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Little White Flowers by Amber Hathaway When she and her brother venture to Evanston, Maine to clean out an estranged relativeâs estate, horror enthusiast Alice Drayonâs life begins paralleling her favorite page-turners. The sojourn in their grandmotherâs âwickedâ hometown provides the perfect opportunity for Alice to delve into Grammieâs mysterious past. However, she soon discovers that the horrific event that drove Grammie away is but one small piece of the townâs blighted history. Confronted with increasing hostility from Evanstonâs insular religious community as she closes in on the truth, Alice must risk everything to save lives. Her soft-spoken new neighbor, Riley Moore, seems to have answers ... and some dark secrets of his own. Can Alice trust him to help her put an end to Evanstonâs insidious practices, or will she become yet another casualty? |
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Chalice of Caladriai by N.P. Thompson A desperate quest. An elusive cure. A team on the edge... With the dark emperor finally vanquished, things should be going well for Ty and his friends. But six months after returning to Ordanna, Ty is still guilt-ridden and struggling to cope with what happened in the Poison Jungle. When an old friend begs him to come back to Arcania, Ty is reluctant to return to the scene of so much heartbreak. But when he learns there may be a way to save Sasha and restore the still-enchanted crows, he knows he has to try â even after the return triggers a life-threatening magical illness of his own. As Ty and his friends race to track down an elusive remedy said to reverse any curse, they uncover a secret from the earliest days of the dark sorcerer's reign and face a series of dangerous trials that will push them to the limit. With relationships already tested by the aftermath of the battle, will the hunt for the cure be what finally fixes everything or will it only tear the team apart for good? |
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Stone of Serpents by N.P. Thompson A race against time to stop a deadly weapon leads to an epic showdown that will change everything⌠Certain he knows the whereabouts of the weapon coveted by Gideon Blackthorn, Ty returns to Ordanna in a desperate attempt to save both his best friend and the two worlds. When the risky plan backfires, Ty and his friends are forced to fleeâinto the most dangerous place in all of Arcania. Now hunted through lethal surroundings by the emperor himself, Ty finds himself in the biggest fight of his life, determined to finally put an end to the dark sorcererâs reign of terror. But when everything goes terribly wrong, will the people he cares about most be the ones to pay the price? |
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Tied to Hell (Monsters of Brimrey Island #2) by Vee Debras The devil offered me a deal. Now he regrets it. Picture meâthe loser. Twenty-five, stuck at home with my older sister, a job that pays pennies, and sickening amounts of medical debt. Sounds like fun? Enter the reason for all of the above: the chronic pain Iâve been suffering from for almost a decade and that I will never get rid of. Now picture himâthe demon whispering in my ear. I get one wish, he says. Anything. In exchange, he gets my body for just ten hours a day. For just seven weeks. Pretty sweet deal, right? And itâs obvious what Iâm going to ask for. Well, thatâs what he thought. He couldnât imagine thereâs something that haunts me more than my pain. Something I would give anything to fix. So now heâs stuck with me, suffering and trying to convince me to change my wish, but thereâs nothing that could make me give up what I asked for. Not even that purring, sultry voice that tells me we could be doing something other than fight for control. Tied to Hell is an MM monster romance with a trans love interest, lots of banter, angst, and spice. Though best enjoyed after the first book in the Monsters of Brimrey Island series, it can be read as a standalone and has a HEA. Check out the rest of the series for more queer characters finding love in this small town on a haunted island. |
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Tied to the Waves (Monsters of Brimrey Island #1) by Vee Debras The ocean was the end of my parents' livesâhe might be the start of mine. *An angsty MX monster romance* In an ideal world, my dead parentsâ waterfront house would rot with them. In an ideal world, I wouldnât need the money from selling it, and I wouldâve never returned to the island I fled from at eighteen. But life is never kind to people like me, is it? So Iâm back where I left the friends who broke my heart and the ex whose bruised fingerprints I still canât scrub off my skin. The second-to-last thing I need right now is an injured, unconscious merman drifting over to my dock. And the last, the way he tells me Iâm beautiful when he wakes up. Tied to the Waves is an MX monster romance with a nonbinary protagonist, a sweet love interest, lots of hurt/comfort, dark themes, and spice. As a full-length novel with a HEA, it can be read as a standalone or as the first book in a series full of trans characters set in the small town of Brimrey Island. |
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Mirror of Wolves by N.P. Thompson Two children forged by fire, of Arcania but raised apart. Which one is the true prophesied savior of the worlds? Plagued by nightmares after his encounter with the evil Emperor Blackthorn and tormented by the revelations about his motherâs death, Ty has become obsessed with his magical training. When he learns of a mystical object with the power to show him whether he really is the one destined to end the dark sorcererâs reign, he is determined to track it downâno matter the cost. But when his quest takes a shocking turn, will Ty still find the answers he needs, or will his relentless hunt for the truth jeopardize everything? |
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The Heavens Within Our Grasp by The Furry Historical Fiction Society When empires collapse, when plague and invasion threaten, when the knowledge and culture of the old order is slipping away and being forgotten, it is writing that safeguards the future. Study these tales, then. By candlelight, by lamplight, by the noonday sun. Find in them the strength, and weakness, of feudal monarchs, the piety of monks both literal and figurative, and the fear of forgetting and being forgotten that is the beginning of knowledge: for it is these which may yet put The Heavens Within Our Grasp. |
