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Trials of Power: Forces of Power Book 1

Trials of Power: Forces of Power Book 1 by Ben Crow

Discover Your Power. Eighteen-year-old Dane Willows has long awaited his chance to compete in the Trials of Power, a rigorous triumvirate of tests designed to challenge intelligence, survival instinct, and combat prowess. Only then will Dane awaken the power inside him, as is tradition. Will he become a mighty Geomancer, able to shape stone and earth? Or a cunning Luminarus, able to bend and distort the very light around him? Dane can barely contain his excitement as his Trials commence, ready to earn his place in Physos and discover his true calling. Then everything goes wrong. A solar inferno erupts outside the Trials Arena at the hands of the mysterious Avon, a power-hungry renegade thought dead decades ago after destroying an entire city. Now Avon has returned, his power unmatched. So long as Avon lives, no city is safe from his wrath. And he’s not alone. With the future of Physos in the balance, Dane and his allies must race across Physos in search of answers and end Avon’s reign of calamity before more lives are lost. All too soon, Dane realizes the real trials have only just begun.


The EmberEarth Chronicles

The EmberEarth Chronicles by Matthew Bunch

William Tate is young and brilliant and desperate to save his dying mother. When the doctors fail in their efforts, Billy begins to study on his own, determined to find what they have missed. His quest leads him to the Rare Manuscripts room at the New York library where he becomes mysteriously drawn to a strange book written in a strange language. Focused to the point of obsession, Billy is determined to crack the secret code, utterly unprepared for success. EmberEarth trembles. A millennium has passed since Wizards and DireMages battled for control of this world, Rending the Fabric and unleashing powerful forces which destroyed almost everything. Billy arrives and immediately seeks to return to his mother, irresistibly drawn into events which threaten to set those mighty forces free again. EmberEarth crawls with monsters and Billy faces constant danger, slowly realizing more lives are at stake than just his mother's. Dragons, long asleep and awaiting the return of magic, awaken to the call of a young girl who will lead them. Bloodletters, dark mages long hidden behind a veil of fear, who fuel their corrupt magic with pain and suffering, now move openly across the world. Even the dead begin to arise, answering the call of their vile Lord reborn. Billy, aided by his new friends, must face them all.


The King of Juthirima: The Legend of Chafftiria Book 1

The King of Juthirima: The Legend of Chafftiria Book 1 by Austin Suttill

For all of his life, Asher Field thought himself to be a normal teenager going to a normal school with normal friends and a (somewhat) normal scientist for a father. But after waking up from a terrible nightmare, Asher’s whole world changes. He discovers that he holds a special power within him and that he’s not the only one. His best friend, North, and eleven other students of Calistar High School have all shared similar experiences and have been haunted by the same dreams night after night. And when one question after another is left unanswered, an unknown force takes them from their homes in New York City and hurls them into the world of Chafftiria—a realm overthrown and corrupted by those who call themselves the Ordarians. In the eastern lands of Juthirima, the young ones discover that the king has been dethroned, and the people are now ruled by the tyrant Protomus. Wielding a devastating power, Protomus has lain siege to cities, spreading his Ordarian forces throughout the land. The Juthirimans suffer under their cruelty. Without their king, they have no hope of regaining their country’s former strength. But there is a prophecy the people have held onto for sixteen years that one day, thirteen enhanced young warriors would come to their aid, deliver them from the Ordarians, and restore their king to the throne. When Asher realizes that he is meant to lead this group, his once normal, peaceful existence is thrown aside as he learns to harness his new abilities and work with his companions as a team. Though they are unwilling at first, each step they take into danger prepares them to become the heroes they were made to be. But it’s a long road. How long is Asher willing to risk his life for a world he’s never known before?


Unparalleled

Unparalleled by Whitney Ivey

Love often grows from the most unimaginable of places, and Unparalleled by Whitney Ivey captures a unique and alternative perspective on imaginary friends and the ways in which children have been known to interact with the spirit realm. Unparalleled is a riveting fantasy love story, following a young boy, Derek, and his vivid imagination into adulthood as he journeys through life with his best friend, Essi. She is anything but imaginary, despite his parents' and society's highly skeptical thoughts. As Derek realizes Essi is his one true love, he also comes to the heartbreaking realization that their worlds cannot continue to collide because their friendship comes with a strict expiration date. Will Derek get the chance to tell her before it's too late? Can Derek hold on to the hope that he will find Essi once again, or will life without Essi be the forever he never wanted?


Ascension of Light (Chronicles of the Endless Book 1)

Ascension of Light (Chronicles of the Endless Book 1) by Joseph Melnick

The Endless… They are beings immune to age and imbued with godlike abilities. Their struggle for power has gone mostly unnoticed since the Immortal War, 3000 years ago, when the Dwarves divided the world at the Dwarf Gate and the Mages of the Nine Powers dropped the peak of Cairn on the Shrine of the Endless.


The One Game: A YA Sci-Fi Adventure

The One Game: A YA Sci-Fi Adventure by Jennifer Lewy

They put climate chaos behind them and placed their trust in a powerful AI. But when tech goes haywire, can one teen coder rescue her safe haven? Seventeen-year-old Rayne takes pride in the vivid virtual realities she codes. And with society finally emerging from environmental catastrophe, she relishes knowing her creations play a pivotal role in the vital artificial intelligence the world uses for guidance. But when her own program tries to kill her, the young techie fears she’s triggered an unstoppable horror that will destroy the entire globe. Teaming up with fellow programmers, she digs into the system to uncover the fatal flaw. But when the computer genius suspects the patch is deadlier than the bug, she stumbles into a conspiracy that could see her permanently deleted. Can Rayne undo the viral destruction before all humanity short-circuits? The One Game is the thrilling first book in the Game of Paradise YA science fiction adventure series. If you like empowered heroines, fast-paced action, and dystopian settings, then you’ll love Jennifer Lewy’s high-tech page-turner. Buy The One Game to decrypt a disruptive anomaly today!


