Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

“The greatest danger is that she might win.”

Captain Esladas is a Patron, even though he is only a low born son of a baker. At the age of 20, he left his homeland and traveled to Efea to make his fortune. The day he arrived, he saw a beautiful sixteen year old Commoner. “Patrons are people either born in the old empire of Saro or descended from ancestors who emigrated from Saro to Efea at any time in the last hundred years. The law forbids people of Saroese ancestry from marrying the native people of Efea, who are called Commoners.” Young Patron men usually have dalliances with Commoner women before settling down with a Patron woman to further their status and career. What makes the ambitious Captain Esladas unusual is that he has stayed with the beautiful Commoner who caught his eye twenty years earlier. They have four daughters. Any other man would have taken another in hopes of a son. Instead, he has stayed with a woman he cannot marry. One of his daughters is named Jessamy.

Jessamy has it all mapped out. She is going to do the one thing her father has forbidden her to do. Only her sisters know what she is up to. Everything is going according to her plan until her father unexpectedly arrives home. She has never snuck out of the house while her father is at home. Her father has won a decisive victory and is home to be honored. The entire family has been invited to sit in Lord Ottonor’s balcony at the City Fives Court for the occasion. Jes is internally fuming. Furthermore, if his daughters make a good impression, they may be invited back to watch a Fives Games at the Royal Fives Court. Jessamy doesn’t want to attend. She has saved for over a year for the entry fee for this week’s trials at the City Fives Court. Training for years, tomorrow is her one opportunity. She makes a deal with her sisters to cover for her once again.

Only Jessamy and and her younger sister, Amaya, accompany their mother in the carriage during the victory procession. The three of them are stunned when Captain Esladas is seated alone in the third carriage, always reserved for the general who commands the army being honored. They hear everyone around them talking about his stunning victory at Maldine. Their carriage arrives at the City Fives Court and they wait on their father to meet them. He leads the three to Lord Ottonor’s balcony. Lord Ottonor greets Jessamy’s mother and introduces their daughters. The family settles in to watch the Five. Jessamy begins to get nervous about disobeying their father but she knows this is her one chance. She promises herself that she will be the perfect daughter from here on out.

Amaya covers for her sister during the Fives. Jessamy makes barely makes it to the Fives court before the gate is shut to the participants. The players are known as adversaries and only those with enough money can buy a token to enter the Novice-level City Court official weekly trials. Jessamy’s token is collected and she finds out that she will run in the first trial. She looks over her competition and sees that they are all male. One in particular, marked by blue, is dressed too expensively for a Novice and she figures he is from a palace stable. Jessamy sizes him up to be her main competition. Taking her starting place, Jessamy hears the roar of the crowd. She is ready to run, ready to win. But Jessamy cannot win because doing so will bring disgrace down upon her father. Too late, she realizes that she shouldn’t be there. All of her doubt is stripped away when the start bell rings and the trial begins.

Jessamy easily makes her way through the first four quarters of the Fives court. She stands on the platform that is one of two entrance points to the Rings, the center portion of the court. From her vantage point, she can see where two of the other adversaries are at. Neither are a threat to her position. Jessamy doesn’t see the boy in blue and wonders how she will be able to lose the race without looking like she is throwing it. She is astounded to hear the boy in blue coming up the ladder behind her. She sees that he is about her size and looks like he is having the time of his life. He speaks to her and she notices from his accent that he is pure Patron. He tells Jessamy that he is impressed with her run so far without a bit of condescension in his voice. He also remarks that he doesn’t believe that he has run against her before, he would have remembered her. He asks her who trains her since she doesn’t seem to to be wearing a stable badge. Jessamy decides her course through the Rings and leaves the boy behind. The two take different paths. Jessamy watches him and he is good but she knows that she is better. She sees that she is going to win and knows that she must throw the race. Falling to the ground, she sees the boy in blue looking at her. To her disgust, Jessamy sees how handsome her is. Looking back at her, he is frowning over his win. Jessamy couldn’t risk winning the trials because the winning adversary must take off their mask in front of the entire assembly. Her winning would bring disgrace to her father on the day of his greatest triumph.

