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The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyne Kiste Somethingâs happening to the girls on Denton Street. Itâs the summer of 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Phoebe Shaw and her best friend Jacqueline have just graduated high school, only to confront an ugly, uncertain future. Across the city, abandoned factories populate the skyline; meanwhile at the shore, one strong spark, and the Cuyahoga River might catch fire. But none of that compares to whatâs happening in their own west side neighborhood. The girls Phoebe and Jacqueline have grown up with are changing. It starts with footprints of dark water on the sidewalk. Then, one by one, the girlsâ bodies wither away, their fingernails turning to broken glass, and their bones exposed like corroded metal beneath their flesh. As rumors spread about the grotesque transformations, soon everyone from nosy tourists to clinic doctors and government men start arriving on Denton Street, eager to catch sight of âthe Rust Maidensâ in metamorphosis. But even with all the onlookers, nobody can explain whatâs happening or whyâexcept perhaps the Rust Maidens themselves. Whispering in secret, they know more than theyâre telling, and Phoebe realizes her former friends are quietly preparing for something that will tear their neighborhood apart. Alternating between past and present, Phoebe struggles to unravel the mystery of the Rust Maidensâand her own unwitting role in the transformationsâbefore she loses everything sheâs held dear: her home, her best friend, and even perhaps her own body. |
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The Inside Story of the British Bureau for the Arcane The Dark Elf Dynasty File by Phil Parker The British Bureau for the Arcane has kept people safe for centuries from the arcane species that seek to harm human beings. Their range extends to Commonwealth nations that were part of the British Empire. A once-proud part of the British Secret Service, their success in controlling the arcane races has been their downfall. These beings now live on the edge of survival in remote parts of Britain. Or, at least they did. For Arlo Austin, a loyal but troubled agent for the Bureau, something is wrong. When heâs sent to protect the citizens of the Shetland Isles from rampaging Norwegian trolls, it soon becomes apparent it was an attempt on his life. When another agent dies in mysterious circumstances, and Arlo is warned of an impending war with arcane species, his instincts are proved right. But who is behind this rebellion? Could it be linked to Arloâs own bloodline as a Dark Elf? His traumatic childhood holds secrets, ones that are going to test his loyalty to the Bureau. In their cells another Dark Elf is held prisoner, one who is so despised by its staff, their hatred has extended to Arlo. This species is violent and vengeful, can they recruit one of their own to bring about the destruction of the Bureau? And in so doing, enable the arcane races to wage war against the human race. |
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Spirits of Vengeance by Rob J. Hayes He'll die as many times as it takes. The Ipian Empire was once a land that welcomed dragons and spirits alike, but a century of war and bloodshed saw them all but vanish. Now, the lost things are returning and the Onryo have gathered. Five legendary spirits with mysterious powers, bent on freeing an ancient evil that would wreak havoc on humanity. Haruto swore his soul to the God of Death for the chance to hunt down the vengeful ghost of his wife. Now an onmyoji, heâs tasked by the Imperial Throne to hunt down monsters and malicious spirits. But he knows not all spirits are evil and not all deserve the peace of the sword. Kira is a student at Heiwa, an academy for children with dangerous techniques. But she has a secret, sheâs not like the other students. When the school is attacked, she flees with one of the tutors, determined to hide both from those who would kill her, and those who would use her. As a plague of spirits sweeps across the land, the Onryo leave a bloody trail for Haruto to follow. But whoâs hunting who? The Mortal Techniques novels are a series of stand-alone stories that can be read entirely independently, set in the award-winning Mortal Techniques universe. |
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Those Once Forgotten by N. C. Scrimgeour They were a memory once forgotten. For millennia, they waited. Now, they are coming. The galaxy has been plunged into chaos, left reeling from the trap Alvera Renata triggered around the ancient alien waystations. As the leaders of the allied systems desperately try to prepare for what might be coming, Ridley and Kojan go on the hunt in search of answers. But the one person who might hold the keyâthe rogue starship captain who started it allâis missing in action, and her old friends arenât the only ones looking for her⌠Meanwhile, tensions between the Coalition and the Idran-Var are at breaking point in the aftermath of a brutal attack. The only hope for peace may lie in a fragile alliance between Rivus and Niole, old enemies thrown unwillingly onto the same side. But even if they can bury their past, what will it take to overcome the centuries of bloodshed dividing their people? As the mysterious signal coming from the waystations counts down, only one thing is for certain: something is coming, and if the fractured factions of the galaxy canât find a way to stand against it together, it may be the end for them all. |
