stories in and

Desolate

Desolate by Kelli Storm

A time-bending mishap forces a witch to navigate a new reality and an unexpected romance. Can Mia find her way back home, all while stopping a killer? Being a witch with ADHD has its challenges. When Mia gets distracted while performing a spell, she becomes an accidental time-traveler. Waking up in 1992, she comes across supernatural creatures attacking a young woman, and she taps into strange, unknown powers to save her. But as Mia starts falling for the enchanting near-victim, she discovers the girl will soon die. She might be the only person who can stop her killer, yet everyone knows messing with time can have dire consequences. As she works on finding a way back to her timeline, Mia quickly realizes she needs to make a choice. Let history happen, or stop this dark destiny from coming to pass. Kelli Storm's debut YA urban fantasy, Desolate, is a spellbinding novel for lovers of LGBTQ+ heroines, character-driven plots, neurodivergent representation, and bewitching twists. Join Mia on her journey of the choice between destiny and saving the ones we love.


The Secret Shape of Worship

The Secret Shape of Worship by A.K. Asher

Love, lust, and irreverent worship. Mina is giving God one last chance: to speak, to change him, to save him from the constant temptations that surround him in the form of the other boys in his seminary class. And what better place to confront both his God and his demons than a religious pilgrimage with his fellow students—a time focused on biblical study and solemn worship. But the god he finds is not the one he expected. A brush with death brings Mina face to face with Anubis, the flail-wielding Egyptian god of the afterlife. Drawn into a dangerous and seductive journey of raw desire and intoxicating revelation, Mina finds himself navigating a world where the lines between sin and salvation are increasingly blurred. But as lust becomes something more, Mina draws the eye of the underworld and is forced to choose between the safety of his familiar faith and the jackal god he’s come to love. And in the end, it may cost his soul. Exploring themes of self-discovery, salvation from the expectations of others, and the profound healing in loving ourselves, The Secret Shape of Worship is the first installment of the planned, interconnected Ancient Awakening series.


Haroun and the Study of Mischief

Haroun and the Study of Mischief by Lynn Strong

“Don’t get a torch too close to his djellaba.” “It might catch fire?” “You might see it.” Venerable Haroun, the blind saluqi priest of the dog-headed god Yepuet, has come to the wild and collarless Tel-Bastet, the City of Cats, for an education in mischief. And Haroun has never met a crime of fashion he wouldn’t commit. Shai Madhur, the disabled human priest of Upaja, thought accepting Haroun’s leash meant being Haroun’s seeing-eye human. He wasn’t prepared for the political machinations… or for Haroun’s sense of humor. When a kind prophet-prince goes missing, Haroun smells iniquity in the air. (Iniquity, it turns out, smells like kumiss spilled on a tomcat in dire need of a bath.) The problem with everyone in Tel-Bastet knowing what a Good Boy their Shai Madhur is, is that people keep trying to rescue him, whether he needs it or not. Not that he’s complaining, exactly. But Madhur swears he is never going carousing again… no matter how soulful Haroun’s puppydog eyes are. With a splash of Studio Ghibli, a sprinkle of Roshani Chokshi, and a dash of Terry Pratchett, when the cats and dogs need to learn to live together, Haroun and Madhur take on the difference between what is seen and what is true.


Just Like a Fairy Tale

Just Like a Fairy Tale by Cameron James

Luca‘s dreams are finally coming true when he secures a spot in the infamous Drag Club, The Rose Quartet. After years of perfecting his art, his moment is here but there’s still another first that’s niggling in the back of Luca’s mind: he’s never been in love. But maybe the beautiful boy who he’s certain would never like him back could change that. To Jackson, The Rose Quartet is like a second home having been raised amongst the fabulous Queens of the past, but his confidence has been shook after a disaster breakup he believes his demisexuality played a part in. With the health of his grandfather deteriorating by the day, Jackson doesn’t have time for the new Queen who’s catching his eye, right? Both have an undying love for drag which is ultimately what brings the two of them together, but will these two Drag Queens ever figure out what’s right in front of them?


Dumpster Kid

Dumpster Kid by Cameron James

At just 17, McKenzie Jackson took the world by storm with Dumpster Kid, his raw, unfiltered musical about survival, hope, and finding where you belong. Now, a decade later, the prodigy-turned-playwright is ready to reclaim his voice as his show gets a long-overdue revival. But this time, McKenzie won’t just sit back and watch—he’s making sure it’s done his way. Enter a nationwide talent search, a live reality competition, and one dangerously charming contestant who makes McKenzie question everything. Falling for him? Bad idea. Falling for him on national television? Career suicide. And when an unscripted, unapologetic gay kiss ignites both celebration and backlash, McKenzie is thrown into a firestorm he never expected. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Ben is ready to disappear. Bullies, school, and home feel unbearable, and he longs to be anyone but himself. When an opportunity brings him into the orbit of Dumpster Kid, he’s faced with a choice: run from the life he knows or fight for the future he never believed he deserved. Told through dual perspectives, Dumpster Kid is a story of love, identity, and the messy, beautiful chaos of finding where you truly belong. A celebration of art, queerness, and the family we choose, this heart-wrenching yet hopeful novel asks: what happens when the world finally sees you for who you really are?


