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When he discovers that his bloodline is part alien and has a magic that is fatal to humans, can he trust the aliens to help when he has put one of them in jail? Undercover missions are one of Barry's favourite things. Getting in deep and completing a dangerous mission has always brought him a sense of pride -until this latest task. Now it's just personal. Given the job of going undercover to bring in Mortimer is going to be difficult. The man, if he can be called that, is Barry's biological father: a disgusting fiend with a sketchy past. When Barry starts to dig more into Mortimer, he learns a complicated truth. Mortimer is an alien with magic in his bloodline that is fatal to humans. Barry’s clock is ticking and the only ones who can help are the aliens who consider him an enemy. Can he convince them to help before it is too late? Colliding Forces is a science fantasy novella with aliens, found families and complicated relationships. If you love morally grey characters, complex social and familial structures, advanced technology with a mix of magic, investigations, soulmates and high personal stakes, you will love this book. |
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Call of the Black Wing by Tristan Gray In a treacherous world filled with deception and distrust, Fiadh the Crow had plied her trade ridding the people of the Seann Àite of spirits and monsters. Beneath it all lies whispers in the dark leading men astray, whispers from a world beyond her own. Dark pacts are struck, and innocent souls are sacrificed for the promise of power from beyond. Far from home, Fiadh travels seeking answers gripping the fell blade Caerdrich. Together they journey the seas seeking revenge for the loss those whispers brought them so long ago. |
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The lords have fallen. But ever shall there be those that vie for power. Those that seek opportunity in death. Prince Ivar’s body burned, one more corpse upon the pyre. One more casualty of the Battle of Torglen. His brother Vlayan makes claim for the throne and control of Volgsland. Willuck awakes amid the chaos, broken and bloodied. Hope has died. Willuck is dying. Another of the lost. A vagrant in a war-torn land. One more wandering husk in need of a friend. And a purpose. A young sorcerer seeks to prove himself. A jaded guard loses purpose. A motley band marches for vengeance. As the kingdoms burn, the survivors of war claw their way from the mud. Seeking purpose. Seeking direction. Seeking their place, no longer beneath the heel of their rulers. |
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The Scroungers by Thomas J Devens The Lords have fallen. It was the war to end all wars. Violence had plagued the Fractured Kingdoms since the fall of the Old Empire. But as the generals and the lords died in the Valley of Torglen, the folk looked beyond their allegiances. Beyond their nations. The bedraggled masses that survived the battle flocked to the nearest town with hopes of a new life. One in which their rulers remained rotting in the mud. Brigge led her company of sellswords to foreign lands. Now she seeks to lead the dispossessed into a new life. Ebar was forced into duty. Conscripted by the war machine of Volgsland. Though the war is over, his service is not. A killer stalks the streets of Bright Hollow. Tortured by their past and longing for vengeance. Disparate tales intertwine as the lives of the survivors collide. Bright Hollow is a small town, brimming with newcomers. |
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Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art. Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another. But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death. Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love. |
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The Rest to the Gods by Joshua Walker On the peak of the Mountain Pass, the Four-Front War takes its final breaths. The walls are closing in. The allies are dwindling. The last front is on its knees. The Rest to the Gods is a prequel novella inspired by the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson and the character-driven storytelling of Peter V Brett and Bradley P Beaulieu, beginning a new epic fantasy adventure series, The Song of the Sleepers. You can find out more about Josh and his work at www.joshuawalkerauthor.com. |
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Remembering Demons by J. Cornelius "...Imagine One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest colliding with the imagination of Angela Carter, broadsiding Lovecraft, and then travelling on into uncharted realms..." - Jonathan Oliver, award-winning editor and author of The Language of Beasts Have you ever wondered what lurks in the mirrors? Daryl doesn't have to wonder... he knows. But why do they stalk him? Why can't he remember anything? It's enough to drive a guy crazy! Meanwhile, the eerie asylum seems to know more than an old pile of rock and mortar has any right to and his therapy is uncovering a blood-stained past of pain and death, alongside something dormant within him of disturbing power. When Dr. Walker teaches him how to face his demons, the psychoses and dreams conspire to warn him of something even worse stalking him. Something ancient and evil. To survive, Daryl must confront the repressed memories that drove him insane. For madness—is a blunt instrument. |
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Flowers for a Vinok, Roses for a Babushka, Poppies for a Grave by Solomon Skalozub Courage for his oath, vengeance for his breath, fearing not his death. This is the story of Amvrosiy, a Cossack swordsman. This tale tells of how he grew from a girl to a man, and of his home, and of those he loved. I will tell you of how he fought for them, protecting them no matter the cost. |
