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Fly With the Arrow by Sarah K. L. Wilson Perfect for fans of Spinning Silver but with the dark humor of Santa Clarita Diet, this first-in-series romantic fantasy will grab you by the collar and pull you along into a world of magic and mystery that one reader described as āif Alice fell in love with the Cheshire Cat.ā A STOLEN BRIDE. A TERRIFYING BRIDEGROOM. THE GAME THAT WILL DETERMINE THEIR FATES. Iām a practical girl. I can resign myself to an unwanted marriage ā and I had. I just hadnāt expected my first potential bridegroom to be murdered by the second. Itās all because I broke the Law of Greeting. No one warned me the law existed. No one told me breaking it would mean Iād be swept up into the arms of a powerful and beautiful immortal bent on taking me as his sixteenth bride and dragging me off to his strange fairytale world. Thatās a bit much to ask of a person. But Iām not the kind of girl to just give up. Not even if it means facing all the strange puzzles and magic of this mad fae world with nothing but my common sense and determination. I will not mope in my room, or go crazy, or let myself be killed by one of his rivals. And I absolutely WILL NOT fall in love with him. Not even when he keeps surprising me with depths of kindness and hidden layers. Not even if it turns out he actually might have a good reason for all of this. After all, heās had fifteen wives before me and itās not a case of āthe more the merrier.ā Especially not now, when it turns out he's playing a game for the fate of my nation. Failure in this world, would mean the desolation of everyone I love. Failure in this marriage, would mean utter destruction for my home. The stakes couldn't be higher. But I have a crafty husband, a severed-head best friend who gives surprisingly good advice, and the common sense my mother gave me. If that isnāt enough to take on the whole of this fae world ā¦ well, it will just have to be. That's all there is to it. Because I'm not dying without a very good reason and Iām not giving up until Iām dead. Come along on a wild romantic fantasy adventure with USA Today bestselling author Sarah K. L. Wilson, guaranteed to enthrall, delight, and maybe even surprise you. Author's Note: This is a deep, dark romp (not steamy) with an unrelenting pace and cliffhangers. Read at your own risk. |
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A Song For The Void by Andrew C. Piazza A Mind Imprisoned Is The Greatest Of Hells. 1853. South China Sea. While on patrol between the Opium Wars, the crew of the steam frigate HMS Charger pursues a fleet of pirates that have been terrorizing the waters surrounding Hong Kong. But now the hunters have become the hunted. Something else has come to the South China Sea, something ancient and powerful and malevolent. Now, the crew of the Charger must face their worst nightmares in order to survive the terrible creature they come to know as the Darkstar. A Song For The Void is a haunting, terrifying historical horror novel that will keep you turning the pages and jumping at the shadows. Readers who are interested in a historical adventure mixed with slow burn cosmic horror should take a closer look at A Song For The Void. |
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Troupe of Shadows by Jennings Zabrinsky Once the heir to an empire. Now just a shadow. Throne stolen by her traitorous brother. Chased to the edge of the world. Sellane has only a blade, a talent for slaughter, and four elite āblade dancerā bodyguards to her name. Where once she lived a life full of courtly duels, decadence, and intrigue, she now finds herself trudging through a wild and desolate frontier populated by pioneers and warlords. One day Sellane will reclaim her birthright, but she has more immediate problems. The food has run out, shelter is scarce, and her followers are on the verge of mutiny. She canāt even communicate with the strange inhabitants of this alien land: the so-called āhumansā who wield guns, wear shoes, and seem completely incapable of shifting the color of their skin to disappear into their surroundings. It seems certain that an obscure and meaningless death lies in her near future. But when she captures Copper, a down-on-his-luck human mercenary who happens to speak her language, she seizes a razor-thin opportunity to reverse her fortunes. She has the bladecraft, he claims to have the connections, and the frontier will never have enough mercenaries. Sellane and her band will kill for gold, gather soldiers and power, and begin to build a new empire amongst the wastes. But can her new ally be trusted? Can herĀ oldĀ allies? Will her dysfunctional troupe tear itself apart before theyāve earned a single coin? Troupe of ShadowsĀ is a dark fantasy novel with a focus on fiery interpersonal conflict and gritty action. It draws inspiration from wild west and classic high fantasy stories in equal measure. |
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The Soul's Aspect by Mark Holloway A healer forced to become a killer for an empire that would grind his country to dust. Kehlem, the sickly son of a widowed physician, has devoted his life to learning his fatherās craft. Wanting to finally step out of his fatherās shadow, he embarks on a project of his own, seeking out the help of Themia, the town's newly arrived Alchemist and a rare wielder of magic. But Themia has secrets of her own, secrets carried from the heart of the empire itself, secrets that would steal Kehlem away from his home and into the empireās Academy for magic users. The Isale Academy beckons, but can Kehlem survive the academy and its brutal regime? And if so, what would he have to become? |
