stories in and

The Legend of Black Thunder: A Supervillain Tragedy in 4 Acts

The Legend of Black Thunder: A Supervillain Tragedy in 4 Acts by Kaleb Quist

Working in retail is enough to drive anyone to the brink of madness, and Michelle Rosenchild is no exception. After being fired from her customer service job, she transforms into a supervillain known as “Black Thunder,” who vows to fight back against Corporate America. Together with her pals Captain Silverware, Deerboy, and Minor Inconvenience Man, they try plotting world domination, only to realize it's incredibly difficult when you're poor and don't know how to build a super death-ray. Instead, they decide to plot a bank robbery, so they can make some quick cash, and maybe buy their own secret supervillain island somewhere. But along the way, Black Thunder gets recruited by a gang of anarchists known as "The Furies," who are hell-bent on tearing down the city's government. Now, Michelle is faced with a dire choice: Should she help the anarchists with their acts of villainy…Or protect the corrupt system she supposedly hates?


Waterworld: Volume 4: Sariah (Colorworld Book 9)

Waterworld: Volume 4: Sariah (Colorworld Book 9) by Rachel E Kelly

he 4th volume in the Waterworld installment of the Colorworld Series. Six year old Sariah's best friend, Rita Long, wears a string of flat, silver disks on each of her wrists. She has identical ones on each ankle, which Uncle Cyrus makes her keep covered up with socks. Sometimes Uncle Cyrus also wears them on his own wrists. Sariah once asked Rita why she never took them off. Rita shrugged and said Uncle Cyrus told her they were for therapy. Sariah's mother explained that therapy was for people whose souls were ill. As the two girls grow up, Sariah learns just how right her mother was. Rita is haunted, held captive by the magnitude of her own power. Power that Sariah fails to heed until it's too late. Years later, Sariah realizes Rita has become somewhat of a public figure alongside the enigmatic Gabe Dumas, spearheading a cause called The Human Movement, an organization in opposition to the Guild of Prime Humans. She knows that if Rita is involved, it cannot mean anything good. Fearing involvement with Rita again, she's content to leave it be. But a strange character finds his way into the restaurant where she works and sets off a series of events that push Sariah into uncovering decade-old mysteries surrounding Rita, herself, and Gabriel Dumas.


The Hybrid: Book 1 (The Hybrid Series)

The Hybrid: Book 1 (The Hybrid Series) by E,K Frances

SPFBO10

Sebastian Parker is thirteen. He thinks he is just an ordinary alpha off to join the Academy to refine his skills, but ‘the test’ shows something different. It turns out he is a Hybrid – a Quad-brid to be exact - and will grow up to be the most powerful alpha in more than two millennia. Forced to join the Dark side of the Academy, Sebastian faces fear, rejection, and brutality. Making some unlikely friends and finding adventure, he strives to keep to the Light. However, in a final twist, unsure of who to trust, and what is real, Sebastian is faced with the ultimate decision of whether to embrace the Darkness … Dark, brutal, and gripping, The Hybrid is the first novel in The Hybrid series.


Duality (The Duality Series Book 1)

Duality (The Duality Series Book 1) by Becca Fogg

Jex thought she was an average, post-college girl—until she crippled a drunk and nearly incinerated a gas station. When her elemental powers manifest, she’s torn from her placid life and shoved into the war between good and evil. Forced to rely on new allies, including the sweetheart Captain of the Guards and her alphahole Valen, Jex must come to terms with her newfound ability before her enemies succeed in capturing her. —Praise for Duality— ★"I loved this book. I loved the witty banter, the sayings, the hidden clues, and the many little twists that were throughout the plotline."—Goodreads Reviewer (ARC) ★"Finished this book in one go ... it was that good."—Goodreads Reviewer ★"I don't know what drugs, or witchcraft, or messing with the time continuum the author has done to this book, but if you don't mind losing a night of sleep and you're into contemporary fantasy romance, go read Duality."—TikTok Reviewer (ARC) ★"This. Was. Incredible. I'm obsessed and completely invested in these characters and this story."—Early Reader ★"Five hottest words ever spoken: go sit in the chair."—TikTok Reader (ARC) ★"Honestly this book is in my top 5 favorite books of 2021! The sass of the characters had me smiling and laughing. And the spice! This book got me out of a reading slump. It was definitely a book that I couldn’t put down."—Goodreads Reviewer (ARC) ★"Refreshing and new the characters were well written and the plot well thought. It really sucked me into its pages and it made want to read more and more and more!" —Goodreads Reviewer —Want to Know More?— I am made of extremes. Normalcy was key, before. I’d have a normal life, with a normal job, and a normal white-picket fence. That was before I crippled a drunk and torched a gas station. As it turns out, normalcy lives in the average gray, but I do not. Instead, I am made of extremes. Of fire and water. Of light over darkness. Of good over evil. Well, mostly good over evil, apparently. Now I have no choice but to embrace the not-normal before my world comes crashing down a second time—to piece myself back together with the family I found when I needed it, with the support of two men dragging me (kicking and screaming) to my full capability. But the bad guys are coming, and they’re coming for me. He’s coming for me. Ain’t that some shit. NOTE: Duality is book one of four, and ends in a cliffhanger. Make sure to read to the end for extra content! TW: The Duality Series is an 18+ fantasy romance why-choose/RH series. If you like unique magic systems, sword fights and action sequences, sassy heroines, and bonfire-hot spice, then this book is for you. Book One contains explicit sex and violence, and cheating as a tangential part of the story (not among the main characters). This book is not suitable for all ages and palates. If that is not for you, please do not buy this book. Detailed trope tags can be found on the author's website.