Master of the Void

Master of the Void by Wend Raven

SPFBO9 SPFBO Finalist

In the Seven Lands, magic is everything. So what happens when you’re the only person who has none? Nothing matters more to Derrius Mendi than forging a better life for his family by pursuing a formal magical education at the University, something his parents have sacrificed what little they had to make possible. When disaster strikes on the eve of his thirteenth birth moment—the day he was to receive his magical gift from the Stars—will he choose perseverance or bitterness as he struggles against a society that would rather forget he exists than help him succeed? As the third son of an archmage, Orimund Laetus has spent his life living up to the expectations of others. When his testing goes horribly wrong, he must decide who he truly is when his carefully crafted upbringing is rendered useless. Setting off on an epic adventure of self-discovery, Orimund must find his place in the world before a looming evil destroys everything he holds dear. From swashbuckling sea voyages and magical heists to unlikely friendships and budding romances, Master of the Void is a sweeping coming-of-age journey that follows a cast of misfit friends through times of heartbreak, fear, joy, laughter, failure, and triumph.


Lady of Ravensmere

Lady of Ravensmere by Mary McKenna

SPFBO9

In a richly-imagined fantasy world, against a backdrop of alliances and betrayals, a young girl grows to a woman.  Jenevra Louvet, the thirteen year old daughter of the Earl of Allandale, travels to the north to be betrothed. Well-born, well-bred and well-trained, she would not embarrass a king. But no king awaits her. Instead she will marry the new made lord of a dilapidated castle threatened by war. Far from her family and the life she knows, with little support, she must find a way to grow into the woman and lady her new land and husband need. Brilliantly imagined fantasy, Lady of Ravensmere chronicles the beginning of Jenevra's journey, a journey that will change her and the world around her.


An Inheritance of Ash and Blood

An Inheritance of Ash and Blood by Jamie Edmundson

SPFBO9

The One They Fear is The Hero They Need 
Sorcery is dying out.

No one misses it. Feared and despised in equal measure, Sanc is only tolerated because he’s the son of the powerful Duke of Morbaine. But Sanc is more important than he knows. When his life is threatened, he is forced to confront his true inheritance. For a new god has arrived in Dalriya. Unstoppable, Ezenachi brings only conquest and slavery. Sorcery is dying out, and now Dalriya needs a sorcerer more than ever.


An Inheritance of Ash and Blood is the first book in a new series, Heirs of War. It combines coming of age character journeys with rich worldbuilding, dark sorcery, political intrigue, and bloody war.


Bioshifter

Bioshifter by Natalie Maher

SPFBO9

Hannah has a routine. Wake up, take a shower, go to school, go to work, come home, and pass out. It's a perfectly normal routine for a perfectly normal girl who does not have to remember how her limbs work every morning because of haunting nightmares of being a very different creature in a very different world. But that's all she thinks they are—nightmares—until one night they're all too lucid, and her body on Earth starts to change. Slowly, Hannah's humanity starts to slip away... but surely she can continue just sticking to routine, right? It'll be fine. It has to be. A mix of urban and traditional fantasy, Bioshifter is a story in two worlds, with magic leaking in from one to the other. It's a story about love, self-acceptance, neurodivergency, and a whole lot of trauma. Strap in and enjoy!


Regeneration

Regeneration by Cassie Greutman

SPFBO9

Nobody defied the Faerie Council… until now. At sixteen years old, Trisha has been in the foster care system for years and has barely survived. She has always felt different. An outsider. That’s how it must be. After all, she has a secret to protect. But the time to hide her truth may be at an end. Dragged before the Faerie Council, her fae lineage makes it mandatory for her to bend to their will. A hunt is underway for a fae fugitive and she is to join the team tracking him. Saying no isn’t an option. The stories of what they do to those who disobey orders chill her to the bone. Who else is on this mandatory squadron? None other than her ex, who shot her and left her for dead. Sure, she healed. But that kind of memory stings. Can they find the fae on the run before he comes into his powers? Or worse, before Trish destroys any chance she has of staying with the foster parents who love her? A perfect read for fans of YA Urban Fantasy full of action and found family!


Crystal Gunslinger - The Obsidian Outlaws

Crystal Gunslinger - The Obsidian Outlaws by Oliver Laws

SPFBO9

The Warped Scorch is known as the most dangerous area on the continent of Lux for good reason. Ever since a strange meteor hit the land and transformed it into a crystal hellscape, all four bordering nations have been trying to establish a foothold in the extremely dangerous new territory and lay claim to its many treasures. Cyrus is a crystal gunslinger, one of the individuals that face the horrors of the Scorch on a daily basis in order to make a living. With his trusty ruby repeater and plenty of experience, he is prepared to deal with whatever challenges the strange creatures and deadly environment can throw at him. But Cyrus will soon learn that the true horrors of the Scorch are much more human in nature, and no matter how hard he tries, escaping his past will be nearly impossible.


The Awakening Fire

The Awakening Fire by Cassidy Faline

SPFBO9

The price of war, The plague of death, Was Ancients' curse Of final breath. The sea, it carried us, Time passed over us, But we did not repent. Faithful people! Lift your eyes! For future's sake, We must rise! Faithful people, Take your stand! Bring the Ancients back To our holy land. Even though the Ancients have been gone from the world for nearly a thousand years, their law still holds sway over the minds of men. Three men hold a claim on the kingdom's empty throne, each jockeying for power with their own conflicting ideology. With unrest brewing among the citizenry, violence breaking out between the lords, and a dark secret kept just under the palace floors, can the kingdom of Retall survive another war of the Ancient


Beta

Beta by MT Zimny

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023

Samantha Havardson is not an Apex. Seriously. She's completely ordinary with a totally normal family that just happens to be moving to the Apex epicenter of the world- the manmade island city of New Delos. Although she thinks her lack of super Apex abilities will keep her out of the limelight, it quickly becomes apparent that the city has different plans, sweeping Samantha up in a world of secret identities and super powers where anyone, even those closest to her, might be an Apex. Plagued by missing students, secret Apex teams, and a mysterious man named Adrestus, Samantha searches for answers, causing secrets to unravel about her classmates, her family, and herself that drag her deeper into the secret world of the Apex.


