Dealing with the grief of her mother's death, a girl who is known as a chaotic hurricane runs off to pursue her potential career in photography while avoiding the fallout with her family and the fallout of her best friend trying to confess his feelings to her, but can she find her path through the storm? Flora lives in Winchester, England and feels untethered, she's still racked with guilt over her mother's death and doesn't know what she wants to do with her future. Her only real passion is photography, yet when her secret gets out to her family about what happened on the day her mother died she runs off to Miami without telling anyone, especially her longtime friend Gordon, who tried to confess to her but in her fear of hurting him, she pushed him away instead. Yet this new scenery doesn't change the storm she left in her wake, now Flora has to discover her own path, pursuing her interest in photography with a handsome teen influencer who will help teach her photography, and to her surprise... Gordon has come to Miami as well. While discovering herself, Flora will also discover the feelings she wasn't ready to admit and face the heartbreak she's been avoiding. This one really emphasizes the pain and grief of losing a loved one and trying to figure out what path you want to pursue. You understand Flora's fears and her angers, and her decisions and self doubts, and I was happy to see her grow. I however felt like this book was missing the magic of the first book. I loved the first one and found it to be healing and charming and this one just felt like it was missing something. The romance wasn't really there for me and I just didn't feel all that much for it compared to the first book. It is a great book about grief and healing, and if you enjoy that, this book is for you!

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A cutthroat competition amongst the best thieves and winner gets one wish granted, but one thief is playing for the greatest stake of all: her mother's life. Rossalyn "Ross" Quest is a seventeen year old girl and a master thief, her mother raised her to be one, and she's excellent at escape plans... yet the only escape plan she hasn't been good at is escaping her mother and her life as a thief. All Ross has ever wanted was to be normal, to have friends, to make connections, and just as she was getting ready to enact her escape to go to college her mother is suddenly captured and won't be released unless Ross comes up with a billion dollar ransom. Luckily for her, her antics have not gone unnoticed and she is invited to participate in the Thieves' Gambit, a series of dangerous international heists against other competitors... and killing isn't off limits. The winner is granted one wish, anything they want, and Ross knows that this is the only way to save her mother. Yet this competition has it's own issues, from the fact that some of the competitors include her childhood friend turned nemesis and a handsome guy who might just steal her heart. Ross knows she'll have to do whatever it takes to win, but can she backstab some of the people she's begin to think of as her own friends... and are the betrayals awaiting her closer to home than she realizes? The Quest family creed is : trust no one whose last name isn't Quest.... yet she's in for a shock. This is the first book in the series and the end of this book definitely has you looking forward to the next one. This was a really fun heists/puzzle adventure and lives up to the Ocean's Eleven aspect. Filled with fun heists and cutthroat competition, I can't wait to see where the next book goes and how the relationship drama works out! This is a fun read for anyone who likes heists stories.

Spoiler

Ross falls for Devroe, who later betrays her and asks that his wish be saved for later. Ross's mother competed and won the tournament years before and never told her. Devroe's mother was in the same competition as Ross's mom and wanted to use the wish to save Devroe's father (who died) and Devroe wanted revenge. The last phase of the competition involved kidnapping someone and Ross finds out that her mother had conned her the entire time to get the billion dollars and that she knew her aunt would be kidnapped in the competition. The competition curators agree to give back Ross's beloved aunt if she works for them for a year... and works in a partnership with Devroe. Ross and Lia (her childhood nemesis make up and become friends after Ross finds out her mother sabotaged that friendship). Ross agrees to work for the curators of the competition and with Devroe, despite his betrayal and the fact that he broke her heart. The book ends with her saying she should have known better than to trust anyone)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

