Similar stories:
|
Inked (Gilded Blood) by Rachel Rener When Zayn, your smoking hot boss, tells you never to touch the cache of deluxe tattoo ink locked away in his office, you listen to him⊠until the day you run out of your own ink, your squirming client is on the verge of peeing his pants, and your boss is nowhere to be found. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? I fully expected Zayn to yell at me when he returned to the shop. What I didn't expect was the fresh cobra tattoo on my clientâs butt magically springing to life. Or the interdimensional filing cabinet hiding in the back of Zayn's office. And, oh, did I mention that my gorgeous, magic-ink-hoarding boss is actually an incubus? Now â through (mostly) no fault of my own â we have to venture into a strange and distant land where a never-ending list of lethal flora, fauna, and fae await us. When you add in my Jewish motherâs string of poorly-timed, hysterical phone calls, there is one thing Iâm grateful for: Thereâs no cell service in the fae realm. |
|
Fogbound: Empire in Flames by Gareth Clegg London 1899, a ruined city under martial law. It was just another bounty job for Simmons - recover a killer escaping beyond the massive walled city, while avoiding the toxic red fog and the tainted creatures who make their home Fogside since the failed Martian Invasion of '94. When he stumbles across a dastardly plot to overthrow Empress Victoria, the hunter becomes the hunted. With the brutal military police on his trail, he needs to gather others to his cause, learn who is responsible for this treason and keep the Empire he loves from plunging into eternal darkness. But in the darkest and most fogbound areas of the flooded London streets, a sinister intelligence watches, biding its time until the hour of reckoning is at hand⊠|
|
Lipstick Covered Magnet by Amber Herbert Sheâs running from her past. Heâs hoping to become her present. Skylar has avoided the past for three years. She canât be plagued by guilt and regret if she never has time to process what happened. When a song triggers the memories sheâs tried so hard to bury, she knows she canât run anymore. Despite her ex being gone, heâs hiding in the quiet and stillness. Thereâs no escape. Connor has always been passionate. If heâs 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 effortsâeven if that means tracking her movements and stalking her online. He knows heâll win her over if heâs 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. |
|
A Canticle of War by Steven Raaymakers When the world is threatened with total destruction, can warchildren unite to save it? A grim story of trauma and power with a Sanderson-esque magic system. In this epic conclusion, all bets are off as Raziel and his rag-tag crew must finally come together against the rising dark power. If death doesnât find them first. The city of Archehan lies in ruins, banshees circle the crumbling towers. Famine and violence spread across the fallen kingdom. An empire marches its armies to war. Ancient magics are stirring, woken by Razielâs choices. With the fate of the world in their hands, will Raziel and his companions find the way forward through the darkness, or will they be the architects of their own doom? The âAria of Steel Trilogyâ is a heavy-metal power ballad of clashing blades, blood-soaked betrayal, and sweet revenge. Join the fight today! |
|
Thief of Souls by Emma L. Adams I'm Liv Cartwright, mage, thief, and unapologetic nerd. Magically talented people like me have two choices: use our powers at the beck and call of the Order of the Elements or be exiled to the realm of monsters. Sounds like an easy choice, right? Not so much. Since my mentor dabbled in forbidden spirit magic and left me to take the fall, I have to pay off his debts without using my magic. I'd rather spend my free time gaming than retrieving valuable objects for the Order, but my latest retrieval job goes from mundane to deadly when I end up on the wrong side of the terrifying King of the Dead. Turns out he doesnât like thieves, and he likes the Order even less. To make things worse, I run into my ex-boyfriend, a fire mage who's carrying as many secrets as I am, and find my simple thieving job has landed me in the middle of a conspiracy. A second elemental war is brewing, and the key to stopping it lies in my long-buried memories of my mentor's lessons. The catch? If the Order finds out, they'll show me no mercy this time -- and everyone knows there's a good reason spirit magic was banned. People who use it tend to end up dead. |
|
