Nick Peterson is seventeen years old and working as a CIT—counselor in training—at a summer camp high in the Poconos when the world ends. He’s responsible for nine kids and fellow counselor Jenny O’Brien, which seemed manageable enough when there were actual adults around to make the real decisions. But then the adults don’t come back from their supply run. And they keep not coming back. Days turn into weeks, and the terrible truth slowly crystallizes: no one is ever coming back 🏕️

A deadly virus has erupted simultaneously across the entire world, and it has a 100% fatality rate. The only people who survive are those lucky—or unlucky—enough to be completely isolated when it hits. The camp’s remote location in the mountains becomes both their salvation and their prison. They have enough food to last them months, maybe longer if they’re careful. But they’re cut off from everyone and everything, forced to figure out survival on their own 😷

Nick never expected to be responsible for keeping other people alive. That’s not supposed to be a seventeen-year-old’s job. But he didn’t have much choice in the matter—that’s what happens when everyone else dies. Together with Jenny and the nine kids who depend on them, Nick hunkers down and tries to devise new solutions for staying alive in this strange, empty world. They create systems, ration supplies, and desperately hope the virus will burn itself out 💀

Winter arrives, brutal and unforgiving, and their carefully rationed food supply dwindles to nothing. Starvation becomes a very real threat, more immediate than any virus. Nick faces an impossible choice: venture out into what remains of civilization and risk encountering the virus—or other desperate survivors—or stay safe in camp and slowly starve to death. There are no good options anymore, only terrible ones and slightly less terrible ones. He’ll have to brave the ruins of the world, pray the virus has died away, and hope he can find food before it’s too late ⚠️

What makes this gripping: Nate Johnson delivers a taut survival thriller that asks what happens when the apocalypse leaves teenagers in charge. Nick is a believably flawed protagonist—neither a superhero nor helpless, just a kid trying to keep everyone alive one day at a time. The remote camp setting creates claustrophobic tension even in wide-open spaces, and the 100% fatality rate raises the stakes to maximum. Perfect for readers who love post-apocalyptic fiction with genuine emotional weight, YA protagonists facing adult responsibilities, and the question of how humanity survives when humanity itself becomes the danger 🌍

Sergeant Keya Varma has it all figured out. She’s landed her dream part-time role as the Cotswolds’ Rural Engagement Officer, which leaves her plenty of time to pursue her other dream: opening a small neighborhood café in one of England’s most picturesque regions. It’s the perfect balance—serving justice and serving tea, protecting the community while building community. What could possibly go wrong? ☕

Everything, as it turns out. During the café renovation, builders uncover something that shouldn’t be there: the skeletal remains of a young girl, hidden away for decades. Suddenly Keya’s cozy café dream becomes the center of a cold case investigation. She and her police colleagues begin reopening the thirty-year-old disappearance of a local girl, piecing together a tragedy that the village thought was buried forever 💀

Just when Keya thinks she’s making progress—when the pieces of the old mystery start falling into place and she allows herself a brief taste of success—disaster strikes again. A friend is found dead at her café. Not near it. Not connected to it. Dead inside the café itself, turning Keya’s dream space into a crime scene and making her feel complicit in something she doesn’t understand 😰

The two cases become tangled in ways Keya never anticipated. Confusion over identities threatens to derail both investigations, creating a web of misdirection that could let a killer walk free. Someone in this quiet Cotswolds village has been keeping deadly secrets for three decades, and they’re clearly willing to kill again to keep them buried. Keya fears that justice may never be served—unless she can dig deep enough into the mystery before the truth is buried along with more bodies 🔍

Why this deserves your attention: Victoria Tait delivers a dual-timeline mystery that weaves cold case intrigue with present-day danger, all set against the charming backdrop of the Cotswolds. Keya is a refreshingly capable protagonist—a trained police sergeant who brings professional skills to her sleuthing, not just amateur curiosity. The café setting adds warmth without sacrificing genuine suspense, and the connection between past and present crimes keeps you guessing until the end. Perfect for fans of British cozy mysteries with actual detective work, atmospheric village settings, and heroines who can both brew a perfect cup of Earl Grey and catch a killer 🇬🇧

England, 1921. Buxley Manor is ablaze with lights, champagne flows like water, and debutantes whirl across the ballroom floor with young men trying desperately to forget the horrors of the Great War. It’s Lady Elizabeth’s grand birthday ball, and the entire county has turned out to celebrate. The evening is magical—until the grand fireworks display illuminates something nobody expected to see: a dead body sprawled on the lawn 💥

