Event Horizon: When stars die by Victor Neil Murray

(Continuation of the book “Event Horizon. The Dark Middle Ages”) “Event Horizon. When Stars Die” The story spans the Victorian era and other realities — living worlds with their own nature, cultures, and laws, where the very fabric of life resonates differently than on Earth. There, light can be lethal, and darkness may be the only thing capable of giving hope. This is not merely a journey through worlds. It is a journey through destinies that cannot be escaped and wounds that cannot be forgotten. There are worlds where fate is a thin thread that can be severed. There are worlds where fate is a choice paid for in blood. And there are worlds where even fate itself fears to speak the names of those who must live. When light disappears, darkness does not come. History comes — and it demands sacrifice. Event Horizon is an epic about those who cannot hide from themselves. About those born of light, and those who rise from darkness — yet still seek a way to remain alive without becoming monsters. There are no characters who desire greatness. Only those forced to carry it like chains. Their fears are louder than weapons, their choices heavier than battles, their love — more dangerous than any magic. Against collapsing skies, dying worlds, and civilizations that have forgotten their names, every hero takes a step that makes reality itself tremble. No one here is born to be central. Each is the center of their own tragedy. The one who fears the power flowing through his veins. The one who fears his own weakness. The one who runs from the past — and the one the past finds even in other worlds. The one who tries to save others, and the one who knows that sometimes salvation is the worst form of destruction. Their voices carry pain, their footsteps carry prophecy, their mistakes carry the breath of gods. Can one bear light without burning? Can one love without destroying? This is not a story about war. Nor a story about the end of times. It is a story about the cost — the price paid by those who dare to look into the deepest darkness and ask: “Why do we live, if stars die all the same?”

EVENT HORIZON: The Dark Middle Ages. by Victor Neil Murray

Sometimes a world does not die by the sword. But because someone once loved too fiercely. When gods fall and magic becomes a curse, salvation is not chosen by strength — but by the heart. Two brothers. One — a king, ready to die to save the world. The other — the one who tried to defeat death for love… and became its curse. A girl whose voice was stolen by grief will one day speak in the tongue of gods — and her word will be stronger than any blade. This is not a tale of good and evil. It is a story of choices that always come too late. Of betrayal born from love. Of sacrifice stronger than destiny. Of a world learning to breathe after the death of gods. When the stars go out, when love becomes a weapon, and only darkness remains — one question will rise: What are you willing to surrender so the world may see light again? Event Horizon. Dark Middle Ages — a story of those who desired light so desperately they unknowingly created darkness. And a legend where salvation and ruin walk the same road.

Killed By True Love's Kiss by Haley Bono

When Lottie survives her seventeenth birthday, despite her Grandmother's curse, she believes she's finally done it. No doomed romance, no tragic kiss—she’s finally free to live her life and mend things with her sister./ But what if she was wrong?/ And the curse was never coming for her?/ As the truth unravels, Lottie must untangle a generations-old mystery, take on death, and face the Curse of Love in the flesh. Why should true love decide anyone’s fate?

Of Mists and Bogs: Intrigue, Espionage, and Tea by LMG Wilson

Better to be the fox than the hare within Yonaba’s high walls. Yonaba, the city surrounded by mists, mud drakes, and carnivorous trees, holds an iron grip on travel through the Valley of Mists and with it all trade on the continent. The city-state is both famous and wealthy for trading its coveted mukio berry tea cultivated from watery bogs. All that prosperity has made Yonabans powerful. Yet, however safe they feel behind their gates, a greater threat waits within. Inei, faithful agent of the northern nation Cirdenor, has infiltrated the ruling High House of Yonaba. After months pretending to be the face that she wears, she’s eager to complete her mission. In the past, she’s done so at the edge of a knife, but this time Inei receives a small snuffbox and mysteriously vague instructions. Dump the box in the High House mukio berry bogs. The gaps in information and her instincts seed doubts in her missions as Inei finds herself surrounded by power-hungry politicians and nobles with conquest on their minds. Isolated, she must decide who to trust as the snare that is the walled city closes in around her.

Demon Eyes by Julie Krohn

Desperate to save her graduation plans, Vayda joins a rising metal band's tour only to find her biggest challenge isn’t the research, but the brooding lead singer who might just unravel her perfectly planned life. Vayda Kimble, a college student in her last semester of school, just discovered her plans for graduation are in jeopardy. The perfect rock band she planned to study for her sociology research project unexpectedly canceled their spring tour. Scrambling to find another band that will meet her graduation requirements and limited timeframe, her father suggests ASYLUM, a hot new heavy-metal band growing in popularity. Without question, Vayda quickly signs up to join their tour. Dex Marshall, an angry demon with a broken past, hates Vayda from the moment he sees her, and he isn’t afraid to hide his disgust for their new stowaway. As Vayda climbs the steps of the tour bus, she soon becomes entangled in a hidden world of demons where she is not welcome, and faces the grim reality where the one demon who can keep her safe hates her. As Dex and Vayda come to a truce and fight opposition, emotions are heightened. When outside forces threaten to tear them apart forever, Vayda finds herself in a desperate battle to fight for her freedom or risk losing her future with Dex completely.

