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Sapphic Blooms by Aimee Donnellan, A.A. Fairview, Bryanna Bond, Dae Storm, Kapri Moon, Morgan Roberts, Rien Gray, Rita A. Rubin, Taylor Hubbard Sapphic Blooms is an anthology of sapphic erotic romance short stories. It features both cis, trans, and nonbinary characters. STORIES The Taste of Magic by Aimee Donnellan Tara, the owner of a small town bookstore, is suffering from an agonising summer crush on Lilia, the adorable botanist (witch?) who is using the shop to get space to work on her special projects. When one of these projects goes awry, Tara and Lilia find several unexpected truths and feelings coming to light. Poolside Lover by A.A. Fairview The Country Club isn't the step up from my lakeside lifeguarding gig I hoped it would be. At least the view is nice, from the lifeguard stand I get a great view of Stephanie a single mom with a great body and a smile that drives me wild. Now if I could just figure out how to flirt with her kids around... What Else Is There To Lose by Bryanna Bond Best friends drift apart every day, but when Tia and Zo reconnect at their high school reunion it's like nothing has changed. The problem is, Tia's finally realizing that maybe there was more to her feelings for Zo than she let herself admit. View From Below by Dae Storm Liv doesn't think she can adore her rockstar girlfriend Roxanne any more than she does, but an unexpected surprise on stage only brings them closer together. Blood Orange by Kapri Moon For over twenty years, Eve has been stuck in the small, blasphemous town of Eden. Labeled as a cursed one, the quiet woman has never found her place in the world, an outsider in a place that despises her. That all changes when she meets the serpent in the forbidden tree, one who embraces her and her flaws, and shows her what it means to be loved. Malibu Sunset by Morgan Roberts When she finds herself in the hot tub at the company's summer barbecue with her soon-to-be-ex assistant, Robyn, workaholic CEO Adeline Clark quickly discovers which of them is really in charge. A Seduction in Smoke by Rien Gray After years of ruined and forgotten birthdays, Justine has a new start with a new relationship. Old, complicated desires burn to the surface, and this summer, she's finally going to get the surprise she wants. Love and Summer Nights by Rita A. Rubin Stephanie had her heart broken one summer when the girl she loved disappeared from her life. But little does she know that this summer is going to be quite different. Dreams from the Beach House by Taylor Hubbard Rose needs a vacation, as ordered by her therapist. When she rents a beach house to paint and relax by the ocean, a visitor makes herself known and Rose decides that she definitely needs to go on vacation more often. ~~ "Sapphic Blooms" contains explicit adult content. |
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No Strings For The Summer by Dae Storm 27-year-old Olivia Waitts has been looking forward to her week vacation in the Caribbean all summer. It's the last vacation she'll have from work until next summer. All Liv wants is to get laid and enjoy her time in the sun. 44-year-old Kathleen Danvers, however, has been uncertain about her work-vacation to the Caribbean since she heard about it. Two weeks in a two-bed hotel room with three of her coworkers, could it get any worse? When she lays eyes on Liv, she knows she has to have her, every single inch of her. It's the only thing that can salvage the rest of the summer. But Liv and Kathy live in two very different places in America, and lead opposite lives, so they decide on a no-strings policy...and find it difficult to maintain. ~~ 'No Strings For The Summer' is a sapphic age-gap romantic erotica novella featuring a 17 year age gap, a plus-size love interest, and lots of explicit sexual content. Romantic erotica is different from erotic romance in that romantic erotica has a much heavier focus on sexual content. Intended for 18+ audiences. |
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Urban Gothic by Stephen Coghlan Burned out and drugged up, Alec LeGuerrier spends his days faking it, barely ekeing out an existence while living in a haze of confusion and medicated mellowness. That is, until he stops a gang of nightmarish oddities from killing a strange young woman with indigo eyes. Dragged into the lands of the dreaming, he must come to terms with his brutal past and his grim imagined future in a land his body knows is real, but his mind refuses to acknowledge. |
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The Heavenly Sword by Alice Poon The Heavenly Sword and its sequel are a unique blend of an epic wuxia story and Chinese myths. Set in a world of human conflicts, fantastical martial arts, sorcery and celestial magic, Alice Poonâs debut fantasy follows a martial maidenâs heartbreaking adventures in her quest for love and justice. The goddess Changâe is sent to the mortal world to rein in the tyrant Zhu Di, formerly a Sky Wolf. Reborn as Tang Saiâer, a simple village girl, her celestial mission requires her to master a special martial arts skill, but to succeed, she must fight her growing feelings for a member of Zhu Diâs court, Ma Sanbao. When Zhu Di incites a civil war that imperils her village people, she is forced to lead the White Lotus Sect in direct combat. But even though she gets help from the gracious immortals in the violent feuds, she finds that her mission is on a collision course with her dreams. |
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Lantern by Burgundy Athena Pendragon In this dark high fantasy adventure, a grumpy middle-aged mage is asked by an old friend to take on an Impossible Task for her: finding a cure for her son's curse when all else have given up. Aiding Devyn on zir quest to cure Lio of his horrifying curse that he acquired by stealing a lindworm's treasure, is the teenager himself, a family of werewolves, and a mysterious demonic lantern forever bound to zir soul. But as the clock waxes and wanes and Lio's curse worsens, so do the dangers lurking in the shadows for them. And all of them human. |
