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Our Darkest Hour by Gabriella E. Mari Coming into his psychic powers by accident, Adrian Sinclair finds he has the ability to see and communicate with spirits yet zero understanding of how anything works. So when the YouTube-famous Crossroads Paranormal Research Society offers to take him under their wing, he knows he is in no position to refuse. As Adrian learns what it means to be a paranormal investigator and how to navigate his newfound online celebrity status, he discovers that psychics are quitting en masse, and there are only vague rumors as to why... ... until something beyond his reach starts stalking him. |
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Stargun Messenger by Darby Harn Astra Idari must keep the last living star alive in a galaxy lost to shadows. Astra Idari is a mess. She drinks too much, remembers too little, and barely pays for it all as a Stargun Messenger. She hunts down thieves who steal filamentium, the fuel that allows for faster-than-light travel. When Idari meets Gen Emera, she meets the girl of her dreams and the last living star. There's just one problem. Filamentium is only found in the blood of living stars. Everyone wields knives and justifications for butchering the living stars, but once Idari knows the truth, she faces a stark choice. Either she turns Emera over to her employers who control the filamentium monopoly, or risks everything to help Emera fulfill her quest to save her people. The choice should be simple, but it's not losing her life that terrifies Idari. It's finally living. Idari knows she's human despite outwardly appearing to be an android with a failing memory stitched together by her ship's irascible AI, CR-UX. She's been just getting by for longer than she remembers, assured in her humanity, but not enough to risk it. Idari has lived her entire life in darkness. The dark comforts and shields. The dark preserves in its cold, and Idari may not be able to keep her star out of her shadow. |
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Allowing the Night by T. S. Winterway Jaq is a loner. He is completely happy with sharing his home with no one but his adopted dog and having as little to do as possible with the neighbors. Or so he thinks until he bumps into a grimling in the pouring rain. Whether he wanted it or not, the encounter in the murky woods changes his life forever. When Briar sets out hunting with his clan mates on a rainy day, little does he know of how revolutionary consequences a simple act of goodwill can have. The nocturnal fays avoid contact with humans far as they can, but when it comes to choosing between saving a life or closing his eyes to evil, to Briar, the choice is clear. But will anything good come out of the collision of the opposites? Is allowing the night to step over his threshold the foolest choice Jaq has ever made, or could it result in something positive? |
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The Acorn Stories by Duane Simolke Visit the West Texas town of Acorn! Enjoy the German festival, a high school football game, homemade apple pie from the Turner Street CafĂ©, and the cool shade of a hundred-year-old oak tree. Meet dedicated teachers, unusual artists, shrewd business owners, closeted gays, and concerned neighbors. See how lives become intertwined in moments of humor or tragedy. Just be careful, because in Acorn, the sky is always falling! From romantic comedy to razor-sharp satire to moments of quiet reflection, Duane Simolkeâs award-winning tales transform a fictional West Texas town into a tapestry of human experiences. âA lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.â âKirkus Reviews âThe ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each characterâs breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.â âE. Conley, Bettyâs Books |
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Empress and Soldier by Marian L Thorpe A boy of the night-time streets. A girl of libraries and learning. Druisius, the son of a merchant, is sixteen when his fatherâs cruel order drives him from home and into the danger and intrigue of the military. Eudekia, a scholarâs daughter, educated and dutiful, is not meant to be a princeâs bride. In an empire at war, and in a city beset by famine and unrest, she must prove herself worthy of its throne. A decade after a first, brief meeting, their lives intersect again. When a delegation arrives from the lost West, Druisius is assigned to guard them. In the span of a few weeks, a young captain will capture the hearts of both Empress and soldier in very different ways, offering a future neither could have foreseen. A stand-alone novel that can also serve as a second entry point into the Empire series. No previous knowledge of my fictional world is needed. |
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The Kings of Nowhere by C.G. Drews Avery Lou has given up stealing houses â now heâs meant to build them. Forced to stay with the De Lainey family until Samâs return from juvie, Avery feels like heâs drowning. He hates that Sam chose the De Laineys instead of running away with him. And he hates working in their construction company while Vin, the thief who hurt Sam, still walks free. Avery wants revenge. Swapping the sharp-edged world of burglary and car theft for the homey chaos of big family life is a wild adjustment, and Averyâs determined to sabotage his time with the De Laineys and get locked up with Sam instead. Avery just has to stay immune to Jeremyâs charming shenanigans. EasyâŠsort of. But Averyâs war against Vin has brought trouble to the De Lainey door and he canât survive this fight alone. |
