Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy

"I am Private First Class Daniel Christopher Wright, I am seventeen years old, and I fired the shot that ended the United States of America.

When I enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard, I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the state of Idaho against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I swore that I would obey the orders of the president of the United States and the governor of Idaho, as well as the orders from officers appointed over me, according to the law and regulations.

But what could I do when my president and my governor called each other domestic enemies and both issued me lawful orders to fight against the other? When both claimed to support the Constitution? When the Army was ordered to fight against the Army and no place was safe?

I swore to obey the orders of my president and of my governor. I swore to defend the Constitution. I swore these things before God.

May God forgive me. May God in Heaven forgive us all." - front flap.

Danny Wright never thought he'd be the man to bring down the United States of America. In fact, he enlisted in the National Guard because he wanted to serve his country the way his father did. When the Guard is called up on the Idaho governor's orders to police a protest in Boise, it seems like a routine crowd-control mission ... but then Danny's gun misfires, spooking the other soldiers and the already fractious crowd, and by the time the smoke clears, twelve people are dead.

The president wants the soldiers arrested. The governor swears to protect them. And as tensions build on both sides, the conflict slowly escalates toward the unthinkable: a second American civil war. - taken from Goodreads.com

Danny's story continues with book two in the trilogy, Burning Nation. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

Nicholas Perevil is a wizard and the leader of the Reformists, a group of wizards and non-wizards who support magic. Their aim is to have the Thirteenth Tablet, the one outlining the the laws against magic and the penalties for those caught practicing, abolished, thus ending the witch burnings. Magic was legal until the plague came. Perevil had the ear of the king and was one of his most trusted advisors. He was the most powerful wizard in all of Anglia. He started the plague in an attempt to kill his enemies and place himself on the throne. He didn’t count on the king’s son Malcolm or Blackwell, his Inquisitor, surviving. Now he is in hiding and King Malcolm and Blackwell are burning suspected witches on a weekly basis.

Elizabeth Grey is hiding a secret that no one, including her friend and partner Caleb, know. Both witch hunters, they live at Ravenscourt to blend in with the king’s servants so as not to become Reformist targets. She has made numerous mistakes over the past month, losing focus, because of her return to Ravenscourt. When the two go to arrest five necromancers, Elizabeth loses focus and one necromancer is killed. Caleb covers for her with the guards who haul the prisoners to Fleet, the prison. The guards leave and Elizabeth tries for some levity but Caleb wants to know what happened. She will have to tell anyone who asks the same story Caleb offered to the guards. If it gets back to Blackwell, he warns her that she knows what will happen. If she is questioned by Blackwell, he will wear her down during questioning and she will confess everything. No one, not even Caleb can learn her secrets. The two head towards The World’s End pub to meet some friends but pass by protests over that morning’s witch burnings. In the pub, Elizabeth is disheartened to realize that Caleb pulled out a chair for himself. When the talk turns to Christmas masque, her hopes are further dashed to hear that he has been seen in the company of Katherine Willoughby, one of Queen Margaret’s ladies-in-waiting. When the boys stand to leave, Elizabeth doesn’t initially notice, lost in her thoughts over Caleb. He is worried when she decides to stay behind, drinking the horrible ale, but she needs to be alone.

She orders lunch and moves to sit by the fireplace. Elizabeth is shocked to see when the door opens, that it is dark outside. She has spent the whole day there. Standing to leave, she finds that she is unsteady on her feet. A man catches her before she can fall and eventually introduces himself as Peter. He goes to lead her outside to get some fresh air and the two come across Peter’s friend, George. George tells Peter that she is the one he is looking for. Even though she is drunk, Peter questions whether or not she is able to talk. George thinks that they need to get her some place more private. The two men offer to take her back to the palace. She notices that they take less traveled paths on their way. Peter begins to question her. Even though she is drunk, Elizabeth is able to stick to her cover story about being a scullery maid. The two are disappointed when they realize that she is just “ordinary”. Peter comments that Veda must have wanted them to find someone else. They get to the palace gates and Peter tells Elizabeth  that George will help her get safely inside. The guard unlocks the gate and lets them inside. George announces that they are home. Looking puzzled, he laughs at Elizabeth and finally tells her that he is King Malcolm’s new fool.

