Memories of Blood and Shadow by Aaron S. Jones

SPFBO8

Guilt cuts deeper than the deadliest of blades. Tavar Farwan lives alone past the Undying Sands. During a violent storm, he is attacked by two young warriors claiming a need for vengeance for pain from ages past. Tavar defends himself, killing one of the intruders and leaving the other to bleed on the floor. Weary and filled with regret, Tavar offers to tell the young man his story: a story of how, in a world of Naviqings, Leviathans, and Shadow Warriors; a poor, nomadic orphan rose to inspire a kingdom, and kill a God.

When Stars Become Shadows by Emmie Hamilton

For the past seven years, Emersyn Jane Merona had been owned by a deadly mob boss and forced to service any lonely soul who found their way to Skarsrowe, a shady port town on the edge of the Baronian Sea. When Syn commits a murder and initiates a daring escape, she finds herself in the arms of her boss’ archrival, the legendary Captain Killian O’Donnell. After seeking refuge on his mysterious ship, Syn soon realizes that she may have traded one form of danger for another. Desperate to regain her freedom, she falls back on all the old tricks she used to survive her indentured servitude. Just when she is ready to give up, a murdered siren changes her fate and the Lord of Lost Souls, Malakai Barron, drags her down into the underworld. Through a deal brokered by someone from her past, Syn now has to try to earn her freedom from not one, but two key players in the dark underworld. Though it seems impossible, opportunity strikes when Malakai’s missing sirens reappear and Syn is given the chance to investigate. Who is taking the sirens? And why does their song haunt her dreams? As Emersyn uncovers the demons of her past, will the monsters of her future be kept at bay, or will she become another lost soul anchored to the bottom of the sea? Please note: This is an adult dark fantasy intended for 18+ only. Please check for content warnings before purchasing.

The Catalyst by Anttimatti Pennanen

Jon and Gus comes face to face with the legend of an ancient weapon, the Catalyst. Is this mysterious artefact the answer in the fight against the Breathers, a way home, or something else?

A Canticle of Two Souls by Steven Raaymakers

A magic sword forged of a demon. A broken boy seeking revenge. A grim coming-of-age tale with a Sanderson-esque magic system. Raziel watched the Rhotian Empire slaughter his family. When a sentient sword promises him the head of the emperor, Raziel carves a bloody path in an epic journey across a land filled with banshees and mercenaries in pursuit of his revenge. But forced to travel with a strange young woman with a dark past, will Raziel even reach his destination? Alicia has plans of her own. Gifted with a terrible magic that can bend others to her will, she also has revenge on her mind and Raziel in her sights. Can two enemies put aside their differences to seek a higher goal, or will mistrust and inner-demons condemn their fates? Magic is a dangerous thing. So is hope. The ‘Aria of Steel Trilogy’ is a heavy-metal power ballad of clashing blades, blood-soaked betrayal, and sweet revenge. Will you walk away or join the fight?

The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke

For 20 years the Yuletide Butcher has left police a body the morning after Christmas. Once and only once a year the killer strikes. He’s never been caught. Not even close. Detective Allen and FBI Agent Hawks have a possible lead. The first in years. Together, they’re on the killer’s trail and scrambling to stop the Butcher from striking again. Meanwhile, Jack Randal, a pillar of the community, secretly dreads Christmas time. He hates his in-laws and can’t stand his wife and kids. This year it’s finally too much. He’s about to have a public meltdown. Somewhere in their city, the Yuletide Butcher is checking his list twice, with plans to be naughty, not nice, and no one knows who his next victim might be.

Help! My Dog Is The Chosen One! by Ronit J

Kunal is forced to adventure… Because his dog is the Chosen One! Kunal is just your average guy living on rent in Mumbai, working from home, and suffering from anxiety. His world is turned upside down when his girlfriend asks him to foster a rescued street dog. Despite his qualms, Kunal agrees because ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ That’s when the extra-dimensional dark lord attacks. The dog is the only one who can stop the dark lord, but he can’t do it without Kunal’s help. Can Kunal overcome his many anxieties or will our world suffer for eternity?