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It Will Hurt by Anya K. Jordan In a realistic portrayal of mental illness and sexual repression, not every romance can have a happy ending. Two steps forward, one step back, as they say. But we can laugh and cry together on the way. We don't have to be alone. Nico still has to learn that. It Will Hurt is a contemporary queer story about a young man with bipolar disorder discovering his bisexuality in the underground death metal scene of a university town in 2010s Germany. |
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Magic is dying out. There are only two people who can stop it: a psychopathic wizard who canât keep it in his pants and an autistic mage with crippling anxiety. Nikolai no longer wants to kill Medeaâheâd much rather sleep with her, certain itâs the key to winning her heart and learning the secret to immortality. But she seems oblivious to his advances, and Yoxtl wonât stop cockblocking him. The damned spirit wonât relent until he builds it a following. Medea has sensed the decline of magic for years. Now that she has an apprentice who can help her discover the cause, she finds her own discomfort with an ever-changing society getting in the way. Nikolai has been acting odd, too, though she canât put her finger on why. Their research takes them to America, where Medea struggles to navigate the Mundane world and Nikolai thrives, relying on his newly honed telepathy skillsâa branch of magic that Medea despises and fears heâll use against her. Will she ever learn to trust him? Should she? And when they stumble upon a mysterious magical signature in the unlikeliest of placesâthe heart of a Mundane cityâwill it shed some light on the fall of magic or lead to more questions? |
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Warriors of the Suburbs by Tim Kreher Micas was ready for the summer of his life, going to computer summer camp with his friends for the first time. But then, strange events began to unfold, starting with the disappearance of his beloved uncle, a local university professor. Soon, he would realize this would be anything but a typical summer. Upon his search for his uncle, Micas and his friends discover unusual objects, showcasing elemental powers that beckon them into a trance. Waking from his daze, Micas began seeing a mysterious fox, but there was more to this creature than appearance. The red furred animal was luring him to another world. Will he be able to escape this treacherous new land and find his way back, or remain there forever hunted by sinister stone-like beings? |
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Careful what you wish for... When Renee Reynolds finds herself dumped by her long-term boyfriend in the middle of the pouring rain on her birthday, she wishes she could escape from her life. Standing furious in the middle of the street, Renee sees something she was never meant to, bringing herself to the attention of a very hungry... feline monster. Unable to outrun the creature from beyond the realm of her beliefs, Renee is left in the claws of her captor: Hale. Hale cannot let a human go knowing what she is; but there's something different about this one. Renee isn't timid or weak, she's a match aching to be lit and burns wildly. Hale finds herself captivated by the woman. Hungry for every inch of her. Regardless of the rules of the Midaworld she belongs to. Along side monster politics and Haleâs best friend Madriel, Renee quickly discovers just what she's gotten herself into. The worst part? She's not so sure she wants out. ~~ Devour is a fast-paced sapphic demon-monster erotic romance that contains sensitive subject matter and explicit content. Devour is insta-lust to love. |
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Blood Sisters by Rebecca Frost For almost a decade now, Brent Wright has been in prison for the killing of seven women - unless the surviving twin sister of one of his victims is right and Brent didn't kill anyone at all. If the theory is true, a presumed survivor of his is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. No one will be entirely satisfied or safe until they find out for certain. |
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His Lordship's Coachman by Maxime Jaz âWhen all hope seems lost, believe that we will be together one day.â Darren Turner has been deprived of his childhood home, of the family he has served, and of all his friends. Given to Lord Hampton to serve on his estate, he has no other choice but to travel to his new masters, and serve on their estate as their stable master and coachman. His only relief is that his beloved horse companions travel with him. Young Lord Archibald Hampton is ready to die. Arriving at his familyâs countryside estate where his father hopes he will regain his health, Archibald begrudgingly accepts his fatherâs proposal of going out on daily rides in the barouche. As Darren, their new coachman, chooses the most beautiful sceneries to please the young lord, so does Archibaldâs reluctance and hostility fade. For both Darren and Archibald hide a secret deep in their heart, only revealed to each other in a moment of despair when Archibald is on the brink of death. That unexpected love will bring Archibald back from the edge of the abyss, but his sisterâs fiancĂ©, Lord William, and Archibaldâs own mother will make sure that obstacles are thrown in their paths. And when something terrible happens to Darren, tearing them apart, Archibald has to use all his strength and resilience to find him. In a world where their love is forbidden on many accounts, will Archibald and Darren find love and peace, against all odds? |
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Nia Rae: A book about boobs and space and stuff (The Kali Series, #1) by Debbie Taylor Nia Rae, daughter of Senator and Senator Rae, has an unfortunate habit of doing stupid things in front of cameras. When her latest mishap causes her to accidently halt time travel she finds herself (and her boobs) in the centre of a media frenzy. She also learns that she isn't who she thinks she is and a whole host of people are out to kill her. Oh and the man she loves is in love with her ex-boyfriend. Part one of an epic polyamorous bisexual science fiction romance that will change the course of history. |
