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Never Steal from Dragons by Patrick Dugan Welcome to Hub! Just a few simple rules apply: 1. Never Steal from Dragons 2. See Rule #1 3. Never Work for Dragons In Hub, a city of treachery and deceit, Gelsey, a pixie, is one of the best thieves around. When a smash and grab assignment turns into a job interview with a powerful dragon, Gelsey finds herself a part of a crew including five more of the best criminals Hub has to offer. Her crew includes Silai, a con artist with a deadly secret. Kelthar, a mage whoâs bent on self-destruction. Aikila, a smuggler set on avenging her father's murder. Nyx, a hacker coming off a busted run, and Lorcan, a mercenary whose child is being held hostage. The dragon pulls all their strings, forcing them to accept an impossible job: break into a fortress nobody in all of Hubâs long history has ever cracked. And if they fail, theyâll end up dead one way or another. A wild mix of fairy tale and Cyberpunk that hits all the marks of classic crime capers. Reads like Elmore Leonard and Neil Stephenson playing D&D in a pixie-infested bar and having the time of their lives way past last call. Kat Richardson, Bestselling author of the Greywalker novels Dugan weaves an excellent heist story by blending the fantasy, cyberpunk, and even noir genres. The world building is top notch, including the lore which uses familiar creatures, but in new ways. This is the book for you if you enjoy cyberpunk, urban fantasy, heist stories, or any combination thereof! Bishop O'Connell Author of American Faerie Tale series and Two-Gun Witch |
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The Ashen Orb Bounty by Patrick Dugan Cowboy Bebop meets the Witcher In a land torn asunder by a monstrous invasion, the only thing protecting the enclaves of thinking people in Southern Holm are high walls and the valiant warrior troops that strive to beat back the hordes, one troll at a time. When Saria and her Shadow Blades are asked to take on a secret bounty to retrieve a magical artifact from a forgotten temple, Sariaâs suspicions arenât aroused.Sheâs too busy hiring an archer and preparing their new mage to worry about anything but the job ahead of them. At least not until another troop attempts to collect a bountyâon the Shadow Bladesâ heads. Saria should have known better than to accept a mission to recover this Ashen Orb for the notorious sorceress Brar Opalback. After surviving the assassination attempt, she and her fellow warriorsâLithia, the shadow fae archer, Perric, the human paladin, Ayre, the elven thief, and Jileli, the half succubus blood mageâmust outwit wild and deadly forests, ingenious traps, and undead armies if they hope to get any answers. It would be a shame to die without ever finding out who wanted you dead. |
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The Collectorâs Lost Things by Jessica A McMinn Blind Those Who See⌠Rei-Hai Shaw is a Collector, and he is very good. At just thirteen years old, Rei became the youngest recruit ever to join the ranks of the Tower, the shadowy organisation that oversees the fulfilment of Whytâhallenâs darkest requests. Favoured by the masters but distrusted by his peers, Rei comes to learn the price of his accolades when the Tower demands more than the simple procurement of trinkets. They want him to steal lives, too. When his latest missions thrusts him back into the world of his childhood, Rei is painfully reminded of all he left behindâand what he canât bear to lose again. Includes additional short story, The King & His Shadow. |
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Balfairâs Confinement by Phil Williams Isolated in the derelict estate of the engineer Balfair, with only a miserable fellow slave for company, Deni dreams of changing her arduous life. When her master drags something new from the swamp and excludes her from his secretive project, she finally sees her chance. Deni will do whatever it takes to break free - even if it means bringing the full weight of the war-mongering Guard down on Balfair. The results may be devastating, but they will notice her at last - and she will be free. Balfairâs Confinement is a return to the cloud-covered post-apocalyptic land of Estalia, where the fossils of an ancient civilisation are revived in new and terrifying technologies. Loosely connected to the novel Wixonâs Day, this novella is a full, standalone story of an isolated household in a changing world. |
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Weâre All Monsters Here by Amy Marsden When Anna is invited to a secluded retreat full of selfish, greedy humans, of course she doesnât say no. Not only did she manipulate the CEO of the worldâs largest oil corporation, Peter Beyer, into organising the four-day getaway in the first place, but no self-respecting vampire would ever turn down such easy prey. Her weekend gets even better when she meets Saira, one of Peter Beyerâs employees, and they begin a whirlwind affair. Blood and beautiful women are Annaâs idea of a great time. She should have known it was too good to be true. Hunters are dangerous, deadly, and dedicated to eradicating vampires. When a group of them turn up at the retreat, Anna must use her centuries of experience to escape their ever-closing net. Will she get out unscathed, or will they finally catch up to her? Will she give into her intense and unexpected feelings for Saira, or will she leave her to burn as she destroys all evidence she was ever there? A fresh twist on urban fantasy, with an added splash of sapphic romance. |