The Tower's Alchemist

The Tower's Alchemist by Alesha Escobar

British intelligence wants her spying skills. A vampiric warlock wants to steal her powers. The Master Wizards who trained her want her dead... Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe, and the Allies are forced to recruit wizards to counter their attacks. Among them is battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job...extract a deadly warlock from Nazi-occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent. But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed off other wizards. When things don't go according to plan, one Cruenti sets his deadly eyes on her. Plans within plans. Plots versus counter plots. Heists gone wrong, Vatican wizards, and the greatest manipulation of history that has ever been seen, is just a taste of what Isabella George is in for, in her final mission. Readers who enjoy great fantasy mashups will devour this urban fantasy series that has been described as "Agent Carter meets Hellboy."


The Vilification of Aqua Marine (Working Masks #1)

The Vilification of Aqua Marine (Working Masks #1) by Megan Mackie

One Parent was a superhero, one parent was a supervillain, Aqua Marine is a work in progress. Despite Aqua Marine’s super lineage, this wannabe superhero can only control a cup of water at a time. Not very effective as far as superpowers go. Never mind being able to stop the new nefarious villain, The Overlord of the Dance from taking over part of the city. That is until she discovers there is a cup of water in the human heart when she accidentally blows his out. Now her villainous mother wants her to join the League of Extraordinary Evil. Aqua Marine would like to hide under a rock. And Overlord of the Dance? Is apparently not quite dead yet, and he would like to have a word with her about becoming his new nemesis. If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Aqua Marine’s is a slip and slide, with capes.


Fid's Crusade

Fid's Crusade by David H Reiss

SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

Even supervillains have lines they dare not cross. If only the same could be said of heroes... For more than two decades, the sight of Doctor Fid's powered armor has struck terror into the hearts of hero and civilian alike. But when a personal tragedy motivates the notorious supervillain to investigate a crime, a plot is uncovered so horrific that even he is taken aback. Haunted by painful memories and profound guilt, Doctor Fid must race against time if he is to have any hope of confronting the approaching threat. Every battle takes its toll...but the stakes are too high for retreat to be an option. In the end, it may take a villain to save the world from those entrusted with the world's protection.


One Tin Soldier: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel

One Tin Soldier: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

Damian Banach's journey from Crow to Cape comes to a thrilling conclusion! Every year, the best Academy third-years are offered internships with Free States Cape teams, while the rest join the Mission on a multi-month expedition to bring hope and supplies to the Badlands. This year is different though... and it's not just because Damian Banach, the Academy's only Crow, actually volunteered for the Mission. The fact is, Damian's not headed into the Badlands for relief work. He's going because he owes someone a favor, and that favor has come due. Somewhere in the lawless lands east of the Free States is the person responsible for the Break and all the chaos that came after, and it's Damian's job to find him. He's hunting for Dr. Nowhere.


Red Right Hand: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel

Red Right Hand: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

"If life’s taught me anything, it’s that you scrap and claw for every moment you can get. And if you’re a Crow like me, you don’t let a little thing like dying get in your way." Following the events of See These Bones, Damian is back at the Academy of Heroes as the Free States' most unlikely potential Cape. He has a new name, a new reputation, and a whole host of new questions about his own past. If he's going to find answers to those questions, let alone survive another year at the Academy, he'll need to learn a skill the orphanage never taught him: teamwork. Nothing's ever easy, is it?


See These Bones: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel

See These Bones: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

Some superheroes want to save the world. Damian is just hoping to save himself. In the post-Break world of superpowers, necromancy is the one gift nobody wants. Everyone knows what happens to Crows; they go mad and they go bad. That's the story of infamous mass murderers like Crimson Death, Gravedigger, and Sally Cemetery. It's also the story of David Jameson, an otherwise unremarkable man who came home one day and killed his wife, orphaning their five-year-old son, Damian. Thirteen years later, Damian has inherited more than just grey eyes and a beak of a nose from his father. He too is a Crow, doomed to become a killer unless he can find a way to avoid the violent madness endemic to his powers. When a Finder offers enrollment at Los Angeles' Academy of Superheroes, he jumps at the chance, believing training could be the key to changing his fate. His classmates despise him, the majority of his teachers want him expelled, and his mom's ghost hasn't said a word since reappearing when he was nine, but Damian isn't the kind to give up. He's going to take control of his destiny or die in the process. It's that or end up like his father.


