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Summaries of 9,835 books.

  1. Consider Phlebas

    Iain M. Banks

    ★ 3.9 (74k) average on GoodreadsFantasy

    During a galaxy-wide war between a religious empire and a utopian civilization, a cynical shapeshifter and his crew brave a deadly labyrinth on a forbidden world to find a rogue AI that could change the war's outcome.

  2. Only Time Will Tell

    Jeffrey Archer

    ★ 4.1 (74k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    A dockworker's son in 1920s Bristol learns a secret about his parents, moving him from the shipyards to an elite school and forcing a choice between Oxford and WWII, all while questioning who he is.

  3. Wings

    Aprilynne Pike

    ★ 3.8 (74k) average on GoodreadsFantasy

    A teenager learns she is a faerie whose new wings mean a dangerous future tied to an ancient magical world and a forbidden romance.

  4. The Beach

    Alex Garland

    ★ 3.9 (74k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    On a secluded Thai island, an adventurous backpacker's discovery of a utopian beach community quickly devolves into a struggle for survival as human nature's darker side erodes paradise.

  5. The Bands of Mourning

    Brandon Sanderson

    ★ 4.4 (74k) average on GoodreadsFantasy

    A lawman in a world of magic and technology hunts mythical artifacts and uncovers a conspiracy that threatens his family and modern society.

  6. 61 Hours

    Lee Child

    ★ 4.1 (74k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    Stranded in a brutal South Dakota snowstorm, Jack Reacher finds himself in a desperate race against a professional assassin to protect a lone woman whose testimony could expose a town's deadly secrets, all while a ticking clock counts down their final 61 hours.

  7. The Woods

    Harlan Coben

    ★ 4.0 (74k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    A prosecutor, haunted by his sister's disappearance at summer camp two decades ago, finds his past violently colliding with his present when a new murder case reopens old wounds and shatters everything he thought he knew about that night in the woods.

  8. The Gods of Guilt

    Michael Connelly

    ★ 4.2 (74k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    Haunted by a former client's murder, defense attorney Mickey Haller faces guilt and duty to find the truth, fearing his past help may have led to her death.

  9. Still Life with Woodpecker

    Tom Robbins

    ★ 4.0 (74k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction

    A royal exile and a free-spirited bomber find love within a pack of Camel cigarettes, exploring the moon's purpose, the balance between activism and individualism, and the unique challenges of redheads.

  10. The Last Kingdom

    Bernard Cornwell

    ★ 4.3 (73k) average on GoodreadsHistorical Fiction

    A nobleman, taken by Vikings as a child, must choose between his birth culture and his upbringing during 9th-century England's fight for survival, all while trying to take back his family home, Bebbanburg.

  11. The Ask and the Answer

    Patrick Ness

    ★ 4.2 (73k) average on GoodreadsFantasy

    Separated and imprisoned by their greatest foe, Todd and Viola must navigate a city under siege, where the lines between oppressor and liberator blur amidst a brewing rebellion and the constant threat of explosive secrets.

  12. Anne of Windy Poplars

    L.M. Montgomery

    ★ 4.1 (73k) average on GoodreadsChildren's

    Anne Shirley navigates the politics and eccentricities of Summerside, transforming a hostile 'royal family' and a new school into another canvas for her spirit and joy, all while awaiting Gilbert's return.

  13. Nightmares and Dreamscapes

    Stephen King

    ★ 3.9 (73k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    Stephen King's third collection takes readers into a vast cave of imagination, where fingers emerge from drains, novelty teeth become deadly, and Castle Rock's legend grows, promising sleepless nights as he crafts your nightmares and triumphs.

  14. Echo Burning

    Lee Child

    ★ 4.0 (73k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    Stranded in West Texas, drifter Jack Reacher helps a woman escape her violent husband, only to uncover a deeper plot of murder and family secrets at a remote ranch where no one is trustworthy.

  15. Bring Up the Bodies

    Hilary Mantel

    ★ 4.3 (73k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction

    As Anne Boleyn's standing weakens and Henry VIII's interest shifts, Thomas Cromwell arranges her downfall, navigating court politics and personal ambition to secure the king's new bride.

  16. The Third Wheel

    Jeff Kinney

    ★ 4.2 (73k) average on GoodreadsChildren's

    Greg Heffley scrambles for a Valentine's Day dance date, finding an unexpected partner and leaving his best friend, Rowley, as the third wheel in a night of surprising romantic turns.

  17. The Book of Negroes

    Lawrence Hill

    ★ 4.5 (73k) average on GoodreadsHistorical Fiction

    Abducted from Africa and enslaved in America, Aminata's spirit helps her navigate revolution, loss, and a perilous journey back to her homeland, making her a symbol of freedom against the brutal tides of history.

  18. Diary

    Chuck Palahniuk

    ★ 3.6 (73k) average on GoodreadsThriller

    A jaded artist on a tourist-trap island finds her creative spark reignited by a mysterious compulsion to paint, only to discover she's a pawn in a sinister conspiracy tied to her comatose husband's dark secrets and threatening hundreds of lives.

  19. The Buried Giant

    Kazuo Ishiguro

    ★ 3.5 (73k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction

    In a land of memory-stealing mist, an old couple journeys through post-Arthurian Britain to find their forgotten son, facing truths about love, war, and revenge.

  20. Salem Falls

    Jodi Picoult

    ★ 3.8 (73k) average on GoodreadsMystery

    A man accused of misconduct finds peace and love in a new town, only for history to repeat itself when a group of teenage girls makes a new allegation, forcing his lover to confront his shadowed past and the town's hidden truths.

  21. Everyone Worth Knowing

    Lauren Weisberger

    ★ 3.4 (73k) average on GoodreadsRomance

    A small-town girl thrust into the glittering, cutthroat world of New York City's elite PR scene discovers that the price of admission might be her own privacy and sense of self.

  22. Tara Road

    Maeve Binchy

    ★ 3.9 (73k) average on GoodreadsRomance

    Two women, one from Ireland dealing with a broken marriage and another from America grieving a loss, trade lives and homes. They discover shared secrets and an unexpected friendship that helps them heal.

  23. The Paying Guests

    Sarah Waters

    ★ 3.4 (73k) average on GoodreadsLiterary Fiction

    In 1920s London, a spinster's quiet life with her mother is shattered when a young couple moves in, sparking a forbidden passion that leads to secrets and betrayal.

  24. The Portrait of a Lady

    Henry James

    ★ 3.8 (73k) average on GoodreadsHistorical Fiction

    An American heiress, wanting freedom in European high society, learns that wealth cannot protect her from manipulation and the sad results of a bad choice.

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