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From the Ashes by B. S. H. Garcia The civil war ends now. Igtheos and his rebels have fought tirelessly against a would-be dictator and his army for almost two years. The city theyâve holed up in has become a prison, soon to be a tomb if they cannot arrange a means of escape. When the enemy leader offers an armistice thatâs too good to be true, Igtheos reluctantly accepts, thinking it will buy him enough time to smuggle those loyal to him out of the city. But he quickly learns the cost of choosing hope over caution as he finds himself caught in his enemyâs sinister plan, fighting a final unexpected battle. Failure means death, or worse, the loss of his loved ones. And he only has one night to determine everyoneâs fate. From the Ashes is a prequel novelette that takes place over two thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadowsâvolume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. |
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The Godmother by Katherine D Graham Flames rise on the horizon. The Godmother rises to meet them. Eliza Farrington the Third is the top Fairy Warrior in the universe, undefeated in both magic and physical strength. She is also The Godmother -- the protector and trainer of the Fairy Crown Princess. For twenty years Eliza has prepared her charge to bring change to the rule of terror the tyrannical Fairy King and Queen have inflicted upon the worlds. The Princess's kindness and mercy are already renowned, and her coronation is only a month away. But the Dragon Emperor's legions landing on their doorstep threatens everything. When the Dragon Emperor presents the sole remaining royal Dragon Egg to the Fair Folk with a deadly proposal, can Eliza change the fate of her beloved Princess? Or will the hate of multiple generations snuff out their only flame of hope? |
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Monarchâs Mission by Emma L Adams As a squad leader who frequently rides a ferocious war dragon into battle for the nation of Laria, Yala is used to narrowly escaping death. Her sole objective in war is get her team back home in one piece, and sheâs never had cause to pay attention to the gods or the Disciples who wield their power. Until, that is, her monarch sends her team on a covert mission to seize control of a mysterious island. At first glance, the island contains nothing but the ruins of a long-abandoned temple, but a closer look yields a shocking discovery. The temple belonged to adherents of the god of death, Mekan, the one deity whose power is forbidden in Laria. Trapped and surrounded by the forces of the dead, Yala soon finds herself fighting for her life amid the ruins. Even if she pulls off a miracle and gets her team out alive, nobody walks away unscathed from the god of death⌠|
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Lira is an innocent little girl, struggling to survive in a cruel, heartless world. As her father dies, she is left to fend for herself. Each day is a desperate and exhausting search for food, scouring through the Abyss, the only home she knows. Acute awareness does not always protect her from the very real risk of cannibalization or worse-- being abducted. This is a horrifying reality that no child should have to face in a brutally poetic tale |
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A Wolf in Thiefâs Clothing by Lily Anne Crow Phrai joins a crew to pull off a dangerous heist. Little do her fellow thieves know that the end of their job is just the beginning of hers. |
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Huntress of the Hearts by Blanka H. Madow One minute heâs living the magical life he was supposed to â and the next, going on a mission to a human land. When the warrior, Avieles, is asked to bring humans to the land of the witches, he can't resist the challenge. He assembles a team of eleven witches, each with unique birthstones and abilities to assist him. He arrives and discovers that humans aren't as helpless as he believed, and most of all, they don't want to be saved. Faced with convincing five factions of the human race that he's their only hope of survival, he must use everything in his arsenal from threats to charm all in hopes of saving them all. One person stands between him and his mission, and she's the one he desperately needs to save. |
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The World-Maker Parable by Luke Tarzian Guilt will always call you back... Rhona is a faithful servant of the country JĂŠmoon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all. You are a lie... VarĂŠsh LĂşm-talĂŠ is many things, most of all a genocidal liar. A falsity searching for the Phoenix goddess whom he believes can help him rectify his atrocities. Such an undertaking is an arduous one for a man with missing memories and a conscience set on rending him from inside out. A man whose journey leads to Hang-Dead Forest and a meeting with a Vulture goddess who is not entirely as she seems. |