Elizabeth takes George through a hidden passageway and tells him how to get back to his room. He keeps talking with her and she just wishes he would leave. She almost blows her cover when she asks him to the masque. Maids aren’t allowed to attend, but he could take her as his guest. She is able to recover and excuses herself to her room. Elizabeth is shocked to find Caleb waiting for her at the end of the hall outside of her room. He has been worried about her and wants to know where she has been. Still hurt over his unknown rejection earlier, she snaps at him. Caleb comments that she hasn’t seemed herself lately. He tells her that she can come to him for anything. Elizabeth allows him to help her to her room. The two are shocked to see Richard, one of King Malcolm's guards, waiting outside the door. Caleb thinks Richard is there for him but he uncomfortably states he is there to... you know. Caleb wheels on Elizabeth to ask what is going on. Elizabeth is too horrified to speak and Caleb gets agitated, demanding to know what is going on. She begs Caleb to stop, dizziness over taking her. Richard states that she needs to come with him but Caleb isn’t about to let that happen. There is a brief scuffle in the hallway. Caleb pulls a handful of herbs from Elizabeth’s pocket. Caleb realizes that they are witches’ herbs to prevent a woman from having a baby and wants to know why she has them. Caleb asks why she is going to see the king at midnight. Caleb tries to buy Richard’s silence but he will have nothing to do with. Caleb proclaims that Elizabeth isn’t a witch but Richard places her in handcuffs and reads her her rights. Instead of taking her to prison, he will take her to Blackwell immediately. Caleb says that he will be awaiting her return. This is all just a misunderstanding.  

Standing before Blackwell, Elizabeth finally tells him of how the king sends a guard to her room so that she can be escorted to his chambers. Elizabeth tried to avoid the king’s written messages as long as she could. She only had the herbs on her because she doesn’t want to become pregnant with the king’s child and sent away. He wants to know how long she has known that she was a witch. She vehemently denies his accusations. Her behavior is unexpected, especially since she surprised him by living past the first week of training at Ravenscourt. Now she is one of his best witch hunters. Blackwell informs her that she broke the law by possessing the herbs and another by killing the necromancer. He sees her as a liability and she needs to be punished. He hands her a sheet of parchment and asks if she knows what a Bill of Attainder is. Knowing that it isn’t a pardon, Elizabeth is shocked to learn that she is being accused of witchcraft and her punishment is death. She denies his claim and begs. Blackwell doesn’t hear her and has his guards escort her to Fleet to await the pyre.

Caleb finds Elizabeth at the Fleet. He promises to get her out and wishes he had known about the king. He confesses that he hadn’t noticed that she was no longer a scrawny little girl and believes that Blackwell hasn’t seen her for the woman she has become either. Caleb reluctantly leaves her behind to go plead her case to Blackwell. As the days pass and there is no word from Caleb, Elizabeth knows that time is running out. She realizes that she is ill and may actually die from sickness before she is burned. Exhausted, she falls asleep only to be awoken by footsteps. Thinking it is Caleb, she calls out but a man dressed in a robe stands at her cell door. She knows that he is not a guard but she doesn’t know who he is either. Elizabeth realizes that he is a wizard and she pleads for him to leave before Caleb arrives. He disintegrates the door and comes into her cell. He realizes that she is sick and tells Elizabeth that they must hurry. It is Saturday and the guards will be coming soon to take her to the pyre. He was told to find her.  They first thought it was a mistake but now knows that it’s not. He begs her to leave with him. She will be helping him as much as he will be helping her. Elizabeth tries to escape but he thwarts her efforts. She swings a punch but her fist passes through him and then one wizard becomes two. Another swing and two are now four. He begs her to stop and come with him. He can help her, keep her safe. Elizabeth makes another run for it but a coughing fit stops her. The wizard comes to her and pleads again. She sees him as a way to prove her innocence to Blackwell and agrees. Elizabeth ends up collapsing and the wizard picks her up. Walking by the other cells, she is mystified when the prisoners don’t shout for the guards but instead act reverent toward the wizard. She asks who he is. He apologizes for not telling her sooner and introduces himself as Nicholas Perevil. They reach an opening to the sewer and Elizabeth plots her attack to take him down. They hear the guards coming and Nicholas urges her on. She is barely able to follow him through. He carries her through the sewer tunnels until they come to an opening where a horse waits for them. Nicholas helps her on and sits behind her. He promises to take care of her. Elizabeth wonders if Caleb will miss her when she dies.

