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A Broken Kind of Love by Colleen Young After Delia’s parents abandoned her and her sister at a young age she spent her childhood dreaming of a better future. As an adult, Delia finally has everything she’s ever dreamed of - a husband, three great kids, surrounded by the love and stability that she craved as a child. Mitch has retired from the Army nursing mental and physical battle wounds from his time spent overseas. In his second career as an EMT, he takes solace in saving lives and running from the regrets in his past. One fateful night Mitch and Delia’s path’s cross, changing the course of their lives forever. Will these two be able to find their way to A Broken Kind of Love? |
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Ellie and her mom were going to leave their small-town Kansas life behind and hit the road, trek over the black asphalt of Route 66, and head north when they reached the Pacific. They were going to experience all of the zany roadside attractions along the way. They were going to surf every break between Santa Monica and Rockaway Beach. Ellie promised they would climb into her mom’s ’87 VW and do all of those things. She promised. But it was too late. Ellie’s mom was already dying of cancer when she made Ellie promise and she died before their journey could even begin. Now, five months later, Ellie is haunted by the promise she made. But she is determined to get to the Oregon Coast on the route they planned, even though she’ll have to do it on her own, even though her dad forbid it. She will do anything to ensure the promise be fulfilled.Ellie isn’t the only setting out on the road.Enter Luke, the tall, handsome, basketball stud who runs in Ellie's crew. He's had a crush on Ellie since he moved to tiny Wheat Hill in the ninth grade, but when he finally gets the guts to try and tell her how he feels, she's already started her journey. Luke quickly enlists the help of his and Ellie's three kooky friends and they all hit the highway in the hopes of catching up to Ellie. Will Ellie fulfill her promise? Will Luke tell her how he feels? Or will they just keep chasing the asphalt of the road into oblivion, never reaching its end? |
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The Pink Jackalope by Luna Dunn “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. |
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Lorden Awakening by Krislee Ellsworth Magic has not existed for three centuries, and the world is dying because of it. Anaver has never seen the sun through the foggy dome that surrounds the island of Tamrose. She's heard tales of other lands and magic, but no one can prove that such things ever existed. When fate pulls her from her home and places her in a land of sun and starlight, she discovers that she harbors a power that can awaken the earth's dormant magic. Rothrin has watched as the world around him fades away. The elements have long lost their state of Lorden, or harmony, which has caused a decades-long famine to sweep over the continent. All seems lost until he meets Anaver, and the elements begin to awaken. They set out on a quest in a land on the brink of collapse and starvation to unleash the earth's power before time runs out. |
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The Forest Witch by Britt Laux A warrior, her witch, and the spark that ignites a war. Lanira na Caliri never expected to find a human in the North Forest of Unara, let alone a witch. When she discovers Siobhan unconscious by the portal that leads to her world, she soon learns of a prophecy that foretold her coming. A warning that a daughter of Unara will bring destruction upon the realm. The reign of blood will come again unless Lanira can stop it. With the little witch by her side, Lanira embarks on a journey across the clans of Unara to unite the people and save her realm from the Dark Karika’s return at all costs. Even if she must risk losing herself to the mysterious Minra na Goran in the process. |
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Daros by Dave Dobson High above Daros, sixteen-year-old Brecca Vereen prepares to unload a cargo of trade goods aboard her father's ship, the Envy's Price. Nellen Vereen shows her a mysterious artifact bound for a contact below, one that will earn them a lot of credits, and one that they definitely won't be declaring to customs. Materializing out of nowhere, alien invaders fire upon all ships, destroy the jump gate, and knock out communications. The Envy's Price is crippled, and as her father tries to guide it down from orbit, Brecca rescues the illicit artifact and jettisons in a life pod to an uncertain fate below. On the flagship of the invading fleet, Navigator Frim tries to persist within the cruel autocracy of the Zeelin Hegemony, under constant threat of death, but wishing for something better. And then she notices a whisper of radiation above Daros – the trail of a cloaked Vonar ship. What are they doing in the midst of all this? And will the captain kill her just for revealing this disagreeable news? |
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A Twist in the Rift (Rift Runners #1) by Meg Radiant If you could travel to different worlds, would you ever come back to this one? Lyrica is the usual final year university student, except that she has the ability to see Rifts – portals to other worlds in this Universe. When her acquaintance Basil, a time-travelling archaeologist from the future shows up and needs her help, well, why would she resist the call of adventure? But what of these new aliens that have joined their group – will they draw Lyrica out of her self-justified, self-imposed loneliness? What will happen when the adventure turns more dangerous than anticipated? In this first story of the Rift Runners Saga, find out what life is like when you can travel almost anywhere, and almost anything can happen! |
