The Reach Between Worlds by Cameron Hayden

Posing as a sorcerer was never a smart idea. Now, it may cost Taro his life. Sixteen-year-old Taro lost his right leg years ago, but with a family to support, he doesn't let it slow him down. For years he's worked for a notorious crime lord named Victor Mathan; Mathan deals in stolen magical artifacts, and trusts Taro to finish his work with as few questions as possible. When an absurdly well-paying job comes up, Taro is quick to volunteer. Mathan wants him to break a powerful sorceress out of her magical prison, but her cell is under the control of an ancient military order called the Magisterium. To get to her, Taro must pose as a Magisterium recruit. The courses are grueling, the tests drive students mad, and the magic they teach can be as deadly to the caster as it is to the target.

Daughter of Shades (The Venatrix Chronicles #1) by Sylvia Mercedes

A huntress with no past. A rival with a secret. A kingdom’s fate hangs in the balance . . . Ayleth and her shade move as one, ever hungry for the hunt. Under her mentor’s tight control, she fears her memories are being stolen. Now nineteen, apprenticed for as long as she can remember to the mysterious Holy Order, she longs to rise in the ranks and banish untamed spirits for the prophesied Golden Prince. When shadowy threats descend on the crown, Ayleth seizes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove her worth in open competition. Seeking to win the prince’s favor and escape her scheming mentor, she resolves to hold her own against Terryn, a handsome, arrogant opponent who may be more than a match for her untested powers. But as the two rivals follow a trail beyond the Great Barrier and confront legendary evil, the stolen secrets of Ayleth’s past may return to haunt her . . . Can Ayleth win the trial and reclaim her true self? Can she even survive her first day?

Devil To Pay (Hells Unleashed Book 3) by Guinevere A. Hart

The Convergence is nearing and the Lord of Hordes is about to unleash living hells on the planet of Vellith... The battle for her planet has transformed Mercédeon Aarondale. An exiled elven princess brought up in the human town of Silver Crossing, she only ever wanted a simple life of love and laughter. Now she commands a battalion of Sorcerers who might just be the only thing that can stop hordes of demon invaders. Céde is not just fighting for her own future but that of her unborn child. She is fighting for her true love, half-orc smith Jorak Sindri, and for her father, the rightful king. She is fighting for family and she will win.

Where Blood Runs Gold by A.C. Cross

SFFOasis SPFBO8

Sheriff Errol Thorpe’s life is chaotic, brutal, and above all, solitary. After an unimaginable loss years ago, all he feels is the compulsion to seek vengeance. But when a vulnerable family arrives in town, facing an ugly future, he is pulled headfirst into a web of violence, secrets, and things he never imagined. In search of truth and answers, Thorpe finds himself battling deadly flesh-eating Dust, acidic golden blood, and the political designs of powerful people – all the while learning how to be a person again. When Dust rises in San Dios, people hide indoors. When Sheriff Thorpe arrives, people run.

Coward by Ayrton Silva

Lina is a serving girl at a tavern, who thinks she is doomed to an uneventful life, until a horrible beast attacks her hometown. Such attacks are commonplace; humanity has been cursed by the gods since time immemorial, and bloodthirsty beasts prey on mankind virtually unpunished. Humanity's only line of defense are the Slayers: armed with divine magic, they are capable of fighting the beasts on equal ground, and are immune to the curse that turns men into monsters. That particular attack, however, upends Lina's life. Because it's not a Slayer who scares away the beast, but an ordinary girl. An outsider. That single discovery makes Lina question whether the life she has is the only possible one, and she embarks on a brief (but bloody) journey of self-discovery through a reality much more complicated than she could imagine.

