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A haunted girl, an evil witch, the mysterious fae. Olivia hopes each psychic vision will be the last. Then she can concentrate on school, grades, and getting a driverâs license. But a wicked force stands in the way and once Olivia crosses its path, the only way out is death. As Olivia searches for answers, she discovers unsolved murders, a secret pact, and a vow to avenge the past. The truth exists in a lost library once magically protected, and within it a book thought to have been destroyed. Against impossible odds, Olivia fights to save a friendâs life, release others from the same fate, and protect those she loves. If you like girls who wonât take ânoâ for an answer, who avoid the easy choice and do what's right, then you will love One of Us by M. L. Roberts, a battle of honesty vs. lies in a city at risk. A story of magic, mayhem, and murder, told with a glimmer of sharp-edged wit, and tied to an unbreakable curse. |
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In the remote land of Laskar the seven ruling clans have vied with each other for power for over a century. The son of the Reavesburg Clan Chief, Rothgar, has been groomed all his life for a role supporting his elder brother, Jorik, in leading their kingdom when their fatherâs time finally comes to an end. However, the rulers of their greatest rivals, the Vorund Clan, are in the grip of something older and far darker. They have been conquered by evil, a remnant from the time when the gods warred with one another and the world of Amuran collapsed into the Fallen Age. Everything is about to change ⊠The first book in The Brotherhood of the Eagle series, Hall of Bones begins a tale of epic fantasy, magic and intrigue. |
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Beneath a Brass Sky by Eli Steele Ulfric Halehorn is a sellsword that believes in the sanctity of the contract. Heâs also rekindled an old grudge, incited a riot, and landed himself in jail on enough counts to see himself hung twice. In the midst of this, he somehow managed to win a lucrative contract to transport a mysterious crate across the Brasslands to Kush. Heâd be better off if he hadnât. Days into the journey, Ulfric learns that the job is more than it seems, and that he carries with him the spark that may touch off a revolution that could burn across a city, and perhaps an entire region. Knowing this, Ulfric sees a chance to atone for breaking another contract nearly a decade ago â one that cost another city its freedom and its people their lives; an act that still haunts him to this day. But the Brasslands is a vast land, filled with fugitives, and wild beasts, and nameless things that lurk in the low dark. In those wastes also rides another â one charged with snuffing out the same revolution that Ulfric aims to set afire. And as these rivals drive towards their opposing goals, a storm of steel and blood is building on a bleak horizon. BENEATH A BRASS SKY is a fantasy novel that fans of Abercrombieâs Red Country, Kingâs The Gunslinger, and Sandersonâs Alloy of Law will enjoy. |
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Truth and Other Lies by Lyra Wolf Nothing is trickier than the truth. All Loki the trickster god of Asgard wants is a quiet, peaceful life where heâs free to needle Balder, occasionally stir up the inter-realm porridge pot, and get Thor to dress in womenâs garments (for all the best reasons). Getting beset by sudden, painful, and terribly inconvenient visions of blood, ash, and death are definitely not on his to-do list. But, because of some small, ridiculous remnant of caring that refuses to be extinguished, Loki feels he must save Asgard...and that means warning Odin, his least favorite god (next to Thor). But getting the gods to believe the boy who cried Fenrir is harder than it looks, and time is running out, not just for Asgard, but also for a mortal woman named Sigyn who may just hold the key to Lokiâs future. Loki is about to find out the hard way that the only thing crueler than truth are the lies behind it all. "Truth and Other Lies" is the first book in a new series inspired by Norse mythology, and has snarky anti-heroes, lovers-to-enemies, and strong female characters. |
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Torak DragonSon by Rick Dietrich Torak, a young servant, lives a mundane life in the weapons academy catering to the needs of swordsmen and nobility. That life is irrevocably changed when his father's identity as a dragon is revealed in dramatic fashion. Torak is forced to leave his servant's life and fight not only for his own survival but for the survival of all the races in the lands. |
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Lycoris in Moonlight by Kova Killian The daughter of a god of death. The child that shouldn't exist. Ninâs mother had warned her to never go to the Flame Festival, for the gods have laws against her life. Now Nin is a grumpy, world-wary almost thirty-year-old midwife. Her mother has passed away and her best friend begs her to go to the festival. She attends, only to have her fated flame match with the last god she ever wanted to lay eyes on, Amun-Ra. Her mother's patron god, the one person her mother begged to come heal her in her time of need. Nin despises his pompous priss face and his cocky attitude until she learns the limits of his power and the demons that plague him. Nin must now survive the year. The one problem? Someone knows both of her parents. He can unravel her secret in a moment and send the justices after her, resulting in execution. Will Nin submit to the pull of the flames and make it to the Eternal Ceremonies? or will the secret of her parents be brought to light? |
