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Fae Gods: Maze by Philinna Wood Greek mythology and fae fantasy romance collide in this sweeping story of divided loyalty and forbidden love. I am the daughter of the king, and he is the fae monster my father sent me to kill. For years, the people of my kingdom have whispered tales of the monstrous Minotaur in the depths of an underground maze. Every night, he enters my dreams. His golden eyes capture mine. His horns caress my spine. And I always wake drenched in fear. Heâs waiting for me, I know. But when I venture into the darkness, I find that the monster is in fact a handsome man, cursed by the fae gods to roam the maze. Trapped in the labyrinth with him, I start feeling something that I know I should notâa strange desire wells up within me. My heart is torn between my loyalty to my kingdom and the man whose loneliness echoes my own. As we attempt to escape the treacherous maze, secrets that were meant to remain hidden in its depths beg to be revealed, and with them comes a love so forbidden yet so powerful that it could forever change my life. Authorâs note: The story is a loose reimagining of the Greek myth of the Minotaur, and it is a standalone fae fantasy romance with an HEA. |
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The Untold Prophecy by R. R. Hunter Lord Berik Eddingson, a man known for his ability to handle any situation, faces his toughest challenge yet when he is tasked with unraveling a one-thousand-year-old prophecy that foretells his failure. Fate seems to be against him, and his only leads are a heinous crime, a cursed artifact, and an orphaned girl named Joell. On the continent of Karata, athier-powered machines have propelled society from an agricultural to an industrial age in a time when magic is slowly dying. Those few with the talent possess abilities to see through past, present, or future, or the ability to alter the very world around them. The ancient Templar, a powerful and overbearing force, are struggling to maintain order in the provinces of the Karatian Palatinate as unseen forces chip away at civilization's foundations. Berik soon realizes that the fate of his homeland is inextricably tied to the secrets he seeks to uncover, and he must decide what he is willing to sacrifice to hold onto his beliefs. When everyone and everything has a secret, he must not only pay a steep price but also justify it when that price is too high. Do the gods of Fate stand by and watch as the world crumbles, or can fate be changed? |
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Shortlisted for the 2022 Chaucer Award. 'A skilfully written, beautifully researched coming-of-age story set in Viking Orkney.â Lexie Conyngham, the Orkneyinga Murders series Loyalty has a price the children pay In the twilight of the old gods, when the last Vikings rule the seas, two cursed orphans meet on an Orkney beach and their fates collide. Stripped of honour, facing bleak loneliness ahead, Skarfr and Hlif forge an unbreakable bond as they come of age in the savage Viking culture of blood debts and vengeance. To be accepted as adults, Skarfr must prove himself a warrior and Hlif must learn to use womenâs weapons. Can they clear their names and choose their destiny? Or are they doomed by their fathersâ acts? The award-winning author of The Troubadours Quartet returns to the 12th century, with skalds instead of troubadours and Viking warriors instead of crusaders. Get ready for authentic medieval adventures steeped in poetry, politics and passion. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell Matthew Harffy and Madeline Miller. |
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Carved Amidst the Shadows by M.T. Fontaine When the gods shaped the continent into five kingdoms to be ruled by their progeny, they did not account for the greed of men. When they created the Order from their god-blessed followers to mediate between realms, they neglected to plan against the hoarding of power. War between the royalists and the godly was inevitable. Five centuries later, the borders between kingdoms are impenetrable. No branded-born Marked can cross them without burning to ash, except the Orderâs Stewards. But a damaging new war has been prophesied, one that haunts the Order, one that will come to pass if Carved traitors roam free and brandless-born Flawed are left alive. It starts with one girl that survives the impossible. Kaianne, the Carved. It takes shape through one prince with ambition. Andreiyes, the Marked. It hinges on one grieving man who is ready to give up hope. Rau, the Steward. Three people bound by fate â whether they like it or not. The first book in an epic new saga about family, vengeance, and determination with a varied cast of characters. *Please note: This book contains explicit content and dark elements that might be triggering to some. It includes mature scenes of a sexual nature, violence, death including that of an infant, drug references, addiction, childhood trauma, and mentions of suicide. |
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Sul: From Gold to Iron and Rust by Jacqui Davis, Katy Grierson A king destined to rule. A priest determined to protect his land. A demon out to Create chaos. A princess with her eyes on the throne When a demon murders the regent, young King Elmes leaves his island palace and sails north to conquer a frozen wilderness rich in resources his people have squandered âand of course, hunt down the demon. Elmes has no doubt heâll prevail. After all, he is great like his ancestors. But the land is already home to half-wild barbarians led by an immortal priest, who are used to weather more savage than any warrior. With a court losing confidence and a wife set on keeping the crown no matter whose head it sits on, the decisions at home prove the greater danger. With mounting threats on all sides, Elmes wins his empire, but his arrogance leaves him cursed and trapped in the north. Without his armies, his magic, or even his own name, Elmes must face his selfishness and irresponsibility to preserve what truly matters: his young sonâs life. |
