Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Merry Christmas, y'all! This week's topic is Books I Hope Santa Brings. How is it already Christmas? This year has flown by! The link to my wishlist is here.
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About the Book
A reckless last mission on Mars, a crusade for justice on Earth . . .
Reuben Jackson is the only one who still cares about Mars. In the shambles of the Great Collapse, Earth has abandoned the Mars explorers to their fate. But Reuben will make a stand for the Mars team—even against the powerfully united politicians and scientists. In too deep, he discovers hidden conspiracies and unexpected allies.
As the conflict mounts on Earth, time runs down on Mars. Left to face Mars alone, Commander Donegan Moynihan and his team have no hope of surviving after their supplies are gone. Willing to accept a quicker death than starvation, the explorers strike out on a dangerous mission. They venture deep inside the ancient volcano of Arsia Mons, into perils and secrets long buried. What they discover would move mountains on Earth—but will it be enough to save themselves?
About the Book
Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption.
Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent, and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban's choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.
Riptide (Oceans of Time #2) by Lisa T. Bergren
Reuben Jackson is the only one who still cares about Mars. In the shambles of the Great Collapse, Earth has abandoned the Mars explorers to their fate. But Reuben will make a stand for the Mars team—even against the powerfully united politicians and scientists. In too deep, he discovers hidden conspiracies and unexpected allies.
As the conflict mounts on Earth, time runs down on Mars. Left to face Mars alone, Commander Donegan Moynihan and his team have no hope of surviving after their supplies are gone. Willing to accept a quicker death than starvation, the explorers strike out on a dangerous mission. They venture deep inside the ancient volcano of Arsia Mons, into perils and secrets long buried. What they discover would move mountains on Earth—but will it be enough to save themselves?
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“What happens if he returns to our world?”
“It will burn.”
There's just no rest for Valek, Ixia’s Chief of Security. Challenges are constant and new problems arrive daily, including a request to help Castletown’s watch solve the mystery of a string of nighttime disturbances, and keeping a close eye on the Commander’s food taster as she schemes her way back into business. As if that isn't enough, the Commander’s life is threatened.
Is the assassination attempt on the Commander a declaration of war by the Sitian Council, or is it a ruse by an unknown party to incite a war between Ixia and Sitia? Valek is sent to Sitia to discover the answer and deal with the threat.
Unfortunately, the problem turns out to be much bigger than even the council and the master magicians can handle. An unsanctioned clan with powerful warpers is plotting to take over both countries. As the danger heats up, Valek and Yelena must reunite and stop the group before they can set their entire world on fire.
A companion novel to Fire Study, The Study of Fire reveals Valek’s side of the story. Find out what problems Valek tackles in Ixia before he joins Yelena in fighting against a unstoppable enemy.
Hybrid (The Hybrid Series #2) by Candace Kade
“It will burn.”
There's just no rest for Valek, Ixia’s Chief of Security. Challenges are constant and new problems arrive daily, including a request to help Castletown’s watch solve the mystery of a string of nighttime disturbances, and keeping a close eye on the Commander’s food taster as she schemes her way back into business. As if that isn't enough, the Commander’s life is threatened.
Is the assassination attempt on the Commander a declaration of war by the Sitian Council, or is it a ruse by an unknown party to incite a war between Ixia and Sitia? Valek is sent to Sitia to discover the answer and deal with the threat.
Unfortunately, the problem turns out to be much bigger than even the council and the master magicians can handle. An unsanctioned clan with powerful warpers is plotting to take over both countries. As the danger heats up, Valek and Yelena must reunite and stop the group before they can set their entire world on fire.
A companion novel to Fire Study, The Study of Fire reveals Valek’s side of the story. Find out what problems Valek tackles in Ixia before he joins Yelena in fighting against a unstoppable enemy.
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About the Book
Lee Urban's search for truth could destroy everything.
After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity.
After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity.
Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption.
Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent, and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban's choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.
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About the Book
The trap is set, and time is slipping away.
After narrowly escaping arrest, Luciana Betarrini hurtles back to medieval Italy. Once there, she and her brother, Domenico, must decide how far they’ll go to be part of the family, and if they’re willing to risk their lives to hunt down an assassin.
Meanwhile, Lady Tiliani Forelli’s family has disappeared in enemy territory. Fearing for their lives—and secretly hoping to cross paths with the Fiorentini she loves—Tiliani goes to Firenze intent on either rescue or seeing justice done. Yet a trap is closing around them all.
Together, the Grecos and Betarrinis must find the Forellis’ nemesis and force him to confess to his role in the murders. They assume he has slipped into the serpentine streets of Firenze to evade them. But will they find him in time to save the Forellis?
