stories in and

Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home For Unruly Boys

Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home For Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan

Deep in the heart of Virginia’s dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridge’s watchful eye, three strict rules govern her behavior program: ​ 1. What happens here stays here. 2. You must complete all eight steps—no exceptions allowed. 3. Forget your name; you’ll be known only by your problem. ​ But, there’s one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys' spines: never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers. When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridge’s whimsical—and often bizarre—challenges, only to learn magic always demands its price. ​ Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boy’s fate. But who will trust the words of a liar? ​ Bound by the house’s darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demons—and each other.


Coal Gets in your Veins

Coal Gets in your Veins by Cat Rector

In a small corner of Atlantic Canada, Laurel is doing her best to live a decent life in what's left of a former coal mining village. Deep down, she wants more, but it's hard to reach for anything with her husband's boot on her neck. Change is hard, but after two decades of surviving, she's running out of reasons to stay. Just up the hill, right under Laurel’s nose, lives a vampire who is mourning the great loves of his life. Penny Harbour is the perfect little purgatory for Spencer. It’s remote, quiet, and everyone's blood tastes wrong. What better way to punish himself than with a town full of people he can’t eat? Change is hard, but after years of isolation, he’s almost ready to start living again. But sometimes trauma stays in the blood. Sometimes it flows in the water and contaminates the earth. Passing from one heart to the next, slowly blackening everything it touches. In Penny Harbour, pain refuses to let go.


Of Stars and Lightning

Of Stars and Lightning by Melanie Mar

“Destiny wasn’t meant to be tested. Then again, neither was she.” Sol Yarrow didn't ask for much. A nice day for hunting. A peaceful shift at her gods-awful job. A steaming bowl of her Aunt's famous stew. Easy. Simple. But after twenty-five years of simplicity, everything she thought to be true was rewritten when four strangers came to her town of Yavenharrow to take her back to a shielded land known to be inhabited by ruthless Elemental Magic Wielders, a land only known by rumors and bedtime stories. A kingdom where her Mother had been the Queen. A kingdom that, by order of succession, now belonged to her. But what would a human with no magic and a short temper have to offer the Wielders? Sol didn't think much. Her Court thought otherwise.


Garner for Gold

Garner for Gold by Catherine Labadie

Bettina has wealth, freedom, and power as Goddess Marzanna’s favored Saint. Divine influence has grown over the years as Goddess and Her consorts rebuild what Silver’s vanquished order destroyed with each of their fertile joys. The early years of Bettina’s immortality should be equally exalted, but there is a fly in the ointment: her daughter Cosima has been granted Godling status and eternal life. Her firstborn son Cristoval has not. As the Bright Age luxuriates in its golden afternoon, unhallowed forces conspire to challenge Marzanna’s audacious regime. Bettina returns from self-imposed exile to find Aebbenary more perilous than she remembered and her children grown almost beyond recognition. Old wonders and interest in a curiously constructed Grand Archivist both help and hinder Bettina in her plan to ensure neither of her beloved, wayward children will be lost to the grim march of time
or Goddess’s gluttony.


He Who Bleeds

He Who Bleeds by Dorian Valentine

London. 1874. Religious devotion was a learned skill, and even the most pious of men have felt the tug of The Devil’s influence. Lord AurĂ©lien Saint-Orlant found he was no exception, always toeing the line between being a true god-fearing man and a barbaric sinner who reveled in hedonism. This monotonous life of his changes when his world crashes down around him and wolves in sheep's clothing are revealed, leading AurĂ©lien to discover his true origins. As one of many devilspawns, he is locked in a contract with a greedy human who uses him to commit unorthodox killings among the upper echelon. When his contract is partially broken, AurĂ©lien finds himself whole again, and his desire to create his macabre art only grows. The spawn seeks retribution and craves the freedom to create his art in utter peace. With the help of his incubus lover, Lord AurĂ©lien Saint-Orlant will paint the streets red with that human’s gore.


Spark and Tether

Spark and Tether by Lilian Zenzi

SPSFC 2024

Working odd jobs across the Outer Ring gets a little lonely sometimes—not everyone loves having a synchronist with supraliminal perception around. But all Sacheri wants, he tells himself, is to wander the stars. Then he takes a salvage run to an abandoned moon where he meets the wry, reserved, strictly-by-the-rules archivist Jin. Mesmerized by their confidence and charm, Sacheri can’t resist showing off his abilities–and instead of the damaged ai he was tracking, he stumbles onto a signal left by a synchronist who went missing decades earlier. Sacheri knows from previous experience that pursuing the truth—never mind justice—could destroy everything he loves. He would defy his employers, the institution responsible for the myconeural networks that make him a synchronist, and the leadership of several worlds. And it would complicate his new, passionate, and impossibly sweet relationship with Jin. They might be the best thing that’s ever happened to him, but they work for the very entities that ended Sacheri’s last investigation. He knows better than to risk it. But he’s never been able to turn away from someone in need, and there’s a voice in the void calling for aid



