Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (Thieves’ Gambit book 1)

“At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother's life hanging in the balance.

In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves' Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn't exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world--a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.

Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn't Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.” - taken from Goodreads.

Ross Quest just wants a tiny bit of normalcy in her life. When her getaway plan goes awry, her only option to save her mother’s life is to take her chances in the Thieves’ Gambit to win an unattainable prize. Can Ross keep her eyes on the prize or will her heart get in the way? Needless to say, that ending was a shocker!

Book two is due out in 2024.

Visit Kayvion Lewis’ website.

The Crimson Fortress by Akshaya Raman (The Ivory Key book 2)

 

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

“The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka. But despite finally getting their hands on the long-lost key, uncovering its cipher has proved more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected.

Their missions force them to split up and disperse them across Ashoka and beyond. When a rash decision by the council strips Vira of her power, her journey to reclaim her throne takes on new meaning. Kaleb travels to the neighboring country of Lyria to uncover its emperor’s motives and meets a prince seeking answers of his own. Ronak’s efforts to escape his arranged marriage and exonerate his brother lead to a series of risky deals that only bring him closer to what he’s running from. And Riya’s newfound power has turned unpredictable, but her search for answers only raises more questions.

When their attempts at decoding the key release an ancient power, the siblings must align to face the past and save their future once and for all. In a quest that culminates in a deadly labyrinth, there’s only one way they will succeed: together.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a fantastic finish to this duology. Never missing a beat or dragging the storyline, our four siblings split up in order to save Ashoka. When an unimaginable complication occurs, can the four siblings put their differences aside to save their kingdom?

Visit Akshaya Raman’s website.

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahruin (The Scarlet Veil book 1)

 

SPOILER ALERT! The Scarlet Veil is set in the same world as the Serpent & Dove trilogy. Be warned for possible spoilers!

“Six months have passed since Célie took her sacred vows and joined the ranks of the Chasseurs as their first huntswoman. With her fiancé, Jean Luc, as captain, she is determined to find her foothold in her new role and help protect Belterra. But whispers from her past still haunt her, and a new evil is rising—one that Célie herself must vanquish, unless she falls prey to the darkness.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book picks up several months after the conclusion of the Serpent & Dove trilogy and allows the reader to see how our beloved characters are doing. The story focuses on Célie and what happens when she stumbles upon a series of murders involving magical beings. Readers would enjoy this book more if they are familiar with the previous trilogy even though several new characters are introduced. Fans will be clamoring for the final book after that killer cliffhanger ending.

Book two is expected in 2024.

Visit Shelby Mahruin’s Instagram.

The Counselors by Jessica Goodman

“Camp Alpine Lake is the only place where Goldie Easton feels safe.

She's always had a special connection to the place, even before she was old enough to attend. The camp is the lifeline of Roxwood, the small town she lives in. Alpine Lake provides jobs, money and prestige to the region. Few Roxwood locals, though, get to reap the rewards of living so close to the glam summer that camp, with its five-figure tuition and rich kids who have been dumped there for eight weeks by their powerful parents. Goldie's one of them.

Even with her "townie" background, Goldie has never felt more at home at camp and now she's back as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, to arrive. Because Goldie has a terrible dark secret she's been keeping and she is more in need of the comfort than ever.

But Goldie's not the only person at camp who has been lying. When a teen turns up dead in the lake late one night, she knows that the death couldn't have been an accident. She also knows that Ava was at the lake that same night.

What did Ava see and what does she know? Why hasn't she said anything to Goldie about the death? Worse--what did Ava do?

But asking questions offers no answers, only broken bonds of lifelong friendship, with hidden danger and betrayals deeper than Goldie ever imagined.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was another great whodunit by the author that will keep you on your toes until the end. Told by Goldie between Then and Now, readers will be haunted by all of the secrets she keeps and uncovers during one summer at the ultra prestigious Camp Alpine Lake. 

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller (Daughter of the Pirate King book 3)

 

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

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

“You can’t be afraid of the dark when you’re the monster lurking in the shadows.

As an assassin working for the pirate queen, Sorinda is surprised when Alosa’s next task for her is not to kill a new target, but to captain a handpicked crew on a rescue mission. Unfortunately, her sailing master is Kearan. He may be the best helmsman the pirate queen has, but Sorinda finds him a real pain in the arse. Sadly, there are few places on a ship to hide from an attentive man.

As the crew of the Vengeance faces dangerous waters and deadly sea creatures, they accidentally awaken the King of the Undersea, a being who can control the dead. Their rescue mission quickly turns into a fight to save the world, but first, Sorinda must save herself from becoming an undead queen. - taken from Goodreads.

Picking up after the last book, the story switches from Alosa who is now the pirate queen to Sorinda. Alosa charges Sorinda to captain a rescue mission, effectively putting her out of her comfort zone. On top of it, Alosa sends Kearan, who has a crush on Sorinda, as part of her crew. Readers will be furiously turning the pages to see whether or not Sorinda will complete or fail at her mission. Fans of the series will be glad to be back in the world of the Pirate Queen.

Visit Tricia Levenseller’s website.

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello

 

“Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland.

Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a cute Christmas romance that takes place in a London bookshop. Ariel needs tuition money to attend the same art school that her father did. She walks into Wonderland hoping for a position. Enter Trey, Ariel’s secret crush whose family are the longtime owners of the store. He has to tell her that they aren’t hiring. When Trey’s father falls from a ladder and breaks his leg, his mother hires Ariel to help out. It’s not long before Trey and Ariel realize that the bookshop is in financial trouble and must work together to save the business before Christmas Eve and discover love along the way.

Visit Abiola Bello’s website.

The Name Drop by Susan Lee

“When Elijah Ri arrives in New York City for an internship at his father’s massive tech company, Haneul Corporation, he expects the royal treatment that comes with being the future CEO—even if that’s the last thing he wants. But instead, he finds himself shuffled into a group of overworked, unpaid interns, all sharing a shoebox apartment for the summer.

When Jessica Lee arrives in New York City, she’s eager to make the most of her internship at Haneul Corporation, even if she’s at the bottom of the corporate ladder. But she’s shocked to be introduced as the new executive-in-training intern with a gorgeous brownstone all to herself.

It doesn’t take long for Elijah and Jessica to discover the source of the they share the same Korean name. But they decide to stay switched—so Elijah can have a relaxing summer away from his controlling dad while Jessica can make the connections she desperately needs for college recommendations.

As Elijah and Jessica work together to keep up the charade, a spark develops between them. Can they avoid discovery—and total disaster—with their feelings and futures on the line?” - taken from Goodreads.

When a case of mistaken identity turns out to be good fortune for both Jessica and Elijah, they never imagined how their summer plans would change. Elijah, son of the CEO, is excited to finally not have the pressure of his family overshadowing him as he hangs out with the other interns and is treated like a regular person. Jessica sees her opportunity to shine as she takes  Elijah’s place as the VIP executive intern to get some much needed references for college. As they work together on a final project, sparks begin to emerge but will their friendship survive when their true identities are discovered?

Visit Susan Lee’s website.