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Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill Born in fire. Tempered in blood. Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving â a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calenâs world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries. There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold. He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will. |
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The Moon is on the brink of war. Alexander Dio, an officer of the Vulture Dragoons, flies in defence of the Lunar people against the monstrous armies of the Sun. He is ready for war - or at least he thinks he is. But when Dio's patrol finds a crashed ship out in the Sea of Tranquility, his life is turned upside-down. Because the ship is not from the Moon, and its captain is unlike anyone he's ever known. His name is Lucian, and he comes from the Earth. Based on the ancient Greek story by Lucian of Samosata, this voyage of fantastic discovery goes back to the very beginning of science-fiction. HĂ»wâs previous novel, The Blackbird and the Ghost, was a semi-finalist in the fifth Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. His short stories have been published in various anthologies. |
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Survival's Edge by Casey White Life was going great - right up until Tara died. She'd always expected that to be it. Death is final, after all. But when she reaches the afterlife, she's instead presented with a destiny she'd never bargained for. Instead of reincarnating to begin a new life as a human, she's been selected as a candidate for godhood. If she can claw her way to divinity, sheâll be the first new blood to stand amid the old pantheons in ages. Lucky her. Thrown into the dubious situation of establishing herself as a fledgling goddess in a cruel, skeptical world, Tara clings to the task sheâs been given: Kill an aging, ancient deity, and take her place. Not everyone will be happy to see her, and not everyone will approve of her smashing through celestial society like a wrecking ball. Giving up means laying down and accepting oblivion, though - and that's something Tara refuses to do. She'll have her birthright, and she'll have her name. And then Terra will rise again. Spark of Divinity contains strong language and content that may be traumatic, with themes around death and overcoming hardship.. |
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Katla, idiot of idiots, last warrior of Lundr, should know better than to release a dragon. Sacrificing humans to keep the dragons away may be less bloody than war, but itâs repulsive and cowardly. Real warriors fight their enemies head on. And thatâs exactly what Katla intends to do. Her plans go south when, instead of preventing the sacrifice, she frees a sleeping dragon and is kidnapped to his frozen castle. Between his speed and bestial form, escape would be hard enough. But the dragon is compassionate, tooâand nothing slays a lonely warrior faster than a kindhearted grouch. Soon, Katla is trapped between raging factions of her own heart. Stopping the sacrifices will recommence an age-old war, one she and her peace-loving dragon would wage from opposing sides. Now that they have tamed each other, could they truly go back to being enemies? Icy curses, blood magic, and sassy banter collide as a heroic dumbass finds herself falling for a dragon shifter in this comedic and heartwarming romance. |
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Torpor; Or, The Disquieted Vicissitudes of the Inchoate by Jack CJ Stark Each night whilst everyone else was praying for good health and fortune, Arwen prayed for change. It arrived on a dank winter night. A Ma Shen folk tale told to and via Jack CJ Stark. |
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Nephilim's Hex by Susana ImaginĂĄrio The Nephilim loom over Niflheim. Gods, Dharkan and mortals fight amongst themselves in their shadow. And Time is on no one's side. The gods are outmatched, their talents useless against the Nephilim's technology. Desperate, they turn on each other. New alliances form and fall apart, for there can be no peace when survival is at stake. Psyche, torn between a goddess's duty and a mortal's hate, sets off on her own to learn the truth behind her fate, unaware of the danger following her. Meanwhile, Chronos' own agenda involves a power so dangerous and unpredictable it's been long forsaken by both the gods and the Nephilim. Will it be worth the risk? |
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The Dharkan by Susana ImaginĂĄrio The enemy is defeated. The gods strike a truce. And the Dharkan strike against the gods. Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence. Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of the soul and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. And although their goals may seem similar, the motivations behind them couldnât be more at odds with each other. Meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches. Or maybe itâs already here... |
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Wyrd Gods by Susana ImaginĂĄrio The God of Time wants to destroy Eternity. A mysterious immortal seeks vengeance. And a reclusive deity does what no god should ever do: she answers a prayer. As punishment, she is stripped of her powers and trapped in a mortal's body. Now a Wyrd â a fated god â she is haunted by the memories and thoughts of her host and must hide her true identity in order to survive in Niflheim, the rival Norse Underworld. There she discovers the afterlife is not quite what it used to be. Niflheim's new ruler threatens the precarious balance of a world overrun with outcast deities and mortals alike. To save her own sanity and find her way back to the stars, she must help the other Wyrd overcome their grievances to defeat this enemy, but those who would be her allies appear to have motives as hidden as her fragmented consciousness. And yet it seems the greatest threat to her freedom comes from within, and the prize it seeks is her immortal soul... |
