Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (Never Sky book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first  book in the series, Under the Never Sky, Stop! I don't want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

“When the aether strikes, no one is safe. The world is in chaos, who do you trust?”

It’s been five months since Aria learned of her mother’s death while working at Bliss. Five months have passed since she last laid eyes on Perry. Her time was spent with Roar recovering at Marron’s; he with a leg wound and her with a deep wound to her heart and soul. Now Aria finds herself being blackmailed by Counsel Hess to find the rumored Still Blue. He is holding Perry’s nephew Talon hostage. Heading north in her search, Aria stops by the Tides’ compound to reunite with Perry first.

Perry is now the Blood Lord of the Tides after killing his cruel older brother Vale over selling his son Talon to the Dwellers. Seen by some in his tribe as rash and inexperienced, Perry’s hold as Blood Lord is tenuous at best. When Roar returns and lets him know that Aria is on her way, Perry and his guard go to meet her. Deciding to keep their relationship a secret from the tribe, Aria finds her presence is unwelcome and few trust what they perceive to be a Dweller mole. Perry’s leadership is questioned when he takes up for Aria.

When a trader/gossip monger visits the Tides compound the night of Aria’s Marking ceremony, all hell breaks loose and secrets are inadvertently spilled. Word comes that Sable may have found Liv and taken her back to the Horns compound. Roar and Perry are furious and Roar is ready to go get her right then. Perry’s sense makes him realize that something is wrong with Aria. She is in pain and sick. Discovering that the ink is poisoned with hemlock, Perry scopes her up and rushes her to a healer. Heartsick, he doesn’t leave her side the entire night. Perry wakes up and he senses that Aria will recover. Going out to meet with his personal guard, tempers soon flare when one of them realize that Perry is rendered to Aria. Then a commotion breaks out in the compound that draws Perry's attention away from his guard. Having banished Aria’s prisoner the night before, about a quarter of the tribe’s members decide to leave over their dissatisfaction with Perry’s leadership and his relationship with an outsider. While dealing with the turmoil outside, Aria and Roar slip away unnoticed to head for Sable and the Horns, leaving Perry behind.

What happens when Perry discovers that Aria and Roar have left him behind? Will he be able to retain his role as Blood Lord of the Tides? Does the Still Blue exist? What will Aria and Roar find when they arrive at the Horns’ compound? Will Liv be there? Can Aria and Perry find their way back to each other?

Liv and Roar - book 0.5

For Vale, the situation has gotten desperate. As Blood Lord of the Tides, the aether storms have damaged much of their farmland and he has negotiated a deal with Sable, the northern Blood Lord of the Horns. His sister Liv is to marry Sable in exchange for a dowry of food for the year for the Tides. Liv and Perry are both angry at the eldest brother’s decision but their friend Roar is absolutely devastated. A transient until he and his grandmother settles with the Tides, Roar has always considered Perry and Liv his family. But over the years the feelings between Roar and Liv have grown and the news is heartbreaking. Seeing no other way out, this is the story of their journey to Sable and the outcome those readers of Under the Never Sky already know.

Visit Veronica Rossi's website.

Rise by Andrea Cremer (Nightshade prequel book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first book in the series, Rift, or the NIghtshade trilogy, Stop! I don't want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

“Can dark magic turn her, or will love keep her true?”

The knights of Conatus are in upheaval over Lady Eira throwing her lot in with the mysterious but evil Lord Bosque Mar. Ember Morrow along with Barrow, Kael and Lucasz barely escape the keep at Terrmunnn with their lives. Reaching France, the quartet soon discovers that Eira and Mar’s reach is widely felt as those who oppose their suppression are few in number. When all else fails, Ember knows that the only hope of stopping Eira and Mar is to return to Terrmunn and beg for Alistair’s forgiveness and reciprocate his love.

Can Eira and Bosque Mar be stopped? Will Ember survive her return to Terrmunn and what will happen upon her arrival? And can Ember and Barrow find their way back to one another or will Alistair thaw their plans?

In this stunning conclusion to the Nightshade prequel, readers discover the background and beginnings of the Witches’ War and the creation of the wolves that encompass the Nightshade world.

Visit Andrea Cremer’s website.

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fery - Call of the Forgotten book one)

“Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.”

