Best Sci Fi Novels Of The 21st Century

Married for five years, Lorenzo, the underboss of the Moretti family, had never been without a woman. He found my “noble lady” posture stiff and vanilla. Dancers from Trinacria, headliners from the city’s nightclubs, his rotating stream of mistresses could fill the entire estate. Yet whenever I was displeased, whether it was throwing drinks or kicking someone out, Lorenzo never intervened. He’d only lit his cigar with casual amusement and said, “Relax. It’s just fun. No one can touch your position.” Then a clumsy, naive maid appeared. Unlike the others, she wasn’t flashy. However, when Lorenzo returned, bloodied, she’d hand him a cup of warm tea, her eyes red-rimmed. She watched him with pure admiration while he handled the family business. Lorenzo said the estate felt cold and lifeless except for her. He said only when she panicked did he feel like a hero being needed, rather than just a husband in a political marriage. Until she accidentally broke an antique vase left by my mother… Before I could react, Lorenzo stepped in and shielded her trembling form, glaring at me as if I were the enemy. “What’s wrong with you? If you’re crazy, go see a shrink. Don’t scare her like a rabid dog!” Watching his careful, protective expression, I smiled. I guess it was time for the Moretti family underboss to be replaced.

"I'm willing to marry you." Jared Brooks and his brother, Shiloh, turned their heads. Standing before them was a woman in a wedding dress, but this was no ordinary bride. Her gown was stained with dirt and blood, her mascara streaked down her cheeks, and her makeup a ruined mess. Today was supposed to be Julia Watson's wedding day. She was set to marry her fiancé, Carter Ross, until her so-called best friend, Vivien Smith, announced to everyone that she and Carter were expecting a baby—and were in love. Shattered by the betrayal of her fiancé and best friend, Julia was ready to give up. That was until she spotted Jared Brooks, the CEO of Brooks Corporation, at the courthouse. "Who are you?" Jared asked, puzzled by the stranger's proposal. Jared had no intention of marrying a stranger, and even his brother found the idea absurd. He was about to leave when Julia made an irresistible promise: she could cure his brother's legs. "I'm Julia Watson of the Watson family," she introduced herself. Jared assumed Julia sought revenge against her ex-fiancé by marrying him. Little did he know, Julia harbored two dark secrets. First, she had a mission to complete. Second, she wasn't really Julia Watson.

Xiao Long, is a regular high school boy. To have activities like any other schoolchildren - school and play. At the age of 18, he was stabbed to death saving a young boy who was about to be kidnapped by a big, fat thug. Xiao Long, before he died, saw only a few people dressed in robes with all the lights around him. And after that he realized that saving that little boy was the best choice he had ever taken, because that choice changed him from ordinary men to immortals who conquered the gods.

Seven years ago, Emerald Hutton had left her family and friends behind for high school in New York City, cradling her broken heart in her hands, to escape just only one person. Her brother's best friend, whom she loved from the day he'd saved her from bullies at the age of seven. Broken by the boy of her dreams and betrayed by her loved ones, Emerald had learned to bury the pieces of her heart in the deepest corner of her memories.Until seven years later, she has to come back to her hometown after finishing her college. The place where now the cold-hearted stone of a billionaire resides, whom her dead heart once used to beat for.Scarred by his past, Achilles Valencian had turned into the man everyone feared. The scorch of his life had filled his heart with bottomless darkness. And the only light that had kept him sane, was his Rosebud. A girl with freckles and turquoise eyes he'd adored all his life. His best friend's little sister.After years of distance, when the time has finally come to capture his light into his territory, Achilles Valencian will play his game. A game to claim what's his. Will Emerald be able to distinguish the flames of love and desire, and charms of the wave that had once flooded her to keep her heart safe? Or she will let the devil lure her into his trap? Because no one ever could escape from his games. He gets what he wants. And this game is called...The trap of Ace. *** Book one of 'Obsessive Billionaires' series

I was born in the time of the wolf, at the top of the food chain; my family bloodline is the strongest of our species. I am Alina Deveraux, the sole heir to the royal throne. My best friend is a bear shifter, and life was fun and games until he found me. Lucas is the Alpha of the Rogues, savage, dangerous, and from a completely different world to mine. He showed me in one brief moment what I've been searching for my entire life. When he gave his life to protect me, and I had to leave him dying on his own, the chain of events set in motion would change all of us forever. Book number one in The Queen's Heart trilogy.