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The Missing Piece by Zaylan Flynn All Astra knows is she woke up in the woods while it was raining. She had no name other than the one given to her by the druids. She had no memories before waking up. Five years later, she has made a life and runs into someone who seems convinced she is their missing person. Dovan was the personal guard for Ally. He was one step away from becoming a knight and having the hand of the princess. Until she went missing. No one knows what happened or where she went. He went out with the rest of the party to look for her. After five years of traveling from island to island, he finally found her. The downfall is that she has no idea who he or she is. |
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The Shepherd in Shadow by M. Daniel McDowell To forge a new destiny, he must confront the demons of his past. Mehren Tevaht wasn’t supposed to survive his desperate gambit. Throwing himself into the abyss along with the truename of the demon prince should have been the end of as worthy an end as Mehren can picture for such a coward as himself, anyway. When Mehren awakens in a shadow-realm he’s only seen in dreams with his beloved, the warrior princess Vierrelyne du Talorr, at his side, he knows the spell he meant to do went horribly awry. Together, they traverse a realm both familiar and hostile while the sorcerer tries to figure out what went wrong—and how to fix it—if only to restore Vierrelyne home without him. Haunted by his own past history, and the dawning revelations of the doomsday cult which once held his undying loyalty, Mehren must choose a fate that will define the future for himself, for Vierrelyne, and for all the realms beyond... ...the realm of bodies, the realm of beasts, the realm of spirits, the realm of dream... the Scourgelands beyond the Known Lands of Derebor itself. |
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Gifted hacker and vampire resistance leader Rowan Finley has lived her entire life caught between two worlds, divided by the dual bloodlines that flow through her veins. Her vampire family exploited her as a child for her rare varewolf blood. Now she may be the only person the werewolves, united with her brother Vlad’s rebel vampire faction, trusts to send in as a spy to gain intelligence on the movements of the Vampire Nation at a time when a dangerous rogue operative threatens to destabilize the werewolf military. But allying with shapeshifters will require betraying her mother Zara, leader of the Vampire Nation. Software engineer August Caldwell has been tasked by the Blood Moon pack with dual missions. He has to locate Matteo Rossi, an unstable neural manipulator and projectionist before he can cause irreparable harm to the werewolf pack structure. Even more daunting, he must find Guillermo Montemayor, leader of the North American werewolves, who has gone missing. Rowan Finley is a complication. She can’t know he still bears her claiming mark from a mission where she bound him to her temporarily in order to save his life. In order to keep her safe, he’ll have to conceal his feelings for her, as well as the true reason he walked away. As a chilling communication throws the werewolf community into revolt, August and Rowan must race against the clock to stop a madman intent on destroying the Vampire Nation and countless innocents, while holding werewolves across the nation hostage. ECLIPSE is part of the Blood Moon, Texas Shifters series. Sizzling hot romance. Guaranteed HEA. |
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The Mantis Variant by Adam Andrews Johnson In the dark future of our world, a small percentage of humanity has evolved with a physiological anomaly that provides them with wondrous abilities. Those gifted few are now targets of the unevolved, looking to steal that power. "The Mantis Variant" follows Agrell, Dozi, and Ilya together in the rundown metropolis of Teshon City. The unlikely trio is set on a path of unexpected heroism through horrifying trials that lead them to sacrifice and redemption. Their group increases throughout the story, and for some, the harrowing events bring growth. However, bizarre eldritch rituals and arcane arts are commonplace in the world of "The Mantis Variant," and tragedy and death are always close at hand. |
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Callista's Adventures: Preventing a War by Joharra Harper Centuries before the Monster Realm is created, Callista had many adventures. One being with Joan of Arc. The two women are sent by the Goddess Athena to retrieve the only item that can prevent a full-blown war. But it isn't an easy journey. A demon and a saint working together, nobody expected smooth sailing. But as the days turn to nights, both realizes that looks can be deceiving, and they may just learn that what they need, is each other. |
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The Church of the Mountain of Flesh by Kyle Wakefield THE CHURCH OF THE MOUNTAIN OF FLESH is a cosmic horror novel about mad artists, bodies spiralling out of control, and a trans man's merciless desperation. Sole De Gasinis drowns his grief in wine and buries his hatred of his body in twisted sculptures. When, one drunken night on the beach, God orders him to rebuild his village's church, he knows he wasn't chosen for his piety. Instead, he and God make a deal. If Sole rebuilds the church, God will give him the body of a man. As Sole works in a frenzy for salvation, lifelong friendships decay, a village united to tear down its church fractures into pariahs and zealots, and power and grief reshape the prophet into a tyrant. Grief for a boy he fell in love with ten years ago, who claimed to be a virgin birth, who died in agony in the church crypt when the God inside him wanted out--and whose monstrous remnant Sole must commune with for every piece of his prize. |
