stories in

Djinn Tamer: Starter

Djinn Tamer: Starter by A.J. Cerna & Derek Alan Siddoway

SPFBO7

Tame. Train. Battle. Fans of PokĂ©mon, Digimon, and Monster Rancher love this monster-battling series! Jackson Hunt dreams of becoming a professional monster tamer — to raise magical creatures called Djinn and battle them in the big leagues. Unfortunately for Jackson, dreams and reality don’t always coincide. Facing bank foreclosure, Jackson is desperate to save his family's home. Discovering a young, untrained Djinn is just the chance he's been waiting for. But can Jackson and his Djinn level up fast enough? Taming isn’t as easy as the pros make it look. As time runs out, Jackson delves into the shady world of underground fighting, experiences the agony of defeat and learns what it takes to be a true monster tamer.


Lethal Red Riding Hood

Lethal Red Riding Hood by Leonard & Ann Marie Wilson

SPFBO7

Bloody Scarlet, the skull collector of the Crimson Forest, is just a cautionary tale to keep children from wandering in and getting lost — isn’t she? Well something’s out there. In a world dominated by a cruel Inquisition that sees demons and witches everywhere it turns, Keely just wants to make a dishonest living convincing the obscenely wealthy to part with their excess riches through guile and trickery. When the Inquisition shows up to destroy her life anyway, Keely goes on the offensive rather than scurry back into the shadows. To set it up for a fall she lures the Inquisition into an invented race to find a heretical book of prophecy that may never have existed. When Keely builds her lies on existing rumors, though, and points the hunt in the direction of the Crimson forest, a new player introduces herself to the high stakes con game as a deadly wild card. Whether or not the woman in red is the real Bloody Scarlet, the closer Keely gets to the dark, twisted heart of the forest the more quickly things spiral out of control.


Hooded

Hooded by A. A. Woods

SPFBO7

Hated. Hunted. Hooded. In a land of myths and monsters, 17-year-old Carlette is a slave. Her power of enhabitation, the ability to control animals, makes her useful to the island’s colonial rulers. Convinced she’s on the right side, she spends her life doing their bidding, awaiting the day she gets to leave it all behind and fulfill her purpose in their war across the sea. But when an escaped spy forces her to leave the safety of the road, Carlette is plunged into the wilderness with a handsome enemy by her side, rebels at her back, and only her wits to guide her. Among the giant trees of the magical forest, Carlette will begin to realize her world is much more complicated than she’s been led to believe. Will she learn to see through the lies she was raised on? Will she have the courage to choose heart over duty? And will she do it fast enough to save everyone she loves? For fans of Princess Mononoke and Six of Crows, this dark fantasy is Little Red Riding Hood as you’ve never seen it before.


Stranger Back Home

Stranger Back Home by E.L. Haines

SPFBO7

One day, your father is a renowned diplomat. The next day, he's an infamous terrorist. When Sparrow is summoned to the reading of his father's last will and testament, the most he hoped for was a minor bequest. Instead, he inherited suspicion and accusations from the Empire that his father helped unite. Locked away in a vault are the secrets that will reveal Xavier DuMont's mysterious past and shine a light on Sparrow's future. Perhaps even the future of the entire realm. Of course, these secrets won't be obtained easily. Especially when everyone in this magical world seems so casually racist. Social dynamics in this world were already pretty strange. Somehow, Sparrow makes everything stranger.


The Dividing: The Adamic Trilogy Book 1

The Dividing: The Adamic Trilogy Book 1 by Devin Downing

SPFBO7

Adamic is the language of the Gods. When spoken, it has the power to create worlds, to raise the dead, to make man as God. Fortunately, no one has spoken it in thousands of years. The only remnants are the written spells. The people of Cavernum depend on these spells. They’re etched into the city walls, fending off the feeders—deadly creatures with a thirst for human blood. They kill and consume any caught beyond the walls. Yet for the lower class, Cavernum isn’t much safer. Children starve, and illness runs rampant. In an effort to maintain order, all children turning 18 are subject to The Dividing—a city-wide competition for the highest paying guilds. Those who aren’t accepted are sent to the fields, condemned to a life of slave-labor. Princess Roselyn Malik has trained her entire life for The Dividing. She’s guaranteed a spot in the royal orchestra, but equalist rebels threaten her throne. To secure her crown, Rose must acquire the power and prestige associated with the guard. Only guardsmen have access to the amulets—powerful weapons that grant dominion over the elements. Meanwhile, in Colorado, Matt will do anything to help his terminally-ill adoptive mother. For now, that means poaching to pay the bills. Until one day, Matt is attacked by a feeder and plunged into the world of Cavernum. There too, Matt is drawn to the guard, in search of a magic strong enough to save his mother. But danger lurks beyond the walls, and Cavernum won’t be safe for long.


The Tryphon Odyssey

The Tryphon Odyssey by S.D. Howarth

SPFBO7

The world of Sanctuary is not a kind place. Many races have fled there across the ages. Fewer still have survived and flourished—or survived. Humankind is the most recent to seek refuge, and the most cataclysmic. Since their arrival within the city-state of Atlantis, the embassies and tribes of man have formed new nations across several continents. Their misuse of magic in a prior age turned the seas acidic and drove their ancient Gods mad. The great contradiction of the current age is that it is only with magic that sailing ships like warship Tryphon criss-cross the oceans to protect trade routes. Navigator Edouard Van Reiver departs from shipboard routine and petty politics when he stops Tryphon against age-old superstitions to rescue two survivors, inviting aboard blood, fire and death. Sunjammer Gabriel Dagmar squanders his precocious talents through daily tedium to hide from the more terrifying depths of magic. Lady Carla's escort mission is in tatters, and needing rescue from the acidic sea is the least of several concerns. Coxswain Grimm will need every one of his decades of experience to keep the Tryphon men alive, the officers on course, and quell the threat within spilling over. No good deed goes unpunished. Events require they assume new roles to fight an unknown assailant, as their anti-pirate patrol mission veers into the unknown. They will need skill, luck, or a hint that the Gods of Sanctuary still exist to rebalance the scales of a power play that could tear asunder the fragile balance the World of Sanctuary teeters upon. Can they hold the line and do their duty, or fail and doom their Spires Kingdom?


