New Adult Books

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Work in Progress

New York Times Bestseller

In this humorous memoir, New York Times bestselling author and podcast host of The Spiritual Life, Father James Martin tells the story of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, and corporate tool and, finally, a Jesuit priest.

"Funny, charming, inspiring and wise--this is a memorable memoir." -- Stephen Colbert

Work in Progress is a snapshot of several years--first as a boy, then as a teenager, and finally as a young adult--of being thrown into a series of jobs for which Martin had zero training. He had never set foot in a restaurant kitchen before working as a busboy and dishwasher; never stepped onto a golf course before working as a caddy; and had never seen a factory floor before working as an assembly-line worker. He almost always felt uncomfortable, unsettled, and uneasy. But, like many of us, he needed the money.

This coming-of-age story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, a lighthearted tale for readers who enjoy personal narratives, and it's unlike anything Father Martin has written before. As he puts it, "This is a spiritual memoir from a different angle ... told 'slant' as Emily Dickinson might say."

Each chapter features photos of memories and milestones throughout Father Martin's young life. If you're an aficionado of snafus, you won't be disappointed. He's not the hero of these stories, more a hapless teenager who learns in each job, even the ones he loathes, something about the value of work, about what it means to be an adult, about people, and about life overall.

Work in Progress teaches us small but important life lessons such as:

 

  • work hard and be on time,
  • don't be mean, apologize when you need to, and forgive frequently,
  • ask if you don't know something,
  • don't misuse power,
  • pay attention to those who are struggling,
  • listen and, above all, be kind.

 

Martin shares, "My summer jobs, crazy and funny and varied as they were, had something to do with who I am. As we Jesuits would say, the lessons I learned helped to 'form" me."

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How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay

Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson—aka the Bloggess

Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She’s a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She’s an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The questions people most often ask her are, “How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?” This book is her answer. 

In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares more than one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn’t working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up.

With chapters like “Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra” (sleep, you beautiful human), “Working on Easy Mode Is Still Working” (asking for accommodations is okay!), “Celebrate Good Times, Come On!” (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It’s for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and full of hope, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times.

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Bloodsinger

DELUXE EDITION―featuring a foil case stamp, designed endpapers, and beautiful stenciled edges that, together with Firebird (and the final book in the trilogy next year), will form one stunning piece of art.

New York Times bestselling author Juliette Cross returns with a new scorching dark romantasy in her The Fire That Binds trilogy. The fate of a powerful witch who can control men with one taste of their blood and a fierce dragon collide.

A spellbinding gift...
A plea answered by the gods...
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome. 

Lela Bihari’s village was invaded on her wedding night, her betrothed murdered right in front of her. While her sisters were either dragged away or escaped, Lela was sold to Valerius, a consul of Rome.

When she tried to kill Valerius her first night as his slave, her bloodsinger gift manifested... and she was punished for it. Now she’s paraded in front of the other senators for their amusement. 

But Trajan Tiberius, the newly elected tribune to the senate, is different. He has no love for the brutality around him. When he frees Lela from enslavement and hides her, Lela is set on a path of vengeance, and using her gift puts her in more danger than ever before.

Now trapped inside the walls of Rome while deathriders circle the skies, how can she possibly trust a Roman dragon? Especially when it is clear Trajan has ulterior schemes of his own? As her powers grow stronger, danger draws closer, and Lela realizes it isn't just her life at stake, but also her heart.

Bloodsinger is an adult romantasy novel that contains dark themes, including slavery in Ancient Rome and self-injury, which may be uncomfortable for some readers.

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Game On

Book three in the #1 New York Times bestselling Into Darkness Series, following the dark rom-com sensations Lights Out and Caught Up. The game is on for these enemies-to-lovers with laugh-out-loud banter and scorching-hot brat play.

I hate that woman.

Tyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meet the man. No, he wants to destroy him. And he'll manipulate whoever he can to exact his revenge.

Including Stella McCormick. She's everything Tyler hates. Her wealth and privilege have protected her for her entire life, and Tyler thinks it's time she finally paid the price. Whether she's ready to or not.

