Tag: Netgalley

The Time Trials by Jon & Dayna McConnell

The Time Trials by Jon & Dayna McConnell

The Time Trials by John McConnell Series: The Time Trials #1 Published by Tiny Fox Press on September 21, 2021 Genres: Historical Fiction, Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Young Adult Pages: 358 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads After the deaths of his parents in a horrific car accident — one that he considers his own fault — Walkman-toting, guitar-playing Finn Mallory would do anything to turn back time…to press “rewind.” When he’s admitted on full scholarship to an elite boarding school, things get more complicated: he becomes an “Unfortunate” in a sea of rich kids whose shoes cost more than his late parents made in a week. An invitation to a boring-sounding history club changes everything, as this team does much more than research and field trips. Well….they do take field trips. Just not the kind you’re thinking. For Finn, the present was already enough to deal with, but now he finds that he also must reckon with the past, in more ways than one. Who doesn’t remember High School and Clubbing? No, I’m not talking about the type of clubbing where you stuff your bedding with  make-believe clothing and pillows and then sneak out of the window to […]

Posted March 20, 2023
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The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesielski

The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesielski

The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesielski Series: Jack & Ivy #1 Published by Thomas Nelson on November 1st, 2022 Genres: Historical Fiction Pages: 400 Format: ARC Source: Author’s Copy, Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads Amid the chaos of the Great War, two master assassins risk it all for love. Washington DC, 1914. Ivy Olwen knows how to survive on the streets without two coins to rub together. But when she finds herself whisked into a secret society that seeks to maintain the balance of good and evil in the world, she can’t believe there’s more to life than just surviving. In the hallowed and historied halls of Talon, she learns European languages and ballroom dancing, as well as demolitions and sharpshooting—in short, everything a spy and assassin will need to survive in the field. The first day Jack Vale meets Ivy, he knows she is not to be underestimated. The second day, he knows his heart will belong to no one else. Between sparring bouts and constellation gazing, Jack takes Ivy under his wing, and the two form a bond that soon turns to love. While the rest of the world tumbles into war, the two embark on an […]

Posted November 12, 2022
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Fire & Ice by B.T. Polcari

Fire & Ice by B.T. Polcari

Fire & Ice by B.T. Polcari Series: Mauzzy & Me #2 on August 15th, 2022 Genres: Cozy Mystery Pages: 352 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads After encountering a brief power outage at work, college student Sara Donovan might be allowing her imagination to run wild. The main vault in the Carlton Museum holds the Fire and Ice Exhibit, a collection of rare gems, including the Star of Midnight, a 175-carat diamond. Although all the stones are accounted for, Sara suspects the Star of Midnight was stolen and replaced with a fake. While conducting her own investigation, what Sara uncovers is beyond even her wildest imagination: a coded message, papers with strange characters, and a mysterious set of numbers carved into an office wall. Despite dismissive historians and other experts, she is certain these clues point to a mysterious centuries-old legend. Unfortunately, her colorful history of usually being right, but always being wrong, means she must solve the mystery to prove her theory. What a fun read this was! Truly a gem (no pun intended). I have never heard of the Mauzzy & Me Mystery series and frankly, I’m not a fan of dachshunds, but I am a […]

Posted August 29, 2022
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The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night Series: The Crowns of Croswald #2 Published by Stories Untold Press on January 3rd, 2019 Genres: Fantasy Pages: 384 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads Even a secret town cannot protect Ivy from a mysterious darkness… Only hours after Ivy Lovely discovers that she is the fulfillment of the Moonsday promise, she is whisked away from her beloved school to Belzebuthe, a secret town for only those with magical blood. Ivy sets out on a mission to uncover the second facet of the Kindred Stone while eluding the Dark Queen’s wrath. But even when she’s supposed to be safe, something is shadowing Ivy. She will need all her natural-born magic and more as she battles to find the rest of the Kindred Stone and return to the Halls of Ivy. Before it’s too late… Whoosh! And we’re back from our latest thrilling visit to the Magical School of Ivy Hall. Our detour trip on the cabby through The Town, Belzebuthe, was quite the experience as well. Once again, a reminder to travel as light as possible. Can you still remember where we ended off in the first instalment, The […]

Posted June 29, 2022
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The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill on June 7th, 2022 Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller Pages: 288 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads “The beautifully ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library is completely silent one weekday morning, until a woman’s terrified scream echoes through the room. Security guards immediately appear and instruct everyone inside to stay put until they determine there is no threat. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers who had been sitting in the reading room get to chatting and quickly become friendly. Harriet, Marigold, Whit, and Caine each have their own reasons for being in the reading room that morning–and it just happens that one of them may turn out to be a murderer. For readers of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, with shades of The Secret History, THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY is an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most dangerous weapons of all” When was the last time you’ve just finished a book and your first thought is, I should read this again… What a thrilling read this was and I can honestly say […]