Lumen (The Nightingale Trilogy #2) by J.J. Fischer
After narrowly escaping arrest, Luciana Betarrini hurtles back to medieval Italy. Once there, she and her brother, Domenico, must decide how far they’ll go to be part of the family, and if they’re willing to risk their lives to hunt down an assassin.
Meanwhile, Lady Tiliani Forelli’s family has disappeared in enemy territory. Fearing for their lives—and secretly hoping to cross paths with the Fiorentini she loves—Tiliani goes to Firenze intent on either rescue or seeing justice done. Yet a trap is closing around them all.
Together, the Grecos and Betarrinis must find the Forellis’ nemesis and force him to confess to his role in the murders. They assume he has slipped into the serpentine streets of Firenze to evade them. But will they find him in time to save the Forellis?
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About the Book
What if erasing the past cost more than you were willing to pay?
Having narrowly escaped their enemies, Sephone, Dorian, and Cass continue their search for the elusive Silvertongue, the only one with knowledge of the Reliquary’s whereabouts. But time is running out for Sephone, and with Dorian accused of high treason, the quest takes on a new urgency.
As secrets from each of their pasts drive a wedge between them, Sephone invests all her hopes in finding her homeland, Lethe—where her family may yet be alive. But nothing about Lethe is as she expects, and disappointment, betrayal, and danger await her at every turn.
When the truth about the Reliquary’s curse comes to light, the fragile bonds between the unlikely companions are tested like never before. Meanwhile, Dorian faces a terrible choice: to save the life of one who is beginning to mean more to him than the past he’s so desperate to forget, or to save his beloved Caldera from dangers outside and within.
What if erasing the past cost more than you were willing to pay?
Having narrowly escaped their enemies, Sephone, Dorian, and Cass continue their search for the elusive Silvertongue, the only one with knowledge of the Reliquary’s whereabouts. But time is running out for Sephone, and with Dorian accused of high treason, the quest takes on a new urgency.
As secrets from each of their pasts drive a wedge between them, Sephone invests all her hopes in finding her homeland, Lethe—where her family may yet be alive. But nothing about Lethe is as she expects, and disappointment, betrayal, and danger await her at every turn.
When the truth about the Reliquary’s curse comes to light, the fragile bonds between the unlikely companions are tested like never before. Meanwhile, Dorian faces a terrible choice: to save the life of one who is beginning to mean more to him than the past he’s so desperate to forget, or to save his beloved Caldera from dangers outside and within.
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About the Book
A Tail Could Tell a Tale
Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable—the Lost Island of Atlantis.
Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.
A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.
Master of Memories by Lani Forbes
Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable—the Lost Island of Atlantis.
Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.
A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.
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About the Book
In a grim not-so-distant future where debt and drugs run rampant, Margot Azenari studies memory editing alongside the offspring of the rich and famous. She dreams of erasing the bad memories from her childhood-of her father's involvement with the Vibora drug cartel and her mother's struggle with addiction. Margot makes plans to escape the pain of her past, but her plans go awry when her mentor, Dr. Xander, asks for her help with a top-secret project.
Margot has always admired her classmate Isaac, a senator's son, who once saved her from a mean prank. She's shocked to find him in Dr. Xander's office unconscious and bruised after a recent plane crash. Just as Margot and Dr. Xander finish erasing dangerous memories from Isaac's brain, Dr. Xander gives Margot an urgent mission-she alone must return the memories that they've removed from Isaac, or the lives of thousands of people will be in jeopardy. Their conversation is cut short as two Vibora drug cartel goons break in. Margot hides as they shoot Dr. Xander.
Margot makes contact with Isaac, and the two agree to try to put the memories back. Slowly, they piece together a connection between the cartel and the US government...and how Isaac tried to discover the truth. Battling her own growing romantic feelings for Isaac, Margot finds herself stuck in the middle of a government conspiracy where Isaac's father is the main suspect. As they race to reinsert the memories, they find themselves walking a treacherous line, not knowing who they can trust.
Or if they can trust each other.
Margot has always admired her classmate Isaac, a senator's son, who once saved her from a mean prank. She's shocked to find him in Dr. Xander's office unconscious and bruised after a recent plane crash. Just as Margot and Dr. Xander finish erasing dangerous memories from Isaac's brain, Dr. Xander gives Margot an urgent mission-she alone must return the memories that they've removed from Isaac, or the lives of thousands of people will be in jeopardy. Their conversation is cut short as two Vibora drug cartel goons break in. Margot hides as they shoot Dr. Xander.
