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Someone once asked August Haiz if twins realize one of them is an accident. Deep down, August knows if anyone was an accident, it wasnât Bennyâit was her. Granted, August doesnât mind dancing in the background, letting Benny be the star musician and center of attention. In fact, she prefers it that way. Abandoned by their mother as children, the twins have spent a decade dodging the unpredictable nature of their alcoholic father in an attempt to stay off his radar. With graduation in sight and their freedom on the horizon, August and Benny look forward to fleeing their hometown together and starting fresh at college. But a tragic accident turns Augustâs world upside down, swallowing her hopes of a brighter future. Guilt-ridden and struggling to cope with her new normal, August shuts out the people who love her most, and nearly ruins her most important friendship. If August wants a chance at adjusting to life after tragedy, sheâll have to process her pain, let go of the past, and leave the darkness behind. |
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Play it Back by Vanessa Lopez Aziz 27-year-old Carmen Santos thought she had the perfect life until the question âwhat do you want?â transports her ten years in to the past to relive the worst year of her life. She must navigate her senior year of high school all over again, complete with bad wardrobe, a dysfunctional Filipino family, and a best friend whoâs still in the closet. Yet, the knowledge of the future is on her side, right? But her knowledge isnât guaranteed to help her get the guy, fix her parentâs marriage, or even save someoneâs life. |
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The One Exiled: A YA Sci-Fi Adventure by Jennifer Lewy Yesterday, she was a savior. Today, she is an outcast. Seventeen-year-old Rayne and her friends have just averted a disaster, stopping a shadow AI from wreaking havoc on their world. However, their relief is short-lived. In the aftermath, Rayne and her boyfriend, Vic, are blamed for the chaos. As punishment, their Threadsâtheir lifeblood and sole connection to the virtual Games they createâare severed, and Rayne and Vic are exiled, on the run⌠alone. To add to their woes, the neighboring community falls victim to a ruthless assault by the Settler rebelsâa radical anti-tech group dedicated to annihilating the AI that safeguards their world. Now, Rayne and her friends must find the Settlers, uncover their plans, and prevent them from striking againâbecause this time the Settlersâ target is Rayneâs own home, and everyone she holds dear. Her only hope lies in surviving long enough to track down Freyaâs Path, a legendary faction of coders, and persuading them to join her cause. But time is running out. It's a no-holds-barred-race that leads Rayne on a perilous journey and into the deeper darkness of the secrets lurking within her own path. And in this race, the only prize for second place is certain, lonely death⌠as The One Exiled. Mixing the excitement and wit of Ernest Clineâs Ready Player One, the cyberpunk suspense of Marie Luâs Warcross, and the sci-fi dystopia of James Dashnerâs The Maze Runner, The One Exiled is the second thrilling book in Jennifer Lewyâs post-apocalyptic young adult series, Game of Paradise. Dive into the exhilarating adventure today! |
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Shattered Magic by Emily Huffman Rocco has his future figured out. One magical tournament is all that stands between him and admission to the Academy--the most prestigious school for magic in the world and the place where he will finally belong. But when a mysterious stranger shows up with an offer from the God of Magic himself, Rocco is left with a choice: swear fealty to the god or follow his own path. Fueled by the desire to realize his dreams, Rocco plunges forward, but the God of Magic cannot be ignored, and Rocco soon learns there is more to lose than just the tournament... |
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Becoming Solo by Joyce Reynolds-Ward WHAT WILL A WITCH DO TO SAVE THE MAGIC FAIR THAT PROTECTS HER POWERS? Yesenia Cruz is ambitious. She wants to become a Solo witch, one who doesnât need to renounce her powers at age twenty-one unless she becomes part of a protective family spell matrix. She has plans with her best friend, Kirsten Rogers, to open a boutique selling magic-spelled goods to the non-magical. But. In order to become Solo, Yesenia needs to win the Bright Star Magic Fair crown for a third year. She canât afford the academy that will qualify her to become Solo. Her family wants her to give up her dreams of becoming Solo, marry Saul Ramos and become part of the Cruz family spell matrix. And a strange new witch, Shadow the Question, from a Lost Fair, is a potential challengerâeven as Yesenia and Kirsten become aware of a new threat to Bright Star Fair. They have to draw on Shadowâs knowledge to save Bright Starâbut is Shadowâs knowledge sufficient? Can these three witches save the Fair? For if Bright Star failsâthen all magic fails. Eventually. |
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Nyarai: Traveler of the Circle by Noor Al-Shanti When her grandmother is kidnapped from their small farming village Nyarai sets out to find her and bring her back home. In a town on the edge of the Kingdom of Jade she stumbles upon a small orphanage and uncovers a dark secret that brings back memories of the Giant War she escaped as a child and propels her into an impossible quest. A quest that pits her against the terrifying Sorcerers of the High Kingdoms. Join Nyarai on an adventure that takes her from the highest peaks of the High Kingdoms to the darkest secrets below the ground... |
