House of Salt and Sorrows

 12 sisters, mysteriously dying off. The remaining sisters mask their grief by dancing the night away at various balls they get to through a secret passage in a cave. But suddenly their shoes are worn down and something isn't right. Annaleigh, the second oldest sister left, stops attending the balls and starts to become concerned about her sisters' behavior. With the help of a mysterious boy named Cassius, she sets out to discover what has happened to her sisters. And time is running out- the remaining sisters are in grave danger. The story is set in a small town at the edge of the sea, where the sea turtles are born and myths and monsters are real. Tricksters cause trouble and peril is real. This is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses with many twists and turns. You won't know who to trust or what to believe. The twists and turns are like the sea in a storm. So hold on tight to the side of your dinghy and hope Old Maude is lit so you can find safety on the shore. Happy reading my friends!

Winterkeep

 Sometimes you have to wait a long time for an author to go back to your favorite universe. If you have entered Kristen Cashore's world, you remember little Queen Bitterblue. This is the continuation of her story. When her emissaries go missing on a fact finding trip for her, she is spurred into action. She and her faithful friends Giddon and Hava venture into Winterkeep. A land of airships and sea creatures that talk. Oh, and don't forget the foxes- who will bond to a human if they want so they can communicate. Living in Winterkeep is Lovisa Cavenda. She is a curious girl who is living with parents that are sketchy at best. Lovisa is sworn to protect her little brothers from a cruel mother and indifferent father. When the queen is presumed dead in a sea accident, Lovisa is determined to find out what happened to her. The truth will be devastating to her as her family is not innocent of the crime. With the help of her friends from school and a cunning fox, Lovisa will risk it all to help the darling queen find her way home. I cannot get enough of this series. It started with Fire, one of my all time favorite books and she has not let me down yet. The world of the Gracelings is magical, with each new creature topping the last. I want my own fox. Well maybe not, but they sure are fun to read about. If you have the imagination, jump into this world and get lost in the magic. Happy reading my friends!

The Cousins

 If you haven't read a Karen McManus book yet, you are missing out. In her newest tome, three cousins are called home to the island resort owned by their grandmother. Their parents had been disowned and not allowed to contact their mother. So when the kids get a chance to go to the island to get back into her good graces, they are left with no choice but to go. Milly, Jonah and Aubrey Story have never met. They have no choice but to become fast friends as they are thrown into a summer of intrigue and lies. Why were their parents banished? Why is their grandmother ignoring them? And are they even who they claim to be? As the summer goes on, the cousins are forced to look deep into their family's past and they may not like what they find. As each deception comes to light, they have to figure out what really happened 24 years ago to unravel the mystery of their grandmother. But long held secrets coming to life can be dangerous and deciding who to trust may be a matter of life or death. I couldn't put this down as most of her books. The twists and turns keep you reading long past your allotted reading time. Happy reading my friends. 

Lore

 Yet another book that was stalking my Instagram. Lore is of Greek descent. Every seven years, the gods come back to earth and fight it out. If you can kill a god, you can take their power. But Lore isn't interested in the Agon. In fact, she has been hiding from the game. After she lost her parents and sisters to the game, she slipped into the background and hid who she was. But the fight is still in Lore. She wants revenge on the god who killed her family, however that would mean coming out of the shadows and risking the new family she has created. Then one day he shows back up in her life. Her best friend Castor. Who she thought was dead. He needs her help. He is now the god Apollo and he doesn't have anyone he can trust. Lore gets pulled back into the past and thrown into the middle of the Agon fighting for all she loves. Deception, power, myth and love are all at odds in this modern Greek myth. This is a book about strong women and strong friendships. Lore exudes confidence and power and can think on her feet. I love Greek mythology so I really enjoyed the modern take this book brings. Imagine, Athena walking the streets of New York City. Well you don't have to- just pick up this book and enjoy the ride. Happy reading my friends!

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue

 This was a book that kept popping up everywhere and when I'm given a sign, I try to follow it. This is the story of Addie, who in a moment of desperation, sent up a prayer to the wrong god. She just wanted a chance at a life and a life she did get. But there are always strings. And her string said that she could live as long as she wanted, go where she wanted, see what she wanted, but no one would ever remember her. Imagine the problems. Where would you live, how would you have a place to call home? And how lonely would you get if no one recognized your face moments after you left them. Addie makes the best of it. She guides musicians, and becomes the muse of artists across time. But the connection she seeks is missing. She could end it all- that is what HE is waiting for her to do. To give the soul she promised back to him. Yet, Addie is not willing to let go, she thinks she can outlast him. Then one day someone remembers her. And she falls in love. How come he doesn't forget? Well he has a story of his own, one that is quickly coming to it's end. Can Addie's last act save him as she loses herself? Or does she have one more trick up her sleeve? This was a fantastic journey through time and place. It asks the question- if you could, would you live forever? Is it the time or the people that make a life worth living? This is more on the mature side of the typical YA. But I am glad I followed the signs. Happy reading my friends!

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!