stories in and

Lullaby Scars: A Fantasy Romance: Warriors of the Five Realms

Lullaby Scars: A Fantasy Romance: Warriors of the Five Realms by Hollee Mands

He’s the only man she’s ever wanted. She’s everything he can never have. Killian’s scars are all people see, but with his wretched past, he doesn’t want them to look closer. He resigned himself long ago to living as an indentured slave to a powerful and capricious high mage—until a chance meeting with a temptress outside a brothel teaches him to want… If only he hadn’t asked her price for the night. Lady Mailin’s escape from her tyrannical father is so close she can taste it. All she has to do is to fake her magical prowess long enough for the high mage to sign a marriage contract and whisk her away. Then she’ll lose him and start a new life. The last thing she needs is a tortured bondsman mistaking her for a woman who works on her back... If only she could forget his gentle, callused touch. When a stormy sea strands them together on Prison Island, Mailin and Killian’s illicit desires may prove deadlier than the convicts out for blood, or worse... Author's Note: Lullaby Scars is a full length, standalone prequel for the Warriors of the Five Realms fantasy romance series. No cheating. No cliffhangers. HEA guaranteed. This book contains explicit content and darker themes, including mature language, violence, and sexual content. Intended for readers aged 18+.
For a comprehensive list of possible triggers, please visit the author’s site.


Blood Song: A Fantasy Romance (Warriors of the Five Realms Book 3)

Blood Song: A Fantasy Romance (Warriors of the Five Realms Book 3) by Hollee Mands

She owes her blood. He’ll pay with his life. Ruthless assassin Gabriel has little fear and even fewer scruples. Every head has a price, and every hunt is a thrill. He saunters through life on a tightrope, mocking fate and defying death with every step. So when he’s forced to hunt down and deliver a prophesied blood sacrifice, Gabriel has no reason to expect trouble. Until he realizes just who the mark is—a wildcat of a woman with dark eyes and an even darker secret… She may be voiceless, but she speaks to his soul, and giving her up may be a cost too steep to bear. Shyaree has lived her whole life under the weight of a terrible sin and the shame of her Changelessness. When her brother falls prey to a curse, healing him is her one chance at atonement. Only she never expected to be kidnapped by an arrogant and insufferable fae. She can’t trust him or his bargains…or can she? He’s a cutthroat bent on using her, yet working with him may be the only way to survive… He demands her blood, but she can’t deny the way he calls to her body, or the danger he poses to her heart. Author's Note: Blood Song is Book 3 in The Warriors of the Five Realms adult fantasy romance series. This book features a standalone couple with a guaranteed HEA, but for full enjoyment of the overarching fantasy arc, please start with Book 1, Little Fire. Blood Song is intended for readers aged 18+. It contains mature language and explicit scenes of violence and sex that may be offensive or upsetting to some readers. For a comprehensive list of possible triggers, visit the author's website. Please read with care.


Street Witch: The Complete Trilogy: Steamy Fantasy Romance

Street Witch: The Complete Trilogy: Steamy Fantasy Romance by S. L. Prater

A bold witch. A reluctant ruler. A forbidden love that will challenge an empire. Marnie is a gifted witch—but magic has a mind of its own. Left unrestrained, it will always misbehave. When a demonic curse threatens Lord Bran, a man she’s loved since childhood, Marnie uses her abilities to save him. After years of suppressing their feelings—knowing the relationship is prohibited by the Church of the Cloth—the two succumb to their passion. Her growing power triggers a dangerous political war—and their relationship is doomed before it begins. Now the couple must decide whether to keep their love a secret or face imminent persecution . . . knowing they may not survive.


Court of Serpents and Secrets: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel

Court of Serpents and Secrets: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel by Eliza Raine

Book 4 in the Shadow Bound Queen series.


Court of Monsters and Malice: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel

Court of Monsters and Malice: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel by Eliza Raine

Reyna’s friends were supposed to be safe in the Shadow Court, but she has enemies everywhere. And unless Mazrith forgives her, he will join that number. As hard as she wishes it were not true, Reyna’s desire for the Prince grows as fierce as her need to win the games and find the staff that will set him free. But she’s about to find out who he really is, and what he has been keeping from her - and that will change everything.

This is the third book in the Shadow Bound Queen series, which is an adult fantasy romance inspired by Norse mythology. It is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, packed with magic, mystery and above all - delicious romantic tension.


Court of Greed and Gold: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel

Court of Greed and Gold: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel by Eliza Raine

The threats are mounting in the Shadow Court, not just for Reyna, but for the mysterious shadow-fae Prince who has kidnapped her. Undead monsters, an insane Queen, magical curses and ancient secrets are all vying for the honor of ending their lives. Forced to work with the famously monstrous Prince, Reyna soon learns that the fae warrior is dangerously different from the rumors. Passionately, fiercely, different.
And when the stakes are raised, she will discover that he is not the only one hiding who he really is. This is the second book in the Shadow Bound Queen series, which is an adult fantasy romance inspired by Norse mythology. It is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, packed with magic, mystery and above all - delicious romantic tension.


