Dec 2

Dec 2 Books Publishing This Week

The morning in early December greets you softly, with a hush that feels almost intentional. Overnight, the world seems to have quieted itself; even if there’s no snow yet, the air holds the promise of it. The sky is pale, washed in shades of cool blue and early light, and the ground glistens faintly with a thin layer of frost. When you step into the kitchen, your slippers brushing against the tile make the only sound. Everything else is still.

You move slowly, savoring the quiet. The kettle warms on the stove, sending up gentle puffs of steam, and you wrap your hands around your mug even before it’s full, drawing comfort from its warmth. The scent—coffee deep and rich, or tea fragrant and steadying—fills the room and seems to thaw the edges of the morning. It’s the kind of day that feels made for reading, for sinking into a story while the world remains cool and still beyond the windows.

The book you’ve chosen waits on the table, its presence calm and certain. You’ve been saving it for the right moment, and as you take the first sip of your drink, you know this is it: the first days of December, quiet and bright, carrying the early stirrings of winter. You pick it up, the cover cool beneath your fingers, and carry it into the living room where the morning light stretches across the floor in long, soft beams.

You settle into your favorite chair—maybe the one by the window, maybe the one that has shaped itself to the way you sit. A blanket is draped across the back, and you pull it over your lap, letting its warmth settle against you as comfortably as a second skin. Outside, the trees stand bare now, branches etched against the cold sky like charcoal sketches. A few birds hop along the fence, their feathers puffed against the chill.

You open the book, and the first page feels new and crisp, the paper cool from the morning air. The story begins quietly, the first lines steady and anchored, inviting you in without urgency. You ease into the rhythm of the words, letting them guide your transition from the outer world to the inner one. The warmth of your drink, the softness of the blanket, the stillness of the room—all of it makes the story feel closer, easier to fall into.

As you read, the light grows brighter, shifting from silver to gold as the sun climbs. Frost sparkles on the ground outside, turning the world into something delicate, almost enchanted. Every so often, you pause to look up, your eyes tracing the outlines of rooftops, the faint rise of chimney smoke in the distance, the soft shimmer of a season shifting into place.

You take another sip, the warmth spreading through you, and return to the page. You read slowly, not because the story demands it but because the morning seems to invite slowness. There’s no rush today. The world outside moves at a gentler pace, and you follow its lead—turning pages thoughtfully, letting each sentence settle.

Halfway through a chapter, you stop again—not out of distraction but out of contentment. You sit back, book in your lap, mug in your hand, and simply breathe. The morning remains quiet, the kind of quiet that feels like a gift. You feel the soft weight of possibility in the air, the sense that December has opened a door to something calmer, deeper, more reflective.

When you return to the book, the story feels even richer, as though it, too, has settled into the morning. You read until your drink grows cool and the light shifts once more. And when you finally close the book, marking your place with care, you carry with you the warmth of the words, the comfort of the ritual, and the peaceful beginning of both a new story and a new season.

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Books Publishing November 30 - December 6

Artificial Truth by J.M. Lee

From J.M. Lee, a bestselling phenomenon in Korea, comes a haunting and mind-bending novel about the revolutionary possibilities of AI and the infinite mysteries of what it means to be human.

In the virtual city of Alegria, fantasies are made real, innumerable lifetimes are lived, and even death itself is a survivable experience. An escape from reality that changed the landscape of artificial intelligence, it is home to more than one hundred million people. Though it’s been six years since Alegria’s creator―revolutionary tech genius KC Kim―died of cancer, his legacy is alive in the pinnacle of KC’s genius: an AI named Allen who surges with KC’s memories.

As hard as KC’s widow, Minju, and her new husband, Junmo, try to move on, Minju can’t shake the unnerving feeling that somehow, from somewhere, KC is watching. She sees a stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance to him. A pair of KC’s custom-made shoes arrive at her doorstep. And someone has booked a Tokyo hotel room where she and KC shared happier times. Certain of nothing except KC’s mad innovation, Minju can only imagine what he is accomplishing without even existing.

If KC is reaching out from an infinity of memories, what are his plans for Minju and Junmo, and how can they hope to escape KC’s all-seeing grasp? And whose plans are they, really? The possibilities are frightening.

Ten Thousand Lightyears from Okay by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman

A widowed and grieving young novelist believes her words create realities―both tragic and charmed―in a hopeful and surprising novel about family, newfound love, and moving on.

Four years after her husband Sam’s tragic death mirrored a fatal plotline in her debut novel, Thea Packer hasn’t written another word, afraid that what she writes could come true again. Resigned to raising her young daughter in her in-laws’ guesthouse, Thea is on the verge of abandoning her literary career when inspiration strikes.

