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Author: Michael R. Hicks
FREE
Galactic Empire Science Fiction
Humans finally make first contact with a sentient alien race, but soon wish they hadn’t. 🚀
When the survey ship TNS Aurora jumps into a previously unexplored system to discover not just one, but two worlds that could support human colonies, her captain and crew are ecstatic. But their joy is short-lived, for they have unwittingly stumbled into the ancient Kreelan galactic empire. 👽
With their ship immobilized, the crew of the Aurora is captured by sword-wielding female warriors and taken aboard the titanic alien flagship. ⚔️ There, the aliens force the Aurora’s survivors to participate in a fight to the death under the gaze of Tesh-Dar, high warrior priestess and the Empire’s greatest living warrior.
Only young Midshipman Ichiro Sato survives the bloodbath, and Tesh-Dar returns him to Earth as a sacred Messenger, bearing unwelcome tidings from the Empire: there will be war. 💀
If you enjoy epic space opera stories of first contact, alien invasion, and military science fiction, with plenty of action, adventure, and even a dash of fantasy and romance, then you’ll love First Contact, book one of the In Her Name saga. ✨
What makes this special: Hicks flips the usual first contact scenario—instead of diplomatic meetings, humanity stumbles into an ancient warrior empire and immediately gets dragged into gladiatorial combat. The sword-wielding female warriors led by a high priestess create a unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy that sets this apart from typical military space opera. Ichiro Sato being the sole survivor returned as a messenger is a brilliant setup for the series, and the promise of galaxy-spanning war delivers stakes beyond one ship’s crew. Perfect for fans of David Weber’s Honor Harrington series or John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War—readers who want their space battles with complex alien cultures and a dash of romance woven through the action. 🌌
Author: Lindsay Buroker
FREE
Epic Fantasy
Professor Tikaya Komitopis isn’t a great beauty, a fearless warrior, or even someone who can walk and chew chicle at the same time, but her cryptography skills earn her wartime notoriety. 🔐 When enemy marines show up at her family’s plantation, she expects the worst.
But they’re not there to kill her. They need her to decode mysterious runes, and they ask for help in the manner typical of a conquering empire: they kidnap her, threaten her family, and throw her in the brig of their fastest steamship. ⚓
Her only ally is a fellow prisoner who charms her with a passion for academics as great as her own. Together, they must decipher mind-altering alchemical artifacts, deadly poison rockets, and malevolent technological constructs, all while dodging assassination attempts from a rival power determined the expedition should fail. 💣 As if the situation weren’t treacherous enough, this new “ally” may turn out to be the last person Tikaya should trust. Those runes cloak more than mysteries, however, and he’s the only one who can help her unravel them before their secrets destroy the world. 🌍
Why you’ll love this: Buroker creates a refreshingly relatable heroine—Tikaya is clumsy, not gorgeous, but genuinely brilliant at cryptography, making her competence feel earned rather than convenient. The steampunk elements (fastest steamship, technological constructs) blend perfectly with fantasy (runes, alchemical artifacts) without either overwhelming the story. The forced partnership with a charming but potentially untrustworthy ally creates romantic tension layered with real danger. Perfect for fans of Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate or anyone who wants their fantasy heroines to be brainy problem-solvers rather than chosen ones with magic swords. The mix of puzzles, poison, and possible betrayal keeps pages turning. 📚
Author: Davis J Miller
FREE
Real Estate Entrepreneurship
Have you always wanted to start your own AirBNB Business but are not sure where to start? 🏠
If so, I have some valuable insights to share with you that draw from my own experience…
Allow me to introduce you to a resource that can significantly enhance your confidence: Starting a Successful Airbnb Business for Beginners. This book serves as a comprehensive guide, offering valuable insights and actionable steps based on my personal trials and errors. 💡 If you’re looking for guidance, my book will show you on how to make a profitable property, with tools and fundamentals on how to provide your guests with great experiences that will give you 5-star reviews and a calendar that’s fully booked. ⭐
Here are a few things you will discover in this book:
Downloadable Resources to help you on your journey 📋 How to start with your first property and be on your way to earning extra monthly income 💰 Action steps you can take NOW to help you move forward with creating your Airbnb Business The different ways you can break into the Airbnb game 🎯 Business essentials you need, including understanding the associated costs of an Airbnb business and how to create a budget Find your ideal property location 📍 What you need to set up your property and make it “guest ready” ✨ How to list your property and make your listing stand out from other nearby Airbnb’s What you need to be a great host for your guests and how to achieve Superhost status 🌟 How you can tap into the $1.2 trillion short-term rental market, even if you think the market is oversaturated
Here’s the deal: Miller draws from actual experience rather than just theory, covering the real costs and common mistakes that trip up new Airbnb hosts. The downloadable resources and action steps mean you can start implementing immediately rather than just reading passively. The focus on achieving Superhost status and 5-star reviews shows emphasis on quality hosting, not just profit extraction. Addressing the “oversaturated market” concern head-on is smart—many wannabe hosts are paralyzed by this fear. Perfect for anyone considering side income through short-term rentals, real estate investors looking to diversify, or anyone curious about the $1.2 trillion market. Being free makes this a no-risk introduction to see if Airbnb hosting is right for you. 🔑
Author: Katie Winters
FREE
Clean & Wholesome Romance
It’s been decades since a mysterious fire engulfed the White Oak Lodge. But what really happened that night? 🔥
Why haven’t Benjamin and Jack Whitmore been seen since?
