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Veil Us in Gold by Shepard DiStasio Find a weapon lost to myth, and Drake can save the world. Find a creature lost to war, and they can save themself. Drake ElĂœnus was never supposed to be in TÄrÄmen. They were never supposed to be working for TÄrÄmenâs royal family. They were never supposed to do the things theyâve done. But Drake hasnât stood a chance since the day their home was burned to the ground, the boy they loved was executed in front of them, and wayward magic cast them into a life of lonely immortality far from anything theyâd ever known. All they have is revenge. But when the culmination of their efforts backfires into a death sentence, their only hope is to make a deal with the very queen they tried to ruin. The world around Drake is unraveling. Whispers of ancient monsters bubble beneath the surface. Fights escalate on the borders of a country that has not been its own in fifty years. Treaties are no longer worth any more than the blood they were written in. And a mysterious general they all call the âWhite Roseâ is apparently the face of it all. With the gilded gold of society finally peeling, Drake might have a chance to escapeâbut only if they confront who they were truly supposed to be. The first book of the Sins of the Divine series and DiStasio's debut, Veil Us in Gold explores what it means to be good, the secrets people will do anything to keep hidden, and the monsters that prowl not only in shadows, but inside hearts as well. |
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Mother of Pearl by Blanka H. Madow Lured to a mystical land, Valeri must learn to harness a power deep within her. Orphaned at a young age, sisters Valeri and Amelia shouldered the household responsibilities in their small village of Noor. Valeri was the hunter; Amelia the gatherer. While fishing one day, Valeri follows her instinct into the depths of the ocean despite a raging storm. She discovers the Mother of Pearl shell - which unbeknownst to her, unlocks the secrets of her ancestral power. Knocked unconscious by the storm and washed ashore in a foreign land, she soon realizes she is thousands of miles from her sister, and there are wicked plans afoot. As she struggles to find a way to return home to her sister, Valeri befriends Prince Rulin at the magical court. In each other, they find purpose. But she must harness the newfound power within her blood first. |
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Poisoned Empire by Elyse Thomson Cinderella (feral) meets The Lies of Locke Lamora in this lush romantic fantasy set in a world inspired by the Eastern Roman Empire. Black-marketeer Selene has poison magic and the cynicism to match. When she and genius metals mage Iliana are arrested by the same scheming, noble fathers who tossed them out at birth, they suspect apologies wonât be forthcoming. Forced to either impersonate their half-sisters or die, the friends are stuffed into fancy dresses, packed off to the capital, and thrust into the perilous, glittering world of the imperial court. Traitors lurk in Prince Belisariusâ court, and only his loyal strategos Marduk is above suspicion. As noble-born villains siphon away the souls of their daughters to magnify their magic in secret, Belisarius plots to expose them allâby inviting every noblewoman in the empire to compete for his hand in marriage. But two infuriating imposters in attendance quickly become his bane. When the friends are discovered, they expect imprisonmentânot a deal. Vast riches are on offer if Selene poses as fiancĂ©e to the handsome prince while Iliana simpers for the towering strategosâa ploy to lure traitorous enemies to the capital. Yet even as they help secure the throne, false affections flirt with real passions, and Selene and Iliana are convinced theyâll either lose their hearts⊠or their heads. |
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The Modern Mythos Anomaly by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald "Memory's haunt conjures the most arrant of ghosts..." Python is a drifter, a vampire living his eternal life on the road and liking it that way. Beholden to nothing and certainly to no one. But such a lifestyle doesnât come without creating enemies. Most notably, a pesky vampire hunter he cant seem to shake. When he stumbles upon a seemingly abandoned cabin the woods, Python sees the perfect escape and a place to hide. But what he didnât expect was for someone to be home⊠When recluse warlock Calystoâs peaceful life is upended by the arrival of a chaotic disaster in the form of a loudmouthed vampire, he and his teleporting house become the target of the hunter, too. Calysto knows itâs all Pythonâs fault that heâs in this mess. That is, until Calysto makes a mistake, and in his hurry to flee transports them over one hundred years into the past. Confronted with lives they both had hoped to forget, not to mention the memories they most definitely did, Calysto and Python must try to put aside their many differences and increasingly complicated feelings to learn to work together. Or else they risk being stuck in the past -- and with each other -- forever. This is an adult book with themes that are not suitable for minors. Content warnings are included before the title page, available for view within the sample. |
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The Sun Prince by L. R. Schulz THE BONDS OF KIN MUST HOLD The King-Radiant has fallen. Zapour has been liberated and the siblings triumphant, but at what cost? Two years have passed since their victory over the Eagles. Peace between the nations has not gone as planned. Gelvard has seized control of Lumindal and a cloud of war now surrounds Trost. The sun is dying⊠A new power has risen from the west. A man who calls himself the Sun Prince has his eyes set firmly on Zapour. But is he friend or foe? The bonds of kin will be tested as new threats arise, though not all threats are new. An ancient evil awakens, and new bonds must be forged if light is to shine another day. |