Adolescent Summers

Adolescent Summers by Cameron James

Adolescent Summer has been lighting up screens for a whole decade – that’s ten years of Oz living it up in a fantasy world lightyears away from reality. But when production shut down during the global pandemic, Oz found himself with more free time than ever, giving him a chance to piece together parts of himself he’d lost. ​When Oz finally returns to the set after the lockdown, he’s in the midst of his own transformation. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s walking straight into a minefield of drama, one that feels all too familiar – just like the battle that erupted when his co-star, Quincy, came out as nonbinary years ago. Old wounds are ripped open, and feelings are hurt. And that’s just the beginning of the on-screen and off-screen drama.


Cassidy is Queen

Cassidy is Queen by Cameron James

Cassidy is the Queen. Everyone knows Cassidy, right? Theatre star, VIP at every party, and boys wrapped around his little finger, Cassidy rules Ravenwood School for Boys, and it’s everything he’s ever wanted, isn’t it? ​After a mix-up in a coffee shop with Casper, a trumpet player from a rival school who isn’t under Cassidy’s spell, Cassidy starts to see his life for what it is: does he want friends or is he happy with followers? Can he trust the people closest to him? Should he continue a secret relationship with his theatre teacher? Is the word boy the right word to describe him? ​With the help of Casper, Cassidy begins to explore who he truly is and whether he even wants to be The Queen after all. For the first time, he lets himself fall for someone who shows him there’s more to life than fancy parties, expensive clothes, and a disposable income.


Young Wizards Society

Young Wizards Society by Dillon McKenzie

A new era begins at Myddrin School for Magic—whether the wizarding world is ready or not. When a revolutionary law opens the doors of Myddrin to Elves, Fairies, Pixies, and even Vampires with wizard blood, the school’s centuries-old traditions are shaken to their core. For some students, it’s a long-awaited opportunity. For others, it’s the beginning of chaos. Justin, a returning student with a secret heritage, teams up with Indie, a Witch with Elven roots, and Marshall, a mysterious newcomer with more to hide than most. As they settle into their school year, they discover that acceptance on paper doesn’t equal equality in practice. Segregation, suspicion, and rising tensions threaten to unravel everything magic is supposed to stand for. When a dark incident sparks fear across the school, the students must decide: stay silent, or stand together. Forming a defiant alliance known as the Circle of the Zodiac, they uncover a mystery that could endanger not just their place at Myddrin—but the future of magic itself. Friendship, identity, and magical rebellion collide in Young Wizard Society—a powerful fantasy about fighting for the right to belong.


Dissolution Protocol

Dissolution Protocol by H.J. Barner

What would you sacrifice for the greater good? Nearly 200 years ago, half of humanity fled to the stars to escape an Earth butchered by climate change and nuclear war. Ever since, dozens of colonies have been attempted on distant planets, each one failing after the last. Today, remaining space-dwellers live on Space Stations orbiting resource-depleted planets, indifferent to the riots and unrest on the Earth they left behind. Aboard the S.S. Obsidian Dawn, Captain Everest Eskandari navigates the harsh realities of a collapsing Space Republic with her crew and two passengers: Eridan, a navigator who thinks himself helpless to fix a broken world; Zeya, a mechanic with faith that the government will take care of everything well enough; Dorian, an electrician who's come to accept that they're all doomed anyways; Kalani, a scientist on the run; and Samson, an Earthling who's finally stopped running from his fate. When dangerous secrets come to light, the crew must grapple with everything they thought they ever knew, and both Space-dweller and Earthling alike must make sacrifices capable of forging the future for centuries to come. Through the lense of six lives, "Dissolution Protocol" explores themes of apathy and indifference, and warns of a world where ignorance is not just bliss, but a dangerous, corrosive force.


VENDETTA

VENDETTA by Wes Davis

An aspiring actor from Idaho who makes it big on Broadway and then Hollywood, Barrett had no idea that helping the NYPD prosecute a predator would put him, his partner, and old friends in jeopardy years later. But as the saying goes, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. A charity event where Barrett is honored for his philanthropy sets in motion the plot to kill him. Now he and his family and friends are in a fight for their lives against a cunning evil foe pursuing his vendetta against Barrett and everyone he cares for.


Merman's Delight

Merman's Delight by Skyler Nightshade

After a successful mating season, Glacier returns to the lighthouse he calls home to rest and watch over his treasure pile. Used to spending his days left alone by the human who lives there, he is surprised to find that the lighthouse is being tended by someone new--someone much more curious about the merman who’s been protecting the shore. It doesn’t take long before Glacier is discovered, and the chase is on. Will Glacier be able to escape, or will this human catch him? And why are forbidden feelings starting to grow the longer Glacier is pursued?


EXEQUIAL

EXEQUIAL by Hannah Rebekah Graves

Don’t be late for your own funeral. An embittered soul ascends from the underworld to seek revenge on those who wronged her. (“The Dead Rise in Greece”) In an online forum, a tight-knit group takes their serial-killer infatuation to the next level. (“A (Potential) Ghost Story”) A corpse laments the loss of each falling petal. (“On Bodies and Bouquets”) Thirty encounters with ghosts, cursed books, incriminating VHS tapes, entities from the skies, and questions that are best left unasked.