Harvest Nights by Ahmed H. Alameen âA Lovecraftian horror tale inspired by Native American Myths and colonial timesâ Harvest Nights is a story told through a young boy named Chua (Snake), who narrates the story of how the days were gone and replaced by nights when a strange shooting star appeared in the sky in 1811 Colonial America (Great Comet of 1811). During those dreadful nights, Chua, and later three other people, will have to survive the other worldly creatures that will stop at nothing to eat. A Lovecraftian horror story featuring famous historical figures and creatures inspired by Native American myths. âIt was the surgically-precise gore, the sensations of body horror, and the tenticular terror that Ahmed Alameen penned that will stick with me for a long time.ââMichael Arnzen, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Play Dead and 100 Jolts âGripping and EerieââEric J. Guignard, award-winning author and editor, including That Which Grows Wild and Doorways to the Deadeye âYouâll be hooked from the literally explosive beginning right through to the finale.ââPaul Kane â Bestselling and award-winning author of Before, Arcana and Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell âLingers long after the final page has been read.ââAmanda Stevens, Award-winning author of The Graveyard Queen âThis Lovecraftian story took a couple of unexpected turns that really amped up the horror... Alameen clearly knows the subject matter well and he does it a lot of justice.ââApril A. Taylor - author of Sinkhole and The Hunting of Cabin Green âAhmed Alameen is a true cosmic frontiersman, forging a new path through uncharted terrors and guiding his readers into the vast unknown with Harvest Nights.ââClay McLeod Chapman - Author of Whisper Down the Lane and the Remaking |
|
Beneath Black Sails by Clare Sager Pirate versus pirate hunter. To lose is death, but winning just might be worse. With weather magic on her side, Lady Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isnât captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, sheâll be in charge of her own fate at last. To pay off his familyâs debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And heâs damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice grows, heâs determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes amongst their crew, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems. But treasure isnât the only thing buried. Secrets best-forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat â to her freedom and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail. If you love cunning heroes, feisty heroines, and enemies to lovers romance, youâll love this new adult fantasy series thatâs perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Miranda Honfleur. Buy Beneath Black Sails today to escape on rum-drenched adventures in a world where flags can lie, X marks the spot, and loyalties shift more than sand. |
|
Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie SPFBO Finalist Follow the law and youâll stay safe. But what if the law is wrong? TashuĂ©âs faith in the law is beginning to crack. Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When TashuĂ©âs son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. Heâd never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions. Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated. Where had she come from? Who would tattoo a child? Was it the same person who killed her? Why was he the only one who cared? Will TashuĂ© be able to stand against everything he thought he believed in to get the answers heâs looking for? |
|
The Queen Protocol by Gregory Benson They thought they were finally safe⊠How did they end up on Nathasia, a planet of horrors? A place haunted by the souls of billions murdered in war, its seas poisoned by toxins explicitly engineered to kill and mutate, infested with Thraxon breeding pits, and quarantined by the Marck fleet. Kerriah and her companions awaken with holes in their memories, and the young Tolagon is missing. However, there is a twist of fortune. The yellow orb, lost for decades and protected by the terrors of this world, is finally within their grasp. Now, the calculating Marck Queen, hidden away in an impenetrable fortress, unfolds her diabolical plot. Her order is clear: destroy all life within the Oro system. Crushing pressure, frozen death, and the sacrifice of heroes is the only path to defeat her. As she breaks from her protocol, the queen's protocol, the system falls into darkness. With the return of the Thraxons, bitter alliances have formed, and fate has opened its dark eyes. Learn more about the different species and locations in this story! |
|
Ringlander: The Path and the Way by Michael S. Jackson The first book in the Ringlander Series: a fast-paced, epic fantasy adventure full of games, grit and magic. Holes between worlds are tearing through Rengas. Firestorms are raging as multiple realities battle for control of the elements. Even the Way, the turbulent channel that separates Nord, HatĂĄr and Kemen, the lifeblood of the city of Tyr, has turned. Kyiraâs search for her missing brother draws her away from the familiar frozen lines of Nord and south into the chaotic streets of Tyr where games are played & battles fought. As reality tears Kyira must choose between her family or her path before the worlds catch up with her. |
|
What Was Lost by Melissa Connelly When a young girl feels complicit in her own abuse, how does that thwart her attempts to build a happy life as an adult woman? Disturbing memories begin to surface for Marti and so she returns to the small Vermont town she ran away from thirty years ago to face her demons. She drags her unwitting and unwilling teenage daughter along on the journey heightening already existing tensions between them. But Marti is determined to achieve what sheâs returned home for: forgiveness for lies told, and revenge for secrets held. Exploring the vast social change from 1970 to 2000, in times before language such as #MeToo helped give voice to these all-too-common occurrences, What Was Lost is a raw, powerful tale of one woman confronting the ghosts of her past. |