Power, position and throne are what the Ashcroftians only wanted. They will kill if they need to. An endless war that feels just like a children's game, a floody blood flows just like the water in the river, and wine is much more expensive than people's lives. And yes! It all exist only in the nation named Ashcroft. After the long drought and hunger for justice and equality, one woman (Princess Sapphire Welshly Sylverstein) will return stronger, bolder and even smarter to change the whole nation's seances about "life". And surprisingly another long lost precious gem of the Knightwalkers will appear to continue his father's legacy. After everything is settled, this man can't still figure out what's missing on his part late until he realized that it was the woman whom he's with back in the city (Japan) that he wanted to spend most of his time. But this time it's becoming more allonomous to take action to follow his heart as he got rivals both in the throne and in the woman she treasures most. He then focused more on becoming a good ruler of Knightwalker Empire and for the main time set aside his feeling for Sapphire and instead ask his best friend to look after her, but the case won't always be the same as his best friend did the most unexpected action that will change him forever. This is why we should never entrust our belongings to someone else, as looks can be deceiving and remember that the devil was once an angel-therefore be careful who you trust. Upon the lost of his love the visionary finally happen. He became harmful and hatred consumed him until a year later, a young lovely Princess will come home with the same purpose.

William Smith has always lived in shadows — the shadow of his abusive father, the shadow of a country where being gay can cost you fifteen years of your life, and the shadow of secrets he compulsively writes in his journal. At home, danger lurks everywhere; a series of unexplained, targeted attacks on his family forces dark truths to the open. At Aton College, he’s juggling too much: Jasmine, the girlfriend who deserves the truth; Timothy, the best friend whose touch is both temptation and betrayal; and Alexander, the fearless new student who refuses to hide who he is. His double life begins to unravel. Every choice pulls him closer to exposure — and in a world where love is dangerous, one mistake could destroy him.

Naomi spent her summer reading books and planning how she will stay invisible so she can finish off her last year of high school drama-free. But all those plans go down the drain when an unexpected Asian family of a widowed mother and her teenage son moves in across the street. Even though Naomi tries to keep her distance from Hero so he doesn't find out about her heart disease, he seems to have taken a liking to her. Naomi's cousin Riley had called dibs on Hero but his interest lies elsewhere so she often blames Naomi for trying to steal Hero. Most of the girls at school fawn over Hero because of his good looks and height which spell problems for Naomi since he keeps hanging around her. The more Naomi tries to stay away from Hero the larger her curiosity grows and even though Hero has secrets of his own to protect from Naomi's prying eyes he can't stop himself from wanting to know more about her. The two try to deny their feelings to try and protect their secrets but jealousy starts to show its face when Josh asks Naomi on a date and Hero hooks up with a random girl at a party in retaliation. Who will break first? And spill their secrets?

A mafia princess. A marriage of power. A pregnancy that could destroy everything. Adriana Russo, daughter of a ruthless mafia boss, is forced into marriage with her childhood best friend, Vincent Moretti, the son to a powerful and dangerous crime empire. Their union is meant to solidify their families' control over the underworld. But everything shatters when Adriana discovers she’s pregnant. What should be a moment of joy turns into a nightmare when Vincent begins to question the child’s paternity. After a drunken one-night stand, there's a chance the father could be his half-brother, Luca Moretti, the man Vincent loathes most. As rival gangs close in, and betrayal creeps from within, Adriana is trapped in a web of loyalty, desire, and deceit. With a crumbling marriage, a father who despises weakness and feelings she never expected for Luca… Adriana must make a choice. Will she fight for love, for survival or lose everything?

Antonio has ruled the underworld for decades. A feared mafia boss with a trillion dollar empire, he operates between legitimacy and bloodshed, respected by allies and hunted by enemies. Violence is his language. Control is his law. Love has never been part of the equation except for his nine year old daughter, Ava, the only weakness he allows himself. When Ava is injured in a simple accident, Antonio brings her to a hospital in the States where he meets Dr. Minah Williams. Minah is everything his world isn’t: calm, brilliant, compassionate. A doctor in the middle of a brutal divorce, she’s spent years surviving an abusive marriage to a powerful AI specialist who discarded her for a famous model only to become dangerously obsessed when she finally begins to move on. Unlike everyone else, Minah speaks to Antonio without fear. And unlike anyone before her, Antonio listens. As an instant yet restrained connection forms, two dangerous worlds collide. Antonio’s enemies begin to circle. Minah’s ex hires investigators, stalking her from the shadows, unable to accept that another man one far more powerful has entered her life. Protection turns possessive. Desire turns deadly. And Minah is forced to confront the truth: Surrendering to Antonio may cost her the life she built… but refusing him could cost her everything. Because loving a demon always comes with a price.