She can talk to ghost, and he's her nemesis, yet when she finds his dead body and see's his ghost, they both find that they'll need to work together to raise him from the dead. Cara Tang can see ghosts, in fact she comes from a family of ghost speakers, people who can see and talk to ghost and help them cross over. Cara's grandmother always wanted her to embrace her powers while her mother wanted her to have nothing to do with them. Cara is suppose to be perfect for her overbearing mother, but her only real problem is that she keeps getting into fights with Zacharias "Zach" Coleson. Zach and Cara are always arguing, getting into fights, and driving each other crazy, yet when they are forced to be partners for a school project, Zach gets bitten by a mysterious snake on his way to meet Cara and she discovers his dead body and his ghost. Cara is the only one who can save him, but that means disobeying her mother and embracing her powers, it also means facing off against deadly snake entities, monsters, and traveling through a magical world, all the while accompanied by the one boy who makes her crazy. However the more time they spend together and the more they work together, Zach and Cara begin to realize that all the fighting and getting under each other's skin might have been due to the fact that no one drives the other person crazy like each other and that they might not hate one another at all. Can Cara save Zach and find a way to resurrect him before his time runs out or before she gets killed? This was such a fun ghost adventure/high school nemesis to lovers store. I loved the whole ghost world and the snake gods, I loved the banter and the romance between Zach and Cara, and the way the book ends really has me hoping for a second book so I can see my two favs again (and this time fighting off against someone else). This is a great book for the autumn time and for anyone looking for a ghost romance story with a bit of rivals to lovers!!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A witch finds herself with a book of magic and a unlikely adventure as she tries to rescue her friend, save magic, and find the love she's always wanted. Aline Weir has never belonged, she's a young witch who can talk to ghosts, but is an outcast at school and her own family would rather she disappear, her only solace is books and her ghost friend named Dragon. When she begins hanging out at a bookstore run by three kind and mysterious women, she discovers a book called Mischief, and soon her own magic is enhanced. Aline is now 30 and finds herself walking into a mysterious magical land when her friend Dragon disappears. There she discovers Matchstick, a magical world filled with powerful beings being hunted down, and she meets Magic, a man who haunts her dreams with his handsome looks and his mysterious personality, and the connection between them is undeniable. All Aline wants to do is rescue Dragon and get back the three women who she has come to love as her own family, but she learns that there is a darker path and that a prophecy awaits her, she'll have to reunite Day and Night, free the Watcher, and figure out if she can save Magic, the one person she's fallen in love with. This was like a strange fall into a Alice in Wonderland-like story, it's magical and fun to read, but its kind of hard to follow and a bit all over the place. It's definitely whimsical and I do enjoy a quest story. It's not my favorite of Paige Crutcher's witchy stories but it definitely was a unique read.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

In a city taken over by monsters, teens train to become hunters of these monsters... but one girl's training leads her down a darker path than she could have ever imagined. Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing happened in Manhattan, New York. The city was plunged into darkness and monsters known as Deathlings have plagued the city ever since. To defeat these monsters, people are trained to rigorously fight and kill them and they must compete and win the Tournament to make it amongst the ranks of the prestigious Deathling Hunters. Rei Reynolds has dreamed all her life of becoming a hunter, she's been hunting illegally outside of school hours, but her skills have not gone unnoticed. When the tournament comes around she finds herself face to face with her ex, Kieran Cross, a skilled rival and the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart out of nowhere. Rei's parents were murdered and she's been living with her aunt, a Master of the prestigious school that is involved in the Tournament... and the person who has hired Kieran to be her new assistant. As the tournament progresses Rei finds herself questioning everyone and everything she's every known as the secret of the Deathlings and how they came to be and what exactly is happening to the city begins to cause her to unravel. Who can she trust? Can she trust the system that she thought was meant to protect her or will the secrets of those in power cause her to break free? Will she finally find out Kieran's secrets and why he is so determined to protect her but why he broke her heart? This is the first book in a series and it gives off Hunger Games x Maze Runner vibes. The story is a urban fantasy that involves teens joining a deadly competition to fight against monsters while there is a group of higherups who run society watching them. The book has a pretty slow start and doesn't pick up until the 40% mark and I honestly didn't care much for the second chance romance between Kieran and Rei. The world building is really interesting and I am intrigued by the monsters/society structure that the story has going on. I liked the tournament aspect but I felt like a lot of the characters could have been fleshed out better because not a lot of them were all that memorable. I am curious to see where the next book goes and how the story progresses for Rei after the events of this book. Overall if you like urban fantasy novels with young adult tournaments and monster survival fights, definitely give this a go!

Spoiler

Rei discovers that her sister is a halfling ( she consumed some of the deathling) and she ate their father (he sacrificed himself) and that her aunt (adopted mom) knew that her sister has turned. Rei also discovers that the deathlings can be part human. Kieran broke up with her because he wanted to protect her and he had a lot of other stuff going on but he's always loved her and is still in love with her. Rei also has her Token ( a magical artifact) taken by the board of Directors and they threaten to kill her if she exposes what she's learned about the things happening

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A high stakes horse racing competition, forbidden magic, political games, and betrayals await as two girls find their fates forever changed when their paths cross and they join forces with each other and an ambitious heir. Mikira Rusel is the daughter of a renowned enchanted horse breeding family. Yet despite her family's prestige, they have debts to pay and in order to save her family's ranch she is forced to enter and win the Illinir, a deadly horserace where raiders normally finish maimed or murdered. The prize money is amazing and the prestige won would be unparalleled. Yet in order to win she needs the help of Damien Adair, a dashing and deadly lord in a succession battle for the title of heir and Arielle Kadar, a illicit enchanter who has only begun to scratch the depths of her power. Damien and Arielle both have their own revenge plans and blood feuds and agree to help Ari. Yet winning was never easy and with so many people out to get them, can they trust each other or will betrayal destroy them? Mikira wants to atone for all the things she's done and the situations she's gotten her family in, yet she just keeps messing up. Damien is ruthless and wants the title of the house, yet he finds himself falling for Arielle. The lengths he'll go to to protect her and those he holds close is ruthless, yet so is the anger he has for anyone who betrays him. Arielle has spent her life an outcast, and wants nothing more than to get an official license to do her magic, yet she is beginning to hear a voice in her head and losing time, as well as the fact that her magic is growing as well as her blood lust. I loved Damien and Arielle and had a lot of fun with their story, the weak part of the story for me was Mikira, I just couldn't connect with her and found her to be so annoying by the end. I really didn't care that much about her story and was more interested in what Damien, Arielle and Reid ( Damien's friend/servant who works with magic and has a cat and is a bit grumpy) were up to. This is the first book in the series and I am curious to see where the next book goes. If you enjoy horse racing/magic/succession politics, then give this book a go!

