There Ought To Be Shadows by Krissie K. Williams Moonstone, South Carolina. A town where nothing is what it seems. Marilyn Maxwell is an accomplished woman in all areas. But what people donât know is she has struggled with the demon of death since she was a child. After a personal crisis forces her to re-evaluate her life, she reluctantly decides to relocate to her hometown of Moonstone, South Carolina. This decision sends her spiraling into a world full of conjure, celestial wonder, and the murky unknown. An insidious force has crippled the town she once left behind, and she must rush against time to stop it. Guided by Great Grandmother, her beloved spirit from the other side, she embarks on the most difficult journey she has ever undertaken. Marilyn uncovers Moonstoneâs dark historyâone filled with horror, deceit, and dread. In the end, she questions what is fantasy, what is reality, and who she really is. |
Perdition Street by Leona O'Neill Murdered spirits find Atlas Bishop wherever he is. By day, he works the streets of Dublin as a Private Detective plagued with anxiety and anger issues, living with his dead mother. By night, he works on behalf of the âSacredââangels, saints, and God Himselfâbinding murdered souls to those who stole their lives so Hell can claim its dues. But an ancient pact between Heaven and Hell implodes when Hellâs representative on Earth decides he wants to swell their ranks and take over the world, using dark magic to turn innocents into murderers on an epic scale. Atlas must save Dublin first and then the world, all while trying to bind lost souls, keep Heaven in business, track down his killer father, pine for his married ex-lover, escape various murderous scumâŠand avoid Satanâs manicured talons. |
An Appreciation of Cats by Des DeVivo How do we know if itâs too late? Dr. Ian Devonshire, the beloved veterinarian of Holly Grove, is sixty-eight with no plans to retireâuntil a skin exam ends with an unexpected biopsy. Ian tells no one, privately worrying about what a worst-case scenario would mean for his practice and, more importantly, his assistant, Dr. Alec Tarley. Ian isnât sure if Alecâs friendliness means what he hopes it does, though it wouldnât matter if it did; Ian is old enough to be Alecâs father, and as his boss, Ian doesnât want the small-town scandal of becoming involved. So even as Ian wonders what it might be like to have their afternoon tea somewhere other than behind closed doors, he convinces himself the risks far outweigh the gains. Especially now, as the pending results strand him like Schrödinger's Cat. In an attempt to protect them both from the heartache of a malignant prognosis, Ian makes the abrupt decision to retire. But when Alec refuses to take over the clinic without an explanation for the sudden change of heart, Ian must decide between whatâll hurt more: revealing his secrets or walking away. |
Time to Remember by Janna Ruth When the Canterbury Earthquakes destroyed their city, Natalie and her friends were only ten years old. Too old to forget, but too young to be heard, they have never told their stories. Until now. Ten years after the earthquakes, Natalie returns to her home town with a plan. To show how the earthquakes shaped her generation, she wants to curate her fellow students' stories into a special edition of the student magazine. Her project is well-received by all, but one: her self-proclaimed nemesis Josh. From the start, Josh goes out of his way to get the project cancelled. Natalie is determined to see her vision through, yet when she finally uncovers the reason behind Josh's actions, she finds herself questioning everything she's been working towards. |
The Good Little Catholic Gay Boy by Sam Carnes The Good Little Catholic Gay Boy is a poignant coming-of-age story that follows the life of Ryan, a 15-year-old boy who grapples with his identity in the confines of a strict Catholic household. Raised to believe that being gay is inherently wrong, Ryan battles with his innermost feelings that persist despite relentless prayers and punishments. The age of eighteen promises freedom, but can he find happiness? This heartfelt tale will resonate with the experiences of many LGBTQ+ individuals who have faced the challenges of self-acceptance, coming out, finding love, and navigating the hurdles of societal judgment. Ryan's journey, set against the backdrop of a fervently religious home, speaks to the common struggles of those who have had to confront rejection, pain, and the misguided efforts of others to âpray away the gay.â |
