Fun Summer Reads!

Summer's approach makes me long for the beach, or at least the nearest hammock or a cushioned seat in the shade, with a tall glass of iced tea and a book. What have I been reading these past few weeks while the warmer temps tempt me to relax?

In no particular order, here are my four most recent reads!

For fantasy YA readers of all ages!

No one writes fun and (forgive me) cozy Inspirational fantasy adventures like Donita K. Paul. Repeat: No One!

Cantor D'Ahma has waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift, the young Realm Walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms.
But mere hours after he first steps through a portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are not as safe as they once were, and members of the Realm Walkers Guild have become corrupt and can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment---finding a dragon to assist him on his quest---has led him to one who is clearly inept.
With the help of his new friends Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt Guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But can his skills progress in time? And will Cantor remember where his true allegiance lies?

Medieval Fantasy fans, take note!

 C. E. Laureano enters the Fantasy publishing realm with the captivating Oath of the Brotherhood. If you love inspy medieval fantasy, grab this one before you head off on vacation!

In a kingdom where the Old Ways hold fast and a man’s worth lies entirely in his skill with the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a scholar, a musician, and a follower of the forbidden Balian faith: problematic for any man, but disastrous for the son of the king.

When Conor is sent as a hostage to a neighboring kingdom, he never expects to fall in love with the rival king’s sister, Aine. Nor does he suspect his gift with the harp (and Aine’s ability to heal) touches on the realm of magic. Then his clan begins a campaign to eliminate all Balians from the isle of Seare, putting his newfound home in peril and entangling him in a plot for control of the island that has been unfolding since long before his birth.

Biblical fiction worth waiting for!

 I love Biblical fiction, and Tessa Afshar's upcoming novelization of Ruth is as tender and delightful as this cover! (Yes, I received an advance copy from River North, so it's not available yet. Sorry. However, this one's worth waiting for.)

Recently widowed, Ruth is left with a broken heart, a barren womb, and an empty future. Yet she's determined not to let her "chosen mother," Naomi, starve---so accompanies her to Israel. When Ruth meets Boaz---a wealthy landowner---she expects no special treatment. But will Boaz lose his heart to this foreign woman with haunted eyes?

Wonderfully written suspense!

 Peggy Levesque's debut romantic suspense is my current read. An unpredictable and fantastically detailed thriller. Peggy, I hope you're writing another one!

DEA Agent Greg Jennings is dead—and now they’re saying he was dirty, on the take. His widow, Sara, hiding out in the Witness Protection program after an attempt on her life, refuses to believe it, though everyone else seems to have accepted it as truth. Everyone, that is, except Drug Enforcement Administration Agent James (Mac) MacIntyre, Greg’s best friend. When yet another attempt on Sara’s life drives her out of the Wit Sec program and back home to Phoenix, Mac makes it his personal mission to protect Sara and, in the process, to clear her late husband’s and his best friend’s name. With a ruthless drug cartel hot on their heels and a mole in the agency undermining their every move, Mac and Sara find themselves literally running for their lives—even as romance tugs at their hearts. Will they unearth the truth and outrun the danger in time to carve out a future for themselves? *E-book. Arrives in Paperback July 1, 2014!


What are you reading this summer???