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What do you do when dreams become nightmares... ...and nightmares become reality? Ayana just wants a normal life. A life-threatening accident as a child has left her with a mysterious, unwanted power. But at last she seems to be getting close to her goal: she's earned a place at university. Things are looking up. Right? Nick isn't sure he's cut out for this paranormal existence anymore. With two successive jobs having gone sideways, he's having second thoughts, but when an old friend asks for a favour, he can't say no. Keeping an eye on a first-year student at Cambridge doesn't sound that dangerous. What could go wrong? Ayana and Nick both reckoned without sinister forces who want Ayana, and who want Nick out of the wayâpermanently. On the run, they have to find a way to work together against enemies who are far more personal than either of them suspectsâor risk bringing about the end of the world... Fans of the Dresden Files and Percy Jackson will love this series |
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The Talon's Fury by Robert H Fleming Glory Favors the Bold. Martius dreams of one day joining the legendary legions of the Belgadan Empire. He seeks to enlist as only a simple foot soldier, but the twists of war have another path for him. As he's thrown into the army's air cavalry and becomes a member of the infamous gryphon riders, the empire's fearsome enemies mass on its borders. Martius's one chance at glory is here. With the help of veteran generals and his bond with a war gryphon, can Martius find his place in the legion and claim greatness? Or will the barbarians charging towards the gates of the empire overrun and destroy all he holds dear? The Talon's Fury is the next great fantasy series from Author Robert H. Fleming. If you like epic fantasy battles featuring mythical creatures and heroic warriors, the gryphons and legionnaires of The War Gryphon Saga are for you. Pick up The Talon's Fury today! |
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Hazelhearth Hires Heroes by D. H. Willison Welcome to Hazelhearth: our picturesque city is nestled in a tranquil corner of the empire. Fitness lovers enjoy vigorous nature walks in the surrounding forest (donât forget your sword!) Foodies savor rich, robust walnut-based cuisine. Or visit the gnome quarter for a walk on the wild side! Local mines and orchards beckon with plentiful employment opportunities, while workers sleep safe knowing that stout city walls keep mythic monsters at bay. A select few may even be chosen for exciting quest opportunities. The onslaught of subterranean hordes? Oh, thatâs happening miles away. And the elves have it completely under control. Inquire today at the Hazelhearth board of tourism, employment, and heroics! How could Sam and Lee say no? Lee is bored to tears as a telegrapher. His only excitement in life is the revolutionary new board game heâs creating. And of course constant disruptions at work by Sam, whose high voltage experiments wreak havoc with nearby electric systems. These two best buddies⌠err... colleagues... err... acquaintances are ready to escape from 19th century America into a more exciting world! |
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You Can't Prevent Prophecy by D.G. Redd Three arrogant heroes all want the Eye of Aera, but little do they know that they are about to face world-shattering prophecies. Josephus believes he is the prophesised Chosen One, on a quest to save the world. Accompanying him into the dungeon is his trusty side-kick, Grilk, a kobold wizard. They seek the Eye of Aera, a magical artifact. On the other side of the dungeon, Penellina Dairgren descends into its depths. She considers herself a master halfling thief, and to prove it, she will be the first to uncover the Eye of Aera. Meanwhile, back in town, a proselytising dwarven cleric seeks solace in a good meal at the local tavern. One day, when he's converted enough people to his god's religion, he will be welcomed back into his lord's good graces. None of them know it, but they're all about to be swept up into a mess of ancient prophecies. But prophecies are malleable things that can be bent to suit the needs of those with the knowledge and power to do so. This is a light-hearted adventure in the vein of a fantasy roleplaying campaign. The characters are memorable, the stakes are high, and the adventure goes through many twists and unexpected outcomes. You can expect to laugh often and be entertained throughout. |
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The Acktus Trials by D. T. Kane "Reading Books can get you killed." In the land of Oration, magic is cast by reading aloud words of power from Spoken Books. Only a select few, the Speakers, are born with the ability to do so. But after a disaster nearly destroyed Oration, society grew to fear the Speakers' power and they were hunted and enslaved, never taught to read. Now they live in oppression, unable to use their magic unless a spell is first read aloud to them. Each year, young men and women from Oration's ruling Libraries compete in the Acktus Trials, a journey that takes them through the wilds of Oration to the ruined city of Tome. Once Oration's capital, it is now abandoned, though the Great Library at its center still holds a wealth of Spoken Books. As Speakers are no longer taught to read, they also cannot write, so new Spoken Books have not been created in hundreds of years. The discovery of a new Book is a coveted prize for any young noble. Baztian is a slave to one of Oration's poorer Libraries. When he is selected to accompany his master on the Actkus Trials, he thinks his life is over. The wilds are treacherous, his master incompetent, and their fellow competitors set on winning, whatever the means. But Baz also has a secretâone that could get him killed, but one that also makes him the most valuable of assets during the Trials. Baz can read, and after he saves his master from certain death, he strikes a dealâhis secret kept safe in exchange for aiding his master in completing the Trials. But can Baz really help a young man who thinks of him as property? And even if he can, there is much he doesn't know, like the evil that lies in wait beneath the ruins of Tome. |
