|
Queen of the Warrior Bees by Jean Gill Epic eco-fantasy. 2020 Kindle Book Awards Finalist. Standalone Bk 1 in an award-winning trilogy. 2020 Royal Dragonfly Award winner. One misfit girl and 50,000 bees against the might of the Citadel. Mielitta, a despised servant of dubious parentage, yearns to be an adult and fit into Citadel society but the all-powerful mages wonât even consider her for the Maturity Test. As they fight amongst themselves, Mielitta overhears their secrets and plans to escape. Bastien and Jannlou, the boys who terrorised her as a child, have grown into their status as Mages and she cannot escape them forever. In desperation, she flees to the forbidden Forest and its dangerous attractions. Her scent angers thousands of bees and, although she survives their attack, she has changed. As a bee-shifter, Mielitta sees the world differently. This bond works both ways and the bees need Mielittaâs help as the rift widens between Forest and Citadel. Can Mielitta find the fulfilment she craves or will the Mages crush every cell of her second nature?â¨Block Nature out and she'll force a way in. |
|
9 Levels of Hell by E.C. Static Die to Fight, Fight to Live: Welcome to the Hell Games Yesterday, Clint and his girlfriend died in a car accident. Today, he woke up in Hell with dozens of other humans in a game of life or death devised by Death himself. There are only two rules: 1) If you lose, you dieâpermanently. 2) If you beat all 9 levels, you win back your soul and the soul of the person you died trying to save. If Clint can reach the end of the game, he can save his girlfriend and himselfâif the other players don't kill him first. *** This gamelit immerses you in the experience of the game with custom HUD graphics and a detailed stats appendix in the back of the book that lets you choose your optimum litRPG experience: following every detail of the game stats or discovering the game along with the characters. This is the first in a 9-book litRPG series that had its start as a popular Reddit serial that left readers raving. The new-and-improved Kindle edition features everything that made the original series great: kickass fights, killer stakes, and a fight to the death in the deepest bowels of Hell. |
|
The Wastes of Keldora by Alex Raizman After one too many failed inventions, Julian has hit rock bottom. Summoned to another world where gods and monsters roam, Julian continues his streak of bad luck. Rather than touching the Godcore directly, he let his smartphone absorb it. Now, he's got to figure out how to make the Godcore and his phone work together to help the people who summoned him survive their upcoming annihilation by the mad God of Chains. He's going to have to innovate his way out of his bad luck. Good thing Julian has a plan - he's going to build a factory in a medieval world. |
|
Troupe of Shadows by Jennings Zabrinsky Once the heir to an empire. Now just a shadow. Throne stolen by her traitorous brother. Chased to the edge of the world. Sellane has only a blade, a talent for slaughter, and four elite âblade dancerâ bodyguards to her name. Where once she lived a life full of courtly duels, decadence, and intrigue, she now finds herself trudging through a wild and desolate frontier populated by pioneers and warlords. One day Sellane will reclaim her birthright, but she has more immediate problems. The food has run out, shelter is scarce, and her followers are on the verge of mutiny. She canât even communicate with the strange inhabitants of this alien land: the so-called âhumansâ who wield guns, wear shoes, and seem completely incapable of shifting the color of their skin to disappear into their surroundings. It seems certain that an obscure and meaningless death lies in her near future. But when she captures Copper, a down-on-his-luck human mercenary who happens to speak her language, she seizes a razor-thin opportunity to reverse her fortunes. She has the bladecraft, he claims to have the connections, and the frontier will never have enough mercenaries. Sellane and her band will kill for gold, gather soldiers and power, and begin to build a new empire amongst the wastes. But can her new ally be trusted? Can her old allies? Will her dysfunctional troupe tear itself apart before theyâve earned a single coin? Troupe of Shadows is a dark fantasy novel with a focus on fiery interpersonal conflict and gritty action. It draws inspiration from wild west and classic high fantasy stories in equal measure. |
|
The Darkness Calling by Kaleigh McCann There are few things more dangerous or more destructive than a bad man who thinks that he is doing a good thing... The Isles of Jara are burning. An unseasonable drought is slowly killing the land; choking it in a patient and merciless fist of rising fire and dust. On the prosperous Northern Isle, King Taavi Fulbright, senile and raving, edges closer to death while his Viceroy, the flint-hearted Cullen Fitzgerald, continues with his plans for subjugating the South and crushing the contemptible, stinking peasants that farm it under his heel. Deep in the brutal highlands of the Southern Isle, an outfit of desperadoes, bandits and cattle-thieves, led by the infamous Gray siblings, make a living from waylaying the Crown's cattle drovers and stealing their stock. Vali Gray, head of this crew, is looking forward to completing one last score before he leaves the