stories in and

Crucible of Lies

Crucible of Lies by Mitchell Hogan

SPFBO9

I founded my empire on lies and bloodshed. Thus they are built. Some name me cursed, but I am an immortal emperor. Attend to my tale. If you dare… I was born when the world was a glorious place, but my parents were betrayed and murdered. I was raised by my sister in fear and poverty instead. That was merely the beginning. I lived through untold death and destruction when the old world was shattered, when creations turned against creators, and a new evil rose to assert power. I fought back against the new order, and broke humankind free from the shackles of terror that enslaved them. I discovered secrets beyond the lore of all other sorcerers, knowledge that ensures my people will not lack a shepherd on their long march through eternity. And yet the ungrateful world forgets. Bites the hand that feeds it. Comes for me with armies. Sharpens the assassin’s blade. Do you think that I, immortal emperor, greatest of all sorcerers, guardian of my people, will not meet you with fire, sorcery and steel?


The Outside

The Outside by Jack Batchen

SPFBO9

The Vale is safety. The Vale is prosperity and protection. Yet the Words of Life themselves state that every young man must leave the safety of the Vale at age sixteen and cross the deadly wasteland that is the Outside. Kaere has lived her whole life within the mountain walls of the Vale, dreaming of somewhere else, anywhere else, dreaming of a future that is anything but being one wife among many to a husband she barely knows.
So when her oldest and dearest friend stumbles back through the mountain pass seven years after he left, battered and bruised, declaring that the Outside is alive, moving, eating places of safety like the Vale, all Kaere can see is a chance at another life, a life Outside the Vale Walls. But when she follows Janzen back Outside — against his wishes — she realises that everything she thought she understood is not as it seems, including her oldest friend.


That Which The Deep Heart Knows

That Which The Deep Heart Knows by RJ Wheldrake

SPFBO9

Adala Radagorian, innkeeper’s daughter, seems an unlikely pawn in the great game played between those rival gods who contest the fate of the world and whose machinations have influenced the course of human history since time immemorial. Possessed of wit, beauty and an education uncommon in her class, she finds herself bound up in events where the fate of empires lies in the balance. An equally unlikely love imperils the foundation of her world, tears her away from the simple circumstances of her upbringing and thrusts her into the centre stage of imperial politics. In the heart of the Empire of Erenor, the greedy and the unscrupulous plot the destruction of the established order, setting in train momentous events that will shape the course of history. A corrupt and venal emperor, a proud and evil empress, an embittered rival long thought vanquished and a humble slave all play their parts in a great unfolding drama that will shake the empire to its core. Amongst the highest and the lowest in the land, Adala stands at the centre of that drama, one that obliges her to explore the utmost limits of her strength. Through many adventures, trials, successes and disappointments, she learns that the head and the heart may stand at odds, but the voice of the heart is the truest guide at last.


A Gallery for the Barbarian

A Gallery for the Barbarian by Taylor Hartley

SPFBO9

An untamed barbarian, his undead portraitist, and the city of magic and mirrors. Svinheim: glittering city of the fine arts. Fleshless painter Violetto scouts the streets for his next subject, and finds unexpected inspiration in the beastly Brask of Bannavaria. Hailing from the brutal North, with his immense appetites for gold and glory, Brask is sure to become a sensation in civilized Svinheim—by brush or by axe. As two shadowy and competing cults threaten to engulf the powers that be in the Fine City, will Brask and Violetto achieve the fame and fortune they believe to be so rightfully theirs? At once a callback to episodic, vintage sword-and-sorcery fiction and a dark, queer fairy tale, A Gallery for the Barbarian is Taylor Hartley’s debut work of fantasy and the first in a new series, THE VIOLETTO PAPERS, sure to please fans of Michael Moorcock’s Elric and Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian.


A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga)

A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga) by Melissa Blair

The BookTok sensation from debut author Melissa Blair—now with exclusive bonus content! "Gripping and fierce. This is much-needed fantasy with its fangs honed sharp by the power of resistance. Melissa Blair has built a tremendous world."—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights My body is made of scars, some were done to me, but most I did to myself. Keera is a killer. As the King's Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the king’s favored assassin. When a mysterious figure moves against the Crown, Keera is called upon to hunt down the so-called Shadow. She tracks her target into the magical lands of the Fae, but Faeland is not what it seems . . . and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she learns, and can't help but wonder who her enemy truly is: the King that destroyed her people or the Shadow that threatens the peace? As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago, one that will test her in every way. To keep her word, Keera must not only save herself, but an entire kingdom. Fans of fast-paced high fantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses series, The Inadequate Heir, and From Blood and Ash author Jennifer L. Armentrout, will enjoy the fierce female characters, sapphic representation, and fantasy romance of A Broken Blade.


A Shadow Crown

A Shadow Crown by Melissa Blair

The highly anticipated second installment of the new adult fantasy saga that took BookTok by storm picks up where A Broken Blade left off... To the kingdom, Keera is the king's Blade, his most feared and trusted spy and assassin. But in the shadows, she works with Prince Killian and his Shadow--the dark, brooding Fae, Riven, who sets her blood on fire. Together, they plot to kill a tyrant king. In Myrelinth, the lush, secret city of trees, Fae, Elves, and Halflings like Keera live in harmony. But Keera cannot escape her past: her crimes against her own people have followed her all the way to the Faeland. There is a traitor in their midst, and Keera is the top suspect. Keera finds comfort in the allies that have become her family. She swore she would never open her heart again after a loss she barely survived. But she will soon find she has more to lose than she ever imagined . . . Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, A Shadow Crown is a tour-de-force high fantasy novel with stunning world building and a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. Readers seeking more LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in the fantasy realm will fall in love with the unforgettable cast of characters introduced in A Broken Blade, whose sagas are only beginning...


