Indiscretion by Vi Keeland

Indiscretion by Vi Keeland -- 339 pages

The first time I met Dawson Reed, we wound up in bed. The problem was, neither of us knew the other were there. When I woke up in the middle of the night and found a stranger next to me, instinct kicked in and I attacked the intruder. Only it turned out, the man wasn’t an intruder at all.
Dawson had rented this cabin, too. Apparently, a system glitch allowed a duplicate booking. We’d soon find out we were in town for the same wedding, and Dawson was the groomsman I’d been warned about. He was as tall, dark and jaw-droppingly gorgeous as my best friend had described. Though she was also right when she’d said you two will hate each other. When daylight rolled around, Dawson and I attempted to straighten out the mess we found ourselves in. But it proved to be more difficult than we initially thought. Since it was a holiday weekend, there wasn’t a single room available for more than fifty miles. I suppose things could be worse than sharing a cabin for a weekend with a handsome man you despise. Like maybe him winding up being your new boss?

Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle Vol. 10 by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle Vol. 10 by Yukito Kishiro-176 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis: The operation to track down Yoko is interrupted when Gyapollo launches an ambush in the night. A clever trap does some damage, but Keun knows a duel is inevitable, and that he must put everything on the line. Meanwhile, Yoko's solo adventuring leads her to a monumental discovery-if only she understood its significance…

Thoughts: I enjoyed reading this even more than the previous volume. Battle Angel Alita is easily still my favorite manga to read. I like the mix of genres (dystopian, sci-fi, fantasy, and manga). I am always rooting for Alita/Yoko. I am excited for the next volume to be released and to read more about Alita's origin story.

Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos

Homegrown Magic - 368 pages

Jamie Pacton & Rebecca Podos

Summary (From Goodreads)

A delightful queer romantic fantasy full of friends-to-lovers chemistry, found family, rival family drama, and cozy garden magic from two acclaimed YA authors making their debut in the adult space.

Yael Clauneck is the only scion of an obscenely wealthy banking family with its fingers in every pie in the realm. They’re on the precipice of a predetermined life when they flee their own graduation party, galloping away in search of…well, they’re not sure, but maybe the chance to feel like life can still be a grand adventure.

Margot Greenwillow—talented plant witch, tea lover, and greenhouse owner—has never felt further from adventure in her life. She’s been desperately trying to keep what remains of her family's magic remedies business afloat. So when her childhood friend and former crush, Yael, rides back into her life, she’s shocked. But perhaps this could be a good thing. After all, Margot could use an assistant in the greenhouses.

Yael has no experience or, honestly, practical skills, but they’re delighted to accept. They can lay low for a while, flirting with Margot while they figure out what to do next. Meanwhile, Margot has plans of her own—but plans are notoriously unreliable things, unlikely to survive a swiftly blooming mutual attraction, not to mention the machinations of parents determined to get their heir back . . . no matter the cost.

Review

I came for the nonbinary representation and friends-to-lovers dynamic; I stayed for the excellent worldbuilding and cottage-core aesthetic.  I've always been a fan of the quieter, more "mundane" uses for magic, and a heartbreak-healing strawberry jam fits the bill perfectly!  The pacing is a bit more relaxed, as tends to be the case for books in the "cozy" style of a given genre, and the detailed descriptions paint a vibrant picture of a magical world.  

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 9 by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle Vol. 9 by Yukito Kishiro-176 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis: The cyber-martial arts saga that has spanned a solar system and over two decades in print returns, with creator Yukito Kishiro's new sequel that reveals the true story of Alita's childhood on Mars, and the mind-bending adventures that still await her...

Freed from the Fardarrig military, the Dejah Thoris can only enjoy a momentary peace before another dangerous foe descends upon Keun and the residents. The enemy’s name is Gyapollo, and he’s taken Yoko hostage and spirited her away! On top of that, he seems to have an enduring grudge against Keun, but why…?

Thoughts: I enjoyed reading this. Battle Angel Alita is still my favorite manga to read. I like the mix of genres (dystopian, sci-fi, fantasy, and manga). I am always rooting for Alita/Yoko. 

Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot

Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot  

Harriet Kirk tries to start her life anew by moving to Ladreville, Texas, to become a schoolteacher, but after meeting Lawrence Wood, a former Texas Ranger, she and Lawrence both realize they must put the past behind them if they are to find happiness.

Third book in the series and I enjoyed reading how the characters from the first 2 books were living now.  This is an Inspirational book, but still has murders, arson and vandalism.  Love this author.

Blade Breaker (Realm Breaker, #2) by Victoria Aveyard

 Blade Breaker (Realm Breaker, #2) by Victoria Aveyard-578 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads synopsis: The fate of the world rests on a blade's edge.

Fighting beside her band of unlikely companions, Corayne is learning to embrace her ancient lineage and wield her father's powerful sword.

But while she successfully closed one of the Spindles, her journey is far from over.

Queen Erida's army marches across Allward with her consort, Taristan, right beside them, opening more portals into nightmarish worlds, razing kingdoms to the ground.

Corayne has no choice but to assemble an army of her own if she's to save the realm as she knows it. But perilous lands await her and the companions, and they face assassins, otherworldly beasts, and tempestuous seas all as they rally a divided Ward to fight behind them.

But Taristan has unleashed an evil far more wicked than his corpse armies. Something deadly waits in the shadows; something that might consume the world before there's any hope for victory.

Thoughts: I liked this more than the first one in this series. There's a bit more action and the characters seem more fleshed out. I am excited to read the last book in the trilogy soon. 

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

 

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells - 271 pages

John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.

He's spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.

He's obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn't want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he's written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him from damnation.

Dead bodies are normal to John. He likes them, actually. They don't demand or expect the empathy he's unable to offer. Perhaps that's what gives him the objectivity to recognize that there's something different about the body the police have just found behind the Wash-n-Dry Laundromat---and to appreciate what that difference means.

Now, for the first time, John has to confront a danger outside himself, a threat he can't control, a menace to everything and everyone he would love, if only he could.

This wasn't too bad, the main character gives my Dexter vibes.  I didn't mind this one, I may check out the next in the series to see where it goes.