road-life for good and settles down to fatherhood. Vali cares little for the fate of the many, being concerned only with the lives of those closest to him; his sister and brother, Ylva and Gunnar, his lifelong love, Erika, and their unborn child. That is until the captivatingly psychotic Raibert MacBain comes strolling back into their lives after a decade-long absence. MacBain is a monster and, like all good monsters, is a monster of Vali's own creation. Once a polite and conscientious young nobleman, MacBain is the bastard son of Viceroy Fitzgerald and has been twisted by a love unrequited, the scorn of those he wished only to help, and the revulsion of a father who only ever saw him as a disappointment. MacBain is hunting for one who is rumoured to be endowed with powers long believed to be lost to legend. They are the powers of the Empathy, an elemental magic that could bring the Isles of Jara back from the brink of the fireââor cast it into the flames. Now, Vali and his band find themselves inexorably drawn into a choking world of revisited childhood sins that have sown the seeds from which fiends grow, soul-ripping jealousies, false prophesies, and blood-soaked feuds that promise little in the way of relief for any of them. Vali Gray must face a trifecta of hard questions and an even tougher choice; is the saving of his world, the keeping of a final promise, and the defeating of a monster he helped mould worth becoming a monster himself for? The answering of these questions will take the Grays and their crew of outlaw riders on a bloody journey, a journey that will reveal how the human heart is a torment and a masterpiece. |
|
Dust Bound by Clementine Fraser Seventeen years after the Fae destroyed the world, Adelia Lark must face them again. Life in a world destroyed by monstrous Fae isn't an easy one. Adelia wants nothing more than to keep out of trouble and convince Ryder Hendrix, the ruggedly handsome leader of her compound, she doesn't need his protection. But covered in scars that won't let her forget her nightmares of sharp knives and pools of blood, finding happily ever after in a world covered in endlessly falling faerie Dust might not be in the cards. When the Fae steal an orphan teen, Adelia realises she wants something else: to stop the future echoing her past. As the only one immune to the poisonous Dust, she knows she is the teen's best chance. Accompanied by Ryder, who she's secretly loved for years, she ventures through a broken landscape to rescue the child whose fate echoes her own. But the Fae are hunting them, and the only chance of survival lies with Adelia accepting her past and embracing the mysterious powers she never wanted-and in doing so she may lose Ryder forever. This is Book One in a planned series |
|
Burning Bright by Melissa McShane In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flamesâand extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years. As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy. Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on Englandâs enemies, French privateers and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athenaâs crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinorâs ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterlyâbut could it be at the cost of her own life? |
|
The Scorpion's Lullaby by Juliet Vane The Scorpion Raiders have three rules: Be ruthless. Be rich. Live like gods. Joellaâs band of thieves lives deep in the jungle. Riding on giant scorpion dragons, they search the beautiful landscape for villages and caravans to rob. When insidious forces interrupt a routine raid, Joella becomes separated from her people. Sheâs alone except for a stolen book of legends and Marc, a pacifist dedicated to preserving the ways of the old goddess. Searching for their tribes, Joella and Marc brave violent beasts, deceitful clans, and the sweltering days and freezing nights of their beloved jungle. They must trust each other to right the wrongs of the past and save themselves, or risk the very landscape they hold so dear. The Scorpionâs Lullaby is a fast-paced, lyrical fantasy filled with creatures and characters who will take your breath away. Get your copy today and be transported into an unforgettable tale in this luminous, unique world. |
|
Master of the Flying Broom by Joseph J. Bailey Kensaro Hatanuâs soul was born the day his master handed him his first sword. Except Kensaroâs master did not hand him a sword to walk the path of the otana hanji, the sword saints of legend. His teacher handed Kensaro a broom. A broom to clean the monastery. While the other martial ascetics of Guai Lu practiced their physical and spiritual disciplines, Kensaro swept, mopped, and dusted, imagining he was slaying monsters, saving villagers, and meting out justice. Until the demons came and his broom was called to action. Master of the Flying Broom is a wuxia and xianxia-inspired noblebright martial arts fantasy of roughly 90,000 words. |
|
Sacaran Nights by Rachel Emma Shaw SACARA IS DECAYING. THE DEAD WALK THE STREETS, FUNGI LIGHT THE NIGHT, AND DAGNER MUST FIGHT TO KEEP THE ROT AT BAY. Legacy is everything in Sacara. Those few who inherit live only to keep theirs alive, protecting the ghosts of their ancestors from the corruption seeping into every corner of the city.â¨Dagner longs to leave - to create a legacy for himself and see the world beyond - but he is trapped by an inheritance that was never meant to be his. When a figure from his past returns to claim the legacy Dagner has sworn to protect, he must decide if he will forge his own path, or stay and make the sacrifices needed to save the city of the dead. |
