#BookReview: Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah

Synopsis: Andrea Hannah's Where Darkness Blooms is a supernatural thriller about an eerie town where the sunflowers whisper secrets and the land hungers for blood.

The town of Bishop is known for exactly two things: recurring windstorms and an endless field of sunflowers that stretches farther than the eye can see. And women—missing women. So when three more women disappear one stormy night, no one in Bishop is surprised. The case is closed and their daughters are left in their dusty shared house with the shattered pieces of their lives. Until the wind kicks up a terrible secret at their mothers’ much-delayed memorial.

With secrets come the lies each of the girls is forced to confront. After caring for the other girls, Delilah would like to move on with her boyfriend, Bennett, but she can’t bear his touch. Whitney has already lost both her mother and her girlfriend, Eleanor, and now her only solace is an old weathervane that seems to whisper to her. Jude, Whitney's twin sister, would rather ignore it all, but the wind kicks up her secret too: the summer fling she had with Delilah's boyfriend. And more than anything, Bo wants answers and she wants them now. Something happened to their mothers and the townsfolk know what it was. She’s sure of it.

Bishop has always been a strange town. But what the girls don’t know is that Bishop was founded on blood—and now it craves theirs.

#BookReview: Nocturne by Alyssa Wees

Synopsis: In this haunting, lyrical fantasy set in 1930s Chicago, a talented ballerina finds herself torn between her dreams and her desires when she's pursued by a secretive patron who may be more than he seems.

Growing up in Chicago’s Little Sicily in the years following the Great War, Grace Dragotta has always wanted to be a ballerina, ever since she first peered through the windows of the Near North Ballet Company. So when Grace is orphaned, she chooses the ballet as her home, imagining herself forever ensconced in a transcendent world of light and beauty so different from her poor, immigrant upbringing.

Years later, with the Great Depression in full swing, Grace has become the company's new prima ballerina—though achieving her long-held dream is not the triumph she once envisioned. Time and familiarity have tarnished that shining vision, and her new position means the loss of her best friend in the world. Then she attracts the attention of the enigmatic Master La Rosa as her personal patron, and realizes the world is not as small or constricted as she had come to fear.

Who is her mysterious patron, and what does he want from her? As Grace begins to unlock the Master's secrets, she discovers that there is beauty in darkness as well as light, finds that true friendship cannot be broken by time or distance, and realizes there may be another way entirely to achieve the transcendence she has always sought.

#BookReview: A Princess in Theory by @alyssacolelit

Synopsis: From acclaimed author Alyssa Cole comes the tale of a city Cinderella and her Prince Charming in disguise . . . 

Between grad school and multiple jobs, Naledi Smith doesn’t have time for fairy tales…or patience for the constant e-mails claiming she’s betrothed to an African prince. Sure. Right. Delete! As a former foster kid, she’s learned that the only things she can depend on are herself and the scientific method, and a silly e-mail won’t convince her otherwise.

Prince Thabiso is the sole heir to the throne of Thesolo, shouldering the hopes of his parents and his people. At the top of their list? His marriage. Ever dutiful, he tracks down his missing betrothed. When Naledi mistakes the prince for a pauper, Thabiso can’t resist the chance to experience life—and love—without the burden of his crown.

The chemistry between them is instant and irresistible, and flirty friendship quickly evolves into passionate nights. But when the truth is revealed, can a princess in theory become a princess ever after?

Selected as one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2018!

#BookReview: Cards of Fate by A.R. Kingston

Synopsis: Morgana de Laurent is a witch who lives in-of all places-Perdetia, the last kingdom in Dresbourn to still enforce the practice of witch-burning. Orphaned in the anti-magic crusades of the cruel demon king, Morgana is adopted by a wealthy baroness, who urges her to hide her true identity in plain sight. But it's not the stake she's worried about; it's the fate of the only man she's ever loved, Leopold Ellingham, and the safety of her best friend, Princess Lafreya.

In the midst of a momentous political transition, a sudden kidnapping sends the young witch and her lover on an adventure to the far reaches of Dresbourn-as the future of all magic-users to hangs in the balance.

Part thrilling adventure, part erotic romance, Cards of Fate is a tale of facing one's fears and oneself, the lengths we go for love, and how much control we have over destiny.

#BookReview: How to Be a Rule-Breaking Letterer by Huyen Dinh

Synopsis: Break the rules, embrace imperfection, and express your unique self through lettering art!