Can the remaining Whitmores discover the truth and restore the once-great White Oak Lodge to its former glory? 🏔️
The Fourth of July night Nina Whitmore’s home went up in flames, she was ten years old. After that, her father and brother disappeared, her mother left the country, and Nina was sent to live with her Great Aunt Genevieve in Northern Michigan. There, she tried (and failed) to forget about the White Oak Lodge and Nantucket Island. 💔
Now, Nina is a professor of anthropology at Princeton University. Her greatest joy is looking at the clues of humanity’s past and rewriting the stories of how we see ourselves. She lives with her husband and two wonderful children and has her fingers crossed for tenure. 📚
But when secrets about her marriage seep to the surface, Nina is forced to ask herself questions about her career, her happiness, and her past.
Her husband is an anthropologist, too. There’s a chance he’s been studying Nina for clues of what happened almost thirty years ago. But why is her husband so curious? Besides the Lodge and her family, what else was lost that night? 🔍
What else isn’t he telling her?
What pulled me in: Winters layers mystery upon mystery—the fire, the disappeared father and brother, the mother who fled, and now a husband who might be investigating his own wife. Nina being an anthropologist who “rewrites stories of how we see ourselves” is meta-genius since she’s about to rewrite her own family’s story. The dual timeline (childhood trauma and present-day marriage crisis) creates urgency on multiple fronts. The White Oak Lodge restoration becomes both literal and metaphorical—rebuilding the physical place while uncovering buried truths. Perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber or Elin Hilderbrand who want family drama with actual stakes, mysteries that matter, and clean romance that doesn’t sacrifice emotional depth. 🌊
Author: Renee George
FREE
Cozy Animal Mystery
Barkside of the Moon Cozy Mysteries are exciting who-done-its with a paranormal twist. Clean reads full of humor and small town charm, mystery, and even a little romance. 🐕
This omnibus includes:
Pit Perfect Murder 🔍 Murder and the Money Pit 💰 The Pit List Murder 📝
Pit Perfect Murder
When cougar-shifter Lily Mason moves to Moonrise, Missouri, she wishes for only three things from the town and its human population… to find a job, to find a place to live, and to live as a human, not a therianthrope. 🌙
Lily gets more than she bargains for when a rescue pit bull named Smooshie rescues her from an oncoming car, and it’s love at first sight. 💕 Thanks to Smooshie, Lily’s first two wishes are granted by Parker Knowles, the owner of the Pit Bull Rescue center, who offers her a job at the shelter and the room over his garage for rent.
Lily’s new life as an integrator is threatened when Smooshie finds Katherine Kapersky, the local church choir leader and head of the town council, dead in the field behind the rescue center. Unfortunately, there are more suspects than mourners for the elderly town leader. ⚰️ Can Lily keep her less-than-human status under wraps? Or will the killer, who has pulled off a nearly Pit Perfect murder, expose her to keep Lily and her dog from digging up the truth? 🐾
Why this one stands out: George combines cougar-shifter paranormal with pit bull rescue advocacy, creating a unique mashup that serves both the cozy mystery and animal welfare communities. Lily trying to pass as fully human adds tension beyond just solving murders, and Smooshie the pit bull being the hero (literally saving Lily from a car) challenges breed stereotypes. Getting three full books in one omnibus means serious value for cozy mystery fans. Perfect for readers who loved Laurien Berenson’s dog mysteries or Sofie Ryan’s cat mysteries but want a paranormal twist and pit bull representation. The pun-tastic titles alone promise the humor delivery. 😄
The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech
Cultural Anthropology
A deeply researched warning about how the digital economy threatens artists’ lives and work—the music, writing, and visual art that sustain our souls and societies—from an award-winning essayist and critic. 🎨
There are two stories you hear about earning a living as an artist in the digital age. One comes from Silicon Valley. There’s never been a better time to be an artist, it goes. If you’ve got a laptop, you’ve got a recording studio. If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ve got a movie camera. 📱 And if production is cheap, distribution is free: it’s called the Internet. Everyone’s an artist; just tap your creativity and put your stuff out there.