|
Racing with the Serpent by A.R.K Horton You can't ignore destiny when it breaks down your barriers, even if that means defeating a god. Eya has found safety among friends, but she knows it's only temporary. The battle is far from over, and she has a duty to protect Telverin from the power-hungry. With true allies by her side and unique abilities, it's only a matter of time before she wins back her home and rescues the Goddess Winds. Yet, Eya's recklessness might mean her ruin. Can she learn to control her impulses, the way she's learning to control the elements? Racing With the Serpent is the third and last book of The Telverin Trilogy, a fantasy war story that takes place between several countries in the world of Telverin. |
|
A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery Sometimes you have to leave home to find it⊠All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him. Except Earth. Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw power from all twelve astrological signs â a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar Council. But Novilemâs inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casperâs new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the councilâs most powerful woman. Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet itâs how Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope. As rebellion brinks in the city, even the Council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home. Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential â because the survival of Novilem hinges on Casperâs powers, whether heâs using them or not. Set inside a hidden lunar city, where astrology is magic and your birth sign defines your social status, A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance. |
|
Things Magical Under The Moon: A Grim Anthology by Alexis L Carroll and Amanda Stockton To those who wander the woods alone, be wary of Things Magical Under the Moon. For the trees and crows conspire while vengeance is sought by werewolves and vampires. Fairies and spirits linger just out of sight while the witches convene in the dead of night. Magic and malice take flight, while a dragon hungers for your life. So, dear reader, take to heart this warning: Mind the path and youâll make it to morning. Featuring fairytale mashups of: Cinderella Red Riding Hood The Fox and The Wolf Rumpelstiltskin The Tailor The Fairy Tree of Dooros The Juniper Tree The Crows Fowler's Fowl Wizard of Oz The Crucible |
|
The Price of Power by Michael Michel Prince Barodane could not hold back the darkness. Not even in himself. He laid an innocent city in its grave and then died a hero. In his absence, war whispers across the land. Power-hungry highborn dispatch spies and assassins to the shadows as they maneuver for the throne, while an even greater threat rises in the South. Monsters and cultists flock to the banners of a mad prophet determined to control realityâŠand then shatter it. Destiny stalks three to the brink of oblivion. A dead prince that isnât actually dead. Barodane buried his shameful past in a stupor of drugs, drink, and crime, and now, heâd rather watch the world fall apart than wear a crown again. An orphan with heroâs blood who is forced to make a harrowing choice: betray her country or sacrifice her first love. And a powerful seer who has no choice at allâher grandson must die. If any of them fails to pay the price⊠The cost will be the worldâs complete annihilation. "This book feels like a worthy successor to some of the greats of fiction, including Malazan, A Song of Ice and Fire, and Wheel of Time." - Andy Peloquin, Amazon #1 bestseller of the Darkblade series. |
|
Perception Check by Astrid Knight Her favorite tabletop roleplaying game is real, and her kidnapped childhood best friend is trapped in a far off land. Will she be able to save her? Let's roll initiative! Violet Spence wants nothing more than to have a normal life. After witnessing her childhood best friend get abducted by monsters, thatâs easier said than done. At twenty-three years old, Violet cannot seem to move past that fateful night ten years ago. Her only solace is Mages of Velmyra, a tabletop roleplaying game filled with goblins, fairies, and all-powerful magicians. But of course, thatâs all fantasy. Or, so she thought. As it turns out, the land of Velmyra is very real and the home of the monsters that took her best friend. With the help of her friends (and the creator of the game itself), Violet must navigate the once-fictional creatures and powerful mages of Velmyra to retrieve a set of ancient relicsâall in the hopes that the journey will lead her back to her friend. But for Violet, fighting monsters and magic workers doesnât seem nearly as terrifying as confronting her own demons. And sheâll soon realize fighting the battle within herself can be just as tough as those fought against demigods. Perception Check is the magical first installment of the Mages of Velmyra Saga, great for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Critical Role, and The Magicians. With endearing and hilarious characters, an exploration of mental health and trauma, LGBTQ+ representation, gut-wrenching twists, and a whirlwind of an ending, you will never want to leave the world of Velmyra. |