Windward by S. Kaeth

SPFBO7 SFFOasis Indie Recs Indie

When dragons fight, mountains weep. In nests high in the mountains, dragons and dragonbonded share their lives, thoughts, feelings, and ambitions. Palon and her partner, the dragon Windward, are renowned among their nest for their flying skill. Their days are filled with everything she loves, especially riding the wind. Even being tasked with teaching their way of life to Tebah, a rebellious newly bonded teenager, can’t bring her down too much. But when treasures from the dragons’ hoards are found in Palon’s collection, her idyllic life comes crashing down. She battles to prove her innocence, while her every move is cast as further evidence against her. Tebah’s suspicion, homesickness, and defiance would be frustrating even in easy times. With Palon in the spotlight while her rivals smear her name at every turn and stir up plots of revenge, her teenage charge’s behavior proves dangerous. Dragon tempers shorten, and challenges and disputes shake the ground. Palon will have to trust more than just herself if she hopes to once more own the sky.

The Dryad's Crown by David Hopkins

SPFBO10

Four titans sleep beneath the earth. Only one fae can keep them from waking. Silbrey is an orphaned wood nymph, taken from her forest home and raised in the corrupt city of Penderyn. The fae child grows up unaware of who she is, what she can do, and the calling of her kind. Under the control of a cruel guildmaster, Silbrey is trained as an assassin. As an adult, she escapes her violent past to start a new life and a family. But a tragic death brings her back to the familiar cobbled streets to seek revenge. This dark path leads Silbrey to uncover an even darker secret: An ancient evil will wake the titans and break the world. Silbrey must travel with her daughter across a war-torn land to defeat that evil. What begins as a fairy tale transforms into a multi-generational epic fantasy about love and loss—and a woman with a strange connection to nature. The Dryad's Crown is an emotional, coming-of-age fantasy debut. The first volume in a gritty saga, set in the immersive world of Efre Ousel. Booklife describes the story as "a fantasy unlike any other."

What Happened on Box Hill by Elizabeth Gilliland

What would happen if you combined all of Jane Austen’s characters into one modern-day novel? Murder, of course. When Caty Morland’s roommate, Isabella, falls to her death on Initiation night, Austen University is quick to cover up the scandal and call it a tragic accident. But avid true-crime lover Caty remains convinced that Isabella didn’t fall; she was murdered. With the help of Pi Kappa Sigma President Emma Woodhouse, Caty organizes a dinner party with the most likely suspects, including familiar faces such as Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Knightley, and Marianne Dashwood. The theme of the night is murder, and Caty has three courses to find out what happened to Isabella--and to try to keep the killer from striking again.

The Choice of Weapons by Alex Valdiers

SFINCS

Ren is an officer on the rise, going from planetary conquest to conquest, until he crosses path with a senior female officer from his native Japan. His meeting with Izuna ends in a bloody duel — the first of many. As the war against other species progresses, Ren’s obsession for Izuna grows and his discontentment for army life along with it. When Izuna gets isolated on an icy hell, Ren volunteers to rescue her for what may be his ultimate mission. The Raoke Gang series is prime entertainment with heart and brains, humor and sex (occasionally, when the story commands it), and, most of all, incredible characters running wild in the most exciting of settings: the Far West in space!

In Which a Demon King Does Not Have a Romantic Interest in His Human Gardener by Rori Thornton

Demon King Jurao returns from his successful thirty-year Union Campaign and discovers something amiss - the castle gardens have a secret caretaker. Using his authority over the sentient plants, he discovers the gardener is... a human! But after hearing the man out, Jurao decides to appoint Braelin as the official Royal Gardener for all his hard work. Now he just needs to figure out why everyone seems to believe he is romantically interested in the human...