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Ethereal Secrets: Shadows of Otherside Book 3 by Whitney Hill Arden Finch's conflict with her former guardian reaches the breaking point. As Arden's power grows, Callista works to twist the alliance away from her once more. To secure her ties with Otherside, Arden must outmaneuver both enemies and allies in a race against time. Between that and complications with the upcoming Reveal, a high-pressure case is exactly what Arden doesn't need. But the goddess Artemis has a task, one that will push Arden to her limits and force her to question everything. And as the Wild Hunt draws closer, she finds herself on a collision course with her pastâand her future. |
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Never Say Never by Justine Manzano Sword and Silk Books Indie Recs Indie Teacup Dragon Coop WriteHive Book Club After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that's decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears to NEVER fall in love. One of her friends--Val-- reveals her true identity--Aphrodite, goddess of love, and promises to show Brynn why she shouldn't lose faith. But when Brynn realizes she's beginning to fall for Adam, Aphrodite's boyfriend, Brynn's forced to decide if she'll choose her goddess-given fate, or risk it all for the wrong-but-right guy. One thing's for sure. Love sucks. And it's all about to blow up in their faces. |
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Maia, Mother of Worlds by David Reynolds Attorney John Greenwood unknowingly meets his next client when he literally bumps into her at a bus stop. Meeting her later that morning, he finds his attraction to her at odds with the desires of his boss, Solomon Isaacs. Shortly after the meeting, John realizes he is caught in a very long running war--though he has no idea how long--between two former spouses. Which choice does he make: His job or a possible romance? Find out in Maia, Mother of Worlds. Available now on Amazon.com. |
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The Fair Haired Boy; Or, The Sound of a Lost Voice by Jack CJ Stark A mother. A father. A fair haired boy. A fog that turns everything bad, and a voice that can end the suffering. A Ma Shen folk tale told to and via Jack CJ Stark. |
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A Darkening Fate by Ruth Miranda While Emrys and Yseult struggle to focus her powers and make them work in their advantage, Nora must find a way to break a binding she and Aaron have been put under, while in the Avalon of old, Artuir comes of age and stands on the brink of becoming king and choosing his queen... |
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When Yseult Urquhart's magic finally manifests, she finds herself saving her own life and faced with a choice.Submitting to her family's demands that she returns to Scotland and joins Avalon Hall - a school for witches who come late into their magic - the youngest member of the powerful Urquhart clan enters a place of mysteries and secrets, where nothing is what it seems.Voices from the past, visions of long ago times, even a possible ghost, all materialise before Yseult's eyes and ears, driving her to a spiral of confusion and curiosity that has her delving into what lies behind Avalon Hall.And why does it carry that name? |
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Silver and Blood by Trina L. Talma Most of the human population of Morstan lives in walled cities, though very few people know the real reason those walls were built. Stories tell of strange creatures like elves, vampires and shape-shifters, but to most people, these are only stories. Zania Corthinn, an ordinary girl from the city of Ocrisia, is about to find out the truth behind those stories -- and a few things about herself as well. "You'll see many more things you never believed in, before you've been with us very long." |
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Blade's Edge (Chronicles of Gensokai #1) by Virginia McClain Mishi and Taka live each day of their lives with the shadow of death lurking behind them. The struggle to hide the elemental powers that mark the two girls as KisĆshi separates them from the other orphans, yet forges a deep bond between them. When Mishi is dragged from the orphanage at the age of eight, the girls are unsure if or when they will find each other again. While their powers grow with each season-cycle, the girls must come to terms with their true selves--Mishi as a warrior, Taka as a healer--as they forge separate paths which lead to the same horrifying discovery. The RĆjĆ« councilâs dark secret is one that it has spent centuries killing to keep, and Mishi and Taka know too much. The two young women have overcome desperate odds in a society where their very existence is a crime, but now that they know the RĆjĆ«âs secret they find themselves fighting for much more than their own survival. Finalist in the 2019 SPFBO |
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Spark City (Spark City Cycle #1) by Robert J. Power Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. Itâll never work. Young warrior, Erroh, is destined for a life of duty and tradition. By birth-right, the mysterious trials of The Cull await him. A chance to win the greatest prize Spark City can offer. However, heâd rather spend his days drinking, gambling and travelling the roads as a free man. But war is on the horizon and although he doesnât know it yet, Erroh is standing in the way of the first wave. Across great distances and against many brutal obstacles, he will be forced to call upon the warrior within to hunt down those who disturb the peace of a world he once rejected. And he wonât be alone. Spark Cityâs slow burn love story, epic sword fights and dark humour have won a devoted readership and earned comparisons to fantasy masters Joe Abercrombie, David Gemmell and Anthony Ryan. |