Is Elizabeth really a witch? What was Blackwell’s reasons for proclaiming Elizabeth a witch? Why did Nicholas Perevil rescue her from the Fleet? Who asked him to and why? Where is he taking her? Why was Blackwell so quick to find her guilty? Who are Peter and George? Who did they think Elizabeth is? Will Caleb come looking for her? What happens when Nicholas discovers that Elizabeth Grey is a witch hunter?

Elizabeth Grey’s story will be continue with book two in the series expected out in 2016.

Visit Virginia Boecker’s website.

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (Thunder Road book 1)

Emily’s biological father, Eli, left her mother behind when she found out she was pregnant. They rarely see one another, once a year in fact. Her mother doesn’t want to talk about her time in Kentucky. Their life has been complete since her mother married her father, who adopted her at the age of five. Emily comes home one day to find her mother in tears and in her bedroom. She is thrown for a loop when her father hands her an email Eli sent. It asks that they tell Emily the news and his mother’s obituary is attached. Emily had never met her grandmother. Not one to try new things, she is shocked when her father informs her that her mother has already purchased plane tickets to attend the funeral. Emily hates funerals. Once in Snowflake, Kentucky, Emily's mother is stricken by a panic attack and she and her dad go to the funeral home alone. The cab driver is reluctant to leave them because of the biker gang hanging out on the parking lot. Emily cringes when he tells the driver that she is family. Walking towards the door, a woman and toddler come out and her dad, a pediatrician, goes over to help. The child is having an asthma attack and the mother cannot get her to use the inhaler. With a soothing voice, her dad has no problem helping the child. He wants to stay with the two and sends Emily in to find Eli on her own. Not wanting to stay too long, she is horrified when a drop dead gorgeous guy near her age asks if she is lost. Everyone stops to look at her. She states that she is looking for Eli McKinley. The boy checks her out and an older guy that absolutely scares her states that he is inside. She goes in and finds a large crowd. The young guy from outside is following her and Emily looks for Eli. She finds him in the viewing room next to the open casket. She cannot help but notice how young her grandmother looks. Eli is thrilled to see her, it means a lot to him, but wants to know how she knew. He sent her dad the obituary and Eli is puzzled. A woman says that it means a lot to her as well and Emily freaks out. Her dead grandmother is out of her casket, talking to her. Eli tells his mother to stand back. She apologizes, saying that she thought Emily knew. Eli introduces her to Olivia, her grandmother. Emily loses her breakfast all over Olivia's shoes.

Oz cannot wait to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Reign of Terror, a motorcycle club. The club runs a security business that escorts tractor trailers loaded with high priced goods through highly pirated areas. He is skipping going to his graduation ceremony for Olivia's wake. She and Cyrus are the closest people he has to grandparents. Her illness has caused hard financial times for the members of the club. He follows Eli's long lost daughter, Emily, through the funeral home and witnesses her freak out. Only the McKinley inner circle knows about Emily. Oz is glad that he isn't blood related to Eli because Emily's mother is considered a traitor and Oz feels that Emily is a traitor as well for how she pushes Eli away. When Eli offers Oz a chance to prove himself for joining the Reign of Terror, he jumps at the chance, even if it involves Emily. The club is having problems with The Riot, an illegal motorcycle club based in Louisville. The Reign is doing some business in what the Riot considers their territory and they are demanding payment. They are beginning to go after members of the Reign of Terror. Oz’s father was attacked the night before. With Emily showing up unexpectedly, Eli wants to keep his only child safe and away from the Riot. Oz is to watch her until she is on the plane back to Florida.

