stories in and

Wreck's Wake by Jof Croxford

Half a world away, beside the newly discovered continent of Southland, dwell the Sentinels, an archipelago of overgrown tropical islands brimming with gold. Amongst their rocky slopes fly the sails of traders, pirates and sealords all, none more feared than those stained threatening black. When Southland convict Wesley King and his family are finally pardoned after three hard years of toil, they delve into the islands’ embrace searching for a fabled treasure long lost. But the quest quickly transforms into a desperate struggle for survival when the Kings become ensnared in the region’s delicate web of piracy and treachery, where blood is repaid with blood, and a mysterious ship has resurfaced four years after it was wrecked.


Lady of Ravensmere by Mary McKenna

SPFBO9

In a richly-imagined fantasy world, against a backdrop of alliances and betrayals, a young girl grows to a woman.  Jenevra Louvet, the thirteen year old daughter of the Earl of Allandale, travels to the north to be betrothed. Well-born, well-bred and well-trained, she would not embarrass a king. But no king awaits her. Instead she will marry the new made lord of a dilapidated castle threatened by war. Far from her family and the life she knows, with little support, she must find a way to grow into the woman and lady her new land and husband need. Brilliantly imagined fantasy, Lady of Ravensmere chronicles the beginning of Jenevra's journey, a journey that will change her and the world around her.


The Bachelor's Valet by Arden Powell

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Alphonse Hollyhock is blessed with wealth, class, and more beauty than brains. Though he hasn't got a lick of wit or magic to his name, he's perfectly content living life as an airheaded bachelor with his valet—the clever, unflappable Jacobi—by his side to ensure everything runs smoothly. All he lacks, according to his mother, is a wife. Despite Alphonse's protests, he's to marry Aaliyah Kaddour: a bright, headstrong young woman who would probably be charming company if she didn't threaten everything about Alphonse's way of life. Marrying means giving up his fashionable flat, his fast car, and, worst of all, it means losing Jacobi. Perhaps most distressingly, this talk of marriage is bringing all sorts of confusing feelings to the forefront. Because rather than falling for the beautiful girl being pushed into his arms, Alphonse seems to be falling for his valet. Except a man can't fall in love with another man. Can he? Meanwhile, Aaliyah has plans of her own. She's as devious as she is pretty, but if Alphonse wants to get through this marriage business in one piece, he'll have to trust her. Her and Jacobi, and, most dangerously, his own feelings. The Bachelor's Valet is a novel in the Flos Magicae series, a collection of queer romances set in an alternate 1920s universe with magic. All the stories are standalones and can be read in any order.


The Ring Breaker by Jean Gill

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Shortlisted for the 2022 Chaucer Award. 'A skilfully written, beautifully researched coming-of-age story set in Viking Orkney.’ Lexie Conyngham, the Orkneyinga Murders series Loyalty has a price the children pay In the twilight of the old gods, when the last Vikings rule the seas, two cursed orphans meet on an Orkney beach and their fates collide. Stripped of honour, facing bleak loneliness ahead, Skarfr and Hlif forge an unbreakable bond as they come of age in the savage Viking culture of blood debts and vengeance. To be accepted as adults, Skarfr must prove himself a warrior and Hlif must learn to use women’s weapons. Can they clear their names and choose their destiny? Or are they doomed by their fathers’ acts? The award-winning author of The Troubadours Quartet returns to the 12th century, with skalds instead of troubadours and Viking warriors instead of crusaders. Get ready for authentic medieval adventures steeped in poetry, politics and passion. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell Matthew Harffy and Madeline Miller.


Herald of the Storm by R.S Ford

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The first novel in Richard Ford's magnificent fantasy series has enough thrills, valour, guts and glory to satisfy any die-hard fan of David Gemmell and Joe Abercrombie. STAND TOGETHER… Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, the vast cityport of Steelhaven has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. ...OR DIE ALONE! When his herald infiltrates Steelhaven, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end. . . Buy Herald of the Storm to begin the adventure today!