Alfajiri

Alfajiri by Michael LaBorn

When three Alfajirians flee the capital after a brush with fate, they are forced to abandon everything they understand about their destiny in order to embark on a journey of self-discovery. A journey that threatens to not only change the fabric of their lives but to unravel the infrastructure of Alfajiri itself. With the heir to the throne on the run, the people of Alfajiri must decide whether they will follow her and her companions into freedom or fall in line behind a now empty throne. Michael La_Born is an indie author, publisher, and TikToker. This is his first published fantasy. He owns DYB Publishing, a publisher dedicated to celebrating and uplifting voices of Black, Indigenous and other marginalized communities.


Heretic

Heretic by Chris Mayne

SPFBO9

BOW DOWN TO YOUR DEMON OVERLORDS The apocalypse is over.
This is not that story.
This is what happens next.
Our final tale.

After the great war of heaven and hell, the Gods moved on,
abandoning a decimated Earth behind.

But a pocket of life survived. And thrived.

A new civilization has emerged.

New nations. New species. And an old evil.

This new earth lies unprotected,
and something has slunk out of the depths to claim it.

To rule.

And in a world with the absence of a sane God,
the laws of physics have twisted,
and allowed for the return of magick. Arlex wakes up in the centre of an impact crater that levelled a third of the Palace District—without a scratch on him.
He will discover that he is the most wanted sapien in all of New Tartarus. And Lord Malus has dispatched his pack of monstrous Nephilim to hunt him down.
Joined by a devious cleric and a dangerous pair of escapees from Downshade Asylum, Arlex must come to terms with the truth: that somehow he caused the devastating explosion.
Arlex embarks on a journey to clear his name and uncover the secret of his newfound powers.
He will need to learn if he is meant to be this world’s saviour or the one destined to destroy it all – and usher in true hell on earth.


Red Mage

Red Mage by H.D. Woolf

SPFBO9

When Maggie was thirteen, a warlock murdered her parents and cursed her to remain the same age forever. Ten years later, Maggie hunts warlocks, magi who have defied the Council of Mage Lords, hoping to find and exact vengeance on the one responsible. However, the council is tracking her and has forced her to team up with Lester, an incompetent overseer, whom she only tolerates because he can provide information on her next target. When Lester's new apprentice claims to know of a mage who can halt the aging process, Maggie receives her first lead in years.


The Castle of 1,000 Doors

The Castle of 1,000 Doors by Kenny Gould

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023

Looking for a place to die? Try the Castle of 1,000 Doors!

King Crow isn’t having a very good day. The Empire’s most famous athlete suddenly finds himself convicted of treason and sentenced to the Hunt, an annual event where the city’s most undesirable prisoners are sent into a dungeon filled with treasure, magic, and… bloodthirsty monsters. Crow didn’t commit the crime, so why is he in the dungeon? Who set him up? And why—for the love of god—is his only weapon a fast-talking, sapient, electromagnetically charged potato named Spud? Join King Crow and Spud in the first book of a new progression fantasy series as they attempt to survive the dungeon of Toroth-Gol.


Fortress of the Lost Amulet

Fortress of the Lost Amulet by Michael Webb

SPFBO9

Part Indiana Jones. Part Percy Jackson. All fantasy adventure. Peter cares about three things: his family, his friends, and escaping an apprenticeship he hates. He works to appease his parents but bides his time until he can adventure on his own. Rumors surface of a legendary treasure, the Amulet of Power, that’s been lost for centuries. When a clue to the artifact’s location falls in their laps, Peter and his friends embark on a quest to uncover the long-forgotten mysteries of the fabled prize. Unfortunately, the group of friends aren’t the only ones seeking it. An enemy will stop at nothing to receive the limitless power the Amulet supplies. The closer Peter gets, the higher the stakes become. Not only is his city threatened, but the lives of his friends and family hang in the balance, and the only way to save them is to find the treasure first. From the hot, new, young-adult fantasy author, Michael Webb, comes an epic adventure of treasure, danger, incredible powers, betrayal, and found family.


The Sunset Sovereign

The Sunset Sovereign by E.M. McConnell

SPFBO9

Destiny was found in a Voice. Join the Seven Supplicants as they journey to the mysterious, utopian Capital, guided by the Voices, known as the Sovereigns. Lynn and Willow find themselves drawn to the realm of Sunrise, the quarter celebrating beginnings and the embrace of mornings. Accompanied by a resolute spirit, Fabio and Aidan venture into the realm of Day, while Isobel and Hollie seek their calling amidst the calm fire of Sunset. Yvaine, guided by a dark destiny, treads the mysterious paths of Night. Witness their extraordinary quest as they undergo Trials, determined to find their dreams. Yet, as their path unfolds, will their dreams come to fruition, or will they instead find a nightmare? Because the once utopian Capital is crumbling, and the arrival of the Seven brings about changes even the Sovereigns did not foresee. This is a tale of ambition, courage, and the delicate balance between triumph and belief. Follow the Seven Supplicants on their journey as they navigate their own challenges, questioning what they have been brought up to believe, unraveling the mysteries that lie ahead.


The Moss Dragon of Brittlekeep

The Moss Dragon of Brittlekeep by Ashley Capes

SPFBO9

When Penny stumbles across a dragon’s tooth beneath the city cemetery, she unwittingly becomes a target of the Brittlekeep’s master and his dark magic. Worse, Lord Masamor seems to know about her Fire-Hands – a magic he wants to possess. With only her talking locket (the mysterious Bear) to rely upon, Penny tries to flee the city but when she encounters a group of rebels, she realises that Masamor is not the only one seeking her… Faced with flight into the unknown or capture by those who will stop at nothing to harness her power, Penny must walk a perilous path to freedom. A YA Adventure Fantasy Novella


Between Land and Sea: A Little Mermaid Retelling

Between Land and Sea: A Little Mermaid Retelling by Paul Mouchet

SPFBO9

Why can’t sea witches have their happily ever after? The sea witch, Calypso, was unjustly banished by the crown prince she was once set to marry. Now cursed to live as a hideous beast, Calypso spends her days alone, hiding in shame with only a surly crab for company. When her best friend Luna, princess of the merfolk, goes missing, Calypso reluctantly emerges from her sea cave to team up with the crown prince she hates in the search for the missing mermaid. Forced to work together, the feuding pair journey ashore in a harrowing race against time to save the princess. But will Calypso finally set aside her differences with Prince Draven only to lose her heart along the way? And what will happen when their perilous adventure unearths an ancient evil that has been laying in wait for centuries? With the fate of the entire merkingdom now in their hands, the pair’s resolve will be tested and their destinies reshaped in an enthralling tale of magic, love, and transformation. ~ A Veil of Entropy Story ~


