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"That's it. That's all I had. I kept pulling the lever of the slot machine in my mind to come up with another word, but all I could think was charred charred charred, as if it was the jackpot. Billows of steam ascended from the black rubble of the dining hall. The carnage of the building littered the snow in a perfect little half-circle around the foundation." After being in online school for the last four years, Scottlin Vincino starts his Junior year at a new private boarding school an hour from home. It should have been similar to any other in-person school-- but alas, they had everything Scottlin didn't. A mark. He'll have to keep it a secret, but it gets tricky when you have a knack for ending up in the infirmary... Whether it be for the hot boy you just met, or you're swept up in one of the freak accidents at the school that seem to just keep happening. Scott will have to juggle his sexuality, his grades, and his new friends all while solving the mystery of what is happening to his new academy. |
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the drowners by David A. Anderson For Aaron, this world is an unfathomable puzzle. Haunted by disturbing dreams, he drifts through empty days, shielding himself behind sarcasm and cynical wit. After being expelled, he sees an opportunity to rewrite his future at a new school. Connecting over a shared love for De Niro films with Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, he unexpectedly finds his companion piece, one person who truly understands him. Together, they navigate the chaotic waters of adolescence, from dramatic first dates to sociopathic bullies, iconic concerts, drugs, and a dead body. With adulthood fast approaching, can their unique bond survive the crushing weight of societal pressures and devastating revelations? Confronted by the ghosts of his past, Aaron must choose whether to blaze bright or fade away. A funny and poignant meditation on the forces that shape us, The Drowners transports us back to a time when our tolerance for hypocrisy was zero and life seemed infinite. An early draft of this novel won a 2021 YA Watty award. |
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I am the one of the end, the world maker, and the god breaker. Time is unraveling and Earth is doomed to wander the dark of space, unmoored from the galaxy itself. Galiaro’s plan for humanity’s escape to another dimension has failed and his dark matter robot creations, Beetro and Curse, were imprisoned in a nanoscopic black hole. Now, the entire planet is blighted by drought, the oceans heave beyond their bounds, and thousands are dispossessed. The end of the cosmos was foreseen by an ancient Alchean prophet named Othel. Thousands of years ago, Othel left behind the Dark Earth prophecy for the planet to survive the calamity. Now, the fellowship of Dark Theory—the drunken astrocyst Galiaro, Arym of the underground cult, thief Miree, time traveler Hawera, and the street rat Ribcage—must pick up the breadcrumbs of the ancient prophet’s quest to save Earth. Separately, they traverse the dying world and learn alarming news—the dark matter robots, Curse and Beetro, have escaped their black hole prison. Once parallel world enemies, the two robot brothers now have an uneasy alliance, and with an advantage… Curse already knows the prophecy. He has seen it before, used it before, and destroyed his own world with its power. Now on the cusp of annihilation, whoever wields the Dark Earth prophecy will unleash the cosmic power that could save—or doom—reality itself. |
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Dark Kingdom (Dark Law Book #2) by Wick Welker Warrior at birth. Warrior at death. Dark Theory is real. The universe is expanding without Earth, dooming it to wander the void alone. Resources are dwindling and war festers across the blighted planet. Ria, a cyborg slave, is commanded by an implanted governor chipto track down dark matter, which may hold the key to restoring Earth's place in the cosmos. Ria travels with Haldane, a hardened warrior from a parallel dimension. Together, they traverse the horrors of the wastelands, finally reaching the fabled Fifth Kingdom. There, they find a nightmarish prison state of dark matter mines ruled by an iron-fisted despot. To achieve their goal, Ria and Haldane must fight to not only win the key to the dark matter mines, but also the hearts of an enslaved people. The fate of the universe, and Ria’s freedom, rests on who wins the Fifth Kingdom—and what they do with it. |
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Community Witch by Ash Kreider Aspen Fahey is a non-binary aspiring community witch and failed witchfluencer living in downtown Toronto. When their aunt dies and leaves them her house and witching practice on beautiful, idyllic Vancouver Island, their life unexpectedly turns into a Lifetime movie: early thirties enby leaves the big city (including their toxic partner and the job they hate) to move to a beautiful small town, has meet cute with beautiful stranger before running into The One That Got Away. But can they navigate the hard work of building healthy relationships while juggling their responsibilities as town witch? Or will the trauma of their ex’s emotional abuse ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to them? |
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Chasing Phantoms by Inna Tamir After a life-changing encounter with extraterrestrial beings, Vera thought nothing could shock her—until she ran into Adrian Gordon, her high school crush and the most impossible love of her life. He was looking for a flatmate, and for a moment, it seemed all Vera’s dreams were about to come true. Little did she know… Now, caught between intergalactic friendships and earthly love triangles, past lives and future mistakes, Vera faces a heartbreaking choice: her own chance at happiness—or the happiness of the man she loves. A time and space crossing love story, that dances on the thin line between what is possible, and what most people think isn't. |