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The Girl in White by Shannon Reber Two years before, Madison Meyerâs best friend killed herself . . . or thatâs what they all believed. The truth about Emmaâs death was something only Emma and her killer knew. Now, Emmaâs spirit has returned to try and show Maddie what really happened to her. Seventeen-year-old Madisonâs life has just begun to go back to something that resembles normal for a genius level girl with a special proclivity for anything electronic. Computers were the world she immersed herself in after the death of her friend. Now, Maddie has to figure out what really happened to Emma, using the intelligence that is her stock and trade. The trouble is, lives are being lost. Can Maddie and her friend Ian figure out the mystery of Emmaâs death before itâs too late? Find out in this gripping mystery which is the first book in the exciting series to come! |
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Bringer of the Scourge by M. Daniel McDowell When the end of ages comes for the empire, the princess must rescue herself. Vierrelyne du Talorr, the last living daughter of the tyrant king, waits locked in a tower cell for the prophesied apocalypse only she can prevent. An army of three brittle allegiances, united under a rival prince, aims for the throne and lays siege to the castle in search of the princess and the fabled weaponry of the empire. With the aid of her mentor in music and swords, and a desperate cultist sent to find her before the mercenaries do, Vierrelyne steals that formidable ancient weapon from her family crypt: a holy suit of armor and a diadem infused with the soul of a demon prince--the Bringer of the Scourge. With it, Vierrelyne discovers an unstoppable power, but the demon within is corrosive, hungry, and dangerously persuasive. Vierrelyne is haunted by what it means to tame this power bequeathed to her, and by what means she might conquer it. When that rival prince finds her, it will take all the strength she can muster, for, if the prophecy she dreads is true, the very weapons she wields might destroy everything she holds dear. |
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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. |
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The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power A Mystery Scene Magazine 2021 Editor's Pick Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors. Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesnât end there. She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby. Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer. |
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The Hidden King (The Coming of Ăed #1) by E.G. Radcliff SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis Hidden truths. Hidden power. Hidden destiny. On the shores of a rusty sea, in the streets of a starving city, a young man named Ăed scraps to build a life for himself and the makeshift family he loves. Scarred by a trauma he cannot remember, and haunted by the brutal damage it left behind, he has no idea of the courage his future will demand. When tragedy strikes, a desperate Ăed risks a treacherous, life-changing journey in his last chance to save the only family he has left - but an ancient legacy smoldering within him is about to turn deadly. Neither he - nor a kingdom - will ever be the same. |
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The Bastard from Fairyland by Phil Parker He's Robin Goodfellow to those he knows. Or Puck, his psychotic alter-ego, to those he kills. Betrayed, banished and bitter, this fae warrior lives among human beings, they think heâs a demon. The teenagers heâs vowed to protect, despise him. But now the fae need his help, especially the man who betrayed him. Heâs brought along Robinâs lover to guarantee his cooperation. Yet things are not as they seem. For shadowy forces within the fae have different plans. Itâs not Robin they want. They need Puck. He's the perfect stooge to kill a king. What have people said about The Bastard from Fairyland? "This is effing brutal. There's blood, torture, death, violence, a world savaged by fae and under threat of total destruction. Loved it." "A well told tale which combines Celtic myths, Arthurian legends, dystopian visions of a world ravaged by climate change and some good old blood and guts battles. Oh, and dragons. What's not to love?" "The story unfolds at a cracking pace. Characterisation is excellent. The fight scenes are particularly evocative." "The prose is simply beautiful. It's a book that takes you to a Fantasy world unlike any other but also reflects our times in a very real way. A unique and fresh modern take on a genre that sorely needs more books like this." |
