The Dark Tide is a book with excellent characters, amazing storytelling, and a plot that'll make you never want to put it down. In a setting where mundane people and magical events collide, once you start reading you won't be able to stop.
For me, the most compelling part of the book wasn't the existence and secrecy of magic itself, but the lack of acceptance around it. While normally the world of a book having magic isn't something too impressive. The way that this book had magic exist but villanized by the general public was a unique twist that I don't normally see and I was really intrigued to see how it turned out.
I didn't read the first book, but Last Pick: Born to Run was gripping and beautiful. It checked all of my boxes: murderous aliens (and more importantly, a not-so-murderous one), people banding together to find hope in the dark times, empathy, and, well, two friends falling in love. I was disappointed that it ended.
The Bird and The Blade is set in the ancient Mongolian empire. Jinghua, our protagonist, is a slave in the Khipkhak Khanate, that is, until the kingdom is taken over by enemy forces and the only people able to escape are the Khan (King), the prince, and Jinghua. Together they journey across the kingdom, fleeing pursuing forces. With no other options, Khalaf plans to marry Turandokht, the cunning and beautiful daughter of the Great Khan. Easier said than done.
Loki: Where Mischief Lies expands off of the popular character from the Marvel Universe, following Loki in his misadventures on Midgard (or Earth, as we know it) far before the events of the first Thor movie and The Avengers.
The second book in Veronica Roth's Divergent series, Insurgent, is good, but it's underwhelming compared to its predecessor. As a war between the factions surges, Tris must make harsh decisions to save the people around her. This book was a rollercoaster, and while it wasn't boring by any means, it didn't quite capture my attention as Divergent did.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is a companion book to Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series, this time following High King Cardan, one of the series’ more compelling characters.
Scarlett has dreamed of attending Caraval, a performance of sorts, for her whole life. Unfortunately, her abusive father has not only forced her to remain on her home island but will soon require her to participate in an arranged marriage. Shortly before said marriage, Scarlett receives a letter from Caraval Master Legend himself, inviting her to the upcoming Caraval. With her sister, Tella, and Tella’s boyfriend, Scarlett runs away from home to attend the event. However, as audience participation is quintessential, her sister is stolen upon their arrival. Scar
In 1893, witch trials are rampant, especially in the town of New Salem. Juniper, Agnes, and Bella are three sisters bound together by magic after years of separation. While having to work through buried conflicts with themselves and each other, these sisters realize how magic and witchcraft are on the brink of extinction. Together, these sisters work with witches in the town of New Salem to combat the misogyny and anti-witch attitudes that dominate New Salem society, all the while learning the value of their own witching abilities and womanhood.
