Books of the Month December 2024

December is a month of friendship, family, and festivities, but it wouldn’t be complete without a good book or two to read whenever there’s some spare time. Thankfully, our readers had plenty to choose from across all genres. Here are the books of the month for December 2024, as selected by our discerning readers.  Best RomanceThe Heart of an AlchemistBy A R MorganThe Heart of an Alchemist is the first novel in The Tria Prima series by A R Morgan. It is an action-packed dark fantasy romance starring an alchemist named Melisandre. As the last of her kind, she has a power that even magic cannot match, which unfortunately makes her the target of nightmare and horror creatures hungry for control. Melisandre has been successfully hiding and evading these creatures for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, after becoming the ard of a ten-year-old Fae hybrid named Toby, who has kleptomaniacal tendencies, it becomes a little more difficult for Melisandre to remain hidden.      Best Action & AdventureTeam Avenging Angel: Love & Rough Justice in BrooklynBy Charles S. IsaacTeam Avenging Angel is the second book in the Avenging Angel series by Charles S. Isaacs. It stars Cassandra “Cassie” Monroe and Mike Borelli, who together take on serial killers, sex traffickers, kidnappers, child molesters, and other lowlifes. Cassie, who is African-American, turned to a life of vigilantism after a racially-charged childhood rape. Mike is an Italian-American private eye with Mafia connections, who along with Cassie is often forced to work outside and even against the law due to the corrupt criminal justice system. In this novel Cassie finds herself pitted against a unit of the Haitian secret police while Mike is framed for a series of murders he did not commit.  Best Mystery & ThrillerA Knock at the DoorBy Peter RowlandsA Knock at the Door is a brain-teasing mystery novel by Peter Rowlands. A man named Rory Cavenham is shocked to discover a bedraggled woman on his doorstep in the middle of a storm. Not only is the woman, named Rebecca,  convinced that the year is 1972, but she also claims to have lost her memory and fears mysterious pursuers. Rory has his own troubled past to deal with but is drawn to the woman and becomes determined to help her as she adjusts to modern life. However, while Rory makes some progress in piecing the mystery together, it turns out that Rebecca’s pursuers are all too real.  Best BiographyReflections on Life’s IllusionsBy Jane GallagherReflections on Life’s Illusions is a memoir by Jane Gallagher that takes readers back to the 1960s and 70s. Along with evocative personal stories, the author also weaves in some insightful cultural commentary on these eras. As part of the baby boom generation, she experienced everything from the Vietnam War and Watergate to the births of second-wave feminism and the civil rights movement. In addition, like others living through these eras, she experienced everything from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr to the hippie movement and more.  Best Children’s BookBob and Fluffy’s First AdventureBy Hong LeeBob and Fluffy’s First Adventure is a children’s book by Hong Lee featuring charming illustrations by Choryna Dezavega. The story features Bob, a boy who discovers a lost, shivering puppy in the bushes during one of his usual morning walks. Bob sets out to find the little one’s home, which involves visiting various homes and encountering many people. The story is aimed at teaching children the value of kindness, and perseverance and how new friends can be found in unexpected places.  Best FantasyBeyond the White DoorBy Alasdair ForsytheBeyond the White Door is the first installment of The Particularly Difficult Matter of Other World series by Alasdair Forsythe. The story follows the adventures of Sarah Miller, a young girl who finds herself in a realm of talking animals and magical doors after taking several wrong turns in exactly the right direction. In this strange realm, Sarah embarks on a quest that is either incredibly important or incredibly improper while learning that being a Chosen One is a lot more complicated than the stories suggest.   Best Literary FictionAll the Words We Cannot SayBy Temar Jehuda CohenAll the Words We Cannot Say by Temar Jehuda Cohen is the story of Sara Davidson, a career immunologist who seemingly has it all. Her job has enabled her to help countless strangers face life-risking illnesses, she has a loving, devoted husband and fantastic supportive children. Unfortunately, her world comes crashing down when Sara is diagnosed with a brain tumor. This leaves her struggling to hang on to her work, her family, and her relationship with her husband as she faces years of death-defying surgeries and long and painful recoveries.  Best Science FictionThe Alien ArtifactBy Ernesto MaisulsThe Alien Artifact is the first book in the series of the same name by Ernesto Maisuls. The alien artifact in question is a small, pulsating object, discovered by a field botanist named Andrew who stumbles upon the crash site of an alien spacecraft deep within the jungle. After touching the object Andrew is drawn into a web of telepathic communication and has eerie visions that challenge his understanding of reality. Andrew also finds himself entangled in a mystery that spans far beyond the confines of Earth as the artifact begins to reveal its secrets.  Best ParanormalDemons Also DreamBy Ava LockDemons Also Dream: Summoned is the first book in the Deadly Sins series of dark paranormal bounty hunter books by Ava Lock. It stars Joscelyn Wild, a lonely midlife psychic with the uncanny ability to dream of macabre murders while they happen. It’s a grim gift, but she puts it to good use writing supernatural suspense novels. Joscelyn is also secretly in love with a demon named Fury, who she has turned into the female heroine of all her books. Fury is actually a real demon and Hell’s top bounty hunter, but her dreams of serving Heaven instead are held back by the fact that Lucifer is her former lover and she owes him a debt. Things become even more complicated when Joscelyn is abducted by a Fox News weather girl who is obsessed with Fury and thinks Joss is the key to harnessing Fury’s supernatural powers.     Best Non-FictionThe Soul Heals the BodyBy Nurit MarcusThe Soul Heals the Body by Nurit Marcus is a book about learning to embrace the transformative power of the spirit. The author was left completely paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair by the time she was seven, thanks to childhood polio. However, through the power of positivity, perseverance, and spirituality she has managed to live a full and fulfilling life. As a clinical psychologist, she also used spiritual therapy to help others overcome the setbacks in their lives. The Soul Heals the Body features not only her own unique life story but also her profound insights and inspiration for others to tap into the immense potential of their souls.