stories in and

The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox

The chaotic crew of heisting misfits in Leigh Bardugo's SIX OF CROWS meets the familiar yet fantastical, modern landscape found in Robert Jackson Bennett's CITY OF STAIRS. “The thirteen emblems given to the original rulers weren’t just symbols. They’re keys to the Vault—one that no one’s ever opened.” Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of “problems” for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noa’s surrogate father—a Seer—hands her a long-lost emblem, telling her with his dying breath that it's her responsibility to reignite magic, she laughs at the idea that the fate of their world rests on the shoulders of a killer. Instead, she uses his words and the key he gave her as an excuse to go on one final suicide mission to seek out the power supposedly waiting for her to annihilate his murderer. Prince Glacier Caelius has lived his life trapped inside a gilded cage, pushed down by the ever-present threat of death as the bastard son of Amarais’s late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacier’s rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his country’s emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, he’s the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life. Well, once they’re able to formulate a plan to take the palace back. Struggling with their tentative, newfound freedom, Noa and Glacier must learn to work together to survive the urban landscape of Avaria’s greatest cities fortified by technology in the wake of dwindling magic. The goal: steal as many keys as they can before their pasts catch up. But the further they go, the more they realize that something worse may be lurking on the horizon, and they may very well be the only ones able to stop it.


No Demons But Us by AS Etaski

Among blood sisters, I find only misery. Among Red Sisters, I find ambition to thrive which leaves me breathless. I am a young Noble trapped in a most wretched spot: accused of assassinating my sister, the Matron's heir. If I take the blame, I am next on the sacrificial altar. Dark Elves live for intrigue in our underground matriarchy. We bend the rules for the cunning and the bold. To survive, I must play the game. Through court intrigue, demonic rituals, and mind-rending trials against deadly foes, pervasive webs surround me, all spun by our sadistic priesthood and the Queen’s brutal enforcers. Through it all, the Red Sisters delight in watching me. I must prove myself beneath their ravenous gazes, or I will become the next meal for our goddess. A.S. Etaski spins the first threads of an intense and epic tale with "No Demons But Us", in which the trials of a young Davrin test her resolve to rise from the depths of fear and hatred tearing her down. Sister Seekers is mature dark epic fantasy with an ever-broadening scope. Found family is a core theme throughout, and fans of Dungeons & Dragons will find familiar grounds. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuance, intrigue, action, and magic. The series begins underground with an isolated race of Dark Elves whose intricate webs first ensnare then catapult us to places a Red Sister can only imagine in her dreams.


Summer's Second by Jeff Billington

Asher Brock’s last summer of youth is far from ideal. His hopes for the future, including an escape from his constricting Ozark Mountains hometown, seem increasingly fragile as he faces hurdles of poverty and abuse, all while coming to terms with being gay. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, he clings to his noted intelligence as an escape to a better life. But it will take more than brains—namely, strength of character and aspiration—for him to navigate the months leading to his senior year of high school. The pregnancy of his recent girlfriend, the heightened aggression of his long-time bully, and the increasing presence of his long-absent father create a season of turmoil, spurring unease and self-doubt. But with support from family and friends, an opportunity for love, and the shedding of generations of secrets, Asher sees beyond preordained fate and starts to realize the opportunities in his grasp.


Angels Before Man by Rafael NicolĂĄs

A queer retelling of Satan's fall that's part cozy coming of age and part fast-paced tragedy, with a little love story in between – In an eternal paradise, the most beautiful angel, Lucifer, struggles with shame, identity, and timidity, with little more than the desire to worship his creator. It isn't until the strongest angel, Michael, comes into his life that Lucifer learns to love himself. Along the way, their friendship begins to bloom into something else. Maybe the first romance in the history of everything. But this God is a jealous one, and maybe paradise is not paradise.


Three Kings by FreydĂ­s Moon

Ethan Shaw—lighthouse keeper and local witch—lives a charmed life in his chilly, coastal hometown. Blessed with a flourishing garden and a stable livelihood, Ethan can’t complain. But when his husband, Captain Peter Vásquez, brings home a wounded leopard seal after an impromptu storm, Ethan is faced with a curious situation: caring for a lost selkie named Nico Locke. As Ethan struggles with the possibility of being infertile, insecurities surrounding his marriage, and a newly formed magical bond with a hostile, handsome selkie, his comfortable life begins to fracture. But could breakage lead to something better? With autumn at their heels and winter on the horizon, Ethan, Peter, and Nico test the boundaries of a new relationship, shared intimacy, and the chance at a future together.


With A Vengeance by FreydĂ­s Moon

Kye Lovato left their hometown in search of a better future, but when their estranged mother passes away, they return to their parish to settle her affairs. Even though Kye escaped their traumatic past, being back in swampy Madison, Louisiana only worsens their debilitating depression, increases their dissociative episodes, and intensifies the intrusive voice plaguing their every thought. The moment Kye steps foot into their childhood home, they know something is wrong. That night, they come face to face with the shadowy presence driving them mad: the handsome demon duke, Eli, who offers them an irresistible deal. In exchange for their soul, Eli will give them pain, pleasure, and power. Kye set a path for themself—live fast, die young—and Eli seems like the perfect exit route. With nothing to lose, they agree. But after an impromptu visit from a local ICE agent, Kye forms an unlikely friendship with their mother’s bookkeeper and stumbles into an insidious mystery surrounding their family’s homegrown alebrije business. Met with ghosts, displaced employees, and a garage filled with unfinished artwork, Kye can’t help but wonder. . . What was their mother hiding? And why is a rogue officer interested in Lovato Alebrijes? Kye is possessed, unkempt, and chasing death, but as stubborn as they are, they’re the only person left alive who can resurrect the family business and carry the Lovato legacy, and their only ally is the demon possessing them.


