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Beneath the Gods' Tree by S. Kaeth Amanah knows all-too-well the dangers of catching the attention of the upper class of Arruk. Using her position as a guard to steal secrets of healing and help other lower class people means she works hard to remain unnoticed. Fellow guard Taunos is boisterous, laughing, larger than lifeâand always around. He attracts attention as easily as breathing, which makes being associated with him dangerous. Better to stay far away, regardless of her attraction to him and his easy calm. But when Amanah inadvertently insults a magistrate, she must flee the city to avoid his vengeance. She takes a last-minute job escorting a pair of noblemen to another townâa job Taunos is also hired for. Along the way, sheâs forced to reveal her stolen healing skills to keep the small group alive, and finds more support from Taunos than she ever would have dreamed. His confident charm becomes hard to ignore as he sees her as no one else has, even when sheâs doing her best to be invisible. But opening herself to romance might be as dangerous as the wildlife and bandits they face in the wilderness, and pursuing her dreams of becoming a healer could attract the ire of those in power. This book has: so much banter; strong sibling relationship; strong friendships; friends-to-lovers (low steam); ďťżgay side characters; main character anxiety rep; diverse cast with immersive worldbuilding; action and adventure, wilderness survival style; low fantasy (none of the main group displays clear magic on page); single PoV, third person past tense |
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Phantom and Rook by Aelina Isaacs Arlo Rook has decided itâs time to move out of Garren Castle, home for orphans of all races, magical or not, at 100 years old. Itâs not the first time heâs left home, but after a setback that landed the Hedge Witch in the hospital a year ago, he ended up right back at square one. But now heâs ready to strike out on his own, despite his friendâs worries that heâs not ready for the âreal world.â Then, he crashes into a mess of copper curls and bright eyes, sending apothecary goods and his life into a chaotic mess. Thatch is a mysterious and incredibly wealthy benefactor of Levena, only spoken of but never seen. He requests a night of Arloâs company and a tour of the city, which Arlo immediately declines. But thatâs not the last time they see each other, and it certainly wasnât the first. Arlo doesnât remember him, no one remembers Thatch after he visits, but Thatch never forgot the Witch with a familiar soulmark on his face. Thatch Phantom is an immortal, the last of his kind and perpetually bored. When heâs not closing inter-dimensional rifts and corralling demons, heâs visiting his favorite city of all, Levena. Centuries ago, when life was particularly dull, he set up a scavenger hunt for a starving village, providing them with a yearâs worth of supplies. He anonymously returned year after year, upping the ante and providing less practical things, as the village had become a city and was wealthy beyond belief. Festivals were thrown in his honor, and have continued every year since. Hundreds of years later, The Game is still put on by the fabled âScarlet Illusionistâ, but no one has figured out who blesses them with the puzzles. Once again, Thatch is listless and has decided to throw a wild card into this yearâs Game. Whoever discovers him will win one wish of their choice, no restrictions. Aside from the obvious, such as no falling in love, murder or resurrection. What he didnât anticipate was crashing into the one person whose soul mark flares like a beacon when Thatch is around, teasing the immortal with the one thing he wants most. Someone to call home. What follows is a wild chain of events filled with magical coffee shops, villains with vendettas against cheese makers, moving tattoos, grand puzzles, and second chances at love, and life. |
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The Unwanted Prophet by Carolina Cruz Quincy Sauer is in jail. As far as sheâs concerned, that's where she belongs - until a god of death decides otherwise. Heâs got a plan to undermine his own priests and Quincy is his pawn of choice. Going from criminal to prophet would be a difficult transition under even the best circumstances, but Quincyâs luck is about to turn from bad to worse as corrupt priests, cults, and threats unknown stand between her and the answer to her greatest questions: Has the god of life and death made a terrible mistake? And if he has, who is going to pay the price for it? The Unwanted Prophet is the debut novel of Carolina Cruz. If you enjoy low-magic fantasy, character-driven stories, and diverse fictional worlds, the Unwanted Prophet has something for you to enjoy! |
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In the Care of Magic: a queer cozy monster erotica by Robin Jo Margaret Jillian Docherty is the only witch in a town of humans, who regularly take advantage of her magic services. Overworked and underappreciated, she escapes her town for a much-needed holiday in her childhood home: a lovely cottage situated deep into the woods. When she comes across a very unexpected and interesting book promising her company and pleasure, Jillian realizes she may have finally found the relaxation she desperately craved. But she never expected to make friends with a sex demon⌠|
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The Stones Stay Silent by Danny Ride When a deadly plague sweeps the land, the priests of the Parents accuse those deemed to have incurred the gods' wrath. Leiander, unmarried and with interests unbecoming to the woman people consider him to be, flees for his life. With the Night Demon Kevv'ach by his side and his deepest wish undiminished, he journeys to the Great Lith, said to still channel the magic of the Parents. He will beseech the gods to remake his body in the image of the Father, so the world sees him as his true self: Leiander. |