Court of Ravens and Ruin: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel

Court of Ravens and Ruin: A Brides of Mist and Fae Novel by Eliza Raine

A defiant human woman. A dark fae Prince. Two enemies bound to a marriage that could destroy their world. Reyna was born a valuable slave to the Gold Court, imprisoned her whole life in a glittering palace by sadistic, greedy fae. When the palace is raided, she takes her opportunity to escape. But the raid is led by her worst nightmare. The Prince of the most feared fae of all; the Shadow Court. And he wants one thing. Her. The copper-haired, rune-marked human. Reyna doesn’t know why the Prince has kidnapped her. But when he announces her as his betrothed, she knows that she must escape before she is eternally bound to the monster behind the mask. Only, when he takes the mask off, he isn’t what she expects. He’s lethal, beautiful and exudes sin. And he needs her. Drawn into a deadly world shrouded in secrets, and desperate to keep her own hidden, Reyna must find a way out. If she doesn’t, she risks more than just death. She risks giving everything to her intoxicating captor. This is the first book in the Shadow Bound Queen series, and is inspired by Norse mythology and Vikings. Sexy fae Vikings. It has Hades and Persephone, Beauty and the Beast vibes, and is slow-burn enemies to lovers fantasy romance with a burn-the-world-down-for-her hero. The series builds in steam and is filled with magic, myth, and delicious tension.


The Sin of Saints: The Benevolence & Blood Series

The Sin of Saints: The Benevolence & Blood Series by Lauren M Leasure

For fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy... Growing up in Eserene's slums, Petra's life is marred by unimaginable tragedy. Things finally begin to look up when she meets Calomyr, member of the Royal Guard and keeper of just as much heartache as Petra. Once again, though, her life is upended when her mother remarries a Lord, forcing Petra to undergo a brutal initiation ceremony in order to ascend to the Royal Court. As Petra prepares for initiation, news of a drug-fueled fanatical rebel regime reaches the high walls of Eserene. No one seems to panic, so Petra doesn't either. Until the city is smoldering before her. Outside the city walls, Petra must untangle a smoke-shrouded web woven long before she was born. She finds her entire life has been orchestrated for one purpose, a purpose kept hidden from her until she unveils the secret that thrums through her veins. As everything she thought she knew unravels, Petra is forced to confront ghosts she didn't know she had - and the monsters and demons that now join them... From author Lauren M. Leasure comes the sexy, action-packed first installment of the Benevolence & Blood Series.


Dead End Florals: A Cozy Fantasy

Dead End Florals: A Cozy Fantasy by Lilse Asalt

Hades ruled with an iron fist, handled his affairs with all the cool intellect and remorse that one exudes from death itself. But even a king cannot deny he wishes for spring. To charge his solemn existence, he reaches for a flower -- Persephone -- and plucks her from her gilded cage to flourish in a small flower shop. What they did not imagine were monsters, mayhem, and mysteries that would bind them as partners in law and order.


The Wings of Ashtaroth

The Wings of Ashtaroth by Steve Hugh Westenra

SPFBO9

The great city of Qemassen is at a crossroads. A powerful empire from beyond the ocean threatens to reignite a centuries-old feud. A slave rebellion brews in the tangled labyrinth of tunnels beneath the city streets. And Crown Prince Ashtaroth, the city’s supposed saviour, is considered unfit to rule even by those closest to him. When the high priest burns one of the royal children alive as a desperate offering to the city’s absentee gods, it destroys the fragile peace within Qemassen’s scheming first family. Seeking revenge for the death of her child, Ashtaroth’s mother calls on a powerful demon named Lilit. But Lilit cannot be trusted. Her cruel machinations pit brother against sister and father against daughter, laying waste to Ashtaroth’s family. Then Lilit approaches Ashtaroth with a demonic pact of his own – one that could save his people and his home. But between war from within and a revolution erupting within, even a demon may not be enough to keep Qemassen standing. Set in a secondary world based on the conflict between Ancient Carthage and Rome, The Wings of Ashtaroth is a sprawling, multi-PoV epic fantasy, full of queerness, political intrigue, and demons.


The Levitation Game

The Levitation Game by Sharon Wagner

A botched magician and a chef simmering with secrets unite to solve a supernatural puzzle as profound as gravity. The Levitation Game explores the power of sound, love, and magic!


River in the Galaxy

River in the Galaxy by Natalie Kelda

SPFBO9 Indie Recs Indie

When Merlon's parents disappeared, his world fell apart. When his best friend died, he lost the ability to enjoy life. For Captain Merlon Ricosta, Lanier's death, two years prior, feels like yesterday. But when a map from his parents is discovered, he decides to push aside his grief to get closure and follow the route they vanished along eighteen years ago. Despite political trouble, Merlon leads his crew into the unknowns of strange galaxies in his quest to find out why his parents never returned. In River in the Galaxy Merlon fights to keep his crew alive and suppress his prolonged grief and depression. But he must face his own struggles in order to protect the ship and the people aboard.


Bloodstained Skies: The Vanquisher of Kings I

Bloodstained Skies: The Vanquisher of Kings I by Dagmar Rokita

After a bloody revolution, a royal warrior named Erilaz and his companions are exiled from their kingdom. They subsequently choose to hide on a distant planet, where they risk their lives every day. One day he will return. Meanwhile, the king of his planet makes a single mistake that calls into question all his plans and hopes, leading him to become increasingly paranoid. His concerns are justified; however, there is a much worse danger than a band of local rebels.