Sneaking back to Lord Ottonor’s balcony, Jessamy is met by Amaya. Her disappearance hasn’t been discovered, yet. She hurries to change. Amaya’s best friend, Denya, comes in with the news that Lord Gargaron’s party is coming to visit with Lord Ottonor. She is hoping that his good looking nephew will come with him and speak to them. Out on the balcony, Lord Ottonor sees Jessamy and remarks to Captain Esladas that it is a shame that she isn’t as petty as her sister. Esladas says that she has a better trait, obedience. Ottonor replies that beauty and obedience together is better and smiles at their mother. Their mother responds with she believes all four of her daughters are beautiful. She makes it sounds as if she is agreeing with Lord Ottonor. Jessamy doesn’t know how her mother carries off her attitude. Just then, Lord Gargaron’s party enters the balcony. Jessamy is stunned that the blue adversary from her trial is with him. Turns out that his name is Lord Kalliarkos, Gargaron’s nephew. He sees Jessamy and walks to her. He quietly remarks to her about her shoes. Jessamy didn’t have time to change them. Kalliarkos recognizes her and wants to know where she trains. She admits that her parents do not know. He wants to know which one of Ottonor’s men is her father. Killiarkos correctly guesses that he should have known he was the hero of Maldine. He knows that she lost on purpose and he feels cheated. She apologizes and says that she can never win. He can see where that would be frustrating, seeing as she had him beat today. The Rings is his weakest section and wants to know where she trains. Just then, Lord Gargaron calls out to his nephew, telling him not to converse with the servants. Gargaron asks Ottonor why his Commoner employee isn’t wearing a mask. Embarrassed, Ottonor tells him that she is actually Esladas’ daughter.

Gargaron continues his tirade about their presence. Esladas apologizes, saying that he hoped that today would give his daughter “some polish. Almost everyone seems embarrassed by her father’s public humiliation, especially when Gargaron learns that Esladas actually has four daughters and no sons. Gargaron remarks that Esladas has gone native and it is no wonder that his rank in the army is no more than captain. Ottonor is finally able to derail Gargaron back to the trials but not before asking that Eladas’ pretty daughter, Amaya, serves him. Kalliarkos offers to get his uncle whatever he needs. Jessamy is dragged away from the scene by her father. He slaps her across the face and informs her that she will not ruin her sister’s chance at a good marriage by trying to become a rich lord’s whore. She will never speak to Lord Kalliarkos again. His grandmother is a princess from the royal line.

Captain Esladas wants to send his daughters home immediately. While the two girls are alone, Lord Gargaron enters and wants to know where their sisters are. Their father soon reenters and finds the lord alone with his daughters. Lord Gargaron tells the three of the that the king has recently named him the lord governor general of the Eastern Reach. Captain Esladas lets his face slip brief as Gargaron hurls yet another insult. Gargaron finally leaves. Esladas secures a chaperone to escort the girls immediately home and goes back to their mother. The girls argue on the way home. When the carriage makes unexpected stop at the Ribbon Market, Amaya states that Jes had her way earlier, now it is her turn.

Jessamy finds Amaya at a vendor's stall. Knowing her sister, she will bargain down the vendor to get what she desires. Trying to get her sister back to their carriage, Jessamy notices that their servant girl had vanished. Jes finds her In an alley talking with a scowling young man. She is very apologetic but the young man says that she shouldn't be to the likes of Jessamy. She scampers away but he and Jes trade barbs. Turns out the young man is the girl's brother and his sister had told him so pretty bad things about Jessamy's family. Amaya tries to get her to leave with them but Jes is itching for a fight. Arguing, a bell rings followed by the sound of slaping sticks. The vendors immediately close their booths. A larger man pulls the younger one back into their stall but stops when he sees her. He pleads with her to leave. Before she can flee, a spider scout grabs the young man. Jessamy tries to catch up with her sister but soldiers flood the market rounding up anyone who looks like a Commoner. She and the young man are captured by the soldiers. The Captain is looking for the young man, a wanted fugitive. Before Jessamy can figure a way out of this mess, someone says her name. Lord Kalliarkos rushes up and is so highborn that everyone knows who he is. The Captain isn't pleased when Kalliarkos drags Jessamy away. Turns out that he was following her to see where she trains. He is desperate to advance in the trails so that he can stay out of the army. It isn't a career that he wants. Kalliarkos tells her that she really doesn't know what the war is about. He feels trapped by his uncle and she tells him that she feels the same way. Her father feels that she and her sisters must act like true Patron women and Kal tells her she is just a mule. Both are embarrassed and he apologizes. She finally tells him that Anise trains her at Scorpion Fountain. He remarks that it is a bad part of town but she tells him that only Commoners live there. He hopes to see her there before she runs off.

The girls beat their father home. They think their father knows what they did when he demands that everyone comes to his study. It turns out that after they left, Lord Ottonor died. Captain Esladas’ standing will now be in question without a sponsorship. Before Ottonor’s funeral, Lord Gargaron shows up to speak with the Captain. Jessamy hides in the shadows to overhear the Lord’s demands. His niece, deemed as tainted goods since her first marriage didn’t work out, needs a new husband. Esladas must leave his concubine and daughters behind in order to become a General and respected man. Jessamy waits for her father to object, but he doesn’t. Gargaron also has one other stipulation. He wants Jessamy. It seems that everyone but her father knows she runs the Fives. She will be running the Fives for him.