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His love is locked inside an enigma. Can he solve the mystery to make himself a home? A hidden kingdom. The 18th century. Alden grew weary of battle long ago. And now the honorable soldier seeks to put the horrors of war behind him to settle in a land of peace and start a family. And while an attractive shopkeeper catches his eye, he finds himself caught up in the kingdom's greatest riddle: the twelve daughters of the king and queen vanish every night and reappear in the morning with their shoes worn out. Drawn to a shared passion for dancing as he spends more time with the woman of his dreams, Alden can't avoid a growing involvement with the land's enchanted magic. And as he does so, he starts to realize that the alluring woman he's falling for may hold the key to answering the perplexing mystery. Can Alden unravel a magical entanglement and find his way to happily ever after? Twelve is a charming fairy tale retelling. If you like upstanding heroes, picturesque romance, and delightful surprises, then you'll adore Joan Marie Verba's heartwarming story. |
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Echoes of Dragons by C. Borden A decade after Mythniumâs suns eclipse each other, the White Lordâs malignant shadow stretches north to Mythos once more. There, he unleashes his secret weapon: a massive dragon long thought to be extinct. Three groups of travelers set off on separate journeys, drawn toward the elven city of Elmnas and the answers they hope to find within. Along the way, they face strange factions of creatures united against them as the White Lord's influence grows. As their paths intersect, the travelers face an uncertain new world where echoes of dragons come to life. |
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The Ghosts in the Flames by Seann Barbour For centuries, the Four Kingdoms have lived in fear of the dragon Raksen-Kal, who roosts upon the peak of the Black Mountain. To satiate his hunger, a noble maiden is sent to the dragon as tribute every Autumn, with each of the kingdoms trading off the duty of sending the sacrifice year by year. Shivuri is the youngest princess of Endaru, the smallest and poorest of the Four Kingdoms. Today, her cousin is sent to the dragon, and in four years' time, she will be as well. As the day of her death draws ever closer, the young princess seeks solace in darkness, and explores the forbidden art of witchcraft. In doing so, Shivuri learns of secrets that would once have filled her with terror-- and of freedom that she never before could have imagined. ---- Please be aware this novel contains depictions of violence, gore, abuse, sexuality, and assault. |
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Night Demon by Stephen Wolberius Lilian, a thirteen-year-old factory worker in an industrialising town plagued by a serial killer, can see an invisible affliction within other people. When her search for her missing best friend ends with a confrontation with a demon â and learning that the affliction turns humans into demons â another demon named Lucian saves her life and promises answers. Her first clue is that demons are responsible for the many murders. Unfortunately, Lilianâs new lead has problems of his own â Demon Hunters, who claim Lucian is the serial killer and who see Lilian as an accessory. Night Demon tells a claustrophobic gaslamp fantasy and horror story with a dark fantasy twist and edge-of-your-seat suspense. If you're a fan of classic American and British horror fiction but also like dark fantasy world-building and epic fights, you're in for a treat. What can you expect from reading Night Demon? A strong female lead discovers that she needs to confront her mortality as well as her morality. Fast-paced, engaging and brooding at once. Plenty of unexpected twists. Well-developed characters, both major and minor. Language magic called Elilim, based on proto-indo-european, Mycenean and proto-Semitic languages. Set in Victorian times and written in the King's English, the classic gaslamp fantasy British horror fiction atmosphere. Classic strong prose, but that doesn't take away tempo. Demons and Vampires with compelling and terrifying worldbuilding and lore behind them Inspired by deep Saxon ghostly folklore. Tragic, tense and emotional. Terrifyingly brooding, doom impendent and action-packed story structure that will never bore... A satisfying ending! |
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The Fractured God by Gerard Howard Jaded mercenaries Aelred and Xyla have come across the most clichĂŠd of contracts: rescue a missing princess to end a series of brutal wars waged in her name. Much to everyone's surprise, the rescue does not pan out too well. A god gets involved and hurls the three of them into another universe where technology rules in lieu of magic. It's not too bad, though. Saving the multiverse from the destruction of a bored god who wants to experience nonexistence is an additional responsibility that could've fallen on anyone. Despite their social skills, they'll find a decent set of companions to help ease their burden: a speechless outcast from a species of arachnoids living inside a giant space worm, a disgruntled soldier living on a deserted prison planet, and a chirpy salvager with a horrific past and a droid that has a difficult time ignoring its primary torture functions. Take a trip through the multiverse in this humorously dark adventure where bad things definitely don't happen to good people and everything is always fine! |
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The Wickwire Watch by Jacquelyn Hagen ***WINNER OF THE 2023 REALM AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT NOVEL*** ***2023 REALM AWARDS FINALIST FOR BOOK OF THE YEAR*** ***AWARDED THE INDIE B.R.A.G. MEDALLION*** TRUST NO ONE. It's the first and greatest rule Inkwell Featherfield ever learned. It's also the only way he knows how to surviveâbesides picking pockets, dodging the law, and using every ounce of his plucky charm. But none of this will be enough to save him now. If only he'd never snooped around a dead man's house. If only he'd never found that pocket watch full of strange magic. If only he'd known the old man had snuffed it at the hands of the ghostly Spektors, or that such dark spirits even existed, because now they're after him. When Ink is approached by an enigmatic group offering to keep him safe, he acceptsâonly to discover his rescuers are a band of infamous fugitives. Who knew they had a flair for winemaking? Or a penchant for sing-a-longs? Thrust into a world of arcane horrors, powerful politicians, and dangers on every side, the boy has no choice but to finally break his rule and decide who to trust. But with all the secrets, magic, and mystery thickening around himâand the stakes so much higher than he ever imaginedâit might just be downright impossible. The Wickwire Watch is the first book of the epic fantasy series The Riverfall Chronicles. For more information, visit jacquelynhagen.com. |