Sealed Empire

Sealed Empire by Norbert Zsivicz

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2024

-Norbert Zsivicz first book, the Hungarian Literary Award winner Sealed Empire now available in English by the famous translator Tamás Pétersz (Game of Thrones). Blurb Ser Edward, an experienced sailor, embarks on perhaps the most daring expedition of the Kingdom of Esenworth so far. His mission is to try to earn the blessing of the Reverend Sven, who is none other than his love’s father, probably the most influential man in the realm. But on his journey beset by fierce storms, he and his men encounter something that could shake to the core not only their faith, but their very concept of the world as well. Meanwhile, far from the oceans, his love, Emma, is trying to disentangle herself from the spider’s web of intrigue and scheming, into which she is being drawn ever deeper by Erick the new king. And the dark clouds just keep gathering above – ancient beasts, stranger than ever, appear at sea, on land and even in the skies more and more frequently. They roar with a metallic screech, their eyes glow with an unnatural light, their skin hard and rigid as armor. Can order be upheld in this age blind to divine prophecy, in the largest kingdom of the North, where the monarch’s mind is coming undone just like reality itself? Our heroes must struggle ceaselessly to understand the hidden secrets of their world and their own origins. But what are they going to do once they have the answers?


A Single Spark

A Single Spark by Mandy Burkhead

SPFBO9

After her father is murdered by witch hunters, nineteen-year-old Mackenna loses control of her fire magic, burning down part of her village and killing two soldiers. Exiled and wanted for murder, she flees her village, pursued by witch hunters. She is rescued by a Wanderer named Foulan and his pet wolf, Myst. The Wanderers are refugees without a permanent home, roaming between the small countries of the Realms of Etylania. The rising tensions between Etylania and Srahinza—the lands they once called home—mean that they are unwelcome and unwanted by many. Seeing a kindred spirit in Mackenna, they invite her to travel with them. Despite his clan welcoming her, Foulan doesn’t trust the girl he rescued. His suspicions are confirmed when bounty hunters come for her. After escaping together, he finds himself roped into assisting her as she seeks out the elusive Fae, who may have a cure for her fiery curse. However, Mackenna and Foulan are stalked by the nonbinary, shapeshifting bounty hunter Kazumi. Looking to prove their worth, Kazumi believes that capturing Mackenna will finally help them make a name for themselves. While Mackenna and Foulan are reluctant traveling companions at first, over time they begin to open up to each other and fall in love. What they hoped would be a short journey takes them across a colorful continent to the arctic sea, searching for an entrance to the hidden world of Faerie. Meanwhile, each trial Kazumi faces in their attempt to capture Mackenna just makes them more determined and obsessed. This young adult/new adult fantasy novel is perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Dawn Cook, Kristen Cashore, and Holly Black. Themes: LGBTQ+ characters, immigration and refugees, religious and racial conflict, mental health


The Mountain of Souls

The Mountain of Souls by Marcus Lee

SPFBO9

If your life hung by a thread, how far would you go, and what lines would you cross, simply to survive? When Malina is sold at auction, her darkest nightmares become reality when she's delivered to the Mountain of Souls and into the grasp of a mysterious sect. Thrust into a ruthless selection process where failure means death … determination, instinct, and fragile alliances help her survive, but at the terrible cost of a conscience stained by the blood of the fallen. Yet with each hard-fought victory, Malina gains a glimpse of something extraordinary beyond the merciless persecution ... a reason to not only pursue perfection in her training but embrace the perilous life of The Chosen. For it’s revealed that the Chosen are pivotal to the safe return of The Once and Future King … a legendary figure destined to usher in the golden age of humankind. Together, Malina and the other Chosen must be prepared to sacrifice anything, even their very souls, to overcome the malevolent forces that stand in the way of his ascension. The Chosen. A thrilling and intricately spun Epic Fantasy that weaves a relentless fight for survival into a tapestry full of conquest, deception, magic, and an ancient prophecy that will determine the fate of humanity.


Tales of Sand and Stars

Tales of Sand and Stars by Juliet Vane

SPFBO9

Let me tell you, dear ones, a tale of sand and stars. The Kingdom of Sand found Nima wandering in the desert as a young girl. Now seventeen, Nima is the storyteller for her adoptive kingdom, weaving tales for their entertainment while yearning to learn the truth of her past. When the king from the nearby Kingdom of Stars demands that Nima be brought to him, she has no choice but to go with the warriors. The palace is dark and stifling, and the king's rule is tyrannous. Nima immediately begins plotting her escape, even though it means traveling back through a desert full of windhaunts—memory-stealing spirits that roam the dunes. As Nima grows closer to one of the king's sons, though, danger from the windhaunts and palace secrets threaten her at every turn. She must use her stories to discover—and create—the truths of her past and the shared history of the kingdoms in order to preserve her freedom, save her people from the windhaunts, and reunite the Kingdoms of Sand and Stars. Tales of Sand and Stars is a luminous, lyrical fantasy full of the beauties and dangers of the desert and the creatures that roam the dunes.