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Faking Forever by V.M. Rheault Fox Posey is my best friend, and when my sister tries to make good on a bet, I ask her to pretend to be my fiancĂ©e to win. All we have to do is spend the weekend together at my uncleâs ski chalet. I already give her all my free time and sharing a roomâwith that king-sized bedâwill be easy. I didnât think our fake kisses would crawl under my skin, but they do, and I fall hard. I want our engagement to be real, but when I propose, she says no. Iâm not still in love with my ex like she thinks I am, but I canât tell her the real reason Iâm stuck in the past. Sheâll hate me forever, and Iâll lose more than our engagement. Iâll lose my best friend. Posey Fox isnât one of those arrogant, playboy billionaires. Heâs happy spending quiet evenings at my apartment, and we listen to jazz and drink wine while I cook. Weâve been friends for years, and thereâs no one Iâd rather be with. When he asks me to pretend to be his fiancĂ©e for the weekend to win a bet, I agree. Whatâs a little kissing between best friends? Sharing a bed wonât matter . . . weâve fallen asleep on my couch more times than I can count. Iâll just have to be careful I donât let my heart get too carried away. Our engagement can never be real for reasons I canât let him know, and Iâd rather keep his friendship than end up with nothing at all. |
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Nocturnal Liberation (Nocturnal, #4) by Villimey Mist Leia Walker has returned to Amsterdam to keep a promise: she wants to save the captured humans in the blood farm underneath Amsterdamâs Royal Palace. After fighting ferals in Atlanta and defeating Adam six months ago, Leia infiltrates the farm along with her personal Sangue Lucy and a group of vampires from Amsterdamâs fallen faction. Itâs her chance to prove to herself that sheâs fine without her guardianâs protection. But sleeping humans are not the only presence in the underground tunnels: ghouls and feral vampires prowl the area. Theyâre different. Theyâre cunning. And theyâre hungry. Itâs fight or die for Leia and her crew as they battle against a new breed of subterranean feral vampires. To make matters worse, Leia discovers horrifying experiments meant to elevate vampires and bring humanity to its knees. Can Leia keep her friend and the imprisoned humans safe, or will the farm become her eternal tomb? |
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Nocturnal Salvation (Nocturnal, #3) by Villimey Mist Leia Walker has become the monster she feared. Turned into a vampire against her will, she struggles to adjust while protecting her younger brother. Across the world, humans and vampires are becoming bloodthirstyâferal beasts spawned by Adam Levant, a dangerous, sun-immune vampire. The people of Europe don't know their fate hinges on a young woman and her group of vampires and vampire hunters. Time is ticking, and Leia must find a cure for Adam's deadly blood. Her search leads to a reluctant alliance between her vampire guardians and the Owls, the hunters. Together, they venture to Atlanta to find a toxicologist from Adam's past. Caught between chasing a cure and holding on to her sanity, can Leia find a way to control her Hunger and stop Adam for good... or will she doom her fellow vampires and the rest of the world? |
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Nocturnal Farm (Nocturnal, #2) by Villimey Mist Leia Walker has been training to protect her family from vampires ever since her best friend died six months ago. That humans are disappearing all over Europe is a distant worryâ Until her little brother goes to Amsterdam, meets a Sangueâa vampire familiarâand disappears. Leia knows she canât save him alone. To bring him home, she must take up arms with the Owls, a group of vampire hunters, without her vampire protectors or the Owls becoming aware of each other. Under Amsterdamâs streets, she discovers dark secrets, a vampire who is immune to sunlight, and a threat that turns humankind and vampires alike into feral killers. Can Leia hold on to her belief that everybody can be saved while she fights to bring her brother homeâ Or will she end up as a human blood bag on the farms? |
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Last Skies Afire (Digitesque, #6) by Guerric Haché Worlds once alive are being destroyed; worlds once dormant must be brought back to life. Weapons that have long been wielded must be returned to the sheath; things never truly grasped must be wielded as weapons. What can Ada do, as planets burn under the inexorable advance of a machine fleet? What can Isavel do, from a shackled homeworld that has not been heard from in a thousand years? And what might they both do, if they were no longer alone? When seals are broken and barriers fail, when distances shrink to nothing and options dwindle into despair, both Ada and Isavel see only one way forward into a world that still lives on the other side of the fire: Let all hell break loose. All at once. And pray chaos is on their side. |
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Fourth Under Sol (Digitesque, #5) by Guerric Haché Isavel was sure she was a gods-forged weapon. It seemed painfully obvious. So with her second life falling to pieces all around her, and nowhere left to go, she stands before them again, one last time - hoping, for once, to be a double-edged sword. Arguments with gods rarely end well, however. Now thrown so far off the path that no walking or wings could ever bring her home again, she finds the self-destructive legacy of her ancestors stretches far further afield than she could have imagined. The same old bones lie under alien soils, the same wars echo in different blood, the same silent stars twinkle above barren skies. And looming over it all, the same inscrutable gods - only these ones are within reach. And with every scuff and every broken promise, the visage of these gods crumbles away until Isavel finds herself staring at what lurks in their hearts and their roots. But these gods still stand, and still the worlds turn, and somehow she must find a path to her home, and a home for her heart. These old gods may stand in her way, and their wastelands may sap her strength. But she is a weapon, of a kind no god has ever known. And arguments with gods rarely end well. |