A Debt Owed

A Debt Owed by Avril Sabine

SPFBO7

Melody's mum made a bargain with the Fae twenty years ago, but she's the one who ends up paying for it. Somehow she has to survive nearly a year in the realms of the Fae, until her eighteenth birthday, without getting more entangled in their world and unable to ever leave it. The Fae can be vindictive, manipulative and retaliate at the smallest slight, often using your greatest fears against you. Melody needs to make sure they never learn how terrified she is of spiders, particularly when helping a Fae knight brings her to the attention of his enemies, the arachnid people. This story was written by an Australian author using Australian spelling.


Amulet of Wishes

Amulet of Wishes by Rita A. Rubin

SPFBO7

The Guardians are the protectors of Aloseria. They are the keepers of the peace and they have a unique ability-they can turn into dragons. Derek Draco is one of them. Haunted by the memories of his past, Derek comes across a piece of a mythical amulet, said to hold the power to grant wishes once all three pieces are brought together. Seeing an opportunity to right the wrongs of his past, Derek sets out on a journey to find the rest of the amulet, along with his friends, Jared and Arabelle. However, Derek is unaware of the true power of the amulet and using it to fulfil his seemingly innocent wish could have disastrous consequences.


Stranded

Stranded by Rosalind Tate

SPFBO7

Bridget Jones meets Downton in this acclaimed new fantasy. Book 1 of a new series! A modern girl. A door to the past. No way back. Sophie Arundel is stranded in history, stuck in a grand house in 1925 England. Thankfully, she has her faithful dog Charlotte with her. Oh, and fellow student Hugo, annoying and charming in equal measure. Baffled by upper-class rules, courted by boring suitors, Sophie is desperate to get back to the twenty-first century. But the only way home is through a hidden portal — and she must work with Hugo to unlock its secrets. As one clue leads to another, Sophie and Hugo discover that history is unfolding differently. Mobs rule the streets. And when chaos turns into a deadly revolution, anyone in a grand house is fair game. Sophie and Hugo are running out of time



The Lantern-Lit City

The Lantern-Lit City by Vista McDowall

SPFBO7

Ultimate evil is simple to denounce...unless that evil lives in you. Cara is a monster. Inside her dwells a creature akin to the undead prowlers that roam the kingdom. When a mysterious man kidnaps her lady, Cara ties her identity to the quest to free her. If she succeeds in the rescue, it will prove that she's not evil. But danger lurks along the way to the fabled city Riverfen. Cara’s inner beast is a benefit and a curse, saving her life and endangering her in turn. As she gives into it more and more, Cara fears what such a bonding will produce. As Cara battles her inner self, Princess Gwen hides her forbidden sorcery from the world. After being forced to flee her home by an anti-magic Inquisition, Gwen finally has the chance to pursue her enchantments. But her spellcasting provokes the very man whom Cara pursues. Each woman’s power could free her...or doom the lantern-lit city. This epic fantasy by Vista McDowall is for those who love courtly intrigue balanced by violence, complex magic systems, a lush new world, and diverse characters.


Oh Wretched Moon

Oh Wretched Moon by Kate Ramsey

SPFBO7

They were never supposed to meet. Stolen at birth and brought up underground, Luna knows nothing but darkness and isolation. When disaster drives her out of the only home she knows, she stumbles into a world of wonders. But monstrous creatures lurk in corridors—and then there’s the mysterious stranger who disappears when danger strikes. Raised by a witch, Aethon has been taught to worship strength and fear nothing. When a hunting expedition keeps him out past curfew, he finally encounters a threat his courage cannot face. With the help of a strange girl he survives the harrowing night, but his life has already begun to crumble. As opposite worlds collide, they will need to rely upon each other to find freedom. But which is more dangerous: captivity or escape? In Oh Wretched Moon, Kate Ramsey puts a new spin on a beloved fairy tale about power, love, and moonlight. If you love stories about dangerous magic, courageous women, and daring escapes, you’ll love this spellbinding fantasy.


The Eighth Stone

The Eighth Stone by Bruce Pedersen

SPFBO7

Lara, a princess still devastated by the loss of her mother; Jethro, an apprentice to a failed painter; Arlan, a warrior barely out of training. Only these three can stand in the way of the dark forces now loose in the Lands of the Faith. Only they can prevent a plot by Lord Draxta of Fornea to find the secret keys that will unlock powers from the past that should have remained buried forever. They must travel eastwards from their homeland Maltia across the other lands, in a race to find the last key before Draxta and the mysterious priest who never leaves his side. There will be a final deadly clash at Hazrakeel, the ice castle in the middle of the desert, where the last key can be found and the gate to the dominion of death can be opened. But none who enter through the gate can return without sacrificing the life of another.


