Genre: Fantasy

Tilla was raised by a father with a royal title, Lord Kent of the Western Province. Things were good for Tilla until he remarried and had legitimate children. After that point she was technically provided for, but he spent less and less time with her. She didn’t mind spending time with the other royal bastards (especially her half brother, Jax), but often wished her father would visit her like he did in the old days. When Princess Lyriana comes for a visit, Tilla is shocked when she chooses to sit at the bastards’ table. They end up agreeing to meet Princess Lyriana later to show her the tunnels under the castle and have a bit of fun, but end up witnessing a coup! They all manage to escape, but are now on the run from Tilla’s father and others of his loyal subjects who participated in the coup. Tilla isn’t sure if she can trust her father not to kill her for what she saw, but she does feel a responsibility to Princess Lyriana, whom she knows was supposed to die that night had she been where she was supposed to be. Can they get the princess across the country to warn the king of the threat coming his way? Will they be any more accepted by the King than they were back home? Will Tilla and her friends ever be regarded as more than just a bastard?

This is the first in a series and contains a very interesting setup. The royal bastards are not treated terribly well in their kingdom, but they still have some benefits over servants as long as they don’t draw a lot of attention to themselves. As they have gotten older they have questioned what their role will be as adults, but their royal parents are not keen to discuss much of anything with them let alone future plans. When the Princess comes to visit it becomes painfully clear that when the kingdoms merged there were still many people who wished they had stayed separate and have been planning their chance to break away this entire time. This of course leads Tilla to wonder if her father has merely kept her around to help with this coup he has been planning or if he truly cares for her. Meanwhile, the other bastards are dealing with their own insecurities, but for the good of them all they vow to band together to help the princess. Can they really get to safety when everyone they ever cared about is trying to hunt them down? Recommended for readers who enjoy fantasy series.

Genre: Mystery

Holly is pulled into a very high profile wedding after her mentor Simone, the previous bridesmaid, is found dead in one of the wedding dress choices at a rehearsal. The Kensington family is wealthy and powerful, but even they are struggling to understand how something so tragic could happen at such a happy time for them. Adrianna’s, the bride’s, fiancee hires Holly to look into the matter, but quickly gets pulled in as a replacement bridesmaid in the hopes she can uncover the truth. Adrianna is especially freaked out because years earlier she had been kidnapped for days and the details are eerily similar to how Simone were found. Holly gets close to a detective working the case with her, but their styles are very different and she isn’t sure how compatible they are working the case together. Meanwhile, Adrianna’s father, Leopold, is determined the wedding go on as scheduled at the family owned island where a private school once stood. After arriving at the island, Holly notices both how secluded they truly are and some Kensington family secrets from the past she thinks might have led to Simone’s death. Can Holly uncover all of the Kensington’s secrets before the killer strikes again? Is she safe on the Kensington owned island where no one can get to her for miles? Will she ever understand how Adrianna chose her bridesmaid’s in the first place?

This mystery story is perfect for a vacation read because it is exciting and engaging, but also moves quickly and the ending is satisfying. Readers looking for a quick, fun read will enjoy this title as the mystery kicks off right away in the story. Holly’s character is unique and clever as she stands out from other more generic detectives in stories. Her appearance, specialty, and even background help her stay memorable should she appear in any future books. The characters definitely all have their own secrets and when they are finally revealed they are pretty shocking and unexpected. Fans of mystery books will be pleasantly surprised a the conclusion.

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Aren has been running her father’s tavern and getting her twin sisters’ ready for the prince’s upcoming visit all on her own. She is used to acting alone since her mother’s death. Her father is too sick and frail and her sisters are so beautiful they need to be protected at all costs. When Prince Dietan finally arrives, Aren is surprised that he doesn’t seem that interested in meeting a potential princess, which is supposed to be the purpose of his trip. Nearby kingdoms are threatening to attack and if he were to find a suitable princess a war could possibly be avoided between the countries. Instead, Dietan wants to know where a reclusive witch lives and Aren knows he will need help if he wants to find her. Meanwhile, Aren is attacked on her way back to the tavern and Dietan arrives to save her, while clearly using magical means. She learns he has a secret that has been plaguing him for years and if he can’t find someone to help him the secret will probably kill him. In order to travel and try to find a solution to his curse, he needs a bride by his side to help explain his tour around the country. Now that Aren has found suitable matches for her sisters she desperately wants to see outside their town and this could be her chance. She agrees to pose as Dietan’s bride to be, but as they continue to head toward danger and enemies on all sides, they begin to form an attraction for real. Can Aren help Dietan break the terrible Rings of Fate curse? Can they ever truly be together? Is their alliance meant to be?

