Year One from Nora Roberts is so different yet simply amazing

Description from Amazon.com

It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed―and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river―or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

For fans of Nora Roberts, this book will be a test for you. Some of us have gotten used to the paranormal trilogies she has been writing of late, and we love them. Some do not love them. This book is a test for all of her readers, because it is even more different.

A plague released and takes out essentially half of the worlds population. Some survivors are developing magical abilities that no one has seen before. Fairies and Elves are coming out of the wood work and people with mystic abilities now have full blowing magical powers. Some with no signs of power have it, others remain the same. All of these are immune from the plague. 

This story follows a few groups of people as they eventually come together to survive. 

Arlys, Fred, and Chuck escape New York City just in time and travel towards Ohio in search of Arlys' family. Max and Lila also escape New York City and travel towards Pennsylvania in search of Max's brother Eric. Rachel, Jonah, and three newborn babies escape New York City and just travel south looking for safety. They have adventures along the road, picking up old and new friends and escaping from Raiders looking to steal supplies and kill for no reason.

Eventually the small groups come together and form a large community, but even then there are dangers waiting, looking for The One that is among the group. 

This book was so incredibly good, even though it was so incredibly different than any of Roberts' other work. There are small love stories spread throughout the book, however they are not really the focus of the book like her stories usually are. Still, I thought it was incredible, and I couldn't put it down!

Warcross from Marie Lu.. perfect book for Gamers .. well and everyone too!

Description:
For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

Can we say holy crap! My son received an advanced signed copy of this book, my coworker picked it up at ALA for him. He absolutely devoured it. Then he wouldn't let me borrow it to read it! What a brat! So I had to wait for it to officially release, and I am sooooo glad it is finally here.

I became interested in video games a couple years ago, because my husband and my son are gamers. I'm a reader. But sometimes I will play with them, even though I really suck. So the idea of a virtual reality game that everyone plays was pretty interesting, not to mention the name,  Warcross, is pretty awesome, too.

Emika Chen is a bounty hunter, hunting down bad guys who gamble on Warcross even though it is illegal. Her mother split years ago, her father died when she was young, and she bounced from foster care to foster care until she took off. She lives bounty to bounty, just trying to survive. She can't find official work because she has a couple red marks on her record, which would keep any respectable job from hiring her.

So when the Warcross championship game starts and she sees a quick way to make some money so she doesn't lose her apartment. But when she unexpectedly glitches into the game, the world, and Hideo Tanaka see her and know who she is.

Hideo brings Emika to Tokyo and offers her a job. Someone is hacking into his game and he wants her to find the person. She will infiltrate during the Wardraft game and find whoever it is. If she finds him, her bounty is ten million dollars. There are six other bounty hunters out searching.

Emika tries to keep herself separate, from her team makes on the Phoenix Riders, and from Hideo Tanaka, who she is incredibly drawn to. But they creep past her barriers. But Zero, the anonymous hacker, is out to get Hideo and Emika before they find him.

WOAAAAH. Okay, so the ending kind of did not surprise me. I feel like I figured out who Zero is, and I won't tell you when I figured it out because that would ruin it for you also. There is so much going on in this book, and I seriously want to play Warcross. It needs to be real. I loved the characters, some with just enough menace, some with just enough friendliness. Just all around amazing. And it's not the end of the story.... 

I just found author Leigh Bardugo, how did I miss her?!

So, I have heard people talk about Leigh Bardugo and especially her book "Six of Crows" for awhile. The first time I tried to read it, I felt lost and uninterested. I did not know that the Shadow and Bone series takes places a few years before Six of Crows, and if you read them first, some of SoC makes a lot more sense.

Shadow and Bone description:

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

Alina is just a regular soldier fighting with her best friend Mal for the safety of her country Ravka. She is a member of the first army, the normal people. The Second Army consists of Grisha, those with magical powers who also help protect the country, under the leadership of a dark and creepy guy called the Darkling. All children are tested to see if they have Grisha powers, and those that do are taken to be raised and taught at the Little Palace. 

Mal and Alina are both tested but neither had powers so when they were old enough they joined the army and learned to fight. Mal is a tracker, with an innate ability to track that surprises everyone. Alina is a mapmaker, not a great one either. However, on a perilous journey through a dead zone filled with monsters, Alina unleashes a power she never knew she had. She is taken by the Darkling to train. Told that her sun summoning abilities along with his dark abilities will be able to destroy The Fold, that undead area of the land that contains unimaginable monsters.