What happens to Jessamy’s mother and sisters after their father leaves them behind? What are Gargaron’s plans for Jessamy? How did he discover that she ran the Fives? Does her father begin his new life and never look back? How successful will Jessamy be running the Fives? Will she compete against Kalliarkos? Why is Efea continually at war? What happens when Jes and Kal’s paths continually cross?

Jessamy’s story will continue in book two.

Visit Kate Elliott’s website.

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick (My Life Next Door book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book about the Garrett family, Stop! This book continues the story began in My Life Next Door.

Seventeen year old Tim Mason is the boy most likely to need to turn his life around. He has been suspended from three schools and fired from five of his last seven jobs. His father is kicking him out of the house and giving him four months to straighten out his life. If he hasn’t turned it around by the time he turns eighteen in December, his father has promised to cut off his allowance, quit paying his expenses and transfer his college fund to his twin sister Nan. Since the end of June, he has lived a clean life and diligently attended meetings. He is working at the Garrett’’s hardware store and moved into their garage apartment that eldest child Joel has moved from. The only problem about living at the Garrett's’ is his best friend’s sister, Alice.

It has been nearly a month since Grace Reed ran over her father and left him on the side of the road. In that time, Alice Garrett has been trying to help out her parents and keep the gaggle of Garrett children afloat. Summer is her favorite time of the year and instead of sandy toes, she is struggling to keep it together. The one bright spot she sees in her future is moving out of their crowded house and into the garage apartment that her brother just vacated. When she finds out that Jase has let the self destructive Tim Mason move in, she is furious. When she goes to confront Tim over the apartment, Alice sees the Tim that he has carefully hidden away. Realizing that Tim is truly trying to turn his life around, Alice’s heart softens and her attitude changes.

Not one to cut him any slack, Alice offers Tim the help he doesn’t think he needs or deserves. Seeing his struggles, Alice rethinks her own relationship and breaks up with her boyfriend, Brad. Tim has always had a thing for Alice and being constantly in her orbit means that he is trying hard not to act on his feelings. The night Alice invites Tim to meet her for dinner, both of their worlds come crashing down. Alice’s father has finally been moved to a rehabilitation unit. She is shocked to read her father’s medical records and discover a secret her father is keeping. Tim is getting ready to meet up with Alice when one of his past transgressions shows up on his doorstep. Dinner with Alice is quickly forgotten and the bottom comes out of his world.

Who or what from Tim’s past has come back to haunt him? Will Mr. Garrett ever recover from his accident? Can Alice look beyond Tim’s past to see the new man he is trying to become? Will Tim be able to turn his life around and make amends with his estranged family? What happens when Tim and Alice act on the sparks flying between them? Will the Garret family be able to look beyond Tim’s past?

Visit Huntley Fitzpatrick’s website.

What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi

Ryden Brooks' daughter is six months old. At seventeen, he is struggling with how to be a father when he has never known his own as a possible role model. Hope constantly cries whenever she is in his care but is a good baby for everyone else. Senior year and soccer season are getting ready to start and Ryden hasn't figured out how he is going to make it all work with child care. His single mother helps him with Hope when she isn't working herself. He works a part time job at Whole Foods and is holding out hope that he will be offered a soccer scholarship at UCLA. Hope's mother, Meg Reynolds, stopped her chemotherapy treatments when she discovered that she was pregnant. Ryden and her parents all begged her to have an abortion, but she refused. Meg died shortly after Hope's birth. Meg's parents have nothing to do with Ryden or their granddaughter. Ryden feels like everyone blames him for Meg's death and has pulled away from his friends since his daughter’s birth. He finds a little bit of comfort in reading the one journal of Meg's that he has but his heart is broken when he looks at their daughter who reminds him so much of her mother.

With the start of school, Ryden begins to try and assimilate with his classmates. He finds it hard to juggle all of his responsibilities and make it work. When Meg’s parents refuse to even open their door when he knocks, Ryden is at his lowest. Meg's sister, Mabel, gets word to him and comes out to meet him down the street at the corner. She gets to meet her niece for the first time and immediately falls in love. She also gives Ryden the one journal of Meg's that she had. She warns him that it will not be an easy read. Her parents have placed all of Meg's things into storage. As he begins to read it, Ryden thinks that she left a journal for not only the two of them but for her best friend Alan as well. Ryden begins a ruthless search to find more of her journals and see what other clues she many have left behind for them.

When Ryden meets the quirky Joni at his job, he begins to come out of his self imposed shell. Joni doesn't know the "baggage" that Ryden hides and he wants to keep it that way. But as Joni begins to make strides into Ryden’s life, he finds that his secrets cannot be hidden and may find a way to heal not only his broken heart but relieve his guilt over Meg’s death.

