Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars (Once Upon A Rhyme Book 6) by Abigail Manning

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star... How everyone wonders where you are? Princess Lyra of Bellatring is the sparkling diamond of her family. She’s polite, intelligent, beautiful, and the perfect match for the neighboring prince who is looking to unite their militaries. But even the brightest jewels can still possess flaws, or in Lyra’s case, armfuls of scars. Lyra secretly spends her evenings tinkering with magic stones under the starlight. Though the temperamental stones lash out and leave behind their marks, it’s nothing that can’t be concealed with a strategically planned wardrobe. The real difficulty for a princess is acquiring magic stones, unless you have a stone-smuggling friend who delights in climbing your tower walls every night. Stirling is a man of many names, if you can call him a man. His crooked leg, mismatched eyes, and lack of sanity tend to get him labeled as anything but human, though he takes pride in his complicated reputation. When Stirling senses danger for Lyra, he doesn’t hesitate to recommend that she marry the powerful prince who could keep her safe–until the wedding doesn’t come soon enough. Both Lyra and Stirling are captured by power-hungry magic hunters, in search of the notorious inventor. The only problem is, their captors aren’t certain who is who, giving Stirling the chance to claim yet another name... The inventor. Will Lyra’s true identity be uncovered? Or will Stirling’s lie leave them wondering what you are? Once Upon A Rhyme is a collection of clean, intercepting stories, best enjoyed when read as a series. For more information on Once Upon A Rhyme sign up for my free monthly newsletter at: Abigailmanningauthor.com

Trials and Command: A Retelling of The Tinderbox and The Princess and the Pea (The Roumaterra Chronicles Book 5) by Erin Halbmaier

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗶𝗻-𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿. Keenan left home to watch out for a young woman searching for her friend. But when bandits attack, leaving them separated, Keenan is left lost and wounded, stumbling through the woods in search of help. Princess Sakura needs a titled husband to inherit the throne. Since a prophecy declared her the future bride of a common soldier, she only has a few months until her brother is named heir in her place. But it’s hard to find a husband at all in an isolated castle. When an injured young man staggers up to their door, the queen offers him the chance to prove he is a “true prince” and so marry her daughter. Sakura believes their guest has enchanted the queen…until her mother confides a plot that will guarantee Sakura the throne. All she has to do is make Keenan fall in love with her. But he doesn’t trust her or her mother – and the key to her crown might be too powerful to give up. Fans of Brittany Fichter and Melanie Cellier will love this clean fantasy romance retelling of The Tinderbox x The Princess and the Pea. With forced proximity, layered secrets, and a baby dragon, Trials and Command (Book 5 in The Roumaterra Chronicles) delivers wit, heart, and a quest that will keep you turning pages.

Boots and Roses: A Retelling of Puss in Boots and Beauty and the Beast (The Roumaterra Chronicles Book 6) by Erin Halbmaier

Liesl is determined to find the man who broke her heart. Getting trapped in a cursed valley with a dangerous ogre isn't part of the plan. Tobias gave Liesl a rose and a reason to hope – then chose to search for the missing princess instead. When she discovers he’s vanished without his beloved cat, concern overrides her hurt. Something is wrong, and she’ll track him down to ensure he’s safe…and to demand the answers she deserves. Beast has no memory of who he is, only a desperate need to complete a task the valley’s magic won’t let him leave to finish. When Liesl appears with a familiar cat at her heels, fragments begin to surface – memories of a life he can’t quite grasp. Believing Beast knows something about Tobias, Liesl risks getting close to him. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to see him as a monster. But Beast’s mission will cost him any future with Liesl. And if he tells her why, someone else will pay the price. Some secrets have to be kept. Even if that means losing the woman he loves. Fans of K.M. Shea and Melanie Cellier will love this clean fantasy romance retelling of Puss in Boots x Beauty and the Beast, where quiet connection, magical mysteries, and impossible choices take you on an emotional journey. Pick up Boots and Roses and fall into a cursed valley where the truth can be dangerous – and love demands everything.

Arrows and Gems: A Retelling of Robin Hood and Snow White and Rose Red (The Roumaterra Chronicles Book 4) by Erin Halbmaier

A runaway princess. An honorable outlaw. A crime that hasn’t been paid. Princess Helena has always struggled to belong. When she wakes from her twelve-year enchanted sleep, she tries to adjust to the changes in her life. But her childhood sweetheart’s marriage and the council’s plan to choose her husband push her too far. Cap just wants to protect his friends and return the throne to the missing crown prince. But the unlawful regent has accused the crown prince of murdering the king, and Cap’s status as an outlaw makes it hard to investigate. He’s wary of the woman he believes has been sent to trap him, but she has a way of slipping past his defenses. And he’s afraid she might be another sign that he shouldn’t trust his own judgment. Can Helena and Cap work together to reveal the true murderer? Or will their insecurities and secrets destroy everything they care about? Arrows and Gems is a clean, no-spice retelling of Robin Hood and Snow White and Rose Red. It is book four in The Roumaterra Chronicles, a series of interconnected, standalone fairy tale retellings perfect for readers of Brittany Fichter, Celeste Baxendell, and Annette K. Larsen.

Once Upon A Bear: A Cozy Fantasy Goldilocks Retelling (The Galamere Chronicles) by Gabrielle Landi

An illegal herbwitch, a man turned bear, and the curse keeping them apart. Guinevere has spent years hiding her illegal magic, healing on the sly with enhanced salves and tonics. Life in her tiny cottage making potions by firelight is quiet and lonely, but it keeps her safe…even if it’s hard to buy food sometimes. Gideon Rendon is tired of being a bear, but with silence woven into his curse and anyone who sees him trying to kill him, he’s run out of hope. When Guinevere discovers his secret, he begins to feel hope for the first time in years–but the curse is taking over, and he’s spending more and more time as a bear. As Guinevere stitches his wounds, helps with his brother’s injury, and attempts to break his curse before he loses his humanity, the line between healer and patient begins to blur. But with Gideon’s noble family and Guinevere’s dangerous secret between them, falling in love might be a risk neither of them can afford. Once Upon A Bear is a cozy fantasy romance inspired by the Goldilocks fairy tale, full of grumpy sunshine vibes and wound tending, and the fifth book in the Galamere Chronicles. Each standalone, young adult romance is a clean and wholesome retelling of a beloved story or fairytale, with the swoon-worthy sweet romance of a Hallmark movie, the wholesome and heartwarming feeling of cozy fantasy, and the comfort of a found family of friends, with a sprinkling of danger and a dash of magic. While Once Upon A Bear is the fifth book in the Galamere Chronicles series, each couple has their own romance with a happily ever after that can be read in any order. “You are always fit for human company,” she said. “Because whether you are in your human form or not, you have a human soul, and that is what matters.”