Her new book is a fairy-tale romance featuring a long-lost astronaut who miraculously returns home to his family, with the hero loosely drawn from Thea’s memories of Sam. Thea considers the fantasy a harmless way to process her grief.

That is, until a charismatic man walks into her life―and he’s an astronaut.

Thea can’t believe it’s happening again. Or is it? Her mother-in-law doesn’t think so―she sees only a woman increasingly detached from reality. Now, as coincidences between Thea’s writing and reality pile up, Thea must unravel the secrets of her past and tackle her grief head-on before she loses more than she imagined.

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert―only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.

With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt’s house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.

Because in Quartz Creek, there’s a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena’s ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena’s house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn’t ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can’t begin to imagine. And when Selena’s search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new home: It’s the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as “Snake-Eater,” who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.

Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he’s hell-bent on collecting everything he’s owed.

The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter by Brionni Nwosu

A young woman at the crossroads of life and death embarks on an extraordinary journey across time in an epic novel about beauty, hope, endurance, and endless loves.

Most humans cower in the face of Death. Not Nella May Carter. She sees him. She doesn’t hide. Instead, she bargains.

Born enslaved in eighteenth-century Georgia, Nella still believes in the will to survive amid the most untenable of conditions, in the glory of life, and in the ultimate goodness of the human race. She asks that Death, doubtful and curious, allow her to live long enough to prove it. He’s giving Nella all the time in the world.

Challenged, Nella embarks on an epic journey across the globe and centuries. Each new incarnation records the joys and losses, and the friendships and heartbreaks, throughout her lifetimes. When she meets handsome and passionate professor Sebastian Moore―the first man to whom she has ever revealed her secrets―Nella yearns for the mortality that escapes her. She can’t bear to leave this love behind.

As Death keeps watch, has Nella’s journey come to an end? Or is a new one just beginning?

The Second Son by Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck

A pulse-pounding yet soulful espionage thriller for fans of Brad Thor, Jack Carr, and Mark Greaney, delivering plot twists so explosive, it took two top suspense writers to pull it off.

Soldier-turned-sommelier Chase Burke may have traded his rifle for bottles of wine, but violence and conspiracy aren’t through with him yet. First, his intelligence analyst brother is killed in a covert op gone wrong and branded a traitor. Then a brutal ambush at the restaurant where Chase works leaves the woman he is romantically involved with―a congresswoman―clinging to life.

Scrambling to clear the family name and protect his secret love, Chase teams up with NYPD Detective Alice Doyle, a single mother fighting battles of her own. Together they uncover a powerful criminal syndicate whose unscrupulous influence sweeps the globe―and strikes painfully close to home.

As elite mercenaries close in, Chase is dragged back into the dangerous world he thought he’d escaped. Facing a mother losing her memory and a past that never forgets, he fights to win a zero-sum game where trust can be lethal. But when all seems lost, an unlikely ally could help turn the tide…

Only Way Out by Tod Goldberg

Failed lawyer Robert Green has such a good plan: Crack three hundred safe-deposit boxes and sail off to South America with his brilliant, morally flexible sister, Penny. If it weren’t for the damned freezing rain.

In the dying resort town of Granite Shores, cop Jack Biddle is self-appointed king―mostly of bad decisions. Between his family’s crumbling legacy, a wife who just joined the city council, and life-threatening gambling debts, Jack’s looking for a way out. Then he spots a van spinning off a mountain road into the valley below. In the wreckage, Jack finds a very dead Robert, millions in heisted loot…and opportunity.

All Jack has to do is clean up the mess, disappear Robert’s body, make off with the fortune, and not get caught. One hitch is Penny. Another is Mitch Diamond, a wild card ex-con who knows more about the missing fortune than he lets on. Jack, Penny, and Mitch each have an endgame. But there’s only one way out, and they’re crashing headlong toward it.

My Fair Frauds by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne

A high society fraud and a scrappy swindler team up to take down Gilded Age New York in this tale of intrigue, drama, and female friendship.

The Grand Duchess Marie Charlotte Antonie of Würrtemberg--a turmoil-plagued Germanic nation with closely guarded emerald mines--has taken Gilded Age high society by storm. Little does the upper crust know that Würrtemberg's mines are a sham and its "deposed duchess" is actually a con woman named Alice, a fallen woman out for revenge against the five ruthless robber barons who destroyed her father and left her family in shambles.

Alice's long investment con finally clicks into place when she meets a scrappy magician's assistant named Cora, a drifter who has lofty aspirations of her own, a malleable young lady who proves the perfect debutante pawn to lure in Alice's final, and otherwise unattainable, target.