Will Ryden locate the father he has never met? Do Meg's parents ever take an interest in Hope? Did Meg leave a journal behind for each important person in her life? Can Ryden make his dreams of UCLA a reality? Will he find his footing as a father? Does he ever forgive himself for Meg's death and go on with his life? Will Joni stick around after she discovers Ryden’s secrets?

Visit Jessica Verdi’s website.

Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson (The Remnant Chronicles book 2)

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Kiss of Deception, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you. You have been warned!

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

Princess Arabella Celestine Idris Jezelia, aka Lia, the First Daughter of the House of Morrighan, has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Kaden, the assassin sent by Venda, and his men have recaptured her. He will present her as the princess and tell the Komizar about her "gift". Kaden doesn't know that Lia had discovered that she really does possess the gift. She had to watch helplessly as Vendan soldiers slaughtered a small band of Morrigan forces that included her brother, Walther. As their group prepares to enter Venda, Rafe appears. He convinces Kaden to take him to see the Komizar as an emissary of the Prince of Dalbreck. Lia realizes that Rafe is Crown Prince Jaxon Tyrus Rafferty of Dalbreck, the man she was suppose to marry.

The processional heads towards Sanctum Hall, the place where the governors of Vendan meet with the Komizar. Kaden has warned Lia to be quiet; he will talk for her. Wagons full of weapons and other loot accompany them. Lia soon loses sight of Kaden. Inside the hall, several of the governors begin to look through the weapons. It's not long before she sees Walther's sword and baldric. She knows that she needs to keep quiet and bide her time, even though it nearly kills her to see it manhandled.. She notices a pair of eyes against the wall staring at Kaden, but they soon turn towards her. He begins to step towards them and Lia knows the man is the Komizar. He is nothing like Lia would have expected. Unlike his brash and brutal governors, the Komizar is clean, thin and simply dressed. He couldn't be much older than Walther was. The Komizar could pass for Kaden's older brother rather than his ruler. He doesn't look particularly pleased to see that Kaden didn't follow his orders. Kaden states that she has the "gift", but the Komizar seems skeptical. He speaks to Lia but she doesn't respond. Kaden tells her that she can but she knows that she would be better off to bide her time. Unable to get a reaction from her, the Komizar begins looking through the looted weapons. He quickly finds Walther's baldric and begins inspecting it. He states that it is too finely made to belong to anyone other than a crown prince. He looks over and Lia cannot control her reaction. The Komizar has found a way to get to her. He orders her placed in the dungeon. As soon as she is thrown in the dark cell, she realizes that she is not alone.

The Komizar questions Kaden about why he disobeyed his orders to kill Lia. Kaden tries to pay off the gifted angle but the Komizar knows that Kaden has fallen for her. He must leave to  on some business and asks his brother to accompany him. Kaden declines. The Komizar knows that he just got back and could use a couple days of rest. There will be work to be done one he returns. He doesn't mention Lia but Kaden knows that the Komizar demands loyalty to their country above all else.

It turns out that the guards have placed her in the same cell as Rafe. They are glad to see one another and Lia helps bandage some of his wounds. He apologizes for deceiving her but she isn’t ready to forgive him. In fact, she slaps him across the cheek. Lia wants to know if he was just interested in her because she is a princess. At first, he was furious with her but he fell for the spunky, outspoken girl she is. If she was just a barmaid, he would still be kissing her back at the tavern. Instead, he had followed her to keep her safe. Rafe knows that the two of them need to get their stories straight before they are questioned. He tells her that he has help on the way in the form of four men. Lia knows how many Vendean forces there are and asks him if he doesn’t mean four thousand. no and not four hundred either. Rafe has four very capable men coming in the next few days. Lia is skeptical that the two of them will be able to escape. Suddenly, Lia is dragged off.

Lia is taken for a bath before her meeting with the Komizar. She is dressed in a rough spun dress that is too big. She has to belt it with a rope. Upon entering the Komizar’s chamber, she sees that Kaden and Rafe are both there as well. The Komizar questions Rafe about why he went looking for the princess. He brings in one of his trusted men who had been In Dalbreck the year before to verify Rafe's claim or face death. Lia is nervous that his true identity will be discovered. When the man, Griz, comes in, the Komizar asks if he recognizes Rafe. He glances at Lia before claiming that he saw Rafe as the prince's right hand man. Lia wonders who Griz lied for; her or Rafe. The Komizar dismisses Griz and asks Rafe what the message is. The King of Dalbreck is dying and the Prince is looking to make a more advantageous alliance with Venda rather than Morrighan. The Komizar isn't fully trusting but waiting just a few weeks for the prince's messenger won't hurt. He dismisses everyone. Kaden and Lia are left behind. To his dismay, Kaden is told to leave the Komizar and Lia alone. He reluctantly leaves. The Komizar wants to know why Lia didn't react to the news of Dalbreck's betrayal. Her father considers her a traitor and her brother is dead. She had nothing left to lose. That is where she is wrong, says the Komizar.