The Yochni's Eye

The Yochni's Eye by Abigail Morrison

SPFBO9

An adventurous young adult fantasy novel about revenge, redemption, and what it truly takes to have peace. Every six hundred years, the yochni blinks, changing one thing about the world based on the wish of the last creature it sees. In ages past, these wishes have created expansive empires, magical abilities, and even new and powerful species. They’ve also spawned evil overlords, terrifying monsters, and centuries of collective suffering. The past three ages have gone to the bogeys—giant dog-like creatures with few physical vulnerabilities and incredible strength. They’ve monopolized the yochni’s wishes to secure their ongoing rule. Sixteen-year-old dwarven champion Mira Goldfist, suffering with the rest of her people under the bogey’s slave-keeping reign, wants nothing more than to wish them out of existence. That is, until she meets Atlan Qierce, high prince and heir to the bogey empire. Forced into a magical contract to travel with Atlan by Kraven Monteyeaux, a magical arbiter and reluctant medic, as new dangers and champions reveal themselves, Mira will have to confront everything she believes about the bogeys—most importantly, whether any of them can be good and, if so, whether she can really kill them all. A thoughtful examination of revenge, authority, and the risks required for any higher good, The Yochni’s Eye puts a new twist on the classic rebellion tale, using high adventure, expansive settings, and a deadly race to beg of readers: What does it mean to wish for peace and what must we truly risk to obtain it?


The Winds of Change

The Winds of Change by Troy Knowlton

SPFBO9

After an assassination attempt that could lead to an all-out war, Tyras and Oren, two young Seekers of the Argan Empire, are each given secret missions in an attempt to thwart the coming chaos. Both tasks require the Seekers to venture through the war-torn continent of Tiarna where the young men face mortal danger, horrible monsters, and hostile groups – all challenges Seekers are trained to combat. Luckily, the two Seekers also find guidance, friendship, and romance along the way. However, powerful and mysterious forces are conspiring behind the scenes and both Tyras and Oren will have to overcome a host of obstacles, including their own inner demons, in order to maintain a glimmer of hope for success. With war imminent and the unknown ahead, will the Seekers triumph, or will they be swallowed by the turbulent, relentless Winds of Change? Set in a new, masterfully created high fantasy world, Seekers: The Winds of Change is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faisal.


Fated Born

Fated Born by Kristin L Hamblin

SPFBO9

What happens if you fall in love in a world where love is forbidden? Yesterday, Laida was Ardenis’s friend. Today, she’s the love of his life. And he can’t tell her. Ardenis’s human emotions weren’t meant to awaken prematurely. Watchers are supposed to resist the charm of mortals’ magical kingdoms and court intrigue. The punishment is exile—denying him the beauty of a mortal life. He can’t get caught, and he can’t risk awakening Laida’s emotions. While she remains oblivious, he is in torment, struggling to find his new place in the world alone. But love cannot exist without hate. Yesterday, the council could do no wrong. Today, Ardenis sees corruption among them—something he never would have recognized before. Someone is plotting to prevent the first-ever fae from being born. If Ardenis can’t uncover the source of the corruption while hiding his human emotions, the realm’s ability to provide souls to the mortal world will be destroyed. Everyone, including Laida, is at risk. Fated Born is the first book in a young adult fantasy series perfect for readers who crave deep friendships, alternate worlds, and slow-burn romance.


Anakisha's Dragon

Anakisha's Dragon by Eileen Mueller

SPFBO9

A feisty street fighter avenging her dead brother. A dashing dragon rider in the right place at the wrong time. And an unlikely pirate captain with nothing left to lose. Being a dragon rider is not in Anakisha’s plans. And Anakisha’s stubborn. She’s not giving up her dreams anytime soon. When Anakisha’s brother is murdered by a gang, she joins the Night Wings, a team of local vigilantes, and takes to the streets to avenge him. With a soft spot for defending underdogs, she’s found her niche. The Night Wing’s leader is the dreamy golden-haired son of the village arbitrator — a fine catch. If she can impress his father, she can marry him and improve her family’s fortune. But the underbelly of Fieldhaven is rife with politics and deceit. Although Anakisha is good with a bow and a dagger, she’s not always the best judge of character… And her plans do not include a dragon. But then, the King’s Rider appears on his sleek onyx dragon. And a bloodthirsty pirate captain rises to power, spreading terror on the Naobian Sea. Leaving Anakisha torn between her dream and her duty…


A Dagger in the Winds

A Dagger in the Winds by Brendan Noble

SPFBO9

A warrior shrouded in darkness. A witch sworn to revenge. A winter unbounded. Wacław is an outcast. Born with a curse he doesn’t understand, he’s hidden his power his entire life. But when the goddess of winter unleashes the darkness within him, his only hope for answers is the girl he’s forbidden to see. Otylia is a witch. There’s no one she hates more than the winter goddess—except her once best friend Wacław. But when she receives visions of endless blizzards and Wacław fighting by her side, she realizes he’s the key to uncovering the goddess’s plot. Facing monsters and magic at every turn, the pair must journey with friends and rivals alike to confront the cult of winter, but Wacław’s awakened darkness grows as death consumes the living realm. To contain it, they’ll have to mend their broken relationship and delve into the mysteries of their past. Mysteries that could destroy the winter goddess . . . or themselves. In this first book of an epic fantasy series rooted in Slavic mythology, dive into a new world with menacing magic and beasts, scheming gods, a group of allied misfits, and plenty of secrets to uncover.


Twilight Kingdom

Twilight Kingdom by HJ Tolson

SPFBO9

On the eve of her 16th birthday, Candle Enys discovers her brother has sold her soul to a demon. Scared for her life, Candle runs away. But the mountains of Hanternos are dangerous, especially for soft-hearted girls who have never learned to fight. At dawn and at dusk spirits crawl from the shadows, searching for bodies to steal. Evil stirs in the deep caves, and the wind smells of black powder.

A chance meeting with an ancient being sets her on the path to power she never knew she possessed. It also places a target on her back.

If she is to survive, Candle must defeat her monsters, or risk becoming one herself. A dark fantasy with steampunk and horror elements. Content warning for emotional abuse, some gore.