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The Broken Third (Digitesque, #4) by Guerric Haché Out between stars and planets that left Earth behind many centuries ago, Ada Liu discovers a thriving but strangely archaic interstellar civilization - a Union of ancient colonies that have survived a war of apocalyptic proportions. Expecting to uncover the roots of Earth's downfall, she instead finds this society built by strange humans and familiar aliens is threatening, bewildering, and not at all what she had hoped. Her abandonment of Isavel Valdéz haunts her as she travels further and further, but with an array of hunters breathing down her neck and no way to return, Ada needs to gather what little help she can and find refuge between the cold vacuum of space and the unfamiliar soils of new worlds. She has one unsettling advantage: for better or worse, Ada is a strange daughter of a stranger Earth, and is perhaps the second most dangerous thing this Union has ever faced. |
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Second Contact (Digitesque Book 3) by Guerric Haché Ada and Isavel still aren't sure if they are enemies, allies, rivals, or something else entirely - but the world is conspiring to force them into a decision. Peace between humans and their inhuman neighbours is crumbling, a millenium of stasis can no longer hold, ancient gods are losing their grip on Earth, and something from beyond the world is coming. There are cities to save, curses to lift, and exiles to end. Ada must say goodbye to the few allies she has, and her time to solve an ancient wrong done to humanity is running out. Isavel must save a city that will no longer listen to her, and is rushing into a war it may pay far too dearly to win. To achieve anything at all, the two of them may need to close the gap that separates them and start anew. |
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First Angels (Digitesque, #2) by Guerric HachĂ© Isavel has seen what comes after death, and wishes it on no one. Miraculous in the eyes of her peers and her elders, she has become the godsâ unwitting hand in an effort to stop an invasion of otherworldly creatures who would take human bodies as their own. She may fight bravely, but she is also beginning to learn that her influence may come at the cost of who she once was. But this invasion is not incomprehensible. Ada's ancestors corrupted the world this enemy is fleeing from, and so she believes the war is her problem to fix. After all, if civilization is to be built anew, the crisis threatening to destroy what little remains of it must be solved first, and Ada sees nobody better placed than herself to save the world and reverse Earthâs decline. As they both fight to restore the world, their disparate fates weave ever closer together. These gods-chosen mortals know each otherâs face, but each has yet to understand who the other truly is, and the consequences of their collision could resonate beyond Earth, out into the stars that still keep watch over this forgotten planet. |
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Dragon Your Bones by Tatiana Obey Rasia is determined to slay a dragon for her Forging, a trial each child must succeed to come of age. All she needs to do is find the dragonâs den, slay the winged bastard, and haul it home before the deadline ends. Not so easy. But Rasia has Kai on her teamâwho may or may not have some secrets up his shroud. Nico needs to prepare for the bloodrites, a ritual ceremony as bloody as the name. If she succeeds, sheâll earn the title of Ohan, but first sheâll have to dodge assassins and hunt whomever placed the hit on her head and hopefully kill them before they kill her. In the Grankull, coming of age isnât easy. There are always greater dragons to slay. DRAGON YOUR BONES is the introspective sequel to BONES TO THE WIND, full of political intrigue and a coming-of-age exploration. The novel includes strong female characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, and mature themes. It is appropriate for a NA/Adult audience, 18+. |
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The Tree of Azathoth by C.T. Phipps "The Dreaming City has a million stories." The world has finally reached its final hours with Yog-Sothoth devouring time itself. John Henry Booth is not content to die and seeks out an old enemy to provide him an escape from the dying Earth. This results in him being transported to a strange monster-filled city where millions of humans live in a bizarre hodgepodge of eras. John soon finds out he's been here before, or at least some variant of him has, and he is soon founded by faces long thought dead. And what is his lost son's connection to the mysterious metropolis? The Tree of Azathoth is the third novel of the Cthulhu Armageddon series, a post-apocalypse continuation of H.P. Lovecraft's popular Cthulhu Mythos. |
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"Is it better to live as a monster or die as a man?" It has been a year since John Henry Booth's exile from New America and the fall of the Black Cathedral. Cursed with a slow transformation into a monster, he has begun a doomed relationship with fellow escapee Mercury Halsey as they seek some way to arrest his transformation. Dubious hope arrives in the form of the University, the deranged scientists and cultists descended from the staff of Miskatonic University. Except, their offer of help comes at a price. Having sold themselves to ancient aliens called the Yith, they wish John and Mercury to join a group of rogues in hunting down a wayward member of their faculty: a man who intends to release the last of the sleeping Great Old Ones on an already ravaged planet. If they're telling the truth, John and Mercury will be heroes. If. The Tower of Zhaal is the second novel of the Cthulhu Armageddon series, a post-apocalypse continuation of H.P. Lovecraft's popular Cthulhu Mythos. |