Flames of Rapture by Riley Kade

Life is full of temptations, but there is none so powerful as that between human and succubus. Sadie Hall has loved her best friend, James Baker, all their lives, though she had no idea how he felt about her until her powers developed and she could suddenly see his every waking fantasy. She’d lived a simple life in a small farm town in which almost everyone was human, but her world was turned upside down when an alluring stranger arrived to tell her she was becoming a succubus, like him. Soon, she would need to feed daily off the sexual pleasure of others, though when her mentor warns her of the addictive nature of human-succubus relationships, Sadie must fight the tempting attraction between her and James. Now Sadie must choose, will she continue to keep James close even as she desperately tries not to feed from him, or will she risk losing the one person she wants the most? Note this is a polyamory, bisexual romance, with the main focus on Sadie and Jimmy’s relationship. Themes include forbidden/unrequited love, friends to lovers, light edge play/denial, and group sex.


FEVER by Shilo Niziolek

A memoir made up of essay fragments, Fever, examines what it is to desire throughout all phases and states of life and being. Niziolek mixes plain language with poetic prose to interrogate trauma from domestic violence and illness, sexuality, and the different ways we can and do love despite these things. All of this comes together to create a keen focus on the many ways one can experience desire and its intersection with love.


Of Feathers and Thorns by Kit Vincent

After manifesting thorned magic and nearly destroying his hometown, Kieren Belltower is summoned to join the Magic Service-an institution in charge of magical affairs-and start an apprenticeship with a high-ranking magician. But instead of the mage assigned to teach him, Kieren is greeted by his haughty and annoyingly handsome senior apprentice Esten, who clearly has more important things to do than chaperone some newbie. Their teacher has disappeared on a secret assignment, leaving Esten no instructions other than a warning not to trust a soul. But as Kieren's unruly magic proves too dangerous to leave unattended, Esten has no choice but to involve him in the matter. Together they retrace their teacher's last known mission-an investigation into the illegal use of magic and its connection to the devastating phenomenon called the sludge, which has plagued the country for weeks. But as Kieren and Esten grow closer, they uncover a plot that thrusts their lives into danger and threatens to shatter everything they know about magic and the world they were born into. Set in alternative 1900s America, Of Feathers and Thorns is an LGBTQ+ historical fantasy perfect for fans of Carry On and A Marvelous Light.


The Jester Prince (The King Jester Trilogy Book 2) by V.M Forrester

With Zirkua Fantastic destroyed, King Jester, the embodiment of discord, is loose once more upon the world. And he's not happy to have been kept in captivity all these years. Only Toby, a fresh, untrained immortal, and the other former members of the traveling circus now stand against him. Now, with Toby's boyfriend, Markley, kidnapped by King Jester, they have no choice but to leave the safety of their camp and venture into the world at large. King Jester grows more powerful with each passing day, and each moment Marley stays in his clutches is another moment closer to absolute destruction. Toby will get Marley back. Even if it means facing King Jester alone.


The Harlequin Circus (The King Jester Trilogy Book 1) by V.M. Forrester

Tobias has never known anything but the silver and crimson silks of Zirkua Fantastic. Raised from birth alongside firebreathers and hawkers and tightrope walkers, now he performs at the myriad stops of the traveling circus. Setting up every evening, and never staying past the sunrise. That is the way of Zirkua Fantastic. When a newcomer arrives to join the circus, the first domino falls. There's always been a subtle undercurrent of magic in the circus, inexplicable coincidences and rituals of protection. But now, the full force of the magic has burst to the surface, and a mysterious, powerful entity has broken free from her prison, intent on burning the circus to the ground. Now the circus hangs in the balance, and if the magical bonds break, the consequences will be devastating.


The Price of Silence: Winterfell Academy Book 1 by Elle Mae

From Elle Mae comes an exciting new bully reverse harem that will feed all your paranormal bisexual fantasies. Join us in this journey into a magical world filled with witches, demons, curses, and lies that will forever change the path of one girls life. I am Rosie Miller and at the age of ten, I was cursed. Because of my parents' debt, I was forced into silence and now every word, every laugh, was a weapon used against me. By nineteen I had come to understand that I would have no choice but to follow in my parents' footsteps. Get a soul-sucking job reserved for low-levels like me, keep my head down, and die alone. That was until I got a letter one day welcoming me to the most prestigious demon academy in the entire country. I knew that when I opened that letter, it was too good to be true. There was no way after thousands of years of separation between high-levels and low-levels that I would ever be given such a golden opportunity. Meeting them only proved my suspicions to be correct. A bloodthirsty gangster. A child of a high-ranking demon official with a penance for blackmail. And last but not least a witch who seems to be called by the power my curse exudes. Becoming tangled with them will probably be the most reckless thing that I have ever done in my life, but will it be worth finally breaking my curse after nine years?