Son of Thunder by James Jakins

Berun Toirnach is a prince, a priest, and a mage. With the power of Lightning he fights to protect what is important to him. When Berun’s friends and family are put in danger the young prince must rely on his power and his allies, old and new, to save them. With him is his father's most trusted bodyguard, a disgraced assassin known for his skill and ruthless precision. A young God Mage and her companions, linked together with powerful magic. And a coward with a power he's afraid to use. All of them will be needed to save those threatened. But time is against them and their enemies have secrets of their own.

The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen

A reluctant necromancer, a man killed before his time, and the crime that brings them together. Felipe Galvan’s life as an investigator for the Paranormal Society has been spent running into danger. Returning home from his latest case, Felipe struggles with the sudden quiet of his life until a mysterious death puts him in the path of the enigmatic Oliver Barlow. Oliver has two secrets. One, he has been in love with the charming Felipe Galvan for years. Two, he is a necromancer, but to keep the sensible life he’s built as a medical examiner, he must hide his powers. That is until Oliver finds Felipe murdered and accidentally brings him back from the dead. But Felipe refuses to die again until he and Oliver catch his killer. Together, Felipe and Oliver embark on an investigation to uncover a plot centuries in the making. As they close in on his killer, one thing is certain: if they don’t stop them, Felipe won’t be the last to die.

Unity by Anttimatti Pennanen

Go to Comic Con (check box) Find alien technology (check box) See the galaxy and make new friends (check box) Defeat the ancient evil and save the galaxy (check box) But who will save Jon and Gus? After the blind jump, the crew of Unity find themselves lost in space with a broken Black Table, no map, and no allies. And if that’s not enough, they are being hunted by something lurking in the shadows. With the Light as their guide and science fiction on their side, can Jon and Gus give us a fighting chance?

Beneath the Indigo Sky by Rayne Hawthorne

Namid I may not know where I come from, or who I am, but I’ve done my best to build a life for myself. I know a handful of people in town, I have a nice place to live, and I enjoy my job. I look just like everyone else. But I don’t feel like everyone else, because I feel…everything. The emotions of others get tangled with my own as they race through my heart and sink into my soul. They set my nerves on fire and rearrange my cells and spread across my skin until they consume me. Jayce I don’t know how to explain what it’s like to lose half of your soul, to fall into grief so dark and relentless that you lose yourself. That’s what it feels like I’ve lost. Half of my soul. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to try to fill in the gaps. I don’t want to walk into rooms that are populated by memories. I don’t want to hear the voice of a ghost echoing in my head. When the eccentric, introverted man who was found on the side of the road without any memories a decade ago takes pity on me and offers his help, for some reason, I find myself unable to say no. Even though I don't know him, when he's standing by my side, for one brief moment, I forget to hurt. Beneath the Indigo Sky is a 75000 word, MM, slow burn, contemporary romance filled with angst, grief, found family, longing, forests, road trips, stargazing, sweet dates, and of course a HEA. There are also minor paranormal elements that are left deliberately open to reader interpretation

Privilege: A Trilogy by Bharat Krishnan

SPFBO7 WriteHive Book Club

In this epic saga about privilege and power, Rakshan Baliga will have to choose between the American Dream… and his own. New York’s drug problem is Rakshan's solution. Getting his hands on a super drug called WP could earn him glory, power, and a chance to win back his ex. But stealing it from the Top 1% is costly, and if Rakshan isn’t careful he’ll pay with his life. Discover how Rakshan’s journey sets off a chain of events that changes his city, his country… and the world. This OwnVoices political thriller is perfect for fans of Ocean’s 11 and House of Cards.

The Beast Hunters by Christer Lende

When a monster brutally kills her parents, Ara is saved by two beast hunters. Becoming their apprentice, she discovers serums, secret bestiary knowledge, and remarkable abilities-all to save unsuspecting souls from the same fate her parents suffered. But, terrifying creatures lurk everywhere and Ara must master the art of beast hunting quickly if she is to uncover the elusive creature plaguing the village of Cornstead. An epic monster-slaying story starring an orphaned girl turned beast hunting apprentice named Ara. This is the ultimate in escape fiction.