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Cutting Your Teeth by Caylan MacRae Ezra Santos is tired of running. Of burning bridge after bridge and going through new names like used matches. He desperately wants something he was never destined to haveâa future all his own. Having escaped his hell of a home two years ago, he canât go a day without looking over his shoulder. Putting down roots was never in the cards when the family that raised Ezra relentlessly hunts him across the country. Right as heâs about to restart the cycleânew name, new life, the whole nine yardsâhis plans come to a screeching halt when he crosses paths with a mysterious and charismatic vampire, Killian Hale. He promises a way out from a life on the run. Ezra knows there's no helping a man with the devil on his heelsâbut there's something about Killian that makes him believe he could finally break free of the Espinas once and for all. Itâs only a matter of time before the clock winds down and the rest of Ezra's troubles come home to roost. There's something sinister in his bloodâa dark fate passed down through generations. Can the two survive an ancient family curse or will Ezra doom them both? |
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The Warhog Paladins by Jer Patch Mia Lark is running out of options. Without a neural implant, she'll be shut out of the Corporate jobs on her home planet, but without the cash to pay for it, she's desperate to find a way in. There is one way to score that implant and pay it back later: the game planet Revivium. It sounds easy enough: enter the game, earn enough Bitz to cash out, and exit before the game finds a way to kill her. Once she's in-game, though, Mia realizes Revivium is anything but simple. A realm-wide quest is a great opportunity to score her Bitz and punch out, but she finds a magical artifact that links back to a forbidden quest line: the Helm of the dead leader of the Warhog Paladins. The helm's friendly AI, Hex, Leads Mia on an entirely different quest, to find the main guildhall where she can discover what became of the old Warhog Paladins--a quest that could get her killed in Revivium, where Game Over means death... |
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When 16-year-old Kallis goes to see Aristophanes' latest play, she's inspired to sneak into the Assembly and try to make her name as an orator. Against the backdrop of steampunk antiquity â an Ancient Athens where automatons line the city walls â Kallis sets out to incite a revolution. Sheâs going to create a world where no one is forced to be someone theyâre not: a world where women can be artificers and orators, where oneâs future isnât determined by the track set out by their parents. |
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Where Heroes Were Born by Tom Dumbrell Ten years have passed since the Battle of Highcastle. As Peacehaven's new king takes the country from strength to strength, Fran strikes out on her own in neighbouring Cornesse, where she is the chosen shield to the venerated queen, Mathilde. It seems Mathilde has everything under controlâexcept her own future. Concerns for Cornesse's royal succession send Fran on a journey she never expected to undertake and certainly didn't know she needed. Meanwhile in Highcastle, an inexperienced prison master is given responsibility over a notorious brigand. As the son of a decorated war hero, Locke must learn the job quickly, setting aside his demons in order to establish a name of his own in a place where no one knows who he is. Will Franâs journey on behalf of a queen teach her something about herself instead? Will Locke falter under the weight of his fatherâs expectations? Will the king and queen of Peacehaven find their happily ever after? Peace is a romantic notion, but someone has to fight for it. |
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No Place for Peace by Tom Dumbrell As Cyrus rides away from the safety of his family in Highcastle to face his destiny in cunning King Simeon's kingdom, Augustus braces himself for the arrival of a new threat: an invading army is coming for the capital. Easthaven's young king will need the support of those closest to him if there is any hope of saving not just the city but their kingdom. Will Thaddeus and Adaline be able to guide Augustus toward victory, or will a magnetic new influence cloud his judgement? What fate awaits Cyrus in Auldhaven, and is there more to Simeon than meets the eye? As Cyrus's journey takes him farther from home than ever before, his future will become more unpredictable. The outcome seems destined to be explosive. War is coming, but the fiercest battles are often fought within. |
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Emelie has always known to stay away from the woodsâthe elders in her village wonât let her forget it. No matter how the wind between the trees calls to her, sheâs to stay away. When her exiled childhood best friend Halvar emerges from the woods unharmed, she begins to question the things sheâs been taught, and whether there is life outside of their village. But when Halvarâs reappearance coincides with a series of murders, Emelie must decide if she prefers the safety of her puritanical people, or the chance to escape to a new life with him. As Emelie explores who she really is and what she really wants, dark secrets of her village begin to come to light. As the bodies start piling up and lines are drawn, Emelie needs to decide which side she stands on, and she may just need to unleash her inner nature to survive the fallout. |
