Royal Blood by Aimee Carter

Royalty, mystery and scandal in the beginning of this YA series!

17yo Evangeline (Evan) is the illegitimate American daughter of the British king and has been kept out of the public eye her entire life so Britain royals don’t suffer from a scandal. She has bounced around to several boarding schools since her mom was diagnosed with fragile mental health and her grandmother (her only other relative) passed away. When Evan gets in trouble, a British royal advisor swoops in to whisk her away to the Windsor Castle in London for her protection but the royal family is irate that she’s in London, let alone the palace. Evan tries to see the situation from their perspective and even though she’s kind and not to blame for her father’s actions, her stepmother and half sister are cruel to her. She just wants to make it to her eighteenth birthday so she can be on her own and get away from the disdain. As much as Evan tries to blend in and please the royal family, things spiral when a death occurs.

Likes/dislikes: The storyline is interesting. I enjoyed the intense parts. Great characters. Great quote from Queen Victoria.
Mature content: PG for kissing.
Violence: PG-13 for attempted sexual assault.
Language: R for 50 swears and no f-words.
Ethnicity: Predominantly white. Gia has dark skin. Louis is Black.

Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

Dani and Prince, two teens trying to figure life out, plan futures and make the most of what they have. Prince enjoys his job as a DJ and Dani is working towards her future goals. The two cross paths and feel a connection but when something from Dani’s recent past overrides her emotions, she feels the need to step back. A cute love story with chivalry and perseverance. 4 stars!