Black Brilliance by Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

The unheard ancient Egyptian tale of Aqil, the great musician and scientist. It was luck, or rather, fate that he stumbled upon a cursed microscope; stolen from the god Thoth himself. It gave him the power to see something no man had seen before: DNA. Aqil had the unusual gift of seeing DNA as music, could apply his knowledge of science, and performed miracles by playing his Egyptian ney; miracles that could replicate or even mutate DNA. Whispers spread that he could heal the injured, cause life-threatening afflictions, and cure the sick. Rumors also spread that he could change a frog into a fish and a mouse into a snake. Others say he could turn a human into a demon, or even a god. The truth to the rumors was unknown. However, one thing was certain. Any person who peered into the microscope was placed under a heavy curse. Aqil was often given difficult tasks, having to rely on his mind to keep himself, and others alive. When asked to do the impossible, he had to utilize his brilliance to combine his musical abilities, his knack for science, and the cursed microscope to perform miracles. His story will be heard across the world. However, pray you never hear the distinct melody of his prized instrument, his Egyptian ney, for that would mean one of two things. You could be in earshot of him performing a miracle, or you could be the target. Some have very different perceptions of what a miracle is.

Paris at Nightfall by Merlina Garance

In an early 20th century Paris emptied of its population and surveilled by the army, two men are trying to survive. Would that include falling in love? Jules has been surviving off of preserves he scavenges out in the city when he leaves his hideout at night. He never knew why one day, the Army hauled the whole town’s population into vans and evacuated the city. He only knows he’s the only one left behind. Or so he thought. When he runs into a blond aristocrat with nice hands on an outing, his world is turned upside down once again... The ebook is only available, for free, through the author's newsletter.

Taterskin & The Eco Defenders by Blackbird Crow Raven

Book 2 of the "Taterskin & The Eco Defenders" series (“Tell it to Future Generations”) takes up with the Eco Defenders following up on their earlier adventures by 1) Preventing the American Civil War in 1861, after which a slave they free joins them; 2) Saving the Indians from being massacred at Wounded Knee in 1890, following which Chapawee, a Sioux Indian, joins the Eco Defenders; 3) Putting an end to the practice of vivisection (experimentation on live animals) in 1903; 4) Coming to the aid of exploited workers in 1911 Manhattan, saving hundreds from the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire; and 5) Traveling to the Amazon Basin in 1978 to protect and preserve the Amazon rainforest. Taterskin & The Eco Defenders, told in “first canine” by the titular character, a Labrador Retriever, is a Cli-Fi (ultimately utopian) fantasy of a few humans and several talking animals who travel through time and space to make the past—and thus the future—a better place. The improvements effected by the Eco Defenders benefit not just the earth itself, but also mistreated humans and animals.

The Earl's Assassin by Kyro Dean

In a game of kill or be killed, a reformed assassin is at a serious disadvantage. **** Reviewers say about Rogue Royals: "Delicious dialogue." "So much fun." "I can't wait for more!" **** Rana Maathornefurer is the last assassin of the gods—scratch that—former assassin. But keeping her sapphire blade at her side is harder than it looks when she is forced to join with persnickety and rude Lord Sheffield in a business deal they both desperately need to work. Add in an assassin who is hot on Phillip's trail—though she can't for the life of her figure out why—and Rana finds herself in a comically ridiculous dance to keep him alive while wanting to kill him—at least until she no longer needs him. When sneaking feelings that could get her killed catch her off-guard, however, she realizes the charade can't last. With everything she cares about falling into deadly chaos, Rana must decide what is most important. Will she be the person Lord Sheffield wishes her to be and risk him dying? Or will she become the monster she's always been to save his life?

The Archimedean Heart by BJ Sikes

Paris 1880, the City of Electric Light Clockwork nobles of the Court promenade through the halls of Versailles, while Watcher spheres and cyborg police menace citizens of France in the streets. The Royal Scientist Doctor works frantically on an automaton designed to replace the failing sovereigns, but will it be ready in time to save the monarchy? In the cafes of Montmartre, Henri paints the common people chafing under the reign of the Augmented monarchs and dreams of a France free of machines. John yearns to capture the essence of beauty in his paintings with the luminous Marie-Ange his muse-and handmaid to the ancient Queen of France. With his brother Henri entangled in revolution, he must choose between the artificial beauty of Court and the movement to restore France. How much humanity can be lost before you are no longer human?