Downhome Little Planet Vol. 1 by Joey Daiba

WriteHive Book Club

Backwater planet Acies Gemma is barely a glowing dot on the galactic map these days due in part to the fact that it resides at the redneck ass-end of the galaxy... and the fact that its rotation is slowing. The planet has only a few years left before it becomes uninhabitable and the bulk of the population dies horribly. Tragically. The dire situation has caused everyone who is anyone to flee, leaving the "lower class gutter trash hicks" stranded to fend for themselves. Government has broken down. Society has come untethered. Fire and brimstone raining down from the sky. Rivers and seas boiling. Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes. The dead rising from the grave. Human sacrifice. Dog and cats living together! - Mass hysteria! In the middle of all of this is a cyborg street peddler known to his friends and family as Twitch who must uphold a promise he never made and finds himself engaged to a troublesome alien princess... and boy is his girlfriend pissed! Can he really hold it together? Or will his literal and figurative world come crashing down around him? We honestly do not know the answer to that question yet, but here's to hoping you want to find out and like the story and tell all your friends about it! Because for every negative comment received the editor will be giving the author a very harsh jab to the kidney! And Joey is very fond of both of his.

Scorned by Joseph S Samaniego

Rowena was bred for war! Her stepmother, Queen Sirie, taught her everything that she knew about the deadly arts. Sirie wanted a weapon to ensure her own son's place upon the throne, and Rowena was that weapon.… for a time. A war hero, mercenary captain, mother, loving sister, and daughter. In her heart Rowena bled for her family. But was it ever enough? Her existence was an insult that would threaten the kingdom's roots, and future.

Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1 by Lucy A. McLaren

The Kingdom of Septima is ruled in all but name by the Commune, a ruthless cult that seeks control of an ancient power that has taken root in unsuspecting children in Septima. To maintain their hold on the kingdom, the Commune will stop at nothing to capture children who show signs of this power, to be weaponised or eliminated. 18-year-old Evelyn Folksman is in hiding. Taken in by a tavern-owner, she is haunted by the horrific events that drove her from her home years before. Evelyn is forced to face her past when two wayward children, Raif and Rose Huntsman, arrive at the tavern, pursued by Commune soldiers. The children fall under Evelyn’s reluctant care as the trio narrowly escape a raid. Relentlessly hunted by Commander Jonah Sulemon and Commune agent Lord Eirik Torrant, Evelyn and Raif cannot fathom why they pose such a threat to the Commune, until six-year-old Rose unwittingly reveals a terrible secret: she possesses powers more fearsome than any the Commune has unearthed in decades. There are only two options: to be captured and imprisoned, or to run for the rest of their lives.

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron

Making a living is hard. In a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, it can feel downright impossible. Good thing freelance mage Opal Yong-ae has never let little things like impossibility stop her. She’s found a way to put her overpriced magical art history degree to use as a Cleaner: a contract municipal employee who empties out abandoned apartments and resells the unusual treasures she finds inside for a profit. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one--there’s a reason she wears bite-proof gloves--but when you’re neck-deep in debt to a very magical, very nasty individual, you can’t be picky about where the money comes from. But even Opal’s low standards are put to the test when the only thing of value in her latest apartment is the body of the previous tenant. Dealing with the dead isn’t technically part of her job, but this mage died hiding a secret that could be worth a lot of money, and Opal’s the only one who knows. With debts she can’t pay due at the end of the week, this could be the big break she’s been waiting for, but in a city of runaway magic where getting in over your head generally means losing it, the cost of chasing this opportunity might be more than Opal can survive. AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a new series set in the same universe as my Heartstrikers books, but you don’t need to have read those stories to enjoy this one. MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC was written to stand by itself, so if you haven’t read the others, don’t worry! I wrote this book with you in mind. Thank you so much for reading!

Evening of the Mutated Undead by E. Reyes

First, it was the UFO sightings. Then the monsoon began. And then residents of a shady neighborhood got what they never expected… Mutated zombies. Evening of the Mutated Undead is a heart-pounding survival horror novella centered around Jeff, a small-time drug dealer in Arizona. Chaos ensues on a seemingly ordinary evening as a horrifying zombie outbreak strikes during a relentless monsoon. To Jeff's horror, these undead creatures don't just eat their victims but mutate their bodies, leading to a gruesome blend of unworldly mutation and decomposition

The First Run by Eli Freysson

SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

Gaylen finally has it made. If he can just survive the next few days. On his heels are the scum of the galaxy. In front of him is the wild frontier. And on board his ship is a mysterious cargo people will kill for. What’s the worst that could happen? He just might be on a collision course with the answer. He’ll have to rely on his untested crew, hard-earned wits, steady aim, and two clenched fists to survive.