A Song for Mary

A Song for Mary by Sam Carnes

A Song for Mary is a period piece set in Tudor England about two gay musicians in the court of Mary Tudor prior to her ascension as queen. Mary Tudor is looking for a new court musician. Henry plays the viola da gamba well enough but has the voice of an angel. Thomas doesn't sing very well but is a brilliant lutist. After the auditions, in a surprising move, Mary hires them both. Thomas and Henry are not pleased with this and find themselves rivals. But Mary has ordered them to work together. After weeks of tension, Mary commands them to drink a cask together and either work it out or else she might have to look for a new musician. Well into the evening, (and more than a little drunk) Henry and Thomas finally start talking. Will they be able to resolve their differences or will they be sent packing? And how will they navigate being gay in such a time and place?


Talio's Codex

Talio's Codex by J. Alexander Cohen

Is LOVE WORTH DESTROYING HIS REPUTATION? Ten years ago, the theft of his codex destroyed Talio Rossa's career as a magistrate in the four cities. But when his ex-wife—finally willing to forgive finding him in bed with a man—presents him a long-shot legal case, he has the chance to get his career back on track. While fighting to rejoin the legal community, Talio uncovers a conspiracy so big it threatens the origins of the four cities themselves. Their prosperity is only thanks to their connection by magical floating waterways and the brilliance of their legal system, now regarded as near scripture. To save his career, Talio must work with both the one who doomed his marriage and the hooded, heretical man who sets his heart aflame but is determined to plead guilty to a murder he didn't commit. To stand a chance of winning the case. saving his career and the man of his dreams, Talio will have to uncover an explosive secret destined to blow the legal system apart.


The Treasured One

The Treasured One by Hannah Levin

Forced to choose between loyalty and love... Avery is a Golden Child with the ability to heal any illness or injury. She lives a sheltered life, dutifully healing hopefuls from around the globe. Although she dreams of freedom, she fears disrupting the status quo—that is, until her powers go on the fritz, threatening her health and her relationship with her government caretakers. In search of answers, Avery travels through The Rift to the realm of the fae, intimidatingly beautiful beings with powers humans don’t understand. Their prince, Riel, has motivations of his own when he agrees to teach her about her rare magic. But as they work together, the two are drawn to each other. Just as Avery manages to unlock the full potential of her powers, a betrayal shakes Riel’s House, putting pressure on the already tenuous relationship between humans and the fae. Caught in the middle, Avery and Riel will have to decide what matters most to them: loyalty to their respective nations, or their feelings for one another. This debut novel from Hannah Levin will appeal to those new to Romantasy as well as seasoned Romantasy readers who enjoy contemporary and high fantasy elements, light-hearted adventure, and descriptive yet digestible world-building.


The Crack at the Heart of Everything

The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn

He accidentally cursed himself... When the consequences get him exiled to the land he helped terrorize, can this evil wizard find redemption... and love? Orpheus can't believe it's come to this. After helping his childhood friend conquer the realm by raising an army of hell-beasts, the befuddled dark sorcerer finds himself banished when the price of his magic endangers the palace. Isolated and betrayed, Orpheus isn't exactly thrilled when his irritating and handsome rival keeps stepping between him and certain doom. Ill at ease in the barren wasteland his powers created, Orpheus slowly warms to the charismatic ex-general's relentless overtures. But as his feelings grow more intense, the former villain struggles with an inconvenient calling towards heroism. Will dabbling in good deeds get him killed or open the doors to happily ever after? The Crack at the Heart of Everything is the charmingly swoon-worthy first book in an epic LGBTQ+ fantasy series. If you like character-driven stories, snarky humor, and well-earned redemption arcs, then you'll adore Fiona Fenn's unexpected hero's journey.


Ascension

Ascension by Brittany Engstrand

If you die in your dreams, do you die in reality? When Maaya Hasan is devoured by her late grandmother’s mirror, she learns a powerful shadow demon is after her soul. To remain alive, she’s forced to ally with her enemy’s heir—a flirty, cursed assassin who hides the truth about his broken past. With Ares’s help, she must collect the souls of five dead gods in order to return home. Throughout their journey, Maaya struggles to survive encounters with merciless demons, spirits, and otherworldly creatures like seer plants, heart-stealing vultures, and a demon of illusions
 and to resist her desire for Ares, despite his alluring, incessant attempts to charm her. As secrets are exposed and a dark power stirs within her, Maaya learns her soul is not the only life at stake. She must sacrifice the love she couldn’t help but become entangled in, or risk the lives of innocents across the universe. For all gods covet sacrifice.