A Shadow of Blood & Magic (The Shadowood Trilogy)

A Shadow of Blood & Magic (The Shadowood Trilogy) by Daisy Hale

A shadow of a blood and Magic is an exciting Vampire and witchy read, A fade to Black YA fantasy romance with fate mates, secret royalty, enemies to lovers and kickass FMC. Through blood she gains life, From magic she receives power, with both she is one. Cassandra Woods is not supposed to exist. Fearing for her life She flees her home, escaping punishments for the crimes she committed against the tyrannical Queen of Striga to join forces with the coven's enemy. Leonardo Sage, a General of the Lamian army and a High member of the Clan is assigned to watch over Cassandra, he must put his prejudice aside as he struggles with his feelings for her but she has a secret, the real reason she left Coven and he is determined to find the truth. Cassandra’s life is in even more danger when an Assassin, an outlawed Shifter is sent to kill her, but all is not what it seems and Cassandra must trust the Clan to protect her, but a threat from inside their own ranks surfaces and Cassandra finds herself in the middle when she saves the life of the Prince of Lamia. As war rages between the kingdoms Cassandra must choose a side. The lives of the people hang in the balance, and it is up to Cassandra to save them, but will she make the right choice? Love or loyalty. Which one will prevail?


Villain's Vignettes:

Villain's Vignettes: by Drew Hayes

A town of magic and danger, where what one dons becomes who they are. A desperate priestess in another world calling for a champion, only to receive an unstoppable monster. A night of joy and giving, of grudges and combat, all as the winter snow falls. Between grand adventures, what mishaps may occur in the world of the Villains’ Code? These are the smaller selections, short sagas within the greater story. These are the Villains’ Vignettes.


The Ruptured Sky

The Ruptured Sky by Jessica A. McMinn

Princess Amikharlia likes a fight. Abandoning her homeland, she travels across the ruins of Whyt’hallen to take up the hunt against the mutated remnants of a magical war that killed the gods and tore the sky asunder. But these vicious beasts are not the darkest shadow hanging over Amika's life—it's the forbidden magic she’s hidden since childhood … and what would happen if it were discovered. On the trail of a dangerous mark, Amika uncovers a madman who is more than what he seems. He claims her unnatural gifts are prophesied to restore the goddess to her throne, protecting Whyt’hallen from those who seek to rule in her stead. In return for her help, he offers her training—training that will allow her to control her powers before they control her. But following the prophecy means Amika must relinquish her hard-won liberty … and destroy the world in the process. With a dark power rising in the east, threatening to enslave her people, Amika’s options grow ever slimmer. She must confront her unwillingness to walk the path of destiny’s design—or risk the rise of a malevolent new god. But can she devastate Whyt’hallen in order to save it? --- The Ruptured Sky is the gritty first installment of the dark fantasy quartet, Gardens of War & Wasteland—an epic adventure that blurs the lines between good and evil with a diverse cast of morally grey characters, perfect for fans of Anna Stephens, RF Kuang and Robin Hobb.


The Pharaoh's Curse

The Pharaoh's Curse by Kyro Dean

There was a reason the assassins always won in the end. Why her family always died. He was smarter than her, whoever he was. More prepared. A mongoose to her cobra. And it didn’t matter how hard she fought back, how hard she bit. In the end, he’d eat her up. Zarina Nefartari is the last descendant of the ancient queens. As novel and grand as a royal heritage sounds, descending from a line of queens has only ever brought her trouble. She is, after all, a descendant of the sun god who can’t bear to see its light without getting migraines and who needs colored lenses just to stand in its rays. The laughing gods were cruel like that. Not to mention the assassin that has been hunting her family for millennia. The begrudging family of killers has been the end of every one of her female ancestors since the great queen herself--and they're coming for her next. To make matters worse, her god-appointed bodyguard since birth, Farak, does not reciprocate her growing feelings. Too bound to his godly oath, he has committed to forsaking love and protecting her at all costs. Unsatisfied with the lot the fates have dealt her, Zarina wants more than anything to free them both from the curse of an early death. She leaves her life of hiding to solve the mystery that has shaded her family for two-thousand years, hoping that if she takes fate into her own hands and fights back against the assassin, Farak's allegiance will change. The problem? Lord Richard DeClare: an over-excited Brittanian Aegyptologist who finds her absolutely mesmerizing--and who reveals her identity to all of Aegyptus. With the mysterious assassin hot on her newly-announced trail, a street lord who wants her dead so he can steal her family's treasure, and that pesky Britannian who happens to possess the resources she needs, Zarina is thrown into a foray of chaos that threatens to kill her at every turn. Now, she must use her colored lenses to solve the clues in the tunnels and tombs of her family's legacy to figure out who the assassin is and why they've wanted her family dead since Queen Nefertari's reign over two millennia ago. Deep in the heart of an alternate-history Egypt, Zarina must learn what matters more--family or fate--and how much control she has over a life ruled by the gods.


Sam Hain - Occult Detective: Volume 1

Sam Hain - Occult Detective: Volume 1 by Bron James

After leaving a party late one Halloween, Alice Carroll has a run-in with something she would much rather forget. Haunted by nightmares and visions, she tries to carry on with her life as normal, all the while feeling as if she is losing touch with reality. Just as her visions become too much to bear, she is helped by the enigmatic Sam Hain, a self-proclaimed occult detective and alleged aficionado of the abnormal. Together, they embark on a series of adventures, investigating paranormal cases, cracking clandestine conspiracies, exploring the ethereal, and battling with forces far beyond the real. Meanwhile, in the abyss of some unworldly dimension, an evil is stirring, and from across the void a darkness is coming... If Alice thought her world had turned upside-down on Halloween, she hasn’t seen the half of it yet. Sam Hain - Occult Detective: Volume I is the author’s preferred text, containing the first six stories in the Sam Hain series (All Hallows’ Eve, A Night in Knightsbridge, The Grimditch Butcher, The Regents, The Eye of the Oracle, Convergence) and features original artwork by Camilla Winquist. "Imagine Constantine written by Douglas Adams for Doctor Who, and you'll be roughly in the right area for this highly enjoyable series. Bron James skillfully weaves a thrilling tale of private detective Sam Hain and his plucky assistant Alice as they investigate murder, magic and other paranormal events." -Jeremy Biggs, Subversive Comics