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Red Darkling by L. A. Guettler Red Darklingâs ship is a weevil-infested piece of junk. Her smuggling business barely brings in enough credits to buy cheap beer. Alien creeps think a blaster can get them favors when their charm fails. Her only company is a glitchy cat and the occasional hook-up. Her life is dirty, dangerous, and lonely: just how she likes it. It all takes a turn for the worse when things start going well. A little too well. Partying with movie stars, weekends in paradise, troublesome people turning up deadâitâs maddening. Who is this anonymous benefactor, and why does he think she needs protecting? |
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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. |
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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. |
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Boyfriends For Now by Imogen Markwell-Tweed Anthony Astorâs no nonsense attitude serves him well as CEO of his tech company, but it withers his love life. So when a miscommunication has his mother tearfully ecstatic about Anthony bringing someone home, he has no choice but to go along with the ruse. The solution comes in the form of the kind, clumsy intern, Ben McRobbie. Ben isnât sure the CEO is for real when he asks him to be his âfake boyfriend for Christmas,â especially after Ben spilled coffee all over him. Nevertheless, Ben is sure that the gorgeous Anthony is serious about giving him a full-time job if he can politely sit through a dinner with the Astors. But as Ben grows closer to his rich, handsome boss, he struggles to remain professional behind the scenes of their fake relationship. Imogen Markwell-Tweedâs Boyfriends for Now is a charming and endearing romance about embracing love, wherever you find it. |
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The Headsman by Christina MĂŽrzoi Take a glimpse into the world of a headsman, a gloomy village in which each dweller has a secret: an evil witch, a shrewd florist, a naive young man, a foreign merchant, a dreadful husband, a mischievous maid, and a lustful duke. These stories are intertwined, weaving a dark narrative of love, trickery, brutality, and loss. Under the bleak aesthetic, raw human emotions unravel themselves in a gripping story about moral decay. In a world that belongs to the wicked, how far can one walk this path while keeping a clean conscience? The Headsman is a collection of short stories that focus on interconnected characters, sometimes looking at the same event from a different perspective. As a genre, it falls somewhere under dark fiction territory. |
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Flames Over Frosthelm (Inquisitors' Guild Book 1) by Dave Dobson 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 Inquisitorâs 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. |
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The Century Blade by Rob J. Hayes Orochi, the king of the dragons, has ordered his brothers and sisters to destroy humanity. It falls to a young hero to assemble a team and stop the dragons' rampage. It falls to the Century Blade. This is a short story set in the world of the award-winning Mortal Techniques. It is designed to be read as a standalone story, completely independent from the full length novels set in the same world. |
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Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle On one of the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion, priestess Calinthe trades in information, collecting valuable secrets for her demonic employer. Calinthe has a secret of her own: she's intersex, making her a target for the matriarchal slavers of the Ophidian Plane whose territory she must cross in her search for hidden knowledge. But thanks to her friend Zakuro's illusions, Calinthe presents as a womanâa comfortable, if furtive, existence in a world determined to bring her to heel. But when, instead of a mere secret, the priestess uncovers an incalculably powerful artifact, Calinthe finds herself in a high-stakes negotiation with the same matriarchs who sought to enslave her. On the table: Calinthe's discovery, a charm powerful enough to transform a mortal into a god⌠against a secret so deadly it could quell all life on every plane of the dominion. If Calinthe plays her cards perfectly, she and Zakuro could escape Ophidia wealthier than either of them ever dreamed possible. But if she plays them wrong⌠âŚshe'll learn slavery in her pursuers' hands is a fate far worse than death. |
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Beneath the Indigo Sky by Rayne Hawthorne Namid I may not know where I come from, or who I am, but Iâve 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 donât feel like everyone else, because I feelâŚeverything. 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 donât know how to explain what itâs like to lose half of your soul, to fall into grief so dark and relentless that you lose yourself. Thatâs what it feels like Iâve lost. Half of my soul. I donât want to do this. I donât want to try to fill in the gaps. I donât want to walk into rooms that are populated by memories. I donât 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 |