College of Shadows

College of Shadows by Mark Wells

SPFBO7

Cambridge is home to the brightest minds
 and the deadliest monsters. Can Nick and Annabel banish the beast before freshman year becomes their last? Newly arrived Nick feels out of place at university. The hallowed halls of Cambridge seem impossibly huge and far beyond the mining town of his youth. But Nick has much more than fitting in to fear when he's attacked by a creature straight out of his worst nightmares
 Emotionally scarred by the sudden death of her parents, Annabel buries her feelings deep in her studies. But when her new friends nearly fall prey to a monstrous beast that shouldn't exist, she's terrified that her bad luck could bring their demise. As Nick and Annabel plan to trap the creature, they stumble upon a long-held Cambridge secret. And the otherworldly truth is less pass-fail than do-or-die. If you like haunted heroes, unspeakable horrors, and parallel worlds, then you'll love Mark Wells's atmospheric fantasy series, Cambridge Gothic.


Enemy Unknown

Enemy Unknown by David Stephenson

SPFBO7

It took murder for Selvorne to learn his entire life was a necessary lie. One that must continue, if he wishes to live. Those killed had a dark past. Earning enemies, now his own. Do they want him dead – or worse? He might already be followed. If amongst enemies, would he even know? Young, good of heart, his seemingly ideal life has left him unprepared. Too trusting, with a face that reveals all. He must make his way, avoiding enemies as he journeys to find the only person he might trust – a powerful ally of his father. Can he hide his horror and despair, avoiding killers, who may be anyone? To save himself, and learn what is truly happening in the lands of North Waehter? If you like epic adventures, deeply bonding with characters, as an innocent, good–hearted youth is forced to face a hard world, then you will love David Stephenson's spellbinding prose and delightfully unexpected fantasy. Join Selvorne on his journey today Enemy Unknown – book one of the complete Journey of Selvorne series.


The Wizard of New York City

The Wizard of New York City by Randall P. Girdner

SPFBO7

On the students' trip to New York City, the wolves rounded up the people. Then the trolls sealed off the edges of the island with stacks of crushed cars, and the goblins set about constructing a portal; a portal that would bring something horrible to this world
and all of this happened before the students had even left the American Museum of Natural History. Now, armed with strange weapons they acquired in the museum, seven students find themselves on the run in a frightening urban environment overtaken with dragons, ogres, and an undead populace intent on changing the city into a fortress. Nothing will ever be the same again. The Wizard of New York City tells the tale of seven teenagers trapped in Manhattan as a world of fantastic creatures and bizarre beings invade the island. As they struggle to stay alive in the face of dangers they can barely comprehend, the students soon realize that there is a reason they are still alive, and that reason will place a heavy burden on not just them, but the whole world...


Army of the Cursed

Army of the Cursed by Karim Soliman

SPFBO7

Everybody knew the Cursed were coming. Nobody knew how to defeat them. The Goranians thought they were ready to face demons in battle. But when the foretold War of the Last Day begins, one fact becomes clear: the doom of mankind is just a matter of time. Now its fate rests in the hands of a hapless trio. A mage’s apprentice who relies on her wits rather than magic. A princess who seeks the ultimate weapon against demons, but first, she has to survive the turmoil of civil war. And a warrior whose swordplay could prove more useful against a threat graver than the bandits infesting his village. Can the three unite and put aside their differences before it is too late? The entire human race is already on the brink of extinction. ARMY OF THE CURSED is a thrilling read for epic fantasy fans. Brace for a tale of magic, betrayals, and fear of the unknown, and lose yourself in the world of Gorania.


Wizardoms: God King Rising

Wizardoms: God King Rising by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

SPFBO7

A stirring rebellion. Unrelenting assassins. Conspiracies abound. Two queens. One rules by fear, her citizens laboring to fund the lavish lifestyle of the wizard class. The other believes in justice and compassion, earning her the love of her subjects...and the enmity of her wizard peers. Both will die. In one wizardom, a secret rebellion brews. A hero to the people rises, fueled by a mysterious sorcerer's blood magic. But at what cost? Conspiracies and assassins lurk in every shadow, threatening the throne of another nation. The scheming wizard behind it will stop at nothing to claim the crown. Yet, even he is a pawn. What force is behind it all? What is their endgame? Read God King Rising and discover for yourself.


Oathbound (Surgecaller Book 1)

Oathbound (Surgecaller Book 1) by Todd Herzman

SPFBO7

How do you kill an Immortal? Huon is weak. A surgecaller who escaped into the wilds, his only goal was to survive. Now he is Oathbound, forced to fight in an arena, forced to become stronger than he’d thought possible. As he realises he can become strong, the need for revenge fills his heart, and a new goal forms in his mind. But his goal is impossible: kill the dragon rider, the Immortal of Fire. To succeed, he’ll have to do more than just survive—he’ll have to advance beyond anything the realm has ever seen. In the spirit of progression fantasies like Cradle and Mage Errant, enter a realm with magical beasts, where surgecallers can cultivate essence to strengthen their weapons, enhance their bodies and wield elemental magic.


Finnian's Fiddle

Finnian's Fiddle by Chandler Groover

SPFBO7

Dragons can often be obstinate, and when one dragon arrives at a rural seaport demanding to hear a child prodigy perform the violin, the townspeople must strategize. They send a boy named Finnian to the city to learn how to play. Unfortunately for Finnian, the task isn’t so simple. Everyone from bandits to scheming aristocrats seem to stand in his way, and before his quest has ended, he will have to contend with a devious plot stretching into the fairy realm itself. FINNIAN'S FIDDLE is a fantasy story for all ages—a folktale with mythic proportions.