|
Raven: Reawakening by Mitchell Hogan A woman transformed by the blood of demons. Deadly beyond belief. Raven was once a member of the Grim Hand, a group of demonically altered assassinsâuntil she staged her own death and began a new life free from brutality and murder. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and the past is reluctant to loosen its grip on those who hide from it. When faceless assassins strike, Raven must return to a world of intrigue and violence, if only to save herself. Alone, trapped, and fighting a vengeful enemy that easily outmatches even Ravenâs demon-hybrid abilities, she is forced to seek help from the man she once loved. A man with a revelation that will shake Raven to the core and change her world forever. |
|
An Altar on the Village Green by Nathan Hall âIf one suffers, I suffer. If one is chained, I am chained.â My faith called me to become a Lance. My compassion drew me into one of the fallen lands. Through my connection with the Chained God, I alone can find and destroy the Horror that stains the land. Death can no longer chain me. But I couldnât have imagined the madness waiting for me in this village. Iâm not sure my faith can withstand the secrets Iâll uncover. Or that my compassion can survive the violence to come. This Horror may swallow me whole. Death can no longer free me. A creature stalks in the dark. Buildings burn. People die. An altar has been built on the village green. |
|
Imagine The Fire by SG Gowland BEFORE THE TIME OF THE WALKERS - DARKNESS THREATENED THE LAND, THE POWER OF MAGIC CHANGED FOREVER AND THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM HUNG IN THE BALANCE. In the kingdom of Essealar, a rival power threatens the Kingâs plans to build his empire. As his sanity crumbles, a secret power must be found to help him achieve his aims. He will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal, but everywhere he looks is fire and he cannot see the realm beyond his madness. Daria Ravesh has spent a lifetime in loyal service to the King and is distraught at his decline. When she meets Edris Fane, she knows his unparalleled powers are all her King needs â but will he become her greatest ally or ultimate rival? When Edris Faneâs family is threatened, and his people attacked, he must join the King to fight for the freedom and peace he craves, but by unleashing his anger reveals to him the true power of the darker side of magic â the Guldur â which could destroy him and all he holds dear. Heroes will rise, enemies will fall, but chaos will reign. |
|
Blood on the Canvas by David Samuels A kindhearted apprentice falls under the sway of a murderous master. Together, their careers, families, and feuds will shape the fate of kingdoms. Five hundred cherubim is the price of freedom in Kellotho Cay. It's a daunting fee, sure, but fledgling painter SIDNEYA fully intends to free her brothers from serfdom⌠but first she must sharpen her skills under a master of the craft. One doesnât simply wake up and decide to paint a portrait for the Vernal Queen. There are words for that sort of person, and NICOLAF VâTRAMO knows them all. As a personal rule, the misanthrope never takes on apprentices. Not after last time. Besides, he's busy enough fending off rivals from the Honorable Guild of Brushmasters. But when Sidneya is caught stowing away on his homeward voyage, he finds himself in a bit of a pickle. |
|
A Song For The Void by Andrew C. Piazza A Mind Imprisoned Is The Greatest Of Hells. 1853. South China Sea. While on patrol between the Opium Wars, the crew of the steam frigate HMS Charger pursues a fleet of pirates that have been terrorizing the waters surrounding Hong Kong. But now the hunters have become the hunted. Something else has come to the South China Sea, something ancient and powerful and malevolent. Now, the crew of the Charger must face their worst nightmares in order to survive the terrible creature they come to know as the Darkstar. A Song For The Void is a haunting, terrifying historical horror novel that will keep you turning the pages and jumping at the shadows. Readers who are interested in a historical adventure mixed with slow burn cosmic horror should take a closer look at A Song For The Void. |
|
Dungeon Man Sam and the Orphaned Core by J. W. Benjamin Samuel Tolliver holds a deep and abiding hatred for Dungeons. For years he's been working and scheming to rid them from existence, and now heâs got a plan to do it. But there's a problem; Dungeons form the backbone of national economies and their construction is big business in this world. It doesnât help that Samâs father runs one of the worldâs premier dungeon construction companies, or that Sam works for the family business. And when a series of disastrous events culminate in the death of Sam and everyone he knows, it seemed that all was lost. Until a voice came to him, offering a deal he could not refuse. Now Dungeon Man Sam has returned to life as the guardian for a strange new dungeon core. To save himself and his family, Sam must construct a dungeon like the world has never seen and defend it against all comers, be they monstrous or adventurous. If he succeeds, he'll see his family once more. If he fails, oblivion awaits. And somewhere, beyond his awareness, something ancient and terrible stirs and takes notice. Dungeon Man Sam is a slow-burn character-focused dungeon-building litRPG novel with a unique leveling system and elements of base building and real time strategy. |