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A Magical Imperative by Edith Pawlicki One binding destroyed her family; could another save it?â¨â¨At thirty-six-years-old, history professor Aurelie is resigned to a childless existence. It's not her age - it's the absence of male Unseen. Her species has been so desperate to hide among humans that it is quietly dying out. Now her family is broken; eager to leave behind a painful past, Aurelie accepts a teaching position in Nara, Japan. But she's unprepared for the future she finds...â¨â¨Twenty-two-year-old Kazuki is the favored son of the Hayashi family - a clan of Unseen that has not only survived in Japan, but thrived. Though he knows hundreds of Unseen, heâs unprepared for Aurelie and the overwhelming attraction he feels for her, a biological imperative to mate.â¨â¨Or perhaps a magical one because, as Kazuki and Aurelie grow closer, the reasons for hiding come out.â¨â¨And they are hungry. A Magical Imperative treads a delicate line between reality and fantasy, painting a detailed picture of cross-cultural romance while also adding subtle strokes of whimsy and fate. The first book of a series, itâs a sure winner for fans of atmospheric writing, intelligent fantasy, and character-driven plots. Visit a magical Japan with A Magical Imperative today! |
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The Dark Heart of Redemption by Darran M Handshaw "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.â¨â¨------------â¨â¨The Dark Heart of Redemption is Darran M Handshaw's second novel and is a standalone sequel to The Engineer (an SPFBO semi-finalist!). |
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In the fertile lands of the River, squabbling city states continue thousands of years of bloody warfare. Some fight for land, others for food, others still for personal glory. Unknown to all, a storm brews in the West. Will one man stand against the storm as it sweeps away his life? Can the River States put aside their old rivalries to face a bigger threat? Or will slow simmering hatred lead to bitterness and murder? |
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Doll Girl Meets Dead Guy by Lidiya Foxglove Itâs not easy being a doll girl in a flesh-and-blood world. Although her race was created from magic as second-class citizens, Sorlaâs baked goods are now famous for miles around thanks to her hard work and unrelenting optimism. Sheâs even attracted the notice of Prince Seldon, who invites her to work at the royal bakery in the capital. The one thing Sorlaâs life is missing is love. Her youthful crush ditched her for a normal girl with generous curves (of course), and technically she is unsexed (parts sold separately). Flesh girls certainly donât have to save money to buy themselves lady bits before they can even date. Her ride-for-hire to the capital? Dorr, a soldier revived from a battlefield death, as is the way of his necromancing clan. He might rather have been left to die with his comrades. Instead, a few parts of their bodies were stitched on to fix his. Scarred and broken, Dorr wants to drop off his overly cheerful companion as quickly as possibleâuntil he realizes that her pastries are the only thing thatâs tasted good since his revival. As they slowly open up over dog rescues (her idea), graveyard strolls (his idea), and of course, delicious pastry, love and trust grows between these two misfits. But the war isnât over, and when the royal family expect Sorlaâs pastries to save the life of the hero of the realm, she might lose Dorr and everything sheâs worked for. Cross a Ghibli movie with The Nightmare Before Christmas, add a little spice, and you might have the quirkiest of romcoms. |
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The Book of Zog by Alec Hutson What were the Great Old Ones like before they were old? In the shadow of cosmic horrors, newly-birthed entity Zogrusz must come to understand his true nature, learn how to wield his dreadful powers, and search for meaning in the mad spaces between the stars. Hopefully, heâll make some friends along the way. Also, thereâs a cat. A Lovecraftian cozy fantasy. |
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Born to a life of abandonment and servitude, Syl'Kara is confronted with a horror she could not have imagined. Still a child, by elven standards, she is ill-equipped to handle life on her own, but that will soon become the least of her worries. Faced with an enemy that it seems no one else can withstand, she is left with a simple choice: run and hope someone else can put an end to the terror, or take matters into her own hands, despite her crippling fear. |
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A band of medieval castaways is stranded in an Otherworld they first believe is paradise. However, they come to believe that a toxic tree fruit enhancing the beauty and power of their women is an offering by the devil. This âEveâs Appleâ eventually upsets the established patriarchic order. Over a millennium later, Howard and Julia tumble into this alien world as a couple settled comfortably in a relationship based on her supremely self-confident boyfriendâs need to take care of his insecure girlfriend. Civilization is now thriving there with absurdly powerful women due to an uncontrollable addiction to the refined extract of the tree fruit. Their relationships with the weaker male sex are generally based on some form of explicit or implicit domination. Men are mainly objects of their outsized erotic appetites or perform menial service. After a period of disorientation where the couple unsuccessfully attempts to extract themselves quickly from this upsetting situation to return to their previous comfortable lives, Julia is relentlessly tempted by her host to become like the women of this new world and eventually succumbs in an act of betrayal of Howard who reacts adversely to the breach of trust and begins to reject his girlfriend on account of jealousy and fear. Julia doesnât understand his problems as she considers the change to be a purely practical matter to protect themselves while they figure out how to leave this world. As Howard realizes the enormous magnitude of Juliaâs new abilities he withdraws ever more to the ongoing disappointment of Julia. In the wake of a relationship in crisis, Julia warms up to what the new world has to offer to women and begins to indulge. In the process, Julia realizes that something new inside her makes her prone to act and feel in ways that she would never have condoned before, and is deeply conflicted about that. Gradually she begins to see fault in Howard for this state of their affairs and prods him to adapt which he refuses to do despite several cathartic experiences he is subjected to. Eventually, she loses patience and lets her new nature break free after giving her boyfriend a debilitating taste of her power. |
