Summer's Opus

Title: The One Apart Author: Justine Avery Genre: Adult Existential Fantasy Rating: Five Stars! This powerful and riveting story introduces us to Tres, who is about to be born with the biggest burden any has ever had to bear. He is beginning again — as an ageless adult trapped in an infant body. As Tres learns to navigate through this newest life with a teenage mother and adoring grandmother, he struggles with coming to terms with his past lives while seeking his true purpose — not only in this life, but in all. In his quest, Tres discovers that all is considerably more interconnected and dynamic than he could ever imagine — and fraught with far more danger. He cannot hide from the unseen threat that has been stalking him since his birth, and that ultimately forces him to understand how important he is in the grand scheme of life as we know it. The One Apart offers a compelling and unique view of reality and of how everyone — and everything — fits together in a b

Title: Realms of Ghosts and Magic: Fae Witch Chronicles Book 1 Author: J. S. Malcom Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy Rating: Five Stars! Cassie is a veil witch who’s used to taking out the supernatural trash. From poltergeists to vampires, she’s dealt with it all, so she opens up a modern-day ghostbusting service that leads to some pretty hilarious and inventive hauntings. As if her life isn’t busy enough with ghost removals and a part-time job at a pretty awesome supernatural bookstore, Cassie accidentally stumbles across the faerie realm and encounters a girl who has recently gone missing. At about the same time, she comes across a Book of Shadows that only opens for her, and she meets a mysterious, sexy mage. Life starts to get pretty exciting from there. With her supernatural cleaning service in full swing, a new love interest on the horizon, and a missing person’s case that’s just itching to be solved, Cassie has her hands full, but she juggles everything wit

Title: Kat and Meg Conquer the World Author: Anna Priemaza Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Rating: Five Stars! Kat and Meg couldn’t be more different, but together, they create a bond that is both warm and genuine. In this heartwarming novel about navigating the murky waters of adolescence and mental illness, Kat and Meg may not necessarily conquer the world, but they do capture our hearts in a friendship reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel. We meet them individually, from a dueling first-person point of view that is refreshing and so well executed that we’re able to seamlessly read along as we get to know them. Kat has a pretty severe anxiety disorder, so she often resorts to cool, witty, and realistic techniques to get through the day. Meg has ADHD; her ever-shifting train of thought lending a view into her daily struggle to just focus. With Kat’s OCD compulsions and Meg’s scatterbrained tendencies, they seem an unlikely pair, but together they create a beautiful friend

Title: Books 1 & 2 of The Heart of Power Trilogy Author: S. L. Giger Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rating: Five Stars! The Heart of Power trilogy is an enchanting and refreshingly original take on the life and times of a teenage siren in the 21 st century. In the first installment, we meet Natalie, an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl, enjoying a school trip with her crush. All is going well until a tragic accident claims the life of Natalie’s crush and leaves her near death. Luckily for her, a group of nearby sirens find her just in time and rather than let her die, they change her into a mystical beauty with supernatural powers. The author creates an authentic protagonist, whose maturity and wit are refreshing. Learning all about the sirens and living through all of Natalie’s ups and downs as she navigates her new life and falls in love with a human is well worth the read! Book Two of the Heart of Power trilogy continues along without skipping a beat. In this