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A Dagger in the Dark by Tom Dumbrell Twenty years before the events of The Look of a King, in a world on the cusp of change, a young man dreams of a life far from the one he has known. Is he a captain in the making, or out of his depth? The stakes are high, and only time will tell if the spoils are worth the gamble. . . |
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KNIGHT: The Shintori Chronicles Book III by Elle Samhain Avery isnât sure she should even still be alive after Morganaâs Legion left two Reapers dead⊠and one Saved. She and her friends have located the fifth and final Knight of Od placed in the realm of the living by the Beldam - the Knight of Spirit. The oddball Princess Yumi has waited with bated breath and uncertain heart for the Berserker Witch. Can she be trusted to resist the demon she harbors? The ragtag band of Reapers must confront the monsters of their own pasts before they can ever hope to save the future. |
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HEMLOCK: The Shintori Chronicles Book II by Elle Samhain Rumors of the Berserker Witchâs murders have traveled fast and far. Avery Porter and her friends barely escaped with their lives when two Knights of Od revealed themselves in battle. With the High Priestess of Centralia murdered by the Knight of Earth, Avery has no choice but to put her faith in the demon of the Crossroads. As the demon Balthazar and the Goddess of the Witches lead them to the ritual to put the Knights down for good, the final Knight has caught word of their search. Armed with their name, Avery must get to the last Knight before their beacon signaling the end of the world is ignited. |
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In the Comfort of Shadows by B. Nacole Verona doesn't believe in Hell when her life is already a living one. After all, she's underemployed, reeling from a harsh breakup, and her graduate degree is slipping through her fingers. As if her life can't get any worse, a mishap with a cursed grimoire sends her to Limbo where she finds out that she's the reincarnation of the witch responsible for condemning Lo-the Archdemon of Wrath-to Limbo until the curse is broken. With death looming over Verona's head and a bargain burned into her skin, Verona agrees to help Lo before his patience runs out. But as Verona digs for answers, attraction between her and Lo spikes, secrets are unearthed, and untapped magic itches in her veins. |
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Render to Silver by Catherine Labadie The Founts of Silver are holy women blessed by the favor of their God...or they are cursed vessels meant to be shattered. Given no other choice, Fount Marzanna clawed her way up their ranks until she was able to begin planning her escape with one of her fellow Founts from Aebbenary, the prosperous island ruled by Silver's decadent church. Instead, the accidental working of a Miracle sets her apart and attracts the notice of the High Priest. He intends to use her to spark a revival in the city, and eventually the world, which has begun to turn away from a religion that rewards greed and ambition as piety. He's not forthcoming with how, and while tensions in the city rise, while two rival houses contemplate war, Marzanna realizes the role she resents with all her heart won't let her walk away without untold sacrifice. |
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AEGIS: The Shintori Chronicles Book I by Elle Samhain Avery Porter is a Reaper in the walled-off city of Ardua, tasked with the duty of sending souls to the afterlife. Her day-to-day life comes to a sudden halt when she is kidnapped by another Reaper and his exorcist companion, taking her far beyond the walls. At first their claims of a demonic force lurking in selected Reapers seem outlandish, until Avery sees them for herself. The Knights of Od were created by the goddess of the underworld to swallow the land of the living; fueled by the elements and the unrest among the Shintori gods. Their last chance lies with the Knight of Spirit, the last to be unleashed onto the world. Can they reach it before the Beldamâs Legion does? |
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Davy Jones, the captain of the Flying Dutchman, has never believed in any of the superstitions his crew whisper about when they think he's not listening. Sirens? Mermaids? Selkies? All just myths perpetuated by lonely men on the sea. Davy is satisfied with his riches. He doesn't need anything else. At least, that is what he tells himself. But the truth is that he is not living, only surviving. And Davy is tired of surviving. What happens when one night he meets a beautiful creature who promises him everything he's ever wanted? Dead Reckoning is a historical erotic retelling of the legend of Davy Jones and is not recommended for readers under the age of 18. |
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The Tenfold Tenants by E.V. Belknap Corvinian Hark thought he'd be the next great villain. What he ended up as, is a caretaker of magical tenants. This setback was supposed to have been temporary. It has been temporary going on eight years. But things are looking up, or at least he was told things are looking up. If you were to ask Corbin, things mostly keep looking sideways. Because his latest tenant might just be human. It means no more magic in the hallways and keeping skeletons from wandering out of the closet. But mostly it means that if he can't figure her out, he'll be out of a job. Which would be rather unfortunate, as it is where he keeps his bed, and all of his stuff, and all of his friends. He'll just stick her between the vampire and the harpy and hope she doesn't notice, shall he? |
