|
The Call for Finis: Pride by A.J. Torres Seven sins. Seven hosts. One city purged. After everything youâve learned, can you still stand with your faith, or finally rise up against it? Salvia VerdaderaFe has signed a pact with Ultor, a demon of Infernos, to enact the end of all and purge the world of sin. Ultor and six others were granted permission to enter the middle world of Eldara, bound to mortals by the Seraphim of Hevellum. Upon his arrival a messenger of Hevellum should have been waiting to assign him his task, unfortunately the messenger did not appear and thus his mission is a mystery. Along their journey through the country of Marlela, they are set upon by a group of Templar Equitums, bearers of virtue and enforcers of the Cirine faith. From their encounter their destination is revealed. Their journey to Lumen Magnum begins. |
|
The Underground by Azalea Forrest In the country of Lornesse, the city Anen harbors more than just high-rises and technology. Deep beneath the architecture, unbeknownst to humans, roam incredible and terrifying creatures. The Underground isnât the only place these people reside, however. Most humans donât know that a third of their population are actually blood suckers and moon howlers, changelings and ghosts, disguised and living among them. Ashai is a young vampire of humble origins just trying to bridge the gap between supernaturals and humans with her blood bar. Sheâs happy to deal with human, vampire, and werewolf alike. When an old vampire is rumored to have come back from the dead to build an army, it bristles the fur of many a werewolf. This sheds new light on the truth of past transgressions and the prejudice between their peoples. Ash is unwittingly caught in the middle and must fight her way to find her own truths. |
|
If Asheel Won't Burn by Jenn Jarrett Another month. Another night haunted by an immortal Reaper. Another grieving family. The hopeless cycle never ends. Only Asheel can sense the Reaperâs next victim, but instead of praise for her gift, sheâs blamed for the abductions and despised. Even worse, the neighboring cities have heard rumors of the girl with the Reaperâs eyes and seek her magic for themselves. Asheel doesnât know if she should continue her predictions since they cause more harm than good or if she should start a new life away from the magic. But none of that matters when the Reaper comes for her. Follow the Reaper into the Monster Realm. |
|
Prince of the Sorrows by Kellen Graves Without an academic endorsement to make him valuable to the high fey, Saffron will be sent back through the veil to the human world. The place he was traded from as a changeling-baby, and a place he is terrified of. And while getting an endorsement shouldn't be impossible, it's hindered by the fact his literacy is self-taught, using books stolen off of MorrĂgan Academy's campus of high fey students. When mistaken identity leads to Saffron learning the true name of brooding, self-centered, high fey Prince Cylvan, what begins as a risk of losing his life (or his tongue) becomes an opportunity to earn the future he wants. In exchange for an endorsement, he and Cylvan form a geis where Saffron agrees to find a spell to strip power from Cylvan's true name. While Prince Cylvan doesn't know Saffron can barely read, Saffron is determined to meet his end of the deal in order to remain in Alfidelâor, maybe, just to remain by Cylvan's side, as affections grow stronger every night they spend alone in the library together. But as other human servants soon fall victim to a beast known only as âthe wolfâ, Saffron realizes he has embroiled himself in a manipulative reach for power like he never anticipatedâand even Prince Cylvan cannot be trusted. Between the wolf, uncovering forbidden magic, and his growing feelings for the prince, Saffron will have to decide which is most important to himâhis endorsement, the lives of his friends, or the princeâs life and wellbeing. |
|
Wilderwood is a haven for those who have been cast out of âproperâ society: academics, artists, the eccentrics and undesirous. It is also home to other kind and having weres, mages, and even an ancient griffin living amongst mortals just isnât done. Except in Wilderwood. Octavia Wilder cares for those who live in the town her ancestor built and when a feral vampire threatens the peace, she partners with the Ranger who has brought word of the threat. Ranger Roderick Arman hunts Corbin Luther, the feral vampire who killed his partner two years ago. When Lutherâs trail leads him to the odd little town of Wilderwood, he quickly realizes thereâs more to the town â and his hunt â than expected. Ranger Bellemy Eislen disappeared two years ago when what was to be a quick trip to the Faelands on behalf of the Rangers went entirely wrong. Trapped in another realm, they tirelessly sought a way back to their world. And to Wilderwood and Octavia. The three of them must fight to save Wilderwood from an invasion from another realm and protect the town from the Faelands Queen. Wilderwood is a fantasy/romance book with some violent and sexual elements. The story features a polyamorous, queer romance between three consenting adults. |
|
Birth of the Storm by Valerie Storm A bolt of lightning. And a dream of vengeance. For wolf-demon Kari, these define her every waking moment. Her parents are dead, slaughtered by human hands, forcing their only daughter to masquerade among their killers to save her own skin. Now she dwells among them, hiding her lightning-based abilities and plotting a terrible revenge, believing her schemes are all she's good for now. But when she discovers unexpected solace among a group of humans who look past her monstrous nature, Kari finds herself questioning everything. Her mission. Her dreams. Even the hatred festering in her heart. Is it possible for a creature like Kari to find happiness in a world that despises her? Or will the specters of her past force her down the path of vengeance in the end? |
|