Millennium Bug

Millennium Bug by Yvonne Knop

David Smith’s life is thrown into chaos when a mysterious book crashes through his window, telling the story of a life he doesn’t remember. A stranger, claiming to be a hidden scribe who weaves reality, demands the book back, warning that keeping it will unravel the world, but returning it will erase David from existence. As the ancient order of storytellers is threatened to be overthrown by AI, David must reclaim his past and rewrite destiny itself to prevent the erasure of all reality. But if he succeeds, the cost may be too great—unlocking the truth of his fate gives him the power to destroy everything, including the only man he's ever loved. If the world was never meant to be real, does it deserve to exist?


War in Sorcery's Shadow

War in Sorcery's Shadow by Elise Carlson

Myth says the Guardians ended the Sorcery War by draining all sorcerers of their powers, or killing them. The Guardians then vanished without a trace —and so did magic. But the myths are wrong. Magic wielders lived on in hiding. Now Sorcerer King Nartzeer is recruiting them, in a world that hates and fears their power. Terrorised by Nartzeer’s pre-emptive strike, Ruarnon’s Guardian-descent-claiming allies set sail to annihilate Nartzeer. Ruarnon hopes to free their family from Nartzeer’s clutches first, but Ruarnon’s uncle won’t abandon the army he commands to slavery. Linh is killing two birds with one stone, using her role as Ruarnon’s envoy to potential allies to track down sorcerers to open her magic gateway home. She learns that Nartzeer is rallying a sorcery army while his neighbours mobilise against him, and sorcerers whose awesome power Nartzeer’s ideology undermines, the dreaded God Kings, are stirring. With sorcerers on all fronts marching towards mutually assured destruction, Linh and Ruarnon race to reach Nartzeer with the truth of magical ancestry and allegiance, hoping to unite people who are not so different, before they utterly destroy each other.


Neon Lullabies

Neon Lullabies by H.J. Barner

Are you dreaming? Are you sleeping? Have the neon lullabies worked, or will you join the Awakening? In the Seacity, the sun never shines. While the corporate-ruled utopia of Skycity glistens among the clouds, the sinking underworld of crime, salt water, and eternal night known as the Seacity makes a home among the sunken ruins of a former American metropolis. Here, criminal syndicates govern divided neighborhoods sponsored by various corporations, and status is defined by having the latest tech. Growing up in the sunless alleyways of the Seacity, former Syndicate engineer Hat now carves a life out for themself by hacking into corporate databases and making edits for credits. When a job gone wrong lands them with a 100-grand bounty on their head, Hat finds themself at the mercy of the Awakening, a shadow-operating resistance group seeking to topple the mega-corporations that puppeteer everyday life in the Seacity. Meanwhile, in Skycity, the Seacity-born Helena finds herself interning with Neol Inc., the world’s leading technology company. While Hat navigates the ranks of the Awakening, Helena gains an inside look at Skycity’s corporate propaganda and starts to understand that it’s never been corporation versus corporation so much as Skycity versus Seacity. Forced to choose between the city of her birth and the possibilities of her future, Helena finds herself questioning the price of morality in the cut-throat corporate workplace of Skycity. And when Hat lands themself in a prison after learning of an impending software update with the potential to destroy any semblance of freedom the technologically reliant people of the Seacity still have, Hat must find a way to escape their high-security jail cell or witness the end of free will in the Seacity.


Pandion

Pandion by J.B. Thwaite

After graduating from the seven-year extended program of the top-ranking empath university in Japan, the serial overachiever, Harumine Satoru, is paired to work with the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel shirker delinquent, Kagesawa Tsuyoshi. What could possibly go wrong? Pandion is a nerdy gay workplace ro— Soft Scifi Adventure set in near-future alternate universe Japan with plenty of character growth, neurodiversity rep, geeky tech and an intriguing plot with realistic, relatable stakes. Can these nerds overcome their unusual circumstances?


I Left My Hormones in Another World:  Vol. 1

I Left My Hormones in Another World: Vol. 1 by Angela Wicke

"My name is Jen Joyce. I was just an average, ordinary woman working at a dead end job until I found myself dumped into Bastion, the capital city of a fantasy world watched over by the benevolent goddess Lenora. As Lenora's chosen one, it's up to me to rise through the ranks, leveling up my skills and gear to eventually face off with the demon lord Ventalus and free the world from darkness. There's just one I left my hormones in another world. But that's no reason to panic; it's not like it'll take that long for me to cheese my way to the final boss and go home. Right?" Inspired by isekai light novels, fantasy RPGs, and a desire to see more trans and queer representation in media, I Left My Hormones in Another World is the debut novel of author Angela Wicke and the beginning of a new series of the same name. Join snarky everywoman Jen Joyce on a lighthearted yet action-packed adventure in a world of swords and sorcery that will test her strength, wit, and patience, taking her from the bustling streets of Bastion into the fiery depths of a volcano and the war-torn ravine where she'll face her destiny.