But nothing is as it seems at the Little Palace and soon Alina realizes that someone wants to use her powers not to save the country but to take it over and unleash more hell. 

This is just book one in a trilogy and I really enjoyed it. Why I never read it before, I have no idea. I finished Shadow and bone on Friday, book 2 on Saturday, and book 3 on Sunday, and then I read Six of Crows. I have to wait til tomorrow for Crooked Kingdom to arrive :/ Ugh. I hate being stopped dead in the middle of a series!

Anyways, this really was a great series and a fantastic author, so give it a try!

A woman held hostage for years and a woman held hostage by her past, desperate to put the same man behind bars. Sharon Sala returns with Race Against Time

Description:

Growing up in the foster system, Quinn O'Meara made a point of never getting involved. But when she discovers a crying baby amid a fiery crime scene, she knows she has no choice. Suddenly in way over her head, Quinn turns to the police, unintentionally positioning herself in the crosshairs of a deadly human-trafficking ring. 

The last time homicide detective Nick Saldano saw Quinn, she was still the young girl he'd shared a foster home with. The girl who'd loved and cared for him when no one else had. Now here she was, gorgeously all grown-up—and in terrible danger. 

Unwilling to lose her again, Nick insists on keeping Quinn close, especially when the bond they once shared heatedly slides into desire. Quinn finally has someone worth holding on to, but what kind of future can they have when she might not live to see tomorrow?

Sharon Sala never fails to bring us a good mystery mixed with a heart warming romance. I absolutely adore Ms Sala's books and crave the new one whenever they are released. This book brings us a mix of stories, as Starla Davis is kidnapped and sold to a man twice her age and kept captive for seven years. Upon escape, though, she ends up recaptured and her son saved by a woman named Quinn who happened to be passing by. Nick Saldano is surprised when a woman walks into the police station, shot and holding a baby. She recounts her story and is rushed to the hospital for surgery. Nick and Quinn come to realize that they have a past, a shared childhood. Nick was drawn to Quinn to begin with and now its a race against time to save her from the sadistic man out to kill her. Our secondary story is about Starla, desperate to escape again and find her son and to hide from the man who held her captive for so many years.

Both stories mix and mingle very well. Ms Sala always brings us a fantastic story. This one was really interesting because I had just finished my last class of the Citizens Academy, with the local police department, and we just learned about human trafficking. It was a weird coincidence. I feel like Sala definitely did her homework, though, when writing about this.

A great book as always!

Paige Tyler's X-Ops and SWAT Series.. WOW!

Okay, so I have been getting Tyler's books on NetGalley for a couple of years. I read the first, and thought they were meh, but my sister was reading them and loved them so I kept getting them. Fast forward to August 2017. On a whim, I grabbed all the books in both series and sat down with them and HOLY CRAP. I finished each series in less than a week. They were fantastic!

I love the strong female characters in both series. They don't take crap lying down, they fight for what they want. The men are equally awesome, because they see the women as their equals. Not like some series like these where the men are all alpha and the women lay down and take it. That drives me insane. 

1. Her perfect mate

2. Her lone wolf

3. Her wild hero

4. Her fierce warrior

5. Her rogue alpha

6. Her true match

The X-Ops series is about a group of people that are shifters. Now, they don't completely shift into animals, they only have claws, fangs, and the super human abilities. Men and women can be shifters, and apparently its a slight mutation in a persons DNA that has them become one. They are recruited to work for a secret government group, and throughout the series you can see that someone involved in the organization is trying to either take it down or take it over. 

The SWAT series is a series about a pack of werewolves who make up a Dallas SWAT team. Werewolves don't bite people to become a werewolf. It happens after a horrible traumatic event. All of the SWAT team were either cops or soldiers that experienced a traumatic event where they lived but became werewolves. And its a huge secret, too. 

1. Hungry like the wolf

2. Wolf trouble

3. In the company of wolves

4. To love a wolf

5. Wolf unleashed

Both series are really great and I hope that y'all take the time to read them!

The Troubleshooters series is back, another hot Navy Seal with a massive problem when his daughter disappears. Romance writer Shayle to save the day!

Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene. Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl? His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears. Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble. Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along with an unconventional ally.

Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk. It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and knows what makes teenagers tick.

Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter may be gone for good.

I have never thought Ms Brockmann's books needed any introduction. I have been waiting years for a new Troubleshooters book. This series is so incredibly awesome. I think I started reading her sometime around 2002. In fifteen years, I have never been disappointed by a Brockmann book, and that still stands true.

Peter Greene is an instructor at the Navy Seal.. academy? School? He unexpectedly gains custody of his daughter Maddie when her mother dies. He tries his best, which maybe is not his best, but Maddie doesn't seem to be acclimating to her new life or new school and one day she disappears.

Shayla Whitman is driving along one day and out in the street pops a seriously hot guy. He flags her down and begs her to follow a car that he is positive he saw his missing daughter in. Although probably meant to be more serious, Shayle and Peter's journey to find Maddy has major ups and downs and plenty of humor. Shayla writes romance novels and her main character speaks occasionally in her head.

What they don't know is that Maddie's supposed friend has gotten her in a heap of trouble and she and her little friend Dingo are trying to solve it without dying or involving anyone else.  

I shouldn't have to say, "Hey, you need to read this!" because, well, its Suzanne Brockmann.. we should all know by now!  Anyways, I think there was just enough humor in this book to keep me from getting too worried about Maddie and her situation. It was really hilarious when Shayla's character talked to her, especially regarding the hot Seal next to her. Wowsa! So, obviously, I really enjoyed this book, so as soon as it is released, everyone run to the store!

Roar by Cora Carmack

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora's been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage. 
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

Pavan and its neighboring countries are mauled by devastating storms day in and day out. A rare few have the magic to be able to contain the storms and steal the heart of the storms, to use to keep their lands safe. Aurora has been isolated for years from everyone outside of the Queen. After the death of her brother, she is the Pavan heir, but she has no powers to protect her country. Her mother devises to a plan and Aurora is betrothed to the second son of the neighboring country, someone who can use his magic to protect Pavan from the horrible storms. At first he is intimidating, but then she learns the truth of his actions. She follows him to a forbidden market and meets a crew of storm hunters who go out and protect the lands as well as trapping magic to be used to help people. She takes on the name Roar and stages her own kidnapping to run away with the hunters and learn about how they control storms. Without storm magic, she feels she can learn from them how to do it to protect her lands. 

But there is much, much more to Roar than meets the eye and when the storms start rolling by, Roar has an intense reaction to them. So a search begins to find out what is special about Roar and why she reacts the way she does. 

I loved this story! I had never heard of this author, and then I saw on a post on facebook from a book review page and thought it sounded good. I was excited when NetGalley posted it and couldn't wait to read it. This is a Young Adult book, but much more for older teens, as it does have some sexual scenes, much as the Throne of Glass series by Sarah Maas. I enjoyed Roar's character, and alternately wanted to smack Locke and hug him. The hunter crew of Duke, Bait, Jinx, Sly, and Ransom were all very interesting characters, though I am not a fan of Sly. I am interested to see where the storyline goes with her.

All in all I thought this was really a fantastic new young adult fantasy book. The cliffhanger, though. Gah!! Authors keep doing this to me!

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts June 2017

Description:

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax's floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father's side, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who's been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards' Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana's uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead--with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart-if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . .

Tilla has always just wanted her father's approval and to become his heir. Instead, she is a bastard daughter who is treated fairly well, but not as well as his wife and legitimate daughters. However, on the day of a visit from the monarchy, Lyriana, the princess, goes beyond convention and sits herself at the bastards table. Wary of her, but sensing her innocence, a friendship grows. Tilla, Lyriana, Jax, Miles, and Zell sneak out at night to visit the beach, but while there they witness their parents kill Lyriana's Mage uncle, betraying the throne to start a war for freedom of their lands. Now wanted, they flee to find help from Lyriana's father in the capital. As they near freedom, a betrayal from one of their own stops them in their tracks and derails their plans.

That's all I got. LOL! This really was a great book. I was leary of the title, however I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to a sequel!

Head back to Blessings, GA with a new novel by Sharon Sala out May 2016

She's never had a home
Growing up in a troubled foster home, Mercy Dane knew she could never rely on anyone but herself. She's used to giving her all to people who don't give her a second glance, so when she races to Blessings, Georgia, to save the life of an accident victim, she's flabbergasted when the grateful town opens its arms to her. She never dreamed she'd ever find family or friends-or a man who looks at her as if she hung the stars.