APOTHEOSIS The Fifth Yanai: Book Two by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald The Fifth Yanai is a story of the value of free will, the triumph of love, and the fight to live life on one's own terms. Apotheosis is the second installment. Through harrowing trials and godly visions, rival zealots became allies and an ancient prophecy has revealed itself to be true. Ohkai and Velyr are more intricately connected than they could ever have imagined, but the mystical ties that bind them raise more questions than they answered. The unforgiving season of Frost has arrived and Ohkai is called against his will to fulfill the wishes of the Yanai, leaving his life, his Sect and his friends behind, as he disappears beyond their reach. Velyr is left to navigate a strange new life and brand new home without him, and he struggles to find normalcy on the outskirts of the frozen Continent in the camp of his once sworn enemies. But still danger lurks, as the Temple reveals its own agenda, and a force is birthed into the world that will change the course of every soul alive, forever. |
|
Shadow Of The Wicked by Douglas W.T. Smith Twin brothersâa sorcerer and a warriorâare each tortured for their opposing convictions. Will magick be restored or extinguished? Magick had once ruled The Three Kingdoms, but now it is banished and condemnable. Jaromir and Talmage have been imprisoned for different convictions. Jaromir wakes up chained to a table filled with dread, while Talmage is thrown into an underground labyrinth. Jaromir has devoted his life to mastering weapons as the Empressâ Guard and forming a secret order to rid the world of magick. His lifetime devotion is useless when his limbs are chained. Unless he divulges the orderâs plans. Jaromir is tortured and his body pushed to breaking point but he refuses to betray the orderââuntil his wife is dragged into the room. Jaromir is forced to make a choice between his honor and his beloved wife. Which will he choose? Meanwhile, Talmage is thrown into an underground labyrinth. Since his parentâs death, he had practiced the art of magick in secret from his brotherâs order. Magick had been his savor and his security through his troubled life. No matter what Talmage tried, the ghosts of his past haunt himââespecially in the dark passages. At first, he thought he was alone, for one last trial, until familiar voices echo from the shadows. Both brothers must escape from their wicked fate, identify their outgrown relationship, and swallow their pride before itâs too late. If one of them fails; they both suffer. |
|
The Chains of Fate by A. A. Night When tragedy strikes, the victims ask why. Then, they look for someone to blame. For the Kharar of Beasthaven, the child DarHel is that someone. Born with snow-white skin and blood-red eyes in the midst of the worst plague in history, DarHel is deemed cursed and cast out of his village. Hungry and alone, his only hope for survival is to seek sanctuary with the Pale Folk of the White Wood. But the Pale Folk are fickle gods, and there is more to their chimeric paradise than meets the eye. Igor Enleyen knows nothing of gods or plagues, but finds his own curse in the shadow of his deranged father's tyrannical legacy. Unloved and unwanted in the town of his birth, he sets out to discover new lands...only to end up kidnapped by a cutthroat brigand. His usefulness exhausted once no ransom is offered, Igor is given up to the Pale Folk as tribute in exchange for divine favor. After a chance meeting in the sylvan halls of the Pale, DarHel and Igor's lives are changed forever. Bestowed with a glimmer of the Pale Folk's divinity, these two exiles hold the power to shape the world in their image. But, burdened with the abuse of their peers and the trauma of their pasts, what kind of twisted world will they shape? |
|
Awakening: The Communeâs Curse Book 1 by Lucy A. McLaren The Kingdom of Septima is ruled in all but name by the Commune, a ruthless cult that seeks control of an ancient power that has taken root in unsuspecting children in Septima. To maintain their hold on the kingdom, the Commune will stop at nothing to capture children who show signs of this power, to be weaponised or eliminated. 18-year-old Evelyn Folksman is in hiding. Taken in by a tavern-owner, she is haunted by the horrific events that drove her from her home years before. Evelyn is forced to face her past when two wayward children, Raif and Rose Huntsman, arrive at the tavern, pursued by Commune soldiers. The children fall under Evelynâs reluctant care as the trio narrowly escape a raid. Relentlessly hunted by Commander Jonah Sulemon and Commune agent Lord Eirik Torrant, Evelyn and Raif cannot fathom why they pose such a threat to the Commune, until six-year-old Rose unwittingly reveals a terrible secret: she possesses powers more fearsome than any the Commune has unearthed in decades. There are only two options: to be captured and imprisoned, or to run for the rest of their lives. |
|
Forget the Sleepless Shores by Sonya Taaffe In Forget the Sleepless Shores readers should expect to be captivated by many ghosts and spirits who inhabit brine, some from tears of heartache and loss, some from strange bodies of water, not necessarily found on the map but definitely discovered through charting a course though the perilous straits of author Taaffe's imagination, which is eerie and queer (by every definition of the word). |
|
There is no God waiting for you in paradise. No afterlife where friendships severed by death are reformed and families reunited. There is only the Aether, a dimension of insatiable hunger that will possess you no matter the life you led. Yet there is hope for a lucky few. Archivists, existing between the world of the living and the world of the dead, can offer salvation⌠for a price. Taking your essence in the final moments before death, they become your afterlife, allowing you to speak with those who remain. When the last archivist is tricked into murder by troubled teenager, Sun-young Kang, he finds himself the centre of a suicidal cult that die at his feet. But there is more to these deaths than the Archivist realises. Someone is coming for him. The Archivist may be the closest thing to a god that walks the Earth, but is that enough to keep those he cares about safe? |
|