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You Look Lost, Pup by Rob MacWolf Early fall. A werewolf pack, in procession, on the highway. From campground to crossroad, from state line to state park, from motel to mountain pass to mourning they chase not just their grief, but a question: how did they each get there, and who will bring them home? Because each looks in the mirror and says... And then, late spring. A lone wanderer, with more hope than is wise and less time than he knows, carrying what he believes to be good news but which is really a question, saying to all who will listen... At last, high summer. A young werewolf feels, with all the desperation of youth, that he's waited all his life to find the place he belongs, if only he can find the right person to say to him... And you, as well, who read this now. You look lost, pup. |
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Of Late Belonging by Rob MacWolf Dying is simple. It is always a more complex thing to sustain oneself. Roy Enderlin has lived the simple life of a gay wolf in a small town. Isolated, lonely, and without ever questioning the assumption that the husky he dated in high school was his only chance at love and belonging. Though he doesn't have it in him to try again, he can't help wanting to belong, as a starving wolf can't help but want food. Graham Faulkner lives the complex life of a promiscuous older gay puma in a rural backwater, balanced between possum boyfriends, beaver boyfriends of boyfriends, raccoon husbands-in-all-but-name, not to mention kinky hookups. Graham has everything he needs from life. Roy does not. But fixing a life will not be a simple thing, and Roy will have a lot to learn about himself before he can feel like he again belongs. |
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Everything Not Saved by N M J Coveney A debut Queer YA novel combining the power of video games, and the potential of young love with magic, horror and the supernatural. Praise for Everything Not Saved : "THINK SEX EDUCATION MEETS BUFFY. MY MIND WAS BLOWN!" - Justin Arnold "RIVETING...TOLD WITH HEART AND PASSION BY AN EXCITING NEW VOICE IN YA FICTION" - Benjamin Dean "A GRIPPING PAGETURNER FOR GAYMERS YOUNG AND OLD" - Will Kostakis "A BREEZY AND HEARTWARMING ODE TO GAY GEEK CULTURE" - L.C. Rosen 'CHILD OF DARKNESS, CHILD OF LIGHT, ONE BORN TO MOURN, THE OTHER TO FIGHT. TEACH WHAT YOU KNOW. SEAL THE BELOW.' Everything Not Saved follows two very different teenage Mikey Redman & Kris Dwyer and the unlikely bond between them. The boys' shared love of computer games glues them together over the years and helps them overcome struggles at school and at home. While they try and understand what is happening to their friendship, and figure out why increasingly unpleasant things are happening in Pytt End. There's more magick about both of them than they realise. There's also more than it seems to the creepy well in Mikey's back garden, where an ancient evil is stirring underneath the village. Can they save the world without losing each other? |
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Scargoâs Cape Cod Adventures by Dr Valarie Whiting The story comes from Wampanoag oral tradition. Princess Scargo was the daughter of a Native American chief. One version says a young brave gave her four fish as a gift before he left for a journey. She wanted to keep them alive, so her father and the villagers dug out a lake to hold themâtoday called Scargo Lake, in Dennis, Massachusetts. The lake was filled with rainwater or diverted from another water source. When the brave returned, the fish had grown and thrived, and he was impressed by her dedication. The story is associated with themes of love, patience, resourcefulness, and the connection between people and nature. The shape of the lake and nearby Scargo Tower are said to resemble parts of the story. Be sure to look for the additional books in the Scargoâs Cape Cod Adventures series and the companion coloring books! ⨠Dream, Discover, and Delight in the Magic of Cape Cod! ⨠Join baby Scargo on a dream-filled journey where family stories, sparkling lakes, and the legend of a Wampanoag princess come to life. This book invites children and their families to: đď¸ Explore Cape Codâs beauty đď¸ Learn through imagination đď¸ Celebrate family traditions đď¸ Enjoy Native American folklore |
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What if he didn't have to quit you? In the heart of Oklahomaâs sprawling Rainbow Ranch, Boone Adams thrives as the vibrant soul behind the kitchen, tirelessly whipping up meals that warm both body and spirit. As the younger twin to the brooding Beau, Boone embraces his role as the ultimate caretaker, pouring his heart into nourishing his family and friends. His sunny disposition and unwavering concern for his siblings mask a deeper longing for recognition and self-care. Everything changes when Wylie Anderson arrivesâa rugged cowboy battling his own demons and desperate for a fresh start. Drawn to the ranch to earn some quick cash, Wylie has no intentions of sticking around after the monthly rodeo. As their paths intertwine, Booneâs nurturing spirit clashes with Wylieâs hardened exterior, igniting a tension neither expected. Will Booneâs unwavering kindness break through Wylieâs tough façade, revealing the warmth beneath? And can Wylie help Boone discover the importance of prioritizing his own happiness? In this tale of love, self-discovery, and the power of connection, two opposites just might find a way to complement each other and heal their own hearts. |
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Cut to the Feeling by AJ Truman and MA Wardell For Bryce Derrickson, rejection is nothing new. Heâs used to Broadway casting directors seeing his size and assuming he canât be a graceful dancer. But getting dumped with no notice is a special kind of burn. At least his sweet dog Bobo still loves him. As if being left without warning isnât bad enough, Bryceâs ex sublets their apartment without telling him, leaving him without a place to live. When his new âroommateâ turns out to be a stuffy, elbow-patches-on-blazer, permanent-frown-on-face professor, Bryce is furious. No way will he give up his bohemian pad without a fight. Years ago, Emerson Grant was on the fast track to being a preeminent scholar in his field, but his lack of people skills has kept him stuck at a commuter school in a cornfield. Landing a guest lecturing spot at a prestigious New York institution could be the jet fuel his career needs to finally take off. That is, if the man and dog blatantly squatting in his sublet donât drive him bananas first. Sharing a one-bedroom apartment with a stranger is a New York rite of passage. Sharing it with a stranger you might be falling for is something else entirely. |
