"Impostor Queen", a new novel for fans of Throne of Glass and Graceling

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

When the Valtia is crowned, the priests go in search of a girl with a certain birthmark, the heir to the throne. It is not a hereditary line, magic chooses it's heir. The heir is known as the Saadella. She only sees the Valtia twice a year during ceremonies. This Saadella, though, wishes for more. She's inquisitive and headstrong. When the Valtia dies a sudden, horrible death, the Saadella is taken to ceremonial chambers where the magic enters her body. But something goes wrong and it doesn't happen like its supposed to.

After willingly being tortured to bring the magic forward in her, the new Valtia is ushered by her maid to run. The next brand of torture isn't going to be torture, it's going to be death. Saadella, dropping that name and taking her real name of Elli, manages to get away and run.

She's caught in a trap of some sort but is rescued, rather unwillingly, by Oskar, one of the banished rebels living in the mines. She learns of this community that takes care of each other, that have magic when no one but priests and the queen should have it. She makes friends, but of course it can't last. 

Though a little slow to start, a little slow for me to understand what all was going, I ended up enjoying this book. I liked Ellie and the way she never stopped asking questions. I felt like we should have had a little more back story to begin with, but it tied pretty well together in the end. I can't wait to find out what happens next. 

New young adult paranormal book out by Brenda Drake "Thief of Lies

Description:

Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels-magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books-rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren't busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.

When I read the description of this book I said to myself.. Yep, I have GOT to read it.. Libraries! As a librarian, of course I am obsessed. And I did enjoy the book. Gia is a likable character. The story itself is a little on the light side, there is no major deep thinking going on in it, but thats okay with me. I read for pleasure, not to think.

Gia is thrust into a world that she never knew about, one her mother wasn't able to pass on because she died when Gia was young. Having to deal with being the Doomsday Child also makes it difficult, because if anyone finds out, she will be killed. 

Her attraction to Arik is also complicated, because Sentinels are not allowed to be together, because of the threat of two sentinels created the Doomsday Child. Gia now has to train to be a Sentinel and at the same time keep her secret, but people are never who they seem to be and Gia wants to keep her family and friends safe.

Okay, So I suck at writing book reviews, but I really did like this book. 

Hendee's amazing Noble Dead series finds its ending with "The Night Voice"

Description:
With much relief, Magiere, Leesil, and Chap prepare to hide the last two of the powerful orbs. Once this last great task is completed, Magiere can take Leesil home to a life of peace.

Then, rumors reach them that a horde of undead creatures, slaughtering everything in their wake, are gathering in the far east regions of the Suman desert. This gathering could only be caused by the Ancient Enemy awakening.

With no other choice, Magiere tells Leesil they cannot go home yet. They must go to the desert and seek to learn if the rumors are true . . . and if so, face an awakening evil: The Night Voice.

Oh No!! Say it isn't so!! The Noble Dead series is ENDING?! I could cry, seriously. I have adored this series for years, I think I started reading about the time book 4 came out. I am going to miss my friends so much!

After years of searching, Magiere, Leesil, Chap, Wynn, Chane, Shade, and the others finally have all of the Orbs. The next question is what the heck to do with them. Unknown to these friends, their "helper" Ghassen is possessed by an evil spirit that they thought they had wiped out. He plots to get the orbs to the Ancient Enemy and use them to destroy him. He calls upon others who have been defeated by Magiere and crew to help him distract the group along the journey to the Ancient Enemy's hiding place.

The final battle takes place. And that is all I am going to say, because seriously, y'all just need to read it. this has been a great series from beginning to end, although around book 6 and 7 it was a little slow. Overall, I feel like this has been a fantastic series!! A dhampir who doesn't know she is part vampire who travels around with her half elf friend who pretends to be a vampire and she pretends to vanquish him so the town will pay them.. And then they stumble upon a real vampire, a Noble Dead.. and she finds out her own heritage.. They race around the world, making new friends and enemies everywhere they go, trying to prevent an ancient evil from coming back... Yep, it has all the elements I need in a book! 
I am saddened that the series has ended but I did enjoy the way the authors pulled all the parts together and finished it. Thank you so much for years of entertainment :)

Kilts and Quilts series is back with "The Accidental Scot"

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Description:
When her father is injured in an accident, Edinburgh engineer Pippa McDonnell comes home to Gandiegow to take over the family business, the North Sea Valve Company. Now she’s working overtime trying to fix NSV’s finances and find the cash to get her father proper medical care. 
 
One possibility is to accept a partnership with MTech, an American firm desperate to get their hands on her da’s innovative valve design. He was against bringing in outsiders, but Pippa is desperate enough to at least listen to MTech’s charming representative Max McKinley. 
 
As Christmas approaches and with the help of Gandiegow's meddling quilters, Pippa and Max slowly find themselves attracted to each other. Max seems honorable, but is he there to steal the valve design…or Pippa’s heart?

There is something about this book! I love a good Christmas romance and this one sure hit the spot! I think this was my favorite story so far from the Kilts and Quilts series! Not to mention, the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous! Pippa has taken over the running of her father's company. She's fully trained and knows what she is doing, but scared for her father who needs medical care that they just can't afford.

Max's job is on the line; he has to seal the deal with the North Sea Valve company or lose his job. Pippa certainly is not making it easy for him. Pippa's bright idea to introduce him to the town and make him love it as much as she does so that he doesn't close the company is really a good one, but Max's job is to seal the deal, not what happens to the town afterwards. What he doesn't expect is a fiesty, warm hearted woman that he encounters. It is easy to fall for her. But she has a fiance already and his boss is riding his rear end to get this deal done.

But when his boss shows up to speed it along, things go terribly wrong. Max had a previous relationship with her and she is ruining all the good faith he has built within the town. 

I can't pin point the reason, but this story really drew me. It was, as always with Ms Griffin, absolutely hilarious. I love seeing the characters return from previous books and seeing where they are now, and how much trouble they are causing (Deidie!). I liked the characters. I could not put this book down. 

Oh, check out Ms Griffin's facebook page. She has lots of really neat giveaways. Now, its the anxious wait for the next book "The Trouble With Scotland"!