This engaging fantasy story pulls the reader in from the beginning because Aren is such a great character. She can do it all: run the tavern, run the family home, and take care of everyone. Yet, when she is attacked she cannot fight them on her own and is grateful when Dieten steps in. He gives her the possibility of being able to explore and be something other than the person everyone has come to rely on. While she loves her family, she definitely feels like everything is resting on her shoulders and she isn’t sure this is the life she really wants. Dietan, on the other hand, has huge expectations on him as well, but the curse has limited him in every way. If he could find a way to break the curse he might be able to truly fulfill his true leadership potential. As their journey begins it becomes obvious that they need each other in order to attain their goals. Romantasy readers will devour this story.

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

This mystery is set in 1910 where a Viscount of an expansive estate believes that Halley’s Comet is going to obliviate life as they know it. So, he has his staff work tirelessly to seal up Tithe Hall in order to try and protect them from the tidal waves he believes are coming to destroy earth. As luck would have it, an underbutler, Stephen Pike, arrives the very day these preparations are taking place having been recommended by a family member. He does have a record and he is very concerned they will turn him away and he desperately needs work. However, the butler is very overwhelmed and decides to tell the Viscount that he requested an additional staff member in order to help seal up the Hall. After sealing up everyone in their rooms, Stephen is sent to check on Miss Decima, the prickly elderly family member who constantly terrorizes the staff. It is Stephen’s job to make sure she stays sealed in her room for the night, but Decima has other plans and they end up going outside to watch the comet. The next morning, Stephen notices that there is blood coming from underneath the study where the Viscount was sealed up alone. He rushes to get help and by the time they break open the door they find the Viscount murdered in a grisly manner. Since he is new and has been to prison (for a crime he was innocent of) all eyes turn to him, but Decima knows he was with her and could not have committed the murder. Plus, it seems impossible anyone could have gotten in and out of the room with it being sealed from the inside. Decima and Stephen vow to prove his innocence before he goes down yet again for a crime he didn’t commit. Can they find the real culprit(s)? More importantly, can they figure out how it is possible for someone to get murdered inside a locked room?

This fun mystery has a Gosford Park/Downton Abbey feel as the reader is introduced to the staff and their very particular jobs and rules they must follow. The pace of the story is not overwhelming, but does not lag behind either as Stephen and Decima strive to find clues that will not only exonerate him, but also let them know if the rest of them are in danger with a killer nearby. The dynamics of the manor are very interesting as every servant has a place and no one is supposed to mess with that. The family members staying at the house all have their own agendas for going along with the hysteria over Halley’s Comet, but are those agendas enough to kill for? Fans of British type mysteries will enjoy this title.

Genre: Mystery

In this sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, Hannah and Bailey have now been without Owen for five years. Bailey has graduated from college and has begun her first full time job. Hannah is still working on her art and even having shows, which is when she first suspects she sees Owen. Hannah knows that Owen showing back up is probably not a good thing and learns that Bailey’s grandfather, Nicholas, has just died and that puts them both in jeopardy as he had worked out a deal to keep them both safe from the mob he works for. So, they both use their planned escape contingencies to go on the run and find out if there is a way for all of them (including Owen) to stay safe under the new regime controlling the mob. Can they reunite with Owen? Will they ever be able to live without looking over their shoulders? Will they ever know once and for all whether or not the mob was behind Bailey’s mother’s death?