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Snapdragon: A Thumbelina Retelling (A Garden of Fairy Tales) by Sarah Beran A spunky florist. A dying kingdom. A bond that could change the fate of a realm. Persephinaâs idea of a perfect future has always involved exactly two her mother and their little flower shop. Sure, marriage would be nice, but itâs hard to find love when the only men Percy meets are there to buy flowers for their sweetheartsâŚuntil a mysterious, handsome stranger shows up in her shop. But all is not as it seems, and when an innocent walk goes disastrously wrong, Percy finds herself in a whole new realm of trouble. Literally. Trapped in the dying Fairy Realm, Percy is left with no choice but to seek help from the so-called Lord of Death. Just when it looks like a future is going to blossom, however, secrets come to light that could change everything. Because fairy princes are not all that they seem. And in the end, death comes for all. Spring has sprung with these seven swoony sweet retellings. Each novella finds its happily ever after amidst themes of rebirth, hope, and new life. Each book is fully independent and they can be read in any order. âSnapdragonâ is a combined retelling of Thumbelina and Hades and Persephone, featuring tropes such as Found Family, Grumpy/Sunshine, and Hidden Identity. |
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Meet Me in the Woods by Courtney Reece When Lowen Lawrence is invited to participate in the annual Moon Water Ritual, she unknowingly unlocks an ancient curse, turning her life upside-down. With two mysterious--and gorgeous--strangers pop up in her sleepy Midwest town of Moon Creek, Lowen is both intrigued and alarmed. Sebastian, with his forward flirtation, and Wesley, who seems steady and familiar, both appear to be keeping secrets. The problem is: Lowen can't seem to stay away from either of them. When teens are found murdered in town, Lowen understands how dangerous her life has become since Sebastian and Wesley recklessly barged into it. With the help of her friends, Noah and Taylor, she must dive into the mysteries of alchemy, telepathy, and witchcraft in order to figure out who is haunting the woods of Moon Creek, or else become a ghost herself. |
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Horns For Hell by rafael nicolĂĄs In between Angels Before Man and Angels & Man: The fallen angel of fruit Rosier lives among cold caves and fiery demons with a soft heart succumbing to comfortable misery. He shares a bed with the monster who'd been his most beloved friend in Heaven, captive now to a beastly body of eternal rot. If there is any love left between them, it's surely a ghost fading with each daybreak. But when the devil commands Rosier to have the Earth bloom with its first fruits â Rosier must confront whether there is really any life after falling from paradise and whether there is really any solace in abandoning all hope. (Contains spoilers for both full-length Angels books). |
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When Flowers Wilt by G.E. Masters To keep her soul, she'll have to make a deal with the Devil. The Dark Lady comes for a witch's soul on their eighteenth birthday. That's the way it's always been, but Vivian's instincts are telling her to run. So she does. Fleeing from home and denouncing all magic, she spends the next ten years with one foot out the door, terrified that the ruler of Hell will come knocking. But when her suppressed magic finally breaks free and the Dark Lady tracks her down, it's not to claim her soul. Covens have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances and she needs Vivian--and her magic--to stop it. Using the Dark Lady's desperation, Vivian strikes a deal: she will help, but only if she gets to keep her soul. As her connection to both her magic and to the alluring ruler of Hell gets stronger, Vivian uncovers the horrifying truth: there is something far more dangerous than the Devil out there, and it's coming for her. |
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High Lord Crossbody Iâve given up a lot to pursue a career in professional wrestling, and Iâm not going to have it all derailed by an uncouth ghoul with a huge chip on his shoulder, who decided he disliked me for no reason on his very first day at Goliaths. Vince Burke has been the thorn in my side for five long years, but things have taken a turn for the worse. The management is threatening to get involved. I refuse to let Burke take the life Iâve worked so hard to build from me, so I try to be on my best behaviour at work, but something about him just gets to me. He consumes my thoughts. I canât stand him. And when something happens between us that leaves me feeling completely unmoored, I find myself thinking about him constantly. Heâs taken all the control, and I need to get it back. Because I liked it too much, and I canât let myself feel that way about him. Vince âRolling Rimmerâ Burke I love everything about my job as a professional wrestler at Goliaths of Wrestling, an underground supernatural wrestling organisation. I love the showmanship. The costumes. The crowds. The ring and the arena. My co-workers. Well, except one. High Lord Crossbody, the royal fae whoâs an actual prince, is a pompous snob and a pain in my backside. Everything about him rankles meâhis clipped drawl, his disdainful sneer, his stupid long legs and eerily perfect face and sultry hooded eyes⌠I hate everything about him. I do. So when our mutual dislike boils over in a very public argument, then explodes into something even hotter and completely inappropriate, Iâm left confused and even more annoyed. Because now I want him. And I hate that I want him. |
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Angels & Man by rafael nicolĂĄs A Queer Retelling of the Watcher's Flood The angel Azazel is miserable in Heaven. In the aftermath of Satan's fall, the angels live in the reconstructed ruins of an old utopia, oppressive and paranoid of any new rebellion. The angel Samyaza is content in Heaven, but he longs for the eternal city's former glory. Watching the feeble humans below, wallowing in sin for centuries after Adam and Eve, he sees opportunity to earn back the Lordâs favor. On Earth, the Watcher angels arrive to lecture on God's love, but the love of a human soon begins to seem much warmer. |