Tracking Trouble

Tracking Trouble by Aldrea Alien

SPFBO9

A jaded mage-hunter. A mystery that's better left unsolved. And a choice that tests morals against codes. For years, Tracker’s life has had two facets: Hunting spellsters and entertaining strangers in his bed. Few doubt he's good at both, although only one is considered acceptable amongst the King's Hounds. His trip to Toptower should be just another task in an endless string of routine. Take down any dangerous spellster he finds and send the timid ones to Demarn’s tower prison. It is a role he was born to play. One he has grown weary of. But there's something off about the spellsters he’s encountering. The people he typically finds aren't usually this powerful or anywhere near as lethal to a man immune to magic. It's as if something, or someone, is releasing them with an eye to weaken an already harried kingdom. To what end, he cannot be certain of. History is littered with the dangers of magic running unchecked. He must uncover the truth, and quickly. But with all leads pointing one way, will he be able to uphold the code of the King's Hounds once he finds it? *This book contains violence, gore and explicit adult themes.*


imPerfect Magic

imPerfect Magic by C.N. Rowan

SPFBO9

2023 FINALIST - FANTASY CATEGORY - INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS


After hundreds of years of dying, you'd think I would've perfected it by now... 
One moment I'm a heretical priest in the twelfth century, hunted, hated...The next, I'm waking up in the nearest corpse. Stuck in a cycle of instant reincarnation, popping back up like a tarnished penny. Fast forward eight hundred years, and you might think I’ve learned a thing or two. Nope. All I've learned is how to die far too easily, far too often. Now my territory in the South of France is under threat and I find myself trapped by impossible angel-made runes. If the angels have gone full red lightsaber evil, it might not only be my territory in danger, but the whole of reality itself... I need to stop whoever is behind this, and now. After all, you can’t come back to life, if there’s nothing left to come back to. "imPerfect Magic" is the first book in "The imPerfect Cathar" series, a darkly funny supernatural suspense following a trio of immortal heretics. If you can't wisecrack while death is on the line? Well... perhaps you're not dying right. This book contains strong language, dark humour and graphic violence.

Click 'BUY NOW' to begin the award-winning, high-octane adventure today.


The Hand of God

The Hand of God by Yuval Kordov

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023

The world ended—twice. Once at humanity’s hand and a second time at God’s, according to legend. Only Esther, the Eternal One, saw it all happen. Chosen by the Messiah to redeem humanity, she heads a holy sisterhood that rules Cathedral, the Last City. Except Cathedral isn’t the last city, and the source of the Revenant Sisterhood’s supernatural power is far from holy. It’s the year 2500, give or take. The passage of time has become as blurry as the gray wastes that cover most of North America. No moon or stars light the night, and demonic hordes smash against the last outposts of civilization. Two reborn nations vie for humanity’s future. In the west, Cathedral unleashes its God-engines—ancient walking war machines—in a final bid to cleanse the earth. In the east, the struggling city-state of Bastion turns to the last living AI for salvation. Between them, a tribe of technological scavengers known as the Union unwittingly holds the balance of power. Hell is on the horizon. Who will survive?


An Ocean of Others

An Ocean of Others by Joshua Scott Edwards

SPFBO9

REMEMBER WHAT'S REAL OR YOUR HEAD WILL BE THEIRS Survival is never easy, but it’s never been harder for Grim, the last bounty hunter in Liwokin. He survived the Great Riot that killed Liwo by the thousands, endured the bloody chaos that ruled the city in its aftermath, and avoided the crushing fist of the Agency created to quell the unrest. Rule of law returned, but following the rules doesn’t put food in your belly. On a job gone wrong, Grim stumbles into a conspiracy that targets Ulken, the Head of the Agency, a man who has done more to ruin Grim’s life than any other. Struggling to earn honest coin, Grim plans to use this information to rise quickly through the ranks of the organization so an empty purse never worries him again. He becomes a Finger of the Agency, joining a sardonic ranger, two fugitive siblings, a stone-skinned Skardwarf, and a powerful dark mage—none of whom know any better than Grim what they’ve gotten themselves into. Grim’s Hand soon discovers the Agency’s furtive work is far deadlier than hunting bounties. While fighting to save his home from monsters who once were men, Grim discovers the conspiracy runs deeper than just Ulken and the Agency—what was unleashed is spreading, and if Grim’s sanity doesn’t prevail, it will consume the minds of the Bright Empire and beyond. Action-packed, bloody, and full of brain-bending intrigue, in An Ocean of Others the line between monster and man is thin enough to drive you out of your mind.


Mageling

Mageling by J.L.Mullins

SPFBO9

The Wilds relentlessly reclaim all things. Humanity shelters within their ever-dying cities. Mages create the only path forward. Tala had to fight tooth and nail in the Magic Academy to forge a path to power that was her own. She knows it’s her duty to use that power to serve humanity, defending them against the creatures of the untamable wilds. However, she skipped a few steps in her education, like apprenticing to someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Now, Tala has to balance learning as fast as she can with paying off the veritable mountain of debt the Magic Academy dropped on her shoulders for the opportunity; not to mention staying alive. Even though she should only be a Mageling, the world considers her a Mage. Bless the stars she directed most of her magic toward survival.


Herald of the Storm

Herald of the Storm by R.S Ford

SPFBO9

The first novel in Richard Ford's magnificent fantasy series has enough thrills, valour, guts and glory to satisfy any die-hard fan of David Gemmell and Joe Abercrombie. STAND TOGETHER… Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, the vast cityport of Steelhaven has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. ...OR DIE ALONE! When his herald infiltrates Steelhaven, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end. . . Buy Herald of the Storm to begin the adventure today!


The Traitors We Are

The Traitors We Are by Michael Roberti

SPFBO9

In a world where writing disappears when the author dies, 22-year-old Cael Oberlan watches the last gasping breaths of his best friend. He pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket as his friend’s signature fades. Cael only wants vengeance for his friend and to create a reality where he no longer has to bow before any man. However, the nagging suspicion that his father, who started this war, hasn't given him the whole story about his role in this conflict threatens to unravel everything he ever thought he knew about himself and the people he is fighting to free.

As nephew of the King, 24-year-old Emil Trestinsen should be a hero. He should already hear his name echoing in celebration in the streets of the capital. In a young life already full of disappointment, a lack of recognition for ridding the kingdom of "Ruinous" Lorcen Oberlan may prove to be the final push he needs to seize his destiny. He will prove his worth to his family and his nation. He will end this rebellion and take his rightful place as the next governor of the rebels. When 18-year-old Merily Oberlan receives letters from the frontlines, and the top one is blank, she is devastated to realize one of her loved ones has died in battle. She is determined to help bring an end to this bloody war and be strong for her people, a cultural and religious minority in the kingdom of Harfal. What started as a simple rebellion transforms into a complicated web of lies, betrayal, and difficult decisions no one should have to make. It is a race against time and death as handwriting continues to disappear, erasing the contracts and historical records necessary for peaceful negotiations.


The Hummingbird's Tear

The Hummingbird's Tear by C M Kerley

SPFBO9

In the high towers of Castle Kraner the King has chosen to hide away, leaving his kingdom undefended, open to attack from men, monsters and magic users.His loyal son Prince Orren, despairing of his father's wilful ignorance, is doing all he can to gather the men and women he believes can help him avert the war before it starts, to save his land before it needs saving. Brennan and his young brother Calem find themselves drawn to Kraner; as their innate powers begin to manifest and they are woven into the mad schemes of rulers and invaders they must decide what to believe, who to trust, and how far they're willing to go to fight an enemy they can't see.


Phased

Phased by Victoria Tecken

SPFBO9

According to the Department of Domestication and Assimilation, Val and Lyla Blackwood are the most dangerous kind of werewolves. Although they were raised in the wild, their Trueblood heritage has made them little more than experiments for years. Now, their freedom depends on their ability to become as human as possible, thrown into an assimilation school with humans and werewolves who have never known what it means to be wild. Trapped in a world where they don't belong and fighting to stay one step ahead of the horrific past that chases them, any wrong move could send them back to those stark white cells, losing their last chance of freedom.


The Tenets in the Tattoos

The Tenets in the Tattoos by Becky James

SPFBO9

Breaking the tenets of Special Forces means one thing. Death. Thorrn has his life mapped out – be the best swordsman in the king’s army and become Captain one day. What doesn’t fit in with his plans is some short, unimpressive waif claiming to be his soul companion. Evyn cannot quite believe that this world of Oberrot is real, but grey grass is hard to fake. To expose her true origins risks all-out war with the magical community that covets her blood. But when the king demands that he hand Evyn over, Thorrn is confronted with a choice: protect Evyn and keep her secret from the magical community who would drain her for the power resonating inside her, or turn her over to save his career, family name and reputation. When a powerful mage moves against the kingdom, Thorrn and Evyn will have to summon all their courage. But they find allies from unexpected corners – including different worlds and times. For alongside the realms of Oberrot and Earth are the multiverses, and one of them should surely be able to help... A swordsman, an apothecarist, a shy librarian (“I’m beginning to think being underestimated is kind of my superpower”), and a powerful mage. Only they can save the kingdom. A page-turning new adventure awaits, from a fresh voice in fantasy. Contains twinned souls with a twist, enemies to inseparable friends, coming of age, learning to accept yourself and others, some epic swordfights, and a smattering of romance


The Camelot Shadow

The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson

SPFBO9

“A chance to save her. Improbably, impossibly, inconceivably.” Lord Alfred Fitzwilliam spends each day in much the same way: caring for his terminally ill wife and trying to lose himself in the dusty tomes that fill his library. Everything changes when he receives a visit from a man representing a clandestine organization operating with the backing of Queen Victoria herself. The group seeks his aid in finding an Arthurian artifact that, legend holds, can cure its bearer of any wound or disease. Skeptical but desperate to help his wife, Alfred is convinced that the fabled item might actually exist after witnessing a seemingly impossible display of power by the organization's leader, James Nigel. He decides to purse the treasure, accompanied by an eccentric scholar, a deadly druid, and his best friend, a sardonic bookseller who is far more than he seems. As he follows an arcane trail of clues from the gas-lit streets of London to the wilds of Scotland and deep into ancient catacombs in Italy, Alfred becomes enmeshed in a web of hidden agendas, secret societies, and ancient enchantments. Along the way, he learns a dark secret about Nigel’s past—and the true power of the artifact he seeks. Steeped in a compelling mythology and filled with unexpected twists, The Camelot Shadow will leave readers stunned, breathless, and wrestling with an impossible question: what do you do with an object that has the power to both save the world and destroy it?


The Crossing

The Crossing by Laurie Janey

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023 Indie Recs Indie

Those who cross into Rheta from other worlds don’t usually arrive alive. Berro collects the crosser bodies for a prestigious secret project headed by his academic mentor, and he’s proud of his role, but when a living, breathing woman arrives in the forest through a crack in reality, the project and Berro’s ordered life are thrown into disarray. On Rheta, nature is thriving and conflict is a distant memory. Chaos and cruelty are things belonging to other worlds, other times, and most Rhetari have lapsed into blissful complacency. But Berro is at the epicentre of an event that calls the delicate balance into question. As the crossing project unravels, he confronts the ugly truths about the civilisation he lives in, the work he’s committed to, and the broken parts of himself.


Soul Relic

Soul Relic by Samuel Hinton

SPFBO9

Raysha will do whatever it takes to fix her broken soul. Even if it means venturing into the unknown with nothing but her brother, an enchanted water bottle, and her fierce determination.

