This book is the sequel to The Rose Bargain, picking up right where the first book left off. Ivy is now married to the fae King Bram; however, he is not the noble and honest man Ivy once thought him to be. Now that she is queen, she must maintain a delicate balance of pretending to be devoted to her husband while plotting to overthrow him. All so she can save her sister Lydia, whom Bram has trapped in the Otherworld, and rescue her true love Emmett.
Back in March I read The Rose Bargain and absolutely fell in love with the fantasy world and characters. Pine Reads Reviews lead editor Emersen also highly rated and raved about both The Rose Bargain and The Thorn Queen. The first book ended in a cliffhanger so I am ecstatic to read the second book in the series and uncover what happens next. This is a perfect duology for anyone that loves romantasy and political intrigue!
This is the fifth book in The Hunger Games series, featuring the backstory of Haymitch Abernathy, victor from district 12 of the 50th Hunger Games. It is the second quarter quell further heightening the stakes for the tributes, with twice as many being reaped. This story is another prequel book set before the events of the original trilogy, giving readers insight into Haymitch’s life and trauma that has turned him into the character and mentor we know.
I am a tad bit embarrassed to admit I have yet to read this book, especially because I am a huge fan of The Hunger Games series, both the books and films, but I think this summer is the perfect time to finally delve into this book. The film adaptation will be released on November 20th, 2026, so now is a great time to read or reread the book to prepare for the film.
After her older sister, Rowenna, dies a year after marrying into the enemy nation of Vanzador, Princess Indira agrees to marry Prince Alaric of Vanzador. Indira is very suspicious about the true cause of her sister’s death, desiring to uncover the truth and get revenge by destroying the enemy kingdom from within.
I discovered this book after Hayley, a fellow Pine Reads Review writer, reviewed it. She highly praised this book and her review made me incredibly intrigued by this fantasy world and its characters. I love fantasy books and enemies-to-lovers, which this book is said to deliver!
This book follows five teen prodigies, adopted and trained by the billionaire Leontes Button. At his annual Prodigy Ball, he ends up murdered and now all the guests are stuck at the manor while his death is investigated. However, it seems like everyone has their secrets, including the now deceased Leontes, making this a tough case to crack.
I love a good murder mystery which makes this book seem right up my alley. Mysteries are especially great for the summer, they are perfect page turners to captivate readers’ interest and entertain them. Pine Reads Review’s lead writer Keonte reviewed this book and her review is what introduced me to this story and piqued my interest. Now that it’s summer, I will have the downtime to finally read this incredibly interesting book.
This book was recently released on June 23rd, 2026 and it follows teenager Ivy Yu as she goes on a spontaneous trip with her mom to Japan. Over the course of their trip, Ivy’s mom develops a relationship with single dad Keith. Ivy, and Keith’s son Matteo, strike up a plan to keep their parents apart. However, this plan only seems to be making Matteo and Ivy closer.
I recently visited Japan on a family trip, so I would love to revisit this destination through a fun rom-com. The reverse-parent trap aspect of the story also seems really fun and nostalgic. Emersen, Pine Reads Reviews lead editor, wrote a glowing review of this book that desperately makes me want to pick up the novel as soon as possible and read it by the pool.
I am so excited to read these books this summer and hopefully this blog gave you some inspiration for your next summer reading adventure!
Katelyn Burklow, Pine Reads Review Writer