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Winterās Myths by Gage Greenwood When the world ends, who will tell the story? After a disease ravages his underground community, Winter escapes with his daughters to the dangerous surface of Earth. Believing the planet is largely abandoned, he struggles to make sense of this strange new world while trying to keep his family alive... But the surface is not all complicated artifacts and relics of a deserted universe. Winter is certain somethingāor someoneāis hunting them. He weaves wild tales to entertain and teach his daughters, turning celebrities into demigods and Abe Lincoln into an ice giant. As the journey grows darker and more dangerous, his mythologies keep not only his children from confusion and despair, but him as well. With tensions rising and danger at every corner, will Winter keep his family alive long enough to finish his tales? Winter's Myths is a multi-season serial currently publishing on Amazon's Kindle Vella. This book covers the first season. Each season will be available in book form upon completion. |
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The Flaws of Gravity by Stephanie Caye The existence of tequila is at stake. Oh, and humanity too. Jude Waldron's playing both sides of a supernatural cold war. She collects a paycheck from the Consilium for fighting against the Faerie Court while also helping her friend Aubrie search for illicit magic. But when her partnerās true scheme pits her violently against her human colleagues on his behalf, the half-Faerie renegade finds herself taking the fallāliterally. With enemies everywhere, Judeās ready to cut and run to a warm beach somewhere in the vicinity of āThe Hell Away from This Mess.ā Before she can flee, a shady group of Faeries traps her. To win her freedom along with safe, anonymous passage to her chosen sandy paradise, she reluctantly dives back into the fray to steal a spellbook for themāthe same book Aubrie wants. Winning means facing off with vicious pixies, sirens, and even a dragon in pursuit of a prize that could merge the worlds into a chaotic nightmare, but Judeās got her heart set on umbrella drinksāand revenge. |
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The Demon You Know by Mel Harlan One horrible decision. Two enemies. No good options. Meet Jacqueline "Jack" Anderson, a fiercely independent P.I. whoās made more mistakes than she can count. Her most recent? Making a deal with her enemy Roman to save the only family she cares about. Romanās got a few secrets of his own and an empire heās trying to protect. Heāll use his bargain with Jack - for control over her body, mind, and will - to make her his Hand and solidify his claim on Houston. In searching for answers, Jack isnāt sure if she should trust the demon she knows or try to escape the grave she dug herself. A rival challenges Roman's domain, but only one can rule Houston. As Jack searches for answers, she must decide where she belongs to protect her city. |
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Little Drummer Boy: A Darkly Humorous Paranormal Holiday Short (Hemlock Connal Book 2) by Joel Spriggs A darkly humorous paranormal Christmas short! Bostonās strangest private investigator, Hemlock Connal, is back! Along with her longest surviving intern, Morgan Burns. When a demonic drummer boy walks down their road leading a small team of zombies, the detective duo take a much needed break from a boring financial case. As they follow the horned drummer from Boston to the middle of nowhere, they find the zombie squad has more secrets than just marching through the night. Hemlock and Morgan get led through a dark journey of black market organ theft, drug sorting undead, all leading up to meeting the big man himself. Confronted with the ultimate arbiter of the holiday season, will Hemlock and Morgan survive the test of naughty or nice? Find out, in Little Drummer Boy! |
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Voice of the Banished by Shelly Campbell Betrayed, broken, and banished, Akrist is left to wander the wilderness in search of his lost love, Yara. But heās not alone. Against all odds, he has bonded with Nardiri, one of the worldās last dragons. In a cruel, unforgiving world, Akrist must navigate what it means to be marked as both a Speakerāa leader chosen by Nasheira herselfāand an outcast. Haunted by the sacrifices of first-born sons, he fears the world cannot be changed, even with a dragonās help. If he does nothing, the cycle of sacrifice will begin again when the moons touch. |
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A Touch of Light by Thiago Abdalla SFFOasis SPFBO8 SPFBO Finalist How far would you go to resurrect someone you love? Would you change who you are to show you belong? The world of Avarin is tearing itself apart. The Domain worships life, its rulers lead eternal lives and death is a shame that must not be mourned. For the clans to the south, however, death is all that keeps the Earth alive. But old enemies are rising. A madness spreads throughout the Domain, and Lynn, a rogue griffin rider in hiding, might be the only one who knows how to fight it, while Adrian, a Domain prince seeking to bring his dead loved ones to worthiness, leads the Domain armies against the madmen. The clans suffer a madness of their own. As the land itself begins to wither away, Nasha, a cursed hunter and lifelong outcast, desperately fights for belonging in the Ronar, while her clan seeks to heal the land. Old beliefs will be challenged as the people of Avarin fight to save itā¦ before death comes for them all. A sweeping epic fantasy saga where religion and politics are one, magic brings terror into the hearts of men, and a looming blight threatens to tear everything down |
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Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle On one of the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion, priestess Calinthe trades in information, collecting valuable secrets for her demonic employer. Calinthe has a secret of her own: she's intersex, making her a target for the matriarchal slavers of the Ophidian Plane whose territory she must cross in her search for hidden knowledge. But thanks to her friend Zakuro's illusions, Calinthe presents as a womanāa comfortable, if furtive, existence in a world determined to bring her to heel. But when, instead of a mere secret, the priestess uncovers an incalculably powerful artifact, Calinthe finds herself in a high-stakes negotiation with the same matriarchs who sought to enslave her. On the table: Calinthe's discovery, a charm powerful enough to transform a mortal into a godā¦ against a secret so deadly it could quell all life on every plane of the dominion. If Calinthe plays her cards perfectly, she and Zakuro could escape Ophidia wealthier than either of them ever dreamed possible. But if she plays them wrongā¦ ā¦she'll learn slavery in her pursuers' hands is a fate far worse than death. |