The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson

SPFBO9

“A chance to save her. Improbably, impossibly, inconceivably.” Lord Alfred Fitzwilliam spends each day in much the same way: caring for his terminally ill wife and trying to lose himself in the dusty tomes that fill his library. Everything changes when he receives a visit from a man representing a clandestine organization operating with the backing of Queen Victoria herself. The group seeks his aid in finding an Arthurian artifact that, legend holds, can cure its bearer of any wound or disease. Skeptical but desperate to help his wife, Alfred is convinced that the fabled item might actually exist after witnessing a seemingly impossible display of power by the organization's leader, James Nigel. He decides to purse the treasure, accompanied by an eccentric scholar, a deadly druid, and his best friend, a sardonic bookseller who is far more than he seems. As he follows an arcane trail of clues from the gas-lit streets of London to the wilds of Scotland and deep into ancient catacombs in Italy, Alfred becomes enmeshed in a web of hidden agendas, secret societies, and ancient enchantments. Along the way, he learns a dark secret about Nigel’s past—and the true power of the artifact he seeks. Steeped in a compelling mythology and filled with unexpected twists, The Camelot Shadow will leave readers stunned, breathless, and wrestling with an impossible question: what do you do with an object that has the power to both save the world and destroy it?


The Wings of Ashtaroth by Steve Hugh Westenra

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The great city of Qemassen is at a crossroads. A powerful empire from beyond the ocean threatens to reignite a centuries-old feud. A slave rebellion brews in the tangled labyrinth of tunnels beneath the city streets. And Crown Prince Ashtaroth, the city’s supposed saviour, is considered unfit to rule even by those closest to him. When the high priest burns one of the royal children alive as a desperate offering to the city’s absentee gods, it destroys the fragile peace within Qemassen’s scheming first family. Seeking revenge for the death of her child, Ashtaroth’s mother calls on a powerful demon named Lilit. But Lilit cannot be trusted. Her cruel machinations pit brother against sister and father against daughter, laying waste to Ashtaroth’s family. Then Lilit approaches Ashtaroth with a demonic pact of his own – one that could save his people and his home. But between war from within and a revolution erupting within, even a demon may not be enough to keep Qemassen standing. Set in a secondary world based on the conflict between Ancient Carthage and Rome, The Wings of Ashtaroth is a sprawling, multi-PoV epic fantasy, full of queerness, political intrigue, and demons.


Aboard the Timeline by Bastian Gregory

Aboard the Timeline It's the story of a bored boy, Pete who doesn't find anything interesting at school. One day he becomes so bored, and time stands still and he escapes to Outermind. Here he befriends various living beings in different worlds, and along the way becomes aware of a constant conflict going on in these different lands. Ultimately, Pete is asked to make a difference, and the question is whether he is up to the task? Anyone who has a passion for words and wordplay will enjoy reading “Aboard the Timeline” In this wonderful children’s book , Bastian takes us on an adventure with his main character Pete, a young boy who at first seems to be lost (in many more ways than one!) but who ultimately finds his way together with the help of his companions, the lovely dinosaur Reginald and the ancient Greek thinker, Philosophocles. Bastian manages to keep the reader engaged page after page, with clever puns and witty plays on words, which makes his story even more entertaining. Here is a quote from a teacher on Amazon: “My 10 year old son and I read this together and we both really enjoyed it. Redolent of Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories/Luka and the Fire of Life plus Walter Moers’ Captain Bluebear series, it’s a consistently chuckleworthy, highly imaginative, multi-layered yarn that carried us wackily along its narrative tracks from start to finish. There’s a great cast of characters - from a doddery old dinosaur to an ebullient Ancient Greek philosopher (“Philosophocles”) to some suitably dastardly demons - and the illustrations, which perfectly complement the text, are great fun too. Highly recommended!”


The Bee King by Mathilda Zeller

When the crops fail, the monsters come. When the monsters come, they buy the daughters. Alice would do anything to keep her sister and cousin out of the hands of the monsters. She would even accept a marriage proposal from the Bee King, the mysterious honey magnate allegedly driving the prosperity of the empire. But when she arrives at the Apiary, the secluded estate of her betrothed, nothing is as it seems. The empire's wealthy and famous are converging upon the estate and she soon learns that the Bee King is not marrying her for love or lust, but third reason--a dark, strange, and deadly reason.