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Zoi by Jane Mondrup At the age of five, Amira watched footage of the first zoi specimen arriving in our solar system, and she became instantly fascinated with the huge, cell-like creature floating among the stars. Decades later, she and three other astronauts have taken residence in a zoi as it continues its voyage through space. They have no way of steering its course. Communicating with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. And while the zoi meets those needs, it also exposes its passengers to hormonal and even genetic alterations. Now, as masses of biological material start growing on each astronaut, their interstellar journey begins a new stage--one with far-reaching consequences both for the humans and the zois. |
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Faithfully Yours Mozart: Love's Everlasting Courage by Faith Jacobs The wedding bells have rung, it's 1783, and the deepest of love thrives in the hearts of darling Frau Constanze Mozart and her darling Wolfgang! Although their courage is sound and their strength to persevere beyond all odds immense, when looming shadows of unforeseen illness, familial conflicts, and pain threaten their beautifully imperfect paradise, will they survive the tides of life's trials and tribulations? |
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A grieving smuggler. A fugitive mage. A turncoat Huntsman. The heist of their lives. Teenage smuggler, Armina, never intended to inherit the Blackblood, a truck loaded with illegal magical artifacts. But when tragedy strikes, leaving her in charge with only her irritable ex-girlfriend for company and with the magic-hating Huntsmen on her tail, she's determined to follow in the footsteps of her murdered Captain. When Armina discovers a fugitive mage hiding aboard her truck, dripping their black blood, she can't ignore their pleas for help. The mage desperately wants to rescue their mother from the Huntsmen's headquarters in the Western mountains, a mission Armina knows is doomed to fail, but one she can't ignore. As they tear across a dust bowl wasteland toward the dark spires in the west, secrets from Armina’s past come into view, lit by the blinding headlights of the roaring truck. Secrets that could endanger the mission, the truck, and her splintering found-family. |
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Her Shadowed Destiny by Rowena Aiello "...a very strange book...in a magical land where odd things happen." They didn’t want to let her into their world. Now, she might just be their only hope. It takes a lot of guts to be a practicing witch in Lilaville. Then Aurora shows up, and Reine’s best friend goes missing at her house party. Now Reine’s powers might be the only thing keeping everyone safe. Without them, the true danger ahead of them can’t be stopped, and Reine could lose her best friend—forever. She just hopes her magic will be strong enough… |
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The Other Place by Elizabeth Roderick Living in Justin Flaherty’s mind has never been easy. Unfortunately, things are about to get much worse... At eighteen years old, most guys are chasing girls or dreams. Justin, on the other hand, wants to draw and be left alone. He’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia, but it’s more than that. He's in tune with the Dark Energy that surrounds us all, and can see how it controls people’s actions. Sometimes, the Dark Energy will give him visions, to help him on the road to enlightenment. When his mother hooks up with a Baptist preacher named David who believes Justin’s schizophrenia can be cured with prayer, Justin knows he has to get out—or risk involuntary commitment in a religious facility. After a brush with incarceration, Justin takes off to San Francisco, where his drawings are not just noticed, but admired... Justin’s bizarre and beautiful drawings create a stir in the art world. Meanwhile, he’s homeless, couch surfing, and trapped in a continuous battle with his mental illness. His salvation is a girl named Liria Czetski with a shady past. They’d met a year ago, and she’s appeared in his visions ever since. It turns out Liria has been sharing those visions, something that is a surprise to everyone but Justin... When secrets surface, Justin is forced to realize that being a genius has a downside. Surrounded by people who want to exploit his talent, he must fight not only for his career and freedom, but perhaps for his life... |
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Hoodlum Army by Elizabeth Roderick A Robin Hood for the Modern Age… Robin never thought she’d meet the girl of her dreams in a bank, much less when they were both robbing it, but her mother always said to find someone who shares your interests. Maryann wants to start a cooking school for disadvantaged kids, Robin to save her parents’ farm from repossession. It's natural that they team up to make the world a better place through crime. Their job experience as a barista and a hotel maid doesn’t transfer to grand larceny, however. Some clumsy mistakes mean it’s not long before the FBI is hot on their heels. The agents seem to have criminal motivations of their own, so going to jail might be the least of Robin and Maryann’s worries. Worst of all, Robin is falling in love. She doesn’t think Maryann has ever dated a woman, but sometimes it seems like maybe, just maybe, she feels something deeper than criminal conspiracy. Will they find a happily-ever-after this side of prison…or the grave? |