Are Rafe and Lia rescued? Who is the Komizar to Kaden? Does the Komizar or Kaden discover who Rafe truly is? Will Lia’s father, the King of Morrighan, do anything about her plight or does he still consider her a traitor? What are the Komizar's plans for Lia? Who is Griz? Will Lia's heart remain with Rafe or will Kaden be able to break through? What secrets does Kaden keep? Can Lia survive her latest trial? What else can she lose?

The Remnant Chronicles will be concluded with book three, The Beauty of Darkness, in 2016.

Visit Mary E. Pearson’s website.

Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally (Hundred Oakes book 6)

SERIES ALERT! This is the sixth installment in the Hundred Oaks series. Some characters from previous books do appear but they in no way spoil the story.

Maya Henry needs to complete her job shadowing assignment before she can graduate from Hundred Oaks High School. Her principal, Dr. Salter, has arranged for her to shadow his nephew. A budding musician, her principal’s nephew turns out to be hot country music star, Jesse Scott. When her principal takes Maya backstage at one of Jesse’s concerts, the two don’t initially hit it off. Maya doesn’t fawn all over Jesse because he is a star. In fact, she stands up for herself and leaves. Jesse chases after her and apologizes. She returns with him. The two decide with Dr. Salter to get together the following Friday. Maya and Dr. Slater have front row center seats for the concert. He tells Maya that he thinks the two of them will be good for each other; Jesse doesn’t have many friends his age. As the concert winds down, Jesse makes a startling announcement. At the end of the year, he will be leaving the music industry.

The following week, the bottom drops out of Maya’s world. Maya loves music but feels better performing as a part of a group rather than as a solo act. She dropped out of her school’s show choir to start a band, The Fringe. Wanting to branch out music wise and get away from their heavy metal playlist, Maya finds that her band mates decide to kick her out of the band she started. Even worse, Nate, her sometimes boyfriend on the side, decides he wants to date their synthesizer player. The two of them hooked up in secret so as not to affect the band. Heartbroken, she holds it in even as she wonders how she can make her dreams of a career in music a reality.

The day of her job shadowing experience, Dr. Salter drives Maya over to Jesse’s house. Jesse opens the door wearing only his boxers. Dr. Salter chastises his nephew. The two have a schedule for the day and Jesse’s manager will be their chaperone. He will be at the house in a few minutes so Dr. Salter leaves the two of them alone for the brief time. Jesse sees Maya noticing his guitars on the wall. Their conversation turns towards Maya’s music and if she plays. He hands her a guitar and asks her to sing. Maya doesn’t like to be singled out because her voice cracks when she sings alone. Jesse encourages her and Maya sings, even though her voice does crack. Jesse gives her praise. He offers to cook her breakfast since his manager still isn’t there. As they talk, Jesse decides that they should ditch their planned schedule and see in the real world of music, not take a tour of the Grand Ole Opry. They leave and Jesse takes Maya to his recording studio. She is awed by the facility and is nervous when Jesse has his private voice coach meet with them. Jesse has asked Holly to come and work with Maya. He believes she has talent but just hasn’t had the opportunity to be properly trained. Jesse’s manager finally catches up with them along with a couple of publicists. Jesse wants to blow them off and be left alone. They go off to lunch and the afternoon soon turns into Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Jesse and Maya both learn that the other one isn’t what they seem to be based on first impressions.

What does Maya learn from her job shadowing experience? Why is Jesse Scott leaving the music business? Will Maya’s band take her back or will she find the courage to strike out on her own? What occurs when Dr. Salter discovers that the two of them didn’t follow the schedule he outlined for them? Can Maya find a way to make her dream of a music career come true? Will knowing Jesse open some doors for her? What happens when sparks fly between Maya and Jesse? Will Dr. Salter and the Henry family approve?

Maya is Sam Henry’s little sister. Fans of the Hundred Oaks series will be thrilled to see glimpses into the lives of both Sam Henry and Jordan Woods from the first book in the series, Catching Jordan.

Visit Miranda Kenneally’s website.

The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima

The Warrior Heir - book one

Trinity, Ohio

Jack Swift has taken medication every morning of his life since he was an infant after he had life saving heart surgery. The day of soccer tryouts, he forgets to take it even after his mother, Becka, reminded him when his friend Will Childers picks him up for school. Not able to go home and take it nor does his mother answer her phone to bring it to him, he does without. The new girl at school, Ellen Stephenson, asks him if he wants to study after school but he unfortunately declines because of tryouts. He knows she won't ask again so the next move will have to come from him. At tryouts, his ex-girlfriend, Leesha, drapes herself all over him. Ellen as well as Leesha's new boyfriend, Garrett Lobeck, are watching. Ellen leaves and Lobeck takes out his aggression on Jack on the field. Jack steels himself for another cheap shot when the unexplainable happens. He raises his arms and a strange tingle takes over. Lobeck is thrown back into the goal and is momentarily dazed. He calls foul but Jack swears that he didn't touch him. Will backs him up and Coach Slansky calls it for the day.