When Oceans Rise

When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez

Submerged in a toxic relationship and disconnected from everyone, she turns to the sea to decide her fate. Its decision? Toss her to the sea witch. Seventeen-year-old Malaya is cursed. In her family, every girl’s first love ends in death after falling for someone evil. Good thing Malaya’s dream guy isn’t monstrous. Except the curse is real and preventing Malaya from noticing how much he has gaslit and isolated her until she can’t be saved. With no other options, the sea witch is the only one to help her. Bartering her voice for a new life where she and her abusive boyfriend never met, Malaya accidentally swaps places with an alternate timeline version of herself who didn’t make her mistakes. As she tries to undo the switch, the sea witch uses Malaya’s voice to unleash Filipino mythological creatures into the worlds. Can a champion, an alternate timeline sister, and Malaya fight these beasts and stop the sea witch before she destroys both timelines?


Forever Red

Forever Red by Harvey Oliver Baxter

In the beginning, there was a band. A band of kids who had the world at their fingertips. Follow Ben and Casper throughout their lives as they rise to fame as the goth icons of the band Forever Red, and watch through interviews and their own narration as they navigate their passions, relationships, and eventually, their undead lives. The rockstar life is not always as it seems, but some bonds were never meant to be broken.


Earth to Alis

Earth to Alis by Lex Carlow

Alistair Woodson is a loner by choice. Since the traumatic night that ended his only friendship, he’s isolated himself by letting his classmates believe he’s a criminal and an arsonist, best to be avoided at all costs. But on his graduation trip across Paris, Switzerland, and Italy, Alis discovers that isolation isn’t so easy to maintain in hostel rooms and cross-country trains. Soon he finds himself growing closer to classmates who were once strangers to him—namely the class clown, Craig Miltenberg, whose frustratingly good hair and cheerful disposition don’t irritate Alis nearly as much as they should. Yet, as his deepening connections stir up painful reminders of his last doomed friendship, Alis continues to cope the only way he knows how: drowning out the pain on the inside by hurting himself on the outside. When his self-destructive behaviours intensify and put him and his new relationships in jeopardy, Alis must find the courage to confront his spiralling mental health—even if it means letting someone in. Lex Carlow's gritty queer debut is perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Kathleen Glasgow, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.


Fallen Thorns

Fallen Thorns by Harvey Oliver Baxter

“A great death is in the air.” Arlo is lost. He thought he had everything figured out. Go to university, fall in love, get a job. But life doesn’t always work like that, and before he has a chance to figure it out, he dies. In the space of a night, Arlo is plunged into a new world of immortality and finds a group of people who swear to always have his back. Dying is never easy, but they promise him eternal safety. But something is after him. Something no one could have ever predicted. He craves to figure out his purpose before he falls into something he can never come back from.


Demon of the Deep

Demon of the Deep by Briar Belmont

‘Do you know the other reason they call me the Deep Water Demon? You’re about to find out.’ Rowan Faine, captain of the fastest pirate vessel on the seas, has always hated the Deep Water Demon. His rival pirate captain is infamous, brutal, and 
 handsome? After a years-long game of cat and mouse they’ve never come face to face, until Rowan ventures into deeper waters and falls right into the Demon’s trap. When Rowan and the Demon finally meet, he doesn’t expect to find himself inexplicably drawn into the man’s dashing good looks, nor his elegant yet ruthless nature. Something dark pulls them together, like a creature lurking just beneath the surface. While Rowan can’t help but give in to the Demon’s charms, he’s not the only one sating his curiosity in a stranger’s bed; their crews get up to shenanigans of their own —from first loves reunited, to tentative new beginnings; no one is immune to the tides of love and lust. Yet when a betrayal by one of their own threatens to reveal all their secrets, can Rowan and the Demon learn to trust one another enough to keep their crews safe? Join Rowan, the Deep Water Demon, and their chaotic crews on this swashbuckling erotic romance adventure.


Bisection

Bisection by Sheila Jenné

SPSFC 2024

Tria and Resa have shared the same body since they were born. Like everyone on their home planet of Kinaru, their mind and body are divided down the the logical right and the emotional left. Tria, the right, has a budding career as a biologist, while Resa dreams of more freedom than their home planet grants her. When aliens land on Kinaru, Tria and Resa seize the opportunity to be the first of their people to travel to the stars. Karnath, the alien scientist assigned to study them, is convinced there is more to the Kinaru than meets the eye. But only days into the trip, crew members start turning up dead, and a mutiny redirects the ship toward a forbidden, war-torn planet—Earth. To solve a conspiracy that threatens three planets, Tria must find out the truth of who her people really are, and Resa needs to finally tell Tria the dark secrets she's been hiding all their lives.