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Summer's Second by Jeff Billington Asher Brockâs last summer of youth is far from ideal. His hopes for the future, including an escape from his constricting Ozark Mountains hometown, seem increasingly fragile as he faces hurdles of poverty and abuse, all while coming to terms with being gay. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, he clings to his noted intelligence as an escape to a better life. But it will take more than brainsânamely, strength of character and aspirationâfor him to navigate the months leading to his senior year of high school. The pregnancy of his recent girlfriend, the heightened aggression of his long-time bully, and the increasing presence of his long-absent father create a season of turmoil, spurring unease and self-doubt. But with support from family and friends, an opportunity for love, and the shedding of generations of secrets, Asher sees beyond preordained fate and starts to realize the opportunities in his grasp. |
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The Children of Chaos (The Cruel Gods #2) by Trudie Skies WHEN THE SAINTS CALL, THE SINNERS ANSWER. Chaos stalks the steam-powered city of Chime and threatens the existence of the gods and their domains. Kayl swore to protect Chime's mortals from their gods' cruel whims, but when she agrees to represent the mortals of a god long thought dead, Kayl is thrust into a political role that goes against everything she's ever stood for. As the newly appointed ambassador to the god of time, Quen's goal is clear - protect Chime and the domains by any means necessary. But as the gods make their demands, Quen is caught between his loyalties and his conscience. To ensure a future for all mortals, Kayl and Quen must unite the gods against the threat of chaos and decide what they're willing to sacrifice for Chime - before the gods choose for them. For the gods are capricious and have their own divine plans. The Children of Chaos is the second book in The Cruel Gods seriesâa gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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The Name-Bearer (Flowers of Prophecy #1) by Natalia Hernandez For her entire life, the Name-Bearerâs sole purpose has been to receive and deliver the names of the future monarchy from the Flowers of Prophecy. But when the child is finally born and the Name-Bearer is sent to the Flowers, they refuse to name him. Instead they deliver a prophecy; another child was born who is more worthy of the Naming, and if they are found and brought before them it will usher in a reign of peace. Having failed in her duties the Name-Bearer is considered a traitor to the crown, and must hide among an elite sect of warrior women where she experiences friendship, found family, and love. Her training as a warrior helps prepare her to embark on her quest to find the Unnamed Prince, clear her name, and bring peace to her realm. A story of magia, warrior women, found family and love - and not accepting who you are told to be, but embracing who you are destined to become. |
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Gone Was the Glow by Sienna Eggler Evangeline Miles never envisioned themselves calling on a private investigator, least of all for their loving partner. But it's been a year since she up and left them, without a word. But not just any PI will do; while at odd ends of the supernatural (Evan, a witch with vampiric tendencies, Eddie a werewolf), Evan requires the expertise of one well versed with creatures of the night. Enter Svenja, the charming wolf shifter that Evan can't seem to resistâin more ways than one. |
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Spit and Song (Ustlian Tales) by Travis M. Riddle Kali is a merchant who yearns to leave the harsh deserts of Herrilock and travel across the sea, trading goods and soaking in the sights and cultures. With a new potion on the market undercutting her profits, though, her seabound dreams are put on hold indefinitely. Failed musician Puk hits rock bottom after yet another catastrophic performance. Wandering the city streets in search of any sip of booze or whiff of fire-spit he can get his hands on, he resigns to the fact that heâs stuck in the desert with no way back home to Atlua. Until one day, their paths cross with an illicit job opportunity. With its hefty payday, Kali and Puk could afford to finally escape the desert heat and set sail across the gulf. The black market job would see them travel endless dunes on a road made from a massive dead beastâs ribs and out to a mythical city in the sea, scuffling with monsters and thugs in search of a long-lost book that might be the most dangerous object in the world. How hard could it really be? |