Catâs Got Your Heart by Jem Zero Who knew two men could form such a bitter rivalry over adopting a cat? Jericho Adams is in need of a cat. Doesnât sound too difficult, even for a reclusive artist like him. People adopt cats all the time. Those people clearly never met Harlan Vardanyan, the worldâs surliest pet shop employee. Harlanâs love for animals is matched only by his disdain for customers. Too much experience tells him they canât be trusted. When Jericho sets his sights on Dumpling, an aloof-but-lovely young cat, Harlan vows the man will never have her. However, he canât outright refuse without risking his job. What he can do is fabricate a series of absurd adoption requirements that Jericho canât possibly meet. Unfortunately for Harlan, the more his demands escalate, the more determined Jericho becomes to free Dumpling from her short, fire-breathing gatekeeper. Then Harlan is unexpectedly evicted from his apartment, and Jericho ends up rescuing him instead. Now Jericho and Harlan are forced to continue their battle of wills in tight quarters. Except living together unveils vulnerability on both sides, and soon trading verbal jabs begins to feel⊠wrong. The weeks-long rivalry sputters, and in its place, a fragile intimacy begins to grow. But the secret deadline for Jerichoâs cat acquisition is rapidly approaching. He canât let his feelings for Harlan get in the way of his ultimate goal, even if the betrayal will destroy whatever theyâve been building. |
Book of You & I: When Two Souls Collide by G Severino OLIVIA WOODS IS CONVENTIONAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH, AND COMPOSED. She's the kind of girl who goes out of her way to do the right things for others but forgets about herself. BRANDON COLLINS IS UNCONVENTIONAL, A CREATIVE SOUL, AND PRONE TO ECCENTRICITY. He values facts over feelings, and his ability to detach from emotions can sometimes make him lonely. When the universe pushes them together under unfavorable circumstances, like lovers from the past and secret relationships, they try to stay apart. But their feelings are too strong to ignore, and they become swept up in a love like they've never felt before...until their true colors start to show. Even after their first kiss, their first touch, the first time they ever laid eyes on each other; were they destined to meet and fall in love, or was their relationship doomed from the start? *Inspired by true events* |
The Dictionary of Disillusionment by Kristen Gregg A piece of experimental fiction, The Dictionary of Disillusionment follows the writings of a nameless protagonistâs memories and rambles in an attempt to understand herself better through entries written on post-it notes and index cards. All she ever wanted was control; control over her feelings, control over her life. In her senior year of college, she attempts to categorize her thoughts by ascribing them labels from the dictionary and then from vocabulary in her psychology textbook. But the more she writes, trying to control her feelings and pinpoint all of the underlying stress that comes with fast-approaching graduation and the subtle changes in her relationship dynamics, the less control she finds she has. Soon, all of the small tensions build until they boil over, and she's forced to reconsider what she should focus on in her life. |
Sentence for Life by Maxime Jaz âSometimes, we are in a place where we donât want to be. And maybe, that place is the only place we should be after all.â Theo knows he will become a star lawyer, like the one his Dad paid to keep him out of prison... he's wrong on both counts. He thinks the first day of jail is brutal; meeting his new cellmate redefines the word. Theo's world not only falls apart; it shrinks to the size smaller than a dorm bathroom he has to share with a man who doesnât belong in his world. Ryker is as strong as a fortress, one that he had to rebuild from the ruins of his own self. Serving the last year of his long sentence, he is terrified of having his freedom at arm's reach. Ryker is everything Theo fears; Theo is everything Ryker loathes. But being locked up together in a tiny space is a powerful force sparking the fires of love, and neither of the men are prepared for the turmoil this raging inferno will unleash. Are Ryker and Theo who they think they are? Or will new lives be born, like the phoenix etched in Ryker's skin, out of the fire of their love? |
