#BookReview: Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler

Synopsis: Lara's had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He's tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he's talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe...flirting, even? No, wait, he's definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara's wanted out of life.

Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.

Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?

Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are.

#BookReview: Esme's Wish (Esme Series #1) by @e_foster3

Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme’s mother, Ariane – so why can’t she?

But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother’s disappearance – that ‘lost at sea’ is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.

After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother’s steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane’s double life. But the more Esme discovers about her mother, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all. 

Winner of a Purple Dragonfly Book Award for best fantasy.

“A fresh new fantasy of an enchanting world.” - Wendy Orr, New York Times best selling author of Nim’s Island.

#ReleaseBlitz for Fearless Rebel by @EdenButler_ @CockyClub and @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Fearless Rebel

A Cocky Hero Club Novel

Author: Eden Butler

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 29, 2021

Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are excited to bring you the Cocky Hero Club: original works from various authors inspired by Keeland and Ward's New York Times bestselling Cocky Bastard series.

BLURB

Cold.

Cruel.

Fearless.

Ed Mescal had been all those things.

None of them fit.

Rebel.

That one did.

To the people who loved him, he’d been a brother. A grandson. A friend.

To Piper Warren, he thought, he’d been much more.

But lies that get buried are old and ugly once they're unearthed, something Ed's enemies are about to discover.

Now he's back, freed from the past and ready to reclaim the life and love stolen from him.

If he can prove that even a rebel deserves a second chance.

Author's Note:

Careful research into the Native American culture and the powwow circuit was conducted prior to the writing of this novel.

Please forgive any discrepancies that may be present. They come from my own mistakes and not from the kind educators, friends, and content editors who helped me.

Fearless Rebel is an enemies to lovers/second chance romance inspired by Cocky Bastard.

#BookReview: Teatime at Grosvenor Square: An Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Bridgerton—75 Sinfully Delectable Recipes by Dahlia Clearwater

Synopsis: Delightful food and drink recipes inspired by Netflix's hit show Bridgerton and Julia Quinn's bestselling novels. Finger sandwiches, pastries, roasts, desserts, cocktails, and more!

You are cordially invited to dine with society’s finest! From the magnificent macaron towers to the heavenly fruit-topped trifles, the food of Bridgerton steals the show. Teatime at Grosvenor Square brings you 75 tempting recipes inspired by those candy-colored treats and opulent feasts.

Now you can create a spread of delicate finger sandwiches, captivating canapés, and bite-sized sweets scrumptious enough to impress Queen Charlotte herself! Plus, you’ll find a few recipes worthy of a Bridgerton family supper.

This delightful book includes recipes for:
English Scones and Pastries
Jams, Spreads, and Marmalades
Cakes
Pies
Meringues
Macarons
Cookies
Ice Cream
Drinking Chocolate
Soup
Meat Pies
Roasts
Cocktails
And more!

Whether you choose to enjoy a delicious confection with Daphne or a strong cocktail with the Duke, Teatime at Grosvenor Squarewill make binge-watching Bridgerton even better!

#BookReview: Divine (Divine, #1) by M.J. Woodman

Synopsis: The captivating debut novel by M.J. Woodman.

What if Rome never fell?

In an alternative reality, the Roman Empire never fell, and the world was never the same. Present-day Appia, real-world North America, fractured by a mythical war in recent history has been divided into five Imperial fortress states. These states, shielded by an invisible forcefield and known as Havens, are designed to protect inhabitants from the world beyond. What lies beyond? Electa Steel wants to know.

Electa, on the cusp of womanhood, faces an uncertain future in Latia, the capital state in Appia. While sun-drenched Latia may be a paradise for some, it is a prison for others. Feeling suppressed by her society’s rules, expectations, and religion, she rebels quietly in the only ways she knows how – drinking, smoking, fighting, and partying. Her youthful but futile resistance cannot last for long. Her seventeenth birthday looms and with it, the Choosing. This rite of passage promises wealth and happiness for a chosen few but Electa, as a plebeian faces an almost certain fate – expulsion from her Haven and homeland.

Electa’s fate takes an unexpected turn when, against all the odds, she is Chosen to remain in her society for the rest of her life and to compete in Imperial Panore, a once in a generation event to find a wife for the future Emperor. A mysterious terror organization, Spartaca, from outside her Haven, recruits her, to bring down the Empire from the inside. Spartaca uses Electa as a pawn, and in the process, she must learn to adapt to the politics and power her new life brings. To win the competition, she must first seduce the Prince, and future Emperor, Asher Ovicula. Then she must defeat the other competitors in a series of brutal gladiatorial games. Why did Spartaca choose her? The truth will change Electa’s world forever.

For fans of Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, the Hunger Games, and The Man in the High Castle. 