Exhausted from a late night and everything else that is going on, Oz falls asleep on his watch. He wakes up just in time to see Emily leave the hotel room at 3am with members of the Riot waiting nearby. She heads towards a drink machine. He is able to get to Emily and keeps the two of them hidden. When the coast is clear, Oz gets Emily to his truck. Not wanting to leave her parents behind, Oz tells her Eli is on his way and his priority is to keep her safe. They leave and Oz drives for around 40 minutes before taking her to an exquisite log cabin secluded deep in the woods. Emily is shocked to learn that the cabin belongs to Eli’s parents. Her perspective on a motorcycle gang is about to change. All Emily wants to know is if her parents are safe. Oz tells her the last he checked they were but he isn’t one to offer false hope. On the porch, she sees Cyrus, the grandfather she never knew that she had. Inside, Olivia tries to fuss over her. Emily is uncomfortable when Cyrus and Oz go back outside to talk. Cyrus informs Oz that it is obvious Emily trusts him. Inside, Emily just wants to go to the bathroom. Exhausted, she will sleep when she is back with her parents. Olivia offers to show her the way. I her bedroom, Olivia shows Emily a photo from her jewelry box. It is of Emily’s second birthday. Olivia isn’t suppose to tell Emily about the past but with one foot essential in the grave, she no longer cares what Eli wants. Emily doesn’t believe that she and her mother lived with Eli’s parents until she turned two. She doesn’t want to believe anything Olivia tells her and asks to go to the bathroom. Olivia takes her to by her former bedroom before showing her the bathroom. Emily is rattled

Emily doesn’t come back. Since everyone knows that she trusts Oz, he is sent to check on her. She doesn’t answer when he knocks on the door. He unlocks it and lets himself in. He finds the window open. Going through a window, he finds Emily outside watching the sunrise. Neither one has ever stopped just to watch before. The mutual attraction between the two of them is hard to ignore but they do their best. Emily doesn’t want anything to do with the motorcycle club and Oz considers her a traitor. He is determined to do whatever it takes for Eli let him join the club and Emily cannot wait to be reunited with her parents. They hear the rumble of some motorcycles and walk around to the front of the porch. Eli comes towards them and Emily asks if her parents are coming. Eli tells her no. Oz catches her before she hits the porch floor. Emily had fainted.

Tensions between Emily and Oz increase when her parents and Eli agree that until the Riot is subdued, it is best for her to stay with Eli. All of her summer plans have just been disrupted. And a life she never wanted is now her reality.

Did Emily and her mother live with the McKinley’s until she was two? Why did her mother take her and leave? Are her parents alright? Can she and Eli ever have a relationship? Why did Olivia fake her own death? What happens when Oz confesses to Eli that he fell asleep while watching Emily? Will he still be allowed to join the club? Can the Reign of Terror stop the Riot from striking out at them? Does the Riot come after Emily? Will Emily accept her past and make amends with Olivia before she dies? What happens when the spark between Emily and Oz ignites? What fallout occurs?

Book two in the series, Walk the Edge, will be Razor's story.

Visit Katie McGarry’s website.

Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen (Scarlet book 3)

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

“We all need something - someone - to fight for …”

Prince John has hidden Scarlet from his mother and her grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her hopes of escape or rescue are dashed when he takes the necklace Eleanor gave her and informs her that King Richard, her father, is being held for ransom by the Holy Roman Emperor. If John has her necklace, Eleanor would know that she is dead. When two guards come to her cell, David says that they are just moving her. The other guard, Thomas, informs them both that there has been a change of plans. They are to kill her per John’s orders. When David refuses, a scuffle breaks out and David, who is loyal to Eleanor, overpowers Thomas with Scarlet’s help. The two are able to leave when Scarlet poses as dead.