Yelen and Yelena by C. M. Rosens

In a rural corner of the Provinces simmering with civil unrest, Laundress Yelena's village is afflicted by a dangerous fungal rot-plague. When she is falsely accused of dark sorcery, Yelena is evicted from her cottage and forced into the rot-infested forest... Yelen is a forgotten tyrant, turned into a monster hundreds of years ago and desperate to distance himself from the power-hungry brute he once was... But he craves companionship and an end to his lonely existence. When the wind leads Yelena to Yelen, she discovers a kindred spirit in the aromantic, bi-attracted monster, and their relationship quickly escalates. But being a guest in a cursed castle with a lonely, amorous Beast is not all fun and games - while exploring, Yelena makes a disturbing discovery about the rot-plague's source, and starts showing symptoms of infection herself. Can Yelen and Yelena work together to find a lasting cure for the rot seeping beyond the castle walls, or will the castle's curse claim another victim? YELEN & YELENA is a standalone, monster-loving 'tour de force', perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast re-imaginings, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, and T. Kingfisher's What Moves The Dead. Look no further for a deeply atmospheric Dark Gothic Fantasy with a Hopepunk core, and a sapphic riff on Orpheus & Eurydice subplot. Yes, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it is a genuinely refreshing one. For one, it is emphatically not a love story. Both Yelena and the beast, Yelen, are aromantic. They lust plenty, but their love is strictly platonic. We witness sincere affection blossom, but it’s the affection of dear friends. ... if you’re happy with no-strings attached smut, you will not be disappointed. This is one for the monsterf---ers, emphasis on f--k. It gets weird, it gets dangerous, and it is utterly unapologetic about it. - Dai Baddley, Divination Hollow Review

Unseen by RD Baker

One forced vow One devastating truth One forbidden obsession London, 1865 Born a baron’s daughter, young Evangeline Brimworth knows a thing or two about aristocracy’s politics. Though she never thought she’d be the bargaining chip. When her family winds up penniless and her hand in marriage is sold to a man old enough to be her geriatric grandfather to restore their fortune. But Evangeline refuses to be caged without a fight—and she’s willing to risk everything to escape. The last person she expected to get in her way is her stepson. Azriel Caine. Cynical, mysterious, and seemingly following her every step. Because somehow, he holds a dangerous secret about her over her head, and unless she wants to destroy her reputation, she must do as he says. Including wed him. Their impropriety is nothing new for Azriel, and he hardly cares. He believes in obsession. In possession. And the more Evangeline peels back his layers, she finds herself craving his darkness almost as much as she fears it. Fans of Bridgerton craving the scandalous, wicked underbelly of high society will devour this dark, taboo romance from bestselling author RD Baker that will leave you swooning, reeling, and gasping at every turn.

Black Smoke Rising by Caroline Cuell

After generations of war, the world has settled into an uncomfortable peace, the foundations of which are built on the simple premise laid out in unwritten law — you keep to your own kind. For the fae of Viriador and the elves of Carpathia, this way of life has seen them flourish and thrive, content with their own ways, the stains of bloody wars nothing more than words on pages of old scripture. For the dragon-shifters of Predoran, however, the lust for bloodshed is proving hard to suppress. King Dracul was the one to force the fae and elves from his lands, driven by the need to be cleansed of his sworn enemies. Now though, the disappointments of peace see him craving violence. His decision to take the lands of those he despises threatens to destroy all that has been built — and in doing so will change the course of six lives forever.

Demon Engine by Marten Norr

Sally Delavega, the best demon-binder the world has ever seen, would do anything to banish the two hundred ghosts trapped in his head—even if it means swimming up from the bottom of his tankard. When the Navy that destroyed his life comes sailing back to offer enough coin to get the job done, Sally agrees. All he has to do is help the crew of the Steadfast track down the ancient abyssal that lies sleeping at the heart of their drowned world. Why the Navy wants the demon isn’t Sally’s problem. But as they sail on, Sally begins to dredge up disturbing truths about how the world flooded and their ancient eldritch quarry that might just want to be found… Imaginative and poignant, funny and bizarre, Demon Engine brings us a bold, queer high-seas adventure that asks how deep we might venture for what we aren’t willing to lose.

It Begins by Eule Grey

Byron, PhD student and waistcoat admirer, knows about yearning and betrayal. It’s been four years since the love of his life, Ruben, walked off without explanation. Byron dreams of midnight sex he can’t fully remember and a beloved man with dancing eyes. If only Ruben would return… But life moves on. At least it did until you-know-who unexpectedly pitches a tent in the garden, provoking ghosts from the past as well as Byron’s aching heart. Ruben understands how to push Byron’s buttons. But he doesn’t know why someone is stalking them or why his memories are haunted by students playing a naked truth-dare game in an ancient room. What happened on the claw-marked table covered with crispy skin flakes? Halloween draws close, and with it comes a rollercoaster ride of sex, fear, and love. At the back of their minds, a chilling, familiar voice reminds Byron and Ruben of a game from long ago and a pact that can’t be abandoned or left unfinished. True love never dies.

The Electric King by Hugh C.N. Miller

By 2052, the world is ruled by artificial intelligence in the form of a ruthless android called King Cyrus. Society is divided into the 'Myriads’, who choose allegiance to his reign and live in perceived opulence and the ‘Indigents’, who live off-grid and fight for survival. An unthinkable tragedy transforms Scarlett into an unexpected warrior. With her kidnapped brother as her only focus, she is given the power to defeat the electric king and liberate humanity before it’s too late. But first, she must trust Ethan, a handsome thief who threatens to steal more than just her heart…

Atheron: The Call of Veydrath by Joseph E. Klug

Across the fractured lands of Atheron, five great races stand divided by ancient wounds and unyielding mistrust. While their leaders cling to arrogance and fear, something far older awakens beneath the mountains. The soul-gem Veydrath, long thought a relic of the gods, has surfaced—and within it stirs a bound chaos demon whose will was never truly silenced. Amid the rising discord, a young human warrior, an elven ranger unburdened by her people’s pride, a gnome inventor, and a halfling seer form an uneasy fellowship. Their mixed heritage defies the divisions of their age, and together they must uncover the truth of Veydrath before its corruption spreads beyond recall. Atheron: The Call of Veydrath is an epic dark-fantasy of unity born from fracture, where prophecy, corruption, and faith collide in a world standing at the edge of ruin.