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Jesus and John by Adam McOmber Jesus and John is a Weird re-imagining of the New Testament as a novel of allegorical horror. John, a fisherman from a rural village on the shores of Galilee, is tasked with protecting the risen body of his lover who was crucified for disrupting Roman order in the city of Jerusalem. The body, having miraculously emerged from its cave-like tomb, refuses to speak and walks in a dream-like silence, disrupting the clear-cut message of the Apostle Peter and eventually leading John on a dangerous pilgrimage to a mysterious mansion in Rome known as the Gray Palace. There, the few inhabitants promise a celebration that may lead to a sacrifice John is unwilling to make. Incorporating Christian Gnosticism, Pagan dreams, and a contemporary will toward queer disruption, Adam McOmber's new novel tells a powerful story of devotion. |
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The Handler's Gambit by Ingrid Moon Play the game. Murder the innocent. Don't let them see you sweat. Commander Boone's treacherous secret could save thousands of livesâif he could only escape from the murderous warlord who employs him. He wears his game face while following orders to destroy enemy fleets and handles a reckless assassin with elemental powers. Behind the scenes, he is undermining the warlord's pursuit of an innocent rival. The duplicity and the horrors are taking their toll. Boone wants out. In a bold gambit, he crafts a plan to escape. But his superiors might be catching on, and the plan is not without its own horrors. With everything working against him, including the woman he thought was his salvation, he may not live long enough to execute it. "Absolutely epic action with a tug at the heartstrings.â Space Battles, Biological âMagic,â Ground Assaults, Betrayal, Unlikely Allies The Handler's Gambit is a dark, character-driven thrill ride across the galaxy, where the sacrifices made for freedom clash with the indomitable human spirit. |
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Mud Crab Kingdom: My People or My Peace? by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton Following the Indie Ink nominated book, the Soft-Shelled Prince, this slow-burn sequel shows Marcious LeojĂš's life after creating his Mud Crab Kingdom. Like that of his childhood, the walls of his kingdom keep discrimination and persecution at bay. However, they also keep the true Marcious locked inside. Marcious must constantly choose between what's best for his kingdom and himself; the advancement of mud-skins and the pursuit of love; his people or his peace. The demands of his citizens, opinions of outsiders, and thoughts in his head create an inescapable constant roar. Even so, he must make choices that leave some, or someone disgruntled, disowned, or dead. |
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Always There For You by Halli Starling A new town, a new start, and finally opening the wine store of her dreams. Amelia has picked the small town of Breakwater to be her new home, and her new beginning. Even as her chronic pain sometimes gets in her way, she won't let anything keep her wine store and tasting room from opening. And now that her best friend Hadley is with her, everything is perfect. What Amelia won't speak aloud is how much she adores and cares for Hadley -- how much she truly loves the woman she's known since they were kids inspecting bugs and reading together in one of their backyards. Hadley thinks the town of Breakwater is the perfect spot for Amelia and her new lease on life. And she's thinking about settling down herself, after years of traveling around the world and taking on odd jobs and having flings with beautiful women. But she always, always comes back to Amelia and now is her chance to tell her best friend exactly how much she cares. It's hard to be brave, especially when it comes to affairs of the heart. But together, they can weather the storm and find what they've always been searching for. |
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A Brighter, Darker Art by Halli Starling A chance meeting at a bar. An instant connection. But that connection turns from a spark into all business. For the moment. And it's a really bad idea to date the boss... Raphael (Raf) Lutz, is under immense stress with the opening of his fifth art gallery in a few months. He's mentally and physically exhausted, and given his perfectionist nature, deeply concerned that this gallery won't stack up to the rest. His best friend, Ambrose and Ambrose's boyfriend, Barrett, have trusted Raf with a very special set of illustrations belonging to Barrett's deceased friend. Raf is making the illustrations a highlight of the gallery's opening, and it has to be just right. Perfect. But he's drowning and he needs a marketing manager yesterday. On the other side of town, Silvan Diedrich has just been downsized from the marketing firm he helped build, and drowning his sorrows in a few drinks and maybe some company sounds about right. The man who takes the stool beside him is dangerously handsome with a clear flair for the dramatic. Company, indeed. But as he and Raf talk, Raf offers him the one thing Silvan hadn't been expecting - an interview. Which he passes with flying colors. But close proximity to Raf, day after day, is far too much temptation. Raf doesn't need any more complications. Silvan's not been with anyone in a long time, as he's been the primary parent for his now college-aged daughter. So they make a deal. Hands off, for now. Sticking to that deal proves to be rather difficult for both of them. The companion to Ask Me For Fire, but can stand alone. |
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The Way We Wind by Halli Starling Twins Bren and Clark have been holding each other up since their mother passed away. It hasnât been easy. But Bren is running the family greenhouse and Clark has a good job at the local library. Life is quiet, just as Bren likes it. But Clark feels like heâs stagnating. Bren isnât looking for love when a greenhouse customer dumps water all over her. But Elodieâs cute and bouncy and, it turns out, a folklorist at the local college and has a special interest in plants and their stories. It seems like a perfect match. Clark might have a tiny crush on a patron at the library, but heâs never going to say anything. But when Jasper, that very patron, asks for Clarkâs assistance on a research project, Clark canât say no. To Jasper or the project; Jasperâs researching local âghost trailsâ. And Clark is a bit of a believer. But trauma and grief are slippery things, and getting through it isnât simple or easy. Maybe love needs to find a way to help them both heal. |
