New York Times 100 Notable Books Of 2023

My brother, Theo Sorento, died in a plane crash on his way back home just to celebrate my birthday. They never found his body—only wreckage. Ever since, my parents forced me to kneel in front of his grave every year on my birthday, demanding that I repent for surviving when he didn’t. Then came my eighteenth birthday. I realized someone was following me. Panicked, I sent a few messages asking for help. Just then, Mom called, not to check on me but to lash out. “I know exactly what you're doing. You’re just making up excuses so you don’t have to kneel in front of your brother’s grave! You’re a liar. Why wasn’t it you who died instead of him? You’re a walking curse!” Before my phone was smashed under a boot, the last thing I heard was the cold click of her hanging up. Then, I was cut up into pieces, and what was left of me was tossed across the city. My father, the lead forensic pathologist on my case, didn’t even recognize me. Later, Theo returned alive with his wife, whom he had eloped with eight years ago. When they found out the pile of rotting flesh was me, they all went insane.

Adolph and Admetos, twin werewolves were born to a powerful alpha family. The pack seer prophesied that one is destined to bring peace and the other is fated to start a war. The two boys were about to perform the prophecy ritual until one of them mysteriously went missing when they were still young. He becomes a part of the human world and thinks he is a regular person until he meets Nymeria who is also a wolf and a healer. There was something about her that he could not put a finger on. He continues living his normal life until his first change. Then trouble started in the pack and an important part of the pack died. The secret could not be hidden anymore and he has to go back to where he came from. The prophecy will come to pass as soon as they are together. Which one of them is fated to start a war? Will the prophecy come to pass or can it be changed? Find out in the chapters of this book.

After years of enduring torture in her pack, Lara flees away from her mate with her only daughter. She had nowhere to go but was determined to leave the torture and pains she had endured in her pack. While on the run, she gets shot by a hunter. She is saved by a set of twins. The Kings of Lycans went on a secret investigation and met a helpless female wolf being attacked on their way back. They help the young wolf reluctantly and suddenly find themselves saddled with a young girl to take care of. When Lara becomes conscious, she finds herself in a foreign land where werewolves are despised. While being thankful to the Kings for saving her life, she becomes drawn to them. Confused and scared of mating again, she tries to open her heart once more. But what happens when her mate returns and demands her? When secrets are revealed, will the twins forgive her for her decisions or will they reject her?

Brian Pradipta's life was perfect. Many men were jealous of his life. At the age of 35, he was already a very successful CEO. He lives happily with the woman he loves, Azzura Wijaya. Azzura Wijaya was the daughter of Antony Wijaya, the biggest investor in his company. The reason they got married was not that, but because they loved each other. From that marriage was born a beautiful daughter named Kyra Wijaya Pradipta. Bearing the big names of two families, Kyra's life is a dream for many girls of her age. Even during her eleventh birthday celebration, Brian presented his daughter with a helicopter. Kyra transformed into a socialite at a young age. Brian was so grateful for his perfect life that a request from Azzura shook his self-esteem. "Honey... I want you to get married again." Like being struck by lightning, what Azzura said that night sounded like a joke to him. After their hot night, even the mixed feelings of tiredness and sweat haven't completely disappeared. Azzura uttered a sentence that Brian had never expected before. Or maybe Brian never thought about it at all. "What do you mean, Zura?" Brian was an ordinary guy who would probably be greedy for love, but not once did he have such thoughts. No matter how much money he had, no matter how handsome he was, he had no intention of looking at other women. Why be ambiguous if what he wants he has already gotten from Azzura. "I want you to get married again.

