Read it or Weep

This is the third book in the Indian Lake Trilogy and it doesn’t disappoint. After the first two books, My Heart is a Chainsaw and Don’t Fear the Reaper, you wouldn’t think there would be anyone left to kill in Proofrock, Idaho, but you would be wrong. There is still unfinished business, and Jade Daniels is here to end it this time. One of my favorite series.

Ninth House is a great fantasy story about a tough girl who ends up at Yale on an unusual scholarship. She is required to monitor Yale’s secret societies that have been around for decades, full of rich, privileged students that dabble in forbidden magic and other occult activities to satisfy the needs of the most wealthy and powerful players in society. Part of a trilogy and I can’t wait for book 3!

The second book in a series about two sisters in Northern Ireland who are all too aware that conflict and the IRA are alive and well. The sisters try to start a new life with assumed identities and their young families, but the past is never far behind. Exciting book with many twists and turns, and also a good lesson for me about conflict in Northern Ireland.

A tale of how magic came to be and how it is at risk of disappearing from the world because of evil forces who are hoarding it. One little girl who possesses no magic of her own, may be the key to stopping dark forces and saving everyone. H.G. Parry is a fun-to-read author. I also loved his book The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep.

I guess this is my year for magic! Another title by Leigh Bardugo. In Madrid in the 1500s, a scullery maid named Luzia has a talent for seemingly small magic, like many of the other women of her family. But she has been told to keep it safe and secret because of the evil that could come of it if powerful men find out. When they do, Luzia is thrown into a world of kings, queens, priests, and the Inquisition, and must rely on a mysterious immortal to help her save herself- but can he be trusted?

This was a surprisingly good book, but pay attention or the characters will confuse you! At a summer camp in the woods, a camper goes missing. This is not the first time it has happened- her brother vanished from the same camp 14 years ago. Family, friends and employees have many secrets that come to light as they search for the missing girl.

This is the third book of the Legacy of Orisha series. It tells the final story of Zelie, a hero of the land of Orisha who has fought for freedom for her people who were oppressed for many years. She now faces a new threat and must convince the people of her home land to put aside their differences and unite if they hope to survive. A good ending to a great fantasy series.

This book is about a young girl named Silvia, who is forced to leave her home and move to a crumbling high rise apartment building in the city as a refugee in a world where global warming has caused the waters to rise, and only the wealthy can afford the dry land of the countryside. She and her mother try to navigate a world that is new to them while keeping their past a secret, not knowing who is friend and who is foe in the city. Silvia meets many characters and learns much about life and human nature through their hard experiences.

A 13 year old Tommy disappears without a trace in the local woods, and his friends are slow telling the truth about the details they know about that night and the weeks leading up to it. His mother thinks she sees his ghostly presence and that he is trying to tell her something. Soon random pages from Tommy’s diary begin to appear and the truth comes out about what has really been happening that summer.

A wonderful story of romance, mystery, time travel and a little bit of magic. June Farrow believes she is succumbing to the mental illness that has plagued many women in her family as she hears mysterious voices and suddenly sees a door appearing out of nowhere. But once she goes through it, she realizes she isn’t crazy at all, but her life is definitely not going to be normal.