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When He Beckons by Halli Starling A charming - but slightly strange - accidental first meeting at a skate park. Opposites attract. And technically...one works for the other one. Zan has a fast mouth and a lot of technical know-how, so dating hasn't always been easy. He'd set aside any notion of a romantic life to work and spend as much time outdoors as possible. Biking, canoeing, skiing, you name it. He's never tried skateboarding, even though he stops by the skate park near the trail where he bikes to watch boards - and sometimes people - flip, or crash hard. Instead of skater-watching, Zan meets Deacon. Deacon's odd and interesting, and it turns out, the head of the small indie press of which Zan is a huge fan. Rochester Press puts out the weird and erotic, the dark and mischievous, and finally meeting the head of the press is great. Maybe not so great - Deacon has just hired the printing company Zan works for, and now Zan's in charge of all the new jobs. It'll be fine. Except Zan (and his big mouth) immediately asks Deacon out on a date. And Deacon accepts. There's no fraternization clause in Zan's contract, or Deacon's. It should be fine. A high-heat novella about two quirky people who would never seek out a date via online platforms or at speed dating. But their weird seems to compliment each other. Add in a romantic picnic date, a rainstorm, and a love of books and the outdoors, and Zan and Deacon might just carry away your heart. |
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Beneath the Gods' Tree by S. Kaeth Amanah knows all-too-well the dangers of catching the attention of the upper class of Arruk. Using her position as a guard to steal secrets of healing and help other lower class people means she works hard to remain unnoticed. Fellow guard Taunos is boisterous, laughing, larger than lifeâand always around. He attracts attention as easily as breathing, which makes being associated with him dangerous. Better to stay far away, regardless of her attraction to him and his easy calm. But when Amanah inadvertently insults a magistrate, she must flee the city to avoid his vengeance. She takes a last-minute job escorting a pair of noblemen to another townâa job Taunos is also hired for. Along the way, sheâs forced to reveal her stolen healing skills to keep the small group alive, and finds more support from Taunos than she ever would have dreamed. His confident charm becomes hard to ignore as he sees her as no one else has, even when sheâs doing her best to be invisible. But opening herself to romance might be as dangerous as the wildlife and bandits they face in the wilderness, and pursuing her dreams of becoming a healer could attract the ire of those in power. This book has: so much banter; strong sibling relationship; strong friendships; friends-to-lovers (low steam); ï»żgay side characters; main character anxiety rep; diverse cast with immersive worldbuilding; action and adventure, wilderness survival style; low fantasy (none of the main group displays clear magic on page); single PoV, third person past tense |
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Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs Arlo Rook has decided itâs time to move out of Garren Castle, home for orphans of all races, magical or not, at 100 years old. Itâs not the first time heâs left home, but a setback landed the Hedge Witch in the hospital a year ago, and subsequently back to square one. Now heâs ready to strike out on his own, despite his friendâs worries heâs not ready. Thatch Phantom is an immortal, the last of his kind and perpetually bored. When heâs not closing interdimensional rifts and corralling trouble in the universe, heâs visiting his favorite city of all, Levena. No one remembers him, but heâs made an everlasting impact on the city nonetheless. Long ago, he set up an anonymous scavenger hunt for the starving village, providing them with a yearâs worth of supplies. He upped the ante each year, providing less practical things, as the village had become a city and was wealthy beyond belief. Festivals are thrown in his honor to this day, or a version of him, that is. Thatch has decided to throw a wild card into this yearâs Game. Whoever discovers his true identity will win one wish of their choice, no restrictions. Aside from the obvious, such as no falling in love, murder or resurrection. Arlo crashes into the mess of copper curls and bright eyes, who throws apothecary goods and his life into a chaotic mess. It certainly wasnât the first they met, but Arlo doesnât remember him. Thatch, however, never forgot the Witch with a familiar soulmark on his face. What follows is a hilarious and wholesome series of events that teases the immortal with the one thing he wants most. Someone to call home. |
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Theyâre supposed to be together. The magic says they should be. So why is she trying so hard to get away from him? Every single one of us is fated to be with someone else. Thatâs how the magic works in Atlantis. It chooses your soul mate at birth. And while I want Matt to be mine, heâs fated to Sarahâto her dismay. One oneâs ever tried to break their mating bondâŠuntil now. And itâs not that easy. In fact, I think itâs making him sick. But can I convince him to let Sarah go before her attempts to break away ruin him forever? |
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V by Aura Marquez Being an autistic Chicana in L.A. isnât easyâŠespecially when youâre a vampire. Vâs undying love for humans doesnât allow her to fit in, and nobody understands her but Mya, her best friend, soul mate, and fellow vampire. V's inherited an ancestral gift that intensifies once she becomes a vampire and creates a psychic connection to those she feeds on, an ability she desperately wants to learn to control. Living with Mya allows her to have the lavish lifestyle sheâs always wanted, but V still canât seem to find peace. As she works to discover who she is as a vamp, all she has to do is not fall in love with a human. She cannot fall in love. No big deal, she just needs to not fall in love. âŠand then, she meets MadĂs |