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Oh, Sacred Dark by Marina Vivancos Tylerâs first priority is to protect his coven. Not because heâs the High Witchâs right-hand-man. Not because he was born a Dom. But because this is his home, and a protector is who he is. When a new person is fostered by the coven, Tyler is immediately suspicious. Roman is a sub, sure, but his old coven is bad news. Theyâre all convicted of practicing Chaos Magic, soâŚwhy isnât Roman? Tyler is sure that Roman is up to no good. The sub refuses to integrate with the coven. Will avoid meals, barely leaves his room, doesnât talk to anybody. Thereâs something wrong there, and Tyler wonât stop until he finds out what. Turns out, thereâs a lot more to Roman than meets the eyeâa dark past thatâs left scars he canât even imagine. In the end, Roman might not be someone Tyler has to defend againstâŚbut someone he needs to protect. Coven Ties takes place in a universe where magic exists, and everybody is born either a Dom or a sub. This book contains themes of abuse and trauma with a focus on healing, love, and found family. |
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Choking On Will-O'-Wisps by H.S. Wolfe I wanted my life to change but not like this, not stuck in a faerie circle trying to outwit these horrifying twins. I might not be clever, or quick, but Iâm stubborn⌠and maybe that will be enough to survive a night of their games. |
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On a routine supply run in post-apocalyptic North America, Julian Doyle and his son Callum get caught in a dust storm with another member of their group, Roy. They find shelter in an old military base that doesn't appear to be on any of their maps, despite being close to well-travelled routes. Everything seems safe despite Julian's initial misgivings, and they agree to stay the night. Everything goes to plan until Julian wakes in a strange part of the base with even stranger plants, three days missing from his memory and food supply, and Callum acting erratic and feverish. Roy is convinced that there's something horrible happening, and that Callum somehow caused it. Torn between loyalty to his friend and keeping his son safe at all costs, Julian has to figure out what's wrong with this place, why Callum is acting the way he is, and how he can keep the peace between all three of them. But there's something hungry and wrong in this abandoned base, something that's changing the world around them, and changing them. They're running out of time to figure out what happened to those who came before, and escape this place with its weird, mutating plants that distort how he feels about his son. Just how far is he willing to go to save Callum? Made in Blood is a dark, taboo 33k word novella that includes a consanguineous relationship between a father and son, and it is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Please check CWs before purchasing. |
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Adam is a trans art student who frequents an underground, illegal plasma donation center to pay for college expenses. His doctor, the too-pretty, androgynous Dr. Mede, offers him the deal of a lifetime: experimental surgery to help his failing heart for twenty-five grand, no strings attached. It sounds too good to be true, but Adam is desperate to make ends meet and to get a shot at living a normal life. He gets a lot more than he signed up for, though. As the aftereffects of the surgery send him into a spiral of lust, taboo urges, and surreal magic, Dr. Mede is nowhere to be found, and Adam falls into a cycle of obsession. Will Adam survive his metamorphosis? |
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After yet another boring work conference, Tyler isn't expecting anything when he accepts a dinner invitation from his "work husband,â Jackson, and Jackson's actual husband, Sky. Sure, he's noticed how well Jackson's shoulders fill out his dress shirts, and Sky is quite possibly the most gorgeous person he's ever met, but they're married, and Tyler is as single as it gets. He also has a rough track record with relationships, spending most of his life being accused of being a player, even though all he's ever wanted is close friendship and good sex. ââ When both Sky and Jackson proposition him, he accepts eagerly, and falls into a whirlwind fling that turns into two incredible friendshipsâand the sex is amazing! â Unfortunately, he doesn't know what that means for him and his continued uncertainty about romantic relationships. When everything comes to a head, will Tyler work out what he wantsâand needsâin a relationship? You're Ours is a â Check out this LGBTQIA+ romance novella with polyamorous, queer, trans, and aromantic rep . |
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Finn I wasnât even supposed to be going to the reunion. Chloe needed help packing up her momâs house and I offered to go back to Gomillion with her, as any best friend would. That doesnât mean I want to reunite with people I havenât seen in over twenty years. Iâm even less interested in socializing at the town bar, especially with the former captain of the football team who I shared a kiss with at the end of senior year. Thereâs no way heâll recognize me, and even if he does, I donât know what heâd think of how much Iâve changed. Iâm finally the man Iâve always known I was, but thatâs not how Brad Willson used to know me. Brad Everything is finally coming together. I got the promotion Iâve been working towards for years, and Iâm back in town to celebrate with all my high school buddies⌠except itâs been tough to keep up with everyone. My job runs me ragged, from one end of the country to the other, recruiting for college football so I can one day hope to become the a coach. Part of me has started to wonder if all these lonely nights are worth it, and the gorgeous guy I run into at the bar isnât helping the matter. When it turns out heâs more than just a random guy, what does that mean for my new job and for me? |