Once Upon A Cat: A Cozy Fantasy Frog Prince Retelling (The Galamere Chronicles) by Gabrielle Landi

A café owner, her former love, and the curse between them. Thea Greene has no time for nonsense—especially not from her overly charming landlord who delivers flowers “for the building” and thinks a smile can fix anything. She’s too busy running her business, finding an apprentice, and reminding herself that falling for Nat again is only asking for him to break her heart once more. Nathaniel Alder wants nothing more than to fix his relationship with Thea, which is difficult when she won’t talk to him. When a wand-wielding maniac turns him into a cat—whiskers, tail, and all—in front of the Cozy Cat Cafe, it’s a blessing and a curse. Being with Thea as a cat isn’t what he planned, but it's more time and attention than she gave him before. Can Nat break the curse he’s under and convince Thea that he’s worthy of her trust, or will their second chance at love turn out the same as the first? Once Upon A Cat is a Frog Prince fairytale retelling and the fourth book in the Galamere Chronicles. Each standalone book is a retelling of a beloved story or fairy tale, with the swoon-worthy sweet romance of a Hallmark movie, the wholesome and heartwarming feeling of cozy fantasy, and the comfort of a found family of friends, with a sprinkling of danger and a dash of magic.

A Taste of Tea and Tenderness: A Cozy Fantasy Thumbelina Retelling (Enchanting Confections Series) by Gabrielle Landi

A pinch of fake dating, a dash of fundraiser mayhem, and a love that rises when their future is on the line. Running the Cozy Cat Café while its owner is away would have been enough work, but apprentice Linnea added another complication: catering the local school’s fundraiser. Surviving the week seems debatable…until the quiet schoolteacher she might be falling for offers to help her. Faking a relationship to avoid one of his students is only the icing on the cinnamon roll. Conrad hasn’t been able to take his eyes off Linnea since he first saw her, and the fact that she’s on her own with the cafe for a week seems like the perfect opportunity to show her how much he cares. But with more suitors vying for her hand, an encounter with a hive of bees gone wrong, and clingy students that he can’t shake, proving that he’s the man for her is turning out to be more work than he expected. Between batches of pastries and mugs of tea, can Conrad and Linnea's fake relationship rise to the occasion, or will they both end up burned? A Taste of Tea and Tenderness, a no spice fairy tale retelling of Thumbelina, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes such as fake dating, he falls first, and wound tending. It is part of The Enchanting Confections series, a collection of clean and cozy stories guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth. Perfect for fans of whimsical fairytale romance, cozy Hallmark vibes, and sweet & swoony heroes.

A Dwelling of Dragons: A Cozy Fantasy Romance (Healer of Dragons Book 2) by Gabrielle Landi

A dragon healer who wants a quiet life, the shopkeeper destined to lead, and the hidden village that changes everything. Caring for injured baby dragons was all Celia Carrington wanted to do, but when she followed her favorite baby into the mountains, she discovered a hidden village of frail, illegal magic users. Unfortunately, she’s burnt out on healing humans, and the idea of them depending on her is terrifying. When Darian Emberlin learns that his dragon bond ties him to the village's future, he's faced with a responsibility he never wanted. While the dragons may believe he's meant to lead, Darian isn't convinced he's the right man for the task, and his bond to Celia feels stronger than his bond to the village. With a shaky community depending on them, can they face the destiny neither of them asked for and build a home among the dragons, or will their fears keep them from reaching their full potential? A DWELLING OF DRAGONS is the second book in the HEALER OF DRAGONS cozy fantasy romance trilogy, with a closed door, wholesome romance, fated mates, dragon riding, a hidden mountain village, and a grumpy, burnt out healer discovering that facing your fears is worth it.

A Hearthful of Hatchlings: A Cozy Fantasy Romance (Healer of Dragons Book 1) by Gabrielle Landi

A grumpy hermit healer, the boy who will do anything to make her smile, and the injured baby dragons they care for. After being blamed for a tragedy she couldn't prevent, healer Celia Carrington fled to the mountains and built a life caring for injured baby dragons. Since no one believes dragons exist, her world is warm, cozy, and quiet--until it's no longer a secret. When shopkeeper Darian Emberlin finds the baby dragon hidden in Celia's shopping basket, his chivalry--and curiosity--insist he offer to help her. Celia may say she wants him to leave her and the hatchlings in peace, though he suspects he's just too much for her grumpy heart...but that was before they discovered he could understand the dragons. As Celia and Darian care for the dragons, their growing bond kindles something neither expected--hope. But in a world where magic is illegal and dragons are merely a legend, can the bond they forge withstand the flames? A HEARTHFUL OF HATCHLINGS is the first in the HEALER OF DRAGONS cozy fantasy romance series, with fated mates, dragon riding, and a reverse grumpy sunshine romance with a golden retriever man and the strong woman determined to ignore the fact that he falls first.

Monsters and Mocha: Inspired by Frankenstein (The Haunted Brew Series) by Sarah Beran

One a monster becomes... Darby Shelton’s future is bright—as a top graduate from the Mavorian Academy of Science and Magic, she now holds a prestigious and highly-sought after surgical internship with the famous Dr. Fransten. Sure, he might treat her more like a secretary than a fellow professional, but how can she complain when she gets to learn from the best? And unlike her other teachers, he doesn’t seem to mind that she spends the rest of her free time tinkering with gears and cogs, searching for connections between the medicine she loves and the machines that captivate her imagination. But war throws a shadow over her future, and a battle fought a little too close to home sends her on a completely different course. The wounded soldiers are brought to their hospital, among them a captain who had sacrificed life and limb to protect his comrades. Dr. Fransten might not think him worth treating, but Darby can’t leave him to suffer. It takes everything she knows of magic, metal, and medicine to save him, but at what cost? If the Guild of Medicine finds out, she could lose her position. Her mentor promises to shield her, but when a series of strange and unnerving accidents target both her and the recovering captain, Darby is left to wonder: In saving a man, has she somehow created a monster? Monsters and Mocha is inspired by Frankenstein and is part of The Haunted Brew series. A collection of four cozy and spooky tales inspired by myths, lore, and legends, it is sure to bring you just the right amount of chill for your autumn evenings.