The Rave (The Aelfraver Trilogy Book 1)

The Rave (The Aelfraver Trilogy Book 1) by J.R. Traas

SPFBO7 SPSFC 2023

Time, it stretched before her, every second crawling by, lengthening like an uncurling worm. Alina absorbed it all in painful detail: the twinkles of firelight caught in the breastplates and gauntlets of the Chimaera Guard, the panic in Cho’s eyes, the spittle glistening on Mezami’s fangs, every growl and sputter of all their raised voices. The Aelfraver Trilogy, set in J.R. Traas's futuristic fantasy world of El, is a story about teenage rebellion—against the ruling elite and their gods. GO HOME, ALINA When Alina K’vich lost her parents, her grandfather Dimas gave her a home and a purpose. At The School, he trained her to become an Aelfraver—a hunter of arcane beasts, demons, and other anti-human entities. For ten years, they built a life together. Then, one night, in the middle of preparing dinner, Dimas vanished. Now seventeen, and stuck with her grandfather’s debts, Alina resorts to illegal Raves in her rundown hometown. But these small-time contracts simply aren’t enough: The School lies in disrepair, the power’s shut off, and the bills remain insurmountable. In a last-ditch gamble, she signs up for a Rave whose massive reward could rewrite her entire future. However, she’s far from the only Aelfraver to answer the call of such an alluring bounty
 Out of options, Alina sinks the last of her money into a forged Raver’s license and a one-way ticket to New El, the floating Capital. There, an unnamable horror—her target—busies itself slaughtering the nobility in the dead of night, leaving no survivors and no witnesses. Protected only by her wits and spells, Alina must find a way to save New El, her School, and herself.


Breakaway

Breakaway by Dezarea Dunn

SPFBO7

“A different spin on a mermaid’s life. The characters are believable and draw you in, twists and turns make you want to keep reading. I can’t wait for the next book!” - Reader Review My name is Thea Galleon, and I’m about to become a mermaid . . . or so I thought. For as long as I can remember I’ve been able to feel when someone’s life is in danger. With the deadly White Blight picking off more of our species than we can replace, my “feelings” come in handy. Just months from my Tail Ceremony, I could never guess the magnitude of what my parents have kept from me for most of my life. When a gorgeous stranger enters my shattered world, his stunning eyes plague my dreams, and our irrevocable connection puts me in the crosshairs of the Council. To avoid imprisonment I’ll have to escape my home and leave everything familiar to discover who—or what—I will ultimately become.


Curse Painter

Curse Painter by Jordan Rivet

SPFBO7

Art is magic. Art is a curse. Briar can curse with the flick of a paintbrush. Her paintings maim, bewitch, and—most effectively of all—destroy. But Briar doesn't want to hurt people anymore. She has fled her family's deadly curse business to start a new life peddling nonlethal jinxes and petty revenge. Briar’s destructive powers catch the eye of a charismatic young outlaw called Archer, who hires her to help him save a kidnapped friend from a ruthless baron. Briar thinks this is her chance to make amends for her crimes, but the family business won’t let her go so easily. When her violent past jeopardizes Archer’s rescue mission, Briar must confront the dark arts she left behind—and decide what she’s willing to destroy in order to be good. Read the new fantasy adventure inspired by Robin Hood from the author of Steel and Fire, Empire of Talents, and the Fire Queen’s Apprentice!


Good Blood

Good Blood by Billy Ketch Allen

SPFBO7

IS HIS BLOOD A GIFT TO THE WORLD OR A CURSE THAT COULD DESTROY IT? The land of Terene runs on blood. For generations, the bloodline has been dwindling. Until now. When a boy is discovered with the healing blood of his Royal ancestors, he is hunted by assassins, bloodhounds, Descendant rebels, and the Highfather of the Faith, who will tear Terene apart to capture the power held in the boy’s veins. Will the boy discover where his power came from? And can he survive long enough to use it? Good Blood is an exciting, fast-paced debut. The next must-read fantasy series!


Lamp of Light

Lamp of Light by Alex H. Singh

SPFBO7

Only the light will prove her Innocence... Pierre Lachance, King of Tibethia, has been murdered and all eyes are on his wife Esther Anna, who knows who the real culprit is. Before she can speak the truth, however, she is ordered to be executed by the King’s daughter Noelle, the fairest woman in all the kingdoms. Now Esther Anna is on the run, and on her trail is a wendigo named Damian who has been resurrected from the depths of the black abyss by Noelle to stop Esther at any cost. Esther Anna finds help along the way in form of a fairy Prince named Phillip, who tells her of an artifact that can prove her innocence called “The Lamp of Light,” but it is rumored to be on an island protected by a horrifying sea creature. With time running out and Damien on her trail, will she be able to get to the Lamp of Light to prove who the real murderer is?


Almendra's Quest

Almendra's Quest by Farida Mestek

SPFBO7

There's a prophecy that could save her kingdom and a plot that could destroy it all... Almendra Ravenlock, a seventeen-year-old ruler of the Upper Kingdom, has never set foot outside the grounds of the royal castle, believing that beyond its gates lies a deadly curse left behind by the same group of rebels that attacked her kingdom and sent her mother to her early doom fifteen years ago. Isolated from the rest of the realm, with only her cranky granny and her loyal wolf for company, she waits for Prince Frederick of the Lowland Kingdom to come and set her free. There is a prophecy that strongly suggests that he is the one to win her heart and save her kingdom. However, when an unexpected messenger arrives and tells her that the prince is at death’s door after an attempt on his life and that she is the only one who can save him, Almendra grabs at the chance to fulfill the prophecy on her own terms. As she travels through the realm with her wolf and her new friend, Almendra unearths a horrifying secret buried deep under the rebels’ lair, discovers that her life and her kingdom are in as much danger from them as ever, and that the prince she is determined to save might not be the one meant to save her or her kingdom after all.