With the help of insider and society maestro Ward McAllister, among others, Alice and Cora launch into the social season of 1884, scheming their way through grand balls, private dinners, and opera nights, ensnaring Alice's targets one by one. But as they hurtle toward their ultimate swindle, a sprawling orchestrated scheme at their fabricated embassy to rob their targets blind, pressures close in from all sides. Mutiny within the ranks, hidden moles, crises of conscience . . .

This sting is sure to be the event of the season. Or else ruin Alice and Cora both.

The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston

The Lighthouse at the Cove is a heartwarming Hallmark-style novel perfect for fans of RaeAnne Thayne and Sherryl Woods where a single dad teams up with a journalist to save the town's historic landmark lighthouse.

Kaya Ross, a talented and ambitious journalist, needs a break. Following a tough breakup, Kaya embarks on a road trip along the picturesque coastal route from Maryland to Florida. However, her journey takes an unexpected turn when her car breaks down in the charming town of Coral Cove. Stranded and in need of help, Kaya meets Reid Turner, a local firefighter with a heart of gold.

Reid, a single father to his daughter Piper, offers Kaya a place to stay in the apartment above his garage in exchange for writing a feature article on the town's annual Light the Dark Festival, which celebrates the town's rich history as the home of an old lighthouse that saved sailors in a storm. The festival serves as a fundraiser for the town and is crucial for its survival of the historic lighthouse, a symbol of Coral Cove's giving heart. This year, the festival holds even more significance as the town is in desperate need of funds to repair the lighthouse, which was damaged by a fire.

As Kaya settles into her new temporary home, she becomes deeply involved in the planning and promotion of the Light the Dark Festival, and as she and Reid work together, love starts to bloom. Together, they work tirelessly to create awareness and excitement for the festival, hoping to attract tourists and save the town from financial ruin. However, just as Kaya starts to feel at home in Coral Cove, her ex-boyfriend reappears with a tempting job opportunity that could change her life.

Faced with a difficult decision, Kaya must choose between her newfound love for the town, Reid, and Piper, or the allure of her career and the possibility of a fresh start. With the clock ticking and the pressure mounting, Kaya, Reid, and the community of Coral Cove come together to overcome obstacles, ignite the town's spirit, and make the Light the Dark Festival a resounding success. Along the way, they discover the power of love, friendship, and the importance of preserving their town's heritage.

The Lighthouse at the Cove is a captivating tale that combines the charm of a small-town setting, a blossoming romance, and the triumph of community spirit. Readers will be swept away by the heartfelt journey of Kaya, Reid, and the residents of Coral Cove as they navigate love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness in the face of adversity.

Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno

The Hazel Wood meets Laini Taylor in this gorgeous urban fantasy of sisterhood, ghosts, and old family curses.

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told them: that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their New York City brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

The Bodyguard Affair by Amy Lea

A secret romance writer discovers that the hottest story of summer might just be the one happening between her and the Prime Minister’s bodyguard from the international bestselling author of Set On You.

Andi Zeigler lives a double life. By day, she’s the no-nonsense, steadfast personal assistant to the Prime Minister of Canada’s wife. By night, she slips out of her heels and writes romance novels under a top-secret pen name. But when her steamiest book, The Prime Minister & Me, unexpectedly becomes a bestseller, rumors of a real-life affair between her and the PM start swirling out of control.

Enter Nolan Crosby, the PM’s new close protection officer (aka bodyguard) – and Andi’s failed one-night stand from three years ago. Nolan’s in town very temporarily to care for his mother, who’s battling early-onset Alzheimer’s. But when the scandal erupts, Andi ropes him into a fake-dating plan.

As loyal employees, they’ll pretend to date for the summer, just long enough to put the scandal to bed and save their boss’s reputation. In an unexpected plot twist, Andi and Nolan discover that keeping their romance strictly fictional might be easier said than done.

The E.M.M.A. Effect by Lia Riley

Jane Austen meets Ali Hazelwood in this steamy, friends-to-lovers, STEM rom-com! He’s her best friend’s little brother and NHL forward. She’s a computer scientist used to being in control. The E.M.M.A., her elite AI training program, claims optimizing his performance requires one thing: the perfect match. According to its calculations, that’s her… Will Harriet discover that The E.M.M.A. knows best?

Harriet Smythe’s AI was supposed to create sports legends—not encourage her crush on her best friend’s totally off-limits, hot younger brother. But when funding runs dry, she has no choice but to enlist Gale Knight as her test subject. The same Gale she’s been secretly crushing on for years. The player who follows her every instruction with a knowing smirk that threatens to short-circuit her carefully maintained system.

Everything changes when The E.M.M.A. determines that finding Gale’s perfect match is essential to his peak performance. Even worse? According to its data, that match is Harriet.