On their way to London, they run into Allan who has been looking for Scarlet. Prince John had a letter sent to Robin informing him of Scarlet’s execution. Robin never believed it and had sent Allan to look for her. Scarlet is hopeful but Allan tells her that  he hasn’t had time yet to send Robin a letter. Feeling downtrodden, her spirits soar when Allan hands her a bundle of letters that Robin has written to her. Dirty, she doesn’t want to touch them. The innkeeper’s daughter, Kate, takes her to get cleaned up. Afterwards, Kate tells her that everywhere, not just Nottingham, is bad under John’s rule.

Scarlet knows that she needs to get to Eleanor if she has any hope of stopping Prince John. To make matters worse, the Holy Roman Emperor is demanding an exorbitant amount of silver for King Richard’s return. In order to raise the money, Eleanor has levied a stiff tax that the downtrodden people of England cannot afford. Going to Robin’s friend, Lord Winchester, he provides Scarlet with a safe haven.He offers to get word of her safety to Robin, but she must think about it. Scarlet tells him of her thoughts that Prince John plans to kill Richard to claim the throne. Scarlet knows that in order to keep everyone safe, she must remain hidden and await word from Eleanor.

Can Scarlet stopp Prince John? Will King Richard return to England and reclaim his throne and his daughter? Does Scarlet join forces with Eleanor or can she trust her? What did Robin write in his letters to Scarlet? Will Scarlet and Robin be able to live happily ever after?

Visit A.C. Gaughen’s website.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

“One life to one dawn.”

Shahrzad al-Khayzuran volunteered to become the latest bride of Khalid Ibn al-Rashid, the caliph of Khorasan. Only eighteen-years-old, the boy king is known as a monster throughout the land. At sixteen, Shahrzad’s life is now forfeit. By sunrise, she is expected  to suffer the same fate as all of the caliph’s previous wives, death by a silken cord. Shahrzad has other plans. She hopes to murder the caliph out of revenge not only for the death of her best friend, Shiva, but for every girl and her family that has suffered at his hands. Khalid wants to know why she chose to volunteer.

Irsa, Shahrzab’s younger sister and their father pack up in the dead of night to begin three days of hard travel to Taleqan. Taleqan is the stronghold of Nasir al-Zizad, emir of the fourth-richest stronghold of Khorasan. Nasir’s son, Tariq, is Shahrzad’s childhood sweetheart as well as Shiva’s brother. Tariq is determined to rescue Shahrzad from the caliph. Before they depart, her father grabs one book before he locks the door. Formerly a vizar to Khalid’s father, he is now a custodian of ancient texts. He refuses to answer Irsa when she asks what book he took.

Shahrzad will answer the caliph’s question after she tells him a story. He agrees, but becomes difficult as she begins her tale. As Shahrzad tells the story, she notices the first light of dawn behind the caliph. Continuing on, she finally stops as she gazes across the terrace to see that the new day has arrived. The caliph follows her gaze and then asks her to finish the story. She refuses, saying that she has only just begun. The caliph guesses correctly that her storytelling is a tactic she has employed to stay her execution. Shahrzad fully plans to finish the tale tomorrow night, but only if he wishes her to. Even though she knows her life is forfeit, Shahrzad would like just one more day. He agrees to one more day and leaves.

Awoken at noon that first day, Shahrzad’s handmaiden, Despina introduces herself. She lets her know that she is the caliph’s spy but that she hopes that Shahrzad is able to survive. After helping her dress for the day, Shahrzad asks Despina if she is allowed to leave her room. As long as she is with the Rajput, she may. Despina informs her that the caliph has given her a gift of one of his personal bodyguards. Shahrzad is angry that she necessitates a spy and a ready executioner. Rajput is the best swordsman in Rey, perhaps all of Khorasan, with Khalid al-Rashid, the King of Kings a close second. Despina thought she should know that. Shahrzad realizes that there is one more obstacle to her plan to kill Khalid.