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Among the Glimmering Flowers by S.L. Dove Cooper Felicity feels stifled by her parents' protective nature. She's the crown princess, yet she's not even allowed to care for her own pony. Her life consists of nothing but rules and permissions. All she wants is a little more freedom. Horse-friend is happy to have a roof over his head, a job that he likes and food in his stomach every day. He never expected to run into the crown princess as she tries to sneak out of the castle. Or to get caught up in her clumsy attempts at having an adventure. It isn't long before trouble, rather than adventure, finds both of them, setting them on a course that will change their lives -- and the fate of the kingdom -- forever. Among the Glimmering Flowers is the story of how two lovers first became friends and the first book in a series exploring a demisexual/allosexual romantic relationship. Readers looking for a low-conflict, cosy story should enjoy this novel. |
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Moon-Bright Tides by RoAnna Sylver The night sky is very dark without a moon, and there hasn't been one for decades. Without one to govern the oceans, it falls to Riven, reluctant sea-witch, to sail out alone every night across the midnight ocean to cast a spell to call in the tides. She hates it. Hates the moonless dark, hates the endless deep, and hates the fact that without a witch to sing in the tides, sea and land alike would fall to ruin. Riven faces her worst fear every night for years - until she meets a mermaid. Her new friend is lost, starving, and just as lonely as she is. And now that they've found one another, neither of their nights on the midnight sea will be the same. |
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Dear Bartleby by Sarah Wallace Dear Bartleby, Tutting-on-Cress is so small as to be idyllic. Hate it already. Sent down from Oxford for playing one prank too many, Sebastian Hartford is well aware that heâs a disappointment to his family. Ordered to stay with â and learn from â two of his more respectable older siblings, Seb is prepared to be miserable in the country. Saddled with extracurricular schooling to keep him out of trouble, Seb can only let his mischievous mind run loose on the pages of his journal, âBartleby.â But when he is offered a job as a spellcasterâs assistant to the enigmatic Lord Finlington, Sebâs creative flair finds a place to flourish. Soon, he is at the center of a search for a new Royal Spellcaster to the Crown â and falling in love with one of the contenders. But right as a future with a man who loves him starts to unfold, Sebâs past mistakes threaten to bar him from securing happiness. And jumping through social hoops may prove his growth to everyone â except himself. |
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The Education of Pip by Sarah Wallace He had never experienced possibilities â and it was a whole new feeling to have them. Pip Standish is in Newgate Prison, a predictable career finale for a London thief. So he is surprised when Lord Finlington, the dashing viscount he attempted to steal from months before, offers to get him out â on the condition that Pip agrees to leave town and start a new career in the country. Soon, Pip finds himself moving to the idyllic Tutting-on-Cress and a life he never thought possible. As he settles in with his new friends, he discovers a well-rounded education not only involves reading and magic, but how to be happy, how to trust others with your heart, and how to let go of pain. But when an attempt to settle an old debt reopens a dangerous wound, Pip will need to apply all of his hard-earned lessons to stop the past swallowing him â and his future â whole. This new adult fantasy is the third book in the Meddle & Mend series. It is a continuation of Pip's story from One Good Turn. |
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One Good Turn by Sarah Wallace A reformed thief, a magical viscount, And one good deed that will change a life forever. In the underbelly of London, Nell Birks longs to escape the world of poverty and crime. When she rescues a wealthy gentleman from a gang of thieves, Nell is tasked with robbing the powerful spellcaster Viscount Finlington â as recompense for stealing a mark from a notorious crime lord. Confident that learning magic will improve her chances of a better life, Nell leaps at the opportunity to learn magic from the viscount. Soon, she finds herself immersed in a glittering social sphere, full of magic, luxury, and exciting possibilities. Dazzled by her new world, Nell quickly learns that with bigger dreams come bigger disappointments. And when her new friends decide to leave London behind, finding her place becomes more urgent than ever. When disaster strikes, everything Nell thought she knew about her old life is shaken to its core. But if magic is not her key to a better life, sheâs more lost than when she began. This new adult fantasy is the second book in the Meddle & Mend series. It takes place shortly after Letters to Half Moon Street but can be read as a standalone. |
