Rise of the Phoenix by Brendan Arnold

Winner of Debut Author of the Year, Young Adult Book of the Year and Book Cover of the Year at the Bookstagram Awards 2025. Filled with emotional stakes, heartwarming angst, and shocking revelations, Rise of the Phoenix is the first book in the Phoenix Chronicles where magic is just the beginning. One moment can change your life forever. Will Tavner never imagined his quiet life in Fawkeston would end with fire and shadows. Marked by a strange glowing symbol and plagued by visions he can't explain, Will's dreams of leaving his small town behind crumble as he's thrust into a world where magic is more than myth - and far more dangerous. Together with his fiercely loyal friends - Aylise, Seb, and Rupert - Will is drawn into an ancient conflict brewing across the kingdom of Arulean. The ruthless Queen Haveena and her husband, King Rickard, rule the land with fear, wielding their powers to crush dissent. When whispers of rebellion stir and a long-forgotten power begins to rise, their reign threatens to topple. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, Will must decide who he can trust and what he's willing to sacrifice to awaken a long-lost power. In a world teetering on the edge of revolution, his choices will either spark a new dawn - or doom it to ashes. Why you'll love Rise of the Phoenix * A rich new magical world filled with loveable and love to hate characters, strong, powerful women and magical gays. * A blend of fantasy, action, mystery and self-realisation that will hook you in from the beginning. * A slow-burn romance formed from a lifelong friendship. * It's is a love letter to anyone who's ever felt different or had to fight to be themselves. * Perfect for readers looking for a less brutal Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin), a queer twist on Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas), or looking for the self-discovery and friendship of Heartstopper (Alice Oseman).

May Chaos Reign Over You by La Purvis

Hezi is the purveyor of wine and chaos at Wayward Sip, the safe haven she created to escape her abusive ex. As chaos incarnate, she bestows her golden apples at her discretion and it is there that she meets Edno. The young dragon carries a darkness that threatens unmeasurable destruction and Hezi can't help but offer him the thing he wants most -- power. But when he returns days later with Emry, the alpha of his coven, Hezi realizes she made a mistake. Edno was consumed by chaos. But rather than feeling remorse, Hezi is amused and Emry is incensed. Emry decides that Hezi's life will be a suitable replacement for Edno's, but when their eyes lock, Emry's demands become far more personal than she'd anticipated. Bigger problems arise however as Emry is called back to her home to deal with the growing mistrust between her coven and The Regime, while Hezi's ex is trying to force his way back into her life. Hezi knows that getting attached to anyone is a risk, but she doesn't know which is more terrifying -- pushing everyone away for fear of losing them, or succumbing to the love of a dragon hellbent on claiming Hezi as her own.

Walking the Knife's Edge by Elise Carlson

It’s hard to focus on your studies when you’re from the wrong side of town, your dad’s an abusive prick and classmates are intimidated by your skills at hand to hand combat. But for Rarkin, getting into Sythe School means monsters, the chance to contain ones that stray into human occupied zones, and the opportunity to do something meaningful with his life. Even better; it includes an Electric Way pass out of town and travel beyond city limits.​ Rarkin seizes his chance at his dream job with everything he’s got, forcing down traumatic memories to focus on work he knows he could love. But it’s a dangerous time to be holding everything in, to have little contact with friends like brothers, or to be keeping new friends at arm’s length. Sythe’s nemesis, Organised Crime is no longer playing by the ‘rules,’ and Rarkin and his classmates are on the front line. Organised Crime’s bold new tactics tear at the bandages of Rarkin’s unhealed wounds and his unresolved CPTSD. To be the person Rarkin doesn’t believe people saying he can be, he must change his toxically masculine approach to emotions, and break the cycle of violence in his family. If he doesn’t make peace with his past and stop fighting EVERYTHING, he’s on the road to self destruction. In working for Sythe; Rarkin is Walking the Knife’s Edge.

Keepers of the Crossing: The Handsel Witches by Ryan J Hamshaw

Four months after the defeat of the Dark Friars, Liam O'Connor is finally finding some balance in life. He's juggling college, his friends, and his role as a Keeper of the Crossing. But that balance is about to break, and his friends’ safety is on the line. Tariq Ashar is trying to make his new relationship with Liam work while dealing with old secrets tied to Lucas Martindale, the obnoxious and unpredictable grandson of the Head of the Guild. When Lucas’ troubled past comes back to haunt him, it pulls Tariq and Liam into danger, putting everything at risk. Meanwhile, a new enemy is rising in Sarumbourne, driven by anger and revenge. As darkness spreads through the city, the Keepers must fight to protect it - or lose what they’ve sworn to defend.

Memories of Enaros Vol 1 by Astrid E. Abell

Memories of Enaros Volume 1 is a collection of short stories centering around the time Inarora Beservera, the protagonist of Inarora's Excursion, was a young child. Three of the short stories are from Kaedan's point of view and one is from Byron's point of view. Precious Protection Kaedan and his parents finally take the opportunity to lock out his soon-to-be ex-fiancée, Iris. However, they are not prepared to what lengths she will go to in order to remain in Kaedan and Inarora's lives. Babysitting with Fibro Kaedan and Xarlen leave Byron and Seri alone with the baby for the day for a court hearing. Unfortunately, both men discover babysitting isn't very easy when both of you are in a fibromyalgia flare. Kaedan's Injury The Second Rhanalanian War needs code breakers like Kaedan and his team. Unfortunately, that puts them directly on the front lines, forced to witness the atrocities of war. Even worse, they are targets themselves when Kaedan and his comrade, Xavier, break a code from the Patriot Defense Forces. Kaedan has to evacuate the Rhanalanian Defense Force headquarters, but what is the cost? Mela Súle It's Kaedan Beservera's first Mela Súle in a wheelchair and without his mother. With his father and grandfather both sick, this year's celebration will only be spent with his child, Inarora. As Kaeden worries he will disappoint his daughter, the two stumble upon a foreign family enjoying Mela Súle for the first time. It will be a memorable winter holiday season for all.

