"A Cruel Thirst" by Angela Montoya

Move over Twilight, there is a new vampire book in town!

And I LOVE the cover!

I also love that the vampires in this book are monsters! They aren't romantically tragic figures, they are the undead cursed by a trickster god and forced to feed off the souls of the living. 

This enemies-to-lovers vampire story was unique, engaging and had excellent world building. Carolina, the female main character, is no awkward, whimpering human girl. She is a kick butt Latina vampire hunter who is descended from a long line of hunters, and her only goal is to prove to her family that she has what it takes to continue the family tradition and rid the world of as many vampires as possible.

Lalo, the male main character, is NOT a dark brooding vampire. He in fact is a slightly awkward, although handsome, bookworm who has never been in a fight in his life. That is, until he tried to avenge his parents' death by killing the vampire that brutally murdered them. However, instead of getting revenge, Lalo finds himself turned into the one thing he hates most in the entire world: a vampire.

Desperate to find a way to turn him back, Lalo and his younger sister journey to a remote pueblo after following clues from their research in hopes of finding and killing the first vampire, which in turn may rid Lalo of his curse.

This puts him on a collision course with Carolina, who would gladly stake him before lifting a finger to help him. But in a twist of fate, Carolina finds she needs Lalo's help and that they have a common enemy. As they work together to put an end to the evil that has plagued their pueblo and their lives, they find their lives and their hearts become irrevocably intwined.

Carolina was a great spunky female character with a lot of strengths and character growth, while Lalo was a warm cinnamon roll of a male character who just melted my heart each time he fought to do the next right thing. 

I loved the setting and the Latinx cultural influence as well.  Overall, I highly enjoyed this one and any Twilight fans will be sure to enjoy it as well!

"Bring Me Your Midnight" by Rachel Griffen

 Romeo and Juliet.... but with magic.... and a better ending. 

What if Romeo and Juliet were both witches but from rival covens? 

If that catches your interest, then you will enjoy "Bring Me Your Midnight".

Tana Fairchild has her whole life laid out before her. As the only daughter of the coven leader on their island, it is her job to help bring peace between the witches who live on their island and the humans who live on the mainland. She follows all the rules. She only practices "low magic" during the day at her parent's perfume shop, she never practices magic after dark, and she would never practice the "dark magic" that taught the mainlanders to fear witches in the first place. 

The job Tana's parents have given her is simple. Marry the human governor's son and bring peace and protection to her coven. 

Tana has never questioned the path her parents set her on when she was just a child, but all that changes when she meets a stranger on their beach. A stranger who practices "dark magic" and he will make Tana question everything she has ever known about magic, her coven, and herself.

This book had a bit of a slow start for me as the world building and magic system was established and the characters were introduced. However, I am glad I stuck with it because I flew through the second half of the book. The magic system with it's two different types of magic was very original and well thought out, and the sweet romance in the story set my heart aflutter. I was content with the ending but I do feel like there could be more to the story. Maybe from another character's point of view.

Overall, I gave this one 4 stars.

"Into the Sunken City" by Dinesh Thiru

 A great addition to the Dystopian genre!

In a world of constant rain and danger, only one thing is certain: the waters will continue to rise. 

Jin and her younger sister, Thara, are all that's left of their family. After their father died in an attempt to pull up lost treasure from the depths of the ever expanding ocean, Jin promised herself and her sister that they would never dive again. Instead, they will run the dilapidated inn their father left them and continue to scrimp and save so they can pay their taxes and avoid being conscripted by the navy. 

But surviving in this world of water isn't easy. So when a suspicious woman shows up at the inn offering gold in return for an indefinite stay, Jin knows the stranger is trouble and she should throw her out. But times are hard, and her younger sister is getting closer to conscription age with everyday that passes. Without the stanger's money, Jin may not be able to save herself or her sister from a life of forced service at sea.

However, this stranger wants more than just a warm bed and a meal. She is looking for a crew to help her retrieve the largest treasure ever to be discovered in the depths of what used to be Las Vegas, and she wants Jin and Thara to once again put on the diving suits their father left them and help her retrieve it in return for part of the treasure. 