On the way home, Jack notices a strange man with a long coat behind him. Jack shows Will the man and Will calls out to Nick Snowboard. When he steps out, Jack recognizes him as Nick but something about him is off. Everyone he sees on his way tells him to hurry home and take his medicine. Jack sometimes hates living in a small town. It seems everyone knows everyone else's business. Once there, he sees his mother crying at the kitchen table. She was worried by his message and had the neighbors out looking for him. Jack mentions Nick but she says that she hadn't talked to him. His mother tells him that his aunt Linda is coming for a visit and hands him his medicine. Jack takes it and has a strange feeling of loss. Back at the school, two strange men dressed in long coats enter Coach Slansky's office. He doesn't know them. They ask about a boy but he tells them he had around thirty boys for tryouts. The coach becomes suspicious but soon fear sets in. The older of the two ask if there was a release of power, maybe a fight. No fights, just some competitive plays and says that if he knew more information, he could help them better. The two take the coach's list of players and ask him to circle his top five. They will start there. The man touches him from his shoulder to his head and whispers something that he might have remembered hearing in Catholic school. The coach wakes up sometime later, not recalling what has happened.

After dinner, Jack crosses the driveway and heads up to the garage apartment where Nick lives. Linda found Nick as Jack’s caretaker for Becka. They share dessert and Nick starts in on Jack about taking his medicine. Nick then asks about tryouts. Jack tells him about Garrett flying through the air and how he never touched him. Nick asks how Garrett is and whether or not he might make a big deal of the situation. Nick hands him a metal charm that he claims to protect against evil. Just something to humor an old man. He also wants to know who saw what happened. Jack then comments on how his medicine makes him feel. He felt great during the day but now he feels a bit suffocated. Nick wants to know if he has discussed how he feels with his mother. She doesn't listen and thinks that Dr. Longbranch "is some kind of wizard." Nick chokes and spits out his tea. Nick suggests that maybe he needs to talk with his Aunt Linda about cutting back on his medicine. Jack tells Nick that she will be arriving tomorrow.

The next morning, Jack finds his mother and aunt in the kitchen talking. They stop when he walks in. His mother lets him know her good news. They will be spending the summer in England and she will be teaching at Oxford. Linda has come to do some genealogical research at a neighboring courthouse. Jack can invite his friends, Will and Harmon Fitch, to go with them. He finally agrees and she is ready leave right then. His mother reminds the two of school and Linda says they will head down afterwards. At school, Garrett and two of his friends confront Jack and Will. Jack cannot help but notice the man standing with Mr. Penworthy, the principal. He keeps looking at Jack. Garrett threatens Jack and somehow Jack stands up to him. The principal sees the exchange and Garrett's action. The two men come over and Garrett is assigned detention. Mr. Penworthy introduces the man as Mr. Hastings, the new assistant principal. He will be in charge of discipline. Mr Hastings states that he will also be developing programs for the "more gifted students." Penworthy is thrown and Jack gets some strong vibes of danger. Hastings asks the boys if any of them are on the soccer team. He plans on helping to coach the team as well. The bell rings and the boys head off to homeroom. Will and Fitch both get permission to go with Jack and Linda.

At home, Linda gives him a package from Mercedes. Inside is a grey vest. Jack doesn't want to wear it but Linda insists. He can wear it under a sweatshirt. He does. Linda drives at a high rate of speed to the courthouse. It's Friday night but Linda insists that the courthouse will be open. Walking down an alleyway, she checks to see if anyone is watching before descending down a staircase. The door at the bottom is open. Linda has the boys look for the death record of Jack's great, great grandmother. They find it and see that Susannah Downey died at a young age of an accident. Linda is disappointed that her grave site isn't mentioned. They start looking to see if she was buried on their farm when Jack hears a noise. Linda turns off the lights and tells them to run. She will meet them at the cafe in thirty minutes. As they attempt to leave, they see a strange man. Something fires and hits Jack in the back, knocking him down. Fitch and Will pick him up and they hide in some shrubs by the building. Fitch wants to know where the guy got his light saber and Jack looks at him questioningly. They tell him a light hit him in the back and that he should be hurt. Fitch sees that there is a hole in his sweatshirt and it falls apart when Jack takes it off. Remarkably, Jack is uninjured and the vest underneath is intact.