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Samantha Havardson is in hiding. All things considered, it could be worse. For the time being, sheâs safe from the immortal warrior hellbent on settling a thousand-year-old vendetta against her. However, an unknown assailant has been inside Samanthaâs head, turning her into a liability to the very people trying to protect her. Meanwhile, Adrestus enacts the final stages of his plan, positioning himself to subjugate all of civilization. Options are slim, time is running out, and Samantha must come to terms with the fact that some villains can only be taken down from the inside, even if it means running the risk of becoming a weapon to be used against those closest to her. |
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ÎᜱÎčÎżÏ by Andromeda Ruins A queer and anti-establishment retelling of the fall of Icarus. The Elysians are here to protect us. They uphold order, they keep citizens safe⊠unless you are their kid. When you are the child of an Elysian you get to see what they are truly like. You get to see their fears, their anger, their hatred. You get to be subjected to their wants and whims. Most importantly, you get to be trained by the âbest of the bestâ to become an Elysian yourself. At least thatâs what we were told. We werenât told what that training would cost us. What it would do to our bodies and our minds. How it would make us into what the Elysians really are, mindless abominations. These monsters are in every corner of our society. They are heralded as Gods among men, but not for long. I am doing everything in my power to show who they really are behind their masks. Soon, everyone will see these nasty creatures for what they are⊠ÎÎŹÎčÎżÏ is a tragedy following Icarus as he takes a look behind the curtain of the Elysian Program and sees the disgusting framework that he was disillusioned to. Now the only thing on his mind is bringing down the program and the entire ATLAS corporation. Will he be able to when the world seems set against him? |
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Atra Hart has spent the last seven years locked away in Vanishing Plains Psychiatric Hospital. In that time, her shadow has transformed into its own entity and is growing stronger by the day, threatening to devour her mind. She calls that shadow Dread, and only her missing father knows what it is. When a fire breaks out at the asylum, Atra makes her way to freedom just in time to see an electric-purple rift sunder the sky. Like Dread, the rift is only visible to her. Atraâs already loose grip on reality unravels when she learns the rift is a gateway to the world of the dead. And the Queen, an ancient evil lurking on its fringes, wants Dread for her own. Even worse, Atra canât tell if any of this is really happening. She might have escaped one asylum, but the closer she gets to unearthing answers about Dread, why her father knows itâs there, and its role in the Queenâs plans, the more she risks getting trapped inside her own mind forever. Maybe some truths are meant to stay buried. |
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The Memory Tree by Ellie Lieberman "The Memory Tree reminds us that it is okay, and sometimes necessary, to remember the not so good during the holiday season... It almost feels like we are given permission to feel bittersweet, which is something I personally find comforting the older I get."- Roadside Reader A collection of old ornaments come alive to aid a grandmother, on her last Christmas Eve night, in telling family stories and imparting her final wisdom to her granddaughter. |
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The consequences of freedom, the sacrifices for what is loved, and the battle for the future... All in the shadow of a castle that looms large over all who preside within the kingdom. |
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Rosemary & Iron by Dorian Valentine When a ritual to restore Mana goes wrong and sends him into the distant past, CĂ©lestin Edevane seeks the help of a strange man inhabiting an even stranger estate in order to prevent the calamity that destroyed Mana. Faced with a fascinating world unlike his own, filled with vampires, fae, witches and old gods and an unexpected love affair...will he even want to return to his time? |
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The Reluctant Mage by Journey Windrow FAERIES, TROLLS, AND VAMPIRESâIS IT THE END OF THE MUNDANE REALM? I lost The Great War of the Elflands and everyone I loved. Then the Guild of Light Mages appointed me, Miranda Hunter, as Mage-in-Charge of Boston. Harpies and hornpipes! MUNDANES BREACHED THE VEIL TO THE REALMS OF MAGIC. How? Got me. I'm no quantum mechanic. Predatory preternaturals are pouring in like some joker put up a sign that says THIS WAY TO MUNDANIA . THERE ARE TROLLS IN TUNNELS. Canât mundanes identify troll stench? Nope. They donât believe in myth and magic. BABIES ARE MISSING. Changeling fae kids turn up, leaving mundane parents looking for their missing children. The mystery is how to get them back. A VANISHED GIRL Add one transportation spell to faery and itâs a magical abduction. WITH PRETERNATURAL PREDATORS STALKING ME WITH INTENT TO KILL, HOW DO I SAVE EVERYONE ELSE? There's only me, my hellhound, and my sidekick, Nigel-the-Absent, to protect the mundane world. I need sleep and calories to fuel my magic. WHAT COULD GO WRONG? With my sort-of-dead husband winding through my mind like a ghost, Iâm drowning in self-doubt. I SHOULD PACK SOME SNACKS! |