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Blood of Heirs (The Coraidic Sagas #1) by Alicia Wanstall-Burke Lidan Tolak is the fiercest of her fatherâs daughters; more than capable of one day leading her clan. But caught between her warring parents, Lidanâs world begins to unravel when another of her fatherâs wives falls pregnant. Before she has time to consider the threat of a brother, a bloody swathe is cut through the heart of the clan and Lidan must fight, not only to prove her worth, but simply to survive. Ranoth Olseta wants nothing more than to be a worthy successor to his fatherâs throne. When his home is threatened by the aggressive Woaden Empire, Ran becomes his cityâs saviour, but powers within him are revealed by the enemy and he is condemned to death. Confused and betrayed, Ran is forced to flee his homeland, vowing to reclaim what he has lost, even if it kills him. Facing an unknown future, and battling forces both familiar and foreign, can Lidan and Ran overcome the odds threatening to drag them into inescapable darkness? |
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Beggar's Rebellion (Resonant Saga #1) by Levi Jacobs The Councilate controls everything except the truth. I have nothing save my discoveryâbut with this shall I destroy an empire. Tai Kulga lost the rebellion and his best friend on the same day, stripping him of his will to live even as a strange power flooded his bones. When the friend returns as a spirit guide, it feels like a second chanceâbut his friend is not who he was, and the Councilate is not done oppressing his people. When trouble with lawkeepers lands Taiâs surviving friends in a prison camp, he must go underground to find the last of the rebels and convince them to break his friends free. Along the way he meets Ellumia Aygla, runaway Councilate daughter posing as an accountant to escape her family and the avarice of the capital. Curious about the link between spirit guides and magic, her insights earn her a place among the rebels, and along with Taiâs power help turn the tide against the colonialists. But as the rebels begin to repeat the Councilateâs mistakes, Tai and Ellumia must confront their own pasts and prejudices, before the brewing war turns them into the monsters they fight. |
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Tiger Lily (Tiger Lily #1) by K. Bird Lincoln Lily isn't supposed to hunt game in the Daimyo's woods. She's just the cook's daughter. It isn't her place to talk to nobility. And she definitely isn't supposed to sing the forbidden old, Jindo religion songs. But Lily was born in the year of the Tiger, and can't ever be like other village girls. In the woods snaring rabbits one day, she finds instead the Daimyo's son, Ashikaga, wounded, in the gooseberry brush. When the Pretender Emperor's men arrive to kill Ashikaga, Lily, desperate, sings a forbidden Jindo song. The song wakes a powerful spirit â as well as Ashikaga's interest. The prickly lord has hidden secrets of his own and a burning desire to prove himself to his father. He will stop at nothing to defeat his father's greatest enemy. All Lily wants to do is take care of her sisters. But the Pretender-Emperor's forces are drawing near, and now the Daimyo's son knows she communes with Jindo gods. She wants to trust Ashikaga when he swears he will not tell her secret, but he is a noble â and Lily only a peasant. Lily's heart is leading her down a dangerous path. She may have to defy her father, Ashikaga, and even the spirits themselves in order to defeat the Pretender-Emperor's magic and keep safe all that she loves. |
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Paternus: Rise of Gods (Paternus Trilogy #1) by Dyrk Ashton SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie Described as American Gods meets The Avengers and Supernatural meets The Lord of the Rings, Paternus combines myths from around the world in a modern story of action and intrigue that is âurban fantasy on the surface, but so much more at its core!â Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth. When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peterâand find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step. With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fiâs enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems--not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves. The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of loreâtheyâre real. And now theyâve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil thatâs been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the worldâs oldest war has begun. Paternus: Rise of Gods, is Dyrk Ashtonâs critically acclaimed debut novel and the first book in The Paternus Trilogy. It has been compared to works by Neil Gaiman, Scott Hawkins, Roger Zelazny, China MiĂ©ville, Joss Whedon, and Kevin Hearne. |
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Outpost (The Fylking #1) by F.T. McKinstry In a war-torn realm occupied by a race of immortal warlords called the Fylking, trouble can reach cosmic proportions. Using the realm as a backwater outpost from which to fight an ancient war, the Fylking guard an interdimensional portal called the Gate. The Fylkingâs enemies, who think nothing of annihilating a world to gain even a small advantage, are bent on destroying it. After two centuries of peace, the realm is at war. A Gate warden with a tormented past discovers a warlock gathering an army that cannot die. A Kingâs Ranger is snared in a trap that pits him against the Fylking's enemies. And a knitter discovers an inborn power revered by the gods themselves. Caught in a maelstrom of murder, treachery, sorcery and war, they must rally to protect the Gate against a plot that will violate the balance of cosmos, destroy the Fylking and leave the world in ruins. The god they serve is as fickle as a crowâand known to demand a steep price for an answered prayer. Includes a map and a glossary. |