Lacey & Alex: The Dagger of Ill Repute: Urban Fantasy with a Hint of Romance by by V.R. Tapscott

Talking Plants, Explosions, Gunfire, Mayhem,Magic and a Hint of Romance.Lacey & Alex, roommates in San Francisco, are a barista and a cook by day. By night though, Lacey is a part time private investigator and Alex talks to plants. And they talk back. In this book, they get dragged into hunting for a lost dagger. Of course, it winds up being so much more than simply a lost dagger.The pair spend a couple of action-filled weeks travelling from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Barstow to Vegas and all parts between in their hunt for the elusive artifact.They meet up with loose cannon Stevie and step it up a notch with exploding cars and tension of a whole nother kind, as she makes it clear what she thinks of Lacey.Olive from Jane Bond shows up with a little tiny insignificant part (heh) and Jane herself has a cameo.Join Lacey & Alex and Stevie as they have the adventure of a lifetime! Talking plants, explosions, gunfire, mayhem, magic and a little bit of romance all enter the picture before the end, in this slightly humorous, slightly serious, and always fun mystery.


Can't Spell Treason Without Tea: A Cozy Fantasy Steeped with Love (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies Book 1) by Rebecca Thorne

"You like tea. I like books. Care to open a shop and forget the world exists?" All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters
 all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy. But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra of dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams. What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other
 and the world.


The Southern Magicks by Ashton K. Rose

A month ago, a demon tore the thin veneer of a normal life I’d crafted apart when it almost killed me. Revealing my husband, Eli, as the prodigal son of a powerful magic family. When I grew up, I walked away from magic. Left my remote hometown and pretended the ghosts Gran taught me to see weren’t there while I went to university to become a librarian. Our one secret tightly held to my heart. Never let them know! Two years later, with no other financial option, I moved back to my small hometown. It was easy to pretend the fuzzy gaps in my memory weren’t there as I got a job under the strict woman who almost killed my childhood love of books. I thought everything was perfect when I married my dream guy. Then the attack happened. The "good" folks at the local magical law enforcement agency knew about me the whole time. They've pressured me to work for them as an exorcist because they’re convinced I was a vigilante who committed multiple murders. My odd, intriguing mentor Cory watches for any misstep as I avoid the seduction attempt he’s been asked to perform. Now they’ve accused my estranged older brother of taking over my “crimes.” I know I was framed, despite the gaps in my memory. The worst part? The only people who seem to believe me are my friend June and my journalist cousin Kat. Eli, filled with spite for the local magical rulers, seems to know something I DON’T and thinks I should play them at their own game and seduce my mentor, so we can interrogate him together



The Heretic's Guide to Homecoming, Book One: Theory by Sienna Tristen

“Life is transformation. You change or you die.” Ashamed of his past and overwhelmed by his future, Ronoah Genoveffa Elizzi-denna Pilanovani feels too small for his own name. After a graceless exit from his homeland in the Acharrioni desert, his anxiety has sabotaged every attempt at redemption. Asides from a fiery devotion to his godling, the one piece of home he brought with him, he has nothing. That is, until he meets Reilin. Beguiling, bewildering Reilin, who whisks Ronoah up into a cross-continental pilgrimage to the most sacred place on the planet. The people they encounter on the way—children of the sea, a priestess and her band of storytellers, the lonely ghosts of monsters—are grim and whimsical in equal measure. Each has their part to play in rewriting Ronoah’s personal narrative. One part fantasy travelogue, one part emotional underworld journey, The Heretic’s Guide to Homecoming is a sumptuous, slow-burning story about stories and the way they shape our lives.


Sovereigns by C. E. Page

The barrier has been torn asunder. Now they must find the seat of the Sovereigns’ power before the mortal realm and the Between collide, altering the fabric of the know realms forever. Under the Usurper’s influence, Leon has left nothing but destruction and undead in his wake. A chilling reminder of the future the world will face if Nea and Garret cannot find the Thrones of Eternity before the Usurper does. Hunting for clues to the thrones’ whereabouts, Nea races to the enchanted isle of Quel’sapar. But with the death ward now linking her keen to Garret’s, the itchy stirrings of his corruption could prove a fatal distraction. The hunt leads them deep into the mountains of the Spine where they will finally face down the Usurper and learn that to liberate the Sovereigns, one of them will have to sacrifice everything.


Aether's Pawn by Gabrielle Harbowy

Indigo Steelquill -- Quills -- left her native realm a thousand years ago and hasn't looked back. A jinn, an inker in the long and magical tradition of her kind, she enjoys the simplicity of life as a tattoo artist in modern-day London. Content to quietly explore the alchemical and magical properties of her ink, she doesn't want anything to do with the local jinn. But her talents make her too useful a tool to be left alone. When a notorious jinn overlord is murdered, all signs point to the leader of a rival faction. But that leader claims innocence, and knows that someone else has access to her signature powers: Quills, the inker who takes blood and magical essence in payment for her magic-enhanced tattoos. So if she didn't do it, then who? Quills' chase for answers leads her across much of England and into the company of an astute human named Amy Jane (whom she's definitely NOT falling for). Meanwhile, the murdered jinn's followers are out for retribution. She only has five days to find the killer and clear her client's name, or she'll be the one set up to take the fall. "A page-turning delight. Sexy and horrifying — sometimes simultaneously — Quills is a deeply satisfying heroine: hyper-competent and whip-smart, and most importantly, allergic to other people's bullshit. This book is goth in the realest sense: it's a hot cocktail of yesterday's mascara, a fresh tattoo, and deep magic." - Tamsyn Muir, bestselling author of Gideon the Ninth "[Harbowy's] ability to create realistic portrayals of otherworldly lives is astounding." - Lambda Literary "Harbowy writes with the precision of an editor, and the sensibility and passion of a writer." - Leah Petersen, author of "The Physics of Falling" series.