Defenders of Myth: Beginnings

Defenders of Myth: Beginnings by Michael Gisman

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On their world, myths spread their shadow across the land as legends creep from the dark of night. Some seek refuge. Others seek destruction and death. Meanwhile, something hidden, buried in the shadows of our world, hungers for release… A young man, Kalend, raised in a monastery without ever knowing who his parents were, is forced to flee that home by Warlocks and creatures from the mists of those myths. During his flight, Kalend comes face to face with a twin sister he never knew existed. A young woman, Hollilea, raised in the mountains by witches to learn the art of magic of another place and time, struggles to realize her full powers while being hunted by monsters from legend. Myths and legends have seeped from our world into theirs…and they bring chaos. A hidden hand has yet to reveal itself or its true designs as it desperately seeks the siblings. Brother and sister must unite, only together can they face their true calling. Only together can they face the darkness closing in on their world. Drawn into an ages-old struggle, as allies and foes from their world and another much older one gather around them, they confront the emerging evil and search for what lurks behind the veil of myths. Worlds converge as magic, armies, and creatures are unleashed on both sides. Thus begins a journey to save not just the people of their world but others from a faraway land. A land not so different from our own… Our world and their world. Myths and legends. Darkness spreads over all. Celtic, Arthurian, Greek, and other legends from two worlds, ours and theirs, mixed with sword and sorcery, are woven into a classic epic fantasy.


Credible Threats

Credible Threats by Daniel Meyer

SPFBO9

Sam Adams, sixteen-year-old wizard, has zero interest in saving the world—but staying out of the line of fire isn’t an option for wizards. When a new designer drug hits the streets, giving ordinary humans magical powers and leaving a trail of bodies in its wake, it threatens to turn his city of Williamsport’s long-simmering conflict between the haves and the have-nots into a full-scale war. The only one with the skills to protect the city, Sam finds himself thrust into a conspiracy far darker and more dangerous than he ever imagined, with tentacles stretching into the criminal underworld and the wealthy elite—and into the spirit world. Fighting for his life, surrounded by enemies, Sam has to dig deeper than ever before to keep Williamsport from going up in flames. But even magic has its limits.


The Way of Renegades

The Way of Renegades by Steve D. Wall

SPFBO9

An action-packed flintlock fantasy book about guns, mages, bards and dragons! Ulric, former war hero, has been living a quiet life of exile in the frontier city of Quinport and wants only to continue hiding from the mistakes of his past. But then he discovers the invention of a revolutionary new kind of rifle, and worse, the ruling Coalition discovers his identity. Rather than be blackmailed into service, Ulric goes to leave the city with the new rifles, but first he will need more money, or more help. Enter Dellioph, no mere bard, who just arrived to Quinport and wants only to play his music and to keep his secrets. But trying to do both lands him directly in the path of one of the Coalition Chancellors, who wants to use Dellioph, and his secrets, for himself. Unable to scheme his way out entirely, Dellioph must choose to keep his secrets, his freedom, or his music. But when the choice is between anything and his music, it’s no choice at all. And Gali, future chief of the Odagna, who wants nothing more than to save her people, even if that means forcing them to change. She disobeys her father, lies to her people, and travels to the Coalition city to learn how to do some of the things they do— making and using muskets foremost among them. But the people of the Coalition are not ready to accept the Teo, and Gali will be forced to learn the hard way that a renegade’s only friend is another renegade. Meanwhile, two mysterious strangers from opposite sides of the world come hunting a sorcerer who has unbelievable power, a hunger for more, and dragons… but they are nothing like the stories. Order your copy and join the action-packed journey of flintlocks, magic and dragons!


The Shattered Spire

The Shattered Spire by Ted Cross

SPFBO9

The magic of the Spire of Peace has banished evil from the Known Lands for more than twelve hundred years. When a dragon destroys the spire and murders the king, the realm is thrown into turmoil. As civil war looms, can the royal Kaldarion family regain control over the kingdom and restore peace? Livia, 20, is the eldest child of the slain King Varun Kaldarion. Though the wisest and most learned of the surviving family members, tradition says she cannot inherit the throne. Balmar, 18, is too feeble-minded to rule, but his uncle, Duke Erol, crowns him anyway in order to appoint himself regent. Darus, 17, was exiled by the spire's magic due to his bitterness that his father never named him heir. By force of personality and skill at arms, he has risen to command the army of exiles at the fortress of East Gate. Now he plans to invade the realm and take back what he feels is rightfully his by birth. Imric, 13, was disavowed by his father after his mother died birthing him. Raised by his sister Livia, few in the realm even know he exists. Little more than a pawn in the conflict between Duke Erol and his brother Darus, Imric may hold the key to reuniting the fractured realm.


Scarlet and Sunder

Scarlet and Sunder by Mike Rousseau

SPFBO9

Giant magical mecha, transforming heroes, and titanic monsters clash in this love letter to Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Pacific Rim, and Godzilla, blended into an epic fantasy journey of self-discovery. Every step is a choice. Seven years after being kidnapped and forged into a Pilot—a magical knight tasked with slaying giant beasts sent from another world—Maia Sunderland is ready to give up the battle. Most of the world blames her for the lives she’s failed to save as she continues to wage a war she never wanted to fight. Her family and allies are gone. All she has left is Scarlet, her magic-fueled, walking war machine. As the last of the Vanguardians, Scarlet is the only weapon capable of standing against the invading menace. As an incurable disease ravages Maia from within, a young officer emerges from an oppressive empire with orders to claim Scarlet for her emperor. Though reckless and inexperienced, this new Pilot somehow shares Maia’s ability to command Scarlet, making her uniquely suited to succeed Maia when she passes. With little time left before she succumbs to her illness, Maia is left with a deadly choice: train an unlikely apprentice to take her mantle, placing the most destructive weapon in the world in the hands of a tyrant, or save her would-be successor from walking the same bloody path Maia was forced down, leaving the world without a defender.


