The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyne Kiste

Something’s happening to the girls on Denton Street. It’s the summer of 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Phoebe Shaw and her best friend Jacqueline have just graduated high school, only to confront an ugly, uncertain future. Across the city, abandoned factories populate the skyline; meanwhile at the shore, one strong spark, and the Cuyahoga River might catch fire. But none of that compares to what’s happening in their own west side neighborhood. The girls Phoebe and Jacqueline have grown up with are changing. It starts with footprints of dark water on the sidewalk. Then, one by one, the girls’ bodies wither away, their fingernails turning to broken glass, and their bones exposed like corroded metal beneath their flesh. As rumors spread about the grotesque transformations, soon everyone from nosy tourists to clinic doctors and government men start arriving on Denton Street, eager to catch sight of “the Rust Maidens” in metamorphosis. But even with all the onlookers, nobody can explain what’s happening or why—except perhaps the Rust Maidens themselves. Whispering in secret, they know more than they’re telling, and Phoebe realizes her former friends are quietly preparing for something that will tear their neighborhood apart. Alternating between past and present, Phoebe struggles to unravel the mystery of the Rust Maidens—and her own unwitting role in the transformations—before she loses everything she’s held dear: her home, her best friend, and even perhaps her own body.

The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

SPFBO8 SPFBO Finalist SPSFC 2024 TBB2026

When the saints fail, the sinners step up. Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted. Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target. To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands. For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it. The Thirteenth Hour is the first 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.

Blade Broken by Niranjan

A spy lurking in the shadows, a nation on the verge of an invasion, a man desperate to protect his home. Lucian is the Blade of Castrial, the kingdom's spymaster and first line of defence, lauded for his success in repelling an invasion from Garaner. But the war has left Castrial's economy in shambles, and when the neighbouring kingdom of Sarian musters their armies and sends spies into Castrial, Lucian realises two things: they have a spy in their midst, and they can't afford the cost of fighting off another invasion. And if that wasn't trouble enough, there is Alaric, the Shield of Castrial and the only man in the Echelon whose power is equal to Lucian's. Returned from banishment like the vengeful spirit of their long-lost relationship, Alaric carries a deep-set grudge against Lucian, a grudge that may well be justified. Lucian’s desire to protect his nation is nearly equal to his wish to reconcile with Alaric, but if he cannot get his act together and convince the Shield to work with him, Castrial will fall. Blade Broken is a queer, sword-and-sorcery fantasy and the first book in The Echelon Series. If you love flawed characters, betrayals and redemption, and gritty worldbuilding with lots of political machinations, you will love this book.

Pallas Lost by Jake Morrison

SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

When Ensign Vasyli Nikonov’s ship happened upon a drifting derelict, he had no idea how drastically his life was about to change. Not only had the crew been killed in an impossible manner, the Captain of the ship left a reference to the child’s tale of the lost colony of Pallas. Elsewhere in the Fifteen Systems, scholar Eliot Charter gamely starts his own fool’s quest to prove that Pallas is real. Armed with nothing but naivety and knowledge, he hires mercenary Captain Skadi Ulfsdöttir to help him on his journey. Things quickly spiral out of hand, leaving them all wondering if Pallas was truly Lost...

How to Flaunt Your Chains and Surrender a Vein by D. N. Bryn

‘What else is this shed for, if not torturing unsuspecting vampires?’ Rahil Zaman has good reason to keep his distance from the world—and his fangs are only part of that. He hides in his crumbling home, acquiring blood through the risky one-night stands he finds on hunter-infested hookup apps. After one such fling turns sour, Rahil ends up trapped in the work shed of the one match he wishes would respond to his flirtations. Finding the hot twink he’d been ghosting inside his work shed was not on Mercer Bloncourt’s agenda. Between his work as a craftsman and his tumultuous relationship with his chronically-ill daughter, he doesn’t have the time or heart for a relationship. But Rahil is not the only intruding presence in Mercer’s life. A hostile hunter and a manipulative research scientist both insist—on threat of his daughter’s life—that he recreate versions of his ‘holy silver’: a vampire-killing metal forged in the wake of his wife’s murder, bound up in all the grief and destruction he’s striven for years to overcome. To complicate matters, Rahil is the rare vampire who’s immune to the deadly silver, providing Mercer the perfect lab rat to test a kinder vampire-affecting metal. As Rahil and Mercer rush to the forge, they must face their past wrongs once more, and in time, discover that no mistake is worth the sentence of eternal loneliness.