The Killing Song by Felix Graves

Fierce pirate captain Romada is about to retire from her high-stakes life when her siren girlfriend, Neiara, is abducted right in front of her. Together with Injago—her brother and quartermaster—and the rest of her crew, Romada sets out on what should have been a simple rescue mission, but as they begin raiding the siren holding camps and witness horrors there, they have to make a choice: fully commit to a burgeoning resistance against these atrocities, or stop for nothing and no one to find Neiara before she’s lost to them forever.

Gravity's Fire by CJ Aralore

Jason June meets F.T. Lukens in this YA debut that’s two parts fluffy romcom, one part contemporary fantasy, and all epic love story. First love is magic. Sometimes literally. Sixteen-year-old Phoenix “Nix” Ashwell has spent his whole life looking for his soulmate. He’s also spent that life living a lie. After discovering his parents kidnapped him as an infant, he runs away to a town built inside an ancient crater to search for clues about his past. And, no, he’s totally not there to look for a boyfriend. That is, until he meets Max, a boy straight out of his dreams. Okay, fine, he’s definitely there for a boyfriend. Desperate to be closer to Max, Nix takes a series of bizarre tests to get into the special program he’s part of. There’s just one problem: Max is magic. And, after unknowingly cheating on the tests, everyone thinks Nix is magic too—including a group of ex-students whose attempts to reveal magic to the world put Max in danger. Now Nix has way more to worry about than figuring out if Max is flirting with him or just super nice. He’ll have to find his own magic to protect the guy he’s falling so hard for he’s seeing stars. But then he learns his birth parents are hiding even more secrets than the ones he ran away from—one being that he was born to wield the most dangerous kind of magic. He’s faced with an impossible choice: risk the life of the boy he’s spent his whole life looking for or let him go to save him. What began as a quest to find where he belongs becomes a battle between the fire of who he is and the gravity of who he loves.

The Secret Shape of Worship by A.K. Asher

Love, lust, and irreverent worship. Mina is giving God one last chance: to speak, to change him, to save him from the constant temptations that surround him in the form of the other boys in his seminary class. And what better place to confront both his God and his demons than a religious pilgrimage with his fellow students—a time focused on biblical study and solemn worship. But the god he finds is not the one he expected. A brush with death brings Mina face to face with Anubis, the flail-wielding Egyptian god of the afterlife. Drawn into a dangerous and seductive journey of raw desire and intoxicating revelation, Mina finds himself navigating a world where the lines between sin and salvation are increasingly blurred. But as lust becomes something more, Mina draws the eye of the underworld and is forced to choose between the safety of his familiar faith and the jackal god he’s come to love. And in the end, it may cost his soul. Exploring themes of self-discovery, salvation from the expectations of others, and the profound healing in loving ourselves, The Secret Shape of Worship is the first installment of the planned, interconnected Ancient Awakening series.

Haroun and the Study of Mischief by Lynn Strong

“Don’t get a torch too close to his djellaba.” “It might catch fire?” “You might see it.” Venerable Haroun, the blind saluqi priest of the dog-headed god Yepuet, has come to the wild and collarless Tel-Bastet, the City of Cats, for an education in mischief. And Haroun has never met a crime of fashion he wouldn’t commit. Shai Madhur, the disabled human priest of Upaja, thought accepting Haroun’s leash meant being Haroun’s seeing-eye human. He wasn’t prepared for the political machinations… or for Haroun’s sense of humor. When a kind prophet-prince goes missing, Haroun smells iniquity in the air. (Iniquity, it turns out, smells like kumiss spilled on a tomcat in dire need of a bath.) The problem with everyone in Tel-Bastet knowing what a Good Boy their Shai Madhur is, is that people keep trying to rescue him, whether he needs it or not. Not that he’s complaining, exactly. But Madhur swears he is never going carousing again… no matter how soulful Haroun’s puppydog eyes are. With a splash of Studio Ghibli, a sprinkle of Roshani Chokshi, and a dash of Terry Pratchett, when the cats and dogs need to learn to live together, Haroun and Madhur take on the difference between what is seen and what is true.

Dumpster Kid by Cameron James

At just 17, McKenzie Jackson took the world by storm with Dumpster Kid, his raw, unfiltered musical about survival, hope, and finding where you belong. Now, a decade later, the prodigy-turned-playwright is ready to reclaim his voice as his show gets a long-overdue revival. But this time, McKenzie won’t just sit back and watch—he’s making sure it’s done his way. Enter a nationwide talent search, a live reality competition, and one dangerously charming contestant who makes McKenzie question everything. Falling for him? Bad idea. Falling for him on national television? Career suicide. And when an unscripted, unapologetic gay kiss ignites both celebration and backlash, McKenzie is thrown into a firestorm he never expected. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Ben is ready to disappear. Bullies, school, and home feel unbearable, and he longs to be anyone but himself. When an opportunity brings him into the orbit of Dumpster Kid, he’s faced with a choice: run from the life he knows or fight for the future he never believed he deserved. Told through dual perspectives, Dumpster Kid is a story of love, identity, and the messy, beautiful chaos of finding where you truly belong. A celebration of art, queerness, and the family we choose, this heart-wrenching yet hopeful novel asks: what happens when the world finally sees you for who you really are?

Adolescent Summers by Cameron James

Adolescent Summer has been lighting up screens for a whole decade – that’s ten years of Oz living it up in a fantasy world lightyears away from reality. But when production shut down during the global pandemic, Oz found himself with more free time than ever, giving him a chance to piece together parts of himself he’d lost. ​When Oz finally returns to the set after the lockdown, he’s in the midst of his own transformation. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s walking straight into a minefield of drama, one that feels all too familiar – just like the battle that erupted when his co-star, Quincy, came out as nonbinary years ago. Old wounds are ripped open, and feelings are hurt. And that’s just the beginning of the on-screen and off-screen drama.