The Woods

The Woods by Em McDermott

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A brooding wolf. A heroine who doesn’t need protecting. And a curse that only love can overcome. Gran's stories of horror and violence have dictated Red's whole view of the forest outside her village and the wolves who live there. Sheltered but bold, Red longs to explore that forest for herself, but the Huntsmen who guard her village keep her trapped. When Gran is injured, Red sees her chance. To save Gran’s life, Red ventures down a path Gran hoped she’d never follow. In the woods, Red finds a secret, hidden world full of death and danger. The beasts in it all try to kill her...so why does she feel so alive? The Huntsmen will stop at nothing to get Red back. They will kill every wolf in the woods, and there’s one in particular Red is determined to save. The villagers have magic on their side, and all Red has is love. Will it be enough?


Dream of the Sphere

Dream of the Sphere by Jay S. Willis

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Three thousand years of tradition torn asunder. When the truth comes out, will a hero emerge to pick up the pieces? Dashira Eisenheart takes ultimate comfort in her community. So she’s thrilled when her brother ascends to the coveted order chosen to protect the world from safely sealed-away, millennia-old, dangerous magic. But her faith in her beloved parents’ loyalty cracks after she spies her mother sneaking about town to meet with the enemy. Striving to stay focused on her own academic studies, Dashira becomes caught in family tensions that soon reach a boiling point. And as her father’s Brotherhood and her mother’s rebel group head toward a cataclysmic clash, the young seeker finds herself trapped by conflicting choices. Will she face her fears and accept her role in a grand destiny? Dream of the Sphere is the intricate first entry in the expansive The Sphere Saga epic fantasy series. If you like gargantuan conflicts, jaw-dropping twists, and deep explorations of humanity’s beliefs, you’ll love Jay S. Willis’s hard-hitting tale.


A Low Country

A Low Country by Morgan Shank

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Everything went to hell in the first week. After four years on the road, Sharla was looking forward to settling down and trying her hand at a steadier occupation. When Claws raid her town and take her lover, Renn, she knows it's time for action. She's tired of running. Now, she'll take a stand. To do this, she'll have to follow the Claws across the tablelands. This is a land of bandits, mages, and monsters. If she wants to travel this country and rescue Renn, she'll need help. An army of Watchmen would be nice. Maybe even a drug cartel. However, she also knows it's best to keep things small. The more allies she has, the more she risks a future knife between the ribs. After all, this is Low Country.


Mordicax

Mordicax by Mark McKerracher

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An unstoppable disease. A fanatical doctor. A nightmare obsession. As a deadly plague rips through Harriet's village, unexpected salvation arrives in Adam: the bright-eyed novice healer with a hidden gift, who vanishes as quickly as he came. Haunted by weird nightmares and a witch's dying words, Harriet seeks the truth about Adam and his mysterious home at Wolfern Priory. But the world of healers is changing. The royal doctor Lady Hawkes is on a quest to perfect humanity, with her miraculous and addictive new treatment: the Mordant Sleep. Swept along by dark rumours, guilty secrets and ancient powers, Harriet is drawn into the shadowy conflict between Mordancy and medicine, and finds that perfection can be deadlier than any plague. Mordicax is Book 1 in the Creatures of Flyn fantasy series.


The Dragon's Hide

The Dragon's Hide by Dustin Porta and D.K. Holmberg

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A cozy tavern on the edge of the empire holds a deadly secret. When Treylen's mentor died, and his bonded dragon failed to grow like the others, he feared he’d be stuck forever at the mountain abbey where the queen’s assassins train. Fate has other plans for him. A message arrives ordering him and his dragon, Rime, on a dangerous mission to kill the glyph scribe who is enchanting weapons for the enemy army. Infiltrating the enemy city requires a mastery of disguise, deception, and interrogation. Treylen must learn these skills quickly from his new spymaster if he hopes to locate his target. But the comforts of the Dragon’s Hide Inn make it a favorite watering hole of enemy rangers and a deadly training ground.

All his training may not be enough to stop the wizard intent on destroying everything Treylen cares about. The Dragon’s Hide is the start of an exciting new fantasy series!


Dark Lament

Dark Lament by Simon Graeme

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When good men forsake the light, humanity pays the price, and the dead collect. Vas was raised to be a clerical healer who channels the Light of Heaven. When he loses his uncle, Vas rejects the Light and embraces necromancy to resurrect him at the cost of several other lives, including the sister of the girl he loves. Vas seeks to understand the horrors he has wrought and absolution for his sins. But when dark forces seek him out, Vas must choose between watching his new family die or becoming darkness itself to save them.


The Certainty of Blood

The Certainty of Blood by Tim Frankovich

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Nothing is certain under the moon's gaze, save blood.

When Aldan discovers the power to burn someone’s blood, he is taken from his family, branded, and sold into slavery as an arena fighter. A painful life and an early death are all he can expect, until he listens to a supernatural voice coming from his own blood. Taking her advice, he uses his power to become the greatest arena fighter of the age, fighting year after year with one goal in mind. If he can purchase his own freedom, maybe a normal life with the woman he loves is possible. And now, he needs to win only one more fight… against a rebel leader who people are calling “the chosen one.” From the grueling training grounds where boys learn to kill, to the luxuries of the sinister Hawk King’s palace, Aldan’s whole life has led inexorably to this one day. This one fight. The king holds everything Aldan cares about. All he has to do is kill this final opponent. But love and friendship demand a different outcome. The choice is not as easy as it first appeared… Gladiator meets The Name of the Wind in this mesmerizing tale of blood, glory, magic, and love.


