Bookin' It: "An Ember in the Ashes" and "The Paying Guests"

I recently finished reading this book and really enjoyed it.  I read that the author wants it to be a stand alone book and I really hope that isn't the case because I need to know what happens.  It was the kind of book you found yourself rushing to get back to whenever you put it away and I was for real sad when it ended.

I found the next book on an NPR list of best reads by the staff and had it on my auto-download list on my Overdrive App. (I told you guys about this app once before and if you aren't using it yet you are TRULY missing out on the best.app.ever!!!!!!!!!)  

I will say that I wasn't expecting some of the stuff that went down to go down and that it took a lot to keep me reading it but I'm wondering if it's just because the pace of the last book was so fast and this author takes her time using a lot of words to say stuff if that makes any sense.  LOL!  So yeah...haven't finished it yet and once I do I'll let yall know if it was good.  If you've read it...what grade did you give it?  Don't give anything up, ESPECIALLY the thing that went down that I wasn't expecting to go down and if you read it you probably felt the same way once it went down.  LOL!  As I was just now looking for the link to it on Amazon and well...had I read about it on Amazon I wouldn't have been surprised.  Oh well...my bad.  Now I gotta know though.  I WILL FINISH THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!

Whatchall reading?  Anything to recommend?