I hate that man.

Stella might not believe in love at first sight, but loathing at first sight--no question. From the moment she sets eyes on Tyler in her tattoo parlor, she knows he's the devil planning to make her life hell.

Forced to play the part of his girlfriend and invite him into her family's glittering circles, Stella quickly clocks Tyler's ulterior motives. But love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and soon she doesn't know which is worse: being blackmailed by a man who wants to ruin her, or that they can't seem to keep their hands off each other.

This is an enemies-to-lovers dark romance with morally grey characters. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers / Forced proximity / Fake dating / Rom-com / Morally grey MMC / Black cat FMC / Blackmail / Kidnapping / Power imbalance / Age gap / Betrayal and redemption / Dark past / Revenge

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A Most Peculiar Providence

Joshua Donnelly has lived a careful, orderly life in the old house on Church Street, as his mama taught him. Then, on the coldest night of the year, a newborn baby appears in his care with no explanation and no instructions. Only a prayer answered in the most unexpected way.

 

Heather Thomas arrives in Peculiar carrying her own heartbreak, running from mistakes she cannot undo. When her path crosses Josh's, the two form a fragile, improbable unit built on kindness, faith, and more hope than sense.

 

As gossip swirls, authorities ask questions, and the town watches closely, Josh and Heather must decide whether to trust coincidence or believe some gifts are heaven-sent.

 

A Most Peculiar Providence is a tender small-town novel about grace, second chances, and the quiet miracles that arrive when love opens the door.

 

**Positioning.** A Most Peculiar Providence sits squarely in the small-town, faith-inflected family-drama lane of commercial fiction. It combines a cozy, community-centered setting (Peculiar, FL - [\#]()), a redemptive, faith-based framing (prayer, providence, miracles - [\#](), [\#]()), and an inciting domestic crisis (a newborn left on a doorstep - [\#]()) that drives both plot and character transformation. The book's moral center (gentle heroism, quiet faith, second chances) aligns with evangelical Christian readership while its warm domestic stakes and small-town gossip culture make it accessible to mainstream readers who prefer uplifting, character-driven fiction.

 

 

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Renegade

★ He was supposed to be dead. She was supposed to move on. Some loves won't stay buried. ★

 

The last person Sierra Blackwood expects to see is the man whose memorial service she attended three years ago.

 

For ten years, she's raised their son alone, told him his father died a hero, and built a life from the ashes of broken promises. Now Rowan "Hammer" Wallace is back-no explanation, no apology, just those devastating blue eyes and a presence that fills every empty space she's tried to heal.

 

He doesn't know about the boy. And she doesn't know if she can survive losing him again.

But there's no time for second chances when a killer has you in their crosshairs.

 

Someone wants Sierra's ranch-and they're willing to burn down everything she loves to get it. Poisoned livestock. Mysterious fires. And when armed men kidnap Sierra and her ten-year-old son, Rowan must confront the violent stepfather who drove him away to save the family he never knew existed.

 

In the mountains of Colorado, the past never stays buried. And some men never stop fighting for what's theirs.

 

Perfect for fans of:

  • Second-chance romance with heart
  • Christian romantic suspense
  • Cowboy heroes with dangerous pasts
  • Small-town settings with big secrets
  • Military romance/Wounded warrior stories
  • Family drama and redemption arcs

 

Themes:

Faith Forgiveness Fatherhood Justice Homecoming Secrets & Lies Redemption Small-Town Community Ranch Life Overcoming the Past

 

Start the Heroes of Renegade series today and discover why readers can't get enough of this pulse-pounding romantic suspense!

 

Book 1 in Heroes of Renegade series. Complete story with HEA, but the series continues!

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American Struggle

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Soul of America unites centuries of essential American voices to understand our national debates and divisions from 1619 to the present, with his signature commentary on the consequential speeches, letters, and essays that led us to this moment.

“Jon Meacham has done it again. If there is a soul in American history, it emerges—indeed, explodes—from these pages.”—David W. Blight, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom

In a polarized era, history can become a subject of political contention. Many see America as perfect; many others argue that the national experiment is fundamentally flawed. The truth, Meacham shows, likely lies between these extremes. America has had shining hours, and also dark ones.