Dark Innocence

Dark Innocence by PJ Alexander

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After the murder of her parents, Liylah Flouwers becomes sole caretaker of her obstinate eleven-year-old sister, Rorah. Devastated and unable to help her sister cope with their tragedy, Liylah seeks out the mysterious dark arts to heal her pain. An accident with the magic transports Liylah to the surreal, nightmare world of Sojor, a place where mirrors tell no lies and Liylah’s own reflection proves to be the scariest thing of all. When the real world starts bleeding into Sojor, Liylah learns that her only hope to save herself and her sister might be her own darkness that lies within.


Crown of Rebellion

Crown of Rebellion by Felix Taylor

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An apprentice healer. An exiled noblewoman. To defy tyranny, they’ll need to even the odds. They’ll need to grow stronger.

Every year, the youth of the North are tested for a Reyad—a magical bond with an animal with the potential to grant immense power. Pirin is ripped away from his village, and from his healer’s duty. As far as he’s concerned, he’ll be tested like everyone else. He doesn’t expect anything to come from it. He certainly doesn’t expect to meet Myraden, a noblewoman whose hunt for revenge draws him into a destructive war.

Desperate to fulfill his mentor’s dying wish and stay alive, Pirin embarks on a quest to earn a power greater than he could have ever imagined. Surrounded by enemies, all odds are against him. Worst of all, he can’t shake the feeling that something is very, very wrong… 

Read if you like: Multiple perspectives Healthy, positive relationships Slow but consistent increases in power A mix of Epic Fantasy and Progression Fantasy plotlines


A Crown of Blood

A Crown of Blood by Lincoln Law

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A bloodthirsty army. A long forgotten god. A power believed lost. Roisin Latenda is a Groundformer Acolyte in training, a person with the ability to manipulate the earth. Long ago—before the people rose up, killed their Gods, and fashioned their corpses into weapons—these powers could move mountains, form cities, shift countries. Now with the Gods dead, the powers are weaker, but humanity controls it. And wrestling power from the gods was always about autonomy. When a powerful army arrives in Roisin’s small village, supported by an unknown god named the Soulmonger, all is sent into chaos. They ravage the village, killing many, and force Roisin to choose between those she loves, and her duty to her Groundformer training. But Roisin’s life isn’t the only one to be horrifically transformed by the Soulmongers’ arrival. Piritta, the political aspirant, will find her drive for power warped in the most terrible way. Bree, the apprentice cartographer, will have to face her past; a past bathed in blood. And Kaori, whose porcelain mask hides many secrets, will seize the vengeance she seeks for a world which wronged her. These four young women find their fates intertwined. If they make the right decisions, three of them may save the world from this new and deadly force. And should they fail, one will destroy it. A dark and epic tale about friendship, power and the cost of war begins in A Crown of Blood, the first book of the Deimachy Trilogy.


Forged in the Fallout

Forged in the Fallout by Ben Green

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Clayson Spangler navigates the wreckage of a strange underground world threatened by nuclear magic and his family’s secrets. I turned fourteen a couple of days ago—maybe. Dad keeps the exact date under a mountain of secrets. On a tranquil evening in the Appalachians, my solitary life crashes into Dad's impossible past: a kingdom under the Rocky Mountains; his wife enchanted to forget her own son; strange metal objects filled with magic; and Dad's most dangerous secret—mithrium—a metal strong enough to level cities. Now, Dad is on the run, Mom is on trial for treason, and I'm ordered to hide in the last remaining safehold—Tungsten City. To stay out of danger, I'll need help from my new mentor, Rugnus, a master of the elements, and Andalynn, the sister Dad kept hidden from me. After years of secrets, I won’t stand by as a world of enemies—both known and unknown—threatens to eradicate my family and ignite a war between the last two cities deep under the Rockies in the Kingdom of Rimduum.


Crucible of Lies

Crucible of Lies by Mitchell Hogan

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I founded my empire on lies and bloodshed. Thus they are built. Some name me cursed, but I am an immortal emperor. Attend to my tale. If you dare… I was born when the world was a glorious place, but my parents were betrayed and murdered. I was raised by my sister in fear and poverty instead. That was merely the beginning. I lived through untold death and destruction when the old world was shattered, when creations turned against creators, and a new evil rose to assert power. I fought back against the new order, and broke humankind free from the shackles of terror that enslaved them. I discovered secrets beyond the lore of all other sorcerers, knowledge that ensures my people will not lack a shepherd on their long march through eternity. And yet the ungrateful world forgets. Bites the hand that feeds it. Comes for me with armies. Sharpens the assassin’s blade. Do you think that I, immortal emperor, greatest of all sorcerers, guardian of my people, will not meet you with fire, sorcery and steel?


Fortress of the Lost Amulet

Fortress of the Lost Amulet by Michael Webb

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Part Indiana Jones. Part Percy Jackson. All fantasy adventure. Peter cares about three things: his family, his friends, and escaping an apprenticeship he hates. He works to appease his parents but bides his time until he can adventure on his own. Rumors surface of a legendary treasure, the Amulet of Power, that’s been lost for centuries. When a clue to the artifact’s location falls in their laps, Peter and his friends embark on a quest to uncover the long-forgotten mysteries of the fabled prize. Unfortunately, the group of friends aren’t the only ones seeking it. An enemy will stop at nothing to receive the limitless power the Amulet supplies. The closer Peter gets, the higher the stakes become. Not only is his city threatened, but the lives of his friends and family hang in the balance, and the only way to save them is to find the treasure first. From the hot, new, young-adult fantasy author, Michael Webb, comes an epic adventure of treasure, danger, incredible powers, betrayal, and found family.