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Letters to Half Moon Street by Sarah Wallace I must have been drunker than I realized because all I remember is how well he tied his cravat and how perfectly his coat fit him⌠London, 1815: where magic can be purchased at convenience, and the fashionable and wealthy descend for the start of the social Season. But 25-year-old Gavin Hartford finds the city intimidating when he arrives, alone, to his familyâs townhouse. The only company he seeks is in his beloved books and weekly letters to his sister, Gerry. Then dashing man-about-town Charles Kentworthy gallantly rescues Gavin from a foolish drunken mishap and turns his life upside-down. With Mr. Kentworthy, Gavin finds himself discussing poetry and magic, confessing his fears about marriage, expanding his social circle to shocking proportions â and far outside his comfort zone. When family responsibility comes knocking, Gavinâs future looms over him, filled with uncertainty. As he grapples with growing feelings for his new friend, Gavin will need to be honest with Mr. Kentworthy â but heâll need the courage to be honest with himself first. This epistolary Regency romance is the first in a historical fantasy series, Meddle & Mend. |
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Fella Ever After by S.O. Callahan With the wedding event of the year safely behind him, Peter is left to figure out how to navigate life without his best friend at his side. Then, a letter arrives with a special request. Peter leaps at the unique opportunity. Itâs the perfect excuse to spend more time with Breck, who has been busy preparing for his own life-changing ceremony. The pair set off on a journey meant to bring them closer together, but after a few mishaps along the way, it ends with them farther apart than either of them couldâve imagined. Peter is forced to question his future with the enchanting lad heâs fallen for. Can the two of them work through their challenges, or is this a fairy tale that was never meant to be told? Fella Ever After is the sequel to Fella Enchanted. It cannot be read as a standalone. |
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Fella Enchanted by S.O. Callahan Fairy tales are for children. Thatâs what Peter had decided, especially after a devastating illness swept through his village, thrusting him into the harsh, very unmagical reality of adulthood. Following a difficult recovery, and an even more arduous struggle with finding his footing in life after losing some of the people he cared about most, Peterâs world is upended again with the arrival of a stranger who takes a special interest in his story. Quirky and confident, Breck quickly pulls Peter out of the sheltered and safe, albeit monotonous, existence that heâs finally settled into. He discovers that letting go doesnât mean forgetting the past, it means gaining a future. But what if that future also holds a bit of magic, too? |
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Once Upon a Wave of Witches by Eli Belt and Helen Whistberry Amelia Arrowheart is a homebody. Beatrice Buttons most decidedly is not. When these two ladies of a certain age meet and become fast friends, neither expects the extraordinary challenges they will face together and apart. Welcome to Lichen, a place like no other, where fungi are revered, cloud creatures crowd the skies, and sea witches wield their power for the good of all. Two mischievous little boys, a space pirate, and a monster that reaches out from the depths of the ocean will change their lives forever. Join Beatrice and Amelia on the adventure of a lifetime as they take to the skies and plunge into the depths of the sea to save a friend and break a curse! A unique and uplifting fantasy tale celebrating friendship, loyalty, and love. Includes 33 original illustrations! |
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The Tail of Nightshade by Helen Whistberry âA mouse scrabbled along under crisp, fallen leaves, whiskers twitching. Death, disguised as an owl, kept watch high above, unblinking eyes orbed bright in the moonlight...â Thus begins an adventure unlike any other for Nightshade, a young mouse who never expected to venture very far from their cozy burrow. Over the course of a few eventful days, they will meet strangers both weird and magnificent, including an impetuous bear and a lovely wyrm, a flitter-flutter and a whirligig, a wizard of modest talents and a legendarily monstrous cat, and a most wondrous being of light. Together they will navigate a noble quest, face unimaginable dangers, and experience astonishing events. Through it all, they will cling to the one thing they most believe: there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome if all remain true. Please be warned, especially for younger readers, that there are brief moments of violence, instances of death and other kinds of mayhem you might expect in a fantasy story. But also be reassured that it is a tale full of hope, love, and the beauty of loyalty, friendship, and doing the right thing no matter the cost. Includes 31 original illustrations by the author. |
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The Three Faces of Dissatisfaction by M.C. Burnell He thought this mission was a joke at his expense, and now heâs got the fate of the region in his hands. Liath-Tamren is the largest urban center in a land around an inner sea that was all once claimed by an empire. The Cities reflect the diversity and trade that flow across the Halu, enriched by numerous immigrant enclaves and temples to foreign gods. Not all of its citizens find that pleasing, and thereâs no people more misunderstood than the Malisaat, with their secretive faith, their envy-inspiring wealth, and their freaky black-eyed sorcerers, who scare them too. As one of said freaky sorcerers, otherwise known as the Azkhan Soubir, Japhetâs used to being in on the secrets. But when the head of his cabal sends him to the Cities, his orders are basically: go there for reasons. Not the usual mission. And why here? Liath-Tamren is a tame, bourgeois place (which he hates). Thereâs crime, but itâs ordinary shit. The Citiesâ problems are the sort one expects in an urban center run by a string of incompetent do-nothing kings who still consider their subjects foreigners a thousand years after conquering them. Sorcerers are tax-paying citizens organized into guilds who sell their services to shopkeepers. So color him confused by what he finds when he arrives. It doesnât help that his fellow Azkhan Soubir are acting hinky. Japhetâs cabal works alone and keeps their mysteries close, but the people he used to trust he doesnât anymore. Heâs going to have to rely on the help of normal folks accustomed to having normal, boring, workaday problems, who donât yet know they have something to contribute. Top of the agenda: figure out why the Cities are being targeted by a comical profusion of metaphysical players who never took an interest heretofore. An urban center so real it must be. A labyrinthine plot centuries in the making. Laugh-out-loud dark comedy. Fall in love with Liath-Tamren! (Just donât call it âa city.â Really.) |
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Tyranny of the Fey by Terry Bartley A famed Elven researcher is worried about her home. When she discovers a new realm with massive magic potential, she believes she has found the answer. Will the Seasonal Fey Courts allow her to continue her research without interference, or do they have more nefarious plans? An Elven princess runs away from her arranged marriage to a parallel world. Will she be able to find the adventure she seeks? While she is in search of battles with dragons and quests to obtain sacred artifacts, she finds that what she was looking for may have been a true connection with someone that understands her. Two childhood friends, an orc and a goblin, have long dreamed of adventure. When a magic school dropout stumbles into their lives, they jump at the chance to realize their ambitions. This found family realizes the world of Galevyn is a much bigger place than the jungle they grew up in. |
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The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan Being Naughty Has Never Been So Nice! When Lyla's father retired as CEO of the toy company which has been in their family for generations, she was meant to receive his shares. Instead, she discovers the company is bankrupt and her father has given her shares to Mason Klaus, an investor known in the corporate world for his cold and callous nature. Much to Lyla's frustration, her only option is to run the company with him, despite their evident loathing for one another. When Mason cancels the annual Christmas party, Lyla throws it anyway - only for the event of the season to result in a terrible fire. With the offices and Lyla's credibility ruined, Mason offers her a deal: he'll forget her part in the disaster, but she must join his family for the twelve days of their Christmas holidays. Taken to a fantastical winter wonderland, Lyla hopes that she might discover some of the secrets Mr Klaus is hiding, and maybe even a way to get her company back. However, when Mason introduces her to the secret village as his fiancĂŠe, she is horrified to realise she has no choice but to go along with the pretence - because the cost of bringing an outsider to their magical land is far too high. Can Lyla resist the devilishly handsome Mr Klaus and the enchanting village to win back her company, or will she give into temptation? Readers who fell in love with Yule: 'Definitely a must-read for anyone who likes Christmas books with a beautiful touch of fantasy.' âââââ 'Magical. Felt like stepping into a snow globe Christmas village.' âââââ 'I'm a sucker for cheesy hallmark Christmas movies, so if you're like me you'll love this book!' âââââ 'Adventure, romance, a bit of spice, and a sprinkle of gold dust to put you in the holiday spirit!' âââââ 'Workplace rivals featuring Santa's hot son and forced proximity in the North Pole? Count me in.' âââââ Tropes & Themes: Low-Fantasy Romance Workplace, Enemies to Lovers Fake Engagement Forced Proximity Cosy, Christmas feels |
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The Glass Gate by Hanna Sandvig Sometimes all a girl needs is a good dress and some magic shoes. Prince Charming is optional. My goal was simple: create a killer fashion design portfolio, win the scholarship to the school of my dreams, and never have to clean my step-familyâs house again. I just needed some inspiration. Something to set my portfolio apart from all the other up-and-coming designers. A little fashion magic. I didnât expect literal magic. But then my friend dressed me up like a fae princess, and whisked me away to Faerie. The food! The dancing! The dresses! This was just the inspiration I needed, so when the crown prince asked me to stay and be his fake girlfriend, I jumped at the opportunity. Prince Tiernan is gorgeous and charming, but Iâm just a part of a plot to find his bride. Thatâs fine by me. Iâm just here for the fashion. No messy feelings. On the other hand, itâs very hard to not have my head turned by a boy who gives me a dragon egg. The longer I stay in Faerie with Tiernan, the more caught up I get in the magic of his kingdom, and I start to believe the stories weâre spinning for everyone. Stories of magic and sacrifice and maybe even true love. I canât lose sight of my goals. I need to win that scholarship. Putting my heart on the line for a prince and his kingdom is just too risky. Am I brave enough to try? Maybe if I find the right dress. Whereâs a fairy godmother when you need one? |