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Merchant Magician by John Champaign Exiled from his family of traders in mystical goods and services on his 23rd birthday, the merchant magician must make his way in the world: meeting mermaids in San Francisco, Midwestern leprechauns, Icelandic dwarves and the girl of his dreams, who happens to be a cultist devoted to the rise of the great old ones who will consume the world in ash and fire when they awaken. Blending real-world negotiation theory with a coming of age story in an urban fantasy setting, this book will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher, Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman. |
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The Re-Emergence by Alan K Dell A strange probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the Pâhori star system. Its message: a dire warning signalling the return of an ancient mythological evil. Imperator Daâkora Corasar and the crew of the Qeshâkal are sent to determine the probeâs origin, and find that the satellite is not as they had expected. Corasar trusts the satelliteâs data, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they track down the source of the signal. Thrust into conflict, the crew of the Qeshâkal must chase their foe across the galactic arm and save their home from certain destruction. |
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The Horror at Camp New Woods by Aurora Dimitre JUNE 2004 For Elliot Roth, having to go to summer camp means spending one less month with his less-than-emotionally-invested father, so really--he's all for it. And at first, camp seems fine. He likes the guys in his cabin, he likes his counselor, and being outside for four weeks shouldn't be bad. But then he finds an abandoned cabin in the woods, and a kid nearly drowns in the lake. Elliot initially brushes off his suspicions as a result of listening too much to Nick, the resident horror movie expert at Camp New Woods, but when someone shows up dead, he has to admit--something's going on here. The only question is whether he and his cabinmates can make it out alive. |
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From mother and refugee, to warrior and nun, to traitress and Destroyer. Hell hath no fury like a mother betrayed.The Signovencian Church paints Sevara of the Blooded as a Hellwitch responsible for the burning of dozens of churches across Samothrace. Congregations whisper hushed prayers that her demonic gaze might pass over and spare them the ravages of her malicious coven, the Blooded of Ruin. She was not always so. According to the forbidden writings of Father Joseph, excommunicate shepherd of the Blooded, a tribeswoman of the Hellscape fled her master to save her infant son from ritualistic sacrifice. She finds sanctuary on the other side of Bel Farak in a small parish and hides there. Now, to prove she is no spy of Hell, Sevara volunteers to enter the war on the side of the Kingdom as a warrior nun of the Anointed. While fighting to survive the monsters, demons and savages from the life she abandoned, she has no idea of the political wheels turning behind the scenes, and the danger that her supposed allies present to her and her son. Desolate is the tragic origin story of the Destroyerâs champion, Sevara of the Blooded, and a prequel to Shades of Black Afterlight. |
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Ansgar the Skald just needs to make a simple delivery. One very fine sword, made by his foster father, needs to go east. Over the mountains, into the woods, and almost to the land of the Swedes. Once he does that, he can go home and warm his feet. All he needs to do is choose the right path through the forest. This is one foreboding forest, though, and a part of the world Ansgar has never traveled through. In that bleak part of the north, outlaws want to take his sword, wargs want to eat his face, and witches want him for things he would rather not think about. As a skald, Ansgar knows the kind of lore that can keep a man alive in the far north. Tales of heroes and trolls, of gods and dwarves. He's got the best stories. He's got his wits. And he's got a cynical raven to give him advice. Maybe. The right direction has a warm fire and a horn full of mead waiting. The wrong direction has wolves the size of ponies. Or worse. |
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Staff of Justice by Noelle Nichols Saving a life may have just cost him his own Protecting the innocent was all Kilo ever wanted. With a noble heart, he began his training as a warrior, pursing a path of compassion and justice. But when a seemingly ordinary mission goes wrong, he's forced to break his creed, betraying the very thing he's dedicated his life to. Because of his actions, others are forced to bear the consequences. To one upholding honor, the shame is almost unbearable. His friends try to comfort him, but without his creed, who is he? And how can he possibly make amends for what he's done? Staff of Justice is a short prequel novella to the Asian-inspired, noblebright series, The Shadow's Creed Saga. Witness the moment that changed Kilo's life forever and shaped the entire course of his futureâfor better or for worse. |
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Legends of Galhalla: A Spark in Fateâs Hand by B.C. Licht A Spark in Fateâs Hand is the first book of three in the Legends of Galhalla series. Emma Stevenson lives in a world she fears will never understand her. So she spends her time in a world that Video games. Her latest escape is the virtual reality MMORPG, Legends of Galhalla, a fantastical world of airships and magic, but Emma doesnât want to leave. Now thanks to an otherworldly glitch, she doesnât have to. With millions of players trapped within the virtual confines of Galhalla, Emma is finally free⌠until she starts crushing on someone desperate to escape. Emma now faces a difficult Help her new friends escape the crumbling reality that is Galhalla or stay hidden away in her new home. Either way, Emmaâs fate and the fate of millions rests in her hands. |
