**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Thief of Lies is the first book in the young adult Library Jumpers series by Brenda Drake. I mean, the name says it all! A series called Library Jumpers. How can any book lover pass that up?? They can't and they shouldn't! This book was amazing. So amazing that I have been staring at this page and writing and deleting paragraph after paragraph. I just cannot seem to write a proper review that 1) does this book justice and 2) is not over the top crazy gushy. I just loved this book so freakin' much. So here goes my shot at a mini review, without being too spoilery or gushy.

The main character, Gia follows a guy in a library as he jumps into a book, and her adventure begins. I f I could trade places with one book character, it would be Gia! Umm, hello its a no brianer for me. She can jump from library to library in an instant. To be able to visit libraries all around the world makes me more excited than I care to admit. Not to mention, the plot is original, the characters are wonderfully developed, the magic and fantasy elements are on point and the romance is 5 star worthy.

Bottom line: this is a book, and a series that YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS. I know it is only January, but I am calling it now- Thief of Lies is going to be one of my favorite books of 2016!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**The Queen's Rising is the first book in a new, Young Adult Fantasy series by the same name, from author Rebecca Ross. I was immediately drawn in to this book. The cover is stunning, and the summary really grabbed me. I love the idea of young adults studying one of five passions and getting a patron to help them learn their craft. It all felt very Renaissance to me, which is a time period I have always been fascinated by. Plus, I knew there was also going to be magic and politics and all of that fun stuff that I crave in fantasy worlds. And I have to say, The Queen's Rising was excellent!

The Queen's Rising focuses on our young main character, Brienna. She doesn't have an immediately apparent aptitude for one of the passions and she doesn't end up getting a patron until later in the game than most young adults her age. This, coupled with some other surprising things that happen to her

Her visions, that ultimately had the dowager select a special (secret) patron for Brienna.

, set her off on a journey of secrets and adventure. I was totally invested in Brienna's story. It started off really strong and honestly, it just kept getting better and better as her adventure progressed and as we met more and more characters and were given more information. I will hold off my opinion on the romance until the next book. I liked it well enough, but more on that to come after I read book 2. 

Rebecca Ross did a great job building out the world in The Queen's Rising. There are several different countries, each with a different history and different political features to consider how they fit into the greater plot line. I loved learning about all the different countries and the different families in said countries. They all came together to form a very vivid world. One I can't wait to visit again in the next book. Sometimes the characters are what calls me back to read more, and sometimes it is the world and the plot. Here, even though I really loved the characters, I do have to say the writing, the world and plot were the big winners for me. I can't wait to find out where the next novel is going to take us. I hope this series is a long one!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

Spellhacker is a young adult standalone fantasy by M.K. England. This book was so much fun! Heists, magic, romance, and a motley crew of diverse characters. Yes, yes, and heck yes! I can see so many people totally falling in love with this novel. Heists, especially heists invovling magic are pretty much irresistible to me, so as soon as I read the summary of Spellhacker, I was all in! And I have to say this book was a blast from start to finish.

In Spellhacker we meet out main character, Diz in the middle of a heist. What are her and her friends stealing? Magic, known as Maz. A heist to steal magic? How cool is that? Spellhacker takes place in a futuristic fantasy world, where magic is nearly extinct. Magic is so rare and scarce that there is a big black market for Maz. Diz and her friends steal it and sell it to buyers. During this heist, Diz and her friends discover a new, more powerful form of Maz and they get sucked in for a new last job. One that instantly becomes much more dangerous. I loved the futuristic setting. I love seeing all the cool technology that authors dream up in future worlds. I especially loved the advancements in communications. Diz and her crew have group chats going all the time, but the group chats get transmitted from the movements in their throats and get displayed across their lenses. The description of the world and the tecnhology were fantastically woven into the story. I felt the world come alive as I was reading.

The group of characters made the story for me. I loved Diz, Remi, Ania and Jaesin. Spellhacker has a wonderfully diverse group of characters and the romance in this story is LGBT featuring a nonbinary character, a bi character, and queer characters. But more important than that, the characters are all a hoot. I loved their humor, their group camaraderie, and the way they all worked together. It gave me invictus vibes, mixed in with Ocean’s 11 vibes all set in a futuristic fantasy world. This book was awesome.

