The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

“Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.

The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing… but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book is set in the same world as the author’s The Bone Houses but comes with a completely new set of characters. Mer is a water diviner who is trying to stay out of reach of a ruthless prince who has used her in the past. She unknowingly identifies the water sources of his enemies so that he could have the wells poisoned.. When the prince’s former spymaster and Mer’s “keeper” comes to her with a proposition to unseat the prince, she joins in.

 Part fantastical fairy tale, part heist, my favorite character in this story was the Corgi. This story is based on the Welsh myth of cantre’r gwaelod. Fans of The Bone Houses will enjoy the epilogue.

Visit Emily Lloyd-Jones’s website.

Ashes of Gold by J. Elle (Wings of Ebony book 2)

 

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

“Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she’s a girl from the East Row. And girls from the East Row don’t give up. Girls from the East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from the East Row break themselves out.

But reuniting with her friends is only half the battle. When she finds them again, Rue makes a vow: she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father’s people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit—with half a foot back in Houston and half a heart that is human as well as god, she’s not sure she’s the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past.

When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve…because if she doesn’t, it isn’t just Yiyo that will be destroyed—it will be Rue herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

I loved Rue’s unbending desire to restore her people’s magic and end the lies of the Chancellor. Unfortunately, the story drug on to the point that I was losing interest. Finding out the backstory of the Chancellor was great and trying to figure out who betrayed Rue was maddening. I am glad that I did finish the book.

Visit J. Elle’s website.

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lim (Book of Tea Book 2)

 

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

“A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust.

Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.

But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world…” taken from Goodreads.

The conclusion of this story finds Ning and k on separate journeys after Ning discovered k's true identity. Trying to uncover who's behind the poisoned tea and the rise in power of Kang's father, our two heroes join forces half way through to formulate a plan to restore Zhen to the throne. The story does drag in parts but the ending doesn't tie up everything in a neat bow. 

One True Loves by Elise Bryant

 

“Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.

She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.

Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.

But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.” - taken from Goodreads.

Even though this is a companion novel, there is no need to have read the first book to enjoy the Lenore’s story. Heart broken and not thrilled about her college plans, Lenore is adrift. While on the family's Mediterranean cruise, her parents have given her a deadline, decide her future by the end of the trip. After a different disastrous encounter with the handsome Alex Lee, can Lenore find her one true love and satisfy her parents demands? 

Visit Elise Bryant’s website.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

 

“Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.” - taken from Goodreads.

Aderyn is a gravedigger. When the bone houses (the risen dead) begin to leave the supposedly cursed forest and terrorize her small community, she knows that she must do something. When the mysterious Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker, arrived and wishes for Ryn to guide him through the forest oh, she jumps at the chance to save our family home. A spellbinding tale, Ren and Ellis attempt to break the curse of the bone houses and solve the Mysteries that haunt their lives 

Visit Emily Lloyd-Jones’s website.

Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean

 

“Britt Hanson has always preferred scoring goals on the soccer field to analyzing dusty old books. But when an injury ends her dream to play in college, she jumps at the chance to compete in a scavenger hunt in England that takes her to the locations of classic novels—the prize money would change her life!

Once in the UK, she meets bookish and very British Luke Jackson. He can't actually help her with any of the clues (against the rules), but something about Luke compels her to invite him to join her. She wouldn't mind getting to know him—and listening to his accent.

To win, Britt must outsmart three competitors who aren't afraid to play dirty while solving clues and traveling around the English countryside. With Luke as her partner, the trip takes some unexpected turns, and Britt learns that sometimes you have to follow the map—and other times, you need to throw caution to the wind and go wherever the cobblestoned road leads you.” - taken from Goodreads.

Due to a life-altering injury, soccer player Britt Hansen sees her college plans go up in smoke. When she is offered the opportunity to participate in its literary scavenger hunt in England with a significant monetary prize, Britt jumps at the chance. Starting on her quest, she meets the handsome Luke Jackson, who tags along but isn't allowed to help her on her journey. As she deciphers the clues, Luke helps Britt see that she can have a different future than she planned and vice versa. A meet-cute that ends on a high note 

Visit Becky Dean’s website.