Good Angel by A M Blaushild

Iofiel is an ideal candidate to become a guardian angel, and help steer humans away from sin: she's helpful, cheery, and utterly loyal. And, as the 'angel of beauty', it's not like she has anything better to do.Heaven and Hell long ago ran out of space: there are too many humans these days, so both have come to a shaky truce – one university sheltered in the forests of Canada, hidden from humanity, where their young can study. All seems well for Iofiel's first days at university – her Archangel roommate is a bit uptight, and dealing with demons feels weird– but when a picked on demon confesses he's too nervous to pursue his true passion of soul stealing... Iofiel promises she'll major in it with him. So much for being a proper angel. Her helpful impulse has repercussions that shake the school, and may just change the world forever. Or just end it. Because that's a possibility too.


Saviors: Duty and Sacrifice 1 (The God Jars Saga) by Devon Whisper

His father needs his life force. His corrupt uncle would enslave him. Can he trust in the kindness of strangers, or is he walking into certain death? All Valis has ever wanted is to be safe and loved. So when two holy warriors offer him sanctuary from his family, he makes the difficult decision to abandon all he’s ever known. But in a world infected by followers of an evil god, he fears the protection they offer is just an illusion. Dogged by his lecherous uncle as they travel to the monastery far away, Valis has no way of knowing if the bonded warriors mean what they say. He wants to believe they could be the fathers he’s never dared pray for. But after his father tried to slaughter him for power, Valis knows better than to believe in love. Valis must overcome his fears and learn to trust himself if they’re all to survive. If he can, a lifetime of safety and acceptance could await him at the end of the perilous journey. But will he die trying? Saviors is the first book in the completed God Jars Saga, a rich world full of destiny, violence, and love. Join Valis and his found family in their sweeping epic fantasy adventure today!


Ship Whisperer by Valerie J Mickles

An unseen enemy kills from within. Can her new power turn the tide in the war? Lieutenant Tabitha Chiu is frustrated by life on the fringes of the solar system. Their military unit fled the battle decades ago to save a single space-borne city from telepathic alien hunters. But when her squad is sent to scavenge a derelict ship, it triggers a psychic link to the ship and the alien enemy that drove her people from their home planet. Her rapidly evolving ability to communicate with the alien ship unlocks a chain of secrets about her past that shakes her identity and challenges her loyalty. But if she’s not willing to die for her people, she will most certainly die with them. Can she use her new power save them? Ship Whisperer is the mind-bending first book in the Ship Whisperer military science fiction series. If you like strong LGBTQ+ characters, artificial intelligence, and heroic space battles, you’ll love this electrifying story.


Eldest Son of an Eldest Son by Fallon Walker

Prince Allard may have been born a girl, but he has known all his life that he is actually a boy and rightful heir to the kingdom as his father’s eldest son. However, his father, King Cederic, has chosen Allard’s brother to sit on the throne instead. With the help of his wizard mentor, Dwennon, Allard is able to convince his father to allow him to go on a quest to slay the dragon that killed Allard’s mother, Queen Belinda, when Allard was just a child. Should he succeed, the king would recognize Allard as his true son and heir. And so Allard must embark on a journey to slay the dreaded dragon Balsinew of the Glittering Eye. He must face down bandits, the beautiful but dangerous Prism Valley, and the Tunnel of Interminable Suffering in order to finally face the dragon and prove to his father that he is fit to be king.


The Sting of Victory by S D Simper

Horror abounds, monsters rise, and hearts break in the first installment of FALLEN GODS. “When faced with monstrosity, become the greater monster. The sting of victory will fade with time.” Haunted by a history of horror and abuse, Flowridia, a witch with a tender heart, finds a second chance in the home of her kingdom’s royal family. With employment comes friendship, and perhaps she has finally found a place to belong—until she catches the eye of Lady Ayla Darkleaf, a woman with enticing grace and a predatory smile. The corrupt world of politics consumes her, and Flowridia falls into a toxic love affair surely doomed for heartbreak. Yet when Ayla’s legacy as a monster unfolds, Flowridia sees only the tender soul hiding beneath. An ancient deity returns, hell-bent on restoring the world to its natural order, and Flowridia’s kingdom is tasked to stop him. Caught in the ensuing clash of gods, her loyalties will be tempted at every turn—by family, by fate, and by the woman whose claws grip her heart. Publisher's Note: The Sting of Victory is a fantasy horror novel intended for adult audiences and contains content warnings, including depictions of DV. Please see the author's website for a full list of content warnings.


Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake

Ethan wants revenge. Vampires slaughtered his family. When a job opening comes up for suspected vampire Marcus Varik, Ethan is sure fate is finally smiling on him. Except his new boss is nothing like he expected. Shy, awkward, incredibly protective, and so perfectly sexy. Ethan was definitely wrong about Marcus and the Variks, but is it too late to stop the deadly events he has set into motion? Will he lose the love shining in Marcus’s eyes? Claiming Marcus is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, a two-hundred-year-old virgin, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a raven named Ozzie.


bacon grief by Joel Shoemaker

“Readers will root for Charlie and Tim to find their way through the thicket of anxieties and droll snark to happiness.” — Kirkus Reviews Charlie, a musical-theatre nerd with deep appreciation for sprinkle-topped ice creams and other snack foods, is active in his church and comes from a family who loves and appreciates him for exactly who he is, purple pants and all. Tim, a lover of crinkle-cut pickles, black olives and other forgivably-disgusting cruditĂ©s, belongs to a conservative Christian pastor and devout mother who move to the rural town to staff a small church that, predictably, holds little place for Tim. After meeting online and given the green light to attend a youth group at another church, Tim and Charlie become fast friends with more and more in common. When they consider more than friendship, Tim is faced with his reality and the choice to reconcile faith and sexuality or walk away from it all.