Cassidy is Queen by Cameron James

Cassidy is the Queen. Everyone knows Cassidy, right? Theatre star, VIP at every party, and boys wrapped around his little finger, Cassidy rules Ravenwood School for Boys, and it’s everything he’s ever wanted, isn’t it? ​After a mix-up in a coffee shop with Casper, a trumpet player from a rival school who isn’t under Cassidy’s spell, Cassidy starts to see his life for what it is: does he want friends or is he happy with followers? Can he trust the people closest to him? Should he continue a secret relationship with his theatre teacher? Is the word boy the right word to describe him? ​With the help of Casper, Cassidy begins to explore who he truly is and whether he even wants to be The Queen after all. For the first time, he lets himself fall for someone who shows him there’s more to life than fancy parties, expensive clothes, and a disposable income.

Young Wizards Society by Dillon McKenzie

A new era begins at Myddrin School for Magic—whether the wizarding world is ready or not. When a revolutionary law opens the doors of Myddrin to Elves, Fairies, Pixies, and even Vampires with wizard blood, the school’s centuries-old traditions are shaken to their core. For some students, it’s a long-awaited opportunity. For others, it’s the beginning of chaos. Justin, a returning student with a secret heritage, teams up with Indie, a Witch with Elven roots, and Marshall, a mysterious newcomer with more to hide than most. As they settle into their school year, they discover that acceptance on paper doesn’t equal equality in practice. Segregation, suspicion, and rising tensions threaten to unravel everything magic is supposed to stand for. When a dark incident sparks fear across the school, the students must decide: stay silent, or stand together. Forming a defiant alliance known as the Circle of the Zodiac, they uncover a mystery that could endanger not just their place at Myddrin—but the future of magic itself. Friendship, identity, and magical rebellion collide in Young Wizard Society—a powerful fantasy about fighting for the right to belong.

EXEQUIAL by Hannah Rebekah Graves

Don’t be late for your own funeral. An embittered soul ascends from the underworld to seek revenge on those who wronged her. (“The Dead Rise in Greece”) In an online forum, a tight-knit group takes their serial-killer infatuation to the next level. (“A (Potential) Ghost Story”) A corpse laments the loss of each falling petal. (“On Bodies and Bouquets”) Thirty encounters with ghosts, cursed books, incriminating VHS tapes, entities from the skies, and questions that are best left unasked.

Millennium Bug by Yvonne Knop

David Smith’s life is thrown into chaos when a mysterious book crashes through his window, telling the story of a life he doesn’t remember. A stranger, claiming to be a hidden scribe who weaves reality, demands the book back, warning that keeping it will unravel the world, but returning it will erase David from existence. As the ancient order of storytellers is threatened to be overthrown by AI, David must reclaim his past and rewrite destiny itself to prevent the erasure of all reality. But if he succeeds, the cost may be too great—unlocking the truth of his fate gives him the power to destroy everything, including the only man he's ever loved. If the world was never meant to be real, does it deserve to exist?

War in Sorcery's Shadow by Elise Carlson

Myth says the Guardians ended the Sorcery War by draining all sorcerers of their powers, or killing them. The Guardians then vanished without a trace —and so did magic. But the myths are wrong. Magic wielders lived on in hiding. Now Sorcerer King Nartzeer is recruiting them, in a world that hates and fears their power. Terrorised by Nartzeer’s pre-emptive strike, Ruarnon’s Guardian-descent-claiming allies set sail to annihilate Nartzeer. Ruarnon hopes to free their family from Nartzeer’s clutches first, but Ruarnon’s uncle won’t abandon the army he commands to slavery. Linh is killing two birds with one stone, using her role as Ruarnon’s envoy to potential allies to track down sorcerers to open her magic gateway home. She learns that Nartzeer is rallying a sorcery army while his neighbours mobilise against him, and sorcerers whose awesome power Nartzeer’s ideology undermines, the dreaded God Kings, are stirring. With sorcerers on all fronts marching towards mutually assured destruction, Linh and Ruarnon race to reach Nartzeer with the truth of magical ancestry and allegiance, hoping to unite people who are not so different, before they utterly destroy each other.

Neon Lullabies by H.J. Barner

Are you dreaming? Are you sleeping? Have the neon lullabies worked, or will you join the Awakening? In the Seacity, the sun never shines. While the corporate-ruled utopia of Skycity glistens among the clouds, the sinking underworld of crime, salt water, and eternal night known as the Seacity makes a home among the sunken ruins of a former American metropolis. Here, criminal syndicates govern divided neighborhoods sponsored by various corporations, and status is defined by having the latest tech. Growing up in the sunless alleyways of the Seacity, former Syndicate engineer Hat now carves a life out for themself by hacking into corporate databases and making edits for credits. When a job gone wrong lands them with a 100-grand bounty on their head, Hat finds themself at the mercy of the Awakening, a shadow-operating resistance group seeking to topple the mega-corporations that puppeteer everyday life in the Seacity. Meanwhile, in Skycity, the Seacity-born Helena finds herself interning with Neol Inc., the world’s leading technology company. While Hat navigates the ranks of the Awakening, Helena gains an inside look at Skycity’s corporate propaganda and starts to understand that it’s never been corporation versus corporation so much as Skycity versus Seacity. Forced to choose between the city of her birth and the possibilities of her future, Helena finds herself questioning the price of morality in the cut-throat corporate workplace of Skycity. And when Hat lands themself in a prison after learning of an impending software update with the potential to destroy any semblance of freedom the technologically reliant people of the Seacity still have, Hat must find a way to escape their high-security jail cell or witness the end of free will in the Seacity.