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Adephon's Rise by B. R. Russell The Federation of Chinese City-States has known unrivaled peace and prosperity for generations. But as The Automated City of Chengdu goes dark, rumors swirl that the long peace is over. Generals are always fighting the last war, and George Chenâs life is on the line because of it. Leading the tip-of-the-spear to Chengdu, George will need everything he has to survive a battle the worldâs never seen before. Nicholas Chen dives into the criminal underworld of Shanghai to decipher a software update thatâs bricking everything with a microchip. Money and power beyond his wildest dreams are up for grabsâif he can fix the break and get out. Zhifang Li works four jobs and her Vio Corp position is the worst. Conscripted into the Clover espionage unit, sheâs in over her head. With the rumors of implanted people proving all too real, sheâs to infiltrate a rival companyâs most secure databank, or die trying. Adephonâs Rise is an action-packed techno-thriller on cybernetics, war, and corporate espionage. Itâs a cyberpunk Malazan Book of the Fallen. In book two of the Banned Algorithm Library, the Clovers get upgraded, and Weaverâs cousin, Adephon, rears its headâchanging the world forever. |
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Stellar Instinct by Jonathan Nevair When galactic danger calls, Agent Renault answers. Strange signals pulse from an icy planet in a remote star system. Enter Lilline Renault, GAM-OPs secret agent extraordinaire. To ordinary citizens she's Keely Larkin, an adventure company guide with a flair for the daring and a penchant for writing trite poetry. When the mission uncovers a terrifying link between high-tech entertainment and ancient cosmic forces, Lilline leaps into action. Verses flow as she rockets through space, dons cunning disguises, and infiltrates enemy territory with an arsenal of secret gadgets. To solve the mystery behind a dastardly plan means beating a mastermind at his own game. Lilline will need her best weapon to stand a fighting chance: her instinct. STELLAR INSTINCT: a standalone interstellar espionage thriller. |
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Under an Azure Sky - Elysia Dayne: Book One by Wil Chan Elysia Dayne: Hero. Mercenary. Dragon slayer. At least that's how the bards tell it. But that wasn't always the case. There was a time when she thought that dragons were beautiful. When she was a child, she believed that she was friends with a dragon. Except, the dragon knew of no such friendship. Soldiers arrived to slay the creature so that a feudal lord could make his name amongst the Nine Kingdoms. It ended in abject failure. They were left to soak in a bloodbath of their own making. In a rage, the dragon destroyed the place that she called home, and killed the people that she called family, also dismantling a thing called love. Reborn under a mound of ashen corpses, her empty shell vowed vengeance, forging a fiery path of retribution that could not be undone. Not by her own design, she becomes a slayer of dragons. Curiously, dragon slaying isnât her next job. A princess is being held for ransom at a goblin fort. Wearing the stolen armour of a goblin knight, she attempts to rescue the princess to claim her bounty. Her plans are somewhat botched by the uncooperative royal, and the two of them end up wandering through the wilderness towards civilisation. What they don't realise is they are being tracked by Niemirian raiders who are intent on killing them both. An epic tale interwoven between the tragedies of Elysia's past and the precarious nature of her present, all the time exploring the nature of the human condition. |
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Unanimity by Alexandra Almeida "Great for fans of Becky Chambers's A Closed and Common Orbit and Daniel Suarez's Daemon." Booklife The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of his former self. His journey from an optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. Estranged from the love of his lifeâthe activist poet Nathan StormâTom fails to realize the biggest threat comes from within. None of the sticky stories that steer his life end well. Now, a young goddessâEstelle Ngoieâhas been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one. Whoâs pulling on Shadowâs heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? Itâs all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left. The Series Themes An epic tale spanning across six daysâone per bookâand forty past decades of life lived across ten worlds and two universes. Weaving sci-fi elements with social commentary and queer romantic suspense, Spiral Worlds explores the nature of consciousness and how it's connected to a not-so-secret ingredientâstory. As software consumes the world, intelligence is nothing but the appetizer; the human heart is the main course. There is no black or white in this story about a contrast-making machine. |