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Heretic (Hellmage Chronicles #1) by Jennifer deBie The Hellmages, outcasts who feed on the deaths of friends, enemies, and each other, are shaking the earth, killing powerful mages, causing the kind of destruction the Magesā Council was created to stop. Siraj, a Lightkeeper who wields sunlight as a weapon and carries purification in his hands, is the only one who can meet with a Hellmage, find out who is upsetting the balance, and walk away unscathed, but thereās a problem. The Hellmage he meets doesnāt know the earthshaker and magekiller either, but now sheās curious and if thereās anything worse than a curious Hellmage, itās one who doesnāt fear being burned to death by a Lightkeeperās touch. |
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A Shimmering World: Book One of The Shimmering Saga by AC Lowry Decades ago, the elvish Maqqelli people were nearly wiped from the face of the planet. Those that were left were brutally oppressed -- their culture, their land, their very lives, all ground into dust beneath the boot of the monarchy. Now, one of those very oppressors, Prince Herlen, is trying to make things right. Alongside Em, his newly-promoted Maqqelli guardian, and his soon-to-be-retired bodyguard Bourabon Van Verot, he sets out on a dangerous, and mysterious quest -- finally putting to motion a decades-long plan to reverse the harm he's done. |
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A Wizard's Forge by A.M. Justice Wizards are forged, not born. Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge. Prince Ashel's carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin's knife drives him to war. The target of Vic's and Ashel's wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime. A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary--and lethal--power. The one who possesses this power would hold the world in their hands, but they might just doom it too. A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction. Honors Booknest Top 100 of this Century 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2017 Readers Favorite Book Awards |
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The Alchemist: Awakening by L.A. Wasielewski Insurmountable Odds. As the world is plunged into chaos, Destinyās champion has been thrust onto the battlefield between life and death, and whether he survives is not necessarily for him to decide. With friends missing, relationships in jeopardy, and the existence of life across the empires in danger of being extinguished, will good triumph? Or will darkness befall the lands, dooming the remaining citizens to walk the fields of death until they can no longer fight? Foes are not what they seem as the spirits of time try desperately to hold on until their savior appears. As the end draws near, hope is waning. Death. Life. Love. Loyalty. Boundless time. The thrilling conclusion to The Alchemist Trilogy |
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The Alchemist: Dark Horizon by L.A. Wasielewski Impending war. Lives have been lost, and the blood of the people flows fresh across the Vrelin Empire. Beaten, and without the person who means the most at his side, Ryris Bren's life has been tossed into a tailspin. He is now faced with a weighty decision that will ultimately decide not only the fate of the world, but the fate of the one he loves beyond all reason. Will he be able to summon the strength to revolt against the evil scourge and take back what has been stolen from mankind? From him? With new friends, and wielding impressive new magic, he quickly realizes he is so much more than just a simple alchemist. He will not give up. He cannot fail. The time to sit back and watch has passed, for Ryrisā destiny has given him no choice but to answer the call.For himself. For the world. For love. Book Two of the Alchemist Trilogy |
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The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny by L.A. Wasielewski Ryris Bren is a talented alchemist with a secret: forbidden magical power. After making his way to the capital city to open a new shop, he goes on a routine harvest trip and soon discovers his life will never be the same. Destiny, it seems, had her eyes set on himāeven before his birth. He stumbles across a specter from the past, one who will turn his life upside-down and force him to face demons he never thought possible. With war now on the horizon, an evil necromancer and his new pawn threaten to transcend time to wreak the havoc he was denied on an ancient battlefieldāand Ryris needs to decide if secrets are best keptā¦or utilized to his advantage. Book One of the Alchemist Trilogy |
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Obsidian: Awakening by Sienna Frost An epic tale of humanity that survives its ugliest and most admirable moments, one that will change your perception on love, life, and what it means to be human forever. When Hasheem, a legendary male-escort-turned-assassin finally escapes the city that enslaved him as a child, he finds himself trapped in the centuries-long war between his nomadic race of desert warriors and an empire that seeks to rule them. There, a new set of shackles awaits him in the form of a fifteen-year-old girl and her oracle brother whose agenda plunges him into the blood sport of power and politics. As warfare exacts its price and the line between good and evil gets put to the test, the men and women from both sides are forced to fight a common enemy that remains the greatest threat to mankind: humanity and all its flaws. |