This book is for anyone who's felt the pressure of perfection. As a schoolgirl in Vietnam and later in online lettering classes, Huyen Dinh was always told to perfect her penmanship. Instead, she started embracing her own imperfect style—with squiggly lines, cheeky messages, and pastel colors.

In this upbeat guidebook, Dinh walks you through the basic rules of lettering and then teaches you how to break them in clever and creative ways. She shares challenges and triumphs from her own artistic journey and offers inspiration as well as technical tips. You can use your new lettering skills to tell your personal story, support a cause you care about, or decorate your tote bags and sneakers! Fully illustrated in Dinh's signature pastel palette, this book is the perfect companion for any aspiring creative. 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE BOOK: This fresh and fun guide includes: 
Affirmations for a positive mindset
Lettering language 101
A step-by-step guide from brainstorming to finished art
Inspiration for telling your story through lettering
Fun DIY projects with how-to instructions
And much more
MAKES LETTERING FUN: No need to sweat over creating technically perfect calligraphy. Instead, let this guidebook infuse your creative projects with fun. Lettering is a chance to explore your personal style and share your passions with the world.
 
EMPOWERING MESSAGE: By sharing her own story, Dinh offers inspiration for anyone who dreams of a creative career, especially other young Asian American women. This is an approachable and inclusive handbook for pursuing your artistic goals.
 
RISING STAR: Huyen Dinh's refreshing honesty and irresistible illustration style have resonated with thousands of fans online. Her lettering art has graced murals, sweatshirts, magazine covers, and more. With this book, she welcomes anyone to join her in creating perfectly imperfect lettering.

Perfect for:
Letterers, artists, and illustrators looking for a fun and practical resource
Students of all ages looking for a creative outlet
Casual creatives and hobbyists who love hand lettering, drawing with letters, and font, alphabet, and script design
Fashionistas who want to add personal flair to their accessories
Engaged couples doing hand-lettered DIY wedding invites
Pinterest addicts and bullet journaling enthusiasts seeking new letter design ideas and inspiration

#BookReview: The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley

Synopsis: London, 1868. The streets are haunted by thieves, murderers… and demons from beyond the Aether.

Spencer and Bart are the city’s most incompetent crooks, and they are in deep trouble. Hunted by both police and their fellow criminals, they are forced to consider the unthinkable —going straight.

Forming The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency, they thought their troubles were behind them, but they soon find themselves caught up in a web far more dangerous than they could ever imagine, pitched against demons, criminals and evil magicians.

Why are there so many demons roaming the London streets, and can Spencer and Bart stop them before it’s too late?

Who are the mysterious Tappers, and what are they doing with the women they abduct from the streets?

Can Spencer and Bart change the habits of a lifetime and not only stay on the right side of the law, but also save the day?

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency is the new novel from Peter Oxley, the author of the Infernal Aether series. If you like dark gothic adventures with a light-hearted twist, then you’ll love The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency.

#BookReview: Lost Sierra by Amanda Traylor

Synopsis:  "A dark and twisty tour de force of a psychological thriller!"

With a new PhD under her belt and eager to avoid her pre-determined path as the heir to her parents Fortune 10 organic food company, twenty-seven year old Daphne seeks out an idyllic Mayberry existence in a small town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where residents might appreciate her personal brand of homeopathic techniques and herbal cures.

While she manages to gain a small collection of clients, she is mostly met with cold skepticism from the locals. When her favorite client—John Sharpe, an army veteran in his 70s—goes missing and no one in the town seems to be care, Daphne is deeply concerned. He saved her life once and she is bound and determined to return the favor.

Pitting herself against the townspeople, who assure her that Sharpe is just on a bender despite all the evidence she finds to the contrary, Daphne is drawn deeper and deeper into trouble, all while a wildfire rages closer and closer to the town.

It seems as if a local biker and a civilian deputy sheriff are willing to help, but it's hard to tell hero from villain in this world. She’s told to leave her search for the truth alone by multiple people, but she can't let it go. She's desperate to find the truth.
With unknown enemies in every dark corner and a raging wildfire threatening to trap everyone in town, Daphne has to decide how far she's willing to go for the truth.

#BookReview: The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound, #1) by Rochelle Hassan

Synopsis: A contemporary fantasy YA debut from Rochelle Hassan about monsters, magic, and wicked fae, perfect for fans of The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Hazel Wood. 

As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone. 

