Books worth passing time on

Daylin is set to die and doesn’t mind one bit—she earned the noose, after all. But a charming, power-hungry stranger sees more in her than a corpse. He offers a new fate: help him burn down the world’s rulers in exchange for her life. Sounds fair. Now she’s free, sort of. Bound by nothing but ambition and a pact with a man who wants a throne, Daylin is no pawn—she’s the wildcard. She’s chaotic, unrepentant, and terrifyingly good at revenge. And while he’s playing the long game, she’s got her own rules. Together, they’re not just dangerous. They’re inevitable.

There were rumors about him from brothers and the club girls, but nothing stuck.

I said nothing to him, thinking he would leave or even grunt at me when I walked past.

Moving from where I stood, I turned my back to him, which wasn’t the best move I ever made.

Nova never expected much from the club—just survival, not love. But everything changes the night Grim steps out of the shadows and claims her with one word. He’s danger in denim, mystery in a leather cut, and the only man who’s ever made her feel truly seen. But loving a man like him means walking a knife’s edge between freedom and chaos. As Nova starts dreaming of a way out, Grim's world starts closing in. He says he won’t let her go. She wants to believe him... but can she trust a promise from a man who’s never lived outside the club?

Seri has spent her life hiding in plain sight—a half-human servant with royal blood she dares never reveal. But when ruthless King Cazimir takes her across the border, her secret becomes a dangerous weapon. His cursed lands are dying, and only she can break the spell… if he doesn’t break her first. He sees her as a pawn, yet fate has marked her as something far more intimate: his fated mate. Desire coils between them, fierce and treacherous, pulling her toward a man who could either save her or ruin her completely. The closer she gets to him, the more the line between captor and protector blurs—and resisting him may be the hardest battle of all.

Mackenzie agreed to the trial out of desperation. The $50K was worth the risk—even if the drug could kill her.

The scientists said the pheromone created raw, uncontrollable lust. She’d be sealed in with a stranger for 12 weeks.

She thought she was ready.

Until HE walked in.

The Alpha who left her broken years ago. Who rejected her from the pack for being a hybrid. He was as dangerous as she remembered.

But his eyes had a brand new blaze of heat. “Looks like fate’s got a twisted sense of humor.”

Our trail led up the side of a cliff. The path was rocky and, in some places, very unstable. When the Sun went down it got even harder to see. Allyah lit her palm up so that she could see.

“Put that out! You want the others to see us,” I whispered behind me to Allyah.

Hollis never expected much from life in her sleepy village—until the Academy of Oswalda called her name. Magic? Not likely. Or so she thought. But the test doesn’t just reveal she has powers—it crowns her one of the strongest students the Masters have ever seen. With that shock comes a bigger mystery: her past. Her origins don’t line up with anything she’s ever known, and when the couple who raised her vanishes, Hollis sets out on a path full of secrets, shadows, and unexpected strength. Between rocky trails, whispered warnings, and a brooding prince who might be more trouble than help, Hollis must uncover who she really is—and what she’s capable of.

I hated AJ McGabe.

He was my school’s quarterback, and the other girls treated him like Adonis reborn.

Ngl, he was hot as fuck. But he despised me, and the feeling was so mutual.

The only bright spot for Senior year was that my best friend, Jake, was starting at my school.

And it turned out he already had a friend from football camp here. This guy, Andy.

Jake said the three of us would be spending a lot of time together this semester.

But on the first day of school, I got a nasty surprise when he brought me to meet this Andy guy.

Turns out it was AJ. Fucking. McGabe.

That’s right. My best friend was buddies with my sexy nemesis himself.

Fuck. It was going to be a long semester…

Age Rating: 18+ (Content Warning: Drug Use/Overdose, Suicide)

Hollis expects nothing from life beyond her quiet village—until the Academy calls. Every 18-year-old is tested for magic, but she’s sure she’ll be sent back home. Instead, she shocks everyone: powerful, gifted, and destined for more than she ever dreamed. As secrets from her past surface and a chilling vision of blood and thunder haunts her, Hollis sets off to uncover who she really is. Magic pulses through her veins—but so do questions of love, loyalty, and a terrifying power she might not control. One thing’s clear: she can’t go back to ordinary now.

After the death of her father, the king, Deanna finds herself in a dangerous situation. She is a bastard princess, and her stepmother, Queen Rosaline, and her stepbrother, Prince Lamont, will stop at nothing to see that she is removed from the court. Alone and without anyone to protect her, Deanna begins to fear for her life. But when suitors begin arriving to court Queen Rosaline, Deanna meets a handsome stranger from a faraway land who may offer the salvation she seeks...

Age Rating: 18+

In a realm where interstellar politics and ancient powers collide, Queen Izzy and her loyal companions face a deadly virus outbreak on Earth. As they navigate threats from both within and beyond their world, they must balance their duty to protect humanity with the personal sacrifices that come with leadership. With the fate of two worlds hanging in the balance, Izzy's journey is one of courage, love, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

Sloan Kennedy thinks she has everything figured out. She has a plan for her life, and everything is on track. Everything is sliding into place and, soon, she’ll have everything she’s ever wanted, right? That’s what she thought until a chance encounter flips her world upside down and makes her question everything.