The only one without the ability to cultivate aeon from the world, Raysha has been ostracized her whole life for her weakness. In a world where true masters of aeon have slaughtered gods, Raysha's future in her village is limited to babysitting pre-Awakened children.

Desperate for a chance to prove her worth, she leaps at the chance to join her brother at the Academy, where he believes they can find a cure for her soul. It will only take the crystalised heart of an ancient spirit, lost to the world thousands of years ago.

Armed with an enchanted water bottle and a stubborn attitude, Raysha sets out to prove that she is more than just a second-rate outcast. Read if you like: A strong female lead Genuine and positive sibling bonds A larger-than-life mentor Hard magic systems Discrete stages of advancement A mix of slice-of-life, travel, and training


The Legend of Tawhiri

The Legend of Tawhiri by J. E. Purrazzi

SPFBO9

There is a legend in the Archipelago. Long ago, the ocean grew weak, and feared for his heart. He took to the form of man and walked among the people. Tawhiri was a gift from the ocean. Plucked from the waves as an infant. The people of the Islands know that the Ri, spirits of the ocean, abandon unwanted half-breeds on the shore. These demigods are destined to return to the sea and leave ruin in their wake. It has happened many times before. Tawhiri has no interest in spirits or ruin. He loves his village, but as long as the elders forbid him from entering the ocean he cannot pass the tests which will allow him to be seen as a man and a full member of the tribe. When Kai’Ali, a friend whose twisted foot has held her back along with Tawhiri, passes the test and leaves him behind, the seeds of longing begin to grow in Tawhiri's heart Then the ocean begins to call to him.


Salt in the Wound

Salt in the Wound by Benjamin Aeveryn

SPFBO9

Our world is lost to time. Only our myths remain. Once rain was a symbol of hope and harvest. Now it brings only death. Humanity survives in sheltered cities and canvas-covered towns. Travel between these patches of safety is rare and dangerous. It’s what Galahad lives for. But while seeking a lost cache of salt—a fortune he plans to use to build a shelter over his hometown—Galahad is betrayed by the friends he holds dearest. They leave him for dead. Unfortunately for them, he lives. Torn between seeking justice or revenge, Galahad knows one thing for certain: that treasure is his, and he’ll do anything to reclaim it.


Dyer Street Punk Witches

Dyer Street Punk Witches by Phil Williams

SPFBO9

Kit hung up her brass knuckles, but the shadows of her past lingered. Now they’re back to claim her. Kit “Fadulous” Hamley, magazine editor, activist and former punk rocker, is a well-known troublemaker. She works tirelessly to hold local authorities to account. Some say she’s making up for her criminal youth. Others accuse her of witchcraft. Only a handful of people know how dark her secrets really are. When an old friend warns Kit that a former rival has resurfaced, those secrets start to resurface. People have gone missing, someone is stalking Kit, and the gang she abandoned are scared stiff. Kit herself is a target, and if she can’t unravel exactly how this new feud connects with her past mistakes, it could kill her. Decades older, a little wiser, and contrary as ever, Kit’s going to remind them all what a punk witch can do. Get ready to enter a world of magic, rebellion, and punk rock. With its electrifying energy, fierce female characters and tense twists, this book will have you cheering for the witches of Dyer Street, whether you're a fan of fantasy or a rebel at heart. Pick up your copy today – you won’t be able to put it down. *This is a standalone thriller – you don't need to have read the other Ordshaw books to enjoy it!*


The Heart of Jesparia

The Heart of Jesparia by Alex Hanson

SPFBO9

Eight years ago, Amii ended a civil war in her country when she became sovereign with the help of a guild of warriors called The Men of the Mark. Now, as a plague sweeps through their capital city leaving enough unrest to give Amii’s uncle an opportunity to challenge her rule, Amii finds herself at odds with the guild in her greatest hour of need. This time, she must trust her own strengths if she’s to cure her people and defeat the usurper, but there’s one Man of the Mark she can’t help but lean on, the one who’s been at her side from the beginning and stolen her heart along the way: her Master Shield and personal guard, Aro. Aro was appointed as Amii’s protector by his guild’s leader when she became sovereign, but falling for her was never part of the job. Just when he decides to finally act on the feelings he’s found for her in their years together, illness strikes and leaves Aro disabled. He’s not sure he can protect Amii anymore, and a bitterness grows in his heart that threatens to end their relationship before it begins. As Amii’s partnership with the guild becomes strained and her uncle makes his move to overthrow her, Aro must find the strength to fight with her or walk away and let someone else stand beside his sovereign and the woman he loves. **Each book in this series is a standalone romance, but conflicts, side characters, and plot elements often carry over into future books. Though these books can be read individually, you'll get the best experience if you read them in order.**


Out of Shadows

Out of Shadows by Oliver Carman

SPFBO9

It’s been ten years since Brennan Redhands, the most feared warrior alive, fled from a lifetime of bloody failures to live a simple life with daughter Gwenna. When raiders kidnap Gwenna, Brennan knows that to rescue her he must once more carve a corpse-strewn path through the land he fled—a place scarred with the ruins of an extinct race, where the strong take what they want and the weak scratch around the mud. But Gwenna possesses a magic she can’t control and has awoken a forgotten evil, one that seeks to escape its prison and cover the world in shadow. With old scores that refuse to die, an ancient sword with a will of its own, and an insane boy warlord bent on the apocalypse; the world seems determined to get in Brennan’s way. Only the real trouble is, Brennan destroys all he touches or so the crippling voice inside his skull will have him believe, and with a secret buried in the recesses of his mind that threatens to tear him apart, can he put down the most terrifying enemy of all—the one in his head—before it is too late?


That Good Mischief

That Good Mischief by Lyra Wolf

SPFBO9

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be Loki the trickster god’s happily ever after with Sigyn. They had gone full Midgardian, settling down in California, with Loki doing what he does best—mischief. When Sigyn collapses, Loki senses a grave darkness growing within her, and he knows only one god who may be able to stop Surtr before this sinister force possesses her completely. Once again he finds himself forced to ask Odin for his help...which always carries with it some kind of price. However, Odin is the least of Loki’s problems, especially when buried secrets start surfacing because of brothers, both dead and alive. Blackmail is a nasty business. Loki worries that his happily ever after with Sigyn could have an unhappy end. Lies are unraveling, the truth is spinning, and consequences are flying faster than Loki can run and he may lose Sigyn forever—either to the darkness, or to his own lies.


