Fierce Females

Celebrate summer with enchanting reads featuring strong female leads

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson (Publication Date: June 13)

Step back in time starting in the 1920s with a traveling, magical circus under the big top as Sparks share their magic to entertain audiences far and wide. Rin, the ringleader, is an aging queer Jewish woman who has the ability to time travel and is married to the beautiful, forever-young acrobat Odette. Together, along with friend Mauve, they are essentially attempting to stop WWII from happening, all while fending off the evil circus king. Threads are literally woven throughout time as we meet Edward on the front lines of WWI and his wife Ruth, who have special abilities of their own. Intrigue, action, magic, strong character development, and a few fun, yet slightly dark, twists keep the reader engaged throughout for an enjoyable read.  Dawson’s dramatic writing style makes her an author to watch. For fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Night Circus._Morgan Ryan

Identity by Nora Roberts (Publication date: May 23)

Morgan Albright had never really had a chance to belong since she grew up as an Army brat and as her mother, after the divorce, couldn’t seem to settle anywhere.  Deciding that she really wants to plants roots, she settles in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore while working two jobs in order achieve her goals including owning her own bar.  However, when tragedy strikes and Morgan’s life is threatened, she is forced to move home to Vermont to build back her life, to strengthen her relationship with her mother and grandmother and to fall in love and dig those roots deep into the Vermont soil. As always, Nora Roberts delivers a whopper of a romantic suspense read with which to while those lazy days away._Chantal Wilson

Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Corazon was forced to flee the Philippines and return to Singapore carrying with her a terrible secret. Donita is new to Singapore and works for the fussiest and meanest employer. Angel, a caregiver for an elderly gentleman, is nursing a broken heart. When one of Donita's friends, a fellow domestic worker, is accused of murder, the unlikely trio comes together to try to clear her name. This entertaining and heartbreaking tale is an enlightening look at Filipina domestic workers in Singapore and a dramatic whodunit. Sure to please lovers of The Bandit Queens._Megan Mathis

The Love Con by Serissia Glass

Looking for a cute vacation read? Well, look no further than Seressia Glass’ The Love Con! When Kenya (Keke) Davenport makes it to the final round of Cosplay or No Way, a competition reality show, she has to enlist her best guy friend Cameron Lassiter to be her cosplay partner, which wouldn’t be such an issue if she hadn’t already told most of America that the two were much more than friends. How is she going to make it up to Cameron for forcing him to pretend to be her boyfriend for all the world to see? Especially when she kind of likes the sudden change in their dynamic? What’s more is that Cameron’s got some secret feelings of his own. Can these two come together for the win and much more? Fans of all things nerdy will love this lighthearted, slightly spicy read._Savannah Green