Merittown by Uilleam Whitedale

First book of The Lillian Rebellion. Lillian Gillespie is not the everyday grade school teacher she thinks she is. After learning that she is an ultra-creative empath, whose father had her reassigned after she was deemed defective as a child, Lillian flees her recently-capitalized, gaslighting partner, pursuing a relationship with an old school friend, unaware of how controlled her life has been. Her father is also not who he seems and seeks to persuade her to return to her former life, but it is a cage she cannot abide, needing to be free. As she develops her gifts, she is joined by two young empaths who seek her out through feelings. Discovering that she is an empath among empaths and being threatened by the oligarchical class who fear her, she and her friends decide to run to Old New York City, a dangerous journey under the watch of the meta-panopticon. With the help of another powerful empath, they achieve their destination… and the fight against the ruling class begins.

The First Rule by Steven William Hannah

SPFBO9

Venalia is going to die. When the newly ordained Priestess of the Mind's Eye returns home to bury her mentor, she meets the seer, Temple. In his dreams of the near future, Temple sees her go to certain death facing a horror from the world below, a choir of the dead whose song enslaves the living. Venalia's failure to protect the village is foretold, the village that has shunned her since childhood - but Venalia is sworn to an oath, bound by the first rule of the Priesthood to stand her ground against even the most hopeless of odds. Beset by corrupt leadership and an ungrateful flock, Venalia must decide what her life is really worth. Perhaps it is better to die for something than to live for nothing. The First Rule is a fantasy novel with elements of mystery, detective, progression and horror. It tells a story about redemption, forgiveness and duty in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball

SPFBO7

Society was rocked when the Cathedral appointed Allegra, Contessa of Marsina, to negotiate the delicate peace talks between the rebelling mage slaves and the various states. Not only was she a highborn mage, she was a nonbeliever and a vocal objector against the supposed demonic origins of witchcraft. Demons weren’t real, she’d argued, and therefore the subjection of mages was unlawful. That was all before the first assassination attempt. That was before Allegra heard the demonic shrieks. All before everything changed. Now Allegra and her personal guards race to stabilize the peace before the entire known world explodes into war with not just itself, but with the abyss from beyond. So much for demons not being real.

A Filling of Fables and Firelight: A 1,001 Nights Retelling (Enchanting Confections) by Sarah Beran

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Review by ChelseaK on 2026-07-10T18:47:02Z

Curse of Silence: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (The Roumaterra Chronicles) by Erin Halbmaier

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Review by ChelseaK on 2026-07-06T22:43:56Z

Cold Blood by C. H. King

A brilliant debut from C. H. King. Fast, frantic action-adventure and a real page turner — the short chapters had me telling myself "just one more." Real James Bond energy: a worldwide tour, epic and unpredictable. A great read that's left me wanting the sequel. ★★★★★

Review by TheIndieShelf on 2026-07-06T01:43:49Z

The Floating Castle by L. N. Holmes

Review by booksandverse on 2026-07-05T23:10:40Z

HOLIEST by Sancta Seraphina

Review by booksandverse on 2026-07-05T23:10:07Z

The Goblin Muse by Sandra Bond

Acclaimed poet and novelist Sandra Bond's second collection of verse brings her inimitable touch to subjects as broadly spread as faeries, frogs, crows, cake, coffee, chocolate, death, demons, dementia, politics, platypuses... and, yes, goblins. Some will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. Some may do both at the same time. You have been warned.

Alchemists of Dawn by GS Valiant

Being a woman at Vyner Industries was hard enough. Then the murder happened. Once a promising young researcher, Roxanne Young’s career at the renowned Vyner Alchemical Industries has stalled. Despite her brilliance and long hours in the lab, she just can’t seem to get that next promotion. When she witnesses a brutal murder, Roxanne stumbles on a shocking discovery that could break the Federation’s dangerous dependence on their dwindling reservoirs of magic, and secure her career in the bargain. Determined to expose the discovery and bring the killers to justice, Roxanne turns to the one person who might be able to help: the indomitable Juliana Young, the first and only woman to ever become a department head at Vyner–and Roxanne’s mother. Two ambitious women whose approaches sometimes clash, mother and daughter must work together to protect the future of magic. But as they are drawn into a web of intrigue, shifting loyalties, and unlikely alliances, Roxanne and Juliana soon discover powerful forces at work–and they will stop at nothing to keep Vyner’s secrets hidden.

The Curse of Aldebaran by Dakota Jackson

Two spirits. One body. No way out. When Suraya and Meiling’s second year at the Academy begins with paired reconnaissance training, neither of them expects it to end in disaster. But when a mysterious agent of the Miyako family attacks, Meiling throws herself into the line of fire—and her spirit is torn from her body…only to bind itself to Suraya instead. Now trapped together in a single body while Meiling’s empty form lies dying in the intensive care unit, the two girls are forced into an alliance neither of them wants. But the Mikayo family is still out there, draining spirits, hunting power…and closing in on Suraya for a reason no one understands. As Suraya is hailed as Ataru Reborn, her power grows more unstable—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Meiling is running out of time to reclaim her body before she’s lost for good…or killed like her uncle before her. The Curse of Aldebaran is book two in The Construction of Shadows series, a young adult fantasy series for fans of Percy Jackson and Avatar the Last Airbender. This installment ups the action, danger, magic, and romance for a thrilling race against time.

Spikes, Dice and Other Variables by Harper Kinsley

Life is over for Riley McMahon​ ​ When junior setter Riley McMahon’s spot on the volleyball team is threatened due to academic ineligibility, she’ll do anything to save her grades. So when she finds out about the gaming club run by Simon, the smart kid in her math class, she joins without a second thought in order to convince him to tutor her. The problem? She sort of told him she loves the game he plays. And she’s never rolled a single D20 in her life. But as they spend time together, Riley realizes she might feel something different for Simon. Riley’s been avoiding relationships her whole life, and as her friends start to notice her not-so-platonic feelings for Simon, she’s forced to admit why: she’s uncomfortable with the idea of sex, which seems to be all anyone can think about in relationships. Balancing her own fears against society’s expectations, Riley must figure out what matters most to her, and how to let everyone else’s expectations go.