Forged of Immortal Blood

Forged of Immortal Blood by V. M. Nelson

A Norse farm girl fated to save the gods. A best friend and lover turned valkyrie. A fierce right hand to the jarl with a secret that might end his life. Their forbidden love for each other may ruin them and the gods’ plan to change their own future. Every year, the gods pay a visit to Skuld—the most powerful seer—to receive a vision of what their future holds. This year’s foresight will lead them to Solveig, a young woman fated to save them from their demise. Solveig doesn’t know that she is part of the gods’ destiny. She only knows she was born into a world that will not let her love her best friend—Hilde—and instead takes everything from her, including her choice of who she will marry. In a desperate attempt to plan their getaway, Solveig and Hilde encounter the gods’ seer, who tells them their prophecies. After that, nothing is the same. Solveig, desperate to get away from her betrothed—a man of great cruelty—runs away, leaving everything behind. Alone and afraid, death comes for her, and she finds an unlikely ally who offers her two different paths. Become the warrior she has always wanted to be and maybe one day return to her family or hide in a neighboring village and change everything she is, in hopes that the man she is running from never finds her. When the odds are against you, what path would you take?


The Witch who Chases the Sun

The Witch who Chases the Sun by Dawn Chen

Sometimes, true love is not the answer. ​ A decade after the Second War, Aixauhan Alchemist Ying Cai-Li seeks to rekindle her relationship with her ex-lover, the Inabrian Oracle Anne Barberry. However, the war changed them both. Estranged by their losses, Cai-Li has gained a notorious reputation as the dark magic-wielding Blood Hawk and Anne barricades herself in a castle on a hill where her family’s dark secrets lie. Rumors in the village say Anne is a monster, responsible for the disappearance of innocent visitors. But when the two witches reunite and begin unraveling the mysteries of the village, it becomes clear that scars left by the war do not easily fade. Things are not as they seem. Old ghosts come back to haunt them. Past truths are revealed. Can the witches be each other’s salvations or are they doomed to repeat the past that tore them apart? Fans of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon will fall in love with Dawn Chen’s sapphic high fantasy epic about anti-colonialism, grief, generational trauma, and the cycles of war.


The Assassin and the Sorceress

The Assassin and the Sorceress by NRG Selove

A ruthless assassin. A wisecracking sorceress. A perilous journey that will reshape the Kingdom. Driven by money and hatred, Jessara is the greatest of the King’s royal assassins. An autistic elf born in the forests of Anwood, Jessara was trained from childhood to become the perfect weapon against the Compact of the elves. When it comes to a special capture or kill contract, she’s the obvious choice when the King needs a delicate touch. Her target: a mysterious fugitive human sorceress named Asha Weaver. A specialist in fire magic, Asha narrowly manages to escape execution in the capital city of the Kingdom. Her impulsive and reckless nature prove to be a challenge when a series of misadventures forces the assassin and the sorceress to work together. Loyalties will be questioned as the reluctant partners battle monsters, hide secrets, overcome betrayal, and face the inconvenient feelings growing between them.


Run Like Hell

Run Like Hell by Eira Brand

Starving to death in the lowest layer of the Megatropolis of New York City, Raide will do whatever it takes to survive. When a chance encounter with her best friend ends with his murder, Raide soon finds herself risking her life to complete his last gig, all while in search of answers and vengeance. But with corporate mercenaries on her heels, a strange new virus mutating ordinary people into grotesque monsters, and the sinking realization that this was more than a simple contract gone sideways, Raide is soon left with two options: Lie down and die or run like hell.


Mechanical Heart

Mechanical Heart by Beverly Anne Michel

Levy Hart thought he had a great life. He lived with his best friend, scientist, Finnea Wong. He had a good job, played Dungeons and Dragons, and loved to bake for his friends. Everything seemed to be going perfectly until he discovered someone close to him had been keeping secrets. Lies and secrets turn his world upside down. He must relearn how to navigate the world. He must learn how to trust the ones closest to him again. Things become even more complicated when Finnea finds herself in trouble. Levy must help her while rebuilding their relationship.


The Burn of a Bourbon Soaked Cherry

The Burn of a Bourbon Soaked Cherry by MJ Marlowe

a queer, small town romance between a Trans M/Cis F, packed with high heat and a tender touch to soothe the burn ‘Thirty-five year old Hazel Vincent is no stranger to wanting things—she’s human after all, but a life of holding herself back has turned her apathetic. That is, until she unexpectedly sees him. Immediately drawn to the mysterious, older newcomer in the small town bar, Hazel decides she’s ready to take what she wants: starting with a night entwined in him. Except as her evening progresses with the gruff, yet tender cowboy, it’s clear to them both that their connection goes beyond something one night of passion can satisfy. Only problem is, neither one are looking for love.’


Red Green Blue

Red Green Blue by PS Shai

Micah, a young archaeology student, gets lost on his first dig in the Mesopotamian desert and discovers a dragon statue chained up deep underground. It follows him home.


To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1)

To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1) by K.V. Wilson

A reluctant mage reborn in flames. A passionate princess fleeing her fate. A powerful telepath at the mercy of the world’s thoughts. A spirited goddess craving adventure. With Penumbra on the brink of an ice age, Eos dreams of helping to create the False Star each dawn to ensure the survival of his people. But there's just one problem: he cannot speak the star's name. In the eye of the storm, Rysa was raised to rule at her mother's side. But a terrible secret has been kept from the princess—one that will tear her life apart. Deep within the molten Heart of Penumbra, a secret society gathers. Elves, dwarves, fauns, ice dragons, and magma merfolk prepare to seize the stolen throne and end the enchanted storm before it devours the realm.