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In the Lab of Love by Melissa Bobe Genevieve loves her life as a witch in Dela City, even if the local witch authorities are a bit of a drag (and Genevieve should know, as her big sister is one such authority). But when the city at large catches word of a scientist who has supposedly invented a cure for all things love and romance, Genevieve is intrigued. Is Dr. Alta Anoma for real? Or is she just another witch trying to capitalize off of a basic love potion? Always a bit too curious for her own good, Genevieve decides to investigate. What she discovers makes her question everything she knows about the politics of magic in her beloved home city. Meanwhile, Dr. Anoma's work continues to garner attention, and the Dela City witch authorities are not about to take the threat of exposure lying down⌠|
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Shattered Magic by Emily Huffman Rocco has his future figured out. One magical tournament is all that stands between him and admission to the Academy--the most prestigious school for magic in the world and the place where he will finally belong. But when a mysterious stranger shows up with an offer from the God of Magic himself, Rocco is left with a choice: swear fealty to the god or follow his own path. Fueled by the desire to realize his dreams, Rocco plunges forward, but the God of Magic cannot be ignored, and Rocco soon learns there is more to lose than just the tournament... |
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Manticore Park by Quenby Olson When Mrs. Rachel MacGinley arrives at Llewellyn Park, it is with little more than the clothes on her back and a wall around her heart. Falling prey to her affections has harmed her in the past, and she is determined not to let it happen again. But at the first sight of Mr. Rhys, the enigmatic beast of a man who will live and work with her at Llewellyn Park, the protections sheâs so carefully constructed around herself begin to crumble. And so she must ask herself, can she continue to keep her heart under lock and key? Or does she even wish to? *100% of both ebook and KU royalties will be donated to the Juniata County Food Pantry in Pennsylvania* |
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Solace of Memory by Allegra Pescatore Midwinter is a time for Remembrance. When the candles are lit, the dead walk among the living. Devotions are renewed, vigils are held, and forgotten souls find their peace. But for Gabriel, who has never believed in the Gods, there is little peace to be had. Gabeâs last year at the Academy of Tirit Mindel promised to be a great one: good friends, a chance at a coveted spot in the College of Science, and work that he loved at the school clinic. All that was changed by the call for volunteer medical students to assist in an outbreak of wasting fever. Working with the dying in the sweltering heat of southern Miriel was hard, but coming back from the front lines of the epidemic might prove even harder. Haunted by what he saw and faced with unexpected personal loss, for Gabe, this Midwinter would be different than all those before it. For the first time in his life, Gabe needs a little faith, and what the Gods wonât provide, his friends and found family might be able to help with. |
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Becoming Solo by Joyce Reynolds-Ward WHAT WILL A WITCH DO TO SAVE THE MAGIC FAIR THAT PROTECTS HER POWERS? Yesenia Cruz is ambitious. She wants to become a Solo witch, one who doesnât need to renounce her powers at age twenty-one unless she becomes part of a protective family spell matrix. She has plans with her best friend, Kirsten Rogers, to open a boutique selling magic-spelled goods to the non-magical. But. In order to become Solo, Yesenia needs to win the Bright Star Magic Fair crown for a third year. She canât afford the academy that will qualify her to become Solo. Her family wants her to give up her dreams of becoming Solo, marry Saul Ramos and become part of the Cruz family spell matrix. And a strange new witch, Shadow the Question, from a Lost Fair, is a potential challengerâeven as Yesenia and Kirsten become aware of a new threat to Bright Star Fair. They have to draw on Shadowâs knowledge to save Bright Starâbut is Shadowâs knowledge sufficient? Can these three witches save the Fair? For if Bright Star failsâthen all magic fails. Eventually. |
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A Wild Heritance prequel novella from a time before Duplicity of Power. An impossible theft, a dangerous duel, and a scheme that could too easily fail⌠all for a place among the Shadowers, guild of rogues⌠Just shy of her eighteenth year, Namid has been preparing for this moment for two years. Her chance to become a Shadower! Before she can take her place in this select guild of rogues in Rhadanthus, city of thieves and thugs, she faces her Trial: a demanding ordeal designed to test the limits of her skills with weapons and thievery. All Namid must do is overcome this final test â survive and succeed at it â to earn acceptance within the Shadowers as one of their own. With challenges facing her both in the city and from within the guild itself, Namid is determined that nothing will keep her from her goal. She only hopes that sheâs not outmatched⌠|
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Serenissima by Orazia Moritmer Would you risk knowing the future? Venice, 1470. The city is filled with rumours of a Turkish fleet sailing the Mediterranean. Isabetta Zorzi, who walks the fine line of being a respectable courtesan, worries about the for-now distant threat. That threat seems even more distant to her twin, Catarina, living a quiet scholar's life in a convent. But a chance encounter with a sailor changes that. They now possess a magic glass gem that Catarina can use to see the future. It's a future no one wants to see: a future where Venice's colonies fall to Ottoman armies, while the Venetian fleet does nothing. The women can't tell anyone what they know, though, because they would be denounce for witchcraft. They need a man, but the only one who knows about the glass gem is a runaway slave from an enemy city. Can a courtesan, a nun, and a (former?) slave save Venice? |