The Doctrines of Fire by CL Jarvis

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Edinburgh, 1779. An academic rivalry turns deadly. George Stephens is a lousy medical student. Lacking the social and financial resources to succeed in Edinburgh’s elite medical school, his dream of becoming a physician appears over before it began. Then George comes to the attention of two famous professors, William Cullen and Joseph Black. Medical students are dying mysteriously - the professors suspect a disgraced former student is to blame - and they need George’s help uncovering the truth. Believing the partnership will bolster his academic standing, George agrees. Their investigation pulls them into the murkiest, most dangerous corners of Enlightenment Edinburgh. The professors are secret wielders of fire magic, but their foes are courting even darker forces. With violence threatening to erupt, and George struggling to navigate this confusing city, getting justice for the dead will be harder than he imagined. Ninth House meets A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians in this thrilling fantasy debut from CL Jarvis.


The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless

The first in a gripping new historical fantasy series that intertwines Irish mythology with real-life history, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men is the thrilling debut novel by Shauna Lawless. They think they've killed the last of us... 981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long. Gormflaith also has a secret. She is one of the Fomorians, an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of warriors who are sworn to kill Fomorians. Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell hidden in a fortress, forbidden to live amongst the mortals. Fódla agrees to help her kin by going to spy on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop. However, preventing the loss of mortal lives is not easy with Ireland in turmoil and the Fomorians now on the rise...


The Haunting of the Immortal Killer by Laya V. Smith and Kyro Dean

Princess Serap is the only frail human seeking courtship in Qaf, a magical world full of long-lived djinn. Frustrated by failed romances with courtiers who are eager to usurp her title, Serap enlists a witch to help her find the key to immortal life. The witch tells her of a monstrous human, The Immortal Killer, who has the unique power to end immortal life in hopes he may know how to obtain it. Racing to leave the palace before her parents can stop her, Serap soon finds herself abandoned on earth in a strange place full of ghouls and ghosts. When Serap arrives at the killer’s house, he chases her down and locks her in his dungeon in a house filled with strange magical artifacts, whispering spirits and more books than she has ever seen. Determined to free herself, Serap makes friends with an enigmatic and paranormal apparition called Evil who gives her a set of magical and other-worldly tasks to solve. She must navigate staying alive while she searches for the secret to immortality and how to free herself from her terrifying, yet strangely befuddled captor. A parade of haunted house guests and a mansion full of secrets turn Serap’s plans on their head. To survive, she’ll have to discover who is telling her secrets in the ghastly dark and accept that The Immortal Killer may be the only one who can help her.


The Bandalore - Pitch & Sickle Book One by D K Girl

His second chance at life could well be the death of him. Silas Mercer has been hauled from his grave with no memory of who he was, or who he is supposed to be now. Bewildered and very much lost, he finds himself in London, in the service of the mysterious Order of the Golden Dawn. An organisation specialising in all things supernatural. But so far it seems they have no greater plan for him than to amuse London society with his terrible dancing skills and the occasional badly organised séance. Silas’s new life takes a startling turn when the Order partners him with the scandalous rake, Tobias Astaroth. A quick-tempered, dangerously beautiful man who harbours some hellish secrets. Their unlikely, and downright infuriating, partnership will soon face its first frightening challenge. A creature straight out of a nightmare is haunting the woods of Leicester, and the Order want Silas to stop it, with Tobias at his side. But nothing in this world is as it seems. Not the Order. Not Silas himself, and certainly not his vile, yet undeniably beguiling companion. Surviving this new world will be fraught with peril. Surviving the devilish wiles of Tobias Astaroth may be a battle already lost.


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."


Tomb of the Blue Demons by J.T.T Ryder

The Druid Ambicatos embarks on a journey of intrigue that quickly turns into war, when he arrives in war-torn Italia, under siege by the Carthaginians. While the war rages, Ambicatos falls for a mystery woman some call the Sorceress, who claims she has discovered the sight, the power of the Underworld. Ambicatos must fight friend and foe alike in this epic novella, a prequel to Hag of the Hills, the Bronze Sword Cycles duology. This novella is part of a Celtic heroic fantasy series set in 200 BC.


