All Hookers Go To Heaven by Angel B.H.

All Hookers Go To Heaven follows Mag: an East Coast girl raised in a conservative Christian home where she is urged to preserve her purity at all costs. Obsessed with earning a place in heaven, Mag rejects the hyper-sexual youth culture of her small town—that is, until she falls for a sophisticated, fun girl while attending a program designed to usher young people into Evangelical Missionary work. Spiralling into shame and regret, Mag breaks away from the Church and launches herself into the world of sex for hire, attempting to shed her repressive past and become an anti-virgin—the exact opposite of what her religion raised her to be. As she hustles across continents, Mag finds her obsession has shifted. Instead of heaven, now she is focused on chasing the elusive, ever-shifting concept of financial security. In the process, she finds it harder and harder to differentiate the money she earns from her self-worth—and her own identity from that of her sex worker alter ego.

Reckoning: A Novella by Jalen Tellis

In The lasted story from author Jalen Tellis, he tells a jaw-dropping thriller about a 17-year-old boy, William Townley–who must go back to the frightening place called Bluff Creek to search for and defeat a mythical creature. The worst thing about Bluff Creek occurred during William’s family vacation. During the time they spend on the vacation, a tragedy happens where William becomes numbed by the pain, causing him to build up fear, guilt, and anger. Before Senior year starts again, William must face his demons and return to Bluff Creek to search for the creature that caused his trauma. To help him search for this certain creature, he must reunite with a familiar face, determined for them to put an end to this nightmare.

On The Verge by G Severino

[on the verge: at the point when (something) is about to happen or is very likely to happen, but it never does.] "On The Verge" is a nonfiction, journaling-style novella where I deal with my anxiety, dive into my emotions, and drift through the motions of life.

All The Parts of the Soul by Catherine Fearns

Perhaps all women are witches at heart… The year is 1545; Geneva has defeated the Catholic forces of the Duke of Savoy and established itself as the center of the Reformation, with John Calvin as its spiritual leader. But peace is fragile and the city ravaged by plague, the atmosphere one of fear and suspicion. So when new rumors of witchcraft emerge from the isolated village of Satigny, Calvin sees an opportunity, and plucks a reclusive young magistrate to investigate. Henry Aubert was orphaned by plague at the age of twelve, and since then he has lived alone, consumed by fear and by the temptations he finds in the margins of his book collection. Now, for the first time, he is forced to confront the possibility of society, friendship, even love. Local healer Louise de Peney is kind and beautiful, but skirts dangerously close to the fringes of his investigation. Can he escape the horrific task he has been set? And is it too late to save a soul that has too long been turned in on itself?

An Appreciation of Cats by Des DeVivo

How do we know if it’s too late? Dr. Ian Devonshire, the beloved veterinarian of Holly Grove, is sixty-eight with no plans to retire—until a skin exam ends with an unexpected biopsy. Ian tells no one, privately worrying about what a worst-case scenario would mean for his practice and, more importantly, his assistant, Dr. Alec Tarley. Ian isn’t sure if Alec’s friendliness means what he hopes it does, though it wouldn’t matter if it did; Ian is old enough to be Alec’s father, and as his boss, Ian doesn’t want the small-town scandal of becoming involved. So even as Ian wonders what it might be like to have their afternoon tea somewhere other than behind closed doors, he convinces himself the risks far outweigh the gains. Especially now, as the pending results strand him like Schrödinger's Cat. In an attempt to protect them both from the heartache of a malignant prognosis, Ian makes the abrupt decision to retire. But when Alec refuses to take over the clinic without an explanation for the sudden change of heart, Ian must decide between what’ll hurt more: revealing his secrets or walking away.

The Midnight Dolls by Zoe Partyka

The year is 1971. Julian Carter is a music journalist who has his entire career ahead of him–if only the music industry would take a 20-year-old seriously. Building his short career on a steady reputation of honest, objective reporting, Julian is beginning to become a trusted journalist in the industry. All he needs is one shot to truly make a name for himself. When confronted with the chance to write what he’s led to believe may be the “story of a lifetime”, ultimately boosting his credibility and further leaving a troubled past behind him, he jumps at the opportunity. The Midnight Dolls, a band that had rocketed to superstardom in the late 1960s, struggles with their poor image after years of partying and wild behavior. Desperate to improve their reputation to appease their label, not to mention the eyes of the public, the band members agree to let their lives while on tour be reported on, even if it means showing a good side of themselves they don’t want seen. With the band’s reputation and label on the line, not to mention Julian’s entire career, he must quickly decide to risk keeping their secrets out of friendship or show the world the lengths that some people will truly go to for love and attention for his own gain. It’s a good thing rock history doesn’t write itself—he does.