A Bond of Ice and Sunshine (Tales of Eukarya) by Sarah Beran

The Snow Queen meets King Thrushbeard… As the crown prince of the tiny, coastal island of Kysta, Frederick had many expectations surrounding his future marriage. He had expected it to be an arranged, political match with a neighboring country. He had expected that the union would be weighed down by social and economic consequences. When his childhood friend and playmate, Princess Eliza of Nedra was announced as his intended, it was a pleasant surprise, but not unexpected. What Freddy didn’t expect was the sudden icy temper and stone cold stares that Eliza has been gracing him with since the announcement. He also never expected to be left at the altar. Twice. But if there’s one thing Freddy knows, it’s that not even the coldest ice can withstand the sun. He’s willing to cross the whole of Eukarya to bring her back, and he’s determined to melt his way into the icy princess’s heart…even if it means risking frostbite to his own.

The Silent Night: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling (The Christmas Chronicles) by Sarah Beran

Twas the hour after midnight and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for the owls. And Holly. Holly is no stranger to the night. Her unique position means that the still hours in the darkest parts of the night are when most of her work gets done. It’s not completely silent—she has Parliament to thank for that—but it does get a bit lonely. Not even the letters from her faithful correspondent can completely fill the empty space, and it’s only a matter of time before she loses even those. Dominic Klause has watched as, year after year, the winters in Weihnacht grow longer and colder. The nights are dark, food is scarce, and his fellow countrymen are desperate for a miracle, but too proud to accept charity, leaving Dominic no choice but to hide his attempts at helping them under the cover of darkness. But his resources are limited, and not even the brilliant suggestions of his friend Joy can change the fact that it will require the riches of a king to continue his charitable efforts. As Deus Natus Eve approaches, Dominic turns his attention towards the one place that could solve all his problems—the abandoned castle of the former king. But all is not as it seems behind the towering holly hedges that surround the castle, and Dominic encounters more than he bargained for. When the unexpected gift of love is dropped into his lap, will Dominic find the treasure he seeks? Or will it be lost to the silence of the night? This book is a part of The Christmas Chronicles, a collection of festive novellas filled with clean romance, chilly weather, and cozy adventures.

Ice Dragon's Heart (Dragons on Mars Book 2) by Honey Phillips

All she wanted was to be left alone. Now, he's her only chance for survival. Jaz came to the Martian pole for solitude, not company. Especially not the company of a seven-foot-tall alien who just turned her mining rig into a scrap heap in a fit of primal rage. Ajar is a creature of ice and fury, a dragon awakened from a frozen tomb, wounded and cornered. And thanks to the blizzard of the century, he's her new roommate. As Jaz reluctantly nurses him back to health, his defensive rage gives way to an unexpected vulnerability. She sees the lost soul trapped within the scales, and her hardened heart begins to melt. When a corporate hunting party arrives to claim their prize, Jaz and Adjar forge a desperate alliance. He may have destroyed her past, but he’s the only one who can protect her future. A sweet and spicy sci-fi romance perfect for readers who love forced proximity, wounded heroes, and a love that thaws the coldest of hearts.

Last Dragon on Mars (Dragons on Mars Book 1) by Honey Phillips

She was looking for answers. She found a legend. Dr. Alina Falkner is a scientist. She believes in data, in logic, in the cold hard rock of the Martian landscape. So when impossible energy readings lead her deep into a newly-opened cavern, she expects a geological anomaly, not the last echo of an ancient world, awakened by advanced human technology. He is dangerous. He is impossible. And he is her secret to keep. He was born in darkness. She was his first light. Born from a fusion of cyborg blood and the planet's dormant DNA, Rhyx is a newborn in a warrior's body, and the brilliant, gentle human who found him is the first thing he has ever known. Trapped together by a raging dust storm, she becomes his fierce, consuming passion. He will do anything to keep her, even though the world outside their sanctuary threatens to tear them apart. A ruthless scientist, obsessed with both Alina and her secrets, is pursuing them both. As the hunt intensifies, Alina must choose between the career she's dedicated her life to and the impossible male she's fallen for. But when you’re hiding the last dragon on Mars, the price of discovery isn't just loss—it's extinction.

Never Invite a Vampire to Dinner (Wrong Move, Right Monster) by Honey Phillips

Love was never part of the menu. Penelope Harrington loves bringing people together. So when the mysterious owner of Blackthorn House returns to Black Harbor, she invites him to dinner. She doesn't expect him to accept. She definitely doesn't expect him to be a vampire. Or to keep accepting her invitations. After centuries of carefully avoiding attention, Julian Volkov wants nothing more than a quiet life. Then Penny barges into his world with themed dinner parties, endless questions, and a determined belief that no one should eat alone. Unfortunately for Julian, saying no to her proves impossible. The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for Julian to stay hidden—and the harder it becomes to imagine a future without the woman who keeps trying to feed him homemade garlic bread. But when a paranormal podcast starts digging into the secrets of Blackthorn House, Julian's carefully constructed life begins to unravel. Suddenly, the woman who invited him to dinner may be the only person who can protect both his secrets and his heart. A steamy standalone paranormal romance featuring a vampire hero, a sunshine foodie heroine, a cozy coastal town, small-town meddling, mystery, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Never Dance with a Demon: A Cozy Monster Romance (Wrong Move, Right Monster) by Honey Phillips

She lives by the rules. He breaks them for a living. Isadora Solis has built her life on precision, control, and perfectly executed steps. She doesn’t make mistakes on the dance floor, and she definitely doesn’t improvise. So when Malachi Vexis strides into her studio—late, arrogant, and completely incapable of following even the most basic waltz—she knows exactly what he is. A disaster. Unfortunately, he’s also her newest student. Bound by a dangerous demonic contract, he needs to win an upcoming competition without using magic, or lose far more than his pride. Which means he needs her. As their lessons heat up and the lines between discipline and desire begin to blur, Isadora finds herself drawn to the one male who could ruin everything she’s worked for. Because the only thing more dangerous than dancing with a demon… is falling for one. (Each book in the Wrong Move, Right Monster series can be read as a standalone. These sweet and spicy romances are intended for mature readers.)

