The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is all about Oak trying to protect the people he loves. He makes some bad choices, as do the other characters, but their actions, good and bad, are fairly believable (especially when you remember that the characters are teens) and help solidify the characters as multi-dimensional, struggling people. The one exception I found to that is when Hyacinth tells Oak to send Roach away, then immediately tells him to follow him. I understand this series of events from a plot perspective, but it didn't make much sense.

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holly Black delivers another enchanting read. Masterful character work, beautiful prose, and a fast pace. I can't say I was surprised by the book's twists, having discerned them well in advance, but it was still satisfying when they came to pass. I'm eager to read the second book, but also worried. Because Wren does something so out of character at the end of this first book, I fear where I believe the second book may be going. I love Oak and Wren as characters, and I'm rooting for them. I just hope Wren manages to grow up before she loses herself entirely.

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Slayter and the Dragon: Legacy of Shadows by Todd Fahnestock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

If you love fast-paced, epic fantasy with high stakes, a unique world, and characters you want to root for, read this series!

I love the world and characters that Todd Fahnestock has created in this series. The books definitely need to be read in order for them to make sense, but that's no hardship since they're all good. :) Since this is a middle book, it's not really self-contained. Expect a massive cliffhanger at the end.

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This paranormal romance leans heavily to the romance side with a solid enemies-to-lovers trope. The main character, Cat, is a half-vampire with a serious chip on her shoulder. She's inherited a deep hatred of vampires (and therefore herself) from her human family, so she hunts vampires to try to make up for the fact that she exists. Enter Bones, a vampire who also hunts other vampires, but he does it for very different reasons.

Forced into close proximity, Cat begins to realize that maybe not all vampires are evil. As she grows closer to Bones, she also starts to cut herself a little more slack. Having another person accept her, even if he is a blood-sucking vampire, helps her accept herself. But, or course, things can't go that smoothly. She still has a vampire-hating mother and a couple of bible-thumping grandparents to contend with.