Jin swore she would never go back in the water, but Thara is desperate to go in the hopes that the treasure will buy them a new life far from the coast and the inn. Jin is torn until one night the stranger's past catches up with her, and Thara, Jin, and her hot ex-boyfriend are drawn into the adventure of a lifetime. 

Sea beasts, pirates, deadly storms and much more. 

If you are looking for an exciting adventure story, then look no further! 

This book was fast paced with engaging characters, and engaging plot and intricate world building. Jin was a little hard to like at times, but with everything that had happened to her in her life, it is totally believable that she would be such a hardened character despite her young age. 

I give this book 4.5 stars!

"Hatchet Girls" by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Lizzie Borden took an ax. 

And gave her mother forty whacks, 

And when she saw what she had done, 

She gave her father forty-one.

This book would have made an excellent horror movie!

I love horror stories that are inspired by true events.  I love making connections between the true story and the author's reimagined story as they twist and mold those events into something completely new.

"Hatchet Girls" is based on the real life events of the Borden family.  The Borden family was a rich and prosperous family, but not a very happy one. Andrew Borden, the father and family patriarch, was a somber and tight fisted man who like to control his money and his family. His first wife passed away when his two girls were quite young, and he eventually remarried a woman named Abby. 

No one really knows what happened that fateful day, but the popular belief is that Lizzie Borden just snapped. She was fed up with her father controlling every aspect of her life, so while he was out, she went upstairs to her stepmother's room and killed her with an axe, striking her multiple times. Her father came home later, having no idea of his wife's fate, and laid down on the couch to rest. While he was resting, Lizzie Borden killed him with the axe as well. 

However, Lizzie Borden was never convicted for these murders. 

During the trial, there was never enough information to prove that Lizzie was the murderess, and fingers were also pointed at Lizzie's uncle and even disgruntled business partners as the potential murderers. 

So someone got away with murder.

"Hatchet Girls" is a novel inspired by the mystery surrounding the Borden family and intertwines those events with the supernatural as history repeats itself in a present day setting.  

One hundred years after the Borden murders, tragedy has struck again. 

In the town of River Falls, a wealthy businessman and his wife have been murdered in their upscale home that is located just miles from the historic Lizzie Borden home. And when Tessa's older brother Vik is the prime suspect in the double homicide, Tessa knows she is going to have to do everything in her power to prove his innocence and expose the real murderer.

Tessa's hunt for the truth leads her into the dark history of River Falls, and the supposedly cursed forest that her brother was hiking in on the night of the murders. There is something different about that forest, something sinister.  

Did something happen to her brother that night in those woods? Or is some sinister force reaching out from the beyond to ensure that history repeats itself?

Gothic vibes, VERY creepy descriptive scenes, and a engaging method of storytelling that flashes back and forth between the night of the murder and the aftermath makes this a quick and compelling read. 

Perfect for fans who love horror, murder mysteries and the supernatural. 

"The Do-Over" by Lynn Painter - A 2024 - 2025 Gateway Nominee

**** I read this book in 1 day!

The Do-Over is the perfect YA romance. A little bit of angst, family issues, good friends for a support system, a reclusive but highly attractive lab partner who has hidden depths, and hilarious situations that keep you turning page after page. 

What would you do if you found yourself stuck in a time loop, endlessly reliving your worst Valentine's Day over and over again? 

You just might go a little crazy.

Emilie had a plan for a perfect Valentine's Day. 

1. Surprise Josh, her boyfriend of 3 months, with the perfect Valentine's Day gift.

2. Tell Josh she loves him.

3. Have a perfect, romantic Valentine's Day.

However, nothing goes according to plan.

1. She crashes her car into the back of Nick Stark's (her hot and broody Chemistry partner) truck.

2. She's late to school so she doesn't get to give Josh his Valentine's gift.

3. She definitely doesn't tell Josh she loves him when she finds him in a compromising situation with his ex-girlfriend. 

And that was only the first few hours of the day. 