Blood of Ravens

Blood of Ravens by Jen McIntosh

SPFBO7

Hunted. Hidden. Scattered. But the old bloodlines hold true. And now is the time of the Rising. It’s been a hundred years since the Shade King orchestrated the Fall of the Graced; a century since he tipped the balance in his favour and brought those magically gifted warriors to their knees. But now a new power is rising and even the faintest ember, buried amongst ash and ruin, can reignite the flames of war. Renila remembers nothing of her life before the birth of her son, save the old stories she knows by heart. But when a stranger arrives at the castle she calls home, her past begins to resurface – and with it, her power. Enslaved by his master’s dark magic, the Shade King’s general, Alexan, has been dispatched to hunt down the King’s daughter – and either return her to her father, or kill her. His history with the Princess makes him well suited to the task, but it may also be his undoing. Keriath, bastard daughter of the Shade King, has been hunted her entire life and, since she was old enough to wield the power in her veins, has dedicated herself to destroying the monster who claims to have sired her. But the events of a single night may change her fate forever. The twins, Lucan and Suriya, are plagued by nightmares – by visions of myth and monsters – for which their mysterious yet domineering mother blames Renila and her stories. But there is something she is not telling them, and they are determined to find out what. This enthralling and immersive epic fantasy story is the first in The Rising Series, and Jen McIntosh’s debut novel.


Ringlander: The Path and the Way

Ringlander: The Path and the Way by Michael S. Jackson

SPFBO7

The first book in the Ringlander Series: a fast-paced, epic fantasy adventure full of games, grit and magic. Holes between worlds are tearing through Rengas. Firestorms are raging as multiple realities battle for control of the elements. Even the Way, the turbulent channel that separates Nord, Határ and Kemen, the lifeblood of the city of Tyr, has turned. Kyira’s search for her missing brother draws her away from the familiar frozen lines of Nord and south into the chaotic streets of Tyr where games are played & battles fought. As reality tears Kyira must choose between her family or her path before the worlds catch up with her.


Bound and Broken (Melas Book 1)

Bound and Broken (Melas Book 1) by V.A. Lewis

SPFBO7

Killed and born again to a fantasy world, Melas finds herself as the daughter of a dangerous criminal. Her mother is a spellcaster, her magic banned throughout the continents of Soli and Vitae. They will be hunted by the Church, shunned by their peers, having to fight both people and monsters to survive. When faced with inquisitors, slavers, terrorists, and more, Melas will have no choice but to overcome them to seize her own destiny, or fail and run from it all. Thus begins the tragedy of a girl from Earth, murdered unfairly and cast into an even more unfair world. For while cursed into this terrible fate, one small blessing will aid her throughout her story, and it's the wish granted to her before her rebirth: Make me the most powerful spellcaster in the entire world.


The Girl Who Talks to Ashes

The Girl Who Talks to Ashes by Rachel Rener

SPFBO7

Fifteen-year-old Willow is terrified of her new baby, Lilah, who has a peculiar form of epilepsy. Every time Lilah's eyes glaze over, terrible things happen: flowers shrivel, food goes to rot - even Willow's long, auburn hair turns stark white. But it's the death of the family cat that becomes the last straw; in the middle of the night, Willow and her mother dump the infant at the fire station two towns over – and are never heard from again. The next morning, Chief Stanley Quinn takes Lilah home and cares for the toddler as best as he can. With medication, her epilepsy remains under control... For the most part. But as a teenager, Lilah isn't always keen on taking her pills, and when she sneaks away to a rock concert with the cutest boy in school, something terrible happens, landing both of them in the hospital. After Stanley breaks down and confesses everything to his adopted daughter, she decides to track down the young girl who gave her up sixteen years ago; the young girl who never made it home that night
 The young girl who is now presumed to be dead. Soon, Lilah's quest to find her birth mother becomes a quest to solve a sixteen-year-old missing persons case. She has everything she needs to find her – she just needs to learn how to control her peculiar ‘gift’ before she kills someone. Again.


Downcast

Downcast by Cait Reynolds

SPFBO7

What if you had to believe the impossible
then fall in love with him? Stephanie Starr thinks her senior year of high school is going to be like every other: an ordinary kind of awful stuck between a group of mean girls and her mother’s overprotective mania. Everything changes when gorgeous Haley Smith walks into her life. She doesn’t understand why he wants her so badly and pushes him away. But, Haley won’t give up. He can’t give up. There’s a shadow running through his blood tied to a curse in hers, and time is running out for them both. Faced with rogue gods and deadly prophesies, Stephanie must survive the ultimate test in order to uncover the truth and save her mother, her friends, and her town. Nothing can prepare her for what she discovers, and no one can save her from her fate. Except Haley. "Downcast" is a thrilling paranormal, enemies-to-lovers romance reimagining the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone.