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Towers of Nine by Alyssa Louttit The Towers of Nine School of Magic Study and Practice is an institution rich with ancient traditions and secrets. Serafina Stewart has grown up on stories of this place, passed to her by her witch mother. Now Serafina is finally old enough to attend. But getting in is the easy part. And Mother's stories never included ghosts or deadly spiders. |
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The Curse's Light by Joharra Harper Skylar Prescott is the only girl who knows the truth about their small little town. The town of Lawnsdale is cursed. No one believes the town's crazy girl. Until a strange boy finds himself thrown into the town, and now he can't leave. With Will by her side, Skylar may be able to finally figure out the missing details of the curse, including who's behind it. As Skylar and Will get closer, they can finally uncover all the secrets. But Skylar may find out how she's truly connected to this. |
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An Impossible Dream by Ellie Lieberman A Cinderella story of friendship, love, survival, and dreams, even when they seem impossible... Sare has survived fifteen years playing the perfect little servant, but can she survive the castle? After all, nowhere compares to the castle and no one compares to the King. |
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Oath Keeper: On the Other Hand by Ellie Lieberman "Some promises don't require magic. The most important ones never do." After stealing a dragon egg, an Oath Keeper is caught between a few contradicting, binding oaths. |
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Where the Heart Is by Ellie Lieberman When everything else was taken from someone, the least they should be able to hold onto was their story. This is Clary's story. She was Princess of Alsceance. "Jewel of the South." Married to the feared Shadow King for peace after years of war. And with the stroke of her hand, she was Queen of Midgrim. For seventeen years, she remained trapped within the belly of the beast, a lonely warrior whose only weapon was her heart. But was she traded for nothing more than the falling sand in an hourglass? |
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Who Will Hold the Universe by Kel E Fox The world doesn’t have magic… but it should. You only get one Year 12 School Ball. For Gabby, that’s a blessing, for Zenna, it’s a waste, and for Jairo, an ageless god who’s forgotten who he is, it’s a chance to save the world. Come for a night of mystery, magic and dancing. But be warned: you might not leave with your memories intact. Who Will Hold the Universe is a prequel novella for the epic urban-science-fantasy-turns-queer-magical-space-opera Lightless Prophecy series. |
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Heir To The Autumn Court by Elle Porter A collection of sordid tales centered around Princeling Fenyr, heir to the throne of the Autumn Court, as they prepare for their upcoming coronation. THE HEIR TO THE AUTUMN COURT takes place in a fae land caught in perpetual harvest season. Each high-heat story centers around a nonbinary princeling and a partner of their choosing, ranging from a minotaur, a stoic warrior from a neighboring land, and a former lover turned palace guard. |
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The Illusion of Fear by Kel E Fox The best cure for a broken heart is to solve an art crime. Obviously. After his partner is killed on a mission gone wrong, disavowed spy and magician Del Fevre exiles himself to Acrusi, the only city in the world where his agency can’t find him. But his plans for a peaceful hideaway where he can make illusion art and avoid awkward questions are thwarted when his arrival coincides with a mysterious art theft, and Del might be a suspect. Danger, daring and a handsome detective conspire to make Del’s exile anything but peaceful. The Illusion of Fear is a prequel novella for the Whisperers series, a romantic gaslamp fantasy with art crime and political intrigue. |
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Once Upon a Dark October by Jessie Thomas All curses made in blood must be broken with blood. Dreadmist Harbor sleeps under a near-perpetual veil of coastal fog, home to mortals, vampires, and those somewhere in between. Already down-on-her-luck, mortal charwoman Elspeth finds herself the target of a rogue vampire, shattering the peaceful coexistence. Forced to seek help from a reclusive vampire coven, she barely makes it to their dreary seaside perch before she succumbs to the bite. Morrigan and her coven are haunted by a bitter rivalry that has left them devastated and fractured. As their old feud is once again rekindled, she is inexorably tied to Elspeth, who now carries an ancient vampiric power within her. The two are quickly swept up into a tangle of bloodlust and sorcery after the fraught transformation—realizing that matters of the heart are complicated, especially in undeath. While something sinister gathers in the shadows of their quiet town, they are pulled deeper into a world of curses and magic, dark dealings and betrayal. But Elspeth and Morrigan soon learn that all power must come with a price, for curses are not so easily broken. |