The Phoenix and the Sword (The Crane Moon Cycle Book 1) by J.C Snow

For spiritual beings living in the mortal realm, time is a construct. Love never dies, some pasts can’t be forgotten, and history can repeat itself
 for better or worse. Aili is planning to embark on her journey to the front lines, thinking she has already saved herself from the childhood she needed to escape. Suddenly a strange woman named Tairei binds her with blood and fire in an unexpected attempt to save her from a death she never imagined. When Tairei disappears, Aili must desperately seek her across the boundaries of worlds. Aside from her newfound power to command fire and survive death, Aili can’t shake the feeling that there’s something familiar about their stolen moments together. One thousand years before, two boys fell in love as they learned to cultivate spiritual power under the guidance of the Crane Moon sect. And now that she remembers her past life, Aili's current life can never be the same. Inspired by Chinese danmei and cultivation novels, the Crane Moon Cycle is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in deep worldbuilding, spiritual quests, and queer love stories that withstand the test of time Click “Add to Cart” today for an unforgettable queer romance about healing trauma, growing from the past, and the opportunity for a second chance at love!


Girls of Might and Magic: An Anthology By Diverse Books With Magic by Various

Find your might. Discover your magic. A disabled teen tracks down an elusive sea beast. A young, Indian detective finds a magical artifact. A Black teen who can see the dead solves a murder mystery. An Ethiopian girl discovers magical secrets when she is kidnapped by her teacher. A teen survivor of a deadly plague realizes she and her robot companion are not alone. Across realms, worlds, and dimensions we bring you sixteen fantasy and/or science fiction tales that explore the tribulations of growing up. In Girls of Might and Magic, we aim to put characters of color, characters with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ characters front and center in stories about strength and resilience. Full of diverse characters and #ownvoices authors, the protagonists in these coming-of-age YA adventures will not only discover powerful magic but discover themselves along the way. Don't miss this magical collection of stories about witches, fae, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, jinn, and more! The collection includes: Heartburn by E. M. Lacey Wind and Silk by Alice Ivinya Faith by Sudha Kuruganti Grace and Ghosts by K. R. S. McEntire The Outside by C. C. Solomon Daughter of Soil and Gold by Meghan Rhine Check Yourself by Kat Zaccard A Meeting in the Woods by Nicole Givens Kurtz Pretty Young Things by LaLa Leo Funnel Cake by Amanda Ross Outcast by D. L. Howard Serenity Dawn by C. I. Raiyne The Cursed Gift by Courtney Dean Chasing Waves by Kendra Merritt Sight by Tamika Brown Memories of Magic by Ashley Ford


Valkyrie by Meg Ludwa

Life is a paradise for the privileged on Odin Prime. Dr. Shea Tristan, a loyal Statesman and Chancellor’s niece, learns firsthand how broken the state is when she falls into the hands of Shadow- the station’s most dangerous criminal organization. A disgraced Valkyrie named Victoria Hammond and an emerging threat among the station’s most vulnerable force Shea to confront her mother’s shameful past. Shea will question everything she knows about herself, her notorious family, and the state that once protected her.


In-Between by MJ James

Sometimes life doesn’t turn out how you thought, but you can still find your place. Alicia is a single mother to her eight-year-old son, Kenny. Being a single mother is hard enough, but her son’s principal seems convinced that she is unfit because she is on the autism spectrum. The school keeps accusing her son of the weirdest things, such as making the school garden grow and disappearing in the middle of class. Uncertain if the school is being delusional or if more is going on, Alicia decides to track down her son’s father. Except that she only saw him one night, a night she has tried hard to forget. Now Alicia has a man following her and claiming that her son is the heir to the elvish throne. All Alicia wants to do is keep her son safe, but to do that, she has to give up everything she has ever known and go to a place that follows its own set of rules. In-Between is full of magic, motherly love, and found family. It has a positive own-voice autism rep, Aromantic/Asexual rep, and a M/M romance.


The Soft Landing Collection: Sapphic Fantasy and Science Fiction Stories by Jacquelynn Lyon

Visit worlds with mermaids trapped in zoos, floating continents that block out the sun, curses that sprout flowers from your skin, astronauts on dying spaceships, and forests haunted by hungry bog witches. Five short stories that revolve around the love between women and the fantastical world they inhabit. Sagas of a mermaid fascinated by the enclosure next to hers. A genius young woman trying to reach a stranger in the sky. A bog hag threatening to eat a princess that can’t seem to stay away from her. Astronauts conversing as one hurtles into Jupiter’s atmosphere on a doomed voyage. A woman cursed to grow flowers from her skin when kissed and the knight that promises to save her. Inspired by fairy tales, folklore, classic science fiction, an


Investigating Helen by Benna Bos

Dr. Helen Nims is hauled into the police station when her new girlfriend is found murdered. Terrified and confused, she finds comfort from a stranger. But when that stranger turns out to be a crime reporter, Helen has to decide if she can be trusted or if confiding in the stunning podcaster will pull Helen deeper into suspicion. Agnes Coates loves reporting on true crime. But it hits a little close to home when her first crush from high school is found dead in a bathtub. A gorgeous surgeon is tangled up in the police dragnet as they search for the killer, and Agnes must navigate her own feelings as she digs into the mystery and seeks out the truth. With so much to lose, Agnes and Helen will walk the line between kisses and crime.


