medieval world of political intrigue, danger, and violence. A place where any serious interference could alter the very course of history. And when she meets a boy who's face is impossibly familiar, she must decide between her mission and her heart - both of which could leave Hope trapped in the past forever..” - taken from the front flap

I literally devoured this book. Time travel seems to be the current rage in YA literature and this was the third such book I’ve read this year. What I really liked about this beginning of a new series is that the characters travel back to only one point in time. There, they are thrust into the court scene during the time in which Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine are crowned the King and Queen of England. Several historical figures play major roles in this book. This book does leave several plot lines unresolved and readers will be eagerly anticipating the next book.

Who is Hope Walton? Why did her mother keep her aunt from her? Can Hope go back in time and rescue her mother? How does she know this mysterious boy?

Visit Janet B. Taylor’s website.

The Rose Society by Marie Lu (Young Elites book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book the series, The Young Elites, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

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

“Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.”

It has been three weeks since Adelina Amouteru and her sister Violetta, left Kenettra. She feels a tremendous amount of guilt over Enzo Valenciano’s death and not trusting the Dagger Society  sooner. Even though she helped rescue Raffaele Bessette, the Daggers still cast her away and she now considers them her enemy. The sisters are in Merroutas to flee the Inquisition's eyes but also to see if they can locate another Young Elite by the name of Magiano. While searching, the two girls are approached by a street vendor who is operating a gambling game. Among the participants is a young malfetto boy. Adelina and Violetta believe that may have found Magiano. Violetta is able to sense Elites by their powers. When the malfetto boy wins, the other participants aren’t happy. After collecting his winnings, he leaves, not sensing the danger behind him. The men who lost their money, follow him down an alley. The girls decide to follow as well. They find the men accosting the boy. Adelina decides to help him. Using her power of illusion, she begins torturing the men. Violetta talks her back to reality and they realize the malfetto boy has escaped. Adelina and Violetta realize that the boy isn’t Magiano. He isn’t the Elite that Violetta sensed. Adelina hears a familiar voice speak to them and Violetta whispers that it belongs to the Elite she sensed earlier. They turn around to see the game operator staring down at them from a balcony.

The sisters tell him that they are searching for Magiano. He wants to know why they are searching for an imaginary person that mothers tell stories about to get their children to behave. They ask why he is so successful at his gambling operation and he reports magic. He also thanks the two of them for helping his young assistant. He wishes them luck in finding their Young Elite. When he says Young Elite, recognition dawns on her. It turns out that the reason Adelina recognizes his voice is that he was in the prison cell next to hers before her scheduled execution. He tries to play it off but realizes that she is Adelina Amouteru. He lets her know that she saved his life that day but doesn't say how. He does tell them that they would have better luck finding Magiano at the Little Baths of Bethesda, one of the abandoned bath halls of southern Merroutas. He warns them that they better have a good reason for seeking him out and leaves. It turns out that the gaming operator is actually Magiano. The sisters will have to prove their worth before he will agree to join up with them. When they complete the task he gave them with what seems to be disastrous results, Magiano is eager to join their ranks. Adelina wonders what drives Magiano; greed or revenge.

Raffaele has assumed leadership of the Dagger Society since the death of Enzo. He and the remaining members have traveled to Beldain to meet with Queen Maeve. Very few of their supporters have been in contact with them since they fled Kenettra. Raffaele realizes that Maeve is an Elite. Her former companion, Lucent, was blamed for Tristan’s ,Maeve's brother, death and banished by Maeve’s mother. Lucent is surprised to see Tristan alive. Raffaele asks Maeve how that is possible and she explains that no one knew that Tristan died. She kept her power a secret. Maeve wants to wrestle control over Kenettra from Giulietta. If Raffaele helps her bring Enzo back to life, his powers would be tenfold. In order for it to work, Enzo has to be tethered to someone. Maeve wants to use Raffaele but she will find someone else if he refuses. Raffaele recognizes that something is off about Tristan now.

Teren Santoro, Leader of the Inquisition Axis, is fiercely loyal to Queen Giulietta. In fact, he is her lover and co-conspirator. He has been enamoured with her since they were children. Now that she is sitting on the throne, it seems her agenda towards malfettos has changed. She wants their “slaves” treated better but Teren is driven to rid Kenettra of all malfettos. He is fighting with himself over his desire to be with Giulietta and to carry out his own personal agenda.

Why does Magiano decide to join forces with Adelina and Violetta? Will Raffaele help Queen Maeve with her plans for Enzo and Kenettra? How come Giulietta wants to save the Malfettos

now that she is on the throne? Why is Teren so determined to rid Kenettra of its malfettos? What happens when Adelina encounters Raffaele and the Black Daggers?  Will Adelina and Teren cross paths again? Who survives? Will Adelina always be a “villain" or can she be redeemed?   Does Adelina’s fame/notoriety help or hinder her endeavors?    

Stay tuned for book three in the Young Elites trilogy due out in 2016 to see how the story ends.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Unmarked by Kami Garcia (The Legion book 2)

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

“Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengence spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us … a demon she accidentally set free.”

Nineteen days have passed since Kennedy Waters last saw the other four members of the Legion. They believed the Shift was a weapon to destroy Andras, Author of Discords. Instead, it was the key to release the demon, who had been imprisoned for over a century. Out of the hospital, Kennedy’s aunt didn’t want to deal with a troubled teenager, so she sent her to Winterhaven Academy, the last stop for the troubled daughters of wealthy East Coast families.” A loner, Kennedy scours the news for information about the outbreak of violence that points to Andras. On the fifth day after his release, girls started disappearing; one a day. Kennedy begins to keep track and notices that the girls are similar in appearance to her. While in her room as her neighbor is blaring music, Kennedy hears a scratching noise. She realizes that in sound is coming from her room. Lines are being cut from the inside of her mirror to form the words, “He is coming for you.” Knowing that she is being hunting, Kennedy has a meltdown wanting to know why Andras is waiting. She stops when she hears a knock on her door. Opening to a girl she recognizes, the two spar until the girl gives her a message. A boy wandering behind one of the buildings gave her a note for Kennedy. She quickly opens it to see that it is from Jared. Kennedy runs to find him.

After a brief reunion, Jared is ready for Kennedy to leave with him. Kennedy feels that she doesn’t belong with them since she isn’t a member of the Legion. It’s her fault Andras escaped and she is afraid others will be hurt or worse. Jared doesn’t care because Kennedy belongs with him. He reveals that her mother’s death was an accident and Kennedy was right all along. Her mother was never a member of the Legion. Reeling, Kennedy listens as Jared admits that he made a grave mistake. Andras only killed her mother because he had written her name on the list. Lukas found out that the fifth member of the Legion is still alive. They are a member of her family. Devastated that it could only mean her father, Jared tells her that it is not him. Her father has a sister who is the fifth member in hiding. Kennedy is stunned. Jared also informs her that they now know what Andras wants now that he is freed, the gates of Hell. Kennedy refuses to leave with him, afraid he will get hurt because of her. News flash! He is distracted wondering if she is safe. He mentions the missing girls who look like her. They would be safer with each other. Kennedy rejoins the four members of the Legion who have also brought along her best friend Elle.

Why did Kennedy’s father leave when she was five? Is her aunt really the lost fifth member of the Legion? How can they find her? Will Kennedy become the a member of the Legion? Why are girls who resemble Kennedy disappearing at the rate of one a day? How can Andras be stopped? Can her relationship with Jared survive? What happens when Kennedy’s world is turned upside down?

Readers will be eagerly awaiting the final book due out Fall 2015.

Visit Kami Garcia’s website.