Daughter of the Yellow Dragon: A Mongolian Epic (Fractured Empire Book 1) by Starr Z Davies

"A Mongolian Game of Thrones!" – Katherine Roberts, author of Prince of the Wolves: The Legend of Genghis Khan Genghis Khan united a nation and created a vast empire for his heirs. But after 200 years of civil war, his empire has fallen into the dark ages. Mandukhai dreams of being a fierce warrior woman, but her dreams are shattered when she is forced to become the second wife to the Great Khan. Unebolod spent his life in the Great Khan's shadow, preparing for a day when he can seize control of the empire. But when he forms a dangerous alliance with Mandukhai, it swiftly transforms into a passion that could destroy them both. Just as the two are certain their fate will one day bring them together and make Unebolod the next Great Khan, a young prince surfaces to steal the Great Khan's attention and the hearts of the nation. Daughter of the Yellow Dragon is the first book in a gripping, gritty historical fiction series based on the epic life of one of the most underrated women in history. The series draws you into a world of brutal Mongol steppe life, deadly political games, and supernatural beliefs. Please be advised: This book contains adult situations, graphic violence, assault, and personal loss.


Strung by Roske

In an attempt to repel an unwanted suitor, Lady Lysbeth Haywood shares her unfashionable enthusiasm for the "Faye"—a supposedly-mythical race few believe exist. Instead, her suitor is driven to capture one as a gift. When the Faye, Evyn, is delivered to Lindenholt Manor, Lysbeth's dread at the prospect of a forced engagement yields to the thrilling actualization of childhood Fayetales—and the chance to satisfy her long-suffered curiosity. Unfortunately, Avonleigh society is less receptive to the strange arrival. Maligned, mistreated, and forced into servitude, Evyn's traumatized silence spurs Lysbeth to his aid. Trust and affection emerge slowly, and as extraordinary Faye mysteries are peeled away, their revelations—and Lysbeth's own role in them—reach farther than she ever thought possible.


4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace by Johan Twiss

14-year old Aaron Greenburg is trapped in a vegetative state. He's awake and aware of everything around him, but the doctors don't realize it. After being placed in a care facility, he receives a new roommate--an old eccentric jazz musician with dementia. When Aaron talks in his mind to stay sane, the old man hears his thoughts and replies. But no one believes the old man because they think he's crazy. And when the old man thinks he's living in the past with his dementia episodes, it pulls Aaron into those moments in time and he gets to experience 1920's New York City, World War II, and much more as the two develop an unlikely and unique friendship. 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace is a humorous and heartwarming coming-of-age story, entwined with an end-of-age story, that will capture your imagination and renew your faith in the power of friendship.


Atrocious Immoralities by Brynne Stevens

1613. Without a family or a coin to her name, a dilapidated orphanage in the English municipality of Kaysford is all that Avis Papley has known in her ten years of life. She's bound to open that locket around her neck. Charles Stuart I is bound to stray from the stable Protestant monarchy his family has forged. Although the two paths seem exclusive, there is much that entwines Avis with the young Stuart heir, and Avis gains a power far beyond the realm of politics. A choice that seems to promise safety and riches will lead to more danger than the young woman could have ever imagined as she takes journeys with curious people to lands where the dead are given second chances. Atrocious Immoralities is an extraordinary story filled with forgotten history, romance, and fast-paced action with a dash of Celtic mythology. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and magical realism will be immersed in the Renaissance era with dialogue written in Middle English and a unique constructed language.


Blood & Ravens by A.D. Brazeau

The Originals meets Dracula in this new paranormal romance series. Set in the French Quarter of 1728, where nothing is as it seems. 22-year-old Greer is ripped from her small Paris life and thrust into the world of the casket girls of New Orleans. There she finds herself living in a convent, promised to a man who is a stranger to her. As Greer begins to experience dreams of a nightly visitor she calls the Dark Knight, she awakens to a frightening fact, the visions are real - Greer and her friends are being fed upon by whatever lurks in their casket-shaped cases. Theron, a demon cursed by Hades to live his eternity as a blood-sucking vampire, finds his bitter, cold heart, warming to the woman who was to be nothing more than food. As he finds himself falling under her spell, he helps her and her friends, putting himself firmly in the path of Hades’ wrath. To free Theron, and save her friends, Greer must offer a sacrifice to the lord of the Underworld, but will it be enough, especially when Hades is the least of their problems?


The Clan of the Moon Wolf - The Watcher's Monk by Kelly Strickland Morrow

A family find they are descended from an ancient clan, the Tua De Denaan. Ancient ancestors appear to help them train to battle a rival clan and rescue one of their own. They are aided by "Light" Monks, and a supernatural pack of wolves, light orbs and Fae (Fairies). The Dark Skhaid seek to destroy a member of the clan who holds the key to their destruction.