The House For Lost Things by C.G. Drews Stealing houses should be a thing of the past now that Sam and Avery Lou finally have their perfect home. But the De Laineys are being forced to sell the butter-yellow house and their family is crumbling. Sam is haunted by his time at juvie and he feels lost now that Avery doesnât depend solely on him. All he can do is focus on his builder apprenticeship and hurl himself into an extravagant sewing project lead by Moxie to raise money to save the houseâonly Samâs past has come knocking and itâs about to tear apart everything he loves. Learning how to build new houses is one thing, but maybe broken boys canât be rebuilt. |
Well, Well, Well by Jody Wenner No one wants to hear about another personâs dreamâunless theyâre in it. Bren Wendell, a Midwestern journalist, is compelled to write a column about a seemingly benign dream but worries it will be a career breaker; instead, it spreads like a virus. Letters start pouring in, and to the entire newsroomâs shock, they are not all written by angry boomers. Thousands of readers claim theyâve had the same dream. And somehow Bren has been deemed head weaver. As the country slips into hysterics over its meaning, Bren and her co-worker Zack head out to tackle several of the wackier stories for the newspaper. Feeling pressure to find solid answers, Bren sets aside her own personal problems and digs deep into the investigation. When someone leaks private information about her to the press, the masses deify her on a whole new level, making the work more difficult. A strange conversation she has with a retired psychology professor leads her to wonder if she alone could be responsible for all of the madness sheâs witnessed. In order to right the wrong and get things back to normal, Bren has to switch gears and prove the dream wasnât real. |
Old Palmetto Drive by S.E. Reed Teen socialite Rian Callusa knows her privileged New York life is over as they drive down a backwoods road toward her new home. But instead of pulling up to a dusty shack, her jaw drops when her Mom parks in front of a stylish mansion. Maybe she doesn't know as much about her Mom as she thought. While Rian spends time in the Everglades with her cousins, Travis and Sam, and falls head over heels for vintage-loving Justine, she learns it isn't just her Mom keeping secrets. They've all got secrets too. Until one fateful night, the dark, murky waters of the swamp decide to tell the story about what really happened on Old Palmetto Drive. |
Pillow Forts and Hurricanes by Margherita Scialla Emma has an unbreakable bond with her roommates and lifelong best friends, yet struggles to create a romantic connection that comes even close to their friendship. Thatâs why Emma accepts her stoic boyfriend keeping her at a distance. All of her fantasies about romance and relationships, however, come tumbling down when she witnesses said boyfriend cheating on her. Following her recent breakup and her evolving bond with her best friend, Noah, Emma begins to question everything she ever knew about relationships, romantic and platonic. When Emma suggests the possibility of a queerplatonic relationship to Noah, the two must navigate their feelings, unveiling secrets theyâve kept from each other⊠but as confusing it can be, at least theyâre doing it together. |
The Christmas Gift by Melina Druga Set during the events of Family Upheaval, the last holiday novella in The Rock Starâs Wife series follows the Economos siblings and their mother as they try to find something to celebrate during the most wonderful time of the year. Now that her lousy husband is out of the picture, Daria Economos is facing a wide-open future. This hardly feels like a new beginning, however. She never expected to be starting over in her twilight years; sheâs a grandmother for heavenâs sake, an old fogy! Even with the holidays right around the corner, Daria just canât seem to drum up anything to feel thankful for. Sheâs not the only one struggling. Her adult children are still reckoning with the revelation that they have four half-siblings out there in the world â newfound family members theyâve come to love, for better or worse. And for Dariaâs oldest son, the fear that the sins of the father might be genetic is very real⊠The Economosesâ first Christmas as a broken family is fast approaching. Can this once-close clan make peace with their own hurt feelings, or is the holiday cheer gone for good? |