|
A Canticle for the Fallen by Steven Raaymakers How far would you go to change the past? After four years in exile, Raziel is forced to return to his homeland, Renas. Meeting a companion who shares his abilities, he sets off to find the rumoured âLady in Whiteâ, an enigmatic woman who promises an end to the persecution of their kind. Raziel is soon faced with a terrible choice over life and death. He bears serious wounds, and the path ahead grows ever more violent. Wracked with indecision, and with his soul in turmoil, he sets off on a bloody mission. Will his pain lead him to the light, or will the shadows claim his scarred soul? Set in a grim world of emotion-based magic and twisted fates, this is the second book in the Aria of Steel trilogy. |
|
Down Below Beyond by T. A. Bruno Lodespace is a collection of worlds dominated by the Fessenog Fleet trade empire. Thanks to the Voyalten portals, alien civilizations from all over the universe can gather for glorious trade. For the wealthy, there has never been a more lucrative circle. But the Fleet is hiding something from its investors. A secret that, if exposed, could bring the empire to its knees. Levort Aatra is a prospector on the planet Tayoxe. While scavenging the wastes of the abandoned world, he discovers a mysterious starship and stakes his claim on it. Little does he know, he just made himself the most wanted man in Lodespace. DOWN BELOW BEYOND is a stand-alone sci-fi fantasy adventure filled with aliens, planets, and portals set in a universe crafted by T. A. Bruno, author of the award-winning Song of Kamaria trilogy. |
|
SPFBO6 WriteHive Book Club Teacup Dragon Coop SFFOasis Never leave the path. Itâs sacred law, punishable by exile. When her son goes missing in the perilous mountains, Kaemada defies the law to search for him. She enlists the help of her hero brother, a priestess berserker, and a fire-wielding friend. But the law exists for a reason. When the search party is captured by the mythical Kamalti, they learn that Kaemadaâs son was sent to an ancient prison city. As they battle for freedom, they discover a horrible truth that will change the future of both races forever. With their world in upheaval, Kaemada must find a way to peace if she's to save her sonâbut tensions between the two races are leading to war. |
|
Publishable By Death by A.C.F. Bookens A bookstore, a grumpy newspaper woman, and a murder. Quiet St. Marinâs has just gotten a little more lively . . . and a little less alive. All Harvey Beckett wants to do is read books, help the residents of St. Marinâs find the perfect book for that moment, and snuggle with her hound dog Mayhem. But when the small, waterside townâs newest resident discovers the body of the communityâs persnickety reporter in her bookshop storeroom on opening day, Harvey finds herself bound and determined to figure out the crime. Her task wonât be easy, though, since the town is flooded with visitors for the first annual Harriet Tubman Festival to honor the communityâs most famous resident. Plus, a quiet but charming mechanic named Daniel isnât helping with her concentration at all. |
|
Chefâs Kiss (A Gia, San Francisco Romance) by Stephanie Shea Valentina Rosas has always known what she wants. Mostly. Sort of. At least, she does now. And what she wants is the coveted staging role at Gia, San Francisco. With four years at the top of her class in culinary school and enough tenacity to fuel the entire Mission, no one doubts she is about to land the job of her dreamsâincluding the three-person cheer squad made up of her best friend and adorably overbearing parents. Renowned chef Jenn Coleman is not a people person. Her rise to the top of the culinary industry stems from a cultivated blend of top-tier schoolingâfrom her nonnaâand bouts of carefully managed misanthropy. Owning and operating two Michelin starred restaurants doesnât leave time for much else anyway. Just ask her ex. When the new stage at her restaurant trips into her with all the grace of a baby giraffe, itâs a sure recipe for disaster. But for all of Jennâs reserve, Valentina has twice the allure, and the chemistry between them is just⊠chefâs kiss. If only Jenn wasnât Valentinaâs boss with nearly ten years between them. |
|
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 dĂĄ DhĂogha 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? |
|
SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist SPFBO Winner âAll magic is beautiful...and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath.â She is heir to a Sultanate that once ruled the world. He is an unwanted prince with the power to destroy. She is order and intellect, a woman fit to rule in a man's place. He is chaos and violence and will stop at nothing to protect his people. His magic answers hers with shadow for light. They need each other, but the cost of balance may be too high a price. Magic is dying and the only way to save it is to enlist mages who wield the forbidden power of death, mages cast out centuries ago in a brutal and bloody war. Now, a new war is coming. Science and machines to replace magic and old religion. They must find a way to save their people from annihilation and balance the sacred Wheelâbut first, they will have to balance their own forbidden passion. His peace for her tempest, his restlessness for her calm⊠Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning. |