Armitage by Atlas Creed

From award-winning author Atlas Creed Some memories, like scars, linger even after healing... Amid the throes of grief over the loss of her sister, Rebekah Daroh is confronted by a phantom. “Guardian,” it calls her as it searches her mind for something, or someone. Dragged into a realm of souls by the phantom, Rebekah begins to question her sister’s fate. With the help of unlikely allies, she sets out in search of answers. Niko Ortez, a Special Agent with the FBI, works on a slew of cold cases concerning missing persons, one of which is Rebekah’s sister, Nicole. Upon examination, the routine cases reveal something much darker at play and Niko investigates the disappearances, equipped with a haunting theory. Paths cross and secrets emerge at the Armitage Hotel, where a violent storm imprisons the guests with a killer. Searching for answers, what lies in store for the budding agent and grief-stricken young girl will change both of their lives.

The Good Little Catholic Gay Boy by Sam Carnes

The Good Little Catholic Gay Boy is a poignant coming-of-age story that follows the life of Ryan, a 15-year-old boy who grapples with his identity in the confines of a strict Catholic household. Raised to believe that being gay is inherently wrong, Ryan battles with his innermost feelings that persist despite relentless prayers and punishments. The age of eighteen promises freedom, but can he find happiness? This heartfelt tale will resonate with the experiences of many LGBTQ+ individuals who have faced the challenges of self-acceptance, coming out, finding love, and navigating the hurdles of societal judgment. Ryan's journey, set against the backdrop of a fervently religious home, speaks to the common struggles of those who have had to confront rejection, pain, and the misguided efforts of others to “pray away the gay.”

Lethbridge: A tale of love in a time of war by Terry McConnell

Each of the main characters in the story - based on the true lives of the writer's grandparents - came to Canada via a different path, and each played a role at a time when Canada came of age: the First World War. Harry came to Canada as a "Barnardo Boy," who ran with rum runners before becoming a police officer in what was then still the wild west. Hettie emigrated from Scotland with her parents, who became hotel owners and welcomed many of the west's settlers. Stanley left Maine and ventured north, eager to sign up to fight before the U.S. entered the First World War. Their lives - and their love story - intersected in Lethbridge. This is a fictional story based on true events in the author's family history.

The Dictionary of Disillusionment by Kristen Gregg

A piece of experimental fiction, The Dictionary of Disillusionment follows the writings of a nameless protagonist’s memories and rambles in an attempt to understand herself better through entries written on post-it notes and index cards. All she ever wanted was control; control over her feelings, control over her life. In her senior year of college, she attempts to categorize her thoughts by ascribing them labels from the dictionary and then from vocabulary in her psychology textbook. But the more she writes, trying to control her feelings and pinpoint all of the underlying stress that comes with fast-approaching graduation and the subtle changes in her relationship dynamics, the less control she finds she has. Soon, all of the small tensions build until they boil over, and she's forced to reconsider what she should focus on in her life.

Sentence for Life by Maxime Jaz

“Sometimes, we are in a place where we don’t want to be. And maybe, that place is the only place we should be after all.” Theo knows he will become a star lawyer, like the one his Dad paid to keep him out of prison... he's wrong on both counts. He thinks the first day of jail is brutal; meeting his new cellmate redefines the word. Theo's world not only falls apart; it shrinks to the size smaller than a dorm bathroom he has to share with a man who doesn’t belong in his world. Ryker is as strong as a fortress, one that he had to rebuild from the ruins of his own self. Serving the last year of his long sentence, he is terrified of having his freedom at arm's reach. Ryker is everything Theo fears; Theo is everything Ryker loathes. But being locked up together in a tiny space is a powerful force sparking the fires of love, and neither of the men are prepared for the turmoil this raging inferno will unleash. Are Ryker and Theo who they think they are? Or will new lives be born, like the phoenix etched in Ryker's skin, out of the fire of their love?

A Country of Eternal Light by Darby Harn

SPSFC 2024

A rogue black hole tears apart the solar system. Mairead’s life is already in pieces. The Earth has less than a year to survive. Asteroids rain hell; earthquakes rattle cities; manic tides swamp coasts. Mairead intends to give herself to the erratic waves that erode her remote Irish island, the same that claimed her child. When Gavin, an American, arrives to scatter his father’s ashes, she becomes torn between wanting for life and death. Despite the tides, fuel shortages, and closing borders that threaten to trap him on the island, Gavin can’t seem to scatter the ashes. He doesn’t know how to let go any more than Mairead does and they find a strange comfort in their confusion. Their affair draws Mairead back to the world of the living, but the longer Gavin stays, the more it seems there might be a future for them. There is no future. Life closes down around them. The world they know shreds. Life drains into an inescapable abyss. And yet Mairead fights, both the gravity of her grief and the restless, dissonant desire to find some kind of peace no matter how brief.

