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Counting Crows: (Lorne Turner Book 1) (affiliate link)
The body of a dead man leads Lorne Turner into a world he never thought existed. One of mysticism, the occult, corruption and greed.
After twenty years in the British Special Forces, Lorne thought he knew all he needed to about the sickness of the human mind. It turns out, he was wrong.
With a ritual sacrifice polluting his precious homeland, Lorne will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
Who is the mysterious Scorpio, and what do the Gnostic Dawn hope to achieve? Why are the police refusing to see the ritual elements carved into the dead?
He turns to his best friend, the local vicar, Ella Morgan, for help. Together they uncover horrors that will infect their lives for years to come.
Trained for war, he now fights a darkness far more dangerous than anything he’s faced in his past.
The Risen Shard (The Chain Breaker Book 1) (affiliate link)
An assassin without equal. A hidden magic awakening. The Chain Breaker Series begins.
Gavin Lorren thought he’d escaped the killing life. No more assassinations. No more working alone. Just high-risk jobs with a loyal partner, a warm fire at the Roasted Dragon tavern, and the comfort of being unknown in the sprawling city of Yoran.
But peace never lasts for men like Gavin.
When a mission goes sideways, Gavin finds himself hunted by deadly El’aras warriors—an ancient race with unnatural speed and a magic that should no longer exist. Worse, his mysterious employer knows far too much about him… and isn’t done using him yet.
To survive, Gavin must awaken the power buried in his past. A power forged in blood, silence, and shadow.
Because only the Chain Breaker can stand against what’s coming.
The Complete Talba Wallis Series: Vol. 1-4 (affiliate link)
The Earl from Eastbend (Reluctant Titles Book 1) (affiliate link)
He wants her gone.
She wants to leave.
The problem? She can’t remember where she came from.
Hugh Longville keeps his distance from everyone. Especially anyone who may recognize him and remember what he did ten years before. So when he comes to the rescue of a strange woman deep in the forest that’s been his home for so long, he wants her back where she came from as soon as possible. But there’s a hitch.
Waking up after a bump on the head is unpleasant, but especially terrifying when you wake up in a strange place with no recollection of how you got there. Thus, Diana Stilwell finds herself at Eastbend Lodge, deep in New Forest with only a foreboding man and his servants for company.
Stranded by rains, Diana and Hugh are forced to find a middle ground for their tumultuous natures. But the more Diana sees of this strange and formidable man, the more she sees past his façade of surliness and into the kind and hurting heart he carries. Can she convince him that forgiveness and love are possible?
Forged in Space (Jack Forge, Fleet Marine Book 1) (affiliate link)
Jack Forge started as an unwilling recruit, but quickly established himself as a top-notch Marine and an inspired leader. When faced with impossible odds, he has repeatedly saved the day…and his fellow marines. As his status grows, he must fight to keep a secret that could cost himself and his friends everything. One thing is certain, Jack has been forged in space and will fight to save humanity from the hostile aliens who inhabit it.
Forged in Space is the first book in the Jack Forge, Fleet Marine series, which was originally published as a series of novellas. They have been updated and combined into novels, and If you enjoy fast paced military science fiction with lots of action, Jack Forge is the kind of hero you can root for.
South East Asia Cooking: From Thailand to the Philippines (affiliate link)
Picadillo Filipino (Hamburger Abalos Soup)
Fish Sinigang (Tilapia)
Sinigang Na Baka (Beef Based Veggie Soup)
Melon Chiller
Filipino Chicken Stew
Champorado
Maja Blanca Maiz (Corn Pudding)
Cassava Cake
Butter Cookies in the Philippines
Chicken Curry II
A Thai Soup of Veggies
Chicken Burgers Re-Imagined From Thailand
Classical Shrimp In Thailand
Delightfully Thai Basil Chicken
A Pizza From Thailand
Spicy Thai Pasta
Fried Chicken from Thailand
Spicy Lime Shrimp
Honey Chili and Peanut Noodles
Maggie’s Easy Coconut Soup
Peanut, Jalapeno, and Cucumber Salad
Much, much more!