The other comes from artists themselves. Sure, it goes, you can put your stuff out there, but who’s going to pay you for it? Everyone is not an artist. Making art takes years of dedication, and that requires a means of support. 💰 If things don’t change, a lot of art will cease to be sustainable.
So which account is true? Since people are still making a living as artists today, how are they managing to do it? William Deresiewicz, a leading critic of the arts and of contemporary culture, set out to answer those questions. Based on interviews with artists of all kinds, The Death of the Artist argues that we are in the midst of an epochal transformation. 🌍
Why this matters: Deresiewicz cuts through Silicon Valley’s utopian promises to examine the harsh economic reality facing working artists in the digital age. Based on actual artist interviews rather than tech industry propaganda, this exposes how “free distribution” often means artists work for exposure instead of paychecks. At $2.99 (from $19.99), this is essential reading for anyone creating art professionally, studying creative industries, or wondering why their favorite musicians now have Patreon accounts. The transformation he documents affects everyone who cares about sustainable arts and culture, not just artists themselves. Perfect for fans of Jaron Lanier’s tech criticism or anyone who sensed something broken about the “creator economy” model. 📚
Romantic Comedy
‘Tender and emotional, just absolutely beautiful’ JOSIE SILVER ✨
‘Heartbreaking and hopeful’ SARAH MORGAN 💕
She thought their love story was over. The world had other plans…
When Magnolia Jones finds her daughter’s travel journal, she can think of no better way to honour her life than setting off on the gap year trip that twenty-three-year-old Brontë had dreamed of taking. 📓
It was meant to be Brontë’s adventure, but perhaps following her daughter’s footsteps around the world is exactly what Magnolia needs to piece her broken heart back together and begin to heal. 🌍
As her travels take her further away from home, memories of a long-ago summer come flooding back. Magnolia barely recognises that girl she used to be – the dreams she had, the freedom ahead, the midnight kisses on the beach with curly-haired, brown eyed Jackson. 🌙
Maybe, just maybe, in this magical place that is somewhere only they know, Magnolia is about to discover that her journey isn’t over – it’s just about to begin… ✈️
What makes this beautiful: Bramley handles devastating grief (losing a daughter) with tenderness rather than melodrama, making Magnolia’s journey to honor Brontë’s dreams both heartbreaking and healing. The dual timeline structure—present-day travels triggering memories of young Magnolia and Jackson—creates romantic tension across decades. The endorsements from Josie Silver and Sarah Morgan signal this delivers emotional depth alongside hope. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes or anyone who loved “The Bucket List” but wants romance woven through the journey. At $0.99, this is exceptional value for a tissues-required, heart-full read about second chances and discovering it’s never too late for new beginnings. 💗
Women’s Health & Nutrition
Support the body’s nutritional needs at each stage of the menstrual cycle with savory and sweet recipes customized for every woman’s needs. 🌙
The Moon Cycle Bakery creates sweet treats that replenish certain micronutrients women lose during the different stages of their menstrual cycle. In The Moon Cycle Cookbook, bakery founder Devon Loftus and nutritionist Jenna Radomski empower women to nourish themselves with recipes for sweets, savory meals, and snacks, organized around each of the four phases of the menstrual cycle, that can be customized to suit their bodies’ fluctuating needs. 🍰
Every recipe is formulated with the knowledge of what is happening hormonally in a woman’s body during each cycle phase, using ingredients that replenish and support essential nutrients. 🥗
Suffering from cramps? Try adding more cacao to your diet. 🍫 Mood swings? A sweet potato brownie can help with that. 🍠 Feeling aches and pains? Have some salmon to reduce inflammation. 🐟
A happy mix of creativity, self-empowerment, and downright deliciousness, this wellness guide demystifies menstrual health, educating readers about their unique needs and helping them to deepen their self-care regimen. Sidebars feature suggested self-care practices and rituals to enhance a woman’s connection to her body and understanding of how to nurture a healthy cycle. ✨
Here’s why this matters: Loftus and Radomski combine bakery creativity with nutritionist credentials to address something most cookbooks ignore—how nutritional needs fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. The science-backed approach (nutritionist co-author) prevents this from being woo-woo wishful thinking, while the bakery origins ensure recipes actually taste good. Organizing by cycle phase makes it practical rather than forcing readers to decode which nutrients they need when. The self-care sidebar additions recognize that menstrual wellness isn’t just about food. Perfect for anyone interested in cycle syncing, functional nutrition, or women’s health approaches that treat symptoms with food rather than just medication. At $2.99 (from $11.99), this is incredible value. 💕
Coming of Age Fiction
A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF 2024 ⭐
From an award-winning author, a down on his luck country musician moves back home and rekindles a relationship with his high school sweetheart in this moving novel that’s “not to be missed” (Emily Henry, author of Beach Read and Book Lovers).