The Last Roman: Exile by B.K. Greenwood

Some debts you cannot repay, even if you live forever... Seasoned imperial officer Marcus Sempronius Gracchus leads the 9th Roman Legion into a bloody battle against a fierce barbarian rival. It's a battle he won't survive. When he awakens three days later, clawing his way from a shallow grave, Marcus must face the reality of his new existence. He cannot be killed--but that won't stop him from dying time and again over the next 2,000 years. Meanwhile, others like Marcus plan to bring the world crashing to its knees. Can he prevent the inevitable and find redemption?


The Blind Guides: A Tall Tales Story by Tim McLaughlin

A standalone short story that was originally available as convention swag in 2021, "The Blind Guides" introduces a group of WWII vets who find themselves uncomfortable with civilian life and head out for a cross-country road trip; but what they discover in the Utah desert changes their lives forever.


Empire's Bard by Marian L Thorpe

Omnibus edition of Oraiáphon and Empire's Reckoning Courage comes in many forms. The northern invaders are defeated, but the price is high. The Eastern Empire, gone from these lands for generations, now rules. For Sorley, the young lord of Gundarstorp, the war and the treaty he signed have stripped him of both his lands and the chance to be a scáeli, a bard. Now it threatens to take Cillian, the man he loves. Reluctantly accepting a diplomatic role, desperate to stay at Cillian’s side, Sorley is torn between promises: to his country’s leader; to his oath as an envoy; to his closest friend. Taking refuge in his music and the arms of another man, he finds a fragile peace – only to have it shattered by secrets revealed. But there is more than one side to a story, more than one song to be sung – if Sorley is brave enough to listen to his heart.


The Night Comes Alive by Ross Hughes

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Beware the night and those who roam it with fangs and eyes of the brightest blue … On the cusp of maturity at the age of twelve, Spot de León has the innocence to see what others cannot. Piercing the veils of illusion woven all around him, he soon realises the world is not at all as he had thought. A secret centuries-old war is being waged in the streets. The damned stalk the night, draining the blood of innocents, and the mysterious Crows are the only ones who seem to know. Beware the city of Justiqua, where even Knights are not safe from nightmares, a city bankrupted by Crusades, where poverty and crime are rife and a plague cripples the populace. Beware the city of Vampyres, where the Old One lurks in catacombs deep underground. Beware when the night comes alive …


The King & Kishar by Timothy S Currey

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Every word King Adzi Akkatha writes on sacred stones is binding, and lasts for all eternity. 
But how can he rule when he has been cursed to forget everything? His city is in chaos. Hinatsi rebels clash with his soldiers, and their mysterious leaders try to capture the King. With the help of High Priestess Idza and General Qanatha, he must relearn their laws and customs, and who he was as a King. His former self seemed cruel and cold, and he is plagued with doubts. He is an imposter in King’s clothing—do they even have the right man?  They must flee to the great Temple of Mesopos where the King’s memory might be restored. The rebels are never far behind, and day by day the curse progresses.  There is little hope they will reach the temple in time.  Even if they do, will the King want to continue ruling as a cold tyrant?


A Day of Darkness by Suzannah Rowntree

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A warrior running from his future. A djinn running from her past. Can they save the city…or will they doom it? Tripoli, 1289: Trapped by black magic in a hostile future, John Bessarion is determined to find his way home to a family and homeland that desperately need him. Yet when his quest leads him to a city trembling on the brink of destruction, John discovers that not everyone in this strange future has forgotten his name...or the terrible things he's already done to protect his people. As an enslaved djinn, Soraya fears she will never be anything more than a killer. Sent to infiltrate and betray a city under siege, she is helpless to subvert her mission until she stumbles across a face from her long-forgotten past. When John and Soraya join forces to save the city, they attract the attention of opposing sides in an ancient battle of evil against evil. Yet the greatest danger they face might not be the demons struggling for control of Tripoli...but the secrets buried in both their pasts. Is there any way home for killers like them? A Day of Darkness is Book 3 in the critically acclaimed Watchers of Outremer series (though it can be read as a standalone). City of Brass fans will love this stunning historical fantasy featuring time travel, palace intrigue, and immortal assassins!