Until she finds peace in his arms
Police Chief Lon Pittman is getting restless living in sleepy little Blessings. But the day Mercy Dane roars into his life on the back of a motorcycle, practically daring him to pull her over, he's lost. There's something about Mercy's tough-yet-vulnerable spirit that calls to Lon, and he will do anything in his power to make her realize that home isn't just where the heart is-home is where their heart is.

Mercy grew up in and out of foster homes until she aged out of the system. She is hardened but has learned to take care of herself. She works at a bar, with a great boss, and bakes in her spare time. Baking is her passion. On a cold Christmas night, she gets a phone call from the Blessings, Georgia hospital that her extremely rare blood type is in need at their hospital. She jumps on her motorcycle and flies to the hospital to donate. She does not expect to run into a man who she who, one night long ago, helped her after her apartment was broken into, taking care of her for the evening. She ran and never looked back. She also does not expect to find the sister who was separated from her when she was a very young child. The woman she came to help is her long lost sister.

Mercy heads to Blessings to spend time with her sister and get to know her. She doesn't expect to fall head of heels for the town sheriff, her one night stand from so long ago, Lon. When nasty, snobby women try to embarrass Mercy and run her off, she doesn't expect for the town to stand up for her. Can Mercy learn to trust so that she can have a happy ever after with Lon, her sister Hope, in this crazy little town?

As always, Ms Sala has delivered an amazing story that gives us strong women, loving men, and a town to back them up. I love reading everything by her and am so excited about this new book!

Nora Roberts offers us a new story of love and family and finding what was lost. Simply Fantastic!

The Bodine ranch and resort in western Montana is a family business, an idyllic spot for vacationers. A little over thirty thousand acres and home to four generations, it’s kept running by Bodine Longbow with the help of a large staff, including new hire Callen Skinner. There was another member of the family once: Bodine’s aunt, Alice, who ran off before Bodine was born. She never returned, and the Longbows don’t talk about her much. The younger ones, who never met her, quietly presume she’s dead. But she isn’t. She is not far away, part of a new family, one she never chose—and her mind has been shattered…

When a bartender leaves the resort late one night, and Bo and Cal discover her battered body in the snow, it’s the first sign that danger lurks in the mountains that surround them. The police suspect Cal, but Bo finds herself trusting him—and turning to him as another woman is murdered and the Longbows are stunned by Alice’s sudden reappearance. The twisted story she has to tell about the past—and the threat that follows in her wake—will test the bonds of this strong family, and thrust Bodine into a darkness she could never have imagined.

I'm really terrible at describing books. And Nora Roberts really needs to introduction. With each book we are drawn into a complex mystery but a not so complex romance. I feel as if, each year, the mystery in her romantic suspense novels gets a little deeper, but the romance gets a little less complex. They know they should be together, but they have to find the route that takes them to that place as well as figuring out who is murdering people around them. 

I thought that the murders of the two young women was interesting, because even though we knew they were caused by whoever had Alice, the main characters had no idea that they tied into their story. I do feel like I figured out some of the "who dun it" during the book, but it did not reading til the end. 

I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how each one interacted with the others.  Especially how Alice interacted with Cal. That one got me right in the feels. I also enjoyed the relationship between Chase and Jessica. Each character in this book was a stand out character with flaws and virtues. 

Another amazing read from Ms Roberts. Keep them coming!!

Fans of Sarah Maas will rave about Laurie Forest's Black Witch

A new Black Witch will rise…her powers vast beyond imagining.

Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else.

When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren joins her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University to embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother's legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is a treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch.

As evil looms on the horizon and the pressure to live up to her heritage builds, everything Elloren thought she knew will be challenged and torn away. Her best hope of survival may be among the most unlikely band of misfits…if only she can find the courage to trust those she's been taught to hate and fear.

Honestly, nothing I can say will do this book justice. I read some amazing reviews about it recently and just thought to myself.. NO WAY can I speak as eloquently as they do about this book. I would honestly say, if you are a fan of, say, Sarah Maas, then this book is a must read. I enjoyed reading about each of the characters and their back stories as well as the "band of misfits" that Elloren ends up surrounding herself in. It was awesome. I thought I would kill her aunt though, seriously. What a meanie! 