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The Prism Effect (Skylight, #1) by J. Wint Just beyond Earthâs atmosphere, orbiting like a shining beacon of hope, is the celebrated Skylight University and only the brightest students are accepted into its hallowed halls. Not surprisingly, Jet Stroud can hardly believe it when he receives his acceptance letter. Afterall, who would want a kid with glowing eyes and a deadly disease called âThe Youthful Deathâ on their campus? Thanks to his rare condition known as ephebus mortem, Jet has always been avoided and feared because of his eyes. When he learns the legend claims he will die before his twenty-fourth birthday, his excitement at being accepted into Skylight University is suddenly crushed. Determined to find answers, Jet quickly picks himself up. Accompanied by another kid from his hometown, a loner named Cutter Jade, they seek out the other three students with ephebus mortem. Despite their differences, the small group develops a shaky friendship and begins a quest to find a cure. But not all is as it seems at Skylight University. Mysterious shadows lurk in the hallways and bizarre visions of serpents and prisms haunt Jetâs dreams. While reading the obituary of a former student with ephebus mortem, Jet discovers several clues hidden in a trilogy of old paintings. As the group follows the breadcrumbs left behind by this former student, their quest takes an unexpected and deadly turn. The pace to find clues quickens when strange voices, ghostly apparitions and bizarre events threaten to splinter the small group apart. With the semester roaring to a close, and tensions running high, Jet fears they may not survive long enough to crack the code. Could the clues hidden in the paintings hold the cure to the strangest disease ever known to the human race? Can Jet and the others unravel the mysteries of ephebus mortem in time? In the end, Jet discovers something so profound that it will change his life forever. |
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Replacement (The Lost Clone, #1) by Jordan Rivet Jane is a leftover clone. Created for an unknown purpose, then abandoned at a rundown facility outside Grid City, she has a knack for trouble and a burning desire to find out why she was made. When a powerful tycoon hires her to replace his son Isaacâs best friend, a girl from the same clone batch as her, Jane jumps at the chance to finally get some answers. All she has to do is convince the charming Isaac that his friend is still alive, without getting too close to him. Stepping into someone elseâs life isnât easy, though, even when you have the same genes. As Jane struggles to survive at Isaacâs elite private school, she discovers the other cloneâs death was no accidentâand she might be next. She must solve her batchmateâs murder and unravel the mystery of their origins before the killer comes for her too. |
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Jake's Magical Market by J.R. Mathews Meddling gods. A magical card system. An apocalypse no one could have predicted. Jake is working at the neighborhood market under his apartment when the world ends. He expected nuclear war, a computer virus, or even climate change burning everyone to a crisp to bring about the downfall of civilization. But cruel and arbitrary gods from another world? Who would have guessed that? When these cruel gods shuffled Earth like a deck of cards, nothing was in the same place anymore. Monsters, dungeons, and magical items appear scattered across the globe. And suddenly, everyone has access to a new, strange magical card system that gives them magical powers. Jake, wasting his day slacking off in the cooler, as he usually did, found himself alone in a completely new and very dangerous world. Can he learn to survive? Can he collect enough cards and create a good enough deck to fight back against the monsters that have overtaken his former home? And why are these strange people that look a lot like elves knocking on the door of the market he is hiding in and asking to buy some of his goods? The gods may have stacked the deck against him, but Jake just might have a few cards up his sleeve that will help him survive. |
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Explorers of Rinth by John Simons Aristotle wakes with no memory after being left for dead in a place that carries the seeds of a distant and dying Earth, but he is not alone. The survival of the human species rests on his shoulders and a small group of discarded humans. Meanwhile, Iseulte and her friends flee the spark of civil war that engulfs their home. They escape into long-forgotten tunnels where they find that things Humanity dabbled in and abandoned have taken on their own lives and destinies. Although separated by unimaginable distance, the future of these two groups was bound together in the distant past by the strangest secret of all. |
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Final Hope by Joshua J. Piedra Final Hope centers around Mikomi Saigo, who inherits Onyx Technology Ventures from his father. Mikomi succeeds in completing his father's work, but the day before he announces the completion of an advanced A.I., he is shot and killed in the parking lot of the company. He wakes up 10 years in the past with all of his memories intact where he meets Sebastian, a custodian of time. Mikomi has been given a second chance and decides that he wants to do more than just find his killer... he wants to change some of the more unpleasant events of his life, but the more he changes, the more the world responds. |