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Find the Jinn (Wilde Contracts #1) by Maz Maddox Wilde Contract Killing and Fish Training, how can I help you? Murder contract? Piece of cake. Find a jinn? No problem. New necromancy powers while being followed by an unwanted vampire bodyguard? Not so much. Trained to handle even the most fierce undead, Dallas Wilde took out a powerful necromancer without breaking a sweat. Okay, that's a lie - there was tons of sweat, but he was victorious all the same. Unfortunately, killing a necromancer comes with some repercussions. Broody, annoying, vampire repercussions and new abilities to resurrect the dead. Can Dallas navigate his blood-sucking bodyguard, new powers, feelings for his attractive client and still handle his contract in time to pay his very, very late rent - all while trying not to get super murdered in the process? |
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I Think of You Often: a small town paranormal romance by Sienna Eggler A witchy "why choose" nb/nb/f romance. Evan is the reclusive librarian of Honeycutt Academy, and a source of curiosity among students and staffâmost notably the bubbly potions teacher. With her by their side, Evan is willing to give love another shot and move on from a devastating breakup. But the discovery of a half-sibling invites trouble into Evan's quiet life, reuniting them with an old flame and stirring up bitter memories of their past. Also includes intimate (and mutual) blood drinking and a patricide subplot. |
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Fluid Bonding: a sapphic paranormal romance by Sienna Eggler Itâs not that Vi Davis wanted to be alone. Itâs just that the outside world doesnât seem very welcoming for a shy, nonbinary introvert - especially one who can read minds. But when the gorgeous Hester MilojeviÄ approaches Vi in a crowded sports bar, it doesnât take telepathy to figure out that they share a mutual attraction - even if Vi suspects this towering blonde is way out of their league. That suspicion deepens even as the two get to know each other better - especially as Vi struggles to reconcile so many emotionally overwhelming first experiences, along with Hesterâs mysterious hot-then-cold behavior, and her claims to be something impossible: a vampire. But even in a world that seems intent on tearing them apart, Vi and Hester canât help but grow closer to each other - that is until the past and prejudice of their own families threatens to drive a stake through the heart of their relationship once and for all. Fluid Bonding is engaging and emotional paranormal romance between nonbinary and neurodivergent characters - described by one reader as âa sweet, realistic romance between two people figuring their way in life.â |
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The Madness of Envy (The Fallen Angels Book 7) by Steven Lindsay The End is Nigh! And all debts will be settled. Eden has been revealed for all the world to see. There is nowhere left for the Angels to hide. But they are far from powerless, and even as the tide of war turns against them, they are not defeated. For they have Gabriel to deliver them victory as she has done countless times before. For there is nothing that she will not do to win. The Goddess-led Empires continue to grow at the cost of the Angelsâ territories, but it costs them much, and dangerous favours have been bargained for every small victory. Favours that will be called in to pay the debt of sins among the Divine. For the forgotten below the Surface will not remain so, and those on the Moon will turn their eyes outwards to the universe to find the secrets the Chaos Goddess needs. But it is not just Sariel who the world reshapes around; her daughter grows into her power and must also enter the war. For everyone has their part to play in ending the War of Heaven. |
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The Bandalore - Pitch & Sickle Book One by D K Girl His second chance at life could well be the death of him. Silas Mercer has been hauled from his grave with no memory of who he was, or who he is supposed to be now. Bewildered and very much lost, he finds himself in London, in the service of the mysterious Order of the Golden Dawn. An organisation specialising in all things supernatural. But so far it seems they have no greater plan for him than to amuse London society with his terrible dancing skills and the occasional badly organised sĂ©ance. Silasâs new life takes a startling turn when the Order partners him with the scandalous rake, Tobias Astaroth. A quick-tempered, dangerously beautiful man who harbours some hellish secrets. Their unlikely, and downright infuriating, partnership will soon face its first frightening challenge. A creature straight out of a nightmare is haunting the woods of Leicester, and the Order want Silas to stop it, with Tobias at his side. But nothing in this world is as it seems. Not the Order. Not Silas himself, and certainly not his vile, yet undeniably beguiling companion. Surviving this new world will be fraught with peril. Surviving the devilish wiles of Tobias Astaroth may be a battle already lost. |
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The Bleeding Heart by Lizzy Gayle Taj knows his revolving door of lovers wonât erase the past, but it helps pass the time. That is until his sister Leelaâs boyfriend shows up in a panic. With Leela missing and a Djinn killer on the loose, Taj dives into trying to find both his vanished sisterâŠand the murderer. His quest introduces him to another Djinni named Brolach, new to his human form. Attraction blooms and Taj wonders if it might be worth the risk to try dating his own kind. His last relationship with a Djinni didnât end well, but it has been almost two hundred years since he lost Cal. When danger traps him and his loved ones, and everyone looks to him for guidance, Taj finds heâs thrust into a position he doesnât want. Can he overcome the demons of his past to save the future and find his happily ever after? |