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read The Iron Fey series, Stop! You will be lost in Ethan’s story if you don’t know his sister Meghan’s. For fans of the series, you will be delighted to catch up on some favorite characters.

Twelve years have passed since Meghan Chase became the Iron Queen and her duties have prevented her from seeing her mortal family. Her younger brother Ethan is now seventeen and misses his older sister. He attempts to avoid the Good Neighbors at all costs. Once they realize he has Sight, the fey pester and cause major problems for him. The Chase family left the pig farm behind for a more populated area in an attempt to avoid detection, unfortunately, Ethan is never able to stay at any school for any length of time because of his run-ins with faeries have labeled him a troublemaker. His only outlet is kali, a Filipino fighting style using knives and sticks that he studies in order to defend himself from faery attacks.

Hoping to make a fresh start at another new school to make his mother happy, Ethan runs into trouble before the day is finished. First, he attracts the attention of a beautiful girl, Kenzie St. James. She is relentless even when Ethan is downright rude to her. Then he encounters the football quarterback bullying a student in the hallway who happens to be half fey. Against his better judgment, he helps out Todd and ends up in an altercation. Todd realizes that Ethan knows his true identity and is blamed by the principal for the fight based on his reputation. Kenzie is unmerciful in her pursuit to talk with Ethan. When he discovers that is a reporter for the school newspaper and not a cheerleader, he is shocked and intrigued. Soon she has him roped into an interview about being the new student.

Todd shows up at Ethan’s door that night. He is in trouble with the faeries and needs help. Ethan reluctantly agrees to help if Todd agrees to leave him alone. They spend all night going over everything that Ethan knows. The next day Ethan goes to the library after school to meet up with Kenzie and realizes that a faery is following him, not wanting to drag his friends into his mess. He bypasses the library and goes out behind the football field. There, a faery unlike any his has ever seen reveal themselves and warns Ethan not to interfere with what will happen. Don’t involve the Iron Court and his family will remain safe. He asks what it is and the faery replies that they are nothing, they are the forgotten. Ethan is not to interfere with their return or else. It throws down a pixie that dies as he watches. The faery ponders that they half breed may be stronger and leaves. Suddenly Kenzie appears and apparently has overheard the conversation. She took notes and wants to know who he was talking to. Blowing her off, he races to look Todd. He finds his discarded jacket by an open library window and a note. It says that he is running, for his parents not to worry and sorry for dragging Ethan into this mess. He talks Kenzie into not going to the authorities right away.

Knowing Todd is in trouble, Ethan realizes that the only way to help him is to contact his sister. He pulls out an old letter from Meghan. Inside is a token with directions on how to travel to the Nevernever. He pockets it and sneaks out to visit a neighborhood park. Finding only a solitary dryad, she tells Ethan that things are bad. He must visit the Iron Queen to inform her of their plight. Ethan doesn’t want to get involved; he is just looking for information about Todd. The dryad will have answers the next night, the night of his kali demonstration. He gets the suspicion he won’t see her again.

The day of the demonstration, the police question Ethan about Todd’s disappearance. He doesn’t let on about what he knows and his mother is disappointed he has become involved with the fey once again. Angry, his thoughts continue to stray to Kenzie. He decides to leave for the demonstration early and takes Meghan’s token with him. Ethan arrives and finds put that he will get to do the live weapons demo. He is thrilled but runs into Kenzie who is there for the school paper. Ethan’s demo is flawless and Kenzie is impressed. They begin talking and soon she asks if he believes in faeries. He tries to play it off but Kenzie isn’t buying it. She tells him that she is only trying to help.

Ethan tells her no one can help him and he doesn’t want to involve her. Leave him alone and suddenly the forgotten fey make themselves known. He grabs Kenzie and runs. Not being able to see Them, she doesn’t know what is going on. With no way to escape, Ethan decides to use Meghan’s token and ends up taking Kenzie with him. Once in the Nevernever, they find themselves in a cave with Grimalkin. He says that he wondered when Ethan Chase would finally show up.

Who are the Forgotten? What happened to Todd? Will Kenzie be able to accept the truth about faeries and the Nevernever? Can Ethan put his hostility towards Meghan aside and help save the half breeds and exiles in the mortal world? What happens while Ethan and Kenzie are in the Nevernever and who do they meet? Will trust and romance bloom? Will it ever be safe for the two of them to return to the mortal world?