So, my review sucks, but y'all just seriously need to read this book!

Julie Kawaga returns us to the world of Talon and St George in an all new novel out April 2017.

The legions will be unleashed, and no human, rogue dragon or former dragonslayer can stand against the coming horde. 

Dragon hatchling Ember Hill was never prepared to find love at all—dragons do not suffer human emotions—let alone with a human, and a former dragonslayer at that. With ex-soldier of St. George Garret dying at her feet after sacrificing his freedom and his life to expose the deepest of betrayals, Ember knows only that nothing she was taught by dragon organization Talon is true. About humans, about rogue dragons, about herself and what she's capable of doing and feeling. 

In the face of great loss, Ember vows to stand with rogue dragon Riley against St. George and her own twin brother, Dante—the heir apparent to all of Talon, and the boy who will soon unleash the greatest threat and terror dragonkind has ever known. Talon is poised to conquer the world, and the abominations they have created will soon take to the skies, darkening the world with the promise of blood and death to those who will not yield.

Ember and Riley rescued Garrett after he killed the leader of St George for his betrayal of working with Talon. They have to find a way to rescue all of Riley's hatchlings and expose Talon to the other dragon shifters for what they are. Ember is stunned to learn of her brother's experiments with the clones. She still thinks she can change his mind about Talon, but Talon is too ingrained in her. She, Riley, and Garrett are taken captive but manage to escape with the help of an unlikely Talon operative.  They found plans that Talon was going to take out every single St George compound as well as all of Riley's safehouses. 

Time is of the essence for Ember and her team to save as many people as possible from Talon, even if they do not want to be saved. 

As always, loved it!!! I mean, really, DRAGONS! YES!  I have enjoyed this series from the beginning, although the love triangle drives me batty at times. I was glad to see Ember finally step up and say what she feels so that one or the other can move on. I really enjoyed this book and dread the year long wait for the next book...... 

The Raven Riders are back! Ride Rough is out April 2017

Brotherhood. Club. Family.
They live and ride by their own rules.
These are the Raven Riders...

Maverick Rylan won’t apologize for who he is—the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club Vice-President, a sought-after custom bike builder, and a man dedicated to protecting those he loves. So when he learns that the only woman who has ever held his heart is in trouble, he’ll move heaven and earth to save her.

Alexa Harmon thought she had it all—the security of a good job, a beautiful home, and a powerful, charming fiancé who offered the life she never had growing up. But when her dream quickly turns into a nightmare, Alexa realizes she’s fallen for a façade she can’t escape—until sexy, dangerous Maverick offers her a way out.

Forced together to keep Alexa safe, their powerful attraction reignites and Maverick determines to do whatever it takes to earn a second chance—one Alexa is tempted to give. But her ex-fiancé isn’t going to let her go without a fight, one that will threaten everything they both hold dear

Maverick and Alexa have known each other most of their lives, and after her brother's death, Alexa was with Maverick. Alexa decided that a motorcycle gang was not the place that would give her stability. After growing up with a missing father and a hoarder mother, stability is what she craves. Alexa meets Grant Slater and spends five years with him. Their wedding is approaching when Grant's actions drive Alexa to get help from Maverick and the Raven Riders. But Grant won't stop until Alexa is his and no motorcycle gang is going to stop him. So he thinks.

I adore the Raven Riders series as much as I did the Hard Ink series. The characters are strong. I can't say the stories are completely believable, as people tend to fall in love and decide this is their ever after within a very, very short period of time. However, the stories are sweet and it's lovely to see these hardened bikers brought down by damaged women. 

Return to the the Seven Realms with Shadowcaster

***Thanks to Edelweiss for an Advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review***

Alyssa ana’Raisa, the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, feels more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, Lyss goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn’t pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne. Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon is being sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death. 

Lyss and Hal’s intricately linked fates become inseparable when they fall under the shadow of a new enemy—a force that threatens to extinguish the last rays of hope in the Shattered Realms.

I have been enthralled with this series from the very beginning, when The Demon Prince came out years ago. I enjoyed the original four and am enjoying the new series set 25 years later. 