Edge of the Breach by Halo Scot We all become monsters at the edge of the breach. In a post-apocalyptic world where season of birth determines power â spring healers, summer mages, fall shapeshifters, and winter shields â a man and a woman emerge from tragic childhoods to lead humanity on opposite sides of an interrealm war. ââââââââââââââââ There is a hole in the sky. They call it the Rift. A portal to the gods. The scar of a suffering world. Through it, the gods rule the last scraps of civilization, harkening war. As chaos beckons, two leaders emerge from the ashes of a dying planet. Julian Kyder is the son of an abusive rape victim who compensates for his abandonment through psychopathy. Sira Rune is a cancer survivor who dedicates her life to living free and fearless while experiencing the taboo and the unorthodox. Rune is the only one unafraid of Kyder, and that terrifies him, because he only knows how to function through fear. Even though she gives him more chances than he deserves, how much violence can she forgive? When is a person beyond redemption? While he struggles to control his demons and she struggles to find purpose, the gods drag the ruined world into war. Amazon Top 10 New Releases LGBTQ+ Sci-Fiâ¨Amazon Top 25 New Releases LGBTQ+ Fantasy CONTENT WARNING: The Rift Cycle is a highly graphic series intended for mature audiences. |
|
Things They Buried by Amanda K. King & Michael R. Swanson Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2019 "...uses dazzling worldbuilding and a hodgepodge of characters, cultures, and fantastic species to tell a powerful, human story. ... The worldbuilding is nearly flawless in its execution, which will entice readers to immerse themselves in the story... The intriguing plot makes excellent use of its primary characters, resulting in a breathtaking, harmonious read. An empathetic, complex, and offbeat tale."â¨âKirkus Reviews (starred) "The creepy threats and fierce fights in this densely imagined novel will gratify fans of dark fantasy, especially those who want real depth in between thrills."â¨âBookLife Under the dirty streets of Ismae's greatest port city, an old nightmare waits for Sylandair and Aliara, one that is stealing Dockhaven's children, one only they can end. When the pair escaped their owner and abuser years ago, they left him behind in a ball of blue flame, but as more children disappear near the city's desalinization plant, their suspicions turn to the predator they believed dead. Accompanied by their less-than-reliable puka scout Schmalch, they delve into the forgotten depths of the patchwork city. Their search will lead to a twisting world of corruption and experimentation, uncover horrors greater than any they imagined, and summon memories they never wanted to exhume. A dark science fantasy action adventure, Things They Buried is the first full-length novel of Ismae, a world where science sometimes appears as magic and history as myth, where monsters make themselves and heroes are wholly unintentional. This novel contains adult themes and violence. |
|
NYV: PUNK is a dark and sexy coming of age story of adventure, music and horror set in the harsh 1980s New York Punk scene. (UF / NA) With only his mother for company, rural isolation in East Texas was as boring and bleak a life as Christian could imagine. The most exciting thing to look forward to were monthly visits from the nice old lady who took his mother shopping in town. After being subjected to a bizarre and humiliating birthday ritual, Christian leaves home to think things through, and when the opportunity for adventure presents itself, he jumps at the chance. But being on his own is more terrifying than a sheltered and naĂŻve teenager would ever have dreamed. Miraculously surviving a brutal attack in a bus station restroom, Christian finds himself being hunted across the country by an ancient, bloodthirsty evil, putting him and those he cares for in mortal peril. Homeless and alone, he is befriended by a group of streetwise kids but danger still lurks around every corner. He must quickly learn to navigate the hazards of the gritty streets of New York City if he is going to survive the tough Punk music scene long enough to discover his destiny. Can he survive on the street? Will he find the life of adventure he hoped for? And what the hell does OMFUG mean anyway? Oh⌠and thereâs vampires. |
|
Yet another strand of thread holding the peace together, cut...and Sólan the Grim is the one holding the blade. Sólan the Grim is dead. He was murdered by the duke of the tundra-his father. No, he was executed by the forest's prince for his failure to swear the Oath of Light. Actually, he was beheaded by an infamous drug smuggler of the tropics. Tortured and killed at the hands of the desert's mortal king for his crimes. Perhaps he is not dead at all. The half-mortal bastard son of an elf duke, Sólan de Ciudelago learned to cheat death as a child. His mere existence has tumbled the Eastern Lands into the largest genocide against his own kind: The Crusade of Light. The fragile peace between red-blooded men and silver-blooded elves is fraying. Alliances and rulers' strongholds are waning. The Eastern Lands are on the verge of a second Great War in a millennium. Until now, Sólan's lot in life was to smother his past and fight the desert's slave market. Memories, however, are fickle things that can return with no warning. Now, he must face his trauma to topple more than just the desert's economy. He must now work with former enemies and an unlikely lover to quell the coming war that he caused. Will his blood be the ink that seals the suit for peace? Or, is he naught but a pawn in a much more sinister plot against the balance between day and night? Disclaimer: This tale contains material that may be disturbing to some readers. Such material includes graphic violence, sexual encounters, mental illness, and mentions of child abuse and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised. |
|
The Killer and The Dead by Roderick T. Macdonald âMy name is Stahl. I kill people. Iâm not proud of it, but Iâm not ashamed, either.â Strapped in a chair, compelled to tell his tale to unknown tormentors, Stahl recounts his life in the Mire, a filth-choked slum shivering in the shadow of an ancient necropolis where the dead hunger for living flesh. He tells how secrets led to blackmail and death, how vengeance led to guilt and paranoia, and how an unholy bargain taught him that it is your enemies, not your friends, who define your life. But in a slum where everyone lies, what kind of truth can be expected from a killer? |