Antaria: Shattered Horizons - VOLUME I by A.J.A. Gutowski

Antaria is a world devoured by red dust, where the ruins of ancient cities conceal more threats than hope. Zu-Ann and Mati live in constant dialogue with the wasteland: sometimes they hunt, sometimes they flee, always balancing on the edge of survival. Their routine shatters when, among the Dead Towers, they find an unconscious girl. They do not know who she is or where she came from — they only know that she does not belong to any part of this broken world. From that moment on, Antaria begins to react differently. As if something has awakened beneath the sand. As if someone is watching their every step. In a landscape where technology merges with mutation and human laws give way to the brutal logic of the wastelands, the characters struggle to find answers before the world delivers its own — far more dangerous ones. This is a story of survival, trust, and the consequences of a discovery that should never have happened. Raw. Intense. Leading deep into Antaria — a place that does not forgive.

Antaria: The Red Testament - Volume V by A.J.A. Gutowski

ANTARIA: The Red Testament, Volume V The Enaryd Tower trembles as the Metaja returns to its bed—along with the waters awaken old demons and new possibilities. Glopolis calculates the future, P.R.E.7 lays out scenarios, and Ena—the border child—binds what was to what is only now being born. Volume V is the transcendence of unity: the convergence of myth, technology, and will into a single vector of action. It closes the pentalogy like a gate that also opens new space—not an ending, but a turning point after which the world stops pretending everything can be postponed.

Antaria: The Red Testament - Volume IV by A.J.A. Gutowski

ANTARIA: The Red Testament, Volume IV The Mutron cuts the horizon over the Ruar archipelago, and in its hold a serum ripens, meant to halt the wild mutation. But the true burden rests on decisions: step into other people’s wars and foreign laws, or look away and save only yourself. Volume IV is the transcendence of morality—a field test of the spine, where each drop in a vial weighs a life and every gesture echoes through an entire ecosystem. A volume of the pentalogy about the limits of intervention: how to help without becoming yet another ritual of violence.

Antaria: The Red Testament - Volume III by A.J.A. Gutowski

ANTARIA: The Red Testament, Volume III Meru does not ask for permission: storms trace the routes, the Kongra library measures out time, and the empire of Trom-Mata-Meru demands sacrifice in the name of “evolution.” In this landscape, choices set like stone, and private feelings carry the weight of politics. Volume III is the transcendence of fate—the moment when the personal collides with the machinery of History, and myth stops being a tale to become an instrument of power. There are no easy victories here—only consequences that reach beyond a single lifetime. The pentalogy enters a zone where masks fall and names turn into verdicts.

Antaria: The Red Testament - Volume II by A.J.A. Gutowski

ANTARIA: The Red Testament, Volume II Electo is not a city—it’s an organism that feeds on data and decisions. In its underbelly, Loturn, a brilliant neurosurgeon, tries to stitch memory like a wound and force it into a new shape. Betrayal cuts him like a scalpel, and science hardens into a cold obsession. Here, the body becomes raw material and conscience a variable in the equation. Volume II is the transcendence of consciousness: a descent into the mind’s deepest layers and a question of whether humanity can be rewritten without losing the soul. A book of the pentalogy where the white of laboratories cannot mask the black of choices.

Antaria: The Red Testament - Vol.1 by A.J.A. Gutowski

ANTARIA: The Red Testament, Volume I Book one of the pentalogy opens a world where memory is a weapon and technology a ritual. Gloria and Hope are cast into a web of events stretched between bunkers, laboratories, and the red dust that turns people into strangers to themselves. Volume I is the transcendence of birth—the instant we face the beginning and learn the past is never dead. This is not a tale of rescue but of the price one pays to keep an identity in a world that remembers more than we do.

Bad Citizen by Ron Lebow

A MAFIA WAR CAN BE BRUTAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES A MAGICAL MANIAC Josiah arrives in New York City through a portal from another realm. Capable of frightening feats and driven by a lust for power, he takes on the mafia. He’ll just need the help of a few local outcasts. Lucius is an impulsive f-up who shuns his mafia family’s norms. Behind a long line of brothers for leadership, he fashioned his own comfortable nook. Thrust into war with another family, he becomes enveloped by the need for revenge. Antonia is Lucius’ sister. She exists on the family’s outskirts, protective of her brothers and occasionally called upon for unspeakable assistance. Forced to contend with the potential downfall of everyone she loves, she may be the key to the family’s salvation...and her own. In Bad Citizen, Ron Lebow fuses fantasy, sci fi and mob drama into a relentlessly entertaining ride. Josiah storms through a portal with terrifying powers and a hunger for control, setting his sights on New York’s underworld. He’ll need allies—and finds them in our society’s outcasts. Lucius, an impulsive mafia screw-up, is forced to contend with responsibilities he never wanted. Antonia, his fiercely protective sister, stands at the center of it all. What follows is a comedic war where every twist redefines loyalty, violence is interspersed with unexpected laughs, and no one walks away unchanged. Set in modern-day NYC, the story balances brutal violence with razor-sharp comedy, delivering one unpredictable twist after another. Sacrifices loom around every corner, and consequences never arrive as expected. Lebow’s novel is a portal urban fantasy turned upside down—fun, funny, and deadly serious in all the right places. • Ride shotgun with Josiah as he weaponizes magical abilities to rip apart the mob. • Get lost in a web of twists that make every chapter a revelation. • Witness Lucius’s chaotic spiral from black sheep to vengeful force. • Uncover Antonia’s pivotal role in a war no one else can win. This isn’t a tidy hero’s tale—morally grey characters, constant surprises, and sacrifices with unthinkable consequences drive the chaos. • Mafia mayhem with a magical twist • Dark comedy that lands hard • Sacrifices that flip the script