Dance of Souls (The Venatrix Chronicles Book 4) by Sylvia Mercedes

Venatrix Ayleth made a vow of loyalty to her Holy Order. But is the Order loyal to Ayleth? Still recovering from her deadly encounter with the Phantomwitch, Ayleth finds herself the unwilling guest of the Golden Prince, forced to enjoy his hospitality . . . and the not-so-gentle ministrations of Venator Fendrel du Glaive. There’s something strange about Fendrel. The way he stares at her is unsettling—as though she’s a monster, as though she’s guilty of some great sin. But didn’t she just defeat one of the worst enemies the kingdom has ever known? Hasn’t she proven her worth? And then there’s Terryn, who may be lying to her, who may not be the loyal venator everyone believes him to be. He also looks at her strangely . . . but his gaze makes her heart stop and her pulse race in ways she’s never felt before. As the night of Prince Gerard’s wedding approaches and the kingdom gathers to celebrate new beginnings, dark forces close in on all sides. Certain secrets, long buried deep, are bound to emerge at last. When they do, will Ayleth have the strength to stand and fight?

Bringer of the Scourge by M. Daniel McDowell

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When the end of ages comes for the empire, the princess must rescue herself. Vierrelyne du Talorr, the last living daughter of the tyrant king, waits locked in a tower cell for the prophesied apocalypse only she can prevent. An army of three brittle allegiances, united under a rival prince, aims for the throne and lays siege to the castle in search of the princess and the fabled weaponry of the empire. With the aid of her mentor in music and swords, and a desperate cultist sent to find her before the mercenaries do, Vierrelyne steals that formidable ancient weapon from her family crypt: a holy suit of armor and a diadem infused with the soul of a demon prince--the Bringer of the Scourge. With it, Vierrelyne discovers an unstoppable power, but the demon within is corrosive, hungry, and dangerously persuasive. Vierrelyne is haunted by what it means to tame this power bequeathed to her, and by what means she might conquer it. When that rival prince finds her, it will take all the strength she can muster, for, if the prophecy she dreads is true, the very weapons she wields might destroy everything she holds dear.

True Teryn by S.G. Blaise

Lilla must recruit the biggest and most dangerous army in the Seven Galaxies, but the Teryn emperor will not comply unless Lilla earns the blessing of the Teryn Guardian Goddess Laoise. Dealing with gods is never easy. Guardian Goddess Laoise’s condition for bestowing her blessing is for Lilla to bring her the mysterious Heart Amulet. Now Lilla is trapped in a strange place with no way out, no idea where to go or how to find the amulet. The only way for Lilla to complete her mission is to uncover the biggest secret of all Teryns. Will she survive discovering the secret of what it means to be a True Teryn?

Lipstick Covered Magnet by Amber Herbert

She’s running from her past. He’s hoping to become her present. Skylar has avoided the past for three years. She can’t be plagued by guilt and regret if she never has time to process what happened. When a song triggers the memories she’s tried so hard to bury, she knows she can’t run anymore. Despite her ex being gone, he’s hiding in the quiet and stillness. There’s no escape. Connor has always been passionate. If he’s into you, he will follow you to the ends of the earth. Sure, his fixation once ended in a restraining order, but that was just one girl. When he meets Skylar, he feels that same itch. Despite her attempts to brush him off, he increases his efforts—even if that means tracking her movements and stalking her online. He knows he’ll win her over if he’s persistent. As Skylar does her best to heal, Connor sinks further into obsession. Lipstick Covered Magnet is a genre-bending debut that weaves the intricacies of healing with delusion and suspense. For fans of You and I May Destroy You *Content warning: contains sexual assault, mentions of suicide, and stalking.

Birth of the Storm by Valerie Storm

A bolt of lightning. And a dream of vengeance. For wolf-demon Kari, these define her every waking moment. Her parents are dead, slaughtered by human hands, forcing their only daughter to masquerade among their killers to save her own skin. Now she dwells among them, hiding her lightning-based abilities and plotting a terrible revenge, believing her schemes are all she's good for now. But when she discovers unexpected solace among a group of humans who look past her monstrous nature, Kari finds herself questioning everything. Her mission. Her dreams. Even the hatred festering in her heart. Is it possible for a creature like Kari to find happiness in a world that despises her? Or will the specters of her past force her down the path of vengeance in the end?