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What Remains of Heroes (A Requiem for Heroes #1) by David Benem Lannick deVeers used to be somebody. A hero, even. Then, he ran afoul of the kingdomâs most powerful general and the cost he paid was nearly too much to bear. In the years that followed, his grief turned him into a shadow of his former self, and he spent his days drowning his regrets in tankards of ale. But now an unexpected encounter casts Lannick upon an unlikely path to revenge. If he can just find the strength to overcome the many mistakes of his past, he can seize the chance to become a hero once more. And with an ancient enemy lurking at the kingdomâs doorstep, heâd better⊠|
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Wings of Fate (Kingdoms of Faerie #1) by Skye Horn Death chose her for her blood. Fate chose her for her heart. One step through a rift sends Thea Gilbert from a world without magic into a land of Faerie where she discovers she is a lost princess. In this hidden land, Thea is expected to stop her villainous father who sits on her throne from releasing the Goddess of Death. While darkness spreads across the Kingdoms of Faerie, Thea is trained by the handsome Fae, Kieran, to master the magic coursing through her veins and prepare for war. As her volatile powers grow stronger, so do her feelings for Kieran. But love between a princess and soldier is forbidden, and in the frantic midst of chaos and war, Thea surrenders to a reckless and deadly decision that could alter everyoneâs fate. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Cassandra Clare, WINGS OF FATE is the enchanting first tale in the magical young adult fantasy series, Kingdoms of Faerie. The series explores a world of magic, myth, and legend through the lens of a powerful female heroine. |
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Whalemoon (Wyrmwind Tales Book #1) by Dustin Porta Phehl never wanted to be pike keeper, but at least the job would be easy. Or so she thought. For as long as anyone can remember the islanders of Brodthrop Atoll have lived in peace. The dragon winds keep pirates away and the dance of the whalepike calms the seas. When the ceremony goes wrong a strange girl washes up on Whalegrave Beach. Phehl is duty bound to help those in need. But there's a problem: the girl is a sharkling, tricksters of legend with smiles of dagger-sharp teeth. And she's not the only visitor. The winds blow and the seas churn. Ships appear on the horizon. Some want to trade, others, to plunder. All have eyes for the Whalepike. When the sharkling is captured, Phehl has to make a terrible choice: trust superstition and let the monster be taken, or risk everything to bring her back. Save her new friend, or save her people? Either way she will have to be honest. About the secrets she's keeping, the lies that she has told, and lies of keepers who came before her. Whalemoon is the first book in the Wyrmwind Tales This whimsical high fantasy is set on a world of islands, with a fable-based magic system that weaves tales of sea-gnome knights, genies in seashells, and a crown fit for an octopus king. These folk tales, and sailing chantees aren't just for the reader, they can shift the winds of fate. But can they teach Phehl what it means to be a brave and compassionate hero? A nautical tale for noblebright readers and fans of Earthsea and Narnia, Whalemoon puts a new twist on old-fashioned high fantasy. This novel is a treasure trove of lore and limerick to put on your shelf to read again and again. Welcome to the world of Tableau Mer! |
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A Voice That Thunders (Voice That Thunders #1) by Cully Mack Immortals conquering as gods. A Shadow creeping closer... Can an apprentice healer be the key to ignite a war? Mirah looks for the best in everybody. But her naivetĂ© is shattered when her clan is slaughtered, and sheâs dragged into captivity. Vulnerable and scared, she has no choice but to accept her kidnappersâ offer to join their sect of lethal female fighters. Desperate to find stability in her chaotic new life, Mirah throws herself into training as a water mage and warrior. But as she discovers her unprecedented elemental control, her instructor warns that revealing her power will put her in mortal danger. With the fate of humanity at risk, will Mirahâs growing abilities spell her salvation⊠or destruction? A Voice That Thunders is the first book in the action-packed Voice that Thunders epic fantasy series. If you like strong women, intricate world-building, and stories of enduring friendship, then youâll adore Cully Mackâs riveting saga. |
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Thorfinn and the Witch's Curse (The Forerunner Saga #1) by Jay Veloso Batista Ghostly Curses in Viking England! Danelaw life is good! Practicing martial skills, grumbling over chores, listening to scary stories and shadowing his brothers everywhere, Finn is a normal boy of ten in the Viking Kingdoms of ninth century England. A bit timid, his father plots his apprenticeship while the family prepares a grand wedding. Off to the North, his uncle sails home after years of exile. And unbeknownst to all, the ghost of an ancient mage sits sentinel over his clan freehold. But when a witchâs curse comes alive, a mishap turns young Finn into a vardoger, haunted by his own forerunner ghost. Suddenly thrust into a new realm beyond Midgard, Finn struggles to be a boy by day and a ghost at night. His own clan fears him, he overhears murder plots, he learns the truth of giants and the hidden folk, and the witch still hunts revenge⊠Will Finn find the courage to defeat his enemies, save his uncle, and accept his new ghostly existence? |