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Magenta Skies: Rise Of The Berserkers by J.R. Manga Our salvation may lie with the unexpected Society is on the brink of chaos , a new threat is leaving its malicious mark on the city, and because of historic events, a great and malevolent force has set its gaze upon humanity. All that stands between such perilous evil and our surviving fate is a blind young man who only lives for vengeance, and a group of mentally unstable criminals that have no reason to help us. We must entrust them with a divine power no mortal should ever possess, and we must hope they use it to safeguard us from oblivion. For we have created beings of equal dread, and such abominations should never have been made. Book 1 of the Berserker Saga |
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Mind Over Antimatter by Rose Green Thirteen-year-old Cole Uribe canât believe his luck when an invention contest wins him top security clearance. His pose as the grandson of inventor NicolĂĄs Araya and find Arayaâs plans for a micro-black-hole-powered storage deviceâbefore Alzheimerâs erases Arayaâs mind for good. OnlyâŚColeâs not the only kid claiming to be Marcelo Araya. And one of them is telling the truth. Can a real grandson, a fake grandson, a nosy neighbor girl, and the greatest mind ever to lose brain cells be a match for a top-secret, most ruthless organization? Ages 9-12. |
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Two brothers on opposite ends of a secret war, one fights for what is right, the other fights for survival. Itâs been 200 years since the ascension of mankind, and 400 years since the multiverse split open and the apocalypse, known as the cataclysm, swept across Earth gifting humans with game-like abilities and strength. Eli and his brother grew up seeing the stars from space, living on a space station. As soon as they were old enough they joined the Aggregate, an empire of aliens who wield humanity as a weapon against all who oppose them. When a mission to stop a rebellion goes south the two brothers worlds are ripped apart by fate. Now, years later on opposing sides only one will make it alive. This book is a standalone light novel, a love letter to sci-fi LitFPS with post-apocalyptic LitRPG elements, non-linear storytelling, and multiple POVs. |
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Seventeen-year-old Kindle Kerr has been in deep mourning ever since a car crash took her family. To keep them close, she continues the family tradition of puppetry. That is until she's abducted by aliens and turned into a puppet herself--with strings made from her own skin. Now Kindle spends her time mining a mysterious golden substance whenever her strings are pulled by the Puppeteer--her puppet-obsessed alien overlord. But Kindle has an advantage. While the other puppets fall into a nightly coma, she doesn't. Instead, she develops a plan to meet with her captor because it's time Kindle pulled the strings in her life for once. |
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Cold Between Stars (The Echo #1) by Belinda Crawford In the dark, empty space between solar systems, something lies in wait. Itâs pretty easy being a ship kid; clean out the cyclers, avoid your sister, donât get sucked into space. The hardest bit about it is spending a couple of decades in stasis/sleep while your ship travels to the next solar system. Then rinse and repeat all the way back to a home youâve never seen. Except Kuma just got kicked out of stasis early, like years early. And heâs alone. All. Alone. Except for the fug. |
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Villagers always warned Alex about the enchanted forest; Don't go in alone. Don't get too close- or risk being kidnapped by fairies. But those are just myths, right? Unfortunately, newly knighted Alex learned the hard way that not all myths and legends are simply bedtime stories. Dragged to a hidden kingdom fraught with magical intrigue and danger, Alex is forced to reevaluate everything he believed-including his identity. Despite Alex's discovery, he must choose between exploring his newfound potential or pursuing the rescue of missing people from his hometown. Will he find the vanishing victims in time, or will this unlikely hero lose the only father figure he's ever known? Either way, his life will never be the same, and neither will the world. Once upon a time, because that's how the best stories begin... |
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Fire & Flight by Brianna R. Shaffery There are those that tell stories about the legends of the Shadow Forest, of magical waters that grant your deepest desires, and of times long ago when ancient sorcerers wielded unnatural power. After the death of her family and the appearance of strange physical changes she cannot explain, seventeen year-old Nyla begins to wonder if she might be cursed with magic herself. Without a home and longing for the family sheâs lost, Nyla retreats into herself. But when her new plan for answers brings her to a crossroads with a fellow traveler named Xanderâwhose own painful past is also a mysteryâNyla must decide if she can trust a stranger. But even if she can learn to trust, could her very connection to Xander place them both in peril? With an ominous force gaining power in Nylaâs homeland, she must choose how far she is willing to go to find answers when not only her fateâbut possibly all of Tenebrisâdepends on it. Fire & Flight is Brianna R. Shafferyâs debut novel and the first novel in the epic young adult fantasy trilogy Heirs of Tenebris. |