|
Rise of Tears by Brand J. Alexander The world of Elerea is dying, and Asahn is the only one who can save it. At least thatâs the tale that Old Durn, the tribe storyteller, was weaving this time. It seemed absurd at first, but then everything spun out of control. A strange new religion is hunting the Kahn Shogal, and the secret to why may reside in the clouded history of Asahnâs people. The mighty Highlands warriors have no choice but to flee into the wilderness of their homeland, but it has become a harsh and unforgiving place as the world withers. While the Kahn Shogal face danger on every side, their great chieftain is too consumed by pride and tradition to lead them. Only Asahn, heir to the Kah Hrah, has the authority to confront his father in his missteps. But for a son who always looked up to his father, such betrayal will not come easily. With every step, Asahn will confront new dangers to his people and his world. And with every step, he will drive himself, against all odds, to become the person Old Durn swears he can be, their only salvation. |
|
The Pirate's Deal (Romancing Aranthium #2) by Daniela A. Mera, Elayna R. Gallea Everything changes when the Ice Mer King says, âI want you to kill my daughter.â Erik I am the Pirate of Death. I have spent my life on the seas, maintaining my reputation as one of the most fearsome pirates to ever sail the waters in Aranthium. Then, the Ice Mer King makes a deal with me. Kill his daughter, and my life-debt is paid. Fail, and my life is forfeit. Sounds easy, right? If only the princess didnât have such a talent for getting under my skin and consuming my thoughts. Helena My father trades my voice for legs I don't want. A whole month on a human-only crew doesnât sound like my idea of fun. What I want is love, safety and family. Somehow, I find myself tangled up with a dangerous Pirate whose fate lies in my hands. Falling in love with him is exciting, effortless. But I donât want to be owned by anyone. âLittle Mermaid meets Captain Hook, except the voiceless heroine has a knife? Yes please.â This book is a complete, stand-alone story that is part of a larger series. "Romancing Aranthium" books are the perfect books for fans of fantasy romance who love sweet love stories, powerful ladies, danger, political intrigue, and epic journeys. Setting classic stories in an urban setting with vampires, fae, merpeople, angels, and were-shifters makes them all the more enticing. |
|
Manipulator's War by Elise Carlson Nonbinary Ruarnon is determined to prove their worth as heir to Tarlahâs perfect King. Things get complicated when their parents are abducted and theyâre left ruling Tarlah in the shadow of impending war, with absent allies. Neighbouring King Kyura has no intention of invading Tarlah. But his warmongering subjects long for the glory of expansion. When Kyura rejects their calls for war, assassins threaten his family and mutiny threatens his reign. Stranded Aussie Linh is desperate to return to her family in Australia. But the only transport to her gateway home is Ruarnonâs absent allies, sailing to Tarlahâs aid. Monsters at sea threaten everyone. Linhâs monster observations could save Kyuraâs people, and clear her homeward path. If she risks her life aiding Ruarnon. But to secure peace with Kyuraâs unruly subjects, Ruarnonâs ultimate test as heir risks betrayal and Tarlahâs bloody defeat. |
|
The Crypt Lord's Call by Dawson George If Hell is full, where do the sinners go? Theodore Goss is minding his own damn business when humanity's time runs out. Everyone is shunted off to Godguild, a new universe filled with magic, monsters, and stats, where the afterlife is determined by progression. It's not about being good anymore, or even being strong. All that matters is being at the top. Hard though it is, Theo plays along as an Afterlifer, determined to make it to paradise eventually. But when a vicious guild drags him into a skeletal dungeon run, Theo realizes the monsters have it much worse than him. Theo helps the surviving skeletons build a new home. To ensure their continued survival, however, Theo needs to navigate the minefield of unfriendly mobs, monsters of every shape and eldritch size, and of course, Hell itself peeking in at the edges, all while plumbing the secrets Godguild is hiding. It's going to take more than levelling up to make it in this cruel world, and Theo is just the guy to go above and beyond. Survival? Maybe for now. But Theo is coming for Godguild itself. The Crypt Lord's Call is book one of Godguild, a LitRPG series where the protagonist brings intelligent mobs to his side by hook or by crook, all to take the fight to the system. It offers a healthy helping of crafting, base-building, and survival elements. |
|