The murdered man was widely hated, which should make solving the case straightforward. Except the gossip immediately targets Lady Elizabeth’s father, the Earl of Buxley. You see, the Earl has lived under a dark cloud for twenty years—ever since rumors circulated that he murdered his own cousin to inherit the title. Nothing was ever proven, but malicious gossip has followed him like a shadow. Now, with another body and another convenient motive, the villagers are taking sides again, and battle lines are being drawn 🏰

Scotland Yard arrives to investigate, but Lady Elizabeth refuses to sit idly by while her father’s reputation—and possibly his freedom—hangs in the balance. A former ambulance driver who served bravely during the war, Elizabeth is no delicate flower content to faint at the sight of trouble. She’s seen death up close, kept her composure under fire, and she’s not about to let injustice prevail now ☕

Elizabeth joins forces with her quirky great-aunts and the formidable Dowager Countess to conduct their own investigation. Aided by loyal servants who know the manor’s secrets better than anyone, and fueled by endless cups of Darjeeling tea, this band of trailblazing women refuses to stop until they uncover the truth. They’ll navigate village politics, aristocratic intrigue, and family secrets that go back decades—all while maintaining proper decorum, naturally 🔍

What makes this irresistible: Leena Clover delivers a pitch-perfect historical cozy that captures the atmosphere of post-WWI England—a world caught between Victorian tradition and modern change. Lady Elizabeth is a thoroughly modern heroine in a traditional setting, using skills honed during wartime to solve peacetime crimes. The ensemble cast of determined women investigating together adds charm and humor, while the class dynamics and period details bring authenticity. Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey-style mysteries, strong female sleuths, and stories where tea-drinking aristocrats prove just as capable as Scotland Yard 🎩

Natia Waterford is done with men. Her ex-fiancé didn’t just break her heart—he shattered it into pieces so small she’s not sure they can be put back together. But Natia isn’t the type to wallow in heartbreak. As a fierce supernatural warrior, she’s got bigger problems to deal with. When her commander orders her to infiltrate the boardroom of Archan Reinheart—a lethal businessman suspected of kidnapping and murdering fifteen women—Natia expects to find just another demon. What she finds instead is something entirely new, entirely deadly, and far more dangerous than she anticipated 💀

Archan Reinheart is hunting for a woman lost to legend, one prophesied to bring about the end of humanity itself. His search has consumed him, driven him to dark places and darker deeds. But when Natia—the stubborn, breathtaking granddaughter of his latest client—walks into his world wearing lethal heels and carrying lethal intent, everything changes. She’s dangerous in the boardroom, devastating on the dancefloor, and absolutely deadly on the battlefield. And Archan is fascinated 🔥

He knows immediately that she doesn’t belong in his office. She’s there under false pretenses, playing a game she doesn’t fully understand. But Archan loves puzzles, and Natia poses the most intriguing puzzle he’s encountered in centuries. So he decides to crack her mind open, one calculated caress at a time, peeling back her defenses and exposing her secrets. When she has the audacity to steal from him, he takes it as an invitation—a challenge to stalk her every move, to learn every detail of her life, to obsess over her until he’s solved the mystery of Natia Waterford 😈

He’s obsessed, and nothing will cure him except having her splayed out on his midnight sheets, completely his. But Natia isn’t some helpless victim waiting to be seduced. She’s a warrior who’s sworn off men, investigating a monster who might be responsible for fifteen deaths. As the line between hunter and hunted blurs, as obsession turns to something deeper and far more dangerous, both Natia and Archan must face an impossible truth: only one of them will survive the storm that’s coming ⚡

Here’s what you’re getting: Adaline Winters delivers dark paranormal romance with genuine edge—this isn’t sweet supernatural fluff but a deliciously twisted dance between a warrior determined to stay unattached and a possibly-murderous demon who’s decided she’s his obsession. The power dynamics shift constantly, the chemistry is scorching, and the mystery of whether Archan is villain or anti-hero keeps tension high. Perfect for readers who love their romance dark and morally complex, their heroes dangerously obsessive, and their heroines capable of matching them weapon for weapon. First in The Hope Legacy series 🌙

