Guava Flavored Lies by J.J. Arias

All’s Fair in Love and (Pastry) War Sylvie Campos and Lauren Machado have hated each other since before they were born. For generations, the Campos and Machado families have blamed each other for stealing pastry recipes they claim their great-grandfathers originated before fleeing Castro’s Cuba. Having spent their lives as rivals, Lauren and Sylvie are now in their early thirties and primed to take over their respective family bakeries. That means working long, hot, seasons of outdoor food festivals where they are forced to endure each other - albeit with a lot of bantering and barb-trading. After all, no one knows how to get under Sylvie’s skin like Lauren. Sick of dealing with Lauren and her thieving family, Sylvie sets out to unmask the Machados for the traitors they are. But when the truth is not what Sylvie expects, will the fiery exchanges between her and Lauren turn into something hot enough to melt away generational baggage? Could they get the chance to rekindle what they almost had in high school? Find out in this laugh-out-loud hilarious, enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy featuring plenty of steam, tension, and delicious Cuban food.

Bone Rider by J. Fally

Riley Cooper is on the run. Misha Tokarev, the love of his life, turned out to be an assassin for the Russian mob, and when it comes to character flaws, Riley draws the line at premeditated murder. Alien armor system McClane is also on the run, for reasons that include accidentally crashing a space ship into Earth and evading U.S. military custody. A failed prototype, McClane was scheduled for destruction. Sabotaging the ship put an end to that, but McClane is dubbed a bone rider for good reason—he can’t live without a host body. That’s why he first stows away in Riley's truck and then in Riley himself. Their reluctant partnership soon evolves into something much more powerful—and personal—than either of them could have imagined. Together, they embark on a road trip from hell, made all the more exciting by the government troops and mob enforcers hot on their trail. Misha is determined to win Riley back and willing to do whatever it takes to keep him safe. When hitman and alien join forces, they discover their impressive combined potential for death and destruction. It will take everything Riley has to steer them through the mess they create.

A Dark Inheritance (Hollow Fate #1) by Todd Herzman

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It’s a dark path to power. When Ruben is bound by magic and hauled across the sea to where the God King reigns, he has only one goal: escape. As he tries to resist his master’s pull, he discovers a secret—the reason he was taken from his family—Ruben is a mage. On his journey to understand his power, his desire to become stronger takes him to dark places, driving him to do even darker things. If he can gain his freedom, will he be able to return to the life he once knew, after what he’s become? SPFBO 2020 Semi-Finalist!

Body Check by J.J. Arias

To win it all, rivals will have to get dirty and play together Fabiola Santos never expected to be back on Cutthroat Island, the reality competition show she lost six years earlier. But when the opportunity to redeem herself and win half a million dollars comes along, she can’t pass it up. It’s a decision she regrets the moment she sees Cameron - the woman who stole her prize and broke her heart once already. All Cameron Herrera wants to do is rewrite history. Walking away from Fabiola was her biggest mistake in a long line of wrong choices. Now that she has a second chance to play with her, Cameron is determined to win Fab back. Forced to compete as a team, Fabiola finds that her feelings for Cameron aren’t in the past like she wished they were. The more they work together, the harder it is for Fabiola to focus on her anger and ignore their undeniable attraction. Find out whether love gets a second chance in this slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, reality show romance where the games are hard and the nights are hot.

Flames Over Frosthelm (Inquisitors' Guild Book 1) by Dave Dobson

SPFBO6 SFFOasis

An Investigation Gone Awry Sometimes, your case takes a left turn. Or three or four. Marten Mingenstern and Boog Eggstrom are provisional inspectors, fresh out of Inquisitor’s Guild training and eager to prove themselves. Assigned the mundane task of tracking down stolen jewels, they instead uncover a mysterious cult set on destroying the city. After a thief explodes, they earn the enmity of a vicious noble, the Chief Inquisitor gets bought off and goes rogue, they are seized by barbarians, and they are sentenced to death at least a couple of times. In a final, frantic race with prophecy, they face ruthless fanatics, a city turned against them, and terrible forces long buried. Flames Over Frosthelm is the first novel about the Inquisitor's Guild, the investigative arm of the government of Frosthelm, a medieval city-state where criminals thrive, nobles scheme, and dark secrets lurk. Expect intrigue, mystery, swordplay, adventure, politics, romance, and the strong bonds of friendship. And a little magic along the way. Described as Princess Bride meets CSI, this new novel is a tale of classic adventure with a healthy dose of humor. If the description above was too much, you might prefer this TLDR Summary Haiku Young inspectors flail Against a rising darkness. Fighting, jokes, and more.

An Inheritance of Ash and Blood by Jamie Edmundson

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The One They Fear is The Hero They Need 
Sorcery is dying out.