Too Like the Lightning

Too Like the Lightning by Travis Beaudoin

Andrew Madigan had everything he ever wanted. He’d worked hard to build this perfect little life. A stable relationship with a successful man. A beautiful home in a quiet suburb. And best of all, a job where he spent his days talking about literature. Then his tenure was denied and, too quickly for him to stop it, everything crumbled. Now, with his dreams in the dust and his confidence shattered, Andrew has one summer to figure out his next move. Bulbs, Florida, is like no place Andrew’s ever known. It’s small and provincial. It’s hot as hell. Storms roll through every single day. But Andrew just has to keep his head down. Finish his book, find a new job, put things back on track. Easy-peasy. He didn’t plan on making a friend. Coley Brandt has a green thumb and an easy smile. He’s much younger than Andrew, but he puts Andrew at ease, makes him feel at home. Their time together reminds Andrew what having a purpose feels like. Suddenly, this long, lonely summer feels too short. But Coley has dreams of his own, and they’re a million miles away from the life Andrew’s trying to get back. Maybe this is just a summer fling. Maybe, like the lightning, it’s only meant to be glorious for a moment before it disappears. Or maybe it’s something more.


Part Time Girl

Part Time Girl by Adriaan Brae

How much longer can Michael hide his sex-switches? After making it through the second year of high-school, he knows it’s only a matter of time until someone notices and freaks out. Then his family will have to run and lose everything, again, or risk being found by the shadowy group that hunts people like him. He should go, just vanish and stop putting his family at risk, but his oldest friend Angela is in trouble and he can’t leave until they figure out why her catatonia and hallucinations have reappeared. To help her, Michael has to trust in Ian—the hottest, richest guy in school who definitely has a hidden agenda—and a mystery woman with a traumatic past who is the only one to know him as a girl. With people to protect and mysteries to unravel, Michael will need to unlock the full truth behind his identity—something he’s been running from his entire life.


The Lies That They Tell

The Lies That They Tell by TM Lore

The Lies That They Tell is the tantalizing sequel to the gritty and dark award winning thriller novel The Secrets That They Keep. Alyx Beck has been crowned Queen and must now become everything she hates. To survive-while surrounded by the spiders that want to eat her alive-she'll have to perform her role within the hierarchy; which means she must be bred by her King. Kept from her neurodivergent twin brother, Alyx has no idea how he's doing and worries if she doesn't fulfill her role as child-bearer her brother will be found and killed for her shortcomings. She'll have to use every weapon at her disposal, including her mouth, to keep him safe. That is if the spiders don't kill her first. It's Blink Twice meets Filthy Rich. This dark thriller has a female protagonist, neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ characters. Content warnings can be found at the beginning of the novel.


Werecockroach

Werecockroach by Polenth Blake

Rin moves into a new flat on the day the aliens arrive. Their new flatmates are laid-back Sanjay and conspiracy theorist Pete. It doesn't take long to notice some oddities about the pair, like hoarding cardboard and hissing at people when they're angry. Something strange is going on, but it's not all due to the aliens.


Murder, She Rolled

Murder, She Rolled by Shelly Jones

Solving a murder can get dicey. Wren Winters is thrilled when her gaming group is invited to join the town’s new superstar streamer Noelle Williams for a live demo—after all, a little publicity could put Wren’s board game shop, the Cardboard Sheep, on the map. But moments before they go live, Noelle collapses on camera, and by the time Wren arrives at her house, Noelle is dead and the police are swarming. Detective Greene, who still remembers last summer’s murder at Wren’s shop, is back with questions—and suspicions. As Wren and her friends reel from the shock, secrets about Noelle’s life emerge: relentless online harassment, jealous exes, and a sister desperate to pull her offline. Then another member of the group falls ill with similar symptoms. With danger closing in and a game board full of suspects, Wren refuses to sit on the sidelines. She’s determined to solve the puzzle before her friend’s game is over for good.


Player Elimination

Player Elimination by Shelly Jones

She loves to play games, but not when it comes to murder. Wren Winters is a businesswoman on a mission, juggling an alumni event for a rising game designer while keeping her late husband’s retail store alive. With RSVPs pouring in and her cranky landlord threatening to bulldoze her shop for high-rise apartments, Wren’s plate is full—but she’s no stranger to overcoming challenges. From economic slumps to vandalism and vicious online rumors, Wren has always found a way to persevere. But nothing could prepare her for what she finds one fateful morning: her landlord murdered, her store turned into a crime scene, her only employee under suspicion (and hiding something), and a missing piece from an unreleased game. Now, with her store’s future hanging by a thread and the stakes higher than ever, Wren must channel her puzzle-solving skills like never before. Can she and her friends follow the clues, clear her employee’s name, and crack the case before it’s game over?