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Gracie & Zeus Live the Dream by Elizabeth Roderick Grace Morgan has been on the music scene long enough to know the life of sex, drugs & rock & roll is just a dream. But after a messy divorce, Grace wants to give her dream of being a music journalist one last shot. She moves to LA with her 21-year-old foster son, Zeus. They live in a motel on cup noodles and hope, until Grace finally gets a break: a story about Inez Carter, hot-mess frontwoman of the popular band Karma Korn. The story delivers more sex, drugs and rock & roll than Grace bargained for. Karma Korn's drummer, Nelson, has Grace rethinking her post-divorce vow of celibacy. And after they're invited to an elite Hollywood rave, where they mistakenly drink the electric Kool-Aid, Zeus is scouted to be the lead guitarist for another star band. However, the story soon goes sideways, and things aren't adding up. Someone is spreading rumors about Grace, trying to sabotage her career and reputation. Then someone tries to kill her. Grace is left frantically trying to connect the dots in the dwindling hope she'll be able to salvage the story, her relationship with Nelson, and her life. |
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A curse that drove a queen mad. A heroine that failed to stop her. A shifter that refuses to give up. A world that needs them both again. |
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Ushered into an arranged marriage with Bramwell Hellthorne, the lonely Lord of Valen, Belle finds herself wandering the wicked walls of an eerie, gothic manor on a cliffside far from the shores of home. When Belle's sister experiences a demonic possession and slips into insanity following her visit to the mansion, Belle's beliefs of religion, spirituality, and the unknown are suddenly tested, and Hellthorne Manor begins to haunt both Belle's dreams and her reality. With walls that weep tears of blood, pipes that whisper an untold tune, and a haunted portrait that dances between different locations, daily life within her new home shifts into a waking nightmare. By the time Belle realizes that both the manor and her husband may have a bit more than just a few bones hidden away, it's too late, and her remains may just rot away with the rest. |
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Harper Wyatt has had a celebrity crush for Misha Levin since she was a teenager and he was drafted to the Minnesota Northern Lights. She never expected to fall in love with a hockey player, or marry one. Not to mention, that hockey player being friends with the great Misha Levin? Impossible! Yet, she finds herself not just friends with but girlfriend to the hockey legend and is visiting him on his home turf in Edmonton for the first time. With busy travel schedules for everyone in the polycule, it's a wonder any of them have time for themselves much less each other. Hard topic discussions involve tough to hear answers, but also keep an open flow of communication, holding their relationships together. |
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The Osprey season is coming to a close. Pietr's past is coming back to affect his current relationships and he seeks help after having trouble with Harper wanting to experiment with a woman. Harper is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. Finding her place within the WHOOSH has been a journey, but the welcoming nature of Marie, Becca, and Helen in particular maybe finally be getting through to her. While Pietr and Misha's husband, Cecil, are busy on their separate play-off runs, Misha comes for an extended visit. He and Harper do a bit of traveling to extend their tattoo collections and enjoy some time alone together before the final big game. |
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Top Shelf Biscuit by Sam LaRose Picking up after the events of On the Power Play, Harper and Isaac are spending a month alone in Wisconsin before the Thanksgiving holiday. With a surprise last minute visit from Misha, the polycule is having a hard time keeping their relationship underwraps from family, friends, and their rabid internet fans. As Harper continues to battle with feeling out of place with the Osprey WAGs, the whirlwind of going from zero boyfriends to three in less than a year, and specifically her mother's hard feelings toward...everything, something has to give. How would having everything out in the open make the relationships different? Are Pietr and Harper cut out for the poly-triad with Isaac? Is a relationship between Harper and Misha sustainable? There certainly seems to be a lot more questions than answers as the polycule grows and loves unconditionally. |
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On the Power Play by Sam LaRose It's been less than a year since Pietr Ivanov and Harper Wyatt met and had their first kiss in a bar bathroom. Since then, it's been a whirlwind of relationship milestones, the most recent of getting engaged. Now that the hockey season is over, the couple is looking forward to spending time together. With big plans to merge their families, they're looking to house hunt for their hockey retirement home in Wisconsin, near Harper's parents. But first, Harper has to survive meeting the WAGs –the wives and girlfriends of the other Osprey players. A week in LA with Isaac Parker and their first big public appearance together at the NHL Awards, where they run into a familiar face who sets sights on getting to know Harper better. |
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It’s been a month since Dylan Montgomery went into hiding. His ex-boyfriend’s album, all about a past relationship, begging for a second chance, has record downloads on a new music app. Since he was told he wasn’t allowed to listen to it, Dylan has no comment for the blogs and magazines who want confirmation that he’s Tyler Norse’s lost love. Instead, between getting out of New York, and secluding himself in his childhood home, Dylan keeps his head low. As September begins, Dylan is ready to move on. He’s turning twenty-two and is looking forward to some freedom. He wants to focus on teaching his classes and figuring out what he’s going to do with his life. Fate has other things in mind when Tyler’s band plays a Farewell-for-now show, closing it out with a group remastering of the album. Hearing it for the first time sends Dylan directly into the bed of another man. Not exactly Tyler’s intention. Nor the bodyguard, employed by his parents, whose bed he ends up in. As Dylan’s world spirals out of control, the question on everyone’s mind is: can he and Tyler start over? |