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The Hytharo Redux by Jonathan Weiss A THOUSAND YEARS AGO THE HYTHARO WERE WIPED OUT. A THOUSAND YEARS LATER SPIRIC WAS SAVED. Lost among the dune-swept ruins of ancient glass towers, 14-year-old Spiric hunts for his stolen memories. Guided by the exiled scholar that found him, he embarks on a perilous journey across the Droughtlands to uncover his origins. He’s told his red eyes mark him as a Hytharo, one of the long-extinct storm callers that sealed all water into the air itself before they were erased from history. In the thousand years since, thirst has been quenched simply by breathing, but that hasn’t stopped the surviving runic peoples from wanting water any less. For without it, there’s no ink, no runes, no magic, and in the vast desert wastes of the Droughtlands, magic means power. To Spiric, the mantra is eerily familiar. Word of his presence ripples across the Droughtlands and pressure mounts on him to reverse the Hytharo’s final, sacrificial act. It’s only as his memories begin to return that he realises the true reason his people were wiped out. With the fragments of Spiric’s memories growing bloodier and more desperate, he must determine whether carrying out his supposed fate will cause history to repeat, or if he can forge a new destiny, both for himself and the Droughtlands. |
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A Sharper, More Lasting Pain by Alex Harvey-Rivas After their girlfriend’s best friend is wounded in a monster attack, Simone Allard stumbles across a plot much deeper than they anticipated. As they work to find a cure to their own forming illness and find out the truth, one question remains: how was Nadia involved in this? Nadia DuPont doesn’t know how much time she has or even what is ailing her, but it all gets more complex after meeting Simone on a field trip. As they both work to find a cure to her ailment, all Nadia is certain of is she's on the path to ruin. |
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Under the Dragon Moon by Mawce Hanlin To break the thread of weaver’s fate, those who witness must weave anew… Mael Nguyen doesn’t believe in fate, but he does believe in magic. His entire life revolves around the study of the arcane—spells and rituals, potions and illusions. As far as Mael is concerned, all he needs is a book in one hand and magic in the other. Anything outside of his bookshop, hidden away in the streets of New Orleans, isn’t worth his attention. But when a strange human stumbles into his life and hires him for a job, bringing along his blinding smile and curious magic, Mael finds that Fate is just as dangerous as Magic. Leo Greyson refuses to believe in fate, but he desperately wishes to believe in magic. As a small time rockstar, full time radio host, Leo has never been one to shy away from experience and adventure. He’s always lived his life on the edge—always moving, never standing still. But when his twin sister is murdered, and he gains custody of her strangely magical daughter, that constant motion comes to a screeching halt. Instead, he is launched into an entirely new world hidden right beneath his nose, and Leo finds himself wondering if Fate really does exist, and if she’s led him right where he needs to be. A queer take on magic, murder, and romance, fans of The Dresden Files, Howls Moving Castle, and A Marvelous Light will find family, acceptance, and a fantastical new world to get lost in within the pages of Under the Dragon Moon, the first book in the Belamour Archives Saga. |
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The Whisperer in White by Y. R. Liu When the Whisperer speaks, the universe listens. Growing up, Talia had never given much thought to the gray-robed Whisperers and their powers over reality. Their business was protecting the world; hers was hunting in the forest around her village and trying to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately for Tal, one Whisperer in particular becomes her business when she accidentally injures his companion, a talking cat-shaped creature named Morel. As punishment, she becomes the Whisperer’s prisoner, whisked away to his island home for a year and a day of servitude. There is much to do — for both the Whisperer and for Tal — as he prepares for the ritual that must be completed every hundred years to ensure the safety of the world. Tal does as she is told; her priority is to simply finish out her sentence and return home to her family. Yet there are many secrets on the island, many oddities, and they tug at Tal like an itch. As the year goes on, she learns more of the Whisperer, his duties, and the horrifying evils that he and the other Whisperers keep at bay. But secrets still remain: a room that is always locked, a stone monument in the woods, crimson flowers whose very name causes the Whisperer to storm away. Unbeknownst to Tal, something is watching her, and what she does now may alter the fate of the world. |
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The Cradle of Eternal Night by Ladz In a land lit only by the counterfeit warmth of magical technology, the Kler prays for the return of the sun, the moons, and the stars. Ceaseless night and the beasts lurking in the darkness keep the congregation within the Kolebka Wiecznej Nocy trapped in mirthless vigil. Their towns remain quiet as graveyards as they wait for day to come again. What no one knows about this ceaseless night is that the Kler themselves can end it. But they haven’t, and they won’t. Long ago, the Kler banished the sun worshipers, but a heretical sect made the journey back to the land of darkness. Now, only one remains carrying their purpose heavy on her shoulders: a maverick technomancer named Basia. She alone will bring back the light, or no one will. Armed with naught but her own cleverness and a sword imbued with sun-embraced charms, she searches for the Kler’s secrets and finds herself in Tawerna. With the Kler on her heels, she infiltrates a private feast and catches Hanka, a docile bard, in the middle of planning her own escape into the world beyond. Hanka wants nothing to do with the heretical outsider until she discovers that her purpose aligns with the darkness buried inside herself. Hanka knows the secrets the Kler keeps, and she knows just where to go to expose their lies. With only each other and their heretical magic to rely on, Basia and Hanka face the eternal night and wonder, are they truly enough to bring light back to the world? |