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The Darkest Curse by Rachel Rowlands Annice's hair is cursed. It kills every other living thing it touches. And no one knows the cure. Locked away in a tower ever since she can remember, Annice longs to be free to travel and live a normal life. But she knows the outside world must be protected from her, as her mother Gothel always reminds her. She's even tried cutting her hair off, but the dark magic means it always grows back with a vengeance. Annice passes her days playing music, with only limited visits from her mother. When the handsome, well-travelled bard Cyrus passes her tower and hears her playing her lyre, Annice knows she shouldn't get involved with him. But his lifestyle and adventure stories draw her in, and she soon finds herself longing more fiercely for a life outside. When she begins a fresh search for answers about her curse, she unravels a web of deceit that will change everything she thought she knew about love and family. This novella introduces a series of standalone fairytale retellings set in the world of Nethervale. The Darkest Curse is a Rapunzel retelling with a sweet love story, cosy vibes, and a splash of darkness and adventure. |
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A disgraced warrior seeks an honorable death on the battlefield, but an eldritch god has other plans for her. |
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Nyarai: Traveler of the Circle by Noor Al-Shanti When her grandmother is kidnapped from their small farming village Nyarai sets out to find her and bring her back home. In a town on the edge of the Kingdom of Jade she stumbles upon a small orphanage and uncovers a dark secret that brings back memories of the Giant War she escaped as a child and propels her into an impossible quest. A quest that pits her against the terrifying Sorcerers of the High Kingdoms. Join Nyarai on an adventure that takes her from the highest peaks of the High Kingdoms to the darkest secrets below the ground... |
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Hot Button Issue: A Roller Derby Witches Romance by Catrina Bell After a surprising, new law passes restricting reproductive rights, a roller derby witch and the shifter she has a crush on must work together to plan a last minute protest. ~~~~ Good Blanca is a high-profile lawyer with a brilliant legal mind. She's everything her parents hoped she would be - impressive and successful. Bad Blanca is a beautiful mess. She dresses in fishnet tights, flirts with sexy werewolves, and just made the Hel Stars roller derby team. Oh, and sheâs secretly a witch. Thorin is her opposite in every way. The happy-go-lucky flirt struggles with supernatural aggression he canât quite control. His attraction to Blanca makes things even more complicated. When Blancaâs powerful client, a state senator, proposes new legislation restricting reproductive rights, the line separating the good and bad in her life becomes blurry. Derby is chaos, and soon everything goes off the rails. How far will she go to defend her values and the people she loves? ~~~~ This steamy, cozy, paranormal romance has a strong pro-choice (bodily autonomy) theme. Please be aware and read accordingly. |
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Merchant Magician by John Champaign Exiled from his family of traders in mystical goods and services on his 23rd birthday, the merchant magician must make his way in the world: meeting mermaids in San Francisco, Midwestern leprechauns, Icelandic dwarves and the girl of his dreams, who happens to be a cultist devoted to the rise of the great old ones who will consume the world in ash and fire when they awaken. Blending real-world negotiation theory with a coming of age story in an urban fantasy setting, this book will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher, Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman. |
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Of a Strange World Made by Anthony W Eichenlaub Scientist Ash Morgan doesn't mind breaking rules, but this is ridiculous. The colony of Edge is a bastion on the frontier of space and science, governed only by laws designed to bring humanity to the stars. Successful laws. Outdated laws, if Ash has anything to say about it. But when a child is born strange, Ash must decide which of the colony's rules must be followed, which ones can be broken, and which ones will inevitably lead to Edge's ultimate destruction. |
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The Strange Task Before Me by Sean Gibson Decades before the events of The Camelot Shadow, a young William Upton is intent on ensuring that his late fatherâs bookstore continues to thrive, even if that means taking a commission from a mysterious client who tasks him with finding an arcaneâand possibly magicalâtome. With time running out and a large reward hanging in the balance, Will chases down every possible lead, braving the macabre underground laboratory of a sadistic nobleman before embarking on a daring, late-night library break-in. Told through Willâs own diary and with his characteristic wit, âThe Strange Task Before Meâ is an intense race against the clock that mixes action, humor, and a bit of magicâall while laying the groundwork for momentous events to come, expanding on the mythology of The Camelot Shadow, and introducing a key new character in the unpredictable Baron Frederickson. |