Fans of the first novel will love that this one picks up right where the old one left off. Bailey and Hannah have gotten close to Nicholas despite his dealings with the mob that created this entire mess. The story also helps them find answers that were never given in the first book. The relationship of Hannah and Bailey is also fun for the reader to see because they have been through so much together with the loss of Owen. The story is very fast paced and action packed as they try to find answers and get their lives back. Fans who thought their journey had ended will be pleasantly surprised by this very exciting second installment.

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

A series of bad events lead army surgeon Maggie McCabe to lose her license, including her husband getting killed in the field and her coping with alcohol. She also recently lost her mother, who was a well known and respected surgeon in her own right. Now, she is struggling to help her sister pay the mortgage so that they don’t lose their childhood home. When an old friend offers her a job opportunity that seems too good to be true, Maggie can’t help but feel intrigued by the opportunity to perform surgery again. Once she is whisked away to an unknown location, however, things begin to seem very sketchy. She does perform the two surgeries for her clients, however, but is shocked when one patient disappears and the other appears to have a connection to her late husband. As she begins to fear for her safety she knows she must flee before it is too late. Can she survive this ordeal now that they no longer need her? Can she find out who is behind this secret operation? Is there a connection to her late husband? Is she being paranoid after her years of combat work?

Fans of Harlan Coben will enjoy this title as it keeps readers interested from the beginning. It is easy to sympathize with Maggie since she has been through so much and it feels like nothing will ever lighten up for her. Many people in her situation would find themselves saying yes to this proposal only to find themselves in this very scary situation where there is no way out. There are many side characters who are all written in a way that make it difficult to ascertain who is trustworthy and who is not. Maggie is definitely a character that could potentially come back in a future adventure since her story is long from resolved. Fans will be pleased with the ending and will undoubtedly want to see more from this character.

Genre: Fantasy

Mallory and her sister have been trying their best to survive after their mother’s death, but unfortunately the magical gifts they inherited from her aren’t as lucrative as hers were. Mallory has the ability to see ghosts and her sister doesn’t even like talking about her gift, so they make due giving fake seances and tarot readings, and giving tours of the Saphir House to gullible tourists who are willing to buy anything. That is until Mallory gets caught by some police and must flee before getting arrested for fraud. Unbeknownst to her, one of the guests at her last house tour is actually the rightful heir to the Saphir Houses and lands and he ends up claiming she had permission to sneak onto his property to give these tours. In exchange, he wants Mallory and her sister to accompany him back to the country house in order to expel the ghost of Count Bastien, his murderous ancestor who supposedly murdered three of his wives before being killed himself. Since the ghost’s return, the ghost has been causing a lot of trouble which has led the house and vineyard to fall into disrepair as no one will work there. Mallory knows she needs to get out of the city before the police come looking for her again, but doesn’t believe she has the ability to banish a ghost. Meanwhile, she has become aware of some supernatural hunters who might be able to help for a price. Shortly after arriving at the country estate there is another brutal murder and she can’t help but feel like she knows exactly who the culprit is and it is not a ghost. Can she manage to help the current Count Bastien without revealing she is not as magical as her mother was? Will it be helpful that she can actually talk to the ghosts of the three wives that were murdered in the House Saphir houses that led to so many legends and myths to be spread about the family? Can they possibly break the curse that is holding the murdered ghosts in these ancestral houses? Will they be able to stop the murderer before more attacks occur?

This is another great story by Marissa Meyer. The retelling of Bluebeard is exciting, dramatic, and has many plot twists and turns that will keep readers intrigued. The characters are all really engaging too, especially the ghost Mallory meets at the House Saphir in town. The ending is full of surprises, but all the details make sense and feel satisfying. Readers of Meyer’s other series will enjoy this one as well. Recommended for fantasy readers.