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With great power comes your past incarnations and future self playing chess with your existence. Kylie Rae thought she was an average honors high school student but discovered during a life-threatening incident that she’s the reincarnation of an ancient magic kingdom’s crown princess. Now people she’s never met want her dead, and she must learn how to survive in this new world while maintaining the façade that nothing’s changed. Forget making A’s, how will Kylie survive to the end of the year when she’s constantly looking over her shoulder? Riyati Rebirth is the first book of a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series that seeks to explore themes of identity, legacy, the greater good, and finding your own path in life. The Riyati series includes multiple first person perspectives and multiple queer characters (currently including demisexual/romantic and lesbian representation with more to come in future books), set in the modern day United States. |
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Of Blood and Aether by Harper Hawthorne A rare conduit of Light, drawn to the Shadows. A spymaster who can’t seem to stay away. For as long as she can remember, Arken Asher has been searching for answers—driven by an insatiable hunger, a need to understand the meaning behind her dangerous arcane secrets. She’s finally taken that leap into the unknown, leaving her simple life behind to attend the Arcane Studium: a prestigious college of magickal arts & sciences nestled in the heart of Sophrosyne: the City of the Gods. As the Scouting & Reconnaissance Captain of the Elder Guard, Kieran Vistarii deals in Shadows, blood and subterfuge. Scarred by his past but dedicated to safeguarding Sophrosyne’s future, Kieran’s self-imposed isolation is easily masked by charm and cocksure energy. Strange disappearances have kept his cadre busy as of late, and yet the captain finds himself sidetracked, distracted by the inexplicable allure of a certain golden-eyed Conduit and her curious mind. They both know better than to get involved, but the Fates have other plans. The dark threads of prophecy were woven long ago, and the ties that bind just might be what it takes to mend these broken, star-crossed souls… or what forges a deadly bond that could damn them all. |
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The world is on the brink of ruin. The Goddess’ chosen must fight back, lest Abomination consume everything. Everything is hurtling towards catastrophe. The Blade is lost. People have died. Abomination is still out there. No one knows what to do… but they have to do something. Without the Blade tying him to the situation, Jamirh feels adrift and forgotten about as the government of Romanii tries to brace itself for what’s coming. Takeshi is still trying to navigate whether or not he wants to be a priest of Hades, but the effects of his encounter with the Truth Seekers are making everything more difficult. Ander blames himself for not foreseeing the events at Tilden Base and has locked himself away in his lab. After centuries of being controlled by the Empire, the Seekers themselves have their own plans – which may or may not align with those of the goddess. But what even is Abomination? What is magic? Why do these two forces find themselves in conflict cycle after cycle, and what does it mean for the mortals who find themselves caught between them? As Abomination begins to gain ground, can anything be done to stop it? Or will the world finally end in ruin? |
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Where we come from does not define where we go A long time ago, Abomination almost succeeded. A man who had lost everything found something to have faith in. A child of the desert found a Master of Blades in a cold forest far from home. A half-Avari struggling to find a place for himself has his life implode around him. These stories from the past, both distant and near, are collected into this anthology. Nine short stories featuring Hades, Jak, Sukra, Ander, and more offer a glimpse into life at different moments on Gaia. As magic pulses through the world in a spectrum of colors, how will it shape the characters we have come to know in Blades of the Goddess? |
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The Flowered Blade by Taylor Hubbard Crown Prince, the elf Silvyr Quilen is the family disappointment. His father, High King Keryth Quilen of Athowen, wanted a son to follow in his image. A warlord who rules with no regard for those around him and will do anything to maintain his power, the king finds Silvyr's desire to spend his days in the flowers and libraries to be pathetic and useless. Even so, Silvyr strives to receive his father's approval. On a diplomatic journey to Xeatia, where he was meant to collect taxes and return with a report on their financial situation, Silvyr is suddenly forced to confront the consequences of his fathers actions when the Orcs of Ghizol attack his caravan. Chief Brokil of the Ghizol Orcs has been tasked with leading and protecting his people. For years he sacrificed and waged war to ensure the people who voted for him to lead could live in peace. For that reason, the risk was worth the reward. With the approval of the Ghizol council of Elders, Brokil executes his plan: Kidnap the Prince of Athowen, Silvyr Quilen, and send their ultimatum to the King. Leave Ghizol alone, or have his heir be killed. Keeping Silvyr as his ward, Brokil finds that while the prince was the most annoying person he's ever met, he is also nothing like his father who carries the name Tyrant King. Absolutely bewildered and exhilarated, Silvyr and Brokil are forced to confront themselves and each other while the looming threat of Ghizol's demands hang over them. |