The Vitruvian Mask by BJ Sikes

Are you intrigued by 19th century Paris with its artists and nobility? How about an alternate history version with forbidden technology and nuns with supernatural powers? 1881: The electric lights of Paris have been extinguished. The Naturalist revolution is over. Adelaide was on the losing side. Once the Royal Scientist Doctor for the now-dead cyborg monarchs of France, she's now a fugitive, hiding from the new king's Police Sécrète. Pregnant and alone, she seeks refuge in a Parisian hospital but things have changed there too. What was once a cathedral of Science is now a bastion of ignorance and superstition. The battlefield veterans whose Augmented prosthetics she once created are shunned by the new regime and come to the hospital for her help. But her nemesis, the father of her child, has returned to France and threatens to reveal her illegal activities to the authorities. Can Adelaide repair her Augmented patients without losing her freedom ... or her life? The Vitruvian Mask continues the story of Adelaide Coumain, the Roboticist of Versailles, that began in The Archimedean Heart.

Jesus and John by Adam McOmber

Jesus and John is a Weird re-imagining of the New Testament as a novel of allegorical horror. John, a fisherman from a rural village on the shores of Galilee, is tasked with protecting the risen body of his lover who was crucified for disrupting Roman order in the city of Jerusalem. The body, having miraculously emerged from its cave-like tomb, refuses to speak and walks in a dream-like silence, disrupting the clear-cut message of the Apostle Peter and eventually leading John on a dangerous pilgrimage to a mysterious mansion in Rome known as the Gray Palace. There, the few inhabitants promise a celebration that may lead to a sacrifice John is unwilling to make. Incorporating Christian Gnosticism, Pagan dreams, and a contemporary will toward queer disruption, Adam McOmber's new novel tells a powerful story of devotion.

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 — 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, she’s 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.

The Reanimator's Soul by Kara Jorgensen

An autistic necromancer, his undead lover, and the case that could destroy everything. When a necromancer turns up dead, Oliver and Felipe think it will be the perfect, straightforward case for their new partnership. That is, until it leads them to a clinic promising a cure for magic, but they aren’t the only ones investigating the Institute for the Betterment of the Soul. Oliver’s ex, Ansley, is in town, and he’s certain the clinic isn’t the paragon of righteousness it claims to be. Forced to help Ansley infiltrate the institute, Oliver fears he is out of his depth in his work and in love as old wounds and bad habits resurface. But Oliver isn’t the only one struggling. Pulled between his cases, Oliver, and his daughter returning home for the summer, Felipe is drowning. Just when he thinks he finally has everything under control, a new reminder of his untimely demise threatens to throw his life into a tailspin once more. Between festering wounds and secrets, Oliver and Felipe’s lives stand upon a knife’s edge. To face the evil lurking behind the clinic’s genteel smiles, they must stand together or face the destruction of the place they call home.

Firefax by A.M. Vergara

"I would advise you, young man, to take care around anyone with the surname Firefax. I know not if the rumors be true that they be king killers, but they are, without any doubt, a dangerous family." Legend tells of a city of gold on a phantom island. The wealth of that city could end the American Revolution. But the only person who knows the island’s location is the world’s deadliest assassin. And he’s not giving up that secret without a fight . . . The world’s oldest family of high-profile assassins, the Firefaxes, have been killing off dignitaries—and being well-compensated to do so—for centuries. The family is thrown into turmoil by their patriarch’s death and the return of their cunning, cruel prodigal, Murdoch. With their father dead, Murdoch is the only one who knows where the Firefax wealth is, kept on a secret island. But two competing intelligence networks in the American Revolution are bent on tracking down the legendary treasure to end the war, whatever the cost. However, these spy networks may have met their match in this wily, dysfunctional family of killers.