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He's road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn't even know his true love's name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it's haunting. 

Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse. 

When the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown... even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.

#BookReview: Rogue (The Prep Series, #2) by @ellekennedy

Synopsis: It's been a long time since Casey Tresscott has felt like her life was her own. After the car accident that nearly cost her everything, she's used to her family's coddling and the relentless whispers at school, no matter how much they sting. After all, she's found a safe harbor in her budding relationship with Sandover's golden boy, Fenn Bishop…or so she thinks. 

Beneath Fenn's pretty, party-boy surface is a dangerous truth about the night Casey almost died. He thought lying to her was the right thing to do, but when the secret shakes loose, he just might lose her for good. 

Because Casey is done being taken advantage of. 

Grasping for the control she's been missing, Casey finally snaps―telling off her bullies, gallivanting with rebels and playboys, and shirking her headmaster father's strict curfews, despite the consequences. A desperate Fenn must ally with his stepbrother RJ and the other Sandover delinquents to uncover the full story of Casey's accident and the ones responsible if he hopes to win her back. 

But what happens if Casey is no longer the same girl he first fell for? Is there any hope for their future if she's gone rogue for good?

#BookReview: Misfit (The Prep Series, #1) by Elle Kennedy

Synopsis: Finding out your mom is marrying some rich guy you've never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old's head spin. And for RJ Shaw, it gets worse: he's being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there's one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn't belong, it's an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents. There's no point trying to get along with anyone. That is, until he meets Sloane Tresscott in the woods on the outskirts of campus. Gorgeous and sharp-tongued, Sloane is pure temptation. Except Sloane is the one girl he's forbidden from touching. The headmaster's daughter. Good thing RJ doesn't believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she's swearing off boys this year, but he wants her bad, and he's going to win her over if it kills him―unless her ex-boyfriend, the ruling king of Sandover, kills him first. Luckily, RJ's unwittingly made some friends. His new stepbrother Fenn, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak. Lawson, self-proclaimed agent of chaos. And Silas, the All-American good guy who can't actually be as nice as he seems. If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane's heart, he'll need to figure out a way to use all the secrets hidden in the walls of Sandover.

#BookReview: Blood in the Storm (The Tidestone Cycle, #1) by Brian S. Gardner

Synopsis: Figure out what kind of man you want to be and start being him.

Grant Sundar, a hard-working university research assistant, did all he could to provide for his wife and daughter. When a rogue wizard named Standard murders them to uncover an ancient, magical sword, Grant's world is turned upside down. 

With a target on his back, Grant is going to need all the help he can get from friends new and old to keep the sword out of Standard's hands. If he fails to get it to safety, it could spark a war to plunge the world into endless darkness. Threats come from every side. Shadow wolves, assassins, and weather itself all try to stand in his way. The sword even has secrets of its own. 

From the soaring spires of Lervuco to the ancient techno-marvel city of Tona, his thirst for revenge swells while his hold on sanity weakens. Grant's last chance to honor his family approaches. Will it be through justice or vengeance?

Only in finding himself can he keep from losing his soul.

#BookReview: Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston

Synopsis: A stunning Celtic YA fantasy adventure set in the ancient kingdom of Eire, inspired by the legend of the first true queen of Ireland, perfect for fans of Shelby Mahurin and Adrienne Young.

In the kingdom of Eire, banshees chill the air, and water-wights lurk in the rivers. But magic is outlawed by the king, and jealously hoarded by his Druid priests.

Neve is the youngest daughter of the king, and Ronan is a Druid's apprentice-turned-thief, making a living by selling stolen spells. They should be enemies, but their shared hatred of the Druids-and a dark magic that has marked them both-makes them unlikely, if uneasy, allies.

When Eire is threatened by a power struggle, Neve must seize the chance to take her rightful place on her family's throne, with the help of Ronan and the realm's most dangerous outcasts. Their journey takes them to the outskirts of Eire where magic still runs free . . . and where an outlaw and a warrior princess might carve out a future with spells and swords.

Lesley Livingston vividly reimagines Irish legends and fairytales to craft a YA fantasy adventure that will captivate readers of Brigid Kemmerer and Tricia Levenseller.

#BookReview: Waking Fire (Walking Fire, #1) by Jean Louise

Synopsis: This incendiary YA fantasy debut follows a girl who will stop at nothing to save her village after it’s discovered by a dangerous warlord and his army of undead monsters.