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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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I Love You S’more by Wendy Dalrymple Freshly divorced and worn out from years of single-handedly running her marketing company, Samantha Slater couldn't be more excited to drag her moody teenage son to a parent-and-kid weekend at Palmetto Pines Campground. The camp is a little more run-down than it had been twenty years ago, when she spent those happy summers between college as a camp counselor, but it still brings back memories of the best time in her life. And it's about to bring back a whole lot more than memories, she realizes when she finds that one of the parents attending is none other than her former camp flame, Julian Wells. Julian has spent the last two decades on the road as a wilderness survival expert, never settling in one place for long. But seeing Samantha again makes him wonder if he's been searching for something all along — for the intense connection they had together. With his own moody teenage son in tow, Julian is actually here for a fresh start. He might be ready to settle down near his son, and near the only place that ever really felt like home: Palmetto Pines. But his abrupt departure all those years ago weighs heavily on both of them. Can he convince her that this time, summer camp doesn't have to end? |
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Eternal Huntress: Shadows of Otherside Book 5 by Whitney Hill The gods are ready to ride. As Arden Finch races to fulfill the prophecy that will enable her to stop the Wild Hunt, a new clue leads her down a desperate path. Her search for answers takes her somewhere no mortal should go: the gods’ plane, where more than one danger awaits. With treacherous gods on one side and rioting mundanes on the other, there’s plenty to deal with already. But old enemies and new have plans that will test the fragile alliance, and this time it’s not just Arden in their sights. It’s Troy and the Wild Hunt too. As her options narrow by the day and time runs out, Arden must make the ultimate choice about what she’s willing to do to save the world. Don't miss the conclusion of the Shadows of Otherside series! |
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Ebon Rebellion: Shadows of Otherside Book 4 by Whitney Hill Power always has a price. Arden Finch has claimed her place in North Carolina's Otherside community, but not everyone is happy about it. The elves can't allow an elemental to rule as Arbiter and they'll stop at nothing to take Arden down. To make matters worse, an old flame is back in town with big ambitions and bigger demands. The mundane police departments are reviewing unusual cases in light of the Reveal, adding even more problems. And with the Darkwatch after her as well, Arden must make tough choices about who—and what—she is now. Survival will have her pushing her powers and relationships to the brink, with the gods watching for any weakness ahead of the Wild Hunt. Success will carry a price Arden never reckoned on. |
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Kotov Syndrome by S. Morgan Burbank WriteHive Book Club SPSFC 2022 The 2021 Queer Indie Awards winner for Best Dystopian Novel Erika Edens is panicking. Behind on her bills and stuck in a crappy job, she's blindsided when ex-love-of-her-life Abby shows up needing a place to stay. This is the perfect situation for a second chance... ...except that Abby is a computer simulation in the body of an android. Battling the rising hostility of her world and the demons in her head, Erika struggles to come to terms with living in a country increasingly hostile to non-human entities. Can Erika adapt to life with her new roommate? Or will her troubles end any chance at reconciliation before it gets started? |
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A Wizard’s Sacrifice by A.M. Justice Victoria of Ourtown believes that destiny is nonsense—and that wandering star people think is a god, she knows it's nothing but an old, abandoned spacecraft. She used to scoff at stories of magic too, until she acquired the power to move things with her mind. Once a warrior, now a secret wizard, she just wants to live an ordinary life and atone for the suffering she caused. Ashel of Narath knows the wandering star is the god who watches over humanity, but Vic's heretical views aren't keeping them apart. Instead, a thousand miles and a tragic loss stand between them. Lornk Korng needs Vic and Ashel to execute his plans for conquest. The fact both want him dead is but a trifling snag in his schemes. A bigger problem are the world’s indigenous aliens and an ancient enemy whose victory could wipe out humankind. As plots and counterplots clash across time, Vic and Ashel must choose their allies carefully, or risk losing not only each other but everything they know. A gripping tale of wizardry, warfare, and moral dilemmas unspools in a breathtaking blend of fantasy and science fiction. |
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The Girl in White by Shannon Reber Two years before, Madison Meyer’s best friend killed herself . . . or that’s what they all believed. The truth about Emma’s death was something only Emma and her killer knew. Now, Emma’s spirit has returned to try and show Maddie what really happened to her. Seventeen-year-old Madison’s 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 Emma’s death before it’s too late? Find out in this gripping mystery which is the first book in the exciting series to come! |