Worth It by Amy Nielsen

Seventeen-year-old Angela Carter intended to pick out prom dresses with her best friend and fill out college applications during her senior year. But after her father abandons the family and her addict mother kicks her out, the now-pregnant teen’s new normal is keeping her pressure cooker older boyfriend, Dale, from erupting. When an intoxicated Dale loses control of her car one night, Angela fears she’ll never hold her unborn child. But something worse happens; they all survive. Desperate for what little stability he provides, and for fear of his retaliation, Angela lies to the police when questioned about the accident. Her lie not only protects him from a DUI but also conceals a darker secret—what happens behind the closed doors of their single-wide trailer.

Merittown by Uilleam Whitedale

First book of The Lillian Rebellion. Lillian Gillespie is not the everyday grade school teacher she thinks she is. After learning that she is an ultra-creative empath, whose father had her reassigned after she was deemed defective as a child, Lillian flees her recently-capitalized, gaslighting partner, pursuing a relationship with an old school friend, unaware of how controlled her life has been. Her father is also not who he seems and seeks to persuade her to return to her former life, but it is a cage she cannot abide, needing to be free. As she develops her gifts, she is joined by two young empaths who seek her out through feelings. Discovering that she is an empath among empaths and being threatened by the oligarchical class who fear her, she and her friends decide to run to Old New York City, a dangerous journey under the watch of the meta-panopticon. With the help of another powerful empath, they achieve their destination… and the fight against the ruling class begins.

Dreadland by Uilleam Whitedale

Following the last Harvest Moon, the world has begun to dim, as a strange mist continues to rise at dusk. DeShawn Lucas witnessed a murder in the street, committed by something he cannot identify. It soon becomes apparent that, as the world grows darker, people are changing, changing into what appear to be monsters. DeShawn and his secret flame, his neighbor, Keneisha Dillon, find themselves trapped and on their own, wondering if they can survive the end of the world or if they will succumb to the mist.

The Haunting of Sheila Lee by Uilleam Whitedale

Sometimes the human psyche seeks to protect itself in ways that shield one from trauma in the short term through denial, sublimation, projection. Regardless, the emotions shunned must be addressed in due time in some manner. Yet, once in an age, trauma is so severe and the bearer so unwilling to face it that it is wholly displaced, made homeless, and, epitomizing pain in excess, intends to punish its source. Sheila Ann Lee, a narcissistic and neurotic seeker of affluence, creates her own manifestation of trauma and leaves it forlorn. As it tortures her mind, and, eventually, interferes with the true love she finds, it remains unclear to her and all those seeking to protect her whether she is being haunted or she is the source of her own misery, and theirs.

The Fairy Wren by Ashley Capes

From the moment a fairy wren drops his lost wedding ring at his feet, Paul realises there's more magic to the world than he thought... When Paul Fischer receives a strange phone call asking for help, from a woman who might be his estranged wife Rachel, he's drawn into a mysterious search that threatens not only his struggling bookstore, but long-buried dreams too. Unfortunately, the only help comes from a shady best friend, an Italian runaway and a strange blue fairy wren that seems to be trying to tell him something - yet the further he follows the clues it leaves the less sense the world seems to make. Is he on the verge of a magical, beautiful discovery or at the point of total disaster?

Canceled by Tim Cann

If it feels good to be bad, then these ladies are in ecstasy! Meet Lane Bryantt, shameless debutante and mother to a pair of lusty blonde alt-right social media influencers. Follow them to contemporary left-coast Los Angeles as they become trapped on a dystopian reality television show of their own making. Will they escape the clutches of their evil producer, or will they be doomed to evolve into a life forever lived on the screen? Follow Lane and her family’s misadventures in this satiric, humorous take on social media and reality television until they finally find that rarest of commodities in modern-day society—privacy! Praise for Canceled: "...for fans of satire, flawed characters, anti-heroes, and witnessing unlikeable characters become the victims of their own ambitions.." - Independent Book Review "...scores big laughs and some insights about privacy and consent.." - BookLife Canceled offers a humorous and cathartic happy ending to life in the age of social media and reality television.

