A Rival Most Vial: Potioneering for Love and Profit by R.K. Ashwick

SPFBO9 SPFBO Finalist

Two potion shops, one heated rivalry…until hate bubbles over into something else. Any adventurer worth their sword knows about Ambrose Beake. The proud, quiet half-elf sells the best, and only, potions in the city—until a handsome new shopkeeper named Eli opens another potion shop across the street, throwing Ambrose’s peace and ledgers far off balance. Within weeks, they’re locked in a war of price tags and products—Ambrose’s expertise against Eli’s effortless charm. Toil leads to trouble, the safety gloves come off, and right as their rivalry reaches a boiling point… The mayor commissions them to brew a potion together. The task is as complex as it is lucrative, pushing both men to the limits of their abilities and patience. Yet as the fires burn and cauldrons bubble…they find a different sort of chemistry brewing.

Candy Cain Kills by Brian McAuley

Oh what fun it is to DIE! When Austin's parents drag him and his little sister Fiona to a remote cottage for Christmas, he's less than thrilled about the forced bonding exercise. But after learning that their holiday getaway was the site of a horrific crime, this family on the rocks will have to fight for their lives against a legendary killer... because Candy Cain is slashing through the snow with a very long naughty list.

A Christmas Truce by Emma Bennet

A BRAND-NEW, UTTERLY ADDICTIVE FEEL-GOOD FESTIVE GRUMPY/SUNSHINE ROMANCE FOR CHRISTMAS 2023. Photographer Libby just got fired. Again. Then she gets home early to find her boyfriend in bed with another woman. And just like that, her dreams of a Christmas Day proposal are shattered. Libby lands a new job as a personal assistant to enigmatic businessman Seth Coleman. He’s terse and demanding — it’s no wonder Libby keeps messing up. Then one day an adorable Golden Retriever puppy is delivered to the house. As Libby helps Seth train Barney, she realizes that there’s a surprisingly sweet side to this CEO . . . But everything goes wrong when Libby finds out that Seth’s company just bought the community centre where they’ve been training Barney. It’s not only puppy classes, it’s a lifeline for the whole village. Libby is devastated when Seth says it’s ‘just business’. So she packs her bags. Until disaster strikes and Libby is forced to spend her favourite time of the year with a man who doesn’t even own tinsel. It’s up to Libby to bring some much-needed Christmas spirit. Starting with a truce, since they’re going to be stuck together whether they like it or not. But Libby might just find magic under the mistletoe after all if she can encourage Seth to open his heart to Christmas . . . This heartwarming Christmas romance is perfect for fans of Jessica Redland, Jenny Colgan, Holly Martin, Teresa F. Morgan, Helen Rolfe and Julie Shackman. READERS ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH EMMA BENNET’S UPLIFTING, FEEL-GOOD CHRISTMAS ROMANCE: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is the perfect feel-good read. A lovely love story. I loved the cute puppy Barney.’ Rosamond ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A really cute Christmas-themed novel. I loved the storyline and how a cute dog tied in as well. This would make a great movie as well! Perfect feel-good holiday novel. Highly recommend.’ A reader in the UK ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.’ Sophie L. ALSO BY EMMA BENNET HER PERFECT HERO THE GREEN HILLS OF HOME THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY? STARSTRUCK FALLING IN LOVE AT NIGHTINGALE FARM

The Briar Crown by Helen Rygh-Pedersen

SPFBO9

They say love conquers all… but can the conquered ever love the conqueror? Twenty-five years ago, there was life. Twenty-five years ago, there was peace when the descendants of the dryads and naiads kept all life in balance. Until one fateful night when the Oderbergs invaded, executed the royal house of Domonov and took Domovnia for their own, ruling with an iron fist and an edict of fear. Roslyn Pleveli, like most of the orphans of that night, wants revenge and an end to the persecution of her kind. Yet, even if the Domovnian’s use of magic was permitted, she wouldn’t be much help, able to command only a few lowly weeds. But everything changes when she saves the life of an injured young man in the forest not knowing it was the prince of the Oderbergs himself. Ordered to see to the rest of his treatment, Roslyn is snatched from her home and all that she loves by his soldiers. Now, in the Oderberg stronghold, she has the chance to change things. With the royal family within her grasp all she has to do to free her people is kill them… but can she do it, or will something more powerful than revenge heal the wounds of the past?

Thresher by Michael Cole

In the aftermath of a hurricane, a series of strange events plague the coastal waters off Florida. People go into the water and never return. Corpses of killer whales drift ashore, ravaged from enormous bite marks. A fishing trawler is found adrift, with a mysterious gash in its hull. Transferred to the coastal town of Merit, police officer Leonard Riker uncovers the horrible reality of an enormous Thresher shark lurking off the coast. Forty feet in length, it has taken a territorial claim to the waters near the town harbor. Armed with three-inch teeth, a scythe-like caudal fin, and unmatched aggression, the beast seeks to kill anything sharing the waters.

A Low Country by Morgan Shank

SPFBO9

Everything went to hell in the first week. After four years on the road, Sharla was looking forward to settling down and trying her hand at a steadier occupation. When Claws raid her town and take her lover, Renn, she knows it's time for action. She's tired of running. Now, she'll take a stand. To do this, she'll have to follow the Claws across the tablelands. This is a land of bandits, mages, and monsters. If she wants to travel this country and rescue Renn, she'll need help. An army of Watchmen would be nice. Maybe even a drug cartel. However, she also knows it's best to keep things small. The more allies she has, the more she risks a future knife between the ribs. After all, this is Low Country.

The Faceless Mage (Legends of Abreia Book 1) by Kenley Davidson

He’ll protect her with his last breath… Until she becomes his next target. Leisa’s ambitions used to be simple. Guard the princess. Hide her magic. Wait for her family to return. But all of that changes when her king demands that she use her unique abilities to spy on the rival kingdom of Garimore. Alone, far from home, and living a lie that grows more perilous by the day, Leisa’s task is complicated by her most dangerous enemy yet—the masked assassin known only as the Raven. Everyone in the Five Thrones knows to fear him, but the Raven is not what Leisa expected. As silent as he is lethal, he provokes her curiosity as much as her fear, and hides secrets she’s determined to learn. When her already precarious mission takes a deadly turn, Leisa must evade the Raven himself if she is to succeed. It’s never been done before, but Leisa is nothing if not stubborn. And if she doesn’t become the first to escape his blade, her entire kingdom will pay the price—in blood.

Christmas Night of the Scurry Furry by E. Reyes

Amber, a young woman working in a small retail store on Christmas Eve, finds herself amid chaos when the hot holiday toy, Scurry Furry, comes to life and begins wreaking havoc. The once-adorable creatures become a horde of vicious monsters, leaving a trail of destruction and gore in their wake. With no outside help, Amber and her employees must take matters into their own hands and fight against the Scurry Furry army. The situation is darkly humorous, as Amber and her team wield anything they can find as a weapon, from baseball bats to candy canes. The battle is gory and intense, but Amber refuses to back down. Will she be able to save the store and survive the night?

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 Cavern by Alister Hodge

When a sink hole opens up near the Australian outback town of Pintalba, it uncovers a pristine cave system. Sam joins an expedition to explore the subterranean passages as paramedic support, hoping to remain unneeded at base camp. But, when one of the cavers is injured, he must overcome paralysing claustrophobia to dive pitch-black waters and squeeze through the bowels of the earth. Soon he will find there are fates worse than being buried alive, for in the abandoned mines and caves beneath Pintalba, there are ravenous teeth in the dark. As a savage predator targets the group with hideous ferocity, Sam and his friends must fight for their lives if they are ever to see the sun again. "The Cavern is a tense and compelling descent into subterranean horror, with characters you will care about in a setting unlike most fiction these days. I've never been a fan of caving, but having read this book, I'm staying above ground in the sunlight forever." - Alan Baxter, author of DEVOURING DARK and the ALEX CAINE SERIES

When Stars Become Shadows by Emmie Hamilton

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

Out on a Limb by Luis Paredes

"How many perverts d'ya think sucked on those toes before the police rolled in?" With that question, Out On a Limb kicks off an irreverent, foul-mouthed, and horrific urban fantasy noir series following the exploits of private occult investigators Rebecca Suarez and Peyton Marx. In this fast-paced novella that readers can devour in an afternoon, Rebecca and Peyton are stumped by their strangest case yet—a tree growing human legs. The dangling gams become the least of their concerns when nearby trees start consuming more than just carbon dioxide. Now the investigators must use their powers and the NYPD's magical tech to find the mage responsible for this heinous crime and stop a bloody disaster from creeping across the Empire State.

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'

Foundations by Richard Holliday

HOW DID STREETS IN THE SKY BECOME THE TOWER OF TERROR FEARED FOR DECADES? Foundations is yet another page turner that I simply couldn't put down. It brilliantly explored the origins of the world in which Nightmare Tenant is set, and the author has excelled at giving the reader another wonderful story. Foundations is a thrilling period tale setting up the origin story to the creepy psychological thriller, answering questions and leaving some lingering in the mind! An exciting and engaging precursor. If you enjoyed Nightmare Tenant, Foundations lays the groundwork in another exhilarating adventure! And if you've not yet read Nightmare Tenant, then Foundations is just the start of a thrilling and creepy story in an unusual and effective setting Stephen Norris is a young man in a new job with an almost-famous architect at the turn of the 1970s. Quickly immersed in the murky world of town planning, he finds the transition from drawings and blueprints to brick and mortar is night and day. A discovery of ruins on the site of a state-of-the-art new tower block brings him into conflict with the construction workers, in particular the foreman, Peterson. Lurking inside the ruins is an ancient power are lost spirits. They channel through Norris, imbuing him with power to do the right thing and save their legacy. Within the modern world of the 1970s, complexities of life cloud Norris’ judgment. Those closest to him – friends, family, even the girl he loves – are dragged with him into a whirlpool of mistrust, deceit, danger and lies. All seems lost when the forces of darkness – money and progress – appear to triumph and obliterate the past. Instead, the darkness unleashes the lost spirits who turn vengeful at this defilement of their mortal remains. Norris must battle these forces and save the woman he loves from being a prisoner of Chivron Tower’s new nightmare tenant… Foundations is the precursor to the novella Nightmare Tenantby Richard Holliday. Length: 20,000 words

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

Over the Dragon’s Gate by Juliana Jones & Riley Sanderson

Treya has everything he needs in his pond: food, shelter, and other fish to swim with. It’s painful to wonder if he had another life once, so he ignores the fragments of disturbing dreams that plague him. But when a boy falls into his pond, Treya discovers he’s more than a fish. He can also become a boy, and now he has a friend: the irrepressible Eli. During secret meetings in the garden surrounding the pond, Treya and Eli forge a bond that even dark magic can’t break. But when Eli starts asking questions about who and what Treya is, the two of them discover that questions are dangerous, answers have a cost, and their fates depend on unraveling the mystery of Treya’s past.