Cold Blood by C. H. King

When a medical breakthrough threatens powerful interests, progress becomes negotiable. Cold Blood is a thrilling story grounded in realism and set in a world where progress is not driven solely by discovery, but by who stands to gain – and who stands to lose. It explores the tension between public good and private influence, and consequences when scientific advancement collides with money, influence, and fear. Jack, a former Australian government agent, and Kelly, a doctor, must work together to save their daughters after Jack’s daughter is kidnapped and Kelly’s is involved in a life altering accident. They soon discover saving lives is only part of the equation. As political pressure mounts and corporate interests close in, the truth becomes contested. Silence is rewarded, and the cost of speaking out escalates. Can Jack and Kelly find what they’re seeking before it’s too late?

Curse of Silence: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (The Roumaterra Chronicles) by Erin Halbmaier

A princess with a magic handkerchief. A flirtatious baron’s son. The maid who turned their world upside down. As the possessor of her family’s handkerchief, Princess Daphne should be uncovering the truth behind her father’s murder. But she lacks confidence as a spy, and her mother is sending her off to a neighboring kingdom to look for a husband. It means months lost from her mission, but at least her faithful dog and best friend will be with her. Raoul has been Daphne’s best friend since they were children. But she always laughs off his attempts to confess deeper feelings, and now his father has given him an ultimatum. She’s always been out of his reach, but if Raoul can’t change her mind in the next six months, he’ll lose what little chance he had. When a kitchen maid catches Daphne alone, she steals the handkerchief and uses it to swap their appearances. The only way to undo it is for Daphne to tell someone who she is, but the curse prevents Daphne from both speaking and writing. Will Daphne find a way to free herself from the curse? Or will the maid win, leaving Daphne a mute shepherdess forever? Curse of Silence is a clean, no-spice retelling of The Goose Girl. It is part of The Roumaterra Chronicles, a series of interconnected, standalone fairy tale retellings perfect for readers of Brittany Fichter, Celeste Baxendell, and Annette K. Larsen.

A Frigid Hope: A Snow Queen Retelling (Fairy Tales of Ambrose) by Amanda Thompson

Can one princess find hope before her best friend’s heart is turned to ice? Every year a man is chosen to make the journey up the forbidden mountain to appease the Frozen Queen, only to return with a frozen heart. When Crown Princess Bianca learns her best friend is this year’s chosen, she is devastated. And she’s willing to do anything to save Percival from that fate. Percival’s heartbroken when he finds the mark selecting him to be this year’s chosen. He’s Bianca’s personal guard – and he has been in love with her for years. But with the selection mark comes a warning: to disobey means death, not just for him but for everyone in the kingdom. Can Bianca save her people from the endless winter and prevent Percival from losing his heart? Or will all be lost to the frigid reign of the Frozen Queen? A Frigid Hope, a Snow Queen retelling, is the first prequel in the Fairy Tales of Ambrose series, set a few hundred years prior to Dances and Danger and the rest of the series.

My Brother's Keeper by Ben Schenkman

Magic is real, demons walk the earth, and Max’s brother is dead. Max Asher, Jewish mystic and private-eye, never thought he’d be coming back to his home town to bury his twin brother, Solomon. He definitely never thought the funeral would turn into a case, but when Sol’s widow Gabby asks him to investigate the cause of death, “Uncle Max” is on the job. When Max kicks the demon’s nest, he uncovers a conspiracy that forces him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his brother. Unfamiliar local politics blur the line between the supernatural and the mundane, and soon, fighting for justice becomes dangerously literal. If Max can uncover the murderer, he might just save his brother’s soul—but if he can’t, he’ll fall victim to the same deadly fate. Putting the past to rest is going to take more than a shovel full of dirt.

Thunder by Abasiama Udom

Chimbueze has been prepared for death since before he knew what death was. Since the accident, his mother has kept him close, no rough play, no unsupervised afternoons, nothing that could catch death's attention again. But the thing that's been counting down to his fourteenth birthday does not ask his permission. It haunts. His grandmother knows this, and so does the priest who built the coffin. The ritual is ready. All that is standing between Chimbueze and fate is one Wednesday afternoon, a dare from his friends, and a crumbling building that should never have been climbed. The clock is ticking, and Chimbueze has to face a debt older than him.

Wobblestrut & Other Proclivities by Leslie Summerfield

A dapper young man fights madness on the brink of existential collapse, treating ego-death with beer bottles. Another grasps the true nature of attraction; only to watch everyone in a high-end restaurant play indulgent children-himself included. A new hire clocks in for a typical first day but quickly suspects a con that may involve trafficking his own organs. Meanwhile, a pimp lives his final day like the king he is, as the hottest gentleman's club on the block whirls into panic. And inside a dank basement, a charismatic bum in a tremendous wig catches spliff-induced clarity so hard it unfurls into a lucid time traveling adventure! Wobblestrut & Other Proclivities is a short-story collection set in a fictional DMV, where the County's comfort and neighboring Buss Ask's chaos blur into a darkly comic ecosystem of hustlers, lovers, weirdos, and emerging sovereigns. In these standalone, yet linked tales, Summerfield alchemizes the strange, tender, dark, with a ridiculous off-kilter approach to the everyday and an unsparing eye for the human condition-where the mundane goes uncanny before landing embarrassingly familiar. Written in the voice of a lovechild between a stand-up folklorist, lyrical witness, and tall-tale prophet, this book may leave readers reeling from thought, feeling, and laughter-all at once, or in a single line where a joke, fresh insight, and old trigger catch them off guard. This is a local mythos of cast-outs and coronations where you'll do just fine; so long as you remember that true self is exposed after life shits on your shoulder... Leslie Summerfield is a DMV born and raised author/poet whose writing style is yours to decide; as an esteemed peer once asked: "What are you feeding your mind to write like this?" Their work blends Black intellectual and liberation traditions (Baldwin, Douglass), relatable yet raw provocative humor (Joey Diaz, the late-great Patrice O'Neal), Kafkaesque circumstance, and an obsessive love for the overlooked — raised on hip-hop, R&B, rock, as well as Neal Peterson, immigrants who carried seeds and cuttings into this country, and fruit hunters still chasing their descendants and rooted clones.