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Imperfect Illusions by Vanora Lawless A drafted empath. A dreamwalking poet. A world at war. Chicago, 1917. Idealistic, aspiring poet, Elliot Stone can make people feel euphoria or horror with a simple touch. But that's only part of his magical abilities. He can also wake in the dreams of people he cares deeply for. Stubborn, fiercely independent Warren âSullyâ Sullivan is an illusionist with a secret of his own: he feels the emotions of others as visceral sensations. That, and a lifetime of fending for himself, has left him guarded. On their last night of freedom before shipping off to trainingâmilitary and magicâElliot and Sully indulge in an explosive, emotional night together. Elliot assumes it's a one night stand and nothing more, until he awakens in Sullyâs nightmare. The urge to rescue Sully is impossible to resist. And when dream-Sully begs him to keep coming back, something Sully would never do while awake, Elliot canât resist that either. As real life draws them into battle, their shared dreams become a refuge that only Elliot recalls. So when Elliot has the opportunity to recruit Sully to the secret elite unit of magical soldiers he leads, heâs willing to risk everything for the man heâs fallen in love with in dreams. But being away from the front lines doesnât mean Sullyâs safe. Now they battle enemies with twisted magic where their secrets are a liability. Can they bring their dreamsâand loveâto life? Or will the war cost them everything? |
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Death of a Christmas Tree Salesman by Patricia Meredith Sam Shovel only comes to life for twelve days a year at Christmastime, and this year, he's in time to solve a murder mystery at the North Pole. O. Tannenbaumâthe world's largest supplier of Christmas treesâhas been murdered, and although Nick and Nora Claus are too busy to solve the mystery, Sam has enough time on his branchy hands to take a stab at it. Woven with enough Christmas references to choke a reindeer, find out if he succeeds in Death of a Christmas Tree Salesman. "Patricia Meredith's recipe for a perfect Christmas mystery? Magic with a dash of murder." âJess Brady, @jess.literarylife, Bookstagram Reviewer âI see Sam Shovel right up there with Frosty and Rudolphâhe'll go down in history!â â Kathy Buckmaster "Cookies, candy, presents...and murder! A holiday mystery that will leave you questioning...and craving sweets!" âNiko Sollazzo, @nikosbookreviews, BookTuber |
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Three Meant To Be by M N Bennet Telepathic high school teacher Dorian prepares teen witches for professional casting because going in unprepared is what killed one of his partners. But new state mandates on magical proficiency make it nearly impossible, and Dorian worries he canât give his students the education they really need. Seeking a distraction from work, Dorian kisses his still-living on-again off-again clairvoyant boyfriend, Milo. Instead of a distraction, Dorian glimpses Miloâs vague vision involving the murder of Calebâone of Dorianâs new students. Already devastated by the loss of his partner, Dorian refuses to stand aside and let Caleb die. He searches for clues by delving into Calebâs mind. Rooting through Calebâs memories alongside teaching classes leads Dorian to two more students: Calebâs ex-best friend turned rival and the prodigy with connections to dangerous warlocks. However, each step further into his studentsâ minds forces Dorian to confront his deteriorating relationship with Milo. After discovering a link involving illegal casting, Dorian resolves to work with Milo to prevent the impending vision. To succeed, Dorian will have to explore the potential of a future with Milo and find closure on their third partner, whose loss looms between them. But meddling with fate to save Caleb inadvertently draws the warlocks near, putting all his students in danger. Dorian will have to risk his life and gamble his second chance with Milo to keep his students alive. |
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Never Die (Mortal Techniques #1) by Rob J. Hayes Samurai, shinigami, vengeful spirits, and an impossible quest. Itami Cho has earned the name Whispering Blade. She is a Shintei warrior, sworn to the path of oaths and honour. But keeping her oaths has always been more difficult than taking them. When Flaming Fist and his bandits attack the city of Kaishi, Itami swears one last oath: she will protect the city and its people at any cost. Ein has spent his life dreaming of being a hero, and now the God of Death has given him a chance. The Reaper has set him an impossible quest: an eight-year-old boy sent to stop an immortal Emperor. Never Die is a stand alone set in the world of Mortal Techniques. Itâs a wuxia adventure filled with samurai, shinigami, heroes, and vengeful spirits. |
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Fear and Fury by Jamie Jackson Meet Megaera, Meg for short. Sheâs like Deadpool, except for funner. For a girl with the power of fear the recruitment attempts from both sides are never-ending. A self-described not-a-hero, villain-leaning humanoid, Meg just wants to live her life, work her dead-end job and have everyone else (especially the heroes) leave her alone. But when a bigger fish who can turn superpowers back on their users enters the picture and threatens the person Meg loves the most (herself), she must turn to the last group of people she would admit she needs help from. Forced to team up with the heroes she despises (but wonât murder, because letâs face it, orange is not the new black), Meg will have to face the choices from her past that she wonât get therapy for. Self-centered, snarky, sarcastic and a little bit dramatic, sheâs going to have to save the world, even if that wasnât her intention. And try not to get shot in the process. Because that shit hurts. |