Higanbana

Higanbana by Jake Vanguard

Nate didn’t need a savior, a guardian angel. Nathaniel has never known happiness or a life free from struggle. Stuck in an abusive relationship and damned to work minimum-wage jobs, he has no energy or motivation to make himself better. That is until he meets a mysterious stranger. Raziel, Archangel of Heaven, was wrongfully stripped of his grace and banished to life on Earth. Lost on his own and haunted by loneliness and the injustices inflicted on him, he meets Nathaniel. Struggling to navigate free will, he starts exploring the human world and falls in love—not just with the world but with the human guiding him through it as well. Will they save each other from their demons? Or will they drag each other deeper into Hell?


The House For Lost Things

The House For Lost Things by C.G. Drews

Stealing houses should be a thing of the past now that Sam and Avery Lou finally have their perfect home. But the De Laineys are being forced to sell the butter-yellow house and their family is crumbling. Sam is haunted by his time at juvie and he feels lost now that Avery doesn’t depend solely on him. All he can do is focus on his builder apprenticeship and hurl himself into an extravagant sewing project lead by Moxie to raise money to save the house—only Sam’s past has come knocking and it’s about to tear apart everything he loves. Learning how to build new houses is one thing, but maybe broken boys can’t be rebuilt.


FIRST SNOW

FIRST SNOW by Jake Vanguard

What if you only exist because you're the splinter of someone else's soul? After spending his whole life in his brother's shadow, Zanoah gets banished from his home, paying the price for his brother's crime. Thrown into a world unknown to him, he'll have to find himself and a purpose to live for. Crossing a half-sentient jungle, he's bound to find his destiny—a forgotten deity of all things.


Life Remains

Life Remains by Niranjan

To choose what is right would bring him in conflict with the vampires, but can he avert his eyes yet again when a child needs his help? In a world where Vampires make the rules, the hunters are bound by the terms of an ancient agreement and the witches are hunted. Ken is a vampire hunter having an affair with the vampire, Frederick. Navigating a relationship with a vampire while trying to help those he terrorises is not easy. If Frederick finds out what he’s doing, their relationship isn’t the only thing in jeopardy. When a situation arises when Frederick’s ward, Mabel, needs his help, Ken knows his actions will pit him against Frederick. With his very life at stake, will he choose to do the right thing or follow the path of least resistance yet again? Life Remains is a queer, paranormal, dystopian fantasy novel with morally grey characters, found family and themes of redemption and making the right choice. If you love dystopian worlds with vampires, hunters, and witches, you will love this book.


Bleeding Gold

Bleeding Gold by Niranjan

Can he learn to trust after being betrayed or will his fears lead to damnation for him and his kind? Vampires, werewolves and other supernaturals have been at odds for centuries, and humans have been picking them off easily. When Alvin Rayes, a vampire crime lord, is resurrected after being killed, he only wants revenge on his ex-boyfriend and killer, Jason. But to find Jason, he has to strike an alliance with the local werewolf pack whose alpha used to be Jason’s friend. But the more he gets to know the wolves, the more he realises the wrongness of the world they live in, where supernaturals are considered little more than animals and are hunted for sport. Before long, Alvin finds himself leading a movement for supernatural rights, aided by the world’s ignorance regarding his true nature. As a crucial vote for supernatural rights approach, Alvin finds himself in the cross hairs of assassins who had already taken out some of his friends. To survive, he has to put his life, and trust, in the hands of his bodyguards, both of whom are hiding their own secrets. Without Alvin and his leadership and money, the movement he started will flounder, but Alvin has already been betrayed once by someone he trusted. Can he learn to trust before whoever’s after him succeeds in their aims? Bleeding Gold is a queer science fantasy book set in space. If you love morally grey characters, redemption, forgiveness, found family and friendship, you will love this gritty tale.


Colliding Forces

Colliding Forces by Niranjan

SPSFC 2024

When he discovers that his bloodline is part alien and has a magic that is fatal to humans, can he trust the aliens to help when he has put one of them in jail? Undercover missions are one of Barry's favourite things. Getting in deep and completing a dangerous mission has always brought him a sense of pride -until this latest task. Now it's just personal. Given the job of going undercover to bring in Mortimer is going to be difficult. The man, if he can be called that, is Barry's biological father: a disgusting fiend with a sketchy past. When Barry starts to dig more into Mortimer, he learns a complicated truth. Mortimer is an alien with magic in his bloodline that is fatal to humans. Barry’s clock is ticking and the only ones who can help are the aliens who consider him an enemy. Can he convince them to help before it is too late? Colliding Forces is a science fantasy novella with aliens, found families and complicated relationships. If you love morally grey characters, complex social and familial structures, advanced technology with a mix of magic, investigations, soulmates and high personal stakes, you will love this book.