The boys go to the Bluebird Cafe to wait and see if Linda will show up. She does but is clearly rattled. She apologizes for bringing Will and Fitch along. Linda is looking for a family "heirloom" and the man will follow her to find it. She wants to take the boys back to the hotel and keep them out of danger. She will need Jack's help to recover the item. They need to lose the guy, it won't be good if he sees them together. Fitch and Will offer to help. If Linda is alone, the man will follow her. Jack doesn't like it. She tells him that he will be in danger too if he is seen with her. Jack wants to know how important it is that she wins. "Winning is everything" Linda says. Jack wonders how much this dangerous quest has to do with him. The group hatches their plan.

Why does Jack have to take his medicine daily? What really happened between he and Garrett during tryouts? Who were the men who visited Coach Slansky and who are they looking for? Why was everyone in town telling Jack to go home and take his medicine? Who is Mr. Hastings and why is he at the high school? Why is Linda looking for Susanah Downey's grave? Who is the man who found them at the courthouse? How did Jack survive the attack? What secrets are being kept from Jack?

The Warrior Heir - book two

Sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley doesn't really know what he is. Orphaned, he doesn't have anyone to help him with his powers. His foster mother knew, but she mostly kept him in the dark. After her death three years ago, he found out he had a sizable trust fund and a legal guardian. Seph's guardian won't tell him anything about his birth family. When he meets Alicia at a club, Seph thinks he has finally found someone who can help him. Unfortunately, she slips him something. Seph is unable to control his powers and tragedy strikes. In order for the charges to be dropped, Seph must leave Toronto. His lawyer has found a boarding school on Maine for him to attend. He just wants to find Alicia and get some answers.

The Havens is located in the middle of nowhere in Maine. When he meets the headmaster, Gregory Leicester, he thinks he has finally found a kindred spirit. As time goes on, Seph realizes that he just might be in over his head when it comes to his lack of knowledge, especially when Dr. Leicester makes demands that Seph won’t meet.

Even though new characters are introduced, the story comes full circle and heads back to some familiar faces back in Trinity.

The Dragon Heir - book three

Without giving too much away, the story comes with a familiar character and the introduction of a new one.

Dead To Me - short story bridging the first three books to the last two in this series. It can be found at http://www.cindachima.com/Enchanter_Heir/Dead%20To%20Me.pdf

The Enchanter Heir - book four

They called it the Thorn Hill Massacre—the brutal attack on a once-thriving Weir community. Though Jonah Kinlock lived through it, he did not emerge unscathed: like the other survivors, Jonah possesses unique magical gifts that set him apart from members of the mainline guilds. At seventeen, Jonah has become the deadliest assassin in Nightshade, a global network that hunts the undead. He is being groomed to succeed Gabriel Mandrake, the sorcerer, philanthropist, and ruthless music promoter who established the Thorn Hill Foundation, the public face of Nightshade. More and more, Jonah’s at odds with Gabriel’s tactics and choice of targets. Desperate to help his dying brother Kenzie, Jonah opens doors that Gabriel prefers to keep closed.

Emma Claire Greenwood grew up worlds away, raised by a grandfather who taught her music rather than magic. An unschooled wild child, she runs the streets until the night she finds her grandfather dying, gripping a note warning Emma that she might be in danger. The clue he leaves behind leads Emma into Jonah’s life—and a shared legacy of secrets and lingering questions.

Was Thorn Hill really a peaceful commune? Or was it, as the Wizard Guild claims, a hotbed of underguild terrorists? The Wizards’ suspicions grow when members of the mainline guilds start turning up dead. They blame Madison Moss and the Interguild Council, threatening the fragile peace brokered at Trinity.

Racing against time, Jonah and Emma work to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, amid growing suspicion that whoever planned the Thorn Hill Massacre might strike again. - taken from Goodreads.com

A couple of years have passed since the events in The Dragon Heir. New characters are introduced but old favorites appear and the story is continued.

The Sorcerer Heir - book five

The delicate peace between Wizards and the underguilds (Warriors, Seers, Enchanters, and Sorcerers) still holds by the thinnest of threads, but powerful forces inside and outside the guilds threaten to sever it completely.

Old friends and foes return as new threats arise in this stunning and revelatory conclusion to the beloved and bestselling Heir Chronicles series. - taken from Goodreads.com

Visit Cinda Williams Chima’s website.