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Earth Logic: An Elemental Logic novel by Laurie J Marks The second book in the Elemental Logic series, Earth Logic continues the story from the perspective of Karis, a complex character born of magic and now ruler for the country of Shaftal. Karis is a woman who can heal the war-torn land and expel the invaders, but she lives in obscurity with her fractious found family. With war and disease spreading, Karis must act quickly. And when Karis acts, the very stones of the earth sit up and take notice. |
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The Order Of The Furies by MIGENA DULAJ KELMENDI REPUBLIC, 2087: a seemingly just and powerful nation contempt with hiding their elected officialsâ crimes behind the thin illusion of democracy â a deception so dominant it has succeeded in temporarily disbanding a 113-year-old secret order founded to aid women get justice for the crimes committed against them by any means possible. An order currently made up of seven women and serving as a clandestine ops team to guard and protect the people of the republic. A sharpshooter with enemies still looking to destroy her. A healer whose past is catching up to her. A fighter desperate to find answers of her origin. A hacker using her talent to avoid her guilt. A forger willfully ignoring everybody from her past life. A mechanic falling in love with the wrong person. A financier with a desire for revenge. After months in a hiatus, the members of The Order of the Furies are urgently called back to their home base. A group of young women has gone missing, and the Minister of Housing is suspected to be connected to their disappearance. The Furies are the only force that stands a chance at infiltrating the government and bringing those girls home â if they can somehow balance their secret double lives and set aside their differences to come back together as an impenetrable unit. |
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Immunity Bond: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel about Genetically Engineered Humans (Modified Humans Book 2) by L.m Spillsbury Early 22nd century. The world has been decimated by pandemics and war. Technocracy and powerful corporations have come to dominate human society. Jian, a rare genetically engineered human, was created for his specialized immune system, which produces X-cells to save normal humans from disease. His owners control him through complex psychological conditioning that addicts him, against his will, to two other Modifieds. Sought after by competing gen-tech companies as well as agents desperate to fight novel hybrid diseases, all he wants is to escape the constant surveillance and meddling that define his life â a goal thatâs more difficult now that heâs entangled with lovers he didnât want. Struggling to remain rational in the face of their irresistible attraction, he finds himself in an impossible situation when unknown forces strike at the heart of his Triad. As choices dwindle and new danger arises from the most unexpected direction, will he be able to save his partners as well as himself? Or will one of his Three have to be sacrificed? Imagining a future extrapolated from current trends in clandestine psychological manipulation, fear of disease, rise of technocracy, and erosion of personal freedoms, this novel explores the price of having no personal freedom or autonomy. Couched in an unconventional love story, Immunity Bond affirms the indomitable humanity at the core of each one of us. Be warned: Immunity Bond deals with a menage relationship and explicit sexuality. If this will offend you, please move on to reading material that's more in line with your tastes. |
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Nyx and Jaz (The Infinity Project; Infinity: Prime Book 1) by Saje Williams Nikki Sanchez is desperate. Her father has been framed and is scheduled for execution by a rogue government. She can hear agents banging on her door, eager to tie up loose ends. Utterly out of options, she's pulled back into a memory of an urban legend from her childhood. In the bathroom mirror she speaks the words. "Lady of Blades." As the third repetition tumbles from her lips, she hears the agents burst through the door. She steps out to meet them, certain she's about to die. Fate has other ideas. As does the Lady of Blades. |
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Defending Jessica by Benna Bos From the author of the Lesfic Bard Award winning novel âInvestigating Helenâ comes another stand-alone installation in the Murder by the Bay Mystery Series⊠Few people accused of murder are as unlikable as Veronica Turnerâs client, Jessica French. So to give the haughty heiress the best defense possible Veronica needs help from her favorite true crime podcast. But when she meets the newest sound tech for âMurder by the Bayâ, she is instantly enthralled. She wants nothing more than to get close to the stunning, shy woman. Focused on her new job, Kaia Kent pays little attention to the pushy attorney defending their latest podcast subject. But Veronica just keeps coming around, and every time she does, Kaia finds herself slipping a little further away from dislike and toward serious attraction. With an innocent woman to defend, a murderer on the loose, and opposites that are smashed together in a whirlwind of fear, intrigue, and passion, defending Jessica will prove to be anything but easy. |