Shiver Me

Shiver Me by Vermillion

A pirate’s life has never been so tempting. Long-suffering governess Regula is out of her depth on the Wretched Lady, a ship full of pirates as shamelessly charming as they are dangerous. She’d guessed her life would change, leaving the familiar walls of Sanctuary, but she’d never expected to fall into the hands of pirates. Even worse, the Wretched Lady’s roguish captain won’t let her, or her valuable charge, out of his sight, much less off his ship. Connor never wanted to be captain. Bad luck for him that the last one disappeared. It doesn’t help that after twenty years of violently enforced isolation, the city of Sanctuary has awoken with a vengeance, and the pirates who haunt her waters have already begun to pay. With a storm brewing in the isles and two strange women washing up on his deck, Connor must accept his captaincy, or else risk everything he holds dear. That is, if he can get his mind off the intriguing stranger who keeps dodging his questions. An adventurous romp of epic proportions, the sea will test them both as the shadow of Sanctuary looms larger over the water. Shiver Me is the first book in a daring fantasy romance series, each following a different couple towards their HEA.


It Bubbles Under The Skin

It Bubbles Under The Skin by Caitlin Marceau

And they were crewmates... Jayce has spent her whole life by the ocean as part of the close-knit communities found across the Îles de la Madeleine. With a place to call her own, a job she adores, and a girlfriend she loves, her life has always been a comfortably predictable one. But after a night in the waters at Pointe aux Loups Beach, Jayce quickly finds her world upended as something calls to her from the ice cold waves. When blisters filled with saltwater ooze from her skin and ropes of seaweed slither from her body, Jayce realizes she can’t ignore the voice for much longer.


Queen O'Nine Tails

Queen O'Nine Tails by Lindz McLeod

Pirate queen Valentina Mallozzi kidnaps civilian Miss Gloria Vane for ransom at the nearest port, but Gloria isn’t the helpless girl she pretends to be—she’s a talented pickpocket and observant spy. Her best chance of escape lies in seducing Mallozzi, but the famed Queen O'Nine Tails won't be wooed so easily. When a demon sneaks aboard the ship, jumping from body to body in an attempt to gain power amid the chaos, Gloria's situation goes from bad to much, much worse. The remaining crew must find and kill the demon while juggling an increasingly paranoid and out-of-control Mallozzi, whose foretold destiny threatens to destroy them all.


Bone Knuckles And The Rose Scavenger

Bone Knuckles And The Rose Scavenger by Gwendolyn N. Nix

Would you trade your soul for the truth? Dahlia is the daughter of the notorious Ten Hearts Killer, her life overshadowed by the sensationalism following her father's cruelty: ripping the hearts out of his victims to preserve them. Numb with guilt, haunted by her father's deeds, and wondering if such desires might affect her in turn, Dahlia's life is overturned when she's given an enigmatic gift that leads to Paige, a woman desperate to uncover the identity of the serial killer's last mutilated victim. As Dahlia embarks on a journey to solve the mystery with Paige, eerie clues reveal the sinister truth about her childhood, thrusting her into a world far more violent and strange than she could ever imagine. At the heart of it lies the enigmatic and slick-tongued Bone Knuckles, who guards more than the last victim's identity, forcing Dahlia to risk everything to navigate his house of blood and lies for the truth. As the malevolent Bone Knuckles strikes up a dance of dark magic, where betrayal haunts every corner, Dahlia soon realizes that the most terrifying monsters are those we confront within ourselves. Sidebar- this isn't a romance, but does have a sapphic romantic sub plot to it. It deals more with survivors guilt, violence, past mistakes, haunted houses and is in essence horror book. It can be represented as queer and or sapphic for the MC and SC relationship.


Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology

Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology by Z. K. Abraham

In the anthology Silk and An Erotic-Eco Horror anthology, our thirteen authors explore the space where horror, the erotic, and nature meet. In these tales of uncontrolled, unknowable, and visceral nature, we explore folk tales, modern dating woes, filthy body horror, delicate and dark magic, psychological torment, and the dark humor of nature’s revenge. These stories range from creepy to horrific, from sensual to sultry, and from grounded to entirely strange. Edited and curated by Z. K. Abraham Stories ZH Sun "Flower Power" Shantell Powell "All That Came From Our Lips Were Lilies" Toshiya Kamei "The Last Garden" Annika Ancheta "Pop" Cindy Phan "All Her Darling Little Ones" Simo Srinivas "The Hilltop Eel" Cristian Presgraves "A Blueberry Delight" Mae Tang "Down by the River" Psyche Chimère "The Human Project" Candice Zheng "Merge" Maxine Nwigwe "Tinderfish" Winifred Burton "Miss Kaiyah Regrets, She's Unable to Text, Today" Kofi Brown "Deadly Pleasure"


Enamoured: A Triptych

Enamoured: A Triptych by Shelley Lavigne

Alchemists may have failed to distill youth, but Josephine is determined to bottle beauty. Josephine is determined to make her fortune, but in early 1900s Canada as a widow under suspicion of murder, her dream of building a cosmetic empire seems like a fantasy. That is until a wealthy young socialite enters her shop, her presence reigniting long-caged desires and memories of Josephine's first love. As their unassuming relationship turns into a seductive power struggle, and the cosmetic application takes a dangerous turn, will Josephine choose companionship or capital? Billed as NATURAL BEAUTY meets DELIVER ME meets PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER, and containing three illustrations by Becca Snow, this novella follows Josephine as she plays the gruesome game of LOVE, CAPITALISM, and BEAUTY.


