Where Dreams Descend

 Kallia is a magician. In a time where women are kept in the shadows, Kallia was born to shine. She has been kept at Hellfire House where Jack makes sure she stays put. He creates illusions to keep her happy, even as she starts to figure out things are not right. When she gets wind of a contest in the neighboring town of Glorian, she sees her chance to escape Jack and make a name for herself. Once in the contest though, things start to get weird. Magicians disappear, strange things happen on stage and whatever you do, stay away from the mirrors. Daron DeMarco is a retired magician. Something terrible happened to cause him to give up performing. Now he finds himself a judge in the competition. And he can't seem to shake the feelings he gets from Kallia. The two are thrown together by circumstance and the fact that all the other judges hate Kallia. Hate her for being a woman in a man's world, for being the best, and for being unapologetically herself. When Jack starts showing up in her mirror, filled with threats to all she cares about, Kallia is determined to stop him from hurting anyone else. On the night of the final performance, all the stars align into the perfect storm. A stage full of mirrors, a possessive ex and a room full of rapt audience members. Will history repeat itself? Who will live and who will die? And who is the real enemy? I wish I knew... As for a recommendation, I don't think this is a YA book to tell the truth. It read like an adult book, even though it came in one of my book subscription boxes. I was ambivalent through much of it, but the end hooked my attention enough to look forward to a sequel. And honestly, the fourth Ember in the Ashes book was sitting on my counter mocking me to start it. So it is up to you my friends- Happy reading!

The Guinevere Deception

 The most enduring legend of all time- the Arthur Legend- Camelot, Excalibur, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot. But what if there is a twist? What if Guinevere isn't who she is supposed to be? What if magic is banned from Camelot? What if Excalibur is evil? Well, all these are questions posed in this wonderful novel. Arthur is in danger and Merlin is bound to help him. But Merlin has been banned from Camelot, so he sends Guinevere to protect him. But she is not the real Guinevere. She is a changeling blessed with magic. Arthur knows who she is - kind of- and knows she is there to protect him. The problem is, who is she protecting him from? As intrigue creeps around the castle, Guinevere has to be Queen as well as protector and sometimes the lines can get blurred. And then there is Mordred, whom Guinevere finds disturbingly appealing. What's a girl to do? Decisions have to be made and allies must be forged and hopefully, the right decisions made. Because if the wrong ones win, Camelot will fall and all Arthur has created will disappear. I absolutely loved this novel. Throw a little fairy magic into a legend and twist around characters that have been around forever and you have a un-put-downable book. Kiersten White has become an author I look forward to reading and already have the sequel on the stack on my bookcase. I also love the modern attitudes in this story, gender switches and the like. I won't give that one away. Enjoy your trip to Camelot, but beware, if you use your magic you won't be welcome long. Happy Reading my friends!

Lies Like Poison

 Poppy, Belladonna, Lily- all poisonous flowers. Equally poisonous friends. When their friend Raven is being abused by his step-mother, they concoct a plan to poison her tea. One flower from each of them, slipped into her tea. A plan is formulated and written down. But Raven gets sent away as does Bella so the plan is put on the back burner. When Raven is just about to come home, his step mom dies. Of poison. One by one his friends are called into the police station and questioned. Alibis are given, betrayals happen and a love triangle is concluded, but whodunnit?  Still unclear. As the old friends make amends, they need to figure out who really killed her or one of them will wind up in prison. I don't know that I loved this book. There were some great, modern situations, and it is very LGBTQ friendly. I liked that those issues were explored in a loving and accepting way. It was a fast read and had some interesting parts but it won't go on my favorites shelf. Happy reading my friends!

Rebel Rose

 Tale as old as time.... what happens after the big dance where Belle and the Beast live happily ever after. Now a country needs to be ruled, Belle needs to take on her queenly duties, and they have to figure out how to stop the French Revolution from happening in their country. Belle doesn't want to be Queen. She just wants to build her library and settle into her marriage. But events in Paris are creeping closer and Lio has been called to King Louis's court. With Lio gone, Belle is left to figure out how to rule in Lio's stead. But who can she trust? Intrigue is afoot. And so is magic. A magic mirror gives Belle a warning she can't ignore. How will she manage to keep Lio from suffering the same fate as Louis and Marie? I loved the idea of this novel. The idea of taking a Disney princess and putting them in the real world in the real time is fascinating. Belle is a smart woman who is confident in her ability to read situations. Without her, Lio would be left to fumble around listening to unreliable advisors. I enjoyed the French Revolution backstory and the real life characters interspersed into the fairy tale. I will happily ever after read any other of the books that put Disney princesses into  the real world. Happy reading my friends!