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In this dark fantasy set in a world of Machiavellian Angels and honour code demons, one outcast Angel and a vampire spirit of war must work together to prevent an atrocity causing a spiral into a deadly war between the races. Azshael is a disgraced Angel lost in remorse and shunned for falling in love with the enemy. Unexpectedly tasked with investigating the death of a vampire elite on Angelic soil, it quickly becomes personal when he discovers her murder bears similarities to that of his dead vampire lover. Seeking answers, he joins forces with the 'Serrate' Lytta, an ancient vampire war spirit and sacred warrior bound in flesh, and the potent pair unearth a conspiracy which could destroy the long-standing truce and reignite the war between the races. As a day of reckoning looms, Azshael will need all his wits to survive. But surviving is the one thing heâs always been good at. Heâs not the âdead angel walkingâ his enemies think he is. |
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The Wizardâs Butler by Nathan Lowell "He thinks he's a wizard," they said. For five grand a month and a million dollar chaser, Roger Mulligan didn't care how crazy the old geezer was. All he had to do was keep Joseph Perry Shackleford alive and keep him from squandering the estate for a year. They didn't tell him about the pixies. |
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The Blue Fairy and the Pyromancer by Zeiss Schreiber An isolated fairy seeks answers. A sorcerer trying to lay low. An inquisitor determined to catch the sorcerer. And a secret that will alter the course of all their lives forever⊠As a fairy, Breeze has been taught never to talk to humans or leave the forest. But when she meets a human sorcerer, she learns that everything sheâs been taught puts fairykind in danger. She must find Nana, her caretaker, and learn the truth to save her people. Kieran, the sorcerer, knows magic is forbidden. On the run from a dangerous inquisitor, he must lay low or risk being caught. He has always had to hide his magic â any other action on his part would have him hunted by inquisitors; and inquisitors make witches and sorcerers pay in blood. Faith is determined to bring down the sorcerer. But sheâs hiding her own dark secret. A secret even she isnât aware of. The kind of secret that puts her â and everyone around her â in danger. Three lives, entwined by fate, converge. Will they find the answers they seek? Or will they destroy one another in the process? |
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âDonât trust anyone, Lady Caitlin. Not even me. Especially not me. You can have allies here, but this court does not allow you the luxury of friends.â The land is dying, commoners are protesting, and workers are revolting. The king is ailing, but the prince is not stepping in to quell the unrest. Caitlin doesn't careâshe hasn't cared about anything since the day her world shattered and she lost everything. But fate intervenes to make her care, throwing first a rebellion leader and then the spoiled prince in her path, giving her the influence and power to rule the realm as queen or tear it all down from the inside. Caitlin would be more than happy to destroy the kingdom, but there's more to the story than the rebels know. Darker forces lurk behind the throne, and if Caitlin is to keep her head attached to her shoulders, she will need to learn more about court politics and ignore the fluttering of her heart whenever she sees a certain court lady. Caught in a web of deception and conspiraciesâmilitant revolutionaries, cryptic priestesses, and a secretive lady-in-waiting with a ruthless familyâCaitlin must unravel the truth of a long-hidden magical prophecy, or she will become yet another pawn of an enemy far more dangerous than a tyrannical king. An enemy that has been plotting in the shadows for centuries. And it has its sights set on making Caitlin into its weapon. |
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A Vermilion Curse by DC Guevara Former scholar turned mercenary Ryesand Valafar rummages through a ransacked city for banned religious texts, seeking information about ancient and dangerous magic. While investigating an abandoned temple, he encounters a threatening woman with a price on her head high enough to fund his research. Wanted by both the crown for her involvement in the dead king's occult studies and a menacing cult, Cressida Benoit searches for a way to get rid of a brand that scars her in the besieged capital in order to make her grand escape. An encounter with a demon leaves her in bonds. When this unlikely pair of opposing personalities discover that they have similar objectives relating to the outlawed religion, they agree to work together to find the place where all dark magic stems from. This proves to be a difficult task when their journey is tracked by a war commander set on bringing them to justice, a family they must escort back to a circus, and the growing tension rising between Ryesand and Cressida, serving as a distraction from their individual goals. In the midst of shifting rulers, villages, disarray, and a scattered court of decadence - falling in love was never in the cards. |
