Siege and Storm

Book two of the Grisha Trilogy finds Alina and Mal hiding from the Darkling. Now the Darkling is one of the most confusing characters I have come across. I can't decide if I have a crush on him or want him to be ripped apart by the Cut. To add insult to injury, the newest character in the series, Strumhold, is also enchanting. Is he a privateer, a rogue, or is he someone else entirely? I'll never tell. But what I will say is that this second book will not let you down. Alina and Mal find themselves captive on Strumhold's ship, prisoners of the Darkling. Mal is in mortal danger and Alina will do everything in her impressive power to keep him alive. When Strumhold turns out to be more than you thought he was, Alina finds herself back in Ravka raising an army of her own to take on the Darkling. She gains another amplifier that expands her powers greatly, but she realizes there is one more out there for her to find. And she wants it. Bad. Mal just wants his old Alina back. He wants to run away together and live out life in peace. Alina knows that is not meant to be. Along with her faithful followers, she must play the part of Saint for the masses, and the part of savvy diplomat for everyone else. However; all she really wants is a life with Mal- or does she? Alina will risk it all to get what she wants, as soon as she figures out what that is. I love this series. It is filled with adventure, romance and some cheeky heroes with zippy one-liners. It's not often you laugh out loud in the middle of a battle! If only there wasn't housework to be done or papers to grade... Happy reading my friends!

The Cellar

A crazy guy kidnaps girls and locks them in a cellar. He names them after flowers. I don't recommend this book for teen readers even though it is a young adult book. I don't know why I feel this way, I just didn't like it and don't think it will even go back in my classroom. Maybe an older teen would be interested, but not my 8th graders. I guess I prefer books that I wouldn't see as stories on the news. So read at your own risk. Gonna shake this one off and head back to fantasy land! Happy reading my friends!

Heir of Fire

Wow, friends, it has been too long! Many things have gotten in the way of reading lately and truthfully, I was savoring this one. The third book in the Throne of Glass series has kept me occupied for weeks. I read a little at a time, not like me at all. This is the story of the King's Assassin, Celaena Sardothian, is on a mission to reclaim her throne as queen of her people. She is beaten and broken and not entirely sure she wants the responsibility. She thinks she has let everyone she loves down. She has driven Chaol away. She is hiding from her life. With the death of her best friend Nehemia, she makes a promise to get even with the King of Adarlan even if it means facing her past and taking back what is rightfully hers. The story lines are all separate in this volume. Celaena is off with Rowan, an ancient Fae warrior , who would just as soon kill her as help her. Dorian is trying to hide and contol his magic to keep his father, the king, at bay. Aedion, Aelin's sworn protector, is looking for his queen and finds himself an unlikely ally in Chaol. Then there are the witches, hired by the king to form a squadron of death on the backs of mythical winged beasts. The paths of these characters come to a crashing halt as death, destruction and betrayal find their way into Adarlan. Revenge is on everyone's mind as the characters plot their next moves. Everyone is in peril. My heart is pounding and I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight for thinking about poor Dorian, locked up Aedion and the fact that Celaena and Chaol did not spend one page together in this book. If you are a fan of The Demon King, this series is right up your ally with a little rougher edge. I don't know who I am more in love with now- Chaol, Aedion or Rowan. Celaena is a lucky fictional girl. Spring break is creeping up and books are the plan for the two weeks of rest. Happy reading my friends!

Orleans

The Delta Fever has cut New Orleans off from the rest of the country. Hurricane after hurricane has decimated the land and the people. People are separated into tribes by blood type. It is a violent world were everyone must fend for themselves. Fen is a teenager who has lost her parents in this new world. When her chieftain gives birth to a baby amidst a raid on their village, Fen is left to care for it when Lydia dies. She promises Lydia that she will care for the baby girl. But having a newborn is a sure death sentence for both of them. She only has a couple of weeks to get her across the wall into The Outer States to avoid the baby getting the fever. Newborn blood is a hot commodity on the black market so Fen must keep her from the blood hunters. Daniel is a scientist from the Outer States. He almost has found a cure for the fever, but in the process, he has created a way to wipe out all the people who have the fever. He sneaks into Orleans to find someone to help him with a cure before someone finds out the terrible weapon he has created. He crosses paths with Fen and they barter a trade. Fen will help him find the professors he is looking for if he will help her get the baby across the wall. While Fen hates being tied to the 'tourist', she knows she needs his help as she will do anything to keep her promise to Lydia. This is a gritty novel that warns of what could happen if mother nature decides to turn on us for good. But even as society breaks down, there are good people willing to risk their lives to save the world. Does Fen make the ultimate sacrifice to save the baby? And can Daniel really find a cure and save the world? I wish I could tell you the answer but alas, a cliffhanger awaits. Happy reading my friends.

