Crown of Destiny by Ashton E Dorow

 

Crown of Destiny  by Ashton E Dorow  370 pages

In the kingdom of Aerilon, ruled by a queen paranoid of losing her throne, keeping your head down and staying silent is the only way to survive. And for Ayleth of the Jusaren Kindred, a quiet, obscure existence tending sheep on her family farm is exactly what she wants. She knows all too well what comes from speaking out against the queen, and dreads doing anything that could endanger those she loves.

But everything changes the day a Master Scholar arrives with a shocking message: the Eternal One has chosen her as the next ruler of Aerilon.

Terrified of her so-called destiny, Ayleth wishes to forget the old man’s prophecy. That is, until a shocking betrayal forces her to flee for her life with the Scholar’s mysterious companion, Kane, as her protector. Thrust into a perilous journey, separated from all she’s ever known, and leaning on a stranger for survival, Ayleth can no longer avoid the decision she must make… Will she keep to the safe and easy path? Or remain obedient to the Eternal One—no matter the cost?

Book 1 in the Crown of Aerilon series, an epic, non-magical fantasy retelling of King David and King Saul.

I do not usually read Fantasy books, but I was in a book club that read this book.  I have to say I am hooked into this series.  This is the retelling of the story of David in the Bible in which the character is a woman.  This author is new to me, she is a Christian author and I actually got to zoom with her at our Book Club meeting. I am not used to reading war scenes or anything that has dragons in it, but when I go to the end I am so upset I have to wait until January for the second book to come out.  

The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 

The Night War  by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley  284 pages

It's 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale. But Miri's life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone, maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri is called upon one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape; hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more.

I read this book because it is a Mark Twain nominee book.  I love reading stories about World War II.  This one was written from the perspective of a Jewish young girl.  Some of it seemed way above what a 4-6 grader would understand, but I could be wrong.  It was a very sad book and moved slowly, but overall a very good story.

You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

 

You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose - 292 pages

Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker looking for a total escape from her busy life, books an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. When she arrives, she's pleasantly surprised to find that the owner is a handsome man by the name of Calvin Wells. But there are things Grace discovers that she's not too pleased about: A lack of cell phone service. A missing woman. And a feeling that something isn't right with the town.

Despite her uneasiness and misgivings from Calvin's friends and family, the two grow close and start to fall for one another. However, as her departure date nears, things between them start to change for the worse. Grace grows wary of Calvin as his infatuation for her seems to turn into obsession. Calvin fears that Grace is hiding something from him.

Told from dual points of view, You Shouldn't Have Come Here is a thrill ride and a cautionary tale of what can go wrong when you open up your house and your heart to a total stranger.

I read this b/c it was a recommendation, but I was a bit disappointed.  About 90% of it felt more romance than thriller.  The whole "will they, won't they" did keep me curious only b/c I was waiting for the shoe to drop and for the thrilling part to happen.  It did happen the last 10% of the book and boy was I disappointed.  Not Jeneva Rose's best work.

The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

 

The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier - 352 pages

A rash of grisly serial murders plagued Seattle until the infamous "Beacon Hill Butcher" was finally hunted down and killed by police chief Edward Shank in 1985. Now, some thirty years later, Shank, retired and widowed, is giving up his large rambling Victorian house to his grandson Matt, whom he helped raise.

Settling back into his childhood home and doing some renovations in the backyard to make the house feel like his own, Matt, a young up-and-coming chef and restaurateur, stumbles upon a locked crate he’s never seen before. Curious, he picks the padlock and makes a discovery so gruesome it will forever haunt him… Faced with this deep dark family secret, Matt must decide whether to keep what he knows buried in the past, go to the police, or take matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile Matt’s girlfriend, Sam, has always suspected that her mother was murdered by the Beacon Hill Butcher—two years after the supposed Butcher was gunned down. As she pursues leads that will prove her right, Sam heads right into the path of Matt’s terrible secret.

This was a really good book, it was very interesting finding out about the Butcher, I like where it went.  Kept me curious the whole time, I didn't want to put it down.

Threshing Day (Empyrean #3.5) by Rebecca Yarros

 Threshing Day (Empyrean #3.5) by Rebecca Yarros-204 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid ruthless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ultimate fate―and where a single choice can forge a rider…or destroy them.

Xaden Riorson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearless rider. Brennan Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister.

On Threshing Day, there’s only one rule: don’t die.

The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Fourth Wing
Book #2 Iron Flame
Book #3 Onyx Storm

Though Threshing Day can be enjoyed as an introduction to the series, due to contained spoilers, it is best read after Onyx Storm

Thoughts: This was the book I didn't know I needed, but very much did. Reading about the Threshing Day experiences of all these characters was really cool, although Liam's was bittersweet. I'm glad for this short excursion into the Empyrean world while we're waiting for book 4 in the series. The artwork of the dragons in this book is phenomenal! I am so ready for book 4!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
332 Pages | 2007
Star Rating: ★★★⯨☆
Overly good title storyline wise for age range, but there are errors that should have been caught in the editorial phase. More care could have been taken.

Summary: Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever...

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

 

288 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Summary (Goodreads):

Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.

Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.

Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

My Thoughts: I listened to the Audio book and it was excellently narrated. The story itself was intriguing. I was dosing off a little bit when they picked up the kids, but other than that it was funny and entertaining. Really loved the narrator.