Cress is stuck on a satellite above Earth. She is Lunar’s secret weapon, an exceptionally skilled hacker and spy, keeping watch on Earth, and ensuring Lunar’s ships aren’t discovered.

Cress falls for Thorne. Both literally and figuratively, after Cinder’s meeting with Cress goes awry. The party split, Cinder and Wolf find Dr Erland; Cress and Thorne land in the Saharan desert; and Scarlet is taken to Luna.

I didn’t enjoy the split party, because it felt a little forced at times. But I did enjoy the story and recommend it.

Scarlet’s grandmother is missing. Scarlet’s alcoholic father reappears after a long absence, raving and pocked with burns. And a strange man, Wolf, arrives with a similar tattoo that Scarlet’s father described on his tormentors.

As the story develops, it becomes clear that Scarlet’s grandmother kept several secrets. Scarlet finds reconciling this difficult, especially since she grew up with her grandmother insisting that they don’t keep secrets. It turns out keeping a cyborg princess quiet is a big deal, especially when the princess’s aunt wants her dead.

All the while Cinder escapes captivity and certain death from the Lunar court that insists all Lunars on Earth must be put to death. Cinder isn’t sure why they’re after her, but she’s intent on finding out.

I enjoyed that I wasn’t sure if Wolf was good or bad through most of the book, Meyer keeps you guessing. This was my second attempt; I recall not liking this book before and putting it down, but I can’t recall why. This time I enjoyed it, and I recommend it.

Charlotte Pettifer is the prophesied future leader of the Wicken League. Witches, if such a thing existed (which, clearly, don’t) that know how to levitate objects. Charlotte is particularly noted for her skill.

The Wicken League is in opposition to the Wisteria Society, a group of miscreant pirate women known for plundering society, and each other.

Alex, a rogue pirate, is intent on getting his hands on the long-lost amulet of Beryl Black. And so, too, are the members of the Wisteria Society and Wicken League, including Charlotte.

Kidnapping silliness ensues (although who kidnaps whom is hotly debated).

Great book with plenty of puns, action, humor, and adventure.

Tom Severin is a rags-to-riches railroad baron that Lady Cassandra Ravenel falls for (and Tom has pesky feelings for).

When rumors spread implicating Cassandra as ruined, Tom manages to buy the newspaper and extract an apology.

It felt very contrived, I didn’t feel that there was much of a spark between the two.

As a war orphan, Rin has few options. Fang Runin “Rin” hatches a plan to study and place in Sinegard, the elite military school. As the only school that offers a full ride, her plan depends on her success to avoid the Fangs marrying her to an older bureaucrat to protect their poppy smuggling operation.

She manages to succeed with grueling studying and help from her tutor. And it seems that the book will follow how she studies, learns self-control, gains enlightenment, and succeeds with the help of her master at university.

It’s not.

This seems to be a book about the utter destruction and cost of war, the prices people are willing to pay to “win”. It isn’t a happy coming of age story.

I found it riveting and engrossing. But it certainly isn’t happy.

Eva Innocenta, captain of Sirena Negra, attempts to make ends meet contracting delivery jobs. When she’s contacted by The Fridge, a criminal organization known for its resources and reach, she’s torn between rescuing her sister or keeping her crew safe and intact.

I felt that the story isn’t sure what it wants to be. There are several set pieces and acts that aren’t strongly related. The characters seemed 2-dimentional, placed in situations that should cause reflection and growth. Acts or items are placed with an opportunity for strong engagement, but seemingly forgotten.

I stopped reading when Eva’s sister makes an appearance. I’m not certain if the book was intended to be like an episodic TV show, but edited later to be a book.

West Ravenel, a rake, tormented Phoebe’s (Lade Claire) late husband as a child. Phoebe promised her husband that should she ever come across West, she’d be sure to give him hell, that West is clearly irredeemable.

But his actions demonstrate a kinder, considerate, person than his past actions would leave a person to believe. He returns a key item to Phoebe and apologizes for the torment he caused.

An enemies-to-lovers book that was very enjoyable.

Octavia “Tavi” Zarola is a bounty hunter. When she’s offered a job from Torran Fletcher, a Valoff general that fought against her in the last war, she’s put in a hard spot — work with the enemy for a job with substantial payout, or try her luck on another low-paying bounty.

Accepting Fletcher’s job, she’s faced with Valovian customs that inhibit her and her team from acting quickly to learn the true nature of the job — preventing another war.

The novel progresses quickly. With rarely a dull moment — exciting plot twists, an enemies-to-lovers romance, and intrigue. I hope book 2 is as good!

Moon wants to belong. He’s a shapeshifter: he can shift from groundling to a flying creature that looks similar to a Fell—evil-smelling creatures that destroy all that they touch.

When Stone finds him, Moon runs, assuming the worst. But Stone rescues him when the groundling settlement Moon is staying with tries to kill him, believing that he is a Fell.

Moon quickly learns that he is a Raksura, that there are others like him, and that he is a Consort which is the highest-ranking male in Raksura society.

Part court drama, part survival and rescue drama, the story moves swiftly, the dialogue is crisp, and the plot surprising. The ending is alright, but being book 1 in a series of 3, I expect it not to wrap up as satisfyingly as a stand-alone book.

I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series, and seeing how Moon adjusts to courtly life after being alone for so long.

Game masters and dungeon masters, the folks who run your local table-top role playing game, have a lot to do before game night: plan encounters, figure out NPCs, determine the next set of challenges for their players. It can be a lot. Perhaps overwhelming.

Shea provides a succinct guide to running games that many of the games’ books are missing: how to plan effectively and efficiently. Instead of pre-planning every move, Shea encourages game masters to plan enough to cover the next night’s game. Ask players where they intend to go next, so the game master can plan appropriately. And avoid over-preparing or even planning out a story, because the players’ actions make the story based on how the react to events the game master presents.

That’s all solid advice. But the thing that’s sticking with me is Shea’s advice, when pressed for time, to prepare the items that provide the most value to your game, and to be willing to drop from his suggestions items that don’t provide great value. I appreciate that, because I wonder what items I include in planning for work projects that aren’t necessary. That are low to no value to me and my colleagues. Or what about home projects? Basically, that’s solid advice for any project, games or not.

The book’s advice is timely and valuable. If you’re a game master and find yourself pressed for time, stressed, or nearing burn-out, consider taking a break, reading this book, and coming back to your game with a new outlook on preparation. I think you, and your players, will benefit.