The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh by Stephanie Laurens

The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh by Stephanie Laurens, 432 pages
(The Cynster Family Series - Sister Cynsters)
*includes sneak preview of "Where the Heart Leads" by Stephanie Laurens

 Headstrong, domineering and completely independent Mary Alice Cynster is the last of her sisters to be eligible for marriage. Since the fact that she is the remaining unmarried Cynster -- a very old and well off family -- it stands to reason that she will have her pick of men and can be choosy. She has determined she will not marry anyone unless she is sure she can be the "boss of the home." With a special necklace passed down from generation to generation that is suppose to determine who you will marry, Mary is sure she will make the right choice. She did not, however, take into account Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne ruining her plans. His looks and his demeanor have earned him the title of the Lion of the ton. He has Mary Cynster in his sights and he isn't about to let someone else claim her as their bride. He is definitely the perfect match for Mary Cynster, and it will take Fate's hand to prove it. Not everyone agrees with Fate, though, and mysterious happenings begin to occur that put both Mary and Ryder's lives in danger. Will they discover the person(s) behind the attacks in time? Read the book to find out!

"Princess of Glass" by Jessica Day George

"Princess of Glass" by Jessica Day George, 266 pages
(Book 2 of the series)

Princess Poppy loathes dancing. She is one of the 12 dancing princesses that were cursed to dance every night of their life until freed by a soldier. So when Poppy is sent on an "ambassador" mission along with her unmarried sisters to various kingdoms, to attend balls and calm the rumors that surround her family, she is none to pleased. Daily nightmares still haunt her from her dancing days and something is afoot at the castle that reminds her of the curse she was once under. Soon everyone is acting strangely like they are under a spell and it's up to Poppy to get to the bottom of it. Along the way, she forms great friendships and the beginning of a relationship with a certain Prince "Charming." Traces of Beauty & The Beast, Cinderella,  Aladdin and several other fairy tales can be found throughout the pages.

"A Matter of Magic" by Patricia Wrede

"A Matter of Magic" by Patricia Wrede, 448 pages

 Young Kim has been living on the streets for all her life as a boy. When she is offered a large sum of money to spy on a magician, she jumps at the chance to avoid the unsavory life of being a lone female on the streets. When it's discovered that the street magician is actually a real wizard seeking to redeem his name and find the real thief of certain treasures, the fun begins. "A Matter of Magic" is actually two stories in one. It follows the life of Kim as she meets and later becomes the apprentice/ward of Richard Merrill. The first story finds Kim on the quest to help Richard discover who betrayed and framed him for the theft of several magical pieces. The second story leads Kim on a quest to discover who is stealing the magic of wizards and what the importance of a set of books are. Both stories read like a Scooby Doo mystery, but are quite enjoyable. My favorite character is Hunch. You'll have to read the book to find out why.