This book follows Lyss, the new heir to the Grey Wolf throne. She's a fierce warrior, not hesitant to be on the front lines. But she feels that the war needs to go a different direction if it is ever to stop. The council does not agree.  She manages to capture the General's son but there is more to him than meets the eye. 

An unseen enemy is coming, and with very little warning. Lyss and Hal have to work together or see their whole world destroyed.

I'm really terrible at writing descriptions, but this series is one of my all time favorite YA fantasy series. It is well written, with great character development, a fantastic world of magic. A great read for teens and adults!

Brandon Mull returns to the Fablehaven world!!!

In the long-awaited sequel to Fablehaven, the dragons who have been kept at the dragon sanctuaries no longer consider them safe havens, but prisons and they want their freedom. The dragons are no longer our allies....

In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power.

No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help.

As Kendra and Seth confront this new danger, they must draw upon all their skills, talents, and knowledge as only they have the ability to function together as a powerful dragon tamer. Together they must battle against forces with superior supernatural powers and breathtaking magical abilities.

How will the epic dragon showdown end? Will dragons overthrow humans and change the world as we know it.

I am so excited about the return to Fablehaven!! I really enjoyed these books when I read them. This sequel was just as good as the original series!

Life has settled into a rhythm for Kendra and Seth, until they realize that the dragons are wanting their freedom and may have found a way to get it. The world as they knew it would be gone if the dragons were released, so as young as they are, together they head to Wyrmroost to save the world. Their journey is, of course, perilous and even they are not sure if they are up to it. Even Seth's tricks could cause more harm that good.

I won't gush, because I am not good about that. I loved the book and am so excited to see the characters again. Go forth and read! 

Say hello again to Kylie Scott's Dive Bar series!

When his younger brother loses interest in online dating, hot bearded bartender Joe Collins only intends to log into his account and shut it down. Until he reads about her.

Alex Parks is funny, fascinating, and pretty much everything he's been looking for in a woman—except that she lives across the country. Soon they're emailing up a storm and telling each other their deepest, darkest secrets...except the one that really matters.

When Alex pays Joe a surprise visit, however, they both discover that when it comes to love, it's always better with a twist.

Alex Parks has never taken a risk. She works from home as a graphic designer. When she decides to sign up for a online dating account, she doesn't expect to meet Eric, she just thinks its good fun. She loves their emails, and thinks he really gets her. She decides to surprise him at the birthday party he told her about, but when she gets there, Eric has no idea who she is. Turns out, he signed up looking for a Seattle hook up, but lost interest. All this time it was his brother Joe she was emailing with. Alex is hurt and pissed off. She walks to the hotel in the pouring rain, with Joe tailing her trying to explain.

Next day, Joe shows up again to apologize, but finds Alex down and out with the flu. He spends a few days taking care of her, and eventually he convinces her to remain friends. She sticks around town for awhile, to get to know Joe and in the process his friends at the Dive bar. 

One dark night, Alex, Joe, and his friend are in a car accident and Joe blames himself. He pushes Alex away, not wanting her to get hurt ever again, but Alex can't seem to let go. Joe and Alex butt heads as Alex helps him remodel the upstairs apartments of the Dive bar.

These two awesome people will need to get past their issues before they can be together. And we are talking about Kylie Scott, who brings us amazing love stories. Anyways, the book was awesome, as always, and now the year long wait for the next one!

Mercy Thompson, kidnapped and cut off from her pack. Her most difficult journey yet!

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes—only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe... 
 
Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise...

On her way to the grocery store, Mercy is attacked, knocked out, and kidnapped. Adam and the pack immediately know something has happened, because they managed to cut the pack bond to Mercy. All they found at the scene was a crushed car with a ton of blood that had been hit by a semi truck.

Mercy wakes up and immediately knows that something is wrong. She can't connect with Adam. When the vampires enter the room, she finds out that they found a way to block the pack connection. They had heard she was extremely powerful and wanted to know why. Mercy knows that isn't true but because of her interactions and dealings with the fae and the vampires, it's possible she could be conceived that way. Mercy is pretty tenacious though and manages to escape. She was surprised to find herself in Italy.

She stows away as a coyote in the baggage compartment of a bus and eventually finds herself in Prague. Mercy is able to contact Stefan through her bond with him and also one of the pack through email on a stolen e-reader. She is told to find the pack leader and ask for sanctuary.