Volcano City

Volcano City by Grace Bridges

SPFBO9

New Zealand's largest city. Forty-nine volcanoes. What's one more? Auckland is built on volcanoes and has more ocean coastline than any other city in the world. For Anira, a reluctant and forgetful superhero, it's home. Away from the thermal springs and legendary creatures of Rotorua, Anira's supernatural brainpower and memory have faded. She's forgotten the events of summer and even the friends who became the Earthcore team. Tiger, Graeme and Bethany come to the big city too, each unsettled in their own way.

But their maniacal opponent has arrived in Auckland, wielding mind control and bent on revenge, terrorism and profit. When the earth becomes restless from his meddling, Anira must fight to remember her gifts, to bring the team together again, figure out shenanigans at sea, and to call the ancient taniwha to help protect her hometown from a disastrous eruption.

In the Earthcore series, every book is a self-contained adventure and can be read as a standalone.


The Daughter of the Ice

The Daughter of the Ice by Luis Falcao de Magalhaes

SPFBO9

After a thousand-year slumber, the goddess of frost awakens to a world that has all but forgotten her. She will rule again... Even if it means covering Elessia in icy death. Eregar, a decorated knight in his twilight years, longs for one final adventure—one last chance to test himself against sword and sorcery. When rumors rise of a powerful sorceress building an army to the east, he jumps at the offer of leading a band of young mercenaries into the heart of the distant Frozen Plains to assess the threat. But as fierce warriors wielding dark magics unleash an undead army upon the last bastion of civilization, the old knight will find that more than his mettle is to be tested... The Daughter of The Ice is the first chapter in a new sword & sorcery series set in the world of Elessia, filled with charismatic characters and intense action. Readers and reviewers alike have said it evokes the best parts of The Witcher, The Dragonbone Chair, and The Wheel of Time.


A Kingdom Scarred: A Fantasy Romance (Fae of TĂ­ria Book 1)

A Kingdom Scarred: A Fantasy Romance (Fae of TĂ­ria Book 1) by K. A. Riley

For fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and other Fantasy Romance comes a tale filled with twists, turns, and passionate, forbidden desire.

“I was a prisoner in these ruins, captive of a Fae who was as perilously alluring as the lands where I now stood.” A thousand years ago, the mortal realms of Kalemnar were separated from the land of the Fae by a dark, poisonous mist that takes lives with all the cruelty of the sharpest blade.

Lyrinn Martel has been told all her life that the Fae deserted their lands long ago, leaving them to decay and ruin. Rumors still swirl to this day that the Immortals were malevolent creatures, bent on destroying the realms of humans…and that their departure was a welcome blessing. But one fateful night, as Lyrinn flees for her life, she discovers a hidden path up the cliff beyond her town that guides her to the Fae realm of Tíria. There, she encounters a Fae so extraordinary and captivating that she finds herself inextricably drawn to him, despite her fear that he plans to send her to her death. When Lyrinn escapes the Fae lands, she finds herself summoned to the palace of the mortal king. Even as her journey begins, she discovers that the alluring Fae is not done with her—and he has no intention of ever letting her go. For fans of Fantasy Romance such as A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Kingdom Scarred is the first book in an exciting new Fantasy Series by the author of Recruitment and The Cure.


The Liar’s Crown (Dominions Book 1)

The Liar’s Crown (Dominions Book 1) by Abigail Owen

Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen. Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose―to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present. Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift―an eerily familiar gift―and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake. As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields―other faces, identities that threaten my very life. Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.


Curse of Shadows and Thorns: A Dark Fairy Tale romance

Curse of Shadows and Thorns: A Dark Fairy Tale romance by LJ Andrews

A bargain between enemies. A curse without an end. A love that will bring a kingdom to its knees. Long ago, Elise's ancestors stole the crown from the fae king. As the niece of the brutal, current king, her purpose is to do whatever is asked to ensure her family keeps the throne for centuries to come. The trouble is, Elise would rather sneak into gambling halls with the servants than be a silent princess at a ball.

Soon reckless games are ended when her uncle forces her into negotiations for a marriage. If she refuses, her deathly-ill father will pay the price.

Trapped by her sense of duty, Elise is given to the charge of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. But Legion holds more than her future in his hands. He incites her anger and a forbidden passion.

When a coup upends the kingdom, Elise flees with Legion, only to discover he holds more secrets than anyone. Unknowingly, Elise sets in motion a beastly curse Legion has endured as long as he can remember.

As secrets unravel about Legion's vicious past, questions rise over who has the true right to the throne. When answers come, more lives are put at stake, and Elise is forced to make an impossible choice: avoid a bloody game by leaving Legion to the beast within, or end his curse and restore magic to the land by sacrificing a life--hers. Part Viking, part Fairy Tale, one-click to preorder a dark, swoon-worthy slow burn romance with the perfect amount of spice and action.


Storm & Shield (Mages of the Wheel Book 2)

Storm & Shield (Mages of the Wheel Book 2) by J. D. Evans

“All you see is that I run. Why haven’t you realized I always come back?” She is lightning and storm. A spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. He is granite and earth. A guard, ordered to keep her contained. To protect herself and her family, she’s learned to go unnoticed, unseen. Suddenly a refugee in a land that once was enemy and now must be home, she isn’t certain where she belongs, or what her duty is beyond her family. She can’t protect them alone this time, but the only man who can help her is the only one she cannot ask. He’s sworn his loyalty to the Sultana since she lifted him out of the gutter that made him. The arrival of a foreign spy loyal to the new prince makes him question himself and his orders, and his mistakes threaten the life of the ruler he swore to serve. War will force choices of them both. She—to remain a spy, or stand and lend her powerful, untamed magic to the Sultana of Tamar. He—to remain a loyal, unquestioning guard, or learn to trust his instincts, and his heart. They are magic in opposition, earth and sky, steady and mutable. One immovable as stone, the other fast as the wind. Balance, sometimes, is chaos. He needed the storm and wildness of her, he needed the way she broke him apart.


