This Week: Cozy Mystery, YA Fiction, and Romantic Fantasy

This past week started with Fright on Stage Right by G.B. Ralph. This is a continuation of The Milverton Mysteries (Book 4) where amateur sleuth Addison Harper and Sergeant Jake Murphy are on what should be the perfect date: front-row seats at a spooky Halloween variety show. The evening takes a dark turn when Addison gets pulled into the dreaded audience participation, only for the night to end in a sudden, very real, and very unscripted death. Accident or murder? Either way, Addison finds himself back at center stage in another twisty mystery set against gorgeous New Zealand scenery, complete with small-town busybodies, baked treats, a disdainful ginger cat, and that ever-so-slow-burn romance.

Midweek we picked up Pride High Purple (Book 6), the latest in a romantic and raw YA series following a tight-knit group of students as junior year winds down. The drama runs high: Diego wrestles with his past while Ricky tries to keep him afloat, Mindy can't decide between two boys, Cameron's cross-country move tests his relationship with Anthony, Omar feels left behind when Silvia charts a new course, and Keisha is still dating the enemy. With prom on the horizon, all the messy, heartfelt teen drama you'd hope for is in full swing.

We closed out the week by diving into a brand-new series with Embers of Analon, pitched as Six of Crows meets epic romantasy. Cas Nightbrook is a sharp, scrappy thief in the brutal City of Analon, driven by two goals: protecting his younger sister and avenging his parents' murder at the hands of the crown. When he's invited to the deadly Emberlight Trials run by a rebel order, he sees his shot at justice, what he doesn't see coming is the charming and infuriating Darion Thorne, who keeps showing up where he's least expected and tempting Cas to want more than mere survival. With the city burning and rebellion breaking loose, this one delivers the high-stakes, high-heat fantasy it promises. A strong start to a series we'll be following.