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Abomination has returned. The Goddess must strike back before all is lost — but are her chosen ready? Jamirh: A thousand years ago, the Avari Hero Ebryn Stormlight saved the world from falling to Abomination, making a bargain with the goddess of death in the process. Ebryn reborn, Jamirh wants very little to do with the bargain his predecessor made with Hades. Still, how much of the choice is his own, when the bionic Abominations of the Empire have attacked him directly in the heart of Romanii? He took up the Crystal Light Blade, and has been learning how to utilize his inherent magic as a Master of Blades, but will it be enough? Or is it too little, too late? Takeshi: Haunted by the ghosts the two women he failed to save, Takeshi is fleeing north, trying to accomplish the last thing Hel told him to do - find Ander. It's all he has left to him, since returning to Ni Fon is no longer an option. But with the threat of more debilitating migraines and the realization that something is wrong with him and his magic, even the safety of Tarvishte may not be enough. Ander: The Abomination has attacked Romanii in its capital city. The Eighth High Priest of the goddess Hades, Ander finds himself with more questions than answers - Will they attack again? How did they reach Tarvishte in the first place? How has the Empire managed to combine tech and magic? Why are they being constructed from Avari? He is also responsible for Takeshi as the potential priest makes his way north. They know Abomination has something to do with Takeshi's condition - but what? |
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The Stars Want Blood by Morgan Lawson When a summer's wind whips through the spring gardens, when air meets earth, a fate that has long since been written amongst the stars will unfurl itself… There was only so long that anybody could handle living while disregarding every single piece of advice from their psychiatrist, and Hazel Culhane was reaching their breaking point. Hoping to recharge themself enough to handle the challenge of getting better, they tuck themself into a hidden cabin for a week. It wasn’t a bad idea, but they couldn’t have predicted that something would be waiting for them in those woods, something significantly more frightening than their own crumbling sanity… All of the Constellites — the celestial gods borne from the stars of the zodiac constellations — knew what fate had planned for them. It was the same in each generation of them. And as the Virgo god, Ezra Thompson should have been no exception. He doesn’t know why his Gemini counterpart came along so late, or why their newfound divinity doesn’t fit them, but it doesn’t take him very long to figure out that the quirky and unstable Hazel — the Constellite of Geminorum — is still his fate. Fate has given them love, but with it, destruction. Will they be able to rewrite fate and save themselves? Or will they get pulled into the event horizon that fate has waiting for them? ... and it will demand blood. |
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The Hidden World of Kaishi by N.R. Wolfman Lilah always heard her grandfather's stories growing up, talking about a magical world he used to visit known as Kaishi. A world where animals had magical abilities, but that was plagued by a darkness known as the Shadow Beast who destroys everything he touches. After his death, Lilah inherits the key to Kaishi and has to finish the battle that her grandfather never did. With her friends by her side, can she defeat the Shadow Beast and restore order to the hidden world? |
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The Odyllic Stone by Alex Scheuermann When Aster Rutherford, the postmaster's son and his childhood friend, Zinnia Hollyhock deliver a letter to the Pelware Mines, they are attacked by a birdlike monster that turns men to stone. Even worse, Buckwheat Village is plagued by an illness that's incapacitating villagers, including Aster's own father. A chance encounter with Kara Reeves, the brash quartermaster of the Blue Skies, leads Aster to hitch a ride to the capital city in search of a doctor. Aster's quest takes him from the dizzying spires of New Portsmith to the caves of Munayallpa and the forests of Tembour. Along the way Aster reconnects with his estranged mother and comes face-to-face with the god of a foreign land. Can Aster and the crew of the Blue Skies overcome pirates, politics, and monsters to cure Buckwheat Village before it's too late? |
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The Envoys of War by Dave Lawson Don’t kill the messengers. As a bodyguard for the King’s Envoys, Gen is content with her life of traveling, drinking wine, and hitting things with her sword. It’s the perfect job. Until the King sends her and her friend Cordyn into war-torn enemy territory on a mission to deliver vital military intelligence to an allied nation. The problem? The mission is a sham. Gen is tasked with determining if Cordyn is a spy who is selling information to the enemy. Cordyn is the worst kind of libertine: brash, arrogant, and on the run from half the husbands in the kingdom, but Gen can’t imagine him betraying her or their nation. With obtuse bandits, vengeful mages, and a resolute lutist, they embark on a daring rescue mission, complicated by Cordyn’s increasingly complex schemes. As ominous enemy plots surface, Gen and Cordyn must decide what matters most. Their nation or their friends. A rollicking fantasy adventure for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Nicholas Eames, and Michael J. Sullivan. |