A Shade of Madness: The Ashes of Avarin Book 2

A Shade of Madness: The Ashes of Avarin Book 2 by Thiago Abdalla

Avarin tumbles into madness through the shattered ruin of a centuries-old peace. As griffin riders clash against airships above and hordes of madmen below, Lynn finds herself surrounded by enemies. Ones that will test the limits of her faith. To defeat them, she must risk everything… including her sanity. Adrian has lost the Legion, but new magics on foreign shores might be the answer he needs to rebuild his army. His return to the Domain will bring vengeance, and the hope that he will finally prove himself to his father. Nasha’s curse has taken on a new, terrifying shape. She dreads it could be just what the dead goddess needs to escape from Her prison within the Silent Earth. Will she be strong enough to resist, or will Nasha’s curse give rise to the monster she fears to become? Madness is spreading and it cares not for the borders of men. A Shade of Madness is the second book in the Ashes of Avarin series, picking up straight after the exciting conclusion of A Touch of Light.


Between Despair and Hope (The Divine Between Series Book 2)

Between Despair and Hope (The Divine Between Series Book 2) by Jess Wisecup

During the longest night, will you sink into the darkness or call upon your light? Emmeline has experienced more heartache and sorrow than any one person should. Though she now has immeasurable divinity granted by the gods, her new status came at a price she never would have paid. Haunted by the events of the Cascade and the horrifying acts she bore witness to, she must work alongside people she never would have expected to undo the atrocities committed on that dreadful day—starting with what was done to her daughter. With the help of trusted friends and new allies, she must learn to harness and control her powers, live with guilt and grief in the face of her decisions, and work to save the one man who never gave up on her. Will her love be enough to bring back those she loves—not only physically, but mentally, as well? Please Note: This book contains explicit and darker


Between Wrath and Mercy (The Divine Between Series Book 1)

Between Wrath and Mercy (The Divine Between Series Book 1) by Jess Wisecup

A mother will do anything to save her child, no matter the cost. After her daughter is kidnapped, Emmeline Highclere—a thirty-four-year-old mother living in isolation with memories and grief her only companion—must do everything in her limited power and divine abilities to get the girl back. Emmeline believes that her daughter, Elora, is the Beloved—the conduit with goddess-granted divine abilities prophesied to bring peace to the Three Kingdoms. Because the last person thought to be the Beloved was brutally murdered by the enemy kingdom of Folterra, Emmeline has dedicated the last sixteen years to hiding her daughter and keeping her safe. When Elora is kidnapped by a Folterran prince, Emmeline must leave her place of hiding, resolving to do anything to rescue her daughter. But to have any chance against those who took the girl, Emmeline must call upon one of the most powerful conduits in the Three Kingdoms, the Crown Prince of Vesta—the man who broke her heart—and hope he helps her despite their estrangement. With the weight of his father’s impending death hanging over his head, Crown Prince Rainier has begun to make moves to prove his dedication to assume the role of king. When he is visiting the estate that was once a second home to him, the woman who has long haunted his dreams and consumed his thoughts appears before him, asking for his help to find the child she had with another man. Now, he must decide: does he drop what he is doing to help Emmeline, or does he maintain his unwavering duty to the Crown? Now, Emmeline and Rainier must work together to find the Beloved—to save the girl from the Folterrans and fulfill the prophecy of peace—while they both battle feelings of remorse and heartbreak, trying to ignore the heated desire and simmering attraction between them that never left. From relative isolation to the capital city of Vesta and onwards to Folterra, Emmeline must find out exactly where her daughter has been taken—seeking out help along the way—and bring her home before it is too late.


A Kingdom of Exiles (The Outcast Series Book 1)

A Kingdom of Exiles (The Outcast Series Book 1) by S.B. Nova

The brightest of stars are always born on the darkest of nights. Serena Smith is unusual. Growing up in a backwoods village, her life is lonely and dull. Then, on her eighteenth birthday, she's gifted a magical heirloom only to be snatched by fae and condemned to a lifetime in chains. Dragged to Aldar, a fae kingdom ruled by a tyrant witch, Serena discovers a forbidden love, and meets fellow outcasts, each with their own dark secrets. As the lives of warriors, rebels, and witches clash, they find a shared destiny. For only together, and with Serena's unique gifts, can they survive long enough to build the flames of a revolution. Only together can they go to war ...


Winter's Fury

Winter's Fury by A.E. Rayne

IN A WORLD RULED BY MEN, ONE WOMAN WILL RISE She was their greatest warrior; the daughter of the king. But her uncle stole the throne and sent her away to marry Eadmund, the drunken son of their worst enemy. Now she must pick up her sword again to restore her family’s honour and return to the home she loves. Despite her skill with a sword, her prowess in battle, and her reputation as the greatest warrior in Brekka, without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn, a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions. Eadmund is broken hearted, tortured by the murder of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter has a dream about Jael, the woman who would save him, he eagerly jumps at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy. Jael and Eadmund will fight against their union, but the dreamers know that this marriage is meant to be; it must happen for the sake of all Osterland. For without them... without Jael and her sword, without Eadmund by her side, the five kingdoms will not survive the darkness that is coming to claim them all.


Wind & Wildfire (Mages of the Wheel)

Wind & Wildfire (Mages of the Wheel) by J. D. Evans

“I like it when you shine for me, Sabri Sultan. Someday, I hope you shine for them all. So they see you like I do.” He is the future sultan, a man who wields brutal magic and only knows how to be what they’ve made him. She is a commoner, a woman who champions the vulnerable and treads where she does not belong. Dilay Akar is the daughter of a judge. By day, she trains the wealthy in magic, and by night, she breaks the Sultan’s laws. But even those closest to her do not always appreciate what she is striving for, or believe that she can achieve it. Omar Sabri is the Sultan’s tool, flaying minds open to obtain their secrets and truths. Everyone who looks at him sees only the prince—or the monster. Even he cannot see the man beneath the power and the position. When Omar secretly enlists Dilay’s help in controlling his magic, it sets off a chain of events that will reshape Tamar for generations to come. Dilay will have to choose between the familiar and the powerful. Between people she cares for. And whether to hurt one to help many. The Wheel turns for balance in all things, and where love springs, may also Wheel, she was lovely. Someone who knew exactly who they were, and what they wanted, and were moving toward it like an arrow loosed from a bow.