Determined to keep things professional, she makes it search for new candidates. But as Gale dutifully endures awkward outings with pop stars and athletes, the chemistry between them only intensifies. And his willing cooperation during their sessions definitely isn’t helping her stay focused.

With her deadline approaching and The E.M.M.A. still playing cupid, Harriet must choose: trust in pure logic, or admit that sometimes taking control means letting go.

Maybe The E.M.M.A. knows something they don’t—even if they’re not ready to compute it yet.

The Mating Game by Lana Ferguson

Contractor Tess Covington has spent her entire life as a regular non-shifter human, so after she lands in the Denver ER with flu-like symptoms, it comes as a complete shock to be told that, no, she’s not sick—she’s actually a late-presenting omega wolf shifter. With her family in dire financial straits and a contract for her own television show on the line, she can’t afford not to complete the renovation job she came for. And given that her newly emerged wolf is in danger of going into heat, she’ll just have to do her best to follow the doctor’s advice to keep away from alpha shifters.

Alpha wolf Hunter Barrett has spent most of his adult life living by a routine, and a big part of that involves staying clear of omegas after having one stomp on his heart. So when the tiny contractor shows up at his place smelling like the one thing he’s determined to avoid, he thinks it must be some sort of cosmic joke. But with his lodge on the verge of failing and this sweet-smelling omega his only hope to turn things around . . . he’s left with few other options than to grin and bear it.

Set on avoiding each other as much as possible, they find things unexpectedly starting to heat up between them enough to thaw even the frostiest of hearts. Though even with the pair going head over paws for each other, there’s no changing that their fling has an expiration date. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they’re playing a dangerous game—one where the only thing on the line is their hearts.

Eleven Liars by Robert Gold

From Sunday Times bestselling author Robert Gold, comes a twisty psychological thriller where small towns hold deep secrets and those who will lie to keep them—perfect for fans of Leslie Wolf, Nicole Trope, and Freida McFadden.

Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees flames in the churchyard. The derelict community center is on fire. And somebody is trapped inside.

With Ben’s help the person escapes, only to flee the scene before they can be identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?

Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.

When the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody has something to hide.

Lit by Tim Sandlin

In a small town in the woods of northwest Wyoming, Kasey Cobb lives alone in a cabin, runs a drive-through coffee kiosk, and hangs out at the library, reading the classics. He’s the least-likely guy to become the center of a culture clash… and death. Yet that’s what happens when he strays past a book-bonfire, ignited by a pastor and his hapless followers, and inadvertently rescues a self-important (drunk) author from being burned with his obscure novel.

From that moment on, Kasey’s life becomes a whirlwind that sweeps up a laconic lawman, a pissed off grizzly bear, a relentless podcaster, a sensuous librarian obsessed with death, a fierce female rancher and, most troublesome of all, a devious murderer. And yet, amidst the chaos, Kasey chases another shot at a lasting love, even if it might kill him.

The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini

The internationally bestselling author of The Woman on the Ledge returns with a twisty thriller about a missing child and three adults whose shared secrets and hidden history could prove deadly.

Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana

For fans of The Poppy War, She Who Became the Sun, and The Will of the Many, a breathtaking fantasy novel about the daughter of an overthrown emperor from an exciting new voice

Khamilla Zahr-zad’s life has been built on a foundation of violence and vengeance. Every home she’s known has been destroyed by war. As the daughter of an emperor’s clan, she spent her childhood training to maintain his throne. But when her clansmen are assassinated by another rival empire, plans change. With her heavenly magic of nur, Khamilla is a weapon even enemies would wield—especially those in the magical, scholarly city of Za’skar. Hiding her identity, Khamilla joins the enemy’s army school full of jinn, magic, and martial arts, risking it all to topple her adversaries, avenge her clan, and reclaim their throne.

To survive, she studies under cutthroat mystic monks and battles in a series of contests to outmaneuver her fellow soldiers. She must win at all costs, even if it means embracing the darkness lurking inside her. But the more she excels, the more she is faced with history that contradicts her father’s teachings. With a war brewing amongst the kingdoms and a new twisted magic overtaking the land, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: vengeance or salvation.

Watch Us Fall by Christina Kovac

Lucy and her three best friends share a glamorous but decaying house in the heart of Georgetown. They call themselves “the Sweeties” and live an idyllic post-grad lifestyle complete with exciting jobs, dramatic love lives, and, most importantly, each other.

But when Addie, the group’s queen bee, discovers that her ex-boyfriend Josh has gone missing, the Sweeties’ worlds are turned upside down. In the days leading up to his disappearance, Josh, a star investigative journalist from a prominent political family, was behaving erratically—and Lucy is determined to find out why. All four friends upend their lives to search for him, but detectives begin to suspect that the Sweeties might know more than they’re letting on.