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Ăroreh (The Ealdspell Cycle #1) by Jesikah Sundin She wants to choose her happily ever after. He wants to remake his once upon a time. Only magic can re-spin their tales. Princess Ăroreh Rosen was faerie blessed before her birth. To promote the New Dawn Era, the Queen coded her daughter with every feminine perfection. Beauty. Gentleness. Obedience. Musicality. Kindness. Grace. Good cheer. Hunger and lung sickness plague the Kingdom of Ealdspell. But Ăroreh is plugged into The Dream, a program created by a sect of faeries to control the realms through illusions of beauty and contentment. All Ăroreh has ever known is blissful servitude to a cursed system, and she believes her realm is prospering. Until a different faerie sect decides to wake her sleeping mind and set her true magic free. Meanwhile, FĂ©lip Batten MacKinley holds a dangerous secret. One made more threatening by the frostbite scar across his cheek. Heâs spit on, beaten, and demonized by a community that values a pretty face over all else. With no easy future in sight, he accepts that heâll die a burden to his foster parents, his true history erased. But a tempting offer from the faerieâs Fate Maker leads FĂ©lip to cross paths with the hauntingly beautiful Ărorehâa young woman who represents all he loathes. Yet only she has the power to awaken a new Dream. Ăroreh is a gritty spin on the romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty and blends faerie magic and pagan ritual with high technology. For fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, fairy tales, and young adult dystopian fantasy. NAME PRONOUNCED like Aurora. EBOOK featured in the The Kingdom of Thorns & Dreams anthology (A limited edition of Sleeping Beauty retellings) |
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Squire Derel (Knight Protector #1) by Rachel Ford In the fires of war and death, she'll make her own destiny. Ana Derel was never meant to be a knight protector. She was never meant to be a squire. She was supposed to marry well, and raise sons who would become knight protectors. Ana had other plans. After years of hard work, Squire Ana Derel has earned the respect of her peers. She's a crack shot, and lethal with a blade. She's weeks away from earning her own knighthood. Then a deadly ambush leaves her charred, defeated and wanting justice. With the South readying for war, and the North demanding answers, Squire Derel finds herself alone in the epicenter of the coming storm. Alone, until she meets the enigmatic Knight of the Shire. Will their unlikely friendship be enough to prevent a war? Or will war consume them too? |
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Shields in Shadow (The Silent Champions #1) by Andy Peloquin Burdened with legend. Hardened by battle scars. Hellbent on bloody revenge. As the son of a famous general, Aravon is proud to captain his own company against his people's enemy. But the experienced veteranâs march toward glory dissolves into pain as ruthless barbarians massacre every last one of his soldiers. Burning for vengeance, he leaps at the chance to spearhead a specially-trained company and pay back his tragic defeat with blood. Desperate to not repeat his tragic past, Aravon trains his new warriors relentlessly. But the captain fears that all the tactical drills in the world may not matter when theyâre forced to defend a helpless village against overwhelming odds. As his quick raids sow chaos amongst the enemy, the bloodthirsty savages threaten to make Aravon's nightmarish history repeat itself⊠Can the captain take command of his fighting spirit before the kingdom falls to barbarous invaders? Shields in Shadow is the first book in the action-packed Silent Champions military fantasy series. If you like square-jawed heroes, well-oiled military action, and epic world-building, then youâll love Andy Peloquinâs gripping novel. |
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Queens of the Wyrd by Timandra Whitecastle Raise your shield. Defend your sisters. Prepare for battle Half-giant Lovis and her Shieldmaiden warband were once among the fiercest warriors in Midgard. But those days are long past and now Lovis just wants to provide a safe home for herself and her daughter - that is, until her former shield-sister Solveig shows up on her doorstep with shattering news. Solveig's warrior daughter is trapped on the Plains of Vigrid in a siege gone ugly. Desperate to rescue her, Sol is trying to get the old warband back together again. But their glory days are a distant memory. The Shieldmaidens are Shieldmothers now, entangled in domestic obligations and ancient rivalries. But family is everything, and Lovis was never more at home than at her shield-sisters' side. Their road won't be easy: old debts must be paid, wrongs must be righted, and the Nornir are always pulling on loose threads, leaving the Shieldmaidens facing the end of all Nine Realms. Ragnarok is coming, and if the Shieldmaidens can't stop it, Lovis will lose everyone she loves... Fate is inexorable. Wyrd bith ful araed. Queens of the Wyrd is the brand-new epic Norse fantasy adventure by Timandra Whitecastle. If you love mothers as heroes, epic dragon battles as well as stand-out characters you can root for, BUY QUEENS OF THE WYRD TODAY! |
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Princess of Shadows (Fairy Tale Adventures #1) by A.G. Marshall Only a true princess can save the kingdom. Alaric wants to be king. He wants to continue the peace and prosperity his father created in Aeonia. But with enemies questioning his bloodline, heâll have to put his heart on the line and marry a stranger to secure his right to rule. Only a match with a true princess will silence his critics and protect his future. Linaâs lineage is shocking at best and deadly at worst. Over a century ago, she put herself into an enchanted sleep to seal away a horde of dark creatures. Now both Lina and the goblins are awake. Without friends or resources, Lina must seek the help of the Council of Kings. To get close enough to them to ask for aid, sheâll need to convince everyone sheâs a true princess. As Alaric searches for a true princess to marry, Lina tries to convince the world she is one. But while they try to save the kingdom on their own, they may find what they need is each other. |