The Heresy of Thieves by Mia V. Moss

Vael stole magic from the gods for Her people and put an end to centuries of unrest. Now magic is gone, and the battle for the Witchlands’s soul begins. After a millennium of prosperity and magic, one catastrophic night undoes the realm of Yvaelen. Magic has fallen, and prayers to Vael the Giver go unanswered. Jal Riago knows when it’s time to move on from a con. She can’t maintain her false refugee heiress story forever, and her benefactors grow weary of playing host. Just when she’s about to confess and cut ties, a deadly raid sets Jal’s life on a collision course with a powerful entity reckoning with its own madness. The young, steadfast King Thealys Vorrine inherited the throne of Dynestra after her parents’ deaths at Spellfall. But sparks of unrest flare all too quickly into the unpredictable wildfire of rebellion, and King Vorrine must forge headlong into unknown territory. Royal knight and notorious rake Ember Carrado is trying his best to get fired. Instead, when he’s paired with a judgmental paladin and sent on a mission to hunt down a rampaging mythical beast, he finds himself face-to-face with the past he’s been running from since Spellfall. Beacon Wylda Lorcanthas wields a sharp tongue and the second-highest office in the Church of Vael. When the head of the Faith dies, Wylda must seek out a biddable successor. Unfortunately, the clergy’s clear favorite is a charismatic priest who promises the restoration of magic—for those willing to partake of a bloody cost. The dark betrayal behind Spellfall, and the very fabric of Yvaelen’s faith, will be hidden no longer. What began with a thief’s touch will end with a reckoning. And salvation for some may be a waking nightmare for others.

Locker's Rebellion by Jesse Pohlman

Katherine London, an arcane scientist for the Kingdom of Emor, is alarmed when her much-needed vacation with her swordswoman wife Clarice is interrupted with a summons to the capital. The Kingdom has always had trouble keeping the Principality of Presia in line, but a peasant uprising striving for independence is brewing and it falls to Kathy and Clarice to track down its ringleader. There are just two problems making Presia an awful place for Kathy: First, the theocratic Principality is hostile to non-conformist relationships like hers’. Second, arcane gifts are viewed as witchcraft. But when an ancient relic tied to Presia's mythological savior is stolen through what can only be magic, the uprising’s leader gains an air of legitimacy. Kathy would love nothing more than to leave this problem to someone else, but if she did - if the rebellion succeeded - it would strip away the Kingdom's protection from those like her who call Presia their home. She and Clarice cannot risk leaving others like them to a theocracy's scant mercies. When an opportunity to both quell the rebellion and place a more reform-minded cleric in charge of the Principality emerges, Kathy has a first-hand opportunity to help guide him to the right side on both core issues. That leaves her with two unknowns: Whether or not they'll be in time, and what they'll find when they get there. Locker's Rebellion is a fantasy action story which plays out like your favorite battle-manga centered around themes of Queer liberation and self-acceptance. Pick it up if you're ready to stand up and defend the defenseless!

Alchemists of Dawn by GS Valiant

Being a woman at Vyner Industries was hard enough. Then the murder happened. Once a promising young researcher, Roxanne Young’s career at the renowned Vyner Alchemical Industries has stalled. Despite her brilliance and long hours in the lab, she just can’t seem to get that next promotion. When she witnesses a brutal murder, Roxanne stumbles on a shocking discovery that could break the Federation’s dangerous dependence on their dwindling reservoirs of magic, and secure her career in the bargain. Determined to expose the discovery and bring the killers to justice, Roxanne turns to the one person who might be able to help: the indomitable Juliana Young, the first and only woman to ever become a department head at Vyner–and Roxanne’s mother. Two ambitious women whose approaches sometimes clash, mother and daughter must work together to protect the future of magic. But as they are drawn into a web of intrigue, shifting loyalties, and unlikely alliances, Roxanne and Juliana soon discover powerful forces at work–and they will stop at nothing to keep Vyner’s secrets hidden.

The Curse of Aldebaran by Dakota Jackson

Two spirits. One body. No way out. When Suraya and Meiling’s second year at the Academy begins with paired reconnaissance training, neither of them expects it to end in disaster. But when a mysterious agent of the Miyako family attacks, Meiling throws herself into the line of fire—and her spirit is torn from her body…only to bind itself to Suraya instead. Now trapped together in a single body while Meiling’s empty form lies dying in the intensive care unit, the two girls are forced into an alliance neither of them wants. But the Mikayo family is still out there, draining spirits, hunting power…and closing in on Suraya for a reason no one understands. As Suraya is hailed as Ataru Reborn, her power grows more unstable—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Meiling is running out of time to reclaim her body before she’s lost for good…or killed like her uncle before her. The Curse of Aldebaran is book two in The Construction of Shadows series, a young adult fantasy series for fans of Percy Jackson and Avatar the Last Airbender. This installment ups the action, danger, magic, and romance for a thrilling race against time.

Bad Citizen by Ron Lebow

A MAFIA WAR CAN BE BRUTAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES A MAGICAL MANIAC Josiah arrives in New York City through a portal from another realm. Capable of frightening feats and driven by a lust for power, he takes on the mafia. He’ll just need the help of a few local outcasts. Lucius is an impulsive f-up who shuns his mafia family’s norms. Behind a long line of brothers for leadership, he fashioned his own comfortable nook. Thrust into war with another family, he becomes enveloped by the need for revenge. Antonia is Lucius’ sister. She exists on the family’s outskirts, protective of her brothers and occasionally called upon for unspeakable assistance. Forced to contend with the potential downfall of everyone she loves, she may be the key to the family’s salvation...and her own. In Bad Citizen, Ron Lebow fuses fantasy, sci fi and mob drama into a relentlessly entertaining ride. Josiah storms through a portal with terrifying powers and a hunger for control, setting his sights on New York’s underworld. He’ll need allies—and finds them in our society’s outcasts. Lucius, an impulsive mafia screw-up, is forced to contend with responsibilities he never wanted. Antonia, his fiercely protective sister, stands at the center of it all. What follows is a comedic war where every twist redefines loyalty, violence is interspersed with unexpected laughs, and no one walks away unchanged. Set in modern-day NYC, the story balances brutal violence with razor-sharp comedy, delivering one unpredictable twist after another. Sacrifices loom around every corner, and consequences never arrive as expected. Lebow’s novel is a portal urban fantasy turned upside down—fun, funny, and deadly serious in all the right places. • Ride shotgun with Josiah as he weaponizes magical abilities to rip apart the mob. • Get lost in a web of twists that make every chapter a revelation. • Witness Lucius’s chaotic spiral from black sheep to vengeful force. • Uncover Antonia’s pivotal role in a war no one else can win. This isn’t a tidy hero’s tale—morally grey characters, constant surprises, and sacrifices with unthinkable consequences drive the chaos. • Mafia mayhem with a magical twist • Dark comedy that lands hard • Sacrifices that flip the script