Book two (Book six of the Iron Fey) of the Call of the Forgotten, The Traitor Son, is due out in 2013.

Visit Julie Kagawa’s website.

The Iron Fery Series by Julie Kagawa

"Meghan Chase has a secret destiny - one she could have never imagined ... "

Book One - The Iron King

Iron. Ice. A love doomed from the start.

On Meghan Chase’s sixth birthday, her father disappeared. He had taken her to the park and they were feeding the ducks at the pond. When Meghan heard the bells on the ice cream truck, she begged for a Creamsicle. He gave her some money and that was the last time she ever saw him. All that was found were his shoes at the edge of the pond and nothing else. The police turned up nothing and not long after, she and her mother moved to a small hick town in Louisiana.
 

Fast forward ten years later and Meghan Chase knows that her sixteenth birthday will not hold anything special for her. She and her mother live on a pig farm with her step-father Luke and her four year old brother Ethan. Luke completely dotes on Ethan but seems pretty oblivious that Meghan is around. With a technology is evil attitude from Luke and clothes from the Goodwill, Meg feels like a backwoods hick at school. Her only true friend is her neighbor, Robbie Goodfell, who lives two miles away.

The day before her birthday, Ethan seeks Meghan’s help with the man in his closet. He doesn’t want her to leave him behind. She comforts him and leaves for school. Her day goes from hopeful anticipation to downright awful when her crush of two years is out to get her, the school computers seem possessed and she sees monsters at every turn. Robbie offers to bring a bottle of champagne by her house the next night to celebrate her birthday.

Meghan’s life really takes a nose dive when her parents take the family dog to the pound for attacking Ethan. Ethan tells her that Beau was just trying to protect him from the man in the closet. Her crush humiliates her in front of everyone at school the next day. She overhears a strange conversation between Robbie and the school nurse while resting in the clinic. On the bus ride home with Robbie, she sees a handsome boy on horseback that Robbie refers to as Ash. He tells her not to worry about him. Walking into her house, she sees her mother lying on the floor.

Her mother says she is fine; she just slipped and doesn’t need to go see a doctor. When Luke gets home, he takes her to the hospital and Meghan is left on her sixteenth birthday to care for her little brother instead of getting her learner’s permit. It is not long before she realizes that something is wrong with Ethan and he viciously attacks her. Robbie arrives and Ethan hides. He helps Meghan bandage her leg and tells her that Ethan is not really Ethan. He is a changeling, as in faery and Robbie slips by saying he didn’t expect them to go after her family. He hands he a bottle of mistwine and says that the old saying is true, “ignorance is bliss.” Meghan is determined to retrieve the real Ethan and Robbie suspects that he was taken by the Unseelie Court, the sworn enemies of King Oberon and Queen Titania. “Wait”, say Meghan, as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Yes, he says and then informs her that he is really Robin Goodfellow or Puck. Meghan is in disbelief.

Against his better judgment, Robbie agrees to take Meghan into Faery to look for her brother. Meghan is woefully unprepared for the environment and what she discovers while there. What is Meghan Chase’s true identity? Why was Puck sent to be Meghan’s friend? What happens when they enter Nevernever? Will Meghan be able to rescue Ethan and find any clues related to her father’s disappearance? What happens when Meghan discovers the truth about her parentage? And who is the mysterious, incredibly handsome Ash and why was he spying on Meghan?

Book 1.5 - Winter's PassageA short story that bridges the events at the end of book one leading up to the begining of book two.

Winter's Passage can be found in The Iron Legends volume of short stories taking place in the Iron Realm.









Book Two - The Iron Daughter

"Love & betrayal. A faery world gone mad."


In an attempt not to spoil the events that occur with Meghan, Puck and Ash in the first book, The Iron King, I will just outline the reading order of the series. This is a must read for those who love fantasy, adventure and romance!

Book Three - The Iron Queen

"Summer fades. Ice melts. Here's what's left."

Book 3.5 - Summer's CrossingA short story that bridges the events at the end of book three leading up to the begining of book four.

