The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a historical fiction novel set in England. It alternates between the years 1940 - WW2 - and 1947 - Post World War normalcy. The book features three British women - Osla, Mab, and Beth - working as code breakers in 1940 at the secretive estate of Bletchley Park. They are part of a big mission and crucial to the outcome of the war. Recruited for their unique abilities and minds, they work all day cracking German codes, including the infamous Enigma machine.
Wanting answers about her past, Bree infiltrated the Lengendborn society, magical descendants of King Arthur’s knights, only to discover she had powers of her own. Bree has a power that is completely unique and makes her important to the Order. The Regents will do anything to hide her from the war, but all Bree wants is to rescue Nick; a task that comes with many dangers and forces her to work with Selwyn, Nick’s Kingsmage. Bree is set on Nick but if she wants any chance of saving him and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers, and herself.
The story revolves around Charlie and Silas, two strangers who wake up together in a hospital with no memory of who they are or how they got there. As they try to piece together their past, they realize they are married, but their love story is shrouded in mystery. Charlie and Silas's journey takes them through a series of twists and turns, uncovering dark secrets and shocking revelations about their relationship and themselves. With each new discovery, they must confront the truth about their past, their love, and their very identities.
In a mix between historical fiction and fantasy, R.F Kuang’s Babel illustrates the idea of colonialism and the strong hold over government that language and communication have. Robin Swift, a young boy from Canton, loses his family and is brought to London by Professor Lovell, a teacher at Oxford. He is swept into the world of English propriety and the education of languages in preparation to attend Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation.
After her mother’s death, 16-year-old Bree Matthews attempts to escape her guilt and pain by attending a program at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she discovers a secret society of “Legendborn” students that hunt down demon energies feeding on the school. Caught by a mysterious mage, an effort to wipe Bree’s memory fails, and instead reveals a hidden memory about the night her mother died. She recruits Nick, a Lengendborn, who reluctantly joins Bree in a partnership.
In Defy Me, the third installment of the Shatter Me series, Juliette struggles with her identity and powers as she faces new threats. Juliette must confront her enemies and face her trauma. Meanwhile, she must navigate her relationship with Warner, learning how to build loyalty and trust with one another. As tensions rise, Juliette must work to accept herself and fight for her loved ones.
Avery Kylie Grambs is barely scraping by, trying to make money from her job and make it through high school, but her future changes in an instant when Tobias Hawthorne, a millionaire philanthropist, leaves her with a billion-dollar fortune. The downside is Avery has no idea who Tobias is and on top of that, in order to receive her inheritance, she must move into the mysterious Hawthorne House, full of unexpected riddles and puzzles. Forced into a world of wealth that is unfamiliar to Avery, she must play their games to survive.
Verity is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who finds herself in a precarious situation when she’s offered the chance to complete a series by her favorite author, Verity Crawford. As Lowen moves into Verity's home to finish the series, she struggles with her own personal demons while becoming entangled in a web of mystery and suspense.
Rick Riordan’s fantasy book, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson series. In the book, Percy realizes he is a demigod, son of a god and mortal parent, which puts him at risk. On his way to a safe haven camp called Camp Half-Blood, his mom is taken. After befriending a few people, Percy embarks on a journey to the underworld to get his mom back. On the way he faces monsters and many other enemies, as he learns to use his powers.
Lois Lowry’s dystopian novel, The Giver, is a book set in the future. The “utopian” society is one without pain, illness, suffering, or any bad things that are seen in the world today. Jonas, eleven, is selected for a job as a receiver, a rare job that requires him to hold and receive the memories of past lives. Although society has no pain or suffering, it also lacks happiness, and joy. The memories that Jonas receives, show him the beauty of joy, but also open his eyes to the pain.