The Blood-Born Dragon by JC Rycroft

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A bond she didn’t choose.
A love she can’t escape.
A creature so powerful it bends the limits of time… Smart, sassy, and sanguine, Des Mildue is a traveling sellsword in Rescalin, a dry and dusty kingdom full of rogues, opportunists, and thieves. She keeps her nose clean, brazens it out with a blade when she can’t, and keeps others at arm’s length where they can’t mess up her plans. That is, until a sword fight gone wrong leaves her tied by blood to the first dragon hatched in centuries. Suddenly, Des has to contend with a new voice in her head: haughty, willful Esquidamelion. Des wants to leave Squid by the roadside, but the blood bond has other ideas. With half the world on their tail - including Liv, her beautiful, faithless ex who Des is definitely over - Des must search for answers for why so many are willing to kill, maim and torture to get their hands on Squid. But she’s beginning to suspect her blood bond has tied her not only to a dragon, but to a fight for Rescalin’s future… …and no one else even knows it’s at risk. If you like the kind of story that grabs you by the shirtfront and hauls you through mystery, magic, adventure and betrayal, with a side of sapphic romance, pick up The Blood-Born Dragon, first in a new trilogy from debut author J.C. Rycroft.

Crown of Nightmares (The Venatrix Chronicles Book 7) by Sylvia Mercedes

Who will live? Who will die? Who will be changed . . . forever? Separated from the Evanderians, Ayleth finds herself alone in the malevolent Witchwood. Or perhaps not entirely alone . . . Confronted with the reality of her living grandmother, Ayleth soon learns that the horrors once ascribed to Dread Odile’s name and legend may not be entirely true. But what is the truth? Could the infamous Witch Queen be a freedom fighter providing hope for those oppressed under Saint Evander’s law? Is she the loving family Ayleth thought she’d lost forever? Or is she the greatest threat the world has ever known? While battling to save their loved ones, Ayleth, Terryn, and Gerard must each face the lies that have influenced their lives since childhood. The final battle is upon them, and the decisions they make will shape the course of destiny. Don’t miss the explosive finale of the acclaimed Venatrix Chronicles!

The Misadventures of Myndil Plodostirr by Michelle Franklin

"Life happened to most people, but Myndil Plodostirr happened to everybody else." When the abbot of the newly made Rogha an dá Dhíogha abbey meets Myndil Plodostirr, an orphan who thinks God speaks to him, he quickly decides that a talkative young man like Myndil is best left to himself. In the hopes of ridding the abbey of Myndil's company forever, the abbot sends him out on an impossible mission: to make himself a missionary and unite all the surrounding kingdoms under the banner of one god. What begins as a jape ends in infamy as Myndil's cheerfulness and goodwill accidentally bring about the Great War of the Dark Age. Will Myndil heed the abbot's will and convert the warring kings, or will he listen to the mysterious voice that plagues him and cause chaos across the British Isles?

The Betrayal of the Guardians by Diana Calanguia

When Arisa joined the trials to become a new Astral Guardian, she never thought she would have to fight for her survival. Arisa, Kazuya, and Zen have been friends since childhood. For Arisa, their friendship is what makes her smile and what made her develop deep feelings she had to forget. Living in a world that suffers attacks from other worlds' creatures, the chosen Guardians once fought for her world's survival. Blessed with the powers given by the Stars, those same Guardians have now become threats themselves. Despite hearing tales of when Guardians were still heroes, Arisa refuses to grow a liking for them. Even when one is always there to save her from troubles, she doesn't believe that they will ever return to the heroes they once were. Due to their more recent despicable behavior, she wishes she could do something to stop them. Her wish is granted when she is chosen as a candidate to compete for a spot to become a new Guardian. Even though she hates the Guardians, she has to become one of them if she wants to overthrow them. She accepts the challenge. But she never knew that the road to becoming a Guardian would be more challenging than she ever imagined.

The Briar Crown by Helen Rygh-Pedersen

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They say love conquers all… but can the conquered ever love the conqueror? Twenty-five years ago, there was life. Twenty-five years ago, there was peace when the descendants of the dryads and naiads kept all life in balance. Until one fateful night when the Oderbergs invaded, executed the royal house of Domonov and took Domovnia for their own, ruling with an iron fist and an edict of fear. Roslyn Pleveli, like most of the orphans of that night, wants revenge and an end to the persecution of her kind. Yet, even if the Domovnian’s use of magic was permitted, she wouldn’t be much help, able to command only a few lowly weeds. But everything changes when she saves the life of an injured young man in the forest not knowing it was the prince of the Oderbergs himself. Ordered to see to the rest of his treatment, Roslyn is snatched from her home and all that she loves by his soldiers. Now, in the Oderberg stronghold, she has the chance to change things. With the royal family within her grasp all she has to do to free her people is kill them… but can she do it, or will something more powerful than revenge heal the wounds of the past?