I Left My Hormones in Another World: Vol. 1 by Angela Wicke

"My name is Jen Joyce. I was just an average, ordinary woman working at a dead end job until I found myself dumped into Bastion, the capital city of a fantasy world watched over by the benevolent goddess Lenora. As Lenora's chosen one, it's up to me to rise through the ranks, leveling up my skills and gear to eventually face off with the demon lord Ventalus and free the world from darkness. There's just one I left my hormones in another world. But that's no reason to panic; it's not like it'll take that long for me to cheese my way to the final boss and go home. Right?" Inspired by isekai light novels, fantasy RPGs, and a desire to see more trans and queer representation in media, I Left My Hormones in Another World is the debut novel of author Angela Wicke and the beginning of a new series of the same name. Join snarky everywoman Jen Joyce on a lighthearted yet action-packed adventure in a world of swords and sorcery that will test her strength, wit, and patience, taking her from the bustling streets of Bastion into the fiery depths of a volcano and the war-torn ravine where she'll face her destiny.

Forged of Immortal Blood by V. M. Nelson

A Norse farm girl fated to save the gods. A best friend and lover turned valkyrie. A fierce right hand to the jarl with a secret that might end his life. Their forbidden love for each other may ruin them and the gods’ plan to change their own future. Every year, the gods pay a visit to Skuld—the most powerful seer—to receive a vision of what their future holds. This year’s foresight will lead them to Solveig, a young woman fated to save them from their demise. Solveig doesn’t know that she is part of the gods’ destiny. She only knows she was born into a world that will not let her love her best friend—Hilde—and instead takes everything from her, including her choice of who she will marry. In a desperate attempt to plan their getaway, Solveig and Hilde encounter the gods’ seer, who tells them their prophecies. After that, nothing is the same. Solveig, desperate to get away from her betrothed—a man of great cruelty—runs away, leaving everything behind. Alone and afraid, death comes for her, and she finds an unlikely ally who offers her two different paths. Become the warrior she has always wanted to be and maybe one day return to her family or hide in a neighboring village and change everything she is, in hopes that the man she is running from never finds her. When the odds are against you, what path would you take?

The Witch who Chases the Sun by Dawn Chen

Sometimes, true love is not the answer. ​ A decade after the Second War, Aixauhan Alchemist Ying Cai-Li seeks to rekindle her relationship with her ex-lover, the Inabrian Oracle Anne Barberry. However, the war changed them both. Estranged by their losses, Cai-Li has gained a notorious reputation as the dark magic-wielding Blood Hawk and Anne barricades herself in a castle on a hill where her family’s dark secrets lie. Rumors in the village say Anne is a monster, responsible for the disappearance of innocent visitors. But when the two witches reunite and begin unraveling the mysteries of the village, it becomes clear that scars left by the war do not easily fade. Things are not as they seem. Old ghosts come back to haunt them. Past truths are revealed. Can the witches be each other’s salvations or are they doomed to repeat the past that tore them apart? Fans of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon will fall in love with Dawn Chen’s sapphic high fantasy epic about anti-colonialism, grief, generational trauma, and the cycles of war.

Run Like Hell by Eira Brand

Starving to death in the lowest layer of the Megatropolis of New York City, Raide will do whatever it takes to survive. When a chance encounter with her best friend ends with his murder, Raide soon finds herself risking her life to complete his last gig, all while in search of answers and vengeance. But with corporate mercenaries on her heels, a strange new virus mutating ordinary people into grotesque monsters, and the sinking realization that this was more than a simple contract gone sideways, Raide is soon left with two options: Lie down and die or run like hell.

Mechanical Heart by Beverly Anne Michel

Levy Hart thought he had a great life. He lived with his best friend, scientist, Finnea Wong. He had a good job, played Dungeons and Dragons, and loved to bake for his friends. Everything seemed to be going perfectly until he discovered someone close to him had been keeping secrets. Lies and secrets turn his world upside down. He must relearn how to navigate the world. He must learn how to trust the ones closest to him again. Things become even more complicated when Finnea finds herself in trouble. Levy must help her while rebuilding their relationship.

The Burn of a Bourbon Soaked Cherry by MJ Marlowe

a queer, small town romance between a Trans M/Cis F, packed with high heat and a tender touch to soothe the burn ‘Thirty-five year old Hazel Vincent is no stranger to wanting things—she’s human after all, but a life of holding herself back has turned her apathetic. That is, until she unexpectedly sees him. Immediately drawn to the mysterious, older newcomer in the small town bar, Hazel decides she’s ready to take what she wants: starting with a night entwined in him. Except as her evening progresses with the gruff, yet tender cowboy, it’s clear to them both that their connection goes beyond something one night of passion can satisfy. Only problem is, neither one are looking for love.’

To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1) by K.V. Wilson

A reluctant mage reborn in flames. A passionate princess fleeing her fate. A powerful telepath at the mercy of the world’s thoughts. A spirited goddess craving adventure. With Penumbra on the brink of an ice age, Eos dreams of helping to create the False Star each dawn to ensure the survival of his people. But there's just one problem: he cannot speak the star's name. In the eye of the storm, Rysa was raised to rule at her mother's side. But a terrible secret has been kept from the princess—one that will tear her life apart. Deep within the molten Heart of Penumbra, a secret society gathers. Elves, dwarves, fauns, ice dragons, and magma merfolk prepare to seize the stolen throne and end the enchanted storm before it devours the realm.