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Angel from the Rust by Jason Link They say Earth was a place of wonders, where towers pierced the clouds, cities lit up the night, and flying machines streaked across the sky. It was magic. But the magic conjured the End War. Fire fell from the sky, and metal beasts leveled the cities. That was six hundred years ago. Now the ruins of the Ancient world are buried or overgrown. And the technology of the past is feared as forbidden magic. Corvala, a young musician on the run from the law, never intended on getting mixed up with history. But when a murderer falls from the heavens and sets himself up as a god, sheâs driven into the wilderness and discovers the secret of her bloodline: a code of immense power embedded in her DNA. The code could save thousandsâor plunge her into madness. To defeat the tyrannical false god, Corvala must do something more terrifying than confront the demons of Earthâs history. She must confront her own. |
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Gates to Illvelion by A.R. Rathmann A strange adventure in a world beyond the edge of our own... When Lord Agravaine's daughter, Gwenhivar, tumbles over the edge of the forest and into the fairy realm, he will stop at nothing to save her. But his own life is threatened too, and it is Gwen who must save them both from the magic of the woods. As they face bewitchment and worse, Gwen and her father confront the dazzling Queen of Illvelion -- a woman once human who rules with terrible magic and the bitter sting of loss. Can the human child overcome her enemies and find the power to save her kin? Or will her enemies destroy her soul? |
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The Fall Is All There Is by C.M. Caplan SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023 SPFBO Finalist All Petre Mercy wanted was a good old-fashioned dramatic exit from his life as a prince. But itâs been five years since he fled home on a cyborg horse. Now the Kingâhis Dadâis deadâand Petre has to decide which heir to pledge his thyroid-powered sword to. As the youngest in a set of quadruplets, heâs all too aware that the line of succession is murky. His siblings are on the precipice of power grabs, and each of them want him to pick their side. If Petre has any hope of preventing civil war, he'll have to avoid one sibling who wants to take him hostage, win back anotherâs trust after years of rivalry and resentment, and get an audience with a sister he's been avoiding for five years. Before he knows it, he's plunged himself into a web of intrigue and a world of strange, unnatural inventions just to get to her doorstep. Family reunions can be a special form of torture. |
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Path of the Warrior by Melissa Stone Ashrinn Chimekin is a Fugitive Recovery Agent tasked with helping the crew of the Shrike in their pursuit of the rogue Cult of Atraxia. When something goes horribly wrong during an infiltration attempt on the cultâs compound, Ashrinn and the crew find themselves on a strange, new world. Worse yet, the cultists made their way to this new world as well. Told that the capture of the cultists will lead them back home, the simple task becomes much harder when Ashrinn and the crew discover the cultists have allied themselves with the Darkriders, people who will stop at nothing to gain total control over their world. And making matters worse, the cultists have gained mysterious, dangerous magic powers... Ashrinn forges alliances with the Dragonlords, the force in opposition to the Darkriders, in hopes of stopping both the cultists and the Darkriders once and for all. As she fights, she finds herself getting closer to uncovering the mystery behind the black sword that appears when sheâs in dire need - and if it will affect her desire to return home. |
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Throne of Deceit by Richard Fierce Their royal parents assassinated, two young siblings are separated and hidden to protect their future and the future of their kingdom. Only when their adoptive families are murdered do they discover the truth of their heritage. Now it is time to reclaim what is theirs.But to do that, they will need an army â and magic. With many interested in their royal roots, they must decide who can be trusted ⌠and who is trying to kill them.Throne of Deceit is the first book in the series Dragons of Isentol, a tale of dragons, magic, and a growing rebellion against tyranny. |
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Litany of the Destroyer by Chaz Lebel Sir Galien Banforth is damned. He watched a demon drag his lord to Hell, and he knows heâs next. When war once again pulls him into a theater of pillage and butchery, Galien abandons the battlefield, and his knighthood, to find a way to repent. Fate is about to give it to him. The dark cult of Apollyon the Destroyer grows by the day, its adherents spreading a catastrophic sickness. Galien is about to find himself in a new war, against the apocalypse itself, and the demons that carry it on noxious wings. |
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Gloaming by Charlotte E. English Once upon a chime... Every day at four oâ clock, an enchanted twilight sweeps over Vale Argantel. Strange things happen under its eldritch influence: mists boil up out of the ground, rain pours out of a cloudless sky, and the roses grow wild and fey. Such is the way of things. But when her friend falls through a magic mirror and disappears, Margot realises somethingâs changed. An ancient enchantment has gone awry, and chaos quickly spreads. Magic-drunk, confused and hampered at every turn, Margot must find a way to reclaim Oriane â and before anybody else disappears. But for Oriane, things are stranger still. Lost in a topsy-turvy world, how can she ever find her way home? For sheâs adrift in a place very like Argantel â eerily familiar, yet strangely different; a place which follows none of the usual rules⌠Get drunk on magic â try this atmospheric fantasy from the author of the Tales of Aylfenhame and Faerie Fruit. |