Walking through the palace with Despina and Rajput, Shahrzad asks to go outside. Searching the grounds, Despina asks Shahrzad what she is trying to do. She replies that she is looking for someone and makes her way to the training grounds. Rajput grunts his disapproval. Despins asks if she is looking for the caliph. Surprised to find that he isn’t there, Shahrzad feigns ignorance and asks Rajput to teach her how to shoot. He refuses and she asks if he must always be so difficult. Rajput stiffens when a voice says that he always is but could he offer his assistance. Shahrzad accepts and goes to introduce herself but is stopped. He already knows who she is. He says that his name is Jalal but Despina finishes by letting Shahrzad know that he is the captain of the guard and son of General Aref al-Khoury, the Shahrban of Rey. Jalal says that he is nobody of consequence, even if he is the son of the highest-ranking general. Shahrzad says that she is no one as well but Jalal disagrees. She asks him to teach her how to shoot and he agrees, but on two conditions. One is to call him Jalal and to never tell Khalid that he taught her how to shoot. Shahrzad is taken back that he referred to the caliph by his given name. Despina and Rajput are unhappy, but Jalal takes Shahrzad to a rack of bows. She begins to inspect the arrows and Jalal surmises that he has been duped. They look at bows but he is unconvinced of her ignorance. She knows that she will have to do better in the future. Shahrzad asks if he knows the caliph well and Jalal tells her that he has known Khalid since he was a little boy, but they aren’t good friends. He and Khalid’s older brother Hassam were the best of friends before his death. Khalid’s father died the following year and he took the throne at the age of fourteen. He was traumatized by an incident involving his mother years earlier. She isn’t thrilled by Jalal’s sympathy toward the caliph. She turns away and shoots another arrow. Jalal laughs at her when he realizes she has played him. His silence has a price he tells her. Jalal isn’t sure what she is up to but Shahrzad is “the first person to rattle (the caliph) in years. And he needs to be rattled.” Shahrzad wants to know what the favor is. Jalal says that Khalid is his king, not his friend nor enemy. He remembers the boy he use to be and just wants to fix the broken creature that Khalid has become. Jalal hopes that Shahrzad can help him in this endeavour. Despina races forward, horror stricken. Shahrzad notices that the caliph has arrived. He states that Jalal can continue to teach her since he is the better marksman but he will see her that night.

That evening, the caliph remarks that Shahrzad seems to have developed a lack of decorum around him. She quips that someone needs to and the more she is at the palace, she finds that her fear is waning. He seems surprised but remarks that she knows nothing. The moment passes before she can gain any new insights from him. The caliph asks her to continue the story. The power of love comes up in the story and the caliph makes a snide remark. Shahrzad comments about the importance of love and how his opinion about it is predictable. He says that she seems to know a lot for only being his queen for two nights. Dawn breaks once again as Shahrzad attempts to start a new story while finishing another. The caliph isn’t pleased by her antics as a persistent knock is heard at the door. The caliph instructs the person to enter and it is General al-Khoury. He says that it is morning as his soldiers go to Shahrzad’s side. One goes to grab her arm and she yells for him not to touch her. Panicking, she looks at the caliph. He introduces Shahrzad to the General as his queen. al-Khoury doesn’t understand and the caliph remarks that he may never.

Why has Shahrzad survived the first two nights? What are the caliph’s intentions towards Shahrzad when he refers to her as his queen? Why did her father and sister flee and what is so important about the book he took? Will Tariq be able to get Shahrzad out of the palace? What tragedy happened concerning the caliph’s mother? Why has Khalid killed every wife after one night? How is Shahrzad different from Khalid’s previous wives? Will she work with Jalal? Will she be able to see the caliph as Khalid and no longer hate him? What happens when hate turns to love?

The Wrath and the Dawn was inspired by One Thousand and One NIghts. The story will conclude with The Rose and The Dagger.

Visit Renee Ahdieh’s website.