Vahmroh Tamer: Volume 1 by Freemi-Ya

Talovarios is a quiet young Imp and just one of billions of hominids across a land barely stitched together who have chased the boundless wonders of Vahmrohs — magnificent, geometric monsters that mirror the appearance and abilities of real-world taxa — for millennia. The only difference is that he has a Tamer’s heart that’s far larger than his wallet or support system. When a fateful encounter leaves him bonded to a stray, young Vahmroh marked by an undesired “cracked star,” his childhood dream detonates into something far greater—just as the local haven of folk-Tamer culture falls before the smile of a corporate buyout. Now, Talovarios is torn between four factions clawing for control of tamership itself: the privileged who hoard power, outlaws thriving in chaos, sentinels enforcing peace, and an ancient way fiercely rallying around the everyman—each desperate to gatekeep who can command the limitless potential of Vahmrohs. The Core within his Tamer's device thrums with both promise and peril as the bond Talovarios forges with this unwanted creature ignites a relentless journey of discovery and defiance. One that teaches this generation of Tamers that a fulfilling path can be one you walk alone—at first. Dedicated to creature-collecting aficionados worldwide — as well as Eiichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima — this charged tale of diaspora, collaborative freedom, and found family channels shōnen energy into a modern odyssey about ownership, identity, and the adventure of forging your own legend.

Howl In by Priyanka Nawathe

Stingburrow, a small town hidden beneath the rocky Hollindemun Hills, faces a storm every year. Three friends try to control the damage while battling with their deepest desires as one curse holds the power to pull them into its darkness. LYCANTHROPE. Sheriff Jaymie Lowves carries the responsibility of Stingburrow’s residents while grieving the love he lost. Dr. Mallory Griffin battles her survivor’s guilt while finding the cure for the town. Rickwan McIntyre aka Mack, the local repairman, despises them for what he lost years ago. As the one they lost returns with her pet, will the curse be broken? Or will the Lycan blood prevail? If you enjoy supernatural secrets, high-stakes rescue, and the bonds of “found family”, grab this book for a page-turning adventure. It is a perfect pick for readers of books by Joe Hill, Kate Danley, Charlotte. E. English, & viewers of shows like Roswell, New Mexico and movies like the Underworld franchise.

The Low Hum of Zal'Kareth by Michael Antonio

Kae'lor's body stopped feeling pain years ago. In the suffocating heat of Zal'Kareth's obsidian pits, his pointed ears twitch only to the wet hiss of geothermal steam and the heavy tread of the red-skinned orcs he bleeds to defeat. He fights for cheap ferment, ignores the ghost of the brother he lost to a predatory Noise Cult, and survives by tuning out the world. Then the Collective Dream fractures the city. Millions across the lineages share a single vision: ancient stone Giants chained deep beneath the rock, screaming the word "Rest." As the Ministry's harmonic grid stutters, pockets of absolute silence open in the streets — voids where orcs, elf-kin, and Tikkari alike step inside and instantly forget their own names. Kae'lor wakes with a burning counter-clockwise spiral scarred into his palm, his deadened nerves violently firing back to life. To survive an unraveling city, he must find what lies beneath the Ministry's dying syrup, before the silence hollows him out next. The Low Hum of Zal'Kareth is the first novella in The Fractured Cadence of Talibra, an AfroFantasy epic of resonance, memory, and survival. For fans of Arcane, Dune, and dark Seinen manga.

The invisible scream by Krish Talpada

Every story has a voice. But some of the most powerful stories are told by those who cannot speak. Nineteen-year-old Kartik joins an animal rescue NGO, convinced he has found his purpose. But while he fights for the animals, his home carries a different silence. His younger brother, Vansh, hasn't spoken a word since a traumatic childhood incident. As Kartik dives deeper into the work he once admired, unanswered questions turn into troubling doubts, and buried secrets of a past tragedy begin to surface. Now, caught between his ideals and a harsh reality, Kartik must face a question he never expected: What does it truly mean to be a voice for the voiceless? The Invisible Scream is a psychological coming-of-age novella about family, friendship, trauma, healing, and the invisible battles people carry within themselves. Because not every scream can be heard.

Under by Abasiama Udom

Editi just wanted to be the toughest boy in school. One dare, one collapsed building, and now he is trapped in the dark with a pierced arm and three strangers who should not exist. Miriam wants him to hold on. Lugard wants him to end it. Biya doesn't care either way. As rescue crews dig through the rubble above him, Editi must survive not just the weight of concrete but the weight of everything he believes about himself.

Riyati Recollection by Kai Zeal

When the night is at its darkest, the sparks of life shine brightest. Kylie thought the danger was over: the last of Asuza’s followers now dead, she was free to live life as a normal teenager — a freshman in college, the events of her high school years behind her. But what should’ve been a fun vacation to Savannah takes a dark turn as an undead Riyatian attacks Maya and leaves Kylie with a cryptic message: her existence damned every other mage and she should not have survived that fateful day in June. Kylie is left with only questions; but the most difficult one of all is if she is even worth saving, even if it's just to make amends. But time is of the essence and she can't afford to wallow. She must now decipher the truth of the warning and figure out how to save the other mages before it’s too late. Riyati Recollection is the fourth book in a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series that seeks to explore themes of identity, legacy, generational trauma, and finding your own path in life. The series is set in the modern day fictional Southern US town of Opal Pines and includes multiple first person perspectives with characters across a range of queer, neurodiverse, and socioeconomic statuses.