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Secrets of the Sorcery War by Elise Carlson Secrets lie across the seas. Having vanquished the damars, Heir Ruarnon thought they'd secured the safety of Umarinaris' eastern seas. But Nartzeer's murderous creatures are back, their handlers are more worrisome and both bar Ruarnon's path to new allies needed to recover their abducted parents. The handlers are Linhâs chance to confirm that her gateway home (to Australia) âand that sorcerers able (and hopefully willing) to operate itâ lie in Umarinaris' dangerous West. In pursuit of allies and answers, Ruarnon and Linh clash with evolving, ever more dangerous damars. They learn magic is still wielded on Umarinaris, that some of the Sorcery Warâs deadliest weapons survived and that Nartzeer has his own plans for those weapons. Nartzeer's forces threaten to sink Ruarnon and Linh's ship, and their hopes with it, yet he may not be what he seems... |
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Hayden Navarro has only one concern: protecting the ones he loves. At nineteen, he learns the world is in danger. An anonymous terrorist organization has attacked several countries all across the planet. When his parents suspect there might be a mole in the Council of Ailene, they ask Hayden to go undercover as an intern. Once in Ailene, he quickly becomes overwhelmed by everything and everyone around him. He struggles to keep his best friend, Lowell, safe while fending off the ever-present voices inside his head telling him that one day heâs going to lose everything, and heâll be them one responsible for it all. Heâs close to falling apart altogether when he crosses paths with Alexander Collins, a funny and handsome Council member who makes him feel happy and understood. His days suddenly become a little bit brighterâbut nothing in Haydenâs life is ever easy. Thereâs a strict rule against workplace romances, forcing them to stay just friends, yet as they grow closer, Hayden and Lowell find themselves steadily growing apart. Can Hayden find a way to keep his head above water while hunting down the mole, struggling with his growing feelings for Alexander, fixing his relationship with Lowell, and trying to save everyone he cares aboutâall at the same time? |
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Beneath Strange Lights by Vivian Moira Valentine Amelia Temple always knew she was different. Other. But that never stopped her from wanting moreâ especially her freedom. The Bureau of Extranormal Investigations, the shadowy government agency that has controlled her since birth, is finally allowing Amelia a pass to explore the small surrounding town where she is housed. Itâs 1954, and she quickly makes friends and begins to learn the rules of this strange society. Apparently, race matters. And girls arenât supposed to date girls. Yet the government looks the other way when it comes to locking kids up from birth and performing experiments on them because they have extra powersâkids like Amelia. Amelia and her new friends soon discover a conspiracy of so-called scientists running a bizarre experiment that threatens to unleash something terrible on her adopted hometown. As they begin to investigate, it becomes clear they must somehow stop the experiment before people die. But to do so, Amelia is forced to rely on what makes her different and decide just how human she wants to be. |
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TREBLE: THE RHYTHM WITHIN by Dre "DaBrute" Daniels A mysterious virus has taken Washington D.C by storm! The city is in a panic and has gone crazy. A high school student named Zamir Green has been exposed to the virus and his body begins to mutate. It seems like music is triggering something deep down within him! What in the world is going on!? This series is an action drama/musical. Throughout the series our main character will discover that he has gained the ability to gain a different super power based on the genre he listens to. The powers are based on the emotional/stereotypical response that people in our world have toward particular genres of music. A mysterious virus has taken Washington D.C by storm! The city is in a panic and has gone crazy. A high school student named Zamir Green has been exposed to the virus and his body begins to mutate. It seems like music is triggering something deep down within him! What in the world is going on!? This series is an action drama/musical. Throughout the series our main character will discover that he has gained the ability to gain a different super power based on the genre he listens to. The powers are based on the emotional/stereotypical response that people in our world have toward particular genres of music. |
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Grave Vengeance by Mitch Larkins Allyce thought when the most popular kids in school asked her to be their friend, she was finally going to come into their own. And then they murdered her. Now, ten years later on the anniversary of her death, Allyce has pulled herself from the grave for a long-awaited reunion with her so-called friends. |
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Honu Book One: Waterborn by Dawyone Combes When magic enters Koldair Noa's life the world he once knew will never be the same. Someone whom was thought lost forever to the land of Lanrete returns to hunt Koldair and burn down Hawai'i. Koldair must make a choice to be the hero or the villain of his own story. |