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Bradley, Gia Montgomery’s boyfriend of the past two months, breaks up with her in the parking lot just before her senior prom. She was desperate to show up with him on her arm to prove to her friends, including a vengeful Jules, that she hadn’t been lying. Bradley knows that Gia is probably just using him. He drives off, leaving Gia behind. Leaning against the tailgate of a truck, Gia catches the eye of a boy sitting in a car across from her. He quickly looks down and begins reading a book. She realizes that he was dropping off the couple who saw her attempts to keep Bradley from leaving. Gia assesses the guy as she walks over to the car door and decides that he will have to do, even though he doesn’t seem her type. He tells her that his family just moved to the area. He dropped off his sister but he is finishing out the school year at his old school. Gia announces that he will be her date but he wil need to go home first to make himself presentable. He tries to decline but Gia tells him her sob story and begs. He agrees and drives off, leaving Gia once again standing in the parking lot. Initially, she wonders if he promised to be back as a way to get away from her. After about fifteen minutes, Gia realizes that she may have to confess the truth to her friends, fearing that they won’t believe her. As she gets ready to walk in by herself, Gia’s fill-in boyfriend comes back and she is pleasantly surprised by how well he has cleaned up.

Gia fills him in on her and Bradley’s back story so as to convince her friends that he is the real deal. Once inside, the two head towards Gia’s circle of friends and Jules drops her jaw. She introduces him as Bradley. As they head towards the dance floor, Gia feels a bit guilty. Placing her head against his chest, she apologizes for not knowing his real name. While dancing, he asks Gia about her friends. She tells him about how Jules wants to turn their friends against her but she isn’t evil enough to treat Jules as badly as she does Gia. The slow song ends without Gia discovering his name. The reason he gives is so that she doesn’t accidentally slip and call him by the wrong name. She compliments him on his acting and dancing skills but they are interrupting before he can tell Gia why he agreed to be her date for the evening.

Sitting at a table with her friends, Gia notices the fake Bradley’s sister coming towards them. He goes to smooth things over with her while Jules asks Gia what is going on. Walking off, Gia heads towards the quickly escalating situation. His sister Bec is furious over a self-serving Gia using him. Gia tries to explain but Bec isn’t having it. Even though she is new to the school, Bec knows Gia but Gia doesn’t recognize her. Gia turns to go tell her friends the truth. Before she can get the words out, fill-in Bradley turns the conversation into an apology for the way his ex-girlfriend was acting. Soon, his voice is rising as he pleads with Gia. Trying to keep a straight face, Gia quietly asks him to stop but he launches into breaking up with her. Fill-in Bradley leaves with his sister scurrying behind him. Gia’s friends comfort her but she doesn’t bad mouth the fake Bradley. Gia cannot help but notice Jules watching Bradley leave. She knows that her frenemy is up to no good.

Once Gia goes home, she finds herself thinking of the boy who just spent his evening with her. She doesn’t know his name and the only way she can get in touch with him is through a girl who hates her guts. After thinking about him all weekend, Monday morning and school rolls around. Jules wants to send Bradley a few messages on some social networks but she cannot remember his name. She won’t let up and Gia snaps. She threatens to take all of their mutual friends away from her. Jules tells her “game on.” Sitting down in government class, the teacher announces a pop quiz. Groaning, Gia’s day goes from bad to worse when Bec turns around from the seat directly in front of her, looking nothing like she did at prom.

Who is fill-in Bradley? Why did he decide to pose as Gia’s boyfriend? What has Gia done to Bec to make her hate her? What happens when Gia’s deceit is discovered? Why does Jules act the way she does towards Gia? Can Gia find fill-in Bradley and admit her feeling for him? Will Bec help Gia where her brother is concerned?

Visit Kasie West’s website.