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Anachrony by Susana ImaginƔrio Arianh had one wish. Yewlow made it real. And Time turned it into a regret. Anachrony takes you on a journey to the bleak future of Aegea and the darkest places of the mind. Can fate be avoided, or is the future just someone else's past? |
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The City of Locked Doors by Tristen and Keegan Kozinski Four hundred years ago a plague befell the world. It warped the bodies of all organic things and drove both man and beast rabid during the night. Law and order vanished in a matter of days, along with most of the human race. Years passed and from this madness rose the Tyrants, a brutal god-like sect of individuals who could enforce their will on the surviving dregs of humanity. With their tyranny, they brought order back into the world and established settlements. A convoluted semblance of civilization began aided by the magic of Necromancy, to raise those butchered in the night, and Hemomancy, to heal their injuries. In Umbras, domain of the Tyrant Lock-And-Key, all humans are imprisoned at night where they cannot harm others or the city. Beyond that however, Lock-And-Key does little to interfere with the lives of her subjects. They live and bide with a tentative happiness in the enforced peace her presence brings, until, in the dark of one night, a stranger comes to Umbras. |
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The Summoner's Cry by Ana C. Reis A powerless Summoner. A cursed Witch Lord. A clash of demons and magic. After a failed coup against Witch Queen Lilith, rogue witches Lau and Adam have no choice but to flee and hide. Crushed and surrounded by enemies, the pair arrives at Latis, a peculiar island brimming with strange tales of the supernatural, where they hope to find Adam's long-lost grimoire -- their only shield against Lilith's wrath. Rendered powerless after sealing a dragon Spirit in Adam's flesh to save his life, Lau struggles with loneliness and resentment. Helpless and doomed to live forever in a child's body, Adam seeks to make peace with a spell he has no strength nor skill to undo. Once allies in an ancient war, Lau and Adam start drifting apart. But when a dangerous visitor sets foot on Latis and the grimoire is nowhere to be found, the two estranged Witches must work together if they want to save themselves and the lives of the townsfolk they've come to love. Inspired by the show 'Supernatural' and 'Howl's Moving Castle', The Summoner's Cry is a nerve-racking dark fantasy tale rooted in modern times with razor-sharp dialogues, vibrant descriptions, and dark cottagecore aesthetics. The perfect read for fans of the reluctant hero, found-family, and enemies-to-allies-to-lovers tropes. |
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These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden Once upon a time, inhabitants of another world tore a hole through the universe and came to Earth. They called themselves Suriias, and rivalled humans in knowledge and skill with one great exception: they had magic. War followed. Humanity lost. And three hundred years later, humans are on the brink of extinction. Orphans Thorn and Thistle live in hiding. They are the last of their families, the last of their friends. They scrape by, stealing to survive and living on the streets or hiding in sheds. But even under the brutal regime of the Suriias, there are places where humans can mingle in secret with magical sympathisers, and one night Thistle gets an unexpected offer of marriage from a Suriia with high standing and friends in all the right places. For Thistle, itās a chance at safety and comfort; for Thorn, itās a chance to find the ones who killed her parents. And so the pair move into the capital city of Courtenz. An urban monstrosity of magic and might, false friends and flying cars, drones and death tolls, the new city promises a fresh start ā and new love ā for both. But if thereās one thing Thorn knows for certain, itās that dreams can swiftly turn into nightmares. |
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Pretty Deadly by Kelsey Josund Cinna would quite literally kill for the throne. For years, Cinna has been forced to serve her wealthy cousins rather than attend society events alongside them. She has waited for the chance to prove herself and exact revenge. When a ball at the castle is announced, promising to bring many powerful people to town, she seizes the opportunity to strike. She bets her best friend, Johann, a small-time thief and con-man, that she can land a greater score the night of the ball than he can. They embark on parallel heists. But as their plots unfold, things begin to unravel: by the end of the night, the castleās on lock down, a duchess is dead, a mansion has burnt to the ground ā and Cinna hasnāt even stolen anything. Or has she captured something far more valuable than gold and jewels? |
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Spirits of Vengeance by Rob J. Hayes He'll die as many times as it takes. The Ipian Empire was once a land that welcomed dragons and spirits alike, but a century of war and bloodshed saw them all but vanish. Now, the lost things are returning and the Onryo have gathered. Five legendary spirits with mysterious powers, bent on freeing an ancient evil that would wreak havoc on humanity. Haruto swore his soul to the God of Death for the chance to hunt down the vengeful ghost of his wife. Now an onmyoji, heās tasked by the Imperial Throne to hunt down monsters and malicious spirits. But he knows not all spirits are evil and not all deserve the peace of the sword. Kira is a student at Heiwa, an academy for children with dangerous techniques. But she has a secret, sheās not like the other students. When the school is attacked, she flees with one of the tutors, determined to hide both from those who would kill her, and those who would use her. As a plague of spirits sweeps across the land, the Onryo leave a bloody trail for Haruto to follow. But whoās hunting who? The Mortal Techniques novels are a series of stand-alone stories that can be read entirely independently, set in the award-winning Mortal Techniques universe. |