Naira Khoum has only known life in Lagusa, a quiet village at the desert’s end. But to the rest of the world, Lagusa is a myth, its location shrouded in secrecy. While war rages to the north led by power-hungry Sothpike and his army of undead monsters called Dambi, Naira’s people live in peace.

Until the impossible happens—Lagusa is attacked by a Mistress sent to do Sothpike’s bidding with a hoard of Dambi under her control. The Mistress is looking for something, and she’s willing to let her Dambi destroy Lagusa to get it.

Desperate to protect her home, Naira convinces her twin brother Nez and handsome refugee Kal to join the newly formed resistance with her. Together, they’ll have to figure out what the Mistress wants—before there’s nothing left of Lagusa to save.

#BookReview: Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology, #1) by Ivelisse Housman

Synopsis: Twin sisters, both on the run, but different as day and night. One, a professional rogue, searches for a fabled treasure; the other, a changeling, searches for the truth behind her origins, trying to find a place to fit in with the realm of fae who made her and the humans who shun her.  

Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde… but as an autistic changeling trying to navigate her unpredictable magic, Seelie finds it more difficult to fit in with the humans around her. When Seelie and Isolde are caught up in a heist gone wrong and make some unexpected allies, they find themselves unraveling a larger mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.

 Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister, and herself?

#BookReview: Don't Fade Away: A Ghost Story Natalie Pearce

Synopsis: For Elle, haunting a share house comes with a unique set of challenges. Living tenants come and go, leaving her with nothing to fill her days except a crush on longstanding housemate, Dean, who literally doesn’t know she exists. Talk about unrequited love.

Just as she despairs at being stuck halfway to the other side for the rest of her afterlife, the newest resident sparks hope for something more than the humdrum of everyday death.

As far as mediums go, Ethan barely knows he is one. He just wants a place to knuckle down and finish his medical degree. But as soon as he moves in, he senses a presence. He tries to ignore it – but Elle is insistent…

The more Ethan uncovers about Elle, the more he suspects her death was no accident. Can he help her move on, or will greater forces intervene?


Don’t Fade Away is a spooky contemporary ghost story with a few scares and a lot of heart!

#BookReview: The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford

Synopsis: Outsiders are always given a choice: the Forest or the lake. Either way, they're never heard from again.

Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla.

When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she's supposed to do. But in a moment that will change everything, Leelo betrays her family, her best friend, and Endla by making an unthinkable choice.

Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren, but as they grow closer, Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself.

#BookReview: Forestfall (World at the Lake's Edge, #2) @lkclipstone

Synopsis: Some oaths can never be broken...

The curse that haunted Lakesedge Estate has been broken, but at great cost. Violeta Graceling has sacrificed herself to end the Corruption. To escape death, Leta makes a desperate bargain with the Lord Under, one that sees her living at his side in the land of the dead.

But this world of souls and mist hides many secrets. And when Leta realizes she is still connected to Rowan by a tethering spell, she will risk everything— even her soul— to try and reach him.

Torn between power and love, life and death, Leta struggles to keep hold of her humanity as she falls further and further under the spell of the world Below… and the Lord Under.

#BookReview: Crossing the Line by @ynnRushWrites & @KellyAnneBlount

Synopsis: A patch of black ice is all it takes for Ryan “Preach” Armstrong’s perfectly planned future to skid out of control. The car crash shatters his hockey dreams…and injures Woodhaven’s newest student, Grace Milner. As much as this feisty track phenom gets under Preach’s skin in all the best and worst ways, she might just be his path to redemption…

Grace can’t believe that all it took was seriously bad timing and a hot but prickly hockey player to threaten her lifelong dream of joining the Air Force. Now, instead of prepping for the track season and upcoming start of basic training, she has to complete community service with the absolute last person she would ever want to be stuck with—the guy who shattered her future.

When two fierce competitors collide this hard, the only result is heartbreak…or an epic victory as they cross the finish line together.

#BookReview: The Luminaries (The Luminaries, #1) by Susan Dennard

Synopsis: From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick
An Indigo Best Teen Book of 2022
A Junior Library Guild Pick
An Indie Next Pick
A Goodreads Most Anticipated YA Book

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. 

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. 

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

#BookReview: Lakesedge (World at the Lake's Edge, #1) by @lkclipstone

Synopsis: A gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake.

There are monsters in the world.

When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem.

There are monsters in the woods.

As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…

There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name.

Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.