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Dylan Montgomery is back in Manhattan. After three years in LA, he's anxious to resume life as normal in the greatest city in the world. He doesn't expect seeing Tyler Norse to still make him feel like a lovesick teenager. He knows getting too close to the man will only lead to one or both of them getting hurt again. Their former relationship is better left in the past. Tyler Norse isn't prepared for Dylan's return after putting a continent between them. He tried to move on, but it didn't stick. Seeing Dylan again brings all the old feelings and lack of closure back to the surface. He respects Dylan's decision to move on, but it doesn't mean he likes it. Jordan Baxter is happy with his boyfriend. He hasn't wanted more since breaking up with his joyfriend Dani, but lately Kyle has suggested that he look for another partner. After all, Kyle has three other boyfriends who are all vying for his attention; he doesn't want Jordan to feel neglected. So, when Dylan steps back into the band's life, Jordan's curiosity is piqued in a way it hasn't been in a long time. With Tyler's go ahead, Jordan asks Dylan out on a date. Just to see what happens. Dylan isn't interested in being Jordan's boyfriend, but he isn't averse to making a new friend who likes kissing occasionally. As the summer progresses into fall, Dylan struggles with finding his footing in adulthood, gaining privacy and distance from his privileged upbringing, and maintaining his sobriety. |
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Jordan Baxter has never considered himself to be anything other than a flirt. When his interest is piqued by not one, but two people, within days of one another, his world takes an unexpected turn. Kyle is a talented artist who's smile makes his heart squeeze and his stomach tilt. …But, he's openly polyamorous with his boyfriend Markus. Not to mention, he's also hooked up with Jordan's BFF Heath and Heath's boyfriend, Jack.Dani is a musician that lays most things on the table, like that they're non-binary and not entirely sure how the whole sex thing works for them. Unless they're drunk, in which case they stop thinking entirely. Defining the relationships is put on hold while Jordan's band, Dark Little Town, tours for the summer. When the tour ends, he knows they'll all eventually have to make a decision about their romantic status, or just be friends. |
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Jack Piper is eighteen years old, living with his mother and twin sisters in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. He attends a selective private school, where he's honing his skills as a writer, aided greatly by his eidetic memory. It's been three years since his father passed away, inciting the move, and his first Christmas alone. When his friend Pixie invites him out for a Jewish Christmas, he doesn't expect the bend in the road his life is about to take. Heath Gibson is a New Jersey transplant to the city. His band, Dark Little Town, is just inches away from real success. Since moving to the city, he's made plenty of friends and is open to making more. Especially if it means getting to forget how in love with his best friend he's been since he was thirteen. When Jack and Heath recognize each other across a club on Christmas Eve, they don't expect to go home together. They certainly don't expect to catch feelings for one another. Jack isn't sure he wants to settle into a relationship with the older man. Heath is ready to hand over his heart, if Jack will just accept it. And neither of them quite knows what to make of Jack's best friends; a gay polyamorous couple who want nothing more than to get one, or both, of them into bed with them. |
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Dylan Montgomery's parents have reached their final straw. Banishment to Tynan, NJ seems like the pits, but is just what the troubled teen needs. It's there that he meets Tyler Norse; lead singer and guitarist for Dark Little Town. As the summer begins to fade, the future looks dim on the relationship from Dylan's perspective, but as far as Tyler's concerned: it's just getting started. |
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"Where do your ideas come from then?" "I don't know. It's this nagging inkling of what-if." "I understand this nagging feeling." The man took a step closer. "Like, this voice in my head that keeps telling me to kiss you." Harper's eyes widened slightly. "What? Why?" "Why?" He sounded surprised. "Why not? You are sexiest person in this bar. You stood out to me right away." Pietr Ivanov is skating into his 10th pro-hockey season with a new team, in a new city. Fresh off a successful play-off run, he's looking forward to connecting with his teammates and settling in. When he joins his captain for drinks, he doesn't expect the night to change his life. Harper Wyatt has lived in Manhattan for nearly a decade. As a still-floundering author, they take the little wins where they can and their favorite place to do that is the Mounting Bison. Celebrating the publication of their second book with their besties, they anticipate a couple of drinks, lots of laughs, and then calling it an early night. When Pietr spies Harper across the bar, he's immediately smitten. He has no idea what "non-binary" means, but he's open minded and willing to learn. Harper typically steers clear of the Osprey players that frequent the bar with their captain, but Pietr has zero qualms about approaching them –in the bar bathroom of all places. And thus, in the first Meet Cute of their life, Harper's quiet, single life is upended. This slice-of-life romance is sure to thrill romance readers looking for diverse representation and a unique story with cozy vibes. Fans of the Dark Little Town series will love the connections to a New York they've grown familiar with. Light the Lamp features multiple LGBTQ+ characters, alternative relationship structures, and a lot of spice. |