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A Wizardās Sacrifice by A.M. Justice Victoria of Ourtown believes that destiny is nonsenseāand that wandering star people think is a god, she knows it's nothing but an old, abandoned spacecraft. She used to scoff at stories of magic too, until she acquired the power to move things with her mind. Once a warrior, now a secret wizard, she just wants to live an ordinary life and atone for the suffering she caused. Ashel of Narath knows the wandering star is the god who watches over humanity, but Vic's heretical views aren't keeping them apart. Instead, a thousand miles and a tragic loss stand between them. Lornk Korng needs Vic and Ashel to execute his plans for conquest. The fact both want him dead is but a trifling snag in his schemes. A bigger problem are the worldās indigenous aliens and an ancient enemy whose victory could wipe out humankind. As plots and counterplots clash across time, Vic and Ashel must choose their allies carefully, or risk losing not only each other but everything they know. A gripping tale of wizardry, warfare, and moral dilemmas unspools in a breathtaking blend of fantasy and science fiction. |
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They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick Semi finalist in Mark Lawrenceās SPFBO (2017) Are you scared of the dark? The villagers of the forest seal themselves in their cellars at night, whispering folktales to each other about the monsters that prey on them in the dark. Only the Magpie King, their shadowy, unseen protector, can keep them safe. However, when an outcast called Lonan begins to dream of the Magpie Kingās defeat at the hands of inhuman invaders, this young man must do what he can to protect his village. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to convince them to trust him again. They Mostly Come Out At Night is the first novel from Benedict Patrickās Yarnsworld series. Straddling the line between fantasy and folklore, this book is perfect for fans of the darker Brothers Grimm stories. |
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METANOIA The Fifth Yanai: Book One 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. Metanoia is the first installment. In a world ravaged by famine, kindhearted Cultist Ohkai lives in the wilderness serving his Gods, when he is sent from his Sect on a Calling of divine origin. He travels into the heart of a society that opposes the very existence of his kind. But what he expected to be a simple test of his devotion will bring him face to face with his greatest rival - a Temple assassin. When the life of a friend is in danger, Ohkai must risk not only discovery, but his life, to save his friend and fulfill his Calling. Velyr is a ruthless Temple assassin trained for one thing - to fulfill the will of the Gods. Sent to eliminate a target in the township of Obeaon, he encounters an unexpected obstacle in the form of a Cultist who claims to serve his same Gods - blasphemy on the lips of his enemy. When he nearly loses his life only to be saved by the embodiment of what he hates most, Velyr begins to question everything he's been taught to believe. An unlikely connection forms between cultist and assassin, and little do they know their meeting was fated, meant to be something more than they - or even their all-knowing Gods - could have ever foreseen. |
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The FATOFF Conspiracy by Olga Werby Transdimensional Industries gave the world a technical solution to the obesity epidemicāeat more than you want, and store all that you want in their fat storage tanks conveniently located outside of our set of dimensions. Complete gluttony without sacrificing beauty or health...for a price. You can be rich and buy a thin body. You can be poor and lucky enough to get government assistance with your personal fat storageāFederal Assistance with Transdimensional Offloading of Fat and Flab. Or you can win the tits lotteryāa lifetime of free blubber storage in the Transdimensional Industries' tanks where all the humanityās fat is stored. Thin people live well, have high paying jobs, and wield all of the social and political power and prestige while consuming unlimited quantities of food as mandated by the government. Fat people? They don't do so well. Cindy Rella is a low-level bureaucrat at the Civil Office of Fat Excision. And while her job is to tell people "no" when they apply for government assistance, Cindy has been secretly saving for a set of gray-market papers that would guarantee her a zero dress size and a healthy lifespan of over 30 years. Because being fat is not only a life-time of being a second-class citizen in a society that worships physical beauty, it is also a death sentence. Cindy's plan doesn't work spectacularly and her life spins out of control into a dangerous world of revolutionary fat freedom fighters. Sucking off fat into another dimension is not the only way to get thin. Cindy Rella is a coming of age story in the world that is a cross between dystopian Brazil and Fast Food Nation with a sprinkling of sci fi. |
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Bloodflower (The Hidden Flames Artifact #1) by K.J. Harrowick Born into a world of futuristic technology, ecologist JĆ den Ravenscraft wields starship fuel like magic but sheās losing control of her power. Marked as a dangerous weapon, sheās trapped in hypersleep for 4000 years and wakes in the backwoods of a terraformed moon. Now sheās determined to find her reincarnated lover and escape back to the stars before her power takes control... or she is found. Because one life is not the end. The man she loves has lived more than twenty lives without her, and JĆ denās alone in a world of swords and sorcery. When exiled prison guard Captain Jon Ayers shields her from an attack, JĆ den seizes the chance for safety and human connection. Using her magic, she ties her energy to Jon, forging a bond to keep him close to her side. But Jon is hunted by mercenaries for the pendant he carries, a key to the gateway between worlds, and their bond stirs a desire neither can ignore. JĆ den is faced with the hardest choice of her life: between Jon and her reincarnated ex. Saving one lover will destroy the other, and the wrong choice will land her in chains she can never escape. |