Too Like the Lightning by Travis Beaudoin

Andrew Madigan had everything he ever wanted. He’d worked hard to build this perfect little life. A stable relationship with a successful man. A beautiful home in a quiet suburb. And best of all, a job where he spent his days talking about literature. Then his tenure was denied and, too quickly for him to stop it, everything crumbled. Now, with his dreams in the dust and his confidence shattered, Andrew has one summer to figure out his next move. Bulbs, Florida, is like no place Andrew’s ever known. It’s small and provincial. It’s hot as hell. Storms roll through every single day. But Andrew just has to keep his head down. Finish his book, find a new job, put things back on track. Easy-peasy. He didn’t plan on making a friend. Coley Brandt has a green thumb and an easy smile. He’s much younger than Andrew, but he puts Andrew at ease, makes him feel at home. Their time together reminds Andrew what having a purpose feels like. Suddenly, this long, lonely summer feels too short. But Coley has dreams of his own, and they’re a million miles away from the life Andrew’s trying to get back. Maybe this is just a summer fling. Maybe, like the lightning, it’s only meant to be glorious for a moment before it disappears. Or maybe it’s something more.

Part Time Girl by Adriaan Brae

How much longer can Michael hide his sex-switches? After making it through the second year of high-school, he knows it’s only a matter of time until someone notices and freaks out. Then his family will have to run and lose everything, again, or risk being found by the shadowy group that hunts people like him. He should go, just vanish and stop putting his family at risk, but his oldest friend Angela is in trouble and he can’t leave until they figure out why her catatonia and hallucinations have reappeared. To help her, Michael has to trust in Ian—the hottest, richest guy in school who definitely has a hidden agenda—and a mystery woman with a traumatic past who is the only one to know him as a girl. With people to protect and mysteries to unravel, Michael will need to unlock the full truth behind his identity—something he’s been running from his entire life.

Werecockroach by Polenth Blake

Rin moves into a new flat on the day the aliens arrive. Their new flatmates are laid-back Sanjay and conspiracy theorist Pete. It doesn't take long to notice some oddities about the pair, like hoarding cardboard and hissing at people when they're angry. Something strange is going on, but it's not all due to the aliens.

It Bubbles Under The Skin by Caitlin Marceau

And they were crewmates... Jayce has spent her whole life by the ocean as part of the close-knit communities found across the Îles de la Madeleine. With a place to call her own, a job she adores, and a girlfriend she loves, her life has always been a comfortably predictable one. But after a night in the waters at Pointe aux Loups Beach, Jayce quickly finds her world upended as something calls to her from the ice cold waves. When blisters filled with saltwater ooze from her skin and ropes of seaweed slither from her body, Jayce realizes she can’t ignore the voice for much longer.

Queen O'Nine Tails by Lindz McLeod

Pirate queen Valentina Mallozzi kidnaps civilian Miss Gloria Vane for ransom at the nearest port, but Gloria isn’t the helpless girl she pretends to be—she’s a talented pickpocket and observant spy. Her best chance of escape lies in seducing Mallozzi, but the famed Queen O'Nine Tails won't be wooed so easily. When a demon sneaks aboard the ship, jumping from body to body in an attempt to gain power amid the chaos, Gloria's situation goes from bad to much, much worse. The remaining crew must find and kill the demon while juggling an increasingly paranoid and out-of-control Mallozzi, whose foretold destiny threatens to destroy them all.

Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology by Z. K. Abraham

In the anthology Silk and An Erotic-Eco Horror anthology, our thirteen authors explore the space where horror, the erotic, and nature meet. In these tales of uncontrolled, unknowable, and visceral nature, we explore folk tales, modern dating woes, filthy body horror, delicate and dark magic, psychological torment, and the dark humor of nature’s revenge. These stories range from creepy to horrific, from sensual to sultry, and from grounded to entirely strange. Edited and curated by Z. K. Abraham Stories ZH Sun "Flower Power" Shantell Powell "All That Came From Our Lips Were Lilies" Toshiya Kamei "The Last Garden" Annika Ancheta "Pop" Cindy Phan "All Her Darling Little Ones" Simo Srinivas "The Hilltop Eel" Cristian Presgraves "A Blueberry Delight" Mae Tang "Down by the River" Psyche Chimère "The Human Project" Candice Zheng "Merge" Maxine Nwigwe "Tinderfish" Winifred Burton "Miss Kaiyah Regrets, She's Unable to Text, Today" Kofi Brown "Deadly Pleasure"

Enamoured: A Triptych by Shelley Lavigne

Alchemists may have failed to distill youth, but Josephine is determined to bottle beauty. Josephine is determined to make her fortune, but in early 1900s Canada as a widow under suspicion of murder, her dream of building a cosmetic empire seems like a fantasy. That is until a wealthy young socialite enters her shop, her presence reigniting long-caged desires and memories of Josephine's first love. As their unassuming relationship turns into a seductive power struggle, and the cosmetic application takes a dangerous turn, will Josephine choose companionship or capital? Billed as NATURAL BEAUTY meets DELIVER ME meets PERFUME: STORY OF A MURDERER, and containing three illustrations by Becca Snow, this novella follows Josephine as she plays the gruesome game of LOVE, CAPITALISM, and BEAUTY.

The Ice Moves for No One by Arlo Z. Graves

Thalon was born to fight. A warrior, a selkie, a daughter of the Dread One herself. For years, she’s trained for the Dusk Trials and earn a place aboard one of the legendary Duskingr airships. But the Trials are only the beginning. Victory does not come clean. The game is rigged, the sponsors corrupt, and the selkie way of life is slipping through the cracks. Worse, her own body is beginning to betray her, and no amount of training has prepared her for what comes next. Nothing in this world bends easily. The odds are stacked against her, and the path ahead is nothing but locked doors and closed fists. But Thalon has never let anyone—man, woman, or god—decide her fate. The ice moves for no one—but it’s never met Thalon.