A House of Violence and Vengeance by Rowena Aiello

Courtney Summers’s I’M THE GIRL meets Anne Bishop’s DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD in this gripping, dark low fantasy where a barely-legal young woman attempts to live out her romantasy dreams...and ends up fighting for her life against the very man who promised to make those dreams a reality. In a world where book boyfriends outperform human ones ten to one, 18 year old Jen Annalise is determined to find her human book boyfriend equivalent…even at the expense of her own safety. Jen yearns for a world—and romance—that's both far from her family's farm, and straight out of her favorite romantasy series. So when the mysterious and alluring Damon Sadie responds to her profile on a sugar daddy website, she immediately agrees to meet him. At first, Jen thinks all her favorite parts of her romantasy dreams are about to be brought to life. Then their adventure is waylaid by a side quest to his house...one that she can't leave without his permission, or bring anyone into without his approval. And forget about the rooms that glow, smelling like smoke and crackling like thunder—he won't even acknowledge them. But when her sugar daddy's refusal to answer her questions leads her to uncover two other women now trapped in his house, and a sinister magic they're forbidden to touch, Jen is left with no choice: she must escape this fantasy before she ends up trapped forever, too.

Paella in Alaska by edbo books

Paella in Alaska: A feel good romance about love, wild Alaska, and the dish that changed everything. Paella in Alaska: She came to Alaska to build a refinery. She stayed to save a river — and found the love of her life along the way. Maria Garcia has always had a plan. At thirty-five, she is one of ROFEN's most trusted engineers: precise, methodical, unstoppable. When her company sends her to the remote Alaskan town of Kijik Falls to prepare a new oil field development, she packs her thermal gear, her project briefs — and her cast-iron professional composure. None of it survives first contact with Alaska. On her very first evening, she walks into the only restaurant in town and meets David Reeves... What will happen in Alaska ? Perfect for fans of romantic fiction with heart, humour, and a strong sense of place. Featuring food, nature, flamenco, and a happy ending guaranteed. --Have fun and joy with this book-- edbo books

Lemon Ice Cream in Rome by edbo books

Lemon Ice Cream in Rome: A Romance For everyone who ever needed to get lost in order to find themselves. For anyone who has ever needed to get lost in order to find themselves. When Lucy Hartwell boards a flight to Rome — alone, for the first time in Europe, armed with a colour-coded itinerary she abandons on day one — she is running away from a perfectly good life that somehow never felt like hers. A two-year relationship that looked right from the outside. A career she is good at but has stopped feeling. A version of herself she no longer recognises. Ten days. One city. No plan. What she doesn't expect is a small shop with a yellow door,..... What will she find in Rome ? Lemon Ice Cream in Rome is a warm, witty, and deeply felt love story about the courage it takes to choose your own life — and the joy of finding someone who makes the choosing easier. Perfect for everyone who has ever stood at the Trevi Fountain and believed, just for a moment, in the power of a wish. Set across the most beautiful neighbourhoods of Rome — Trastevere, the Pantheon, the Aventine Hill, the Trevi Fountain, the Appian Way, and beyond. --Have fun and joy with this book-- edbo books

Santorini Sunset Love by edbo books

Santorini Sunset Love: A Romantic Comedy About Second Chances, Stolen French Fries, and Letting the Sun Hit You. Santorini Sunset Love is a romantic comedy about cubicles and calderas, risk and reward, and the terrifying joy of letting the sun hit you for the first time in years. She lived for weekends. He lived for a dream. Together, they found a sunset. Vanessa Harlow has spent seven years processing insurance claims in a gray Chicago cubicle. Her life is beige, predictable, and carefully organized. She doesn't cry. She doesn't dance. She doesn't remember what it feels like to be foolish. Then her coworker books her a two-week vacation to Santorini — against her better judgment. Alexandros Papadopoulos is a waiter by day, a DJ by night, and a man with a dream. What will happen in Santorini? What readers will find inside: -A slow-burn romance that sizzles like a Santorini sunset -Laugh-out-loud moments (burned lamb, spilled wine, and a cat who refuses to leave) -Tear-jerking vulnerability from two broken people learning to trust -Mouthwatering Greek food descriptions (do not read on an empty stomach) -A hero who will steal your heart — and your french fries -Easy Loukoumades Recipe (Greek Honey Doughnuts) --Have fun and joy with this book-- edbo books

Lavender Love by edbo books

Lavender Love: A Romance of Lavender Fields, Second Chances, and the Life You Were Always Meant to Live. Romantic Lovestory about Provence, Baguette, Cheese and real Love. Mary Sutton has it all: a senior VP title at a top New York firm, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and a perfectly organized life. But after eleven years of sixty-hour weeks under fluorescent lights, she wakes up one morning and realizes she can no longer remember what she actually loves. On a whim — and with her grandmother's memory guiding her — she books three weeks in Provence, France, alone, in a stone farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields in full summer bloom. She traded her corner office for a field of lavender — What will she find in the Lavender Fields ? Lavender Love is a sweeping, sensory romance about the courage it takes to choose the life that is truly yours — even when it means letting go of the one you built by accident. It is a love story told in lavender and cheese and starlight and the particular freedom of a woman who has finally learned to breathe. For readers who love gorgeous European settings, emotionally rich romance, and stories that leave you booking a flight to France. --Have fun and joy with this book-- edbo books