As the investigation unfolds, Lucy’s obsession with the case reaches a boiling point, and with it, her own troubling secrets begin bubbling to the surface of her carefully curated life. A thrilling account of the lies and delusions that lurk beneath cloistered groups of female friends and the sinister realities of celebrity, Watch Us Fall is a gripping mystery and an examination of the things we tell ourselves when we can’t face the truth.

Fun City Heist by Michael Kardos

A washed-up rockstar gets his old band back together for one final gig . . . and one daring robbery! A brilliantly funny, twisty heist caper from Pushcart Prize-winning author Michael Kardos.

Mo Melnick used to be a drummer in rock band Sunshine Apocalypse. He used to be someone. These days he rents beach umbrellas on the Jersey Shore.

The last thing he expects is for Johnny Clay, his old bandmate turned enemy, to ask him a favor. Johnny’s dying, and before he passes he wants Sunshine Apocalypse to reunite for one last gig at Fun City, the beachfront amusement park where their musical journey began.

Mo’s in—reluctantly. But then Johnny reveals his real plan: He doesn’t just want to play at Fun City on the fourth of July. He wants to rob it.

The plan is crazy. It has more holes than a golf course. But Mo’s sick of barely keeping his head above water, and, ironically, this crime may provide Mo’s one chance to connect with the daughter he’s never known. So he and his gang of middle-aged has-beens dive into what will be the most outrageous heist New Jersey’s ever seen—if, that is, they can pull it off alive . . .

Packed with astonishing twists and laugh-out-loud moments, Michael Kardos’ unique comedic thriller is perfect for fans of Elmore Leonard and Donald Westlake.

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Uniquely Us: A Shared Mother-Daughter Journal for Joy and Connection. by Eli Harwood

From bestselling author Eli Harwood comes a transformative shared mother-daughter journal perfect for creating a lifetime of joy and close connection!

What fills you with delight about your child? Do you get a chance to tell them enough? For busy parents, it's easy to lose sight of what matters. But taking just ten minutes at the end of the week to reflect and connect can work wonders.

This guided journal—meant for children ages 8 and up and their parents—inspired connection and offers a fun and self-directed way for both parent and child to be more playful, and delve deeper into what makes each other tick. Better communication has never been more fun, too!

Inside, you'll find 100+ meaningful prompts to:

boost your playful, fun-loving, & silly sides
share what inspires delight
explore common & unique interests
swap stories & have lively conversations, all in a safe space
grow self-confidence, create trust & memories together
two ribbon markers: one for mom and one for daughter

As a therapist, author Eli Harwood (aka Attachment Nerd) knows kids need parents to truly see them, feel their pain, and help them not to feel alone. Built on a strong foundation of attachment research, Uniquely Us is the only shared journal on the market designed to foster a secure attachment relationship between mom and daughter.

Eli's reassuring voice reminds us that it's never too late to transform the way you and your daughter connect.

A Judge's Tale: A Trailblazer Fights for Her Place on the Bench by Janet Kintner

For fans of The Good Wife and Suits, the true story of a passionately principled young female judge in the man’s world of the ’60s and ’70s who is forced to defend her judgeship against two male challengers in a grueling election—while pregnant with her second child.

Janet Kintner could have ended up just another victim of the system. After a traumatic childhood, and being sexually assaulted as a young woman, the odds were not in her favor—but instead of letting these experiences destroy her, she used them as fuel in pursuit of her dreams. By twenty-four, she was a newly minted lawyer determined to secure justice for everyone, regardless of their gender, race, religion, or income.

In 1968, the District Attorney’s office told Kintner, “We will not hire a woman lawyer.” Men dominated the legal system. Undaunted, she established herself as a lawyer who represented low-income people and, eventually, as a high-profile prosecutor specializing in consumer fraud. San Diego lawyers elected her the third woman ever to the County Bar Association Board of Directors. In her private practice, she continued to help everyone she could, often pro bono.

In 1976, when Kintner was thirty-one and pregnant, Governor Jerry Brown appointed her the third female judge in history in San Diego—a move that didn’t sit well with some men in her field. Two years later, two men challenged Kintner, a mother pregnant with her second baby, in the nastiest judicial election of the year. In the coming months, Kintner struggled to balance her time between her children, working full-time in a stressful job, and campaigning. She didn’t want to let other women, present and future, down. But was San Diego ready to elect a female judge?

Closing Time by Michael Ledwidge

Springtime, South Florida. While on the shores of Key West, Mike Gannon befriends a fellow beachbum, a funny Australian sports fisherman. He soon uncovers clues to the man's identity—and way more than he bargained for.