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âDestiny is a ride on the back of a wild beast. You canât control it. You can only slap its hide and hope it takes the path you want.â Nila cares nothing for destiny. She steals relics for the danger. Running the roofs, evading guards and dodging traps in her pursuit of these coveted but illegal artifacts makes her heart race, reminds her that she is more than just the ghost of a girl forced to flee her homeland. Danger turns deadly, however, when a cloaked stranger lures her into a plot to rekindle a magic that once destroyed a world. Destiny is driving her down a path of horror and darkness, and she must change its course before she loses everything. |
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The Zero of Destiny by T. R. Peers There was a prophecy. There usually is, in these kinds of situations. Invictus Kul is an invincible hero, destined to save the world. He even has a piece of paper that says so. But it turns out that knowing youâre invincible rather takes the shine off winning, and life in general. Death Scream, a wandering barbarian warrior, would like to take rather more than the shine off Invictusâ life. In fact, sheâd like to cut it abruptly short, but that canât happen until he fulfils his destiny and saves the world. Of course, Vic (to his friends, which she isnât) has no plans to do anything of the sort, so sheâs going to have to help him. Or force him. Along the way sheâll encounter Dark Lords, a nightmarish maid who gets a half-price discount at the opticians, ancient magics, gainfully-employed Orcs, and Union Regulations. All this and more can be found in âThe Zero of Destinyâ, a fantasy-comedy that absolutely nobody should take seriously, but everybody should read. Unless you donât like puns, and/or really like geraniums. |
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Stars and Ravens by Francis Deer and Mika Hunter Investigating a murder case, Valerian Crow is drawn into a mystery discernible only to him due to his unwanted magical abilities. Joining forces with unlikely companions, he finds himself increasingly entangled in enigmatic events. When Valerian accepts work from strange employers, magic is more and more invading his world, endangering his hold on reality. Valerian has to decide whom to trust and learn to rely on others. A challenging task, even more so since all his life he has been forced to lock certain parts of himself away and thus never deciphered the ways of his own heart. |
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The Rise of the Falsemarked by Samuel Gately What if James Bond carried a sword and worked for a dragonarmy? Since the return of dragons, armies and corporations have divided the skies. War was inevitable. It only took master spy Aaron Lorne moments to start the war with the falsemarked. Now he has just five days to end it. He and his team will need every alliance they can get to fulfill this mission. Surviving in a city that longs for their blood is not enough. They have a war to win. Rise of the Falsemarked, the second Spies of Dragon and Chalk adventure, combines elements of Ian Flemingâs James Bond novels and crime noir into a thrilling world of epic fantasy. Mixing spy craft, dragons, and good writing, Samuel Gately certainly won me over. â The Fantasy Book Critic Blog |
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On a world without a sun, one boy sees something he shouldn't. Young, alone, afraid. The only thing Loe can hope for is help. Hope is not always answered, but sometimes the door opens. Ilian stands in the doorway. She takes Loe when no one else will and they do the only thing they can - run. They run beneath the galaxy's light as their country tears itself apart. It's a dark world but that is not always a disadvantage. There is a place of safety. There is hope. They must get there. They must run. |
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This is the story of Isfael, a young wytch who practices the art of magic as the village healer. The development of her skills, however, does not come without struggles: Not only are some of her fellow elves, amongst them the elderly wytch superior, suspicious of her as an ambitious young healer, but her talents are also put to the test when Isfael comes into possession of a powerful gem that turns her dreams into nightmares. Isfael must also learn that even the most well-meaning actions we take can reap terrible consequences. |
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A sleepy town on the west coast of England. Nothing really happens here. Until now⌠Two stabbings. The victims: a man named Arthur and a mysterious knight. Detective Inspector Niamh Khalid finds herself drawn into a world of myth, magic, and betrayal. Can she solve an impossible case and keep her brother safe? Things arenât looking too great for DI Niamh Khalid. Her brother Lance has been arrested, her superior officer is breathing down her neck, and she is investigating an attempted murder, with no suspects and no clues to the identity of the victim. Then, Lance and his friends discover another dead body: a young man, dressed as a knight. Soon, a series of terrifying incidents threaten to derail Niamhâs investigation. Lance is clearly hiding something, and Niamhâs journalist ex-fiancĂŠ is back in her life, asking awkward questions. When criminal barrister Merlin Rhys seeks her out with a stunning revelation, Niamh begins to appreciate just how strange and frightening a mystery she and Lance have become involved in. Can myth and magic be real? Can they help Niamh solve her case, and save both her brother and her world? Police procedural meets Arthurian fantasy. Fans of Ben Aaronovich, V.E. Schwab and women detectives will love Kingsrise, an urban fantasy mystery by first-time author Anne Mattias. |
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A feast will come, of carrion all⌠Kenrig Ebermann has devoted her life to the pursuit of the unquiet dead, but when a chance encounter draws her into a bargain with the otherworldly Unseelie she faces a threat unlike any other. The dread spectres torment the living and the dead alike, and their presence heralds misfortune across the disparate Marches. Aided by her apprentice Dandall she must find a way to free innocent souls from the Unseelieâs strange feast, but Dandall is reeling from grief and his presence might just doom them both. Unknown to him, Dandall is the subject of prophecy and Kenrig is forced to question the tenuous trust between them. The veil between life and death draws thin. The shadow of the Otherworld falls across a divided land. |