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The Razorblades in My Head by Donnie Goodman Scars are not a sign of where we have healed, they are a reminder of what we have buried beneath the skin: A talking toaster. A crabbing voyage that descends into chaos. Malevolent snowmen. The debut of a mysterious indie wrestler. A sacrifice in need of an hourglass. A paranormal cremator in search of a friend...and other choice cuts from the mind of Donnie Goodman. The razorblades have emerged. It is time to dig. |
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On the Edge of Salt by Dixon Reuel On the Edge of Salt covers the early onslaught of the zombie apocalypse, when firebombs are first used to take out whole cities that are brute–infested. With a hidden home and smallholding shielded from the world, Rise is confident that his coven is safe behind the red brick walls of Owl Court. But as the night sky burns, a stranger with a terrible secret approaches his walls… |
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Boyfriends For Now by Imogen Markwell-Tweed Anthony Astor’s 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 isn’t sure the CEO is for real when he asks him to be his “fake boyfriend for Christmas,” 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-Tweed’s Boyfriends for Now is a charming and endearing romance about embracing love, wherever you find it. |
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No Love Lost by Rachel Bowdler Six years ago, Taryn’s best friend moved to London without so much as a goodbye, and she hasn’t spoken to him since. Now, after a failed marriage and career, Will is back in St. Agnes, a Cornish coastal town rife with memories of their childhood together — and Taryn, stubborn and jilted, no longer wants anything to do with him. Desperate to get close to her again and give her the explanation she deserves, Will isn’t prepared to stay away from her, so after he manages to get his old job back at the St. Agnes Gazette, he chooses to report on the local environment — and in doing so, seeks help from the best conservationist he knows: Taryn. With their lives and loved ones still connected by past and present, they soon remember just how strong their friendship had once been, and Taryn finds herself unable to resist falling back into old habits with the man who broke her heart. However, finally confronted with the truth, she realises that there was more to Will’s abandonment than she ever knew: he was in love with her and still is. Afraid of complicating their once steadfast friendship and losing Taryn for good, he made the mistake of running away — a mistake that he ever refuses to repeat. Whether as friends or more, Will is desperate to rekindle a connection with the woman he loves, but with Taryn’s new relationship, a fiercely disapproving sister, and a job opportunity in Spain, will they ever find the right time to finally give into their feelings, or are they destined always to be separated by their careers and fears? This best friends to lovers romance tells the story of unbreakable lifelong connections and the unwavering hope of second chances. |
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METANOIA The Fifth Yanai: Book One by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald The Fifth Yanai is a story of the value of free will, the triumph of love, and the fight to live life on one's own terms. Metanoia is the first installment. In a world ravaged by famine, kindhearted Cultist Ohkai lives in the wilderness serving his Gods, when he is sent from his Sect on a Calling of divine origin. He travels into the heart of a society that opposes the very existence of his kind. But what he expected to be a simple test of his devotion will bring him face to face with his greatest rival - a Temple assassin. When the life of a friend is in danger, Ohkai must risk not only discovery, but his life, to save his friend and fulfill his Calling. Velyr is a ruthless Temple assassin trained for one thing - to fulfill the will of the Gods. Sent to eliminate a target in the township of Obeaon, he encounters an unexpected obstacle in the form of a Cultist who claims to serve his same Gods - blasphemy on the lips of his enemy. When he nearly loses his life only to be saved by the embodiment of what he hates most, Velyr begins to question everything he's been taught to believe. An unlikely connection forms between cultist and assassin, and little do they know their meeting was fated, meant to be something more than they - or even their all-knowing Gods - could have ever foreseen. |
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Skelly’s Square by Stephen Black They want him to save the world. But, first, he must save himself. Kirkwood Scott is having a bad day. Languishing in a dead end job and recently dumped by his girlfriend he struggles with a crippling form of OCD which manifests itself in the form of Colonel Augustus Skelly, a phantom voice from Kirkwood’s childhood who controls his every waking moment via a series of tortuous routines, ‘The 49’. Kirkwood has little to look forward to, bar a weekend of drunken oblivion in Belfast with his equally deadbeat friends. All that changes when he meets Meredith Starc, a young homeless woman struggling to survive on the streets and come to terms with her own troubled past. Kirkwood realises Meredith may hold the answer to him finally being free of his mental demons. But what if Skelly is more than just a voice? Kirkwood and Meredith join forces to unearth a supernatural battle raging on the city’s back streets between ancient forces of good or evil, the outcome of which will decide the fate of the planet. Between them, they hold the key to saving mankind from a new Dark Age but can they survive long enough to do so as Skelly unleashes a legion of vicious ghost soldiers upon the unsuspecting city? ‘The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles: Skelly’s Square’ is a fast paced and darkly humorous supernatural fantasy guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. |