Siren & Scion (Mages of the Wheel Book 3)

Siren & Scion (Mages of the Wheel Book 3) by J. D. Evans

She was beautiful the way the ocean was beautiful. In a new way every time one looked. She is water, bright and alluring, fathomless and profound. He is a bridge between peoples, artist and criminal, vengeful and compassionate. Amara Mutar has risen to the highest ranks of Tamar society by her wits and ambition. But it is not high enough to keep those she loves, and herself, safe from a past that will not release her. Cassian Haydar has sunk as low as it is possible to sink, but he intends to take back what is his, and crush those who took everything that mattered from him—after he’s done stealing back all the other lives they’ve robbed. In exchange for a betrothal that would secure Amara’s position and freedom, the Tamaran Sultana sends her on a dangerous hunt for lost mages of the Third House, in the last place any mage should be. Amara and Cassian, brought together deep inside the Republic, discover they have nothing, and everything, in common. But their paths were never meant to converge, and there are horrors in the heart of a rising Empire that threaten both Amara’s plans and every mage in Tamar. Knowing the fate of the Circle rests in her hands, Amara must choose whether to serve her heart, or her people. He was a shore upon which she crawled from the dark deep of her magic and fell against to breathe, and taste the air again.


Dark Night Golden Dawn (The Immortal Orders Book 1)

Dark Night Golden Dawn (The Immortal Orders Book 1) by Allison Carr Waechter

In a city where the elite are powerful as gods, the season is about to begin. The Immortal Orders will gather, pair and create a spectacle for all of Nuva Troi to witness. Harlow Krane is a sorcière who wants nothing more than to recover from her most recent breakup in peace. When the season begins, her Order needs her help to save their ancestral occult district from being taken over by the Illuminated, the most powerful immortals in Nuva Troi. They offer to back off—if Harlow agrees to pair with their most eligible bachelor, Finn McKay. But Harlow has been burned by Finn before. Finn McKay is one of the Illuminated. Rich, powerful, and he isn’t afraid of anyone—except for his parents. When they push him towards Harlow Krane, he knows their purposes are sinister at best. For the past seven years, Finn has done everything in his power to stay away from Harlow and he won’t break his resolve now, even if it means defying his parents. As the season begins, it’s clear something is dangerously wrong but besides Finn, only Harlow seems to notice. With magic behaving strangely, the balance of power between the Immortal Orders and humans grows deadlier by the day. Harlow and Finn must work together to keep ancient grudges from resurfacing and take back their lives in the process. If they can get over their past, the whole world may have a brighter future. Dark Night, Golden Dawn is Book One in The Immortal Orders Trilogy, a blazing hot fantasy romance, set in a contemporary world of magic, deception, and betrayal.


A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen Book 1)

A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen Book 1) by Helen Scheuerer

A deadly contest. A vaulting ambition. How far will one cyren go to win? Mighty cyrens have ruled the ancient lair of Saddoriel for centuries. A cavernous fortress, a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and levels, powered by magic and music… From the moment she was born, Roh, the daughter of an infamous criminal, has been despised by her own kind. Restricted to the Lower Sector and forced to work as a common bone cleaner, she has always believed she belongs above: where lies adventure… and power. Opportunity arises in the form of the Queen’s Tournament, a treacherous set of trials that could see the victor crowned ruler of the entire lair. Up against the most cunning, dangerous cyrens in all the realms, does Roh stand a chance? A Lair of Bones is the first gripping book in the dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren Queen.


The Magelands Eternal Siege - Blade Trilogy An Epic Fantasy Adventure

The Magelands Eternal Siege - Blade Trilogy An Epic Fantasy Adventure by Christopher Mitchell

A city ruled by Gods, a mortal champion, a misfit girl and a disobedient dragon… Stolen from his home, Corthie Holdfast has arrived in the City of the Eternal Siege as a new Champion. He must fight alongside the Blades, whose lives are dedicated to the defence of the City against the hordes of monstrous Greenhides; or die at the hands of the Gods who rule. Maddie Jackdaw, a young Blade, faces her last chance. Thrown out of every unit defending the City, either she takes on a new role, or she will be sent to the Rats, a company of misfits given the perilous tasks beyond the Great Walls. Her new role, if she takes it, will bring her face to face with her deepest fears, for beneath the walls, in a secret and hidden lair, lies a dragon, imprisoned and waiting… This box-set includes the Blade Trilogy - the first three books (complete arc) of The Magelands Eternal Siege, over 1300 paperback pages or 2000 Kindle pages. The Mortal Blade The Dragon's Blade The Prince's Blade


Vortex Chronicles: The Complete Series

Vortex Chronicles: The Complete Series by Elise Kova

This omnibus edition contains all five books in the Air Vortex Chronicles. They should've never met. She's the crown princess. He's a mysterious sorcerer. But the unexpected happens when the world is ending. When Crown Princess Vi Solaris finds out she has a rare and deadly power,   she must make a choice: Her magic or her throne. But the choice isn't as simple as it appears, because  her magic is the key to saving the world . As her Empire falters from political infighting and a deadly plague, Vi trains in secret under a deadly sorcerer from a distant land. From his pointed ears to enchanting eyes and silver tongue, he's nothing like anyone she's ever met before. Vi knows she should fear him and his shadowed past, but he may just be the only one who really knows what's happening to her. Locked together with the fate of a dying world, Vi sets off to uncover the truth of a magic that wasn't made for mortal hands. But the  ultimate triumph will require the ultimate sacrifice . Once Vi embarks on her epic journey of adventure, romance, family, and duty, there will be no turning back.


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