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Priestess of Ishana (Tesha #1) by Judith Starkston A curse, a conspiracy and the clash of kingdoms. A defiant priestess confronts her foes, armed only with ingenuity and forbidden magic. "Priestess of Ishana evokes everything I love about historically-inspired fantasy with a strong and savvy heroine, a compassionate hero, and a world both blessed and cursed by the oversight of gods. Mystery, romance, action: this has it all." -Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger and Breath of Earth A malignant curse from the Underworld threatens Tesha's city with fiery devastation. The young priestess of Ishana, goddess of love and war, must overcome this demonic darkness. Charred remains of an enemy of the Hitolian Empire reveal both treason and evil magic. Into this crisis, King Hattu, the younger brother of the Great King, arrives to make offerings to the goddess Ishana, but he conceals his true mission in the city. As a connection sparks between King Hattu and Tesha, the Grand Votary accuses Hattu of murderous sorcery and jails him under penalty of death. Isolated in prison, Hattu's only hope lies in Tesha to uncover the conspiracy against him. Unfortunately, the Grand Votary is Tesha's father, a rash, unyielding man, and now her worst enemy. To help Hattu, she must risk destroying her own father. Step into this exotic world of historical fantasy, with its richly imagined details of the Bronze Age, evocative of the Near East. In a whirlpool of magic, politics, family crisis and love, Tesha pursues justice over the dark forces arrayed against her. |
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Pradyutita (Jaya! Book 1) by Geetha Krishnan In Hastinapura, Atiratha and Radha find a baby floating in the river. In the palace, the impotent King Pandu is forced to abdicate the throne while his bastard half brother Vidura conspires with his queen Kunti. The blind King Dhritarashtra struggles against his autocratic uncle while the sage Vyasa fights desperately to avert a power struggle within the Kuru family. This is the saga of Mahabharata, as it has never been told before. |
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Path of the Tiger: Volume I of the Tooth, Claw and Steel epic by J.M. Hemmings When the world was still young and civilisation was but a dream, they walked among us, alternately revered as living gods and feared as powerful demons. Beastwalkers: nearly immortal men and women who could wear the living bodies of animals. As the empires of humankind grew, the existence of these beings passed from incontrovertible truth to hazy memory, fading in time to legend and eventually crumbling into myth. But the beastwalkers endured, living hundreds of secret lives, drifting surreptitiously through countless centuries and the rise and fall of civilisations, like fireflies travelling through a night forest. Only a few still draw breath, hunted relentlessly by a global cabal bent both on their final extermination and unchallenged dominion over our entire planet. Now, in the 21st century, the remaining beastwalkers will make their final stand ⊠but unbeknown to us, their struggle is our struggle, and the vicious campaign of extermination directed against them is, ultimately, a war of attrition waged on all living things. Will the beastwalkers prevail in their last battle and survive the coming storm ⊠or will they, along with humankind and the rest of the living world, face total destruction in a cataclysm of final doom? The Tooth, Claw and Steel epic is a saga of wonder, violence, magic, tragedy, inspiration, brutality, love and hope, set against the awestriking backdrop of twelve thousand years of history and featuring an enormous cast of characters, ranging from gladiators of ancient Rome to Knights Templar to CEOs of multinational corporations, and many more. Dive headlong J.M. Hemmingsâ richly woven tapestry of genre-bending historical fantasy in Path of the Tiger, the first volume of this grandiose and spellbinding story. |
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Og-Grim-Dog: The Three-Headed Ogre (Me Three #1) by Jamie Edmundson Two heads are better than one. Three can be a real pain in the arse. We are Og-Grim-Dog! We have been loved and reviled! We have been the Hero of the Hour, the Darkest Villain, and everything in between! We have saved this world and travelled to worlds beyond it! You think you can distil the life of Og-Grim-Dog into some words on a page? When a stranger visits their inn, the regulars are in for a surprise. Did their Landlord really come here from Galâazuâthe dangerous, edgier province to the east? Could it be that his stories, so fanciful and fantastical, were episodes from his previous life? When their Landlord is persuaded to have his life story recorded for posterity, the surprises come thick and fast. Just like his regulars, you too can learn how a three-headed ogre came to be a hero. Unlike them, you don't stand to be killed if it all goes wrong... |