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The Day We Ate Grandad by C. M. Rosens Three possible futures. Two versions of the apocalypse. One chance to save the world. Wes Porter, a severely depressed insanity-inducing playboy, is detoxing from hallucinogens that have unlocked his ability to see versions of potential futures - and he's just foreseen two ways the world could end. Normally, Wes would leave the hero bullshit to somebody else, but he can't abdicate responsibility this time... not when both those apocalypses might be his fault. With some prompting from a mythological bard-prophet who may or may not be real, and a lot of assistance from his monster-eating baby sister who desperately wants to move out of his apartment, and their soothsayer cousin who has his own demons to fight, Wes attempts to save [his] world... but have his poor decisions doomed them all? THE DAY WE ATE GRANDAD is the third book in the Pagham-on-Sea series. It is a dysfunctional family cosmic horror novel for fans of WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES, and THE CALL OF CTHULHU, with themes of bereavement and grief, generational trauma, and a dash of Roman/Welsh mythology. |
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Unlicensed Delivery by Will Soulsby-McCreath The first in the Inter-Planetary Alliance novels, cozy space operas set in a world where the rules are strict to keep people safe, but leave little room for individuality and case-by-case needs. Follow an adorable found family of space travellers as they try to navigate bureaucracy and budding relationships. Basti needs 3 things to make his brand newâ well, new to him âship run: Firstly, he needs enough of a crew to get them safely spacebourne. Luckily, with a medical officer for a husband, an engineer bestie from his uni days, and a half-sib who is one of the best pilot's in the galaxy, it seems he has all he needs there. Secondly, a Deep Space Travel License â unless he wants to cart crap cargo for pitiful prices inside a single cluster for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, his pilot is a jokester, his engineer just got out of a long-term relationship, and his assessor is very particular about how he thinks Basti should run his ship. And, finally, there needs to be enough jobs to keep the ship spacebourne... which he can't get without a license. Which he can't get without a job. Nobody said IPA rules made sense |
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Breaker of Fates (Broken Song verse 1) by Vaela Denarr & Micah Iannandrea Perilous quests give rise to heroes. And broken songs call for Chosen Ones to be mended. Roderick and Keeva, once friends, now orphaned by a dragonâs wrath that fractured the harmony between the great clans, spend their days locked in battle⊠until they are reunited, realizing that theyâre both dating the same guy: Mateo, whose overdue transformation into a dragon is complicated by feelings of self doubt after the disastrous attempt to broker peace. Choosing to get along is one thing, but forgiving one anotherâor themselvesâfor the hurt theyâve inflicted is another. Keeva keeps seeing the face of her dead best friend in her dreams, and Roderickâs suspicion and distrust keep him up at night. Soon, though, a great threat unites them against a common foe. Someone has stolen a song from the gods, disrupting the tenuously rebuilt harmony of their homeland, and the very beast that tore them apart threatens to be set loose. True heroes of Koor Kosma are required to serve as vessels for the other four godly songs and reforge the divine harmony. Neither Roderick nor Keeva are such heroes, but unless they can unite the divine and broken songs, unless harmony brings the shattered clans together, all will burn. They are not chosen. They are not the heroes of this story. They are broken. And they must be forgiven. The Broken Song Duology is a story about queer grief, trauma, forgiveness and finding your place in the world. |
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I Heart Robot by Xan van Rooyen Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who gets her musical aspirations. Q-I-99, aka 'Quinn,' lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power. Tyri and Quinn's worlds collide when they're accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn's love of music draws them closer together, forcing Tyri to question where her loyalties lie and Quinn to question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, will Tyri's and Quinn's passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart? |
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My Name is Magic by Xan van Rooyen Taika Turunen has no magic. Despite coming from a long line of powerful Finnish mages, and their name literally meaning magic, Taika canât perform the simplest of spells. Forced to attend MyrskyjĂ€rvi International School for the Magically Gifted on account of their mom being principal, Taika has a hard time fitting in. Sometimes, they wonder if not having magic has something to do with the fact theyâre neither a girl nor a boy and if theyâre fated to be Taika the Talentless forever. Life goes from bad to worse when Taika sees a liekkiö and recognizes the spirit's voice begging for help as that of their former BFF and major crush, Natalie Khumalo, whose recent absence from class hadnât gone unnoticed. When more students go missing, Taika must take the lead in a race against time to save friends old and new before a powerful group of chaos mages can unleash the legendary Sampo, an artifact capable of either renewing the worldâs waning magic or destroying everything Taika holds dear. To rescue Natalie, Taika will have to journey to the liminal space between worlds where theyâll be forced to battle mythical monsters and their own flagging self-esteem. In doing so, Taika might just discover that magicâand loveâcomes in many different forms. For fans of witchcraft and wizardry looking for a new, inclusive story, My Name Is Magic, is a story about finding strength from within and potential where you least expected it. |