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The Long Lost War by Jeff Walker Far from Earth, in a distant solar system, clone soldiers are stuck in an on-going battle against colonial separatists. John 999801 must battle against an enemy that refuses to give up, and dreams of a woman he feels he's seen before. The life of this low ranking clone soldier is about to take a turn for the worst. Or is it going to open his eyes to the truth? Can one clone soldier make a difference? And who is the woman in his dream? Answers and horrors await him as he joins his fellow replicas to the surface of a planet called... Hell. |
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Nightmare Tenant by Richard Holliday WHERE OCCUPANCY BECOMES POSSESSION⌠The chilling prologue left me hanging and I had no idea what was going on â so I just had to read on! I know the world, I spent most of my life driving past those flats, so I totally get the inspiration! Top notch horror with some brutal but satisfying scenes. Really enjoyed it, didnât see some of the twists coming! Very effective! Loved the setting and reasons behind its hauntedness. I finished reading Nightmare Tenant in one sitting. Thatâs one block I wouldnât want to live in! For years, Chivron Tower was abandoned and left to rot as the world turned. It loomed in the skyline a desolate, abhorred ruin; a forgotten relic of the past. That was how it should have stayed. But now, the Tower has been resurrected and shown a renewed lease of life, ready for a new generation of families to move in. Everyone in the community is celebrating this achievement. Councillors, developers, residents all applaud the regeneration of this unloved eyesore. Except for one member of the community. The one who still lives in Chivron Tower, unknown to all. The one who never left. The lone occupantâs way of life is under threat by these new invaders with their new ideas â sullying their idea of urban perfection cast in steel and concrete. Great hope for this restoration is soon to be extinguished. The mysterious tenant is angry, is without mercy and is hungry. It feeds on suffering, making things go bump in the night. It brings more victims to its lair. The warnings it gives turn to torment it revels in. Joel Barton and his family find they are trapped, with the last remaining residents, good and bad, as they realise escape means confronting a⌠NIGHTMARE TENANT |
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Cleats, Corsets, and the Cutie by Ashish Rastogi One football star, one drag queen, and a pansexual. Eliotâs closet is crowded. Living one life is tough. Living three!? Eliot craves acceptance. He wants to show the world his flamboyance. Most of all, he yearns for a love that accepts the different parts of his life. The floodlights and the spotlights make him wary till he crosses paths with the Indian chef, Raghuvendra, with his âtutti-fruttiâ English, who speaks in the third person. Six months is long enough to make goo-goo eyes from across the stage. Eliot needs to make a move on the cuddle-worthy bear. But? What if he shows Raghu who he really is and all that he has worked for burns down? While his cleats and corsets are stored in the safety of different compartments of his life, Eliot must find a way to keep the cutie. |
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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. |
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From the Ashes by B. S. H. Garcia The civil war ends now. Igtheos and his rebels have fought tirelessly against a would-be dictator and his army for almost two years. The city theyâve holed up in has become a prison, soon to be a tomb if they cannot arrange a means of escape. When the enemy leader offers an armistice thatâs too good to be true, Igtheos reluctantly accepts, thinking it will buy him enough time to smuggle those loyal to him out of the city. But he quickly learns the cost of choosing hope over caution as he finds himself caught in his enemyâs sinister plan, fighting a final unexpected battle. Failure means death, or worse, the loss of his loved ones. And he only has one night to determine everyoneâs fate. From the Ashes is a prequel novelette that takes place over two thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadowsâvolume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. |
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The Snow Thiefâs Amulet by Rowan Redfield An ice-elf seeking redemption. An assassin with hidden magic. A promise struck in blood. Nivia's god is dead, and she is responsible. A magic amulet could redeem Nivia and free her people, the ice-elves, but first she'll have to go through the Queen of Mammoth North. And Nivia may be a thief, but she's no assassin. Mysterious ice-magic thrums in Thane's veins. But assassin life never allowed him a chance to seek answers to his ability, until now. After a heist gone wrong, Thane discovers that the one who might hold the answer to his magic is none other but his mortal enemy: an ice-elf, seeking an amulet. A reluctant bargain is struck, and the heist for the amulet begins. But the bad blood between Thane and Nivia turns to undeniable attraction, and their seething desire begins to melt the ice. |