Sivoa: Sunrise

Sivoa: Sunrise by H Gorlitz Scott

In a desert kingdom, a sixteen year old girl is determined to escape a vile sorcerer, but is challenged by the maneuverings of an unseen insurrection. Home to the largest library in Sivoa, Libris Del Sol is a wonder to behold. It has stood since before known civilization and is the most desired Kingdom in the world. Dragonira is desperate to leave it behind. Tormented by a lifetime spent at the mercy of her abusive father, she steals an escape spell that puts her face to face with the prince. Surprised by her appearance and wary of an underground rebellion, he and his family force her to stay within the palace walls. Meanwhile, a troubled oracle struggles to cross the continent to warn of the kingdom’s demise before it is too late to save them


Whispers in the Waters

Whispers in the Waters by Sarah Chislon

Ladies don’t shame their families. Ladies don’t confront Otherwordly threats. Ladies certainly don’t admit some taint of the fae has touched their souls—unless they wish to find themselves confined to an Institution. Gently-bred herbalist Jessa Caldwell is trying to be a lady. She conceals her true nature amongst her plants and her sketches—where she can almost shut out the whispers she alone hears. But a threat to her beloved aunt forces her from the comfort of home to a town perilously near an Otherworldly Crossing, with its ever-present risk of fae incursions. To protect her aunt and the townsfolk she comes to care for, she must uncover the individual responsible for a series of increasingly dangerous attacks—but to find this saboteur will require embracing the part of herself she fears most, an act that could cost her dearly. In a world where Vigilists lock up fae-touched mortals, Jessa must decide if she’s willing to risk exposing her true nature to obtain the truth and protect those she loves. Whispers in the Waters, a gaslamp fantasy novella, serves as the prequel to Tattoo of Crimson, the first book in the Blood of the Fae series. If you like quick-minded heroines who solve cases with logic and intuition, beautiful yet deadly fae, and Otherworldly intrigues, then you’ll love this mystery set in a world of manners and mythical monsters.


Tattoo of Crimson

Tattoo of Crimson by Sarah Chislon

Society, suitors, and…serial murders? As much as she desires to please her family, gently-bred herbalist Jessa Caldwell has no intention of making a suitable match—not when she’s seeking the truth about the taint of the fae that lies within her. If she’s to escape the madness brought on by fae-touch, she must devote her energies to seeking a cure. But then mysterious tattoos begin to appear on the citizens of Avons. None recall receiving these harbingers of death, but all die at the hand of an untraceable killer days or weeks after being marked. When the tattoo appears on her beloved mentor, Jessa seeks the Magistry with information on the case—yet they refuse to consider her findings, so she must risk both social censure and her own safety to hunt for the killer herself. Her one possible ally represents her greatest fear—the encroaching Otherworld consuming her mind—and may well undo all her efforts to control her fae-touch. Yet if she forsakes the offered aid, the killer will go free. Something sinister stalks the streets of her city, and she must decide…how far will she go to stop the killing? Tattoo of Crimson, a gaslamp fantasy novel, is the first book in the Blood of the Fae series. If you like quick-minded heroines who solve cases with logic and intuition, beautiful yet deadly fae, and Otherworldly intrigues, then you’ll love this mystery set in a world of manners and mythical monsters.


A Tale of Two Courts

A Tale of Two Courts by R. C. "Professor" Jones

A young prince, busy spreading his oats far from his home country is found by a noble dame sent to fetch him back, as his father's death and grandmother's failing health leaves him the heir to the throne. Joined by a young woman after she attempts to rob the prince, their journey is dogged by assassination attempts that seem to originate with a shadowy elven noble. This idea makes no more sense to them than the condition in which he finds the colony he has been sent to govern makes to a young elven noble and his entourage. Both, having passed each other in the midst of the night, struggle to survive and overcome the challenges posed by servants of an ancient and almost forgotten enemy who hates all creation and the two of them in particular.


A Tree's Heart

A Tree's Heart by Angelika Rust

SPFBO9

The rebellion is not over until its purpose is fulfilled. At the age of six, Ash becomes a Tree – one of the Joined Realm’s elite soldiers. Robbed of his name, his family, and any memories of the time before he took his oath, his loyalty belongs solely to the Realm and its citizens. At eighteen, he’s forced to fight in a civil war, against the very people he has sworn to protect, without ever knowing why. The rebels retreat, but they don’t surrender. Their purpose remains a mystery. At twenty-two, Ash is chosen to serve as the Prince’s Man, guard and guardian of the King’s firstborn son and heir. The rebels return the next day, and Ash faces a host of challenges – protect his Prince or die trying, uncover the truth, and keep or lose his heart.


Chronicles from the World of Guilt

Chronicles from the World of Guilt by Chris Durston

What is Guilt? Is it an enormous flying whale? Maybe an alien, come from deep space to punish us? Some call it an angel or a god, others a demon. What nobody can deny is that it is the end. These tales chronicle the story of the Earth in the centuries after the apocalypse: struggles for survival against twisted, horrific foes; small moments of kindness and warmth in the dark; life going on, even as the whole world changes. These are the Chronicles from the World of Guilt.