Margot makes contact with Isaac, and the two agree to try to put the memories back. Slowly, they piece together a connection between the cartel and the US government...and how Isaac tried to discover the truth. Battling her own growing romantic feelings for Isaac, Margot finds herself stuck in the middle of a government conspiracy where Isaac's father is the main suspect. As they race to reinsert the memories, they find themselves walking a treacherous line, not knowing who they can trust.
Or if they can trust each other.
About the Book
You are invited...
To the annual game where teenage competitors search Sky Manor for the key to open a vault hidden behind the deceptive walls. The winner will have the wealth of a lifetime, but there is one catch.
One contestant must die.
This year, seven people step off the zeppelin to compete. A banker's son. A rich gentleman. A nice girl. A poor shopkeeper. A gold digger. An outsider. A thief. All have secrets of their own, and all have reasons to kill.
When one player turns up dead, the other six find themselves in a game of cat and mouse, the murderer among them.
Who will win, and who will die?
To the annual game where teenage competitors search Sky Manor for the key to open a vault hidden behind the deceptive walls. The winner will have the wealth of a lifetime, but there is one catch.
One contestant must die.
This year, seven people step off the zeppelin to compete. A banker's son. A rich gentleman. A nice girl. A poor shopkeeper. A gold digger. An outsider. A thief. All have secrets of their own, and all have reasons to kill.
When one player turns up dead, the other six find themselves in a game of cat and mouse, the murderer among them.
Who will win, and who will die?
About the Book
WHAT WILL THEY HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO SAVE THEIR KINGDOM?
Everys never dreamed she would one day be queen of the Xoniel Dynasty, let alone actually fall in love with the king. But as political compromises, accusations from the former queen, and the unexpected arrival of her father threaten to tear her marriage apart, Everys struggles to find her place and power as queen. With so many crises converging to destroy her husband’s reign, she has to save the very family who tried to destroy her people and her homeland.
Narius wants to build a fair and just society for all who live in the Dynasty’s holdings. But his right to reign is being challenged by the former leader of his military and the head of his people’s religion. Narius will have to prove his worth through not only ritual combat, but also through costly compromises to placate his nobility.
The Dynasty is falling apart without and within, and Everys and Narius battle to hold both their reign and their marriage together. But salvaging the fractured Dynasty will require sacrifice, and they may just find that the price is much higher than they ever could have imagined.
Everys never dreamed she would one day be queen of the Xoniel Dynasty, let alone actually fall in love with the king. But as political compromises, accusations from the former queen, and the unexpected arrival of her father threaten to tear her marriage apart, Everys struggles to find her place and power as queen. With so many crises converging to destroy her husband’s reign, she has to save the very family who tried to destroy her people and her homeland.
Narius wants to build a fair and just society for all who live in the Dynasty’s holdings. But his right to reign is being challenged by the former leader of his military and the head of his people’s religion. Narius will have to prove his worth through not only ritual combat, but also through costly compromises to placate his nobility.
The Dynasty is falling apart without and within, and Everys and Narius battle to hold both their reign and their marriage together. But salvaging the fractured Dynasty will require sacrifice, and they may just find that the price is much higher than they ever could have imagined.
About the Book
Taunting riddles.
A deadly string of heists.
Two broken hearts trapped in a killer's game.
Christian O'Brady was pulled into a life of crime at a young age by his con artist parents. Now making amends for his corrupt past, he has become one of the country's foremost security experts. When a string of Southwestern art heists targets one of the galleries Christian secured, he is paired up with a gifted insurance investigator who has her own checkered past.
Andi Forester was a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until her career was destroyed. She now puts those skills to work investigating insurance fraud, and this latest high-stakes case will test her gift to the limit. Drawn deep into a dangerous game with an opponent bent on revenge, Christian and Andi are in a race against the clock to catch him, but the perpetrator's game is far from finished, and one wrong move could be the death of them both.
A deadly string of heists.
Two broken hearts trapped in a killer's game.
Christian O'Brady was pulled into a life of crime at a young age by his con artist parents. Now making amends for his corrupt past, he has become one of the country's foremost security experts. When a string of Southwestern art heists targets one of the galleries Christian secured, he is paired up with a gifted insurance investigator who has her own checkered past.
Andi Forester was a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until her career was destroyed. She now puts those skills to work investigating insurance fraud, and this latest high-stakes case will test her gift to the limit. Drawn deep into a dangerous game with an opponent bent on revenge, Christian and Andi are in a race against the clock to catch him, but the perpetrator's game is far from finished, and one wrong move could be the death of them both.
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Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? What books are you hoping Santa brings you this year?