Catherine is not your ordinary student. She may be 19 but she's already a millionaire at her age. She was an adopted daughter by a multi - millionaire Japanese woman who has a son for an heir to her other organization. Though she may be a millionaire, she wanted to earn her own penny. She came home from a tiring job during winter. As her exhausted body resigns, she found herself falling to the floor. Upon opening her eyes, she notices the unknown sword that she never knew. The sword has opened a portal and she was sucked to the new world. An era older than her... An era she never know... As she uncovers the secrets of this era, she will be in line to the throne. A position she never dreamt she will be dealing. A twist of fate... She has to choose which world she prefers: In her world where it is peaceful living with Hajime and her dull boring life or the old era where she can have an unending adventure and a kingdom with her friends of the "past"? Catherine must face two worlds and meet people, she must decide which world she would want to stay. Catherine must face the present empress , Destiny and learn how to bout her choices. (Revisions, corrections on grammars and revelations ongoing)

18th birthdays are always a milestone, but I didn’t expect mine to be THIS big of a milestone. Finding out my life isn’t what I thought it was, my parents aren’t who I thought they were, and my whole life got turned upside down. I have more family than I ever knew about, or honestly, I knew about but had my memories of them taken. Everything is about to change as my life fills with people and things I thought only existed in books and movies. Here’s to 18. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

Ezmira Franchild was adopted at the age of eleven. No one knew where this silent little girl originated from, all they knew was that she was found under an old broken-down bridge, curled up into a ball and trembling with fear. It took her an entire year before she began to speak again but once she did, she never spoke of where she came from or who her parents were... she simply clutched to the dirty old bag that she was found with and never allowed anyone to search it or take it from her. Years later, Ezmira is still a quiet child, living in a small town with her sister, Liza Franchild and trying to make the best of her life. Little did she know that her past was not something she could run from or ignore. Once a witch, forever a witch. “I'm afraid to live. I'm afraid to let people in again because I'd never know when they'd leave. My existence is a curse.” ~Ezmira “I've been cursed for many years, but you're the first curse that I've ever willingly accepted. If you're afraid just hold onto me, we can face our fears together.” ~Axil Book 1 of the Divinity Series.

The Chinese and The British were engaged in a deadly scramble for Zambia’s abundant mineral resources. Their fight attracted the attention of the Insaka- the secret organization that controlled all the Zambian government institutions from the President to a common worker on the streets. Amidst the corruption, and almost a failed government, the Insaka involuntarily enlisted two young, beautiful and ambitious women on opposite side of the law. Ima and Subi the sworn and bitter rivals were the only two people the Sextet placed to liberate the rapid extinction of the country. Will the two work together to liberate Zambia from the new colonialists from Asia?

What do you do when all comes crashing down? How do you react when you realize the maze is gone and the truth is what you can't handle? Love, pain, betrayal;... To what extent are you willing to go? The wedding picture Cassandra held fell to the floor shattering into thousands of pieces just like the state of her heart. ‘’My heart is in just as same state as this picture” She crawls her way to the balcony overlooking the beautiful city. A life of a perfect housewife, a perfect wife and partner, now she looks back and it had been nothing but a joke. She stares one more time at the beauty of the city beneath her. ‘’What a waste”’ she spat angrily. Letting her fragile body fall from the 8 floors of an apartment bought with her own money. ‘’Time is all I wish for’’ she whispers. Falling and letting her blood graze the hard tar. Frank and Kelly watched with a satisfied look, not seeing the third eye from the corner who watched with pain written all over him. 6 years is what she offered, standing before two men on her wedding day, Cassandra wakes up. She had to choose a groom, will she go back with this man or would she take her chances into finding out what another 6 years would be in the hands of those longing eyes that watched her fall to her death or the hands that pushed her?’’

#BDSM #Drama #Weaktostrong #StrongLuna Leia Agnor's world was shattered at ten when she and her ex-Beta father were forced to flee their home. Settling into Bluewood Pack, Leia was the only member who couldn't shift into her wolf form, becoming a constant target for ridicule. Her sole purpose was to care for her sick father and dream of escape. However, Leia's hope for a better future was snatched away when her father passed just before her eighteenth birthday. To make matters worse, her Alpha mate, Francis, chose his pregnant girlfriend over her, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Leia's only choice was to leave the Pack and try to fit into the human world. But fate had other plans for her as she encounters her stepbrothers, Alpha Xavier and Alpha Kai, leaders of the Black Moon Pack. Both of them sense Leia as their mate, which means she must confront not one, but two potential mates. As the unknown threat of their past begins to resurface, Leia must find the courage to face her fears and accept her destiny. Will she be able to embrace her true form and rise to the challenges ahead, or will she succumb to the overwhelming pressure?