The Rules of Supervillainy

The Rules of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps

Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown's resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion's magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy. But is he evil enough to be a villain in America's most crime-ridden city? Gary soon finds himself surrounded by a host of the worst of Falconcrest City's toughest criminals. Supported by his long-suffering wife, his ex-girlfriend turned professional henchwoman, and a has-been evil mastermind, Gary may end up being not the hero they want but the villain they need.


BOB: NON-UNION PSYCHIC - The Big Book of Bob Volume 1

BOB: NON-UNION PSYCHIC - The Big Book of Bob Volume 1 by Lance Lucero

Follow your friendly neighborhood Renegade Psychic, Professional Hairstylist! His Gramps calls his abilities a gift. But Bob doesn’t consider his psychic powers to be a gift; more like an overwhelming nightmare. When a powerful ancient creature called the Hux, a beast that has been the scourge of his bloodline for the last millennia, is accidentally unleashed by a fortune-hungry archaeologist, Bob has no choice but to follow in Gramps’ footsteps and show off his psychic skills. He must fight before the beast kills again. And keep up with those hair appointments as well…


Anamnesis

Anamnesis by Susana ImaginĂĄrio

Mistakes were made. The future is uncertain. And Time doesn't care. As the story ends, we'll finally learn how it started. The world is breaking apart. Only the combined willpower of Hades and Hel can save it. But Love has other plans. Meanwhile, the gods need to deal with the outcomes of their choices; everyone else needs to survive them. And Psyche must finally face her greatest foe. Can free will cheat fate, or is fate the consequence of free will?


The Player Blackout

The Player Blackout by Lucas Flint

SPSFC

In 2043, Capes Online is the biggest, most popular VRMMORPG in the world. With over one billion active players and counting, gamers can become brave Heroes or cunning Villains, their every choice determining their Alignment. Everyone wants to play this game and almost everyone does. Except for 25-year-old police officer Nyle Maxwell, who can't log out. Killed in a car accident on his first day on the job, Nyle gets his mind uploaded to Capes Online to save his life. But the one way mind-to-game upload process means Nyle can never return to his physical body in the real world. Nor is he allowed to contact his friends and family outside the game or else he risks deletion by the secretive government organization that put him in the game in the first place. Things get even worse when a villain known as Dark Kosmos takes over Capes Online not long after Nyle's arrival. Trapping all of the players in the game and cutting off all contact with the real world, Dark Kosmos targets Nyle for death. Now Nyle must become a true superhero and save his fellow players from Dark Kosmos while adjusting to his new digital life. All of which would be much easier if he didn't have a hyperactive sidekick overly fond of puns or if he even wanted to be here in the first place.


The Combat Codes

The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin

SPSFC SPFBO Finalist SPFBO6

We fight, so the rest shall not have to. In a world where single combat determines the fate of nations, the Grievar fight so that the rest can remain at peace. Cego is a mysterious Grievar boy forced to fight his way out of the slave Circles into the world's most prestigious combat school. At the Lyceum, Cego will learn a variety of martial arts from eclectic teachers, develop deep bonds of friendship and fight against contentious rivals to climb the school's rankings. But, Cego will find far more than combat studies at the Lyceum. He will find the mystery of his past unraveled by forces greater than he could ever imagine.


The Lore of Prometheus

The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

SPSFC

John Carver has three rules: Don't drink in the daytime, don't gamble when the luck has gone, and don't talk to the dead people who come to visit. It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time. Desperation has pulled him back to Afghanistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive. Packed with mystery, suspense, and snark. Download today to discover why readers of Dean Koontz, Jim Butcher, and Myke Cole love this high-octane fantasy thriller by #1 best-selling author Graham Austin-King.


Out of the Gray

Out of the Gray by Patricia Gilliam

SPSFC

Aliens, politics, and murder. Only the first one is new. Towards the end of the twenty-fourth century, it is common knowledge aliens have lived on the planet for a long time. The Hannarian royal family has stationed an ambassador to interact with Earth’s governments and to be an official bridge between humans and their race. They also want to assist humanity by offering access to advanced medical, communication, and transportation technologies. This does not ring true with the EIP, the Earth Independence Party. They are aware that Hannarians possess superhuman skills and abilities that they have kept hidden from Earth’s general population. To the people aware of these abilities, the Hannarians seem dangerous to some and downright demonic to others. They fear Hannarians pose a tangible threat to the Earth and every living human on the planet. The organization has spent decades preparing for the perfect opportunity to remove the Ambassador, expose the aliens what they truly are, and finally place themselves on equal footing with their enemies. Alex Verin, son of EIP Congressman Adam Verin, has had a very unexpected day. After chance meetings with the Hannarian Ambassador’s son and later the Ambassador himself, Alex has his beliefs about the Hannarians brought into question. Once at home and milling over what he has learned, Alex tries to figure out what is truth and what isn’t. When a visitor arrives at their home to speak with his father, Alex attempts to find out the man’s identity and why his father is being so secretive about him. While doing so, Alex overhears the man discuss plans to assassinate Hannaria’s Ambassador with his father. Rica Miller, the adopted daughter of Charlie and Rebecca Miller, is leaving Earth. After discovering that she is not human but Hannarian, Rica’s parents decide that relocating to Space Station Destiny would be the best option for her future. As a station engineer, Charlie has made arrangements for his wife and daughter to join him now that construction has entered its final phases. After boarding a transport leaving Baltimore, Rica meets Jernard. He introduces himself as the Hannarian Ambassador and explains he wants to ensure they arrive at Destiny safely out of friendship to Charlie. Rebecca does recognize Jernard, but considering she and Charlie told no one about Rica or that they were leaving, she is hesitant to trust him. How will Alex react to his father’s agreement with a plan to murder someone? Can Rica trust Jernard, and does he hold any answers on what happened to her birth parents? Will the EIP succeed in killing Hannaria’s Ambassador?


