Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

Ada von Hasenberg is a child of one of the three head houses of the High Council but, as a younger child, she is of little value unless she marries. And her father did contract a marriage for her to Richard Rockhurst. Ada decided she didn't want to get married and fled. She's got a bounty on her head and, two year later, has finally been captured by a merc ship. But she's not their only bounty. The ship also has the notorious Marcus Loch, the man who was rumored to have killed his entire troop during the Fornax Rebellion. If Ada wants to escape, she's going to need to team up with Marcus so that she can figure out why she has suddenly become so valuable to the Rockhurst house. What she uncovers will shake the entire High Council and lead to a house war.
Great world building and an introduction to a world that is just fun to read. I like the second book in the series just a little bit more but this is second in my heart.

Four stars
This book came out February 5th, 2019
Followed by Aurora Blazing
Borrowed this book from the library
Opinions are my own

Chaos Reigning Jessie Mihalik

As a child, Catarina von Hasenberg was often sick. But what no one other than she, her father, and a handful of scientists know that she wasn't really sick, her family was experimenting on her trying to play with her genes to make her faster, stronger, etc.  She was the youngest in a family of six so she was more expendable and her father is more interested in a way to gain power than keeping his family alive. Her bonds with her siblings are tight and Catarina is willing to help them in the fight against the Syndicate, a group that is trying to take over power from the Royal Consortium of which the von Hasenbergs are one of the three High Houses.
Cat has been invited to a house party at one of the family's that is suspected to be plotting against the Royal Consortium. Her sister Bianca is worried about her safety and sends two people along with Cat, Alex and Aoife. Aoife will be her bodyguard and Alex is going to pose as Cat's newest boy toy. Since no one knows about Cat's skills, she chafes against the restrictions but realizes why her sister might want to send her extra help, especially since she's the youngest and everyone is used to thinking of her as being weak.
I would definitely read the first two books in the series before this one. I don't think you necessarily have to but the series as a whole is amazing and worth reading. Of the three heroines, I think I connected to Cat the least but I couldn't put my finger on why. She is just as kick ass as her sisters  but I think the mask she had to wear annoyed even me. It also took me a bit of time to get into the story but, once it picked up, it really became wonderful.

Four stars
Follows Aurora Rising
This book comes out May 19, 2020
ARC kindly provided by Harper Voyager Trade and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own

Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

Bianca von Hasenberg has done more than enough for House von Hasenberg. She married a monster who changed her in ways no one should have to suffer. But she now uses her differences, the differences she can never tell anyone for fear of being a medical experiment for the rest of her life, to enhance her information network. Also working for her? Woman who were in similar positions until Bianca saved them. Their gossip keeps her in the know, both for her family and for herself. Since her husband died, she has also become a security expert while tucking away money for herself. It is all of her skills that make her think she can save her brother when he is kidnapped. Of course, she was targeted at the same time but that doesn't worry her as much. Nor does the fact that someone is setting her up to be the fall guy for her brother's disappearance. Too bad her path is further complicated by one of her father's security guys, her former love, Ian.
I hadn't finished the first book but my library book was about to expire so I listened to this one and didn't feel like I had missed anything. Mihalik managed to add enough of the first book for backstory but without the info dump.

Four stars
Follows Polaris Rising
Followed by Chaos Reigning
This book came out October 1st, 2019
Borrowed this as an audiobook from the library
Opinions are my own