|
An Ocean of Others by Joshua Scott Edwards REMEMBER WHAT'S REAL OR YOUR HEAD WILL BE THEIRS Survival is never easy, but itâs never been harder for Grim, the last bounty hunter in Liwokin. He survived the Great Riot that killed Liwo by the thousands, endured the bloody chaos that ruled the city in its aftermath, and avoided the crushing fist of the Agency created to quell the unrest. Rule of law returned, but following the rules doesnât put food in your belly. On a job gone wrong, Grim stumbles into a conspiracy that targets Ulken, the Head of the Agency, a man who has done more to ruin Grimâs life than any other. Struggling to earn honest coin, Grim plans to use this information to rise quickly through the ranks of the organization so an empty purse never worries him again. He becomes a Finger of the Agency, joining a sardonic ranger, two fugitive siblings, a stone-skinned Skardwarf, and a powerful dark mageânone of whom know any better than Grim what theyâve gotten themselves into. Grimâs Hand soon discovers the Agencyâs furtive work is far deadlier than hunting bounties. While fighting to save his home from monsters who once were men, Grim discovers the conspiracy runs deeper than just Ulken and the Agencyâwhat was unleashed is spreading, and if Grimâs sanity doesnât prevail, it will consume the minds of the Bright Empire and beyond. Action-packed, bloody, and full of brain-bending intrigue, in An Ocean of Others the line between monster and man is thin enough to drive you out of your mind. |
|
Night Warrior by Jordan J. Scavone When a bolt of lightning strikes seventeen-year-old Virandaâs home during a severe thunderstorm, she awakens, dazed, to find a strange blood-covered man sitting calmly on her bed. This man claims to be Cillian Balor, The Night Warrior, the same character Viranda herself had created in her novel. Cillian believes Viranda to be the Goddess of Fate from his homeworld of Lingard. However, Viranda claims there is no Goddess of Fate in Lingard; she should know, she did create it after all. When other characters from her book begin to appear in her world, Viranda fears what would happen if the likes of Finn Razorclaw, a deadly werewolf and the arch-rival of Cillian, or the feared witches of The Black Cat Clan arrived as well. With the help of her best friend Bee, and a protection gnome named Mo, Viranda and Cillian must discover the secret to Cillianâs existence and prevent catastrophic damage by powerful supernatural beings. |
|
River in the Galaxy by Natalie Kelda When Merlon's parents disappeared, his world fell apart. When his best friend died, he lost the ability to enjoy life. For Captain Merlon Ricosta, Lanier's death, two years prior, feels like yesterday. But when a map from his parents is discovered, he decides to push aside his grief to get closure and follow the route they vanished along eighteen years ago. Despite political trouble, Merlon leads his crew into the unknowns of strange galaxies in his quest to find out why his parents never returned. In River in the Galaxy Merlon fights to keep his crew alive and suppress his prolonged grief and depression. But he must face his own struggles in order to protect the ship and the people aboard. |
|
The Monsters We Feed by Thomas Howard Riley The morning before he found the dead body, Jathan Algevin thought he had his whole life just the way he wanted it. He knows his city inside and out, and doesn't bother carrying a sword, trusting his wits and his fists well enough to get by, hustling extra coin by ratting out loathsome magi to the law for execution. He and his sister, Lyra, have watched out for each other ever since the day they were orphaned by a bloodthirsty rogue sorcerer, and now they finally have steady work, good friends, and the freedom to spend every night laughing at the bottom of a bottle. But nothing lasts forever.When he stumbles across a brutal murder, Jathan discovers a strange crystal lens that opens his eyes to an invisible world of magick and terror lurking just beneath the surface of his own, making him question everything he thought he knew. But will gazing into this new arcane realm lead Jathan to save lives, or help destroy them?With dangerous people hunting for the lens, monstrous lies unraveling his life, and a hidden underworld calling to him, it is only a matter of time before his whole world comes crashing down. Will he find the answers he is looking for, or will he only find a monster needing to be fed?Rated-R Dark Fantasy Noir in a city of hope, lust, and brutality, where swords are banned, and magick is just as likely to get you killed as it is to save your life.There are always things about ourselves that we don't want to see.There are always things we can't stop doing no matter how hard we try.We all lie. We all have secrets.We are all feeding monsters. |