In American Struggle, Jon Meacham illuminates the nation’s complicated past. This rich and diverse collection covers a wide spectrum of history, from 1619 to the twenty-first century, with primary-source documents that take us back to critical moments in which Americans fought over the meaning and the direction of the national experiment. From the founders to Lincoln to Obama, from Andrew Jackson to Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, from Seneca Falls to the March on Washington, this chorus—sometimes discordant and always fascinating—tells the story of the country and of its people. As clashes over liberty and slavery, inclusion and exclusion, play out, these voices, brilliantly framed by Meacham’s singular commentary, remind us that contentious citizenship and fair-minded observations are essential to bringing about the more perfect union envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution, which Frederick Douglass called a “glorious liberty document.”

Conflict is nothing new in our democracy; rather, as Meacham and these texts show, tensions are inherent, stubborn, and perennial. And American Struggle teaches us anew that to know what has come before, to watch as long-running disputes rise and fall, is to be armed against despair.

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Rage and the Republic

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, law professor, legal analyst, and bestselling author of The Indispensable Right Jonathan Turley explores how the unique origins of American democracy set it apart from other revolutions, whether it can survive and thrive in the 21st century, and how the unfinished story of the revolution will play out in a rapidly changing world.

This is a book about revolutions. Most countries are the progeny of revolution. At the birth of this nation, the Founding Fathers faced the quintessential question of self-governance: how do you keep democracy from devolving into violent anarchy or brutal despotism? Drawing on little-known facts from the founding, Jonathan Turley reveals how the United States escaped the cycles of violence and instability that plagued other democratic movements, from ancient Athens to 19th-century France.

As the nation approaches a new era marked by artificial intelligence, robotics, and profound economic shifts, America must again withstand the pressure of radical forces that seek to curtail our natural liberties under the guise of popular reform. In this crisis of faith, many politicians and pundits are questioning the very principles of American democracy, and some law professors are even calling for scrapping the Constitution.

Synthesizing sources from history to philosophy to the arts, Turley offers a hopeful account of how the lessons of the past can guide us through today’s “crisis of faith” in democracy and see us into the future. He notes: “From redcoats to robots, our challenges have changed. Yet, we have remained. Our greatest danger is not forgetting the history detailed in this book, but forgetting who we were in that history.”

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Bad Seeds

A warm-hearted, generous businesswoman discovers her dark side when she’s betrayed by both the younger man she thought was the love of her life and the best friend she’s always trusted—with shattering consequences—in New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe’s final standalone novel set in the outrageously scandalous, colorful town of Lexington, Alabama.

The daughter of a hardworking restaurant owner, Louise Brooks always sees the best in people—and in helping them no matter how difficult her own life gets. She's lived through tragic loss and working in the family business, even after enduring a failed marriage and raising a child. So she's delighted when she finds a best friend in Della Thornton, a woman struggling with bad breaks and unlucky romances. Many years later, when Louise's father and her prosperous second husband pass away, Louise takes Della in and gives her a role in the restaurant as it grows more successful than ever . . .

Louise is now convinced lasting love is not in the cards for her—until she runs into handsome Malcolm Purdy. He's everything she could want—outgoing, charming, and attentive. Soon they become engaged. And although Louise is dismayed that Della and Malcolm hate each other from the start, she does her best to keep the peace between the two people she cares about and trusts the most . . .

But a chance encounter from the past shows Louise that neither Della nor Malcolm is quite who they say they are—and their deceit runs deeper and deadlier than she imagined. With her illusions in ruins, how far will she go to see justice served? And will her final shocking move cost her more than she’s willing to lose?

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A Day of Judgment

Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard travels to England’s windswept coastline to investigate a murder in a place where, several years after the end of WWI, the memory of the war still runs strong . . .