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J.G. MacLeod’s provocative first novel explores the topic of relationship violence with honesty and grit. Controversial and insightful, Ms. MacLeod delves into the complexity of abuse and describes its impact on the characters in her story. Eighteen-year-old Liz is in her final year of high school when she meets James Macewan, an older student who is struggling academically and wrestling with his own demons. What begins as a simple tutoring assignment soon grows into her first dating relationship. Liz initially enjoys the excitement of being with James, but it does not take long before she cannot recognize who she is as an individual anymore. As James's own life begins to unravel, he compensates by attempting to control every aspect of Liz's existence. The situation eventually dissolves into a tale of violence and dehumanization that affects the characters' lives forever. J.G. MacLeod describes the fear and uncertainty that often come with the cycle of violence and allows readers to journey alongside Liz as she attempts to confront her abuser and heal from trauma. The author understands that the description of abuse can be triggering for some people, so she wishes to inform potential readers that the content in Abalone can be graphic at times. Please be aware of this before ordering your copy. |
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Angel Eyes: The Haunting of January House by A.N. Willis Everyone in Ashton, Colorado, knows that January House is haunted. Tucked away on an isolated hillside, the place has seen grisly murders and unsolved disappearances. An artists’ commune took up residence there in the 1970s, creating a controversy that still divides the town. Now, a reclusive painter has died in the crumbling house. The police say it’s natural causes. But they don’t know why she fired a gun before she collapsed. Or why she called Bryce Wright, a man she hardly knew, and left a voicemail filled with her screams. Bryce turns to his sister, Penny Wright. She’s seen ghosts all her life, but she’s reluctant to get involved with the mysteries of January House. But everything changes when Bryce meets Eliza Davies—a young attorney who’s just arrived to ready the old house for sale. Bryce is convinced that Eliza is in danger. When Penny agrees to help, she soon discovers that her hometown harbors more dark secrets than she ever imagined. And this time, it might be the living who pose the greatest threat of all. |
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Helpless: A Short Story Collection by Tiffany Christina Lewis A Short Story Collection Women are powerful and can be rational thinkers under pressure. They can also be devious and vengeful. A woman is not just a ball of emotion. Women can fight, they can protect, and they can win. These eight stories of women kicking ass, standing tall, and refusing to be victims are Tiffany’s opposition to the tropes of true crime. With stories from five genres including Paranormal, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Romance, and Crime Fiction, you are sure to find a story you love. Content warnings: https://tiffanychristinalewis.com/2021/02/25/helpless-warnings/ |
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Oil and Dust by Jami Fairleigh Politics, Money, Power, Religion, and Greed. These are the things we never again need. Artist Matthew Sugiyama can alter the physical world with his art. As the top student graduating from the prestigious Popham Abbey, Matthew Sugiyama’s future is secure… until he bucks convention and begins a journey to find answers about his birth family. The trouble is, he doesn’t know who or where they are. Determined to find answers, but without a clear destination, Matthew sets out on horseback across a post-technology world, guided only by random flashes of a vision or long-buried memory. Using his skills as an artist to barter for hospitality and supplies, Matthew soon learns his sheltered upbringing has left him wholly unprepared to face the obstacles on the road or his unexpected yearning to join the communities he encounters. When he uncovers a mysterious adversary’s plan to harm the people he’s come to care for, Matthew must decide what’s more important; the adopted family he has created, or his need for answers about his past. |
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Indie Recs Indie SPSFC Kraken Collective Introvert Reed Rothwell is part of a subculture of art deco era enthusiasts, pushing back against bland mainstream society and its mandated technology. Stuck with an AI assistant in his head is bad enough, but when he's inflicted with a forced upgrade to a new beta version, named Mazarin, the navigator starts to take on feelings and opinions of his own. When rumors spread of beta navs turning on their pilots, Reed is determined not to become a victim. Mazarin hasn’t become violent yet—the AI is sympathetic and understanding—but with beta participants coerced into slitting their own throats, it’s only a matter of time before Reed is next. The AI megacorporation already has an unhealthy interest in Reed, and all the beta testers who have sought help for their navigators have disappeared. The swingin' cats of the deco scene have the means to illegally terminate Reed's AI. But Mazarin has never tried to harm Reed—he loves Reed. Grappling with ridding himself of intrusive technology, the morality of hurting his self-aware AI, and avoiding the attention of a company that wants to sweep Reed’s existence under the rug might be too much for one hep cat to handle. |