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Waking Ursa Minor by Helen Rygh-Pedersen Waking Ursa Minor is the first book in the debut epic fantasy series, Riverda Rising by Helen Rygh-Pedersen. Spanning different countries and cultures readers are taken on a journey of love and loss, the search for identity and a thrilling fight for survival. As Gesland swelters in extreme heat, Serakela watches the nomadic Clans make their way across the plains on their annual pilgrimage and resigns herself to the monotonous life of servitude at the institution which raised her. But Serakela is not the orphan she always believed herself to be. On the night a crazed assassin tries to kill her, her heritage is revealed catapulting her into an island-hopping fight for survival, and the search for the fabled Stone of Riverda. The sundered islands of Riverda are dying. The earth magics that protected and sustained them before the Rivening are unbalanced; dwindling in some areas whilst stifling others. As time runs out and tensions rise, countries teeter on the brink of war, starvation and extinction. A way to save them has just arisen from the realm of rumour but Brother Okrafkus of the Separamus cannot allow this to happen. Not only will Serakelaâs quest lead her to her long-lost family, rumour has it that she who wields the Stone will restore the islands of Riverda to their former glory. Rumour also has it that in doing so, she will unleash the evil that split them. |
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Flowers and Bones by Mae Jordon Shattered dreams lay around Rosalind MacBethâs life. A Chosen of deities, trained to hunt monsters in Japan, she is forced to flee the only life sheâs ever known after her familyâs mysterious death. Tick Tock, a hunter of the supernatural, is also a Chosen. After his husband is slain, the Hunterâs Association sends him away on a mission to find a young person with flowers and bones in their hair: Rosalind. A dangerous road lies ahead for them both. Corruption and civil war brew inside the Hunterâs Association. Supernatural beasts of all kinds close in for the kill. Will they survive? |
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Jordan Amador. 21. New Yorker. Waitress. Mild alcoholic. Murderer. Two years ago, Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can see, hear, and talk to ghosts with unfinished business. Her crime came with a hefty price, too. She has two years to help a hundred souls cross over to the afterlife or her soul is bound for hell. Tough break. As if that werenât bad enough, two days before her deadline a handsome pain-in-the-ass poltergeist named Michael strolls into her life. His soul is the key to her salvation, but the cost just might be more than she can handle. Solving his death puts her right in the crosshairs of Belial: a vain, bloodthirsty archdemon who wonât rest until sheâs his slave. Can she rescue Michael and save her own soul, or will they both be dragged down into the clutches of the eternal black parade? |
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Where the Valley Meets the Sky by Ben Merrick When the peaceful Achare people find themselves in the path of the warring clans, the pressure of survival falls heavily upon them. Rennik, a spurned Achare hunter, must navigate a life-threatening journey into the wilds to assess the reality of the threat. Upon his return, Rennik is thrust into both the heated politics of his home and the divination magics of his mentor. He tasks himself with convincing the Achare clan to leave their promised land and return to their traditional nomadic lifestyle. A dangerous opposition forms in the shape of Ciqala, a belligerent man who will do everything in his power to keep them where they are, ready to raise spears against the coming threat - a prideful decision that will surely turn their home into a grave. To save his family, his people, and himself, Rennik must change from a disgraced outsider to a leader of his people, from a quiet hunter to a man of action. After all - he won't always have a herd of bison to do his killing. |
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A King's Radiance by L. R. Schulz Three siblings⌠a rebel, a prince, a prisoner The sunâs light shines bright over the land of Zapour, and only a select few can harness its power. But all power comes with a cost, and the world is not kind to those who refuse to pay it. Raiz Glaive, a strong shine wielder, was born into royalty, though even royals have to answer to someone. When the King-Radiant sends one of his precious underlings to the Kingdom of Trost, Raiz quickly learns who holds the true power in the realm. After his sister is taken prisoner simply for having the violet eyes of a mystic, Raiz swears vengeance. But when an unwilling father stands in his way, Raiz promises to take revenge into his own hands. Dazen Glaive remains heir to the throne of Trost, and a sworn defender of the King-Radiant, but he has not forgotten what happened to his sister, and will not forgive their cruelty. Forced to be the centrepiece of her âmasterâsâ twisted human art gallery, Isha remains a prisoner. Though she has not lost hope. Finding friends among fellow captives, she begins to formulate a plan for escape. Though what she discovers has a much more sinister bearing on the fate of all of Zapour. |
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The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise MOST PRINCESSES NEED SAVING. THIS ONE WILL SAVE YOU. She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees's freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla's mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price. The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla's life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel. Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla's world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it's too late. They all seek to control her anyway. Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her. |
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Odriel's Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon's Rage.... As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancerâs undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her familyâs farm. But when the necromancerâs undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle. With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see. And time is running out. |