|
Nomads of the Sea by Coby Zucker In the Nisi Archipelago, a civil war festers. Zealous insurgents burn villages across the islands in an effort to return the Mangaal people to the sea and free themselves of their Lyssan overlords. Sig of the Midandaal, the son of a diplomat, must combat the growing threat. As he stamps down the rebellion, he quickly finds his talent for bloodshed surpassing his talent for peace. Idalia Goss is attached to the Lyssan company that has been sent to aid the loyalists. The daughter of a renowned physician and arcane scholar, her task is to learn more about the Mangaal mages, who far outstrip the mainland sorcerers. Her efforts are hindered by the dark reputation of her predecessors. Back on Lyssa, Bryn Urien, the Inferno of Mochan Pass, has lost his spark. Once, as the foremost mage of the royal army, he slew indiscriminately in the name of his queen. Now, he finds himself enfeebled and on the run. Witness the beginnings of the storied band of soldiers who came to be known as the Fishgut Guard. |
|
Ought to be Dead by Scott Warren Some monsters are hunted by the living, but you really ought to be dead for this sort of work. An overworked necromancer, woken in the deep hours of the night, attempts to help a group of desperate dock workers with their recently deceased cargo inspector. Instead, she accidentally awakens the terrifying spirit of a vengeful, undying warrior with a single drive: to kill monsters. But heâs really not so bad, once you learn to live with the smell. Loosed upon the world, Specter travels the land hunting all manner of beasts and monsters both magical and mundane. Joined by an incorrigible human apprentice with a nose for books, the two set out for a year of travel together. But while calling upon the necromancer who raised him, an encounter with an unusual and deadly creature forces him to examine a pattern of attacks that leads him up and down the coast, finding danger wherever he ventures. Across seven deadly hunts, Specter must journey to find the truth of the dark designs behind these attacks. And somehow, along the way, maintain his fading grip on humanity by coming to terms with his past life (and death)âlest he become one of the very monsters heâs sworn to destroy. A cozy, standalone popcorn adventure from the author of The Dragon's Banker. The perfect fantasy palate cleanser between grimdark main courses. |
|
A shaky peace reigns on the vast continent of Atonkaris, with conspiracies and riots brewing everywhere. A simple fisherman finds the corpse of a stranger and unknown artifacts. For the sake of his family, he decides to take on a difficult and unusual business. Yves Maurirta is the prince of the Cradle. He is bound by a deadly promise. Will he be able to abandon the fatal and dangerous Journey, from which no one has yet returned? He has no name. There is only a nickname - the Gift. He is so young, but already a member of a brutal gang, and they go to kill. What will he become? What will be his fate? The Cradle is the first book in a new series - The Eagre. The Cradle is an epic fantasy set in a vast new world with ancient belief systems, dark magic, and undiscovered lands. The series is ideal for fans of George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, Steven Erikson, or Brandon Sanderson. |
|
Sweetness and Blessings by Charlotte Kersten Saved from ruin after fleeing from a terrible mistake, Iraluri is grateful for her husband, and that gratitude is equaled only by her dread of disappointing him with more mistakes. Together they fumble through magic once practiced by her fallen people in the hopes of finding the forgotten offerings that will make them rich. As this search continues, a kind stranger on the street and a solitary ghost challenge Iraluri to begin thinking beyond the fear and careful rules that she has lived by for so long. It becomes more and more impossible for Iraluri to ignore wrongs in her world and her life, but what use is this knowledge when acting upon it is so dangerous? |
|
My name is Bryce Song, and for my entire life, I have lived in the shadow of a deadly Bloom that not only kills, but raises the dead. Since the plagueâs beginning, my people have journeyed toward our Godâs Promised Lands atop the backs of the Guardians. I have always wondered if we would reach our destination and felt helpless against the seemingly insurmountable odds. A great valley, filled with its Fallen peoples and their undead protector, separates us from our salvation. The only chance of killing our monstrous enemy is to find a weapon, once wielded by our God. During the long journey, our heroes have been slain, and few are willing to embark on a quest to retrieve the holy relic. Thereâs no question what I must do. I must journey to the last resting place of our God, and reclaim the weapon that will save my people from certain destruction. |
|
Afterworld by James G. Robertson Death comes, and misery follows. As a man in his early twenties, Leon never genuinely contemplated what would happen after his death. Like those before him, he never understood the truth of our universe. After his sudden demise, the terrorizing reality of a mysterious dystopian afterlife begins crushing him as it has those prior. Men have started enslaving and killing each other to sate their greed while enigmatic creatures oppress the masses. Only a select few have shown the courage that is needed to challenge their supremacy. Through this eclipsing darkness, there is hope. But will that hope prove to be enough to save this turbulent cosmos? The revelations of advanced science, magic, human savagery, and even our gods will be showcased. Both in a new light and disturbing darkness, will the verities of Earth and Afterworld give him a greater understanding of our universe; or in turn, begin to break him as they have done to so many before? |
|