Rock Star Parents by Melina Druga Things come full circle for erotica author Cassandra Hardwick as her teenage kids wade into the mire of dating and sex, in the final chapter of The Rock Starâs Wife. Cassie thought sheâd handle her kidsâ comings-of-age differently than the conservative Economos family dealt with hers. But she finds herself at a near-total loss when faced with parenting teenagers â an endeavor that includes accidentally walking in on her son exploring himself, helping her younger daughter shop for bras, and discovering that her oldest may have just as high a libido as she does. Of course, sheâs not the only Economos dealing with sex-related drama. Her brotherâs stressing out over his unmarried daughterâs pregnancy. And just as Chris stops worrying that their unfaithful father has left an indelible mark on his descendants, the Economoses learn they may have even more half-siblings in Illinois. Itâs been a long, crazy journey for Cassie, and thereâs still plenty of track left on this roller coaster ride. You wonât want to miss the stunning conclusion to this 33-year adventure. |
The Pandemic Diaries by Melina Druga Cassandra and Nat Hardwick never let his demanding touring schedule get in the way of their romance. But will spending lockdown together put their relationship on the ropes? Nat Hardwickâs career has kept him away from home for much of his marriage to Cassie, but the two have never had trouble keeping the spark alive. Now that COVID-19 has shut down the country, Natâs band has been forced to suspend its current tour, which means heâll be home for the foreseeable future. Not that anything feels âforeseeableâ with the pandemic ravaging the globe. The Hardwick kids are in existential crisis, and their parents arenât faring much better. Carving out privacy has never been a problem before, but being packed in the house like sardines frustrates Cassie and her husband at every turn. With COVID closing in, the Hardwicks must weather all the pandemicâs greatest hits, including a toilet paper shortage, a scandalous Zoom call, the rising death toll, and the realization that things may never go back to ânormal.â As heartfelt, hilarious, and high heat as its predecessors, this new installment in The Rock Starâs Wife series takes readers through the ups and downs of pandemic life, as seen through Cassieâs ever-observant eye. |
Family Upheaval by Melina Druga Family drama is the name of the game in this emotional follow-up to Sex and Surprises, as Cassandra Hardwick is forced to deal with the fallout when a casually taken DNA test turns up some life-changing results. Cassie was just trying to support her best friend. Shawna never knew who her parents were, but jumping into the deep end with genetic testing was too scary to go it alone. Neither of them expected to find a bunch of strangers listed among Cassieâs closest relations. When Cassie was growing up, it seemed like her extended family always had each otherâs backs. Thatâs what tight-knit clans do, after all. Looking back on it, however, maybe things havenât always been as happy as she thought. How did she miss the warning signs? And what is she supposed to do when she finds out these new relatives might want to get to know her? Moving through the final years of the 2010s, the sixth entry in The Rock Starâs Wife sees alliances tested and familial bonds broken, as Cassie and her family â those she grew up with and ones only recently uncovered â reckon with their now-complicated history. |
Sex & Surprises by Melina Druga Cassandra Hardwick wouldnât trade having her globetrotting husband home for anything, but will their barely tested parenting plans hold up when a new baby gets added to the mix? Cassieâs spent the last five years feeling like a single parent to Megan and Josh while Nat was touring the country with Dramatic Sneezer. Now that his wifeâs writing career is taking off, however, thereâs less pressure on Nat to play show after relentless show, and he can finally offer Cassie some much-needed relief from running the household. Of course, thatâs not all he brings to the table. With no tour dates to stand in their way, the couple waste no time indulging their high libidos. But when Cassie discovers sheâs pregnant with their third child, the routine theyâve just begun to establish gets ripped out from under them, and everything suddenly seems to be in a state of flux. Spanning six years of Cassieâs diary entries, Sex and Surprises follows the eponymous Rock Starâs Wife as she tries to balance a happy marriage, healthy parenting, and a promising career â all while reckoning with the challenges a growing family brings. |