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Scarlett and the Dark Woods by Mary Mecham She is one of the protected elect. He is a shunned shapeshifter. Can Scarlett rescue her grandmother before her own heart is stolen? When her grandmother is cast out as unworthy after facing Hamelinâs annual Shunning, Scarlett knows she must brave the dangers of Darkwood Forest if sheâs to have any chance of saving her. Her perilous adventure becomes a race against time; she needs to find Gran before the previously shunned get to her first. Scarlettâs efforts come too late. As her magic dwindles the farther into the forest she ventures, she becomes hopelessly lost and is forced to accept help from Greyson, the shapeshifting wolf who is stalking her every footstepâand who Scarlett suspects of knowing Granâs location. If she manages to save her grandmother, Scarlett will be faced with an impossible choice: join Gran and live her life as an outcast or return to the rest of the elect, safe but alone. As she struggles to find the right path forward, Scarlett realizes that more than her grandmotherâs future is at stake. Her heart is too. Can Scarlett resist her inexplicable attraction to the shunned wolf she despises long enough to protect the woman who raised her? |
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The Night Farm by A.L. Davidson Rhys Anderson, a talented apothecary, herbalist, and tea master, is looking for a fresh start after a recent health diagnosis forces him to leave his beloved tea shop behind. When he hears about a small farmstead deep in the wooded countryside that goes up for sale, he jumps at the opportunity to start over and live a quieter life away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Packing up his few belongings, Rhys races off to his new home in the mysterious town known as Wylder Wood, where the neighbors are welcoming and kind, but not at all what they seem. Rhys soon realizes that he's living amongst myths and legends beyond his wildest dream, and as friendships form and crops are sewn, Rhys' new life thrives when the sun sets over the tree tops. Things soon change when Rhys gets caught up in the gaze of the charming, fanged-toothed Victor du Lac. The vamp has set his sights on the newcomer, and the 126 year old mayor wants to sink his teeth into more than just the delicacies Rhys grows in the soil. The town of Wylder Wood comes to life when the sun goes down, and the long nights on the farm are filled with friendship, romance, and good eats aplenty! The Night Farm is an ongoing cozy, queer horror web novel available on Tapas and on Patreon. |
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The Nameless Restaurant: A Cozy Cooking Fantasy by Tao Wong There is a restaurant in Toronto. Its entrance is announced only by a simple, unadorned wooden door, varnished to a beautiful shine but without paint, hidden beside dumpsters and a fire escape. There is no sign, no indication of what lies behind the door. If you do manage to find the restaurant, the dĂŠcor is dated and worn. Homey, if one were to be generous. The service is atrocious, the proprietor a grouch. The regulars are worse: silent, brooding, and unfriendly to newcomers. There is no set menu, alternating with the whim and whimsy of the owner. The selection of wine and beer is sparse or non-existent at times, and the prices for everything outrageous. There is a restaurant in Toronto that is magically hidden, whose service is horrible, and whose food is divine. This is the story of the Nameless Restaurant. |
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The Tenfold Tenants by E.V. Belknap Corvinian Hark thought he'd be the next great villain. What he ended up as, is a caretaker of magical tenants. This setback was supposed to have been temporary. It has been temporary going on eight years. But things are looking up, or at least he was told things are looking up. If you were to ask Corbin, things mostly keep looking sideways. Because his latest tenant might just be human. It means no more magic in the hallways and keeping skeletons from wandering out of the closet. But mostly it means that if he can't figure her out, he'll be out of a job. Which would be rather unfortunate, as it is where he keeps his bed, and all of his stuff, and all of his friends. He'll just stick her between the vampire and the harpy and hope she doesn't notice, shall he? |
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Shades and Silver by Dax Murray The birthright of every ĂstfrĂður is to know each metal in the earth, command it, and bend it to their desires. To hear metal singing, some of it waiting just beneath the surface, so much of it deeper in the earth. If they wanted, they knew they could pluck that metal from the earth, melt it with a thought, and shape it as they pleased with a breath of air and their will. Each ĂstfrĂður must choose which metal they would wear upon their heads, denoting the path they would walk. They craft beautiful horns to wear on their brow, forged with the metal they wish to identify with. But Britt does not know if they can choose the path they want; if they can overcome a past that has stolen their identity. The day has come for them to choose, and they have no idea if they have any right even to try to. And Astrid has never felt the pull of the metal at all. Wearing a forged circlet and horn, they try to navigate a world that they feel has rejected them, all the while fearing someone will learn their secret. The Veil of the ĂstfrĂður has kept them hidden from the world and safe from intruders. Yet Britt and Astrid feel they are imposters in their own homes. Shades and Silver is a duology of novellas about identity, doubt, and acceptance. |