Voice of War (Threadlight Book 1) by Zack Argyle

SPFBO6 SPFBO Finalist

Chrys Valerian is a threadweaver, a high general, and soon-to-be father. But to the people of Alchea, he is the Apogee—the man who won the war. When a stranger's prophecy foretells danger to Chrys' child, he must do everything in his power to protect his family—even if the most dangerous enemy is the voice in his own head. To the west, a sheltered girl seeks to find her place in the world. To the south, a young man's life changes after he dies. Together, they will change the world—whether they intend to or not.

Birds of a Feather by Sandy Butchers

WriteHive Book Club

Gifted with wings and an exceptional predator’s instinct, Gideon finds that The Keep of Whispers is not too fond of Splices like him. Growing up in a cruel city, he quickly discovers that the only people who care about him are the people who created him through generations of genetic enhancements. Trained to be a killer in the name the tech-hoarding Houses, Gael Griswold, the man behind the Splice technology, sells Gideon to the highest bidder. Here, he discovers that there’s more to life than his head on a wanted bounty pamphlet. Follow Gideon Crowby as he tries to discover who he is and how he can become a better man. Birds of a Feather is the third volume in a series of short story collections that prelude the 'The Singularian'

Ascension: Wolves of Goose Creek (Tales from the DarkWorld Book 3) by Ronnie Massey

In a world where vampires, werewolves, witches, and all other manners of beings not only live their lives freely and out in the open but are some of the media’s biggest celebutantes, werewolf Still Waters is an anomaly. Although she is an honorary member of the Eastern Seaboard’s largest pack, Still lives her life as a lone wolf. But when a freak accident claims the life of a loved one, the delicate façade that is Still's life comes crashing down. Not only is Still forced to out herself, but she also becomes first in line to assume the position of alpha of her birth pack…a pack whose members make it clear they want nothing to do with her. But with the chaos, there comes calm in the form of Dee Stratton, the one that got away. Where Still was taught to hide, Dee was raised to embrace her status as a werewolf. Those differences ultimately drove the two apart. But when Dee returns to offer Still support, the two quickly fall back into their relationship. Their joy, however, is short-lived when family skeletons from Still’s past creep from the closet and threaten their bond. Now Still must fight for the very things she once thought she could live without, Dee and the Goose Creek wolves. Still will either rise to the occasion and become the alpha and mate that Dee believes she can be or walk away from her pack and her relationship…this time for good.

Remote Angel Volume 1 by Yennie Fer and Banunu

After a freak accident of an attempted assault, Alice Desangi wakes up in a different apocalyptic universe. Gifted with mysterious powers of an earth angel, she dies in unfortunate occurrences. She wakes up to relive that day again in a confused manner. Depending on her choices, they could change history.

Neglected Merge by Eve Koguce

SPFBO7

“Neglected Merge” is an inspirational thought-provoking futuristic fantasy romance novel. The story of fated lovers developed against a backdrop of a new post-apocalyptic world painted in bright tones. A fortuitous meeting of Tauria, an independent woman living in one utopian-style world, and Doron from high society of the other world, is destined to be the new beginning for both worlds. Tauria, aged 32, lives in the society that seems to believe that happiness is a universal concept. People, who had survived the near apocalyptic experience, have built a whole new world full of pleasure and easiness. It is designed to make everyone feel happy every minute of their lives. Work brings satisfaction, hobbies are encouraged, relationships are supposed to bring out only positive emotions. Does it matter that things that don’t fit into the general happy pattern get discarded and disappear? Things like friendship and commitment. Things like true love. It is supposed to be enough with lightness and never-ending joy. But there are two worlds now. They are forced to exist side by side. Can they find a way to live together? The Chinese proverb says: “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.” What will the people of two worlds, so utterly different and at the same time so similar, choose?