Holiday Homecoming by Melina Druga Set during the events of Rock Star Romance, this wintry interlude in the Rock Starâs Wife series follows two couples wrestling with family drama in the midst of holiday cheer. Cassie Economosâs family hasnât met her new boyfriend yet. To tell the truth, she isnât sure she wants them to; things went catastrophically wrong the last time she brought a guy home for the holidays. To avoid embarrassment and hopefully save her burgeoning romance from crashing and burning in the aftermath, Cassie puts Nat through meet-the-Economoses bootcamp in the weeks leading up to Christmas. But trouble is brewing back home in Sterling, where Jennifer, Cassieâs friend turned cousin-by-marriage, has just learned her absentee father wants to rebuild his relationship with his daughters. No one seems to know how Jennifer should respond â least of all herself. Meanwhile, the men in Cassieâs and Jenniferâs lives are just trying to make it through the holidays. Philâs willing to try anything to help his wife weather the coming storm, and Nat just wants to make a good first impression and ease his girlfriendâs fears. Holiday Homecoming moves between these four young narrators as they figure out where they stand against external forces and internal desires. |
Christmas Surprise by Melina Druga This multi-POV interquel in the Rock Starâs Wife series follows four young adults through one fateful holiday break in the year 2000. Double first cousins Cassie and Phil might be all grown up, but that doesnât mean theyâre exempt from their conservative Greek familyâs expectations. And by dating non-Greeks, theyâve gone and kicked a hornetâs nest. Spending the 2000 holidays at home in Sterling, IL, Phil and his girlfriend, Jennifer, wrestle with their desires for the future. Theyâre in love, but his family objects. Besides, Philâs proposed courthouse wedding is not the event Jenniferâs been dreaming of. Cassieâs parents have similar misgivings about her relationship with her boyfriend, Corey. But unlike her cousin, Cassie isnât sure that spending the rest of her life with him is in the cards, given their disparate post-graduation plans. Moving between Cassie, Corey, Phil, and Jennifer, Christmas Surprise offers a profound look at the inner lives of young Gen-Xers. With the girlsâ college graduation â and what comes after â looming on the horizon, these four must try to find solid ground in an ever-changing world where nothing is certain, even as the countdown to winter breakâs end ticks closer. |
The Reason Jude Exists by A Morgan âAmy and my love story began when my first love story ended. What youâre about to read wonât be pretty, but it is an epic tale of love, personal growth, and the things in life that both get in the way and open the door to the best relationships of our lives.â -Jude Kendrick ~ When Jude became a widower and a single dad aged just thirty-six his life went into a tailspin. Now he tells his unique and heart-wrenching story of how he navigated the complexities of falling in love again, overshadowed by grief and reluctant fatherhood. Falling in love in your late thirties presents many challenges, not least because very few people get to this age without excess relationship baggage. Jude has more than his fair share with his dead wife and overflowing black book. Amy on the other hand, hasn't had children yet, and with the clock ticking, Jude is far from the right man for her to get involved with despite his overwhelming belief that he is. Their story takes place in middle-class England where success is measured by impressive careers, beautiful homes, and fancy cars; yet everyone is failing miserably where it truly at being happy. With his heart on his sleeve and his ego in check, Jude takes a chance at happiness with Amy in the face of the external forces threatening to keep their love tantalisingly out of reach. |
A Trashy New Year Romance by Sinnamon Carnelian Start the new year off with a bang in this captivating tale of resilience and unexpected romance. Paige never expected her world to crumble right before her eyes on New Year's Day. But when she catches her long-term boyfriend engaging in a scandalous affair with her own stepsister, her whole life implodes. Fueled by heartache and determination, Paige decides to leave it all behind and returns to her hometown. As she dives headfirst into the uncertain waters of starting over, Paige finds solace in an old friend's generous job offer. Working at a bustling restaurant and bar seems like the perfect escape, but nothing could prepare her for the enigmatic Duke Griffin, her new boss. Who seems more interested in her than her work ethic. In this tale of redemption, unexpected connections emerge as Paige navigates the tangled web of her shattered past. Will she find the strength to heal her heart, or will Duke's undeniable charm become an enticing distraction? Join Paige on her riveting journey as she discovers that sometimes unexpected beginnings can lead to happy endings. |