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The nightmares are back. Years after the deaths of his parents, the dreams that haunted Jax have returned. Heâs about to discover why, by being burned alive, just like they were. When the flames subside, the man left standing isnât the same one who burned. The Numen allows him to see the Whispers. Jax is a Myth, a descendant of a lost bloodline, born to fight the darkness hunting humanity. Guided by others like him, he reaches Mythaven, a magical sanctuary cut into the Colorado mountains. His new friends need his help, but Jax must conquer the demons of his past before he can save the future. Fantasy and reality are two sides of the same page. The lore is real, witches, werewolves, nymphs, and even dragons exist amongst us. Hidden throughout time, theyâve been fighting, dying, for humanity. When myth becomes truth, can Jax make it through his own story? |
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Forest of Forgotten Vows by Grace Carlisle There are monsters in the woods. When I come back to my childhood home for the first time in seven years, a tiny man living under the porch stairs greets me like an old friend, and it only gets stranger from there. A hunter who stalks the woods, a monster in the river, and a man draped in shadows who offers me a bargain I canât refuse. They remember me, but my past is in tatters, forcing me to follow the trail my childhood self left me years agoâthe first time I entered the world known as Faerie. Each answer I find pulls me deeper into the web of political machinations of an otherworldly court. But nothing answers the biggest question: âwhy me?â And how can I possibly survive when I canât even trust my own mind? |
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Dying Wishes by Anitha Krishnan Finalist for 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Speculative Fiction category When I was seven, my mother died. I struck a bargain with the Gods to bring her back to life. For thirteen years now, I have served as a Harbinger of Death, coaxing dying wishes out of mortals so that the God of Death may grant them moksha, liberation from the cycles of birth and death. The man about to die this evening claims he has nothing to offer me. He is dying a content man, a rarity in our world. But when the God of Death arrives to lead his soul away, the man changes his mind about dying and flees, planting on me an enigma. I only know I cannot trust any God with this secret. And that I'll pay an unbearable price for this concealment. Yet again, I underestimate how savagely the Gods can wound me. Even though one of them is supposedly my father who still doesn't know I exist. Set in Burlington, Ontario, this contemporary fantasy novel weaves Hindu mythology and South Indian folklore into a quest for belonging across different worlds â the World of Mortals and the World of Gods, India and Canada, the past and the present, the world outside and the one within. It is an offering to lovers of whimsical worlds and heartbreaking prose, and to anyone yearning to simply belong. |
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Bones to the Wind by Tatiana Obey Rasia is determined to destroy her old manâs record in the Forging, a trial each child must succeed to come of age. All Rasia needs to do is hunt down a gonda, hitch its tentacle ass to her windship, and haul it back home in record time. Easy. Or it would be if Rasia wasnât stuck on the same team as Nicoâa know-it-all, spoiled, grubworm who never does anything Rasia tells her to do. Nico doesnât care about Rasiaâs egotistical dreams of glory. This is her brotherâs last chance to pass the Forging or her father is going to banish him from the family. She needs to scour the desert to find whatever team the bones placed him on and help him kill a gonda before it kills him. Too bad Nico and Rasia canât get along to steer a windship straight. BONES TO THE WIND is a coming-of-age sword and sorcery fantasy adventure. Action-packed and humorous, the novel includes strong female characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, and mature themes. |
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Awakening the Gods by Kristin Gleeson From a USA Today bestselling author comes a tale of magic, myth and Irish music. A failed barista, a reclusive blacksmith. Can they avoid the call of the Irish Gods? Saoirse knows playing traditional music once a week in a local Dublin pub wonât get her a career, but itâs all sheâs got, especially after sheâs fired from her barista job. But then her father dies and her life is set into a spin, especially when an unknown grandmother comes calling.. Music is Smithy's one joy that is left to him that has a residue of the magic he lost long ago. Creating things in his forge, tucked away in rural Cork, increasingly reminds him of what he's lost and why he must resist the requests of the Tuatha De Danann. They want him to join their efforts to battle their biggest nemesis,a powerful god who is threatening the destruction of Eire, the land they hold so dear. But events and gods conspire to bring Saoirse and Smithy to the path that was meant to be. It's time for the gods to awake and answer the call to defend the land. But answering that call could mean risking death. A music-filled romantic urban fantasy with a Celtic twist that will delight fans of Charles de Lint. |
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Missy the Werecat by P. G. Allison Missy the Werecat: Book I When puberty brings on her first Shift, Missy goes into the mountains for two years until finally learning to Change back. She can Change from fully human in one instant to a mountain lion in the next. Everyone assumes her two year disappearance was because sheâd been kidnapped by a sexual predator that she managed to kill. She keeps her werecat nature a secret. There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha. Sheâs a girl with fantastic abilities growing up and learning to do great things in todayâs world, amongst humans. She only has her instincts to guide her and those drive her to train herself to extremes. She must control those instincts; dampening the wild predator is often necessary. Her raging hormones and enhanced senses require very strong controls; she explores what happens when those controls are relaxed. |