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Finding Fae Artifacts by Isa Medina Tricky Fae magic. Bloodthirsty creatures. One scrappy Artifact Hunter to-be. Joining the Magical Artifacts Institute as an artifact hunter has always been my dream job. Problem is, they keep rejecting my applications. So when I find a dangerous Fae artifact stashed in my temp job’s basement, I know I’m about to prove them wrong. Unfortunately, the arrogant stranger who interrupts my find doesn’t agree with my good fortune. Aidan belongs to the Institute and insists on following procedure and confiscating my artifact. He’s welcome to try, but there’s one small problem. Oops, make that two: he’s triggered a binding spell that won’t allow more than a few feet between us, and someone has unleashed a nightmarish Fae hound that’s trying to turn us into lunch. Now I must break the bond, escape the hound, convince Aidan that I’d be the best Institute worker ever, and figure out who’s willing to kill to get to my artifact. Sounds hard? That’s okay—I might be only one-sixteenth Fae, but I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. |
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UNFURLING: A Tale of Friendship, Love, Mystery, and Mayhem by Tia Ray Dhar Can an unexpected turn of events, including a mystery, guide you towards a sense of purpose in life? Dr. Mandira Sharma (Mandy), a recent medical school graduate from Mumbai, doesn't feel passionate about her residency in internal medicine and feels devoid of a general sense of purpose in life. Currently, her happiness revolves around making new friends and spending time with them at work or outdoor venues. Her general feeling of isolation and disinterest in her medicine residency accentuates when her two close friends go overseas, and someone she loves and cares deeply about decides to part ways. She navigates through her daily routine devoid of zest or enthusiasm, trying to cope with the current painful scenario. However, tragedy strikes again when two meeting attendees find Mandy's friend and graduate student Latika's body floating in a pool on the premises during a blackout at a psychology workshop venue. An investigative team launches a detailed probe into the crime's motive and modus operandi, and the cohort of meeting attendees, including Mandy, come under the lens of suspicion. Can Mandy help solve the case? Will she find a sense of purpose? Any reader who enjoys a university campus-themed friendship and romance-based novel with a suspenseful murder mystery will enjoy reading this story. |
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The FATOFF Conspiracy by Olga Werby Transdimensional Industries gave the world a technical solution to the obesity epidemic—eat more than you want, and store all that you want in their fat storage tanks conveniently located outside of our set of dimensions. Complete gluttony without sacrificing beauty or health...for a price. You can be rich and buy a thin body. You can be poor and lucky enough to get government assistance with your personal fat storage—Federal Assistance with Transdimensional Offloading of Fat and Flab. Or you can win the tits lottery—a lifetime of free blubber storage in the Transdimensional Industries' tanks where all the humanity’s fat is stored. Thin people live well, have high paying jobs, and wield all of the social and political power and prestige while consuming unlimited quantities of food as mandated by the government. Fat people? They don't do so well. Cindy Rella is a low-level bureaucrat at the Civil Office of Fat Excision. And while her job is to tell people "no" when they apply for government assistance, Cindy has been secretly saving for a set of gray-market papers that would guarantee her a zero dress size and a healthy lifespan of over 30 years. Because being fat is not only a life-time of being a second-class citizen in a society that worships physical beauty, it is also a death sentence. Cindy's plan doesn't work spectacularly and her life spins out of control into a dangerous world of revolutionary fat freedom fighters. Sucking off fat into another dimension is not the only way to get thin. Cindy Rella is a coming of age story in the world that is a cross between dystopian Brazil and Fast Food Nation with a sprinkling of sci fi. |
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Almost a century after Keres Triplets asteroid impact and subsequent nuclear exchange nearly ended all human life on Earth, a strange artifact is discovered on one of the moons of Saturn. Who should be sent to the outer reaches of the solar system to initiate the first contact with an alien culture? Dr. Varsaad Volhard, an evolutionary-socio-historian, is chosen to help the world understand the alien civilization that left an artifact some thirty thousand years ago, before humans even learned to farm, at the time when other human species still walked the earth. While Vars prepares for the mission, her father, Dr. Matteo Volhard, discovers nanobots among the microplastics he studies. The bots are everywhere and seem to have been created to bond with human cyber implants. Why? Matteo is made to keep his discovery a secret...as well as his and his daughter's true origins. Both were donated to a Human DNA Vault as babies. Matteo was raised as a Seed before leaving with his young daughter to study ecology around the world. Who knows what? Who is in control? How does one communicate with non-human intelligence? People seem to die in gruesome ways as their cyberhumatics go haywire on Earth and on Luna and Mars colonies. Is Earth under attack or is it all just a cosmic misunderstanding? Vars needs to use all she knows to solve the mystery of the ancient civilization on Mimas, as her dad battles the alien nanobots at home. |