Stellar Parallax: Human Hope in Grimdark Worlds by Various Authors

A mother introduces her child to an orchard aboard a space station. On a floating city, a boy risks everything to save his baby sister. When the police escort an aging Puerto Rican man off his front porch, he expects to be shot. Instead, he finds himself on the way to a floating island where he may find peace after all. These and 17 other stories explore the role of hope at the extremes of human experience. The writers have imagined a variety of dangerous futures, and they’ve also imagined connection and compassion guiding the people of the future. In twisted underground passageways, in the desolation of space, and on barren landscapes where the fate of a few seeds could make or break the future, the protagonists of Stellar Parallax: Human Hope in Grimdark Worlds find glimmers of light in darkness. Together, these stories ask: when we can’t count on our world to be rational or safe, where does that leave us? And what can we build when everything we once trusted falls apart? Featuring stories by Aaron Timothy, K.M. Veohongs, Em Harriett, Roberto Cofresí Hopgood, Susan L. Lin, Heather Zoppetti, Austen Lee, Lucy Zhang, Fendy S. Tulodo, Jason P. Burnham, Marie-Hélène Lebeault, Monique Cuillerier, Lancer Kind, Jon Negroni, Stuart Conover, H.V. Patterson, R F Daniels, Naomi Klouda, Joyce Frohn, Frank Baird Hughes.

Death by Decent Society by Malcolm J. Wardlaw

By 2106, Britain is ruled by a brutal caste system. The whims of sovereign gentry are the only ‘laws’. Disappearance is the only ‘justice’. Donald Aldingford is a lawyer who has perfected the art of not looking too hard at the system that provides his lifestyle. But when disaster strikes his life, he is forced to confront the evil of those he serves. His brother Lawrence is wrongly condemned to a forced-labour camp. In order to try and free him, Donald has to break inside the revolutionary movement. His clients will kill him if they find out. Lawrence has also been learning all about the evils of the system he served so faithfully. He is struggling to survive in a place of uniquely diabolical operation, where misery is transformed into gold with a remorselessness matched only by the man who runs it. He yearns to escape and tell the world of these atrocities. He could spark a revolution. But Donald’s rescue efforts are getting dangerously close. The first of a five-book serial, Death by Decent Society draws the reader into the kind of violent, despotic society that ours could become. Yet it is also a story of ordinary people achieving extraordinary feats through the will to survive. It will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, Legend, Ship Breaker, The Postman and other dystopian adventures.

Song of Monsters by Noah Naiman

Kane once died in a noose. Now he has a god in his head, and a city to save. Hundreds of miles from the gallows, Kane has built a new life baking sweets in the hillside city of Torry. But a brawl with a drunken constable uncovers a conspiracy of poisoned tea and black powder threatening his newfound home. While Kane races to save the city, the god in his head insists on saving the world—even if it costs Torry itself. Outmatched, Kane gambles on the only people desperate enough to help: A thief with a stolen firearm and a vendetta against its maker. A suicidal, immortal musician who can’t abandon a good story. A monstrous wizard hellbent on doing right. A two-foot-tall chemist chasing a kidnapping no one believes happened. But Kane knows the line between hero and monster is a noose, and it’s tightening again.

Rise of the Dragon's Heir by Darlene Franklin-Campbell

Most epic fantasy asks who will win the throne. Rise of the Dragon's Heir asks what the throne does to the person who inherits it.

A Mother's Rage by John Evans

Deep in the Alaskan wilderness, a wrong has been committed. After a severely injured mother loses her two kids to arrogant hunters, she slowly goes crazy and fixes her sites on revenge. But what’s a little murderous rampage when you have nothing left to lose? Fans of the movie "I Spit On Your Grave" or "Cujo" by Stephen King will enjoy "A Mother's Rage" by John Evans.

Long Drives and Lonesome Roads by John Evans

“With hard-hitting stories ranging from the unnerving to the macabre to the darkly humorous, Long Drives and Lonesome Roads is a killer collection that deserves to sit on every shelf.” -Pedro Iniguez, Bram Stoker Award Winner There are over four million miles of roads in the United States. They each have a memory. From ominous hitchhikers or devils to backroads that lead to other dimensions, untold perils lurk among the highways and byways. Indescribable terrors are found in this collection of short stories. Sixteen petrifying tales delve into the things that scare us most for readers who love macabre horrors. Take care, because the roads are dark, dangerous, and deep, and you still have many miles to go before you sleep... Fans of “Night Shift” by Stephen King and “The Shrouded Tome” by Ronald Kelly will enjoy “Long Drives and Lonesome Roads” by John Evans.

Great Danes Don't Hunt Werewolves by Sherrie A Bakelar

Life is confusing enough when you're a teen in a new town and a new school. A person can find themselves lost and alone, navigating an alien world full of unusual customs and strange rituals, even when they're human. Being a werewolf? That makes everything so much harder. Now, finding yourself in love with a human? Well, that just takes the cake! Yet, life has a way of tripping you up. Sometimes love is the start of an unexpected adventure and you just know it will last forever and change your life for the better…and sometimes it's the beginning of the end and you’ll never be the same again.

Inarora's Excursion by Astrid Abell

Inarora Beservera is the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but she’s never been concerned about his political career before. After all, politicians’ families were only targeted in Naa’ran, right? She’s in for a rude awakening when she’s sent almost 50 years into the past and finds herself living with her great-grandpas. During Inarora’s stay in the past, she finds herself walking down a path of self-discovery. Of all the things to happen, she never expected she’d develop unknown powers! Kaedan Beservera never expected his daughter to get kidnapped in a relatively safe country like End’oria. Yet he has to rely on the Intelligence Ward, the same organization that refused to investigate his grandfather’s murder, to find her. Between two useless bureaucratic institutions, Kaedan is forced to take matters into his own hands before he loses Inarora forever. But what can he do if he doesn’t know who took her?