Summer's Crossing can be found in The Iron Legends volume of short stories taking place in the Iron Realm.

Book Four - The Iron KnightThe conclusion of the Iron Fey series but this time told from Ash's point of view. Fans of the series will be thrilled to see him on the fron of the cover and flip to find Puck on the back.

"Soulless. Banished. But Never Forgotten."

 Book 4.5 - Iron's Prophecy

A short story that occurs at the end of book four.

Iron's Prophecy can be found in The Iron Legends volume of short stories taking place in the Iron Realm

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux book 3)

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

Opal picks up where Onyx left off. Dawson escaped from the DOD prison and is back home with Dee and Daemon. Everyone is anxiously waiting to see if the DOD or the top secret Daedalus to show up. Dee is still grieving Adam’s death at the hands of Blake and copinf with Dawson’s return. She and Katy continue to be on the outs. Daemon is trying to keep his broken brother from running off and doing something drastic in an attempt to rescue Bethany. And not knowing what her mother’s boyfriend, Dr. Will Michaels, has up his sleeve leaves Katy in a perilous situation.

What no one expects is for Blake to show his face again, much less the tempting offer he puts forth to Katy. She must help him rescue his friend Chris from the DOD prison or he will turn her and Daemon over. Knowing their hands are tied by either path they choose, everyone agrees the only choice they have is to work with Blake, even though they know that they cannot trust him. Daemon and Katy meet with Blake and outline their plan.

Can Daemon and Katy work with Blake? Why was Dawson allowed to escape? Will Dee and Katy repair their broken friendship? Will Katy and Daemon be able to break Bethany free from the prison? And what happens when the DOD finally comes for them?

Book four in the series, Origin, will be out July 2013 and is told from both Katy and Daemon’s POV.

Visit Jennifer Armentrout's website.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

The land of Mytica consists of three kingdoms; Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros. The Silver Sea lies to the west with the Forbidden Mountains to the east. The northern kingdom, Limeros, is in an economic decline and under the iron-fisted control of King Gauis Damora. Gauis is nothing more than a bully who forces his people to strictly follow his rules using fear and violence. Paelsia, the middle kingdom, is a withering wasteland, slowly drying up. Only the southern kingdom of Auranos, ruled by King Corvin Bellos, is prosperous. Rumors persist that Limeros and Paelsia began their declines due to the death of elementia – elemental magic. It is believed that when the goddesses Cleiona and Valoria destroyed each other, the magic began drying up. Only Auranos remains unaffected.

Princess Cleo and her sister’s lady-in-waiting Mira sail from Auranos to Paelsia with Lord Aron Lagaris in his quest for the perfect bottle of wine. Aron is expected to be chosen by the king to become Cleo’s husband. Not her ideal choice but he knows a secret about Cleo that could destroy her. She is able to tolerate him socially. The trio is accompanied on their trip by Theon Ranus, a member of the palace guard who Cleo is unfamiliar with. She realizes that Theon’s father was the king’s personal bodyguard until his untimely death a week earlier. Offering her condolences, Theon tells Cleo that he hopes to be chosen as the king’s new bodyguard.

At the market, Aron finds Silas Agallon, the famous winemaker he is looking for, along with his daughter Felicia. Aron introduces himself and lets the Agallons know that they are in the company of Princess Cleiona of Auranos. Not a drinker like Aron, Cleo warily accepts Silas’ sample when he wishes to toast her as well as Felicia’s impending wedding that very evening. Theon is leery of poison and stops her but Aron greedily drinks. Relenting, Cleo drinks the wine and is surprised to discover that it is as truly marvelous as Aron led them to believe. Aron offers to pay a pittance for the wine. Silas is visibly offended and attempts to barter. Negotiations quickly go south and Silas agrees before he loses any more money.

Before the transaction can be settled, Silas’ two sons, Tomas and Jonas, come upon the scene. Tomas is angered by Aron’s offer and the verbal banter soon turns physical. Tomas swings and Aron stabs him in the throat. Cleo is visibly shaken and regrets she didn’t let Theon stops them before it escalated. They leave. The life bleeds from Tomas as rage fills Jonas. He promises his brother that now Paelsia’s predicament with Auranos has faces and names; Aron and Cleo. He will make sure they play.