The Servant by Justin Greer

Nearly a thousand years ago, the tyrant-sorcerer Mordechai betrayed his people, forged a weapon of darkness, and led an assault against the Middle Kingdoms to claim the throne of Reality. He slaughtered the defenders, broached the Shimmering Door, ascended to the Unseen Realm, and sought to make himself a god at the Heart of the World. Only at the last moment was he thwarted—by the sacrifice of a young woman, Lightbringer, who slew the Servant of Darkness and ended his terrible campaign. But now evil stirs in ancient strongholds, and blood-rituals claim the lives of innocents throughout the cities of the world, and fearsome shadow-monsters have reappeared to feast upon the living. The Servant has been resurrected. His armies have grown. His power has swelled. And he has resumed his bloody war against the free world. Again he marches for the Shimmering Door and the Heart of the World; and now there are few who remain to stay his hand. Only a young forest girl, Ashera Eldibara, has any hope of standing against Mordechai. She bears the Sword of Light, the fabled weapon of her predecessor, and its magic hums in her bones. Others stand at her side as protectors and guardians—a wizard, a warrior, and a huntress, each prepared to sacrifice all in the last desperate struggle against the Servant of Darkness. But they are few, and Ashera is young and untrained, inexperienced in the ways of magic and warfare—and the monstrous armies that she faces are vast and powerful . . . and already hunting her.

The Shard and The Serpent by Jinapher J. Hoffman

A high-stakes, spicy dark romantasy where assassins and criminally ruled cities battle for dominance, Fate twists bonds into violent obsession, and female rage fuels a revenge story as brutal and relentless as John Wick. In Mirror, ruined kingdoms have risen into darkly inventive criminal empires, each perfecting its trade through human trafficking and ruthless experimentation. Among the shadows, a secret league of female assassins with Fate-blessed powers exacts their ultimate punishment, vendettas paid only in blood. Rayze Angeline is one of them. A Shard Daughter. The Angel of Sin. She can fold oceans, warp gravity, and slip into minds. But her specialty is pleasure threads, entering a person’s mind by fulfilling their darkest desires and commanding them to spill their secrets. Her target? Warrick Ivor. Obsessive Heir to The Serpent. Her sworn enemy. The one man she should never touch. Unfortunately for Rayze, and to Warrick’s smug satisfaction, their souls are bound by Fate. She hates him almost as much as she craves the way he makes her his. Every glance is a challenge, every touch a dare, and neither of them ever walks away without drawing blood. Why would they? Killing is their favorite pastime. The more they push the limits of their Bond, the closer they edge toward a line that, once crossed, could turn passion into ruin. Dark secrets unravel, lust and empires collide, and revenge will be taken. For. Always. No matter the cost. If you crave a genre-bending dark fantasy/sci-fi romance with morally grey heroes, addictive spice, and twists that cut deep—where betrayal is as intoxicating as desire–The Shard and The Serpent will keep you up all night, gripping your Kindle, and screaming at the page. ✦ Tropes You’ll Find Inside ✦ ★ Criminal empires and assassins in a female-rage, John Wick–style revenge story ★ Unique twist on fated mates and fate magic ★ Medium-burn, addictive spice with a hard-earned HEA ★ Found family with women supporting women ★ Playthings to enemies to lovers ★ Masked, morally grey Heir who kneels only for her ★ Deadly female assassin with Fate-blessed superpowers ★ “You’re mine”, “Touch her and die”, “Who did this to you” ★ Primal chasing / primal hunting tension ★ Betrayal as foreplay, revenge as devotion ★ Pirates and flying pirate ships colliding with a grunge-punk cityscape of masked criminals ★ Dark secrets, memory loss and memory manipulation ★ Standalone in a series of interconnected standalones

Keepers of the Crossing: The Handsel Witches by Ryan J Hamshaw

Four months after the defeat of the Dark Friars, Liam O'Connor is finally finding some balance in life. He's juggling college, his friends, and his role as a Keeper of the Crossing. But that balance is about to break, and his friends’ safety is on the line. Tariq Ashar is trying to make his new relationship with Liam work while dealing with old secrets tied to Lucas Martindale, the obnoxious and unpredictable grandson of the Head of the Guild. When Lucas’ troubled past comes back to haunt him, it pulls Tariq and Liam into danger, putting everything at risk. Meanwhile, a new enemy is rising in Sarumbourne, driven by anger and revenge. As darkness spreads through the city, the Keepers must fight to protect it - or lose what they’ve sworn to defend.

A Light in the shadows by El Pace

The Light in the Shadows is the haunting first installment of the Born of Shadows series. It follows Skia, the daughter of the ruthless King of Shadows, who was born with light inside her - a gift stolen by her father. As two kingdoms teeter on the edge of war, Skia must decide who she is: the weapon her father raised, or the spark of rebellion destined to burn the Shadowlands to the ground. Across the border, the newly crowned King of Light is drowning under the weight of a kingdom that worships the sun but hides its own secrets in the dark. When fate binds him to the enemy's daughter, he faces a choice: protect the light, or let it burn everyting he's ever known. As war brews, ancient magic awakens, and a prophecy threatens to unravel both realms. Skia must decide: Will she become the monster they fear- or the storm that breaks them? Enemies to somwthing more. Betrayal with teeth. A crown made of shadows. For fans of morally grey heroines, star-crossed destines, and dark fantasy that hurts so good.

My Lord by L.B. Shimaira

"You try to comfort yourself with visions of events that didn't happen, but that doesn't mean that what did happen left no scars." After losing hearth and home, Meya attempts to escape the traumatic memories by travelling east. In 13th century Tristanja, however, it’s not safe to be alone. A local slave trader catches wind of the kinless woman and abducts her in the dead of night. Beaten and abused, the now meek Meya is sold to Lord Deminas. He's known to be cruel, yet becomes strangely protective of his new chambermaid, punishing anyone who dares hurt her. After cutting her to drink her blood, he even uses his own to heal her wounds. Meya and her paramour wonder if Deminas' dark secret is why servants regularly vanish, including the lord's previous chambermaids. However, the two women quickly learn that Lord Deminas isn't the only danger lurking in the castle's shadows. MY LORD is a queer, slow-burn erotic gothic horror novel about rediscovering yourself after trauma—with kinky, blood-drinking immortals and polyamory.