The Alchemyst's Mirror by Liz Delton A missing brother. A secret society. And a mysterious artifact thatâs worth more than gold.Petra and Maisie Everturn just want to run their familyâs tea shop, but when their explorer brother Jiordan goes missing while looking for an alchemycal artifact, none of them are safe.The sisters must enlist the help of another explorer in order to find Jiordan or the artifactâbefore the mysterious alchemyst society finds them first.However, when one of the sisters stumbles into the clutches of the most dangerous alchemyst in the city, the race to unravel the clues becomes desperate. And when they discover the truth about the artifact, their quest to infiltrate the alchemystâs secret society becomes a matter of life and death. |
|
Beneath the Dragoneye Moons: Oathbound Healer by Selkie Myth Elaine is ripped from this world to Pallos, a land of unlimited possibilities made real by a grand System governing classes, skills, and magic. An ideal society? What is this, a fantasy novel? Adventures? Right this way! A Grand quest? Nah. Friends and loot? Heck yes! Humans are the top dog? Nope, dinosaur food. Healing and fighting? Well, everything is trying to eat her. Join Elaine as she travels around Pallos, discovering all the wonders and mysteries of the world, trying to find a place where she belongs, hunting those elusive mangos, all while the ominous Dragoneye Moons watch her every move. |
|
Forest of Forgotten Vows by Grace Carlisle There are monsters in the woods. When I come back to my childhood home for the first time in seven years, a tiny man living under the porch stairs greets me like an old friend, and it only gets stranger from there. A hunter who stalks the woods, a monster in the river, and a man draped in shadows who offers me a bargain I canât refuse. They remember me, but my past is in tatters, forcing me to follow the trail my childhood self left me years agoâthe first time I entered the world known as Faerie. Each answer I find pulls me deeper into the web of political machinations of an otherworldly court. But nothing answers the biggest question: âwhy me?â And how can I possibly survive when I canât even trust my own mind? |
|
The True and Accurate Log of the Sand Ship Uncertainty by Fowler Brown Reality is an uncertain thing. It shifts and warps without the taming yoke of human agreement to bind it in place, especially near the twisting chaos that is Nightmare. As Keeper of Days for a band of pirates, Teivi Nishiir maintains the log of the sand ship Uncertainty, holding back the worldâs insidious influence by recording the crewâs deeds. She knows the cruelty of the desert. She has sailed into Nightmare and sung her defiance to the corrupting aberrations that make the boldest pirate hunters balk. But even Nightmare is nothing beside a comradeâs betrayal. A deadly secret lurks among the Uncertaintyâs latest plunder, one that pirates and kings alike will kill for. With the Uncertainty thrown into chaos, fleeing friends and dodging fleets, Teiviâs quill wonât be enough to keep her crew from a sandy grave. If she can stay one step ahead, she might have a chance to achieve everything sheâs ever dreamed of. So long as sheâs willing to pay the price in blood. |
|
Onslaught of Madness by Jesse Teller The Drine war machine needs to be constantly fed and has turned its sights on Tienne. Warlord Rextur devoted his life to planning this invasion, so how did he lose the element of surprise? And who is this emerging rival Peter Redfist? He canât be much of a problem. The god of destruction has long favored Rextur. His faith is strong and his legions mighty. Who could withstand their onslaught? |
|
The Heart of the Bloodstone by Philinna Wood Avalan is a hunter in a cage. In the village of Hydrus, a fastness secluded from the Stone Lands, Avalan was born. He swam its warm waters, hunted through its blackwood forest, played the goat games on its white shore. Now, he watches the chief erect a mighty palisade to keep his tribe contained, forbid the magic of the birthstones, exile his childhood friend, and punish the tribe of Hydrus for daring to love, hope, dream ⌠As the chiefâs madness grows, so does Avalanâs longing to lead the tribe to freedom. But Avalanâs dagger is no match for the chiefâs powerful stone magic. Much as Avalan hates the stones for being the chiefâs weapon, he realizes thereâs only one path to freeing his tribe: find what was denied to him, the missing piece of his soul ⌠The Heart of the Bloodstone. |
|
Kingdom of Essence by Holly Karlsson To survive here, you either grow wings or claws Elitsa Serlov only cares about two things â earning enough money to start a new life and finding the rogue mage who murdered her mother. But years without leads have left her jaded, and she wonât let anyone â friend or foe â get in her way. In Casekraia, anyone can use magic if theyâre desperate enough to rent relics from the Tower, a corrupt guild of mages more concerned with their own wealth than the welfare of the people. Elitsa has spent the last three years as a reclamation agent for the guild, hunting down her own people for precious coin and the hope of uncovering what happened to her mother. Just one week before her contract with the Tower is set to expire, Elitsa is coerced into a dangerous conspiracy by a gang of rebellious thieves. With her loyalty to the Tower in question, Elitsa must decide between her quest for revenge and charting a new course for her life. With captivating characters, daring heists, and dangerous magic, this enchanting fantasy adventure spins a tale about the power of hope and friendship and our connection to the world around us. |