No one misses it. Feared and despised in equal measure, Sanc is only tolerated because he’s the son of the powerful Duke of Morbaine. But Sanc is more important than he knows. When his life is threatened, he is forced to confront his true inheritance. For a new god has arrived in Dalriya. Unstoppable, Ezenachi brings only conquest and slavery. Sorcery is dying out, and now Dalriya needs a sorcerer more than ever.


An Inheritance of Ash and Blood is the first book in a new series, Heirs of War. It combines coming of age character journeys with rich worldbuilding, dark sorcery, political intrigue, and bloody war.

The Archive (Maer Cycle book 2) by Dan Fitzgerald

SFFOasis

In Hollow Road three companions discovered the monsters of legend were all too real… Rumors among the Maer tell of an underground library called the Archive, which houses a wealth of knowledge and terrible magics that could be used to start the biggest war seen since the Great Betrayal. A mixed group of humans and Maer set off on an historic quest to find the Archive and protect it from those who would use it to destroy everything they hold dear. As the cold of winter bears down upon them, they trek through forbidding mountains beset by dangers they could have never imagined. They follow a set of ancient clues deep into the Silver Hills, forging surprising alliances and making new enemies. The humans and Maer are linked by more than their quest to find the Archive and stop an insidious war. A mystical surrogacy may bridge the gap between two peoples, and many hearts entwine as their adventure hurtles toward its bloody conclusion.

Mistletoe & Mishigas by M.A. Wardell

Beauty and the Bear: Can these opposites fake their way into something real? Sheldon Soleskin should be having a horrible day. Even though he’s been unexpectedly transferred to a new school right before the holidays, has only one day to set up his new classroom, and just discovered his twin sister's been hiding an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s Christmas Eve wedding, he’s still ready to take on the world with a smile on his face and a skip in his step. Theo Berenson just wants to be left alone to his custodial duties. But when the chipper new first-grade teacher needs help moving furniture the Sunday after Thanksgiving, he's forced to do something he detests. Help. To make matters worse, Theo's overbearing parents are coming for Hanukah in a few weeks, and he's told them he has a boyfriend. Except he doesn't. Because who would want to date an oaf like Theo? Working together, these opposites discover they might be able to help each other out. Agreeing to be each other’s dates, they become friends as they practice for their upcoming events. But when all the rehearsing starts feeling a little too real, and both men's pasts come roaring back to haunt them, will they be able to pull off the ultimate holiday masquerade?

ILLBORN by Daniel T. Jackson

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BOOK ONE OF THE ILLBORN SAGA Long ago, The Lord Aiduel emerged from the deserts of the Holy Land, possessed with divine powers. He used these to forcibly unite the peoples of Angall, before His ascension to heaven. Over eight hundred years later, in a medieval world which is threatened by war and religious persecution, four young men and women begin to develop supernatural abilities. These forbidden and secret powers will shatter the lives that they have known, and will force each of them to confront the mystery of the ethereal Gate which haunts their dreams. What does the dream mean, and how is it connected to their burgeoning abilities? As they experience conflict, love, lust and betrayal, in lands which are being overtaken by war, they must try to stay ahead of and to survive the sinister forces which are now pursuing them. For they are being hunted… Illborn is Daniel T. Jackson’s powerful and gritty debut novel, and is the thrilling opening chapter in the epic fantasy story of The Illborn Saga.

Family Binds (The Journey Missions Book 2) by Holly Ash

Teacup Dragon Coop

It should have been a routine rescue mission Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf could lead in her sleep: go in, restore life support, and evacuate the colonists of Stapleton Farms if things went south. But when the true identity of Stapleton Farms’ leader is revealed, it changes everything. And for the first time in her career, Crystal is emotionally compromised. With the Commander gone, Lieutenant Desiree Flint must put her own prejudices aside and lead an investigation into the sabotage against Stapleton Farms’ computers; but she soon realizes there’s more at stake here than one colony or Neophia's food supply. War is in the air, even if no one else can see it yet. And Desi can’t stop it on her own. In over her head, Desi only has one person she can turn to for help. But can Crystal set aside the betrayal, pain, and chaos of a compromised past in time to stop Stapleton Farms from being destroyed – and prevent war?

Three Grams of Elsewhere by Andy Giesler

SPSFC 2023

Fifty years ago, a new civil war fractured the United States into a mosaic of polarized nations. Ever since, Harmony “Bibi” Cain has isolated himself: from society, from technology, from family. A powerful empath weary from the constant intrusion of others’ emotions, he’s finally cloistered in his rural Wisconsin retirement community. He hopes to find, if not peace, then at least a little quiet. But when four impossible-seeming killings shake North America, Bibi is drawn into an investigation he wants nothing to do with. The victims were killed by motes—unstoppable drones only an empath can control—and decades ago, Bibi was an unwitting subject in the wartime program that created them: the program that weaponized empathy. With his few remaining friends at risk, and tensions between countries of the former United States reawakening, everything may depend on Bibi's lifelong struggle with his own extraordinary ability.