The Protector and the Annihilation by Naila Moonsi

Some 100,000 years have passed since Earthians swept across the galaxy. By the year 9955 ATF after a catastrophe all but annihilates them, humans upon the ocean planet Imion are struggling to become space-worthy again. Two young men attending university vie for the role of Protector of All Worlds. They know that the godly power the Protector wields will save them all, and yet one day they wake up momentarily and realize... 60-year-old Armando Rivera and Ranvir Chandrani once loved each other. Stuck within a mental palace called ‘the Citadel’ within ‘the Boundless,’ an otherworld that reflects the galaxy in eerie dream-like ways, they are now 19 years old again and stripped of their memories. In these young forms, the two subconsciously test if this love between them was something true while attempting to take each other down. Their life has begun anew around them due to a time loop within the Citadel, and it follows their gentle, morose memories perfectly within the years 9955 and 9956, until... Until their families try to kill them. Until the children from the future begin to arrive. Until their son birthed outside the body with their Merged elemental outer cores—Antonio Chandrani-Rivera—insists on killing his identical twin brother Fernando Chandrani-Rivera. Ranvir and Armando very quickly realize that they must solve the mystery of what their true goals once were within the Boundless, figure out how to get out of the Citadel, and grasp why Antonio and his friends are intruding within. After all, upon the true planet Imion within the galaxy in the year 9996, a 20-year-old Antonio’s gone ahead and confronted his once-affectionate friend Alejandro Altaha—the Alejandro who became their generation’s Protector of All Worlds at the cost of Antonio’s worldwide reputation—and this has spiraled into circumstances that leave Antonio on the brink of death. Only for the bright and happy memories of Antonio's teens to flood his mind… Back when he and Alejandro Altaha cared deeply about each other, and yet the understanding they gleaned regarding their ancient selves—the civilian Nasir Hadid versus the Lost Protector Shakir—still colored everything, including their continued 10,000 year rivalry over the simple stakes of saving the world. And then there are the machinations of Antonio's cousin Layla… She laughs over their rivalry, but Antonio knows one thing: she hides secrets like breathing and despite their camaraderie, she is surely worse than Alejandro.

The Shadow on the Wall by Machelle Berglund

In the dead of the night, as you awake from a peaceful sleep, you see a shadow in the periphery of your vision. Oh no! Is it coming closer?! Oh, thank goodness! It was just another shadow on the wall. Inside the pages of “The Shadow on the Wall”, the shadows are more than a mere illusion. They become real. As do skeletons, witches, ghosts and more. This haunted tome is Machelle Berglund’s third poetic endeavor. Each poem was crafted to tell a tale of the ghastly figures of Halloween and horror legend. These poems are meant to cause one to feel the chill grip of fear deep within their spine or cause the reader to let loose a gruesome giggle as their eyes wander through the pages.

Through the Shards of My Heart by Machelle Berglund

Ah, love! A powerful emotion. It can bring a spring into the steps of the lucky. The twinkle in their eye tells of the endless joy and laughter love had brought them. Loving hands cradle their hearts at all times. Others, however, may throw their hearts into the fire again and again. They hope for the warmth of a loving hand rather than to feel the pain of the blaze. And for a while, their wish may be granted; maybe for a short time, or for a blessed eternity. There are, however, the most unfortunate of souls whose hearts are forever twisted, forever scarred, and forever broken. But that doesn’t mean that their love is forever lost. They may not be whole, but through the shards of their heart, they can find and give love still. In “Through the Shards of My Heart”, you’ll find poems that explore the lows and the woes, the highs and the smiles, and the messy in betweens that love brings in all its forms.

Whimsy and Weirdos: Poetry for the Unique by Machelle Berglund and Andrea Standifer

Never underestimate the whimsy of a weirdo! In this collection, two weirdos dug deep into their whimsical souls to conjure up poems full of deep expression and unique outlooks on all sorts of topics. You can find poems about Dungeons and Dragons, the beauty of nature, the ups and downs in life, ducks, and an unsettling poof. All in one little book! These poems were made for the weird by the weird, for everyone of all ages to enjoy!

Monitored Activity by Mitch Miller

When a dancing mob feeds a woman to the food court escalator, security guard Shaw Price knows he is in for the worst shift of his life. Visitors speak in tongues. Somewhere in the building, a man has been scalped by a floor polisher. The security cameras have gone rogue, and strange, small objects reject visual perception. But Shaw can’t focus beyond the insatiable hunger driving him mad. While he could blame it on a late coming-of-age, the last time he checked, visions of his supervisor gloating over the bodies of missing girls isn’t exactly a common side-effect of teenage hormones. And then there’s the whole thing about the mall maybe being alive. MONITORED ACTIVITY is a queer, sci-fi horror novella set in the early 2000s. Perfect for fans of THE BACKROOMS and digital indie horror.

Common Bonds 3 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver

TBBSB2026

Common Bonds strikes a third time with a new volume of 18 speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters and centering platonic relationships.

Common Bonds 2 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver

Common Bonds returns in this second volume of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. Housed within this anthology are a scientist who makes a terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean, a baker who must fulfill a prophecy, a priest and a witch who must form a family to escape a war, and a woman whose survival might just unravel time itself. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds 2 explores the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. From friends with benefits to mentors to life partners, this collection explores platonic relationships strong enough to overcome barriers of species, alien invasions, and the power of the gods themselves.