Age Rating: 18+

Violet escapes a life of captivity only to find herself entangled with a mysterious pirate captain named Ace. As she navigates the treacherous waters of her new life aboard his ship, she discovers hidden dangers, supernatural secrets, and an unexpected romance. With each passing day, Violet must decide if she can trust Ace and if she is willing to embrace the perilous freedom he offers.

Being empathic is the least of Davy's problems. She wants to go to college and live a normal life until someone gives her something she doesn't want. Now she has to deal with the supernatural and a prophecy that no one knows about.

Jenny finds out that she works in a hotel full of supernaturals when her life is threatened by one on her way home from work. The group works together to keep her safe amidst the growing threat. In the meantime, Jenny secretly takes solace and comfort in a mysterious being that visits her in her moments of sadness. But can Jenny trust the being when she can't even see it? To make matters more complicated, Jenny is forced to hide out in the home of Ambrose, a cranky supernatural that only ever looks at her with disgust. Will Ambrose be able to keep her safe when she's being attacked in her dreams and comforted by invisible beings he can't see? And can he fight his growing feelings for her along the way?

Age Rating: 18+

A powerless bastard daughter of the Mage Emperor is sent in the place of her missing elder sister as a decoy bride for a neighboring king. They need his army to win a war against the invading kingdom to the south, but he'll only send aid for a queen.

The princess is taken the wrong way and winds up in the presence of a southern enemy soldier. After days in endless battle, the soldier wants nothing more than to return to his camp and return to winning the war, but the tempting princess is making the journey torturous.

Selene is promised to the gods, meant to become a priestess when her sister is found and rightfully married to the northern king. She questions everything she knows, including her feelings, when she learns who the enemy soldier really is. And by the time he learns that she's not the true born princess, and she's really the powerless daughter, it's too late for his heart as well.

Mallory Moody takes a teaching job in the human sector, hoping to win the favor of her old crush, Randall. But her plans for love are upended when she inherits a sleep demon from her predecessor and faces an uninvited debt-collecting demon named Slater. Now, Mallory must juggle her work, a budding romance, and battling two unexpected houseguests—demons who complicate her already chaotic life.

The happiest memories of Erica’s childhood were summers with her grandmother. But now her grandmother is gone, and Erica inherited the house in a town that wants nothing to do with her. After spending six years in a juvenile detention center, Erica doesn’t blame them. She killed a man. And the monster inside her is still there. Wade remembers the girl with gray eyes and long blond hair. As a child, he couldn’t wait for summer when they’d run and play and he’d pull her hair. Now she’s back, and something about her calls to him and his wolf. He wants to protect her, both from the outside world and her inner demons. Will Erica accept the creature inside her and find her second chance at happiness?

Age Rating: 18+ (Assault, Attempted Rape, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence)

Della, a blue-haired outcast, discovers she’s not the monster her parents claimed—she’s something much darker. After being attacked, she learns she’s a demon and is taken to Solomon Academy to harness her mysterious powers and control her growing hunger. But Della isn't just any demon; no one knows what she truly is. As she navigates a world filled with dangerous secrets and deadly enemies, she must figure out who she is—with the help of some intriguing allies and the threat of others who might want her dead.

"I hate you," Isla spat at him.

Ebon laughed. "That is an excellent place to start."

When Isla swipes a purse, she has no idea that her victim is the most feared pirate captain of all. Her daring act lands her as a captive aboard his notorious ship, where danger lurks at every corner. Ebon sees something in Isla—a fire, a darkness to match his own—and he’s determined to draw it out. As their fiery clashes ignite into something neither can deny, Isla must navigate her own fears and desires. Will she escape the pirate’s hold, or will her heart betray her and bind her to the darkness she swore to defy?

In high school, Celeste fell face-first into the crotch of the hottest guy in school, also her longtime crush. And she became the laughingstock. Now, several years later, she runs into him again, as a successful marketing director. Will love rise against the constant embarrassment and humiliation she suffered because of him?

Age Rating: 18+

So, you want to know what it’s like to be sex trafficked by aliens?

Cages and shock collars suck. My chained wrists are hoisted so high I’m straining on my tiptoes. My transparent dress explicitly displays my body to alien bidders. Being a gift for an alien general isn’t a confidence booster. And the food is extremely hit or miss.

But alien dick? Alien dick is my new favorite thing in the entire universe.

What would you do if you had three wishes?

Verity finds a handsome man in her bed when she wakes up. At first, she thinks she's dreaming, only to find out she's definitely not. He's actually a genie and she is—his new Master.

And she is his final Master, for her third wish will end his genie captivity. But she doesn't have anything she wants... except maybe him.

Addalynn Reina is just an ordinary girl. She has loving parents, a comfortable life, and a ride-or-die best friend. Dancing is her absolute passion and she is well-known for being a kind and caring person. Who wouldn’t love to be around her? Unfortunately for Addy, the answer to that question is her next-door neighbor/long-time crush/high school bad boy Asher King, who won’t even look in her direction. That is, until she decides to smash her chapped lips to Asher’s luscious ones one fateful night. And he doesn’t know it was her. Now he wants her to help him catch the girl who stole his first kiss—in exchange for keeping one of her biggest secrets to himself. But how can Addy help him catch the culprit when she’s the guilty party?

Age Rating: 18+