July, 1921: England is suffering a heatwave and the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland, is filled with holiday-makers bird watching and enjoying the beaches. Pilgrims also come to visit the home of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden—the founders of Christianity in England—located on the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne, accessible by a causeway at low tide. When the murdered body of a local man washes ashore just south of Lindisfarne, the government and the Church of England are concerned about protecting both the reputation of the Church and the sacred sites that are a destination for hundreds of pilgrims at this time of year.

With his ability to move in the highest social and political circles, Rutledge is sent by Scotland Yard to solve this crime and dispel any association with the Church. Upon arrival, Rutledge finds himself pulled between two coastal fishing villages, scarred by home front battles and coastal bombardment from the German Navy, where animosity towards Germany still runs high even years after the war. This, combined with a constabulary in the process of being consolidated to form a countywide police force, with local militias still wielding a great deal of power, means Rutledge must tread with care. Facing a puzzling case and a cast of locals that don’t take kindly to outsiders, the newly promoted Rutledge meets one of the most challenging cases of his career. To solve it, he’ll also have to confront his own demons left over from his time in the war.

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Moon Tennessee: with the Smoky Mountains

The birthplace of the blues, the cradle of country music, and the home of the Smokies: get to know the Volunteer State with Moon Tennessee. Inside you'll find:

  • Strategic, flexible itineraries, from a long weekend in Nashville to a Great Smokies road trip, plus day trips from Memphis and Nashville
  • The best local flavors: Dig into fiery hot chicken and authentic Southern barbecue or sip on samples at the Jack Daniels Distillery
  • Can't-miss music: Catch a performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage or follow in the footsteps of the King at Graceland. Two-step with the locals at a beloved honky-tonk, listen to the strums of bluegrass, or tour studios where legends like Johnny Cash recorded their hits
  • Outdoor adventures: Go whitewater rafting in Cherokee National Forest, hike to rushing waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or spot wild bison in the Land Between the Lakes
  • Expert advice from local Nashvillian Margaret Littman on when to go, what to eat, and where to stay, from secluded campgrounds to historic inns
  • Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
  • Background information on the landscape, wildlife, and history of Tennessee

Experience the best of Tennessee with Moon. Heading to the mountains? Check out Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Staying in the city? Try Moon Nashville.



About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell--and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. 



For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

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No One's Coming

From the award-winning author of American Sirens and A Thousand Naked Strangers comes a real-life thriller about the most daring rescue in air-medical history.



JULY 2014. Two American medical volunteers who joined the fight against the deadliest Ebola outbreak in world history have gotten infected. The virus kills in just over a week and they're trapped in a hot zone with the clock ticking. If there's going to be a rescue it has to happen now. 



The very notion of getting the patients out is a radical and dangerous idea. Bringing them home might cause an outbreak of Ebola here in the US. No one's certain if it can or should be done or if they'll even survive the flight. In fact, the only thing anyone can agree on is that there's just one group of people resourceful enough (or crazy enough) to pull this off. Thousands of miles away and deep in the north Georgia mountains, a phone rings at Phoenix Air. It's the US government calling with another impossible mission. 



Kevin Hazzard chronicles the ten frantic days that followed that phone call, dropping readers into the center of a first-of-its-kind international rescue. Phoenix Air, an eccentric band of engineers, pilots, and doctors with a reputation for doing things nobody else could, would become a lifeline to the world.



Terrifying, fascinating, and inspiring, No One's Coming is a story of selfless heroes on both sides of the Atlantic who overcome the apathy and resistance of their own governments and communities, risking their lives to save others--once again proving that ordinary people are capable of overcoming the most extraordinary of problems. As contagions spring up around the world, this story of outbreaks and the people who fight them resonates more than ever.

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Life: A Love Story

A warm, intimate novel that reminds us of the richness that can be found all throughout our lives—by the New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv and Open House

“This gentle story of appreciation for the people and things that make up a life will renew your spirit.”—Oprah Daily (Best Books of Spring)

As ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.

The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but it turns out to do much more than that: ultimately, it will transform Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now, and as long as she's going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a full life has led her to understand.

Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: A Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow.

New DVDs

Wicked for Good

Wicked for Good


Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz's silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. As Glinda's stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba's sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.