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Of Shadows and Blood (Shadow Elf Chronicles #1) by J.T. Williams A half-elf seeks a cure in the mysterious Shadowlands. But followers of The Blood stalk the lands and there are whispers of ancient demons returning... Kealin Half-Elf has only been like this for a few weeks and already he is changing. He feels a hunger he has never felt before. Before this, he had mastered the power of his ancient Dwemhar heritage, destroyed an ascended being, but was mortally injured. Vampirism saved him. But now he must hurry to reverse the effect before he is eternally trapped in a state of maniacal blood lust. But the worst part? The Shadowlands are not a place for a pale elf... and even more so one that has the ancient Dwemhar lineage. Not to mention his traveling companions have their own secrets, especially the mysterious wizard Evurn -a shadow elf returning home after generations in hiding. Kealin knows it unwise to ask him directly. In the darkness of what is to come, Kealin will have few choices if he is to save himself and those he cares about. But the one choice he might need to make will mean losing everything else he fights to hold on to. In the end, should he just embrace the darkness and release his hold on sanity? He might not have a choice. |
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Of Fractured Lands and Sundered Dreams (Almodel's Awakening #1) by E.D. Lazure The Fimaransâ attempt to overthrow their god backfires. As ghastly creatures begin to fill Fimara and the worldâs oceans, Fimarans have no choice but to invade neighboring Odi-Lodo, home of the Dwarfs. Centuries later, facing a revolt by the enslaved Dwarfs, Faija Soothing Wind must find the will to survive and to embrace motherhood. On the run with her daughter, she meets an ailing slave claiming a divine mission which would lead north to Fimara, the accursed land of her ancestors. Beyond the horizon, the nations of Oria, discovering that monsters no longer haunt the seas, race to send ships over uncharted waters. Survivors of a shipwrecked expedition, historian Tellorym Lewyn, Sister Mikala, and Raysho of Alyth land on Dolixa, where the ruling shamans refuse to embrace the Dreamerâs prophecy regarding the arrival of seafarers and the impending transformation of both Dolixa and Fimara. The first book in the Almodelâs Awakening trilogy, Of fractured lands and sundered dreams is inspired by classic tragedies where proud characters must pay a steep price for their hubris while others choose to embrace sacrifice in an uncertain pursuit of salvation. With mature themes and limited fantasy elements, the story revolves around deeply flawed characters facing unimaginable circumstances and unforgiving decisions. |
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Once, there was a truce. Desperaux controlled the west with magic, and Desire claimed the east with steel and science. But now magic has disappeared, and the world has changed. The kingdom of Desire will stop at nothing to maintain the new world order. On Junoâs wedding day, their Mengery soldiers came marching through the Nine desert to rip his world apart. Now he journeys east with his adopted brother, Trey, in search of revenge after the murder of his family. Along the way, the two face bandits and the magical creatures of the Nine. When they finally reach Desire, Juno and Trey will face something even deadlier â their own fears and ambitions. This is a tale of brotherhood, a revenge story that will remind you that everything has a cost â a cost that will be paid to Desire and to the inner demons that govern us all. |
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The Madness of Hallen (Khalada Stone #1) by Russell Meek Battle raged on the desert sands of the Great Depression. A land of tribal warriors, scattered and leaderless, was finally united under one mind, a man proclaimed as Husam al-Din, the Sword of the Faith. On the dark day of his death, al-Dinâs priests tore his mind apart, preventing his treacherous wife, Maymunah, from taking control of the armies. They disappeared beyond the borders of the known lands, taking with them six harmonic stones containing the mind of al-Din, leaving the tribes leaderless and united only by faith. Revenge vowed, Maymunah set her descendants on a quest to recover the lost stones. Centuries passed as nothing was found, until twenty generations later, in an ice cave deep in the Meilâvohllen Mountains, Hallen made a discovery that would change the world forever. Unable to contain the power of the stones, Hallenâs mind was lost, and for three further generations the daughters of Maymunah have only heard whispers in the wind... The Madness of Hallen is the first of four epic fantasy novels, following the lives of two brothers in their quest against the rightful heir to the mind of Husam al-Din. |
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The Lost War (Eidyn #1) by Justin Lee Anderson SPFBO6 SPFBO Winner SPFBO Finalist The war is over, but something is rotten in the state of Eidyn. With a ragged peace in place, demons burn farmlands, violent Reivers roam the wilds and plague has spread beyond the Black Meadows. The country is on its knees. In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first magically-skilled draoidh to be named Kingâs Envoy. Now, charged with restoring an exiled foreign queen to her throne, he leads a group of strangers across the ravaged country. But at every step, a new mystery complicates their mission. As bodies drop around them, new threats emerge and lies are revealed, can Aranok bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom? Strap in for this twisted fantasy road trip from award-winning author Justin Lee Anderson. |
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Lord of Time by Michele Amitrani Time doesnât heal all wounds. It makes them deeper. Alfred Whiteâs only concern in life is his career. Until he meets Pacific, a mysterious man who questions Alfredâs obedience to a system designed to harvest peopleâs time. Yes. Time. Pacific seems to know the inner truth behind time, and he will share this knowledgeâif Alfred will accept his mentorship for one day. But Alfred soon learns that the road to temporal knowledge is paved with death and destruction. And, as the day continues, Alfred discovers another truth: there is nothing Pacific wouldnât do for more time. |