Angels & Exorcists: The Rosary Rejects Book 1

Angels & Exorcists: The Rosary Rejects Book 1 by Finnely Ray

The deep dark below had tried to take her once...Maryam would be damned if she let it take her again. Maryam Bishop is demon-kissed. Her mother was possessed while pregnant and now a dark shadow haunts her life. To keep the darkness at bay, she keeps her distance from the occult. Her godfather is a rebellious angel fighting for his redemption and her roommate is an illegitimate faerie prince, but hey - everyone has their faults. Everything else is perfectly, normally normal... Until her charming new neighbor attracts a powerful Duke of Hell. And her neighbor isn't the only one in danger. The duke wants vengeance on Heaven and dominion over Earth. Maryam just might be the key to both. Can Maryam and her found family of rejects save her neighbor and stop the duke? Or will Heaven and Earth fall in a blaze of hellfire?


Chrysalis and Requiem

Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li

At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art. Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another. But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death. Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love.


Flowers for a Vinok, Roses for a Babushka, Poppies for a Grave

Flowers for a Vinok, Roses for a Babushka, Poppies for a Grave by Solomon Skalozub

Courage for his oath, vengeance for his breath, fearing not his death. This is the story of Amvrosiy, a Cossack swordsman. This tale tells of how he grew from a girl to a man, and of his home, and of those he loved. I will tell you of how he fought for them, protecting them no matter the cost.


Conscious Connection

Conscious Connection by Gina Capobianco

Gina Capobianco’s first book of poems, Cognizant Introspection, documented her journey from the darkness of depression back into the light. The ending was positive, but as Capobianco knows, depression and anxiety are lifelong companions who eagerly return when the light flickers and fades. As with Cognizant Introspection, Conscious Connection documents Capobianco’s journey to healing. Her themes have, as the years have passed, become more reflective and insightful. While before she wrote her evocative free verse with passion and ferocity, she now writes with a more mature sense of purpose, intentionally confronting the darkness that continues to periodically encroach on her life. Many of Capobianco’s best poems are dark, exemplifying the despair and isolation of depression. Yet as the collection and her healing progress, she moves you toward a dawning hope for connection with other people—a hope that becomes reality as Capobianco finds the help and healing she needs. A powerful, emotionally intense examination of depression, Conscious Connection demonstrates the healing power of the written word. If you, like Capobianco, suffer from depression, you’ll see yourself in her words and realize her final message—the darkness may return, but so does the light.


There is Light: Poems about Mental Health

There is Light: Poems about Mental Health by Lucy DeRose

From book blogger and poet, Lucy DeRose, comes her debut book, There is Light. A series of poems about mental health, anxiety, self-care, social media and what's important in life. Honest thoughts and feelings from someone who has dealt with depression, anxiety and OCD. Lucy tries to end each poem with a positive note, focusing on the hope and help that is out there. Because, no matter how dark things seem, there is light.


ROTGUT

ROTGUT by H.S. Wolfe

All I want to do is play drums in Cluster Headache, but I can’t even get that right. Between my on-again off-again shituationship with one of my band mates, the drinking problem-I-don’t-really-have and losing my job along with my will to live... I’ve kind of botched up my life. As if things weren’t crummy enough I’m being followed by strange creatures that no one else seems to notice. Right before a big show too, that can’t be a good sign. I've got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about it.


White Smoke

White Smoke by Magnus Thorne

Almost a year after Aden follows his ex-dealer Gage across the country, he finds himself mostly alone in the dead of winter as Gage hides in plain sight as a bartender. The hasty introduction to Gage's new “business partner”—a silver-tongued local named Travis—doesn’t help. Desperate for details and beguiled by Travis's easy going nature, Aden tentatively places his trust in him, only to develop feelings equally forbidden and undeniable. Strung between two dangerous men willing to kill for him, Aden eventually learns more than the simple truth of what Gage and Travis are planning—and that he’s just as capable of making bloody decisions to protect them. WHITE SMOKE is a 58k m/m dark erotic novella. As it's the direct sequel to BLACK CLOUD, reading as a standalone is not advised. Content warnings and tags are located in the front matter.


The Shepherd in Shadow

The Shepherd in Shadow by M. Daniel McDowell

To forge a new destiny, he must confront the demons of his past. Mehren Tevaht wasn’t supposed to survive his desperate gambit. Throwing himself into the abyss along with the truename of the demon prince should have been the end of as worthy an end as Mehren can picture for such a coward as himself, anyway. When Mehren awakens in a shadow-realm he’s only seen in dreams with his beloved, the warrior princess Vierrelyne du Talorr, at his side, he knows the spell he meant to do went horribly awry. Together, they traverse a realm both familiar and hostile while the sorcerer tries to figure out what went wrong—and how to fix it—if only to restore Vierrelyne home without him. Haunted by his own past history, and the dawning revelations of the doomsday cult which once held his undying loyalty, Mehren must choose a fate that will define the future for himself, for Vierrelyne, and for all the realms beyond... ...the realm of bodies, the realm of beasts, the realm of spirits, the realm of dream... the Scourgelands beyond the Known Lands of Derebor itself.