The Jinn and the Two Kingdoms by Peter Blaisdell Thiago doesnât think of himself as a demon, but he is. Heâs a thief too, and therein lies this story. A portal connects medieval Arabia to a magical kingdom of mile-high palaces and brewing revolution ruled by a psychopathic king. Thiago, a daredevil jinn, uses the portal to seize the kingâs treasure. Thiago can become fire and windstorms. However, his enemies â and thatâs almost everyone including the king he stole from â are even more powerful. Theyâll slaughter Thiago to get the treasure back. Helping Thiago â or not â are a brilliant and beautiful scribe who might be Thiagoâs friend, a pretty demon who isnât Thiagoâs lover anymore, and a motley collection of magical bandits. But will they share the treasure with Thiago? And thereâs more at stake than treasure. The demon and human realms will violently collide if the king recovers his treasure from Thiago and uses it to finance his invasion of the human world. Thiago began as a thief, but now he must stop a supernatural war. |
|
Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home by V. M. Jaskiernia The Larkspur Quartet vol. I Book Two in The Courting of Life and Death Lady Elizabeth Anne does not know about the dark magic her beloved practices, and he has no intent to tell her. As they travel to his childhood home for the summer, Pierre Salvador attempts to balance his newfound love with his murderous crĂŚft. After they arrive, the future Duc de Piques finds there is much to be done, and duties cannot be put off any longer. A fatal illness is spreading throughout his land, he is being claimed by those of Faery, and someone has already tried to take his life. But it will take much more to kill a lord of death. |
|
Blind the Eyes by K.A. Wiggins In the City of Nightmares, one haunted girl is taking back more than just her dreams.â¨A lush & lyrical gothic-dystopian YA Fantasy of stolen choices, eldritch horrors & sisterhood beyond the grave. _______ In a drowned city overrun by shapeshifting monsters of the climate apocalypse, human contact is forbidden and the slightest wilfulness or sign of inner life can draw down ravening horrors. Haunted outcast Cole would give anything to be able to follow the rules, silence her rebellious pest of a ghostly best friend, and live a virtuous (and peaceful) life in Refuge. But her shameful secret obsession with the monsters' victims is only the start of her downfall when a dangerously tempting encounter with a tattooed stranger entangles her in a deadly conspiracy. Hunted for what she knowsâand what she doesnât yet even suspectâCole scales the austere heights of the Tower of Refuge and scours the depths of carnivalesque underground club Freedom for allies. But with mysterious unseen threads tugging her into gruesome visions of the monster-taken and absolutely zero practice in making friends (much less navigating an unexpected and not entirely welcome romance whiledrumming up a revolution), her survival and the fate of the city are both at risk. Can she untangle the most earth-shattering secret of all, confront her forbidden feelings, and lay to rest the ghosts of her past in time to escape a bloody end? An award-winning series starter for fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic urban fantasy, and genre-bending gothic dark fantasy with messy and morally grey characters, dreamweaving and threadwitchery, and intricate worldbuilding. |
|
The Apprentice In The Master's Shadow by Ian Gregoire Two years after the thrilling events of The Exercise Of Vital Powers, Kayden Jaytaâs apprenticeship to join the Order is about to come to a dramatic end. The long awaited sequel to Ian Gregoireâs unheralded fantasy debut, raises the stakes and takes the perilous adventures of the precocious anti-heroine to the next level. (The must read fantasy release of the year) Sometimes Respect Has To Be Earned The Hard Way. The end of an arduous apprenticeship is close at hand, and Kayden Jayta unexpectedly learns that being the favoured apprentice of a living legend is not conducive to gaining the respect she deserves. With little time left to change perceptions, simmering resentment persuades her that drastic action is required to redress the slights of her detractors. Measures that may jeopardise her induction into the Order, and endanger her life. An overheard conversation presents Kayden with both the means and justification to pursue her objective. The key to attaining the respect she craves lies beyond the borders of the Nine Kingdoms. But the window of opportunity is small; the danger she must face, great; and the price of failure, greater still. Undeterred, she will allow nothing and no one to hinder her from the path she must walk. The one-woman mission to a foreign land will test Kayden's abilities like never before. If she is to succeed in her dangerous manhunt, she must overcome enemies new and old before facing an adversary she maybe ill-equipped to defeat. And little does she suspect that her reckless endeavour will have unintended consequences, forcing the legendary Fay Annis to confront her infamous past. But the trials and tribulations that lie ahead must surely be worth the risk, for only unprecedented action will permit the headstrong apprentice to step out of her master's shadow. |
|
A Gathering of Chaos by Cameron Hopkin The world of Asunder is dying. Its gods are long fled, and they took all the world's metal with them... but it all happened so long ago that not even legends remain. In the now, a country girl sails into port, the only survivor of a plague ship, and a scheming priestess takes charge of her. Far to the south, an aging warrior monk forcibly recruits one of the Beast Riders to be his tracker. A remarkable vision of a demon lord binds them all together, and they scramble to find a bit of Chaos, the raw energy of their world, to protect humanity against this new threat. It's too bad they're only going to make things worse. |
|