In an attempt to thwart the Australian's plans to rob a gas station, Mike makes a split decision and speeds away with the criminal's car. The next morning, he hears that during the robbery, a clerk was killed along with the three robbers, and with no Australian in sight.

As hunter becomes prey, Mike has one mission: locating the whereabouts of the runaway criminal.

The Curse of the Cole Women by Marielle Thompson

Three generations of women struggle with a curse unfairly placed on their ancestor in this gothic story of magic, queer love, and mother-daughter relationships, perfect for fans of Spells for Forgetting and Practical Magic.

The Cole women are cursed. Each generation will birth a daughter, lose their love, and, as surely as the tide beats against the rocky shore, take her own life by giving herself to the sea. For generations, the Cole women have lived as outcasts, maintaining a lighthouse on a small island off the coast of New Hampshire. Ever since their ancestor was accused of witchcraft and cast into the sea hundreds of years prior, the islanders have ostracized the Coles, distrusting their rumored magic and their control of the lighthouse.

Despite their mistreatment, the Cole women are compelled to remain on the island because they know that if a Cole woman does not light the beacon on Juniper Island, anyone who is out at sea will be drowned. Out of guilt and obligation, the Cole women live out their solitary lives on the island, knowing someday their recompense for protecting the people from the sea will be to die in the sea themselves.

Told in three interwoven timelines in the late twentieth century, The Curse of the Cole Women unravels the lives of three women who struggle with their relationships with each other as they contend with the reality of their fates—is it truly a curse, or is it generational madness that drives Cole women to the sea?

Readers will be swept into this evocative and moving story about challenging misogyny, finding community, and struggling with fate.

Dead Set on You by Lexi Alexander

A woman wakes up as a spirit in her rival coworker’s apartment in this charming contemporary romance for fans of The Dead Romantics and The Hating Game.

As workaholic Evie Pope nears thirty, she’s determined to slow down and start enjoying the “life” part of work-life balance. With a major promotion—and the financial security that comes with it—on the horizon, she might finally have her chance. But when she wakes up as a spirit in her work rival’s apartment and learns her body is stuck in a coma, her plans are officially DOA.

Being a spirit is bad enough. Discovering that Rafael Vela—the man who used to be her friend and is now her biggest rival—is the only person who can help her? It’s a special kind of purgatory. In no position to negotiate, she strikes a desperate deal: He gets the promotion if he helps reunite Evie’s spirit with her body.

As they begin to spend more time together, Evie discovers there’s more to Rafael than his bedroom eyes and his hey-there dimpled smile. With only a week until Evie’s body is transferred to long-term care and out of Rafael’s reach, Evie must choose between trusting the man who betrayed her years ago and figuring things out the way she’s always done it: alone.

This contemporary romance with a paranormal twist blends heated banter, old grudges, and unfinished business, perfect for anyone who believes in second chances.

Edge by Tracy Clark

When a tainted drug starts claiming lives across the city, Detective Harriet Foster and her team race to track down the source…before it takes one of their own.

Chicago’s finest are scouring the city for a tainted new opioid making the rounds, but they’re coming up empty. With five people already dead―a college kid, a new mother, and three poker players―all they really know is the drug’s name: Edge. Where it’s coming from is still anyone’s guess.

Detective Harriet Foster doesn’t have time for guessing games. She needs answers. And when the next overdose hits Homicide where it hurts most, Harri is determined to get what she wants. But keeping her eyes squarely on the prize proves harder than expected.

Still reeling from her last case (and the stain of suspicion it left on her career), Harri finds herself at a tipping point. The drug isn’t the only edge she needs to worry about. If she can’t come back from her own, there’s no telling whether this investigation will lead to a satisfying conclusion…or her own demise.

The Hollywood Fix by Richard Kirshenbaum

The Hollywood Fix is a sharp, satirical novel that peels back the curtain on fame, scandal, and the art of image-making. Set between Hollywood and New York, the story dives into a world where publicists, producers, and power players battle to control the narrative at all costs. With glamour, wit, and insider detail, Richard Kirshenbaum exposes how reputations are built, destroyed, and spun into legend—proving that in the world of celebrity, nothing is ever as it seems.

Nocticadia by Keri Lake

From USA Today bestselling author Keri Lake comes a hardcover repackage of her TikTok sensation Nocticadia, a dark, atmospheric tale of deadly secrets and forbidden love.

Mortui vivos docent.

The dead teach the living.

After watching my mother succumb to a mysterious illness, I promised myself two things. I’d find the cure for what ravaged her. And leave the godforsaken city where she abandoned me.

Four years later, I receive an acceptance letter from Dracadia University, one of the oldest, most prestigious schools in the country. Nestled on a secluded island off the coast of Maine, it’s rumored to be haunted by the souls of the mental patients exiled there centuries before. Those whose bones are said to make up the island’s white sandy shores.