Curse of Silence: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (The Roumaterra Chronicles) by Erin Halbmaier

A princess with a magic handkerchief. A flirtatious baron’s son. The maid who turned their world upside down. As the possessor of her family’s handkerchief, Princess Daphne should be uncovering the truth behind her father’s murder. But she lacks confidence as a spy, and her mother is sending her off to a neighboring kingdom to look for a husband. It means months lost from her mission, but at least her faithful dog and best friend will be with her. Raoul has been Daphne’s best friend since they were children. But she always laughs off his attempts to confess deeper feelings, and now his father has given him an ultimatum. She’s always been out of his reach, but if Raoul can’t change her mind in the next six months, he’ll lose what little chance he had. When a kitchen maid catches Daphne alone, she steals the handkerchief and uses it to swap their appearances. The only way to undo it is for Daphne to tell someone who she is, but the curse prevents Daphne from both speaking and writing. Will Daphne find a way to free herself from the curse? Or will the maid win, leaving Daphne a mute shepherdess forever? Curse of Silence is a clean, no-spice retelling of The Goose Girl. It is part of The Roumaterra Chronicles, a series of interconnected, standalone fairy tale retellings perfect for readers of Brittany Fichter, Celeste Baxendell, and Annette K. Larsen.

A Frigid Hope: A Snow Queen Retelling (Fairy Tales of Ambrose) by Amanda Thompson

Can one princess find hope before her best friend’s heart is turned to ice? Every year a man is chosen to make the journey up the forbidden mountain to appease the Frozen Queen, only to return with a frozen heart. When Crown Princess Bianca learns her best friend is this year’s chosen, she is devastated. And she’s willing to do anything to save Percival from that fate. Percival’s heartbroken when he finds the mark selecting him to be this year’s chosen. He’s Bianca’s personal guard – and he has been in love with her for years. But with the selection mark comes a warning: to disobey means death, not just for him but for everyone in the kingdom. Can Bianca save her people from the endless winter and prevent Percival from losing his heart? Or will all be lost to the frigid reign of the Frozen Queen? A Frigid Hope, a Snow Queen retelling, is the first prequel in the Fairy Tales of Ambrose series, set a few hundred years prior to Dances and Danger and the rest of the series.

My Brother's Keeper by Ben Schenkman

Magic is real, demons walk the earth, and Max’s brother is dead. Max Asher, Jewish mystic and private-eye, never thought he’d be coming back to his home town to bury his twin brother, Solomon. He definitely never thought the funeral would turn into a case, but when Sol’s widow Gabby asks him to investigate the cause of death, “Uncle Max” is on the job. When Max kicks the demon’s nest, he uncovers a conspiracy that forces him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his brother. Unfamiliar local politics blur the line between the supernatural and the mundane, and soon, fighting for justice becomes dangerously literal. If Max can uncover the murderer, he might just save his brother’s soul—but if he can’t, he’ll fall victim to the same deadly fate. Putting the past to rest is going to take more than a shovel full of dirt.

Vahmroh Tamer: Volume 1 by Freemi-Ya

Talovarios is a quiet young Imp and just one of billions of hominids across a land barely stitched together who have chased the boundless wonders of Vahmrohs — magnificent, geometric monsters that mirror the appearance and abilities of real-world taxa — for millennia. The only difference is that he has a Tamer’s heart that’s far larger than his wallet or support system. When a fateful encounter leaves him bonded to a stray, young Vahmroh marked by an undesired “cracked star,” his childhood dream detonates into something far greater—just as the local haven of folk-Tamer culture falls before the smile of a corporate buyout. Now, Talovarios is torn between four factions clawing for control of tamership itself: the privileged who hoard power, outlaws thriving in chaos, sentinels enforcing peace, and an ancient way fiercely rallying around the everyman—each desperate to gatekeep who can command the limitless potential of Vahmrohs. The Core within his Tamer's device thrums with both promise and peril as the bond Talovarios forges with this unwanted creature ignites a relentless journey of discovery and defiance. One that teaches this generation of Tamers that a fulfilling path can be one you walk alone—at first. Dedicated to creature-collecting aficionados worldwide — as well as Eiichiro Oda and Hiro Mashima — this charged tale of diaspora, collaborative freedom, and found family channels shōnen energy into a modern odyssey about ownership, identity, and the adventure of forging your own legend.

Howl In by Priyanka Nawathe

Stingburrow, a small town hidden beneath the rocky Hollindemun Hills, faces a storm every year. Three friends try to control the damage while battling with their deepest desires as one curse holds the power to pull them into its darkness. LYCANTHROPE. Sheriff Jaymie Lowves carries the responsibility of Stingburrow’s residents while grieving the love he lost. Dr. Mallory Griffin battles her survivor’s guilt while finding the cure for the town. Rickwan McIntyre aka Mack, the local repairman, despises them for what he lost years ago. As the one they lost returns with her pet, will the curse be broken? Or will the Lycan blood prevail? If you enjoy supernatural secrets, high-stakes rescue, and the bonds of “found family”, grab this book for a page-turning adventure. It is a perfect pick for readers of books by Joe Hill, Kate Danley, Charlotte. E. English, & viewers of shows like Roswell, New Mexico and movies like the Underworld franchise.

The Low Hum of Zal'Kareth by Michael Antonio

Kae'lor's body stopped feeling pain years ago. In the suffocating heat of Zal'Kareth's obsidian pits, his pointed ears twitch only to the wet hiss of geothermal steam and the heavy tread of the red-skinned orcs he bleeds to defeat. He fights for cheap ferment, ignores the ghost of the brother he lost to a predatory Noise Cult, and survives by tuning out the world. Then the Collective Dream fractures the city. Millions across the lineages share a single vision: ancient stone Giants chained deep beneath the rock, screaming the word "Rest." As the Ministry's harmonic grid stutters, pockets of absolute silence open in the streets — voids where orcs, elf-kin, and Tikkari alike step inside and instantly forget their own names. Kae'lor wakes with a burning counter-clockwise spiral scarred into his palm, his deadened nerves violently firing back to life. To survive an unraveling city, he must find what lies beneath the Ministry's dying syrup, before the silence hollows him out next. The Low Hum of Zal'Kareth is the first novella in The Fractured Cadence of Talibra, an AfroFantasy epic of resonance, memory, and survival. For fans of Arcane, Dune, and dark Seinen manga.