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Far From Normal by Karen Eisenbray and LeeAnn McLennan The band St. Rage is on tour from Seattle, and they bump into the supernormal Brighthall family in Portland, just when the city is being overrun by monsters. Eisenbrey's Rage Brigade books smash into McLennan's Supernormal Legacy trilogy just in time to save the day. Truth. Justice. Rock'n'roll. And lots of superheroes! |
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Seeds of Truer Natures by LS Johnson In 15th-century Florence, two vampires plot against Lorenzo deâ Medici in this prequel novella to the forthcoming Prima Materia series. A year ago Adrian and Magnus walked out of the dungeons of their king, Gabriel, but his renewed favor is tenuous. Now they have an opportunity to make amends for good: to steal a book Gabriel desires from Lorenzo deâ Medici, the most powerful man in Florence, on the condition that they do so without being detected. To secure their prize, they decide to talk their way into Lorenzoâs homeâsave that Adrian and Magnus are not men, but what later centuries will call vampires. Unable to walk in sunlight without burning, fearing discovery by the Florentines, they find themselves relying on an unlikely intercessor: a young monk named Girolamo Savonarola, already famous for his visions. Soon, however, Adrian and Magnus realize that nothing about their task is what they expected, and their success could have catastrophic repercussions. To survive Gabrielâs dark agenda, they will have to confront their shared pastâor risk sacrificing their future. |
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The Book of a Thousand and One Destinies by Gareth Lewis A paranoid Sultan, an Assassin found only in stories, and a Storyteller caught up in their battle. Once upon a time, a great Sultan was plagued by an Assassin who struck at him with stories and lies. A young Storyteller is gathered with her colleagues, and forced to share her stories with the Sultan before their voices are stilled forever. In a war of destinies, enslaved jinn, and comparative truths, the Storyteller must tread dangerous ground in what may be her final recital. A fantasy novella. |
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Fleeting Word by Andrew D Meredith War ends. Secrets hide. Faith beckons Nethendel Unteel is comfortable in his life at the father monastery of Pariantur. But when the long-raging Protectorate Wars suddenly end, and life threatens to return to normal, Nethendel learns of a woman the dark gods wish to bind to their schemes. He must decide what to do with the secrets he uncovers. Fleeting Word is a Kallattian Legacy novella, and acts as both the Prelude to the Kallattian Saga and Postlude to the Protectorate Wars by Andrew D Meredith. |
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The Dinosaur Hunters by Patrick Samphire Mystery, murder, and adventure on Mars⌠Mars in 1815 is a world of wonders, from the hanging ballrooms of Tharsis City to the air forests of Patagonian Mars, and from the ice caves of Noachis Terra to the Great Wall of Cyclopia, beyond which dinosaurs still roam. Sixteen-year-old Harriet George has never had the chance for an adventure. Now her older sister is determined to marry her off. Harriet canât think of anything worse. Meanwhile, her brother-in-law, Bertrand, has a problem. Heâs never been much of a police inspector. As far as Harriet knows, Bertrand has never caught a criminal in his life. But now the famous jewel thief, the Glass Phantom, has come to Mars, and Bertrand has been given the job of tracking him down. If he fails, Bertrand will lose his job and the whole family will be ruined. Harriet will not let that happen. So she comes up with a plan: she will capture the Glass Phantom herself. Even if that mean that she and Bertrand have to follow the thiefâs intended victim, the Countess von Krakendorff, on a dinosaur hunt in the perilous Martian wilderness. But there is far more going on in this expedition than mere robbery, and the dinosaurs are not the greatest danger. If Harriet cannot solve the mystery, her family won't just be ruined. She and Bertrand may not make it out of the wilderness alive. The Dinosaur Hunters is a thrilling adventure set in the world of Secrets of the Dragon Tomb. |
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Sometimes even in the middle of nowhere, trouble finds you. When you're a librarian working the night shift, it's even more likely, but Ava has a few tricks up her sleeve for dealing with the shifters, visitors and creatures who roam in the dark. If she's very lucky, the new stranger in town will prove to be a boon rather than a hindrance. A cozy, romantic fantasy.â¨â¨If you enjoyed Ghost Town, check out Witch Way and Null Witch.â¨â¨Ghost Town was originally released at my blog one chapter at a time. Check the blog for new stories or follow me here on Amazon for the latest updates! |