Highlander Callum MacDonell has spent years fighting lowland Covenanters in service to the King, following orders and cutting down enemies without question. But when he’s charged with hunting down an assassin, his mission leads him somewhere unexpected: to Mari McEwan, the passionate Covenanter sister of the very murderer he’s seeking. She should be his enemy. She should be nothing more than a means to an end. Instead, she becomes something far more complicated ⚔️

Mari McEwan stands trembling before a tribunal of her own people, facing judgment that could destroy everything she holds dear. They’re demanding she name the father of her unborn child—and if she refuses, she’ll be exiled from her beloved home and family forever. The man who betrayed and abandoned her has left her with an impossible choice: reveal his identity and face the consequences, or protect his secret and lose everything. As the tribunal waits for her answer, Mari knows she must refuse to speak his name, even though doing so will seal her cruel fate 💔

What Mari doesn’t know is that a Highland soldier is watching, listening, calculating. Callum sees her defiance, her strength, her desperate situation—and recognizes an opportunity. But somewhere between using her to find his target and actually knowing her, the lines blur. She’s supposed to be a tool in his investigation, nothing more. The problem is, Mari McEwan refuses to be anyone’s tool 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

In a Scotland torn apart by religious and political conflict, where Highlanders and Covenanters view each other as mortal enemies, Callum and Mari find themselves drawn together by circumstances neither of them chose. Only an enemy soldier could save her life—and possibly her heart. But can a Covenanter woman trust a man who serves the King? Can a Highland warrior protect a woman whose people are his sworn enemies? And what happens when duty demands he choose between his mission and the woman who’s gotten under his skin? ⚡

What makes this essential: J.L. Jarvis delivers richly detailed historical fiction set against the tumultuous backdrop of 17th-century Scotland’s religious wars. The enemies-to-lovers romance feels authentic to the period, with genuine obstacles rooted in politics, religion, and honor rather than manufactured conflict. Mari and Callum are both products of their time yet feel emotionally accessible to modern readers. Perfect for fans of Scottish historical romance with depth, conflicted heroes who serve causes they’re starting to question, and heroines facing impossible choices with courage. First in the Highland Soldiers series 🗡️

Frances Price is a force of nature—a tart-tongued widow, a possessive mother, and an Upper East Side socialite who’s about to lose everything. She’s facing scandal, bankruptcy, and social exile, all thanks to her late husband’s spectacularly immoral life and even more spectacular tabloid death. Her adult son Malcolm offers no help whatsoever, stuck as he is in permanent arrested development, drifting through life without purpose or ambition 🗽

Then there’s Small Frank, the family’s aging cat, who Frances firmly believes houses the spirit of her deceased husband—that infamously immoral litigator and world-class cad whose gruesome death turned Frances and Malcolm into pariahs. It’s an odd belief, certainly, but Frances has never been one to concern herself with what others think. She’s dealt with worse than sideways glances and whispered gossip 🐱

Deciding to cut their losses and make what Frances calls a “French exit”—leaving without saying goodbye, disappearing before the creditors close in—the curious trio boards an ocean liner bound for Paris. The City of Light awaits, but not for romance or renewal. This is Paris as backdrop for self-destruction and economic ruin, and somehow Patrick deWitt makes it all hilariously entertaining. The descent into penury has rarely been this much fun to watch 🇫🇷

Along the way, a cast of singular characters rounds out the story: a bashful private investigator who can’t quite do his job, an aimless psychic who proposes a séance, and a doctor who makes house calls with his wine merchant in tow because apparently that’s perfectly normal in their world. Each character is more delightfully odd than the last, populating a novel that’s equal parts absurdist comedy and surprisingly tender family portrait 🎭

What makes this irresistible: Patrick deWitt delivers dark comedy with genuine heart, creating characters who are simultaneously terrible and utterly lovable. The prose is sharp, the humor is bone-dry, and the emotional undercurrents run deeper than you’d expect from such an absurdist premise. Perfect for readers who love their literary fiction funny, strange, and unexpectedly moving—think Wes Anderson meets F. Scott Fitzgerald in Paris 🌟

Two brothers work a rich and bountiful land together, their lives intertwined with the rhythms of the seasons and the demands of the earth. Jonathan and Aaron Gray have built something meaningful here, a life of honest labor and deep connection to the soil. And at the center of both their worlds is Mary—Jonathan’s devoted wife and Aaron’s beloved friend. For seven years, she’s been the heart of their household, giving everything she has to her marriage and to this life they’ve created 🌾

