I had been looking forward to Jet Li’s new memoir, Beyond Life and Death: The Way of True Freedom, for months, and I can confidently say it did not disappoint. In fact, it completely exceeded my expectations. I consume a substantial amount of literature each year, regularly shifting between graphic novels, thrillers, and other biographies, but this stands out as one of the greatest books I have ever read.
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Right now, I am in the middle of James Patterson’s latest release, 26 Beauties—the twenty-sixth installment in the Women’s Murder Club series—and I am really enjoying it. The trademark pacing makes it incredibly difficult to set aside.
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What if human evolution wasn’t just a slow, steady march of survival, but a series of explosive transformations triggered by the Earth itself? This is the fascinating premise at the heart of “The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman” by award-winning author Dan M. Mrejeru. Now in its sixth edition, this work is an ambitious, interdisciplinary deep dive that challenges our traditional understanding of how we became “human.”
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If you’re looking for a political thriller that trades explosive action for the high-stakes, grinding tension of a Washington D.C. cover-up, Philip Lentz’s The Corcoran Affair is a gripping choice. Set in the heart of the West Wing, it explores the fragile line between a public figure’s moral platform and their private vulnerabilities.
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If you are searching for a literary artifact that feels more like an immersive art installation than a standard book of poetry, Kent Zimmerman’s Nine Lives is a striking release from Leavitt Peak Press. The volume presents itself with a clear visual identity from the start, utilizing a cover design based on an original screen print by Brad Harvey. Rather than a traditional collection of verse, Zimmerman invites the reader into “Word World III,” a space where language is treated as a physical sensation and a series of “catches” to be held onto. It is a brief but potent exploration that prioritizes the rhythm of woodwinds and the atmospheric weight of memory over a standard narrative.
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Every once in a while, a biography comes along that does more than just recount the dates and achievements of a famous figure; it forces you to look inward. I recently finished Brian R. Solomon’s latest masterpiece, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, and the timing couldn’t have been more poignant. Finishing the final pages just before attending a family funeral, I found myself struck by the heavy, beautiful theme of legacy—specifically, how we choose to be remembered.
Solomon has long been a heavyweight in wrestling literature, but this is, without a doubt, his best work yet. It is an extraordinary achievement that manages to entertain while simultaneously cultivating profound introspection.
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Few names in history evoke as much glamour, tragedy, and enduring mystery as Marilyn Monroe. Decades after her passing in 1962, we are still captivated by her image—and still haunted by the questions surrounding her final hours.
Enter James Patterson, the master of the modern thriller. In his latest true crime deep-dive, The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe: A True Crime Thriller (co-authored with Mark Seal), Patterson applies his signature fast-paced storytelling to Hollywood’s most famous “cold case.”
If you think you know the story of Marilyn Monroe, think again.
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If there is one name synonymous with the modern high-stakes thriller, it’s Alex Cross. For over three decades, James Patterson’s legendary detective has been the gold standard for cat-and-mouse crime fiction. But with Return of the Spider (November 2025), Patterson does something unexpected: he takes us back to the moment it all started.
Whether you’re a long-time reader or a newcomer who just finished the Cross series on Prime Video, this book is designed to bridge the gap between the legend we know and the rookie detective he once was.
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As we wrap up another trip around the sun, I find myself looking back at the stories, lessons, and worlds I’ve inhabited over the last twelve months. While every year has its own rhythm, 2025 was a year of steady habits and diverse genres.
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If there is one celebrity memoir where the audiobook format isn’t just an option but a requirement, it is Charlie Sheen’s The Book of Sheen. I just finished listening to it, and I have to say: hearing Charlie tell his own story, in that distinct, rhythmic cadence of his, absolutely saved this book for me.
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