This is the Way the World Ends is an action-packed and unputdownable thriller. Against all odds, autistic scholarship student Waverly is offered a Cinderella moment- switch with a classmate to attend an elite school masquerade. Waverly and her best friends Pari and Frank have never been widely accepted at their school. But tonight, they will need to use all of their skills to survive a cutthroat masquerade ball. Waverly must also decide how to deal with her ex-girlfriend who has reappeared. As the night goes on, deadly secrets are revealed and Waverly and her friends must fight to escape the school. 

I really enjoyed This is the Way the World Ends. While the plot and villains were a little extreme at times, my favorite part was the fantastic characters. Waverly, Max, and Pari were my three favorite characters! I loved how Waverly’s autism was depicted including: masking, tools she uses, and what her experience throughout school has been. There is lots of LGBTQ+ rep (bisexual, lesbian) and disability rep (Pari uses a cane/chronic pain, Waverly’s mom has MS). The pacing was fast, but it makes you feel like you’re frantically running around the school with the characters. There are plenty of tense and scary moments, along with flashbacks to a calmer past. This book was a very fun, queer, autistic, and fast-paced read! If you love books that make you feel like you're in an escape room with a ticking clock, check this out! 

Readers who enjoy Wendy Heard (She’s Too Pretty To Burn), Diana Urban (These Deadly Games), and Karen M. McManus (Nothing More to Tell) should definitely read this book. 

Thank you so much to Jen Wilde, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 

Warrior Girl Unearthed follows Perry Firekeeper-Birch, Daunis’ beloved niece. Perry and her twin sister Pauline are stuck working for the summer after an accident means Perry must make money to fix their car. As Perry learns from her quirky boss about the Warrior Girl, an Anishinaabe ancestor that is being held by the university, she finds herself gripped with a fierce longing to bring her ancestors home. Perry doesn’t care about the slow-moving rules of repatriation and gathers her friends to return the ancestors no matter what. But going outside the rules is dangerous...

I loved Perry’s story! It was great to see Daunis and characters from The Firekeeper’s Daughter again, especially her son. One of my favorite parts of this book was the way Angeline Boulley writes about the bonds of family and how important they are, even when it’s uncomfortable or bad things are happening. I love how Daunis and Perry’s parents always looked out for Perry and Pauline, even when they’d prefer less protection. 

Warrior Girl Unearthed brings up so many important themes about trauma, grief, and how critical the return of ancestral remains and objects are to the rightful tribes they belong to. Boulley writes about many powerful aspects of Ojibwe culture such as the ceremonies, the Ojibwe language, and meaningful rituals. The US government and discriminatory policies/laws have done indescribable damage to indigenous people, which is both infuriating and heartbreaking to read about. In addition, the haunting reality of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) is not glossed over and instead is brought into the story with skill and intention. 

Angeline Boulley is an auto-buy author for me! Her writing is compelling, realistic, and heartfelt. If you enjoyed The Firekeeper’s Daughter, you absolutely need to read Warrior Girl Unearthed!!
 
Thank you so much to Angeline Boulley, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), and LibroFM for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 

Out of the Ashes is a grim mystery that follows Samantha Newsom. When she was a teenager, Samantha went to a sleepover and returned to find her entire family had been murdered in a fire. When her uncle passes away and leaves his house to her, Sam must return to her hometown and sort his affairs. While there, she starts to notice facts of the case that never lined up and tries to investigate what truly happened that night. Was her baby sister somehow saved from the flames? Who set the fire to begin with? Sam’s questions attract attention and soon she has the focus of the town…

Out of the Ashes is a dark and twisty murder mystery. I was intrigued by the unsolved crime, in the way that you can’t look away from a car accident. Sam was a morally gray character, which I loved! She made many questionable choices to get information and to protect her remaining family. At the end, I felt like there was a lot going on with the different story threads. The conclusion was one that I never considered. The supporting character of Travis Meacham was one of my favorites- he always tried to keep Sam grounded and get justice for her family. Looking forward to seeing what Kara Thomas writes next!