Colton Gentry’s music career is riding high, but he’s hurting after his best friend is killed by a mass shooter at a country music festival. One night, with Jim Beam flowing through his veins, Colton stands before a sold-out crowd of country music fans and offers his unfiltered opinion on guns. 🎤 Immediately, his career and marriage implode.
Colton retreats to his rural Kentucky hometown to hide out, resigned to being a has-been. A chance encounter gives him a second shot at life: a job working at a restaurant with Luann, his first love. 💕 Colton Gentry’s Third Act is a reminder that there are next acts in life, no matter how unlikely they may seem. 🌟
Why this resonates: Zentner tackles gun violence, cancel culture, and personal reinvention without preaching—Colton’s drunken rant costs him everything, making his journey about rebuilding rather than vindication. The country music setting gives this specificity, and reconnecting with first love Luann grounds redemption in real relationships rather than career comeback fantasies. Emily Henry’s “not to be missed” endorsement carries weight from one of contemporary romance’s biggest names. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones or anyone who appreciated the emotional honesty in High Fidelity. At $2.99 (from $11.99), this Booklist Best Book delivers literary quality at bargain pricing. 🎸
Workplace Romance
A billionaire learns it will take more than money to claim his heir in this contemporary romance by a USA Today–bestselling author. 👶
Having escaped the streets of Rome, Alessandro runs a multibillion-dollar empire with a control that is world renowned. Yet Mia, his new, forthright executive assistant, threatens that control. And soon their fiery exchanges explode into unrivaled passion! 🔥
Mia is wary of trusting others, so when Alessandro coolly dismisses her after their night together, she dares not tell him she’s pregnant! 💔 But on learning her secret, he’s determined to legitimize his child. Mia’s priority is her daughter, but can she let Alessandro in when it means risking her heart? 💕
What makes this work: Hewitt delivers classic romance tropes—billionaire boss, secret baby, workplace tension—but earns them through character depth. Alessandro’s backstory (escaping Rome’s streets) explains his control issues, and Mia’s wariness about trust means she’s not just playing hard to get. The cool dismissal after their night creates genuine hurt rather than just misunderstanding drama. Perfect for fans of Lynne Graham or Maya Blake—readers who love Harlequin Presents intensity where billionaires must learn emotional vulnerability alongside their secret baby lessons. At $2.99 (from $8.99), this delivers escapist fantasy with surprising emotional stakes. 💎
Cartography
Discover the mysteries within ancient maps — Where exploration and mythology meet 🗺️
This richly illustrated book collects and explores the colorful histories behind a striking range of real antique maps that are all in some way a little too good to be true.
Mysteries within ancient maps: The Phantom Atlas is a guide to the world not as it is, but as it was imagined to be. It’s a world of ghost islands, invisible mountain ranges, mythical civilizations, ship-wrecking beasts, and other fictitious features introduced on maps and atlases through mistakes, misunderstanding, fantasies, and outright lies. 🏝️
Where exploration and mythology meet: Author Edward Brooke-Hitching is a map collector, author, writer for the popular BBC Television program QI and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He lives in a dusty heap of old maps and books in London investigating the places where exploration and mythology meet. 📚
Cartography’s greatest phantoms: The Phantom Atlas uses gorgeous atlas images as springboards for tales of deranged buccaneers, seafaring monks, heroes, swindlers, and other amazing stories behind cartography’s greatest phantoms. ⚓
Why you’ll love this: Brooke-Hitching (QI writer and Royal Geographical Society Fellow) has the credentials and access to explore cartography’s most fascinating failures. The richly illustrated format means you’re seeing actual antique maps, not just reading about them. The stories behind phantom islands and mythical mountains reveal how mistakes, lies, and wishful thinking literally shaped our understanding of the world. Perfect for history buffs, map enthusiasts, or anyone who loved “The Lost City of Z”—readers fascinated by how exploration, mythology, and human error intersect. At $2.99 (from $5.99), this is coffee table book quality at paperback pricing. 🧭
… See the rest of today ‘s Book Picks here on page 2Page 2