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The Demon You Know by Mel Harlan One horrible decision. Two enemies. No good options. Meet Jacqueline "Jack" Anderson, a fiercely independent P.I. whoâs made more mistakes than she can count. Her most recent? Making a deal with her enemy Roman to save the only family she cares about. Romanâs got a few secrets of his own and an empire heâs trying to protect. Heâll use his bargain with Jack - for control over her body, mind, and will - to make her his Hand and solidify his claim on Houston. In searching for answers, Jack isnât sure if she should trust the demon she knows or try to escape the grave she dug herself. A rival challenges Roman's domain, but only one can rule Houston. As Jack searches for answers, she must decide where she belongs to protect her city. |
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The Fantastically Underwhelming Epic by Kian N. Ardalan George is a legendary hero...wait, no. George is an incredibly powerful sorcerer...also no? Okay, fine. George is an unremarkable human bard who made a promise a long time ago. A promise that set him on a path to find the remains of Simantiar, the greatest wizard who ever lived. Though all that was left were bones, Simantiar was still very much alive and quite...underwhelming. This is their story: The Fantastically Underwhelming Epic of a dead wizard and an average bard. |
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We all have bad days. Ever have one so bad that it changes your entire life? A day so bad that talking cats, magical inquisitors, and werewolves now seem normal? For Thomas Khatt that day was today. From one moment jobless to the next being awakened into a brand new form. Now he has a murder to help solve, a girlfriend to help with family problems and a boss that is just a bit more than your normal hothead. What would you do in his paws? |
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The Devil Wears Tartan by Katia Rose Some couples are a match made in heaven. Moira and Kenzie are convinced the only place theyâre a match is in hell. Raised as the shining prodigies of warring highland dance schools, the two grew up with blaring bagpipes as the backing track for a feud that took them all the way to the world championships. Moira could never keep Kenzieâs icy glares from getting under her skin, and Kenzie could never hold back an eye-roll as she watched the crowds fawn over her rivalâs happy-go-lucky charm. Starting college has forced both women to hang up their kilts, but when their local highland dance association announces a scholarship for a life-changing amount of money, they find themselves back onstage for one last season. The stakes are higher than ever, but between shooting daggers at each otherâs backs and insults at each otherâs faces, their eyes start lingering, their hearts start pounding, and the sparks begin to build into a fire neither of them can control. Hell could freeze before either woman would admit their attraction, but that wonât stop them from using it to play dirtyâand getting caught in the crossfire of their feelings along the way. After all, sometimes the devil wears tartan. The Devil Wears Tartan is a New Adult, F/F dramedy from Katia Rose featuring more bagpipes than anyone asked for and two fiercely competitive heroines caught in a sizzling shift from enemies to lovers |
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Elements of Chemistry Attraction by Penny Reid He is everything she doesnât want, so why does she want him so badly? From the New York Times Bestselling Author Penny Reid One week. Private beach. Invisible girl. Jerk-faced bully. Whatâs the worst that could happen? Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she canât escape the notice of Martin Sandekeâbad boy, jerkface bully, and the universeâs hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelorâwho also happens to be Kaitlynâs chemistry lab partner. Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isnât interested in exploiting his stunning rowerâs build, chiseled features, and family's billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water. When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good? Where to read more of the Hypothesis Series Book 1 ATTRACTION (ends in a cliffhanger!) Book 2 HEAT (ends in a cliffhanger!) Book 3 CAPTURE (no cliffhanger) Book 4 MOTION (ends in a cliffhanger!) Book 5 SPACE (ends in a cliffhanger!) Book 6 TIME (no cliffhanger) |
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A Shimmering World: Book One of The Shimmering Saga by AC Lowry Decades ago, the elvish Maqqelli people were nearly wiped from the face of the planet. Those that were left were brutally oppressed -- their culture, their land, their very lives, all ground into dust beneath the boot of the monarchy. Now, one of those very oppressors, Prince Herlen, is trying to make things right. Alongside Em, his newly-promoted Maqqelli guardian, and his soon-to-be-retired bodyguard Bourabon Van Verot, he sets out on a dangerous, and mysterious quest -- finally putting to motion a decades-long plan to reverse the harm he's done. |
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The Coffee Shop Girl by Maya Asher Hartford City was where dreams were made realities. Or where you meet the love of your life whoâll eventually rip your heart to shreds. Coffee shop part-owner, Bailey Johnson, and CEO, James Worthington, knew all too well about heartbreaks and cheating conniving exes. But, âcaffeine conquers allâ, or whatever the quote said. *The Coffee Shop Girl is a semi-clean romantic comedy perfect for readers who enjoy short laugh-out-loud love stories with a guaranteed HEA! |
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Yokai Calling: The Complete Series Omnibus by Erynn Lehtonen A haunted empire. A wicked sorcerer on the rise. Three teenagers stand between a generation of peace and the creatures of myth seeking retribution for a dark past⌠In the shadow of the fallen Warlock Empire, twins Hidekazu and Masanori thrive on tales of their ancestorsâ wyvern-slaying, of the wars preceding Seiryuuâs first era of peace in over a thousand years. But as the Dragon Goddessâ influence wanes, her greatest enemies return. The sorcerer who kidnaps women for a sinister purpose is only the first of many to arrive. The warrior arts previously forbidden to Hidekazu and Masanori wonât be enough to stop the wyverns, dragons, and mythical spirits rising in search of retribution. Nor will working with the future empress, their adopted sister, who steers Seiryuu's future from within the palaceâand from the head of the battlefield. Their enemies seek justice not only for the crimes of the Goddess and the Warlock Empire, but also for the sins of Hidekazu and Masanoriâs very own clan. Secrets run in their blood. Facing the tide of war means overcoming the Warlock Empireâs grim history⌠and the darkness within themselves. Jump into the world of Yumihari, a land filled with spirits, dragons, monsters, and stunning characters wielding elemental magic to save their homeland. If you love epic fight scenes, mystery and political intrigue, mythology, monsters, and mayhem, all with a touch of progression fantasy, you will love the 1500+ pages of adventure in the Yokai Calling series. |