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Under the Lesser Moon by Shelly Campbell āDragons once led our people across the wastelands, away from storms, and toward hunting grounds.ā Thatās what the elders say, but Akrist has squinted at empty skies his whole life. The dragons have abandoned them, and itās Akristās fault. Heās cursed. Like every other firstborn son, he has inherited the sins of his ancestors. In his camp, heās the only eldest boy left. Something happened to the others. Something terrible. When Akrist befriends Tanar, an eldest boy from another tribe, he discovers the awful truth: theyāre being raised as sacrifices to appease the Goddess and win back her dragons. The ritual happens when the dual moons eclipse. Escape is the only option, but Akrist was never taught to hunt or survive the wastelands alone. Time is running out, and he has to do something before the moons touch. |
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All Things Huge And Hideous by G. Scott Huggins "Hilarious! Veterinary horror like Terry Pratchett would write!" -- D.J. Butler, author of WITCHY EYE "A rollicking adventure that hits all the right notes." --Christopher Ruocchio, Award-Winning Author of The Sun Eater Series Everyone says it was better in the Good Old Days. Before the Dark Lord subjugated us. Before he gave all the good land to his ogres, orcs and trolls, reducing the civilized races to serfdom and the dirty work: pig farming, sewer cleaning, veterinary medicine. But even before that happened, things weren't that much different for the veterinarians. Everyone cheered the heroes who rode their unicorn chargers into combat against the Dark Lord's dragons, but no one ever remembered who treated the unicornsā phosphine burns afterward. The only real difference is that now I'm treating the dragons. Today I have to save one's life. Know what fewmets are? No? Then make a sacrifice of thanks right now to whatever gods you worship, because I have only a few hours to figure a way to get them flowing back out of the Dark Lordās favorite dragon. Yeah, from the other end. And thatās just my most illustrious client. Iāve got orcs and trolls who might eat me and dark elf barons who might sue me if their bloodhawks and chimeras donāt pull through. And that doesnāt even consider the possibility that the old hag with the basilisk might show up. The only thing thatās gone right this evening is finding Harriet to be my veterinary assistant. Sheās almost a witch, which just might save us both. If we donāt kill each other first. |
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Split Paths (Fall of Emros 2) by Thomas J Devens Paths split, sometimes to merge once more. Sometimes only to stray ever further. Friends and comrades are made, lost, and sometimes, against all odds, found again. None can predict the turns oneās life may take. None can predict the losses to come. One can only hope. A killer seeks his path to freedom. A path away from the blood that has haunted his life. A young warrior, journeys to a new world in search of glory, only to find himself forgotten. A sellsword searches for an easy job. The mercenaries of the Stone and Shield have suffered great losses, their numbers decimated, many comrades lost. The bulk of the surviving mercenaries return to their home in Frostmoor on the edge of the Norwaldian Wilderness. Eager to begin a period of rest while they winter in. Others survive, scattered across the world. Whether arriving on the distant western shores, far from the reaches of the Emrosian Empire, or in the capital of the troubled kingdom of Talres. For some of the surviving mercenaries, there will be anything but a time of rest. |
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Tales of Salvation and Damnation by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie āTales of Salvation and Damnationā is the seventh book in dark fantasy series āThe Storm Seriesā, and is a book of short stories set within the land of Talocants For me, one of the strengths of āThe Storm Seriesā is that it constantly changes and evolves, and the stories within āTales of Salvation and Damnationā continue that fine tradition. As always, Iāve tried to make the stories full accessible for new readers, whilst giving long term readers answers to some of their questions. |
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Stories for a Storm Filled Night by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie āStories for a Storm Filled Nightā, is the first book of short stories sent within the dark fantasy trilogy the āStorm Seriesā. Itās a standalone book, hence will be perfect for new readers to the saga. It will transport them to the land of Talocants, where they will discover, werewolves, heroes, and villains. For readers who have already read books 1 and 2 of the trilogy, it will answer a few questions they might have ā What actually happened during the Chestnut murders? How did the Brethren of the Night Start? There are a total of eight short stories, all of which add additional background to characters and events within the trilogy. |
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A Dark and Hungry Storm by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie If you have enjoyed the previous two books then, the final novel in the series will provide the ending you are looking for. Jack Rothgal desperately attempts to fulfil his destiny and become the Ultimate Spirit Warrior and regain the Twin Kingdoms for his little sister. Deep within her Palace in the city of Deep Lake Queen Rebecca Rothgal works tirelessly to protect the Twin Kingdoms against all threats; including her big brother. |