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The Darkness Calling by Joe Coates The Darkness Calling is a gritty, stylish, action-packed novel from start to finish. Populated with vividly portrayed characters, thrilling moments and plenty of dark humour, it is brilliantly written, and will keep you turning the pages far into the night. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, J.J Connelly, Ben Aaronovitch, Iain Banks and Warren Ellis. When a contract goes out on the head of a human-trafficker living in one of London's most exclusive suburbs, romantically deprived hitman, Archie Nyx, assumes it's just another day at the office. In a profession that usually comes with minimal moral high ground, being paid a hefty sum to expunge an excrescence like Andras Janos is as close to a good day at work as Archie gets. It's a nice thought, but when the hit goes south and the unexpected elements rear their heads, Archie must track down the mysterious client who seems to want more than just Janos dead. Beautiful but hard-boiled Detective Inspector Valentina Galanti is back at work at the Met after an accident that tore her life apart. Her old friend and boss, Detective Superintendent Jack McNeill, assigns Val to a brutal multiple homicide by way of a welcome back. Val embraces the carnage as a pleasing escape from the grief and fury that are threatening to overwhelm her. By chance, or so it seems, Archie and Val meet one afternoon. Lies and deceptions breed more lies and deceptions, with the assassin and copper having no idea that they are both working towards the middle of the same problem from opposite sides. Set in a near-future London not too dissimilar to the one we know, The Darkness Calling is a soft sci-fi novel that explores whether any silver lining can be found in the midst of a son's hatred for his father, a mother's heart-crushing grief, and the place where the bullets fly. |
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Of Thieves and Shadows by B. S. H. Garcia Some secrets are best left to the shadows. But shadows have a mind of their own. The ancient land of Quinaria teeters on the brink of war, as its most precious resource is unearthed and exploited. Three nations have maintained tenuous peace for centuries, but as the life-giving nevethium dwindles, rumors of an ancient evil long thought dead spread like wildfire. Elaysia never wanted to lead. As the high chieftainâs only surviving heir, sheâs thrust into a role that jeopardizes the already fragile peace. A deadly attack on the day of her induction strengthens her resolveâand her suspicion that her parentsâ murders and these disturbing rumors are connected. With newfound companions, she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. But as they unravel layers of secrets, they find themselves in the clutches of a dictator whose unethical nevethium experimentation threatens to bring about a new world of terror and violence. Elaysia and her allies could be all that stands between war and a dying worldâif their conflicting ambitions donât destroy them first. |
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Fifty-nine nights of peace. One night of terror. This sequence has repeated itself since before history was recorded on the scrolls. Galenâs life is ruled by the cyclic attacks of the Harvesters, the twisted, vampiric creatures of the night who can only be seen by the children they hunt. In order to stay unharmed, he, along with the other children, must rely on their own wits and the mystical sap gathered from the Grove Trees. Much as they try, their parents can offer little protection. For as a child matures, the Harvesters become invisible to their eyes. After a Harvester breaches the protective barrier around the house and wreaks havoc on the family within, Galen vows revenge on the monsters. His father, devastated by the attack and repulsed by the discovery that his son can Channel magic, sells Galen to the most powerful family in the town to serve as a decoy for their own prize heir. Here, Galenâs true potential is recognized, and he is sent to The Spire for formal training. It is within these walls that he learns an invaluable lesson: Danger does not always wait for darkness to emerge. Faced with the challenges of his new life, and with the time before the Harvesters fade from his sight drawing near, Galen must use every bit of his knowledge to make good on his oath of vengeance while struggling not to lose himself in the process. |
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Kill Your Darlings by L.E. Harper "INKHEART meets INCEPTION in this allegorical masterpiece." Fantasy author Kyla knows dreams don't come true. Isolated and grappling with debilitating depression, she copes by writing about the realm of Solera. Fearless heroes, feisty shapeshifters, and mighty dragons come alive on her pages. She adores her characters, but she doesn't believe in happy endings. And if she can't have one, why should they? Kyla's on the verge of giving up on everything when she wakes one morning, magically trapped in her fictional world. Now she's with her most cherished characters: the friends she's always yearned for, the family she's never known. There's even someone who might be Prince Charming (if Kyla could get her act together and manage some honest communication). She'd surrender to the halcyon fantasy, except she knows a nightmarish ending awaits. Solera is at war, and its defenders are losing against the insidious villain spawned in the depths of Kyla's mind. He feeds on the energy of dreams, seeks the destruction of all who oppose him-and Kyla's become his number one target. Kyla must trade her pen for a sword and fight to change her story's ending, but this isn't a fantasy anymore. No happily-ever-after is guaranteed. And mental illness has robbed her of everything she needs to succeed: love, fighting spirit, hope. If Kyla can't overcome the darkness inside her, she'll die with her darlings. CONTENT WARNINGS: Depictions of mental illness including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. |
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Vevin Song by Jonathan Neves Mayers Years have passed since hostile creatures flew down from the sky and forced humanity to fight or flee. Now, the surviving humans live in underwater cocoons, knowing that the world above does not belong to them anymore. Marla Hightower is just getting by with a job she loathes in a cocoon, longing for something more fulfilling after a rough start to life. But things change as she begins to develop unusual abilities not unlike the winged creatures who invaded her world. Knowing that being discovered will result in her being experimented on and placed in confinement, Marla plans to escape from the cocoon and launch up to the surface, beginning her dangerous journey to uncover not only her origins, but those of humanity's enemies. |