After her train wreck of a day, Emilie justs wants to sleep and forget all about it. 

But when Emilie wakes up the next morning, she realizes that it is Feb 14th .... again.  This begins an endless cycle of horrible Valentine's Days, and Emilie is convinced that if she can just pull off the perfect Valentine's day, then she can finally make it to February 15th. 

Hilarity ensues as Emilie's Valentine's Days continue to crash and burn in outlandish and mortifying ways. Despite the new ways her life falls apart each day, one thing stays the same.

Nick Stark.

No matter what she does, Emilie keeps running into Nick Stark...literally. 

And with each new Valentine's day, Emilie begins to see her life and the people in it in a new light, and if she is ever going to escape this time loop, she is going to have to try something different.

So for the first time in a long time, Emilie starts thinking about what she wants and the kind of person she wants to be. 

This is the perfect light hearted romance if you are looking for something to read for this Valentine's Day. 

"Belladonna" by Adalyn Grace

 Overall, I loved this book! It gave me Wuthering Heights vibes with an Agatha Christie mystery thrown in. 

Five Stars!

All her life, Death has followed Signa Farrow.

He was there when her parents and all the guests and staff members of Foxglove were mysteriously poisoned and died at a party when Signa was just a baby. 

He was there throughout her childhood as a string of guardians, who were more interested in Signa's money than her welfare, perished within a fews years of accepting Signa into their homes. 

Now, he has followed Signa to Hawthorne Manor. 

Despite their own recent tragedies, the Hawthorne's, a distant relation to Signa's parents, have graciously invited Signa to live with them for the next 6 months until she turns 19 and is able to claim the inheritance that her family left to her upon their deaths. 

Signa discovers that her hope that Death will not follow her to her new home is in vain when she arrives at Hawthorne Manor only to discover that her cousin, Blythe, has contracted a mysterious life-threatening illness. It is the same illness that took Blythe's mother, Lilliana,  just months before. 

Signa can feel death's presence in the cold and unsettling Manor.

But that is not the only presence she senses.

Lilliana's spirit is not at rest, and her ghost haunts to grounds, crying and wailing in the night. The Hawthorne family is plagued by her restless spirit and Blythe's impending death. 

Signa is determined to stop Death from taking anyone else from her and Signa feels like, for once, she might be able to help because she has secrets of her own. 

Signa can see ghosts and she is tied to Death in a way that no other mortal have ever been. 

Signa suspects that Lillian's death wasn't due to an illness at all, and someone is targeting the remaining members of the family. Her best chance to save her new family is to ally herself with Death in order to catch the murderer before they strike again. 

As Signa and Death begin to work side by side to catch the murderer, the connection between them grows, and Signa realizes that there is more to Death than she ever could have imagined. 

This amazing gothic murder mystery has just the right amount of intrigue, suspense, plot twists, and romance to make a great book! I was hooked within the first few pages.  Signa was an intriguing character who really found herself as the story progressed. She was so unsure of who she wanted to be when the story began, but through the trials she experienced, she was able to take hold of her destiny and become who she was meant to be. 

Death was swoon worthy! He was so mysterious in the beginning, and as revelations were made throughout the story, you better understood his role in Signa's life and in her future. 

I am looking forward to starting book two!

"A Taste For Love" by Jennifer Yen

 "The Bachelorette" meets "The Great British Baking Show" in this romantic comedy about food, family, and finding what makes you happy.

Liza Yang has never been good enough for her mother. She's not a model like her beautiful, intelligent older sister, she doesn't want a sensible career like accounting, and she does NOT want to date any of the Asian American boys that her mother is constantly trying to set her up with. 

The one thing Liza has always been passionate about is baking. Liza's mother is the owner of one of the most popular bakeries in the city, and Liza's passion for creating and experimenting with new recipes is one of the few things she has in common with her mother. 

