Serpent and Dove

I kept seeing this title in my Insta feed. So why not? It has all the makings of a page turner- witches fighting the church, a marriage of convenience, questionable parentage and motherly love. Of course none of those are cut and dried. Lou is on the run. Not only is she a witch, but she is being hunted by her own coven for nefarious purposes. Reid has been sworn to find and burn witches at the stake. He was brought up by the Archbishop so he has been taught to hate the witches. But circumstances being what they are, Reid and Lou wind up in a marriage that will save both of them from some extreme trouble. Lou must keep her true nature from Reid so he doesn't turn her and her friends in. Reid must learn to question his belief system when he finds Lou more than meets the eye. As the two of them join forces, they find out more about each other than they bargained for and it will turn both their lives upside down. I really liked the characters in this book, I was surprised how quickly the love story took hold, none of that will they or won't they. Of course, as the book unfolded, they are going to have plenty to get in the way of their romance. I think the students in my class will like this book. It has just enough of everything, but be aware there are some racy scenes and language, so not for a younger reader. That being said- two thumbs up. Happy reading my friends!

Iron Flower

The sequel to Black Witch did not disappoint. So if you haven't read that yet, stop now and proceed to the bookstore. (yes, they still exist) Elloren and her gang of oppressed friends are trying to fight the government that would like to see most of them dead. The wolves, the selkies, the icarals, the fae, you name it, the government want them dead. But Ren and her friends will not be going down without a fight. I mean, they have a dragon on their side for goodness sake. And maybe, just maybe, each of them is more than they appear. Especially the granddaughter of the Black Witch, who may just have a wand up her sleeve. As terrible things happen to her friends, she is fighting her growing attraction to Yvan as her aunt pushes her to wand fast to Lukas Grey. Nothing in Elloren's upbringing has prepared her for the events she faces, but she is becoming her own person, determined to save those she loves. I love this series, it has many adult themes but the underlying societal messages are relevant today. I liken it to a more adult and diverse Harry Potter world, where good fights evil and those who are not fitting societies norms find each other. What are you waiting for- get to the store and buy this series or stay on the couch and download it... Happy reading my friends.

Call Down the Hawk

It is fitting that my last completed read of the decade (where does the time go) is the newest by Maggie Stbievater. My darling Rylee bought this for me (my book soulmate and former student) and I have been eagerly anticipating a return to Ronan Lynch. Now if you haven't read The Raven Cycle, you do need to back up and start there. This is about the brothers Lynch. Ronan, the dreamer, Declan the reliable and Matthew the dream. After the death of their father, they are finding a way to make their way in the world amongst some mind shattering secrets. On top of all that, someone is hunting and killing dreamers to save the world from an apocalypse. When they meet Jordan Hennessey, another dreamer, they are in even more danger than they realize. A mysterious man named Bryde may be both the answer they are looking for and the most terrifying of them all. I loved this book, I like the world they live in. I enjoyed getting to know and understand Declan more and loved the glimpses of Gansey and Blue and Adam. It was like meeting up with old friends after graduation and helping them solve some world changing issues. I haven't read anything by this author that I haven't liked and she wrote one of my top 5 in The Scorpio Races. Give it a chance in this new decade and as always, Happy reading my friends!

Angel Mage

It is prophesied that Liliath will return and bring about destruction. Anyone who shows signs of her powers is sent to the Tower for safe keeping. But what they don't know is that she is already among them and searching for the last pieces of her puzzle. When she finds them, she will bring back a powerful angel that may destroy the earth. In this time, people have the ability to call on help from the angels using icons. This has a cost, usually in bits of your life. Four strangers are brought together by Liliath as they have pieces of an angel inside them. She needs them to unleash her love. They don't know why they have been brought together, but feel they have known each other all their lives. They work together to figure out what is going on. But will it be in time to save themselves? I don't think I would recommend this book to my students, The subject matter requires a thoughtfulness and patience that most of my students don't possess. And there isn't enough action to keep them engaged. I may be saying this because I really didn't enjoy this one, and it was hard to me to finish. Especially knowing what I had waiting on my shelf. Not every book is for every reader and this one wasn't for me. Happy reading my friends.

The Black Witch

I loved this book, it was my favorite of the week. Elloren is the spitting image of her grandmother, the infamous Black Witch. But she has none of her powers. At least that is what she has been lead to believe. Her uncle has hidden her in the forest to give her a normal life. When she reaches the age where she should be getting wand fasted (engaged, but magically) her Aunt swoops in and takes her away to the university. Elloren wants to be an apothecary, but her aunt wants her to marry the amazing Lukas Gray. Elloren doesn't want to be wand fasted to someone she doesn't know so she does everything she can to avoid it, but she is intrigued by Lukas. One problem, the evil Fallon Bane wants Lukas for herself and will do anything to get Elloren out of the picture. This book is so much more than a love triangle. It has lupines, icarals, fae and all sorts of different types of people and Ren finds herself amazed by those in society who are discriminated against becoming her best friends. They all must work together as a new leader is being chosen who will make being different a crime punishable by death. Ren will not let that happen to her friends so she teams up with someone who hates her and all her family represents. Of course, Ren finds herself having feelings for the mysterious Yvan, who is harboring secrets of his own. I loved everything about this book and am so excited that the sequel came in the mail today. This reminds me of Sarah Maas's worlds, where you can get lost in the characters, each more interesting than the next. Give it a try! Happy reading my friends!

Goodbye Days

If you are looking for a book with a clear villain or happy ending, this isn't for you. It was the only book I read this week set in modern times in a real place. Blade- nickname- sends his friends a text asking where they were. When Marcus tries to respond, he crashes the car into the back of a semi, killing all three of Blade's best friends. Blade reveals his guilt through a series of flashbacks and funerals. Some of the parents blame him for sending the text, some don't. But Blade most definitely blames himself. As he works through his grief, he befriends Eli's girlfriend, the only person willing to give him a chance. But there is guilt in that too as he finds himself attracted to her. Blade also spends one day with each of his friends' families living the day as the friends would have wanted. This has mixed results. This is a powerful novel of those who are left behind after a tragedy. And it is made worse, because texting and driving is completely avoidable. I think my students will love this book and maybe it will stick in their heads when they take the wheel in a few years. Highly recommend. Happy reading my friends.

The Merciful Crow

This was my second favorite read of the week. In this society, people are broken into castes. Each has power except for the lowest caste- the Crows. Their job is to come into plague towns and remove the bodies as they are immune. But they are looked down upon and discriminated against. Fie is the future leader of her clan. When they are sent to the royal palace to claim some bodies, she finds that her father has been keeping a secret. They have smuggled out the Prince and his body double under the guise of the plague. The Queen is out to dethrone the Prince's father and has been trying to kill the Prince. Fie isn't happy with the deal that her father has made, but as things get dicey, she makes her own deal that will protect the Crow's from those who will do them harm. But in return, she must get the Prince and Tavin, safely across the country to Tavin's aunt, who will protect the boys. Along the way, traitors appear and put everything Fie loves in danger as she is left on her own to drag the boys to their destination. I enjoyed this world and this story. It was a new take on plague and plague masks in an alternate world. I love a strong girl protagonist and Fie is formidable. Of course there is love story, but I won't tell you between who. Happy reading my friends!