MOBIUS

MOBIUS by Vincent Vale

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

The Dimensional Gateway is built... A plot against humanity revealed... Humankind's ultimate evolution. Theron Mobius has worked his entire life on a Dimensional Gateway that will propel humankind into a new era of space travel. When it's sabotaged by a mysterious entity, he uncovers a plot against humanity that's been underway for millennia. Theron is driven against all odds to stop the entity, only to discover he's an integral part of the entity's sinister plan. Together with a small group of travelers, he must journey across galaxies in search of an ancient Guardian of the universe. If he fails, humankind will face oblivion.


The Awakening

The Awakening by Adair Hart

SPSFC

What happens when a space and time traveler interferes with an alien abduction? Dr. Albert Snowden just wanted to take care of his niece, Emily. The last thing he expected was to end up in a virtual simulation on a damaged alien ship in another galaxy one year into the future. Unfortunately, the ship's power is failing, releasing apex predators that were captured by the aliens. Enter Evaran, a space and time traveler, and V, his trusty mobile artificial intelligence, who help those in need. They decide to interfere and help Dr. Snowden and Emily, along with two other humans who were also abducted. In addition to all that, Jerzan Graduul, leader of the Bloodbore mercenary pack, has boarded the ship in search of potential salvaging opportunities. Evaran and friends will try to reach Evaran's ship while dealing with the Bloodbores and apex predators.


Earthweeds

Earthweeds by Rod Little

SPSFC

At the end of the world - it's the start of something new, with puzzling and terrifying origins. A green fog descends over every major city in the world, and the populations disappear one by one. By nightfall, every living soul in every metropolis is gone. Earth grinds to a halt. Only a few stragglers are alive in the rural countryside. When Sam and his brother return from a mountain camping trip, they find only empty city streets. Alone, they look for any survivors to give them answers. The next day, lizards the size of Komodo dragons flood the city and attack the remaining humans. When these creatures are confronted by giant spiders, the two species fight each other for the remaining food supply.... with the humans caught in the middle. A teenage boy with electric powers - stemming from his DNA.  His brother with a strong iron will.  A college student who can understand and communicate with animals.  A scientist with a secret.  And a band of psychopaths with an agenda of their own.  Defending each other from the evils of men and creatures alike, the last humans must race to unravel the mystery of the empty cities, the swarming creatures, and the disappearance of humankind.


Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking

Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking by Michael Lachman

SPSFC 2022

ZOMBIES. CRYPTIDS. SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. AND ADAM THOUGHT HIGH SCHOOL WAS TOUGH. When Adam arrives home to find his house swarming with government agents, he quickly discovers that his father was a secret government scientist specializing in fringe science and the paranormal. An agent reveals that Adam’s father was caught performing illegal experiments, including genetically modifying Adam’s DNA. Now, with his father missing and the genetic tampering beginning to take effect, Adam’s only chance to find a cure is to help the agency track down his father. The mystery deepens as agents go missing, and all the evidence points to a man long dead. With the clock ticking and hints of a mole within the agency, Adam must uncover the traitor, find his father, and secure a cure—before it’s too late. Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking is the first book in the Blackcoats series.


Stars of Destiny: Light

Stars of Destiny: Light by Melissa Stone

SPFBO8

Dionne Archer is a regular high school girl. For her sixteenth birthday, though, she was gifted a strange mirror and a family secret that would change her life. Faced with new magical powers, Dionne must now team up with other slike her to fight the organization known as the Lords of Chaos and keep them from achieving their goals. All while dealing with homework. As if being a teenager wasn’t hard enough already.


Wistful Ascending

Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

A superhero space opera for grownups. For fans of Invincible and Marvel Cinematic Universe films who like a little hard science fiction in their superheroes.
If Thor and Harry Dresden combined in a transporter accident.


Baker Thief

Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault

SPFBO8 Kraken Collective

Adèle has only one goal: catch the purple-haired thief who broke into her home and stole her exocore, thus proving herself to her new police team. Little does she know, her thief is also the local baker. Claire owns the Croissant-toi, but while her days are filled with pastries and customers, her nights are dedicated to stealing exocores. These new red gems are heralded as the energy of the future, but she knows the truth: they are made of witches’ souls. When her twin—a powerful witch and prime exocore material—disappears, Claire redoubles in her efforts to investigate. She keeps running into Adèle, however, and whether or not she can save her sister might depend on their conflicted, unstable, but deepening relationship. --------------- BAKER THIEF is the first in a fantasy series meant to reframe romance tropes within non-romantic relationship and centering aromantic characters. Those who love enemies-to-lovers and superheroes should enjoy the story!