Beyond the Border Forest by Molly Haniszewski

Two kings rule the woods-the Oak King in Summer and the Holly King in Winter-and no mortal may enter their realm without permission. But when Rowan Gwózdek's older sister goes missing, Rowan must search the forest for her, risking the kings' wrath. She enlists the help of her sister's hunting rival Keziah, a trans (and very handsome) hunter with a mysterious connection to the Oak King. He offers to lead her through the forest to find a magical wish granter called the Bear Maiden. Together, Rowan and Keziah face mossmen, a wood dragon, and other fearsome creatures who serve the Oak King. To make matters worse, Rowan stumbles upon the Holly King, the Oak King's nemesis, and becomes tangled in the conflict between the two kings. To get her sister back, Rowan will have to join in the battle, even if it means she can never return home.

Once Upon A Song by Nadine Bells

Welcome to the Hôtel de Neige. Let yourself be swept away by its grandeur and glamor but beware - the cold may swallow you whole. When lonely waitress Ana lands a job as a singer at the prestigious Hôtel de Neige, she believes it to be the beginning of her fairytale. Yet she soon finds that in those eerie halls, the line between Cinderella story and Gothic nightmare blurs. Sinister dreams cause her to sleepwalk, a ballerina makes ominous threats, and a phantom in white haunts the hotel - and Ana. As Ana discovers that the hotel’s last singer lost his life under mysterious circumstances, she needs to decide if happily-ever-after is worth it. She knows she cannot trust her secretive colleagues or the charming but elusive hotel manager, Dimitri. All Ana ever wanted was to belong, but at the Hôtel de Neige, that may mean never leaving again…

Artifice & Access by Ella T. Holmes, Ashley N.Y. Sheesley, M. Stevenson, Lynne Sargent, Kara Siert, Adie Hart, Harper Kinsley, Natalie Kelda, Rascal Hartley, Casper E. Falls, Zira MacFarlane, Tam Ayers, Elior Haley, Rory G.

It’s long been acknowledged that disability representation is lacking in the fantasy genre landscape, so in this cozy anthology, fourteen writers from around the globe come together to bring you wonderful fantasy stories centering disabled and chronically ill characters. Teeming with magic, otherworldly creatures, discoveries, and journeys, every story is as thrilling and fascinating as it is passionate and meaningful. Worlds are discovered, lives are changed, and swords are drawn. Disabled and chronically ill characters go questing, fighting dragons, healing, and enacting strange magics. Familiar fairy tales are reimagined, and new fairytales are forged, with each story shattering stereotypes and challenging traditional narratives. Come see yourself reflected—or discover something new. Stories included: One Cream, Five Sugars by Harper Kinsley A Witch's Tale by Rascal Hartley Use Your Words by Zira MacFarlane The Changeling of Brushby by Natalie Kelda To Make Her Eat by M. Stevenson Hope, Be It Never So Faint by Ashley N. Y. Sheesley A Night For Mischief by Elior Haley Lessons in Botany by Casper E. Falls Stroke of Midnight, Shoes of Glass by Adie Hart In Another World, I Twist The Knife by Rory G The Knife That Makes The Cut by Lynne Sargent Angharad ferch Truniaw by Tam Ayers The Girl & The Gum-riddle by Ella T Holmes City of the Sun by Kara Siert

Tethered by TJ Williams

One boy, his mother, and a captain with secrets from her crew. Amongst the stars, all things lost are found. Marlowe Rose has been fighting her ex, Dominik, for a decade. When he kidnaps their son, she sneaks onto his starship, planning to give him hell. Instead, she ends up caught, sequestered and questioned by the captain. But Tanisira Sekmith isn’t what Marlowe thought she was, and when it becomes clear that they’re all just puppets in Dominik’s eyes, Marlowe convinces the stoic captain to help rescue her son. Tanisira promised herself she’d make no waves, catch no one’s attention, and cruise under the radar. Misplacing her trust once changed the trajectory of her whole life. After the fallout from her last job, flying a pleasure yacht is supposed to be boring and easy—exactly what she wants. But finding Marlowe on the ship changes everything. Marlowe sees her, shadows and all, and it forces Tanisira to face things she tried to leave behind. Marlowe doesn’t expect to find, on this journey that she dreaded, something she’d given up. And Tanisira doesn’t know if she deserves happiness, but she doesn’t want to lose this: a kid with big, green eyes and his fierce, captivating mother. Described as Becky Chambers meets Delilah Green Doesn't Care, Tethered is a Sapphic, soft science-fiction romance. There are content warnings in the front matter and on my website.

The Maestro's Mates by J.B. Warrick

One grumpy gargoyle. One hopeful vampire. One chaotic witch. Three fated mates face a looming threat. Pavel has been called cranky, aloof, and an exacting musical genius, but what should people expect? He’s three thousand years old. He’ll soon be entering the final stage of a gargoyle’s life span, transforming into a statue and going dormant forever. So why would the universe throw his mates at him now, when he has so little time left? He desperately wants to protect them, to guide them, but he’s terrified he’ll be a burden as he descends into oblivion. Justin is working hard to overcome his anxiety and stay positive as he rebuilds after a disastrous few years. When he discovers his two fated mates at his new opera job, he rejects them out of hand. Sure, giving up control to these two men would fulfill every one of his fantasies, but love already screwed up his life once. Sebastian is a witch with a rare affinity—chaos—and that quality follows him wherever he goes. His opera career is taking off, and finding his mates is just the cherry on the sundae! Even if they may not be ready for the power of his seductive, mischievous personality. The three soon find that ignoring their connection is impossible, especially when they have to see each other every day. And they can’t escape each other when they’re trapped together in the opera house elevator. But whatever headway they’ve made is arrested by the return of Sebastian’s power-hungry sister. Can the three fated mates accept their bond in time to survive her attack and save their new family?

