Books One Must Read Before They Die

Ich erfuhr zur gleichen Zeit wie Rosa, dass ich schwanger war. Sie war die Jugendliebe meines Ehemanns, der in der Mafia war. Um ihr Baby davor zu schützen, auf Drängen ihrer Eltern abgetrieben zu werden, gab mein Mann ihr Baby als sein eigenes aus. Und was war mit meinem? Er redete mir gut zu und sagte, er würde es erst nach der Geburt von Rosas Baby als sein eigenes anerkennen können. Ich konfrontierte ihn und verlangte zu wissen, warum er mir das antat. Seine Antwort war kalt und unerschütterlich: „Ihr Baby als mein eigenes anzuerkennen, war die einzige Möglichkeit, sie beide zu schützen. Ich werde nicht zulassen, dass ihr oder dem Kind etwas zustößt!“ In jenem Moment, als ich den Mann ansah, den ich zehn Jahre lang geliebt hatte, wurde mir klar, dass meine Liebe zu ihm bereits gestorben war. Nicht lange danach verurteilte mich meine Familie. Sie nannten mich eine Schlampe, weil ich ein Kind ohne Vater bekommen würde, und drängten mich zu einer Abtreibung. Währenddessen hielt sich mein Mann in einer anderen Stadt bei seiner Geliebten auf und half ihr durch ihre Schwangerschaft. Als er dann zurückkam, war ich allerdings bereits weg.

I used to be treated like a princess in Lumenclaw Pack. But the first day after my eighteenth birthday, my Alpha dad brought home a charity case—Callie from the welfare center. Everything flipped. Ryell, my own brother, ditched me for her. Jovan, my future mate? Shielded her. Even Dad called her sweet, kind—"a thousand times better than you." Graduation Day. Strike 101. They picked her. Again. "Aren't I your real family?" Dad hesitated—but only to hide Callie behind him like some precious thing. Her fake tears. His real slap. "Such a petty wolf. I wish I'd never had you." Ryell sneered, "Having a sister like you makes me sick. Get out!" I didn't scream. Didn't cry. Just packed and walked. They thought I'd break like always—cry, forgive, crawl back. But not this time. I called my mom. Took her offer. Moved to her distant pack. If they wanted me gone, wish granted. So why the hell did they come begging when they realized I meant it?

Everyone is envious of me for having someone like Dominic Cruz, who's love-brained, as a husband-to-be. He's rich, handsome, and highly educated. I smile without saying anything, but I nod happily. However, on the day I'm misdiagnosed, he goes missing. He's so engrossed in his secret lover that he forgets all about me. So, I jilt him before he can do it to me. I turn him into the city's laughingstock. Later, I hear that he drinks the bar dry every night. He scours Marina City but fails to find his missing bride.

Layla Xander was gravely ill, with little time left. From that day forward, she had a revelation—when confronted with life and death, nothing else mattered. Selfish, leeching family members? She cut them off. A fiancé who proposed one day and cozied up to her 'good sister' the next? Out of her life. With nothing holding her back, she was finally free. Rumors about her slowly began to spread through her social circle. “Miss Xander has landed herself a wealthy benefactor.” “Miss Xander was seen vacationing with a young heartthrob.” “Miss Xander’s fortune has skyrocketed. She’s throwing around millions like it’s nothing.” Later, when the truth came to light, those who had abandoned her were left in tears, begging for forgiveness. Her leeching parents wept, “You’ll always be our sweet daughter. Come back home, won’t you?” Her scumbag ex-fiancé pleaded, “You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. Please, give me another chance.” But it was too late! A man stepped in, blocking everyone from getting near her. His face was cold and menacing as he growled, “Anyone who dares disturb Miss Xander again will leave here with broken legs.” And then, later still, that same man—once so untouchable and feared—knelt on one knee before her. His voice was deep and unwavering. “Whether in life or death, you’ll always be mine.” … William Lucas never claimed to be a good man. As the head of an elite and powerful family, his path had been paved with blood, and his decisiveness struck fear into anyone who dared cross him. No one could have guessed that this untouchable figure, feared by all, had been hiding away a tender place in his heart—for a girl. A secret he had carried for eight long years. Every ounce of gentleness he had was reserved solely for her.