Riyati Recollection by Kai Zeal

When the night is at its darkest, the sparks of life shine brightest. Kylie thought the danger was over: the last of Asuza’s followers now dead, she was free to live life as a normal teenager — a freshman in college, the events of her high school years behind her. But what should’ve been a fun vacation to Savannah takes a dark turn as an undead Riyatian attacks Maya and leaves Kylie with a cryptic message: her existence damned every other mage and she should not have survived that fateful day in June. Kylie is left with only questions; but the most difficult one of all is if she is even worth saving, even if it's just to make amends. But time is of the essence and she can't afford to wallow. She must now decipher the truth of the warning and figure out how to save the other mages before it’s too late. Riyati Recollection is the fourth book in a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series that seeks to explore themes of identity, legacy, generational trauma, and finding your own path in life. The series is set in the modern day fictional Southern US town of Opal Pines and includes multiple first person perspectives with characters across a range of queer, neurodiverse, and socioeconomic statuses.

A House of Violence and Vengeance by Rowena Aiello

Courtney Summers’s I’M THE GIRL meets Anne Bishop’s DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD in this gripping, dark low fantasy where a barely-legal young woman attempts to live out her romantasy dreams...and ends up fighting for her life against the very man who promised to make those dreams a reality. In a world where book boyfriends outperform human ones ten to one, 18 year old Jen Annalise is determined to find her human book boyfriend equivalent…even at the expense of her own safety. Jen yearns for a world—and romance—that's both far from her family's farm, and straight out of her favorite romantasy series. So when the mysterious and alluring Damon Sadie responds to her profile on a sugar daddy website, she immediately agrees to meet him. At first, Jen thinks all her favorite parts of her romantasy dreams are about to be brought to life. Then their adventure is waylaid by a side quest to his house...one that she can't leave without his permission, or bring anyone into without his approval. And forget about the rooms that glow, smelling like smoke and crackling like thunder—he won't even acknowledge them. But when her sugar daddy's refusal to answer her questions leads her to uncover two other women now trapped in his house, and a sinister magic they're forbidden to touch, Jen is left with no choice: she must escape this fantasy before she ends up trapped forever, too.

Song of Monsters by Noah Naiman

Kane once died in a noose. Now he has a god in his head, and a city to save. Hundreds of miles from the gallows, Kane has built a new life baking sweets in the hillside city of Torry. But a brawl with a drunken constable uncovers a conspiracy of poisoned tea and black powder threatening his newfound home. While Kane races to save the city, the god in his head insists on saving the world—even if it costs Torry itself. Outmatched, Kane gambles on the only people desperate enough to help: A thief with a stolen firearm and a vendetta against its maker. A suicidal, immortal musician who can’t abandon a good story. A monstrous wizard hellbent on doing right. A two-foot-tall chemist chasing a kidnapping no one believes happened. But Kane knows the line between hero and monster is a noose, and it’s tightening again.

Rise of the Dragon's Heir by Darlene Franklin-Campbell

Most epic fantasy asks who will win the throne. Rise of the Dragon's Heir asks what the throne does to the person who inherits it.

The Protector and the Annihilation by Naila Moonsi

Some 100,000 years have passed since Earthians swept across the galaxy. By the year 9955 ATF after a catastrophe all but annihilates them, humans upon the ocean planet Imion are struggling to become space-worthy again. Two young men attending university vie for the role of Protector of All Worlds. They know that the godly power the Protector wields will save them all, and yet one day they wake up momentarily and realize... 60-year-old Armando Rivera and Ranvir Chandrani once loved each other. Stuck within a mental palace called ‘the Citadel’ within ‘the Boundless,’ an otherworld that reflects the galaxy in eerie dream-like ways, they are now 19 years old again and stripped of their memories. In these young forms, the two subconsciously test if this love between them was something true while attempting to take each other down. Their life has begun anew around them due to a time loop within the Citadel, and it follows their gentle, morose memories perfectly within the years 9955 and 9956, until... Until their families try to kill them. Until the children from the future begin to arrive. Until their son birthed outside the body with their Merged elemental outer cores—Antonio Chandrani-Rivera—insists on killing his identical twin brother Fernando Chandrani-Rivera. Ranvir and Armando very quickly realize that they must solve the mystery of what their true goals once were within the Boundless, figure out how to get out of the Citadel, and grasp why Antonio and his friends are intruding within. After all, upon the true planet Imion within the galaxy in the year 9996, a 20-year-old Antonio’s gone ahead and confronted his once-affectionate friend Alejandro Altaha—the Alejandro who became their generation’s Protector of All Worlds at the cost of Antonio’s worldwide reputation—and this has spiraled into circumstances that leave Antonio on the brink of death. Only for the bright and happy memories of Antonio's teens to flood his mind… Back when he and Alejandro Altaha cared deeply about each other, and yet the understanding they gleaned regarding their ancient selves—the civilian Nasir Hadid versus the Lost Protector Shakir—still colored everything, including their continued 10,000 year rivalry over the simple stakes of saving the world. And then there are the machinations of Antonio's cousin Layla… She laughs over their rivalry, but Antonio knows one thing: she hides secrets like breathing and despite their camaraderie, she is surely worse than Alejandro.

Common Bonds 3 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver

TBBSB2026

Common Bonds strikes a third time with a new volume of 18 speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters and centering platonic relationships.

Common Bonds 2 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver

Common Bonds returns in this second volume of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. Housed within this anthology are a scientist who makes a terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean, a baker who must fulfill a prophecy, a priest and a witch who must form a family to escape a war, and a woman whose survival might just unravel time itself. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds 2 explores the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. From friends with benefits to mentors to life partners, this collection explores platonic relationships strong enough to overcome barriers of species, alien invasions, and the power of the gods themselves.

Chains Of Deceit: Stitchbinding Chronicles Book 2 by A.E. Zeigler

TBB2025

A cure to find. A people to save. A romance running out of time. After the queen slips into the last stage of a mysterious plague, Princess Lineya, must travel to the treacherous mountains of Krashe in the midst of sworn enemies, hoping that the lost and forbidden Woolworsting craft has a stronger healing stitch. But before departing, she's forced to announce her engagement to Rhett, a Lynden nobleman, to bring hope to her people, but she despairs of a relationship with her true love Kemp. When an assassin threatens to kill Lineya, she must depend on the Krashe for support. Although she faces bandits, prejudice, scorn, and suspicion, she must win the trust of the Krashe and the heart of Kemp, who has no memory of the connection and kisses they had in the future. And Kemp's childhood sweetheart has prior claim on his affections. This girl can kill a black bear with her bare hands. Everyone assumes they will marry. Where does Lineya fit into his heart? How will Lineya and Kemp heal thousands of years of oppression, lies, and rekindle their love before the bandits and the assassin finish them all?