We Break Immortals by Thomas Howard Riley A drug addict who hunts sorcerers down by tracking their magick, the most renowned swordsman no one has ever heard of, and a thieving magick-wielding woman hellbent on revenge collide during a last ditch effort to stop an insane superhuman serial killer from making himself a god. The wise run from them. Swords are useless against them. Only the fearless dare pursue them. Rogue Magick users are the most dangerous people in the world. When one of them finds a way to become luminous and break into the source of all magick, even their own kind will join the pursuit. In a world where most people use swords for protection, Aren uses tools that let him see what no one else can see in order to hunt the deadliest people in the world. He is a Render Tracer, using loopholes that can undo magick to stop rogue sorcerers. But his next hunt will throw him into a world where he can't trust anything, not even his own eyes. When Keluwen finally escaped her fourthparents' home and set out on her own to become a thief, she never thought she would one day be killing her own kind. She honed her magick on the streets, haunted by her past, hunted by Render Tracers, and feared by a society that hates what she is. Now she joins a crew of outcast magicians on a path of vengeance as they race to stop an insane sorcerer who is trying to make himself a god. Corrin is a sword fighter first, a drinker second, and a...well, there must be something else he is good at. He'll think of it if you give him enough time. He is a rogue for hire, and he has no special powers of any kind. The most magick he has ever done is piss into the wind without getting any on himself. He is terrible at staying out of trouble, and someone always seems to be chasing him. When he gets caught up in a multi-kingdom manhunt, he finds himself having to care about other people for a change, and he's not happy about it. They are about to collide on the trail of a man who is impossible to catch, who is on the verge of plunging the world into ruin, and who can turn loyal people into traitors in a single conversation. They must struggle against their own obsessions, their fears, ancient prophecies, and each other. All they have to do is stop the unstoppable. Simple. |
|
The Trials of Ashmount by John Palladino Cedain is destined to collapse. Across a world rife with blood, betrayal, and brutality, five people wade through unexpected tragedies. An egotistical student, a fleeing refugee, a nomadic warrior, a fallen noble, and a criminal in hiding navigate the sinister dealings of politicians, two sudden wars, and nefarious lies that surface at Ashmountâa university dedicated to teaching the five branches of magic. Survival means adapting or dying. Fans of Joe Abercrombie and hard magic systems will enjoy navigating a morally gray cast of characters in a world on the brink of collapse. |
|
Beckoning of the Gate by Benjamin J. Ryan The only life Santha Lathagin has ever known has become her prison. Vicious gossip is everywhere. Whispers of a scandal have turned to accusations of murder, and fingers are pointing her way. Feeling powerless and alone, she yearns for escape. When Santha stumbles upon a small, rusted key in the forest near her home, it seems her silent pleas have been answered. Awakened by her touch, the key demands to be heardâand she is not the only one to heed its call. Thrust into a world only glimpsed in the stories of her childhoodâof faeries and princes and eldritch magickâSantha sets out to unlock its secrets. But uncovering the truth has its own perils, and as the keyâs influence grows, she will be left with a choice: survival or sacrifice. But will it truly be hers to make? ⌠All the while, in the north, something ancient stirs. A great power that could unravel the very threads of existence. |
|
Ashes of the Witch by Lucas Pederson Slain by her enemies, Gorecrow makes a deal with DEATH. Six days until a trapped god is freed. Six days for vengeance. She must travel through the dreamscapes and nightmares of her enemies searching for the god she lost and entrusted to keep while quenching her lust for blood. The only things standing in Gorecow's way are the Shifting Lands, an extraordinary girl, and utter madness. |
|
Weapons of Disharmony by Chad Retterath Titans roam the world of Ruun, bringing chaos and destruction wherever they appear. Magical weapons of unimaginable power lie hidden across the land. It is a dangerous, unforgiving world. Two small kingdoms sit on the brink of war, unaware of the dangers gathering outside their borders. Elite mages and boorish monarchs feud and argue within the palaces of Brunta and Ta-Veer.â¨The Bone Knight, a notorious swordsman, reappears after years on the run. Trouble follows the Bone Knight as forces work in the shadows, attempting to resurrect a long-forgotten titan.â¨Powers collide in Weapons of Disharmony as legendary weapons, titans, and powerful mages clash over the fate of the kingdoms. |
|
Exiled and grieving, Fia McCrae has spent the past eleven years wandering the island nation of Fallaros, with its numerous seperate tribelands, trying to atone for a mistake that has come to define her life. Raised in privilege. Fallen into disgrace. She rides the lands trying to redress those small wrongs that she can, using her innate ability to find that which is lost.â¨â¨Torsten Gunn is the most infamous outlaw to ride the roads, valleys and hills of Fallaros. Unencumbered by the notion of law, and accompanied by his loyal crew of bloodthirsty longriders, he has made it his merciless mission to make the lives of any Counts and Countesses that ride the roads of Fallaros a living hell.â¨â¨Chafing impatiently as he waits for his mother, who sits the High Seat of Fallaros, to die, Redmond Marr plots on how he will be the first man to subjugate all five tribelands. It is a feat that has never been attempted before, but to accomplish it the ambitious Marr has made a deal with an unknown power from across the sea. A power who has more than the dominion of a single island nation in mind.â¨â¨As Fallaros falls into chaos, witches are burned in the streets, longriders roam the roads, and dissent amongst the peasantry begins to boil over. As the threat of war from across the seas draws nearer, an unwilling Fia soon finds herself coerced back into a life she'd thought she'd left behind. What starts as a simple hunt for a wanted man quickly escalates as hidden truths start to emerge. Before long, Fia is confronted by a revelation that might bring her to her knees, even as the people of Fallaros need her to stand and fight. |
|
