Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare - 891 pages
The Dark Artifices #3

This is the conclusion to The Dark Artifices trilogy.  Julian and Emma must solve the parabatai curse all while saving their family and friends from The Cohort which is trying to take over the Shadowhunter Clave.  This was a great ending to the series. 

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare - 376 pages
Castles Ever After #3

Madeline Gracechurch was so paralyzed with fear and shyness at the thought of a London season that she invented a mythical fiance in the army.  She lived with this lie for years before announcing he died in battle.  Years later, she's moved to the castle in Scotland that her godfather left her when to her surprise that very same mythical captain shows up at her door determined to marry her.

This is another fun historical romance by Tessa Dare.  I'm enjoying reading through her books.

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare - 375 pages
Spindle Cove #2

Minerva Highwood needs a companion to travel to Scotland for a geological symposium.  She proposes that Colin, Lord Payne go with her in exchange for the money she'll win by presenting her paper on a fossil she found.  Although Colin knows this is a horrible idea, he is forced to accompany her when she announces she'll set out with or without him.  This leads to a week of lies, thieves, shooting contests, and romance.

Although the plot of this book was completely nonsensical, it was fun to read. The situations Minerva and Colin got themselves into was hilarious.  Definitely not a realistic historical fiction, but a fun read nonetheless.

The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - 374 pages
A Bridgerton Prequel

Cecilia Harcourt travels to America when she receives notice that her brother has been injured in the fighting.  However, when she arrives she can't find her brother.  Instead she finds his best friend Edward in a coma.  She lies, saying she is his wife, so that she can care for him.  When Edward awakes he has lost three months of memories and while he has no recollection of their marriage he does remember their correspondence.  What will happen when he discovers the truth?

This is the second prequel to the popular Bridgerton series even though this book has no real connection with the Bridgerton family.  Still, I enjoyed the book and finished it in one sitting.

Minx by Julia Quinn

Minx by Julia Quinn - 391 pages

"Henry" Henrietta Barrett has lived most of her life on Stannage Park managing the estate for her guardian since his wife's death.  But now Lord Stannage has passed and a new lord has inherited the estate.  Henry is determined to make William Dunford leave her precious estate and go back to London.  Dunford on the other hand is determined to give Henry the London season she's never had.  It's a battle of wills, and who will win?

This was one of Julia Quinn's first books.  It had a lot of the humor that I enjoy in her historical romances.  The one thing I did notice is that she wasn't as good yet at writing a romance in the series that could also be a stand-alone book.  There were a lot of references to characters from previous books that it was obvious that you were supposed to already know.  I'll have to see if I can hunt down the previous two books.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore - 489 pages

Katsa is a Graceling -- someone gifted with an amazing gift that is signaled by her two different colored eyes.  She has what is considered the most dangerous of the graces -- the gift of killing.  Her uncle, King Randa, uses her as his enforcer and bully to keep his subjects in line.  Until the day she refuses to harm someone.  Now she's left everything she knows to work with Po, a neighboring country's prince, who is searching for why his grandfather was killed.

This is the first book in the Graceling Realms series.  It is an amazing fantasy for teens.  Katsa is a very empowered female who needs no one and can survive anything.  The only thing that is slightly annoying is her belief that a relationship with someone will diminish her in some way.  The book is also a tad strange in that the climax occurs two-thirds of the way through the book.  The remaining section deals with the effects of their plot on a single character.

The Liar by Nora Roberts

The Liar by Nora Roberts - 501 pages

Shelby was shocked to learn after her husband's death that nearly everything about him was a lie.  He's left her with millions in debt to repay.  He was a thief and conman.  And ultimately, they weren't even married.  So she moves back home to Tennessee to try to make a life with her daughter in her hometown and with her family.  There she meets Griff, a contractor new to town.  While she wasn't looking for romance, she just might have found it . . . along with a lot more trouble leftover from her husband's lies.

I didn't think this was Nora Robert's best book or her worst.  It was a fairly average romantic suspense novel.  I thought the big reveal at the end was pretty obvious from the start of the book -- after all if the character is a liar, why wouldn't the big reveal be a lie also.  I also thought Shelby's constant fear she would be sent to prison and that she needed to pay back all of her husband's debts was unrealistic.  If she was never actually  married to him she would not be responsible for his debt -- especially as she could prove several times that he had forged her name on documents.