This is a non-spoiler Series Review:

The Truly Devious series is a young adult murder mystery series by author Maureen Johnson. I binge read these books, so I decided to do a series review in case you were new to this trilogy like I was coming into The Hand on the Wall. The Truly Devious series is a trilogy comprised of three books- Truly Devious, The Vanishing Stair and concluding with The Hand on the Wall. The series follows present day student detective Stevie Bell as she tries to solve the cold case known as the Truly Devious murders.

The Truly Devious trilogy is set in a prestigious private school in the mountains of Vermont. Ellingham Academy, where a brutal kidnapping occurred in the first year the school was open. Ellingham Academy was founded by a rich American Tycoon, who loved puzzles and riddles and most of all he wanted to make learning fun. Life was one big game to him. So he founded Ellingham Academy, where he would make learning fun for his select set of students. Tuition was free for everyone admitted, and they could each study their own passion. The academy itself was full of it’s own riddles, puzzles and secrets, with hidden rooms, tunnels and secret spaces galore. It was one big playground for Mr. Ellingham. That is until his wife and daughter were kidnapped right out from under him. The first year the school was open was the very same year that his wife and a student were kidnapped and killed and his daughter Alice went missing. Their case became known as the Truly Devious case. The series follows dual timelines between 1936 and present day the series follows present day student Stevie Bell as she tried to solve the Truly Devious mystery from 1936 as well as new pop ups of Truly Devious in the present day.

The twists and turns were fantastic. I couldn’t put this series down. It consumed my thoughts while I was away from the books. It is one of my favorite series of all time. I was fascinated to see how the past and the present day murders were connected, and I loved that it was one big story line over all three books, versus one mystery per book. It worked out so much better this way,, with trusts and turns spreading out over multiple books and keeping the readers guessing and keeping me riveted to the pages. I loved the 1936 timeline and how we get getting introduced to new characters as the book progressed. The mystery expanded and expanded until we got a great conclusion with the Hand on the Wall. I am so in love this series. Maureen Johnson did an artful job crafting this world, and I simply cannot get enough. If you are a fan of mystery books, the Truly Devious series is a MUST READ. It is one of my favorite series of all time.

Echoes Between US is a young adult standalone contemporary with a touch of the paranormal by author Katie McGarry. If you are a fan of Kate McGarry books, then this one is going to be right up your alley. Echoes Between Us hit me right in the feels. All the feels. This book made me smile. It made me laugh and it even made me cry. It was as satisfying as I have come to expect from Katie McGarry novels.

In Echoes Between Us we meet our main character, Veronica. Veronica is on the outs in her town. And she maybe sees ghosts. Specifically, the ghost of her deceased mother. We also meet Sawyer, town golden boy. Both Veronica and Sawyer are carrying secrets of their own. Veronica doesn't want to tell her dad about her piercing migraines, which enable her to see her mother's ghosts and Sawyer doesn't want to tell people how far he is willing to go to satisfy his adrenaline addiction. Watching Veronica and Sawyer being drawn to one another was just as sweet as I was hoping it would be. I love Katie McGarry's romances. They are always sweet, satisfying and utterly romantic. I think Katie McGarry is unmatched in the way she tells teenage emotional romances. She is the best.

The romance in Echoes Between Us had tons of ups and downs, with really high highs that made me smile for pages on end, and really low lows that actually brought tears to my eyes. If you are a looking for a book that is going to take your emotions through the whole gamut of emotions, this is a fantastic read for you to pick up.

The summary calls this book a contemporary, but I think it also has flashes of a paranormal, and I think it will appeal to fans of both genres. This book has all of the emotion and heart that Katie McGarry's books have in spades. I really enjoyed Echoes Between Us. It is a book that I am still thinking about, even after I have finished it.

3.5/5 stars

A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier is a young adult mystery with a romance element. My favorite aspect of the book was the setting. A Castle in the Clouds takes place in an old hotel set in the Swiss Alps. It is the perfect read for the colder winter months. This book kind of reminded me of a game of clue but with high stakes secrets galore. The atmosphere of the was wonderful. 

In A Castle in the Clouds, we meet our main character Sophie, who gets a job at the hotel as an intern. Before long, she finds herself smack in the middle of a mystery. Throw in some Russians, an international New Years Eve ball, and plenty of secrets and you have a very large very fun mysterious adventure. I loved that there was such a large cast of diverse characters. In fact, that was my favorite aspect of the book. I enjoyed Sophie well enough, but at times she felt a bit young to me. She did have a charming sense of humor that I really enjoyed. Watching her navigate some of the awkward situations was pretty funny. 

