by Philip Eliot | Dec 31, 2025 | Science Fiction |
The Nest; New YorkThe 36th novel from acclaimed author Conrad JonesIt’s 2025. Beneath the glittering towers of Manhattan, something is stirring in the dark. Homeless people are vanishing from the forgotten subway tunnels, their absence buried beneath bureaucracy and political indifference. Garbage trucks sit idle in picket lines. The nutrias, huge water rats—once bred for fur—are now being bred for something far worse.Carnage.Larger. Smarter. Organized. Hungry…As the city teeters on the edge of chaos, the truth begins to emerge: this is no infestation. This is an invasion.What the reviewers are saying; Review: The Nest by Conrad JonesFrom the very first page of The Nest, Conrad Jones grips you in a relentless nightmare of fear and suspense that doesn’t let go. This is horror at full throttle—adrenaline surging, nerves fraying—as monstrous rodents claw their way beneath your skin and gnaw their way into your bones. Set against a crumbling New York City backdrop, the story unfolds with terrifying precision as the city descends into chaos. No one is safe—men, women, children—all fall prey to the rising tide of carnage.What’s truly chilling is the calculated, almost surgical intelligence of these creatures. Engineered and crossbred by the most depraved members of society, these rats mutate into something far more dangerous than nature ever intended—fast, cunning, and terrifyingly organised.At the heart of the fight is Emily, a brilliant biologist racing against time. Alongside a team of elite scientists, she works tirelessly to decode the behaviour and biology of the enemy. As the situation spirals, the authorities deploy everything—police, military, FBI, CIA—all turning to Emily for answers. Her expertise in cognitive and social animal behaviour becomes the last fragile thread holding the city from collapse.This isn’t a casual read—it’s immersive, visceral, and utterly gripping. If you crave high-stakes, pulse-pounding fiction that pulls you deep into a world on the brink, The Nest delivers in spades. Conrad Jones conjures a world so disturbingly real, you’ll swear you can hear the scratching behind the walls. The fear, tension, and sheer panic echo long after the final page.You won’t forget this one.In 1974, James Herbert unleashed The Rats, a nightmarish vision that would go on to haunt generations of readers. The trilogy, Rats, Lair, Domain are Conrad’s favourite books from that era. Fifty years later, inspired by that same legacy of terror, comes The Nest; New York—a chilling homage from a writer who knows that time is precious… and the clock is always ticking for all of us.This concept was something Conrad always wanted to explore for the sake of nostalgia, but the time was never right, until now. Written during a personal battle with cancer, The Nest is not just a story—it is a reckoning. A letter of sincere thanks to the horror writer that shaped his career, and a roar into the darkness from an author who refuses to go quietly just yet…The nutria rats are being bred to kill…they’ve evolved, powerful and hungry…
by Philip Eliot | Dec 31, 2025 | Thriller & Suspense |
“H.O.L.Y. COW. I was instantly hooked… I could NOT PUT IT DOWN. I finished it in less than 24 hours… The twists and turns… THEY DIDN’T STOP COMING… Love it!” Goodreads reviewerFor years, I’ve been hiding a secret. I told myself it was the only way of holding my family together.But when I watch single mom Harriet walk purposefully toward my husband at our school’s bustling summer picnic, a knot forms in my stomach. She places her hand on his arm, laughing at something he says. My cheeks redden as the other wives look on with concern, but I tell myself I’ve been here before. And I won’t let this woman expose the lie I’ve kept for the sake of my marriage.Over the next few weeks, Harriet finds her way in to my family. Our children become friends, and one night, I see a message from her on my husband’s phone and my heart shatters. This is more than just simple attraction. And it could destroy the perfect life we’ve built in an instant.I will do anything to keep my secret safe. But how far will I have to go protect it?A totally gripping and unputdownable novel that asks how well we know the people we love the most. Perfect for readers who enjoy emotional fiction, and for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Susan Lewis.Praise for The Secret Between Us:“LOVED THIS BOOK!… Should be on everyone’s must-read list… it stayed with me long after I read it! It was fantastic in EVERY way! I literally had NO WAY of working out what was going to happen until the end; I was holding my breath as I just couldn’t stop reading!… jaw-dropping twists prepare to be on the edge of your seat until the very end!” arcreviews_by_m ?????“Jaws will drop and hearts will pound while reading the latest addictive page-turner… Clear your schedule and switch your phone off… you won’t be able to put The Secret Between Us down… Nail-biting thriller… will keep you reading all through the night.” Bookish Jottings ?????“Powerful… Had me hooked, and I stayed up way later than I should have reading it. Heartbreakingly good.” staceywh_17 ????“Gripping… an emotional rollercoaster… Totally book hangover-worthy… Wow!” angelaandersonpresents ????“I could not put this one down! It had me all in my feels. You’ll need a box of tissues and a couple of days to get over [it].” Goodreads reviewer ?????“An unforgettable page-turner… is impossible to stop reading until the end is reached.” NetGalley reviewer ?????“Gripping… I read in one day!… A powerful, suspenseful and unforgettable page-turner… I was glued to the pages.” Open Book Posts ????“This is a fast-paced, can’t-look-away read… The journey is tense, gripping and heartbreakingly believable.” Bookscoffeebrews ????“What a read!!!… Kept me on the edge of my seat with the crazy twists and turns!” TheAmbersBookshelf ????“Had me completely engrossed right from the beginning… Fantastic.” NetGalley reviewer ?????“Heartbreaking rollercoaster that keeps you reading well into the night… a must-read.” Goodreads reviewer ????“Pulls at your heartstrings… had me sucked in from the very beginning!” rubie_reads ????“Heart-wrenching… will stay with you long after you turn the last page.” shaye.reads ????