Fractured Throne - Part One

Fractured Throne - Part One by Lee H. Haywood

SPFBO7

Previously published as Fractured Throne Book 1 by Lee H. Haywood. Never trust the promise of a dragon. Emethius Lunen is learning that lesson the hard way. One of the best swordsmen in the realm, Emethius has spent his life serving the royal family. But his oath is challenged when the Crown Prince attempts to overthrow his own father, forcing Emethius defend the royal family from itself. Most believe that Prince Meriatis longs for power, but Emethius has his own dark theory. He believes the prince is afflicted by the Blackheart, a sickness that causes its victims to slowly lose their mind to an ancient deity known as the Shadow. Torn by his friendship to Prince Meriatis and his loyalty to the High Lord, Emethius doesn't know what to do. But when a mysterious dragon name Ftoril offers Emethius a way to save both the prince and the realm, Emethius can't refuse the offer. Ftoril claims to know of a sorceress who can cure the Blackheart. The only problem - the sorceress has gone into hiding in the fallen Empire of Cella, a place where nightmarish creatures known as the Cul reign supreme. The dragon promises to guide Emethius to the sorceress, that is, if Emethius is willing to pay the price.


Snowborn

Snowborn by Larema Dixon

SPFBO7

A millennium has passed since the small world of Incari was struck by a meteor known as the Kutsal Stone. In the celestial object's wake, two powerful inhabitants of another realm—beings of light and creatures of shadow—ravaged the land with war until they were ultimately banished. Time distorted tales of these god-like creatures into myth and legend, but Princess Elurra quickly finds there is legitimacy amongst the lore. After her parents' deaths pave the way for her exiled aunt to claim the throne, she finds herself desperate and on the run. Elurra must uncover the truth about magic and untwist the legends of old in order to protect the future of her homeland and thwart her aunt's malicious plots. Mysterious visions lead Elurra and her unlikely allies down a path to the truth; however, they find the conflicts of the past may be impossible to repair before they rip Incari apart.


Born of Water

Born of Water by A.L. Knorr

SPFBO7

A mysterious shipwreck could unlock ancient powers
 or send her to a watery grave. Targa MacAuley feels more at home on dry land than in the watery realm of her mermaid ancestors. After 17 years on solid ground, she fears she’ll never grow into the creature her mother hoped she’d become. To keep her mom’s homesickness and true identity under wraps, Targa signs on for a mysterious salvage dive in the Baltic Sea. Her plan to blend in with the rest of the crew is spoiled when she catches the eye of a handsome local. A freak accident and a strange connection to the ancient shipwreck below attract even more unwanted attention. With both her mom’s secret—and her life—in danger, Targa must finally find the courage to unleash the currents surging deep within. Born of Water is the first book in The Elemental Origins, a series of captivating YA urban fantasy novels. If you like new twists on mermaid lore, simmering romance, and close-knit mother-daughter bonds, then you’ll love A.L. Knorr’s nautical adventure. Embark on a deeper dive into the story's lore with The Wreck of Sybellen, a companion novel included with the book.


Temple Knight

Temple Knight by Paul J Bennett

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Life took a twist she never expected. All Charlaine ever wanted was to follow in her father’s footsteps. That is, until the moment she was forced to leave her old life behind to save her family. Now, as a Temple Knight, she finds herself alone in a distant realm, and unaware of what the future will demand of her. Her hopes for a new life are dashed when her past catches up with her. It is only when raiders begin harassing the coast that Charlaine’s true mettle emerges. Suspecting that all is not as it seems, she hatches a plan that reveals a far greater danger than anyone ever imagined. With her new family of Temple Knights, Charlaine leads them in a desperate gambit to thwart the ambitions of a mighty foe that has the power to destroy them all. Journey along with Charlaine deShandria as she chases her destiny in the action-packed, intrigue-filled Temple Knight, the first book of Paul J Bennett’s newest epic fantasy series, Power Ascending. Grab your copy of Temple Knight today and let the adventure begin!


The Ridden

The Ridden by Joshua Kern

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People called them different things when they first appeared: Walkers, Cryptids, Infected, the Ridden. The most popular was also the least apt, Zombies. Sands from across the ocean blew in and covered everything in a fine dusting of granules, as they did every year. But this year they carried with them an infectious spore that infected anything that breathed. Animal or human, it showed no favorites and infected them all. If people were lucky, they retained the ability to think. If they weren’t, they became little more than monsters hungry for more spores. Chris stumbled out of his cheap motel room after the worst night of his life and straight into the apocalypse. This is not your normal zombie apocalypse story, as Chris was about to find out. It’s not the monsters he needs to worry about. It’s the humans. If you liked The Last of Us and World War Z, you will be sure to enjoy The Ridden.


The Gatekeeper's Staff

The Gatekeeper's Staff by Antoine Bandele

SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie

TJ Young has been surrounded by magic his entire life, yet he has never tapped into it
 until now. Fourteen-year-old TJ grew up normal in a secret community of gifted diviners in the heart of modern-day Los Angeles. His powerful sister was ordained to lead his people into a new age of prosperity, but her mysterious death in Nigeria threatens to destroy the very foundations of TJ’s world. Desperate to pick up where his sister left off and uncover the secrets behind her questionable death, TJ commits himself to unlocking the magical heritage that has always eluded him. So he enrolls in Camp Olosa—a remedial magic school for the divinely less-than-gifted in the humid swamps of New Orleans. But little does he know, TJ is destined to cross paths with powerful spirits of old thought lost to time: the Orishas. Delve into this young adult fantasy based on the mythology of the West African gods, where TJ will encounter unlikely allies, tough-as-gatorhide instructors, and the ancient secrets of the Orishas.


The Other Magic

The Other Magic by Derrick Smythe

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The men secured the shackles slowly, hesitantly, but Kibure did not resist; he couldn’t. Whatever otherworldly power had come over him in those moments of passion had fled his body the second he realized what he had done
 In a realm where only clerics are permitted to practice magic, Kibure’s inexplicable use of power places him in grave danger. In a twist of fate, the rogue priestess hired to strip him of his power chooses instead to help him escape. Her reasons for doing so are her own, but something worse than death awaits if they are unable to evade the Empire's most potent wielders. This epic fantasy series will be especially enjoyed by fans of Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Michael J. Sullivan, Patrick Rothfuss, and Michael Wisehart.