To Speak With Elders

To Speak With Elders by Mike Mollman

When Figol wishes to join the druids, both he and Grahme are sent questing to form a new alliance. But who? The Wigesta are bent on wresting control from the druids. The centaurs shoot humans on sight. The Demon Summoners and their fiends are too foul to consider and the Emerald Druids of Eriu hold them in disdain. To succeed, they must do the impossible.


Sins And Sorrows

Sins And Sorrows by Mike Mollman

Koni gave up her high station to become Conwenna, a blacksmith’s wife and devoted mother. But duty calls at unexpected times. Sorrows await as Conwenna must become Koni again, or let cruel men come to power. Alfswich has become wealthy by committing what others call sins. When a hag’s curse is leveled upon him, he commits murder, theft and betrayal to escape it. But is his solution worse?


Becoming A Druid

Becoming A Druid by Mike Mollman

SPFBO9

Grahme has wanted to be a druid for as long as he can remember. Talented but headstrong, he runs afoul of a despotic, mind-controlling mage during his initiation quest. Completing the quest will require dozens of decisions, and Grahme has a penchant for making bad decisions…


Winds of Chaos

Winds of Chaos by Laura Brewer, Roland Brewer

Welcome to the training grounds of the Armies of Heaven. Born on a world full of dangerous creatures and agents of darkness, Alvinar and Rowan are rigorously trained to hunt and fight all manner of things to survive. Asked to lead a new settlement, far from aid, they throw themselves into the business of exploring and securing the area. Freya and Thor warn them trouble is on the horizon. When scouts find the remains of an ancient city, they go to explore; concerned at the presence of strange magic that feels – different. Several of the gods from Asgard come to investigate. An attempted invasion by portal stirs the strange magic in defense, but also destabilizes that magic and ripples are felt even in Asgard. Alvinar is changed by it and Freya takes him to Asgard. When a magical explosion in the ruins spreads chaos, even in Asgard, the very core of Rowan and Alvinar’s perception of who they are will be tried in its fire. Can they keep to the path of Light when Darkness seeks to sear their very souls?


Inspirisles

Inspirisles by Hatchling Games

Experiencing visions of a mythical land throughout childhood, you are guided to a kingdom ruled by the fae. Responsible for a pact made long ago by your ancestors, Arthur & Guinevere Pendragon, you must now earn Belief and the respect of their gods to secure your ticket back home. INSPIRISLES is a completely original all ages Tabletop RPG promoting storytelling, empathy and Deaf awareness with an emphasis on cooperation. - Play as teens gifted extraordinary powers. - Meet famous characters and fearsome creatures from Celtic folklore. - Work together to heal an ailing land and restore a fractured kingdom. - Learn British and American sign language as you cast spells, solve puzzles and battle monsters. This project came about after running my teen Dungeons & Dragons group Hatchlings for over a year. I wanted to create something for them, something they could have a hand in building, and something I could take beyond the group to use in schools and communities as a workshop tool. Inspirisles is the result of this: a game for all ages that reflects my interest in mythology and my ongoing work with the Deaf community. With Inspirisles, we are especially encouraging parents, educators and tabletop beginners to invest in our game. Many of us have fond memories of 80s fantasy classics such as The NeverEnding Story & Labyrinth. Inspirisles aims to capture some of that nostalgic magic and transport its older participants back to a more carefree and imaginative time. Inspirisles features a unique system we have called Shaping. It allows participants to engage with Deaf culture and learn sign language (ASL and BSL included). It also forms the dice mechanic at the heart of the game, where our Pendragons will wield the elements to fight Disbelief (our negative force) and heal the World Tree. Inspirisles encourages teamwork at every turn. Only by Shaping can the party overcome the tests of our game. Belief Barriers are non-combative tests where our Pendragons must think up ways their elements can solve puzzles. Disbelief Battles are combative tests, where our Pendragons must pit their elements against a dangerous opponent.


Trick

Trick by Cara Nox

Cassandra Clare's THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series meets V.E. Schwab's THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE with a dash of Disney+'s LOKI in this new adult urban fantasy. WELCOME TO NEW ATLAS: A CITY WITHIN A REALITY JUST BEYOND OUR OWN. Evie is a nobody. Spending her days in college classes and her nights studying, having a social life has never really been a priority. With her sights firmly set on the future to keep away her thoughts of the past, she loses her grip on the present when her world is ripped out from under her. And it’s all thanks to two mysterious strangers showing up on her doorstep, claiming that she can turn back time. Cade is a notorious troublemaker. He’s never been afraid to throw around his name to get what he wants as someone who’s clawed his way to the top. But power is quick to change hands in this city, and when he chooses to blatantly disregard an order from his leader, his older brother, he’s tossed back down to the bottom again. He’ll be more than lucky to regain any sort of trust when everyone knows he’s one of the best spies there is, sliding in and out of shadows in the blink of an eye. Ren is a bored teenager. Always labeled as the “golden child” or “gifted student,” he finds himself writing down cryptic messages and following strange leads, rather than putting on the same old song and dance for his family. Especially once he discovers his little stolen fragments of the future are starting to take a darker turn. Perhaps chasing the life everyone wants him to have isn’t necessarily in the cards for him, but there’s only one way to find out. So when someone within the secret society known as the Custodians targets Evie for her power, the clock starts in the final sprint to hunt down the culprit. In order to uncover whatever hidden clues are lurking in the past, the three of them have no choice but to peel back the layers of obscurity built up between their factions to figure out why she’s being hunted and how they might be able to fix their bleak futures before it’s too late. Just remember: time is nothing but a trick.