The Cat Who Saved the Library: A Novel (affiliate link)
A chronic asthma condition prevents thirteen-year-old Nanami from playing sports or spending time with her friends after school. But nothing can stop her from one of her favorite activities. Nanami loves to read and happily spends much of her free time in the library, cocooned among the stacks.
Then one day, Nanami notices that, despite the library being as deserted as ever, some of her favorite books, including literary classics like Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Thief and Anne of Green Gables are disappearing from the shelves. When she alerts the library staff, they dismiss her concerns. But just as Nanami is about to return to her reading, she spots a suspicious man in a gray suit. Eager to discover what he’s up to, she follows him. The chase is cut short when Nanami suffers an asthma attack. By the time she catches her breath, the man has disappeared and all that is left behind is a mysterious light filtering through the library’s familiar passageways.
Mistletoe and Mischief (A Cedar Cove Novel) (affiliate link)
Mary Jo Wyse finds herself in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at the local inn… So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her ranch, where they’ve got a spare room over the stable. And luckily a paramedic named Mack McAfee is there to help when Mary Jo goes into labor. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noelle. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack…because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love.
MatchUp (affiliate link)
Eleven of the world’s best female thriller writers from Diana Gabaldon to Kathy Reichs to Charlaine Harris are paired with eleven of the world’s best male thriller writers, including John Sandford, C.J. Box, and Nelson DeMille, among others. “This box holds a chocolate or two that will be to everyone’s liking” (Kirkus Reviews).
In these innovative stories, their beloved protagonists, Lee Coburn, Joe Pickett, and Jack Reacher—just to name a few—team up to unnerve and satisfy thriller fans worldwide. All of the contributors are ITW members, and the project is edited by ITW member and #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child.
Floating Hotel (affiliate link)
Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. All year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury—and an absolute magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as: Why are there love poems in the lobby inbox? How many Imperial spies are currently on board? What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver’s conference? And perhaps most pertinently—who is driving the ship?
Each guest has a secret, every member of staff a universe unto themselves. At the center of these interweaving lives and interlocking mysteries stands Carl, one time stowaway, longtime manager, devoted caretaker to the hotel. It’s the love of his life and the only place he’s ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl’s comprehension converge on the Abeona, he has to face one final question: when is it time to let go?
Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (affiliate link)
Born Archibald Leach in 1904, he came to America as a teenaged acrobat to find fame and fortune, but he was always haunted by his past. His father was a feckless alcoholic, and his mother was committed to an asylum when Archie was eleven years old. He believed her to be dead until he was informed she was alive when he was thirty-one years old. Because of this experience, Grant would have difficulty forming close attachments throughout his life. He married five times and had numerous affairs.
Despite a remarkable degree of success, Grant remained deeply conflicted about his past, his present, his basic identity, and even the public that worshipped him in movies such as Gunga Din, Notorious, and North by Northwest.
Final Claim (Liam Harper Thrillers) (affiliate link)
There’s a new stranger in town…
In the sun-baked Nevada desert lies Prosperity, a gold rush town with more buried secrets than residents. Ex-SRR operative Liam Harper isn’t looking for trouble when he rolls into the town; all he wants are answers to his late father’s cryptic past. But Prosperity’s buried secrets don’t stay hidden long—and Harper’s quiet search soon pulls him into a deadly game.
A ruthless security firm is tearing Prosperity apart, chasing rumours of a lost gold shipment worth millions. As tempers flare and tensions rise, Harper becomes the calm in the eye of the storm, caught between trigger-happy mercenaries, a town divided, and a century-old conspiracy that’s leaving a trail of broken lives in its wake.
Armed with nothing but his wits, combat skills, and a stubborn sense of justice, Harper races to uncover the truth about the town’s secret wealth – and his father’s small role in protecting it. In Prosperity, danger lurks in every shadow, and trust is a rare commodity. As the violence escalates, Harper finds the price of gold is death—and the next claim could be his last.
… See the rest of today ‘s Book Picks here on page 2Page 2