The entire book takes place in something like a couple days. It's all very, very quick. Adam gets to Prague and has to play politics with the lead vampire of Europe. Mercy plays politics with the pack leader in Prague. Mercy gets into trouble and ends up caged in the basement of a new vampire seethe with an extremely crazy vampire.

This book was so incredibly good! All of them are, of course. But this one kept me on my toes so much, following Mercy's journey and Adam's separately, not knowing how they are going to get themselves out of the mess this time. Absolutely Amazing!!

The Elders are coming.... An all new Others book by Anne Bishop coming March 2017!

******Thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced copy of this title. This is an honest review**

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man's-land beyond their borders—and the darkness...
 
As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery's shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings. 
 
With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave...

After the uprising, the Elders have decided they want to watch the humans from inside the towns. They want to know what is so significant that they should be allowed to live. They are very interested in Meg. They approach Simon and let him know they are watching. Simon and the Elders disagree on allowing a human, the brother of a police officer, to live in the courtyard. Simon knows he is trouble and wants him gone, but the Elders want to know more about him and what problems he could cause for the Others. Little do they know.....

This is the last book in the story arc of Simon and Meg. The series will continue in another part of the Others world. This kind of made me sad, but also excited about them finding each other. The Elder thing was just crazy. There is a hilarious scene between Meg and the Elders, she doesn't realize its them, that made me laugh like crazy. I had to read it a couple times. 

This series has been fantastic from the beginning. I've been a fan of Bishop for several years, back to the beginning of the Black Jewels series. She never ceases to amaze me with her interesting stories and great characters. 

I loved this book and cannot wait for the next story!

Gena Showalter returns us to Everlife with the second book in the series, Lifeblood

With her last living breath, Tenley "Ten" Lockwood made her choice and picked her realm in the Everlife. Now, as the war between Troika and Myriad rages, she must face the consequences. 

Because Ten possesses a rare supernatural ability to absorb and share light, the Powers That Be have the highest expectations for her future—and the enemy wants her neutralized. Fighting to save her Secondlife, she must learn about her realm from the ground up while launching her first mission: convincing a select group of humans to join her side before they die. No pressure, right?  

But Ten's competition is Killian, the boy she can't forget—the one who gave up everything for her happiness. He has only one shot at redemption: beating Ten at a game she's never even played. As their throw-downs heat up, so do their undeniable feelings, and soon, Ten will have to make another choice. Love…or victory.

As Ten lay dying, betrayed by Sloan, she pledges to Troika. She awakens and arrives in Troika to start her training, but as a unique Conduit, her training is definitely different than the other new arrivals'. As Troika, she is separated from Killian, and everyone is certain he doesn't have feelings for her, that he is just out to kill her now that she is in Troika, or get her to spy for him. Ten also has to compete with Killian to sign humans to Troika. Her first assignment is to help Doir, the girl Archer had loved and lost when she signed with Myriad. Doir has been infected with a Myriad disease that could spread. Ten needs to convince Doir to go to court to change her loyalties and cure her of the disease before it spreads. Killian is helping Ten throughout the book, with great risk to himself if he is discovered. 

Ten meets so many people in her secondlife. Her grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, her little brother is there, taken in by a Troika general. And Ten also suffers more loss, which only ends up making her stronger and more determined to end the war and bring peace to Troika and Myriad.

So much happens in this book, and of course it ends on a massive cliffhanger! UGH! And since I suck at writing reviews, I will leave it here. Happy Reading!

Roshani Chokshi returns with the magical Tournament of Wishes in "A Crown of Wishes"

Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes – a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

 Gauri lost her sister and her kingdom. Her brother has traded her as a prisoner and she knows she is about to die. Vikram is the adopted son of the king, but he knows that the royalty are just pawns to the council, figureheads to look good. Vikram refuses to be a figurehead, and wants to be a real king, so when he recieves an invite to the Tournament of Wishes, he decides Gauri is the person to help him win. Gauri wishes to win back her kingdom as Vikram wishes to be an actual king, so they both set off to compete in the Tournmane of Wishes, which is unlike anything they have ever seen before. They travel to an unknown lands through a magical black market and eventually compete in a tournament that has the most unexpected challenges. 

I throughly enjoyed the Star Touched Queen with Maya and was excited to read the story of Maya's sister Gauri, that she had to leave behind. I feel like the story played out well and ended well. A must read!