A Trashy Christmas Romance by Sinnamon Carnelian Holly Jolly Cromwell hated Christmas after being born on it. Everything about it annoyed her. The repetitive music. How it took over November and smothered Thanksgiving. Those creepy elves that were supposed to watch the children and make sure they were nice and not naughty. Most of all, she was sour over the fact that she could never celebrate her birthday. Her older brother and golden child of the family never grew out of his childhood bullying and tantrums over her getting both Christmas and birthday gifts her first birthday, and it followed her long into her adult years. She forced herself to smile and get through it for the sake of her younger siblings and keeping the peace with her parents. However, year after year of being the backup caregiver for her younger siblings and dealing with the golden child, she found herself starting to slip. A chance meeting at a club leads her into the arms of a man who has the missing pieces she never knew she lost. |
You I Lie With by Meghan Davis Have you ever watched an apocalypse movie and, instead of admiring the stunts in the foreground, found yourself distracted wondering about the fate of a sweet-looking, nameless couple in the background? This is their story. Sam and Ally are stranded in a hotel during a catastrophic winter storm. Their bond with each other grows stronger as the world around them begins to crumble. A romantic, atmospheric, slice-of-life apocalypse novella that explores what it means to love unconditionally and grapples with what it means to die well. |
The Space Ace of Mangleby Flat by Larre Bildeston On paper, things look fine. Sam Dennon recently inherited significant wealth from his uncle. As a respected architect, Sam spends his days thinking about the family needs and rich lives of his clients. But privately? Even his enduring love of amateur astronomy is on the wane. Sam has built a sustainable-architecture display home for himself but hasn't yet moved into it, preferring to sleep in his cocoon of a campervan. Although they never announced it publicly, Sam's wife and business partner ended their marriage years ago due to lack of intimacy, leaving Sam with the sense he is irreparably broken. Now his beloved uncle has died. An intensifying fear manifests as health anxiety, with night terrors from a half-remembered early childhood event. To assuage the loneliness, Sam embarks on a Personal Happiness Project: 1. Get a pet dog 2. Find a friend. Just one. Not too intense. As Sam comes to terms with the shameful family secrets revealed in a series of letters left to him by his deceased uncle, Sam falls in love again: first with his adopted poodle-cross, and then, much more slowly, with a kind and generous trans woman from his tennis club. Reina is so visibly and proudly queer Sam canât imagine the two of them share a single thing in common. If only humans came with a guide book... |
As We Convene: An Anthology of Time and Place by Casie Bazay, Amanda Bender, Shelli Cornelison, Emiliy Gray, Elizabeth Holden, Sara Kapadia, Jennifer Kaul, Alexandra Z. Lazar, C.M. Leyva, Gerardo J. Mercado, Christian H. Morales, K. Psych, J. Ophelia Vazquez, Angela Sanchez, Nico Vasquez, Mary Winsor The moors of Wuthering Heights. The Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. The Blackwood mansion in We Have Always Lived In The Castle. The planet Uriel in A Wrinkle in Time. Many stories that stand the test of time have a central place at the crux of the plot â a main locale. These places are so central, they seem to transfigure themselves into one of the main characters. The locale grows and shifts, becoming the focus, the place in which the plot hinges and the characters thrive. The locale becomes integral to the story, so much so that it is impossible to set the story anywhere else. In this anthology, sixteen varied locales have been gathered to visit. From outer space to the Grand Canyon, from Florida swamps to the orange groves of California, the setting of these stories takes center stage. The collected stories here range across genre, from speculative to more contemporary works. Each story will bring you into a world, maybe similar to our own, maybe different. Either way, youâll feel well-traveled after exploring these beautiful locales. |