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Not Your Mountain by Greg Yates / AJ Alexanders He wanted to be an adventurer, but adventure could cost him his home. Matty has spent his whole life working in the mines, it's all he's ever known to do: sing to the stone, extract its riches, and learn its properties. But after an unexpected visit from a dwarven adventurer, his life takes a seismic shift. Dwarves never leave Craig'n Dell and guests never visit, but now Matty wants to change all of that. With his cunning, bravery, and will, Matty sets off with his left foot forward... and stumbles. Join Matty as he embarks on a comedic fantasy adventure meant to captivate and amuse; where monsters, adventure, and unlikely companionship await! |
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A Harmony of Water and Weald by Dove Cooper She warned of the pain. She did. But no warning can prepare you. Nothing can. Maris has always been intrigued by humans, whether new among them or having lived with them for a year, her curiosity remains. A Harmony of Water and Weald is a collection exploring some of Marisâs darker moments as she learns what it means to be human and a glimpse at what her life and family is like after the Sea Witchâs deadline has passed. Though her desire to learn about humanity is insatiable, her new life isnât all sweetness and love. Sheâs abandoned her sisters to live among a people she doesnât understand, walking on feet like she was never meant to. Sometimes her life is homesickness, sometimes frustration, often confusion. Always, though, it is wonder and fierce delight at life. A Harmony of Water and Weald is a companion to Sea Foam and Silence and contains pieces set both during and after events in that verse novel. |
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A Recipe for Disaster by Chris Durston "With the cleverness and humor of a Douglas Adams novel, A Recipe For Disaster will make you fall in love with its colorful characters and cozy yet adventurous premise. Youâll almost certainly be asking for seconds!" - Astrid Knight, author of the Mages of Velmyra Saga "A perfect story for fans of Discworld" - JamReads In the desert city of Achten Tan, built within the bones of a long-dead leviathan, there's one truth everyone knows above all others: North Ribs Ribs is the best dang ribs restaurant in town. Rebellious teenager Old Crawman never wanted to inherit the North Ribs Ribs empire, but when he discovers an unsettling secret about their new competition, he has to do something. Unfortunately for him, that something gets him tangled up with an evil wizard of ancient legends... who is not at all as he expected. With Achten Tan's powers-that-be keeping a close eye on Old Crawman, he'll need all the help he can get if he wants to have his ribs and eat them too. |
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A Promise Broken by S.L. Dove Cooper Itâs a rainy day when four-year-old Eiryn has to say goodbye to her mother. Scared, confused and unwilling to do so, Eiryn tries to summon water to stop the funeral from happening and her life falls apart. Her uncle is always sad and busy; she keeps hearing her motherâs voice asking her to follow; her best friend keeps getting into fights; and some of her classmates hate her for existing. Arèn never wanted children, but heâs desperate to protect his niece from his peopleâs extreme caution regarding magic and other races. Kerisaoina children arenât capable of using it and his niece is no exception. Despite being only half-kerisaoina, Eiryn is already starting to show that sheâll be one of her generationâs most talented magic-singers and those who donât approve of her existence are trying to take advantage of a young girlâs grief. Eiryn is determined to make her uncle happy, but itâs hard to make other people happy when you have to struggle through the day yourself. Sheâll find a way, though. Sheâs promised. And even if her mother wonât keep her word Eiryn will keep hers. Sheâll make everything right again. Youâll see. |
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The Tale That Twines by Cedar McCloud All we have is now. Forty years before THE THREAD THAT BINDS, Juniper Starstitch returns to Caspora City young and hopeful. Chosen to be Head Librarian Opaline Sweetfrond's last apprentice, June arrives at the Eternal Library looking to discover the magical manuscript art of Illuminationâand to recover the memories lost to the trauma of the massive earthquake that killed one of eir parents a decade earlier. June quickly discovers that these memories can be recovered through the ancient art of reading etheric Threads, the spiritual ties that link the world together. But remembering can be painful, and living in the past means missing out on the present. Even to the point that Juneâs beloved apprenticeship is threatened by eir inability to let go. It will take the help of friends both old and new for June to untangle the knotted threads of time, including the mysterious and stern Aeronwy Greengrove, who June may or may not be falling in love with, one song at a time. |
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Sea Foam and Silence by Dove Cooper She warned of the pain. She did. But no warning can prepare you. Nothing can. Long, long ago, a little mermaid became intrigued by the way tall-crabs donât act at all like the prey sheâs more comfortable chasing. Her quest to understand will take her places she had never dreamed possibleâonto land and beyond the endless cold. But quests always come with a price and hers is no exception. If she cannot find love within a year, sheâll become sea foam. With only a month left and no closer to understanding âloveâ at all, what is Maris to do? Tall-crabsâhumansâare confusing and contradictory and love comes in so many forms, how can she ever know which one is right to win her life amidst friends and family on land? Fantastical worldbuilding meets verse novels in this queerplatonic retelling of The Little Mermaid, the first story in a series of queer fairytale retellings. |