Blessed is the Rot by Sheri Singerling

Fenrir is a mask. Before his fall from grace, he was Ashtin, a lauded surveyor responsible for containing distortions, corrupted pockets of space-time that twist all they touch into horrid creatures. Five years prior, Ashtin defied the teachings of the Church he once served, costing him privilege, purpose, and his old name. Now, he is Fenrir, a shadow of his former self, reduced to ringing a bell for his livelihood. When a distortion claims Fenrir’s bell tower, the Church sends Surveyor Sophie to assess and contain the threat. She is a painful reminder of all that Fenrir has lost, but as the weeks slip by, Fenrir falls for her. And her him, even after learning his true identity. But Sophie harbors an even darker secret. Her only hope of salvation? Commit an unforgivable sin by descending into ancient ruins festering with distortions and their horrifying victims. Fenrir accompanies Sophie on the journey, but the truths they uncover are heinous in their own right. He must make a choice—abandon Sophie to fate or throw the world into chaos. Blessed is the Rot is a dark science fantasy novel, the first in the Bit Trilogy and part of the Alfom shared universe.

The Killing Song by Felix Graves

Fierce pirate captain Romada is about to retire from her high-stakes life when her siren girlfriend, Neiara, is abducted right in front of her. Together with Injago—her brother and quartermaster—and the rest of her crew, Romada sets out on what should have been a simple rescue mission, but as they begin raiding the siren holding camps and witness horrors there, they have to make a choice: fully commit to a burgeoning resistance against these atrocities, or stop for nothing and no one to find Neiara before she’s lost to them forever.

Darker Than the Starless Night by Rebecca Brodkey

A tale of gods and titans, the humans caught between them, and the chemistry that binds it all together Yom has found a simple solution to avoiding the obsessive thoughts that have haunted her since burying herself beneath powdered drugs, bodies, and coin. But when her gang’s leader demands loyalty at all costs, Yom’s position as the gang’s head chemist comes under threat. Forced to investigate, she crosses paths with a cagey royal archivist named Quia as they unearth a horrifying conspiracy to reopen the ancient war that ripped the world in two. Quia offers a tenuous cross the dangerous network of provinces to reach the queendom’s capitol, and seek the one mythical person capable of halting the forces of war. On the treacherous odyssey, Yom reckons with blood-thirsty crime lords, the queen’s personal guard, bounty hunters, forest spirits, old gods, and the specter of a friend she lost as a child—her first love—who might still be alive out there. The chemist must face her addiction to powder, her growing feelings for Quia, and the obsessive thoughts that threaten to tear her mind in two, lest she lose herself in her quest to save the world.

Fallen's First by Kassidy Coursey

Saer—the first demon and Pride himself—exists for a single-minded purpose: harvest souls to feed the ailing Devil who made him. The same Devil to whom he has sworn a vow of absolute loyalty.  Until the demoness Neyu, incarnation of Lust, makes Saer question what he understands his existence to mean. Every touch or glance from Neyu burns through Saer—the irresistible pull between them at blatant odds with his purpose…and his vow.  One does not love another above the Devil without consequence, so when Saer surrenders to his feelings for Neyu, the Hells shriek—and he's woefully unprepared to endure the punishment for his sins.

The Growing Darkness by Sean Gregory

Some call me a hero. Some call me a villain. Few know who I really am. Hell, all I know is I'm tired and wish someone was strong enough to end my misery. By any means necessary. But I can't die. Believe me, I've tried. Haunted by his past and endowed with powers he doesn't understand, Shen-Zarl battles suicidal thoughts while he hunts evil with a insatiable zeal. When he stumbles upon bandits assaulting a pair of twins from another realm he once again postpones his suicide plans. Princess Jesma and Prince Jesmir flee to the dangerous RhineWoods after witnessing their father's murder. The decision nearly costs them their lives--until a mysterious vigilante known as The Harbinger rescues them. Tamrin-Salzar, a famous tracker hired by a mysterious merchant to hunt down fugitives who murdered his son, discovers the man he works for is not who he seems. The decision sets him on an intercept course with fate. Thrust together by chance, a group of four strangers run from forces they do not understand on a desperate mission to find the truth. But the forces set against them seem to always be one step ahead…

Carrion Saints by Hiyodori

“Now reach back,” she said, “and tear off your wings.” Carrion Saints is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance between an immortal saint and a severed head. Crow can pass for human. She may come off as eccentric, but she’s good at hiding her wings. As a saint, she’s devoted her endless life to protecting humanity from other immortals: the ones they call monsters. She’s finally ready to take on the worst monster of all, a great evil sealed at the edge of civilization. Magnolia is the worst monster of all. A villain who amuses herself by preying on valiant heroes. At first glance, she looks powerless. She looks, in fact, like a decapitated head (a very chatty one). But her magic lets her issue absolute commands to humans and immortals alike. She’s been waiting centuries for a challenger powerful enough to break the seal binding her in the wilderness. In other words, she’s been waiting centuries to magically seize control over someone like Crow. Crow has always been patient and forgiving. Sadistic, remorseless Magnolia awakens new depths of loathing in her—a hatred of frightening intensity. And now, she's forced to use her full power to grant Magnolia’s one heartfelt wish: to see the rest of the world. To make up for all the years she spent trapped alone with only trees for company. What follows is an ultra slow-burn romance between true enemies. Between good and evil. Between a winged woman and a talkative severed head (who occasionally sprouts the rest of her body, just to keep things lively). They travel together across a post-apocalyptic landscape marked by strange magic and scattered human settlements. Yet the apocalypse happened a long time ago, and eons will pass before their gradually fading world dies for good. In the meantime, these immortals are stuck with each other. Even a saint and a monstrous villain might eventually fall in love—but the path there will be dark, crooked, and sometimes surprisingly cozy. This standalone fantasy novel can be read without prior knowledge of the author’s other work.