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Spellswept by Stephanie Burgis In the world of the Harwood Spellbook, 19th-century Angland is ruled by a powerful group of women known as the Boudiccate - but in order to become a member of that elite group, any ambitious young politician must satisfy tradition by taking a gentleman mage for her husband. Amy Standish is a born politician...but Jonathan Harwood is her greatest temptation. On the night of the Harwoods' Spring Solstice Ball, in an underwater ballroom full of sparkling fey lights and danger, Amy will have to fight the greatest political battle of her life to win a family and a future that she could never have imagined. It will take an entirely unexpected kind of magic to keep everything from crashing down around her. Warning: this novella contains forbidden romance, dangerous magic, and political intrigue in an underwater ballroom. What could possibly go wrong? |
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The Ballad of Alchemy and Steel by AJ Calvin In the Murkor culture, it is customary for the individuals bound during the unity ceremony of ujarâhavel to compose a book of memories detailing the events that led to their first meeting and subsequent desire to be joined. As a Murkor without a mother to guide him, Salâzar is afforded unusual freedoms in his path to ujarâhavel and the selection of a caste. In their strongly matriarchal society, his fatherâs voice holds little weight. He must forge his own destiny, though he struggles to find the proper way. Salâzar knows he is unsuited to the soldierâs caste, but is running out of options. One fateful day, he journeys to the sparring ring to test his mettle, where he meets Jalâden. Jalâden is the same age, but has already proven himself a better fighter than most of the older children. Noting Salâzar is without a sparring partner, Jalâden offers to pair with him, and so begins a long friendship that may ultimately become something more. |
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Some lies cut deeper than any sword. War has come to the fragile city-state of Carenos. A self-proclaimed âKing of the Southâ sows destruction among its outlying villages, cutting a bloody swathe towards the capital. As smoke from the burning wheat fields blackens the sky, Carenos beseeches its northern allies for aid. Dexios, general of the Thenean phalanx, is one of those chosen to answer the call. After braving the tumultuous Sea of Scales, he arrives in Carenos at the head of three hundred hoplites, determined to put an end to the enemy incursion. One threat, however, can often hide another. Something is stirring in the shadows of the sun-drenched lowlands, an age-old legend, abandoned and forgotten. Drawn from its den by the need to satiate its ravenous hunger. And the enticing scent of blood. |
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From mother and refugee, to warrior and nun, to traitress and Destroyer. Hell hath no fury like a mother betrayed.The Signovencian Church paints Sevara of the Blooded as a Hellwitch responsible for the burning of dozens of churches across Samothrace. Congregations whisper hushed prayers that her demonic gaze might pass over and spare them the ravages of her malicious coven, the Blooded of Ruin. She was not always so. According to the forbidden writings of Father Joseph, excommunicate shepherd of the Blooded, a tribeswoman of the Hellscape fled her master to save her infant son from ritualistic sacrifice. She finds sanctuary on the other side of Bel Farak in a small parish and hides there. Now, to prove she is no spy of Hell, Sevara volunteers to enter the war on the side of the Kingdom as a warrior nun of the Anointed. While fighting to survive the monsters, demons and savages from the life she abandoned, she has no idea of the political wheels turning behind the scenes, and the danger that her supposed allies present to her and her son. Desolate is the tragic origin story of the Destroyerâs champion, Sevara of the Blooded, and a prequel to Shades of Black Afterlight. |
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The Haunting of Bardane Manor by AKM Beach An unnatural snow covers desolate vineyards. A beloved nobleman's ghost torments his family. The mystic sent to save them is at death's door. Now a lowborn novitiate must work alone to unearth the secrets of Bardane Manor before the corrupt spirit brings everything to frozen ruin. This creepy novella is set in the same gothic fantasy world of the Banshee's Curse Duology. It is a standalone ghost story featuring Ysoldette, one of the main protagonists of Lady Vago's Absolution. |
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Dragonmeat is poison. But what if youâre starving? Peri will do anything to keep her chronically ill father alive in their starving city. Using her now useless scholarly talents to research thievery, sheâs become a highly successful food thiefâsmall, ordinaryâinvisible. In Medeas, gripped in the iron fist of its mad governor, ravaged by dragons, hiding is a way of life. Then her stealing triggers a riot, and a mysterious stranger steps in to save her. Frost has food and heâs willing to share his secret...but talking to him might be the most dangerous thing Periâs ever done. How can she find the courage to leave her safe shadows and take a stand when her fatherâs life hangs in the balance? Dragonmeat is a fast-paced novella set in award-winning author Angela Boordâs Eterean Empire universe--a lush, dangerous world of empire and resistance inspired by Rome and Renaissance Italy. |