A Game for Gods

A Game for Gods by Keith Deininger

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A war is brewing, the Godgame has begun... "An epic fantasy tale set in a wondrous world of corruption and war and hope and longing and dreams. No review you will read will ever do this story justice. Just buy it, read it and thank me later." ~ Nev Murray, Confessions of a Reviewer Some say the world of Meridian is in its last age of existence. The Flood is coming, an event that will wipe the planet clean of corruption. But for humanity, there are more immediate troubles. A war is brewing between the decadent and industrial City of Talos and the rural territory of Nova. When twelve-year-old Ash Alexander is recruited by the Novan militia, his life—and the life of each member of his family—is thrown into chaos, into a war far deadlier than anyone could have predicted. While Ash’s sanity is tested against the horrors of war; a woman seeks to uncover the mysteries of the School of the Unseen in her lifelong quest to travel the world; a man will do anything to cure his wife of a horrible sickness; and the chief adviser to the ruler of Talos will align himself with grotesque and otherworldly beings in order to achieve his ambitions. The Godgame has begun.


Olde Robin Hood

Olde Robin Hood by Kate Danley

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Rebel. Outlaw. Hero. Exiled for an unjust crime and forced to use whatever means necessary to survive, a figure of hope emerges from Sherwood Forest. But what most people know about Robin Hood (the enemy of Prince John and nobleman loyal to King Richard) was an invention of a playwright nearly three hundred years after Robin Hood died. However, there are older stories about the real Robin Hood. USA Today bestselling author Kate Danley weaves the original 13th century ballads, Robin Hood traditions passed down through ancient pagan rites, and historical evidence together into a swashbuckling epic fantasy. Enter a world of adventure and chivalry as you discover the man behind the myth, as you meet the Olde Robin Hood.


The Executioner's Right

The Executioner's Right by D.K. Holmberg

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Executioners don’t solve crimes, they punish those who commit them. Or so Finn thought before apprenticed to one. Poverty-stricken Finn Jagger would give anything to heal his ailing mother. With his father imprisoned, Finn has joined a thieving crew to earn the money he needs to save her. When the latest heist turns to disaster and lands him on death row, Finn’s future seems to be tied up with a noose. Until the king’s executioner claims him as an apprentice. Finn soon learns an Executioner has far more power and greater responsibility than he’d ever realized. As inquisitor and detective, he must find the truth behind each sentence he carries out. It’s a challenging job, but one that Finn is surprisingly good at. When the crew decides Finn could be the key to completing an impossible heist that threatens the kingdom, he’s forced to choose between his new job and his old friends. And making the wrong choice could cost him everything. The Executioner's Right is the first book in The Executioner's Song epic fantasy series and is perfect for fans of Michael J Sullivan, Brent Weeks, and James Islington.


Path of Darkness

Path of Darkness by C.M. Lackner

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The decree of the Gods is clear: All sorcerers must die. As a priestess in training, Aelith knows that the only way to be a sorceress is to pray to the God of Sin. Yet when she discovers she is a sorceress without having done such a thing, she must confront the fact that everything she has learnt is a lie. Forced to flee her home, Aelith encounters a mysterious cabal of sorcerers who proffer a tantalising offer to her: Join them and learn to control the powers bestowed upon her. The alternative is forever living on the run, always under threat of being hunted down and killed. However, their protection bears a heavy cost – murder, treachery and deception. Forced to choose between the cabal’s shelter and a dangerous life, forever alone, Aelith is forced to choose between atrocity and survival.


Restoration Day

Restoration Day by Deborah Makarios

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Princess, pawn–or queen? Princess Lily was born to be queen of Arcelia, where the land itself has life and magic growing in it. Yet she leads a pawn's existence in the shadow of her guardians' control. She dreams of the day when she will take her rightful place in the world. At last her chance arrives, with a quest for the three Requisites of Restoration Day, the royal rite which renews the life of the land. But she's been hidden away too long... Stripped of all she thought was hers, Lily will need to do more than cross the board if she is to emerge triumphant as the queen she knows she must be. The land becomes both field and prize in a gripping game–and this time she's playing for her life.


A Cat's Guide to Bonding with Dragons

A Cat's Guide to Bonding with Dragons by Chris Behrsin

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The unlikely duo who might just save the world Ben must be the hungriest cat ever
 One moment, he was enjoying a breakfast of salmon trimmings in his home in South Wales. The next, he was teleported across time and space onto the cold stone floor of an evil warlock. Locked in the warlock’s tower through day and night, Ben may have to serve him for a while. He'll hate this, especially having to hunt those infernal demon rats when the warlock doesn’t feed him well at all. Meanwhile, in a distant academy, a dragon is bored out of her mind. Unable to wear a saddle, no human dares mount her. Is there anyone in this land who can ride her into battle against the forces of the evil warlocks? Somehow, she doubts she’ll ever find a suitable bond. Unless there is another creature with enough dexterity to fulfil that role. One, perhaps, who is currently sprinting right out of a warlock’s front door



Shimmerdark

Shimmerdark by Sarah Mensinga

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The Great Drae selected a new apprentice. Xylia’s lost her position. Determined to reclaim it, Xylia volunteers to become an Authenticator. She travels from town to town searching for children who share her unique gift, and in her free time she practices energy summoning, hoping to master a Shimmerlight skill that will impress the Great Drae. But there’s a grim side to Authenticating children. When Xylia asks too many questions, she’s cast out of a village during the Dark Month, a time when monsters roam her world. It should be a death sentence, but Xylia’s talents are changing
 Shimmerlight is an exciting YA steampunk fantasy adventure with dashes of social justice, humor, and romance. Perfect for fans of Cinder and Howl’s Moving Castle.