Well, Well, Well by Jody Wenner

No one wants to hear about another person’s dream—unless they’re in it. Bren Wendell, a Midwestern journalist, is compelled to write a column about a seemingly benign dream but worries it will be a career breaker; instead, it spreads like a virus. Letters start pouring in, and to the entire newsroom’s shock, they are not all written by angry boomers. Thousands of readers claim they’ve had the same dream. And somehow Bren has been deemed head weaver. As the country slips into hysterics over its meaning, Bren and her co-worker Zack head out to tackle several of the wackier stories for the newspaper. Feeling pressure to find solid answers, Bren sets aside her own personal problems and digs deep into the investigation. When someone leaks private information about her to the press, the masses deify her on a whole new level, making the work more difficult. A strange conversation she has with a retired psychology professor leads her to wonder if she alone could be responsible for all of the madness she’s witnessed. In order to right the wrong and get things back to normal, Bren has to switch gears and prove the dream wasn’t real.

What Was Lost by Melissa Connelly

When a young girl feels complicit in her own abuse, how does that thwart her attempts to build a happy life as an adult woman? Disturbing memories begin to surface for Marti and so she returns to the small Vermont town she ran away from thirty years ago to face her demons. She drags her unwitting and unwilling teenage daughter along on the journey heightening already existing tensions between them. But Marti is determined to achieve what she’s returned home for: forgiveness for lies told, and revenge for secrets held. Exploring the vast social change from 1970 to 2000, in times before language such as #MeToo helped give voice to these all-too-common occurrences, What Was Lost is a raw, powerful tale of one woman confronting the ghosts of her past.

Non Serviam by Sfarda L. Gül

Expressing emotion is prohibited by law in the city state of Vencenza. Beneath its tyrannical shadow, Giorgianna, a deranged former playwright turned political fugitive, flees a brothel to seek justice for the murder of a beloved friend. When the last remnants of her bloodline are reaped by the incorrigible Minister of Dominion, Giorgianna’s crooked path to retribution crosses with Vencenza’s Machiavellian revolutionary hellbent on regime overturn. All the while, the weight of unending tragedy erodes Giorgianna’s psyche into a vengeful bloodlust plagued by cabbalistic visions hinting at an ever-darker face of the violent Powers That Be.

For Your Benefit by Patrick Canning

Teddy Lint is the kindest private investigator on the planet, committed to seeing the best in everyone he meets. The detective agency he runs with his brother Ralph out of a Los Angeles strip mall has seen a strange case or two before, but never anything like this. A man claiming to work for the CIA hires the Lints to find a shipping container of radioactive Agent Orange that vanished over fifty years ago. He insists someone is planning on using an army of drones to drench L.A. with the deadly chemicals before the week is out. The Lint Brothers enter a maze of bizarre suspects, from nefarious ad executives, to anarchistic Boy Scouts, to a toga-clad militia fighting for exclusive rule by women. The propaganda-obsessed society that seems to be running the world is probably worth looking into as well. The power of empathy collides with the dangers of disinformation as Teddy fights to save the people he loves. Our beloved detective doesn't give up easily, but any Angelenos with an aversion to death by herbicide might want to dust off that umbrella, just in case…

The Genesis of Change by Livia J. Elliot

Élan; the chaos-tamer, the record-breaker. Verve; the one behind the rise and fall of thousands of civilisations. Two alchemists, each sent on a mission by the leader of The Orders—The Rector. Élan must shatter their mentee’s humanity to train her as an alchemist, while Verve must define the unexplainable existing within a respected healer. When their missions reveal clues that could reformulate alchemy, they’ll edge closer to fathom The Rector’s goal while facing an endless conundrum—to remain as is, or to learn and adapt. The genesis of change is near.

Maej by Dale Stromberg

Hundred-day children are stolen from the Ilasghra every week. No one can stop it. Madma and Tantli have grown up like sisters in the tentslum of the Ilas, where their people are starved and beaten. All their lives, they’ve powerlessly witnessed the regular abduction of hundred-day babies born with too much mæj. Just before an Ilasi boy is killed by djanizaries for daring to venture beyond the tentslum walls, his final words lead Madma to the Gaol where the boy’s stolen sister is locked away—a place from which Ilasi children never return. Burning to act, Madma vows to free the imprisoned girl, setting off events that may ignite a revolution and convulse Sforre-Yomnic society from its squalid dungeons to the labyrinthine paths of its scheming elite’s hovering parliament. Delicately plotted, sumptuously set and vibrantly worded, MAEJ is a lavish standalone high-fantasy epic, perfect for fans of A Stranger in Olondria or The Spear Cuts Through Water.

