A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova ~ Who knew a retelling of Persephone and Hades set in an Elf kingdom would be so enjoyable. Luella is a determined and caring heroine. Eldas is a brooding...well, he broods. Together they have what it takes to save their kingdoms. (Warning for some open door bedroom scenes.) This is a fun one!
Nettle and Bone ~ This beautifully written fantasy had some great fairy tale elements. It also had a 'bone dog' and a demon chicken. This was the most unique book I read all year, so far. The protagonist is just trying to save her sister who hates her. What could go wrong. It's a charming story, and it can be read in a weekend. Highly recommended!
The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris ~ You would think by now I would be tired of World War Two stories. I'm not. I'm fascinated by how many different takes there are on the time period. This one takes place in England and The Netherlands but it focuses on spycraft, which I loved. Combine that with a heroine that struggles with PTSD and loves to do magic tricks and you have a really great novel. It got a little long in places, and probably could have been told with about one hundred fewer pages, but it was well worth the read. I can't help comparing it to Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon. Recommended if you don't mind long books and enjoy WW2. Thanks Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC of this book.
The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman ~ This book made my heart happy. Sara was a delightful character from the very first page. She's sweet and caring. She is selfless and determined to help her family and the people around her. The current day character was excellent, too. I loved the idea of a reverse divorce attorney. This was a great book to read around the holidays, and many Jewish holidays were celebrated in the pages of the story as well. Highly recommended! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese ~ I needed something fairly light and happy for Thanksgiving week and this contemporary romance was perfect. Molly was a sweet slightly self absorbed heroine without being obnoxious and whiney. Silas was a little bit like Mr. Darcy. Prickly at first, but very romantic. They both grew a lot and I loved the side characters. My library has book two in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