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Veles by P. J. Marie I was the land. I was the air. I was the sea. I was all of it â everywhere â and as I inhaled then let the tormented sorrow screech from my lungs, the world buckled and broke beneath my feet. I was burning alive⌠And the world would burn with me. A century after the Great Destruction that devastated civilization, Mizuki Altherr lives within a small village struggling to survive beneath the shadow of a great mountain. The Elders teach that it is home to Veles, god of the earth, who keeps them safe â but demands penance for humanityâs past indiscretions. Itâs a Gifting year⌠The previous sacrifice tore Mizukiâs family apart and forever changed her world. Now she must face the terrible tradition again as her closest friend, Aiden, and his family are chosen to provide the next offering. In a desperate bid to end the cycle of violence and defy the Eldersâ iron rule, Mizuki and Aiden set forth on a daring journey into the Wild â where together they discover a secret that shatters their understanding of the village and reveals the truth behind the horrors that left the world in ruin. |
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the Earthen Pioneer: Part 1 by N.R.B. Marcum What would you do, if Earth fell to invasion? For Omid, the question never seemed to come up. He was always too busy fighting, thieving, and causing mayhem to think on it; until the aliens that had taken Earth looked to take him too. Cast adrift and on the run, Omid finds himself swept far from the planet. There, in the world of aliens, he meets with an unexpected hope, and is soon the center of a mounting plan to free Earth of its captors, once and for all. But the world of the aliens, the world of Mooi, is not so simple as it seems, and while he enters into it with the intent of helping Earth, he soon finds that few things he sees and learns are as they appear. To get back to Earth, and to find a way to help his people, he will have to navigate a world intent on sucking him into its depths and entombing him there. |
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A chance encounter. Fated paths. Unlikely allies. When I was young, I met a boy at the waterfall on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Our pack was prohibited from venturing there. But being the alpha's only child and a bit of a social misfit, it became my second home. Tiam and I became best friends, experiencing each other's firsts and building an unbreakable bond. Until fate caught up with us, and I had no choice but to reject him, to protect him from myself and my pack. It was the wrong choice, leaving me more shunned and outcasted than before. Years later, ostracized and sick of dealing with the alpha holes in Sibyl Falls, I plan my escape, and that all goes to shit when my biggest secret is uncovered. To make matters worse, young girls in our pack start disappearing, and no one takes it seriously until one of those girls turns out to be someone I care deeply about. On the run and trying to Nancy Drew this shit, I find myself working with the most unlikely ally, Damen Elder, the once heir to the largest shifter pack in the realms. He is deadly, sexy, and wounded. Yet, we are like colliding stars, unable to resist the pull and heat of our attraction. As the danger thickens and secrets begin to unravel, I discover his fate and mine are more interlinked than I could have ever imagined. |
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Dio in the Dark by Rizwan Asad "Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover." The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains. When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him. And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late! |
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They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick Semi finalist in Mark Lawrenceâs SPFBO (2017) Are you scared of the dark? The villagers of the forest seal themselves in their cellars at night, whispering folktales to each other about the monsters that prey on them in the dark. Only the Magpie King, their shadowy, unseen protector, can keep them safe. However, when an outcast called Lonan begins to dream of the Magpie Kingâs defeat at the hands of inhuman invaders, this young man must do what he can to protect his village. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to convince them to trust him again. They Mostly Come Out At Night is the first novel from Benedict Patrickâs Yarnsworld series. Straddling the line between fantasy and folklore, this book is perfect for fans of the darker Brothers Grimm stories. |
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The Oracle Stone by Talli L. Morgan SOME LEGENDS NEVER DIE. Jekku Ajâere can see everything from the start of time to the end, and itâs an agonizing curse. His only chance to bargain for freedom is to find the Oracle Stone, a magic artifact that was split into four pieces and hidden centuries ago. Lilya Noor wants to forget her past and be immortal, so she agrees to a blood oath that will grant her eternal life if she delivers the Oracle Stone to her Master of Magic. Failure is not an option, but what if the stone offers a better deal than simple immortality? Vaeltaja Ievisin has one chance for redemption: the Second Savior. Presenting the Savior and the lost Oracle Stone to his gods will end his banishment, but the Savior isnât at all what Taja expected, and neither is the stone. And how much is forgiveness worth, anyway, when the gods are never satisfied? There are higher powers at play, and Jekku, Lilya, and Taja must pull themselves together or risk losing their magic and their lives to the vengeful spirits trapped in the stone. But itâs hard to prevent a magical catastrophe when you canât trust anyone, including yourself, and certainly not the gods. |