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The Last Lunar Witch by S.F. Henne I only wanted to control my magic, but a single potion catapulted my life into chaos⊠Iâm Nyssa Thornheart, a witch with broken magic. I escaped to the big city to pursue my passion for alchemy and hide from my coven until I fix my powers. If my unstable gifts are exposed, they will be stripped away. To live without magic, thatâs a fate worse than death. So I drank a long-forgotten potion in a desperate bid to harness my volatile powers. But when Iâm cornered by thugs, I unleash a rare and dangerous magic, tearing the veil between our world and a demonic realm. My new powers are growing stronger and resisting every attempt to subdue them. Now Iâm a hunted witch, pursued by both demonic creatures and the authorities determined to protect the realm from the threat I pose. Can I master my magic or will I have to sacrifice my powers before the city falls to demons? For fans of Heather G. Harris and Lindsay Buroker, The Last Lunar Witch is the first book in the fast-paced Lunar Order Chronicles. An urban fantasy series filled with strong women, found family, inner growth, and cozy vibes mixed with heart-pounding action. Dive into S.F. Henneâs gripping adventure now! |
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A Corruption of Souls by Taylor Hubbard Deklyn Delonir , Captain of the Order of the Redemptor and Knight of the Hawkeron Kingdom, has spent his entire life serving his goddess and realm to earn redemption for his past sins. Everything he does is in service to his King and the people under his protection and leadership. For his entire life, Deklyn pushed away the deepest desires of his heart, burying them and praying that they never come to the surface. When his King calls on him for the most important job of his career, one that would put an end to a war against an unknown enemy simply called The Corrupted, Deklyn doesnât think twice before readily accepting it. Once the job is completed, the war will end and the people Deklyn swore an oath to serve will be safe and the bloodshed will end. Crown Prince Kai of Hawkeron has never known what freedom feels like. Everything has been lain before him before he was born. Swayed by the whims of a fate outside of his control and duty that is inescapable, Kai doesnât know who he is. Kai is a political entity, used for his fatherâs gain. When his father calls on him to fulfill his duty as the Crown Prince, Kai knows he is defeated. He will be sent to a neighboring kingdom to marry its princess to create an alliance that will provide his fatherâs military with the resources needed to put an end to the war they waged against The Corrupted. Knowing that his failure to complete his duty would lead to the deaths of many people and the annihilation of the Hawkeron Empire, Kai resigns himself to his fate. As Deklyn and Kai travel together, they quickly learn that through the struggles they face and the desires that come to the surface, they are more than their duty. As secrets about The Corrupted come to light, they must come to terms with their fate while grappling with the very real fact that they are falling for each other. With the fate of their homeland in the balance, Deklyn and Kai must choose between duty and desire. |
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Shades and Silver by Dax Murray The birthright of every ĂstfrĂĂ°ur is to know each metal in the earth, command it, and bend it to their desires. To hear metal singing, some of it waiting just beneath the surface, so much of it deeper in the earth. If they wanted, they knew they could pluck that metal from the earth, melt it with a thought, and shape it as they pleased with a breath of air and their will. Each ĂstfrĂĂ°ur must choose which metal they would wear upon their heads, denoting the path they would walk. They craft beautiful horns to wear on their brow, forged with the metal they wish to identify with. But Britt does not know if they can choose the path they want; if they can overcome a past that has stolen their identity. The day has come for them to choose, and they have no idea if they have any right even to try to. And Astrid has never felt the pull of the metal at all. Wearing a forged circlet and horn, they try to navigate a world that they feel has rejected them, all the while fearing someone will learn their secret. The Veil of the ĂstfrĂĂ°ur has kept them hidden from the world and safe from intruders. Yet Britt and Astrid feel they are imposters in their own homes. Shades and Silver is a duology of novellas about identity, doubt, and acceptance. |
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The Compound Network nearly killed them. Now theyâre the only ones who can save it. The rules have changed. 1. The compound canât be saved . . . unless it can. (Major Henry Mortimer is determined to fix the organization that almost destroyed him and everyone he cares aboutâeven if his âsupportersâ seem to be working against him.) 2. Empaths are doomed to self-destruct . . . unless they arenât. (Bastian Lucas thinks heâs accepted that his power is killing himâuntil a questionable ally offers him a dangerous way out.) 3. Failed experiments get buried . . . unless they donât. (Laurel was done looking back, but when a presumed-dead asset turns up at the compound very much alive, she has the opportunity to right past wrongsâor to make everything worse.) With their fledgling new compound sinking into chaos, Henry, Bastian, and Laurel must come together to unravel a conspiracy that starts where their pasts inexplicably meet . . . before everything they've been trying to rebuild goes up in flames. |
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Not Your Mountain by Greg Yates / AJ Alexanders He wanted to be an adventurer, but adventure could cost him his home. Matty has spent his whole life working in the mines, it's all he's ever known to do: sing to the stone, extract its riches, and learn its properties. But after an unexpected visit from a dwarven adventurer, his life takes a seismic shift. Dwarves never leave Craig'n Dell and guests never visit, but now Matty wants to change all of that. With his cunning, bravery, and will, Matty sets off with his left foot forward... and stumbles. Join Matty as he embarks on a comedic fantasy adventure meant to captivate and amuse; where monsters, adventure, and unlikely companionship await! |