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The Thread That Binds by Cedar McCloud The books are restless. At the Eternal Library, books are more than the paper, ink, and thread they're made from--they're full of spirits. Only a handful of people will ever be invited to the Bindery to learn the craft of Illumination: the magical creation of intricate illustrated manuscripts, bound with a secret that will make them last forever. Tabby is a dreamwalker, a witch who escapes into the stories of sleep to avoid a birth family that's never loved em enough. Amane is a cartomancer, a medium who speaks for the Unseen, but doesnât know how to speak her own needs. Rhiannon is a psychic, an archivist who can See into the past, but only has eyes on the future. Their stories intertwine as they discover the secrets of Illumination, the Library's archives, and those of their mentors--the three of whom are competing to be the next Head Librarian, the Speaker for all the books. How do you know who's truly worth being part of your family? Sometimes we must forge connections in order to heal; other times, those bonds must be broken. |
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A Path of Blades by R.E.Sanders Ingvar Darelle is a fighting knight, tasked with defending his country whenever he is called to battle. Violence and war provides no glory for Ingvar, who only wants to be at home on his rural estate. His dreams of a quiet life are shattered as he becomes a pawn in the ambitious schemes of others. How will his friendships and family cope with the forces that try to tear them apart? Which path will he choose? |
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The Ice Princess's Fair Illusion by Dove Cooper All Marian wants is for society to accept that she's just not interested in... whatever society thinks she ought to be interested in. A princess with a reputation for insults and snide remarks, she's afraid to show anyone who she would be if people would let her. In a fit of temper at her refusal to marry, her father creates her worst nightmare: she is to be wed to the first beggar who arrives at the gates. Edel was visiting purely for diplomatic reasons, aiming to ensure her daughter inherits a strong and peaceful kingdom. She sees something in Marian that is achingly familiar and when Edel hears the king's proclamation, only one thing is on her mind: to protect Marian from the fate that had befallen Edel herself. Their lives threaded together by magic, Edel and Marian will have to find their way in the world in this queerplatonic, sapphic verse novel retelling of King Thrushbeard. |
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Deny Me, The Nightshade Boy by Mary VanAlstine A cozy queer romance against the backdrop of wild and dangerous Fae magic. For fans of A Marvellous Light, Holly Black, and TJ Klune. Lilydale, and its dangerous resident faeries, looms over the city of Saint Paul as a constant reminder to Micah Stillwater that he's only half-human. He's been doing well denying his Fae side until he meets Andrew Vidasche and accidentally charms him into a kiss. Andrew suspects that Micah is more than he appears since he already knows the dangers of Lilydale. If Micah wants to protect his human life and his romance with Andrew, then he must stop denying his own Fae nature and harness the magic in his blood. |
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Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li Iris Galacia's tarot cards do more than entertain gamblers. With the flip of her fingers she can predict the future and uncover a person's secrets. Under the watchful eye of her mother, she is already on thin ice for pursuing a passion in the family business, but then cracks start to form, and eventually she falls through. She is given an ultimatum: earn a thousand coins or leave the business, and the family. Enter Marin Boudreau, a charming young person who can scale buildings and break off door knobs, who comes for her help to rescue a witch who's been falsely imprisoned in Excava Kingdom. And Marin is willing to pay a high sum for her talents. But saving a prisoner from royal hands isn't easy, nor is leaving home for the first time in eighteen years. Now Iris must learn to trust in herself, Marin, and this new magical world, while racing the clock before the royals decide the fate of the witch, and before any secrets catch up to her. TELL ME HOW IT ENDS features LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, cultural, and mental health representation. The main character, Iris Galacia, is a lesbian tarot reader with anxiety and autism. The second main character, Marin Boudreau, is an aromantic asexual non-binary person with ADHD. |
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The Sunset Sovereign: A Dragon's Memoir by Laura Huie When a dragon finds an assassin sneaking into his lair, he tells her of his life's work and his soon to be final chapter. For the past thousand years, the dragon Vakandi has watched the people of Vakfored grow from a wandering band of refugees to a glorious city of art and magic. Under his protection, the city has survived monsters, floods, and wars all without building an army, dam, or even a wall. But time changes everything and now the citizens of his beloved city want him dead. Vakandi spends his last day telling his assassin why he loves them, and why it's his time to die. |
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Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love by Rita A. Rubin Jayce has little memory of life before entering servitude to the Dark Lord, and no hope of ever escaping. Until he meets Alexius, the knight with a heart of gold. He offers Jayce, his enemy, a chance to break free of the Dark Lord's clutches, and Jayce is not about to let such an opportunity pass. When the war comes to an end, Jayce finds himself finally free, with Alexius's help, and surrounded by a new world of opportunity. And the prospect of a new love. The more time Jayce spends with Alexius, the more he finds himself falling for this knight in shining armour. |