The Wrong Sword by Ted Rabinowitz

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The year is 1190. The place is Paris. If you are a noble, life is fleeting but wonderful. If you are a commoner, it's just fleeting. And on the streets of Paris, an enterprising ex-monk is selling "magic" swords to gullible knights with the help of a decrepit Welshman and a giant, sullen blacksmith. Henry the Rat thinks he has the world finally figured out. But then he sells the wrong sword to the wrong prince, and everything goes wrong. Before he knows it, he has been shanghaied on a quest to find a mythical blade. Unfortunately, the mythical weapon turns out to be real. And that's when the fun begins.


Hag of the Hills (The Bronze Sword Cycles Duology Book 1) by J.T.T. Ryder

SFFOasis

“Nothing is unconquerable; even our gods can die.” Brennus is destined from birth to become a warrior, despite his farmer’s life. But when the Hillmen kill his family and annihilate his clan, he now has the opportunity to avenge those who he loved. Brennus must survive endless hordes of invading Hillmen and magic-wielding sidhe, aided by only a band of shifty mercenaries, and an ancient bronze sword. Failure means his family and clan go unavenged. Victory will bring glory to Brennus and his ancestors. Hag of the Hills is a heroic fantasy novel set in 200 B.C. on the Isle of Skye, steeped in Celtic mythology and culture.


The Covenant of Shihala by Laya V. Smith and Kyro Dean

For ten years, street musician Ayelet has been on the run from the faceless slave master who tormented her childhood. Every time she sees a wisp or the jewel-toned face of a djinn lurking in the shadows, she knows her tormentor is close and it is time to move on. Nobody else can see the wisps or the nightkeepers, so Ayelet must trust only in herself and her beloved lyre. Secretly, she longs for a home, but she knows anyone she gets close to will share in her terrible fate when the Faceless Man inevitably finds her. Jahmil Amir, djinn prince and heir to the throne of Shihala, has lost his army and with it his hope. The fierce drakonte riders are his only chance of retaking his fallen lands and avoiding an arranged marriage to the despicable queen of a neighboring kingdom. The desire for revenge has blackened his heart and stolen his sense of humor. Only when he hears music does Jahmil allow himself to dream of peace and to hope for a new home. When the prophecy of a traitor sends Jahmil into the human world in search of his lost cavalry, he finds Ayelet playing her lyre in the streets. She quickly plucks her way into his heart, while his diamond eyes tempt her with the dream of a real home. But the eight moons of Qaf harbor a different fate. A dark plan is unfolding that will open a rift between the human and djinn lands and unleash a power unknown in either world. To stop it, Ayelet must realize her tortured existence has forged her into an instrument of cataclysmic destruction. Meanwhile, Jahmil must let go of his thirst for vengeance and face the truth that love may be the only thing strong enough to save both of their worlds.


The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth

In the aftermath of the Norman Invasion of 1066, William the Conqueror was uncompromising and brutal. English society was broken apart, its systems turned on their head. What is little known is that a fractured network of guerrilla fighters took up arms against the French occupiers. In The Wake, a postapocalyptic novel set a thousand years in the past, Paul Kingsnorth brings this dire scenario back to us through the eyes of the unforgettable Buccmaster, a proud landowner bearing witness to the end of his world. Accompanied by a band of like-minded men, Buccmaster is determined to seek revenge on the invaders. But as the men travel across the scorched English landscape, Buccmaster becomes increasingly unhinged by the immensity of his loss, and their path forward becomes increasingly unclear. Written in what the author describes as “a shadow tongue”—a version of Old English updated so as to be understandable to the modern reader—The Wake renders the inner life of an Anglo-Saxon man with an accuracy and immediacy rare in historical fiction. To enter Buccmaster’s world is to feel powerfully the sheer strangeness of the past. A tale of lost gods and haunted visions, The Wake is both a sensational, gripping story and a major literary achievement.


Detective King Book I: Magic and Mystery by LionBolt

What’s a detective to do when faced by criminals he doesn’t believe exist? Ghosts, magical creatures, demons, and was that a talking mouse? The son of Dr. John Watson strives to overtake the legacy of Sherlock Holmes but finds himself cast into another world filled with the paranormal, mythical and impossible while sinister plots threaten the fabric of society. When a mysterious woman who looks just like his late mother makes off with an ancient demon, can the teenage detective unravel the web of supernatural mysteries and take his crown as the detective king? And seriously—I’m certain that mouse just spoke. Whether fighting a witch raising the dead, fighting a mythological, or simply solving your run-of-the-mill serial murder—come along with Arthur and his Detective Knights in the first installment of their roaring twenties fantasy adventure.