Bruce at Fifty by Everett T. Ruth Bruce Lewis is a badass. He eats Cheerios without the milk. He stirs his coffee with Slim Jims. Heck â he wears Tuesdayâs pajamas on Monday! Total badass, right? Since turning fifty, however, Father Time is showing Bruce whoâs Boss. Will Bruce prevail with his pride intact, or will his leather pants make way for dad jeans with built-in creases? Join Bruce as he discovers what Fifty ultimately means. |
Don't Break Hearts by Gwen Leonhard "I donât have many rules that I follow during my travels here. Donât fall in love. Donât get attached. Remember what you came for. But most importantly: Donât break hearts." ---------- NSFWâs Tales tells the Story of a Succubus named Natt Serene Fiona Williams. With her cold demeanor, it may be hard to believe that she fights for the oppressed and weak, to give them the tools they need to find a new strength to get through their life, but you better believe that this is the case. She may be doing this with some unconventional methods, but the results are just as effective as they are kinky. While this story is definitely ânot safe for work.â It focuses on some of its parts on the explicit sexual depiction in some form, but it is way more than just simple porn. |
I Tried Calling by Austin Abbott "This book is a collection of the voices you hear after a tape rewinds. The voices from your past you never thought you'd hear again. The voices that wash over the quiet of your apartment when you walk inside from the rain and see a blinking light and press play." Written by Austin Abbott, this is a book of short stories formatted as transcripts of messages left on answering machines. AUDIO VERSION AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE: https://numerochair.bandcamp.com/album/i-tried-calling-the-recordings |
Kill All The Dogs by Rick Berry Are we defined by the things that happen to us, or the things we make happen to others? Ten-year-old Nathan Hyde is playing in a tree house, when he witnesses a vicious attack on his best friendâs younger sisters. Life is never the same again. Many years later, Nathan finds himself in the lower reaches of a government department, when an opportunity to confront his demons and enact revenge presents itself. A mystery illness is taking hold in the population, at the very moment a scheming, attention-seeking politician becomes Nathanâs new boss. It canât happen, can it? In the farcical world of politics, anything is possible. Nathan Hyde is going to kill all the dogs. Part psychological drama, part political satire, Kill All The Dogs is the story of how of a personal trauma becomes twisted into a national tragedy. |
The Chronicles of the Virago: Book III the Triumviratus by Michael Bialys Makenna Grace Gold is the Virago. At barely thirteen-years-old, she has been entrusted by the forces of good to protect her twin siblings Emi and Noah from the evil forces that seek to destroy them. The infant twins are destined to lead our world into its next age of Hope and Enlightenment: if and only if they survive In this follow up to the series, the stakes have just gotten higher. Makennaâs Dadâs soul has been captured and is being transported to the lowest levels of Hell. Makenna must stay on Earth to protect her siblings while her two best friends Stephen Levine a gifted clairvoyant and Samuel Taylor a genius level Game-master, traverse the nine levels of hell to rescue her Dadâs imperiled soul and bring him back to Earth. The heroic efforts and talents of these three friends will be tested to their limits, while the future of Makennaâs family and the entire World is at stake. It will take all of their combined gifts to defeat the forces of Evil this time. |
A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute by Miya Malai No, I didnât meet him by my bangles getting caught in his sleeve. Or by grabbing his hand from a running train. No, instead he met me with a Darcy-like disdain you wonât ever see in a Bollywood movie. Bollywood movies and smutty romance novels are every Desi girl's guilty pleasure. And I had the crazy idea to combine the two... âMiya Malai |