by Philip Eliot | Dec 31, 2025 | Christian Fiction |
Two inspirational holiday romances to warm your heart, from two great authors, together in one book.The Doctor’s Christmas by Marta PerryGod could not have chosen a worse time to send Dr. Grant Hardesty to Button Gap. Three abandoned children were depending on Maggie Davis’s clandestine care until their mother returned. Maggie didn’t think she could trust the by-the-book doctor with her secret. Until she got a glimpse into his soul . . . and God’s mysterious ways became as clear as a starry night.The Twins’ Family Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain, New York Times–bestselling authorPastor Carson Blair plans a quiet Christmas vacation for his twin girls—until veteran Lily Watkins gets snowed in with them. Lily is drawn to the warmth of this family, but she’s hiding a secret about Carson’s late wife that threatens more than their holiday. And the twins have their own plan—one that includes a gift-wrapped mommy to complete their family.
by Philip Eliot | Dec 31, 2025 | New Adult Romance |
He’s a baseball star. I’m the fool who let him break her heart. I never thought we’d see each other again, but life has a cruel way of forcing people to face their past.Growing up, Corey Johnson was the guy of my dreams. Handsome, athletic, smart, and surprisingly kind to me– his best friend’s quirky little sister. I worshiped the ground the baseball star walked on, and it seemed like he and I might one day become more than friends.But that was before Corey did something I will never be able to forget… or forgive.Years later, I get my dream job as the social media coordinator for my favorite professional baseball team. My life is finally on the upswing. Until the team trades for… you guessed it… Corey freaking Johnson.Now, I have to work with the man who broke my heart. I’m determined to keep my distance. But Corey seems to have other ideas…???A Whole New Game is a brother’s best friend standalone romance. HEA guaranteed.
by Philip Eliot | Dec 30, 2025 | Advice & How-To |
Want to be healthy in an unhealthy world? Get ready to start breaking some rules. This convention-busting book explains how, equipping you with the counterintuitive skills you need to transform your body and your life for the better. Here, award-winning health journalist Pilar Gerasimo points out that in an unhealthy society like ours, becoming and staying a healthy person requires choices, habits, and attitudes so unconventional, they amount to a form of positive social deviance.After all, what kind of society makes being healthy so difficult that only a single-digit percentage of the population can pull it off? The answer: a sick society. And within a sick society–one where illness, anxiety, and depression are the prevailing norms –what does it mean to be one of the few people to beat those unhealthy odds? It means bucking a lot of your society’s norms and rejecting a lot of its conventional health prescriptions. It also means acknowledging a disturbing truth: If you aren’t breaking the rules, you’re probably breaking yourself. That’s the simple, provocative philosophy behind The Healthy Deviant, one seasoned health seeker’s quest to reframe healthy choices as a positive form of social rebellion. Combining insights from sociology, psychology, evolutionary biology, functional medicine, and the school of hard knocks, this category-defying book rejects the idea that diet and exercise alone can save us–or are even the best places to start. Instead, Gerasimo’s 14-day Healthy-Deviant Adventure Program presents a series of powerful perspective shifts and simple daily practices — plus illustrations, infographics, worksheets, reminders, and progress tracking tools — that put you firmly back in charge of your own wellbeing.Integrating two decades of journalistic research with keen cultural observation, Gerasimo explains how we can reclaim our health, happiness, and autonomy — by refusing to play games that are rigged against us, and by breaking away from the systems that have been breaking us down.Part manifesto, part whispered wake-up call, The Healthy Deviant is a modern-day survival guide for being a healthy person in an unhealthy world. Starting now.