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The Prince of Starlight by Lou Wilham An outbreak of strange curses. A kingdom in chaos. With the kingdom of Lunette's people in peril, their prince has one choice. Aided by his best friend and protector, knight Dame Ignacia, Prince Cricketâyoung, cheerful, and oft-times ridiculousâset out in search of answers. Swords and opinions clash as Cricket and Ignacia work together to solve the mysteries that surround them. But they must set aside their differences to find the culprit before the perpetrator can launch their next attack on Lunette and plunge the kingdom into darkness. A frolicking LGBTQ+ fantasy novel steeped in action, wit, and all of the corniness. Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld, Neil Gaiman's Stardust, and William Goldman's The Princess Bride. |
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Lady Mhysra Kilpapan was blessed from birth with a distinguished family, a glorious home and a giant eagle miryhl of her own. Fully aware of her luck, she wants for nothing in life â except a chance to become a Rift Rider. The elite force of the Overworld has been closed to women for over one hundred years and not even the legendary Wingborn are allowed to join. Until now. Women are being admitted to the Riders again and Mhysra wants to be first in line. Except her parents have other ideas, and there are plenty of others who are less than pleased about the change. Yet if Mhysra can find a way to reach Aquila, she will let nothing stop her. But the Overworld is in trouble and the vicious kaz-naghkt are destroying Rift Rider bases one by one. The Riders need help. Can Mhysra and her friends really be the difference between survival and destruction? Or will they fail before their first year of training is through? |
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Courage Is the Price by S.L. Dove Cooper Seventeen-year-old Rue doesnât need anyone other than Ghost, her not-so-imaginary best friend. Theyâve been inseparable for as long as Rue can remember and she shares everything with Ghost. The day before Rue returns home from school for the long holiday, Ghost disappears. Ever-fretful Rue tries to tell herself itâs fine, but she knows something is horribly, terribly wrong. Sheâll have to overcome her anxiety find her courage and push her boundaries further than she ever thought possible in order to save her best friend, and perhaps make some new ones as Rue finds herself drawn into the fringes of a secret battle for human survival. Soft science fiction meets fantasy in this exciting novella-length adventure of daring and friendship. |
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Among the Glimmering Flowers by S.L. Dove Cooper Felicity feels stifled by her parents' protective nature. She's the crown princess, yet she's not even allowed to care for her own pony. Her life consists of nothing but rules and permissions. All she wants is a little more freedom. Horse-friend is happy to have a roof over his head, a job that he likes and food in his stomach every day. He never expected to run into the crown princess as she tries to sneak out of the castle. Or to get caught up in her clumsy attempts at having an adventure. It isn't long before trouble, rather than adventure, finds both of them, setting them on a course that will change their lives -- and the fate of the kingdom -- forever. Among the Glimmering Flowers is the story of how two lovers first became friends and the first book in a series exploring a demisexual/allosexual romantic relationship. Readers looking for a low-conflict, cosy story should enjoy this novel. |
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Spaceman Steve and the Quest for the Awesome Artifact by Joel N. Cooper Spaceman Steve is pretty sure he's in the wrong story. Steve knows he is a character in a fictional book, but he believes he should be in space killing aliens instead of fighting fire-breathing dragons, crossing enchanted rivers, and being thrown into dungeons. He finds himself in a medieval fantasy world, despite his high-tech space suit. Steve discovers the backpack he's wearing is magical, as he often pulls out objects that may or may not be helpful. The queen of Chradaria believes he is a wizard, so she brings him on her quest to find an artifact of great importance that could save her kingdom. Zab, a neighboring king who happens to be immortal, has a long history of doing whatever it takes to expand his borders. He sends his army into Chradaria, and the queen believes he will soon attack the capital city in an attempt to conquer her kingdom. As she fears for the safety of her people, the queen and Steve set off on a quest to steal the golden amulet that provides Zab with his immortality. Steve seeks to help the queen on her quest, while also mocking the author for his lazy writing. |
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Into the Forest by Jennifer Willcock What if the Wolf fell in love with Red Riding Hood? Prince Teowulf, Crown Prince of the Wolf Kingdom, believes the lessons of superiority heâs learned from childhood until a chance encounter with a despised Forester, Jenna âRiderâ Hood. Rider is the daughter of Dr. Hood, the premiere pharmacist of Wolf Kingdom, and she turns Prince Teoâs world upside down, making him question everything heâs ever believed about the Foresters. When sickness strikes the Wolf clan, Rider and Prince Teo must work together to save lives. But can they get past their own hate and prejudice to help others? Will the sparks between Rider and Teo fizzle or burst into flame? |