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Cthulhu Armageddon by C.T. Phipps âUnder an alien sky where gods of eldritch matter rule, the only truth is revenge.â CTHULHU ARMAGEDDON is the story of a world 100 years past the rise of the Old Ones which has been reduced to a giant monster-filled desert and pockets of human survivors (along with Deep Ones, ghouls, and other âtalkingâ monsters). John Henry Booth is a ranger of one of the largest remaining city-states when heâs exiled for his groupâs massacre and suspicion heâs âtainted.â Escaping with a doctor who killed her husband, John travels across the Earthâs blasted alien ruins to seek the life of the man who killed his friends. Itâs the one thing he has left. |
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Isla's Reach by Francisca Liliana One catastrophe is all it takes. The world of Iona has forgotten the time when dragons ruled the skies and their Viden riders controlled the wind. The Evandis War, started by the long dead Cinaed the Decayed was won, but at the extermination of every dragon and their Viden riders. Evelyn, the last Viden, has been in hiding for her entire life, but no more. Once she bonds with Oretem, the last dragon, her purpose quickly turns from being the shield for those she loves, to the blade that fights to survive. A Reticent assassin haunts her steps, one who has his own demons to battle. They both seek a single person--Meric, a bounty hunter Venandi, who the assassin endeavors to destroy and the Viden hopes to save. These three lives intertwine in ways that leave them questioning everything they've ever known. The roots of Isla's Reach burrow deep to carry the world, and it won't be long until they've broken entirely. |
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Gold, Lock and Key by E J Doble From grimdark author E J Doble, comes a fairytale with a dark twist... "All it needs, is a bit of tenacity... and three little bears." Goldie, an outlaw and contract hunter of the Baron's State, accepts a new assignment from her employer to find an old cabin in the woods, home to three 'shapeshifters' who can morph into bears. Considered to be little more than a myth, Goldie assumes at first that the shapeshifters are an exaggeration - but with the sizeable bounty her employer is offering, she soon realises there may be more truth in it than she realised. And that isn't the only thing on her mind: she discovers her main rival - a manipulative and incredibly cunning trapper named Southey - has also taken on the contract, and will be contending for the same bounty she so fervently desires. Having waited many long years to have her revenge and outsmart Southey for past mistakes, Goldie sees the new contract as a perfect opportunity to do so. All she has to do is play her cards just right. And kill three bears... |
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Strange Cargo by Patrick Samphire What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won't go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? Answer: they're all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn's hard-earned peace and quiet. As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn't giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven't forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple ultimatum: help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control. |
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Not Your Bargain (Not Your Adventures Book 2) by AJ Alexanders When his last opportunity for closure arises, will Matradatin get answers before it's too late? Itâs been 20 years since the Battle of Crab. 20 years since Matradatin Hammerbeard was crowned King of Craig'n Dell. 20 years since he last saw Samuel Floresburg and shared that earth-shattering kiss. When they parted, Matradatin was left with more questions than answers. What did Samuel mean by it? Why hasn't he kept in touch? Why did he leave so abruptly? Now, Samuel has returned, seeking the dwarf kingâs help for one final adventure: one last chance to finally find the answers he's been yearning for. The Otehill dwarves of the South Wildes have unearthed a vein of Hoskonor, the dark ore that nearly destroyed Matradatinâs home. A human king has enlisted their aid to persuade the Otehill dwarves of its peril. Can they convince the dwarves to heed their warning? What secrets has Samuel kept from Matradatin all these years? Will the embers of their past finally ignite into a lasting flame? Join Samuel, the charming spellcaster, and Matradatin, the quiet sovereign, as they embark on one last, bittersweet journey. "We franchised!" - Puck "It reads different from NYM... loved seeing old characters and new fun characters pop up!" |