#BookReview: The Smurfs Tales #1: The Smurfs and The Bratty Kid by Peyo @Papercutz

Synopsis: On the occasion of the all-new animated TV series starting on Nick this September, an all-new series of Smurfs graphic novels! The Smurfs are back in new stories in English for the first time! First, when Papa Smurf’s stork gets wounded in a storm, he must rely on the kindness of a local farmer to nurse the stork back to flying condition. A different kind of storm arrives in the shape of Johnny, the nephew of the farmer. The boy is as aggressive as his uncle is friendly. Making his way to the Smurfs Village, Johnny leaves a path of destruction in his wake, putting the whole village in jeopardy. Plus, tales of the Smurfs on vacation! Plus, there’s plenty of medieval action and adventure from the king’s page (and loyal ally to the Smurfs) Johan his silly sidekick, the mischievous jester Peewit, go off on an adventure featuring Papa Smurf. Plus, even more smurfs comicstrips to add some blue and brighten any day.

#BookReview: The Sound of Violet by Allen Wolf

Synopsis: Desperate to find his soulmate, Shawn goes on one awkward date after another until he encounters the alluring Violet. He starts dating her, but his autism keeps him from realizing that she’s actually a prostitute. 

Shawn thinks he’s found a possible wife while Violet thinks she’s discovered her ticket to a brand new life. This hilarious and dramatic award-winning story takes all kinds of twists and turns and has been adapted into a major motion picture.

This book will be released September 21, 2021.

#BookReview: I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki, Yoshi Yoshitani (Illustrator)

Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Mariko Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass) and artist Yoshi Yoshitani (Zatanna and the House of Secrets) comes a story about Mandy, the daughter of super-famous superhero Starfire, and her desperate attempts to get out from under her shadow.

Seventeen-year-old Mandy Koriand’r is not her mother. Daughter of Starfire and high school outcast, Mandy is constantly trying to get out from under the shadow of her bright, bubbly, scantily clad, and famous mother. Dyeing her bright orange hair black and sticking close to her best friend, Lincoln, Mandy spends her days at school avoiding Teen Titans superfans and trying to hide her feelings for the gorgeous, popular, and perfect Claire. And while Mandy usually avoids spending too much time with her alien mother, she’s been particularly quiet as she’s keeping one major secret from her: Mandy walked out of her S.A.T.

While Mandy continues to tell Lincoln her plans of moving to France to escape the family spotlight and not go to college, she secretly hides a fear of not knowing her identity outside of just being the daughter of a superhero and who she will become. But when she is partnered with Claire to work on a school project, their friendship develops into something more and a self-confidence unknown to Mandy begins to bloom. Claire seems to like Mandy for being Mandy, not the daughter of Starfire.

But when someone from Starfire’s past comes to disrupt Mandy’s future, Mandy must finally make a choice: give up before the battle has even begun, or step into the unknown and risk everything. I Am Not Starfire is a story about mother-daughter relationships, embracing where you come from while finding your own identity, and learning to be unafraid of failing, if it was even failing in the first place.

#BookReview: History Is Inventive by Brooke Knight

Synopsis: A children’s book by Honest History exploring inventions (and their inventors) that changed the world. 

Discover the true stories behind amazing creations, from the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient analogue computer, to the Baghdad Battery. Learn about each invention through well-researched content accompanied by beautiful illustrations and design. Not only will kids learn about these amazing inventions, they will participate in the original creative process themselves, like building a telescope using the same rudimentary methods used by the inventors. From ancient to modern inventions, kids will learn about the revolutionary ideas and processes used to create the foundation for our modern lives. Featured sections of the book include including the Baghdad Battery, Inventions from the Classic Period & Middle Ages including the telescope, Inventions from the Modern Era including Bluetooth technology, Famous Inventors like Charles Drew, Experiments/Activities, and more.

History for kids has never contained more adventure than in the new series by Honest History, History Is ________. Each book in the series presents a topic in a fun, engaging way that inspires kids to make a positive impact on history themselves. Dive into the world of Honest History with the first two books, History Is Inventive and History Is Delicious.

#BookReview: He Gets That From Me by Jacqueline Friedland

Synopsis: As a young mother with a toddler and a live-in boyfriend, Maggie Fisher’s job at a checkout counter in downtown Phoenix doesn’t afford her much financial flexibility. She dreams of going to college and becoming a teacher, options she squandered when she fled her family home as a teenager. When Maggie stumbles onto an ad offering thousands of dollars to women who are willing to gestate other people’s babies, she at first finds the concept laughable. Before long, however, she’s been seduced by all the ways the extra money could improve her life. Once she decides to go for it, it’s only a matter of months before she’s chosen as a gestational carrier by Chip and Donovan Rigsdale, a married couple from New York.