Thirteen by H. Ferdosy

A discovered conspiracy. A ransom gone wrong. A two-month coma. Spoiled Iranian girl Neda awakes to find her parents dead—a tragic murder at the hands of her now-executed fiancé. But Neda saw the perpetrators, and he wasn’t one of them. The justice system dismisses her. Evidence mysteriously vanishes. And when others begin to die, she knows her own life could end just as brutally at any moment. All it will take is her enemies catching up—or her suicidal tendencies taking control. When her losses become all-consuming, there is one way forward: turn the tables and finally get revenge. When the only option is to kill or be killed, one thing is clear: this war will end in blood.

Songs of Seraphina by Jude Houghton

Some battles bleed so much, and for so long, that the earth never truly forgets their dead. Some battles are born of oppression, and some of greed, and some simply because it was written in the stars. Three sisters—Charlemagne, Cairo and Pendragon Agonistes—are sent from America to England to live with their eccentric grandparents after their mother disappears and their father falls to pieces. But before the girls have time to find their feet, Charlemagne is married off to a dead man, Penny takes a nap and wakes up as a boy, and Cairo is swept into a dangerous romance with a man who wants her for more than her considerable charm. With the girls wrapped up in a conflict they barely understand, they don’t notice that their grandmother is transforming, or that the two demigod assassins who took their mother are now coming for them—if one of them can get over his crisis of conscience. In this richly painted tale, at whose heart is the unbreakable bond of family and blood, the world of Seraphina collides with our own as three unique girls are dragged into twilight lives past, fighting for vengeance, retribution, and the survival of their exiled people.

Bloodwoven by G.J. Terral

SPFBO10

Road-weary soldier Lindel thought all he needed to do to return home was finish his current escort mission. Then he discovers one of his charges murdered with a wailing newborn in her limp arms and his ally Aemun holding the accused murderer at knifepoint. His new mission? Take the murderer, Tylle, to face judgment and execution. But then Lin is ambushed by monsters and gravely wounded. While unconscious, Tylle magically stitches Lin's wounds closed. An act forbidden by the Binding Tenets, laws that Lin's military faction aggressively enforces. Lin wakes to find himself marked by Tylle's magic, making him appear as an oathbreaker. Unfortunately, that's not Lin’s biggest problem. Tylle claims she can remove the markings if Lin helps her kill Aemun. What Lin doesn't know is that Tylle is part of a secret coterie working against the military faction Lin belongs to and is the sister of Lin's murdered charge. Unless Aemun is alive to vouch for him, Lin will face a death sentence by his own people. But if Tylle is telling the truth, Lin might not need Aemun. No one would need to know Lin was ever marked. All he has to do is help find and kill his former ally. On the other hand, with Aemun's support, Lin could find forgiveness for breaking the Tenets. Lin would betray his savior, Tylle, but he never asked her to save him.

The Dragon’s Reign: Heart of the Depths by Tim Mullins

After his mother suffers a life-altering brain injury during a tragic accident, Andy books two tickets aboard The Heart - a luxury cruise ship built for the super-rich, to give her the holiday she had always dreamed of. Shortly after the ship sets sail, catastrophe hits the mainland and the pair can only watch as the life they left behind is turned to ash. The Heart continues out to sea, hoping to put some distance between its passengers and the devastated mainland, but as the ship ventures into deeper waters Andy soon realizes that the ocean may not be the safe haven the ship's Captain first thought... For something lurks below, and now it's rising from the depths... Set during the events of The Dragon’s Reign, this short-story will tell a heartfelt tale about a mother and son that will test their definition of love as they learn just how far they will go for family.

Unfortunate by Ayrton Silva

Wealth, power, and an easy life. Vaz had it all, but nothing could satisfy him. He always wanted more. When one of his plans makes his boss finally decide he is a threat, Vaz finds himself with only two options: to roll over and die, or to roll the dice. Literally. Due to an ancient pact between his people and a god of chaos, Vaz, like all citizens of his country, has a special die that grants wishes... if you get a 20. Anything else results in a grisly death. Vaz knew there would be a price to pay, but he didn't expect that, instead of getting his wish right away, he'd have to work for his own safety. Worse: that he'd have to work for the sake of another person. Now a fugitive forced to prevent a young woman's death, Vaz is confronted not just by the ugliness of his world, but by his own part in it.