Twixt by Sarah Diemer

You wake upon the cold ground. As you struggle to rise, as your breath exhales like a ghost, you know only two things: You can’t remember who you are. And you’re being hunted. No one sleeps in Abeo City. The lost souls gather indoors at night as Snatchers tear through the sky on black-feathered wings, stalking them. But inside the rotting walls of the Safe Houses comes a quieter, creeping danger. The people of Abeo City have forgotten their pasts, and they can trade locks of their hair to sinister women known only as the Sixers for an addictive drug. Nox will give you back a single memory–for a price. Like the other lost souls, Lottie wakens in this harsh landscape and runs in terror from the Snatchers. But she soon comes to realize that she is not at all like the people of Abeo City. When she takes Nox, her memories remain a mystery, and the monsters who fill the sky at night refuse to snatch her. Trying to understand who she is, and how she ended up in such a hopeless place, Lottie bands together with other outcasts, including a brave and lovely girl named Charlie. In the darkness, and despite the threat of a monstrous end, love begins to grow. But as Lottie and Charlie plot their escape from Abeo City, Lottie’s dark secrets begin to surface, along with the disturbing truth about Twixt: a truth that could cost her everything. TWIXT is a stunning, page-turning adventure, part YA paranormal romance, part thrilling horror, from award-winning YA author Sarah Diemer.


Love Devours: Tales of Monstrous Adoration by Sarah Diemer

We're all afraid of monsters. They coil in our subconscious, slither along the edges of thought. Still we creep to the crackling fire to whisper their stories. Love Devours is a collection of new fables for queer women, extracted from the bones of the dark: ominous fairy tales, sinister myths, dystopias rife with nightmares. But in the midst of monsters, love still struggles to find the light. A witch traps a beast of the sea; a corpse is reanimated out of love; a muse drains her supplicant; a priestess worships in a church of wolves. Six monster stories lurk within these pages. Six heroines, sometimes monsters themselves, unearth romance, rebuild worlds, shatter spells. Their courage unveils the secret faces of humankind's greatest compulsions: fear and love. Come into the dark and be devoured. Love Devours: Tales of Monstrous Adoration is S.E. Diemer's first anthology, a collection of queer dark fantasy and science fiction


Traitor's Revenge (Tales From Undersea Book 1) by Jessica Wood

Secrets always rise to the surface. Pirate Captain Alethea Hera found comfort with her life in the Undersea world of submarines, sunken cities, and sea monsters - a destination for all those, such as herself, who wish to run away from their past. But now, the discovery of an enchanted gemstone and a legendary treasure drives her past to haunt her. Alethea's love-sick daughter Marina has her eye on an attractive Viking shieldmaiden, but raised in piracy, even she can't ignore the allure of a treasure hunt. Unfortunately, this hunt will not only drive her apart from her love, but from her mother and her life in the Undersea world. Will Alethea dare to face her past in order to keep her pirate crew safe? Can Marina make the right choice for her future, and whether her mother has a place in it? Embark on the first thrilling Undersea novel and set sail for a rollicking steampunk pirate adventure! Want a female Jack Sparrow? She's here!


The Warrior Midwife by E.P Bali

"The fae are no joke, girl. Be wise. Be smart. Be cunning if you can
" PRINCESS. MIDWIFE. WARRIOR Her father made a binding agreement with the fae king to protect his kingdom. Now Crown Princess Saraya must pay the price: marry the crown fae prince, go into the monster's lair and give up her protection of the vulnerable women of her home, Quartz City. But fate would not have her sent into the fae kingdom, instead, forces far greater than she could have imagined plot the destruction of humanity. The Order of Temari, an ancient guild of warrior midwives, sworn to protect women in childbirth from the demons who would take their baby's magical abilities are all but dead. But with Saraya's coming of age, the Order has a chance at rebirth. Instead of going to sit as a human caged and betrothed in the fae kingdom, Saraya disguises herself as a fae warrior and sneaks away into the Mountain Academy, where fae males learn to become full blooded warriors
 She's the Man meets Sarah J. Maas in this romantic fantasy adventure


The Witch Queen's mate by Jennifer Karter

There couldn’t have been a worse time for Barra to be chosen by her gods as the next queen of the Neamairtese. She and a group of her people are being marched to the distant Empire of Victricus to be slaves. Headstrong and independent, Barra never saw herself as a leader, and her chances of saving her people dwindle when her heart’s mate turns out to be a Svekard, the ancient sworn enemy of the Neamairtese. Without her mate, Barra cannot complete her connection to divine magic and free her people. Silvi, a Svekard veterinarian, was simply trying to survive the march south when she was kissed by the Neamairtese witch, Barra. Now, Silvi has inhuman speed and strength to protect the witch, even at the cost of hurting her own people, an incredible dishonor. Can Barra and Silvi’s love overcome their ingrained hatred and prejudice to bring their people together and save them all not just from slavery, but destruction?


Zena the Lesbian Space Pop Star by Summer Rena

A brilliant scientist, skilled fighter, adored pop star, and incredibly modest about it all, Zena Starr is the most beloved woman in the galaxy. And only a few people want to kill her for it. One of them? A bloodthirsty aristocrat from Zena's past. The other? The mutant assassin she hired to bring back Zena's head. There’s nothing Zena hates more than losing, and the assassin’s trap awaiting her at an empty lunar amusement park risks the loss of everything Zena’s ever given a damn about: her stardom, her reputation, and her eccentric crew of misfits that have become Zena’s family. To protect what she loves, Zena must survive a life or death battle with the most dangerous assassin to ever cross the stars, facing off with murderous singing robots, rogue petting zoo monstrosities, and off-the-rails hyperspeed trains along the way.