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

A Tricker-Treater Christmas by Briana Morgan

Get ready to experience a monster’s high-stakes game. When one man’s wish goes horribly wrong, he must make an impossible choice. Faced with his own demons, and at the Tricker-Treater’s mercy, how far will Luke go to keep his daughter from leaving? For fans of The Tricker-Treater and Other Stories comes a fresh, festive tale of a desperate father and his struggle to preserve his family—fitting for the holiday season

Blood For Coins by Cam Wolfe

There is a popular expression among the sellswords of Koragrave. "Follow the coin." For the right price, Enzo & Rascal will handle any problem you have. Putting down monsters, transporting dangerous cargo, acquiring valuables, they do it all. The only problem...? One of them is locked away in the world's most notorious prison. It's time for a jailbreak.

Thicker Than Blood (The Journey Missions Book 3) by Holly Ash

Teacup Dragon Coop

Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf's hatred of politics has never been a secret through her spotless military career. So why is she being sent to Earth to speak at a military hearing on behalf of The Lands and Waters of Neophia Organization? When Crystal's team is tasked with convincing the US military to continue the officer exchange program that first brought Lieutenant Desiree Flint and Ensign Justin Anderson to Neophia to serve on Journey’s first tour, the stakes are already high: if they fail their mission, Flint and Anderson won’t be able to return for the second tour. And to make matters worse, they arrive on Earth to find relations between the two planets are far worse than anyone let on. Things escalate when a terrorist group attacks a string of hospitals, demanding the US government acknowledge Neophia’s superiority. Divided from their team in the wake of a retaliatory order that detains anyone with Neophian blood, Flint and Anderson, the only two pure humans, must find a way to complete their mission--and get the rest of their team home in one piece.

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.

Defiant by Michael R. Miller

The great powers are stirring, and Holt and Ash are ready to return to the fight. A summons from the Life Elder sets them on a perilous mission, leading to steaming jungles and blistering islands where ancient secrets will challenge everything they know of magic and dragons. Talia, the Red Queen, is beset on all sides by pirate raiders and marauding mercenaries. Empress Skadi has abandoned her, battling uprisings in her own lands. As the noose tightens on Feorlen, Talia faces a difficult choice: let her people suffer or turn her powers against moral foes? Osric Agravain has found hope with his newly bonded black dragon, but some wounds run deeper than flesh and bone. Along the Fallow Frontier, he seeks the inner peace that has long eluded him. And within the sanctum at Falcaer, Paragon Adaskar is struggling to unite the fracturing riders. If he fails, ruinous chaos will break across the world. For when Elders and Paragons quarrel, kingdoms fall.

The Push by T. C. Parker

A 20 year old crime. A 40 year old mystery. And a deadly threat in the here and now. El Gardener thinks she’s finished with the con - that she can walk away from the life of crime she’s lived since childhood. But when a murderous attacker emerges out of nowhere and the people closest to her are threatened, she’s left with no choice but to take on one final, very dangerous job - and get her whole crew back together to defend her family. With the terrible legacy of the last job they worked together still haunting them, they’ll travel halfway across the world to trap their mark, from the moors of North Yorkshire to the San Francisco Peninsula - confronting long-buried secrets, an unspeakable crime and an old enemy intent on taking his revenge on the women who’ve wronged him. For El and her team, the clock is ticking - and the sins of the past are about to come calling.