Deliver Me by Ashley Hawthorne She's a pastor's daughter. He's a convicted killer. Forever may be out of reach when she falls in love with one of the dangerous ones. Faith is more than just a word to Mia Anderson. It's the foundation of her life as a pastor's daughter. At home in her church and at peace with her beliefs, she decides to participate in a program to send letters to inmates regardless of what sins they may have committed. Gabriel Myers is a convicted criminal, serving life in prison for his father's murder. Facing a hopeless future and haunted by a past that has left him full of contempt for God and the church, he wants nothing to do with Mia until she proves she can understand the man everyone believes is a monster. With each letter that's exchanged, Mia becomes more aware that although Gabriel has never denied his crime, there is more to the story than the jury was allowed to hear. As reluctant friendship turns to seemingly ill-fated love, she knows she must convince him to appeal the verdict. Dealing with the Texas justice system is a long shot, but the only chance they have to finally be together outside the walls of Gabriel's prison. Winning his freedom will give them a chance at happiness but can they finally find bliss in each other's arms or will the challenges they face and their divergent beliefs destroy their love for good? |
Holding Up the Sky by Rebecca Alasdair A closeted Australian teen learns that there are some things love alone canât conquer in this novel for fans of Heartstopper, Adam Silvera, and Sophie Gonzales. Everyone knows Carter Cantwell: brainiac, music nerd, school captain. Total overachiever. What no one knows about him: all of it is a sham. The real Carter is an anxious mess still drowning in grief after tragedy ripped his family apart. Heâs just gotten good at pretending. Then he meets Remy. Brazen, charming, and everything heâs not, Remy blazes into Carterâs orderly world and turns his defences to ash. But as Carter juggles new responsibilities at school, old troubles at home, and this boy he canât seem to stay away from, he starts cracking under the pressure. With his secrets leaking out and all that heâs worked for falling apart in his hands, Carter faces the hardest choice of his life: succumb to his demons, or fight for the future he never knew he wanted. But when youâre lost in the dark, how do you find your way back? |
Angels: The LGBTQ+ YA story you've been waiting for: friendship, identity, attraction, disasters ... and finding your wings by Rachel Churcher Angels is the LGBTQ+ YA story youâve been waiting for: friendship, identity, attraction, disasters ⊠and finding your wings. Angels have lived among us for as long as we can remember. They donât have powers, but they do have wings. Theyâve always hidden their wings, and who they are â until Kane. Melodie Abbott remembers the day she saw Kaneâs taboo-shattering billboard. A beautiful model showing his wings on Oxford Street, on a photo as tall as a building. When sixteen-year-old Mel finally meets her idol, disaster strikes. Can she find a way to free herself from his shadow, and what will her future hold? âAngelsâ is a coming-of-age story, a university heartbreak novel with a twist, a celebration of friendship and desire, and an exploration of attraction, identity and self-expression. It takes courage to find your wings ⊠|
I Am Alex Locus by Joseph P. Garland Twenty-three-year-old Alex Locus stumbles into the world of her late mother, Emily. With each revelation, she learns things she could not have imagined, and struggles to find the truth about her family. Emily had a long-term date with a friend on Friday afternoons. On one of those Fridays, August 8, 2008, though, she suffered a stroke that she did not survive. Nine years later, Alex is passing time at a New York bookshop, enjoying an author read from her collection of stories. Her life changes forever when learns of the existence of the "Emily Locus Award." She introduces herself: "I am Alex Locus." This begins a quest by Alex and her best friend Kate to learn the truth about her mother, starting with their reading the unpublished stories that for years sat in the attic of Alex's one-time suburban home. A quest that will reveal secrets, good and bad, about the family members she knew and some she only came to meet in her search. |
GENMOS: Conclusions by Stephen Coghlan BOOK 3 in the Genetically Modified Species, GENMOS Beaten, but not broken. Divided, but not conquered. With the steps of the process now in their enemiesâ possession, the children and allies of The Genmos Project hurry to foil their foesâ plans on multiple fronts â from fighting them in the highest reaches of government, to freeing their trapped allies, to stopping the General in a face-to-face and all-out war â despite their numbers being thinned from the trials they have faced along the way. As their inevitable showdowns conclude, lives will be lost, dynamics forever changed, and the secrets of the origin of The Genmos Project will be revealed. |