You I Lie With by Meghan Davis

Have you ever watched an apocalypse movie and, instead of admiring the stunts in the foreground, found yourself distracted wondering about the fate of a sweet-looking, nameless couple in the background? This is their story. Sam and Ally are stranded in a hotel during a catastrophic winter storm. Their bond with each other grows stronger as the world around them begins to crumble. A romantic, atmospheric, slice-of-life apocalypse novella that explores what it means to love unconditionally and grapples with what it means to die well.

Brigade DXT by Darío Aguilar Peregrina

Every four years there is an event that unites nations, thousands of athletes strive to make their countries proud, diverse chronicles that inspire us to become like them... This is the story of Manuel Peregrina and the Brigade DXT in their road into the Olympic Games...

Concerning Decay of The Human Race by Massimo Fantini

The small village on the Island of Iguanas is home to three self-contained and interconnected stories. The first story tells of a brilliant young Physics graduate named Mattia, who embarks on a sightseeing trip to the island with his family. Right from the start, the family’s relations with the local native population on the island are strained, due to differences in customs and cultures. When the rapid spread of a lethal epidemic brings everyone face-to-face with imminent death; will this be an opportunity to reconsider their values, or just another situation to divide them further? In the second section, the Resettlement Program brings a new group of people to the village – some seventy desperate families willing to leave their motherland and start a new life away from the trappings of progress. Here, the fate of Riccardo – an introverted young man with suicidal thoughts – is intertwined with that of Luca – an exuberant boy who has just started discovering his own feelings and sexual drives. In the background, there are the contrasts between the adults grappling with a chaotic and deregulated community's life, while trying to build a new social fabric. The settlement grows and consolidates its democratic structure. In the third section, the villagers must deal with one last challenge – the eschatological one. Faced with the fear of God’s wrath, of mortal sins, hellfire and eternal damnation, many consciences awaken; bringing out past and present misdeeds. The adults’ lifestyle reveals its very nature: rotten, immoral, inhuman, exemplifying how low the human race has fallen in its process of decay.

Concerning Fanaticism in The Human Race by Massimo Fantini

Elijah is a promising young lawyer, in love with his work and confident in the potential of the human race. His law firm’s senior partner gives him his first important assignment. Elijah will have to follow the case of Leonard, an elderly engineer who lives in Montepastore, a small village in Italy’s Bolognese Apennines. Leonard's question concerns the supplementary contribution that engineers enrolled in the professional register are required to pay to Inarcassa, the Engineers’ Pension Fund. At first, the case seems simple. It was the subject of a previous ruling by the Court of Cassation. But Leonard is not satisfied with an institutional response. He wants to know why. He wants to know what hides behind the Supreme Court’s ruling. Through a detailed analysis of the Court of Cassation’s ruling, Elijah and Leonard formulate a hypothesis, according to which the Supreme Court may have been subjected to pressure from advocacy groups aimed at preserving the established order. The Court of Cassation’s ruling, which at first glance seemed like a valid institutional response, ends up bringing out intrinsic contradictions and absurdities which begin to undermine Elijah's trust in Italian institutions. But Elijah can't afford to fail on his first important assignment. He aspires to an accelerated career. He aspires to become the youngest partner in the law firm. Therefore, he is obliged to indulge Leonard's mind-bending lucubrations even when these seem designed to destroy Elijah's trust in justice and jurisprudence. To support his anarchist and non-conformist ideas, the old engineer makes use of examples taken from the real story of his grandfather Alexis, who lived in the second half of the nineteenth century. The concrete evidence brought by Leonard – and Elijah's inability to respond effectively – brings out the prejudices and conditioning to which the young man is a slave. Leonard's demands grow meeting after meeting, and the subject of the dispute widens to include ethical, religious, and historical concerns. Elijah turns to alcohol and becomes stubborn and violent. He insults his friends, abandons his girlfriend, Paola, and moves to Leonard's house with the intention of demolishing his ideas. It's psychological warfare on all fronts. Exhausted and determined to put an end to that agony, Elijah decides to set fire to the old man's house. He gets some cans of petrol, but, at the last minute, changes his mind. Epilogue: A few years later, Elijah finds himself in a notary's office together with the law firm’s senior partner. He has finally achieved his goal: to become the youngest partner in the law firm.