The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies

TBB2025

Magic is a rich man's game. Archons control magic in the great city of Aefenhold. Brand-name spells, addictive potions, and celebrity TV keep the poor entertained while they toil in the factories manufacturing magic. That should have been the fate of Max and his childhood friend Lyle, until a violent workers’ strike tears their lives apart, condemning Lyle to the aetherstone mines and leaving Max orphaned with no choice but to sell his labour to a brothel. Life under the Archon's rule has given Max a taste for magical narcotics, and left Lyle with aether dust in his lungs and a deep resentment for magic. So when Aefenhold's rulers announce a televised contest to find the chosen one—a prophesized distraction to unite the city against its detractors—both Max and Lyle see an opportunity to con their way into the contest. Where Max seeks to steal magic for his freedom, Lyle views magic as a tool of oppression to be destroyed. Their old friendship will be tested as they're forced to become adversaries against famous rival mages in a series of magical trials. Whoever becomes the chosen one will change the shape of magic forever. But magic is a rich man's game, and should Max or Lyle be discovered as frauds, their deaths will be televised next. The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duology—a gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

The End of Time by Trudie Skies

WHEN THE SAINTS FALL, THE SINNERS RISE. Calamity has befallen the steam-powered city of Chime as the gods declare war on each other, choosing Chime's streets as their battleground. Kayl has the means to end their reign for good and create a new world free from their whims. But recruiting an army against divine beings is no easy task, and as her allies fall one by one, Kayl is left to shoulder her burden alone. Finally free from his own god's shackles, Quen is bound in service to Chaos, who only wants revenge against Quen's former master. Torn between his desire for vengeance and justice, Quen is no stranger to the gods' cruelty and will do whatever it takes to see Kayl's vision through—even if it destroys his soul. To ensure a new future, Kayl and Quen must unite mortals against their makers and decide the gods' fate before time itself comes to an end. For the era of gods is over. The End of Time is the third and final book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

Court of Snakes: Bitter Truth, Honeyed Justice by Tycho Dwelis

TBBSB2026

The city of Segeno is on edge. Terran, nearing his 18th birthday, struggles with the burdens of leadership. The people are restless, resources are dwindling, and chaos looms. Parisa, now happily engaged, aids where she can but is haunted by her father’s legacy. A stranger, Aumi, brings shocking news: the Great War never happened. The world outside Segeno has thrived, and the city’s isolation is built on lies. As this truth threatens to spark a riot, Terran and Parisa must decide whether or not to reveal it, risking their city’s collapse. In this gripping sequel, Terran and Parisa navigate power, identity, and truth in a city on the brink of revolution. Can they lead their people through the storm, or will Segeno Fall?

Aloe by Artemis Quinn

TBBSB2026

Aloe is Book 2 in the Tales From The Night Garden series. Acanthus and Cypress, an age old Vampire and a young new Werewolf, have accidentally started a war. Nekane, the Werewolf in charge, will go to any means necessary to capture Acanthus; meaning even humans are in danger. On the run, our non-binary heroes encounter others caught up in Nekane's hatred of vampires, witches, and any werewolves that fraternize with them! As Acanthus and Cypress regroup with the Night Garden, an underground organization committed to liberating any in Nekane's crosshairs, they're tasked with some of the hardest challenges they've faced yet! Friend or foe? It's hard to judge just who to trust in a world wrought with danger. In this second book of the Tales From The Night Garden universe, our protagonists continue their adventure in this game of chess with very real consequences. A gaggle of strays begin to expand their found family and a love that blazes bright in the night starts to break out of the darkness. What can Acanthus and Cypress do to convince Nekane to stand down, or are words not enough? How will these two fugitives handle inviting more refugees into their growing resistance? How will The Night Garden continue to save the disenfranchised Supernaturals when Nekane shows up at their Head Quarters' door!? No one knows, but both Cypress and Acanthus have decided they can't run anymore. It's time to stand up for what is right and just. Will you stand up with them on their next journey?

Lemon Balm by Artemis Quinn

Cypress Borne is 22 years old, a dashing young non-binary lad with a fairly easy life in New York City. That is — fairly easy until their routine is interrupted by a vicious dog attack on the way home from the gym. Their life turns upside down after that one singular event-- blackouts, unexplained fits of rage and lost time plague him. Two years of medical tests, therapy, and a life that's spiraling down the toilet later, they navigate their way through the panic attacks and the hopelessness to an old, derelict, and a seemingly abandoned church in the woods, away from the noise and the people. Little do they know, the church isn't abandoned but rather occupied by a vampire hoping to die and rotting in a coffin. Acanthus Sylene believes that a fine wine should never have an age attached, and neither should a fine being. Nonbinary in such a way that gender is completely irrelevant, Acanthus has lived a very long life and is frankly exhausted by it. Embroiled deeply into the politics of the World of Shadows, they have abandoned their duties to The Night Garden, a refugee path that they forged. But, something changes when a lost, scared, ignorant werewolf shows up on their door step. Both of these preternatural beings are looking for answers. Somehow, instead of finding their place in the world, they find each other. However, in the process of finding and growing with each other, they may have put their entire lives — and The Night Garden — at risk.

Tharaxis by Darren Joy

Tharaxis is the city of the dead. Within its walls, creatures known as souleaters hunt and feed. Lorn Larthuz, recently deceased, finds herself on a perilous quest to steal back the List of Souls, and end their reign of terror. Yaldo, a boy who pretends to be alive, searches for the family he may have only imagined. But when the Souleaters target him—it becomes clear they have darker plans for Yaldo. Can Lorn succeed in her bid to steal the List of Souls, and can Yaldo escape the Souleaters before he loses himself forever? Tharaxis is a dark epic fantasy tale of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit—even in death.

A Wrath of Souls by Darren Joy

Across the Spectrum of Existence, angelic hosts gather their strength. While the infamous duo, Manic and Mania, finalise their plan, a mysterious dark armada engulfs far flung lands. Threadfin Todder, recovering from a great loss, is woefully unprepared for the final battle. Struggling to relearn his magic, he knows there is no time to waste. Lucifer threatens existence itself, and will soon step on to the mortal plane. Astra Dar’s fractured soul is dominated by Lucifer, as she fights for sanity—for soon she will destroy the world, while Myral Azarm, now queen of vampires, battles a terrible bloodlust as she is caught between primal instinct and the memory of who she was. Meanwhile in Desool’s fractured kingdom, as he prepares for war, rebellion erupts in an attempt to cut out the heart of his kingship, and as Sarscha Todralan fights to save her imperium, disaster descends on her people. The final battle draws near—a desperate gambit to thwart the end of all things. Can they each defy fate, survive, and beat back the Darkness? “A Wrath of Souls” is an exciting conclusion to this dark epic fantasy tale, filled with chaos, dark magic, treachery, and death, all tempered by loyalty, friendship, and hope.