After delivering twin babies and proudly handing them off to the Rigsdales, Maggie finally gets her life on a positive trajectory: she earns her degree, lands a great job, and builds a family of her own. She can’t fathom why, ten years after the fact, the fertility clinic is calling to ask for a follow-up DNA test. 

This title will be released on September 14, 2021. 

#BookReview: The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz

Synopsis: Now the major motion picture INFINITE starring Mark Wahlberg

“For fans of The Matrix and Memento, a twisty, exciting adventure!” -Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander series

Discovered as three notebooks in an antique store in Rome at the turn of the millennium, Infinite, previously published as The Reincarnationist Papers, offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Cognomina, a secret society of people who possess total recall of their past lives.

Evan Michaels struggles with being different, with having the complete memories of two other people who lived sequentially before him. He fights loneliness and believes he is unique until he meets Poppy. She recognizes his struggle because she is like him, except that she is much older, remembering seven consecutive lives. But there is something else she must share with Evan--she is a member of the secretive Cognomina. They are, in effect, immortals--compiling experiences and skills over lifetimes into near superhuman abilities that they have used to drive history over centuries.

Poppy invites Evan into the Cognomina, but he must face their tests before entering this mysterious society as their equal.

#BookReview: Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron

Synopsis: A young woman's escalating obsession with a seemingly perfect man leads her down a dangerous path in this novel of suspense brimming with envy, desire, and deception. 

Eyes aren't the windows to the soul. Emails are.

Cassie Woodson is adrift. After suffering an epic tumble down the corporate ladder, Cassie finds the only way she can pay her bills is to take a thankless temp job reviewing correspondence for a large-scale fraud suit. The daily drudgery amplifies all that her life is lacking--love, friends, stability--and leaves her with too much time on her hands, which she spends fixating on the mistakes that brought her to this point.

While sorting through a relentless deluge of emails, something catches her eye: the tender (and totally private) exchanges between a partner at the firm, Forest Watts, and his enchanting wife, Annabelle. Cassie knows she shouldn't read them. But it's just one look. And once that door opens, she finds she can't look away.

Every day, twenty floors below Forest's corner office, Cassie dissects their emails from her dingy workstation. A few clicks of her mouse and she can see every adoring word they write to each other. By peeking into their apparently perfect life, Cassie finds renewed purpose and happiness, reveling in their penchant for vintage wines, morning juice presses, and lavish dinner parties thrown in their stately Westchester home. There are no secrets from her. Or so she thinks.

Her admiration quickly escalates into all-out mimicry, because she wants this life more than anything. Maybe if she plays make-believe long enough, it will become real for her. But when Cassie orchestrates a "chance" meeting with Forest in the real world and sees something that throws the state of his marriage into question, the fantasy she's been carefully cultivating shatters. Suddenly, she doesn't simply admire Annabelle--she wants to take her place. And she's armed with the tools to make that happen.

#BookReview: Taming the Hot-Shot Doc by Susan Carlisle

Synopsis: He’s lost everything…
Dare he risk his heart?
When renowned Chicago surgeon Matt Chapman agreed to testify against a notorious crime family, he lost his family, his fiancée and his career. Now he hopes to start again in an idyllic Mississippi town. But his efforts to keep to himself are threatened by his new boss, Dr. Shay Lunsford, who seems just as alone as he is. Dare Matt get closer to Shay and risk his heart again?
 
“Ms. Carlisle wrote a wonderful, flirty, and enjoyable romance that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sizzling chemistry, vivid scenic descriptions, and realistic characters…. I highly recommend Reunited with her Daredevil Doc to other readers.”
-Goodreads
 
“…Susan Carlisle was quick to nab my heart in The Single Dad’s Holiday Wish. Great character interaction, several medical situations to heighten the drama and so many instances of pure holiday joy made this story a winner from start to finish! I highly recommend this book….”
-Goodreads

#BookReview: History Is Delicious by Josh Lurie

Synopsis: A delicious children’s book by Honest History uncovering the history of cuisine and culture from around the globe. 

From well-known cultures to those just being rediscovered, History Is Delicious explores the history of different dishes, cultural traditions, and even a few great recipes. What does Ethiopian cuisine look and taste like? Find out for yourself with each beautifully illustrated page that makes learning about food fun. Discover the role cuisine plays in the fabric of unique cultures from around the world and enjoy some great tasting food along the way. Featured sections include History of European Cuisine, Dining "Do's and Don'ts," Dumplings of the World, Recipes from Around the World, and so much more.

History for kids has never contained more adventure than in the new series by Honest History, History Is ________. Each book in the series presents a topic in a fun, engaging way that inspires kids to make a positive impact on history themselves. Dive into the world of Honest History with the first two books, History Is Inventive and History Is Delicious.