Concerning Intellectual Suicide in The Human Race by Massimo Fantini

Tommaso is a despondent engineering student at the local university. He has a life which many people would feel satisfied with: he lives with parents who provide him with all the comforts he could wish for, fellow students and colleagues who are interested in him, and pursuits besides education. However, he feels a nagging sense of emptiness and a disconnection with the outside world. Therefore, he makes an appointment at the Institute, a colorless piece of bureaucracy in his town designed to “help” people like him. Tommaso meets with the functionaries, who ask him the bland, mechanical questions on their forms to evaluate if he is a suitable candidate for their “treatment”: assisted suicide. He increasingly finds himself unable to continue with the process, and comes into contact with Diego, a senior employee at the Institute, whose job is to carry out the treatment. One day, Tommaso goes on a trip with a girl, Francesca, to Mahler’s composition house. Tommaso has a passion for classical music, but his feelings of emptiness overwhelm him. He abandons Francesca and returns home to contemplate his fate. At the same time, Diego takes a special interest in Tommaso’s case. In doing so, Diego begins to realize that Tommaso’s feelings dovetail with his deepening disillusionment with his job. Faced with his inner turmoil concerning the ethics of the job he performs, Diego falls ill. His doctor advises him to visit Father Anselm – an old priest who lives in the mountains – where he spends three days resting and recuperating. During this trip, Diego debates ethics and religion with Father Anselm. The result of these debates leads to Diego deciding to rescind his position as Chief Executioner at the Institute. On returning to the Institute, Diego tries to steer Tommaso back toward hope. Tommaso, however, too absorbed in his own feelings, fails to see the light and returns to his pervasive sense of emptiness and disconnection from the world.

The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff

SPSFC 2024

A post-apocalyptic novel where civilization is making a comeback. Shindo Dacan is a socially awkward but gifted engineer who has made the most brilliant machines seen since before the All-Silence—machines that ruler Vibrun Magrite used in his creation of the Domain as he brought all four of the city-states within his iron grip. With the help of a friend of his, Shindo is secretly planning to provide prosthetic limbs to the many victims of the war his machines have waged. When Magrite finds out and slaughters Shindo’s friend before his eyes, Shindo tricks Magrite into funding a warrior mech to wreak revenge and is unwillingly rewarded with a woman from Magrite’s harem, Jarim Alsaedon. With his mech machine and Jarim’s help, Shindo stages a coup d’état that leaves Magrite dead and him and his accomplice as platonic dual heads of state. As Shindo and Jarim work to rebuild their civilization, they’re beset by factions both within and beyond the Domain’s borders. Can Shindo learn how to design a stable peace before the new world he’d envisioned becomes a wasteland of death and destruction?

Kill All The Dogs by Rick Berry

Are we defined by the things that happen to us, or the things we make happen to others? Ten-year-old Nathan Hyde is playing in a tree house, when he witnesses a vicious attack on his best friend’s younger sisters. Life is never the same again. Many years later, Nathan finds himself in the lower reaches of a government department, when an opportunity to confront his demons and enact revenge presents itself. A mystery illness is taking hold in the population, at the very moment a scheming, attention-seeking politician becomes Nathan’s new boss. It can’t happen, can it? In the farcical world of politics, anything is possible. Nathan Hyde is going to kill all the dogs. Part psychological drama, part political satire, Kill All The Dogs is the story of how of a personal trauma becomes twisted into a national tragedy.

Bookstories by Sarah Tollok

“Every book lover says it at one time or another, don’t they? That they want to read ‘all the books’?” In 1960, junior editor Dottie Barber is up to her elbows in the slush pile of a New York publishing house. All of Dottie’s friends and colleagues know her to be a book lover through and through, but what they don’t know is that she has a special intuitive ability to understand pieces of a writer’s life just by reading their words. Only one writer has ever baffled Dottie’s empathic understanding: the mysterious author of brilliant stories submitted to the publishing house with no endings and no name. Every day, Dottie looks for a new envelope from the author, but each submission only adds to her bittersweet frustration. Nearly sixty years later, the mystery remains unsolved. Dottie’s career in publishing has amassed her a wealth of bookish friends, part ownership in a bookstore, and an enormous private library full of treasures and secrets, yet she still yearns to uncover the identity of the unknown author. She’s well into retirement when she meets Jim, a young playwright living in the basement apartment of her building. Despite being at opposite ends of their respective stories, the two become fast friends. Together, they search for the perfect reader—one who can help them finally decipher the author’s identity. A braided narrative of interconnected lives and stories, Bookstories is an ode to the authors, editors, publishers, librarians, booksellers, and countless others who make up the ecosystem of books. After all, it takes a world of people to bring about a world of books.