The Sunset Sovereign

The Sunset Sovereign by E.M. McConnell

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Destiny was found in a Voice. Join the Seven Supplicants as they journey to the mysterious, utopian Capital, guided by the Voices, known as the Sovereigns. Lynn and Willow find themselves drawn to the realm of Sunrise, the quarter celebrating beginnings and the embrace of mornings. Accompanied by a resolute spirit, Fabio and Aidan venture into the realm of Day, while Isobel and Hollie seek their calling amidst the calm fire of Sunset. Yvaine, guided by a dark destiny, treads the mysterious paths of Night. Witness their extraordinary quest as they undergo Trials, determined to find their dreams. Yet, as their path unfolds, will their dreams come to fruition, or will they instead find a nightmare? Because the once utopian Capital is crumbling, and the arrival of the Seven brings about changes even the Sovereigns did not foresee. This is a tale of ambition, courage, and the delicate balance between triumph and belief. Follow the Seven Supplicants on their journey as they navigate their own challenges, questioning what they have been brought up to believe, unraveling the mysteries that lie ahead.


The Moss Dragon of Brittlekeep

The Moss Dragon of Brittlekeep by Ashley Capes

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When Penny stumbles across a dragon’s tooth beneath the city cemetery, she unwittingly becomes a target of the Brittlekeep’s master and his dark magic. Worse, Lord Masamor seems to know about her Fire-Hands – a magic he wants to possess. With only her talking locket (the mysterious Bear) to rely upon, Penny tries to flee the city but when she encounters a group of rebels, she realises that Masamor is not the only one seeking her… Faced with flight into the unknown or capture by those who will stop at nothing to harness her power, Penny must walk a perilous path to freedom. A YA Adventure Fantasy Novella


Between Land and Sea: A Little Mermaid Retelling

Between Land and Sea: A Little Mermaid Retelling by Paul Mouchet

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Why can’t sea witches have their happily ever after? The sea witch, Calypso, was unjustly banished by the crown prince she was once set to marry. Now cursed to live as a hideous beast, Calypso spends her days alone, hiding in shame with only a surly crab for company. When her best friend Luna, princess of the merfolk, goes missing, Calypso reluctantly emerges from her sea cave to team up with the crown prince she hates in the search for the missing mermaid. Forced to work together, the feuding pair journey ashore in a harrowing race against time to save the princess. But will Calypso finally set aside her differences with Prince Draven only to lose her heart along the way? And what will happen when their perilous adventure unearths an ancient evil that has been laying in wait for centuries? With the fate of the entire merkingdom now in their hands, the pair’s resolve will be tested and their destinies reshaped in an enthralling tale of magic, love, and transformation. ~ A Veil of Entropy Story ~


Mageling

Mageling by J.L.Mullins

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The Wilds relentlessly reclaim all things. Humanity shelters within their ever-dying cities. Mages create the only path forward. Tala had to fight tooth and nail in the Magic Academy to forge a path to power that was her own. She knows it’s her duty to use that power to serve humanity, defending them against the creatures of the untamable wilds. However, she skipped a few steps in her education, like apprenticing to someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Now, Tala has to balance learning as fast as she can with paying off the veritable mountain of debt the Magic Academy dropped on her shoulders for the opportunity; not to mention staying alive. Even though she should only be a Mageling, the world considers her a Mage. Bless the stars she directed most of her magic toward survival.


Phased

Phased by Victoria Tecken

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According to the Department of Domestication and Assimilation, Val and Lyla Blackwood are the most dangerous kind of werewolves. Although they were raised in the wild, their Trueblood heritage has made them little more than experiments for years. Now, their freedom depends on their ability to become as human as possible, thrown into an assimilation school with humans and werewolves who have never known what it means to be wild. Trapped in a world where they don't belong and fighting to stay one step ahead of the horrific past that chases them, any wrong move could send them back to those stark white cells, losing their last chance of freedom.


The Tenets in the Tattoos

The Tenets in the Tattoos by Becky James

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Breaking the tenets of Special Forces means one thing. Death. Thorrn has his life mapped out – be the best swordsman in the king’s army and become Captain one day. What doesn’t fit in with his plans is some short, unimpressive waif claiming to be his soul companion. Evyn cannot quite believe that this world of Oberrot is real, but grey grass is hard to fake. To expose her true origins risks all-out war with the magical community that covets her blood. But when the king demands that he hand Evyn over, Thorrn is confronted with a choice: protect Evyn and keep her secret from the magical community who would drain her for the power resonating inside her, or turn her over to save his career, family name and reputation. When a powerful mage moves against the kingdom, Thorrn and Evyn will have to summon all their courage. But they find allies from unexpected corners – including different worlds and times. For alongside the realms of Oberrot and Earth are the multiverses, and one of them should surely be able to help... A swordsman, an apothecarist, a shy librarian (“I’m beginning to think being underestimated is kind of my superpower”), and a powerful mage. Only they can save the kingdom. A page-turning new adventure awaits, from a fresh voice in fantasy. Contains twinned souls with a twist, enemies to inseparable friends, coming of age, learning to accept yourself and others, some epic swordfights, and a smattering of romance


Soul Relic

Soul Relic by Samuel Hinton

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Raysha will do whatever it takes to fix her broken soul. Even if it means venturing into the unknown with nothing but her brother, an enchanted water bottle, and her fierce determination.

The only one without the ability to cultivate aeon from the world, Raysha has been ostracized her whole life for her weakness. In a world where true masters of aeon have slaughtered gods, Raysha's future in her village is limited to babysitting pre-Awakened children.

Desperate for a chance to prove her worth, she leaps at the chance to join her brother at the Academy, where he believes they can find a cure for her soul. It will only take the crystalised heart of an ancient spirit, lost to the world thousands of years ago.

Armed with an enchanted water bottle and a stubborn attitude, Raysha sets out to prove that she is more than just a second-rate outcast. Read if you like: A strong female lead Genuine and positive sibling bonds A larger-than-life mentor Hard magic systems Discrete stages of advancement A mix of slice-of-life, travel, and training


The Liar’s Crown (Dominions Book 1)

The Liar’s Crown (Dominions Book 1) by Abigail Owen

Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen. Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose―to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present. Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift―an eerily familiar gift―and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake. As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields―other faces, identities that threaten my very life. Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.


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