Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction

Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction

Hawkeye (2012-2016) #1-5, 136 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

The Rose Bargain #1, 389 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

London, 1848—For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire.

As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family’s social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy’s marriage prospects are nonexistent. So when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram’s hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain can’t fix, a crown certainly could.

Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram’s brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother’s heart…for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen’s increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there’s more at stake than just a wedding. Because all faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.

Summer Staycation by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Summer Staycation by Sarah Grunder Ruiz -- 58 pages

If you ask Beck Penrose, Florida summers aren’t relaxing so much as roller coasters of sensory overload. But her nervous system settles down with Lucas Holiday, a travel blogger who gets her like no one else does. It’s easy to say yes to living like tourists for a weekend. But it’s harder to say goodbye when that weekend comes to an end.

Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy by Jessica Peterson

Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy by Jessica Peterson -- 57 pages

Josie Reid abandoned her Texas hometown six years ago, when Weston Jessup chose his family’s ranch over her. Now a country music sensation, she’s back where it all started to officiate her brother’s wedding. Wes is the best man, and he’s determined to make things right. But can he convince Josie to give him another shot, or is their love song played out?

1984 by George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell, 328 pages

From the MARC: "The year 1984 has come and gone, but George Orwell's nightmare vision from 1949 of the world we are becoming is timelier that ever. 1984 is the great modern classic of a 'negative utopia' - a startlingly original and haunting novel that creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing."

1984 is a classic that slipped through the cracks in my education. I was aware of the novel and its importance to literature, but until now I had never actually read it. Haunting is a good word for the vision provided in this story. The events feel eeriely relevant and sharply prescient. I hate to say that I enjoyed the novel because it was terrifying

 

One Hot Summer Wedding by Falon Ballard

One Hot Summer Wedding by Falon Ballard -- 53 pages

It’s been ten years since Lucy last saw her childhood friend, but when she’s invited to Sara’s Costa Rica wedding, she can’t say no. She starts wishing she had, though, after running into Beckett, Sara’s still-hot older brother. He and Lucy are stuck sharing a hotel room. It doesn’t take long for old feelings—and old wounds—to resurface. But maybe this time, something new will blossom too.

Summer Thaw by Rebecca Jenshak

Summer Thaw by Rebecca Jenshak -- 49 pages

Hattie Cannon’s sure Colin Jettson hates her. Colin is happy to let her believe it. It’s easier that way. That is until a summer hockey camp puts them in the same hotel. Keeping their college teams focused is one thing; keeping things civil is another. Good sportsmanship is a start, but what Hattie and Colin really need is to throw out the rulebook and play their own game.