Devil to Pay by R. M. Olson

SPSFC 2024

In a world of pirates and murderous ghosts, one naval cadet must choose between loyalty and survival. In the Level’s Naval Academy, officer candidate Silas Hunt stumbles across a secret that could get him hanged for treason. The only hope he has to save his own life and to find justice is to join up with a ruthless pirate captain, a woman known as Mad Dog—even if it means sacrificing everything he’s spent his life working for. The Verity is just a ship of the line, but for Stacks-born Captain Hollis Ives, it’s not just her first command. It’s her one chance to prove that a woman from the slums can handle a high-ranking naval position—even if it means accepting a posting that’s likely to be a death sentence. Treasure Island meets Master and Commander with a science-fiction twist in R.M. Olson’s thrilling new space opera series, The Devil and the Dark.

Legacy of Flame by Rebecca Bapaye

SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie

A winter queen and prince of flame, bound together by fate. Following a deadly attack on a druid grove, Queen Elia Kolenikova of the Ice Realm is the first and only monarch to take a stand against the fire priest order, a reclusive band of sorcerers with unlimited power. Determined to find a way to protect druids from further violence, Elia turns to the annals of history, tracing her knowledge of fire priests back to a time when a previous Ice Queen was intimately tied to the rise of the order. There’s just one problem: what Elia reads in those accounts may not be true. To unravel the mystery, Elia needs more than an ally—she needs a fire priest. An immortal Ice Realm prince who’s been missing from the history books for centuries. Syllian, like his father before him, sacrificed his mortal body to be born again in flames. Two thousand years later, he’s hunted at every turn by fire priests seeking revenge for his betrayal of the order. The threat means little until a rumor reaches him: Queen Elia Kolenikova is asking questions. About fire priests, about druids, and most dangerously of all, about the truth. Emerging from the shadows could cost Syllian his life. But if he doesn’t, the lies and propaganda of the fire priest order will cost Elia hers first.

Rotting In Vain by Lady Kilroy

"I am not the damsel. I am the weapon their parents warned them not to touch." Legends say the fae only exist because our gods are dead. That we were originally the vermin that feasted on their flesh. As future Queen of the Dhadren Fae, I can tell you I've never wielded the power of a god. I feel nothing in this land of death and decay. An ancient malevolence has taken my home hostage with the curse of a blight, and for twenty years I have been rotting in this cage, stalked by a beast and hunted by shadows that lure me into the night. And even though my mind is screaming for me to follow them, to let them catch me… I need to survive this world. I need to become the liberator my people need. Because if I don't, I’ll become the crown to a kingdom of dust and famine.

Bad Grains by Susanne Schmidt

SFINCS

Eleven-year-old Jo loves Halloween and all things horror, but she doesn't believe anything bad could ever happen in Fels, her small German hometown. When Hektor, her annoying older brother, disappears on his way home from school, Jo assumes he is playing a prank on her. But then both her father and grandma forget Hektor's name, and his stuff mysteriously disappears from his room. With the adults of no help whatsoever, Jo starts an investigation of her own, uncovering an old legend that has haunted the children of Fels for centuries. A monster lives in the rye fields, and draws children into its world under the roots. With two days until the gate between their worlds closes, and only Hektor's obnoxious best friend to help her, Jo must figure out a way to rescue her brother, or lose him forever.

Emma and the Prince of Shadows (World of Light Book 2) by Jon Herrera

WriteHive Book Club

A dangerous journey across a dark, desolate landscape. Having passed through a portal to the World of Light, eleven-year-old Emma Wilkins and her brother, Will, find themselves in a place called Perdition by some, a dead land shrouded in darkness where ash falls from the sky. But a guide awaits them: the mysterious Prince of Shadows. Together, they must make the long, dangerous journey through Perdition and pass through the Teeth of the World in order to survive. But time is running out. A fallen god has awakened. Its Shade, unstoppable and unrelenting, is in pursuit of Emma and her power. At the same time, another race is taking place: The moment drew near when it would all begin again. The turning point in the hunt eternal. Laelaps had run forever. She would run forever more unless the legend was true. The man who could break eternity. The Prince of Shadows. The hound looked up. She yearned for the moon and the stars. Raising her head, she howled into the roiling black sky. Her prey, Cadmes, the fleeing fox, ever out of reach, turned his head and glanced back at her, acknowledging her longing. The chase continued. Who is the Prince of Shadows?