Bystanders

Bystanders by Phillip Murrell

SPFBO8

"Intrepid reporters end up dead." That's what Claire Kennedy's boss told her. Claire doesn't care. She's prepared to risk her life to land an interview with her city's superhero. The mysterious vigilante is a demolition force against the criminal empire operating inside Colberton. He won't identify himself to the public, so Claire will assign him a name herself. She's willing to create other "facts" as necessary, anything to get a promotion at Data to Information News. The hero, Votary, cares not for her goals. Nor does Votary worry about the actions of the police or criminals. The city must be protected from itself and outside threats. Votary is the only person capable of this, though the methods used will lead to death and trauma for many citizens of Colberton. Most will debate the methods of this crusader. Some support Votary, others fear the vigilante, but none will know the person beneath the armor, despite trying.


Aya and the Alphas

Aya and the Alphas by Berneta L. Haynes

SPFBO8

When a young girl, Aya Wright, develops extraordinary abilities and becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader, Eve must protect her. But at what price? In the twenty-five years since she exposed the existence of faders, Eve Cooper has survived the collapse of her country and the loss of her closest friends. Now she lives a mostly solitary life in rural Indiana, where she runs a secret network and safe house for faders—individuals like her with extraordinary abilities. In nearby Chicago, a young girl named Aya Wright becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader because of her unparalleled abilities. When she arrives at the safe house after an attack, Aya soon sets in motion a series of events that threaten not only to upend Eve’s settled life but potentially change the world. As Eve struggles to reconcile her past with the choices in front of her, she must decide whether to leave her recluse life to protect Aya or allow the headstrong girl to find her own way in the world…

Aya and the Alphas is an action-packed and expansive sequel to Eve and the Faders that will thrill readers!


Any Minor World

Any Minor World by Craig Schaefer

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

For Roy Mackey -- a recovering addict who makes his living as an unlicensed PI and occasional muscle for hire -- tracking down a dead writer's final manuscript should be a walk in the park. Too bad his client is a phony, the dead writer is a thief, and shadowy men are watching his every move. All clues lead to a canceled pulp-adventure comic, The Midnight Jury, and its mousy, reclusive author. Lucy Langenkamp is living a quiet life as an art restorer in Las Vegas; when Roy helps her escape from a crew of armed kidnappers, she's as baffled as he is. Then one of her own characters, a flamethrower-wielding "human exterminator," steps out of the pages of her comic book and into the real world. He's intent on hunting her down, and he isn't alone. The pulp villains spawned from Lucy's childhood imagination are coming to life, searching for their long-lost author. Her most sinister creation, the Illustrated Duke, has a dark plan in motion. This is a job for Lucy's two-fisted vigilante, the Midnight Jury. But the Jury is missing. To save the day, Lucy and Roy must descend into a noir-drenched nightmare city on a rescue mission. The walls between fiction and reality are shattered, there's wild magic in the air, and it's up to two unlikely heroes to risk it all and save the day.


Missy the Werecat

Missy the Werecat by P. G. Allison

SPFBO8

Missy the Werecat: Book I When puberty brings on her first Shift, Missy goes into the mountains for two years until finally learning to Change back. She can Change from fully human in one instant to a mountain lion in the next. Everyone assumes her two year disappearance was because she’d been kidnapped by a sexual predator that she managed to kill. She keeps her werecat nature a secret. There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha. She’s a girl with fantastic abilities growing up and learning to do great things in today’s world, amongst humans. She only has her instincts to guide her and those drive her to train herself to extremes. She must control those instincts; dampening the wild predator is often necessary. Her raging hormones and enhanced senses require very strong controls; she explores what happens when those controls are relaxed.


Burning Bright

Burning Bright by Melissa McShane

SPFBO8

In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flames—and extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years. As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy. Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on England’s enemies, French privateers and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athena’s crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinor’s ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterly—but could it be at the cost of her own life?


Darkhaven

Darkhaven by Kel E Fox

SPFBO8

What would you sacrifice for magic? Gabby is in her final year of high school and facing the Question: what does she want to do with her life? A shame ‘wizarding’ isn’t on the list of university courses. Just as Gabby despairs that she’ll never find the answer, lightning strikes. She uncovers a conspiracy, meets a mysterious boy, and finds out that maybe, magic might just be real. But it comes at a cost, and now Gabby's faced with a decision that makes choosing a university as easy as choosing a favourite kind of cake… How is anyone meant to do that? A coming-of-age, contemporary fantasy, Darkhaven is the first book in the Lightless Prophecy, a galaxy-spanning adventure of magic and gods, love and betrayal, and a quest to find out what holds the stars together in the dark.