The Child of the Greenwood by Joshua Walker

The #1 Bestselling Military Fantasy epic continues! Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn meets Tarzan in this epic fantasy, heroic coming of age tale. WHAT BEGINS WITH WATER WILL FINISH IN FLAMES. On the day the river destroyed his people, Jilo took up his father’s magical spear. Years later, when the heirloom is taken from him, he vows to do anything to get it back. The legend of the Sai-Kathan people and their destruction at the hands of nature will be told for all to hear. The river is sick and putrid. The magic is in the wrong hands. The spear is the answer to it all. The Child of the Greenwood is the second novella that supports The Song of the Sleepers series, an epic new fantasy from Joshua Walker.

Circus of Dreams by B. Green

Circus of Dreams: Crimson Carnival Book 1 B. Green Ticket admission: one. Dearest reader, you are cordially invited to attend a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For one night only, satisfy your wildest appetites with no judgment or repercussions. All we ask for in return is unlimited access to your blood. Welcome to the Circus of Dreams. Once every fifteen years --for one night only-- a mysterious circus comes to the small town of Hillsview. To the untrained eye, it's simply a place to live out one's deepest, darkest desires. To Danni, it's a dangerous vampire hunting ground. After years of searching, Danni finally has the chance to avenge her mother's death when the Vampire Circus arrives with its enigmatic cast of performers. But she isn't counting being fated to its vampire ringmaster. Will she find revenge behind the velvet curtain... or love? Get ready for a thrilling ride into a world where every ticket has a cost, and love and vengeance dance together in the moonlight.

Kepstadur Keep by RG Sartain

All magic has a price. Sonja and her sister vowed to pay anything to revive their little brother, even if their own blood is the currency. After years chasing folktales, a single rumor remains: Kepstadur Keep. This once-decadent port rots at the far edge of their home country, harboring memories of the lost or forgotten. With the help of a foreign mercenary, Sonja dares to pluck at the strands of Kepstadur’s magic, risking her life to understand its secrets. But something malevolent lurks in the depths. If the castle proves itself more clever, Sonja could lose more than a brother to death’s soft voice.

Dawn of Silence by Heiner de Wendt

An icy dread seeped into Arkan’s bones. Vampires, spirits, dreamscapes…How was an ordinary thief like him supposed to handle this? On a mission to find his sister, Arkan finds himself at the center of a dangerous conspiracy—orchestrated by a terrifying foe from his past. He must band together with a vampire hunter and an illusionist on the run to save a city from the undead. But an even greater darkness casts its shadows over the reforged world of Ashandri. Dawn of Silence is the beginning of a dark epic fantasy trilogy. Follow a found family of adventurers in a diverse world of high magic, ancient secrets and political intrigue.

To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1) by K.V. Wilson

A reluctant mage reborn in flames. A passionate princess fleeing her fate. A powerful telepath at the mercy of the world’s thoughts. A spirited goddess craving adventure. With Penumbra on the brink of an ice age, Eos dreams of helping to create the False Star each dawn to ensure the survival of his people. But there's just one problem: he cannot speak the star's name. In the eye of the storm, Rysa was raised to rule at her mother's side. But a terrible secret has been kept from the princess—one that will tear her life apart. Deep within the molten Heart of Penumbra, a secret society gathers. Elves, dwarves, fauns, ice dragons, and magma merfolk prepare to seize the stolen throne and end the enchanted storm before it devours the realm.

The Crimson Knight by Zeta K. Pierce

Some traitorous secrets should stay hidden. Haizea is a knighted healing mage serving the elite Royal Guard. When a band of omens, mages with corrupted magic, attempt to assassinate her king and the neighboring monarchs during a diplomatic trip, the Royal Guard, though far from outnumbered, is easily outmatched. To save her king and comrades, Haizea uses blood magic, in turn revealing that she too is a forbidden practitioner of the Cosmic Arts. With her secret exposed, she is sentenced to execution and is forced to fully embrace the dark power that thrums through her veins to make it out alive.

Inferno's Silence by Rainer Meri

Welcome to a world where monsters walk among mortals, gods pull strings from the shadows and heroes fall to their own obsessions. Ehrkon, a former militia turned fugitive, seeks vengeance after his family are executed in a brutal purge. Hunted by the regime he once served, he is granted the power of fire by a righteous goddess and drawn into a rebellion alongside unlikely allies. Ynka was raised for obedience in a bleak northern city and prepared for a life she never chose. When a terrifying transformation reveals a hidden power, she is betrayed and cast into the abyss. Forced to survive, Ynka must uncover the truth of what she has become and reclaim control over her fate. Tren is a fearless, sharp-tongued thief who thrives in the ruthless slums of Khurmal’s Fifth Sector. He takes on increasingly dangerous jobs that escalate into full-scale rebellion against the ruling elite. Marked by ancient powers and manipulated by those who know more than they reveal, Tren begins to unravel the legacy of a god, created to contain someone far more vicious. Inferno’s Silence is a dark fantasy of survival, vengeance and uprising, where the line between hero and villain is a matter of perspective.

The Drowning Daze of Astraea by Ashley Mathias Root

When fifteen-year-old Astraea Windsor watches her grandmother die, her entire world changes. Literally. Taken from the small town she grew up in-and the only world she ever knew-Astraea finds herself transported to Voncord, a magical world inhabited by Signs, who wield elemental energies, and her true home. Here, there are people who look like her-with vibrant hair and orange-colored eyes-and despite drawing unwanted attention for her never-before-seen power signature, Astraea finally feels she's found her place. But Voncord is a world in turmoil. Signs are blaming each other for seismic tremors causing devastation, Guides, beings who can rip open gateways in timepsace are calling for equality to Signs, and girls from Astraea's new school-The University of Voncordia-are vanishing. And only Astraea may know how to find them. When she develops dark, unexplainable dreams of an ice fortress that leaves her dazed, Astraea realizes they might be more than just nightmares. But with her warnings ignored, she must dive into the madness herself, teaming up with an enemy and following the threads in her dreams, if she is to save the missing students and keep everything around her from sinking. Or watch her world drown. Furyborn meets Curious Tides with a dash of Sailor Moon in this magical dark fantasy debut.