The Wildflowers at the Edge of the World by Shaylin Gandhi

Yukon Territories, 1898. When circus sharpshooter Sophia Bellerose flees from heartbreak in search of a new life, she doesn’t intend to find work in a Yukon brothel. But she's not the sort of woman to refuse that kind of cash—or the freedom that comes with it. ​ For Sophia, the remote wilds of Canada’s Far North provide the perfect setting to bury old heartbreaks. Up there, memories are short, days are long, and gold dust flows freely for any woman bold enough to make the trip. Even better? She gets to keep her guns. Yet when the warmth of her newfound sisterhood begins to thaw her icy heart, Sophia wonders if she’s stumbled across the perfect life—until she clashes with the local Reverend, whose angel face hides a dangerously devious mind. Not only is he conning the whole town, he’s after both the brothel and her, though she can't tell whether his interest is genuine or just another clever ploy to gain control of her earnings. Determined to preserve her newfound freedom—and ignore the Reverend’s devastating kissing in the process—Sophia unholsters her revolvers and takes aim, ready to do whatever it takes to keep her new life in one piece.

No Rest for Wicked Thieves by Jonathan Pembroke

SFFOasis

For Kayla Tanglebrush--the fabled thief known as the Nightcat--life just doesn't get any easier. After botching a high-profile job and seeing other opportunities dry up, Kayla is forced to take on the most dangerous task of her career: infiltrate the remote fortress known as the Ice God's Retreat and steal the Rime Diamond from under the nose of the Lord of Frost and his worshipers. Except ... she has no idea how she's going to do it. With few options, Kayla is forced to accept the help of a naive but powerful priestess and a dashing rogue. Kayla's past and present collide as she and her companions rush towards a perilous confrontation. And all the while, greater forces stir and awaken. Pieces are moved on the cosmic chess board as the Gods watch ... and wait ...

Mark’s Merry Mayhem by Mark Tufo

Most of you know I'm not known for my short stories; apparently I'm much too long-winded. But on occasion there are some things I just need to pull from my head and put out there. I hope you enjoy this small glimpse into the things that keep me up at night.

Jack of Thorns (Inheritance, 1) by AK Faulkner

SFFOasis SPFBO8

You’d think seeing the future would make life easy, but Laurence Riley knows better. No matter how hard he tries to master the chaos, everything slips out of control. His violent ex-boyfriend, his supernatural talents, his drug addiction—seeing what’s coming doesn’t help with any of them. He needs help and he knows it. Help that only a god can provide. The answer to his prayers is Jack, who offers aid with reining in his powers and mastering his life. In exchange, all Jack asks is regular offerings of sexual energy from Laurence's conquests. A month ago, that would have been just fine with Laurence. If not for Quentin, it still would be. Devastatingly handsome, incredibly desirable, and so far out of Laurence’s league it’s not even funny, Quentin is the flame to Laurence’s moth. Laurence doesn’t want anyone else, he can’t think of anyone else, and neither Quentin’s frustratingly chaste behavior nor his uncontrollable telekinesis are enough to put him off. Not even if his focus on Quentin means breaking his bargain with Jack and facing the consequences of disappointing a god. Laurence doesn’t need to see the future to know that’s a bad idea, but he has no clue how dangerous Jack really is…

Gay the Pray Away by Natalie Naudus

Valerie Danners is in a cult. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she finds a queer book at the library and smuggles it home, her conservative Christian homeschooling world begins to crack. And when the cutest girl she’s ever met shows up to Bible class, she starts to question everything. Riley is so confident and kind, and she and Valerie bond quickly over existing as multiracial teens in a very white Christian community. As Valerie explores her feelings for Riley, she begins to see that the world she knows is a carefully crafted narrative. Publicly, the girls are close friends—holding hands in prayer, rooming together at a conference. Privately, they grasp at any chance to continue their forbidden romance—until they are found out. Now Valerie must choose between staying with a family she fears will never accept her, or running away with the girl she loves.