Trans & Disabled by Alex Iantaffi

To be trans and disabled means to have experienced harassment, discrimination, loneliness, often poverty, to have struggled with feeling unworthy of love. To be trans and disabled means experiencing ableism within our trans communities and transphobia within our disabled communities. To be trans and disabled means to love our fellow trans and disabled people harder than we could ever love ourselves. This anthology brings together vulnerable stories, poems, plays, drawings, and personal essays. They explore how we make sense of ourselves, our intersections of identities and experiences, of how we are treated, and how much love we are capable of, sometimes even for ourselves.

Blue Ridge Calling by Olivia Neal

The Appalachian mountains are some of the oldest in the world. They say ancient magic runs through these rivers and valleys. Two years ago, a car accident on a perilous mountain road sent a family into freefall, and none of them have been the same since. Sage used to have everything under perfect grades, record times on the swim team, and carefully medicated ADHD. But ever since her mom died, she' s just been going through the motions, and no one in her family seems to notice. Kora has known Sage' s family her whole life, so losing Sage' s mom was like losing her own. At the end of the summer, she' s supposed to abandon her beloved Blue Ridge mountains for a prestigious art school in New York, but leaving now feels wrong. And an unexpected romance with a new girl in town might complicate things. Then there' s Sam, Sage' s older brother. He' s spent the last two years traipsing through the mountains, trying to find evidence of local ghost stories. He said he would be back by now, but no one has heard from him. To find him, Kora and Sage will have to dig deeper into the myths and legends of the mountains they call home — before it' s too late.

Song of the Hell Witch by Taylor Hartley

Once a vicious street rat, Prudence Merriweather has clawed her way to the top of society and now enjoys newfound power as the Duchess of Talonsbury. All she has to do to protect her fragile position is maintain the act of gentility, make her husband happy—and keep her monstrous magic a secret. Puck Reed, the Thief Lord of Talonsbury, once delighted in taking risks and humiliating the social elite at any cost, but now lives a quieter criminal lifestyle. With a daughter of his own to protect, Puck tries to lay low and stay safe for her benefit. His daughter, Bea, suffers from a mysterious illness bent on killing her, and Puck will stop at nothing to find a cure. When Prudence’s magic betrays her, she has no choice but to flee—and who better to smuggle her out of the city than her childhood best friend and former sweetheart, Puck Reed? With the help of old friends and new allies, they learn about Stormlash, a safe haven miles beyond the city walls where women and their magic can flourish beyond the oppressive eye of Leora’s religious fanatics. Stormlash may also hold the key to curing Bea’s illness. The challenge? Keep her alive long enough to get there. With Bea’s illness claiming more of her strength, Puck and Pru must work together to reach Stormlash and, in the process, confront a growing evil threatening to devour the country they call home.

The Great Tree of Iris by Jess Skultety

7 Unlikely Companions. 5 Libraries. 1 Hidden Prophecy. The Great Tree of Iris: a place of unmatched healing power for humans. Top scholar Lia Tovar protects the Tree in honor of her dead father, but she has visions of its tragic demise. When Rory Elatha, an elf from the hidden city of Kyrali, arrives seeking experts to save the decaying, sacred sunflower fields, Lia suspects their situations are connected. For once, her books cannot help, and she answers the call. To save the Tree, Lia must learn to trust six allies: - A youthful jeweler - A haunted scholar - A vibrant secret-keeper - An inkdelver on a mission - A wizard seeking a friend - A dragon looking for home When they discover one part of a deadly prophecy, Lia, Rory, and their party search desperately for a way to challenge fate. But as more natural disasters arise in their race across the continent, Lia must decide if she can let Rory into her heart, and if that will free or destroy her. The Great Tree of Iris combines a 30-year-old FMC's map-crossing, world-saving quest with fade-to-black sapphic romance in a queer-normative world. Perfect for fans of Samantha Shannon, L.R. Lam, S.A. Chakraborty, Saara El-Arifi, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Lust and Found by Sylvie Helstaff

Who knew you could summon a demon by accident? When Rowan’s eccentric great aunt died, they felt lost, now the lone queer sheep in a flock of faithful lambs. But when they move into the late woman’s house, a cleaning accident activates a dormant ritual and they’re suddenly confronted with two revelations: magic is real and demons are surprisingly hot. At least this one is. When opportunity shows up with lust in its eyes, you might as well grab it by the horns.voided. With their world upended, Rowan finds themself embracing newfound magical abilities with the help of an elderly trio of witches, navigating a budding relationship with an amorous archdemon, and nurturing a growing group of queer friends at their new bartending job. Life finally seems to be going their way, despite their pious family and the nosy neighborhood priest who keep trying to tempt them back into the fold. But sometimes Hell is other people. Just when everything seems perfect, a stunning betrayal sees them taking refuge in an infernal realm unlike anything they expected. Hell isn’t what they were taught and maybe “home” isn’t so much about “where” as it is “who.” Lust and Found is a high heat, insta-lust monster romance with slow burn romance, eventual polyamory, and heartfelt found family.

HALLOWED BE HER FLESH by Emryn Bird

It had only been three days. Three days since Trella had been accused of being wicked. Three days since her flogging and excommunication. And three days since she began searching for a mysterious village deep within the Cantabrian Mountains. When a sudden, bright star becomes something more, this pious woman finds herself face to face with an entity she can only assume is one of God’s great celestials sent down to guide her. Terrifying yet beautiful, the creature vows to protect the woman as the pair journey together to find this promising new home. But will it be the safe haven Trella believes it to be? Or can safety only be found in this cosmic being’s embrace? Hallowed Be Her Flesh is an illustrated cosmic horror romance set in 1570s Spain where the ineffable horror of what lies beyond the stars meets Christian mysticism as an asexual woman questions her faith and her attraction toward a strange entity.