But seven childless years have taken their toll on Jonathan. The weight of that emptiness has grown unbearable, and he’s come to a decision that will change everything. In an act of desperation born from love and grief, Jonathan asks the unthinkable of the two people he cares for most: he asks his brother and his wife to create the child he cannot give her. It’s an impossible request, one that binds Aaron and Mary together in an act meant to be purely practical, purely compassionate 💔

What begins as an act of selfless devotion quickly becomes something far more complicated. Mary, who has known only Jonathan’s touch, awakens to feelings she never expected—desire, passion, and a connection with Aaron that goes far beyond duty or compassion. She finds herself caught between loyalty to her husband and the undeniable pull of something new and overwhelming. The boundaries that once seemed so clear have blurred beyond recognition 🔥

Aaron has loved Mary from afar for years, cherishing their friendship while respecting his brother’s marriage. Now thrust into an intimacy he never imagined, he must navigate the agony of holding the woman he loves while knowing she belongs to someone else. And Jonathan, who set this entire situation in motion out of love, must watch as the two people dearest to him develop a bond he never anticipated—and grapple with the consequences of his own impossible request ⚡

Why this touches the heart: LaVyrle Spencer crafts an emotionally devastating exploration of love, loyalty, and the unintended consequences of compassion. This isn’t a simple love triangle—it’s a nuanced examination of how desire and duty can collide, how good intentions can lead to heartbreak, and how three fundamentally decent people can find themselves in an impossible situation with no easy answers. For readers who want their romance emotionally complex and achingly real 💕

Finn is ten years old, quirky, sensitive, and struggling. He talks a lot—sometimes too much—and he only eats at cafes with a 5-star hygiene rating because the world feels dangerous enough without risking food poisoning. School is tough. Home is tough. Being Finn is tough, and most days he’s just trying to get through without everything falling apart around him 🌟

Kaz is fifty-nine, working at a cafe, and armed with an acerbic sense of humor that’s gotten her through more than most people realize. She’s got sharp edges and a sharper tongue, but underneath all that protective armor is a heart of gold—though she’d never admit it. She’s seen things, lived through things, and she’s not particularly interested in getting attached to anyone new 💫

When Finn and his mum come into the cafe, Kaz serves them without thinking much about it. It’s just another shift, just another customer. A brief encounter, nothing memorable. But sometimes the universe has other plans. Sometimes two people meet at exactly the moment they’re supposed to, even if neither of them knows it yet ☕

The second time Finn and Kaz meet will be different. That moment—one single moment that neither of them sees coming—will change both of their lives forever. It will connect them in ways they couldn’t have imagined, binding their stories together and setting them both on a path they never expected to walk. Linda Green weaves together past and present, revealing how one moment can ripple through time and transform everything 🌊

What drew me in: Linda Green, a million-copy bestselling author, delivers an emotionally devastating story about connection, loss, and the moments that define us. The bond between Finn and Kaz is beautifully rendered—two people from different generations who desperately need each other, even if they don’t realize it at first. Perfect for readers who love emotional domestic fiction with genuine heart and characters that stay with you long after the last page 💕

What do obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, neurological disorders, and premature death all have in common? According to Dr. David Perlmutter, author of the groundbreaking Grain Brain, they can all be stoked by elevated uric acid levels—a hidden risk factor that most people don’t even know they have and that mainstream medicine has largely ignored 🔬

The scientific literature is bursting with evidence connecting high uric acid to a staggering array of pervasive health conditions, yet somehow this critical information hasn’t made it into common medical practice. This is especially alarming because a large number of Americans are walking around with dangerously elevated levels, putting themselves at risk for developing or worsening potentially life-threatening illnesses—and they have absolutely no idea 📊

Dr. Perlmutter delivers an engaging blend of cutting-edge science and immediately actionable advice, exposing the deadly truth about uric acid while teaching readers invaluable strategies to manage their levels. Learn how to reduce fructose and high-purine foods through simple dietary edits that don’t require overhauling your entire life. Discover natural interventions like consuming tart cherries, vitamin C, quercetin, and coffee—accessible solutions that can make a real difference 🍒

The book also identifies common pharmaceuticals that threaten to increase uric acid levels, empowering readers to have informed conversations with their doctors. Dr. Perlmutter provides guidance on lifestyle interventions including restorative sleep and exercise, creating a comprehensive approach to managing this hidden health threat. Perhaps most importantly, he shows readers how to easily test their uric acid levels at home—information that’s routinely collected during regular check-ups but typically ignored by physicians ⚕️