A Wretched Darkness by Darren Joy

Threadfin Todder, has been infected by a dark magic, and time is running out. His only hope is to find an ancient being known as the Despoiler. As his search brings him to a lost world, Threadfin discovers the cost may prove too high. Myral Azarm thought she had left her past behind, but when a name resurfaces, she’s must journey into the bowels of the underworld to find her destiny. Sarscha Todralan, the ruling imperatrix, has lost friends and family, and can’t settle into her role. When a dark witch threatens Icarthya, she must again take up the sword to defend her people. In the kingdom of Raddhon, civil war looms over the giants. Desool, the youngest son, seeks to become king. At stake is more than a throne, for the fabled Shathra Stone will belong to the victor. Four disparate paths collide in a world of magic and war as they fight for their lives and the survival of all. Will they each find the strength to overcome their past, and save the world? ‘A Wretched Darkness,’ is a high-stakes dark fantasy epic that explores the limits of good and evil, love and sacrifice, and the power of magic.

A Nefarious Grim by Darren Joy

Death is never the end. While the shadow of an ancient sorcerer plots to invade the world, an undead mage endeavours to stop him. With the shraeds of Tartaros continuing their relentless advance across the Spectrum, Threadfin Todder once more sets out to defeat the Grim. Meanwhile, his sister Aiyana is being hunted by an angelic assassin. She will soon make a perilous journey into the past to learn the secrets to unlocking the world’s only hope. And Sarscha Todralan, once a legend and now an irritable drunk, decides to infiltrate the enemy to foil a rebellion against the imperium. ‘A Nefarious Grim,’ is a dark epic fantasy tale stuffed with dark twists, unpredictable magic, and undead mages.

A Malignant Fetch by Darren Joy

The Father of Darkness and Reaper of souls, the Grim, seeks to reclaim the world, and he will stop at nothing to get it. Threadfin Todder, an imperial undead mage, is determined to get in his way. Though his magic is unreliable, his reputation questionable, his stubbornness is legendary. And, Lorn Larthuz, the thief who stole existence, walks the wasteland of another world to face the Grim and her fate. While, Myral Azarm, once a cult priestess, crosses a bleak desert to confront an ancient form of undead and the Grim’s own vengeance. As Threadfin once more confronts evil, he will discover a darkness within his own soul. ‘A Malignant Fetch,’ is a dark epic tale packed with undead creatures, snarky mages, delicious danger, and dark magic.

A Viral Imperium by Darren Joy

A plague‑born magic is awakening inside Threadfin Todder — hungry, volatile, and impossible to control. Exiled, undead, and hunted by a relentless shapeshifter, he races across the imperium to save his sister as a horde of armoured giants marches toward the capital. When the power inside him erupts, Threadfin becomes the only force capable of stopping a terror that turns cities to ash and stone to dust. At the heart of the empire, Princess Aiyana Todralan faces a usurper possessed by a fallen angel. With the throne stolen and her people trapped beneath a rising tide of monsters, Aiyana uncovers a truth older than the empire, one that could threaten existence itself. Two lives. One corrupted empire. A darkness older than the world. A Viral Imperium is a dark epic fantasy of ancient magic, monstrous legions, and a world on the edge of annihilation.

No Man's Daughter by Justine Lombardi

Fugitive Kára, the bastard daughter of a legendary hero, builds a new life on the mountain frontier, until bounty hunters find her, shattering her family’s cherished peace. To earn a pardon, she joins a hunting party sent to retrieve a wampus cat’s hide for the High King. It’s a perilous task, as the cat stalks the domain of the fierce and immortal Jotun. To survive, Kára plunders her father’s tomb, tearing Tyrfing, the last arcane weapon, from his undead hands. The rifle can slay any monster, but such strength comes at a terrible price: bloodlust and an unquenchable thirst for power. Immersive, propulsive, and compelling, No Man’s Daughter combines Norse paganism with Appalachian folklore in a darkly magical nineteenth-century world, focusing on a woman’s fight to return to her family.

Devious Demons by K.S. Krown

Love was never meant to save her—it was meant to burn the world down. Lilley Meade doesn’t remember who she was before London, before the dreams of wings and fire. Then she meets Max—fierce, magnetic, achingly familiar—and something ancient stirs inside her. But behind his gentle eyes lies another name… one that Heaven still fears to speak. Lucifer. As the truth unravels, Lucifer and his two fallen brothers emerge from the shadows—angels who once loved her, betrayed her, and damned themselves for her. Torn between Michael’s devotion and Lucifer’s consuming fire, Lilley must decide whether love will redeem them all… or finish what the fall began. Devious Demons is the first book in a dark fantasy saga of angels, temptation, and the price of forbidden love.

The Lineman by Christina K. Glover

GRASPING AT THREADS If there’s one thing Henley Yu has learned, it’s that nothing is easy when it involves Chief Operator Kittinger. The pair can finally face the world together, focused on the pursuit of the Ethereal lord who escaped into the Actuality. This time the mortal world won’t be a silent victim, and Kit and Henley will hunt their quarry with the help of mages who have plenty to lose. But Kit punched through something he shouldn’t have in the battle for the Order Headquarters. His transgression has opened him up to a darkness that swallows him whole, leaving him cold and his body empty. What is broken can only be mended by the hand of the maker. In his fight for Kit and their future together, Henley will need help from the only one who knows the real story behind the Between—but only if the Lineman is willing to lend his aid. Secrets will be revealed and the final battle unfolds as the Connections series comes to a close!

The Constellation Caves (PearlHeart Book 2) by Keilani McConnell

A group of sailors travels together across a tropical country, meeting new people and solving the mystery affecting those there. The crew of PearlHeart is on break after their most recent journey. Rath, One-Eye, his Spirit Lion, and others have chosen to spend it on Delphy, Rath's homeland. However, while traveling to where they are staying for the Summer, cracks begin appearing in different parts of the country and the group agrees to help find the cause in order to protect the Constellation Caves, which lay underground. ​For readers who love rich characters, mysteries, and traveling across fantasy worlds.