And restless ghosts aren’t even its most daunting peculiarity.

Devryck Bramwell, known on campus as Doctor Death, is a brilliant pathologist in charge of the midnight lab. He’s also my devastatingly handsome professor, who seems to loathe tenacious first-years, like me. Except, his dark and enigmatic gaze tells me all the ways he’d devour me if given the chance, and his stolen kisses burn my lips with forbidden jealousy.

I crave his authority.

He aches for redemption.

Together, we’re toxic. Delicious fodder for the prying eyes hellbent on exhuming the rotted skeletons of our pasts.

For the dead have much to teach, and it’s only a matter of time before Dracadia’s most depraved secret is resurrected.

Perfect for fans of Kaylie Smith, Briar Boleyn, and Rina Kent, Nocticadia is a standalone dark academia gothic romance.

Tarou: The Fall by Dana Fredsti and David Fitzgerald

From the authors of the Time Shards series, Tarou: The Fall is an epic fantasy of an empire on the edge.

Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins. Emperor and Empress, High Priestess and Hierophant. Light and Dark. Life and Death. The evocative symbolism and arcana bound up within the cards of the tarot have fascinated seekers for centuries. Now Tarou: The Fall imagines the reality that inspired the mystical—the real fantasy world of which all our rich tarot imagery is but a shadow.

The magnificent empire of Tarou is a panoply of dreams and wonder, the envy of the world. Its ships rule the seas and air, its magics and science bring forth new learning, and its tutelary gods smile upon all the many peoples and cultures of its shining lands. But even now, at the peak of its glory, the highest religious leaders of Tarou secretly dream of even greater power—enough to wrest the empire from its rightful rulers.

Alia is a warrior without equal, but even a captain as great as she must bow to the demands of duty. With her arranged marriage only weeks away, she, her betrothed, and their escort undertake the journey to the empire’s capital—but unexpected hazards lie in wait.

Magpie is a petty thief and con artist, hoping to score big during the Imperial Festival—though his timing could not be worse.

However, none of them are prepared when a forbidden magical experiment goes wrong, unleashing an apocalypse that engulfs the city. Before their paths converge, they all must face a cataclysm unlike any the world has ever seen…

A Story For Everything by Corey Rosen

People forget facts and figures, but people never forget a good story.

In this standalone companion to Your Story, Well Told, author and The Moth StorySlams host Corey Rosen provides a practical, go-to guide on crafting and delivering impactful narratives for professional, academic, and personal success. Combining humor, heart, and advice, Rosen demystifies storytelling, making it accessible for beginners while enriching experienced storytellers.

Organized into three parts—business, school, and family—the book addresses diverse storytelling needs, from job interviews and persuasive pitches to college essays, eulogies, and wedding toasts. Each chapter features vivid examples and easy-to-follow exercises, helping readers tap into their life experiences and transform them into compelling stories. Through personal anecdotes and structured exercises, readers learn to reflect on their experiences, structure their stories effectively, and share them with authenticity.

Whether you’re a doctor, teacher, salesman, parent, or a friend, A Story for Everything empowers you to elevate your communication and enrich your relationships. If you want to make an unforgettable impression, this book was made for you.

White Wolf by Eric Van Lustbader

In this cutting-edge installment of the acclaimed thriller series, New York Times bestselling author Eric Van Lustbader thrusts readers into a world where power is being redefined by a revolutionary communication program that renders modern encryption obsolete, one that will topple global power structures and give rise to technology-driven totalitarian states.

Evan Ryder races against time in a landscape where secrets can no longer hide behind digital walls. Ilona Shokova, the elusive, deadly assassin White Wolf, holds the key to mastering this unhackable method.

Two powerful, deadly women, one quest. Will either one of them survive?

In this pulse-pounding thriller, the future isn't just written in code - it's locked behind it.

Strap in for Lustbader's next explosive novel in the Evan Ryder series; an action-packed rollercoaster that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

The Italian Secret by Tara Moss

An old family secret leads from the streets of Sydney to Italy’s sun-drenched Neapolitan coast, in this immersive historical mystery from #1 international bestselling author Tara Moss

Pacific Ocean, 1907. A girl embarks on a journey to begin a new life far from home.

Naples, 1943. A woman shelters underground from a wartime air raid, praying her husband will return home.

Sydney, 1948. Billie Walker, returned from a stint as a wartime investigative journalist, uncovers a dusty box in her father’s old office whose contents—correspondence with a woman on the other side of the world—just might explain how they all are connected.