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Invisible: Personal Essays on Representation in SF/F by Edited by Jim C. Hines 13 essays on the importance of representation in science fiction and fantasy, with an introduction by author Alex Dally MacFarlane. Proceeds from the sale of this collection go to support the Carl Brandon Society. |
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The Wolf Queen (The Hope of Aferi #1) by Cerece Rennie Murphy To fight for her future, she must first discover the magic of her past. Once great and powerful sorcerers, the Amasiti were hunted to the brink of extinction by the Hir and his followers. For four hundred years, their legacy faded from memory waiting for the hope of Aferi to be renewed… In the Land of Yet At the edge of the Forbidden Forest A young woman lives alone. Forced to fend for herself after the brutal murder of her family, Ameenah Yemini has made a life for herself as a master tanner and farmer, only venturing into the world to earn her living then return to the safety and seclusion of her home. Until a chance encounter brings her work to the attention of the powerful Hir. And her careful life begins to unravel. Drawn to the hidden magic that lingers in everything she touches, the new Hir insists on having her for himself, using the people around her to force Ameenah into his grasp. When she realizes that her greatest enemy may hold the key to a secret she thought lost to her forever, Ameenah is determined to reclaim her stolen past. But, at what cost? As an ancient power waits to be unleashed, Ameenah's choices will make the difference between awakening a new magic or delivering it into the hands of evil. |
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No one with half a brain would rob the jungle’s most notorious energy cartel. The vibrations of their power-producing stones are the only thing that calms the mer-snake Cacao’s agonizing sensory condition though—and after being banished from his homeland swamps for similar thefts, he’s desperate. When his attempt fails stunningly, a chaotic escape leaves him chained to a cartel prisoner: a self-proclaimed hero with a hidden stash of power stones so large, Cacao would never need to steal again. He’s determined to get his hands on it, even if it means guiding her home straight through the mist-laden and monster-filled swamp that exhaled him, with scheming poachers and a desperate cartel leader on their tail. But the selfish and the self-righteous can only flee together for so long before something snaps... Return to Our Bloody Pearl's steampunk-inspired world of merfolk in this fun, fast-paced adventure with a hate-to-love romance, a boat-load of sass, and even more heart. |
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The Stars May Rise and Fall by Estella Mirai Teru came to Tokyo with dreams of making it big in the glam-metal visual kei scene, but three years later, all he has to show for it is a head of hot pink hair and some skill with an eyeliner pencil. He may look the part, but he doesn't sound it, and tension among his bandmates has him worried about his future. When a mysterious business card offers help, he's willing to take it however it comes. Help comes in the form of Rei, a brilliant composer whose performing career was ended by an accident that left him scarred, injured, and in chronic pain. With Teru's voice and looks, and Rei's money and songwriting skills, both of their dreams seem about to come true - but a forbidden kiss and a late-night confession threaten to tear it all apart. Now Teru, who has spent most of his life denying his attraction to men, and Rei, who vowed long ago never to love again, must reconcile their feelings with their careers - and with their carefully constructed ideas of themselves. THE STARS MAY RISE AND FALL is an M/M retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, set in Tokyo at the turn of the millennium. It comes with a healthy dose of angst and a dollop of nostalgia, as well as an age-difference romance, a physically disabled love interest, and memorable characters who will stay with you long after the pages are closed. "...the way the complicated characters cope with believable pain provides a window into a fascinating subculture." -- Publishers Weekly "A tender, beautifully complex love story about self-acceptance and self-forgiveness, about making peace with the past and embracing the future. With a couple you'll root for and a vibrant soundtrack you can almost hear, this Phantom-inspired romance captures music's power to heal old wounds and weave two very different souls together in perfect harmony." -- J.C. Lillis, author of How to Repair a Mechanical Heart and A&B "If you’re looking for an intense, intelligent and inventive LGBTQ love story, there isn’t a more perfect book on the market right now." -- K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite |
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Say My Name by Lune We were barely adults and only two years into our marriage when we took him as a lover. That sun-bleached surfer that I barely tolerated and you adored. How long did we spend together? A year? Not even. Our world together was only briefly permitted. Yet the nights and days the three of us shared seem a thousand times clearer upon reflection than any other memory from that time. Now I find myself asking, why? What may seem like a question easily answered, never is. There was nothing simple about our relationship with our lover, but he was not our demise, nor the highlight of our marriage. He was just a fragment of a greater broken mirror. So, why then, do I see him reflected in so many shards of us? Written in narrative poetry, Say My Name is a breathtaking true story of polyamorous love, marriage, and abuse. |
