2 Exciting Stories to Read

by MK French

Are you looking for an exciting story? Whether you are looking for adventure in a fantastical world or the twists and turns of a psychological thriller, these two books should be on your reading list.

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Storm of Ink and Blood by Nisha J. Tuli

October 2024; Second Sky; 978-1835252147
audio, ebook, print (458 pages); fantasy

After Rabin's betrayal, Zarya joins the struggle for freedom within violent Ishaan. Nobles and scholars live in luxury as vanshaj are born into magical slavery as punishment for ancestors' crimes centuries ago. She is sure that their fate is linked to her mysterious and forbidden magic, so she helps rebels fighting for their freedom. On a deadly raid, Zarya uncovers the key to freeing the vanshaj, but it involves harnessing deadly power and possibly interacting with Rabin again.

As the third book in the series, it absolutely relies on reading prior volumes. (Heart of Night and Fire and Dance of Stars and Ashes) The magic Zarya has was the source of negative stories for generations, seen as evil and vile. She tries to understand the Nightfire as well as the sixth anchor of shadow, and the suppression star tattoos on the vanshaj are similar. Her work becomes focused on breaking the stars, learning more about the vanshaj, and the bond she has with Rabin. As betrayed as she felt, she still hoped for a reason behind it. She also hoped to meet her mother's other children in the royal family but is disappointed that they benefit from slavery and have no intention of ending it.

This volume of the Quartet spans months. We hear about Zarya's former friends via letters and see the conditions for the vanshaj worsen as rule tightens around them in Gi'ana in response to rebellious actions. She makes mistakes along the way, which makes her feel like a real person and not just a prophesied savior. She is trying to figure out the best way to help others, which makes for a fascinating story. There's one volume left, and now we're likely going to find out exactly what happened to her mother and the reason she was hiding in the first place.

Buy Storm of Ink and Blood at Amazon

Loving Mothers by Miranda Smith

October 2024; Bookouture; 978-1835259665
audio, ebook, print (280 pages); psychological thriller

In Hickory Hills, everyone knows everyone. When Shelby goes missing, her best friend Grace says they aren't friends anymore. She's talking to Shelby's boyfriend Hudson, and her Halloween costume is hidden in the closet covered in blood. The narrator will do anything to protect her daughter, especially because of her own secrets.

Mothers will always protect their daughters is the founding tenet of this novel, and being from an affluent neighborhood doesn't change that fact. There are three mothers tied together here: Donna is Shelby's mother, Mary is Grace's mother and Stella is Hudson's mother. Stella and Hudson are relatively new to the HOA, and Stella craves belonging. The others talk about Donna's behavior in the wake of her divorce in a catty way. Mary is so sure of her perfect knowledge of everyone and everything within the development. There are flashes back to the Halloween night party, with details that make us question these three mothers, as well as the others in their tight-knit group. Mary is so sure that Grace is involved in Shelby's disappearance that she spreads rumors, goes digging into others, and sees the worst in others. At the same time, she is the first to realize that something terrible has happened and step up to correct it.

The second half of the novel has twists along the way as we guess what might have happened that night and eventually find out the truth. Each of the main families involved has secrets, and they're stripped away as the novel progresses. It's a fascinating peek into a picture-perfect gated community and the potential rot that could exist within it.

Buy Loving Mothers at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever. 

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