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Investigating Helen by Benna Bos Dr. Helen Nims is hauled into the police station when her new girlfriend is found murdered. Terrified and confused, she finds comfort from a stranger. But when that stranger turns out to be a crime reporter, Helen has to decide if she can be trusted or if confiding in the stunning podcaster will pull Helen deeper into suspicion. Agnes Coates loves reporting on true crime. But it hits a little close to home when her first crush from high school is found dead in a bathtub. A gorgeous surgeon is tangled up in the police dragnet as they search for the killer, and Agnes must navigate her own feelings as she digs into the mystery and seeks out the truth. With so much to lose, Agnes and Helen will walk the line between kisses and crime. |
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Return of the Dragonriders (DragonBirth, DragonWing, DragonSword) by Raina Nightingale The dragons are extinct. None have been seen in a lifetime, and it is all to the good of the world that the soul-devouring demons are no more. In a small village in the foothills, a devout girl named Silmavalien and her agnostic fiance, Noren, find two mysterious objects. When an albino dragon hatches in her room and Silmavalien's soul is bonded to the dragon's in a song of fire, her world is changed forever. Everything she has been taught is a lie, and everyone she knows is to be feared. Before she can marry Noren, she flees into the wilderness, where the challenge of winter in the mountains almost proves her and Minth's end. Noren fears for Silmavalien's disappearance. When his object hatches the dragon Elninya, just outside the gates of the Oracle's city, Noren finds his answers, but questions why Silmavalien would not trust him. He half-heartedly tries to find her, while struggling to hide his identity and his growing dragon in kingdoms where to be discovered is to be burned alive. But his fear could turn him into the monster he fears. No matter how far they run, neither Silmavalien nor Noren can escape the Nightmare that seeks to devour their souls and slay their dragons. But if they accept it, the Gift of the Volcano, born in fire and darkness, will be enough to win their battle. Includes an exclusive short story and over 40 illustrations. |
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The Endless Forest by Ever Hobbes Freyja's village is on the brink - pushed to the edge of the world by the trees. They grow so fast that if left untended for a week would be sprouting in every nook and cranny of her town. But worse than that is what lives within the cursed growth. Freyja is a nahvel - a knight protector tasked with defending her people from the horrible creatures that spill forth from the woods. She inherits a great treasure, and great burden - her sword, shield, and suit of armour. All of them are relics of the old magic, now long forgotten. So when something attacks from the shadows, being the only one with the means to do so, she is duty-bound to hunt it down. However, she soon finds out the forest holds much more than monsters. It harbours secrets that could change her perception of the world as she knows it. She is poised to discover them all, and more, when she enters... The Endless Forest. |
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Children of Artifice by Dania Ware An ancient city, sealed in a vast crater. A history of metallurgical magic, and of Builders that could craft the living, breathing stone. Caphen Talmar is the high-born son of an elite family, descended from the Builders themselves, his artistic career ruined when his ex-lover broke his fingers. One night, gambling down at the wharfside â somewhere he shouldnât have been in the first place â he meets Aden. An uncomplicated, rough-edged dockworker, Aden is everything Caph needs to forget the pressures of his fatherâs constant criticism. But this isnât just another one-night stand. Aden is trying to find his sister, and he needs Caphâs help. Soon, they find themselves tangled in a deadly game of trust, lies and political rebellion. And, as Caph begins to understand the real depth of the horrors theyâve uncovered, he learns that Aden is not what he seems. And Aden knows more about the coming destruction than Caph could ever have guessed. âA skilful alchemy of raw emotion, renegade sensuality and emboldened fantasy. Ware tears out her readersâ hearts and dips them in molten gold.â â Kim Lakin-Smith Excerpts of a Review by Tej Turner Children of Artifice is one of those novels where, from the very beginning, it is hard to know what to expect (and I mean that in a good way!). The author has described it as an âurban fairy taleâ, which is very fitting. It does have that feel of old and new. It is quite gritty at times, and yet full of beautiful moments. I am particularly pleased with this novelâs diverse voices. Both same-sex and heteronormative romances take place during the story but none are presented as bring particularly shocking and the characters are never given labels, and yet it still examines issues of identity, prejudice, and sexual fluidity which are relatable to a modern day reader. It is refreshing to read a novel written in such a way. Children of Artifice has a fantastic story, one I would recommend to readers of any genre and age. It conjures beautiful imagery and puts you in a state of living dream, taking you on an emotional journey which stays with you. I am looking forward to the sequel. |