The Skeleton Key

The Skeleton Key by Justine Manzano

Sword and Silk Books Teacup Dragon Coop

Sequel to the award-winning Order of the Key Kyp Franklin can't move on. One year after his mother officially declared war against him, Kyp is still struggling to find his feet as the Order of the Key's new leader. He's far too concerned about tracking her down before she causes even more damage than she already has. In fact, that's all he's been doing. Until one day, after a particularly reckless mission, he returns to find a surprising visitor on his doorstep... Jacklyn Madison can't move on. One year after she left the Order, she has a new team, and a new mission. She's determined to close all the interdimensional rifts between our world and the Dusk, before more people die trying to stop the creatures that pass through them. But a vision she had while on the edge of death leads her to the one place she never intended to return … Forced to work together, Jacklyn, Kyp, and their respective teams uncover Lavinia's next plan: an alarming mix of magic and science the likes of which has never been seen before. Jacklyn and Kyp must learn to work together again and confront the demons of their past if they're going to stop Lavinia and those assisting her before their larger plan is put into action--a plan that could bring the monsters of the Dusk to our world...forever.


Ever the Hero

Ever the Hero by Darby Harn

SPSFC 2022

Superheroes are big business. Imagine not being able to afford them. Kit Baldwin just wants to make rent. The only work she can find in the ruins of her devastated city is scavenging for alien technology. When she finds a powerful alien weapon, her discovery pays off more than she could have hoped: it draws the attention of the most powerful of the superhuman Empowered, Valene. Valene hears everything, everywhere. She suffers for it, and as they begin a precipitous romance, Kit believes she can use the weapon she’s scavenged to mitigate Valene’s pain. If she can’t, Valene will retreat to the soundlessness of space. Without Valene’s compassion, the stricken city is left to the mercy of Valene’s ruthless father, who denies the assistance the city needs unless it can pay for it. As Valene’s condition worsens, Kit becomes more desperate and unleashes the full power of the alien weapon. In an instant, she is transformed into a being of cosmic power. She can acquire the knowledge and energy of anything – or anyone – she touches.


The Flameweaver Saga

The Flameweaver Saga by Casey White

In times of trouble, heroes are called to serve. Some rise to the occasion - and others are dragged along kicking and screaming. Secluded in the sleepy village of Goldenvale, Jas expected life to continue in the same peaceful track it always had. The days would come and go, settling into a comfortable routine. The mountain changed everything. When it rumbled to life, filling the world with hastily-awoken legends of old monsters and ancient evils, Jas knew better than to be afraid. Their nation had a secret of its own: a hero, in the form of his best friend Darren. Whatever threatened Goldenvale, they’d face it together But when the day came, Darren turned - and ran. Forced to take up the mantle of hero in his place, Jas begins his journey up the mountain. But the road is long, with enemies around every corner and answers waiting at the summit that threaten to shake his world to its very foundation. And in the end, Jas realizes his enemies were closer than he ever suspected.


Pigeon

Pigeon by Olga Werby

SPFBO8

Pigeon is eleven, homeless, and now an orphan. Alone and scared, he seeks to find a new family. But the past he barely remembers comes back to haunt him, endangering his newly-found friends, the Kikkert Family. Fortunately, the Kikkerts want to adopt Pigeon even if he is wanted by strange para-military DNA warriors. As they race through San Francisco to save each other, the true nature of Pigeon's birth is revealed as well as the secret identity of Madam Toad—the matriarch of the Kikkert Family. What does is mean to be human? What does it take to be a family? Pigeon is willing to risk his life to learn and to love.


The Paragon: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette

The Paragon: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette by Tao Wong

Shocking Revelations by the Paragon! Centuries old secrets revealed! Hidden identities! Learn why the Paragon was missing during the Bareyes-Masgani War. Listen to the Paragon as he relates his full thoughts on the Powers Defense Act. Get his full thoughts of the penultimate superhero on anti-Capes like the Enforcer. You won't want to miss the first ever recorded interview by the Cape of capes!


The Technopath: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette

The Technopath: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette by Tao Wong

Breaking News: Confessions of the Supervillain Mask the Technopath! In an exclusive scoop, the Daily Messenger has acquired the transcript of the infamous Technopath’s interview with the Power Defense Authority upon her initial capture after the August 19th terrorist incident in downtown Mayson. Among the shocking revelations in the transcript is allusions to the PDA knowing of her villainous sire, on-going abuse of the children of Masks and accusations of terrorism and collusion against Mordant Technologies. For full details, just subscribe to the Daily Messenger within!


Fear and Fury

Fear and Fury by Jamie Jackson

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

Meet Megaera, Meg for short. She’s like Deadpool, except for funner. For a girl with the power of fear the recruitment attempts from both sides are never-ending. A self-described not-a-hero, villain-leaning humanoid, Meg just wants to live her life, work her dead-end job and have everyone else (especially the heroes) leave her alone. But when a bigger fish who can turn superpowers back on their users enters the picture and threatens the person Meg loves the most (herself), she must turn to the last group of people she would admit she needs help from. Forced to team up with the heroes she despises (but won’t murder, because let’s face it, orange is not the new black), Meg will have to face the choices from her past that she won’t get therapy for. Self-centered, snarky, sarcastic and a little bit dramatic, she’s going to have to save the world, even if that wasn’t her intention. And try not to get shot in the process. Because that shit hurts.