Kershin the Fire mage by Stephen J Wolf

How do you control a power you hate? Kershin's attempts at a normal life have always been fruitless, but now he's sure he'll be cursed forever. After shunning his fire magic for years, he's now forced to either tame it himself or be tamed by a persistent mage hunter. The harder he tries, the worse the situation gets, and as he's hunted across the land, he leaves destruction in his wake. Hessia has been scarred by a fire mage before, but she's determined to never be helpless again. On her mission to tame the destructive fire mage, she faces trials that shake her to her core. Trials that test her mettle, threaten her beliefs, and decimate the villages she's trying to protect. Will she fall prey to her own hunt? The fire takes. The fire consumes. The fire kills. These two know that very well. As they clash, they discover that the threats they face may be greater than either of them imagined.


Chronicles of My Alien Invasion Life by Jes McCutchen

Chuck and her friends lost a good one last summer, but none of them are convinced that Ghost is truly gone. Once she recovers from her accident, she's ready to find the truth behind where he went. With the help of her friends, Bailey, Corrin, and Pacey, Chuck will do what she can to track down Ghost, even if it means she maybe kinda gets abducted. It's complicated. Will Chuck be able to reunite her crew, and, more importantly, will she do it without embarrassing herself? Probably not, but she's gotta try.


Returning to You by Gwen Tolios

Monica’s relationship with her father is falling apart, made more obvious when her return to Madison after years aboard results in him throwing her out of the house. Lisa Carson, her BFF and old college roommate, takes her in. Turns out Lisa has her own issues with her parents – they’re pushing her to date despite her lack of desire. So when Monica joins a Carson family dinner, she lies and says it’s starting a relationship with Lisa that brought her back to America. Lisa goes along with the ruse – it gets her parents off her back and it’s only until Monica repairs her relationship with her father and moves out. What Monica failed to take into account however is that crush she had on Lisa in college? Yeah, that didn’t go away.


Everybody's Missing (Somebody) (Stake Sauce Arc 2) by RoAnna Sylver

Arc 2, In Which: Our friends, some old and some new, must awaken a powerful, centuries-old magical force - before an old enemy gets there first... Life for Jude is finally getting back to normal - or as normal as it gets when your new boyfriend has fangs, your old maybe-boyfriend isn't dead after all (and has even bigger fangs), and everyone's scrambling to adjust their lives accordingly. There's enough to worry about without evil, ancient vampires closing in, preparing dark rituals, and threatening to undo everything Jude, Pixie, and their loved ones have built together. But as they've all seen, normal doesn't tend to last for long. And it's hard to shake the feeling that something's missing. But then, it seems like everybody's missing somebody.


The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon Book 2) by RoAnna Sylver

Parole is still burning. And now the day everyone has been waiting for is finally here: it’s collapsed. A lucky few managed to escape with their lives. But while their city burned, the world outside suffered its own devastating disaster. The Tartarus Zone is a deadly wasteland a thousand miles wide, filled with toxic storms, ghostly horrors, and just as many Eyes in the Sky as ever. Somehow, this new nightmare is connected to Parole. And it’s spreading. Now Parole’s only hope lies in the hands of three teenagers reunited by their long-lost friend Gabriel - in their dreams. Growing up outside Parole, Shiloh Cole always had to keep xir energetic powers a secret, except from xir parents, Parole’s strategist-hero Garrett, and Tartarus expert Maureen. When Parole collapsed, all contact was lost. Now, connected by Gabriel and their colliding pasts, xie joins collapse survivor Annie and the enigmatic, charismatic Chance on a desperate cross-country race, carrying a disc of xir mother’s vital plans, whose encrypted contents may be Parole’s salvation. First they’ll board the FireRunner, a ship full of familiar faces that now sails through Tartarus’ poison storms. Together, they’ll survive Tartarus’ hazards, send a lifeline to lost Parole - and uncover the mystery connecting every one of them. The world outside Parole isn't the one they remember, and it didn’t want them back. But they'll save it just the same. It's what heroes do.


Stake Sauce (Arc 1: The Secret Ingredient Is Love. No, Really) by RoAnna Sylver

Jude used to leap out of helicopters to rescue/protect people from terrifying infernos. Now, by day, he protects the local mall from rowdy teenagers who ride their skateboards inside. By night, he protects the the parking lot, and the rest of Portland, from undead, bloodsucking creatures of the darkness. Or would if he could find them. Pixie refuses to bite anyone. Assault/murder/draining fluids isn’t punk, even if being a vampire really kind of is. He’s very hungry by now, and the much bigger, meaner, deadlier vamps kick him around on the nightly. Jude would love to find and fight some actual undead bullies. And Pixie could use some help staying
 ‘alive.’ Time to make a deal. Of course, life still sucks when you’re a vampire who refuses to suck blood. Fortunately, there’s a really interesting new barbecue restaurant in the mall, with an intriguing new recipe. (They say the secret ingredient is
 love. No, really.)


Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver

The city of Parole is burning. Like Venice slips into the sea, Parole crumbles into fire. The entire population inside has been quarantined and left to die - directly over the open flame. Eye in the Sky, a deadly and merciless police force ensures no one escapes. Ever. All that's keeping Parole alive is faith in the midst of horrors and death, trust in the face of desperation... and their fantastic, terrifying, and beautiful superhuman abilities. Regan, silent, scaly stealth expert, is haunted by ten years of anxiety, trauma and terror, and he's finally reached his limit. Evelyn is a fearless force on stage and sonic-superheroic revolutionary on the streets. Now they have a choice - and a chance to not only escape from Parole, but unravel the mystery deep in its burning heart. And most of all, discover the truth about their own entwining pasts. Parole's a rough place to live. But they're not dead yet. If they can survive the imminent cataclysmic disaster, they might just stay that way...