Our Bright Window by James Chance

Once a loyal hellhound, Vincent now runs with a new pack: a ragtag group of werewolves, hiding from the supernatural authorities now swarming their college town. But he can’t get his past betrayals out of his head. Henry visits his dreams every night, tormenting him with visions of the happiness he almost had. And the people he couldn’t save still haunt him–literally. Ghosts are pouring out of the Underworld, spreading corruption and darkness in their wake. Vincent is responsible for it all, and he knows better than anyone: nothing ever truly stays dead. He must mend the broken pieces of both worlds, before everything he has come to care about is lost. In the end, the final price to save the mortal world–and the people he loves–may destroy everything he has ever known.

Our Dark Mirror by James Chance

A stranger named Vincent emerges from a hole in the earth. He is a hellhound, bred and trained for one purpose: guarding the Underworld’s prisoners. At least, until he lets one escape. Disgraced, he is sent to recover the fugitive, disguised as an ordinary college student. But the mortal world holds its own secrets. Mysterious murders plague the school. Supernatural creatures hide in plain sight. And the fugitive has his own plan–one that may spell doom for both Hell and earth. To stop it, Vincent must team up with others like him that walk the line between light and shadow. The best of them is monster hunter and football star Henry Wellfellow. Kind and charismatic, he is beloved by all; and yet he takes an interest in Vincent, accepting him in a way no one has before. But Vincent has demons–literally. He can’t fall for the hero of the story. He doesn’t belong in this new world he has come to love. And yet, he may be the only one who can stop its destruction. But will the mortal world–and Henry–forgive him for what he will have to do to save it?

Ripe & Ready by Elliot Kyle

Derek and I have been best friends since we were kids. Now we’re halfway across the world on a gorilla-watching expedition in the Congo, and I’m finally working up the nerve to admit what I’ve been feeling for years. Somewhere amidst the jungle hikes, one bed, and far too many lingering touches, the lines between us start to blur and things start getting a little... slippery. The jungle is wild, but admitting my feelings for him might be the real adventure. Ripe & Ready is a friends-to-lovers, low-angst, 19k-word novella with a HEA and the wildly questionable use of a banana. It is the first novella in a series of queer love stories full of big feelings and extremely unconventional lube choices. Because who says silicone and water-based are the only options?

Matsdotter and Adrastus: When A Human Falls In Love With An Archdemon by Aelina Isaacs

Elochian Adrastus is the pinnacle of demon nobility, and he hates it. When he’s not leading an aristocracy, in therapy, or rebelling against his birthright by running the most famous bar in Levena, he’s solving a millennia old mystery with his newfound friends. He’s particularly fond of the man he’s only known as an author, learning that there's much more to the human than meets the eye. For the first time in over a century, Elochian feels tempted by the prospect of finding his own happy ending. He’s also terrified that any future endeavors will end in death, like they did not so long ago. Quentin Matsdotter has one goal in life, and that’s to blend in. Unfortunately for him, that’s impossible when you’re a certifiable genius, an author, and are friends with some of the most unique people in the town. He’s got everything a man could want, except for someone to call his own. Quentin hasn’t been able to trust his heart to anyone again after experiencing an abusive relationship years ago, but there’s no mistaking how he feels for the enigmatic archdemon. As the snow builds, so does their friendship, and it’s only a matter of time before they open their hearts to each other. If only the past didn’t come back to haunt them. Be prepared to stand up for what you believe in, reveal the truth, and protect those you love, no matter the cost.

Fools Rush In by Sarah Clowder

Leslie Glynore only wants one thing- to be able to retire from the paladin life. The problem? She's done something Very Bad but can't remember what. To get her fully funded retirement, she has to do something Very Good for the Church. All while stuck with Alik Visk- her always-glaring, eyepatch-wearing Knight of a partner, who hates her and makes her want to do anything but good. Fortunately for Leslie, their Commander has a mission that no one else is available to take: Please return the goddess home. It sounds like the perfect way to end her career, but nothing is ever that easy. Will she be able to face her own demons while stopping actual ones from breaking loose? Or will she run away like she's always done in the past?

The Voice of Wild Places by Noah Hawthorne

Cornelius Sawyer is a man of many talents, but forgiveness is not one of them. Watt Johnson is a man of his word, but not once in his life has he spoken up for himself. Once connected by the bonds of childhood, threads now severed by the demands of life, the pair are brought together for a once in a lifetime an all expenses paid expedition to Brazil, searching for a man the world believes to be long dead, Percy Fawcett. And perhaps, even the Lost City that he was looking for. Under the guise of doing research work for their respective universities, a reluctant Cornelius and an exhilarated Watt accept the offer and delve into the unknown, trusting no one but themselves. Looking at a map, the route and its dangers seem to be known obstacles which can be easily conquered, a fact that Watt leans on heavily. But Cornelius is intimately aware that the river has teeth, that the land renders a siren song to those who are desperate to become lost in its mountains and basins. To survive the journey they'll have to face the enemies within, and trust the other to have their best interests in mind. After all, the Voice of Wild Places is calling, beckoning the adrift homeward.

Swallows of Mostar by Neira Fazlovic

Two years after she moved to Mostar, a historic small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, eighteen-year-old Franka Garcia still struggles with loneliness, language barriers, and terrible grades. After she accidentally falls off the famous Old Bridge, Franka is rescued by Mirna, a wickedly intelligent, but exasperated teenager obsessed with cliff diving. Despite training all her life and frequently besting her peers, being a girl means Mirna can never participate in the centuries-old tradition of diving off the Old Bridge. But stubborn and determined Mirna won’t give up so easily. After Franka’s near-perfect accidental dive, Mirna reluctantly takes on the challenge of teaching her all she knows about cliff diving. If Franka and Mirna want to compete, they must enact their unorthodox plan to take down the patriarchal system forbidding them from diving. Falling in love was never part of the plan.