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.


A Song of Steel by J.C. Duncan

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A roaring Norse saga of war, honour, love and loss. Vikings face Crusaders in an epic battle for the soul of the North 'A gripping, well-executed story, with a fun, original premise.' - Angus Donald' A Song Of Steel is a rising light of Norse Mythology.' - Daniel Kelly It began with a single Viking raid, now their world will blaze with the fury of a pope's revenge. Alternate history - 1116 AD. Three hundred years of cruel Viking raids have finally united Christian Europe against the pagan Northlands. A great crusade has been called to pacify the wild Norse kingdoms. The banner of the cross has been raised against the north, and all the power and fury of the west rides under it. Ordulf, a talented young German swordsmith, is ripped from his comfortable life and cast into the bloody chaos of the crusade. As fate deals him a cruel blow in the lands of his enemies, he will have to forge a new path through the chaos, or be consumed by it. In the Northlands, three rival kingdoms must unite to survive the onslaught. But can any man, king or commoner, unite the bickering brotherhood of the Norse? Or is the time of the Vikings finally drawing to a violent end. Heroes will fail, kings will fall, and ordinary people will fight for the right to a future. An epic saga of war, love and politics sure to delight fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Krystian, Matthew Harffy, Christian Cameron and all lovers of historical fiction.


She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead. Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic? The problem with being a woman who fights for what’s right is that now, she has to figure out what is. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading.


She's the One Who Cares Too Much by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Coral knows hers. People have been telling this tenderhearted 13th-century woman for years. So when a heroic army officer proposes, she decides she’s stronger than people realize and her dreams have come true. Except, the perfect man turns out to be less than ideal. And she’s gotten pregnant. And her homeland is gripped with fear of a pending Mongol invasion and she cries about everything now that she’s with child. When a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what anyone imagines, Coral’s sister decides this formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks he’s stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland? This is just the sort of problem encountered by a woman who cares too much. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading.


She's the One Who Thinks Too Much by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Ryalgar knows hers. People have been telling this over-educated 13th-century woman for years. So when an equally intellectual prince decides he loves her, it looks like everyone was wrong and her dreams have come true. Except, this prince is obligated to marry another. He is leading the army training to defend their tiny realm against an expected Mongol invasion. And he is considering sacrificing Ryalgar’s home nichna by abandoning it’s rich farmlands to their foes. If only he wasn’t such a nice guy. Another woman would ….. Ryalgar has no idea what another would do. All she knows is she has a multitude of university intellectuals and a family of tough farmers behind her, and a newfound connection with the witches in the forest. Why not devise her own strategy to keep the invaders from destroying her home? Then she can figure out what to do about this problem prince. It’s just the sort of thing that happens when a woman thinks too much.


Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: Book One of Marcus Grimm saga by Stas Borodin, Stanislav Borodin

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The steppes were always feared, for the steppe warlocks were cruel and ruthless. For centuries, the tiny kingdom of Lieh was a shield that protected civilization from the hordes of ferocious nomads. But one day, everything changed. The truce that had lasted for many years was broken and a powerful new warlock invaded the kingdom. Young Marcus Grimm must take up arms and join his father's army in his maiden battle. Adventurer, student at the Academy of Magic, pirate hunter, army scout and slayer of sorcerers – on the way he will find true friends and make some fearsome enemies. He will become the Hand of Destiny. The first book of the Marcus Grimm saga. Translated from Russian. Stas Borodin is the author of the popular fantasy series “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, written in the genre of heroic fantasy. The series includes the novel of the same name “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, novels “Black Hands” and “Funeral Pyres”. “Fists of clay” is a stand-alone novel and a sequel to “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”. The novel “Stars and Arrows” is written in the genre of alternative history and set in times of American Civil War.