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The Other Team by Felix Fowler Kit Cook is about to learn a whole lot more than soccer this summer Weltmeister Academy is the absolute last place Kit Cook wanted to go at the end of his freshman year. His parents are forcing him to leave behind his friends and go to the toughest soccer camp in the country so he has a chance to make varsity in the fall. With a lot of hard work, a little luck, and help from his new friend Freddie, Kit manages to build a semblance of normalcy and get through the summer. That is, until Kit sees something he wasn’t meant to, and his world is thrown into chaos. His friendships foundering and performance failing, Kit must find a way to reconcile what he saw if he wants to save his friendship and summer. Soccer isn’t all he’s going to learn this year – he’s going to learn all about a side of himself he didn’t know existed… |
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Adventures in Bodily Autonomy: Exploring Reproductive Rights in Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror by Nisi Shawl, Elizabeth Bear, Annalee Newitz, Ellen Klages, Cecilia Tan, Jaymee Goh, Raven Belasco, Kathleen Alcalá, Tara Campbell, Cynthia Gralla, K Ibura, Helena MarĂa Viramontes, Sonya Taaffe, Anya De Niro The fourteen tales in Adventures in Bodily Autonomy flow across alternate universes and through space and time to consider the issues of reproductive justice through a fresh perspectives. There is an adventure here for everyone. An astronaut on her way to Mars discovers she’s pregnant — can she keep her baby? Bee-like entities try to force a human to be their queen. In1930s Philly, a vampire offers a novel form of birth control. From a ghost, lessons learned too late. Women who cannot find a comfortable fit in their mythic realities. Future worlds where reproductive choices are different, but individual choice and external battles for that choice are just as real. Adventures in Bodily Autonomy will be released on October 16th, 2023, a date important in the history of women’s healthcare rights. On October 16, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York, Margaret Sanger opened the country’s first birth control clinic. Just nine days later police shut down the clinic, and Sanger served 30 days in prison. For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels — including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and postpartum care, and paid family leave—for every body. Authors include Kathleen Alcalá ~ Elizabeth Bear ~ Raven Belasco ~ Tara Campbell ~ Anya De Niro ~ Jaymee Goh ~ Cynthia Gralla ~ K Ibura ~ Ellen Klages Annalee Newitz ~ Nisi Shawl ~ Sonya Taaffe ~ Cecilia Tan ~ Helena MarĂa Viramontes One hundred percent of the royalties of Adventures in Bodily Autonomy are being donated to Reproductive Freedom for All to help them continue their vital fight for women’s bodily autonomy and basic human rights. “So satisfying to read a volume of new speculative fiction stories centered on women’s experience, women’s lives, women’s choices! You’ll find a pleasurable variety here: hard sf, fantasy, ghosts, vampires, horror, sweet lyricism and steel-edged noir — stories from well-known names, and stories from writers you've never encountered before. I guarantee that at least one story in this volume will make you punch the air in triumph, and another will work its way into your dreams, and not let go.” —Elizabeth Lynn, World Fantasy Award Winner “This anthology will be a breath of fresh air ins the ongoing fight for the right of women to control and make decisions about their own bodies.” —Chinelo Onwualu, author of “What The Dead Man Said” “Adventures in Bodily Autonomy is a fresh and bold collection. In our current political climate, these stories and imaginings are desperately needed.” —Myriam Gurba, author of Mean |
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SEQUEL TO 2023 INDIE INK AWARD WINNER & SPFBO SEMI-FINALIST! In the depths of the Endless Gate, anyone can become a god—if they are willing to pay the price. Common-born Rahelu can’t afford principles: she had to sell her loyalty to the highest bidder in the Dominion to save her destitute family. Now she must work with her scheming House-born peers and her most detested rival to carry out her secretive Elder’s dubious orders: steal an artifact that can supposedly turn any desire into reality before the Dominion’s enemies can do the same. But when control of the future itself is the prize, temptation beckons. Even Rahelu, who has never dreamed of anything more than a debt-free life of simple comforts, is swayed. No blood feud is too old to set aside; no alliance is too unsavory and no method too ruthless to contemplate. House politics and hidden motives soon set Rahelu and her teammates at each others’ throats, as foreign operatives and treasure-seeking pirates pursue them across deadly seas, past the edge of the known world. All are oblivious to the dying cult manipulating fate from the shadows…and the ancient power stirring inside the Endless Gate. Torn between her own desires and new loyalties, guilt-wracked by the blood accumulating on her hands, Rahelu’s oaths force her to a devastating choice: who else is she willing to sacrifice in the name of success? |