Andrion by Alex Penland

When 16-year-old Kallis goes to see Aristophanes' latest play, she's inspired to sneak into the Assembly and try to make her name as an orator. Against the backdrop of steampunk antiquity – an Ancient Athens where automatons line the city walls – Kallis sets out to incite a revolution. She’s going to create a world where no one is forced to be someone they’re not: a world where women can be artificers and orators, where one’s future isn’t determined by the track set out by their parents.

Backmask by O F Cieri

BACKMASK is written in the style of 60s horror pulp. Inspired by pop music history, BACKMASK is the fake history of a conspiracy theory surrounding the Satanic agenda to control children's minds. Nicholas Hush, 1960s record producer, has a vision for the future of pop music. After a series of prophetic dreams he wants to combine occult imagery with upcoming trends to create a new, groundbreaking look. His secretary, Valerie Chill, is tasked with finding consultants and funding while he crafts the perfect album. Quickly their project becomes entangled in other, larger machinations, and two teenage pop acts become responsible for international intrigue, brainwashing, and an occult massacre. Taking inspiration from the lives of Joe Meek, Phil Spector, and Timothy Leary, BACKMASK is a speculative look at how hidden messages got into pop music.

The King's Favorite (Daughters of Avalon Book 1) by Tanya Anne Crosby

The first "magical" episode in Tanya Anne Crosby’s epic romantic adventure combining sweeping fantasy with rich historical romance. "Tanya Anne Crosby has created her own mythology, where history and legend collide.” — Whiskey & Wit Book Reviews Caught Between Cousins
Fearing her "gifts" will be used to defeat her half-sister, Empress Matilda, Elspeth Pendragon escapes the Black Mountain priory that has sheltered her and her four sisters since her father's death, only to find herself indebted to, of all men, a Scotsman, whose loyalties are in question...

A Man Without a Country
Left to face the wrath of a new sovereign, Malcom Scott is forced to swear fealty to the English king in order to keep the castle he won by slaying his grandsire. Now, having bent his knee to the enemy, he has pitted himself against Scotland, and even his own father. Yet even as Malcom realizes there's no turning back, the late King Henry's favorite illegitimate daughter—a whispered witch—may offer him more than he ever bargained for. Book one of the Daughters of Avalon series begins an epic romantic adventure through one of England’s most tumultuous reigns, introducing an alternate historical reality filled with magic, mayhem, and an ancient evil that can only be defeated through the power of love.

Khon'Tor's Wrath: An Alternate History Epic Fantasy by Leigh Roberts

If she’d known the consequences, would she have made the same choice? An underground, sophisticated community hidden for thousands of years, ruled by the sacred laws handed down by the Ancients. A young Healer — forbidden to pair and committed to the service of the Great Spirit. A handsome protector — compelling but out of reach. A powerful Chieftain — who demands obedience above all else. 
What if… The People’s existence is thrown into jeopardy when the young Healer, Adia, breaks a sacred law of the Ancients, putting everyone at risk of discovery by an outside world that will only seek to destroy them. When her Chieftain Khon’Tor, discovers what she has done, he sees the Healer’s disobedience as an affront to his authority, and fears her actions will trigger The Age of Shadows — a period of terrible trial foretold by the Ancients. Hated by her Chieftain's mate for reasons she does not understand, Adia faces the biggest battle of her life as she clings to her faith and searches for the strength to endure the consequences of her Chieftain’s anger. She was prepared for him to be angry. She was prepared for him to punish her. But she was not prepared for Khon'Tor's Wrath.