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In The Garden Of Echo by H.S. Wolfe Echo and Ender have existed nearly as long as the earth itself. Theyâre hungry, in love, and indestructible. For centuries theyâve wandered across continents feeding from their favorite food source - humans. But the mess theyâve left in their wake starts their prey on the path of discovering that they are not what they seem. After being forced to curb their feeding and go into hiding, a tragic incident leads Echo and Ender to learn about what they are, and the power they are truly capable of. In The Garden Of Echo is an erotic botanical horror about two codependent monster of unknown origins born to torture the human race for their sins against the earth. Please see author's carrd for full TW's. |
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For an empath, "How do you feel?" is never just a question. Not when it can kill you. These are the rules: 1. Rare and powerful empaths never escape the compound. (Bastian Lucas escaped a year ago, and just because heâs been dragged back doesnât mean he won't escape again.) 2. Compound officers donât ask questions. (Captain Henry Mortimer has always followed orders, but Bastianâs arrivalâand the disappearance of one of Henryâs teamâhave him wondering things he probably shouldn't be wondering.) When Major Valentine orders Bastian and Henry to investigate a series of murders committed by an asset with powers similar to Bastianâs, it brings to light more than just a cover up. Things like why an empath who shouldn't exist is killing senators, whatâs really behind the compoundâs sinister asset program, and whether Bastian and Henry will live to see the end of this case. Because they're in danger of breaking rule number three as well: 3. Donât fall in love. |
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Set during an alternate Harlem Renaissance where new forms of magic created by Black joy strain against the white establishment, Bessie Knox is an investigator of magical mysteries. When her old colleagues at the Bronx Academy of Magic start turning up dead, Knox's weakened abilities are pushed to their limits, but if she can't solve the case, she'll be next. |
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Up-and-coming necromancer, Nezael, has lived a quiet, solitary life with his lord, the Great Sorcerer Carrow deep in the woods of thorns and brambles to hide from those seeking to hurt them. For a time, Nezael was content, but now that he is ever closer to becoming a necromancer in his own right, he finds he wants more than this life. In that desire for more, he finds Yorick, a handsome woodsman from the nearby town⊠|
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As the Divine of Blackburn, Morgan sends its departed souls into the afterlife. It's a sacred job spanning generations of Divines before him, but there's a problem: the process invites the dead's memories inside and those memories quickly erode and erase his own. Before long, he fears he will completely lose who he is and no one seems to care. Then Fin, a familiar face from town, sneaks into Morgan's room to beg for a resending of his grandmother and Morgan quickly agrees, knowing it means an opportunity to escape. As escape quickly turns into a road trip with Fin to replace the memories he's lost, Morgan has to confront what it means if he never returns. Without him to send souls, they die completely, leaving a void in the world where nothing will live or grow. Returning, however, means he will lose himself. And so, Morgan must decide if never returning and living his life as himselfânot the Divineâis worth more than the souls he's leaving behind. |
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A Harmony of Water and Weald by Dove Cooper She warned of the pain. She did. But no warning can prepare you. Nothing can. Maris has always been intrigued by humans, whether new among them or having lived with them for a year, her curiosity remains. A Harmony of Water and Weald is a collection exploring some of Marisâs darker moments as she learns what it means to be human and a glimpse at what her life and family is like after the Sea Witchâs deadline has passed. Though her desire to learn about humanity is insatiable, her new life isnât all sweetness and love. Sheâs abandoned her sisters to live among a people she doesnât understand, walking on feet like she was never meant to. Sometimes her life is homesickness, sometimes frustration, often confusion. Always, though, it is wonder and fierce delight at life. A Harmony of Water and Weald is a companion to Sea Foam and Silence and contains pieces set both during and after events in that verse novel. |
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A Recipe for Disaster by Chris Durston "With the cleverness and humor of a Douglas Adams novel, A Recipe For Disaster will make you fall in love with its colorful characters and cozy yet adventurous premise. Youâll almost certainly be asking for seconds!" - Astrid Knight, author of the Mages of Velmyra Saga "A perfect story for fans of Discworld" - JamReads In the desert city of Achten Tan, built within the bones of a long-dead leviathan, there's one truth everyone knows above all others: North Ribs Ribs is the best dang ribs restaurant in town. Rebellious teenager Old Crawman never wanted to inherit the North Ribs Ribs empire, but when he discovers an unsettling secret about their new competition, he has to do something. Unfortunately for him, that something gets him tangled up with an evil wizard of ancient legends... who is not at all as he expected. With Achten Tan's powers-that-be keeping a close eye on Old Crawman, he'll need all the help he can get if he wants to have his ribs and eat them too. |