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Does Love Always Win? by Diane Billas Does Love Always Win is a sapphic coming of age young adult novel that explores coming out and understanding oneâs sexual orientation. Sam âShortyâ Daniels has a plan for her senior year, but her romantic life being a hot mess was not part of the agenda. Shorty quickly discovers sheâs not attracted to her newest boyfriend and fellow marching band member Zack despite her many hours of daydreaming of what it would be like to date him. Their flirting previously had been so intense that those feelings have to come back again, right? When Shortyâs asked to show the snarky new girl around high school, Shortyâs instantly intrigued by Kristyâs wit, and they bond over their love of writing. They quickly become inseparable, and Shorty has a breakthrough moment realizing why none of her other relationships worked out. Just as Shorty is about to break up with Zack, her bitter ex-boyfriend Bryan threatens to out her to the entire school and Shortyâs conservative parents. Will Shorty be able to overcome Bryanâs ridiculous blackmail scheme and get her dream girl? |
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The Thief's Relic by Angela Knotts Morse Eamonn never wanted to be a thief. So when a risky mission goes awry and he receives the chance of a lifetime, he leaves behind everything, even his newfound family in the Thievesâ Guild, to pursue an apprenticeship as an honest merchant. Traveling the country means he sees and hears everything. Civil unrest, rebellions against the monarchies, and rumors of a usurper bent on uniting the provinces under himself with a mythical form of magic. Few suspect heâs not chasing a dead end, including village girl Leyna, a believer in the magic of ancient histories. Eamonnâs skeptical heart is also swayed once he finds himself the tyrantâs target, unknowingly possessing the key to harness the dangerous power. To protect it, Eamonnâs only choice is to flee. But now that itâs the mission of his former brothers in the Guild to hunt him down, keeping magic out of their hands might be harder than either Leyna or Eamonn thought possible. If they fall, though, their world does too. |
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Daughter of the Sun by Amanda Auler âBut when all hope seems lost, and the world knows nothing but white, there will come one who will bring green.â Born without a Gift, Solyana must accept being ordinary amidst the extraordinary. But when blizzards devastate her valley and endanger village life, a prophetic sign emerges, proclaiming Solyana the savior. Fulfilling the prophecy means leaving the valley and journeying into greater Mothmar--where every previous expedition has led to death. Unwinding the mysteries of the past and present, Solyanaâs choices could spell survival or extinction for those she loves and unknowingly bind her to another⌠âOne who is all light to stand to the one who is all dark, of which there will be two.â Pallah, the object of her fatherâs disdain and overshadowed by her siblings, is desperate for the home sheâs never had. Accepted into a group of elusive zealots under the wrong pretenses, Pallah begins to discover she may be as dangerous to herself as she is portrayed to be to others. On a night that changes her life forever, Pallah discovers her Gift is forbidden. Between her new group of friends and the persistent voice in her head, Pallah is pushed toward a decision that could send her into irreversible darkness. Can Solyana find the truth to the prophecy before she is thrust into the awaiting abyss? Can Pallah discover her true purpose before her world collapses in on itself? A story of friendship, family, and the choices that shape us. Dive into the world of Mothmar and experience magic, animal companionship, and adventure layered through time and dipped in mystery. |
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The Glass Palace by Kathryn Trattner A curse. An arranged marriage. A chance to live happily ever after. For as long as Astrid can remember she's been betrothed to a stranger. When tragedy strikes her husband-to-be emerges from the shadows ready to claim her hand in marriage. Unable to resist this mysterious stranger she is drawn into a realm of captivating magic and haunting secrets. Tyhr has lived behind a silver tiger mask for years, cursed to a dark fate and suspended in time. Astrid could be the one to break the spell but first, he must earn her trust and break through the hard shell encircling her heart. In this extraordinary new life, Astrid will forge friendships and confront ancient creatures. Through perilous trials and breathtaking adventures, she will have to decide what promises are worth keeping and which must be broken. Immerse yourself in this spellbinding retelling of the classic fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moonâwhere romance and adventure collide in an unforgettable tale of love and magic. |
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When Shadows Fall by Lindy Enns âEverything I hated and feared was outside that window. There was nothing between me and the night, nothing but a boy I didnât know and shouldnât trust.â Afflicted with debilitating panic attacks and constant anxiety, Ara Holstenner is the last person who would ever oppose the tyrant lord who subjugates her people. But when her sister is taken by shadow creatures, Ara must defy The Lord's edicts and brave the forbidden night world to save her. Can Ara overcome the fears that have defined her since childhood, or will she doom her sisterâand herselfâto a lifetime of torment? |