A Locket of No Particular Significance (Weskerlee #1) by Florien St. John

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"Are you suggesting Captain that a Faerie might have wings? Like a bird? That's preposterous. Why, think of all that effort flapping one's arms getting from point A to point B when with just a small amount of magic, one could achieve the very same result. Without the flapping. Next, you will have us in nests gathering worms and shiny things. I'd be very embarrassed for any Faerie so tiny it must fly about like an insect, building tiny houses in the exposed roots of trees, dressed in nothing but Butterbell trousers. Have you ever worn Butterbell trousers Ib? Of course you haven't. No one has. I am not sure who is responsible for creating such an idle fantasy. Perhaps one of your literature types? There is nothing worse than a writer, who when they have nothing to write of consequence, find themselves seduced by the temptation to expostulate on what could or might be, instead of what is!" - The Good Faerie Jasper Wintergreen. Can a GOOD Faerie turned BAD ever turn GOOD again? Higher Faerie has banished unworthy Lesser Faerie from The Other-Lands. Like it or not, the human realm of The Middle Counties and The Wild South is besieged.When bookish Alisanne Frochard, a Vigilant apprentice studying Faerie Lore at Weskerlee Folly is tasked to track down a mischievous Dark Faerie alongside her handsome Captain whom she may or may not admire more than she ought, she hopes to prove herself worthy, or at the very least, tolerably capable.Jasper Wintergreen and Faerydae Ib, two elite Nobles from Faerie, both hard-pressed to contain their natural proclivity for expressing excessive and elaborately ebullient expostulations, are unbeknown to the Vigilants, watching over them.There's a Half-Faerie orphan if we are to believe what she says and she is never ever where she is thought to be. There is a riddle, heartrending lost love, a prologue, an enchanted locket and a blue feather in a hat worn for luck. An almost Regency period historical fantasy of manners where the wit appears larger than the plot holes and where becoming lost in a fog in a bog somewhere east of Whirrel is only of concern during Autumn.


Jacob's War by Mark Hood

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Meet Jacob Williams. A survivor of the First World War, forever changed by his experience. Now he’s facing down the terrors that conflict unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. Weak spots have always existed between our world and that of the Fae; stone circles help to keep the most dangerous sealed shut. But now Stonehenge is failing… It falls to the members of the Fae Defence Society to repair the ancient monument, protect humanity from the terrors it holds back and prevent another disastrous war. Jacob and his wartime comrade Harry are on the front lines in a supernatural battle which threatens everything.


Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater

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It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul. Ever since a faerie cursed her, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear, embarrassment, or even happiness—a condition which makes her sadly prone to accidental scandal. Dora’s only goal for the London Season this year is to stay quiet and avoid upsetting her cousin’s chances at a husband… but when the Lord Sorcier of England learns of her condition, she finds herself drawn ever more deeply into the tumultuous concerns of magicians and faeries. Lord Elias Wilder is handsome, strange, and utterly uncouth—but gossip says that he regularly performs three impossible things before breakfast, and he is willing to help Dora restore her missing half. If Dora’s reputation can survive both her ongoing curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world… but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul. Pride and Prejudice meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this enthralling historical fantasy romance, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mama. Pick up Half a Soul, and be stolen away into debut author Olivia Atwater’s charming, magical version of Regency England!


Enlightened (Enlightened #1) by Billie Kowalewski

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"Winner 2017 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD Distinguished Favorites" "Enlightened is exactly the sort of book that remains in your mind long after you've read it, for all the best reasons." authorstalkaboutit.com" "Enlightened is such a fascinating read and is not mindless by any stretch of the imagination." lisaluvstoread.blogspot.com When Veronica lost the love of her life in a horrible accident she wassure he was gone forever, and she would never love again. Then, fiveyears later she meets her own tragic demise leading her back to the manshe loves, but, with an unexpected twist... Imagine waking up to discover that the life you thought was real never was. That your real life is actually lived somewhere else, and the love you thought was lost will go on forever


Lost Souls: A Servant of Death by Shane Martin

Executed, widowed, and robbed of his entire crew of pirates, Captain Ander Frost makes a desperate attempt to recover what he’s lost: a deal with Death. Because those always go so well. Tasked to kill a usurper of the Roman emperorship, he must ally himself with the man that had him, his wife and crew murdered in the first place ‒ High King of the entire human population ‒ Rian Forge. Set in ancient Imperial Rome, where the likes of dwarves and elves live side by side with humans under Roman rule, Captain Frost must make unlikely alliances, work with enemies, bargain with Death, and fight anyone who would dare prevent him from reuniting with his wife.


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