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Ansgar the Skald just needs to make a simple delivery. One very fine sword, made by his foster father, needs to go east. Over the mountains, into the woods, and almost to the land of the Swedes. Once he does that, he can go home and warm his feet. All he needs to do is choose the right path through the forest. This is one foreboding forest, though, and a part of the world Ansgar has never traveled through. In that bleak part of the north, outlaws want to take his sword, wargs want to eat his face, and witches want him for things he would rather not think about. As a skald, Ansgar knows the kind of lore that can keep a man alive in the far north. Tales of heroes and trolls, of gods and dwarves. He's got the best stories. He's got his wits. And he's got a cynical raven to give him advice. Maybe. The right direction has a warm fire and a horn full of mead waiting. The wrong direction has wolves the size of ponies. Or worse. |
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Dante Alighieri, amateur grifter and recent college graduate, has no plans for the Summer after his senior year, except to finally have sometime off and relax. After several months in New York City, he strikes up a deal with Virgilio âVirgilâ Eco Olivares, carefree and semi-well known writer on a visa always almost expiring : a two-week trip to Italy together to find their old bodies to beat those reincarnation blues. A journey that was meant to be about reconnecting with past lives and recovering what was lost in ancient times suddenly turns to peril. With danger at every corner and turbulent emotions running high, relaxation is quickly thrown out the window. In this satirical work of verse-novel, the trip of a lifetime leads to daunting revelations about Italian-American culture and the Western canonâs perspective of literature, fraught with raising important questions about cultural collectivism and the complicated intersection between race, sexuality, disability, age, and gender identity under Capitalism. While in transit, the important personal questions revolving around both Dante and Virgilâs present lives still persistâ a truth that neither is ready to confront: What does it mean to love someone too late? What does it mean to be you when you donât live in your own body anymore? |
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The Sorceress Transcendent by Casey Blair Once mortal enemies on the battlefield, what can they become supporting each other instead? When Varius, the greatest general of the Aurelian Empire, is forced to flee his homeland, there's only one person he can turn to. A powerful sorceress and once his most deadly enemy, Theira is the only combatant who's ever escaped the war between their peoples. But with the memories of how they kept each other going from opposite sides of a battlefield, when a bleeding Varius knocks on her door, she lets him in, even knowing what will follow. Theira may have gotten away, but as long as the war goes on, she'll never really be free. Now with both their peoples actively hunting them, the two most dangerous fighters in a never-ending war will have to join forces to do the end it once and for all, on their terms. And if they can dare to dream boldly enough, maybe find happiness for themselves, too. The Sorceress Transcendent is a stand-alone enemies-to-lovers epic fantasy romance novella about badasses who enjoy a cozy cup of tea after a long day wreaking epic destruction, because why choose? This story is for everyone who knows what's coming when your former mortal enemy and best rival knocks on the door in the middle of the night and says, "I had nowhere else to go." |
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Staff of Justice by Noelle Nichols Saving a life may have just cost him his own Protecting the innocent was all Kilo ever wanted. With a noble heart, he began his training as a warrior, pursing a path of compassion and justice. But when a seemingly ordinary mission goes wrong, he's forced to break his creed, betraying the very thing he's dedicated his life to. Because of his actions, others are forced to bear the consequences. To one upholding honor, the shame is almost unbearable. His friends try to comfort him, but without his creed, who is he? And how can he possibly make amends for what he's done? Staff of Justice is a short prequel novella to the Asian-inspired, noblebright series, The Shadow's Creed Saga. Witness the moment that changed Kilo's life forever and shaped the entire course of his futureâfor better or for worse. |
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Rat City: Book One in The Rat City Chronicles by Laurie Silvers In the walled city of Aman Kala, the grisly murder of a sacred Rat Keeper pulls Detective Derya Mack into an investigation that threatens to expose the power struggles that guarantee the very safety the fortress offers from the plague world. The year is 986H/1578CE and Derya Mack lives and works in Aman-Kala, a plague fortress located between Arab, Persian, and Turkic lands. The rebel Zanj have toppled the Abbasid Caliphate, outlawed slavery, and turned regions and cities into client states. The Zanj Caliphate governs from Baghdad backed up by the force of their empire-wide army. Regional militaries are outlawed and cities are left to govern themselves without police or jails. In Aman-Kala, private detectives solve crimes, large and small. Derya Mack is one of those detectives. Rat City is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo OUT NOW IN REVENGE IN THREE, a collection of novellas based on the classic novel entitled Revenge in Three. |