The Mortal Blade

The Mortal Blade by Christopher Mitchell

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A city ruled by Gods, a mortal champion, a misfit girl and a disobedient dragon
 Stolen from his home, Corthie Holdfast has arrived in the City of the Eternal Siege as a new Champion. He must fight alongside the Blades, whose lives are dedicated to the defence of the City against the hordes of monstrous Greenhides; or die at the hands of the Gods who rule. Maddie Jackdaw, a young Blade, faces her last chance. Thrown out of every unit defending the City, either she takes on a new role, or she will be sent to the Rats, a company of misfits given the perilous tasks beyond the Great Walls. Her new role, if she takes it, will bring her face to face with her deepest fears, for beneath the walls, in a secret and hidden lair, lies a dragon, imprisoned and waiting



The Look of a King

The Look of a King by Tom Dumbrell

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Two young men. One with a dark past, the other with a bright future. Cyrus is a storyteller frustrated by the mundane trappings of village life, while Prince Augustus struggles to meet high expectations after an upbringing of royal privilege in the bustling capital. As both try to forge their own paths, a royal assassination unexpectedly closes the gap between them. The nation of Easthaven is thrown into war with their oppressive neighbours, and so begins a conflict from which neither can walk away. Will a young prince finally measure up to his destiny? Will a storyteller create a legend of his own? Cyrus and Augustus's lives may seem worlds apart, but perhaps they aren't so different after all...


Ten Thousand Stiches

Ten Thousand Stiches by Olivia Atwater

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Regency housemaid Euphemia Reeves has acquired a faerie godfather. Unfortunately, he has no idea what he's doing. Euphemia Reeves has most inconveniently fallen in love with Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. Housemaids do not marry gentlemen, of course... but a faerie named Lord Blackthorn is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Benedict's heart regardless. Effie knows what a terrible idea it is to accept help from one of the Fair Folk—but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, Effie has one hundred days and ten thousand stitches to make Mr Benedict fall in love with her and propose... if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is. For Effie’s greatest obstacle might well be Lord Blackthorn’s overwhelmingly good intentions. The long-awaited sequel to Half a Soul delights and amuses in equal measure. Pick up Ten Thousand Stitches, and dive into another enchanting faerie tale set in Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!


The Lady of Kingdoms

The Lady of Kingdoms by Suzannah Rowntree

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Magic made her a warrior. Justice will make her a legend. Jerusalem, 1180: A catastrophe destroyed Marta Bessarion's family and whisked her away from everything she once knew. Now, armed with a magic spear and a burning thirst for justice, Marta vows to protect her new home and family, no matter the cost. But trouble is brewing in the glittering palaces of Jerusalem... The young Leper King, Baldwin, is dying. Before he goes, Baldwin must choose a successor...but every choice is a bad one. An innocent child, exploited by stronger men? A crafty cousin who has already tried to snatch the crown? Or his brilliant, passionate sister who is determined to rule - even if it triggers a war? When enemy armies muster on the kingdom's borders, Marta charges into battle. But when Baldwin's choice puts her newfound family at risk, Marta finds herself fighting a new kind of battle - one in which intrigue, deception, and betrayal are the weapons. To save the kingdom, she’ll need more than a magic spear to destroy its enemies. She'll need a saint to save its soul. The Lady of Kingdoms is Book 2 in the acclaimed Watchers of Outremer series (though you don’t have to read Book 1 first). Wonder Woman meets City of Brass in this thrilling historical fantasy featuring lady knights, fierce princesses, and eldritch dragon angels!


Heir to the Darkmage

Heir to the Darkmage by Lisa Cassidy

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Ambition drives her. Danger thrills her. But magic always has a price. Twenty years have passed since the Darkmage was destroyed and the war between mages ended. For Lira Astor, the single living heir to the Darkmage, escaping her name is impossible. People still fear what is long dead, and they see in her the rise of another dangerous mage with deadly ambition. Desperate to claw her way free of her grandfather’s shadow, to make her own name amongst the world of mages, Lira is willing to do whatever it takes. Even if that means joining the secretive rebel group looking to restore his vision. Survival is a lesson Lira learned early and often, yet when she is abducted and held prisoner in a deadly game of cat and mouse, she finds herself facing a nemesis she may be no match for. Forced to band together with unlikely allies who challenge everything she believes about what it means to be a mage, she will have to rely on every bit of ruthlessness she possesses. Because the war may only just be beginning
 
and Lira Astor intends to come out on top.


Cursed

Cursed by Brent Miller

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With his life now divided between myth and reality, Garrick Elliott struggles to learn what it truly means to be human. As a fledgling lycanthrope, Garrick battles his own dark thoughts and the encroaching threat of hunters, as well as the ever-growing willpower of the beast within. Despite those around him accepting what they are, Garrick desperately clings to a hope of one day returning to his life as a normal teenager. His obsession with ridding himself of the wolf may just be the drive he needs to find a cure—or the fatal error which puts him and his pack in danger. As he vies for control of his own mind, Garrick questions if fighting his affliction is worth the sacrifices he must make, or if he is destined to live the rest of his life Cursed.


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