Eclipse

Eclipse by Kat Kinney

Gifted hacker and vampire resistance leader Rowan Finley has lived her entire life caught between two worlds, divided by the dual bloodlines that flow through her veins. Her vampire family exploited her as a child for her rare varewolf blood. Now she may be the only person the werewolves, united with her brother Vlad’s rebel vampire faction, trusts to send in as a spy to gain intelligence on the movements of the Vampire Nation at a time when a dangerous rogue operative threatens to destabilize the werewolf military. But allying with shapeshifters will require betraying her mother Zara, leader of the Vampire Nation. Software engineer August Caldwell has been tasked by the Blood Moon pack with dual missions. He has to locate Matteo Rossi, an unstable neural manipulator and projectionist before he can cause irreparable harm to the werewolf pack structure. Even more daunting, he must find Guillermo Montemayor, leader of the North American werewolves, who has gone missing. Rowan Finley is a complication. She can’t know he still bears her claiming mark from a mission where she bound him to her temporarily in order to save his life. In order to keep her safe, he’ll have to conceal his feelings for her, as well as the true reason he walked away. As a chilling communication throws the werewolf community into revolt, August and Rowan must race against the clock to stop a madman intent on destroying the Vampire Nation and countless innocents, while holding werewolves across the nation hostage. ECLIPSE is part of the Blood Moon, Texas Shifters series. Sizzling hot romance. Guaranteed HEA.


Callista's Adventures: Preventing a War

Callista's Adventures: Preventing a War by Joharra Harper

Centuries before the Monster Realm is created, Callista had many adventures. One being with Joan of Arc. The two women are sent by the Goddess Athena to retrieve the only item that can prevent a full-blown war. But it isn't an easy journey. A demon and a saint working together, nobody expected smooth sailing. But as the days turn to nights, both realizes that looks can be deceiving, and they may just learn that what they need, is each other.


The Church of the Mountain of Flesh

The Church of the Mountain of Flesh by Kyle Wakefield

THE CHURCH OF THE MOUNTAIN OF FLESH is a cosmic horror novel about mad artists, bodies spiralling out of control, and a trans man's merciless desperation. Sole De Gasinis drowns his grief in wine and buries his hatred of his body in twisted sculptures. When, one drunken night on the beach, God orders him to rebuild his village's church, he knows he wasn't chosen for his piety. Instead, he and God make a deal. If Sole rebuilds the church, God will give him the body of a man. As Sole works in a frenzy for salvation, lifelong friendships decay, a village united to tear down its church fractures into pariahs and zealots, and power and grief reshape the prophet into a tyrant. Grief for a boy he fell in love with ten years ago, who claimed to be a virgin birth, who died in agony in the church crypt when the God inside him wanted out--and whose monstrous remnant Sole must commune with for every piece of his prize.


Towers of Nine

Towers of Nine by Alyssa Louttit

The Towers of Nine School of Magic Study and Practice is an institution rich with ancient traditions and secrets. Serafina Stewart has grown up on stories of this place, passed to her by her witch mother. Now Serafina is finally old enough to attend. But getting in is the easy part. And Mother's stories never included ghosts or deadly spiders.


The Curse's Light

The Curse's Light by Joharra Harper

Skylar Prescott is the only girl who knows the truth about their small little town. The town of Lawnsdale is cursed. No one believes the town's crazy girl. Until a strange boy finds himself thrown into the town, and now he can't leave. With Will by her side, Skylar may be able to finally figure out the missing details of the curse, including who's behind it. As Skylar and Will get closer, they can finally uncover all the secrets. But Skylar may find out how she's truly connected to this.


Wherever the Stars Call

Wherever the Stars Call by S. Jean

Living within the federation isn't all it's cracked up to be, so Laurel and Juniper decide to run away from it. If they can get past Jupiter where the fed's hold isn't as tight, they can figure out what they want to do with their lives on their own terms. Unfortunately, along the way, they find a busted federation ship with a vampire on board who may need their help... or their blood.


Love at the Rock Show

Love at the Rock Show by Katta Kis

A burnt-out former pop star A sweet, broke psychic
 who hates him The festival tour that changes everything Broke pansexual psychic Judit is scraping by. She’s got chronic pain and survives (barely) on Tarot reading gigs. When her rent skyrockets, she jumps at the chance to work a merch booth on a festival tour. It’s the perfect escape until Judit spends a lovely evening with her friend’s ex-flame (it’s complicated)—and he ends up touring with the festival. Ex-boy band idol Patrick didn’t want to play the Endfest tour with the guy who stole the love of his life. He was about to quit the label they started together when a last-minute emergency forces him to join the tour. Worse, the mystery woman who turned his anxiety attack into a magical night is there too—and she knew exactly who he was all along. Judit and Patrick are forced to share a bus while navigating the drama of a mismanaged festival, other people’s exes, and drunk drag queens. The more time they spend in adjoining bunks, the less they find to hate about each other. But can this summer fling last, or will what happens on tour stay on tour?