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A Promise Broken by S.L. Dove Cooper Itâs a rainy day when four-year-old Eiryn has to say goodbye to her mother. Scared, confused and unwilling to do so, Eiryn tries to summon water to stop the funeral from happening and her life falls apart. Her uncle is always sad and busy; she keeps hearing her motherâs voice asking her to follow; her best friend keeps getting into fights; and some of her classmates hate her for existing. ArĂšn never wanted children, but heâs desperate to protect his niece from his peopleâs extreme caution regarding magic and other races. Kerisaoina children arenât capable of using it and his niece is no exception. Despite being only half-kerisaoina, Eiryn is already starting to show that sheâll be one of her generationâs most talented magic-singers and those who donât approve of her existence are trying to take advantage of a young girlâs grief. Eiryn is determined to make her uncle happy, but itâs hard to make other people happy when you have to struggle through the day yourself. Sheâll find a way, though. Sheâs promised. And even if her mother wonât keep her word Eiryn will keep hers. Sheâll make everything right again. Youâll see. |
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Seekers: The Winds of Change by Troy Knowlton After an assassination attempt that could lead to an all-out war, Tyras and Oren, two young Seekers of the Argan Empire, are each given secret missions in an attempt to thwart the coming chaos. Both tasks require the Seekers to venture through the war-torn continent of Tiarna where the young men face mortal danger, horrible monsters, and hostile groups â all challenges Seekers are trained to combat. Luckily, the two Seekers also find guidance, friendship, and romance along the way. However, powerful and mysterious forces are conspiring behind the scenes and both Tyras and Oren will have to overcome a host of obstacles, including their own inner demons, in order to maintain a glimmer of hope for success. With war imminent and the unknown ahead, will the Seekers triumph, or will they be swallowed by the turbulent, relentless Winds of Change? Set in a new, masterfully created high fantasy world, Seekers: The Winds of Change is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faisal. |
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A Peddler Of Chains by Allegra Pescatore Asherah of Vine died five times in bloody service to her Queen, but now her Queen is dead. The cycle of reincarnation has ended, and Ash is ready to set her trusty bow aside and live out the rest her days in peace. All she wants is to live a quiet existence on the Rim, but her past, it seems, is intent on catching up with her. She's tried to outrun him, but he's not a man to be trifled with. Willow of Herb has been hunting the butcher Asherah for over two hundred years. She slaughtered his parents and his people, and he intends to bring her to justice. It is because of her that he was turned into a weapon of war, and it is her face that haunts his darkest nightmares. When he finally catches her scent nothing can stop him, but what happens when he captures his greatest enemy and finds out that not everything is what it seems? As they travel through the icy Lands of Nadir chased by a rival band of bounty hunters, Willow and Asherah must face their pasts and learn to work together if they wish to survive. Trust between enemies isn't easy to build, but as they fight Feral Fae, face down snowstorms, and run from Retribution, Will and Ash find that maybe they're stronger as allies than as enemies. |
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These Gossamer Strings by Allegra Pescatore A Silence is Broken. The River Beckons. The Forgotten Wait. With eighteen days until her tribunal and Water Rite, Elenor must find a way to save her doena and keep her throne. The threat of war looms larger and only an alliance through marriage has the potential to save it. But who to trust when all her closest allies have secrets of their own? The past is creeping up on them, a web of maneuvers and lies spreading back to before the fall of the Empire. Gabriel can feel it constricting around them, drawing him ever closer to a future he never wanted. Confronting the truth of his heritage may be the only way to save Lirin, but at what cost? Perhaps one the desert has already paid. Shaken after the death of the Red, the Mondaer must choose their path forward. Protect the new Gatekeeper and Incarnate as they have always done, or embrace a future without reliance on Gifts? Fedrik and Fayâs safety depends on the answer, and itâs not looking good. Would they be better off trusting Daemon, or is North right that he intends to use them as a weapon? These Gossamer Strings is the final installment of the first arc of the Last Gift Series. Threads torn asunder are weaving back together and the Gatekeeper is coming for his Incarnate. |
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A Contract in Sol Forne by Ălan MarchĂ© , Christopher Warman A standalone fantasy adventure featuring djinns, dangerous wishes, political factions, and militias. A djinn. A boy. A terrible contract. "I wouldn't have asked for that if I knew I could ask for anything." Vaelin is an ancient djinn on a quest to seek the artifact to which she is enslaved. Her centuries-long journey lands her in the southern port city-state of Sol Forne, where she is certain the artifact is held. There, she meets Dorovan, a disaffected youth from a dissolved noble house. Though their initial connection is cursory, their bond becomes one that may endanger the entire Cycle of Nature. |