Silver and Blood by Trina L. Talma

WriteHive Book Club SPFBO8

Most of the human population of Morstan lives in walled cities, though very few people know the real reason those walls were built. Stories tell of strange creatures like elves, vampires and shape-shifters, but to most people, these are only stories. Zania Corthinn, an ordinary girl from the city of Ocrisia, is about to find out the truth behind those stories -- and a few things about herself as well. "You'll see many more things you never believed in, before you've been with us very long."

Dragon's Reach: An epic fantasy adventure (The Keeper Origins Book 1) by JA Andrews

SPFBO6

The truth is neither plain, nor simple. Sable, a reluctant thief from the slums, can feel truth when people speak. For years she’s been using that skill to try to break free from the vicious gang boss she's indebted to. Escape comes in the form of an odd set of companions: -a dwarf running from the past, -an actor with a magical, glowing tree -a too-helpful kobold, -a playwright with a knack for getting stories out of people, and -a man and woman with suspicious, magical powers. But Sable’s freedom is short lived. On the edges of civilization, they discover hidden, terrifying lies in the offers of peace from the brutal Kalesh Empire. Now, she must return to the city she fled, and along with her companions, attempt an impossible task—convince everyone, including the powerful Dragon Prioress, of the truth. Except the Kalesh web of lies has ensnared everyone. With her land, her people, and everything she loves hanging in the balance, Sable is the only one standing between freedom, and certain death.

Curse Breaker Books 1-3 by Melinda Kucsera

Curse Breaker Books 1-3 features the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series in one action-packed boxed set. Curse Breaker Enchanted Sarn wants to be like everyone else, not a mage with a power he can barely control. But he must hide his magic in a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic. But that magic comes in handy when he wakes up far from home with only his cloak to protect him from monsters and murderous trees. How will Sarn return home in time and unravel the dark conspiracy that’s destroying it before his son pays the ultimate price? Curse Breaker Darkens When a disembodied voice warns him that a demon is after his mage, Jerlo sets off to find the man who could summon it. He swore an unbreakable oath to protect Sarn, no matter the cost. In a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic, mages and demons shouldn’t exist. But they do, and Jerlo’s in a fight, not just for his life but for his soul. Even if he risks both, how will he save Sarn without magic? Curse Breaker Faceted Sarn spies on the men responsible for his best friend's death with his young son in tow. And those men are hunting for magic-stealing rocks to fuel a zealot's quest. When their greed leads them into a forbidden cavern, they release an ancient monster, and it's hungry for a certain mage and his son. Who will survive the dark terror lurking under the mountain? Curse Breaker Books 1-3 contains the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series: Curse Breaker Enchanted, Curse Breaker Darkens, and Curse Breaker Faceted. It’s an epic fantasy adventure starring a loving father, his young son, and the people and monsters that dwell in an immersive world of intrigue and adventure. Get Curse Breaker Books 1-3 now if you love found family, reluctant heroes, and magical mayhem, then this is the book for you!

Children by Bjorn Larssen

SPFBO7

Gods make lousy parents. All Magni wants is peace and quiet, but when your father is the God of thunder, you don’t get to live the life you want. When Thor destroys all his son knows and loves, Magni vows to bring prosperity and end the violence… forever. But can you escape cruelty in a universe built on it, or the shadow of your father when everyone calls you by his name? Maya, her rage more powerful than she knows, wants freedom to pursue her own destiny. Neither torture nor blackmail can make her obedient or pretty enough for Freya, her foster-mother and Goddess of love. Fighting for independence and revenge, can a mere human win a game where Gods dictate the rules? 2020 Stabby Nominee –Best Self-Published/Independent Novel The book includes strong language, depictions of sexual, physical, and emotional violence. For full list of triggers, which may contain spoilers, see: https://www.bjornlarssen.com/children-tw

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.

The World-Maker Parable by Luke Tarzian

SFINCS

Guilt will always call you back... Rhona is a faithful servant of the country Jémoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all. You are a lie... Varésh Lúm-talé is many things, most of all a genocidal liar. A falsity searching for the Phoenix goddess whom he believes can help him rectify his atrocities. Such an undertaking is an arduous one for a man with missing memories and a conscience set on rending him from inside out. A man whose journey leads to Hang-Dead Forest and a meeting with a Vulture goddess who is not entirely as she seems.

Tales of Lunis Aquaria by Tessa Hastjarjanto

SFFOasis

Lose yourself in the wondrous world of Lunis Aquaria. Explore daunting deserts, treacherous mountains and the deep blue of the Morcain sea. If you enjoy the fairy tales of old you will enjoy this collection of nine short adventure stories. • Coming of beasts: A mysterious Lady uses her powers to cultivate the land. When five otherworldly visitors arrive, she gives them a set of powers to aid them on their quest. • The sacred maiden: When a young girl's house is raided, she escapes. One thief chases her into the night. Both of them find something they never thought they would. • Moon Flower: To win the heart of a girl, a young man sets out to find the most beautiful flower there ever was. He faces the dangers of the mountains, looking for a flower that might not even exist. • Thomas and the wolf: A wolf finds a little boy watching a blazing fire in which his family is trapped. The wolf takes the boy to meet the only one he trusts. • The witch of Monterra Mountain: The blacksmith's apprentice falls for a woman who's accused of witchcraft. • Shepherd's Stick: A scholar ventures into the desert to experience the ghost stories the elders tell to scare the children. He finds much more than just a ghost. • Archipelago of Wonder: A fisherman survives a storm and ends up on a tropical island. As he looks for resources to repair his ship, he receives help from an unexpected source. • Decapod's Ire: An archer joins a seafaring crew to hunt the creature that destroyed a handful of fishing boats. • Lovers through time: A time traveller finds the love of his life in the past and must find a way for them to be together.

Rose's Gold by WB Welch

After waking up in a tower with no memory of events past her adolescence, Rose must examine every nook and cranny of her prison in the sky to solve the mystery of who brought her here and how she might escape. She soon realizes the contents of the room--clothing that fits perfectly, a hairbrush that rests naturally in her hand--are her own belongings, and as she starts to piece together her past, she discovers that an even greater mystery resides in her own identity. There’s a wedding band here, and a golden locket containing a photo of a family she’s convinced are her husband and children. But things aren’t always as they seem, and sometimes desire can send you plummeting mercilessly into the depths. Inspired by Rapunzel, Rose's Gold is a dark fantasy tale about hope, perseverance, and the preservation of love.

The Blood of a Dragon by Jack Adkins

Anuka Sandbar is the most interesting half-goblin alive. Just ask him. While searching for his famous father, a roguish young half-goblin swashbuckler and his unlikely companions are enslaved by pirates. An emissary of the Silver DragonLord Augmaximitis buys them and offers them freedom if they can find the source of illegal DragonsBlood flooding the country. They soon discover that success could trigger a war between Dragons that would destray the mortal races. How will they choose between gaining their freedom and dooming the world?

A Crime in 5C by Eryn Scott

Meg Dawson’s world is turned upside down when her Aunt Penny makes a surprise appearance at the Seattle apartment building she once called home. But beneath Penny's visit lies a mystery that could rock the very foundations of the Morrisey community. During her visit, Penny breathes new life into the beloved Morrisey Masterpiece Classic, an annual building scavenger hunt. Tensions soar and rivalries ignite among the residents, including Meg and Laurie. But what starts as a friendly competition soon takes a dark turn when apartment 5C is ransacked and a body is discovered. Suddenly, the scavenger hunt transforms into a deadly game of cat and mouse, with Meg and her neighbors unwittingly caught in the crosshairs. As the stakes rise and suspicions mount, they must band together to uncover the truth before it's too late. Only one question remains: Who will emerge unscathed from this twisted tale of intrigue and betrayal.

Hollow Eyes by A.J. Francis

The city had been empty for decades; empty of the living, that is. It had been forsaken for almost as long as Estin had been dead. Horrors lurked in the shadows of the ruins around him, waiting for the rains to end for their chance to stalk the streets once more. It was the last place he expected to find a little girl, lost and alone. And he was so hungry...

Memoirs of a Synth: Gold Record by Leigh Saunders

SPSFC 2023

Tour guide, emissary, diplomat, thief -- and a long-lived, genetically engineered Synth -- Brianna Rei travels the Hundred Worlds, hiding in plain sight. She knows her survival depends on staying one step ahead of the bounty hunters who have nearly exterminated her kind. All that changes when she teams up with fellow-thief, Jerrold McKell, and he discovers Brianna's true identity. Now Brianna must choose between trust and survival, and what it means to be truly human.

Knight of Flames (Inheritance, 2) by AK Faulkner

SFFOasis

Some men are forged in fire. Others are consumed by it. Quentin d’Arcy survived a showdown with a god. Now, he must face something far more terrifying—his feelings. Falling in love was never part of his plan, and the secret he’s kept from Laurence may burn them both. Kane Wilson is building a better world, leaving a trail of bodies as he goes. To him, no price is too high to create a future where psychics are out, proud, with no need to fear those who hate them. Through fate or fortune, Quentin is the psychic community’s last defense against Kane’s murderous plans and monstrous power. Where others have no choice but to obey Kane’s every word, only Quentin can shrug off Kane's compulsion. Quentin alone can walk into the fire, but not even Laurence's prophetic gifts can say whether he will emerge unburned.