Everlife by Alex S. Garcia

A magician, an alien mask, thousands of gods... What could possibly go wrong? Born an orphan and known throughout the empire as a powerful magician, Paul is on a lifelong quest to find answers about his past. Jack is a historian obsessed with the famous Face of Xian--an alien mask which has puzzled the universe for thousands of years. An obsession his friends can't understand, and which he himself cannot explain. Along with a detective, an archaeologist, and others, their destinies cross on a world brimming with alien artifacts. A world where thousands of gods walk among men, and where fanatics consider offworlders as heretics and raiders. Some might call it a recipe for disaster, and they'd be right. NOTE: Though this book is the first in a series, it has no cliffhanger and can be read on its own.

The North Tower by Michelle N Hagood

Nineteen-year-old Charlie has been dealt a bad hand from the day she was born. Found in a trash can as a baby, she's been shipped from one foster home to another, each one worse than the last. When she's offered an escape, she takes it. But fate isn’t ready to be kind just yet. After a brutal car crash, Charlie is dragged into an unfamiliar world of magic with promises of a fresh start at the Magisterium of Magic, a prestigious school for the rich and entitled. Here, she’s told that she’s a Royal, a member of the highest tier of Magic Users, with the kind of power most people would do anything to steal or control. When a student abruptly leaves and she catches the School Master lying about it, she starts to question if the motives of her rescuers are pure. Or do these devious liars have a darker reason for finding her? With the help of a crew of troublemakers, Charlie dives into one of the magic world's oldest mysteries, the death in the North Tower and the cunning ghost who haunts it. The identity of the ghostly woman and truth about the student’s departure could help Charlie decide who she can trust. Or it could prove that she should have trusted her instincts all along.

The Winds of War by Mosha Winter

THESE THREADS ARE SOAKED IN BLOOD. The Astaris Empire is fracturing, its realm flogged by war and fanaticism. Empress Seline and her Gold Council vie to maintain control, but what is control for a nation built on blood and lies? In the east, the storied Rhaavi people cling to their independence, but as the ruinous First Legion of the Empire arrives at their walls, hope is decimated. Even so, Yuei, the dragonrider, and Rizu, the shadow guardian, will lay down their lives to protect their home. And Kirana, High Chieftainess of the Rhaavi, vows to lead her people through . . . no matter the cost. Elsewhere, the prodigious Hatsun pursues an education at the fabled Great Library of the Awakened. But he quickly learns that curiosity is both a boon and a burden as his studies unveil cataclysmic secrets about the world that could change everything. This book marks the first chapter of The Tapestry of the Tarnished. Here is a tale spanning the whole of the Ring: A circle of continents rife with war and unrest. A world colored by magics and mythical creatures. A place you will fear, yet not wish to leave. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire meets Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen in this burgeoning epic fantasy saga.

Fly Stone, Fly by Dust Kunkel

A boy, his dog and a monstrous friend. 16-year-old Clayton Stonefly, who lost his parents four years ago and is being raised by his Granma Lina, just wants to be brave like Dammit, his dog, and face the town bully, Big Jim. That, or read Shakespeare on the porch alone in the Idaho wilderness. But Clay has an unfortunate he’s haunted by monstrous dreams of his family’s dead nemesis, Das Ungeheuer, and every time he tells a story, someone dies. That — and he just watched his friend, MK, suck the soul out of a man, leaving the man clawing at his chest. Who is MK anyway? Is Big Jim just a small town pastor, or something else? Something with insect eyes sacrificing boys to bring a greater evil? Is there a chance that Clay’s new friend, Penny — the one with the dark eyes and twisted smile — could be more than a friend? Clay learns that his parents kept many secrets from him — not the least being there’s a family calling that involves monster-wrangling, and a family axe with a mind of its own that may or may not be trying to talk to him.

The Skald's Black Verse by Jordan Loyal Short

Brohr has a noose around his neck. When a soldier’s murder sparks rebellion in the tiny village of Skolja, Brohr’s violent past marks him as the prime suspect. Haunted by his infant brother’s raging ghost, he is heir to the dark legacy of the Skalds, and cursed by the forbidden magic of the Dreadbound. As loyalties in the oppressed village fray, Brohr must choose: sate his vengeance, or save his people. In the shadows, an all but extinct race of alien demigods have begun the endgame of their millennia-spanning war. And Brohr is a pawn in the closing gambit. But Brohr’s grandfather harbors a secret that will change everything. Above it all, a dire omen looms in the sky, spelling the death of Brohr’s world. With doom spiraling down, Brohr must lead an unlikely revolt, unearth the truth of his brother’s murder, and tame the raging spirit that haunts him. Can Brohr unite his fractured people, or will he succumb to his own terrifying bloodlust, and destroy the very souls he has sworn to save? Ragnarok Reimagined: Alien Gods, Eldritch Space Travel, and Black Magic! Unique worldbuilding, fierce anti-heroes, and vivid action await in this epic tale, stretching from the stars above to realms below.

A Fate Unwoven by Rachael A. Edwards

A heretical storyteller partners with an ancient spirit to undo the magic that subjugates her to the crown, in this chilling debut fantasy filled with monsters, forbidden rituals, and corrupt deities. The Emperor of Wyrecia is dying, and 17-year-old Lena has just gained the power to control fate itself, binding her to the young prince Dimas as the empire's next Fateweaver. Hunted by the empire's most ruthless soldiers, Lena escapes with a handsome smuggler toward enemy territory. But a former lover betrays Lena, and her magic becomes agony—compelling Lena to submit to a gilded cage. Still, an ancient spirit offers hope: to sever her bond to the throne, Lena must unroot a ritual hidden beneath the palace. As Prince Dimas struggles to forge friendship with Lena and bring his empire under peaceful rule, sinister cultists unveil a twisted plan to unleash an ancient evil that could tear the realm asunder. With every step Lena takes on her quest to freedom, she uncovers a troubling imperial past that tarnishes the nation’s matron goddess. Perhaps the oral histories passed down to Lena are not foolish heresy, after all. Written with captivating mystery, queer romance, and a dual point of view narrative, this dark fantasy features a gorgeously detailed map and roots its magic system in mythological lore. An enchanting selection for young adult readers who don’t mind a little terror with their adventure!