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For the skin of humans might hide monsters. For black feathers might hide a heart as big as the sun. Once upon a time, far beyond the round forest and glass mountain, there was a black castle. Long forgotten, but forever waiting. Waiting for its king to return. Darven, bound to a human king by a curse, heads a Black Army of fifty raven men. Kort, his lover, and his captain, is his mate and forever companion. Izolda, the human kingâs wife, fears her husband and is desperate for love. Dangers lurk as creatures, thirsty for blood, fight to end human tyranny over the land. Trapped by the curse, Darven has no choice but to spy for his king, and fight by his side when his enemies attack. But not all is what it seemsâsoon, a discovery about his past and his heritage will flip Darvenâs world upside down. And the love he and Kort share has to be deep enough to give space for another to join them, and strong enough to survive the grief which comes from new knowledge of a brutal past. A talking sword, a sentient forest, a necromancer, and an old spell book all play their parts as the drama unfolds. Maybe a new life can be born out of hate. Maybe three hearts can beat as one. |
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Out of the Grey by K.B. Sprague RAW survival. Forbidden weaponry. A quest to save mankind turns into an experiment gone wrong. â¨In the disaster-ravaged land of Theia, Lumen Hadamard walks the line. He must enforce the anti-tech treaty barring old-world devilry, lest Theia follow the same path of destruction that shattered ancient civilization. Yet, he must prepare for a pending war, one his people are not equipped to fight. Hadamard needs more than traditional weaponry at his disposal, so he ventures into the treaty's "grey areas" â dabbling in mystifying forces not known to exist when the treaty was written. But it's risky: the space-rippling striker weapons are not well understood and, if in the wrong hands, could be a recipe for disaster. Meanwhile, Hadamard's prized protĂŠgĂŠ, Vey Lancer, accepts a critical mission to Fort Abandon. Her talents of persuasion are needed to forge an alliance against a rival kingdom. But Vey has her own objectives in mind: time away from the crazed luminary with an eye towards romance involving the charming vice regent. But nothing ever goes as planned for the naĂŻve diplomat. Her people have a long history of meddling and not everyone is happy with the way things turned out. A chance encounter with a vengeful old shaman sets Vey on a twisted path of darkness â abducted, drugged and fighting for raw survival. Will Vey's mission allow Hadamard to work the kinks out of his prototypes before it's too late? Or will it spark an all-out war between neighboring territories? A war neither side can hope to win. A dark, gritty EPIC FANTASY filled with intrigue and adventure. |
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Price of Innocence by Michelle Piper In an unconventional plot, Queen Aspera enlists four criminals to conceal her role in Sostenâs fall. If they donât bend the knee and give unyielding loyalty to her cruel reign, they forfeit their lives. However, when they steal an infant child in the night and destroy his family, they quickly realize how flimsy the queenâs justice is. The infant, Sonder, is the last known descendant of the Auza-Verndari, a blessing given by The Goddess of Stars. He becomes the queenâs ward to continue his fatherâs bloody legacy. Growing up alongside him is a Lorist Princess named Rhianwyn, similarly held captive. Despite the joy they find as children, they grow to realize theyâve become ensnared in her war against their lineages. Standing between them and Asperaâs ambitions is a man named Bran, the last living Black Knight of Old, once a protector of the Auza-Verndari, and Asperaâs right hand. When he discovers a sliver of the truth, he convinces the four to defy the queen to protect the children. But when the lines between who they were and who they can become in her shadow blur, their alliance frays. They grapple with what it means to be good when theyâre the villains bearing torches rewriting the kingdomâs history and concealing how deep the treachery goes. |
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Building a bodyguard to kill your aristocratic nieceâs vengeful ex-husband should be easy for a witch. All you need is the right body and the right magic, and soon you have a mindless killer to do your bidding. Of course, it all depends on what the butler brings back from the cemetery. For Frances Stein, reanimating the dead is one thing, but convincing the corpse thereâs life after death is another. Finding out heâs neither mindless nor killer is something else entirely. Especially when heâs her last hope, because they both have a limited lifespan, and time is literally running out⌠Note: no lambs or werewolves were harmed during the making of this book. |
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The Wayfarer by Zachary M. Kekac "Burying sorrow is like burying water; it simply seeps into the soil and up into everything that grows from it." ___ The Wayfarer stands on the rim of insanity. Forgetting everything. Everyone. He doesnât know when the forgetting began, but the Shadow does. A doppelganger wreathed in darkness; a figure only he can see; it claims to know both why he is losing his mind, and the way to restore it. Wary, desperate, with what seems no other way open to him, the Wayfarer submits himself to the Shadow, its warning compelling him forward: Move on. Or wither. As the Shadow leads the Wayfarer through sentient forests, the graveyards of dragons, and realms between realms, so too does it lead the way into his forgotten past, restoring fragments of memory throughout the journey. Only the memories are distorted, nightmarish. In them he sees his friends, his familyâdead. Impossible. His friends are alive, aiding him on his journey. His family is safe, awaiting his return. Disillusioned by these perversions of past, the Wayfarer decides the only way to salvation is within himself. Aided by a psychoactive mixture, he descends into his subconscious, seeking the truth of his unravelling mind, the memory of his madness' beginning. You are not ready. Though the Wayfarer can sense the truth lurking within the abyss of his subconscious, something in the Shadowâs words waylays him. Something in the Shadowâs words holds a truth of its own, warring with the truth within himself. Frustrated, fearful, his mind fraying at its seams, the Wayfarer stands now on the rim of a choice: to trust the Shadow, to hope on a foolâs hope that its way was the way to remedy; or to forsake it, to do as he willed and seek resolution his own way, knowing with the wisdom of a man prone to folly that it may very well be the way to ruin. |