Moonlight Crusade

Moonlight Crusade by Scott Kinkade

College student Kyle Falconer's trip to New York City gets a bloody extension when his Christian group is brutally murdered by vampires. Now undead himself, Kyle is taken in by a sympathetic woman with the ability to see the future, and she begins training him to defend himself against the madman who slaughtered his friends. With a holy war looming on the horizon, Kyle must gather allies to save the world while also dealing with Vatican vampire hunters and the undead Yakuza.


One Nation Under Gods

One Nation Under Gods by Reeshi Ray

SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie

The war raged for five years. When the smoke cleared the United States was a memory, conquered by a race unlike the world had ever seen. They are the Specials—a godlike race gifted with powers so cataclysmic that the human survivors of the war had no choice but to surrender to their invincible overlords. But Houston Holt doesn't surrender. A war veteran turned underworld fixer, Houston spends his nights evading the regime's secret police, building his criminal empire brick by brick in his relentless quest to escape the human slums. But one night, Houston steals a truck from the wrong people and sets off a chain reaction of mayhem that engulfs the empire. Because the truck contains a shocking secret—a secret of such fabled power that the Specials will unleash their most savage killers to hunt it down. Enter a world of immortals, assassins, and rogues in One Nation Under Gods—an epic adventure that combines the best of science fiction, superhero lore, and fantasy into a non-stop thrill ride.


Return of the King

Return of the King by David Reynolds

What if … Gravely wounded at the Battle of Camlann and preserved by ancient spells, Arthur is waiting to be discovered by modern men and women? What if … Merlin, imprisoned by the witch Nimue, is freed after 1,500 years by a random bullet fired during a drunken college party? What if … The awakening of Merlin causes Morgan Le Fay and Mordred, the nemeses of Merlin and Arthur, to also return from their own enchantments? The world is about to find when a reawakened Merlin, with help from his computerized familiar Archimedes, modern human guide Nicole and pet cat Rex seek out Arthur before rebuilding the Knights of the Round table. Return of the King, Book One in The One True King series, is available now at Amazon.com


Witch's Sorrow (Alice Skye #1)

Witch's Sorrow (Alice Skye #1) by Taylor Aston White

SPFBO6

An amateur witch. A dark past. A fierce deceit. Paladin Agent Alice Skye didn’t think much of the contract forced upon her by Rexley Wild, Alpha of one of the largest packs in Europe. He hired her for one job. Find the missing wolf. Unfortunately for Alice, she might already be too late. She's in way over her head, an inexperienced witch who has to use all her instincts to help the secretive and detached Alpha find his missing pack mate. But it isn’t long before she realises something’s not quite right. It's not simply a missing person, it was something a lot closer to home, something that reignites nightmares that make her question her own, horrific past. Alice is in a race against time that forces her to face against vampires, daemons and anything that gets in the way, for she only has one thing to do, find the wolf before he turns up like the others. Dead.


Pawn (Night of the Dark Fae #1)

Pawn (Night of the Dark Fae #1) by Angela J. Ford

SPFBO6

A day will come, when curses will be broken, the lost shall be found, the found shall be lost, and the rift between mortal and celestial will cease to exist. - Prophecy of Erinyes Maeve of Carn is a warrior of warriors, but she’s no hero. Born with superhuman strength she sells her abilities to mercenaries and warlords in exchange for wealth. Until the night of the full moon. . . In the midst of a raid, led by the warlord she just might be falling in love with, Maeve is taken by the Dark Fae. After leaving her to rot in the dungeon of the damned they offer her a deal. Freedom. If she finds a divine relic rumored to have the power to break all curses. Left with no other choice, Maeve sets off on a perilous quest, guided by the Scholar. Set in an expansive fantasy world with monsters, magic and mysteries, the Night of the Dark Fae series is an epic fantasy trilogy birthed from the mind of International Best Selling Author, Angela J. Ford. Readers who love action, adventure, romance, sword and sorcery will be held captive by this series.


Night Latch (The Locksmith #1)

Night Latch (The Locksmith #1) by Anela Deen

SPFBO6

Sam Alvarez doesn’t just open locks. He’s the key. Living in Bellemer, Iowa, Sam leads a typical small-town life. When he’s not looking after his Nana or dealing with his mother’s expectations, he runs a one-man locksmith company. Unlike regular locksmiths, he can open anything with a touch and a wish, but Sam keeps that secret to himself. No reason to alarm the neighbors, after all. And if he sometimes feels an indefinable pull to do more with his life, well, that's probably just indigestion. Then one day, an unsettlingly beautiful out-of-towner asks for Sam’s help to open a door. Only one problem: The job’s in a graveyard. And the client? Turns out she’s Death. Maybe that’s two problems. When Sam unlocks more than he intended and demons come out to play, he discovers he’s far more than a locksmith with a hidden quirk. Now, he needs to figure out who he is and what he’s been called to do before darker forces close the door on him for good.