There was romance in A Castle in the Clouds, but it didn't end up being as romance heavy as I was initially expecting. I think if you go into this book expecting a fun adventure, you will be very pleasantly surprised, but don't pick this one up expecting a winter romance. I think A Castle in the Clouds will be great for fans of character driven novels, fans of clue and fans of fun adventure stories with plenty of action, twists and turns and secrets. I enjoyed trying to figure out which of the guests I could trust, and which I couldn't. This book was a fun ride for me. 

The Will and the Wilds is a young adult fantasy romance by Charlie N. Holmberg. I really enjoyed this enchanting tale. Anytime a fantasy story talks about magic linked to a kiss, the romantic in me is totally on board. And The Will and the Wilds did not disappoint. I loved the world that the author created and the curious and creepy creatures that inhabit it. These creatures felt unique and different, and they really lent themselves to creating a deeply atmospheric read that I couldn't get enough of.

In The Will and the Wilds we meet our main character Enna. Enna lives in a small village that has dangerous creatures living in their woods. They are called mystings and they are responsible for a lot of death and destruction in the both the human realm and the other realm- the Wildwood. Enna has a charm that she always wears that alerts her when a mysting is close by. One day, Enna sees her village under attack by another dangerous creature, and Enna has no choice but to venture into Wildwood to try and strike a deal with a mysting for protection and help. Are you thinking this was a bad idea? Because I totally was, and you would be right. But it jump starts us on our adventure into a magical and mysterious world, where souls are bartered and creatures are rampant.  A world that had me captivated and enchanted from the very first chapter.

I loved the time period that the book seemed to be set in. The Will and the Wilds transports us to a world of self contained villages and carts and horses . All of it added to the atmosphere of the book. And then there is the romance. Oh, the romance! Maekallus is a type of mysting that consumes human souls with a kiss. Maekallus is also the creature that Enna strikes the deal with. I loved Maekallus. He is devious and dark and oh so interesting as a character. Through a strange turn of events, Maekallus is bound to the human realm, which is causing a slow deterioration of his body. Enna saves him, which results in in a piece of her soul entwining with his. And this is where the story started to really take off for me! Watching Maekallus feel things for the first time, through Enna's soul was so intriguing and fun for me.

I loved The Will and the Wilds. I thought the characters were great, and the plot was enchanting and fantastic. I do wish there was a slightly larger emphasis placed on world building at the start of the story. I wanted a little more information about the connection of the two worlds, but once the plot got going, I was quickly swept up in the tale and those lack of detailed didn't bother me. I loved The Will and the Wilds and I can't wait for more from the author. 

Faerie Misborn is the first book in the Titania Academy series by Samaire Provost. The Faerie Misborn series is a middle grade/young adult fantasy romance series. I enjoyed Faerie Misborn, and I am certainly interested in continuing on in the series, but this book didn’t blow me out of the water. I am hoping there will be a good amount of character growth and maturity in the next books in the series. This book did feel a bit basic and simplistic in the dialogue and themes at times. But putting that aside, the storyline was entertaining, and I did enjoy myself. The author hooked me enough to keep me invested and interested to continue on in the series. I want to see what happens in the next Titania Academy series.

I love fae stories. They are my favorite magical creature, because I find them so complex and interesting. In Faerie Misborn we meet out main character, Holly. Holly was raised in New York, and is thrust into Titania Academy at the age of 14. So she is a young main character. I think the book is geared at young, young adult crowd, but it does have some crossover appeal to the upper middle grade audience because of Holly’s young starting age. I am hoping that as Holly gets older, the story will progress with her. (Like it did in Harry Potter. As the main characters aged, they became more complex and the storylines become deeper and darker.)

I was a little shocked to see how clueless Holly was about some pretty basic things, but once she was at school she adapted pretty well as the story went on. I hope in the next book, we get to dig a bit deeper into the actual classes that the academy offers. This book offered a pretty cursory glance at them. I know they are hard, but I don’t know much about the subject matter being taught and why they are attending the specific classes that they are. I think there is a big opportunity to expand the world of Titania Academy with a deeper dive into the course load. The plot line of this book plugged along at a pretty consistent pace, which I appreciated. Overall, Faerie Misborn was a fun book with plenty of learning opportunities for Holly. I can’t wait to see where Samaire Provost takes this series.