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Twin Time by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby Alex and Sasha are twin sisters, physically identical down to their freckles. But the resemblance is only skin deepâSasha is profoundly autistic, while Alex is not. Sasha canât communicate and acts bizarrely, and the family revolves around her and her intense needs. Yet the aged, wealthy, and mysterious Aunt Nana seems to have a particular interest in both girls. Offering a helping hand, she encourages the family to move to San Francisco to be near her. And when the young twins discover a tunnel in Nanaâs tool shed, it leads them on a journey across the world and back 100 years in time. The tunnel is a pathway to the Firebird Estate, the home of their ancestors, located in rural Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century. Even more remarkable, through the effect that twisting time has on cognition, Sasha is not autistic when sheâs at the Firebird Estate. Now, growing up in two strikingly different times and places, the twins must face their separate destinies among the ravages of the incipient Russian Revolution. Can they save their families on both sides of the tunnel? Can they simultaneously stay true to their own hearts, to each other, and to the people they left behind? Each sister must face her own personal challengeâbut only together can they discover their own future within their familyâs past. |
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Lizard Girl & Ghost by Olga Werby A child lies dying. To save her, to preserve some of her identity, memories need to be retrieved from her avatarâLizard Girl. Judeâs dad is using a cyber reality game to recover some of his sick girlâs memories in an attempt to restore brain function. The avatarâs personality patterns help patch the holes in Judeâs brain ravaged by the disease. But what becomes of a virtual mind left to roam in cyberspace after its host falls sick? The Far Cinct is a cyber city forbidden to school kids and average citizens. The Far Cinct is where rogue entities go to hide and to innovate and to die. Itâs where illegal cyber enhancements and compulsions are sold to those who have the money and the connections to find them. But thatâs cyberspace for youânothing is ever what it appears to be on the surface. As Judeâs consciousness starts to slip, her cyber awareness gains independence. What is a girlâs avatar without her human? Can consciousness and identity be tied up in a digital world without the wet works of a human body? Jump into the world of weird and surreal, and as you journey to look for memories of a sick girl, you might accidentally discover a virtual soul of her avatar. Cyberpunk meets Sleeping Beauty meets cats⌠werecats |
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Coding Peter by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby Knowing that the world is a simulation doesnât diminish the will to live. Even when the body is made from ones and zeros, the soul doesnât feel any less real. In Coding Peter, the sequel to Suddenly, Paris, we learn more about the aliens who have altered the lives of the Vorov family. The URTs are a small band of scientistsâthe only survivors of a world simulation that no longer existsâwho seek only to settle down quietly and unobtrusively in a new home. But contact with humans has led to accidents, misunderstandings, and deaths. A hundred years later, only a few of the alien refugees survive. Now Julie Orlovâs brother, ten-year-old Peter, is asked to take on the soul of a dying alienâfor the good of his family, his alien ancestors, and the Earth itself. In doing so he will become moreâbut also, maybe lessâthan himself. Itâs a lot to ask of a young boy, especially when the exact consequences to Peter are unknown, even by the aliens themselves. What Peter decides will change the fate of two civilizationsâand maybe more⌠|
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Suddenly, Paris by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby Julie Vorov thought her job was to do well in high school and stay out of trouble. She also thought her biggest problem was betraying her best friend by hooking-up with a traitorous boyfriend. But in a world where being human is just a matter of programming, everything changes. Suddenly, Julie finds herself allied with a scrappy group of alien scientists whose own world has already been destroyed. Together, they mount a clandestine effort to stop the Earth from also being eradicated. And Julie discovers that sheâs the pivotal instabilityâthe tipping pointâin the plans of another group of aliens bent on invasion. As Julie battles to save everything she cares about, she uncovers secrets about her own origins that shatter the core of her beliefs. And she falls so deeply in love that the most extreme obstacles posed by loyalty, age, gender, species, and parents will have to be overcome. Your heart always recognizes the one you love. |
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Becoming Animals by Olga Werby Humans have always wanted to know what goes on inside the minds of other animals. But what if humans could become animals? Tobyâs father leads a team of neuroscientists directly connecting the brains of humans with those of animals. And Toby is a prodigy at throwing her mind into the animal subjects in his labâsheâs the best there is. But Toby suffers from cystic fibrosis and sheâs not likely to live into adulthood. Could a radical plan to embed her consciousness into an animal allow Toby to survive? And what does it mean to live without a human body? Can Toby and her father solve the problem of fully merging two beings before she takes her last breath? Will the government succeed in stopping their efforts before they are done? Itâs a race against death and into the minds of animals. |
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A Fire That Whispers (Voice that Thunders #3) by Cully Mack War has begun, and the destined Voice of Thunder foretold to save the world is nowhere in sight. Mirah is an elemental wielder whose extraordinary magic has proved too powerful for the Immortal Watchers to ignore. Captured, they demand she destroys their portals. If she yields, it will trap her friends in the immortal realm forever. As shocking discoveries unfold, it forces Mirah further under her enemiesâ control. Flames once thought dead arise and test the bonds of love and sacrifice. But not everyone once trusted is pure; not everyone once despised is vile⌠and Mirah must unravel the lies. One truth she knows: The Shadow Beast lurks beyond the portals. The Immortals dread its arrival, but is the Beast more of a danger to them or to herself? A Fire That Whispers is the third novel in the Voice that Thunders epic fantasy series wherein hope hides in the darkest of places and honour-bound promises seal your fate. |