The Five Trials (Tsun-Tsun TzimTzum #1)

The Five Trials (Tsun-Tsun TzimTzum #1) by Mike Truk

SPFBO6

My name's Noah Kilmartin. I'm from Ruddock, Ohio, and I'm absolutely, 100% unqualified to save the universe from the slavering demonic hordes of the super evil bitch queen Lilith. Too bad nobody asked my opinion. All I've got to do is pass five lethal trials that'll prove I'm the universe's last chance at salvation. To do so I'll have to lean hard on those three years of Okinawan jiu-jutsu classes I took in highschool, learn to wield my new magic sword, and oh yeah - select five women to flesh out my team, bonding with each one for arcane purposes and desperately trying to stay alive in the process. Piece of cake. Right? Warning and minor spoilers: "The Five Trials" is an 18+ book intended for mature readers. It contains graphic sex, medieval violence, and nudity. People curse, piss their pants, hack off heads, get a little dizzy, tortured, seduce each other, try to seduce each other, and scared witless by horrors from the darkest dimensions. Most importantly, you'll meet gorgeous, powerful women, some capable for hurling lightning, others of swinging battle-axes, and one that's Noah's unrequited crush from highschool. All of them are willing to enter unconventional, polyamorous, harem relationships if it means saving the universe, and luckily for Noah, this time it actually does. Read at your own risk.


First Steps (Meandering Paths #1)

First Steps (Meandering Paths #1) by Luke Daher

SPFBO6

Not all roads lead to desired destinations... A swordsman struggles beneath the burdens of lost friends, survival in the lawless Wilds and a fate he wishes to outrun. An artist stands on the fringes of her society, derided by her peers while striving to impress the Divine her people worship. An uncaring world shifts around them, leading their feet onto greater paths unknowingly.


Birth of the Dawnhawk

Birth of the Dawnhawk by Z. Apollo, M. J. Northwood

SPFBO6

Energy binds everyone in the great continent of Amasia. That’s what the most religious would have people believe. Energy can be shaped. Energy can be destroyed. Many in the world have the ability to energy shape, controlling the elements around them in any way they see fit. However, only five are Blessed with unique power. The power to defeat Insanity. For over a 1000 years the Mother’s Blessing has watched over Amasia, entrapping the Insanity, as it’s passed down from generation to generation in the form of the Blessed. They’re powerful. They’re impossible, and they’re the world’s only hope. It was said that there would be five at one time with remarkable powers that would one day come together and save the world from Insanity. Throughout history there had been many famous individuals all over the continent with the marking to show their Blessing, whether they were an immortal of the High Vilmar or a Drakonian on the Birthing Isles. These Blessings passed down from generation to generation, never truly being used for their purpose, until now.


Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride

Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride by SJ Whitby

My name is Dylan Taylor, human incarnation of the burning dumpster gif, and this is my life. I always wanted to be an X-Man. Except people and me never got along, and apparently you need social skills to run a successful team. Cue Emma Hall’s party. One hot make out session with the host herself, and I can talk to objects like my pillow (who’s far too invested in my love life) and my baseball bat (who was a pacifist before I got hold of him). Now there’s a whole group of us with strange abilities, including super hot ice queen Dani Kim who doesn’t approve of how reckless I can be. The bigger problem is a mysterious mutant causing unnatural disasters, and we’re the ones who have to stop him. Except trying to make a difference makes things blow up in my face and the team’s on the verge of falling apart. Can I bring them back together in time to stop the villain from taking revenge? Have I mentioned I’m not a people person? Magneto help us.


The Order of the Key

The Order of the Key by Justine Manzano

WriteHive Book Club Teacup Dragon Coop

Jacklyn Madison never expected to be attacked by a beast on an evening snack run. Add a rescue mission enacted by a trained regiment of teenaged warriors, and her night officially becomes just like a scene from one of her beloved comic books. Turns out, her parents were once members of the Order of the Key, gifted humans that protect humanity from creatures spilling through inter-dimensional rifts. Unable to control her newfound abilities, Jacklyn and her family rejoin the Order. After an attack on their headquarters leaves Jacklyn questioning their leadership, Kyp—the boy who led her initial rescue—reveals a darker secret. The Order’s leader may be corrupt, and Jacklyn’s questions could put her family in danger. Drawn into the search for proof, Jacklyn must use her guts and magical brawn to protect her family, her friends, and herself from the monsters spilling from rifts, and those hiding within the Order.


Silvertongue

Silvertongue by Casey White

After another long day at work, all Jon Christensen wanted was a cheap burger and some peace and quiet. When he pulled into the McDonald’s, Jon only had the usual cares on his mind. His sister. The bills. A career with seemingly nowhere to go. But after a confusing encounter at the cash register triggers a violent episode in the parking lot, he’s quickly pulled into a world he doesn’t understand. His few careless sentences - and the odd gift of languages he’s kept hidden for years - wind up thrusting him right into the middle of a chaotic magical free-for-all, a battle taking place in the shadows of society. Entangled in an increasingly complex web of violence and lies, he's left with a choice: adapt, or die. Surrounded by strangers, Jon must struggle to survive, searching out friends amidst a sea of foes. If he can get his group of strays and rejects to work together, there’s a chance they might just make it out alive. Should he fail, the consequences will be dire - not only for Jon, but also for those he loves.


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