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Shackin' Up: Shackinâ Up: Short Stories of Queer Romance and Forced Proximity by Augusta Connor Get cozy with Space Fruit Pressâs collection of stories, where queer couples find themselves getting unexpectedly close. Whether itâs a vacation rental, cabin in the woods, or a run-down motel, any port in a storm can get awfully hot when itâs the right pair trapped inside. There may only be one bed, but thereâs plenty between these covers to keep you warm. |
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The Blood We Spill by Jo Havens What would make the most ruthless ice-queen assassin in the Kingdom hesitate? Bound to the Kingdom for life, Cie serves a cruel King, her knives pledged to his word, her life at his mercy. She is also one of the Kingdomâs most privileged slaves â one of the Praetoria: five of the best, sworn to protect the Prince and, one day, to rule at his side. Itâs not a bad life â luxurious parties in any of the eighteen worlds, beautiful women falling over themselves to land in her bed, her orders to be obeyed by over forty-eight billion citizens. But when a routine job goes spectacularly wrong, Cie discovers there is a witness to her failure â a witness to a political assassination the King would never want revealed. Itâs Cieâs intense misfortune that the witness is a beauty â a woman with sweet, warm skin that Cie longs to sink into, with deep, brown eyes that hold promises that Cie has only ever dreamt of, a woman whose embrace offers a gentleness and a kindness Cie craves above all else. Jemma thought sheâd been in love before, but when she falls for the Kingâs assassin, she falls hard. Cie burns her up â the assassin plays fast and loves harder, and Jemmaâs head is whirling even as her body is thrilled. Jemma watches as a growing terrorist threat pushes the King to madness and Cieâs orders become more and more violent. The woman she thinks she loves is steeped in red. Is it even possible for a girl from the suburbs to love a person so drenched in blood? |
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Shades: the dragon and the fire by Atlas Theseus Schmidt The year is 2635. A techno-biological virus has transformed the human race and gifted some with superhuman abilities. Artemis Rhyex has lived in this virus-stricken dystopia for sixteen years, beaten and starved, surviving virtually on the bottom of society. As luck and choices take her higher through the echelons, she begins to notice that the divide between the privileged Overseers, the commoner Purities, and the super-human terrorist Shades, is far deeper than she has been led to believe. When Artemisâs status takes a sudden plunge, and she transforms from a Purity into the one thing she fears most, she is forced to confront the worldâs growing injustice while adapting to her new powers and learning to survive in a world that now wants her dead. She joins forces with the insane Shade âPyroâ on a vendetta to destroy the Overseersâ fascist regime, and ultimately challenge societyâs fundamental ideas of what it means to be a person. |
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Epilogues for Lost Gods by Cat Rector Sigyn: We survived Ragnarok and tried to usher in a new era. Now the realms consist of two minuscule factions encamped in the remnants of Asgard and Vanaheim. But the gods are greedy. Anyone not under Asgard's control must fall. When they come, they're going to win. The realms are empty. There's no one left to help us. No one except the dead in Helheim. _________ Loki: When I died, I took everyone with me. Almost everyone. I've waited for Sigyn every day, but she never comes. Never dies. Everyone down here knows what I did. Who I am. And I must live-exist-with the weight of that guilt, those scars. She's going to come back someday, and I'm going to be alright. Be better. I'd do anything for her. I'd do anything to be with her. If only she'd ask. _________ Epilogues for Lost Gods is a story about grief and healing, and is the final chapter of The Goddess of Nothing At All |
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City of Deceit by Claudie Arseneault City of Deceit is the third installment in the City of Spires trilogy. As such, please be advised that its blurb contains spoilers for the first two books. The Myrian Enclave is in disarray after a Dathirii strike team interrupts Avenazarâs dangerous ritual, but Diel Dathirii is in no position to take advantage of it while his home is lost to Allastamâs soldiers. Despite the Myrian trade warâs brutal turn, its key battles still happen in the shadows. Resistance inside the Dathirii Tower organizes itself around the familyâs new steward, Yultes, even though he is as uncertain of his allegiances as everyone else. Outside, Branwen reaches to every spymaster resource she has to strengthen their position and undermine the Myrian-Allastam alliance. When Master Avenazar recovers from his grievous injury and sets his mind to revenge, the unsteady alliances forged within and without the Dathirii Tower will decide the cityâs future. |