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The Cat and the Brat by D.T. Brandt What happens when unstoppable grump meets immovable sunshine? Samiel is trying to keep his head down, but the other castle guards are keen to remind him he isn't worthy of the job he'll probably inherit - his father's as captain and royal confidant. Of course, “keeping his head down” is not how they'd put it; Samiel's defensiveness is spiky, and keeps even his most likely allies at a distance. When Prince Rapuska of Tyria, a Felien, arrives at the guard corps as a diplomatic envoy to Corniss, his highest priority is getting the lay of the land. His most readily available source of information there is his new the enigmatic Samiel. Even with this chance at a fresh start, Samiel tries to keep Rapuska away so the prince’s reputation isn’t tarnished by association with him. Rapuska sees Samiel’s fire differently, however—as a keenness and conviction that may be exactly why he’s still positioned for the future he is. Their mutual concern starts small, but when Samiel is sent to accompany Rapuska back home to Tyria for the Queen’s birthday they find the whole capital has entered Felien heat season and their feelings for each other are pushed to their limits. The Cat and the Brat is a cisbi M / transgay M fantasy romance novel, with a nonbinary AMAB author. |
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Recipient of the 2023 Best Novella Award from the Queer Indie Awards. Work as a Curse Breaker is anything but glamorous. It’s difficult, gruesome at times, and it takes Curse Breaker Thierry Pryor to places better left untouched. The Paris Catacombs were once a symbol of French identity, the true sign of death making all equal in the end, but after centuries of layered spell work, ancient hexes, and more than one hastily patched protective charm, the resulting magical amalgam has begun to break down, tainting the surrounding land. It’s up to Thierry and his team to figure out the source of the miasma and quell it before it begins having an effect on those living above the city of the dead. But unlike the jobs before, there’s something at work in the catacombs much more sinister than some moldering family curse. Sometimes the dead sleep more soundly than the living, but then again, maybe some of the dead don’t sleep willingly at all... |
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A witch with a dead familiar is an outlier and an ill-omen to every village they pass through. Rehan Nadir is one such witch. The only jobs available to him are terrible ones, and vagrancy is his only recourse… At least, it was until he heard tell of the town of Hamelin’s plight. Stories of a malicious entity, a chaos god, have tormented the village for hundreds of years, and like clockwork tragedy has struck once more: while the adults gathered elsewhere, the children were spirited away. No trace of them has been seen since. The town is desperate to bring them back. Very desperate. Finding and returning the lost children would be just the thing to give Rehan a new chance at the life he lost after the death of his familiar, and if all it takes is killing a god of chaos, then he’s more than ready to take the plunge and open that door. Unfortunately, he just didn’t anticipate opening a few more in the midst of dealing the finishing blow. |
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Through High Waters by Allison Paige Leah has done everything she can to escape the demon apocalypse that havocs Earth, including dying. When Raum revives Leah, it is not just for the simple pleasure of it, but to hunt down the man that killed her, Sebastian. The three become unlikely companions when they are taken into Pethaino, a demon kingdom that has not succumbed to the return of the bees. Led by a ruthless king, it is a place where only the wicked thrive and even demons are expendable. Within the fortress lies power that could very well shift the tides of humanity’s fate and restore Hell’s order. But as the Pacific coast rises, Leah must make a decision that forces her to choose between her freedom and Sebastian’s. Where even her loyalty to Raum is tested and tried. Is her life worth more than theirs? And if it is, what price is she willing to pay for it? |
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After the Bees by Allison Paige It starts when the bees die and a plague sweeps across the Earth. The immune survive only to face a greater horror: a demon-ruled world where mankind is either marked or possessed. But Leah survives. For three years, she lives on her own after fleeing the fall of her city until she meets Raum, a demon who keeps her alive and unmarked. Uncertain of his motives, she follows him to Babel, even though she knows his intentions are anything but good. When Leah is stolen from Raum, she discovers the outside world is not what it once was, and perhaps hope for mankind is not lost. But with new hope comes consequences, and she'll have to face a nightmare far greater than anything she's ever faced before. |
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Fangs and Felonies by K. Malady In a city torn between humans and the paranormal, attorney Emily Lane thrives on ambition and her dreams of making partner. Her one vice? Illegal encounters letting vampires drink her blood. But when a prominent anti-creature businessman meets a sticky end and the local vamp coven leader Lucian is arrested, Emily's life takes a dramatic turn. Determined to prove his innocence, she teams up with the accused, the vamp whose looks are as potent as his bite, and crew of paranormal creatures. As Emily gets further entangled into the murder investigation, she wades through a world unseen by humans, where trust is scarcer than a werewolf at a flea market. But with every step, she risks her reputation and career. Can she clear Lucian's name without destroying everything she's worked for? Join Emily on a fast-paced journey of intrigue, romance, and unlikely connections in this paranormal mystery, Fangs and Felonies. |