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This girl, is shattered and broken. Yet, she fights back to rise and reform. This is Her journey… Her Shards… SHARDS is a modern-poetry collection. It is about the journey of a girl as she struggles to come to terms with what she has endured. It is divided into four sections, where each section covers a major aspect of her journey. And how she gains the courage to stand up and give herself second chance at life and people. It explores various topics such as: solitude, abuse, racism, suicide, grief, and negativity |
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Jenise is one of the most talented poets WriteHive has ever had the pleasure to work with. She was the host of the Poetry Reading Open Mic Night during WriteHive 2020, where her readings -- right from this very book -- moved many of us to tears. Emotional, jaw-dropping, and immensely powerful, you absolutely want to check out this diverse collection of poetry from an absolutely amazing poet. |
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Bloodflower (The Hidden Flames Artifact #1) by K.J. Harrowick Born into a world of futuristic technology, ecologist Jàden Ravenscraft wields starship fuel like magic but she’s losing control of her power. Marked as a dangerous weapon, she’s trapped in hypersleep for 4000 years and wakes in the backwoods of a terraformed moon. Now she’s determined to find her reincarnated lover and escape back to the stars before her power takes control... or she is found. Because one life is not the end. The man she loves has lived more than twenty lives without her, and Jàden’s alone in a world of swords and sorcery. When exiled prison guard Captain Jon Ayers shields her from an attack, Jàden seizes the chance for safety and human connection. Using her magic, she ties her energy to Jon, forging a bond to keep him close to her side. But Jon is hunted by mercenaries for the pendant he carries, a key to the gateway between worlds, and their bond stirs a desire neither can ignore. Jàden is faced with the hardest choice of her life: between Jon and her reincarnated ex. Saving one lover will destroy the other, and the wrong choice will land her in chains she can never escape. |
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The hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something — it’s standing up for himself. Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After years of running from his past, present and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, Karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on; a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating break-up three years ago. Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life. For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold onto. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul. When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream. |
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Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias In Gabino Iglesias’ second novel, ghosts and old gods guide the hands of those caught up in a violent struggle to save the soul of the American southwest. A man tasked with shuttling children over the border believes the Virgin Mary is guiding him towards final justice. A woman offers colonizer blood to the Mother of Chaos. A boy joins corpse destroyers to seek vengeance for the death of his father.These stories intertwine with those of a vengeful spirit and a hungry creature to paint a timely, compelling, pulpy portrait of revenge, family, and hope. |
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Descendants of Time and Death by Winnifred Tataw It has been a year since the Reign of Ryton, the Demon King, came to an end. Leaving Rodrick to face the burden of the tyranny he left behind. Yet this time he is not alone. After foreseeing massive deaths on the horizon, Lady Death seeks out the twenty-year-old prince’s aid in stopping what seems like an unavoidable war. With the help of his older brother Rayden as his companion, the princess Arcelia, and Queen Riva for support, Roderick agrees to take on the monumental task. But the Diar Brothers are in for a wild ride of intrigue and betrayal when they meet a tyrant and a terrorist both fighting for control of a country that had already suffered under their father's reign. Secrets are revealed, promises broken, and trust is questioned. Rayden and Rodrick are going to have to race against time if they want to stop the war. Their journey will test every limit of their relationship and everything they've ever known. |
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In this vibrantly-illustrated graphic novel, a mute warrior named Thrud and her companion, Kvasir (a sentient puddle of god-spit she carries around in a flask), explore a post-Ragnarok Norse world. The stories, told through a series of short vignettes, are delightful twists on familiar stories from Norse mythology. Encountering gods, sea giants, viking hordes, magical artifacts, and more, Thrud never backs down from a brawl! |
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Under the Lesser Moon by Shelly Campbell “Dragons once led our people across the wastelands, away from storms, and toward hunting grounds.” That’s what the elders say, but Akrist has squinted at empty skies his whole life. The dragons have abandoned them, and it’s Akrist’s fault. He’s cursed. Like every other firstborn son, he has inherited the sins of his ancestors. In his camp, he’s the only eldest boy left. Something happened to the others. Something terrible. When Akrist befriends Tanar, an eldest boy from another tribe, he discovers the awful truth: they’re being raised as sacrifices to appease the Goddess and win back her dragons. The ritual happens when the dual moons eclipse. Escape is the only option, but Akrist was never taught to hunt or survive the wastelands alone. Time is running out, and he has to do something before the moons touch. |