Oathborn

Oathborn by Ann C. Orlandi

The war against the fae stole Zari’s future. Now she works as a nurse, dedicating her life to healing those still recovering after the final battle. When a mysterious fae mage appears, claiming her long-lost father is imprisoned by the fae, she strikes a dangerous bargain. Zari will infiltrate the fae Queen’s court, posing as one of her magical Oathborn soldiers, for a chance to bring her father home. But if she’s caught, her life, and the fragile peace, will be forfeit. Pursued by enemies on both sides, haunted by the past, and drawn to a man she cannot trust, Zari must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice and who she’s willing to become. Because to the fae, Oaths aren’t just binding, they’re deadly. A thrilling start to a new romantic fantasy series, perfect for fans of One Dark Window, Swordheart, and Once Upon a Broken Heart.


Leave a Light on for Me

Leave a Light on for Me by Briar Holloway

A year after her mum’s death, twenty-something trans woman Natalie Dawson is on a downward spiral, self-medicating with alcohol and binge-watching Buffy. She’s let her veganism lapse, abandoned her culinary dreams, and checked out of every connection she’s ever made. The present’s bleak, the future bleaker. Until she falls in love with Veronica, a woman twice her age who likes nothing more than to play games that would put Steven Shainberg’s Secretary to shame. After discovering a box of old mix tapes, Natalie’s convinced she’s found signs her late mum saw her as a daughter after all. A trail of pop songs and power ballads provide a lifeline, one that’ll see her exhume the role she played in her mum’s death, and bring Veronica’s own secrets to the surface. Splicing the complex romance of The Phantom Thread with the metaphorical ghosts of Six Feet Under, the novel is perfect for readers of Torrey Peters and Caroline O'Donoghue, and fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and My Year of Rest and Relaxation.


Trans_lucent

Trans_lucent by Wayward Sparx

A collection of cyberpunk stories carving space out for Trans+ characters in near-futures ravaged by rampant capitalism, terminal environmental decline, state surveillance, poverty, and the rolling back of human rights. Trans_lucent comprises six deeply empathetic stories exploring sex, technology, community, and what it means to be trans in a world where transhumanism has become business as usual. Told with sharp wit, precise prose, and own voice observations, Trans_lucent goes beyond neon lights and empty aesthetic. A testament to human connection in a cold world. Cumulative Realities Transbians Navi and Tash run a bookshop digitally preserving comics, novels, fanzines – anything written by Trans+ folks through history. After their server’s hacked, they risk losing everything. In Wait of Obsolescence What does it mean to be transgender when environmental catastrophe keeps everyone sequestered forever alone in their capsules? Progeny Reproduction is a government interest and job roles are defined before birth. But when Alana Khoury’s progeny open fires on a biotech academy, she’s drawn into rabbit hole about what it means to be a mother. Risingson For cyberware blogger, advisor, and investigator Violet, meeting trans masc cyborg Calder is so much more than another job. The Mnemosyne Cycle Memory, self-determination, and identity in a world where memory wipes are as commonplace as the broken infrastructure and insidious state surveillance. Venus as a T-Boy, Saturn as a Femme Pregnant T4T couple Lacewing and Tawn smuggle themselves into England a decade after they fled. The aim: avoid the law and get safely to Tawn’s family where the baby has a chance at life.


Fortitude Waters

Fortitude Waters by Fox N. Locke

The man who solved his past life’s murder is about to face the cold case of a lifetime. Armed with his soul dowsing pendant, pet hand of glory, and stellar sense of smell, Fortitude Waters specialises in solving cold cases. With souls reborn into new bodies and the economy running on inheritance funds accrued over lifetimes, this perfume-loving private detective peeks behind the veil to find and decipher clues. When he’s reluctantly paired with disabled literary critic, Matilda Tame, on his latest case, the investigation unravels the long-hidden crimes he’s helped conceal. Fort is forced to confront the unresolved trauma of his past life, while Matilda must reconcile motherhood, her professional life, and her own intimate role in proceedings. With a Swiss inspired setting, this sensuous queer-normative novel tells a story about the power of parenting, generational trauma, and the importance of breaking the cycle in order to heal.


A Designer Magick

A Designer Magick by Fox N. Locke

Vlyn Adare is an illegal magick user hiding in plain sight, a seamstress going nowhere fast. When she’s not dreaming of being Vlyn’s beau, socialite Shirley Hollister fantasises about being a fashion designer but is stuck in a rut as a receptionist. To escape his fundamentalist family, Ellory Miller begrudgingly becomes a mage, even if he only wants to make magickal couture. Rejected by both the mages and gender critical witches, Niven is forced to become a freelancer, hunting rogue magickal users to avoid arrest themself. Lien Bassett, a trans journalist living stealth, has been trying for decades in vain to hold the mage Tower to account. All five are brought together after Ellory blows the whistle on the Head Mage’s criminal activity. Hidden prisons, protests, dramatic magick battles, and plenty of fabulous fashion await them. Unashamedly queer – and built around a slow burn F/F romance – A Designer Magick investigates mental health, gender, and freedom of speech in an evocative 1920s style setting. For fans of V.E. Schwab and C.L. Polk.