Sacrifice: Book One of y Ddraig [The Dragons of Brython] by Gwendolyn Beynon

528 A.D. Cymru (Wales) Melangell is a ‘Lifebringer’, a dragon-maiden learning to protect one of the land’s most ancient mysteries, y Ddraig. She expects to pass her years as have a score of teachers before her—hidden away, safeguarding an egg that barely moves from year to year, never using the deadly and secret skills she has been taught. But the King’s relentless pursuit of this most holy relic throws her into the middle of war and though she is not yet adept Melangell must enter captivity with the egg to defend the sleeping dragonling within. Her abductor is Cai ap Cynyr—fierce warrior, loyal brother and sword-arm to the high Chieftain, Artwr. He has been scouring the land for the relics Artwr demands to ensure triumph against the Angles invading from the east. Cai uses the Lifebringer’s mystique to master his armsmen, but when he spirits Melangell and the dragon egg further into seclusion, she grows intrigued by her captor. But she is a Lifebringer—sworn only to y Ddraig—and Cai must deliver the dragonling to Artwr to at last drag himself out of his legendary brother’s deep shadow. [Sacrifice is the first in a series of three books based around y Ddraig (the Dragon) set in sixth-century Arthurian Wales, featuring characters based on Welsh myth, literature and/or history.]

The Revenge of Bridget Cleary by Mathilda Zeller

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Are you a witch, or are you a fairy, or are you the daughter of Bridget Cleary? Exiled for a murder her father committed, Brigid Cleary has until midsummer to gather what she needs for readmission to her home in the fairy mound: a chest of stolen gold and a chest full of her father’s blood. With nothing but her own wits and an ability to be mostly unseen, she takes a position as a scullery maid in a country manor house, where stealing gold is easy as dusting the candlesticks. When discovery of her thieving becomes likely, she scarpers, embarking on a madcap season in London. With midsummer fast approaching, Brigid must recoup her stolen gold in any way she can, even if it means modeling for a lecherous pre Raphaelite artist, posing as a young debutante to spy on other debutantes, and forming a clandestine Pugilism Club for Young Ladies. With gold filling her pockets and her father newly released from prison, the path back to the fairies should be clear. Or would be, were it not for her growing feelings for Edmund, the gentle young lord who hired her to spy on his sister; her burgeoning sense of loyalty and friendship to Adelaide, the sister upon whom she was meant to spy; and the unsettling question of whether she should--or even could--bloodily avenge her mother’s death. Inspired by the actual 1895 murder of Bridget Cleary by her husband Michael, the struggle for Irish Home Rule, and events surrounding the late pre Raphaelite artistic movement, The Revenge of Bridget Cleary has been heralded by author Joanna Ruth Meyer as "equal parts haunting, compelling, and throughtful."

Fyskar: Book 1 of Legend of the Bai by Chapel Orahamm

1692 The Isle of Skye Eoin has returned as a plague doctor after ten years of banishment for revenge and a birthright. Fearchar and Seonaid have allowed the man to set up shop in their croft at the request of an old friend. The Plague Doctor is keeping secrets, though, and killing an entire clan is only the beginning. The void is waiting.

Anstey's Revenge by Susan Hancock

He'd imagined himself safe, restored, with her beside him; instead he's lost and alone and he can't reach her anymore Kat hadn't wanted to return to the underground world of the Aurigan refugees. But giving birth in the outside world of sixteenth-century Earth was too dangerous for a half-Aurigan, half-human like her. Thankfully she now has a precious baby daughter, but the price is isolation from the world she knows and loves. She also has to bear the nightly misery of seeing Thomas, her husband, slip further away from her as he battles appalling memories which threaten to overwhelm him completely. Thomas can see no escape. He cannot envisage a future with the love of his life. In the darkness of depression he compares his own helplessness with the power only Kat can access. Beyond that, he will never share with her the full extent of what happened to him as Anstey's captive, and questions whether he can let her share his mind or his bed again. The desperate pair try to make a new life beyond the confines of the exiled community. Kat battles to save him. Malign fate has much worse in store for them. A natural disaster threatens Kat and their baby, while both new and old enemies have plans that will bring them to their knees. In Surviving Anstey (Anstey's Kingdom Book 1) Kat discovered she was not wholly human and fell in love with a man from beyond the stars. Thomas, an exile from a war torn planet, saved her from death and gave her his heart. It seemed as though a brand new life awaited them. But in Anstey's Revenge, the lovers seem to be fated to be wrenched apart. As this sequel draws to a close, they both must ask... will love be enough?