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

In this sequel to The Woman in Cabin 10, Lo Blacklock is now married with two young kids and trying to get back into her career after taking some time during covid to raise her kids. The world has changed a bit and she’s struggling to find her way back into journalism when she is suddenly invited to an opening of a luxury Swiss Hotel. As much as she does not want to leave her kids for that long, it would give her a chance to stop by England and visit her mom as well. Plus, it’s a great way to start working in the travel industry again. When she arrives the hotel is grander than she even imagined, but on her first night she is startled to see a brand new mascara in her makeup bag that is the same one she borrowed from the mysterious “woman in cabin 10” in the last novel. Then, she comes across a note asking her to come to suite 11 right away. Even though it is late she decides to go anyway and meets a woman who claims she is being held against her will by the very millionaire who owns the hotel and needs Lo’s help to escape. Lo has a family now and does not want to put herself in peril, but she also knows she can’t let this woman suffer when there is something she could have done about it. Meanwhile, she desperately wants to interview that millionaire in the hopes of getting a story published. Is the woman who she says she is? Is her situation really as dire as she claims? Will the plan for Lo to help her work or will it leave Lo in a world of trouble?

This follow-up is fast paced and exciting in a new location. Lo’s new status as a wife and mother does change her priorities, but she’s still the same reporter at heart who does want to help people in need. The location sounds amazing and is a nice juxtaposition for all the shady people who are there enjoying it. There are many twists and turns as well as many people around Lo (both new faces and familiar ones) that she must decide who she can trust in order to get out of this safely. Fans who enjoyed the first one will definitely want to see what Lo Blacklock is up to now.

Genre: Suspense/Mystery

Connie has risen to fame through her mother’s vlogs and the family has enjoyed the spoils of their internet fame, but it has come at a price. Connie has started feeling like someone is watching her after some unusual online comments and a few local girls who resemble her start dying. Despite her growing uneasiness her mother and sister, Isla, refuse to stop posting all of the details of their daily lives for fear of losing this lucrative career. When her mom and sister leave for a long college scouting trip, Connie is nervous to stay in their sprawling home despite the state of the art security system and police chief looking in on her from time to time. Connie does have a few good friends who are always there when she needs them, but she knows someone has been on her property and possibly in her house, which makes her terrified to be on her own but no one seems to take her worries seriously and she begins to wonder if it is, in fact, all in her head. Is Connie safe in her own home? Did they invite trouble by putting their lives on the internet for all to see?

Fans of suspense/mystery stories like April Henry will like this author and this title. The premise is intriguing in the age of people posting far too many personal details online, but the pieces don’t always fit together satisfactorily. The reader can definitely feel Connie’s growing anxiety and frustration that no one is really taking her feelings seriously, but it is hard to determine at first if someone is in fact trying to get her or if she has just become overly worried after some not so nice comments she saw online. The ultimate resolution seems a bit rushed and some fans will not find it satisfying, but it is still a great pick for reluctant readers who love a fast paced, exciting story.

Genre: Romance

In this prequel to the Inheritance Games, readers get to see when Toby and Avery’s mom, Hannah, met and what their relationship was like. It begins with Toby coming to the Hawthorne home with a few friends and engaging Hannah’s sister, Kaylie, at a local bar. Hannah immediately got a strange vibe from her first impression of these college boys and advised her sister to stay away, but Kaylie was a free spirit and found her way back to them. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when there was an explosion at the Hawethorne property and the only known survivor was Toby, who was plucked out of the water by a local fisherman. Since Hannah was training to be a nurse, he summoned her to help save Toby’s life because Hannah’s family would definitely be out for revenge if they knew where Toby was. Therefore, the story follows both Toby and Hannah’s perspectives on what happened when Hannah came to tend to Toby’s wounds. Hannah is very hurt and angry about what happened to her sister, but she knows her vocation is to help those who need it. Meanwhile, Toby is despondent and just wants to be left to die. Eventually they begin to form a friendship and possibly more…?

Fans of the Inheritance Games will greatly appreciate this story as it clarifies how Toby knew Avery’s mom and what exactly happened that led to a lot of the drama that happens for the descendants in the other books. It helps to put faces to the characters mentioned in the original series and introduces them to the reader in a new and more meaningful way. The format of the book is interesting with each viewpoint told from either side of the book. The story also helps to put a more personal, loving spin on a story that often focuses solely on competition and games. Recommended for fans of the series and fans of romance novels.