|
Fly With the Arrow by Sarah K. L. Wilson Perfect for fans of Spinning Silver but with the dark humor of Santa Clarita Diet, this first-in-series romantic fantasy will grab you by the collar and pull you along into a world of magic and mystery that one reader described as âif Alice fell in love with the Cheshire Cat.â A STOLEN BRIDE. A TERRIFYING BRIDEGROOM. THE GAME THAT WILL DETERMINE THEIR FATES. Iâm a practical girl. I can resign myself to an unwanted marriage â and I had. I just hadnât expected my first potential bridegroom to be murdered by the second. Itâs all because I broke the Law of Greeting. No one warned me the law existed. No one told me breaking it would mean Iâd be swept up into the arms of a powerful and beautiful immortal bent on taking me as his sixteenth bride and dragging me off to his strange fairytale world. Thatâs a bit much to ask of a person. But Iâm not the kind of girl to just give up. Not even if it means facing all the strange puzzles and magic of this mad fae world with nothing but my common sense and determination. I will not mope in my room, or go crazy, or let myself be killed by one of his rivals. And I absolutely WILL NOT fall in love with him. Not even when he keeps surprising me with depths of kindness and hidden layers. Not even if it turns out he actually might have a good reason for all of this. After all, heâs had fifteen wives before me and itâs not a case of âthe more the merrier.â Especially not now, when it turns out he's playing a game for the fate of my nation. Failure in this world, would mean the desolation of everyone I love. Failure in this marriage, would mean utter destruction for my home. The stakes couldn't be higher. But I have a crafty husband, a severed-head best friend who gives surprisingly good advice, and the common sense my mother gave me. If that isnât enough to take on the whole of this fae world ⌠well, it will just have to be. That's all there is to it. Because I'm not dying without a very good reason and Iâm not giving up until Iâm dead. Come along on a wild romantic fantasy adventure with USA Today bestselling author Sarah K. L. Wilson, guaranteed to enthrall, delight, and maybe even surprise you. Author's Note: This is a deep, dark romp (not steamy) with an unrelenting pace and cliffhangers. Read at your own risk. |
|
Dying Wishes by Anitha Krishnan Finalist for 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Speculative Fiction category When I was seven, my mother died. I struck a bargain with the Gods to bring her back to life. For thirteen years now, I have served as a Harbinger of Death, coaxing dying wishes out of mortals so that the God of Death may grant them moksha, liberation from the cycles of birth and death. The man about to die this evening claims he has nothing to offer me. He is dying a content man, a rarity in our world. But when the God of Death arrives to lead his soul away, the man changes his mind about dying and flees, planting on me an enigma. I only know I cannot trust any God with this secret. And that I'll pay an unbearable price for this concealment. Yet again, I underestimate how savagely the Gods can wound me. Even though one of them is supposedly my father who still doesn't know I exist. Set in Burlington, Ontario, this contemporary fantasy novel weaves Hindu mythology and South Indian folklore into a quest for belonging across different worlds â the World of Mortals and the World of Gods, India and Canada, the past and the present, the world outside and the one within. It is an offering to lovers of whimsical worlds and heartbreaking prose, and to anyone yearning to simply belong. |
|
Bones to the Wind by Tatiana Obey Rasia is determined to destroy her old manâs record in the Forging, a trial each child must succeed to come of age. All Rasia needs to do is hunt down a gonda, hitch its tentacle ass to her windship, and haul it back home in record time. Easy. Or it would be if Rasia wasnât stuck on the same team as Nicoâa know-it-all, spoiled, grubworm who never does anything Rasia tells her to do. Nico doesnât care about Rasiaâs egotistical dreams of glory. This is her brotherâs last chance to pass the Forging or her father is going to banish him from the family. She needs to scour the desert to find whatever team the bones placed him on and help him kill a gonda before it kills him. Too bad Nico and Rasia canât get along to steer a windship straight. BONES TO THE WIND is a coming-of-age sword and sorcery fantasy adventure. Action-packed and humorous, the novel includes strong female characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, and mature themes. |
|
Awakening the Gods by Kristin Gleeson From a USA Today bestselling author comes a tale of magic, myth and Irish music. A failed barista, a reclusive blacksmith. Can they avoid the call of the Irish Gods? Saoirse knows playing traditional music once a week in a local Dublin pub wonât get her a career, but itâs all sheâs got, especially after sheâs fired from her barista job. But then her father dies and her life is set into a spin, especially when an unknown grandmother comes calling.. Music is Smithy's one joy that is left to him that has a residue of the magic he lost long ago. Creating things in his forge, tucked away in rural Cork, increasingly reminds him of what he's lost and why he must resist the requests of the Tuatha De Danann. They want him to join their efforts to battle their biggest nemesis,a powerful god who is threatening the destruction of Eire, the land they hold so dear. But events and gods conspire to bring Saoirse and Smithy to the path that was meant to be. It's time for the gods to awake and answer the call to defend the land. But answering that call could mean risking death. A music-filled romantic urban fantasy with a Celtic twist that will delight fans of Charles de Lint. |