Empire's Passing by Marian L Thorpe

Gwenna, Principe of Emparias, is witnessing an empire’s fall. She must not only predict the future, but create one – without the advice and support of her father. Her partner Lynthe is challenging her leadership; her mother and Sorley are struggling to find their own futures without the man they both loved. Can she shape the world envisioned by Cillian, the world they have all worked towards for the last thirty years? Lena, newly bereft, can find no peace in the walls of a fort or the duties of a general. In a divisive decision, she chooses to travel east, to find her son, to judge the progress of the war for herself, and to search for both memories and a future. Where is home for the falcon, when there is no falconer to hold out his arm?

The Chronicles of the Virago: Book I The Novus by Michael- Korry BIALYS

Makenna Grace Gold is just your average 12-year-old girl. That is, until she is told that she must protect her newborn brother and sister to safeguard the future of the world. Armed with a mysterious weapon, three Fairy mentors, and a wisecracking earthworm named Fluffy, Makenna must battle the forces of evil and became a defender for hope. Can Makenna truly be ‘The Virago’?

VooDoo Bully by E.R. Yatscoff

E. McCormick, teacher-'fast paced, unpredictable & surprising!’ Diminutive HS student Evens knows who poisoned his dog. Will bullying the high school bully wield some revenge. Crazy? Risky? Totally. Perhaps a touch bit of voodoo will help things along.

In the Spirit of Christmas by William Beck

All the warmth and cheer of Christmas can't thaw a frozen heart. To some, Christmas is a time of family and love. Moments to cherish and joy to share. But not for Ebenezer Scrooge. After the tragic loss of his wife Marley, Christmas has become a beacon to grief, and a life long since lost. This Christmas Eve, his wife will return. But, will Ebenezer have the strength to confront a painful past in order to save a once-promising future?

Isaree of the Wild Isles by Noor Al-Shanti

SPFBO10

Sandwiched between the mighty High Kingdoms and the great Land of Sunsets, the Upland villages did not have much claim to greatness or power. Many of these villages did not even have names. When an army of Sorcerers from the High Kingdoms was mobilized to invade the Land of Sunsets it was these small villages, stuck in the middle, that bore the brunt of that army’s march. In one of these villages Isaree has just discovered her own magical power, but even dreaming of what this could mean for her is made impossible by the presence of the sorcerous armies. When they hear that the Sorcerers have begun to forcibly take anyone with power, the village elders decide that those most likely to be taken must flee. In the blink of an eye, Isaree finds herself at the head of a group of runaways, responsible for leading them to safety, with nothing to rely on except her knowledge of the nearby woods and caves and the food that their families have lovingly packed for them. Isaree and her friends must stick together and survive in a world much bigger than any of them could have imagined. A world full of wars and empires, sorcery and power, and – tucked away in forgotten corners – impossible creatures of legend. In this vast, frightening world, Isaree must learn not just how to survive, but who she wants to be.

Becoming Catherine Bennet by Joseph P. Garland

On June 20, 1815, rumours of Wellington's victory in what history would come to call the Battle of Waterloo reach London. Among the townspeople celebrating first the rumour and then the confirmation of victory are Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy (and their son, Fitzy) and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley, who live a few blocks apart in Mayfair. The news became bleak for the families, however, when they soon received a dispatch that Captain George Wickham had been valiantly killed in battle. His pregnant widow, Lydia, and sister-in-law, Kitty (or Catherine), will come to London to be with their families, joined by their parents who come down from Longbourn. (The remaining sister, Mary, will remain in northern England near the Scottish border with her husband, a vicar.) Thus begins Becoming Catherine Bennet. Soon, though, we will discover two great secrets. One, concerning Darcy and his money, is soon known throughout London and Derbyshire and wherever a member of London society resides. The other, concerning our heroine, Catherine, will only be revealed to a handful, those who need to know all or part of the truth. Elizabeth, of course (though not as yet Jane). And the three who were freed by the death in 1813 of Lady Catherine de Bourgh: Charlotte Collins, William Collins, and Anne de Bourgh.

I Am Alex Locus by Joseph P. Garland

Twenty-three-year-old Alex Locus stumbles into the world of her late mother, Emily. With each revelation, she learns things she could not have imagined, and struggles to find the truth about her family. Emily had a long-term date with a friend on Friday afternoons. On one of those Fridays, August 8, 2008, though, she suffered a stroke that she did not survive. Nine years later, Alex is passing time at a New York bookshop, enjoying an author read from her collection of stories. Her life changes forever when learns of the existence of the "Emily Locus Award." She introduces herself: "I am Alex Locus." This begins a quest by Alex and her best friend Kate to learn the truth about her mother, starting with their reading the unpublished stories that for years sat in the attic of Alex's one-time suburban home. A quest that will reveal secrets, good and bad, about the family members she knew and some she only came to meet in her search.