Destruction

Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice. Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.


The Tome of Haren

The Tome of Haren by Damien Francis

The Tome of Haren, a powerful book, made from magic, with vast stores of knowledge, that could shift the balance of a war brewing at the edge of Narean’s borders…and one young man will become the Keeper for all to survive… The nation of Narean is vulnerable. There hasn’t been a Keeper to protect and defend its people for over 150 years. As rumours of war grow, Narean needs a Keeper more than ever. Orphaned since birth, Aeidor has no expectations for life except surviving day to day, so when a legend from old stories claims that he is to be the next Keeper, the powerful champions entrusted with defending Narean, Aeidor must journey farther than he ever imagined in search of an artefact long thought lost, the Tome of Haren. Now Aeidor must contend with elite mercenaries, called Blooders, hired to retrieve the Tome for their mysterious dark master. As the challenges mount and time draws nearer to the war to come, Aeidor questions whether he can live up to the legacy of the Keepers and save the nation of Narean…


Shady Depths

Shady Depths by B.L. Brown

A witch running from heartbreak, a merman who hunts the stars, and the Shade which binds them both. Keir Simmons, a bounty hunter for the Coven for the Regulation and Oversight of Witches, has made a career out of running away from his problems. Blindsided by a break-up, he leaps at the first assignment he’s offered, one that will take him far away from his ex: chasing a rogue lorelei to the edge of the European continent. When a chance encounter with a midnight diver leaves the pair inextricably linked, Keir is caught between his responsibilities as a C.R.O.W. Enforcer, his past as a questionably wicked witch, and his broken, but beating heart. With C.R.O.W. breathing down his neck and the lorelei continuing to evade capture, it becomes harder and harder to turn away from his unlikely ally — a man with a secret lurking just beneath the surface.


Choice of the Traveler

Choice of the Traveler by Toni Binns

A war between two worlds. A destiny she can't escape... When Betha transfers to her best friend's university to study, life is looking hopeful. Her dream to open up her own café could finally become a reality, and all she has to do is study, enjoy nights out, and try not to make her crush on the tasty and intense Self-Defence trainer, Carter, too obvious. But her world is shattered when demons invade. As powers Betha didn't know she had begin to emerge, hopes of stopping the invasion fall to her, and Carter is tasked with keeping her alive. Betha has no fighting ability, no matter how hard she tries, but everyone she knows is dying. With Carter and her other friends surrounding her, will she be able to unlock the truth of her magic in time? Or will a cloak of darkness and despair shroud the land and destroy everything she loves? If found family, slow burn romance, and unknown magic are your thing, pick up Choice of the Traveler today!


An Echo of the Fae

An Echo of the Fae by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

Echo enjoys the peace and solitude of the Faeorn forest, regardless of how strange spending time in the "haunted" wood seems to others. But on the cusp of her thirteenth birthday, the discovery of a family secret reveals why Echo has never been drawn to the sea like her mother. This discovery shakes the foundations of her world and sends Echo on a quest, not merely into the forest, but into the heart of the fae-lands themselves, to rescue the sister she didn't know existed. Elves, dragons, and fairy courts will put Echo's wit and resolve to the test. But with time running out for her sister, will Echo even be able to save herself? A fairytale adventure perfect for fans of The Secret of Roan Innish and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.


Veridian's Curse

Veridian's Curse by Kyle Harvey

The Society of the Leaf Chronicles Continues, Veridian’s Curse (Book Two) In a search for answers, Cedric and his companions travel to the capital city of the Holy Order of the Verdant Guard. A simple mission to find answers becomes fraught with danger upon the Grand Lord’s death. Political intrigue, sinister plots, and the race to find the Cube threatens to throw the Empire into chaos. Cedric’s personal struggles mount as he confronts the death of loved ones and his inability to grasp his newly acquired Spark. Only closure and a return to normalcy can save him. In the midst of his personal struggles, Veridian’s foundation crumbles with the death of the Grand Lord. High Lord Pellor seeks power at all costs to assure his Ascension to the throne. The Lady Eliza Dertian, Keeper of the Sigil and daughter of the Emperor, confronts Pellor and reveals a secret about the demise of her cousin and Worlin. Loreck’s search for the whereabouts of the Cube in the famous Archives of Veridian leads to shocking discoveries about the undercurrents of power in the city. The squabbles of the world of men intertwine with the awesome power of the spiritual world. Dark powers swirl in the Empire’s holiest city along with a secret better left uncovered. Be on the lookout for updates on Book Three of The Society of the Leaf Chronicles at https://kyleharveybooks.com and @kyleharveybooks!


Salvation's Path

Salvation's Path by Kyle Harvey

Here begins The Society of the Leaf Chronicles, Salvation’s Path (Book One) The Cube is gone. The very essence of the Green God in the world has disappeared setting off a desperate search by good and evil to discover it. Young Cedric is thrust against his will into a race for the preservation of a grim world, struggling with loss, love, and the yearning to fulfill a dying wish. Cedric meets both good in the form of his best friend, a strong-willed noble girl seeking a way out, and a guide who gets more than he bargained for along with evil on his journey as he tries to puzzle out the whereabouts of the Cube and his own identity. Powerless and unworldly, Cedric must make up for the many failures of character and strength by those tasked with defending the world. Be on the lookout for updates on Book Two of The Society of the Leaf Chronicles at https://kyleharveybooks.com and @kyleharveybooks!