Here’s what you’re getting: The author of Grain Brain and Brain Wash delivers science-backed strategies for addressing a hidden health crisis that affects millions. Dr. Perlmutter makes complex medical research accessible and actionable, giving readers the tools to take control of their health. Perfect for anyone interested in preventive medicine, metabolic health, or understanding the overlooked factors driving chronic disease. The hidden risk you didn’t know you had—now with solutions you can implement today 💪

Most crochet stitch dictionaries give you the pattern and leave you to figure out the rest. But what happens when you want to shape that gorgeous lace pattern into a shawl? Or incorporate that textured stitch into a sweater that requires increases and decreases? Designer Dora Ohrenstein has solved this problem with a truly innovative approach that changes everything 🧶

In Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary, Ohrenstein provides detailed instructions for 125 beautiful stitch patterns—but here’s the game-changer: she explains how to increase and decrease each pattern in three different ways. You can work without shaping for scarves and blankets, shape at the edges for garment sides and sleeves, or use internal shaping for more complex projects. This transforms a stitch dictionary from a reference book into a genuine design tool 📚

The collection ranges from delicate lace and filigree patterns to shells, cables, and richly textured stitches. Every single pattern is beautifully photographed in swatch form, allowing you to see exactly how it looks and drapes. Both charted and text instructions are provided, accommodating different learning styles and preferences. This attention to detail makes the book accessible to intermediate crocheters while offering advanced techniques that will challenge even experienced makers ✨

Ohrenstein’s focus on shaping techniques is what sets this dictionary apart from every other stitch collection on the market. By mastering these three approaches to increasing and decreasing, you can explore endless variations without needing a pattern. Want to turn that shell stitch into a triangular shawl? The instructions are right there. Need to shape a textured pattern for sleeve caps? Ohrenstein shows you how. It’s the difference between following recipes and understanding cooking 🎨

What makes this essential: This isn’t just another stitch dictionary—it’s a comprehensive guide that empowers crocheters to design their own projects with confidence. Ohrenstein’s innovative three-way shaping approach gives you creative freedom while the gorgeous photography and clear instructions make execution straightforward. Perfect for crocheters ready to move beyond following patterns and start creating their own designs. An investment that will pay dividends in every future project 🌟

The Great Depression has New York City in a stranglehold, and Grace O’Connell is fighting to keep her family from drowning. After their father’s death, Grace and her twin brother Patrick are barely scraping by, struggling with every dollar and every decision. Grace has lost her dancing job—one of the few things that brought her joy—and Patrick has been injured while working on the construction of the Empire State Building, the massive skyscraper rising above the city like a monument to ambition in a time of despair 🏙️

With Patrick unable to work and bills piling up, Grace makes a decision that’s as bold as it is dangerous: she disguises herself as her brother and joins the riveters working on the half-built Empire State Building. It’s 1930, women don’t do this kind of work, and if she’s discovered, she’ll lose everything. But desperation makes people brave, and Grace proves herself every bit as capable as any man working the steel high above the city streets ⚡

The work is brutal, terrifying, and exhilarating. Grace finds herself drawn to the loyal men around her, especially Joe, an Italian immigrant whose quiet strength and kindness cut through all her carefully constructed defenses. Day by day, rivet by rivet, her affection for these men—and especially for Joe—grows deeper. She’s found a community, a purpose, and maybe even the beginning of something like love. But she’s living a lie, and lies have a way of catching up with you 💪

Then disaster strikes. A terrible accident leaves one of Grace’s colleagues stranded high on the steel, his life hanging in the balance. Grace is the only one capable of saving him, but doing so will require revealing her secret—risking everything she’s fought for, everyone she’s come to care about. In that split second, she must choose: live with her guilt forever, or risk it all to do what’s right. Kerry Barrett calls it “gorgeous, evocative,” and that barely scratches the surface 🌟

What makes this a must-read: Gemma Tizzard delivers a vivid, heart-pounding historical novel set against the dynamic backdrop of 1930s New York during the construction of one of the world’s most iconic buildings. Grace is a heroine worth rooting for—brave, complex, and utterly human. The novel explores family loyalty, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the courage it takes to be yourself in a world that demands you be someone else. Perfect for readers who love their historical fiction with genuine heart, high stakes, and heroines who change history 🗽