Killer Quill by Shida Ketzer

Murdered in cold blood and resurrected through forbidden powers, Quill becomes her world’s legendary assassin. She can never part with her eponymous quill. The mythical quill keeps her alive, heals her wounds, and enables her to transform colors into animate objects doing her bidding. In exchange, the quill feeds on her victims’ souls. When her latest mission sparks the higher power’s wrath, Quill must avenge the death of her people and her own murder. Failure will cost more than just her life. A Wisteraverse Novella

Bathed in Ink and Blood (Ink, Brand, and Knife Book 1) by Robert C. Laymon

War made him. Betrayal broke him. The Butcher of Greenlake will go to any lengths to find the truth and punish those who wronged him. He will dismantle their world stone by stone and raze it all to the ground. Signamancy opens a world of possibilities for a low-born teen. However, a power that gives can also take away. Dacre Caeinn finds himself in the company of the Butcher of Greenlake. Will the most wanted man in Camoria help Dacre save the one he loves most or will he be another victim buried in the Butcher's trail of revenge? The life of the standard noblewoman was one Raya Adan never wanted despite her father's insistence. Now, she finds herself betrothed and the idea of being shipped across the sea as little more than a commodity does not sit well with her. To gain her father's approval and show her worth as more than a bargaining chip, she dives into the investigation of recent attacks on the family's ventures. However, not all is as it seems and Raya slowly unravels truths that will upend the world she knows.

Void's Vengeance by Emma L. Adams

Former captain Yala Palathar is once again in exile, while a tyrant sits upon the throne of Laria. The armies of the dead stalk the lands, while across the country, the orders of Disciples are falling, one by one. Amid the chaos, Yala is offered an opportunity to return to the battlefield as a soldier of the highest rank. Accepting might be her only chance to get close to her enemy, but at the cost of being drawn deeper into the god of death’s domain. Niema, too, faces a raging battle in her heart, between the promises she swore to the god of life and the knowledge that the god of death has marked her, too. As the gods of life and death prepare to wage all-out war, Yala and Niema face choices that will shape the future of the nation and the world at large. Either they will bring an end to a conflict years in the making, or else watch everything they hold dear fall into the ruinous void.

Corruption's Claw by Emma L. Adams

In Laria, the truth cuts as sharp as a blade. Former captain Yala Palathar and her allies prevented the god of death from claiming another city, but at a cost. Now, war threatens between Laria and their rival nation of Rafragoria after half a decade of peace, and tensions in the capital are at an all-time high. While the unprepared monarch tries to keep everything under control, it seems inevitable that Yala and her surviving squad-mates will be called to battle once again. To complicate matters, bodies are washing up on Laria’s shores, corrupted by Mekan’s insidious magic. Yala is certain that someone is trying to push their nation into a fight that will achieve nothing but a fresh wave of souls to feed the god of death, but the Disciples of the Flame are determined to burn away the evidence - literally. As Dalathar comes ever closer to boiling over in chaos, Yala must choose whether to reveal the secrets that will either save everyone from an avoidable war… or shatter the fragile peace holding Laria together.

Traitor's Tome by Emma L. Adams

Several weeks have passed since the capital of Laria narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of the god of death and His followers. Former Captain Yala Palathar is attempting to lie low, but the dead no longer rest easily in their graves, and her role in the battle has drawn attention from potential allies and foes alike. Niema, too, has been profoundly changed by the choices she made during the battle of Dalathar, and journeying home to the Disciples of Life reveals the devastating consequences of her actions. Niema grapples with her desire to protect Yala’s secrets, but when monsters start appearing in the forest, she fears that she’s brought doom upon her own people. When the Disciples of the Flame come to Yala with the news that a dangerous book used by the god of death’s followers has gone missing, Yala is compelled to seek it out to avert further disaster. Her quest takes her to Setemar, home of the Disciples of the Earth, where her path soon crosses with Kelan and the Disciples of the Sky. It isn’t long before Kelan’s alliance with Yala puts him at odds with his fellow Disciples, and the closer Yala treads to the domain of the god of death, the louder Mekan’s voice whispers in her own ear. With threats stirring above and below ground, ally is set against ally, and not everyone will survive the calamity that will follow…

Echoes of the EtherStone by Lucy A. McLaren

Beth lives a seemingly perfect life of luxury in the city of Alpinside. Her upcoming betrothal to the eligible Lord Ashford is all she can focus on… until she meets El, a young woman from the slums whose father was a victim of the Scrubbers’ Stalker, the ruthless killer haunting the city.  Thrown together by the dreadful murders, the two decide to investigate. The catch? The evidence points towards Beth’s own brother as the Stalker. Their new-found friendship is tested as their investigation begins to reveal far deeper secrets than either of them were prepared for, uncovering a truth which rots the very core of Alpinside.