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Gorgon - The Crimson Witch by John North What is Power without control? Aurora dreams of surpassing the Demi-Gods, but her rare elemental magic comes from an unstable source within her that she struggles to keep in check. It doesn't stop her from wreaking havoc though, and she's nothing but excited about the rising bounty on her head. But when she garners the attention of Princess Polaris, the daughter of one of the most feared Demi-Gods on earth, her entire world is shaken. With secrets of her own identity revealed to her and a terrorist organization placing a giant target on her back, Aurora agrees to travel with Polaris back to their native homeland. They can barely tolerate each other, but with Aurora's erratic power growing stronger, and a vengeful, katana-wielding vampire seeking to steal it from her, they are forced to set aside their differences to survive and reach their home in one piece. That is, if Aurora's magic doesn't destroy them first. The Crimson Witch is the first book of the epic YA Dark fantasy action-adventure series Gorgon, full of thrilling battles, witty banter, fierce characters, and hints of brutal, bloodcurdling horror! Fans of Naruto, Percy Jackson, and Fullmetal Alchemist will be captivated by this action-packed tale with a fresh take on mythological and fantastical beings! Readers will also be in store for a heartwarming tale of the growing bond between sisters. |
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Chasing Moonflowers by Pauline Chow A gothic historical fantasy perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, House of Hollow, and Enola Holmes, Chasing Moonflowers is a coming-of-power tale that asks: What truly makes a monster? In 1925 colonial Hong Kong, young herbalist Ling Shaw witnesses a murder committed by a bloodthirsty creature. When her uncle is wrongfully arrested for the crime, Ling is the only one who can clear the family name and find the real killer. Teaming up with her private academy best friend and a Red Society thug from the Kowloon Walled City, she uncovers dark family secrets, occult rituals, a vampiric curse, and a sinister plot to bring down the Canton Labor Strikes. Ling must overcome ancient and eldritch forces to save her family—and all of Kowloon. Email paulinechowstories@gmail.com for a reviewer's copy or ARC. |
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A Madness Unmade by E.K. Larson-Burnett Laurel Rumbroom is the sole living resident of the Underhallow, where dead moths have been showing up at the gates in neatly wrapped packages. Since the institution of the Revenant Accords, which prohibits ghosts from freely haunting the country, the Rumbrooms have acted as Guardians to the ghosts seeking refuge at their sanctuary. But when Laurel’s father suddenly passes, leaving her orphaned, the Underhallow falls in danger of losing its sanctions. Bewildered by the mysterious deliveries of dead moths, starting to question her grip on reality, and gradually realizing the precarious position of her home and the questionable circumstances surrounding her father’s death, Laurel begs the help of the Underhallow ghosts animated by her powers, struggling to come into her own and unmake her madness. With humor, whimsy, and elements of gothic mystery, A Madness Unmade is the first book in the Victorian-inspired Deathly Inheritance Duology, perfect for fans of Charlie N. Holmberg and S.L. Prater. |
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The Bear & the Rose by E.K. Larson-Burnett Springtide has sprung, and the bear goddess Artio has awakened. For Rhoswen, sole Bearslayer of Hazelfeur, this means a season of overwhelm as vicious bears wreak violence upon her village. With one death too many and an insufferable anxiety haunting her, she sets out to liberate her people from Artio’s bearspawn for good, even though to end the goddess’s reign would mean to leave her without purpose. In her search for the vengeful Artio, Rhoswen stumbles upon an enchanting forest maiden with secrets in her eyes and mysteries in her veins, a beauty which suddenly and unexpectedly captivates the Bearslayer beyond reason. Then she discovers the maiden is bound to Artio’s forest and longs desperately for freedom, and Rhoswen’s resolution hardens with passion. She will unfetter Hazelfeur, and she will free her enchantress. For fans of Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy) and Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver, The Bear & the Rose is a tale told in lush prose which readers will find brimming with folklore, adventure, and a sweet sapphic romance. |
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Rise of the Nightbloods by Shannon Haffely Everything ends. Even magic. Even the gods. As a Seer, Raven is a direct line to the divine and time itself. She can feel the decay spreading across her country, but all the help the gods will offer is a tormenting vision of a stranger's death. An infamous pirate queen, Rélia craves freedom at any cost. Raven is her ticket to liberty. But growing feelings and a web of secrets entangle her in a quest to save magic while her chance at freedom slips away. Born without magic, Tezin's life falls into turmoil when he shows signs of power, and he's not the only one to notice. The man who killed his father captures him, eager to use his newfound magic to bend the seas to his will. Each of them has a role in the fate of magic. But with vicious pirates and a relentless navy admiral impeding them at every turn, their window for the salvation of magic—and themselves—is closing. Forever. |