A week later, word of the death of Tomas Agallon has reached the court of Limeros. King Gaius is celebrating his daughter Lucia’s sixteenth birthday and his son, Prince Magnus is keeping an overprotective eye on her. When the conversation at Magnus’ part of the table turns to Lucia’s potential suitors, he crushes the goblet in his hand, bleeding, Lucia offers to clean his wound and they leave the banquet while King Gauis watched suspiciously. Magnus has an uneasy relationship with his father and tries to remain inconspicuous whenever possible. He is also threatened by his father’s valet, his bastard son Tobias, whom the king could claim and name his heir at any time.

Magnus knows his growing feelings for his sister are unnatural. He attempts to keep them in check while playing the overprotective brother role. When he later overhears his father and his mistress Sabina talking about the difficulties in Limeros and how they might be related to elementia. They talk of a prophecy and Gaius is tired of waiting to see if Sabina is right in her beliefs. Lucia is now sixteen and her awakening should happen soon. Magnus hides as his father leaves but Sabina spots him. Realizing that their conversation is important, Magnus vows to himself to do everything possible to protect Lucia, even if that means from their father.

Back in Auranos, King Corvin is disappointed in Cleo’s actions. The political ramifications are starting to spin out of control. He is grateful that Aron was able to protect her life. She will now be confined to the palace so as not to cause any more trouble. Theon Ranus is being assigned as her bodyguard. Shortly, Corvin will announce her engagement to Aron. Upset, she leaves and runs into Mira’s older brother, Nic who is also Corvin’s squire. Cleo cries on his shoulder and he offers to marry her instead. She laughs that it is impossible; he is her best friend and not a noble. Theon finds them and Cleo inquires if he is pleased with his new assignment. He replies that it is his duty and an honor to be her bodyguard. Nic leaves them but not before whispering to Cleo that Theon isn’t a noble either.

Haunted by her nightmares of Tomas’ murder, Cleo decides she must know Aron’s feelings about the incident before she can consider marrying him. Ditching Theon, she goes to Aron’s villa just outside the castle. She is chagrined to learn that Aron believes he did the right thing and she should forget about the incident as well. Talk of their upcoming engagement comes up and Aron reminds her that he knows her secret. Disgusted with him and herself, Theon encounters the situation and takes Cleo home. She dispels Theon’s theory of as tryst.

Princess Lucia is concerned about some of the changes she is currently experiencing. She knows that they are far from normal and her emotions must be kept in check to keep them hidden. When Sabina attempts to have a heart-to-heart chat with her, Lucia’s curiosity is peaked and yet she is fearful because it seems Sabina knows exactly what she is going through.

Princess Cleo is upset when her father publicly announces her engagement. Running off for comfort from her ill sister Emilia, Cleo is devastated when her sister admits that she is dying, Emilia says she has prayed to die since her lover’s death. Not wanting her sister to die, Cleo is determined to find out if the legendary healer who welds elementia exists in Paelsia. When her father will not allow her to search and Theon won’t break his order. Cleo decides to sneak off with Nic.

When Chief Hugo Basilius of Paelsia comes to Limeros to meet with King Gaius, Prince Magnus is surprised to find out he is the last to know. Interrupting the meeting, Magnus is livid to see Tobias there and King Gaius asks him to join them. He is shocked to learn that the plan is for the kingdoms to join forces and conquer the prosperous southern kingdom. Magnus hides his true feelings and agrees with the plan, especially since Tobias is on board. Basilius demands a blood sacrifice from Gaius to prove his intentions. Gaius finally sacrifices Tobias, his eldest son and bastard. Basilius thanks him and leaves. King Gaius lets Magnus know that he is his son and asks him to keep an eye out for his sister. Failure to do so could be disastrous for Lucia.

Does the death of Tomas Agallon spark a war between the kingdoms of Mytica? What is going on with Princess Lucia? Can Prince Magnus put aside his feelings for his sister and become the heir his father desires? Will Jonas Agallon become the face of the war? Will Princess Cleo find love with Aron or will her heart lead her to someone else? Can she find the source of elementia to heal Emilia? And what happens when these four meet?

Book two, Fallen Spring, will be released in the fall of 2013.

Visit the Falling Kingdoms website.