Daughter of a Pirate King

 Alosa is the daughter of the Pirate King. He has sent her on a mission to find a map to unguarded treasure. In order to find the map, she allows her ship to be captured and herself taken hostage. What she didn't expect is the first mate- Riden, brother of the captain of the capturing ship. He is torn between throwing her overboard and keeping safe from the pirates on board. As she finds ways to search the ship for the map, Riden gets more and more suspicious of her actions. And naturally, the beautiful daughter of a pirate queen is also irresistible. The closer she and Riden get, the more confused their feelings become. But what Riden doesn't know, is the Alosa is more than meets the eye. She may have more power over these pirates than they can ever know. I really liked this book. I love the strength and confidence of Alosa. I love that her father has trusted her with a secret mission. I love that she has an all female crew. And I love the secret she is keeping from everyone. This book was filled with action. intrigue, romance, and an strong female protagonist. I definitely will read the sequel and look forward to seeing what Alosa will do next. Happy reading my friends!

Guinevere Deception

 

Who can resist a Camelot legend tale? Not I. So when I saw that this one had a new twist, I knew I'd be hooked from page one. And I wasn't wrong. Guinevere is on her way to meet her new husband Arthur. But Guinevere isn't really Guinevere. The real Guinevere had died and Merlin has replaced her with a changeling. The new Guinevere had magic, which is outlawed in Camelot. She is being sent to protect Arthur and root out the underlying dissent rising against him. She has to be careful, if she is caught she will be sent out of Camelot and Arthur and all he has created will be at risk. Her mission is fraught with danger as she is drawn to the darkness in Mordred and the good in Arthur. Will he become more than just her husband in name only? Will she be able to fill the role of Queen while still rooting out the evil? Guinevere also finds herself being protected by the strange new knight- Lancelot. Lancelot is also trying to find a place in Camelot without revealing too much of their own past. This was an outstanding book. I loved the magical twist, the Merlin machinations and the revelation of this version of Lancelot. I already have the sequel waiting in my pile of Christmas vacation books. I love when a story that is tried and true is turned on it's head. And Kiersten White is an author I auto buy! Happy reading my friends!

Sisters of Sword and Song

 

Eva and Halcyon are sisters. Eva tends the family Olive grove. Halcyon is making her mark in the Queen's army. They are finally to be reunited, but Halcyon shows up early and on the run from her commander. She has accidently killed her commander's son, her best friend and partner. She has fled for her life. Eva tries to hide and protect her but Halcyon is captured and sentenced to hard labor. At her trial, Eva speaks out and takes on part of Halcyon's punishment- 5 years serving the commander's family. She meets Damon, the brother of the slain boy and rather than hate her, he sets out to help her clear her sister's name. She finds an ally amongst her would be enemies. Eva sets out to find a relic that can give her the magic to free her sister. But forces larger than her are at work to gather all the relics and give ultimate power to whomever finds them. The more she and Damon grow closer, the more the magic they seek evades them. And even if they do find who is behind the relic hunting, will Damon have enough magic to save Eva and his family? And was Halcyon just a pawn in a game far more deadly than any of them know? I absolutely loved this book. The twists and turns kept me reading long past the time I had. The sisters have an amazing bond and the message of forgiveness is a powerful one. Highly recommend this novel. Happy Reading my friends!

Dangerous Alliance

 

Lady Victoria Aston wants to live in a Jane Austen book. But not one of the ones with damsels in distress, the ones where the heroines take things in their own hands. When her sister's marriage falls apart, it is up to her to marry into some money- and if she can fall in love as well- that would be a bonus. Tom Sherborne is the boy next door, he was once Vicky's best friend until circumstances caused him to leave his adjoining estate. When he returns to his familial home, Vicky can only hope that they rekindle their friendship. Vicky sets out to court all the eligible men in her social circle at the same time someone is out to hurt her family. Tom seems to be on hand to rescue her even though she is trying to take care of herself. This is a delightful book. If you love the 1800s and all their societal pressures, you will love the way Vicky tries to overcome them. The characters are likable and fun and most can't be trusted. But the ones who can are charming and worthy of Vicky's attention. I read this one a while ago and am just catching up, but I am still enchanted by the plot. Happy reading my friends!