#BookReview: Song of Echoes (Song of Echoes #1) by @r_e_palmer

Synopsis: ‘All that has gone before is woven into the Song; joy, sorrow; kind acts and cruel acts; creation and destruction. Past, present, and what has yet to come, make themselves known — if you know how to listen.’

For three hundred years, the people of the Five Realms have lived in relative peace, protected by their great leader, the Archon. Yet, far to the north, in the frozen lands beyond the Draegalen Trench, the Ruuk stir, driven by a rising evil, long believed banished from the world. But rumors questioning the Archon’s ability to defend the realms once more, persist.

Elodi, the Lady Harlyn, uneasy in her new role following the death of her father, and Toryn, a farmworker and outsider in his village, must discover a way to fight an enemy that all but defeated their ancestors.

Song of Echoes is the first book in this epic fantasy series. 

#BookReview: Hunting by Stars (The Marrow Thieves #2) by Cherie Dimaline

Synopsis: From the acclaimed author of The Marrow Thieves comes a thrilling new story about hope and survival that New York Times bestselling author Angeline Boulley called “a revelatory must-read”

Years ago, when plagues and natural disasters killed millions of people, much of the world stopped dreaming. Without dreams, people are haunted, sick, mad, unable to rebuild. The government soon finds that the Indigenous people of North America have retained their dreams, an ability rumored to be housed in the very marrow of their bones. Soon, residential schools pop up—or are re-opened—across the land to bring in the dreamers and harvest their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old French lost his family to these schools and has spent the years since heading north with his new found family: a group of other dreamers, who, like him, are trying to build and thrive as a community. But then French wakes up in a pitch-black room, locked in and alone for the first time in years, and he knows immediately where he is—and what it will take to escape. 

Meanwhile, out in the world, his found family searches for him and dodges new dangers—school Recruiters, a blood cult, even the land itself. When their paths finally collide, French must decide how far he is willing to go—and how many loved ones is he willing to betray—in order to survive. This engrossing, action-packed, deftly-drawn novel expands on the world of Cherie Dimaline’s award-winning The Marrow Thieves, and it will haunt readers long after they’ve turned the final page.

This title will be released on October 19, 2021.

#BookReview: Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist (Mistletoe Romance Book 1) by Codi Hall @SourcebooksCasa

Synopsis: Curl up this Christmas with a sparkling romance filled with:
• Irresistible friends-to-lovers romance
• The kiss that changed everything
• Warm nights on the family Christmas tree farm
• All your favorite Christmas songs!

Nick Winter is just out of the military, and his Christmas homecoming is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a memorable holiday with his long-time girlfriend goes sour when he learns she cheated on him while he was stationed overseas. At least Nick can rely on his usual shift at the family Christmas tree farm with his best friend, Noel Carter, and her endless supply of Christmas tunes to lift his spirits. A night of fun together is just what he needs to forget about his ex.

But then they kiss. And it feels...so right.

If Noel can turn Nick’s Blue Christmas merry and bright, this might be the last Christmas Nick spends with a broken heart. This year, they’ll be Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a couple―as long as Nick’s ex doesn’t go standing under any mistletoe.

“Codi Hall brings all the feels.”—Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author

This title will be released on October 5, 2021. 

#BookReview: Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson

Synopsis: The Prestige meets What If It’s Us in Before We Disappear, a queer ahistorical fantasy set during the 1909 Seattle Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition, where the two assistants of two ambitious magicians find themselves falling in love amidst a bitter rivalry designed to tear them apart.

Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility have served him well his entire life—making him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in early-twentieth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks and copycat sleight-of-hand illusions, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago—not that she would ever admit it.

But when they’re forced to flee the continent for America, the Enchantress finds a new audience in Seattle at the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific World’s Fair Exposition. She and Jack are set to make a fortune until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo’s act threatens to overshadow the Enchantress and co-opt her audience. Jack has no choice but to hunt for the secrets behind Laszlo’s otherworldly illusions—but what he uncovers isn’t at all what he expected.

What makes Laszlo’s tricks possible is, unbelievably, a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Wilhelm’s abilities defy all the laws of physics. His talents are no clever sleights-of-hand. But even though Laszlo and Wilhelm’s act threatens to destroy the life Jack and the Enchantress have built, Jack and Wilhelm have near-instant connection. As the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows increasingly dangerous and dire, Jack finds he has to choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him love. It's a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from acclaimed author Shaun David Hutchinson.

This title will be released on September 28, 2021.

#BookReview: Iron Widow (Iron Widow #1) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Synopsis: The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. 

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​ 

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

This title will be released on September 21, 2021. 

#BookReview: White Smoke by @Writeinbk

Synopsis: The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

This title will be released on September 14, 2021.