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Soulstealer Origins by Reed Logan Westgate Every evil has an origin... In the Lord's year 1303, a holy order of knights faces the brink of extinction. Their holy crusade falters as a fiendish monster from beyond the mist decimates their numbers. In desperation, the Knights Templar dispatch a unit to find an ancient relic hoping to tip the scales in the battle against the forces of darkness. Sir Marcus Le'heroux bravely leads the knights into the Hungarian wilderness, but when the weapon he finds buried in the MĂĄtra Mountains turns out to be an awakened Soulstealer, he faces much more than he bargained for. Will the Order's new weapon prove to be more monster than man? Embark on the thrilling origin story of the death eater Oxivius Soulforge from the Baku Trilogy. Before being shaped by the Witch of Endor into the master of necromantic arts, he walked the earth as Soulstealer. A Baku-verse Novel |
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The Quavering Air by Simone Snaith All that divides Span from its dark sister world, Avid, are two extraordinary clocks set an hour apart. When a mysterious shapeshifter alters their settings, Avidâs beasts start slipping through rifts in the air, wreaking havoc on the many species of Span. Despite her insecurities and fresh heartbreak, the young human Renna answers a summons by the wise founders known as the Appon, to join a motley crew of champions chosen to save Span from destruction. On a journey riddled with attacks from otherworldly creatures, the team must put aside their prejudices and dark suspicions . . . because they dare not abandon the mission. From the author of Between The Water & The Woods comes a new adventure in a strange world full of magic and wonder, danger and humor, and unexpected romance. |
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Felix Chance: Volume One by j.e. pittman Luck is his greatest skill... Born on the last day to exist, Felix Chance roves the world untold. Mystery hounds his steps as he unlocks his secret past and seeks the love he left behind. What's real? What's not? Felix knows - more than he'll ever tell. A moose walks into a bar, Bigfoot's drunk it dry. And that fox over there? It's not. Fairy traps and pumpkin scraps, plus an immortal - or two - met on a stolen day. Step careful in the world awry as Chance guides your way. ...or be lost Felix Chance: Volume One gathers the first three arcs originally published on Kindle Vella. How? Why? When? Felix never knows, just that the implausible will happen -- By Chance. Press your luck in Game of Chance as Felix gets a letter that sends him on the road to Vegas for answers. And by some Strange Chance, Felix always finds himself at the wrong place at the right time. |
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A Quiet Vengeance by Tim Hardie Nimsah is an abandoned child living on the streets of Bengarath, surviving on her wits as part of a criminal gang in the City of Tents, home to the dispossessed. Dojan is the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Fujareen, enjoying a life of luxury in Bengarath Palace. Their lives are brought together as the threat of war looms in the neighbouring city state of Kandarah. However, Dojan and Nimsah share a secret, one that will set in motion a chain of events leading to vengeance. |
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For fifteen years, queen-regent Fransica de Veard has ruled Atenia alongside the mysterious sorcerer Niklon. Her gilded citadel built on suffering, brutal knights enact her will, leaving her power unquestioned. Until Haidra sets fire to the fields outside the city. Three wraiths appear in the fiery wake, kicking off a rebellion of bloodshed and magic. Swept by the tide of battle, Haidra embarks upon a path of reckoning and redemption, one that will bring her face to face with Ateniaâs sins. âIt ends,â cries the burning face in the skies above Atenia, âIt ends!â Forces gather, the siege is set, and moment by moment the rebellion against Fransica growsâŚbut what will Haidra uncover when the fires burn out? Hope, damnation, and freedom collide in this scorching novel for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire, Shadows of Mordor, and Chronicles of Amber! |
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The Beauty of Dawn by W.D Seitz A stay-up-all-night tale of love, loss, and friendship: The Beauty of Dawn is a debut classic epic fantasy adventure full of magic, non-stop action, and an unforgettable journey toward redemption.â¨â¨Nathaniel Kade, a mistrustful thief, has never seen the sun. Centuries ago, it is said that the prophets cursed Ealidor with an eternal midnight. While the realm dreams of the sunlightâs return, Nathaniel uses his unique connection to the darkness to survive. But when he saves a knight of the Faith of Auyn from a spectral ambush, an unlikely mentorship blooms. He is thrust into a gruelling and foreign landscape, where prophets are massacred for their dark magic, and murderous wraiths bleed through the Veil into the land of the living. To save all he has come to love, Nathaniel must join the ranks of those who still believe they can bring back the sunlight. A thief burdened by prophecy.â¨A dishonoured knight.â¨A sheltered squire with a secret past.â¨A runaway prince, afraid of the dark. They hold the fate of Ealidor in their handsâand as the darkness threatens to consume them all, theyâre the realm's only hope of returning the dawn. |
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Seeds of War by JoĂŁo F. Silva "He ran like the monster he was. And the smoke followed." GIMLORE is a single mother and war veteran turned crime boss set on protecting her family and her town. ORBERESIS is a petty thief pretending to be God to protect a terrible secret. REDNOW is the world's most feared mercenary, but his best days are behind him and there's one job left to do. In a world of dangerous monsters and devastating smoke magic, the seeds of war are being planted. Allies must be treasured and enemies defeated. The Smokesmiths is a gritty epic fantasy series with a harsh world of smoke magic, alien creatures and ancient secrets where characters do their best to come out on top. Peace will not last. |