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A Prelude to Ashes by Thiago Abdalla Prince Adrian has a secret. He has been meeting with Myrra, the princess of Dakhra. They love each other, but their fathers are mortal enemies, and Dakhra is not a part of the Domain. The rulers of the Domain nations have been granted hundreds of years by the blessings of the Seraph, and their borders are kept safe by the Churchâs elite griffin riders. But the enemies of the Domain are gathering. A foreign threat may be the chance Adrian and Myrra need to bring their nations closer... if they can convince their fathers to work together. Will new enemies be enough for rivals to overcome old grievances, or will they bring them closer to war? A Prelude to Ashes is a prequel novella that takes place one hundred years before the events of A Touch of Light, the first book in the Ashes of Avarin series. |
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In this extended tale of sci-fi-meets-historical fiction, Xenia, a woman with an integrated artificial intelligence, embarks on a mission to repair a malfunctioning relay at the edge of the wilderness now called the Flood Zone. As the mission turns to disaster, Xenia and her security contractor find themselves confronting a greater mystery, one that eventually leads them to a strange town in the middle of nowhere, where nothing is quite as it seems. The town, called Harmonie, has a long utopian history. Half-abandoned for years, it has been revived by a group of secretive scientists and artists, who are still dealing with the echoes of a long and complex American past. Its traces appear in a set of peculiar 19th-century documents that chronicle the life of a free-spirited woman, the long forgotten reformer and troublemaker Camilla Wright, which only deepens riddles lurking in the heart of the forest. Starfall II will be released in early 2024. |
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#Rehashed: A short story collection, contains twenty short stories from the deviant mind of Jack T. Canis. They range from the humorous to the bizarre, dark to enlightening. Fourteen rehashed stories have been previously published in journals, magazines and anthologies from the USA, UK & France and collected together into a single volume. There are also six new tales for your delectation: The Doldrums of Bidmouth Bay; Oliver's Island; The Waiting Room; Bolivia; Chutzpah & Fly Spray. |
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Legends of Galhalla: A Spark in Fateâs Hand by B.C. Licht A Spark in Fateâs Hand is the first book of three in the Legends of Galhalla series. Emma Stevenson lives in a world she fears will never understand her. So she spends her time in a world that Video games. Her latest escape is the virtual reality MMORPG, Legends of Galhalla, a fantastical world of airships and magic, but Emma doesnât want to leave. Now thanks to an otherworldly glitch, she doesnât have to. With millions of players trapped within the virtual confines of Galhalla, Emma is finally free⌠until she starts crushing on someone desperate to escape. Emma now faces a difficult Help her new friends escape the crumbling reality that is Galhalla or stay hidden away in her new home. Either way, Emmaâs fate and the fate of millions rests in her hands. |
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Lume (Lume Duology #1) by T.M. Ghent The capital city of Lume is on the brink of chaos. A newly formed underground city begins a rebellion, threatening Lume's complacent king. A Prince, content with a warm bed and a full glass, must choose between his family and his honor. A Girl, buried beneath her past, must decide whether to risk everything she has for her dreams. A Lawless, forged to be a leader among the rebels, must find a way to remain in control. They never wanted to be heroes. Ruled by old traditions, Lume is plagued with new technology it isn't ready for. In a world filled with betrayal, hard truths, and broken pasts, can Lume be saved or will it succumb to its eventual destruction? In TM Ghent's debut novel, Lume blurs the expectations of fantasy and science fiction into a creative blend featuring a new and exciting world. |
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Initialize (Mod Superhero #1) by Samuel Fleming For this cyborg, power is just an upgrade away. Emmett was used to being caught between college and his engineering internship, but when he gets caught between a powerful hero and an even stronger villain, he becomes collateral damage. Instead of dying, he wakes up a cyborgâa melding of flesh and machine. Turns out his boss wasnât just an eccentric inventor, and the old man just gave him a shining opportunity to be a hero. Except thatâs just the beginning, and things are about to get a lot more complicated. His boss has his own agenda. The bossâs daughter has her own power armor. His roommate works for an evil corporation. And Emmett is just a Class 1 hero. Superheroes arenât just masksâsome work for corporations, or for the government and the military, and even as mercenaries in wars. Shadowy cabals pull the strings of hero and villain alike. The city of Belport might be peaceful for now, but most of the world is in turmoil. If Emmett is going to have any chance at making a difference, he needs to get stronger. A lot stronger. How much of his humanity will he hold onto and how much will he trade away? 4.4 Stars on Royal Road! A new Superhero Progression Fantasy series. This series features a zero-to-hero protagonist, dystopian intrigue, superhero action, occasional swearing and gore, and Ship of Theseus-style power progression. |