Spoiler

Mikira enters into a race to win a bet against Rezeh, the rich lord who wants her farm and is holding her father hostage, and in order to do so she needs Damien's sponsor and Arielle to make her a magic horse. She loses but Rezeh makes a counter offer, she spy on Damien and get him some evidence to get rid of Damien and then she'll be given another chance to race again in another bet. Reid finds out and tells Damien and Arielle. Mikira is angry at them all and says that they are her enemy now (girl look at what you did, you literally betrayed them all and didnt say or do anything, they have a right to be mad at you and the fact that you act so self righteous when you lie, cheat, and betray people too?? get over yourself). Damien does kill people and does end up winning the title to the succession but he finds out that Mikira was the one to have evidence of him killing the two men who had attacked Arielle. Arielle begins hearing a voice in her head egging her on and stealing her body, she later discovers it is a spirit taking over her body as her powers grow. Rezeh was sent to jail but the book ends with Arielle visiting him (only because the spirit in her body is controlling her). Damien and Arielle get together as a couple, while Mikara is hinted at being bisexual (but it really doesn't feel like she has any love interests which is completely fine).

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

When two rival high schools are merged into one, two class presidents must work together to make sure that their schools can unite... and maybe a mutual crush might happen as they try to navigate prank works, baking together, and going to homecoming. Meg Williams is still dealing with the grief of her father's death, she's had her life planned out and enjoys being class president as well as collecting vintage sunglasses. She loves Hirono High School and is determined to get good grades so she an finally leave California and her ghosts behind. Chris Chaves is the class president of Davies High School, he's charming, handsome, and great at baseball. When Chris and Meg meet and are made co presidents, they have to find a way to stop all the prank wars and rivalries going on between their schools because their schools are now merged as one. Yet the more time they spend together the more they are beginning to fall for each other, yet with both their schools pulling them in their own directions, where will their loyalties lie and what will happen to their feelings. This was a sweet high school romance with cute pranks and it definitely felt like a 2000's high school romance movie. Meg is dealing with grief and trying to find herself as things in her control are beginning to change, but it was great seeing her grow and open herself up. Overall, it was a cute read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Underlined for sending me an ac in exchange for an honest review*

Witches, dangerous fog, and ogres in this magical story about a girl who is raised by witches in a world where deadly fog exist and she is being hunted. Temperance is called a mutant, an ogress, but what she is, is a girl who was brought up in a village filled with witches. In this world a deadly fog filled with creatures and a group of blood thirsty hunters are after Temperance and now she must find a way to figure out her abilities and save her family before it's too late. This was such a gorgeously drawn graphic novel and the story is a fun one! It's the first book in a series and I can't wait to see where the next book goes!

*Thanks Netgalley and Europe Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A magical competition, deadly creatures, and a queer romance! Nigel Barrett has been training to enter into the Culling, a magical spell-casting competition that determines whether or not you will be stripped of your magic or be able to join the Guild. Nigel wants nothing more than to make his family proud, especially since his grandmother is a powerful member of the Guild and his own father failed and was stripped of his magic. Nigel wants to win and be accepted yet he never expects to be falling for a fellow competitor, Ori Olson, a broody rival. Ori and Nigel meet and they have sparks, yet their magical connection means something, but in a competition, can they truly trust one another? The competition itself is becoming deadlier as contestants try to sabotage and kill each other, it also doesn't help that they have to fight against deadly monsters known as The Depraved. Can Nigel figure out a way to win and to keep his heart from being broken by the mysterious rival? This is the first book in a series (definitely because of the way this one ends) but I found the book to be a bit eh, the story had a bit of a slow pacing and the only thing that really had going for it was that it had a fun queer romance. For a competition with such high stakes, I just didn't find myself that invested, which is so sad because it's suppose to be a deadly magical competition with a sweet cowboy and a broody magical rival romance too. Unfortunately I just don't think I'll be picking up the sequel and this one was a bit of a miss for me. If you like magical competitions with queer romances, give this a go though, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did!

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide, Melissa de la Cruz Studio for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*