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Fear and Fury by Jamie Jackson Meet Megaera, Meg for short. Sheâs like Deadpool, except for funner. For a girl with the power of fear the recruitment attempts from both sides are never-ending. A self-described not-a-hero, villain-leaning humanoid, Meg just wants to live her life, work her dead-end job and have everyone else (especially the heroes) leave her alone. But when a bigger fish who can turn superpowers back on their users enters the picture and threatens the person Meg loves the most (herself), she must turn to the last group of people she would admit she needs help from. Forced to team up with the heroes she despises (but wonât murder, because letâs face it, orange is not the new black), Meg will have to face the choices from her past that she wonât get therapy for. Self-centered, snarky, sarcastic and a little bit dramatic, sheâs going to have to save the world, even if that wasnât her intention. And try not to get shot in the process. Because that shit hurts. |
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The Trials of the Core by Michael E. Thies Destiny calls to them all. Only one can seize it⌠Prince Hydro Paen longs to escape his disdainful mother. So when the Guardian of the Core announces a contest to become his apprentice, the young man leaps at the invitation to participate. Determined to prove himself and uphold the family legacy, he swears not to fail. Orphaned at a young age, Eirek Mourse doesnât believe heâll amount to much, so when an invitation to participate in the Trials arrives, he doesn't know what to do. Under the encouragement and advice of his uncle, he enters. But without any skills in combat, he has no idea how he will survive. Zain Berrese is a haunted man. Convinced heâs responsible for the death of his girlfriend, he longs to make amends by becoming the next Guardian. Hoping to outdo his adopted brother, who is also accepted, he makes a decision that accidentally kills his sibling just before the Trials begin, crushing his spirit. With trials increasingly complex and dangerous, each contestant must face his or her own fears as well as their crafty opponents. And with lives on the line, one of them will make an extraordinary choice⌠Will one of these would-be heroes find the inner strength and wisdom to emerge a champion before they all perish? The Trials of the Core is the first book in the gripping Guardian of the Core adventure fantasy series. If you like ensemble casts, imaginative worlds, and unpredictable twists, then youâll love Michael E. Thiesâs thrilling tale. |
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The Mist Keeper's Apprentice by E.S. Barrison Storytelling was outlawed. Magic had all but vanished. That all changed when the woman in black came to town. Branded with the black stamp at a young age, Brent thought he would end up a vagrant like his father. His craft was telling stories, but the Order had long forbidden any weaving of tales. When Brent sees the woman in black, she leads him into a menagerie of tunnels beneath the earth where his life falls into the nauseating, but beautiful, mist of the dead. He finds friendship in Rho, a young woman who hides her face with a tree branch while roots and vines bow to her every whim. Together, they embark on a journey to explore the world, escape the watchful eyes of the Order, and discover the woman in black's secrets. For thousands of years, the mist and the tunnels were under the sole guardianship of the Council of Mist Keepers. But as new monsters enter the mist, and magic is forced out of the shadows, the Council searches for young blood to join their ranks and Brent's next in line. Content Warning: This book approaches issues of sexism, prejudice, and mental illness, and includes mentions of death, violence/sexual assault, adult language, alcohol use, and psychological abuse/trauma. |
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The ALL - GOD OF NOTHING by Shane Scott What if God and the Devil had a daughter? Who would she be? Rated MA and 18+ due to sexual situations, including LGBTQ+, vulgar language, some violence, smoking, drugs, and also mentions rape. The ALL series chronicles four generations of the most powerful Immortal family in Godâs creation. The Promethean saga spans uncountable years and dozens of worlds. Mortals, Gods, Devils, Dragons, Titans, Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, and Angels clash in a never-ending battle of love and hate. The first book in the ALL, God of Nothing, starts the epic adventure. Murdered at seventeen by the Titan, Silver, God of Death, Aja Ashe wakes with her Dragon. Thrust into a bizarre world where her enemies are friends, and friends are enemies, she learns the truth about her parents and herself. Her mother is God, and her father is the Devil. She was the first thing born, not created. Enraged that Aja survived, Silver, God of Death, forces her to make choices to protect those she loves. Will Aja save the ALL or destroy it? If she survives, will she hate herself for what sheâs done? |
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SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist SPFBO Winner âAll magic is beautiful...and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath.â She is heir to a Sultanate that once ruled the world. He is an unwanted prince with the power to destroy. She is order and intellect, a woman fit to rule in a man's place. He is chaos and violence and will stop at nothing to protect his people. His magic answers hers with shadow for light. They need each other, but the cost of balance may be too high a price. Magic is dying and the only way to save it is to enlist mages who wield the forbidden power of death, mages cast out centuries ago in a brutal and bloody war. Now, a new war is coming. Science and machines to replace magic and old religion. They must find a way to save their people from annihilation and balance the sacred Wheelâbut first, they will have to balance their own forbidden passion. His peace for her tempest, his restlessness for her calm⌠Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning. |