Chains Of Deceit: Stitchbinding Chronicles Book 2 by A.E. Zeigler

TBB2025

A cure to find. A people to save. A romance running out of time. After the queen slips into the last stage of a mysterious plague, Princess Lineya, must travel to the treacherous mountains of Krashe in the midst of sworn enemies, hoping that the lost and forbidden Woolworsting craft has a stronger healing stitch. But before departing, she's forced to announce her engagement to Rhett, a Lynden nobleman, to bring hope to her people, but she despairs of a relationship with her true love Kemp. When an assassin threatens to kill Lineya, she must depend on the Krashe for support. Although she faces bandits, prejudice, scorn, and suspicion, she must win the trust of the Krashe and the heart of Kemp, who has no memory of the connection and kisses they had in the future. And Kemp's childhood sweetheart has prior claim on his affections. This girl can kill a black bear with her bare hands. Everyone assumes they will marry. Where does Lineya fit into his heart? How will Lineya and Kemp heal thousands of years of oppression, lies, and rekindle their love before the bandits and the assassin finish them all?

BOOM goes the Bride by Valiant Evermech

TBB2025

A pulpy lesbian romance between an elven thief from another world and a corporate princess whose company is built on her clones. 300,000 and counting, and the woman they're made from wishes they didn't exist. Danger, spice, and everything not-nice. When the twice-dead thief Nil steals a magical dagger from one of the world's angriest trillionaires, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with his daughter Sook, the so-called Mother of a Million Clones. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and in this case the heart wants to be chased, shot at, and possibly exploded. Til death do us part is gonna need a bit of an extension...

The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies

TBB2025

Magic is a rich man's game. Archons control magic in the great city of Aefenhold. Brand-name spells, addictive potions, and celebrity TV keep the poor entertained while they toil in the factories manufacturing magic. That should have been the fate of Max and his childhood friend Lyle, until a violent workers’ strike tears their lives apart, condemning Lyle to the aetherstone mines and leaving Max orphaned with no choice but to sell his labour to a brothel. Life under the Archon's rule has given Max a taste for magical narcotics, and left Lyle with aether dust in his lungs and a deep resentment for magic. So when Aefenhold's rulers announce a televised contest to find the chosen one—a prophesized distraction to unite the city against its detractors—both Max and Lyle see an opportunity to con their way into the contest. Where Max seeks to steal magic for his freedom, Lyle views magic as a tool of oppression to be destroyed. Their old friendship will be tested as they're forced to become adversaries against famous rival mages in a series of magical trials. Whoever becomes the chosen one will change the shape of magic forever. But magic is a rich man's game, and should Max or Lyle be discovered as frauds, their deaths will be televised next. The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duology—a gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

The End of Time by Trudie Skies

WHEN THE SAINTS FALL, THE SINNERS RISE. Calamity has befallen the steam-powered city of Chime as the gods declare war on each other, choosing Chime's streets as their battleground. Kayl has the means to end their reign for good and create a new world free from their whims. But recruiting an army against divine beings is no easy task, and as her allies fall one by one, Kayl is left to shoulder her burden alone. Finally free from his own god's shackles, Quen is bound in service to Chaos, who only wants revenge against Quen's former master. Torn between his desire for vengeance and justice, Quen is no stranger to the gods' cruelty and will do whatever it takes to see Kayl's vision through—even if it destroys his soul. To ensure a new future, Kayl and Quen must unite mortals against their makers and decide the gods' fate before time itself comes to an end. For the era of gods is over. The End of Time is the third and final book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

Court of Snakes: Bitter Truth, Honeyed Justice by Tycho Dwelis

TBBSB2026

The city of Segeno is on edge. Terran, nearing his 18th birthday, struggles with the burdens of leadership. The people are restless, resources are dwindling, and chaos looms. Parisa, now happily engaged, aids where she can but is haunted by her father’s legacy. A stranger, Aumi, brings shocking news: the Great War never happened. The world outside Segeno has thrived, and the city’s isolation is built on lies. As this truth threatens to spark a riot, Terran and Parisa must decide whether or not to reveal it, risking their city’s collapse. In this gripping sequel, Terran and Parisa navigate power, identity, and truth in a city on the brink of revolution. Can they lead their people through the storm, or will Segeno Fall?

Aloe by Artemis Quinn

TBBSB2026

Aloe is Book 2 in the Tales From The Night Garden series. Acanthus and Cypress, an age old Vampire and a young new Werewolf, have accidentally started a war. Nekane, the Werewolf in charge, will go to any means necessary to capture Acanthus; meaning even humans are in danger. On the run, our non-binary heroes encounter others caught up in Nekane's hatred of vampires, witches, and any werewolves that fraternize with them! As Acanthus and Cypress regroup with the Night Garden, an underground organization committed to liberating any in Nekane's crosshairs, they're tasked with some of the hardest challenges they've faced yet! Friend or foe? It's hard to judge just who to trust in a world wrought with danger. In this second book of the Tales From The Night Garden universe, our protagonists continue their adventure in this game of chess with very real consequences. A gaggle of strays begin to expand their found family and a love that blazes bright in the night starts to break out of the darkness. What can Acanthus and Cypress do to convince Nekane to stand down, or are words not enough? How will these two fugitives handle inviting more refugees into their growing resistance? How will The Night Garden continue to save the disenfranchised Supernaturals when Nekane shows up at their Head Quarters' door!? No one knows, but both Cypress and Acanthus have decided they can't run anymore. It's time to stand up for what is right and just. Will you stand up with them on their next journey?

The Gone Machine by Aimee Cozza

TBB2026

Sylvan’s cyborg body is broken, his friend is missing, he’s being haunted, and yet a well-known fashion mogul has offered him the business deal of a lifetime. When Sylvan’s ghost turns out to be a digital passenger in his cybernetics, another apparition appears at his doorstep: a familiar looking robot named Fern. Despite forging powerful allies and working diligently to repay his debt of gratitude, Sylvan can’t shake the persistent reminders of his long-lost housebot, Robbie. The ghost has some of Robbie’s memories, but Fern has Robbie’s body… Is it possible one of them is actually Robbie, or are even bots incapable of outrunning death?