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scions of a storm by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy Themes(s): relationships, forbidden love, loss, power, prejudice and ultimately, the monster which lurks inside us all. Target audience: The open-minded reader who enjoys a more mature and gritty storylines in their fantasy books Scions of the Stormā is the second instalment in the āStorm Seriesā trilogy and covers the next sixteen years of this epic tale. It continues the tales of Kathleen and Jane, and their now separate journeys. Kathleen has survived her trials and is now Queen of the Twin Kingdoms. She is happily married to Karl Rothgal and has two children by him ā Jack, the eldest, and Rebecca, their younger daughter. For the first time in the series, hints are revealed about the two deadly, but hidden, forces that are using the Twin Kingdoms as a pawn in their eons old game of domination. War is coming to the Twin Kingdoms, but can Kathleen and Jane work out who to trust and who the actual enemy are before it is too late? |
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Of Blood and Briar (Briar Soul #1) by Kaitlyn Rouhier "Every soul has a price." After Calderās village is brutally attacked, he seeks revenge against those responsible. Taken as a prisoner, he waits for an opportune moment to strike, and his bloody vengeance catches the eye of Amari, an assassin from a distant land. Invoking an ancient rite, she claims Calder as her apprentice, sparing his life but tethering him to an uncertain fate. Taken across the sea to the dying lands of Vermund, Calder is thrust into a world plagued by ancient beings and dark magic. It is there he finds himself caught in a conflict between the old ways in the North, and the growing threat building in the South, a struggle that could cost him everything, even his very soul. |
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Keeper of the Fallen by Alyssa Lauseng "The spirits have placed a very important task in your hands." A massacre. An escape. Sonika could have been a warrior and a leader if she hadn't been ripped from her homeland as a child. As the last of the Okami, she will never stop fighting for her right to live. Stalking the shadows is the only world Kulako knows. Heart filled with hatred, death by his blade is inevitable, but who he is beneath that darkness longs for something else. When a twist of fate forces their lives to collide, their choices may be enough to hold back the merciless coils of the Giahatio. But not even the will of the Gods can stop the will of the Emperor. |
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Vile & Blessed by A. H. Serrano A Cursed Existence. A Hidden Land. An Insidious Spirit. There has never been an Anmerilian born without ability. Never, until River Kennry. River has no place in a world where worth is measured by the power of oneās ability. He is an anomaly and an outcast, afflicted by an ailment no one can see or explain. Caught in the unrelenting hold of his government, he falls further into the pit of hopelessness as he wrestles with the mysteries of his past.After a fated meeting with a cryptic stranger, River realizes the only way to uncover his past is to return to the Instituteāthe very place that scarred and violated him. And if he goes back, it could mean forfeiting his life.But could everyone be wrong about him? Though he remains untouched by power, there is something inside him. Something alive and entangled with secrets that could upset the balance of everything his generation has ever known to be true.Welcome to a world where the secrets are as big as continents, the monsters hide in plain sight, and there is always something sinister at play. Vile & Blessed, the first book in The Vile & Blessed trilogy, is perfect for readers who love their dark fantasy with a touch of horror, plenty of mystery, and realistically imperfect characters they can grow with. |
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Like most kobolds, Yynnc has learned his lot in life. He'll find peace where he can while being very much aware of how fragile his existence can be in a world filled with creatures and beings more powerful than he. He's happy enough to embrace the life of a Fisherman bringing food in for his warren and live in peace as long as he can. Fate, it would seem, had different plans. A group of raiders invades his home territory and kicks off a series of events that will change his life forever. He is a survivor; it is the driving motivation behind all kobolds. When his life is threatened, Yynnc reaches beyond what he ever thought he was capable of doing. On his world, the information and details of his entire life are at his fingertips. He will need to learn all he can about himself. Then, he will have to learn far more than what his local Shamans taught him about what is possible so he can carve a path for himself in the world. Yet, while the wider world might be interesting and filled with glorious promise and pleasures the likes of which he has never known, there are far, far too many dangers waiting to grind a careless kobold into the dust. But those forces didn't count on the strength behind his convictions. He must survive. It's in his blood. |
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A Thief's Debt by Dani Morrison Haunted by her past, Halaema Arocele joins The Nameless for gold and a chance to carve out her own path away from the dominionās ever tightening grasp. A half-Aelven mage, sheās found freedom in the human realm. The rebels pay well and donāt ask questions. But, when a mission goes awry, she is captured by Caeas Gorayayn a disgraced brother of the elite warriors of the Aelven Dominion: The Iron Hand. A blood debt binds her to him and what starts as a quest for retribution evolves into more as the cruel machine of war tears its way across the human realm. Old loyalties are tested, new ones are formed, and a thiefās debt may bring her a greater reward than she ever imagined. |