In an attempt prove her skill and passion for baking, Liza agrees to help her mother judge their annual junior baking challenge contest, which her mother's bakery puts on every year as a scholarship opportunity for young bakers.  However, on the first day of the baking challenge, Liza finds herself the star of her own personal bachelorette reality show. Instead of choosing talented, aspiring bakers, her mother has selected 10 Asian American young men that have been pre-approved to date Liza.  If that isn't embarrassing enough, her mother also provided them a detailed bio on Lisa and offered her up as a prize. Not only will the winner receive a scholarship, but this year's winner will also receive six private baking lessons with Liza. 

When Liza realizes what her mother has done, she is beyond embarrassed and her rebellious tendencies urge to her to push back against her mother's ridiculous plan. There's only one problem: James Wong. He's handsome, stoic, gruff and surprisingly kind at times, and Liza finds herself irresistibly drawn to him despite her resolve to not give in to her mother's scheming. 

As Liza battles her growing feelings for James, and fights for her mother's approval, she realizes that just like some of her recipes, life doesn't always go as planned, and the best recipes are often created when you follow your heart. 

This was a super cute romantic story that is perfect for readers who are looking of a light, feel-good read. The descriptions of all the different food that appeared in this book made me want to crawl inside it so I could taste it all for myself!

"The House of Salt and Sorrows" by Erin A Craig

 "A House Of Salt and Sorrows" is a haunting Gothic retelling of the fairy tale classic "The Twelve Dancing Princesses". 

This book definitely get 5 stars for its creep factor. 

Our introduction to the story begins with a funeral. 

The Duke of Highmoore, Orten Thaumas, once had twelve beautiful daughters, a loving wife, and an almost perfect life on their island estate. But tragedy struck when his beloved wife died giving birth to their 12th daughter, Verity, and since that fateful night death seems to follow the Thaumas women.

 One died of plague.

One died in the bathtub.

One died after falling from a library ladder.

And now the fourth eldest daughter, Eulalie, has died under questionable circumstances after falling from a high cliff and smashing into the rocks below. 

Was it an accident?

Did she jump?

Or was she pushed?

Annaleigh Thaumas, now the 2nd eldest daughter of the Duke of Highmoore, is determined to find out what really happened to Eulalie and why her sisters keep dying.

The towns people whisper that their family is cursed, and that anyone who gets too close to the Thaumas girls risks meeting the same fate. But Annaleigh doesn't believe in curses. 

That is, until she starts seeing the spirits of her departed sisters. And these spirits are definitely not at peace and seem to have sinister intentions towards the household occupants. 

However, only Annaleigh and Verity can see their spirits, and no one believes Annaliegh when she tries to tell them that her sisters' death were no accident. 

While trying to solve the mystery of the "Thaumas curse", Annaleigh also tries to comfort her sisters, especially her oldest sister Camille. While Camille is also grieving the deaths of her sisters, she is also lamenting the fact that every eligible bachelor on the island believes them to be cursed and it is unlikely that she will ever find love. And with the near constant deaths of her sisters, the remaining Thaumas sisters are never able to end their mourning period to attend balls and functions where they could meet potential beaus. 

So when Annaleigh hears rumors of a magic door used by the gods that can transport a person anywhere they wish in the entire world, she and her sisters begin to search for it, hoping to find a way to leave their island home and their grief behind for just a few hours so they can enjoy their lives and search for love. 

What follows are nights filled with music, dancing, and handsome partners who escort them around ballrooms throughout the entire world. For the first time in a long time, the Thaumas girls are happy. 

But death never seems to be far from Annaleigh and her sisters, and something far more sinister than they could ever imagine is waiting for them. 

This book is a great choice if you are looking for a spine-tingling supernatural read. I kept thinking to myself as I read this book that it would make a great horror movie. The descriptions of the spirits and the scenes they appear in are down right chilling. And what is creepier that a small child talking about the ghosts of her dead sisters and making drawings of those ghosts in their death states? Eerily accurate drawings of sisters who died when she was just an infant and she should have no memory of. 

I was immediately pulled in by the mystery surrounding the curse, and the cute romance included in the story provided a nice break from the sinister ghosts, the deaths, and the grief that surrounded Annaleigh. 