Does the heart remember who it once loved? What happens if someone else possesses this heart and the actual owner is gone? How can he fight the feeling if his rival is his best friend? And worse, she is his best friend's first love. Should he just let go, even though he knows he will be hurt a second time, or follow his heart even if he hurts someone else?

"Mommy, Mommy! Look at that mister! Will I be as handsome as him when I grow up?" Liam's question forced me to look at where his finger pointed. "Holy f—" I cut myself off, trying not to curse in front of my son. Why, why, why did I have to run into Alexander Ravenford as soon as I walked out of the airport?! Among the millions of people living in New York, I surely didn't want to meet one—Liam's biological father. Five years ago, my scumbag of a boyfriend cheated on me, and I decided to go on a genuinely therapeutic weekend in the Bahamas. I wasn't looking for a rebound, but somehow I ended up spending a decent amount of time having sex with a man who was basically a stranger—a divinely hot, insanely mouthwatering, and ridiculously irresistible Alexander Ravenford. The morning after brought a disappointing hit in the gut, which assured me that for my Prince Charming, I was only a one-time adventure. But screw that, and screw him! I had plans. I was ready to pursue my dreams and study in London. But then fate decided to throw me another curved ball... I was pregnant, and Alex was the only possible father. I didn't give up. I came back as a successful interior designer and the mother of an amazing boy, Liam. I thought that I would be able to avoid Alexander, but it turned out to be almost impossible. But then it got worse… The arrogant, annoying, and even hotter than before CEO of a multibillion-dollar company became friends with my son—his son! And I have a feeling that the sweet little devil who calls me "Mommy" has a mischievous plan to bring his parents together. Should I give this insane relationship a chance?

ROOM 808 It was just a regular night and an ordinary room, but for Rosa, it felt like a bad dream. She didn’t see the man who was with her that night, and she didn’t even know his name. All she could remember was his warm touch and the minty taste of his lips. Her stepsister and sister had set her up, trapping her in that room to ruin her life. Because of that night, she gave birth to a son, and she decided to hide him from everyone. Five years later, when Rosa and her son return to the Philippines, the truth about that night slowly begins to come out. Will Rosa get the justice she deserves? Or will she never learn the truth about her son's father?

Michaella always believes that every woman must marry the only man they love. But everything she once believed ruined when she was being forced to marry an old man in their town. She felt devastated and her feelings got invalidated to the point that she decided to run away. While she was walking out-of-nowhere, she suddenly almost got hit by a car that made the man help him to get up. She's drunk for Pete's sake and couldn't even walk properly. "I know what you wanted to do. Do whatever you want because tomorrow would probably be my last day." The next morning, Michaella left the hotel without even looking at the man he gave herself with. She went to her friend far away from their city and lived her life happily until she found out that she's pregnant. "Congratulations, Ms. Gomez. You're pregnant! They're twins!" The Doctor happily announced. She almost fell to the ground because of the news and couldn't even breathe properly. She was about to leave the hospital but someone suddenly spat in front of her. It was her Father and she was being forced to come with him but someone suddenly came and grabbed her hand away from her Father. "Don't you ever come near her. Nobody has the right to touch the Mother of my children." He uttered using his threatening voice.

Ilayda had been leading a calm, normal life, working as a maid for the Elfonso family. Leaving all her past behind, and moving forward. All that changed when the elder son of the Elfonso family, decides to come back to take care of the family business. Stricken by the love of the girl in his house and the lies of his family, Christian's life is about to change. The buried secrets will be uncovered and the long-lived peace will be a memory.

My family has always considered me a harbinger of misfortune. It's all because I can see a countdown to my relatives' deaths. I tell them when my grandfather, father, and mother will die. It all comes true due to various accidents. My three brothers hate me to the core because they think I cursed my parents and grandfather. My mother actually dies after giving birth to my younger sister, but my brothers dote on her to no end. They say she's their lucky star because everything goes well for the family after she's born. But didn't Mom die while giving birth to her? On my 18th birthday, I see my death countdown when I look at myself in the mirror. I buy an urn I like and prepare a meal. I want to have one last meal with my brothers, but none of them show up even when the timer hits zero…