The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins

The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins- 512 pages

Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah Maas-699 pages

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places. 

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White-278 pages

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker

The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker-368 pages

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He’s readying for a war against those who would resist his rule—namely Elizabeth and the witches and wizards she now calls her allies.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth’s strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she’ll go to save those she loves

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choksi

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choksi-342 pages

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye-399 pages

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear—the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber-407 pages

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - 416 pages
Book 1 in the Grisha Trilogy

This is the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy set in a world that is Russia adjacent but firmly in a land of monsters and magic.  Alina is a war orphan that has been raised with her best friend Mal in the empty mansion of an absent Duke.  They are both drafted into the army to protect the homeland from both invaders and the invasive darkness of The Fold.  Alina discovers truths about herself that change everything and force her to examine her true place in the world.  The book is slow to get going with all the world building in the beginning but it's worth it to keep going.  Fans of Harry Potter will like this one for its reluctant heroine forced into a magical destiny that she doesn't want but can't avoid.

Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Teardrop by Lauren Kate, 441 pages
(1st book in series)

So much better than the author's "Fallen" series, "Teardrop" reaches the depths of Atlantis in a sweet love story full of heartache, mystery, death, and suspense. Eureka Boudreaux is a leap year baby trying to grasp the shreds of her life and hold them together. She lost her mother in a tragic accident that left Eureka deaf on one side and filled with a world of sorrow and pain. Her attempt at suicide after her mom's death is a cry for help that her dad and stepmom can't seem to answer correctly. Eureka feels lost and alone in her small bayou town in Louisiana. Despite the unfathomable anguish she faces, Eureka never cries. She almost did once before in her life -- but then her mother slapped her soundly across the face and told her to never cry again. Since that day, Eureka hasn't. She has her two best-friends that try to help her keep the pieces of her life together -- Cat, a flirtatious and vivacious girl, and Brooks, a strong and dedicated boy. When a mysterious boy steps into her life, Eureka's life is forever changed. Armed with gifts from her mother (a locket, a stone and a book she cannot read), Eureka must seek out her destiny as a descendent of the mysterious lost city of Atlantis. The life of her loved ones and the world depends on it.
The story has its high and low points but overall was enjoyable. I look forward to reading the second book of the series.