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History's Prisoners by James Garmisch Moments before his execution, Huan is given a clear choice: infiltrate the Global Resistance—or die, and never see his children again. The Alliance is collapsing, and Huan, a former economist for the worldwide government, knows how it was engineered. History has been reset, the children of dissidents re-educated, and the family unit abolished. The facade of utopia is evaporating. |
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The Dusk of Eternal Night by Vincent Lazzari, Ben Dever, Joe Dever The second posthumous Lone Wolf book and the penultimate adventure in the saga. It is also the largest Lone Wolf adventure - standing at a mammoth 650 pages. Written by Joe Dever's son Ben, and collaborator Vincent Lazzari, using notes and instructions from Joe in the weeks leading up to his passing. Archlord Vashna has returned. Sommerlund is under threat of invasion, and as a commander in Lone Wolf’s army, you must prepare to face the Legion of the Restless Dead. But another tide of Darkness rises to threaten all Magnamund, in the Dark God Naar’s unholy name. You will uncover a secret society, shrouded in mystery. Some hide among the courts, guilds and armies of the Freelands, others amongst the black sorcerers and warriors of the Darklands. In an epic adventure spanning Southern Magnamund, you must infiltrate hidden lairs protected by ancient spells in a race against time to stop them. They who for millennia have schemed, preparing a ritual to free the True Son of Naar. |
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The Rose and the Thorn by Katherine Macdonald A gripping and mesmerising retelling of a classic story, filled with romance, mystery and intrigue. There is a pale, penetrating loneliness etched into the walls of this forgotten place. A kind of loneliness made living... is this what it feels like to be a ghost, alone in some kind of half world? Taking shelter from a storm, Rose accidentally strays into a deserted fairy realm, and finds herself trapped there with only a mysterious talking beast for company. Although initially reluctant to befriend her strange companion, Rose quickly finds herself growing closer to him. She names him Thorn, and as the castle blossoms into a place of beauty, so too does their friendship. But something else lurks within the walls, a dark force that will stop at nothing to be free once more... If Rose is to survive and lift the curse placed upon the castle, she will have to face her fears and conquer the nightmares that have haunted her since childhood, as well as confront the terrifying creature that stalks the shadows in the night. A passionate retelling of a classic tale, fairy tale fantasy meets Gothic. Will have you sobbing and laughing, and truly believing in the power of true love. |
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Beware of the lover who puts his hand around your throat... She never expected to fall in love again. Stella, a scientist and a single mother, is doing her best to stay sane after the loss of her husband. John, a British businessman, just moved to Munich, running away from a life of heartache. Charming and well-spoken, he sweeps Stella into a passionate affair. But his gentlemanly manners disguise a long-repressed and well-hidden dark side. As his true character is slowly uncovered, Stella is unwittingly sucked into his high-stakes world and lands in the middle of a perfect storm. |
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The Wildflowers at the Edge of the World by Shaylin Gandhi Yukon Territories, 1898. When circus sharpshooter Sophia Bellerose flees from heartbreak in search of a new life, she doesn’t intend to find work in a Yukon brothel. But she's not the sort of woman to refuse that kind of cash—or the freedom that comes with it. For Sophia, the remote wilds of Canada’s Far North provide the perfect setting to bury old heartbreaks. Up there, memories are short, days are long, and gold dust flows freely for any woman bold enough to make the trip. Even better? She gets to keep her guns. Yet when the warmth of her newfound sisterhood begins to thaw her icy heart, Sophia wonders if she’s stumbled across the perfect life—until she clashes with the local Reverend, whose angel face hides a dangerously devious mind. Not only is he conning the whole town, he’s after both the brothel and her, though she can't tell whether his interest is genuine or just another clever ploy to gain control of her earnings. Determined to preserve her newfound freedom—and ignore the Reverend’s devastating kissing in the process—Sophia unholsters her revolvers and takes aim, ready to do whatever it takes to keep her new life in one piece. |
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Words of Fury Part One (Words of Power series Book 2) by Ritchie Valentine Smith 'A wonderful story, in the spirit of Robert Jordan' - David Wingrove, 'Chung Kuo'. Epic fantasy, with magic... To a samurai wonderland comes a young man exiled from the all-conquering steam-powered Empire of Albion. This is Emmanuel, 'Man' to friends and enemies alike. But the cold inhuman power called 'the Lord of the North' is after him and his friends. Driven from the cosmopolitan city of Jade, he and the others are seeking sanctuary at the psychic fortress known as The Waning of the Moon. If Man and the others don't make it, if they die along the way, then their world ends - and our world ends too... Enjoy the magic. Enjoy hope triumphing, finally, over adversity. Enjoy the books. 'Words of Fury Part One' is the first part of the full-length novel 'Words of Fury' and is a low-cost (sometimes free) introduction to the 'Words of Power' sequence, a multicultural epic fantasy series from the award-winning creator of 'Rocket Man'. |