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Lord of Thundertown by O F Cieri In the movies, Thundertown was depicted like a real town, with boundaries, Folk-run businesses, and a government. In real life, Thundertown was a block here or there, three businesses on the same side of the street, an unconnected sewer main, or a single abandoned building. When an epidemic of missing person cases is on the rise, the police refuse to act. Instead, Alex Delatorre goes to Thundertown for answers and finds clues leading to a new Lord trying to unite the population. No one has seen the Lord, and the closer Alex gets to him, the farther Alex gets from his path home. |
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Merchants of Light and Bone by Erika McCorkle Sorrow in paradise. A parentâs worst nightmare. When grief drives one to revenge. Living in a tropical paradise with his spouses and kids, Amiere is a merchant of light, a sculptor who carves glowing crystals into spectacular and powerful, demon-killing works of art. When the ground opens up near his idyllic village to reveal a massive supply of crystals, the whole nation of Aloutia celebrates. The merchants are guaranteed money for decades and officials predict Aloutia will be safe from demonkind for generations. But Amiere isnât rejoicingâwhen the ground split apart, his seven-year-old daughter fell to her death. Amiereâs grief turns to rage when an old enemy returns to the village with a young daughter displaying signs of starvation and abuse. Having witnessed his own daughterâs death, Amiere cannot bear the thought of watching another child die, especially when he can prevent it. Unable to ask police for help due to the villageâs reputation of hostility toward authority figures, Amiere takes matters into his own hands, even at the risk of being exiled and separated from his family forever. |
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Of books and Paper Dragons by Vaela Denarr & Micah Iannandrea (Free on our newsletter) How to run a successful bookshop: Change careers at thirty-eight, suffer from anxiety, make friends with the local artists, and donât get eaten by the draconic overlord. In the Lightless Sea, the Black Sands Desert that can only be traversed beneath the stars, scavenging the wrecks of ancient starships is the most prestigious and exciting profession available. And for Voa, who has spent the last twenty years amassing knowledge for the hoard of a great and terrible dragon ruling over their city, it is now a thing of the past. Scavenging has lost its luster, and a new life, the calm and comfortable existence of a bookseller, calls to them. But a lifetime of delving into the bowels of metal behemoths has left Voa ill-prepared for the social anxiety and laws found in a dragonâs city. Jet, a local artist in a similar position of changing careers, takes pity on Voa. What begins as an act of kindness quickly becomes a personal battle as she and Voa grow closer. Voa has the resources, and Jet has the people skills. All they need now is to convince Keeper Yirrin, Lord of the Archives, to support their budding passion project But the somewhat enigmatic and introverted dragon may just have their own designs for the little bookshop, and for the orc running it⌠Of Books and Paper Dragons is a cozy, low-stakes fantasy about ordinary people leading ordinary lives, selling books, doing their taxes, and battling social anxiety in the quiet safety of their book collections. |
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DragonWing by Raina Nightingale An ancient war to which the fates of nations are nothing is waged around them. Whether they ignore it or not, their souls are at stake, and their choices will shape their fate. After nearly starving underground, Silmavalien has found a safe place for herself and her dragons to grow in peace. The weather is temperate, and the dragons are finally able to hunt for themselves. But the nightmare is coming for her, and the battle against fear is not one sheâs sure she even wants to win. Far away, Norenâs dragon has hatched, and he finally knows why Silmavalien left him, but he canât understand why she did not trust him. Still, he tries to find her and struggles to hide Elninya, his growing dragon, from those who would kill her. But his fear could turn him into the monster he fears, and his real enemy isnât the humans who would burn him alive if they knew about Elninya. |
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DragonBirth by Raina Nightingale In a world where dragons are considered demons and Dragonriders are hunted and killed as witches . . . Silmavalien is a devout young woman from a small mountain village. Her engaged, Noren, is teaching her the bow and her life goals are limited to marrying him â as soon as he completes his Manhood Hunt â and having a family. But then she meets a dragon hatchling and discovers a love she could never have dreamed, but one that rips her entire world apart. The gods she has worshiped, everything she has ever been taught or believed, is a monstrous lie, and she's not sure what to believe now. Can she dare to trust Noren with her new secret, even if he is the only person she's ever heard voice doubts about whether the stories are true? If she, or the hatchling Minth, are discovered, both will be burned alive. How can she survive and care for Minth in a wild hostile world â one that is even stranger than she thought? |