an image showing the Vatican Church and the CERN particle accelerator

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown – A Deeply Unrealistic But Fast-Paced Thriller

Angels and Demons is a fast-paced thriller novel that blends themes of science-fiction, art, history, religion, and world politics. This is the first novel in a series of standalone thriller books featuring the lead character Robert Langdon. A high-stakes crime has occurred and the clues left by the criminals indicate that an ancient, dangerous cult has resurfaced after a long time of hiding away. This is Langdon’s area of academic expertise, so he is brought to the location, and he learns that there is not much time left before the ticking bomb could cause mass murder or whatever the criminals have planned. Can he help stop the incident?

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A Welcome Reunion by Lucinda Berry

A Welcome Reunion by Lucinda Berry – Is This Novella a Fitting Sequel?

In this sequel to The Perfect Child, Janie, an eighteen-year-old is released from juvenile detention, and this is the talk of the small town because Janie was one of the most violent, sociopathic children. She had gone through severe torture, abuse, and neglect during her childhood, so she herself was a victim, but she had murdered two people when she was a child and had severely harassed and tortured roommates, peers, and others she lived with. Now, though, she has changed her name, she claims to have changed as a person, she has published a bestseller book detailing her past, and is promoting the same, blaming the Bauers, the couple who adopted her when she was a troubled kid. While Janie advocates that everyone deserves second chances, Hannah Bauer is certain that Janie couldn’t have changed. The plot thickens with unbelievable acts of torture and smart plot twists.

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Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon book cover

Preacher: Book 1 by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon – An Intense, Fast-Paced, Gripping Comic

Rever’nd Jesse Custer is a preacher at the church in the small town of Annville. He was a man of crime in the past, he is a skilled fighter trained in combat to fight against many people at once, and he has a dark past in Angelville that he does not talk about, but he left that life when he developed his faith and moved to Annville to become a preacher. One day, a supernatural, divine power called “Genesis”, an entity that is born of both goodness and evil, attacks his church, killing everyone there except for Jesse. This attack gives Jesse superpowers, mainly “the Word of God”, which compels any listener to obey whatever Jesse commands them to do, making him just as powerful or even more powerful than God himself.

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an olden-day train travelling through a snow-covered mountain range

Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie – An Enjoyable Thriller Novel

In this classic by Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot travels from one country to another by a train named the Orient Express, along with co-passengers from different countries. It snows heavily, so the train gets stranded on the way. Shocking everyone, a murder happens on the train, and M. Bouc requests Poirot to investigate the case, assuring that they all will cooperate. Because it appears to be an interesting case, the detective agrees.

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a white man giving another white man CPR on a sidewalk on a snowy evening

These Cold Strangers by J. T. Ellison – A Dark Short Story

Addison Blake has moved far away from the home and the town she grew up in after her entire family and her boyfriend were murdered in their own home when she was a young girl, out partying with her friends. Initially, even the police blamed her. Even though she is far away now, she is still under medication and therapy and carries a massive survivor’s guilt. Call it fate or coincidence, but she is made to visit her past. How will that turn out?

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Harry Potter flying on his broom

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – Universally Loved Children’s Fantasy

Among those who speak English, who hasn’t heard of the name “Harry Potter”? Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone is a book that is enjoyed by children and adults alike. Harry Potter is a young boy who lives with his uncle, aunt, and cousin because his own parents died a long time back. He is not happy there, but he has no other choice, and then he receives an invitation to join a magic school. Soon, a magician visits him and his whole life changes. He is not a boring little guy but a popular wizard with great powers.

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a man who looks tired is seated on a concrete bench inside a woodhouse

Eleven Numbers by Lee Child – A Fast-Paced, Non-Violent Political Thriller

Nathan Tyler is an unassuming, brilliant mathematics professor who is surprised by a sudden call he receives one morning. The American government wants his help, they say, to work on something important, for which he has to travel to Russia. Professor Fergusson thinks that he is crazy – which American would go to Russia when international political tensions are running so high? But Tyler agrees to do the job because this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And the stakes are high, he could even get killed or lost or kidnapped, who knows?

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an old woman, holding a phone in her hand, staring outside the window

Slow Burner by Laura Lippman – Forgiving a Gaslighting, Cheating Partner Again?

Liz Kelsey is a high-school teacher, married to her partner Phil Kelsey, who is a venture capitalist for nearly twenty-five years. Nearly eighteen months before, Liz caught Phil in an emotional affair with a woman much younger than him, as he tried to use his power at work to give her career opportunities. After therapy and working on herself, she is convinced that their marriage is healthy, until she catches him trying to reconnect with that same woman again. Is there anything she can do to end that extramarital affair, especially when she can’t even confront him because she had promised not to check his phone?

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A young woman and a young man stand facing each other in front of a house on a snowy winter evening

Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood – Christmas Just Got Better!

Jamie is forced to meet Marc at his place on a Christmas eve, and it is not going to be easy for her because she broke his heart earlier, so how could she face him? But thanks to a snowstorm, they are stuck with each other for the rest of the day, which leads to them opening up about how they feel. Ali Hazelwood gives us a warm Christmas-themed rom-com novella.

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