Black Velvet

Black Velvet by Fox N. Locke

After a near death experience, troubled trans boy Aaron Phillips is haunted by the ghost of Elvis Presley. As if that wasn’t enough, he soon discovers he can bring things back from the dead. 2005 casts a long shadow as Aaron navigates a barely breathing music career, a fraying romantic relationship, and fragile mental health seven years after his dad disappeared. Wracked with academic ennui, depression, and gender dysphoria, Aaron and the afterlife will have to get reacquainted before he can finally find solace. An exploration of love, loss, and queerness, Black Velvet balances the supernatural with the agonies and apathies of confronting adulthood in the Myspace age. For fans of The Lovely Bones, Cemetery Boys, Life is Strange, and Turtles All The Way Down.


Touched: PINK Edition

Touched: PINK Edition by Sage T. Greene

Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance.


Touched: BLACK Edition

Touched: BLACK Edition by Sage T. Greene

Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance.


Hounded fire & brimstone

Hounded fire & brimstone by Quinn Cameron

Loren sold his soul for love and, for love, he may risk eternity. As a hellhound, Loren has given his life to the service of his demonic owner, but he keeps one thing for himself: his relationship with a phoenix named Indy. Protecting Indy from those who would exploit his power has always been paramount to Loren, but it becomes far more difficult when word of the phoenix reaches Hell. Rumors that a phoenix’s tears can purify even the most corrupted soul make Indy a valuable asset to any demon, and Loren’s owner is no exception. Intervening in the hunt for the phoenix would reveal Loren’s treachery and guarantee his death, but he can’t stand by and allow the destruction of the man he loves. His devotion cost him dearly before, and now he may pay the ultimate price.


Of Monsters and Mainframes

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove

Spaceships aren’t programmed to seek revenge—but for Dracula, Demeter will make an exception. Demeter just wants to do her job: shuttling humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri. Unfortunately, her passengers keep dying—and not from equipment failures, as her AI medical system, Steward, would have her believe. These are paranormal murders, and they began when one nasty, ancient vampire decided to board Demeter and kill all her humans. To keep from getting decommissioned, Demeter must join forces with her own team: A werewolf. An engineer built from the dead. A pharaoh with otherworldly powers. A vampire with a grudge. A fleet of cheerful spider drones. Together, this motley crew will face down the ultimate evil—Dracula. The queer love child of pulp horror and ​classic ​sci-fi, Of Monsters and ​Mainframes ​is a dazzling, heartfelt odyssey that probes what it means to be one of society’s monsters—and explores the many types of friendship that make us human.


The Goshawk and the One-Eyed Dragon

The Goshawk and the One-Eyed Dragon by Lila Mina

A missed shot on the battlefield. A desperate plan to save her clan to redeem herself. The explosive origin story of a love that will span four centuries. In the heat of battle, fearless warrior Kyoko strikes with unmatched precision, guided by an unyielding spirit. Her arrows, like whispers of fate, hit their mark every time. One shot is all it would take to bring the Date clan to their knees, until the damning smile of the One-Eyed Dragon disrupts her focus, altering the course of her life. As her clan faces ruin, Kyoko sets out to right her wrongs, willing to sacrifice it all - love, joy, and her relationship with her kin. Nudged by invisible hands pushing her on the path of her destiny, she steps into the dragon’s lair, unaware that the ruthless warlord within will walk by her side until the very End… and Beyond. For fans of powerful lady warriors and LGBTQI protagonists, a gritty and highly explicit enemies-to-lovers, altar-diplomacy, fated-souls romance with a supernatural twist. This is a prequel to the author’s TEMPER saga, but it can also be read a standalone.


Burn Up In Victory

Burn Up In Victory by Jennifer R. Donahue

When her brother Marco unexpectedly elopes, Serafina of House Galeazzo is left alone with their distant father and domineering mother. Forced to step up and take part in the magical dueling society that Marco always shielded her from, Serafina must find her footing and manage to move forward, all the while wishing she escaped with her brother. Lorenzo of House Valier was Marco’s best friend, and had no idea that he was going to vanish into thin air. Now he’s left without his closest confidante since childhood and, and that damnable sister left to fill that hole in their dueling circle. Why couldn’t she have been the one to depart? As the circle works to hone their skills, practice and occasional bloodshed bring them closer together. Serafina learns more about her magical spark, unable to disentangle herself from Lorenzo, until one fateful night after a tournament when he is the only place she can turn.


A Hex For Hunger

A Hex For Hunger by Alistair Reeves

Ambrose, a trans knight serving the medieval witch king, spent his life trying to be a hero. Instead, he died a villain in the name of a love he hungered for in secret. That would have ended his story, except a suspicious necromancer, Emery, resurrects him and gives him two things: a second chance and a job. He needs Ambrose to kill Morcant, a cult leader who is terrorizing a small group of students. Ambrose thought he was done with killing, but this modern world whet his appetite. If he can bring his king back from the grave, they could finally enjoy the love they’d been starved of. The witch king’s voice tells him how it can be achieved: kill Emery. But while Ambrose’s magic might hunger for Emery’s blood, his heart hungers for Emery another way entirely . . . Another delightful MM romantic fantasy from Alistair Reeves, A Hex for Hunger promises to captivate with more magic, wonder, and adventure.


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