The only downside of this story was that is got a little confusing at the end. This is in no part the author's fault, it is simply a natural result of the plot and the reveals that are made toward the end. I had to read several parts a couple of times to keep track of what was happening and what had already happened. I can't really say more without giving too much away, but overall, it was a satisfying conclusion to the story. 

This was a great retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and the dark Gothic elements just pushed it to the next level. I will definitely be recommending this one to other readers. 

The narrator for the audiobook version of this story did an amazing job as well! 

"The Inheritance Games" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 Jennifer Lynn Barnes has done it again!

There's a reason that Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of my top 3 favorite young adult authors. 

It's because her books are AMAZING!!!

I fell in love with Barnes's storytelling with her "Naturals" series.

I highly enjoyed "The Fixer" duology and I was captivated by "The Lovely and the Lost".

But it is possible I may have a new favorite. 

"The Inheritance Games".... aahhhh, how do I even describe it? I feel like my brain is still spinning from all the puzzles, riddles, and revelations that are woven through the fabric of the story. The story is a mystery in the truest sense of the word. It will leave you guessing until the very end, and if you think you've figured it out... think again. 

"The Inheritance Games" centers around 17 year old Avery Graham, who is doing everything she can to save money for college while still making the grades she needs to get accepted.  Avery lives with her half sister after her mother passed away, and their deadbeat dad isn't in the picture. Despite Avery's brilliant mind, her future is anything but certain due to her current financial situation. 

But then everything changes.

Grayson Hawthorne has tracked Avery down and informed her that she has been named a beneficiary in his late grandfather's will. Tobias Hawthorn was one of the richest men in the world when he passed away.

And Avery has no idea who he is.

Avery and her sister fly to Texas, courtesy of the Hawthorne family, to hear the will read. The rest of the Hawthorne family is waiting for them: the two daughters of the late Tobias Hawthorne, his four handsome, brilliant grandsons, as well as several members of the staff. 

And no one is more surprised than Avery when Tobias Hawthorne's lawyer announces that other than a mere pittance left to his family and his staff, the Hawthorne fortune, the businesses and the sprawling mansion now belong to Avery Kylie Graham. 

Avery is now one of the richest women in the world.

The disinherited family isn't sure what to make of this revelation. Who is Avery? Why did Tobias Hawthorne leave his immense fortune to this stranger? 

Grayson Hawthorne, the heir apparent, thinks Avery is little better than a con woman, who has some how tricked, conned, or manipulated her way into a fortune. Jameson Hawthorne, the third grandson,  sees Avery as a puzzle, as one more riddle left behind by the old man for his grandsons to figure out and solve. 

What happens next is a series of puzzles, secret passages, hidden messages, and daunting riddles that begin to reveal family secrets and haunting tragedies. Avery starts down this path, working with Grayson and Jamie to solve the mystery behind Tobias Hawthorne's bizarre decision regarding his will, and discovering that the rabbit hole that is the Hawthrone family goes much deeper than she ever could have imagined.

Despite being an amazing book, there was one downside to this book.

I did not like the insta-attraction between Avery and two of the Hawthorne grandsons. It felt a little bit rushed and I never like it when a character is attracted to multiple people in the same family. There is no way that ends well for anyone. 

This book kept me turning pages late into the night. Tension and suspense is interwoven masterfully throughout the plot and the engaging and sometime quirky characters has me reaching for book two even as I am finishing this review. 

"Long Live the Pumpkin Queen" by Shea Ernshaw

 October is fast approaching and the cooler temperatures and changing leaves always put me in the mood for some Halloween themed reads. The creepier, the better. 

I am kicking off my Halloween reading season with a blast from my past. "Long Live the Pumpkin Queen" by Shea Ernshaw is the long awaited sequel to Tim Burton's Gothic Halloween classic, "The Nightmare Before Christmas". 

I LOVED "The Nightmare Before Christmas" when I was kid. I loved the spooky, creepy vibes of Halloween Town, the disgustingly delightful residents, the skeleton who longed for something more than just screams and scares, and the unrequited love a rag doll had for the King of Halloween. 