Grave Cold

Grave Cold by Shannon Knight

SPSFC 2024

Nyle doesn’t want to be there. But something is very wrong in the District of Portland, and the cold call of death forces his arrival. If he can’t lay the dead fast enough, his long life, begun in Anglo-Saxon England, will end. Portland’s electronic walls do more than keep the mutants out. The government is using them to block Nyle and his kind, the ravens, who roam the world, freeing the dead from their bodies where they remain trapped till a raven’s arrival. Cait, a Portlander working as a beautician, has her own troubles, dodging the GM (genetic modification) police and struggling with rent. But the dead are invading her dreams. Nyle tells Cait that she’s not genetically modified. She’s a necromancer. In the District of Portland, the dead are being trapped indefinitely and used as energy sources. Nyle and Cait must stop the technology from spreading before the abuse of the dead becomes a worldwide menace and they themselves end up on a laboratory table or trapped in a machine. Grave Cold is a biopunk novel about the value of life and the power of taking a stand in a grim near-future world of exploitation and authoritarianism.


Akynd Chronicles: The Hero's Recusants

Akynd Chronicles: The Hero's Recusants by Daniel Roy Lehman

In the world of Eribeth, magic is learned by wizards, or a few lucky sorcerers are born with the gift naturally. Those were the only paths to magic, until the creation of the Akynd. These unique man-made hybrids allow the natural talent and mastery of a sorcerer, with all the versatility and adaptability of a wizard. Keldon was the first Akynd. Being transformed against his will by a disapproving father soured him against the selfishness and evil in the world. With his newfound power, he seeks to eliminate such darkness. To do so, he gathers three allies, granting them access to his unique abilities, turning them into Akynd. But that kind of power can lead one down some dark paths, even with the best of intentions. Each of the four keeps a close eye on the others, ensuring that they remain on a path of righteousness and avoid the corruptible influence of their power. If Keldon is successful, the world will know a peace that is more than just a lack of war, Eribeth could become a paradise. If not, the vile selfishness will spread through all the realm, until evil is all that remains.


Beelzebub's Bargain

Beelzebub's Bargain by Tessa Hastjarjanto

The Devil is coming, and he’s bringing friends. When Nora finds out Ben was banished from the Angelic City she needs to know what happened—even if it means going to Hell. Beelzebub’s right-hand, Jack, forces Ben to revisit a painful part of his past while the demon lord thwarts Nora’s attempts at rescuing him. After a narrow escape Nora joins Lucifer on a trip to Hades in the Underworld, while Ben finds some much needed help from the Valkyrie in Purgatory. Together they must find a way to stop Beelzebub, or he will make Earth Hell for the living.


The Quantum Entanglement Party: Adventures of the Miso Mice

The Quantum Entanglement Party: Adventures of the Miso Mice by Annette Czech Kopp

Oh no! The treasure chest and magical button are gone! Did the nefarious Lobsta Clamdestino steal them? Without them, will the Miso Mice be able to complete their quest to find The Answer Book? Explore more of their crazy and magical adventures as the Miso Mice attend a very entangled party, receive the rare gift of Tem-E-Laks, and then go timewalking! Enjoy the next fantastical volume in the “Adventures of the Miso Mice” 5-star acclaimed series.


Thralls of a Tyrant God

Thralls of a Tyrant God by Mars G. Everson

A Dark Fantasy Epic, The God Engine trilogy is the start of a unique and exciting universe, perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere and Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen. What would you sacrifice to be free? For Senn, former slave turned rebel leader and now the powerful Herald of the Lord of Greed, the answer was everything. He thought he had left hope behind forever. But when a ghostly child with sparkling blue eyes appears to him, Senn's loyalty is tested. His own God and army turn against him, forcing him to flee into the harsh desert wasteland alone and powerless. But as he searches for revenge and a new source of power, he must confront his past, including the woman he left behind at the mercy of the Forever King and his Chainkeepers. A new path that may lead him to Hope, even if he's not yet ready to embrace it. Will Senn find redemption and a new purpose, or will he fall to the forces that seek to destroy him and turn all of humanity into thralls?


The Name of the Shadow

The Name of the Shadow by Mars G. Everson

SPSFC 2023

Fear is a double-edged weapon. When a Shadow spreads over the utopian Colony, the only human enclave in a lonely planet, the young will be the first to understand the danger that hovers above them. What they find about themselves in that struggle will lead them to greatness... or to the destruction of their idyllic way of living. Who will rise a hero, and who will become a monster? In the tradition of Ursula K. Le Guin and Isaac Asimov, this is the story of a people that do not know fear... and what happens when they discover it. Of what is left when paranoia becomes all-encompassing, and men find the evil within each of them.


The Thirteenth Key

The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox

The chaotic crew of heisting misfits in Leigh Bardugo's SIX OF CROWS meets the familiar yet fantastical, modern landscape found in Robert Jackson Bennett's CITY OF STAIRS. “The thirteen emblems given to the original rulers weren’t just symbols. They’re keys to the Vault—one that no one’s ever opened.” Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of “problems” for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noa’s surrogate father—a Seer—hands her a long-lost emblem, telling her with his dying breath that it's her responsibility to reignite magic, she laughs at the idea that the fate of their world rests on the shoulders of a killer. Instead, she uses his words and the key he gave her as an excuse to go on one final suicide mission to seek out the power supposedly waiting for her to annihilate his murderer. Prince Glacier Caelius has lived his life trapped inside a gilded cage, pushed down by the ever-present threat of death as the bastard son of Amarais’s late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacier’s rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his country’s emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, he’s the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life. Well, once they’re able to formulate a plan to take the palace back. Struggling with their tentative, newfound freedom, Noa and Glacier must learn to work together to survive the urban landscape of Avaria’s greatest cities fortified by technology in the wake of dwindling magic. The goal: steal as many keys as they can before their pasts catch up. But the further they go, the more they realize that something worse may be lurking on the horizon, and they may very well be the only ones able to stop it.