Plunged into a perilous search that will take her onto the first postwar luxury passenger ship to sail across the ocean to Italy, Billie finds herself up against a dangerous adversary—someone with a mysterious grudge against her family—as she races to uncover the secrets her father left behind. And as the trail leads her towards two women whose histories may be entwined with her own, she realizes that her father’s Italian secret just might upend everything she thought she knew.

Legend by Karina Halle

The scorching follow-up to Hollow, a spicy, dark romantasy reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Welcome back to Sleepy Hollow. Though Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane, and Brom Bones have begun to pull apart the bone-chilling mystery of the Headless Horseman, their journey is far from its end. As they share the enigmatic halls of Sleepy Hollow Institute, their lives become increasingly entangled. Amidst their exploration of dark desires, Kat grapples with the affections of two possessive men who hunger not just for her, but for each other.

As their passions deepen, unsettling secrets within the school's ancient coven come to light, threatening to unravel the very fabric of their existence. Each must face a profound test, with one harboring a hidden past that could shatter their newfound unity.

In a suspenseful tale of desire, obsession, and the ever-lurking shadows of Sleepy Hollow, these three souls will be pushed to the brink, facing the chilling consequences of their deepest secrets and darkest cravings.

Watch your head.

All Eyes on Him by Iliana Xander

From #1 bestselling author Iliana Xander comes a twisty, fast-paced psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Freida McFadden.

He’s the Man of the Year. But what if he is a monster?

When Natalie saw her best friend leaving the club with a handsome stranger, she never would have thought that the next morning, her friend would be discovered unconscious at a bus stop.

What happened that night? Only her best friend knows. And until she recovers from her coma, she won’t be able to tell her side of the story.

Natalie is desperate for answers—so she can’t believe her luck when she comes across a photo of the man her friend left with. Except he’s on the cover of a magazine, being heralded as the "Man of the Year." This man appears untouchable. He’s a millionaire. He’s famous. But Natalie suspects he’s dangerous.

To prove it, she takes up a job as the housekeeper at his mansion. Her plan is simple. Watch his every move. Gather the evidence. And make him pay. But when she discovers that the last housekeeper went missing, she realizes she’s in over her head.

She thought she was setting the trap—but has she just fallen into his?

Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken

They said the Gods were myth. That the Giants were only stories told around dying fires. They lied.

The Gods aren’t dead—they’re only sleeping, locked in mortal bodies, scattered across the world, waiting for the right spark to wake them. And my father is the most ruthless of them all.

He raised me to obey. To bleed. To be his blade when the time came. Now he’s sending me to Endir University, a place filled with ancient bloodlines and deadly secrets, to steal back Mjolnir, the hammer of legend. If I fail, everyone I love dies.

But Aric Erikson wasn’t part of the plan. He’s the enemy’s heir. Distant. Dangerous. And…the one person I can’t afford to fall for. He’s closed himself off completely behind a wall of ice, but the more I’m ordered to unravel him, the harder it becomes to remember where the lies end and I begin.

There's only a mission I never chose—and a man I was never meant to love—standing between me and a war that will decide the fate of the world.

But if I’m the spark, maybe he’s the fuse. And the Gods? They’re about to wake up angry.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force

An immortal bound in darkness. A shattered empire at war. And a blacksmith whose heart could tip the scales of fate.When young blacksmith Cahra is commissioned to forge a sword, she uses her imagination to design its crest. But this symbol unwittingly invokes an age-old prophecy and awakens Hael an immortal with the power to shape or shatter worlds sealed away for hundreds of years in a chamber deep in Hael’stromia, the lost capital at the heart of a civil war between three kingdoms.
Now hunted for the sword, Cahra must flee with the very stranger who commissioned it. But can she trust the handsome and charming noble, Terryl?
On the run through the darkly magical Wilds, she is drawn ever closer to Hael, who visits and beguiles her in dreams. With tyrant kings vying to capture and wield him as a weapon, she alone stands between Hael and their deadly ambitions.

Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert

I was his wife. His lover. His sworn enemy. The ice queen to Olympus's most hated king.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hera and Zeus.*

The barrier that's protected Olympus for generations has fallen. The enemy's breached the gates and the Thirteen are scrambling to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the city they've sworn to protect. At least they would be if they weren't at each others' throats instead.

Hera has no intention of letting her husband, Zeus, survive the oncoming storm. But despite the white-hot hatred burning between them, when Hera and Zeus are forced to work together, enmity crystalizes into something brighter. Hotter. Too powerful to deny or destroy.

Hera never bartered on falling in love with the man she married—the man she once swore to kill. But now, standing back-to-back in the ruins of Olympus, she may be forced to admit that she's been wrong about Zeus all these years…and there may be something about their marriage worth saving if they can survive long enough to turn sworn enemies into something more.

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