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Broken Wings and Buried Secrets: A Short Story Collection by Bethany Votaw This short story collection offers a glimpse into some of the mind's darkest and strangest corners. It features the lies we tell ourselves, the truths we pretend to face, the pain we inflict on our family, and the shadows we try to outrun. It explored the complex family dynamics and secrets. The collection includes 25 stories, including micro-fiction, flash fiction, and short stories |
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Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sefate #1) by Sarah Chorn SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis From the moment the first settler dug a well and struck a lode of shine, the world changed. Now, everything revolves around that magical oil. What began as a simple scouting expedition becomes a life-changing ordeal for Arlen Esco. The son of a powerful mogul, Arlen is kidnapped and forced to confront uncomfortable truths his father has kept hidden. In his hands lies a decision that will determine the fate of everyone he lovesâand impact the lives of every person in Shine Territory. The daughter of an infamous saboteur and outlaw, Cassandra has her own dangerous secrets to protect. When the lives of those she loves are threatened, she realizes that she is uniquely placed to change the balance of power in Shine Territory once and for all. Secrets breed more secrets. Somehow, Arlen and Cassandra must find their own truths in the middle of a garden of lies. |
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Soul Cage (SoulBreaker Book 1) by L. R. Schulz Murder Breeds Magic All power comes with a price. In a world where magic is transferred by the act of killing another, Myddrin stands above the rest. Having accidentally killed the most powerful mage in all of existence, Myddrin now lives a peaceful life in isolation. But there is no such thing as peace in the land of Otor. War calls. The voices of the dead haunt him, and there is nowhere to hide. Cursed with the deathly taint of magic, young Will must seek acceptance among the Knights of Aen. There, he must learn to touch the otherside, control his abilities, and decide for himself what is right, and what is wrong. Tvoraâs soul is broken. The price of vengeance was her sanity. Her companions help her keep a tenuous grasp on herself, but with the urgent need to absorb enough magic to sustain them, she is pushed to choose a side in the upcoming war. The question remains, will she choose the right one? |
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The Bartender Between Worlds by Herman Steuernagel Low-stakes magic, crafting cocktails, and discovering the power of who we truly are. Emma grew up as a Hunter of the Cursedâthose charged with eradicating monsters and magic from the Kingdom. She's revered as one of the King's most skilled hunters. At least she wasâuntil she discovered she possessed magic herself. Before anyone else can discover her secret, Emma abandons her post and flees to the far edge of the Kingdom, where she hopes she can settle down and live a quiet life as a bartender, out of the Hunters' watchful eye. Fate, however, won't allow us to run away from who we are so easily. When Emma is confronted by an exiled fairy and a man who claims to be a scientist (though Emma is convinced he's a sorcerer), she must evaluate what she believes and the confines of who she's been allowed to be. Pulled on a journey that takes her further than she'd ever imagined possible, Emma is led on an adventure to discover where her fate lies and must confront her own biases, hopefully learning a drink recipe or two along the way. A low-stakes cozy fantasy about cocktails, magic, portals, and finding where we truly belong. If you enjoyed the themes of leaving it all behind in books like Legends & Lattes, and the fun and low-stakes magic in The Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, then this is the book for you. |
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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. |
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The Living Waters by Dan Fitzgerald Wonder swirls beneath murky water. When two painted-faced nobles take a guided raft trip on a muddy river, they expect to rough it for a few weeks before returning to their life of sheltered ease. But when mysterious swirls start appearing in the water, even their seasoned guides get rattled. The mystery of the swirls lures them on to the mythical wetlands known as the Living Waters. They discover a world beyond their imagining, but stranger still are the worlds they find inside their own minds as they are drawn deep into the troubles of this hidden place. The Living Waters is a sword-free fantasy novel featuring an ethereal love story, meditation magic, and an ancient book with cryptic marginalia. It is the first book in the Weirdwater Confluence duology; the second book, The Isle of a Thousand Worlds, comes out January 15 2022. |
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A Dagger in the Dark by Tom Dumbrell Twenty years before the events of The Look of a King, in a world on the cusp of change, a young man dreams of a life far from the one he has known. Is he a captain in the making, or out of his depth? The stakes are high, and only time will tell if the spoils are worth the gamble. . . |