Betrayal of Hope

Betrayal of Hope by Justin Doyle

Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa have solved the mysteries of the gods. But how can they unveil the secrets to save the starving Olan-Har without unleashing chaos upon Vastire? Even if they knew what to do, war with long-time adversary Erodia forces them to wait. Unfortunately, the Erodians are winning: they’ve taken Vastire’s capital and bombard the west coast nightly. With few options left, Commander Aseus turns to Darynn to attempt a daring mission to infiltrate Erodia, just like his grandfather did 80 years ago. With Fyra, Kaylaa, and a small team at his side, Darynn agrees to the treacherous mission across the dangerous, wild continent filled with powerful enemies. But he’s conflicted. Not only does magical power rampage within, but he starts to wonder who he’s fighting for: royalty and the clergy, or the people? That question will drive him to make impossible choices. If he chooses correctly, he can end the war and save the Olan-Har, but at a great cost. If he doesn’t, the Erodians will rule Vastire and the secrets of the gods will be lost.


Assassination of Hope

Assassination of Hope by Justin Doyle

The destruction of the embargo has made Darynn Mark a lot of enemies: an interstellar bounty hunter, the Grand Cardinal, families of the fallen. On top of that, Darynn struggles with his new responsibility to discover the truth behind Vastire's gods, while battling his growing internal desire to destroy. Darynn and Fyra must travel to the frozen planet Yiptae to find the final pieces of the gods' puzzle. But Yiptae has problems of its own, from a violent revolution to the assassination of a key political figure for immigrant rights. In the middle of it all is Kaylaa, whose mysterious past leads to new opportunities, conflicts, and enemies. Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa must work with new allies to solve the secret to the past while navigating the revolution and solving the murder. If they don't, they will end up dead, and the truths of two worlds will be buried forever. Secrets ignite revolutions...


The Bone Spear

The Bone Spear by Alexander Layne

SPFBO9

All ex-hero Ettarian Valost wants is to die. When a seraph saves his life, curses him with the gift of undying, and offers him a second chance at saving mankind, Ettarian reluctantly agrees to right the wrongs of his past. He sets out across the ruins of the world he’d tried so hard to protect over twenty years ago, guided by the gods and intent on uniting the remnants of civilization. It soon becomes clear, however, that the gods may not be exactly what they claim to be, and that Ettarian may very well just be another pawn in a game played between divinities. Kalia is too young to have known the world before it was invaded by the Flayed Gods. Determined to escape her abusive father, she flees alone across the desolation, seeking shelter in the ruins of an old city. Here she comes across a solitary monster, a priest of the gods who have enslaved her own race, who assures her that she is destined to guide humanity into a golden age. Guided by her monstrous mentor and by visions granted to her by her new gods, Kalia understands that the only thing that stands in the way of her ascension is an old man and his own plans. She intends on striking him down and then fulfilling her destiny. But Ettarian is no ordinary old man. He is the White Dove, and he will have redemption, no matter the cost...


Dead Sexy

Dead Sexy by Cameo MacPherson

A light-hearted and lightly steamy fantasy/paranormal romance.... because sometimes falling in love can be harder than hunting the undead. Cassie Jones, the head of Jones' Post-Mortem Tracking Agency, has been cursed with a capital "C." Thanks to an unfortunate incident with an angry wizard, any guy she falls for is guaranteed to betray her. So when David MacDuff - the most mouthwatering man she's ever had the misfortune to meet - hires her to track his recently deceased brother, Gideon, she knows she's got to keep things strictly professional. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Maybe she should have stuck to hunting vampires after all.


What May Rise From the Ashes

What May Rise From the Ashes by Susanne Schmidt

Ofronia Mills is far too old to retire. She has spent all her life as a librarian, and when Grand-Director Lorn Van Shipplestorm threatens not only her job, but the integrity of the library itself, she has no choice but to act. Evading her boss and Tess Dingly, it-girl and reluctant librarian apprentice, Ofronia descends into the library's forgotten fourth basement, which once housed the collection of magic books. While Van Shipplestorm plots to bar the general populace from even entering the hallowed halls, Ofronia must decide what to do with what she finds. Will she entrust her fate to magic, although she once refused to learn anything about it? Or will she walk away quietly, like she has done all her life?


Heirs of War, Ordained by Fate

Heirs of War, Ordained by Fate by Mara Valderran

Seventeen-year-old Zelene had never believed in magic or prophecies; until the day she was attacked by an assassin with unnatural powers. Now, her life has been thrust into a war between two worlds she knows nothing about and told that she must fight against an enemy determined to snuff out her existence—all because of some ancient prophecy that claims five girls from her bloodline will unite and end the war between the worlds. The girls are taken back to their home world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can't seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in. Zelene sees this connection as a prison rather than protection and can think of a place or two she'd like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When Zelene finds out her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by rebels, her attitude changes abruptly. She doesn't know how she can go up against an army of powerful adversaries when her own ability to manipulate the elements remains dormant within her. But time is running out and all that matters to Zelene is rescuing her sister—no matter how much destruction it causes in its wake.


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