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Norylska Groans by Michael R Fletcher & Clayton W. Snyder SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist SPSFC 2024 Norylska Groans... with the weight of her crimes. In a city where winter reigns amid the fires of industry and war, soot and snow conspire to conceal centuries of death and deception. Norylska Groans... and the weight of a leaden sky threatens to crush her people. Katyusha Leonova, desperate to restore her family name, takes a job with Norylska's brutal police force. To support his family, Genndy Antonov finds bloody work with a local crime syndicate. Norylska Groans... with the weight of her dead. As bodies fall, the two discover a foul truth hidden beneath layers of deception and violence: Come the thaw, what was buried will be revealed. |
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Shadows of Ivory by T L Greylock and Bryce O'Connor I burned cities and drowned mountains. I pulled stars from the night sky and scorched the world with their flames. I am the Fisher King, and the grave does not bind me. An academic with a taste for adventure, Eska de Caraval has means and influence, wit and charm... and a knack for acquiring artifacts that may not be hers to claim. But when Eska comes into possession of a strange disc of rune-carved bronze, she finds herself abruptly hunted by all manner of adversaries: an assassin in the shadows, a monster in the deep, a bitter rival burning with vengeance. From sword and fang and flame Eska must defend herself, struggling all the while to unravel the mysteries of a dangerous artifact. An artifact so powerful, a dead tyrant will rise again to wield it. |
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Lethal Red Riding Hood by Leonard & Ann Marie Wilson Bloody Scarlet, the skull collector of the Crimson Forest, is just a cautionary tale to keep children from wandering in and getting lost ā isnāt she? Well somethingās out there. In a world dominated by a cruel Inquisition that sees demons and witches everywhere it turns, Keely just wants to make a dishonest living convincing the obscenely wealthy to part with their excess riches through guile and trickery. When the Inquisition shows up to destroy her life anyway, Keely goes on the offensive rather than scurry back into the shadows. To set it up for a fall she lures the Inquisition into an invented race to find a heretical book of prophecy that may never have existed. When Keely builds her lies on existing rumors, though, and points the hunt in the direction of the Crimson forest, a new player introduces herself to the high stakes con game as a deadly wild card. Whether or not the woman in red is the real Bloody Scarlet, the closer Keely gets to the dark, twisted heart of the forest the more quickly things spiral out of control. |
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Sword of the Scarred by Jeffrey Hall The price of becoming a legend is more than most are willing to pay. Requiem Balestone is the last of the Scarred, a group of warriors with tremendous power that when wielded leaves cruel wounds upon their skin. After a lifetime of battling monsters, heās gathered enough scars to become a ruined version of his former self. But before he can lay down his blade, one last mission calls him to battle. A mission that pulls him into the middle of a civil war that threatens to destroy the world. And as both sides close in around him, and a mysterious evil begins to stalk the land, Requiem must decide if heās willing to sacrifice the rest of himself to become the savior of the realm, or walk away from it for good. |
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Emily Lee wants nothing more than to live her life in peace, safe in the comfort of home with her father. But when he falls prey to dark magic, trapping him and countless others in a foreign land, she is forced to take action. Compelled only by the desire to save him, Emily travels to the northern nation of Odelia in search of a means to free her father from his terrible curse. Lehksi Olent works as a private investigator, helping those uncover the truth that is often shrouded by a world of magic and mystery. Together with her brother, Marty, she now travels the Odelian countryside in pursuit of the growing unrest taking place within the heart of a country torn asunder by unseen forces. When their paths converge, Emily and Lehksiās lives will be forever changed. Two paths, one future. Be it for the good of all, or for a singular desire, the fate of Odelia lies within their choices. And should they prove lacking, the world of Oul might never be the same. To the North is the first novel in The Awakener Duology, an urban fantasy that explores what it means to discover the dark truths of an unforgiving land. It takes place in an alternate reality set in a pre-digital world, one that is governed by magic and corporate influence. Two young women must navigate numerous challenges in order to protect what is important to them, but in doing so they will make discoveries that may drive a wedge between them. |
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Hated. Hunted. Hooded. In a land of myths and monsters, 17-year-old Carlette is a slave. Her power of enhabitation, the ability to control animals, makes her useful to the islandās colonial rulers. Convinced sheās on the right side, she spends her life doing their bidding, awaiting the day she gets to leave it all behind and fulfill her purpose in their war across the sea. But when an escaped spy forces her to leave the safety of the road, Carlette is plunged into the wilderness with a handsome enemy by her side, rebels at her back, and only her wits to guide her. Among the giant trees of the magical forest, Carlette will begin to realize her world is much more complicated than sheās been led to believe. Will she learn to see through the lies she was raised on? Will she have the courage to choose heart over duty? And will she do it fast enough to save everyone she loves? For fans of Princess Mononoke and Six of Crows, this dark fantasy is Little Red Riding Hood as youāve never seen it before. |
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Old Cold Cannibal by Todd Maternowski 1849. Two men āprofessional con artists on the runā cross the dangerous deserts and plains of Texas and New Mexico, on a quest to find and slay a Dragon that has laid waste to the countryside. |