|
The Broken Oath by Pablo Suarez FIRST, YOU SHALL NEVER DO HARM Doctor Damyra Pynarios has achieved what no woman has before in the history of the Noktanian League. Ruthlessly climbing through the ranks, battling fiercely to become Guild-certified Physician and Head of the School of Medicine of the Guilds Association University, everything seems to be going well for her⌠⌠except something is brewing in Noktanos, Capital of the League. Damyra receives an unexpected visit from a lawyer with shady motives, and shadier allegiances. A past she thought long forgotten, is used to leverage her into signing a mysterious Binding Agreement. Will she sign a contract that could change the rest of her life? Meanwhile, young Nymor Strethos has ended his travels across the continent of Helados. No longer searching for incantations to add to his Codex, he has changed the company of an estranged father for an apprenticeship with strict Doctor Romos. His harsh tutelage will clash with Nymâs lifestyle and make him confront a very easy decision⌠âŚor it would be, had he not fallen victim to something he has learned to fear. Love. Which one will Nym choose, heart or duty? |
|
The Spider and the Scribe by Morgan Stang As far as Harriette Cooke is concerned, a little lie or two never hurt anyone. A down-on-her-luck scribe and the sole provider for her family, she struggles to get by in a city that turns a blind eye to the poor. Her finances are squeezed to the breaking point when she stumbles across the impossible on the side of the road: a chest full of gold coins. The fortune could completely change Harriette's life. The problem? It's a lost provincial tax payment meant for the King. Throughout the city, the search is on for the missing money, and everyone is closing in on Harriette. On one side is the lord of the city, Count Gainsbury, and the cruel City Watch at his disposal. On the other side is the Cobbler's Guild, a band of ruthless cutthroats led by a madwoman who will stop at nothing to claim her prize. And complicating things is the arrival of Royal Inquisitor Samara Adia, an investigator sent straight from the King to put his affairs in order with the help of her infamous bodyguard, the Misfit of Kantor. Trapped in a web of deceit, all clues lead to Harriette and her friends. If they want to get out of the city aliveâand richâthey have only their wits to rely on...and perhaps a little lie or two. |
|
They Call Me Princess Cayce: new body, new universe, deadly problems by P D Ball As if waking up in the body of a young teenage girl wasnât bad enough, I couldnât remember my own name. It turns out Iâm the princess, second heir to the throne. I have to get back to my own life, but donât know who to trust or how to do that. Ask the wizard for help? Clearly, magic was involved in my transformation, but if I tell him, Iâd be confessing to stealing his princessâs body. And if I tell the prince, well, whereâs his dear sister? Worse, I woke up tied to a tree in the enemy army. The army that just killed the king and wants to take over the kingdom. This new life is not going well. Was I stuck inside a game on some sort of quest? Maybe, I always play cute girl characters because, well, I want to watch them beat up monsters. But if this was real, then I was in serious trouble. Real or simulation, there was only one thing to do: survive. --- In a gritty, realistic medieval world that doesn't pull punches, Princess Cayce struggles to adjust. A land of terrifying magic, ever-present warfare, deeply rooted patriarchy and, well, a lot of limitations on how a princess can behave. This is not erotica and not a harem novel. Thereâs no romance. At least, so far. Inspired by litrpg, but it has no obvious gaming system. |
|
The Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage by Hiyodori âI never forgot the sound of you calling for me. Not for a second.â The Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage is a slow-burn f/f romance set in an original modern-era fantasy world, featuring a magical tower with countless curious rooms. Itâs a story of friends to enemies to reluctant allies, guilty secrets, love mixed inextricably with hate, fragile second chances, and the true price of boundless magical power. In a country where mages have all the power and healers supposedly only exist to support them, Clematisâa talented healerâis despised for her past attempts to defy the mageocracy. In her early thirties, sheâs already on year seven of a life sentence for treason. But when the most powerful mage in the nation suddenly loses all her magic, the government wants unconventional Clematis to help get it back. The mage is a tall, distant woman called Wist, and Clematis knows her all too well. They used to be classmates. Best friends. Perhaps more. Wist is also the person who reported Clematis for leaking state secrets. Sheâs the reason Clematis spent the last seven years in prison. Clematis wants revenge for her betrayal, but she wants freedom even more. Sheâs got thirty days to recover Wistâs magic: miss the deadline, and sheâll be shunted back to prison for the rest of her life. Yet attempting to resurrect Wistâs lost magic will force her to face the real reason why Wist betrayed herâand to face her unresolved, unspoken feelings for the mage who stabbed her in the back and walked away. |