The Eternity Key by Bree Despain (Into the Dark book 2)

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

Haden Lord, Prince of the Underrealm, is a Prince no more. Since he was chosen by the Oracle of Elysium to become a Champion, he obliterated any chance he might have had to become his father's heir. He chose Daphne Raines and love instead. It turns out that she was the Cypher, the only one who can find and retrieve the Key of Hades. It is Haden's responsibility to use the Key to keep the Court of the Underrealm from getting the Keres. Literally, all hell would break loose on Earth if the Keres were set free. Haden, Daphne and their friends have left the safe haven of Ellis Fields to return to Olympus Hills to search for the Key. Two weeks have passed and they haven't found the Key yet nor have the Skylords come after them. Haden will do whatever is necessary to keep Daphne safe because he has realized that he loves her.

Daphne still isn't willing to forgive her father Joe for seeking her soul to the Underrealm in order to become a rock star. Sarah, the Oracle, told Haden and Daphne that their destinies were irrevocably intertwined. She had kept the Compass meant for Daphne for centuries. It was stolen from her only minutes later and now she feels that without it, they will never find the Key. She is still willing to bet that the Key is hidden in the grove. Tobin agrees with her. Haden relents and goes along but Daphne wants to just find the key so that her life can go back to normal. But Haden wonders if her life will ever be normal again.

Tobin's mother is the mayor of Olympus Hills. His sister Abbie went into hiding in Ellis Fields as CeCe Caelum and was Daphne best friend before Joe came into Daphne's life. The mayor has been aiding in the kidnapping of Olympus Hills daughters and Abbie disappeared a second time after Joe's assistant Marta came to help Daphne move. The mayor traded her daughter so that she could start her wind energy company. He is helping Haden and Daphne uncover the secrets of Olympus Hills. Grounded by his mother for two weeks when they went to Ellis Fields, he had been secretly searching his mother's rules for any clues. Tobin finds an early map of the area that he thinks might provide some answers. Daphne ends up giving Tobin Abbie’s dairy that was sent to her with some of CeCe’s things from Ellis Fields. They hope that it will provided them with some clues.

Haden spends every night outside of Daphne's house in an attempt to protect her from anything that may harm her. One night, Dax finds him and tried to persuade him to get some rest. He isn't going to be able to help anyone if he is sleep deprived. A flash of lightning streaks the sky and Haden thinks he sees a person standing on the shore of the lake. Dax doesn't see anyone. Haden runs through the rain to look. He sees footprints in the sand but the waves wash them away before Dax can see them. Haden is determined to keep Daphne safe at all costs.

On the first day back to class after break, Haden and Daphne are to see that their regular Humanities teacher has been replaced. Haden immediately knows that Ethan Bowman and his “niece” Terresa and “nephew” Calix are Skylords. Daphne is warned of the danger by a text message from Dax immediately followed by several from Haden telling her to act as if she doesn’t know him. After class, Daphne leaves the room with Lexie and heads towards Dax’s office. Calix follows the girls. Haden is asked by Ethan to stay after class and he dismisses Terresa, who clearly isn’t happy to be included. Alone with Ethan, Haden tells him that he knows who he is and that he no longer has an allegiance to the Underrealm. Haden refuses to give up the Cypher but Ethan tells him that he already knows who she is. Ethan wants to make a deal, a favor for the future. Haden says that he didn’t give the Cypher or the Key to his father, so don’t expect that. Ethan sounds imposed upon but wants Haden to agree to a favor later on or he can die now and lose the Cypher. Haden reluctantly agrees to Ethan’s request. The right time will depend on Haden and his friends. Until then, Haden is to tell no one of their dea; and to stay as far away as possible from Calix and Terresa. Terresa can be quite ambitious.

Will Daphne realize her true feelings for Haden before it is too late? What secrets is Tobin’s mother keeping about Olympus Hills? How will Daphne get the Compass back? Where will the Key be found? Who did Haden see on the shores of the lake that night? Why have they come to Olympus Hills? Can anything important be found in Abbie’s dairy? Why did she disappear? Will Haden and Daphne to able to keep an all out war from breaking out?

Book three will be published in the fall of 2016.

Visit Bree Despain’s website.