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The Black Bird of Chernobyl by Ann McMan Two-time Lambda Literary Award-winning author Ann McMan takes readers inside the inner workings of the funeral home business as only she can in this remarkable and wholly unforgettable romantic comedy that proves life is for the living. Everything about Lilah Stohler is her clothes, mood, and outlook on life and death. That last part is important because Lilah’s father has just retired and left her in charge of the family funeral home. But Abel Stohler knows his daughter’s comfort level rests “downstairs,” so he hires one Sparkle Lee Sink, to help Lilah manage the living part of the business of death. Sparkle is everything that Lilah isn’t—an empathetic marketing whiz who is a true people person. Lilah isn’t happy about this new arrangement. Still, when business starts booming because of Sparkle’s bright personality, delicious baked goods, and knack for funereal commerce, Lilah thinks things might work out. But joy is fleeting in the funeral home business, and Lilah’s world is turned upside down when an unwitting Instagram post featuring one of her moods goes viral—and now, sightings of “The Black Bird of Chernobyl” have become an obsession across the Instaverse. Lilah knows that Sparkle needs to go, but before she can give her the send-off she deserves, Lilah must first find a way to deal with the inconvenient attraction she’s developed for the nemesis whose unconventional methods are single-handedly transforming the death trade—and quite possibly the Black Bird, herself. |
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Lacinda the Lion Is a Super Unique Beast by Beth Davis Lacinda the Lion was born in a tiny town where being a Super Unique Beast wasn't always celebrated. Her friends and family didn't know quite what to think of her! She faces some challenges and curious eyes when she goes to school for the first time, but there's an awesome learning moment for all at the end of the day! This book is a touching story about being unique, gaining self-esteem, and celebrating exactly who you are! |
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Kinship and Kindness by Kara Jorgensen Bennett Reynard needs one thing: to speak to the Rougarou about starting a union for shifters in New York City before the delegation arrives. When his dirigible finally lands in Louisiana, he finds the Rougarou is gone and in his stead is his handsome son, Theo, who seems to care for everyone but himself. Hoping he can still petition the Rougarou, Bennett stays only to find he is growing dangerously close to Theo Bisclavret.Theo Bisclavret thought he had finally come to terms with never being able to take his father’s place as the Rougarou, but with his father stuck in England and a delegation of werewolves arriving in town, Theo’s quiet life is thrown into chaos as he and his sister take over his duties. Assuming his father’s place has salted old wounds, but when a stranger arrives offering to help, Theo knows he can’t say no, even if Mr. Reynard makes him long for things he had sworn off years ago.As rivals arrive to challenge Theo for power and destroy the life Bennett has built, they know they must face their greatest fears or risk losing all they have fought for. With secrets threatening to topple their worlds, can Theo and Bennett let down their walls before it’s too late? |
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Blood Moon Rising by Amelia Faulkner A pack in turmoil. A ray of sunlight. A moon that demands blood... Randall Carter is in love. If only he could say it to Ellis’ face, but he’s been too busy - or too much of a coward - and now he may never get that chance. With the threat of a blood moon looming in the night sky his Alpha is on the warpath against both a new pack invading his territory and the vampire lover he ordered Randall to destroy. Ellis O’Neill’s problems are mounting fast. Randall’s Alpha wants to kill him, a vampire neighbour invites him to join some sort of coup, and his secrets are stacking up like firewood waiting for a single spark to set them ablaze. The last person he expects to betray his trust is the man he’s fallen in love with. Torn between love and obligation, Randall soon realises that he can’t satisfy both. He’ll have to choose, but the cost may well be more terrible than he can imagine. |
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The Traitor's Mercy by Iris Foxglove In the court of Staria, mercy is rarely a blessing… Sabre de Valois is the last of his line. Saved from the gallows while his family hangs for treason, Sabre is given the chance to pay off their debt and clear his family name. To do so, he must serve as a courtesan in the pleasure district, but the only House willing to take him in and risk the disfavor of the king is the House of Onyx, which caters to the darker desires of the Starian noble elite. There, he finds his masochism is an asset, the courtesans are kinder than the nobles of the Starian court, and that he cannot help but be inexorably drawn to the owner of the House of Onyx, Laurent de Rue. Lord Laurent de Rue knows that love is dangerous. Abandoned in the pleasure district with no memory of his past, Laurent clawed his way to notoriety and earned his title through cunning and skill. He has seen love ruin the lives and ambitions of those he passed on his way to the top, and he has no intention of letting himself fall prey to the same mistakes. Yet he can’t stop himself from growing closer to Sabre de Valois, who loves so earnestly and so completely that even Laurent’s steel will is starting to break. But Sabre has secrets of his own, and when the machinations of the court threaten to put Sabre in danger, Laurent will have to decide whether he will risk it all for love, or let Sabre de Valois slip through his fingers. (Please note: The Traitor’s Mercy is an m/m dark fantasy novel, set in a fictional world where the kink aspect is not intended as a representation of real-life BDSM practices or dynamics. Please be advised that while this title features a happy ending, it contains darker elements that some readers may find uncomfortable. It is intended for adult, mature readers only. ) |