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The Dark Side of Super by Matthew Siadak Superpowers, the ability to be something more. This collection of stories weaves together the tales of eleven individuals who have come into their own power. When their backs are against the wall, each of them will have to make a choice. Felix must watch what he says, his voice carrying an addictive power. Jasper must learn to look before he leaps while figuring out his teleportation ability, much to the dismay of his sister Enid, whose emotions bring rain and thunder. Sabrina struggles against the relentless flow of time, no matter how she tries to turn the clock back. Nikhail hides from the fame, or infamy, the power to heal brings. These stories and more delve into the dark side of being super. They can rise up like heroes, or let their powers corrupt them. Find out which side of human nature prevails! |
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Black Brilliance by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton The unheard ancient Egyptian tale of Aqil, the great musician and scientist. It was luck, or rather, fate that he stumbled upon a cursed microscope; stolen from the god Thoth himself. It gave him the power to see something no man had seen before: DNA. Aqil had the unusual gift of seeing DNA as music, could apply his knowledge of science, and performed miracles by playing his Egyptian ney; miracles that could replicate or even mutate DNA. Whispers spread that he could heal the injured, cause life-threatening afflictions, and cure the sick. Rumors also spread that he could change a frog into a fish and a mouse into a snake. Others say he could turn a human into a demon, or even a god. The truth to the rumors was unknown. However, one thing was certain. Any person who peered into the microscope was placed under a heavy curse. Aqil was often given difficult tasks, having to rely on his mind to keep himself, and others alive. When asked to do the impossible, he had to utilize his brilliance to combine his musical abilities, his knack for science, and the cursed microscope to perform miracles. His story will be heard across the world. However, pray you never hear the distinct melody of his prized instrument, his Egyptian ney, for that would mean one of two things. You could be in earshot of him performing a miracle, or you could be the target. Some have very different perceptions of what a miracle is. |
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Wayward Daughter by Alyssa Frace 17-year-old Genesis Belle would do anything to leave the monster hunting world behind–even make a deal with one of the world’s most accomplished hunters: her mother. All she has to do is kill the creature lurking in the shadows of their town before her mom does. If she wins, she can follow her cross-country road trip dreams without slaying monsters on the way, but if she loses, she’ll have to keep working at a hunting outpost masquerading as a dingy diner. She’s sure this bet is exactly what she needs to finally be able to do whatever she wants. Thanks to the help of the apothecary-in-training, Red, she assumes winning will be easy enough. He’ll help her with the boring part (researching monsters) and she’ll do the important part (killing monsters). It should be as easy as the pie she serves at the diner, but the further down the rabbit hole she goes, the higher the body count. And she’s pretty sure her mom’s shady monster hunting tactics are to blame. Armed with a broken mermaid artifact, that annoyingly nosy apothecary, and lots of spite, Genesis must traverse the monster hunting world and utilize her skills to win the bet and save the town from the magic lurking in the shadows. |
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Smuggler's Fortune by Angela Boord Kyrra d'Aliente's metal arm has always been her salvation, but will it now become her downfall? Peace may have been declared in Liera, but the city is a dangerous place for mercenary Kyrra d’Aliente. Her family is dead, her pockets empty, the man she loves missing, and now, some out-of-work sellswords want to steal her metal arm. When an encounter with an old friend leads to a smuggling job, she’s more than willing to hop on board in exchange for a bag of coins and a little revenge. But as this deceptively simple job leads down an ever more treacherous path into Kyrra's past, will the mysterious cargo be worth the danger it brings—or will it cost her far more than her arm? Smuggler’s Fortune is a standalone novella set in the award-winning Eterean Empire epic fantasy series. If you like fast-paced stories with a cast of complex characters and a strong female protagonist, you’ll love Angela Boord’s action-packed adventure. |
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The Reanimator's Remains by Kara Jorgensen An autistic necromancer, his undead love, and a covenant that must be broken. Oliver Barlow never knew what happened to his parents. With a note from his mother as his only lead, Oliver had given up hope of ever learning the truth. But when the dead start rising in the town of Aldorhaven, Oliver jumps at the chance to take the case if it means he can investigate the last place his parents were seen alive. Felipe Galvan would like to be anywhere but Aldorhaven. Between protecting Oliver and Gwen, dealing with distrustful townsfolk, and an unexpected letter from his estranged parents, Felipe is already stretched thin. But when he is suddenly plagued by whispers from the woods and nightmares from his past, Felipe fears he is only one misstep away from becoming the monster he was meant to be. Far more sinister things than the dead lurk in Aldorhaven's woods. A centuries old bargain has been broken, and the only thing that can satisfy it is Oliver's blood. Together, Oliver, Felipe, and Gwen must finish what Oliver's parents started or they too will be ensnared by their devil's bargain |
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The Little Goblin by Joanne Lecuyer Picture book for ages 5-7. With all the courage he can muster, a little goblin, named Gorzak, sets out to find a rare shroom to help save his maba and stumbles upon an unlikely helper! |