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Spirit of Shadow by D. A. Holley Lance is a servant in the Palace at Shadovane. All his life, he has been lead to believe his role in the palace is voluntary, that his parents left him there hoping he would have a better life than they could provide. When he discovers he has been lied to, that the nature of his life is not what he has long assumed, he seeks upheaval, revenge, and escape, but he can't get what he wants alone. He enlists the help of his closest friends, and together, they take on the all powerful Shadow Queen, incarnate of a goddess called the Mother of Night, and mount a revolution she will not soon forget. |
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Kariea has turned healing into an art. Despite attending the best academy in Arix, sheâs only allowed to study what her family approves. They want a lady; she wants more. The dragon magic of old has granted everyone power. Kareia doesnât intend to squander it. Though sheâs forced to learn other arts in secret, an unexpected friend offers to teach her more. Even better, he isnât afraid to break a few rules. All the better for Kariea. With an arranged marriage in her future, sheâs running out of time. Luckily, the law of the land is on her side: she can duel her betrothed and win her freedom⌠provided she can sneak in a little training first. Can Kariea hone the skills she needs to win? Or will she be forced to accept an unwanted marriage? *This book contains some material that might be triggering for certain audiences. Themes of gaslighting, abuse, and sexual assault are seen in this book. |
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A Change of Blood by G. P. Gabriel A man hearing the voice of his dead wife. A boy struggling to understand emotions he cannot feel. A journey into a land of bloodthirsty creatures was never a simple matter to begin with. Their mission: deliver an arcane explosive into the heart of the corruption. Kynnar is a Guild Drengir mercenary roaming the Corrupted Lands, a place of maddening sickness that took the life of his beloved. When his guild leader contacts him after years of silence, it's to send him on a mission with an assembled crew. Sounds like just another job. At least until he finds out he'll work alongside mages with powers responsible for the infection in the first place. Eight, a human experiment of torture, fails to assassinate his target. If he wants to stay aliveâwhich he decides would be a preferrable outcomeâhe has to accept an offer from the very man he tried to kill. The offer gets him into the Guild of the Arcane, but nowhere did it mention he'd be an apprentice to a battlemage about to embark on a certain mission. Sort of makes the whole 'not dying' part redundant. A Change of Blood is a high fantasy novel set in a world of water and deadly storms. Elements of madness include, but are not limited to; hallucinations, weapons hidden inside human flesh, a thief with his crossbow for a lover, and an unhealthy amount of feeling sorry for oneself. |
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Winds of Strife by U. G. Gutman âThey burned me and mine. I'm not done until I burn them and theirs in return.â Witch-hunts have plagued the kingdom of Olyanath for decades. Thousands were slain due to the kingâs paranoia of women who practice Senspiritic magic. No more. Nye and his companions have seen enough of murder and misogyny. Fifteen years have passed since he joined the witch-hunters, and now, at long last, an opportunity to destroy them from the inside reveals itself. An opportunity to overthrow the king and end his reign of cruelty. But fifteen years of pretense have taken a toll. The strive for vengeance has steered Nye toward a path of violence and villainy. His hands are stained by the blood of countless innocents, his heart is scorched by grief, and his sanity hangs by a thread. Even if he can kill the king and see this revolution through, it may not suffice to purge the voices from his head. |
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Kings and Daemons by Marcus Lee âWhat the gods give with one hand, they take away with the other, for if you are gifted, you shall also be cursed.â ----- In the Ember Kingdom, a dying land riven by famine and disease, Daleth the evil Witch-King plots his conquest of the neighbouring Freestates. Gifted with eternal youth, his vampiric power is responsible for the decay that afflicts his realm, and now other kingdoms must fall to quench his never-ending thirst for life. However, on the cusp of the invasion, Maya, a peasant huntress, is arrested, Dalethâs soldiers kill an old farmerâs wife, and a young outcast is reluctantly enlisted into the Witch-Kingâs army. Three seemingly innocuous events that nonetheless have the potential to alter the destiny of generations to come. For Maya is gifted with the ability to heal and can influence the hearts and minds of men if she but finds the strength to do so. The young recruit carries a gift of reading thoughts and has no love for the king he serves. As for the vengeful farmer ⌠heâs an ancient warrior gifted in reaping souls who now seeks to fulfil a long-forgotten oath against unbeatable odds. The world will soon be soaked by the blood of war, but with these three individualsâ lives inescapably entwined, the faint light of hope begins to shine. Alliances will have to be forged, enemies convinced to become friends, and a flicker of love given a chance to become a flame for there to be a chance to fight the encroaching darkness of the Witch-King's evil. ----- The Gifted and the Cursed. A dark fantasy trilogy set in a dystopian land, with heroes that are at times more demonic than the evil they face. The bloody battles, quests for revenge and fights for survival are artfully balanced with a light romance, tales of redemption, and the breath-taking beauty of Mayaâs gift. |
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Flesh Eater by Travis M. Riddle Branded as a Flesh Eater, Coal is on the run from Palace Stingers: soldiers tasked with tracking down those who have consumed flesh and locking them away in specialized prisons. After a year of avoiding capture and struggling to scrape by working odd jobs for a local crime lord, Coal is growing desperate. He learns of someone in the city's underbelly who can erase his record, but her services don't come cheap. Seeing no other option, he enters a spiderback race with a grand prize valuable enough to pay for his fresh start. But he's not the only one after the prize, and Coal is about to find out exactly how far he's willing to go to win. |