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The Hollow Boys: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 1 by Douglas Smith THE DREAM RIDER SAGA, BOOK 1 Winner of the 2023 Aurora Award for Best YA Novel Winner of the 2023 juried IAP Award for Best YA Novel Vanishing street kids. An ancient evil. The end of the world. Our only hope? A hero who can't leave home. At seventeen, Will Dreycott is a superheroâŚin his dreams. And in yours. Eight years ago, Will's parents, shady dealers in ancient artifacts, disappeared on a jungle expedition. Will, the sole survivor, returned home with no memory of what happened, bringing a giftâŚand a curse. The gift? Will can walk in our dreams. At night in Dream, Will hunts for criminalsâand his parents. During the day, his Dream Rider comic, about a superhero no one knows is real, has made Will rich. The curse? Severe agoraphobia. Will can't go outside. So he makes his home a skyscraper with everything he needs in lifeâeverything but the freedom to walk the streets of his city. Case, an orphan Will's age, survives on those streets with her younger brother, Fader. Survives because she too has a gift. She hears voices warning her of danger. And Fader? Well, he fades. When street kids start vanishing, the Dream Rider joins the hunt. Will's search becomes personal when Case breaks into his tower to escape her own abduction. Fader isn't so lucky. As Will and Case search for Fader and the missing kids, an unlikely romance grows between the boy with everything and the girl with nothing except the freedom Will longs for. But as they push deeper into the mystery, they confront an ancient power feeding on these forgotten kids to restore itself. And once restored, no one in the world will be safe. To defeat this creature, Will must do the impossible. Go outside. Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from "one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction" (Library Journal). "Editor's Pick: This arresting series kickoff grips from the start as it introduces its inventive milieu, its flawed but fantastically powered hero, its playful worldbuilding, and a host of tantalizing mysteries. ⌠Thatâs just the start of Smithâs vigorously imaginative scenario. ⌠Takeaway: Thrilling YA fantasy." âBookLife "Smith has created a dramatic, vivid fantasy world ⌠The Hollow Boys is an assured, confident novel with strong world-building, sharp dialogue and the perfect balance between action and emotional growth for its main characters. ⌠In short, this is a must-read story for YA fantasy fans." âBlueink Review (â Starred review) "The Hollow Boys is inventive, engaging, and boundless fun" âThe Ottawa Review of Books |
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Leza of the Alpha Line by Rachael Balke For supernatural beings, the island was supposed to be their sanctuary from violent humans. But a violence has found them nonetheless. Leza won't sit idly by while her home is threatened. What lengths would you go to protect your home? Fighting for her family brings her to her destiny. |
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Wild Spirit: The Curse of Win Adler by Victoria Wren Struck down with a mystery illness, sixteen-year-old Win Adler's life in Boston is shattered. Once a high achieving student, Win's illness forces her to become withdrawn, losing many friends along the way. When doctors canât find a cure, her fatherâs last hope of recovery is to take her home to Hickory House, her motherâs ancestral home in the woods in the old colonial town of Cedar Wood. A fresh start in a new town, a new school where no one knows her past, plus a cute neighbor across the woods...life should get better, right? Living with her Grandpa and older sister in a quaint town should be ideal, but Win soon discovers she lives at the heart of an old town ghost story, a tale of witchcraft and tragedy. And Win learns that her family is unusual, and have some rather interesting secrets. Someone is watching the house, a mysterious hunter, someone who knows her familyâs dark secrets, and as Win starts to change in more ways than one, she must uncover the truth about this man, and what he wants from her. She is getting stronger and faster as she learns more about her familyâs strange curse. All Win wants to do is settle into her new life, but on the night of Luke Fraser's bonfire, the party quickly gets out of control, and Win must use her new talents to help her friends and get them to safety. She must unearth the secrets of her past to survive the fight of her life before she runs out of time. The Curse of Win Adler is the first book in the exciting, paranormal fantasy series 'Wild Spirit'. This is a story for young adults, teens, but anyone who loves paranormal romance fiction, with some action and adventure and mystery will love this fast-paced, dynamic read! If you love contemporary shifter fantasy with magic, curses, and romance then you might love this book! |
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The Tale of the Border Knight by A.R. Witham The Magnificent Seven meets Kings of the Wyld in this three-act novella from A. R. Witham. Return to Keymark a few hundred years before The Legend of Black Jack and witness the origin of the Border Knights as seen through the eyes of one of their own. They say the Noble Seven came from the Waste. They say the knights arrived from the desert gleaming in silver mail, shimmering bright as the sun, a refraction of every color under God's sky. They were honor, righteousness, and courage made flesh. Some claim they came from beyond, angels sent to stand against damons. Some say. If you want to know the truth, I will tell you |
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Embers We Struck by Jeremy Martin A year after Finn Hail stabbed a god, Marshall Luth is plagued with visions of a future bathed in blood and fire. Haunted by hallucinations, Marshall is thrust into the battle to save Norsewood. Adelaide, vowing to cull humanity and save the Forest, marches the fianna to war. Yet the Maiden herself is slowly unraveling as the feralâs curse consumes her. As the Foreign to You duology comes to an end, humans and fianna will clash, death will rule, and a familiar devil will ascend a throne once made for a god |