Review: Royal Heirs Academy

Royal Heirs Academy by Lindsey Duga
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Titus, Alaric, Emmeline, and Sadie have all had different upbringings.  What they have in common is that they all have the chance to be the heir to Ashland.  King Leander Eldana has decided that his three grandchildren and one commoner will compete to determine who he will name as heir.  They will do this while attending Almus Terra Academy in France.  Each of these teens has different strengths and weaknesses.  Who will come out on top?  Will friendships, alliances, or divisions be formed?

Royal Heirs Academy is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that was a pleasure to devour.  The alternating points of view were easy to follow and led to a greater understanding of the characters and what they were going through.  Duga created a plausible situation in today’s world, and I found myself finding a reason to get back to the book outside of my normal reading time.  Royal Heirs Academy is a fun escape read.

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Review: The Party

The Party by Natasha Preston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bessie and her friends have a plan for a great party during spring break.  They have access to a castle and want this to be the best party ever.  When the first partier dies, though, this will not be a normal party.  As more people lose their lives, this group of friends will learn secrets best kept hidden.  Who is the killer?  What are the secrets that will be revealed?

The Party is a stand-alone thriller that had so much promise, yet it fell flat. I loved the castle and the English surroundings, but the characters didn’t catch my attention and bring the story forward. It wasn’t a complete bust, and thankfully, it is a short read. It is a fun escape that should not be rushed to the top of your TBR list.

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Review: The Whispering Night

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winnie believes that her life is finally ready to settle down, but that all changes at the Nightmare Masquerade.  This week-long celebration brings Luminaries from everywhere together, but when unwelcome guests also arrive, Winnie’s life is turned upside down … again.  Winnie has a new group of enemies she must overcome and time is not on her side.  What dark secrets will be uncovered? 

The Whispering Night is the third book in The Luminaries series.  This dark fantasy was just as enjoyable as the first two volumes and readers will quickly fall into the newest adventure.  Character development and world building was complete in the other books, so please read them first to enjoy this experience.  Readers will easily see themselves (and their family) in the characters and they may even get a better understanding too.  The Whispering Night was a great conclusion to this trilogy.

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Review: A Queen's Game

A Queen's Game by Katharine McGee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alix of Hesse knew she was expected to marry royalty, but what happens when she falls for the wrong prince?  Helene d’Orleans may not be a princess anymore, but she loves to go against what’s expected and she has her sights set on Prince Eddy.  May of Teck is not royal but is working toward her own prince.  These strong women want more than a royal marriage, they want love, but they must overcome a fierce adversary, the Queen of England (Queen Victoria), who wants to meddle in relationships around her empire.

A Queen’s Game is a stand-alone historical fiction story that is full of intrigue.  This is a good starting point for those who are not familiar with this time period, yet it is also engaging for those who love everything Victorian England.  There was some hanky-panky, but nothing descriptive.  This was not a deep read and I had to fight NOT to look up these young women to find out the true story.  A Queen’s Game is a fun romantic novel that teaches a little history along the way.

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Review: Teen Titans: Starfire

Teen Titans: Starfire by Kami Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kori and her sister are ready for their summer job at the beach club.  Kori must watch what she is doing because she has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, which causes severe inflammation in her joints.  Kira, her sister, is having a wonderful summer with her hot boyfriend.  Kira’s boyfriend talks the girls into an EDS study that promises to help with Kori’s symptoms, but when they begin to develop powers, the summer fun escalates.  Will these sisters team up or go their separate ways? 

Teen Titans: Starfire is the fifth graphic novel in the Teen Titans series.  Readers who have enjoyed the development of this story will be satisfied with this portion and those who jumped into this volume will not have any issues following.  The graphics were on point yet the overall story dragged in a few spots.  Starfire was a good bridge to the next book Teen Titans: Together.

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Review: The Debutantes

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lily is ready to be the Queen of the Les Masques Ball when a person in a Jester costume makes everything go sideways. When her royal court gets a mysterious text the next day and she isn’t where the text directs, it is reminiscent of last year’s queen … who was dead the next day. The Maids have nothing in common, but they want to know where Lily is and why debutantes are at risk. Is Lily alive? What secrets are hidden within the elite of New Orleans?

The Debutantes is a stand-alone mystery that will grab readers at the start and keep them turning pages throughout. Worley did a wonderful job of showing readers that secret societies are not only something from previous centuries and rich white men still feel entitled to run their world as they see fit. The Debutantes will leave readers wondering what secrets are hidden around them too.


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Review: In Too Deep

In Too Deep by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jack doesn’t know where he is or how he got there.  All he knows is that he is being restrained and he needs a plan to get away.  He gets the chance to talk with one of his captors and he learns that he was in a car crash and the driver is dead.  They want to know what Reacher knows … but that can’t work with his short-term memory loss.  Of course, Reacher gets away and now he wants to find out what is going on.

In Too Deep is the twenty-ninth Jack Reacher novel and it pulls no punches.  We all know that danger and intrigue find Jack, even if he isn’t looking for it.  The cast of characters are devious if not very smart and Reacher must trust strangers while also not letting them too close.  In Too Deep is a fun continuation of the Jack Reacher saga. 

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