The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Theodora has been traveling with her treasure-hunting father for years but he always leaves her in the hotel if he thinks there's any danger.  It's disappointing to get so close and get left behind.  He takes Huck with him, the boy he's taken in and raised.  Then one day Huck disappears.  He and Theodora were caught in a flagrant act.  Theodora thinks he left without a goodbye and she's heartbroken.

Simon Pulse and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 3rd.

On this trip, she runs into Huck again.  He tells her that her father went off on his own and never returned.  Huck came to the hotel looking for him.  They decide to go to the next meeting point to see if he's there.  He's not, so Theodora starts reading his journal, looking for clues.She finds out it's got ciphers in it and she has to determine which kind it is to read it.  Once she does she starts following her father's trail.  He's after the true ring of Vlad, the Impaler, also known as Dracula.

There's lots of excitement, action, and confrontations with another organization that's also after the ring.  Theodora is smart and she puts things together that her father doesn't.  This has a very surprising ending.  It kept me glued to my seat reading.  I think it'll do the same to you if you enjoy fantasy and intrigue.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Zorie grew up as best friends with her next door neighbor, Lennon.  He and she were a team.  Then they decided to experiment a bit and they found out that kisses were nice, too.  They decide to date.  They are going to go to the homecoming dance as a couple.  He never shows up and he never explains.  So much for that friendship...

Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 3rd.

Zorie misses Lennon but she can't forgive him.  Then one of her girlfriends decides to hobnob with the rich girls and she loses her, too.  That doesn't hurt as much but she wonders when the other one got so important.  Must have been the money her parents came into.

When her mother convinces her she should go "glamping" with the girl and her friends, she thinks it won't hurt.  Maybe those friends might accept her, too.  The problem is that not all of the friends are girls...

The camp is almost like a hotel.  It serves meals, there's hot showers and more.  There are even free drinks for those old enough.  They aren't but they sneak up and steal some bottles of wine.  Then there's an evening of drinking for the rowdy ones and by morning they are being thrown out of camp.  They fight among themselves and when Zorie and Lennon wake up the next morning, they're all alone.  The others have left them there.

They begin the walk to the mountain top where she is scheduled to watch the stars.  It'll take days to get there but they've got the time.  

This journey opens closed doors and Lennon tells her why he didn't make the dance and why her father hates him.  She admits she knows about her father.  It's a cathartic event that moves both of them.  Their relationship ripens but the road ahead of them still has some bumps.

The characters were so real you forgot you were reading fiction.  This was a good tale and it ended well, too.  This one is going to stick in my mind for a while.