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A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon Running the North Pole and making good on the promise of comfort and joy for a few billion people is no simple two-step around the Christmas tree. Mr. and Mrs. Claus have always worked in tandem to do just that. So when her third husband realizes it's time to peace out and move on to more Heavenly pastures, the angels and all the elves know what time it is. They need to find Tiffany Saint-Nicholas a new man. With the holiday calendar slowing down for no one, her team has three days to find her a new Santa. Someone kind, loving and willing to take on the spirit of the season, and with the potential to be Tiffany's first true love match. Tiffany thinks that idea is cute and all, and so are the men they line up for her. But she knows delivering on their Christmas obligations is what really matters, not the chemistry she might have with the candidates in question. Too bad one prospective Santa will stop at nothing to show her and the rest of the North Pole population that no amount of silver or gold is more important than winning Tiffany's heart. |
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What would you sacrifice to alter an already guaranteed future? The new school year has begun in the quiet town of Opal Pines, and with it, new problems for Kylie and Jordan: Kylie’s mother barely lets her out of sight, and Jordan’s new friend makes it clear he’s no fan of Kylie. Even their older selves are at odds with each other: Siani refuses to intervene in the events to come; meanwhile, Rotanu is not sure the ends justify the means needed to get there. To make matters even worse, a familiar woman from the June kidnapping is back and wants Kylie’s head. What happens when the past is painful and still seeks vengeance, the present is lonely, and the future uncertain? Riyati Rivals is the second book of a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series that seeks to explore themes of identity, legacy, the greater good, and finding your own path in life. The Riyati series includes multiple first person perspectives and multiple queer characters (currently including demisexual/romantic and lesbian representation with more to come in future books), set in the modern day United States. |
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Dance of Demons by Alyssa Lauseng Slave. Soldier. Spy. Daisuke’s heart has always wandered far from home, hoping for a life beyond what he’d have as a Northern Nomad raised in slavery. One evening, when he learns the Giahatio’s imperial military has arrived in search of recruits, he seizes his chance to flee Okara’s plantations and start anew. However, becoming a footsoldier isn’t the easy escape he expected, and he soon finds himself struggling for a place within the infantry and Giahatian society. Obito knows he should be grateful for the opportunity to serve as one of the Empire’s elite intelligence operatives, the onmitsu—it’s one of few he’ll ever have in life, and the highest possible honor for a nobleman’s youngest son. But with demons of anger and shame haunting him as he tries to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of a scandal, any pride to take in rank or family name is entirely hollow. When an act of mercy is born from a senseless murder, the already unlikely friendship between Daisuke and Obito takes an unexpected turn. Not only are they now partnered together as onmitsu, but dark politics are on the rise, leading them toward an ancient, furious magic. |
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this is not a love story by Hayley Phoenix-Winterburn Hayley's third collection of poetry transports the reader into the depths of a whirlwind romance disguised as a fairy tale, but with the dark truth always lurking underneath. Hayley weaves a captivating tale featuring a Viking and a Witch, adding a spark of fantasy to the raw emotions and turbulent struggles of the heart. The haunting beauty and intricate layers of this story is the result of what happens when passion and pain collide in a mesmerizing dance. This book will resonate with anyone who has experienced emotional abuse. In this book you will find: -letters to the goddesses. -magic. -a little bit of feminine rage. |
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Val is a broken woman haunted by the evil of her past. She can't escape the ominous shadow that clings to her or the monsters, both paranormal and human, that threaten to consume her. Stuck between her loyalties to them and her own inner demons, Val must make choices that seem impossible. No longer just empty - Val is hollow, a shell of her former self. Ten years ago, she left Forest Haven and the love and acceptance she finally found there. Pain and memories are her only companions. Despite Madoc’s attempts to heal her wounded soul, he can’t reach her. Shattered by the loss of Val, he’s given up and given in to what he hates the most. Dev struggles to get from night to night. Now a full-time enforcer, he dreams of death. Val’s death and then his own. Bela and the twins haven't given up on finding their Sun. As their powers grow, they realize the only way to reach her is through Dev. They secretly ally themselves with him, biding their time until they can claim the freedom they left behind years ago. Can they reclaim what they have lost and still have a future? |
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The Perfect Matchmaking: Another Valentine's Day Novella (Cupids & Goddesses Book 2) by Milena McKay Life of a Goddess is hard. There are so many rules. Rule Number 1: Organize the Annual Cupids’ Convention in Las Vegas. Rule Number 2: Don't let Zeus interfere. Rule Number 3: When Zeus inevitably interferes, avoid getting ambushed by cupids at all cost. Even if it means missing out on your Perfect Match. When the Goddess of Love herself is made to run the gamut of tropes, from enemies to lover and second chance romance to friends to lovers and close proximity, will she keep her independence from the ever meddling Olympians, or will she chose to surrender to a well-placed cupid's arrow? The Cupids are back! Sabine and Abby are bringing with them a steamy and highly trope'y second installment in the Perfect Match series, filled to the brim with mischievous deities, intrigue-weaving gods and attractive elbow patches (trust me, you'll want to read about those!) |