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City of Betrayal by Claudie Arseneault The whole city is searching for Hasryan. Lord Allastam wants to take bloody, ruthless revenge for the murder of his wife. Inspector Sora Sharpe wants to bring him to justice for his crimes against the city. Yet no one knows where to find him except Lord Arathiel Brasten, who vanished 130 years ago only to magically return. While the cityâs eyes are turned to these two, no one is willing to help Lord Diel Dathirii free Isandor from the influence of the Myrian Enclave and their vengeful leader, Avenazar. High Priest Varden Daramond could help Diel, except Varden has been imprisoned. Lord Dathiriiâs only hope of rescuing Varden is Arathiel. An alliance with him, however, would invoke the wrath of the Golden Table⊠and Lord Allastam himself. With enemies gathering around him, Diel is left without allies in Isandorâs upper spheres and must place his fate in Lower City residents. But little does he know, the city heâs trying to save might well save him in return. |
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City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault Isandor, City of Spires. A hundred and thirty years have passed since Arathiel last set foot in his home city. Isandor hasnât changedâbickering merchant families still vie for power through eccentric shows of wealthâbut he has. His family is long dead, a magical trap has dulled his senses, and he returns seeking a sense of belonging now long lost. Arathiel hides in the Lower City, piecing together a new life among in a shelter dedicated to the homeless and the poor, befriending an uncommon trio: the Shelterâs rageful owner, Larryn, his dark elven friend Hasryan, and Cal the cheese-loving halfling. When Hasryan is accused of Isandorâs most infamous assassination of the last decade, what little peace Arathiel has managed to find for himself is shattered. Hasryan is innocent⊠he thinks. In order to save him, Arathiel may have to shatter the shreds of home heâd managed to build for himself. Arathiel could appeal to the Dathiriiâa noble elven family who knew him before he disappearedâbut he would have to stop hiding, and they have battles of their own to fight. The idealistic Lord Dathirii is waging a battle of honour and justice against the cruel Myrian Empire, objecting to their slavery, their magics, and inhumane treatment of their apprentices. One he could win, if only he could convince Isandorâs rulers to stop courting Myrianâs favours for profit. In the ripples that follow Dielâs opposition, friendships shatter and alliances crumble. Arathiel, the Dathirii, and everyone in Isandor fights to preserve their homes, even if the struggle changes them irrevocably. |
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What The Stars Didn't Show Us by Margherita Scialla Life isn't easy when you have a brother who's always considered better than you. Hyunsuk's situation is even worse since he shares the same face as his so-called perfect twin. His life starts to change, however, when a new student arrives at his school and she sees something in him no one else had ever bothered to look for. Hialeah, already too familiar with the feeling of being alone, is set on befriending him, but can Hyunsuk finally come out of his twinâs shadow and open up to someone, when his brother makes it clear he doesnât want him to find happiness? |
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The Ghosts of Tantor by Adam Gaffen They think they're ready for this mission. They're wrong. The Terran Federation is finally at peace and ready to begin serious exploration. The TFS Pike is the newest ship in the Fleet, purpose-built for deep space missions. Four kilometers long, with a crew of four thousand, sheâs well-equipped for the years ahead. If only her crew was as prepared. Ensign Nicole Crozier, the former Premier of the Luna Free State, has left politics behind to pursue a career in the Fleet. But her stint as the Artemis Minister of War has landed her in Tactical instead of Science, her passion, and sheâs not happy about it. Still, sheâs been promised a chance to switch tracks, so for now sheâll deal. Everything changes when Nicole discovers a rogue planet, and sheâs given command of the landing party. Sheâs irritated her superior but thatâs the least of her problems when an ancient alien artifact emerges from the ice. As Nicole and her team explore the interior, the planet and her team vanish. The crew of the Pike must use all the tricks and tools available to get their missing people back. When they finally do, Nicole brings aboard a discovery which could change the course of history. Or end it. If you're a fan of Star Trek: Voyager, Battlestar Galactica 2003, Interstellar, or 2001: A Space Odyssey, then this is for you. |