Who Will Hold the Universe

Who Will Hold the Universe by Kel E Fox

The world doesn’t have magic
 but it should. You only get one Year 12 School Ball. For Gabby, that’s a blessing, for Zenna, it’s a waste, and for Jairo, an ageless god who’s forgotten who he is, it’s a chance to save the world. Come for a night of mystery, magic and dancing. But be warned: you might not leave with your memories intact. Who Will Hold the Universe is a prequel novella for the epic urban-science-fantasy-turns-queer-magical-space-opera Lightless Prophecy series.


Heir To The Autumn Court

Heir To The Autumn Court by Elle Porter

A collection of sordid tales centered around Princeling Fenyr, heir to the throne of the Autumn Court, as they prepare for their upcoming coronation. THE HEIR TO THE AUTUMN COURT takes place in a fae land caught in perpetual harvest season. Each high-heat story centers around a nonbinary princeling and a partner of their choosing, ranging from a minotaur, a stoic warrior from a neighboring land, and a former lover turned palace guard.


Black Cloud

Black Cloud by Magnus Thorne

Aden suspects his dealer Gage is involved in something dangerous and deadly, but so long as their unique arrangement continues, he’s fine with not asking any questions. Then, when a routine hookup turns out to be their last, Aden impulsively decides to go on the run with a man he barely knows. BLACK CLOUD is a 13k m/m dark erotic novelette with a transmasc main character. Please review author's note and content warnings in the front matter before engaging with this work.


Pretty Dogs

Pretty Dogs by Riley Nash

It’s hard to imagine dating when I secretly share a bed with my best friend every night. When we can barely spend an hour apart. When he’ll kill anyone who tries to touch me. We finally escaped the trailer park, but maybe we weren’t ready for freedom. My best friend Beck doesn’t know how to leave the gang he’s always known, even if it costs him his life. And I don’t know how to find my purpose and confidence as a trans man. We’re too lost in our fears to see what’s right in front of us. But when I almost lose him, it only takes five words for us to fall: I heard about a game. I run. He hunts me. And if he catches me
 there are no limits in the dark. Daylight is a different matter, full of the ghosts of everything we’ve lost. Until we stumble across someone who needs us, who forces us to take the broken pieces of our pasts and put them together into something strong. The courage it takes to become who we were all along.


The Illusion of Fear

The Illusion of Fear by Kel E Fox

The best cure for a broken heart is to solve an art crime. Obviously. After his partner is killed on a mission gone wrong, disavowed spy and magician Del Fevre exiles himself to Acrusi, the only city in the world where his agency can’t find him. But his plans for a peaceful hideaway where he can make illusion art and avoid awkward questions are thwarted when his arrival coincides with a mysterious art theft, and Del might be a suspect. Danger, daring and a handsome detective conspire to make Del’s exile anything but peaceful. The Illusion of Fear is a prequel novella for the Whisperers series, a romantic gaslamp fantasy with art crime and political intrigue.


Once Upon a Dark October

Once Upon a Dark October by Jessie Thomas

All curses made in blood must be broken with blood. Dreadmist Harbor sleeps under a near-perpetual veil of coastal fog, home to mortals, vampires, and those somewhere in between. Already down-on-her-luck, mortal charwoman Elspeth finds herself the target of a rogue vampire, shattering the peaceful coexistence. Forced to seek help from a reclusive vampire coven, she barely makes it to their dreary seaside perch before she succumbs to the bite. Morrigan and her coven are haunted by a bitter rivalry that has left them devastated and fractured. As their old feud is once again rekindled, she is inexorably tied to Elspeth, who now carries an ancient vampiric power within her. The two are quickly swept up into a tangle of bloodlust and sorcery after the fraught transformation—realizing that matters of the heart are complicated, especially in undeath. While something sinister gathers in the shadows of their quiet town, they are pulled deeper into a world of curses and magic, dark dealings and betrayal. But Elspeth and Morrigan soon learn that all power must come with a price, for curses are not so easily broken.


Of Friction

Of Friction by S.J. Lee

SPSFC 2024

Decades of hostilities. A chance for peace. Caught between belligerent groups, will this operation be her last? Sam "Valkyrie" Ryan is reeling. Struggling with her brother's recent decision to make their next assignment his last, the recon specialist fights to change his mind. But she has no time to process her emotions when they're tasked to protect a pivotal reconciliation summit between the Altered and Humans from human-supremacist terrorists. Distracted by a charming female medic, the golden-haired marine struggles to stay focused as events quickly unravel. And with the conflict becoming dangerously unpredictable, secrets from the past catch Sam by surprise as she uncovers a plot to destroy all of humanity. Can she stop a violent and oppressive history from spiraling into a catastrophic future? Of Friction is the fast-paced first book in the Altered Earth dystopian military speculative fiction series. If you like strong women, tense action, and slow-burn LGBTQ+ relationships, then you'll love S.J. Lee's gripping story.