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Almost a year after the murder that shook Lobell College to its core, the start of a new academic year brings familiar faces back to the scene of the crime. Daniel Rosenbaum starts his first year as dean of the English department and takes a hands-on role in advising students. Lily Peterson and Gianna dâAngelo return to continue their undergrad studies after the death of the professor they were both in love with. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Hudson, Tony dâAngelo is working hard. With his sister back in college, itâs all hands on deck to keep his dadâs auto shop running and take care of his infant niece. He still finds time to spend most nights with his boyfriend, Daniel, although he canât seem to find the words to talk to his family about his relationship. Tonyâs life is exactly what heâs always wanted it to beâso why does he feel like heâs struggling to be himself? When a Lobell professor is once again found murdered, the idyll of the last months is turned on its head. Can Tony and Daniel stay out of harmâs way this time? Or will the fragile new peace theyâve found together be shattered? |
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Daniel Rosenbaum leads a predictable life. Heâs a professor at Lobell, a small liberal arts college in the Hudson Valley, where he spends his days teaching classes and doing research alongside his friends and fellow professors, Colette and Mario. The biggest change Danielâs routine has seen in years is when car trouble leads him across the Hudson and into an unexpected romantic encounter with local mechanic Tony. When tragedy strikes in the form of Marioâs murder, Danielâs orderly life is thrown into chaos. Not only is his friend dead, it seems Mario was keeping secrets that could cause rifts in Lobellâs close-knit community. At first, Danielâs intensifying relationship with Tony is the only way he can find solace from his grief and confusion. But all too soon, the trail of Marioâs secrets leads Daniel to the same place heâs been seeking comfort: Angel Automotive, the auto repair shop run by Tonyâs family. Before long, Daniel is forced to question everything: his friends, his job, the way he lives his life, and the relationship heâs not even sure heâs in yet. Only one thing is for sure: Daniel is falling heart-firstâin love or into mortal danger. |
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Two for Holding by S.B. Barnes Tom Crowler has been captain of the San Francisco Sea Lions for a decade of failures. With no cups or trophies to show for his time in the NHL, Tom retreated into himself a long time ago, and thatâs exactly where he intends to stay until he retires. But when he catches the new team superstar, Jaxon Grant, in a compromising position, Tom finds it impossible to continue hiding his deepest secret behind a bland, pleasant mask. Jax is everything Tom isnât: loud, flashy, the winner of multiple NHL Awards, andâoh, yeahâgay enough to get traded to San Francisco because of a potential PR scandal with his old team. At first, he thinks Tom catching him means the next trade, the next rejection for being just a little too much for other people to take. When it turns out the two of them have more in common than talent on the ice, though, Jax finds himself drawn in by pulling Tom out. As animosity gives way to a partnership neither of them saw coming, Tom and Jax are left facing new challenges. Will Jaxâs impulsive nature put Tomâs deeply valued privacy at risk? Or will Tomâs reticence force Jax into pretending to be someone he isnât? And if they canât even figure each other out, how can they save a struggling NHL team from bad coaching and internal division? |
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Retelling of the classic Cinderella story, with a gender reverse and old money aesthetic. When a prestigious scholarship competition is announced by the renowned Lagen Institute for Music, Casimir sees an opportunity to be free from life within the Cruz Manor. He finds an unexpected ally in Erik, who appears to be disengaged with everyone and only broods in the school music room. As their bond deepens over their fervent passion for piano, dark secrets and unspoken burdens threaten to tear more than just Casâ dream. |
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Roanne lives in the darkness. In the labyrinth, people exist without words or noise, trying not to provoke the beast down from the mountains. They communicate their fears and uncertainty in sign and whisperâitâs all any of them have ever known. Silence means life, and the dark is a good place to keep secrets. Roanne has spent seventeen years in the labyrinth, never knowing the outside world. While hiding from the minotaur, Roanne discovers a small green journal that holds another secret that could change her path. She also realizes her mother and the Oracle of the labyrinth have kept secrets of their own. Will Roanne be brave enough to do what she must? Or will the minotaur be her undoing after all? |
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Black Smoke Rising by Caroline Cuell After generations of war, the world has settled into an uncomfortable peace, the foundations of which are built on the simple premise laid out in unwritten law â you keep to your own kind. For the fae of Viriador and the elves of Carpathia, this way of life has seen them flourish and thrive, content with their own ways, the stains of bloody wars nothing more than words on pages of old scripture. For the dragon-shifters of Predoran, however, the lust for bloodshed is proving hard to suppress. King Dracul was the one to force the fae and elves from his lands, driven by the need to be cleansed of his sworn enemies. Now though, the disappointments of peace see him craving violence. His decision to take the lands of those he despises threatens to destroy all that has been built â and in doing so will change the course of six lives forever. |
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A Study in Black Brew by Marie Howalt âThey say life is a string of chances held together with grit and guided by passion, and who am I to disagree?â Kellieth ReinAraneinth was headed for a career as a field chemist on a newly settled planet when their dreams and ambitions were crushed by coincidences and chronic illness. They return broke to the wendek homeworld, Ganmak, where everyoneâs basic needs are covered, but import luxuries like Kelliethâs favorite human-made beverage, black brew, is costly. While piecing together a new life and recovering from their ordeals, Kellieth ends up sharing lodgings with the attractive, enigmatic, and infuriating Raithan WeinZalneinth. When a human is found dead next to an alarming message on the wall in an empty house, Kellieth gets caught up in a gruesome mystery involving Raithan and the local peace corps. Who is the human? How did he die? What is Raithan hiding? And when will Kellieth have the time to catch their breath? |