The Pacts We Make For Love by S.K. Nova Otherworldly entities lurk on the edges of existence. Haints. Witches. Things from Beyond. Call them what you will. They love us. They want us. They need us. And they want in. But they canât exert their alien will without a connection to our world. They come at your weakest moment, at your most vulnerable, and they offer a deal. A pact. A favor for you, now. In return, you do a favor for them, later. Any favor. Something as simple as posting a letter at a certain time. Or something as ghastly as murder. You wonât know until itâs time to fulfill your end of the bargain. Five individuals make their Pacts out of love. Love of family. Love of self. Love of success. Alissa Sorrow, a poor scholarship student at Taliaferro Mann, the private school of choice for the elite, finds herself at the center of these Pacts. A point of convergence. These entities want her. But she doesnât know any of that. Sheâs just trying to navigate the treacherous social waters of Taliaferro Mann. What price will she pay to survive? |
|
The Goddess of Nothing At All by Cat Rector A dark fantasy Norse myth retelling for fans of Circe, The Witch's Heart, and The Silence of the Girlsâ¨â¨Perhaps you know the myths.â¨Furious, benevolent Gods.â¨A tree that binds nine realms.â¨A hammer stronger than any weapon.â¨And someday, the end of everything.â¨But few have heard of me. Looking back, itâs easy to know what choices I might have made differently. At least it feels that way. I might have given up on my title. Told my father he was useless, king of Gods or no, and left Asgard. Made a life somewhere else.â¨Maybe I would never have let Loki cross my path. Never have fallen in love.â¨But thereâs no going back.â¨We were happy once.â¨And the price for that happiness was the end of everything. |
|
The Last Dragonkeeper by Drew Montgomery Joven Farquin has spent a lifetime building up a reputation, his name spread far and wide as the man who travels with the last known dragon, as a mercenary who has made his living with a beast that inspires fear and awe throughout the land. It is a reputation that has brought him face to face with kings, warriors, clergy, and more across the Free Kingdoms as he has built his fame and fortune. But none of it could make him invincible. Awakened in a strange camp, injured and imprisoned, his dragon nowhere to be found, he finds himself at the mercy of powerful forces, agents of both a massive empire and an influential order of sorceresses. As he answers their questions, providing a glimpse into a past that has led him to this place, his mind seeks answers, searching for an escape and to find a reason that the beast he had so long entrusted with his life could allow him to fall. |
|
The Definition of Vengeance by Kevin Wright The small village of Untheim has a big problem. Folk go missing with alarming frequency. Even more alarming? They turn up dead. And a young girlâs just disappeared. Sir Luther Slythe Krait also has a big problem. Heâs stuck in Untheim. Penniless and poor and on his last legs, Sir Luther shoulders the task of tracking down the missing girl. The good news? He finds her. The bad? Sheâs heading home in a box. And thatâs just the start. Bound by oath to hunt down the girlâs killer, Sir Luther treks through town and wilderness, hounding the populace, ferreting leads, and drawing back the shroud of a decades-old secret privy to a select few. Itâs a dark secret, and those few want it kept that way. Will Sir Luther find the killer? Will he exact justice? An eye for an eye? A head for a head? Or will the head lost be his own? Read âThe Definition of Vengeanceâ and experience the horror and black humor of the latest installment of the grimdark detective series, âThe Serpent Knight Saga.â |
|
Cutthroats and Traitors by Steven Smith Will the Jagged Ghosts stop at nothing to evade capture? Their journey of alcohol induced law breaking may soon come to an end, with naval commander Lieutenant Dainsley being appointed the task of bringing the small pirate crew to justice. Itâs a race against time. If the Jagged Ghosts lose, the noose will await them all. |
|
Falhorne: The World Is Burning by Tristan Dineen The Order is no more. The Falhorne, ancient champions of the elder gods, have dwindled to no more than a handful of beleaguered warriors. The skies are darkening over the land of Vinos and persecution of the maligned Old Believers escalates at the hands of both church and state. As one of the few surviving defenders of a proud tradition, Tagus is among the last of the Vinosian Falhorne when the pogrom comes. His mentor slain, his comrades slaughtered, and his people enslaved, he must begin a quest that will take him into the darkness of his past and a depth of evil beyond anything that he has ever faced. |
|
Even your most deeply buried secrets can find their way back to you. The mysteries of Agatha's past threaten to expose themselves when Joseph investigates a noise he hears in the middle of the night and stumbles upon a world that he didnât even know existed. Her quiet life in the suburbs is about to come crashing down around her.â¨â¨When their son is kidnapped, Joseph and Agatha have to rely on each other to figure out why he was taken and how to get him back, whatever the cost.â¨â¨Along the way, Agatha discovers to her horror that even her most deeply buried secrets are finding their way back to her. And the consequences are inescapable.â¨â¨Vulcan Rising is the first book in The Zauberi Chronicles series. It is a work of contemporary/dark fantasy where Stephen King's The Institute meets Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. |
|
The Hellborn King by Christopher G. Brenning A kingdom at war. A royal family at war with itself. After the massacre of his people, Damien Dreadfire leads a patchwork army of unlikely allies against the Kingdom of Betanthia. The alliance teeters on the edge of a knife, as old rivalries between clans threaten to tear it apart. With the help of his trusted friend, Einarr, and a strange mystic, Damien launches a bold offensive that will decide the future of the free lands. Short on time, and even shorter on men, the fate of a once vibrant culture and its people rests on the outcome of the next battle. Meanwhile, Betanthia's crown prince, Gareth Bethard, faces dangers of his own. With his family coming apart at the seams and a growing conspiracy afoot, he tries desperately to hold everything together. Even as Gareth grapples with inner demons, he must learn to take up his father's mantle as the protector of civilization and defeat Damienâs invading horde. It's only the fate of a thousand-year dynasty resting on his shoulders, after all. |