A Sharper, More Lasting Pain

A Sharper, More Lasting Pain by Alex Harvey-Rivas

After their girlfriend’s best friend is wounded in a monster attack, Simone Allard stumbles across a plot much deeper than they anticipated. As they work to find a cure to their own forming illness and find out the truth, one question remains: how was Nadia involved in this? Nadia DuPont doesn’t know how much time she has or even what is ailing her, but it all gets more complex after meeting Simone on a field trip. As they both work to find a cure to her ailment, all Nadia is certain of is she's on the path to ruin.


Against Fearful Lies

Against Fearful Lies by Vivian Moira Valentine

In this second book in the series, Amelia Temple's world has changed. As a test subject to a shady government entity, it is 1954 and she has finally been given limited freedom to move around after being kept captive and studied since birth. That freedom came with a price, however. She now has friends, people she cares about. People who care about her. She has a girlfriend, but she manages to hide that fact, knowing how society would respond. And she has enemies, those who want to study her, dissect her, see what she is. Amelia is not sure what they will find. Something strange is going on at the hospital where her friend Ralph is being kept. And not a normal kind of strange, either. The kind of strange that means Ralph is no longer himself, the nurses at the hospital are keeping secrets, and somehow memories are stolen. In trying to save her friends, and herself, Amelia must not only deal with the creature now living inside her, but she must learn more about who she is and what, exactly, she is capable of. Because one thing has become clear: it's not just her and her friends' lives at stake... there are worlds within worlds and a universe of extranormal activity that just might depend on her.


Dark Bloom

Dark Bloom by Molly Macabre

When a disease runs rampant, turning people into cannibalistic horrors, society comes to a halt. Kate manages to escape the sadistic captivity she has endured and collides with Nick, a Marine haunted by the scars of war. They join forces to navigate a treacherous landscape, battling the undead and hostile survivors. But what happens when the monsters outside are the least of their worries? Nick’s shame is crushing, and Kate’s distrust is swallowing her whole. Will they overcome the darkness that threatens to consume them from within? And what will become of a world overrun with creatures that cannot seem to stop
laughing?


Under the Dragon Moon

Under the Dragon Moon by Mawce Hanlin

To break the thread of weaver’s fate, those who witness must weave anew
 Mael Nguyen doesn’t believe in fate, but he does believe in magic. His entire life revolves around the study of the arcane—spells and rituals, potions and illusions. As far as Mael is concerned, all he needs is a book in one hand and magic in the other. Anything outside of his bookshop, hidden away in the streets of New Orleans, isn’t worth his attention. But when a strange human stumbles into his life and hires him for a job, bringing along his blinding smile and curious magic, Mael finds that Fate is just as dangerous as Magic. Leo Greyson refuses to believe in fate, but he desperately wishes to believe in magic. As a small time rockstar, full time radio host, Leo has never been one to shy away from experience and adventure. He’s always lived his life on the edge—always moving, never standing still. But when his twin sister is murdered, and he gains custody of her strangely magical daughter, that constant motion comes to a screeching halt. Instead, he is launched into an entirely new world hidden right beneath his nose, and Leo finds himself wondering if Fate really does exist, and if she’s led him right where he needs to be. A queer take on magic, murder, and romance, fans of The Dresden Files, Howls Moving Castle, and A Marvelous Light will find family, acceptance, and a fantastical new world to get lost in within the pages of Under the Dragon Moon, the first book in the Belamour Archives Saga.


The Cradle of Eternal Night

The Cradle of Eternal Night by Ladz

In a land lit only by the counterfeit warmth of magical technology, the Kler prays for the return of the sun, the moons, and the stars. Ceaseless night and the beasts lurking in the darkness keep the congregation within the Kolebka Wiecznej Nocy trapped in mirthless vigil. Their towns remain quiet as graveyards as they wait for day to come again. What no one knows about this ceaseless night is that the Kler themselves can end it. But they haven’t, and they won’t. Long ago, the Kler banished the sun worshipers, but a heretical sect made the journey back to the land of darkness. Now, only one remains carrying their purpose heavy on her shoulders: a maverick technomancer named Basia. She alone will bring back the light, or no one will. Armed with naught but her own cleverness and a sword imbued with sun-embraced charms, she searches for the Kler’s secrets and finds herself in Tawerna. With the Kler on her heels, she infiltrates a private feast and catches Hanka, a docile bard, in the middle of planning her own escape into the world beyond. Hanka wants nothing to do with the heretical outsider until she discovers that her purpose aligns with the darkness buried inside herself. Hanka knows the secrets the Kler keeps, and she knows just where to go to expose their lies. With only each other and their heretical magic to rely on, Basia and Hanka face the eternal night and wonder, are they truly enough to bring light back to the world?


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