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Every thing and every person has its place and purpose in Society. This is a truth that all Attisians know, ever since the founding of their settlement on the Outpost planet of Attis many megas ago. Minty Bradford 8 has never doubted her place and purpose in the world. As an 8 - a direct descendant of the first settlers - Minty has a responsibility to one day take her place in the Advocacy and legislate the laws that govern her planet, even if all she wants is to quietly run the Farm her parents left to her. But the bounds of Minty's solitary life are shattered when she becomes entangled with an Earthen girl and her fugitive brother, and Minty begins to question the truths she once knew as irrefutable. As Minty shelters the Earthens against the laws which she swore to uphold, she must ask herself: how far is she willing to go? And what will she choose to do with the life she has inherited? Is Minty willing to risk everything she's ever known in order to save two Earthens? LEGEND meets RED RISING in this historically-inspired adventure of compassion, self-discovery, and sacrifice. |
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Esther is excited to start a new job on a beach TV shoot. Sure, maybe it is strange how the ocean seeps in overnight with weird sea snails everywhere, but the technical issues are down to science, not myths. As an electrician, Esther understands facts. If only women were so simple. In her daydreams, Estherâs a passionate woman. Who cares if she lacks the courage for the real thing? And, yeah, maybe a girlfriend is better than a fantasy, but whoâd put up with Esther? Her shyness keeps her from socialising, so itâs a shock when she ends up sharing a bed with the star of the show. Beautiful, gentle Layla becomes fascinated by a mythical selkie who guides lesbians to physical love. If only! Layla craves a real woman who will wait for sex until theyâre ready for intimacyâŚa strong, kind woman exactly like Esther. Midsummer magic, faulty wiring, sexual awakenings, an ancient diary. Everyone knows about the lost selkie with a broken heart: she may only return to the sea once she finds her missing fur. Can Esther fix the setâs electrical issues and reunite the selkie with her lost love? Will the TV show ever be ready to broadcast? And, most importantly, can Esther and Layla come together on the beach and discover what matters most? Pretty Selkie from the sea, Canât you spare a kiss for me? |
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Never Forgive and Never Forget. Hunted as witches during the Salem Trials and haunted by their past sins, the Crowhart women carry a deep secret and an inescapable curse. Rhiannon Crowhart, the renegade second sister of the notorious family, returns to Dragons Island and its sleepy town of Crowâs Nest in a flurry of storms and scandal. Her homecoming is not hospitable, as the townspeople and her own sisters are keen to hold onto old grudges. Not that Rhiannon requires their welcome. She left twenty-two years ago and has never looked backâuntil now. After all, she hated everything about the island, the town, and the old Atelier she recently inherited. Everything except a pair of gray eyes that look at her from the bookstore next door. Eyes that belong to the Mayorâs daughter. Eyes that Rhiannon keeps seeing in her dreams. Prudence Fowler has never seen a more fascinating woman than the one who glides around town in four-inch heeled boots carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Rhiannon Crowhart is as beautiful as she is troubled. And, above all, Rhiannon Crowhart is dangerous. When their connection upends both their lives, Prudence needs to choose between family loyalty and loving the woman who is Wind herself. |
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The Milkyway Hotel by Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud ; Marguerite Grimaud The day she loses her job and her apartment, a third surprise awaits Celeste Dorin: her great-aunt left her a hotel in a tiny town in the mountains. Is the universe nudging herânot very subtlyâin a new direction? For the first time in years, Celeste ignores her anxiety and rushes to the French Alps. To Montlouis, where she has refused to go back since she was a child. Rose Beauvoir has two passions: chocolate and the stars. Or three, if you count Montlouis. The arrival of the clumsy Parisian disrupts her well-oiled routines, and sheâd lie if she said she doesnât enjoy the blast of fresh air. As Celeste learns about life at high altitude and Rose shares her love for her home town and its surroundings, the two women canât deny the attraction blooming between them. The shift from Celesteâs boring yet comfortable life as a paralegal in the city to that of a hotelier in the mountains isnât for the faint of heart, however. Will the beautiful scenery, the welcoming townies, and the deceptively reserved chocolatier convince her to stay? A sapphic tale of Christmas, swoon-worthy chocolate, and blessings in disguise. |
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Their Sunflower Girl by Amelia Lascaux Melina was stuck in a dry spell. Her love life, and sex life, were like a broken recordârepeating the same lonely, unfulfilled song. Until she was offered an invitation to a fae pleasure house where all her desires awaited exploration. The pleasure house was filled with monster lovers from beautiful naga women to telepathic tentacle creatures, all looking for a casual hook up for the night. It was the perfect place for Melina to finally explore the bisexuality she'd buried her whole life. As she visited each themed room, two monster drew her attentionâa stoic femme dryad determined not to let their connection blossom in and a genderfluid unicorn shifter who wants more than just one night together. Hours of pleasure with knots, tails, and scales later, the night was coming to an end. But Melina had a problem. She couldn't go back to an empty home when there was an ache in her heart that could on be filled with both of them. This FFX monster romance is a bi awakening where the FMC falls in lust with two sapphic partners ending in a spicy ever after. This story has multiple open door scenes, both with and without the love interests. This novella includes pairings with the FMC across the sexual and gender identity spectrum with monster characters. |
