Climbing The Walls by Sacha T.Y. Fortuné
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A honest depiction of the struggles in a marriage and family. Nicole and Kris feel authentic in their victories and trials- balancing careers, parenting, personal difficulties, and marriage. A relatable tale of modern life.
Coyote Summer by Laura Koerber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Coyote Summer is Laura Koerber’s new coming-of-age novel set in Wisconsin. Ben O’Rourke and his classmates are raised in wealth and privilege; they all attend private school with future plans for Ivy League schools and similar career paths as their parents. Ben and his friends go out to a wild party to celebrate graduation, and that’s when his life intersects with Claire from the girl’s private school. When Ben wakes up the next morning, he finds out that Claire was assaulted at the party and no one is talking about what happened. Around the same time, Ben meets Puppy Hill and her unconventional family. This family could not be any more unlike the type of people that Ben has always been surrounded by; the Hill family is salt of the earth and in touch with nature rather than materialism. Ben’s encounter with each of these girls is what ignites his awakening, an awakening that allows Ben to see the world beyond the glamour that has always surrounded his life. This book had some of the same ennui that Holden demonstrated in “Catcher in the Rye,” but Ben grows beyond his wealthy upbringing and becomes more aware of the advantages that come with affluence. Puppy Hill and her family are the beautiful antithesis of materialism and show Ben a purer way of living, lessons he calls upon throughout the remainder of his life.
The Buccaneers of St. Frederick Island by Linda Maria Frank
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This short YA novel is an entertaining read – a breath of fresh air in the midst of so many heavy dystopian ones. Most books written about 1940’s America seem to focus on the idyllic suburban life, but this is set on the small island of St. Frederick, off the coast of New York, as the world is still recovering from the ravages of WWII. The self-titled “Buccaneers” are a group of school-aged friends who fancy themselves being sleuths, especially as they investigate the theft of the fundraiser money intended for donation to homeless children in NYC. But it seems that there may be more going on than just stolen money, especially as increasingly frightening events occur while the child detectives continue to work their case.
The story and characters are a fun blending of Nancy Drew and the Boxcar Children. Everyone has their own unique talents and quirks, and the investigation is full of twists and red-herrings, but in the end all things work out in an easy, lighthearted way. Again, a refreshing change of pace among the heavier novels on the market lately.
Bound by Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The second in the Deadly Isles- Special Ops series, Bound by Secrets is just as exciting as its predecessor! Once again, we are in the beautiful city of Honolulu, this time with Jaxon Hale and Kayla Kane, his high school best friend’s little sister. Kayla is outrunning her abusive ex-boyfriend when she runs into her childhood crush while returning to her parents’ home; Jaxon is working as an interim-police officer while Kayla’s father- the police chief- recovers from heart surgery, and is pleasantly surprised that she is back in town, but worried about the man who hurt and scared her so badly. Bound by Secrets follows the two former friends and lovers while they work through their shared history and heartache, and through the current threat to her life.
Just as before, I could not put down Amy McKinley’s book once I started!! The characters are richly created, and the scenery is as beautiful as in reality. There is a bit of cliché in a girl and her late brother’s best friend finally coming together after years of hurt between them, but the impact that the late Keiran Kane had on his friends and family adds a kind of sweet twist on the tale. I’m excited for the last installment to come out in March!!
Twisted Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“A nice change of pace from the cliché grocery store romance novels.”
Twisted Secrets is a fantastic blend of multiple genres, always keeping the reader guessing about what’s around the corner.
Xander Hale is a Navy SEAL on leave in Honolulu for questioning the actions of his new commanding officer, and when he stops by the local coffee shop, he meets grad student Riley Evans and instantly feels a connection with the woman. Riley is a photographer juggling the last few weeks of school, indecision as to what to do after graduation, and a complicated relationship with her professor. After ending their affair, Riley becomes the subject of her ex’s new and erratic, possessive side, and also the victim of several frightening events. Xander finds himself drawn to Riley and wants nothing more than to protect her while the police try to get to the bottom of things before she either ends up a suspect or a victim.
I could not put this book down! The way that McKinley kept the story from becoming too deeply entrenched in any one genre made it an exciting and refreshing read. The characters are multi-faceted and allow their individual histories to unfold in an organic fashion, rather than feeling contrived or forced. Unlike other mystery-type books, there was no anticipating which way the story would turn.
I cannot wait to read the next two books in the series!!
Titanian’s Phoenix: Titanian Chronicles by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What an incredible start to Victoria Saccenti’s newest series! Titanian’s Phoenix is a new take on the idea of humans unknowingly coexisting alongside mythical creatures, and the power struggle between the different races of fae.
Maya Brown never really payed much credence to her godmother’s stories about magic existing in the world, until she wakes up kidnapped and drawn into the middle of a struggle for power and control in the mythical world. Soren Westerberg is a Titanian Enforcer, tasked with being the final line of protection and justice in this fantastic world; it is both a birthright and a curse. He never anticipated that his life path would include a soulmate, someone who is destined to be his perfect match in all things, until Maya stumbled in to the dive bar favored by his people asking for him by name and in need of his help to evade her kidnappers. This first encounter of the story’s lead characters is the introduction to nonstop action and uncovering secrets within a world of magic.
Unbroken Vow by Bree M. Lewandowski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Unbroken Vow, the newest book from Bree M. Lewandowski, combines fantasy with futuristic qualities, all while providing a unique twist on the classic tale of a knight rescuing the feisty young woman.
Glaive Leal is a Paladin in the kingdom of Ardara- the highest rank a knight can achieve, one that reflects loyalty to his brothers-in-arms, his vow, and his king. When Glaive’s closest friend confesses a secret while he lay dying, Glaive is charged with saving a young woman from the countryside. Ada Vidhava is the secret bride of a Paladin, waiting until she and her husband can be together rather than hiding a marriage that violates the vow he took when becoming a knight; Glaive is not the man she expected to take her away from her parent’s home. Together, they have to maneuver through palace intrigues and politics, trying to honor the vows they each made to the man they knew and loved, while also being honest to their hearts.
Unbroken Vow is a unique world in which to be dropped as the basis of a romance novel. Its blending of a classic kingdom-style fantasy world with modern and futuristic technologies can be a bit difficult to follow at times, but it is also refreshing in that it fails to become predictable. The characters grow and change as their world shifts around them; outside forces create unforeseen obstacles in the plans to keep Ada safely hidden until she can be returned to her home, pushing them to adapt and overcome. As a fan of both fantasy and romance, I enjoyed seeing Lewandowski take a different approach in blending of the two genres.
Echoes by Nikki Broadwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Echoes: Lucifer and the Dark Goddess is the first in Nikki Broadwell’s new dystopian series.
Feirin wakes up with no memories of her past, her powers, or her mission in this time and place. Racism and classism are rampant in the cities, and the desert beyond the concrete wall is desolate and uninhabitable. Feirin is tasked with helping the people find their humanity again and reintroduce the gods to this place.
This is a well written dystopian novel that stands apart from the crowd- an adult take on the usual post-apocalypse world. Imagine if you will, Mad Max with a bit of magic thrown in. The characters are well developed, with relatable strengths and flaws, and they face off with a truly formidable enemy. Broadwell has created a universe that is well established for future sequels.