Firebug

Well friends- I have a new favorite! Firebug by Lish McBride of Hold Me Closer Necromancer fame has it all. Supernatural being, a love triangle and characters that make you laugh and cry at the same time. Let me start with Ava, a firebug, she can start fires with her hands. This skill is highly coveted by the Coterie, a supernatural mob, who holds a contract on her services. The Coterie is led by Venus the evil vampire. She demands Ava to be her assassin. Venus is also responsible for the death of Ava's mother. So, Ava hates her. Then there are Ava's two best friends- Lock, the dryad, who can command the forest and Ezra (who is my new favorite character!!!!) the sneaky, egocentric were-fox. They are her team and help her with the assassinations. They would do anything for each other, even take on Venus at the risk of their own lives. When Duncan- the closest thing to a grandfather Ava has- is next on the hit list, Ava stands up to Venus and refuses the job. But we all know you shouldn't refuse an evil vampire so havoc ensues.This includes the capture of Cade, Ava's human guardian. With the help of a drove of were-hares and a few other supernatural wonders, Ava sets out to rescue Cade from the Coterie while removing Venus from this heavenly coil. But what about the love triangle you ask? Ava's boyfriend Ryan gets into the mix and Lock can't seem to keep his feelings to himself. Of course, Ava is terrible at dealing with emotions, so many things get messed up, but all that does is leave you wanting more in a sequel. And soon I hope. I think Lish McBride should be my friend so we can hang out and talk about her amazing characters. So until that happens, start this series and enjoy the ride. Just watch out for Ezra, he may be picking your pocket as we speak. Happy reading my friends!

Compulsion

Do you like a good Southern mystery? This may be the book for you. Barrie has just lost her mother and her guardian is dying of cancer. She is left to live with her mother's twin sister Aunt Pru on Watson Island. Barrie has never met her aunt or been to the island, but she is immediately drawn to the place. It is filled with magic and spirits and an ancient curse. Of course, she doesn't know the extent of it. She meets Eight Beaufort, and feels that click. See, Barrie has a gift for finding lost things. It compels her to look until the lost thing is found. Eight also has a gift, he knows what people want. This of course, drives Barrie crazy because she doesn't know if he really wants her or just wants to give her what she wants, which is him. Confused? Don't be. Barrie and Eight (and their families) are at odds with the ne'er-do-well Coleworths who always seem to be on the wrong end of everything. Cassie just wants Barrie to 'find' her families treasure so the score can be settled. But Cassie isn't the most reliable of people and Eight knows she can't be trusted. Barrie wants to help, but each time she tries, something awful happens. Eight tries to warn her, but Barrie has to learn things the hard way. This is a story of decades old family feuds, romance and a huge mystery that almost costs Barrie her life. It is an interesting tale that kept my attention from the first page to the last with eager anticipation for more books to come. There is just enough of a cliffhanger to keep the interested reader going but not enough of one to disappoint those who like stand alone books. Can't wait to hand this off to one of my students tomorrow to see what they make of Barrie and Eight. Happy reading my friends!

Enchanter Heir

Sometimes an author just gets what you want to read. They know how to create characters that tug at your heartstrings or frustrate you to the point you are screaming at a book. Cinda Williams Chima is one of those authors for me. I LOVE her Seven Realms series. I mean Han is one of my all time favorite boys. But I think I could make a list of favorite fictional boys just from Chima's books. This member of the Heir Chronicles is just as amazing as the rest. I didn't think it could get better than Jack Swift and Seph McCAuley but then I get to meet Jonah Kinlock. Jonah is a savant- he is a member of a group who lived in Thorn Hill and survived the massacre there that killed all the adults and left the children with strange mutations. Jonah is an assassin, a member of Nightshade, who is tasked with finding shades- souls who jump from body to body- and putting them out of their misery. Jonah is good at his job. He should be, his touch is deadly. This is a great feature for an assassin, not so much for a seventeen year old boy who meets the girl of his dreams. Emma is a musician living in Memphis with her grandfather. When he is killed she is sent to live with the father she never knew. Tyler Greenwood has been in hiding for years. When Emma arrives on his doorstep, he is pulled back into battle with the Wizard guild. He tries to keep Emma safe. Jonah and Emma meet and feel an immediate attraction beyond even their love of music. But one fateful night, things go deadly wrong and may ruin what little chance they have at happiness. Yikes, that isn't even the tip of the iceberg that is this book. You can read it alone, or start with the Warrior Heir to get the entire backstory. Either way, you will be drawn into the world of the heirs and fall in love with them too. Happy reading my friends!