"Long Live the Pumpkin Queen" picks up where "The Nightmare Before Christmas" left off. Sally and Jack are newly married and are settling into their new roles, Jack as a husband and Sally as the Queen of Halloween. Sally, who has always watched everything from the shadows, suddenly finds herself thrust into the light, and she struggles with the expectations the residents of Halloween Town have for her as their new Queen. New dresses, crowns, parties to plan. It is overwhelming for someone like Sally who has spent most of her life being overlooked or ignored. 

Despite Sally's desperate love for Jack, and his love for her in return, Sally finds herself wishing she can once again fade into the shadows, just for a bit, just to have some quite and be alone without all the expectations being thrust upon her. 

And Sally gets her wish.

After a night away from the noise and chaos of Halloween Town, Sally returns to find all the residents of Halloween Town, including Jack, trapped within a deep sleep from which they cannot awaken. Halloween Town is finally quiet, but Sally realizes that she in not alone. 

There is a monster in Halloween town. A monster that doesn't belong there.

This monster is responsible for the forced slumber of the residents of Halloween Town and it won't let them wake.  And it wants Sally next.

Sally must put aside her fear and set off to new worlds to find someone who can help her save her beloved Jack and the residents of Halloween Town before it's too late. 

New revelations come to light about the holiday worlds and about Sally herself as Sally desperately tries to find a way to defeat the monster that has taken over Halloween Town and free its inhabitants from their never ending nightmares.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While it is targeted towards a middle grade/young adult audience, I believe it is going to be a favorite for readers of any age who enjoyed "The Nightmare Before Christmas". I loved Sally's character growth in this story. Although she played her part in saving Christmas in the original film, she definitely deserved her own story. This novel helped Sally grow from the shy, awkward rag doll who thought the Pumpkin King would never notice her, to a strong confident Queen who would go to great lengths to protect those she loves.

The romance between Sally and Jack was innocent and sweet, adding a heartwarming feeling to this otherwise dark and twisty tale. 

If you are in the mood for a light, spooky, Halloween read, then look no farther that "Long Live the Pumpkin Queen".

"Be Not Far From Me" by Mindy McGinnis

 Warning: 

YOU ARE GOING TO NEED A STRONG STOMACH FOR THIS ONE!

This survival story is not for squeamish readers.

One stupid mistake leads to a fight for survival for 17 year old Ashley. At the suggestion of one of her friends, Ashley and her boyfriend, Duke, and several other classmates decide to have a party off one of the trails in the national forest to celebrate the end of their junior year of high school. 

Plenty of privacy

No adult supervision.

Surrounded by nature.

The perfect plan, right?

But when Ashley stumbles across her boyfriend getting a little too cozy with another girl, her rage and pain send her crashing into the forest with no light, no shoes, and no phone. In the pitch black of the forest, Ashley doesn't see the fall coming her way which results in a debilitating injury. 

Ashley has always loved the woods and has always had an interest in wilderness survival ever since she started going to summer camp as a kid. So she knows exactly how bad her situation is, and she also knows that no one is going to come looking for her for days because they will all assume she hiked back home by herself. 

If Ashley wants to get out of the forest alive, she is going to have to confront all the dangers and obstacles the forest has to offer and find her own way back to civilization. But confronting what is inside of her and finding the strength to go on may be her greatest challenge. 

Be Not Far From Me is a raw survival story that reminds readers that while nature is beautiful, it is not tame. McGinnis also wasn't tame in her descriptions of the pain Ashley endured or the experiences she had to go through in order to survive.

Mild spoilers:

Injuries that expose bone to the elements

Removing infected flesh in order to survive. 

Eating anything she could find to prevent starvation.

(And these aren't event the worst things, but I don't want to spoil it.😀)

I deeply regretted reading parts of this book during my lunch shift, but the story was compelling. Ashley's strength and determination in the face of overwhelming odds made me root for her, despite her being a flawed human being who had made many mistakes in her young life. Ashley was a relatable character for this reason. She wasn't perfect, but she never quit. 

Despite some of gruesome elements that came along with this kind of survival story, I truly enjoyed Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis.