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Cursed Cocktails

Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland

SPFBO10

When life gives you lemons, squeeze them into a stiff drink and stir. After twenty years defending the frozen north against some of the most dangerous threats in the nine kingdoms, Rhoren “Bloodbane” has finally earned his retirement. While the blood mage's service to the realm may have ended, burning veins and aching joints remain, and Rhoren soon learns that a warmer climate offers relief from his chronic pain. And a chance at a fresh start. In the warm and relaxing atmosphere of Eastborne, the umbral elf finds a new purpose and a sense of belonging. He may have left the frozen north behind, but he brings with him the skills and strength gained from a lifetime of defending the realm. Along with his most prized possession—a book of drink recipes inherited from his father. Spilled cocktails may not carry the same weight as spilled blood, but opening a tavern brings a unique brand of challenges. With the right friends and a little bit of luck, he might just have a recipe for success. Welcome to the enchanting world of Tales of Aedrea, where small-scale stories, low-stakes adventure, and cozy fantasy come to life within an epic, high-fantasy realm.


An Echo of the Fae

An Echo of the Fae by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

Echo enjoys the peace and solitude of the Faeorn forest, regardless of how strange spending time in the "haunted" wood seems to others. But on the cusp of her thirteenth birthday, the discovery of a family secret reveals why Echo has never been drawn to the sea like her mother. This discovery shakes the foundations of her world and sends Echo on a quest, not merely into the forest, but into the heart of the fae-lands themselves, to rescue the sister she didn't know existed. Elves, dragons, and fairy courts will put Echo's wit and resolve to the test. But with time running out for her sister, will Echo even be able to save herself? A fairytale adventure perfect for fans of The Secret of Roan Innish and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.


The Forsaken Planet

The Forsaken Planet by Bryan Wilson

SPSFC 2023 SPSFC 2024

The world is more than just a planet. It’s an ancient tribute to the woman who guided it from ruin, a devastation she foresaw arising again. When mysterious aircraft wreak havoc across Earth’s skies, it is revealed that there are clusters of other planets where humankind resides, distant worlds where the people wield the power of the stars themselves. It is an energy force that can bring about miracles or, as the alien fleet’s ruthless leader displays, unleash horrors beyond imagination. After experiencing a loss during the onslaught, Colton Samson, an ordinary college student, vows to protect his loved ones at any cost. But to learn the power to do so, he must enlist into the Army of the Universal Throne—a second alien force with its own agenda. With the revelation of a secret prophecy foretelling humanity’s demise and Colton’s improbable role in preventing it, he embarks alongside a diverse group of friends to the Throne’s capital, the planet of Vintara. There he faces prejudice from supposed allies, lifelike combat simulations that test him to his core, and the looming threat of a universal war. Only by embracing his true potential can Colton hope to secure the safety he seeks, in a universe that views him as nothing more than Forsaken. -A coming-of-age story about family, the bonds of friendship, and leaping blind into the dark to protect them both. Come learn the truth about Earth’s ancient past alongside Colton, journeying with him to Vintara, where action, mystery, and a side of romance await. It’s time we all begin to grasp the true power of the stars


Two Thousand Years (The Empire Saga)

Two Thousand Years (The Empire Saga) by M. Dalto

Two thousand years ago, the Prophecy of Fire and Light foretold the coming of the Queen Empress who would lead the Empire into a time of peace and tranquility. But instead of the coming of a prosperous world, a forbidden love for the Empress waged a war that ravaged the land, creating a chasm between the factions, raising the death toll of innocent lives until the final, bloody battle. Centuries later, Alexandra, a twenty-two-year-old barista living in Boston, is taken to an unfamiliar realm of mystery and magic where her life is threatened by Reylor, its banished Lord Steward. She crosses paths with Treyan, the arrogant and seductive Crown Prince of the Empire, and together they discover how their lives, and their love, are so intricately intertwined by a Prophecy set in motion so many years ago. Alex, now the predestined Queen Empress Alexstrayna, whose arrival was foretold by the Annals of the Empire, controls the fate of her new home as war rages between the Crown Prince and Lord Steward. Either choice could tear her world apart as she attempts to keep the Empire’s torrid history from repeating itself. In a realm where betrayal and revenge will be as crucial to her survival as love and honor, Alex must discover whether it is her choice - or her fate - that determines how she survives the Empire’s rising conflicts.


A Gathering of Chaos

A Gathering of Chaos by Cameron Hopkin

SPFBO8

The world of Asunder is dying. Its gods are long fled, and they took all the world's metal with them... but it all happened so long ago that not even legends remain. In the now, a country girl sails into port, the only survivor of a plague ship, and a scheming priestess takes charge of her. Far to the south, an aging warrior monk forcibly recruits one of the Beast Riders to be his tracker. A remarkable vision of a demon lord binds them all together, and they scramble to find a bit of Chaos, the raw energy of their world, to protect humanity against this new threat. It's too bad they're only going to make things worse.


Meraki: A Syren Story

Meraki: A Syren Story by Naomi Kelly

Her song is a gift bestowed by the gods; so why does it feel like a curse? Seventeen-year-old Wren thinks she has just swum away from the greatest threat in the sea. That's until she finds herself being hauled upon a warlord's boat. With her life at the mercy of a young, temperamental King, Wren must decide who is her ultimate enemy. Can Fate be altered? What do gods have planned? Syrens are bound to tell the truth, but that doesn’t mean their lives cannot be riddled with lies.


Mark’s Merry Mayhem

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.


Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell

Love: Not as easy as ABC. They were supposed to keep things casual. Who’d expect they’d be schooled in love? Those who can, teach. Marvin Block is one of the best kindergarten teachers out there. And despite his anxiety, Marvin’s life is sweet. He knows what he wants. And what he wants is the Teacher of the Year Award. Not just for himself – his school needs him to win. Returning from break, the New Year finds Marvin all set to welcome a new pupil to his class. But when Illona walks in with her cute-as-hell single dad beside her, Marvin’s focus starts to slide. Sure, his students always come first, but he deserves to have a life outside the classroom, too, right? As their friendship starts to deepen, Marvin realizes Olan has the potential to teach him things about love he never thought possible. But with the Teacher of the Year award and his school’s future on the line, now’s not the time for anything complicated. Education has always been Marvin’s world. And he needs to keep a cool head if he wants to win the award and save his school. But will it be worth it if he loses Olan in the process? With Olan’s past and Marvin’s present colliding, their experiment in love hangs in the balance. Marvin knows what he wants out of life. But now he’s forced to consider what he wants out of love. Will Marvin chalk the relationship up to experience? Or can they revise their story into a textbook romance?


Kizuna: Or How To Lose a Spaceship and Still Go Places

Kizuna: Or How To Lose a Spaceship and Still Go Places by Jamie Watt

SPSFC 2023

Enoch is a down-on-his-luck salvage pilot who is trapped in his job, wants to go home but has nothing to go home to, and no way of affording it anyway since his best friend left him for a masseuse job on Mars. Since he'll be spending all his time in the lonely depths of space, he picks up a cheap interface for his AI so he has to someone to talk to, and on their voyage, they are kidnapped by pirates, meet a famous engineer lost in time, chase a mysterious (possibly alien) ship, and end up in the crosshairs of Earth’s monolithic, bureaucratic, and almost sociopathically uncaring System Navy.


A Midnight So Deadly

A Midnight So Deadly by Wren Handman

When dreams infect the waking world, what threats—and promises—do they bring? Maeve and Peri are 'dreamers, ' creators who record their dreams and publish them to the delight of their fans. When Maeve dreams of the murder of her friend's abusive ex—and then he's killed in the real world—her "dream" job becomes terrifying. At the same time, Peri is losing their grip on reality as they search for a woman who keeps appearing in their dreams. Who is this enticing stranger? How does she keep finding Peri, night after night? And what will it cost to hunt her down? To find the answers to their questions, Maeve and Peri will first have to find each other. As their dreams begin to bleed into the real world, and the borders between reality and illusion come unstuck, reality itself faces deadly collapse.


Merry Fuckin’ Christmas: And Other Yuletide Shit

Merry Fuckin’ Christmas: And Other Yuletide Shit by Kevin J. Kennedy

Kevin J. Kennedy has brought the horror world three bestselling Christmas horror anthologies. Now, for the first time ever he collects his own tales of Christmas madness between these pages. You will find a mix of extreme, comedy, gross and bizarro Christmas horror, and there is even a few drabbles thrown in. WARNING: This book isn't for everyone. If you are easily offended, it's not going to be for you. “As gritty as Irvine Welsh and as horrific as anything King has put out. Christmas has never been so dark. This is a collection horror fans do not want to miss.” Lee Mountford, Author of The Demonic. "Kennedy is one of the modern greats of seasonal horror. Sit by the fireplace, pour yourself a drink and get this read." Lex H. Jones, author of The Old One and The Sea. “Superb! Stylistic! Downright terrifying! Kennedy does not pull any punches.” Christopher Motz, author of Pine Lakes, and Tenants. "Freaky, disturbing, unpleasant... These stories could ruin your Christmas!" Mark Cassell, author of The Shadow Fabric. “Everything Kennedy touches turns to gold. And for good reason. A gruesome, rock 'n' roll, festive feast.” Kyle M. Scott, author of The Club.


Dio in the Dark

Dio in the Dark by Rizwan Asad

WriteHive Book Club

"Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover." The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains. When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him. And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late!


The Pink Jackalope

The Pink Jackalope by Luna Dunn

Indie Recs Indie

“Today I sang my own song, and the words that echoed back were not your own.” Luna Dunn’s poetry debut is comprised of 51 poems perfect for those struggling to understand the grief of loss. Lulling the reader into a soft lullaby that is a roller coaster of emotion, the reader is pulled into a story that spans nearly a decade of complicated relationships bordered by the constant pressure surrounding mental illness and all that comes with it.


The World-Maker Parable

The World-Maker Parable by Luke Tarzian

SFINCS

Guilt will always call you back... Rhona is a faithful servant of the country JĂ©moon 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... VarĂ©sh LĂșm-talĂ© 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.


When Oceans Rise

When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez

Submerged in a toxic relationship and disconnected from everyone, she turns to the sea to decide her fate. Its decision? Toss her to the sea witch. Seventeen-year-old Malaya is cursed. In her family, every girl’s first love ends in death after falling for someone evil. Good thing Malaya’s dream guy isn’t monstrous. Except the curse is real and preventing Malaya from noticing how much he has gaslit and isolated her until she can’t be saved. With no other options, the sea witch is the only one to help her. Bartering her voice for a new life where she and her abusive boyfriend never met, Malaya accidentally swaps places with an alternate timeline version of herself who didn’t make her mistakes. As she tries to undo the switch, the sea witch uses Malaya’s voice to unleash Filipino mythological creatures into the worlds. Can a champion, an alternate timeline sister, and Malaya fight these beasts and stop the sea witch before she destroys both timelines?


Tell Me How It Ends

Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li

Iris Galacia's tarot cards do more than entertain gamblers. With the flip of her fingers she can predict the future and uncover a person's secrets. Under the watchful eye of her mother, she is already on thin ice for pursuing a passion in the family business, but then cracks start to form, and eventually she falls through. She is given an ultimatum: earn a thousand coins or leave the business, and the family. Enter Marin Boudreau, a charming young person who can scale buildings and break off door knobs, who comes for her help to rescue a witch who's been falsely imprisoned in Excava Kingdom. And Marin is willing to pay a high sum for her talents. But saving a prisoner from royal hands isn't easy, nor is leaving home for the first time in eighteen years. Now Iris must learn to trust in herself, Marin, and this new magical world, while racing the clock before the royals decide the fate of the witch, and before any secrets catch up to her. TELL ME HOW IT ENDS features LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, cultural, and mental health representation. The main character, Iris Galacia, is a lesbian tarot reader with anxiety and autism. The second main character, Marin Boudreau, is an aromantic asexual non-binary person with ADHD.


The Dark Heart of Redemption

The Dark Heart of Redemption by Darran M Handshaw

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2024

"Some secrets are best left undiscovered." Pyramid, the great heart of Redemption, lies under siege by tribal invaders that threaten to destroy the very civilization that the Dominions have created. The Engineer, Actaeon, leads a force of Raedelleans from the south, where they pause to investigate the secrets of abandoned Travail in search of aid for the battle to come. At the same time, the new Princess of Raedelle, Eisandre, sails down the River of Arches with her Thyrian allies to attack from the Great Sea to the west. Travail's secrets are darker than expected, and the reason behind the Loresworn evacuation may soon spread to the rest of the city. Meanwhile, far to the north, Ajman and Shield fight over the lands of Czeryn, left desolate by an artifact that just might extinguish all life in the city at the hands of an unseen enemy known only as the Veiled One. In his quest to save Redemption, will Actaeon be able to overcome the old enmity between the Dominions to unite against these threats? Or will all civilization fall, just as the Ancients had ages ago? One thing is certain: in Redemption, everything comes with a cost.‹‹------------‹‹The Dark Heart of Redemption is Darran M Handshaw's second novel and is a standalone sequel to The Engineer (an SPFBO semi-finalist!).


Mushroom Blues

Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson

SPFBO10 SPSFC 2024

“A fascinating merging of oppressive imperialism and disconcerting alienation.”—Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of Children of Time & Shadows of the Apt SPFBO X Finalist. Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. ENTER THE FUNGALVERSE. Blade Runner, True Detective and District 9 meld with the weird worlds of Jeff VanderMeer, Philip K. Dick and China MiĂ©ville in Adrian M. Gibson’s hallucinatory, fungalpunk noir debut. Two years after a devastating defeat in the decade-long Spore War, the island nation of Hƍppon and its capital city of Neo Kinoko are occupied by invading Coprinian forces. Its fungal citizens are in dire straits, wracked by food shortages, poverty and an influx of war refugees. Even worse, the corrupt occupiers exploit their power, hounding the native population. As a winter storm looms over the metropolis, NKPD homicide detective Henrietta Hofmann begrudgingly partners up with mushroom-headed patrol officer Koji Nameko to investigate the mysterious murders of fungal and half-breed children. Their investigation drags them deep into the seedy underbelly of a war-torn city, one brimming with colonizers, criminal gangs, racial division and moral decay. In order to solve the case and unravel the truth, Hofmann must challenge her past and embrace fungal ways. What she and Nameko uncover in the midst of this frigid wasteland will chill them to the core, but will they make it through the storm alive? “This is like nothing I’ve read before. Its premise is cool, creepy, and incredibly unique, bolstered by prose as savvy and knife-sharp as the detectives of the NKPD.”—Nicholas Eames, award-winning author of Kings of the Wyld & Bloody Rose “This is more than a full-throttle, mushroom-and-blood-drenched adventure. At its heart, Gibson's story is one of acceptance: of hard truths, of others, and, perhaps most critically, of oneself.”—M. J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves & Thick as Thieves “Mushroom Blues is a brilliant debut that encapsulates all I love about the noir mystery genre.” —R.R. Virdi, bestselling author of The First Binding & The Grave Report “The imagination on display in Mushroom Blues is immense. Prepare to enter a fantasy world unlike anything you've ever seen, one that surprises, delights, and grosses the fuck out.”—Moses Ose Utomi, author of The Lies of the Ajungo


Fragmented Fates

Fragmented Fates by Nancy Foster

SPFBO9

The hero. The seer. The child. The condemned. After surviving two bloody purges that nearly exterminated both the Grey Clan and Orsenmuray City, the elf and harlequin survivors struggle to bring the tent city of Almjarhad to life. Surrounded by the ocean and desert, these inhospitable lands are slowly being developed with the aid of their magic. As the culprit of their misfortune, the condemned elf Lord Jamarnid is forced to rely on his son Jarahad to rule the city due to ending up disabled before his frantic escape. Bitter about his situation because he wanted to be executed, Jamarnid distrusts the true intentions of the seer Talgel. Unwanted by the Elf Kingdom and his harlequin great-grandfather Hurrujat, Jarahad struggles to accept his fate. As the interim ruler of Almjarhad, Jarahad wishes to complete his sword initiation to protect his people... and gain Talgel's unrequited love. Talgel is a woman of perpetual mystery with dubious morals. Upon awakening magic that grants her the ability to predict the future with absolute certainty, Talgel lost her eyesight. She now wears a masquerade mask to hide her true feelings. Embroiled in this story is a young hybrid elf named Tioja, who doesn't understand his role in the greater scheme of things. Four characters are about to have their fates manipulated, and their willpower tested. All for the sake of a demon inhabiting Talgel's body that will use them for its own nefarious purposes.


Crystal and Flint (The Journey Missions Book 1)

Crystal and Flint (The Journey Missions Book 1) by Holly Ash

Teacup Dragon Coop SPSFC SPSFC 2024

It’s been 300 years since humans arrived on Neophia and the planet’s intelligent species have yet to agree on how much influence humans and their advanced technology should have on the planet. With the threat of war hanging in the air, Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf races to finish construction of the mega submarine, Journey, in order to calm political tensions on Neophia and cement her already stellar military career.Lieutenant Desiree Flint never dreamed she would leave Earth to serve on Neophia, but with the end of her military career in sight she doesn’t see a way around it. Determined to rebuild her reputation on Neophia, no matter the cost, she sets her sights on dethroning Commander Wolf in order to prove her own superiority. When Journey is attacked by someone from Crystal’s past, the two women must find a way to work together to save the ship, liberate an underwater colony from an oppressive government, and prevent a war.


The Elements of Time: The Winds of Change

The Elements of Time: The Winds of Change by Sam Paisley

SPFBO10 SPSFC 2024

Destiny, personal responsibility, what the future holds – common concerns for anyone graduating high school. But usually not because of a cosmic war between timeless beings where you’re the central player. (Download the first seven chapters for free at www.elementsoftime.ca) As the end of school quickly approaches, and Cooper Bailey watches his perfect world slip away, his only concern is savouring every last minute of his high school career. For his best friend, Reid Patterson, graduation is a doorway to the future, where his discipline and focus will finally allow him to meet his true potential. When a mysterious mirror-masked man begs for their help to stop a dangerous heretic, Cooper and Reid find themselves thrust into unknown worlds, wrestling with a destiny as old as time itself. As the truths about their roles in the universe unfold, and enemies disguise themselves as allies, their only hope is to trust each other - and learn fast! Far from home and in mortal peril, Cooper and Reid attempt to hone their newfound abilities and come to grips with their purpose for being. Inspired by classic and modern science fiction and fantasy, and drawing upon timeless themes of destiny and personal responsibility, The Elements of Time is a series written for anyone who loves an escape into a rich and deep world. With references to Star Wars (the Original Trilogy), Avatar: The Last Bender, Stargate SG-1, Supernatural, and much more, The Elements of Time: The Winds of Change is fun action-adventure, with it’s own unique magic system, and themes that touch what it means to grow up and take on the challenges of life The Elements of Time - Book 1: The Winds of Change For more story information, behind the scenes details, and additional content visit www.elementsoftime.ca


KJK Presents: Vampires

KJK Presents: Vampires by Kevin J. Kennedy, Graham Masterton, Greg F. Gifune, Lee Mountford, Nick Roberts, Richard Chizmar, Michael Bray, Simon Clark

A collection of vampire tales from some of horrors best. You will find no friendly vampires between these pages. In these stories, vampires are once again a source of evil, coming from the darkness. If you like your vampire stories with bite, this is for you


Into The Dark

Into The Dark by Robert Hookey

Watchmen meets The Good Place in this (relatively) original, (kind of) groundbreaking, and reasonably-priced novel of good, evil, and everything in-between, overloaded with enough pop culture references to make your grandmother's head explode. In an all-too-familiar world controlled by ancient beings known as The Dark, heroes of every origin must assemble (yeah, I said it, sue me) to pull humanity back from the edge of annihilation – if they don’t kill each other first. They may not be the Avengers, the Suicide Squad, hell, they may not even be the Great Lakes Avengers
 but they’ve been brought together by a hero in a Green Hornet mask and leather jacket to match named Nemesis to face every form of evil imaginable. From seemingly-invincible masked killers who stalk teen camp counselors to clones of Nazi super soldiers to monsters of the human variety, Nemesis and his team of unlikely heroes will traverse the globe to dismantle The Dark’s vast power structure once and for all. If you took The Umbrella Academy, The Boys and The Cabin In The Woods and gave them a hearty stir you’d get Into The Dark: Book One of the Infinite Crossover Crisis, a clever, electrifying, genre-busting adventure that pits the most unconventional superheroes in the Multiverse against the embodiment of mankind's capacity for evil itself.


The Knight of the Moon

The Knight of the Moon by Gregory Kontaxis

John, the Long Arm, leads a life as a bounty hunter at the Three Heads. His name has spread far and wide across the north while plenty of gold weighs down his pockets. Just when everything seems to be going well for him, a group of soldiers order him to take on a new mission. This time, his task is to track down a very dangerous man—a knight who rejected his oaths, turning his back on Gaeldeath and its ruler. Will John choose the way of honour and devotion or will be succumb to his unquenchable thirst for wealth? As part of “The Dance of Light” series, “The Knight of the Moon” is a novella which takes place seventeen years preceding the events of “The Return of the Knights.”


What Remains

What Remains by Various

Victory at all costs. Even at the price of our own life, the desire to survive transcends all rational thought. What Remains brings together fifteen tales of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. From sacrificing loved ones or oneself, to doing what it takes to keep them alive, these stories shake the soul, rip out its insecurities and flay them on the page. Careful who you trust. Some quandaries have no right answer when we cannot save what we love most—or when isolation, desperation, and betrayal leave you no choice. Take the journey with us to see What Remains when civility, decency, and sanity have all but fled. Edited by Dakota Rayne & San G Crow Contributing Authors: David-Christopher Harris, Andy Dibble, DL Shirey, Damir Salkovic, LT Ward, Maxwell I Gold, R.A. Busby, Thomas Canfield, Ben Armstrong, Lawrence West, Nicholas Barner, Sharon Frame Gay, Valerie Hunter, Dan Eveloff, Timothy Johnson


Tall Tales: Volume One

Tall Tales: Volume One by Tim McLaughlin

Father Benedict de Monte has been assigned to gather information on a small cult in America. He quickly learns, however, that the scope of the cult has been greatly underestimated. John Matteson's vacation to Chicago takes a turn when he meets Jackie Veracruz and a ghost woman who has been waiting for him. Will they be able to help her find peace before she endangers everyone they know?


The Devil Wears Tartan

The Devil Wears Tartan by Katia Rose

Some couples are a match made in heaven. Moira and Kenzie are convinced the only place they’re a match is in hell. Raised as the shining prodigies of warring highland dance schools, the two grew up with blaring bagpipes as the backing track for a feud that took them all the way to the world championships. Moira could never keep Kenzie’s icy glares from getting under her skin, and Kenzie could never hold back an eye-roll as she watched the crowds fawn over her rival’s happy-go-lucky charm. Starting college has forced both women to hang up their kilts, but when their local highland dance association announces a scholarship for a life-changing amount of money, they find themselves back onstage for one last season. The stakes are higher than ever, but between shooting daggers at each other’s backs and insults at each other’s faces, their eyes start lingering, their hearts start pounding, and the sparks begin to build into a fire neither of them can control. Hell could freeze before either woman would admit their attraction, but that won’t stop them from using it to play dirty—and getting caught in the crossfire of their feelings along the way. After all, sometimes the devil wears tartan. The Devil Wears Tartan is a New Adult, F/F dramedy from Katia Rose featuring more bagpipes than anyone asked for and two fiercely competitive heroines caught in a sizzling shift from enemies to lovers


Love At Second Sight

Love At Second Sight by Ayoka B.

Shane's life is full...of poetry, motherhood and friends. She is a Single Mom who is pensive, passionate and generous and loves her family. Having experienced loss and heartache, her trust must be earned. Enter Mike. He is talented, complicated and guarded. Their powerful connection changes their hearts and lives. A beautiful and layered story of artistry, relationships and love, this novel spans generations. Love At Second Sight will make you laugh, cry, and cheer and inspire you to rethink what it means to love.


Bound by Legend

Bound by Legend by A.D. Trosper

At nineteen Morgan has already faced more loss than she can handle and has more experience living on the street than she wants. Unable to do anything other than keep on the move in order to hide from the demons that hunt her, she guards her heart and emotions carefully. But when the demons start talking to her and calling her by a name from another life, things spiral beyond her control. Lucian, an ancient dark angel who has seen his fair share of lives, is happy being a free agent until he’s assigned to Morgan. Determined to do everything on her own, she’s unlike any channel he’s ever met. As the danger mounts and a demon prepares to open a gateway to the underworld, Morgan must find a way to overcome her past in order stop him. Offered what her heart desperately wants, and holding a key that will close the gate but open another, Morgan struggles find the strength to make the right choice. *Though this is book two of the series, it can be read as a stand alone*


Scorned

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.


Hills of Heather and Bone

Hills of Heather and Bone by K.E. Andrews

SPFBO9 SPFBO Finalist

The bones of the dead hold stories. On the fringes of Errigal, Morana longs to exchange a life of hiding for a peaceful one with her husband, Percy. While Percy's bloodgift lets him grow plants and heal broken bodies, Morana's a boneweaver, despised and feared because she can hear bones and raise the dead. Morana doesn't want to be seen as a villain from the old stories and instead spends her time gardening, writing the stories of the dead, and fending off a spiteful chicken. Morana and Percy's lives are shattered when a group of Failinis tasked with capturing boneweavers and rogue bloodgifted find them. On the run and battling the elements, ancient creatures, and the loss of all they called home, Morana and Percy search for any sanctuary left in Errigal. Morana must choose between the call in her blood or the family she holds so close to her heart if she and Percy are to survive. Please be aware that this book contains some scenes of violence, death, depression, mentions of miscarriage, birthing scenes, suicidal thoughts, suicide, and cannibalism.


A Song for the Road

A Song for the Road by Catherine Labadie

An outcast in her tight-knit community, Larkspur endures her poor health with help neither from her family nor her fickle sweetheart. At a yearly moon festival she beseeches the spirits for better luck...but they lead her to a foundling elf child she did not want and a quest she did not ask for. Yet she and the mute spryte form a bond over their shared struggles. When danger arrives at their cottage, Larkspur sets out with the girl she's named Gentian from the country of her homefolk into the land of songs and tales itself. Through leagues of treacherous border woods lies miraculous Beledan, where dwarven chieftains quarrel amongst themselves and, far to the north, the mysterious elves marshal for war.


Minimum Wage Magic

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!


Genefire

Genefire by JAMES FLANAGAN

SPSFC 2023 SPSFC 2024

***** WINNER of Firebird Book Awards 2023 - in 3 Categories (New Author, Genetics, Time Travel)***** near-future SciFi novel crossing space and time. In a future where genetic engineering is becoming the norm, even the simplest mistakes could be devastating.Sometimes it feels as though the world will end if you don’t finish your PhD. For Larry Milton, it’s true.Larry has discovered a dire warning from the future about Earth’s destruction — written in the DNA of a young girl. With the destruction of the planet at stake, and no one believing him, he goes to extraordinary lengths to help the messenger from the future save the world
 and try to finish his PhD at the same time.


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

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.


Rememory: A Science Fiction Novelette

Rememory: A Science Fiction Novelette by Frasier Armitage

In the future, memory is currency. Felix is broke, on the run, with nothing in his head but a combination of numbers. Someone robbed him of his mind. Now it's time he took it back.


Silent Sounds

Silent Sounds by Annait LJ

AFTER HER PARENTS GO MISSING, SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Zillayah Andrews wants nothing more than to finish her last year of school. She’s almost out the door. Almost able to find the truth about Ameslan’s dirty little secret. This new world may look perfect with its fae creatures, two suns, and ecological advancements. It may be exactly what the human ancestors hoped for when they found this planet so many centuries ago. It might just be the utopia to beat all utopias
 Until you speak. One sentence. One word. One mistake. That's all it takes to shatter the balance between everyday life and a never-ending hunt. Zillayah knows this better than anyone. It’s the one thing her parents engrained in her head before they disappeared. Sooner than later, Zillayah falls into the custody of her eccentric aunt, Emriah Cohn, a teacher that doesn’t realize she’s on a short leash. How will they navigate the annual tests to find people of the Old Tongue? People like Zillayah? Speaking is already a death sentence for anyone caught. What will they do when Zillayah’s skills extend far beyond the imagination?


Downhome Little Planet Vol. 2

Downhome Little Planet Vol. 2 by Joey Daiba

A glimmer of dubious hope flickers in the distance for the backwater planet of Acies Gemma. A powerful race known as the J’sarri is on route to save the dying world and ensure the safety of their runaway princess. But even with the political marriage of Twitch and Leuki promising an alliance, things aren’t getting much better for the planet’s abandoned populace. If anything, you’d think nobody had even noticed the events of the last couple of months! What the hell is wrong with everyone?! To make matters worse, things have only gotten more problematic for our favorite cyborg degenerate! His blushing bride has a knack for attracting enough trouble to bring entire government branches crashing down. And don’t think Twitch’s girlfriend Scarlet has given up on the man of her dreams. Her schemes are adding even more thorium to the fire! Behind all this chaos, a mystery is slowly unraveling. There’s something more to the Fyx family than meets the eye. Even more, the planet itself holds secrets, haunting just beneath its surface. Can Fix hold his life together before all hell breaks loose? Can Leuki win him over and finally have the simple life of her dreams?


Red Right Hand: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel

Red Right Hand: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

"If life’s taught me anything, it’s that you scrap and claw for every moment you can get. And if you’re a Crow like me, you don’t let a little thing like dying get in your way." Following the events of See These Bones, Damian is back at the Academy of Heroes as the Free States' most unlikely potential Cape. He has a new name, a new reputation, and a whole host of new questions about his own past. If he's going to find answers to those questions, let alone survive another year at the Academy, he'll need to learn a skill the orphanage never taught him: teamwork. Nothing's ever easy, is it?


Sushi and Sea Lions

Sushi and Sea Lions by Rachel Corsini

When a career-ending injury and a messy breakup send prima ballerina Daniela Verdi back to Queens, New York, she fills her days with countless distractions: meaningless sex, pinot grigio, and video games. It takes a chance meeting with her brother's best friend, Vincent LaBate, for her to remember who she was before the stage lights and distractions of the Upper West Side. She's convinced that Vincent could never love a girl like her: broken, insecure, and stumbling her way through life. What Daniela didn’t count on is that Vincent is as scarred as she is after divorcing his cheating wife and going through an equally messy child custody fight. Soon enough, old vulnerabilities rear their ugly heads, opening a crack in Daniela’s perfectly imperfect romance. As Daniela and Vincent's relationship develops, will Daniela learn to accept that a dream life isn't all it's cracked up to be?


Empire of Ash and Blood

Empire of Ash and Blood by Matthew Thompson

Matias De Laurentiis, Ablaze champion 2019, learns his loved ones perished at the hands of the Cult of Ra, a renegade faction out to eradicate bloodmans. But before seeking those responsible, he must escape the Ablaze Haven—the first to do so. Meanwhile, Luna Adjani’s entrapment of human dominance pushes her tolerance to new limits. With inner strength, aided by her faith, she embarks on her purpose. But to see it, first she must survive the tournament of Ablaze—claimed the greatest show on earth. Their lives are destined for change in the Pretorius Empire of 2043, Egypt. They are not alone; a Bloodman Rights inspector breaks protocol to aid the insurgent uprising; and an empress consort, after over twenty years in her role, debates whether to risk abandoning the emperor and his empire.


The Dryad's Crown

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."


Stud Like Her

Stud Like Her by Fiona Zedde

Chance has been in love only once, but it wasn’t with the girlfriend she stayed with for far too long. The same girlfriend who dropped Chance when she became too inconvenient. Or maybe just boring. To bury her disappointment, Chance tries to return to the woman she loved back when she was too afraid to be herself. A stud attracted to other studs. Instead of her old love, though, Chance finds Garett: a new and persistent admirer with the kind of swagger that leaves Chance weak in the knees. Garett is hot and very popular with her half a million followers on social media. She’s also a lot younger than Chance is used to. Not to mention there’s something familiar about her, something dangerous, that Chance can’t quite put her finger on.


Exile

Exile by AJ Calvin

Andrew grew up in the royal palace of Novania, the eldest son of the queen. He went on to achieve fame and glory as a renowned soldier, and was eventually named commander of the king’s army. The kingdom believed he would be named heir to the throne, but he has long known he is ineligible. The king is not his father. The truth of Andrew’s lineage is only partially known to the king; the identity of his father is a mystery that even Andrew is unaware of. He knows only that his father was a dragon-mage, and the dragons have fled to another world. Andrew is a skin-changer, but the laws of Novania forbid his very existence. If the king were to learn the truth of what he is, he would face execution. The laws are equally hostile to humans born with the Mark of the Magi and the ability to wield magic. Andrew’s younger half-brother, Alexander, bears the Mark. The pair keep one another’s secrets into adulthood
Until the king dies unexpectedly and Colin ascends the throne. When Alexander’s Mark is revealed for all to see, Andrew is faced with a choice: To watch his brother be killed, or reveal his true nature in an effort to save him from the headsman’s axe.


The Sakura Element

The Sakura Element by S. C. Vincent

SPSFC 2024

When tradition means damnation, and the future is the past
 Alia Academia – school for the elite. Genetically modified Oka Latellay faces discrimination orchestrated by fellow student Allen Debois. Allen enforces a caste system by the Purveyors of Tradition, keeping modified people in the bottom rung of society. But Oka’s gumption inspires him to start a fencing tourney where everything is at stake. If she loses, her life in high society is over. But if she wins, so ends the bullying of all mods in the school. Oka struggles with her fencing bouts and growing feelings for Allen as he reveals there is more to him than the cold cruelty he portrays. Simultaneously, Allen is torn between adoration for Oka and the Purveyors of Tradition influence. Choosing the former could risk his family’s wealth and good name. Little do the two know how much their struggles intertwine when Allen’s friend begins to vie for Oka’s affections, and Allen finds himself blackmailed about his family’s past. In a post-World War world where society functions on sleight of hand and discrimination, Oka and Allen must find the one thing that will save them. Love.


Shades and Silver

Shades and Silver by Dax Murray

Kraken Collective

The birthright of every Ástfríður is to know each metal in the earth, command it, and bend it to their desires. To hear metal singing, some of it waiting just beneath the surface, so much of it deeper in the earth. If they wanted, they knew they could pluck that metal from the earth, melt it with a thought, and shape it as they pleased with a breath of air and their will. Each Ástfríður must choose which metal they would wear upon their heads, denoting the path they would walk. They craft beautiful horns to wear on their brow, forged with the metal they wish to identify with. But Britt does not know if they can choose the path they want; if they can overcome a past that has stolen their identity. The day has come for them to choose, and they have no idea if they have any right even to try to. And Astrid has never felt the pull of the metal at all. Wearing a forged circlet and horn, they try to navigate a world that they feel has rejected them, all the while fearing someone will learn their secret. The Veil of the Ástfríður has kept them hidden from the world and safe from intruders. Yet Britt and Astrid feel they are imposters in their own homes. Shades and Silver is a duology of novellas about identity, doubt, and acceptance.


Thicker Than Blood (The Journey Missions Book 3)

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.


Summoning and Sacrifice

Summoning and Sacrifice by Nathan Hartle

SPFBO9

A hunted woman. A missing god. The adventure of a lifetime. All that Shada desires is peace and freedom. What she has is fear and hunger. She’s a servant on the run from her cruel master, who is determined to lock her away. Then comes a chance at a new life. Alone in the vast, cruel city of Ronia, she meets the Lady. This enigmatic spirit makes her an offer: Shada can accept her dismal lot
 or undertake a quest to find Ronia’s vanished god. For the gods disappeared without a trace in the long-ago age of legend, leaving the worlds of humans to chaos and war. Without its god, Ronia’s once-mighty empire is crumbling toward an abyss. To save their people, Shada and her ragtag companions will journey to the ends of the universe. But first, they must escape Ronia alive. Many in this city of blades, poison, and shadow mean to stop them at all costs. If they fail, slavery or death await them... and their world will fall into darkness. Summoning and Sacrifice is the opening book of the Liturgy of Worlds epic fantasy series.


The Call for Finis: Pride

The Call for Finis: Pride by A.J. Torres

Seven sins. Seven hosts. One city purged. After everything you’ve learned, can you still stand with your faith, or finally rise up against it? Salvia VerdaderaFe has signed a pact with Ultor, a demon of Infernos, to enact the end of all and purge the world of sin. Ultor and six others were granted permission to enter the middle world of Eldara, bound to mortals by the Seraphim of Hevellum. Upon his arrival a messenger of Hevellum should have been waiting to assign him his task, unfortunately the messenger did not appear and thus his mission is a mystery. Along their journey through the country of Marlela, they are set upon by a group of Templar Equitums, bearers of virtue and enforcers of the Cirine faith. From their encounter their destination is revealed. Their journey to Lumen Magnum begins.


Does Love Always Win?

Does Love Always Win? by Diane Billas

Does Love Always Win is a sapphic coming of age young adult novel that explores coming out and understanding one’s sexual orientation. Sam “Shorty” Daniels has a plan for her senior year, but her romantic life being a hot mess was not part of the agenda. Shorty quickly discovers she’s not attracted to her newest boyfriend and fellow marching band member Zack despite her many hours of daydreaming of what it would be like to date him. Their flirting previously had been so intense that those feelings have to come back again, right? When Shorty’s asked to show the snarky new girl around high school, Shorty’s instantly intrigued by Kristy’s wit, and they bond over their love of writing. They quickly become inseparable, and Shorty has a breakthrough moment realizing why none of her other relationships worked out. Just as Shorty is about to break up with Zack, her bitter ex-boyfriend Bryan threatens to out her to the entire school and Shorty’s conservative parents. Will Shorty be able to overcome Bryan’s ridiculous blackmail scheme and get her dream girl?


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