Posted May 29, 2022
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Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green

Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green

Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green Series: The Windy City Saga #3 on February 1st , 2022 Genres: Historical Fiction Pages: 384 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads A birthday excursion turns deadly when the SS Eastland capsizes with Olive Pierce and her best friend Claire on board. Hundreds perish during the accident, and it’s only when Olive herself barely escapes that she discovers her friend is among the victims. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Olive returns to her work at an insurance agency and is soon caught up in the countless investigations related to the accident. But with so many missing, there are few open-and-shut cases, and she tries to balance her grief with the hard work of finding the truth. Is she just overwhelmed, or is someone trying to impede her investigations? When clues surface that impact those closest to her, how deep will she dig? Newspaper photographer Erik Magnussen begins helping Olive with her cases, and they develop a fast friendship. Just when Olive begins to unravel the secrets, more setbacks arise. It will take everything she’s got to find the truth and stay ahead of those who want to sabotage her progress. […]

Posted May 2, 2022
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Lucifer’s Game by Cristina Loggia

Lucifer’s Game by Cristina Loggia

Lucifer’s Game by Cristina Loggia Published by Lume Books on October 14th, 2021 Genres: Historical Fiction Pages: 340 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads Rome, 1942. Cordelia Olivieri is a young, determined hotel owner desperate to escape Mussolini’s racial persecution. But as Fascist leaders gather in Rome, Cordelia is suddenly surrounded by the world’s most ruthless and powerful commanders. In an effort to keep her Jewish heritage a secret and secure safe passage out of Italy, Cordelia forms a dangerous alliance with the British army who want to push the Axis out of North Africa once and for all. Going undercover, Cordelia begins obtaining and leaking military intelligence to a British agent, hoping the intel will secure her freedom. But the more Cordelia uncovers, the greater the risks – especially for one handsome German Afrika Korps officer. How far must Cordelia go to protect her identity and secure passage out of Rome? Spies, military secrets, and a personal crusade for freedom… don’t miss this utterly gripping World War II thriller. Italy 1942. The world is at war and not even the ancient city of Rome and its citizens are spared from the fear and devastation. Cordelia Olivieri, a […]

Posted March 28, 2022
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The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves

The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves

The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves Published by Crooked Lane Publishers on November 9th, 2021 Genres: Mystery Pages: 282 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads On a chilly fall evening at the prestigious Performing Arts High School of Boston, best friends Tali Carrington and June Danforth go missing after auditioning for a play. They’re last seen in grainy, out-of-focus surveillance footage that shows them walking side-by-side. Two days later in a town south of Boston, Tali is found disoriented and traumatized by the ocean’s edge, while June is pronounced dead at the scene. Tali’s mother, Nell, is so bent on protecting her daughter from further emotional harm that she enlists the help of Cynthia Rawlins, a renowned therapist for families. Meanwhile, Detective Fitz Jameson is assigned to the investigation and dives into the lives of high-performing students who may be harboring dark secrets. As Nell, Cynthia, and Fitz confront their own contributions to the tragedies and scandals that beleaguer them, their lives turn out to be more deeply intertwined than they’d ever imagined. And they must decide what lengths they’re willing to go to protect the people they love while also saving themselves. For the […]

Posted February 23, 2022
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The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night Series: The Crowns of Croswald #1 Published by Stories Untold Press on July 21st, 2017 Genres: Fantasy Pages: 249 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads This is a page-turning fantasy in the tradition of fairy tales, whimsical worlds, and coming-of-age stories. The Crowns of Croswald invites young readers to explore themes of stepping into their own magic, discovering their true selves, and battling evil head-on. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “an action-packed treat […] with a relatable heroine facing challenges in a vivid world of magic and mystery,” and called a new classic by readers, The Crowns of Croswald series is a magical romp through a fully formed universe with dragons, magical quills, potions, and mythical creatures. Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is—or what her powers could be. When she crosses a magical boundary, she discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an […]

Posted December 11, 2021
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The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski

The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski

The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski Published by Thomas Nelson on July 6th 2021 Genres: Historical Fiction Pages: 400 Format: ARC Source: Netgalley Buy on Amazon Goodreads Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian monarchy, a princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it. 1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape. Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter. Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and […]

Posted August 26, 2021
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