The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

If you have plans to hit an escape room anytime soon-you must read this book first!  Full of twists, turns, and a heavy dose of revenge, The Escape Room will keep you enthralled from beginning to end. 

When four highly successful Wall Street financial analysts find themselves called to an emergency meeting, no one questions the time or location.   When it becomes clear that their elevator isn't taking them to the appropriate floor, the four realize it must be an escape room type exercise to determine who will remain employed at their prestigious firm.  Working in such a ruthless career field where each person is only focused on their own success, the four are unable to work together to solve the mysteries given to them by their enigmatic captor.  Can they solve the riddles before time runs out?

This book comes with a few caveats-you need to suspend belief and just enjoy the ride.  While there were a few points where I found myself saying out loud, "Seriously?!?", overall, this is a great revenge story and I really enjoyed it.  It's difficult to tell more about the plot without giving away all the surprises, but just know that each character plays a vital part in the story and no one is as they seem.  I found the plot moved very quickly and it wrapped up with a very satisfying ending.

If you liked Jane Doe by Victoria Stone, add this one to your list.

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These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

Available Now

If you enjoy teenage witches discovering their true self while also trying to balance their friendships and coven secrets, this book is everything you’re looking for.  

Hannah is an elemental witch, descended from a long line of witches.  Part of a tight knit coven of other Elementals, she splits her time between normal teenage summer activities like beach parties with her best friend Gemma and a summer job at the Fly By Night Cauldron, and weekly magic lessons with the coven’s high priestess Lady Ariana.   

It’s during one of these beach parties that Hannah and her friends discover a horrible sight in the woods.  Someone has sacrificed a raccoon in the middle of a burning pentacle. Consumed by the fear of a Blood Witch seeking revenge against Hannah and her ex-girlfriend Veronica, the two witches nearly expose their magic in front of all of their friends.  Exposing their magic could cause them to be sanctioned by the Council and face strict punishments. This is just the beginning of a series of horrific and threatening events that begin to plague Hannah and her friends. When a house fire nearly kills her friend Benton, once again forcing her to choose between saving a friend and exposing her magic, he enlists her help in finding out who the threat really is.   If being stalked by a potential Blood Witch isn’t enough stress for Hannah, she meets Morgan, a cute new ballerina who has just moved to town and has secrets of her own.  

How does one witch handle dealing with a jealous ex-girlfriend, finding a killer, meeting a new girlfriend, and telling your lifelong best friend that you’re a witch?  The only way you can: by doing whatever it takes to not get grounded by your parents.  

I loved this book!  There is so much teenage drama packed into this book.  Jealous exes, first date stresses, secrets, friendships, identity, it’s all in here.  I really enjoyed Gemma’s character-she’s Hannah’s best friend and is completely accepting of Hannah being a witch. She’s fun, smart, inquisitive, and really truly cares about Hannah’s happiness.  There were several different characters that I was sure was our evil nemesis and I was wrong every time. It’s fast paced, with great characters, and a story that many teens will be able to relate to.  

If you’d like to try out this bewitching tale, you can get a copy here:

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Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau

Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau

Available June 25, 2019

This was so good!  The world building was amazing and if any book gets the Netflix treatment this year-it needs to be this one.  I would love to see all of the beautiful, colorful beasts brought to life.

Leena is a beast charmer, gifted with the magical talent to tame wild beasts and bond them to her.  Betrayed by her first love and ostracized by her people, Leena is on the run trying to curate a collection of beasts that will give her enough power to finally clear her name.  After surviving a murderous attack, Leena is forced to join Noc and his clan of formally dead assassins known as Cruor. 

Leena has two choices, die or supply the group with beasts. 

Leena chooses to live.

Surrounded by people who would love to see her dead, Leena must find the assassins their beasts, discover who put a hit out on her, and survive falling for the deadly leader of Cruor.  

This one is so much fun!  I love all the descriptions of the beasts and their special gifts.  Not only can Leena bond with them and make them appear, but they live in a magical beast realm that sounds amazing.  A little like Fantastic Beasts but way deadlier and infinitely sexier.  

Leena is incredibly strong and intelligent.  She has a lot going on-death threats, being exiled from her people, dangerous beasts, a man that can kill her if he falls in love with her-it's a lot to process.  Because yep, not only is Noc a formerly dead assassin tasked with killing her, he's also cursed.

I love a good curse.

Magical worlds, beautiful beasts, intense fight scenes, found family, super steamy love scenes-this checks all the boxes.

And, it's the first book in a series…

 Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this title.  All opinions and mistakes are my own. 

 If you would like to dive into the magical beast world of Kingdom of Exiles, you can do so here:

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