Up The Smoke

Shantali Mae Cross, a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Ancient Arts, encounters an impossible phenomenon during her night shift—smoke from the heating vents coalesces into the form of a cobra near ancient Egyptian canopic jars, showing her visions of possible futures. She sees herself accepting a promotion, arguing with a dark-haired man in a hospital, wearing a wedding dress, and standing at a graveside in autumn. Shaken by the experience, Shantali becomes obsessed with understanding what she witnessed, diving into research about serpent smoke divination practices. Her investigation reveals that others throughout history have experienced similar visions at crucial crossroads in their lives, but those who became consumed with interpreting and controlling their prophetic glimpses inevitably destroyed the very relationships and opportunities the visions had shown them. As Shantali spirals deeper into her research, she begins shutting out her boyfriend David, a fellow security guard who loves her deeply. When David witnesses the cobra phenomenon himself, he helps ground her in reality rather than obsession. Through her studies, particularly the warnings left by Dr. Amelia Thorne—a researcher who died alone after chasing similar mysteries—Shantali realizes the cobra's true message: choose love over fear, presence over obsession. The visions weren't warnings of tragedy but glimpses of a life fully lived with all its ordinary struggles and profound connections. When David proposes, Shantali chooses their real relationship over her pursuit of supernatural answers. She completes her research by writing a fictional novel about her experience, transforming obsession into art while helping future cobra witnesses understand that some mysteries are meant to guide rather than be solved. The story explores themes of choice versus destiny, the danger of sacrificing present love for future certainty, and the wisdom of embracing life's uncertainties alongside those who love us.

Novel ini menceritakan tentang tujuh siswa dari Airlangga High School yang ingin menyelamatkan sistem pendidikan di Indonesia yang sudah tertinggal sejak 138 tahun yang lalu. Vaneyza Arasyta, Willy Rafardhan, Ulyn Feanada, Adinda Carissa, Elvano Alvian, Yovieno Stevaga, dan Abian Fairel adalah ketujuh siswa yang akan melakukan apapun, agar semua tujuan mereka tercapai.

Ace was raised in a world where death and betrayal go hand in hand. How can she move forward if she's still trapped in her past? She can't trust anyone except herself and her trusty bullets. Can someone thaw her frozen heart? Or will she kill them all and it will be too late for her.

She returned to bury her father. Instead, she was forced to marry his enemy’s son. - Rosalind Marlow returns to New York to settle her father’s affairs, once one of the city’s most feared mafia bosses, only to find he died beside his greatest rival… and left behind a contract binding her to the rival’s son. Viktor Marino is cold, calculating, and infuriatingly magnetic. Rosa has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, not in grief, not in business, and definitely not in bed. But Viktor plays a long game, and with every stare, every challenge, he pulls her deeper into a world of secrets, power, and heat. She was raised to be untouchable. He was born to conquer. And in the space between vengeance and desire, who is going to lose control first? (Contains mature and dark content) ***** EXCERPT ‘Why would you want to leave this behind?’ he growled in my ear, his chest rumbling against my back. Because I can’t trust you. Because I don’t know what I want. ‘Because it’s cruel,’ I whispered. And then he pulled away, leaving me trembling, desperate, and furious.” ❦

A company trust building trip turns into a trip home to the company’s CEO Micha Moran. He takes the group back to the ranch he grew up on. While there he finds that Sophia is also a farm girl and she proves to be much more to him then he planned on when a deal between them for two weeks could turn into forever. A true statement was you can take the person off the farm but not the farm out of the person. Sophia proves this to herself and to her boss who doesn't stay her boss for very long. They have everything the other wants in a partner. As they build their life together from the foundations of the farms they grew up on everything else finds its place easily.

After surviving the brutal apocalypse for ten years, hardened survivor Hayley Reid was betrayed by her base and unexpectedly woke up two weeks before the apocalypse began. Back in time, her useless father and stepmother were still pressuring her to give up her house for her brother and his newlywed wife. This time, Hayley didn’t hesitate to sell them the house for dirt cheap. While they celebrate this great deal, Hayley went crazy stockpiling supplies. With the help of the super base system’s overpowered perks, she built an unbeatable shelter. While everyone else was stuck in zombie chaos, Hayley relaxed in her fortress like she was on vacation. While everyone else struggled to find food, her dog enjoyed a full buffet every day. While everyone else risked their lives squeezing into crowded survivor camps, Hayley’s base stood as the strongest steel fortress in the whole world!

"We'd like you to come with us to the station immediately," Vanessa's heart began to beat faster, "I don't understand," she said, "What for?" "Mrs Spencer, you're wanted as a prime suspect in the murder of your husband, Mr Christopher Wesley. You need to come with us to the station for questioning. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. I suggest you don't try to resist. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?" Vanessa's jaw dropped. Christopher was dead! It was impossible to believe. She'd just spoken to him that afternoon. It had to be a mistake. She nodded, "I…. I…. I need to call my lawyer," she said, when she finally found her tongue," "Ma'am, you can do that at the station. Turn around, please," —----------- Politician and governorship aspirant , Christopher Wesley is dead ; shot in the head right in his own house. The killer is unknown, but the police have a suspect —his estranged wife, Vanessa Spencer Detective Alaric Harper and his partner are placed in charge of this case and at first Alaric is certain that Vanessa had killed her husband. Her motive? He's not sure of. Could it be spite? Maybe the money? Or maybe she just got tired of him delaying their divorce? He's determined to find out and he's sure that he will, but one thing he never expected — falling for her…..

No woman wants to get pregnant by accident even though a child is wonderful to have. Even in cases of accidental pregnancy, the woman is aware of when she was intimate with a man. The story can not be told differently when it comes to artificial insemination. Now what would you do if you just woke up to find yourself in a strange home and three months pregnant when all you remember is celebrating getting your long-awaited scholarship to go study and become the dietician you always wanted to be? Well, Ana woke up to find herself in such a situation and also miles away from home with no means to return. Who are these people, how is she pregnant without being intimate with any man and who is the father? Let's read this amazing story of Ana in Woke Up Pregnant.

The dream of everyone with regard to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two complete strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.

I should have never turned her away. So many years have passed, and she’s back in my life. But our parents dating for a while left me refusing her. And she left for the romantic city of Paris. My pretty girl becoming a ballerina. Forever gone. But life has a way of taking things full circle. Due to an injury, she’s back in our small town. My second chance to make things right stares me in the face. She’s all grown up, and still stealing my every thought. But I can’t compete with her dreams. Letting her go is what’s required of me, and I do it, but not without cost. Never in a million years did I expect her to take a gift with her. A secret. My baby.