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Non Nobis (Not For Us) by Tom Rhymer Oliver Oakeshott, misbehaving son of a proud line of English nobility, has made England too hot for himself. In the Kingdom of Jerusalem he follows an exileâs path, far from the disapproval of his powerful father, seeking a genteel oblivion in drinking and dicing. Ruadhan Ui Neill has taken the long journey beyond the sea for reasons of his own and joined the powerful and solemn Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of the feared Knights Templar. A mystery on the pilgrimâs road waits to bring them together, but the two warriors live in a world that would keep them apart. Will they hold true to themselves and each other in the face of deadly intrigue? |
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Sally Delavega, the best demon-binder the world has ever seen, would do anything to banish the two hundred ghosts trapped in his headâeven if it means swimming up from the bottom of his tankard. When the Navy that destroyed his life comes sailing back to offer enough coin to get the job done, Sally agrees. All he has to do is help the crew of the Steadfast track down the ancient abyssal that lies sleeping at the heart of their drowned world. Why the Navy wants the demon isnât Sallyâs problem. But as they sail on, Sally begins to dredge up disturbing truths about how the world flooded and their ancient eldritch quarry that might just want to be found⌠Imaginative and poignant, funny and bizarre, Demon Engine brings us a bold, queer high-seas adventure that asks how deep we might venture for what we arenât willing to lose. |
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The Silence of Storms by Nico Silver Everyone knows that a seer must never take life, but no one seems to know what happens if they do. StĂgandr Tovarsson never dreamed they would learn the answer to that puzzle, but one night a prophetic state leads them into the forest where they stumble upon a pair of spies. Still half-caught between reality and the spirit world, StĂga accidentally kills the men and finds out first-hand what it means when a seer takes a life. Now, stripped of their family name and their inheritance, faced with a life without hearing, and plagued by visions of being pulled into the oceanâs depths by a Sea Folk man, StĂga chooses to follow the magic that constantly pulls at them. It leads towards the sea, but when they get there, will they find a cold death by drowning, or a chance for mutual healing in a pair of deep brown eyes full of anger, hate, and desire? |
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Satyrs are real and someone is sacrificing them, but love is the most terrifying thing of all. After too many years of letting social anxiety dictate their life, Alder Lewis is done. Theyâre determined to make it through the MA program in Folklore, no matter how many presentations it requires, or how much socializing with other students. The horrors of a joint project donât seem so bad, after all, once they meet their study partner Silas. Silas is handsome, kind, and interested in Alder as much for their brain as for their body. It also doesnât hurt that he looks like a Greek god, and Alder is obsessed with Greek mythologyâespecially satyrs. Only Silas has secrets, and thereâs someone in Great Valley whoâs extremely interested in finding out what those secrets are. When Alderâs thesis research leads them to the enigmatic leader of a gentle nature religion, it seems like everything is working out perfectly: Alder has found a new love interest, a new spiritual path, and a new research subject. But Ego Arcadia has secrets, too, and Alder will have to draw on every strength they didnât know they had to survive. |
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The Gohari are nomadsâpansexual, magic-born, and feared. Under the wrath of Cenk, the god of Anzor, their freedom has been stolen. Their unmatched skills in horsemanship and archery have been twisted into weapons, forging the Manzakarsâan unstoppable army of slave-soldiers. Tikran became a Manzakar to save his starving family, rising through the ranks to become the kingâs most celebrated bodyguard. To him, the brotherhood of soldiers meant honor, justice, and glory. Until the campaigns brought him back to Gohar. Until he saw his people subjugated, their magic drained to feed Anzorâs power. Until he realized he was fighting for the enemy. Now Tikran must choose between loyalty to the crown and the survival of his people. To defy the king could cost him his life. To stay silent could doom a nation. |
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Happy Face by Sirius Casper makes his living by chasing the dead. He specializes in helping confused spirits, and the people they leave behind, move on. Heâs also deathly afraid of clowns. Lately, all his nightmares have centered around Buttons the Merrymaker, a clown-like entity who trapped and tormented him while he was fleeing his Appalachian home. Casper has been willing to write off the whole experience as a bad dream for the past 20 years. But now, the clown is calling him back, as are the family secrets he so desperately tried to leave buried. His fears are catching up to him, whether heâs ready to face them or not. Taking the reins of his own fate will mean returning to that funny little town of Bustagut. Where, in some ways, it will be just like he never left. |
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The rebellion won them freedom. The war for survival has only begun. The Manzakar Rebellion has ended. The chains are broken. But freedom is fragile. In the aftermath, the kingdom of Anzor teeters on the edge of collapse, its throne mired in intrigue and its people divided. Once slave-soldiers, Tikran, Coxani, and their brothers must carve out a place in a world that still sees them as outsiders. Beyond Anzorâs borders, the rival kingdom of Dilovar shatters its truce, driving east into Gohar to hunt nomads and seize their magicâthe fabled Essence. As Tikran is pulled into a deadly web of betrayal and court politics, Coxani journeys into Gohar to unite its scattered tribes for the coming war. Empires are stirring, gods are watching, and the fate of a people hangs in the balance. Tikran swore the Gohari would be free. Now he must decide what price he is willing to pay to keep that promise. |
