Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake - 346 pages

Hadley's life has been in turmoil ever since it was discovered that her father had been having an affair.  They moved to a new town.  Her mother has withdrawn.  Her father is constantly trying to reconnect with Hadley.  Then she meets Sam.  He seems to get her -- her grief, her sorrow, and her anger.  Hadley begins to fall in love with Sam.  However, Sam has a secret that he hasn't told her . . .

I enjoyed this teen novel.  It did a good job of really showing the emotions of both of the main characters and how an act can change the lives of several people.  I would recommend this to teens who enjoy Sarah Dessen, Morgan Matson, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Kamisama Kiss, v. 22-23 by Julietta Suzuki

Kamisama Kiss, v. 22 by Julietta Suzuki - 208 pages
Kamisama Kiss, v. 23 by Julietta Suzuki - 200 pages

Nanami and the others head to the Land of the Dead to rescue the kidnapped soul of Okuninushi and to stop Kirohito from getting Akuro-oh's body.
Nanami's big secret is revealed in this volume and it is interesting to see the different reactions.  I've also caught up on all the published volumes and now must wait for the next book to come out.

An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn - 377 pages

Sophie Beckett has been treated as a slave by her stepmother ever since her father's death.  One night she sneaks into the Bridgerton masquerade ball.  It's like a dream.  She meets Benedict Bridgerton and feels like royalty.  Then the clock strikes midnight . . .

This is very obviously a take on Cinderella.  Yet there is a reason there are so many versions of Cinderella.  It's a fun plotline to read with infinite ways to adapt it.  I really enjoyed this version.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - 368 pages

Michael Stirling has a terrible secret -- he's in love with his cousin's wife Francesca.  He's kept this secret for two years when his cousin dies and Francesca turns to her "best friend" Michael for sympathy and help.  Unable to deal with the guilt, Michael flees to India.  After four years, he returns to London to find that his love for Francesca has never gone away . . .

This is the sixth book in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn.  I'm reading the books completely out of order but it doesn't make much difference as they seem to mostly take place within the same time spans and are very interconnected, revealing what's occurring with various characters at the same time in difference books.  I'm enjoying the series and hope to read the rest of the books.

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb

Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb - 354 pages

Eve Dallas has another murder case to solve.  Someone is killing college kids to "capture" their light and become immortal.  But that isn't the only thing Eve has to deal with.  Roarke has just discovered a secret about his past that has completely thrown him for a loop.

This is one of the many books in the Eve Dallas mystery series by J.D. Robb, pseudonym of Nora Roberts.  I enjoyed the story even though I pegged the murderer pretty early on.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce - 241 pages
The Song of the Lioness Quartet - book 1

Alanna has always wanted to be a knight.  So when her father decrees that she should be sent to the convent she switches place with her twin.  He goes to the convent to learn magic while she goes to court to learn to be a knight.  It will be difficult hiding her identity and learning to keep up physically with the other male pages, but she is determined to make her dream a reality.

I first read this book back in high school when it was first published.  It was considered one of the first girl empowering fantasy series for teens.  I wanted to see if it held up to today's books.  The story was still as good and engrossing as I remember.  And for the most part, the girl power was fairly well done.  There were only a few times that I thought it was a tad dated in its views.

Bleach, v.63: Hear, Fear, Here by Tite Kubo

Bleach, v.63: Hear, Fear, Here by Tite Kubo - 187 pages

Renji and Rukia enter the fight against the Quincies attacking the Soul Society.  Uryu learns the secret of the Quincy King.

This book revealed a major secret held by the Quincies.  It is why they are confident that there is absolutely no way they can be beat.  And I agree from the set-up that it seems that way.

The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab

The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab - 246 pages

The town of Pine River has a unique holiday tradition.  Every year the Angel Tree is erected in the town square.  People are encourage to write their "wishes" on the tree and people from around town will grant those wishes.  Any wishes that are left over are taken care of by the Angel.  However, no one knows who the Angel is.  This year, four kids -- Cami, Lucy, Joe, and Max -- determine to discover who the angel is and thank them for granting their wishes.
I really, really liked this book.  It was a great holiday story with a lot of warmth and caring.  I picked this up as an ARC and will definitely be ordering it for the library.

The Yeti Files: Meet the Bigfeet by Kevin Sherry

The Yeti Files: Meet the Bigfeet by Kevin Sherry - 122 pages

Blizz, a Yeti, goes to a cryptid reunion.  While there they have to avoid Dr. George VanQuist, who is determined to reveal the cryptids as real.

I love Kevin Sherry's picture books so I was excited to see that he was writing a chapter book for early readers.  I thought it was pretty well done and is definitely a book I will order for the library.

The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky

The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky - 149 pages

Eleven schoolgirls go on a secret expedition to a cave with their teacher and her friend Morgan.  Only the girls return.  What happened to the teacher?  Who was Morgan?  And why was everything a secret?

This was an interesting book.  It shows the power that an adult figure can have over children -- how they think, what they believe, and the secrets they'll keep.  While the characters would lend you to think the book was for kids, it it definitely a book for teens.

Defy by Sara B. Larson- 336 pages

This is an adventure story written by a debut novelist.
Alexa, who must disguise herself as a boy, has secured a spot in the king's army with her superior fighting skills. One night, she is assigned to stand guard over the prince only to have him and a few of his guards taken captive. Will she be able to keep her secret hidden?   Does the prince have a secret of his own?

Little Miss Curious

Bleach, v. 58: The Fire by Tite Kubo

Bleach, v. 58: The Fire by Tite Kubo - 192 pages

Ichigo has finally broken out of the cage and made it to the Soul Society.  However, the attacking Quincies depart after revealing a secret about Ichigo's mother.  The Soul Society is in shambles.  Many of the soul reapers are injured or dead.  Now they must heal.  And appoint a new head captain. . .

This continues the final story arc in Bleach.  In a way I'm annoyed that I'm caught up with the series as it means that I have to wait several months to get the next installment.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas

Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas - 374 pages
(Wallflowers series - book 4)

It is time for the final Wallflower to find a husband.  It will take the combined efforts of all the Wallflowers for Daisy to find a man who loves her.  Her father has decreed that if she doesn't have a husband by the end of the season she will have to marry his business protege Matthew Swift.  She has always despised the straightlaced Matthew.  He doesn't seem to have a romantic bone in his body.  But Matthew has some secrets that will shock Daisy, her family, and her friends.
This is the final book in the Wallflowers series.  It is a good conclusion to the series, tying up all the loose ends in the series.

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas - 341 pages

Charlotte Marks has been the paid companion and tutor to the younger Hathaway sisters for two years.  In that time, she has argued constantly with their older brother Leo.  Turns out that arguing is covering up some very intense feelings for each other.  However, she has a secret in her past that if it came out would ruin her.  She has no choice to run away when someone recognizes her from her previous life.  Leo, however, doesn't feel the same way and chases after her.
This was a fun, quick historical romance to read.  I enjoyed the characters and the story.  I'm looking forward to going back and reading the rest of the series from the beginning.