Paths of Malice (The Venatrix Chronicles Book 3) by Sylvia Mercedes

Poisoned. Trapped. At the mercy of a ghost . . . She can handle this. A month into her competition with Venator Terryn, Ayleth seems no closer to winning the Golden Prince’s trust. Why else would he call Terryn to serve at the castle on some secret mission, leaving Ayleth to manage the borough on her own? No matter. She’ll prove her worth to the prince come what may. Plenty of mysteries plague the land under her protection . . . including the mystery of Terryn himself and the strange, dangerous talisman he’s been keeping hidden in his room. Her search for answers soon finds Ayleth on the trail of her deadliest foe yet. A ghost from the prince’s past has returned to haunt the present, possessed of a powerful phantom shade capable of walking the dark paths of the Haunts. Ayleth is totally outmatched and unprepared to face such an enemy alone. But when has she ever backed down from a fight? Welcome back to a world where enemies and friends can be difficult to distinguish, where angels are deadly and demons desirable, and shadows of the past loom dark across the future. If you like your heroines brave, your heroes tormented, and your action non-stop, try The Venatrix Chronicles today!

The Only Exception by Allie McDermid

Izzy Barbour tells everyone she’s an accountant, little do they know she’s really a hired companion. Sadly, that’s where her love life ends. Doomed to be a serial dater, Izzy is close to giving up on finding her one.Lady Ingrid Munro has one focus in work. When a family scandal threatens to dredge up the past, she’s forced to think quick to save face and the palace.Izzy wants to do her job and keep a low profile. Ingrid needs to uphold the family’s reputation. Can they keep things professional, or will lines get blurred when it comes to romance?Set in the fictional world of an Ayrshire Palace, The Only Exception is bursting with sexual tension, fake dating, and forbidden love. Find out today if secrets can stay hidden for long…or are some things too good to be true?

Emma and the Minotaur by Jon Herrera

SPFBO6 WriteHive Book Club

A love letter to innocence, magic, and fantasy. The residents of the City of Saint Martin are disappearing. Those who hear the music of the forest are compelled to follow it and are never seen again. At the same time, creatures of myth and legend are returning to our world. Led by the colossal Minotaur, they hide in the shadows of Glenridge Forest, waiting for a day soon to come. Why are they here? What is the World of Light? Join young Emma Wilkins as she uncovers the truth behind the mystery and learns the identity of the great power behind it all. Like a song in the wind, the tale drifted out into the world. It started its journey in a dark glade deep inside Glenridge Forest. Those who had been there to witness the story carried it with them into the City of Saint Martin. From there, told and retold, the tale transformed and grew wings of its own. Farther and farther, the tale flew, reshaping itself into the form given to it by the voice of the teller. The story morphed and shifted, ever molding itself to the temperament of the land beneath it. The tale reached every corner of the world. To some, it was only a children's bedtime story. But others, in times to come, would find in it solace and truth.

The Freezer by Kim Hunt

In the endless tracts of the New South Wales bushland Ranger Cal Nyx finds a dead body under unusual circumstances. It soon becomes apparent this is a historic death. Growing attention on the crime puts the blowtorch to a murderer who’s managed to evade justice. For now. Detective Inspector Liz Scobie leads the police investigation while her partner, Nyx, uses her own considerable - some might say unorthodox - methods to chase down a killer. With speculation growing in the small community, someone privy to information becomes a new target for the killer. Join Nyx and Scobie in their dogged pursuit of a bold predator with everything to lose.