A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes

Modern Day Toronto

The Speckled Muse Bookshop is located in one of the oldest buildings in Toronto. A historical three story building, it was bought by Crystal and Becca Hatcher's great grandfather for his wife. A wealthy man at the time, it allowed his book loving wife to open a bookstore. Having lost his fortune, the bookshop was the only thing left. The first floor housed the bookshop while the top two floors comprised the Hatcher family home. The two girls live there with their mother. Becca is a bookaholic while Crystal cannot wait to graduate from high school and become a photographer. Coming home late from taking pictures while skipping school, Becca is mad at Crys for causing her to miss her book club meeting. The girls argue but decide to finish up in the shop before their mother comes home. Becca goes to shelve some new inventory while Crystal sorts the mail. She sees a parcel addressed to her mother from her aunt Jackie. Crystal rips into the package even though it is for her mother. Inside is a very old and heavy book bound in leather. There is no title on the spine. A piece of paper falls out. It tells Jules that she "finally found it. Grandma would be proud. Keep it safe, and I'll be in touch as soon as I can." Crys opens the book and it looks like one of a kind, like the monks use to work on. She doesn't recognize the language. She walks back to the children's section where Becca is working. Becca wants to know what she has. They look over the book and Crys wonders how much it is worth. Becca is studying the book when Crystal notices a funny look on her face. She asks her what is wrong and Becca comments that the book is doing something. It feels like it is pulling her in. Crystal freaks out and tries to take the book from her hands. Becca cannot let go of it. The pages begin to glow and Crystal grabs the book but is shocked. Becca is terrified and Crystal tries to help her. Becca is engulfed by the bright light. She finally drops the book but Crystal cannot get a response from her sister. She stares, breathes and blinks but her mind and soul are gone. Crystal is left alone with the book responsible.

Crystal calls 911 and leaves a frantic message for her mother. She meets her girls at the hospital. She stopped by the bookshop and chastises Crystal for opening her package. She tells her that everything will be alright and sends her home. Unable to sleep that night, she picks up the phone when it rings. Crystal overhears her mother and her sister Jackie talking. Neither knows what has happened to Becca or how to bring her back. Her mother mentions talking to the girls' father. When he left the family two years earlier, Crystal was crushed. Their mother never told them why he left. Jackie tells her to give up hope. Daniel was drawn in by the secret society and is no longer any use to them. Jackie knows that the book is the key. Markus King, who stolen everything from them, would do anything to get his hands on it. She promises to help Becca without involving Daniel. The call ends and Crystal is left with even more questions than before. Getting up, she scrolls through her cell phone until she finds her father's name. Even though he hasn't called her in two years, she sends a text to him asking if he is still in Toronto and can he meet with her. Crystal is shocked when minutes later he tells her that he is still in town and will meet her.

Northern Mytica - Year 15 of the Goddess Valoria's Reign

Maddox Corso and his guardian Livius have a pretty good racket going on. Maddox has an impeccable reputation as a spirit vanquisher. Livius owes a small fortune to the moneylenders from his days as a gambler with bad luck. While on their latest con, Maddox sees a beautiful girl in strange dress that he thinks is the daughter of their latest con, Lord Gillis. She is wearing blue, tight fitting trousers when only Mytican men wear a baggy style. He tells her that the spirit is gone and she looks at him questionably. Livius wants to know who he is speaking to. Turns out that neither man can see her. Lord Gillis tells them that he doesn't have a daughter, only sons. Maddox notices that the girl looks terribly confused. He is stupefied when Gillis walks right through her. She tells him that he is the only one who can see her. She begs him to help her. Maddox's hand passes through her. He doesn't feel anything, unlike the chill when he encounters a spirit. Unable to escape from her, the girl tells Maddox that her name is Becca Hatcher. She doesn't know what has happened to her or how she got there, but he is going to help her get back home.

Becca follows Maddox around a festival. When a commotion breaks out, Maddox goes to see what is going on. A young girl has been accused as a witch. The Goddess Valoria has outlawed elemental magic out of fear that her own powers would be overthrown. Becca is horrified and tells Maddox that if he doesn't do something to help her, she will haunt him. He has no doubt that she wouldn't do it. Unable to control his magic, Maddox is just as surprised as the crowd when the guard holding the young girl begins choking. The girl is just standing there when Maddox tells her to run. She does and Maddox turns to find a guard behind him. The guard wants to know what has just happened. Maddox attempts to play dumb when he is knocked unconscious. He wakes up looking for Becca but finds himself behind bars. Livius, as well as his moneylender, Cena, are there. Livius is arguing with the guards but Cena is looking for the reward being offered for the boy who can talk with spirits. The guard assures Cena that Maddox won't immediately be executed. The goddess wants to speak to him first.

What is the book that aunt Jackie sent to her sister? Why had they been looking for it? Where is it from? How did Becca's spirit get to ancient Mytica? Can Maddox help her get back? Will she be able to rescue Maddox? What happens when he is brought before the Goddess Valoria? Why did Daniel Hatcher leave his family? What secret society did he join? Why does Markus King want the book?

The story will be continued in 2016 with book two in this companion trilogy to the Fallen Kingdoms series.

Visit Morgan Rhodes’ website.