Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

“Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to read/listen to a Morgan Matson book. I had heard great things about Amy & Roger's Epic Detour but they didn’t do the book justice. Amy Currie is still reeling from her father’s death a few short months earlier. Her twin brother Charlie is in North Carolina at a drug rehab and her mother has taken a job in Connecticut. Amy was left behind in California to finish out her school year. With money tight, her mother decides that a family friend’s son can drive their car and Amy across the country. Amy is not too thrilled with the prospect of four days with a total stranger but she has no choice. When Roger Sullivan comes to her house to start their trip, it isn’t too long before the two decide to deviate from Mrs. Currie’s plans and head off on their own.

As they travel across the country, Amy and Roger begin to fight and heal from their own inner demons. An epic road trip ensues as readers discover what exactly happened when Amy’s father died.

Visit Morgan Matson’s website.

Buried Heart by Kate Elliott (Court of Fives book 3)

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

“Choose between your parents.

Choose between your friends.

Choose between your lovers.

Choose who you are.

On the run from the murderous King Nikonos, Jessamy must find a way for her beloved Kalliarkos to take his rightful place on the throne. Only then can he end the oppression of the Commoners by their long time Patron overlords. But Kal's rise to power is fraught with manipulation and shocking decisions that make Jes question everything they promised each other. As their relationship frays and Jes's family and friends beg her for help, will she cast Kal and her Patron heritage aside? Will she finally join—even lead—the rebellion that had been burning among the Commoners for years? - taken from B&N.com

This book was a fantastic ending to the trilogy. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, Jes realizes what role she must play, even if it means betraying Kal. Kal must also decide what path his future will follow. Fans of the Court of Fives trilogy will not be disappointed by this final installment.

Bright Thrones - companion novella

“Bettany has always been an outsider in her family: the angry one, the wild one, the daughter who refused to accept the dominance of her Patron father’s people over her Commoner mother’s. When her family is torn apart by a vengeful lord, Bettany makes a dangerous choice to accompany their household servants being transported to the mines, hoping she can keep them from suffering a fate worse than death. Their only chance lies with a stuffy foreign doctor who may be able to help them escape, but can Bettany trust him? Her instincts tell her there is much more to this man than meets the eye.

Find out what happened to Jessamy’s missing twin sister in this beautifully written Court of Fives companion novella!” - taken from Goodreads.com

I wish that Buried Heart had addressed Bettany more, but this short story does give her version of the events that transpired in Poisoned Blade.

Visit Kate Elliott’s website.

Lucky In Love by Kasie West

“Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment --

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?” - taken from Goodreads.com

I LOVE Kasie West’s book. The romance is always so sweet between the main characters. I don’t know if my problem was that I read a similar book about a female lottery winner from another one of my favorite romance writers, Jennifer E. Smith’s Windfall, just six weeks earlier but it did take me awhile to get into the groove of this book. Although both books are about how life changes after a major lottery win, Lucky In Love, is told from winner’s point of view as she deals with her sudden influx of money. Once I really got into the story, I just couldn’t put it down.

Visit Kasie West’s website.

The Savage Dawn by Melissa Grey (The Girl at Midnight book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, The Girl at Midnight and The Shadow Hour, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories for you.

“The sides have been chosen and the battle lines drawn.”

Echo awakened the Firebird. Now she is the only one with the power to face the darkness she unwittingly unleashed . . . right into the waiting hands of Tanith, the new Dragon Prince. Tanith has one goal in mind: destroy her enemies, raze their lands, and reign supreme in a new era where the Drakharin are almighty and the Avicen are nothing but a memory.

The war that has been brewing for centuries is finally imminent. But the scales are tipped. Echo might hold the power to face the darkness within the Dragon Prince, but she has far to go to master its overwhelming force. And now she’s plagued by uncertainty. With Caius no longer by her side, she doesn’t know if she can do it alone. Is she strong enough to save her home and the people she loves?

Whether Echo is ready to face this evil is not the question. The war has begun, and there is no looking back. There are only two outcomes possible: triumph or death.“ - taken from Goodreads.com

Readers will be unable to put down this epic conclusion to what I see as an underrated series. The ultimate battle has begun between, good and evil, dark and light, Avicen and Drakharin. Echo is determined to stop Tanith’s power play once and for all. Guided by her love for her friends, the final showdown between the two is not only satisfying but heart-breaking as well  A definite recommendation for fantasy lovers everywhere.

Visit Melissa Grey’s website.

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab (Monsters of Verity book 2)

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

Check out Book Series Recaps for refresher on the first book.

“THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.

KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.

AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

THE WAR HAS BEGUN.

THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.

Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.

Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?” - taken from Goodreads.com

Things get darker for August and Kate as they attempt to take back Verity from Sloan and his monsters. But when a new monster comes upon the scene that is unlike anything anyone has ever seen, Kate and August, as well as his family, will have to learn to work together to stop it in its path. Readers will be turning the pages to see how this story ends.

Visit Victoria Schwab’s website.

The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye (The Crown's Game book 2)

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

Check out Book Series Recaps for refresher on the first book.

“Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Approximately two weeks have passed since Pasha forced the end of the Game between Vika and Nikolai. The stakes are high with Vika now the Imperial Enchanter and Pasha awaiting his coronation. With the real threat of revolution and a claim for the throne, Vika, Pasha, and Nicolai are once again pitted against one another in the fight to rule Russia. The author notes at the end that the story is loosely based on the aftermath of Tsar Alexander ‘s death and the Decembrist revolution. I wasn’t expecting the ending but it did tie up this duology nicely.

Visit Evelyn Skye’s website.

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (Flame in the Mist book 1)

“The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.“ - taken from Goodreads.com

Wow! I cannot believe that I didn't read this when it first came out. I loved everything about the story. Mariko wants to be seen as more than just a female in the male dominated society of feudal Japan. When her convoy to meet her betrothed is ambushed and she is the only survivor, Mariko sees her chance to break free from her family and find out for herself who wanted her dead. Meeting the Black Clan disguised as a boy, she is taken in as a possible recruit. As Mariko learns more about her family and society, she not only sees the truth about her family but finds that her heart has been taken. I cannot wait to see how it ends after that conclusion.

Visit Renee Adhieh’s website.