Shades: the dragon and the fire by Atlas Theseus Schmidt

The year is 2635. A techno-biological virus has transformed the human race and gifted some with superhuman abilities. Artemis Rhyex has lived in this virus-stricken dystopia for sixteen years, beaten and starved, surviving virtually on the bottom of society. As luck and choices take her higher through the echelons, she begins to notice that the divide between the privileged Overseers, the commoner Purities, and the super-human terrorist Shades, is far deeper than she has been led to believe. When Artemis’s status takes a sudden plunge, and she transforms from a Purity into the one thing she fears most, she is forced to confront the world’s growing injustice while adapting to her new powers and learning to survive in a world that now wants her dead. She joins forces with the insane Shade “Pyro” on a vendetta to destroy the Overseers’ fascist regime, and ultimately challenge society’s fundamental ideas of what it means to be a person.


The Dreamer and the Marked by Airic Fenn

In the wake of her Mam's death, Krystal Monarain has turned to escapism, throwing herself into the fantastic stories she was told as a child and the strange, recurring dreams she has at night. But she never quite believed her Mam's tales that her birth mother wasn't human-That is until Draqa, a stranger from one of her dreams, appears in her life and tells her she's part fae. So she does the unthinkable and risks following him into Arai, the realm where the fae have lived unbothered for hundreds of years. For Draqa, however, Krystal's arrival in his world could mean his execution, and he must do everything he can to get her off his hands before they're caught. Meanwhile, unrest is growing between the fae and those they deem a threat to the safety of their realm, and when someone from Draqa's past comes to him seeking aid, he and Krystal may have no choice but to get involved.


City of Deceit by Claudie Arseneault

City of Deceit is the third installment in the City of Spires trilogy. As such, please be advised that its blurb contains spoilers for the first two books. The Myrian Enclave is in disarray after a Dathirii strike team interrupts Avenazar’s dangerous ritual, but Diel Dathirii is in no position to take advantage of it while his home is lost to Allastam’s soldiers. Despite the Myrian trade war’s brutal turn, its key battles still happen in the shadows. Resistance inside the Dathirii Tower organizes itself around the family’s new steward, Yultes, even though he is as uncertain of his allegiances as everyone else. Outside, Branwen reaches to every spymaster resource she has to strengthen their position and undermine the Myrian-Allastam alliance. When Master Avenazar recovers from his grievous injury and sets his mind to revenge, the unsteady alliances forged within and without the Dathirii Tower will decide the city’s future.


City of Betrayal by Claudie Arseneault

The whole city is searching for Hasryan. Lord Allastam wants to take bloody, ruthless revenge for the murder of his wife. Inspector Sora Sharpe wants to bring him to justice for his crimes against the city. Yet no one knows where to find him except Lord Arathiel Brasten, who vanished 130 years ago only to magically return. While the city’s eyes are turned to these two, no one is willing to help Lord Diel Dathirii free Isandor from the influence of the Myrian Enclave and their vengeful leader, Avenazar. High Priest Varden Daramond could help Diel, except Varden has been imprisoned. Lord Dathirii’s only hope of rescuing Varden is Arathiel. An alliance with him, however, would invoke the wrath of the Golden Table
 and Lord Allastam himself. With enemies gathering around him, Diel is left without allies in Isandor’s upper spheres and must place his fate in Lower City residents. But little does he know, the city he’s trying to save might well save him in return.


City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault

Isandor, City of Spires. A hundred and thirty years have passed since Arathiel last set foot in his home city. Isandor hasn’t changed—bickering merchant families still vie for power through eccentric shows of wealth—but he has. His family is long dead, a magical trap has dulled his senses, and he returns seeking a sense of belonging now long lost. Arathiel hides in the Lower City, piecing together a new life among in a shelter dedicated to the homeless and the poor, befriending an uncommon trio: the Shelter’s rageful owner, Larryn, his dark elven friend Hasryan, and Cal the cheese-loving halfling. When Hasryan is accused of Isandor’s most infamous assassination of the last decade, what little peace Arathiel has managed to find for himself is shattered. Hasryan is innocent
 he thinks. In order to save him, Arathiel may have to shatter the shreds of home he’d managed to build for himself. Arathiel could appeal to the Dathirii—a noble elven family who knew him before he disappeared—but he would have to stop hiding, and they have battles of their own to fight. The idealistic Lord Dathirii is waging a battle of honour and justice against the cruel Myrian Empire, objecting to their slavery, their magics, and inhumane treatment of their apprentices. One he could win, if only he could convince Isandor’s rulers to stop courting Myrian’s favours for profit. In the ripples that follow Diel’s opposition, friendships shatter and alliances crumble. Arathiel, the Dathirii, and everyone in Isandor fights to preserve their homes, even if the struggle changes them irrevocably.


The Hereafter Bytes by Vincent Scott

Come for the cyberspace, stay for the laughs. Come for the laughs, stay for the cyberspace. Romeo is a digital copy of his dead bio self—a ghost—in a spindly robot body. When Romeo’s friend Abigail—a dominatrix with a gift for uncovering secrets—tells Romeo she’s at risk because of dangerous info from a client, Romeo agrees to help her investigate. Pursued by digital Golden Retrievers and a real-world assassin, Romeo slips in and out of cyberspace in a madcap race for survival. Can he unmask the criminal who threatens the integrity of cyberspace and the real-world economy before it’s too late?


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