The Lighthouse in the Sky by B.Y. Yan

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An Alternate History Epic. “Firefly meets Inglorious Basterds in 1930s China.” 1936. China. A whole new frontier exists in the war-torn Orient, and the crew of the Sky-Fortress class heavy bomber Goosefare will take any job to make their fortunes. From Constantinople, Capt. Mossfar de Crossfer Rain is coerced to train aviators in the Middle Kingdom. However, things take a complicated turn when he and his merry band accidentally kidnap the Chinese President, and find themselves on the run from Imperial assassins. A chance foray into the Devil’s Sea leads to a haunting vision that their version of the 1900s is but one of infinite possibilities, with nothing set in stone. But if all history is a canvas upon which anything is possible to change, then there are others with more sinister designs on such world-altering technologies. The Empire of Japan will stop at nothing to get their hands on the strange aircraft and its reality hopping ability, in order to enact a daring, full-fledged invasion at Pearl Harbor...

A King's Radiance by L. R. Schulz

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Three siblings… a rebel, a prince, a prisoner The sun’s light shines bright over the land of Zapour, and only a select few can harness its power. But all power comes with a cost, and the world is not kind to those who refuse to pay it. Raiz Glaive, a strong shine wielder, was born into royalty, though even royals have to answer to someone. When the King-Radiant sends one of his precious underlings to the Kingdom of Trost, Raiz quickly learns who holds the true power in the realm. After his sister is taken prisoner simply for having the violet eyes of a mystic, Raiz swears vengeance. But when an unwilling father stands in his way, Raiz promises to take revenge into his own hands. Dazen Glaive remains heir to the throne of Trost, and a sworn defender of the King-Radiant, but he has not forgotten what happened to his sister, and will not forgive their cruelty. Forced to be the centrepiece of her “master’s” twisted human art gallery, Isha remains a prisoner. Though she has not lost hope. Finding friends among fellow captives, she begins to formulate a plan for escape. Though what she discovers has a much more sinister bearing on the fate of all of Zapour.

Where Blood Runs Gold by A.C. Cross

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Sheriff Errol Thorpe’s life is chaotic, brutal, and above all, solitary. After an unimaginable loss years ago, all he feels is the compulsion to seek vengeance. But when a vulnerable family arrives in town, facing an ugly future, he is pulled headfirst into a web of violence, secrets, and things he never imagined. In search of truth and answers, Thorpe finds himself battling deadly flesh-eating Dust, acidic golden blood, and the political designs of powerful people – all the while learning how to be a person again. When Dust rises in San Dios, people hide indoors. When Sheriff Thorpe arrives, people run.

Journeys: the Archers of Saint Sebastian by Jeanne Roland

15-year-old Marieke disguises herself as a boy to infiltrate the archers’ guild of Saint Sebastian, where she becomes the squire of the dashing young Journeyman Tristan. Soon she’s vowing to help him win the guild competitions to become the prince’s new Guardsman, without ever letting him find out she’s a girl who loves him. Robin Hood meets Mulan and Princess Bride in this immersive adventure set in 14th century Belgium and packed with romance, wit, and longbow archery.

Timekeeper by Tara Sim

An alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, where a damaged clock can fracture time--and a destroyed one can stop it completely. A prodigy mechanic who can repair not only clockwork, but time itself, determined to rescue his father from a Stopped town. A series of mysterious bombings that could jeopardize all of England. A boy who would give anything to relive his past, and one who would give anything to live at all. A romance that will shake the very foundations of time. The first book in a dazzling new steampunk-fantasy trilogy, Timekeeper introduces a magical world of mythology and innovation that readers will never want to leave.

To Climates Unknown by Arturo Serrano

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On September 11, the United States were destroyed. That is, September 11 of the Year of Our Lord 1620. In this alternate history, the Mayflower was lost at sea, and the English Separatists were disheartened from further colonization of North America. The United States were never born. The centuries that follow will see the emergence of rival empires that will split up the world between them. One will become the terror of the seas. One will rampage with carriages of steam. One will take to the skies. And the people caught in the middle will fight against the colonial system to bring an end to all empires.