|
Tara Dufrain and Nicola Morgan are eleven year old girls growing up in the â90s, obsessed by Valentine Killshot, a metal screamo band. In particular, theyâre enamoured by the lead singer, the mysterious yet charismatic Jed Maine who bears the epithet âThe Cretinâ. In Jedâs lyrics, he describes a world beyond the Dark Stars that he hopes one day to reach. The girls think itâs all just make-believe they share together, until a freak, traumatic incident makes this world very real. As adults, Tara and Nicola try to come to terms with the devastating catastrophe that changed their lives growing up, but to do so they will have to step once more into Jed Maineâs world, and confront the man who took everything from them. Dark Hilarity is My Best Friendâs Exorcism meets The Never-Ending Story, a fantasy that explores addiction, depression, and the healing power of friendship. |
|
The Blood of Crows by Alex C. Pierce Ren, a state-trained thief working in a world where everyone has magical ability except for him, doesnât kill people. Tensions are already high in the walled realm of Lenmar, and when the nobility start dying with no trace of magic that isnât from the victims, Ren immediately becomes the prime, and only suspect. Hunted by magic-eating Inquisitors and the Captain of the Royal Guard, his life becomes one of flight and fear through a realm on the brink of civil war.â¨â¨All Ren wants to do is stop a serial killer, clear his name, find his mentor, and protect the people he cares about. To do that, heâll have to pull one more high-stakes heistâ And steal the proof he needs from the very people who want to catch him. |
|
Elusion of Freedom by Kelvin Womack After thousands of years the trapped darkness is breaking free, and once it is, no longer shall we be. Thought to be long locked away, darkness has escaped it confines, enslaving everything it touches. The only safe haven is behind the Order's towering walls, where 17-year-old Vayn and his father have fled. But it's not the darkness they're afraid of. After escaping the clutches of Shadow Reapers that ravaged his land, Vayn desires to never live in the free world again, exchanging his liberation for what some would consider a form of slavery. But when Reapers break inside, murdering his father, Vayn is determined to attain retribution. The Order forbids it, knowing he'll uncover their secrets. There is but one way to regain his freedom. Once a year, on the Day of Liberation, one may leave the walls but at great cost. A life. Vayn must sacrifice someone innocent. If he doesnât, he'll never bring his father's killers to justice or learn the Orders secrets. Outside awaits the darkness, its creatures perishable only with the aid of a larger-than-life sword. But not even that will help him face the darkness of his own past. Freedom is both elusive and hard to distinguish. Time is of the essence, and on his quest of vengeance, Vayn must learn that true freedom is more than escape from physical and mental subjugation before the darkness swallows their world into oblivion. |
|
DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING in this epic series starter by debut author, Emerson Laine. In a small village in the south of England, two sisters try to resurrect an ancient evil, but when one sister betrays the other to save the life of an innocent child, everything goes horribly wrong. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER, grieving the loss of her recently deceased mother and desperate to escape her ex-fiancĂŠ, Raewyn Winters relocates to Cranston Myre for some much-needed tranquility, only to discover that having an entire forest on your doorstep is less than idyllic, especially one shrouded in fear and suspicion. Then she meets John, the mysterious and handsome gardener from the Gothic mansion on the hill, who just happens to have the same unusual birthmark as Rae, and suddenly Raeâs quiet life spirals out of control as she is dragged into a dark and sinister world beyond anything she could ever have imagined. |
|
The World Breaker Requiem by Luke Tarzian Prince of Woe⌠Avaria Norrith is the adopted heir to the Ariathan throne. But that means little to a man who, for the better part of fifteen years, has sought and failed to earn his motherâs love. Fueled by pride and envy, Avaria seeks the means to prove himself and cast away his mental chains. When heâs tasked with the recreation of The Ravenâs Rage he sees his chance, for with the infamous blade he can rewrite history and start anew. Daughter of the Mountain⌠Erath has not felt sunlight for a century. Not since Ariath condemned her people to a life of darkness with their misuse of The Ravenâs Rage. But when an old friend comes seeking the remnants of the ancient sword, Erath cannot contain her curiosity and resolves to lend her aid. Is it trueâcan history be revised? Can her people be reclaimed? Toll the Hounds⌠They are hungryâand they are here. |
|
Onslaught of Madness by Jesse Teller The Drine war machine needs to be constantly fed and has turned its sights on Tienne. Warlord Rextur devoted his life to planning this invasion, so how did he lose the element of surprise? And who is this emerging rival Peter Redfist? He canât be much of a problem. The god of destruction has long favored Rextur. His faith is strong and his legions mighty. Who could withstand their onslaught? |
|
Raven: Reawakening by Mitchell Hogan A woman transformed by the blood of demons. Deadly beyond belief. Raven was once a member of the Grim Hand, a group of demonically altered assassinsâuntil she staged her own death and began a new life free from brutality and murder. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and the past is reluctant to loosen its grip on those who hide from it. When faceless assassins strike, Raven must return to a world of intrigue and violence, if only to save herself. Alone, trapped, and fighting a vengeful enemy that easily outmatches even Ravenâs demon-hybrid abilities, she is forced to seek help from the man she once loved. A man with a revelation that will shake Raven to the core and change her world forever. |