Once Upon A Song by Nadine Bells

Welcome to the Hôtel de Neige. Let yourself be swept away by its grandeur and glamor but beware - the cold may swallow you whole. When lonely waitress Ana lands a job as a singer at the prestigious Hôtel de Neige, she believes it to be the beginning of her fairytale. Yet she soon finds that in those eerie halls, the line between Cinderella story and Gothic nightmare blurs. Sinister dreams cause her to sleepwalk, a ballerina makes ominous threats, and a phantom in white haunts the hotel - and Ana. As Ana discovers that the hotel’s last singer lost his life under mysterious circumstances, she needs to decide if happily-ever-after is worth it. She knows she cannot trust her secretive colleagues or the charming but elusive hotel manager, Dimitri. All Ana ever wanted was to belong, but at the Hôtel de Neige, that may mean never leaving again…

House of Muir (Shadow Twins Book 2) by Luke Tarzian

ONCE MARKED, ALWAYS MARKED… The war that was won is lost. His country razed and friends dead, Cailean Catil seeks the miserable solace of inebriation. But fate has other plans for ill-lucked men. An ocean away, he returns to the Galrun Muir, the order from which he was previously exiled. Seeking answers as to why they now worship the monster haunting his dreams, Cailean embarks on a quest to confront the ghost of Gabriel Muir and seal his tomb. Should he succeed, all will be made clear. But some truths are better left dead. THE GUILT WILL ALWAYS CALL YOU BACK… Fiel has lost everything. Her niece is dead at the hands of Te Mirkvahíl and her country has been razed by the demon’s legions. But fate has other plans for ill-lucked women. An ocean away, in the city Harbanan, Fiel resumes her search for Vare Tal-úlm. Her journey leads her to the monster-hunting Galrun Muir who claim not only to have knowledge of Vare, but of Fiel’s previous visit to their hallowed grounds. Lady Mirkvahíl, they say, has returned. THE DEAD RISE… Behtréal has won. Helveden is a ruin, the Ariathan Empire is dead, and The Keepers’ Wrath is his to wield. With it, in the dead city Banerowos, he can rewrite history and reclaim lives lost—he can bring his people back. But things are not so simple as that, for within the dead city Behtréal must contend with the guilt of memory and all its ghosts. MADNESS IN TRUTH… The doors have opened. Welcome in.

Liminal Monster by Luke Tarzian

IN THE CENTER OF THE FOREST SITS A HOUSE OF LEAVES AND ASH. INSIDE THE HOUSE, HIS HEART AND LIES. Inside the house called Sempiternity there is a lake, at the center of which an island sits. Upon the island, a spire of stone. Surrounding the spire, an orchard of dreams. Beneath an apple tree sits faceless Self, who writes of sorry things. "What an awful place. What a cruelty it is, being birthed of pain." But when a dog that should not be wanders into Sempiternity through a door that should not be, Self learns a terrible truth: Sempiternity is no longer safe, no longer theirs. Fictional failures come in search of proper ends, in search of slaughter quelled by Self's prosaic hand. In search of lies. Thus, Self departs Sempiternity for the forest dark, for at its center is the ruined town of Own. The place where the nightmare began.

The Demon of Elderstay by I. Ribbon

Magical makeovers are a messy business. But how was junior arcane lecturer Gerome to know his attempt to improve a part of his anatomy would open a portal to the Shade Planes? Or, worse, unleash the all-powerful “Harbinger of the New Dark” – fondly or not nicknamed Al? Utterly broke and burdened with demon (literally), Gerome begrudgingly joins a shady nobleman’s quest to free the stronghold of Elderstay from a powerful curse. His dysfunctional crew – the insufferable siblings Bijan and Najib, the perpetually moody Polly, and the enigmatic green-skinned Sha-sha – have more problems than they can wave a wand at. Walking corpses and ritual blood circles aside, Gerome is running out of time. At any moment, Al might break free and end the world. As for the horrors that await them in Elderstay? Let's just say the "New Dark" is the least of their worries…

The Seventh Sister by Millie Abecassis

Seer Éliane is destined to a brilliant future as a servant of Aurië, the Sun-God. Everything changes when the High Seer, her superior, becomes jealous of Éliane's abilities and chases her from the temple. Having no family, Éliane has no choice but to find refuge in Sanctuary, the mysterious mansion of Lady of Clairemont, alongside six women living there as sisters and refugees. When the sisters begin to disappear, Éliane must find the truth about Sanctuary and its secretive owner before she disappears, too. A horrific retelling of Bluebeard and Snow White, The Seventh Sister is a tale about sisterhood and overcoming adversity.

Foresyth Conservatory by A. L. Sterling

Ninth House meets Mexican Gothic in a dark academia, gothic mystery where the cards are stacked against reason-and the price of knowledge is blood. Dahlia Blackburne is a failing bookstore keeper and Tarot reader who relies on deductive reasoning--not magick--to cast her fortunes. When a stranger calling himself the Meister walks into her shop after closing and offers three times her normal rate for a reading, curiosity and her growing debts compel her to accept. But the reading reveals that the Meister has a far more dangerous proposition: infiltrate Foresyth Conservatory, an elite occult arts graduate school, and investigate the alleged suicide of brilliant but troubled student, Julian Earhardt. Desperate to care for her ailing mother after her father's recent death, Dahlia agrees to investigate. But inside Foresyth's rose-thorned walls, Dahlia is thrust into the school's ruthless academic Circle, a cadre of students including the seductive "Trees," Aspen and Sequoia, who are obsessed with creating art that doesn't merely imitate life, but transcends it. As the line between performance and passion blurs, Dahlia must confront the truth about Julian, her peers, and a dangerous form of magick that isn't taught-but inherited. The cards at Foresyth have already been dealt . . . Now it's time for Dahlia to play her hand.

HALLOWED BE HER FLESH by Emryn Bird

It had only been three days. Three days since Trella had been accused of being wicked. Three days since her flogging and excommunication. And three days since she began searching for a mysterious village deep within the Cantabrian Mountains. When a sudden, bright star becomes something more, this pious woman finds herself face to face with an entity she can only assume is one of God’s great celestials sent down to guide her. Terrifying yet beautiful, the creature vows to protect the woman as the pair journey together to find this promising new home. But will it be the safe haven Trella believes it to be? Or can safety only be found in this cosmic being’s embrace? Hallowed Be Her Flesh is an illustrated cosmic horror romance set in 1570s Spain where the ineffable horror of what lies beyond the stars meets Christian mysticism as an asexual woman questions her faith and her attraction toward a strange entity.