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The Break of Dawn by Eule Grey Cora âI am all that I needâ Richards has a prison reputation for being an ice queen. She exists via a strict code of survival: people equal painâthe end. Surprises lead to disappointment; therefore, Cora wonât tolerate the unexpected. Friends? No. Lovers? Never. A hollow nighttime ache in her chest is bothersome, true, but the issue certainly isnât caused by loneliness. Cora knows who she is and what she isnât. She gladly accepts a placement at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, not to meet the elusive artist, Sky Sunday, but to finish her prison sentence early. Itâs work, nothing more. But the breathtaking landscape, woolly lambs, fluffy ducklings, and friendly artists challenge a woman trying not to feel. Life at the Sculpture Park is vibrant, messy, and warm. Still, it would take someone extraordinary to melt an ice queen such as Coraâthe end. Sky Sunday wears dungarees and muddy yellow boots, talks in riddles, listens to Coraâs suggestions, and never belittles her. From the first awkward meeting, attraction sizzles between them. But Sky is rubbish at talking. So is Cora. How can two impenetrable women ever get close? From dawn to dusk, the workers toil on a mysterious, humming sculpture, and nobody knows what itâs supposed to be. If they trust their instincts, Sky insists that something unique will happen on Easter Sunday. Cora abandons the last of her ice armour as dawn breaks, but is it too late to be vulnerable and take a second chance? What happens when an ice queen and a fluffy chick kiss? Can Cora and Sky forget their past and begin a new life together? This story is not the end. |
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Byron, PhD student and waistcoat admirer, knows about yearning and betrayal. Itâs been four years since the love of his life, Ruben, walked off without explanation. Byron dreams of midnight sex he canât fully remember and a beloved man with dancing eyes. If only Ruben would return⌠But life moves on. At least it did until you-know-who unexpectedly pitches a tent in the garden, provoking ghosts from the past as well as Byronâs aching heart. Ruben understands how to push Byronâs buttons. But he doesnât know why someone is stalking them or why his memories are haunted by students playing a naked truth-dare game in an ancient room. What happened on the claw-marked table covered with crispy skin flakes? Halloween draws close, and with it comes a rollercoaster ride of sex, fear, and love. At the back of their minds, a chilling, familiar voice reminds Byron and Ruben of a game from long ago and a pact that canât be abandoned or left unfinished. True love never dies. |
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Mission Skyscraper by Eule Grey So, anyway, the world doesnât make sense. By day, Iâm a student who avoids teachers, parents, and rules because all they do is shout. I wish theyâd leave me alone and stop calling me a lad when sometimes Iâm a lass. Oh, plus, I canât remember where I lived last year. By the way, have you noticed the handsome boy who keeps chatting with me after school? Thereâs more. By night, Iâm a spy on a mission, strong and essential, see? Some call it dreaming, but I know better. My assignment is to track two people who are trapped inside a skyscraper. Iâm scared, and so are they. What if Iâm not brave enough to save them? So, yeah, things are tricky in both worlds. Two realities and a lot of questions are about to collide, and when they do, nothing can prevent the truth from spilling out. Whatâs inside the heart of a skyscraper? Iâm about to find the answer. See you on the other side. |
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Reborn in Ash by Gabrielle Steele Magic abandoned humanity millennia ago. Now it returns, bringing ruin to a wanted thief, and her chance for redemption. When ash fell like snow, everyone it touched grew ill with fever. Most died. Ada Renwick didn't. She endured the ash plague, food shortages, and brutal riots, only for one merchant's greed to threaten her livelihood. To keep her jewellery business afloat, Ada turned to thievery. Now she wants revenge. Breaking into the merchant's manor, Ada discovers unfamiliar gems that carry a shocking truth. Earth magic hides within them, and she can wield it. But the first time she does, she makes a mistake that leaves a man dead. Sickened by her crime and hunted for it, Ada runs. Yet, using magic feels as natural as breathing. She'll do anything to keep it, even join a war she wants no part of. It's not until Ada meets a woman who can wield fire magic that she realises some things are worth fighting for. But fire burns anything that gets too close. |
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Masks Worn by Magical Wives by Hiyodori "Look humble. Look bashful. Look harmless." Masks Worn by Magical Wives is a slow-burn f/f romance packed with secret identities and surreal magic. The story unfolds in a unique contemporary fantasy setting: a twisted yet beautiful realm where kings slowly turn amphibious and snake-worshipping nuns lurk in colossal caverns. Nemesia is one such nun. Chosen by an eldritch god, she spends most of her life underground, but her sect sends her on occasional pilgrimages to work in the land above. This time, in her mid-thirties, she gets hired to snoop on a mage named Eden... by going undercover as Eden's wife. In a world of cold and unsociable mages, Eden alone is the opposite: both powerful and well-loved. Perhaps too well-lovedâshe's left behind a long string of angry paramours. The exasperated king of the land orders her to settle the issue by taking a spouse. Despite her friendly facade, Eden would rather marry a stranger than someone who adores her. Nemesia (who has spent decades living devoutly in a hole) is the perfect candidate. Eden welcomes her new bride with warmth and generosity. But one of her oldest enemies ordered Nemesia to accept her offer, and it's only a matter of time till she finds out. Their marriage of convenience feels strangely comfortable, even with multiple layers of mutual deception. Yet as the seasons turn, Eden begins to lose control over her magic, and Nemesia begins to lose sight of her mission. Secrets unlock deeper secrets as tentative, unwished-for emotions spill over into a relationship that was never supposed to mean anything at all. This standalone fantasy novel has loose connections to the author's other work, but can be read and enjoyed without any prior knowledge. |