Empire's Reckoning by Marian L Thorpe

How many secrets does your family have? For 13 years, Sorley has taught music alongside the man he loves, war and betrayal nearly forgotten. But behind his calm and ordered life, there are hidden truths. When a young girl’s question demands an honest answer, should he lie, breaking the most important oath he has made – or tell the truth, risking the destruction of both his family and a fragile political alliance? Continuing the story begun in the Empire’s Legacy trilogy, Empire’s Reckoning asks if love – of country, of an individual, of family – can be enough to leave behind the expectations of history and culture, and provide an uncharted path to peace. Gold Medal, Historical Fantasy Book of the Year, 2020, Coffee Pot Book Club

Oraiáphon by Marian L Thorpe

Can a musician heal, when a physician cannot? All scáeli’en know the tale of Oraiáphon: how his music tamed the wildest beasts and charmed the darkest god. Only a fable—until song becomes Sorley’s last supplication to bring Cillian back from certain death, for Lena, for their child, and for the country that so desperately needs him.

Empire's Exile by Marian L Thorpe

What price would you pay to save your land? Lena is exiled for treason, along with a man she barely knows - or likes. The need to survive builds a fragile trust, then a closer friendship, until violence shatters their peace. When news of brutal and devastating war in both their homelands reaches them, they join the search for the lost Empire of the East, their last hope for support. Only the small chance that legend is truth can save their countries, but this final, desperate quest could cost Lena everything - and everyone - she loves. Gold Medal, Historical Fantasy Book of the Year 2019, Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set of the Year 2019, Coffee Pot Book Club

Empire's Hostage by Marian L Thorpe

How do you trust an adversary who’s your only hope? After eighteen months of war, Lena’s Emperor asks her to stand as hostage to a truce. Sent north of the Wall to live among people who were the enemy only days before, Lena learns they had a reason to invade her land – one disturbing enough that challenging their leader over it might prove to be her worst decision yet. Far more than the success of a truce is now in Lena’s hands, but in a place she neither knows nor understands, she needs help. But how do you convince someone who hates you and everything you stand for that working together is the only way to save both your lands? Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set of the Year 2019, Coffee Pot Book Club

Avalon Hall by Ruth Miranda

When Yseult Urquhart's magic finally manifests, she finds herself saving her own life and faced with a choice.Submitting to her family's demands that she returns to Scotland and joins Avalon Hall - a school for witches who come late into their magic - the youngest member of the powerful Urquhart clan enters a place of mysteries and secrets, where nothing is what it seems.Voices from the past, visions of long ago times, even a possible ghost, all materialise before Yseult's eyes and ears, driving her to a spiral of confusion and curiosity that has her delving into what lies behind Avalon Hall.And why does it carry that name?

The Forbidden (The Ancestors Saga, #1) by Lori Holmes

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Alone. Hunted. Vulnerable. As the blood settles into the snow, Rebaa’s life lies in tatters. Her adopted tribe has been slaughtered, leaving her lost and isolated in a freezing and hostile world. Kidnapped from her own forest race years before, Rebaa must now find another people to protect her and quickly. But in daring to fall in love with a man not of her own species, she defied every lore set by the creators of human kind, the Sky Gods. Now damningly burdened with her murdered lover’s offspring, Rebaa knows that if anyone were to discover her baby’s heritage, the only sentence would be death. Driven by the love for her unborn, Rebaa sets out on a perilous journey to find a safe haven for them both. But what haven could possibly exist for one who bears…the Forbidden? The Ancestors Saga Exciting and compelling, the Ancestor's Saga takes readers on an epic journey 40,000 years into our own dark and forgotten past. As the world teeters on the brink of another glacial winter, homo sapiens are not the only human to walk the Earth. When the destiny of the entire human race hangs in the balance, the prize for the survivors will be the Earth itself. The Ancestors Saga is a prehistoric fantasy romance, combining history, mystery and legend to retell a lost chapter in humanity's dark and distant past.