Thank you so much to Kara Thomas, Thomas & Mercer, and Goodreads for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ferryman is a complicated and mysterious tale. Proctor Bennett has a meaningful career as a ferryman, who helps people at the end of their lives board a ferry ride. But on the island of Prospera, the ferry ride is not the end of their lives but actually a chance to begin again. When a monitor blinks that people are at the end of their lives (10% or less), then they are forced to go onto the ferry. Proctor must help the willing, the unwilling, and the in-between. However, as Proctor’s number starts to drop lower and he uncovers grim secrets, when will it be Proctor’s turn to board the ferry? 

This was such an interesting and clever book. At first I was reminded of the Truman show, as Proctor has so much of his life managed perfectly for him and yet he starts to notice cracks in the facade. The pacing is excellent and I found it difficult to put it down! There are layers upon layers to the mystery that slowly unravels, which I loved. Cronin’s writing is hypnotic and readers will be guessing what is truly going on right up until the very end. The Ferryman is a story about the power of family, the perils of global warming, and the nature of humanity. I would definitely recommend sci-fi fans check out this book! Readers who enjoy Blake Crouch, Gillian McAllister, and Emily St. John Mandel should check out The Ferryman. 

Thank you so much to Justin Cronin, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

The Blood Gift is the thrilling finale of the action-packed Blood Gift duology. After a series of betrayals and immense powers bestowed upon her, Ikenna is back to fighting for her life with the help of her team. When the evil Blood Emperor seeks to brutally invade her country, Ikenna has to decide who and what she is most interested in saving. As battle rages, Ikenna must wrestle with her new powers, the responsibility of looking after her teammates, and a complicated romance. 

For readers who enjoyed The Blood Trials, they will absolutely love The Blood Gift! Ikenna is the same determined, murdery, and brave heroine from the first book. The fight scenes were incredible, absolutely bursting with action and making it impossible to look away. Ikenna has a great squad of found family and true friendships. Of course, there is plenty of betrayal and double-crossing going on, especially with the inclusion of a new character who is focused on the power of the Blood Emperor. I loved the group scenes with the squad, they were filled with humor and felt very realistic. 

The Blood Gift is a fast-paced and exciting finale, which brings the conclusion of the story to an intense finish. At times, the politics got a little convoluted, but everything became clear in the end. Luckily, I think the door has definitely been left open for future stories in Ikenna’s world. I’m excited to read whatever N.E. Davenport writes next! I would recommend this for readers who enjoy Pierce Brown (Red Rising), Deborah Falaye (Blood Scion), and Saara El-Arifi (The Final Strife). 

Thank you so much to N.E. Davenport, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

Jana Goes Wild is such an adventurous and emotional romance. When Jana and Anil first met, Anil failed to mention he was in the process of a divorce and not actually divorced. When Jana becomes pregnant, they find themselves tied together by their little girl Imani. Five years later, they have a functional but cold co-parenting relationship. Anil and Jana both end up as members of the wedding party on a destination wedding to Tanzania. Will their time in Tanzania be enough to help them become friends once again…or something more? 

I loved Jana Goes Wild! Farah Heron is an auto-buy author for me. I love her vivid writing and sensory details, she makes you feel as if you’re right there with the characters. The writing is very descriptive with excellent depictions of the tasty food, heat of the Serengeti, and stunning safari animals. I’ve never been to Tanzania, but this book made me want to visit! 

Anil and Jana both have heavy emotional baggage to sort through together and luckily they have their daughter Imani to bond over. Imani is very sweet and excited to see her parents together, which helps them try to become friendlier to each other. Farah Heron writes about joyful large families with ease; I loved the inclusion of Kamila and Rohan from her book Kamila Knows Best. Jana’s relationship with her mother was so well-done and relatable. They both loved each other so much, but were unintentionally making things harder due to lack of communication. 

Jana Goes Wild is a love story about family and finding the courage to shake off societal expectations to find true happiness. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and it can be read as a standalone, though you should definitely read Kamila Knows Best next (or before, if you want to see Kamila and Rohan’s romance). Readers who enjoy Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, and Jackie Lau should check out this book! 

Thank you so much to Farah Heron, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.