|
Missy the Werecat by P. G. Allison Missy the Werecat: Book I When puberty brings on her first Shift, Missy goes into the mountains for two years until finally learning to Change back. She can Change from fully human in one instant to a mountain lion in the next. Everyone assumes her two year disappearance was because sheâd been kidnapped by a sexual predator that she managed to kill. She keeps her werecat nature a secret. There is no pack, no pride of other werecats and no alpha. Sheâs a girl with fantastic abilities growing up and learning to do great things in todayâs world, amongst humans. She only has her instincts to guide her and those drive her to train herself to extremes. She must control those instincts; dampening the wild predator is often necessary. Her raging hormones and enhanced senses require very strong controls; she explores what happens when those controls are relaxed. |
|
Liches Get Stitches by HJ Tolson Evil stirs in the forest of Downing, spreading blight across the ancient boughs. Busy with troubles of her own, Maud the village witch just wants to be left alone. Peace and quiet should be easy enough when you're dead, right? Wrong. Reborn as a powerful lich, Maud is suddenly faced with the attentions of all the righteous heroes, holy clerics, and nosy neighbours of the realm. Now instead of whiling away the days in her garden with her cat and her knitting, Maud must figure out how much force is required to crush a man's spine, the proper storage solution to keep a spoiling cadaver, and how best to display the remains of the fallen for maximum scare. Featuring people mulch, head bouquets, revenant geese, and some very deadly embroidery, undead paradise never looked so good. A very grisly slice-of-life progression fantasy. Trigger warning for gore and violence. |
|
Yellow Tape and Coffee by Pat Luther Four intertwining stories. Four points of view of a single large event. Four people from different backgrounds with different ideals. And a secret society of werewolves is unveiled in Portland, Oregon. For four hundred years, they have kept their secret. Some will do anything to reveal it. Others will sacrifice everything to keep it. Alliances will be forged and shattered. Friendships will be made and betrayed. Conspiracies within conspiracies will unravel as conflicting agendas clash across the city. And by the end, nothing will be the same. |
|
To Wield a Plague by Derrick Smythe There will be no victory here for anyone but those who thirst for blood. Forced to choose between his motherâs life and his own exile, Dwapek embarks upon a journey wrought with trials no ordinary Renzik could hope to survive. Relics of legend, plagues of old, and monsters of unthinkable dread all collide in this epic fantasy adventure as a weapon capable of destroying an entire people is set to be unleashed. |
|
The Reborn Prince by Julianne Munich Book 1 of the Mages in the Mundane historical fantasy series. He was a prince, forced into a new life as a pauper. Luc, a poor but vain young man in 1775 Paris, is confused by his dreams of gilded ballrooms and unknown people in lace and jewels. What's more, everything before the past two years is a hazy fog in his mind, and Aunt Mathilde gives him few answers. What he doesn't know is that 'Aunt Mathilde' is in fact his motherâa Sorceress. She keeps him captive under her magical veil, desperate to both protect him and to punish him for the evil deeds of his royal past. When disease leaves Luc scarred and weakened, he feels his life is over. He pushes away his humble friends, including Emilie, a young housemaid with inner beauty.â¨â¨Emilie, scarred from smallpox, is resigned to life as a spinster. Yet, she sees beauty and joy in life and understands Luc's despair beneath his bitter, beastly attitude.â¨â¨Unless Luc can embrace his inner strength, care about others, and love unselfishly, he risks destroying himself once more. An adult twist on Beauty and the Beast, with family drama, a secret underground society of Mages, and a sweet love story. â¨Note: This novel contains sensitive themes including violence and suicidal ideation. Romantic scenes are sweet and no-steam. Contains lead-ins to the sequel. |
|
The Girl of Precinct Five by Jonatan HĂĽkansson If scars tell stories, then Lynnâs arms read like books. A failed augmentation thatâd once burnt the skin from her knuckles; that time a Bane-scale got too close, nearly costing her three fingers; and an explosive thatâd misfired, robbing her of all mobility in her left shoulder for weeks. Rift Diving was a restless pastime, but it did bring a penny for a dream. One to afford living another day, two to protect what little she has left, three to maybe earn herself a future in a city not her own - to escape the fate of all rats of Precinct Five. Then again, things have seldom worked out for Lynn. Not since the day the Third Rupture stole most of whatever she once cared about. Not since the day she was born. |