Isoldesse by Kimberly Gruenbacher

SPSFC

Friendships are tested, new alliances are made, and the truth of one woman's actions from over a millennia ago are revealed. Kenna and Meegan are college students dealing with upcoming finals, needy parents, boy drama, and what to do with their lives after they graduate in a few weeks. What they weren't expecting was for Kenna to receive a powerful stone necklace that ultimately changes their plans for a relaxing summer. Strange things begin to happen to Kenna, like being the only one who can see and talk to the mysterious old woman with a golden aura. Or how in her dreams, a man with vibrant orange eyes keeps appearing who may or may not be real. Though, not all of Kenna's mysterious encounters are pleasant as she's haunted by massive beings carrying long swords and wearing armor covered in black scales. Besides solving the mystery of where the stone necklace came from, Kenna, Meegan, and their friends are taken to another world for a routine evolutionary assessment. The assessment gets sabotaged and causes more chaos for Kenna and her friends, especially for Meegan who is forced to open up and reveal her true identity and the magic she hides. There's one name that Kenna, Meegan, the Sendarians, and the monsters who've been hunting Meegan and her family for over a century all have in common-Isoldesse.

The Pirates of Pepper Pot Point by Michele Schultz

The Pirates of Pepper Pot Point is the story of a little boy named Peter that has a scary adventure with a pirate who circles the waters of a town called Pepper Pot Point. During this adventure, Peter befriends this pirate and teaches him a valuable lesson, friends are worth more than their weight in gold.

The 5-Day Plan by Ashish Rastogi

Curly-haired, bespectacled, Dr. Akhil can replace your hip without a sweat, but he is a rambling, fidgeting fool outside the operation room. The worst qualifications to have for a man in search of love. However, one can overcome any obstacle with a bit of planning. Right? Plan A is simple. Unfortunately, the heart-to-heart blows up in shouting hysterics, tears, and abandonment. Worry not; time for Plan B. A year in London, and Plan B goes belly up. All because of a reality dating show. Anyway, who cares. Akhil has his plant babies. They are not traitors like the stars that Akhil loves gazing at night. The twinklers conspire to bring the dark enemy back into his orbit. Nope, not happening. Akhil has a plan. This time a three-letter one. Plan KDA- Keep Dan Away. But it is not easy blocking "the player" hell-bent on dribbling his way past Akhil's defences one accident at a time- ready to score. Add the nosy Keely matriarch and her two sidekick clowns to flying forks, tripping legs, and an accomplished kiss coach; our Akhil is in deep trouble.

The Naughty Corner by Mark Towse

Are you ready to get put into the Naughty Corner? Three uniquely fresh novellas in one collection, including Towse's wildest old-people horror yet, 'The Generation Games.' Also includes, ‘The Naughty Corner’ and ‘My Name is Brian.’ The Generation Games. The population crisis is out of control. Earth’s resources are close to depletion. A mandate has been put into effect condemning people to death when they hit the age of seventy. Only A lucky few will have the opportunity to compete for a passport to the latter years. It’s about to get savage. My Name Is Brian. Brian's an odd one, always with his head in the books or packet of chips. He doesn't mix well with the other kids but doesn't seem to care. Or is he just a ticking time bomb ready to explode? Coming of age horror on steroids. The Naughty Corner A new start in a gorgeous location. The house of their dreams. But behind the gates of this well-do-do community, our family is about to uncover rules and secrets that will turn their lives upside down. And trust me, you don't want to be in the naughty corner. "Towse is a master of narrative juggling. He makes his readers squirm and laugh in equal measure. His work should be treasured." - E.C. Hanson, author of WICKED BLOOD

Prince of the Sorrows by Kellen Graves

Without an academic endorsement to make him valuable to the high fey, Saffron will be sent back through the veil to the human world. The place he was traded from as a changeling-baby, and a place he is terrified of. And while getting an endorsement shouldn't be impossible, it's hindered by the fact his literacy is self-taught, using books stolen off of Morrígan Academy's campus of high fey students. When mistaken identity leads to Saffron learning the true name of brooding, self-centered, high fey Prince Cylvan, what begins as a risk of losing his life (or his tongue) becomes an opportunity to earn the future he wants. In exchange for an endorsement, he and Cylvan form a geis where Saffron agrees to find a spell to strip power from Cylvan's true name. While Prince Cylvan doesn't know Saffron can barely read, Saffron is determined to meet his end of the deal in order to remain in Alfidel—or, maybe, just to remain by Cylvan's side, as affections grow stronger every night they spend alone in the library together. But as other human servants soon fall victim to a beast known only as “the wolf”, Saffron realizes he has embroiled himself in a manipulative reach for power like he never anticipated—and even Prince Cylvan cannot be trusted. Between the wolf, uncovering forbidden magic, and his growing feelings for the prince, Saffron will have to decide which is most important to him—his endorsement, the lives of his friends, or the prince’s life and wellbeing.