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By the Blood of Rowans by Xan van Rooyen The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan. As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It's a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him. When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehysâespecially when islanders start dying. Ash is sick of their father's fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately neededâbut everything goes sideways when Ash's mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash's family history. The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy theyâre starting to love. Meanwhile Rowan will have to decide just how much he's willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island. |
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Silver Helix by Xan van Rooyen On the surface, the city of HelsInc appears to have recovered from the war waged between humans and Ethereals, but beneath the scars, the city seethes. The remains of magic festers, causing mutations in human DNA which could give humans Ethereal powerânot that the HelsInc government would ever let that happen. The Legion resists, ripping out their neurochips and protesting the mandatory gene therapy for humans with cryptomine in their DNA. At only 19 years old, Omyn Talvinen isnât ready to play parent to her kid brother, but with her mom in prison on trumped up charges and her deadbeat dad AWOL, sheâs left with little choice. Forced to risk her freedom to pay the rent, Omyn finds herself at the mercy of a pair of cyborg soldiers when they catch her red-handed stealing nanites from a cyberware Salon. But the synthsâ powers donât work on Omyn, and they discover they all share a common memory that they must get to the root of. Wanted dead by the government, Omyn and the renegade soldiers turn to a rebel Legion group with dreams of resuscitating dead magic for help. With the clock-ticking for the synths, Zee-Five and Omyn are forced to confront the secrets of their past and a dark conspiracy thatâll shake the blood-soaked foundations of the city. |
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Someone once asked August Haiz if twins realize one of them is an accident. Deep down, August knows if anyone was an accident, it wasnât Bennyâit was her. Granted, August doesnât mind dancing in the background, letting Benny be the star musician and center of attention. In fact, she prefers it that way. Abandoned by their mother as children, the twins have spent a decade dodging the unpredictable nature of their alcoholic father in an attempt to stay off his radar. With graduation in sight and their freedom on the horizon, August and Benny look forward to fleeing their hometown together and starting fresh at college. But a tragic accident turns Augustâs world upside down, swallowing her hopes of a brighter future. Guilt-ridden and struggling to cope with her new normal, August shuts out the people who love her most, and nearly ruins her most important friendship. If August wants a chance at adjusting to life after tragedy, sheâll have to process her pain, let go of the past, and leave the darkness behind. |
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Play it Back by Vanessa Lopez Aziz 27-year-old Carmen Santos thought she had the perfect life until the question âwhat do you want?â transports her ten years in to the past to relive the worst year of her life. She must navigate her senior year of high school all over again, complete with bad wardrobe, a dysfunctional Filipino family, and a best friend whoâs still in the closet. Yet, the knowledge of the future is on her side, right? But her knowledge isnât guaranteed to help her get the guy, fix her parentâs marriage, or even save someoneâs life. |
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The Unwanted Prophet by Carolina Cruz Quincy Sauer is in jail. As far as sheâs concerned, that's where she belongs - until a god of death decides otherwise. Heâs got a plan to undermine his own priests and Quincy is his pawn of choice. Going from criminal to prophet would be a difficult transition under even the best circumstances, but Quincyâs luck is about to turn from bad to worse as corrupt priests, cults, and threats unknown stand between her and the answer to her greatest questions: Has the god of life and death made a terrible mistake? And if he has, who is going to pay the price for it? The Unwanted Prophet is the debut novel of Carolina Cruz. If you enjoy low-magic fantasy, character-driven stories, and diverse fictional worlds, the Unwanted Prophet has something for you to enjoy! |
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Imago: A Dystopian Gothic by Matthew Zakharuk Tresor Institute accepts only the worthy, and Ada CÄlinescu is anything but. Intractable, mannish, a child of convicted terrorists, she can at best hope to be overlooked. Yet somehow the Institute accepts her application for transfer. Her ticket to the polar town of Heilung, home of the Institute, arrives free of charge. Her only chance to forge a brighter future. Except Heilung welcomes Ada with news of a brutal murder. Militiamen stalk the town, keen to fill their arrest quotasâand Ada knows she could make an easy scapegoat. At every turn the bloody conspiracy follows her, from the halls of Tresor to the arms of a stranger she yearns to make hers. What starts as a dalliance risks putting Ada at odds with the Bureau itself. And then expulsion will be the least of her concerns. |
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Milo Nelson has learned plenty of things from necessity: how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, how to shave his face. Heâs also learned that the truth may hurt, but the fantasy of a life he canât have hurts even more, so when Richard Remington Abernathy III waltzes back into his life two years after the end of their definitely-not-a-relationship and says heâs changed, that dog wonât hunt. Remiâs drug of choice is denial, and heâs always been one hell of an addict. The only things heâs ever committed to are the expectations of his good Christian family, and Milo knows those donât include a trans librarian even in the role of friend or roommate. Despite everything, a part of Milo wants to believe that Remi is capable of change; heâs just not sure that the time it takes to find out is worth the risk of being hurt again. |