Blood's Power: Broken by Midnight Rose

A man who is caught in a downward spiral of corruption, and is raised out of it into a hero, who dies to save a people who shall never know of his sacrifice. The stranger’s green eyes opened again. Jewel ventured to speak, realizing that the spell on him, which was already wearing off, if not almost worn off, allowed him that leisure. “Why did you do this?” he said in a deep voice, letting the stranger hold his eye contact. “I do not think you would understand,” the stranger said softly. He let his eyes fall closed again. “What?” Jewel said, his voice still deep. “You think you are a strong enough mage to fight me? Your spell is nothing, I have lost no strength, and you have lost much.” A sorrowful smile graced the stranger’s parched lips; Jewel had not till now noticed that the man’s lips were stained purple from tiny cracks of dried blood. “I have not only fought you, I have defeated you,” the other mage said, in a grave voice, lifting his chin in weak defiance. “Defeated me?” Jewel asked in mockery, his brows rising. “What spell have you put on me that I am defeated?” A story of blood magic, both of deep evil and abomination, and of heroic sacrifice and selfless love. When Jewel is at last broken beyond all hope, when his power is ripped so fully from his hands, that he fears he has lost not only his power, but himself, he discovers at last that he can still be the Jewel he was before he was broken, before corruption stole his life away. For not until he is broken can he be Unbroken.

GENMOS: Conclusions by Stephen Coghlan

BOOK 3 in the Genetically Modified Species, GENMOS Beaten, but not broken. Divided, but not conquered. With the steps of the process now in their enemies’ possession, the children and allies of The Genmos Project hurry to foil their foes’ plans on multiple fronts – from fighting them in the highest reaches of government, to freeing their trapped allies, to stopping the General in a face-to-face and all-out war – despite their numbers being thinned from the trials they have faced along the way. As their inevitable showdowns conclude, lives will be lost, dynamics forever changed, and the secrets of the origin of The Genmos Project will be revealed.

GENMOS: Crossroads by Stephen Coghlan

BOOK 2 in the Genetically Modified Species, GENMOS Having found each other, the GENMOS now face a greater danger than just the agency, division within their ranks. As cliques develop Devlin, lead scientist and father figure, struggles to keep the more ambitious of his children from becoming casualties. To make matters worse, a partially formed new GENMOS is discovered. Whether the former enemy will survive to become their ally or their downfall now rests on Devlin's shoulders...and his willingness to play God once more.

Route by Janyce Denise Glasper

Set in fictional Dandelion, Ohio and split in six parts of the heart, Route is an evocative coming of age story centering the complex dialogue between a frequent passenger and an attached bus driver. Josephine Benson, a shy, inexperienced artist and avid reader raised to believe that men are big bad wolves, realizes that even the most devout soul needs human connection. Wes Jenkins, a pragmatic former Marine, provides stimulating pleasures in their journeys and learns other perspectives through visitors who seek him for therapeutic purposes. With vulnerable moments of warmth, humor, sensuality, maturity, and joy, two guarded secret keepers transition from bus to bus, from past to present, discovering the spectrums of goodness together.

It Will Hurt by Anya K. Jordan

In a realistic portrayal of mental illness and sexual repression, not every romance can have a happy ending. Two steps forward, one step back, as they say. But we can laugh and cry together on the way. We don't have to be alone. Nico still has to learn that. It Will Hurt is a contemporary queer story about a young man with bipolar disorder discovering his bisexuality in the underground death metal scene of a university town in 2010s Germany.

The Harvest by Diego Rauda

After a nightmare about a disembodied, skinless head calling him from under the bed, Daniel woke with a jolt but managed to fall asleep again with little effort. He was used to these hellish visions—while asleep. Now the visions have started to cross over to his waking life, and it's game over. As he tries to bury the feeling that he's being stalked by an unseen force, one of his closest friends takes their own life in front of Daniel, but only after blaming him and “the dragon he carries.” While he races to elucidate a mystery that recedes before him, the people closest to Daniel continue to die in perverse circumstances. Against his better judgment, Daniel follows the thread that connects these deaths to discover the truth.

Iago’s Penumbra: A Metaphysical Novel by Rose Guildenstern

Everybody loves a good ghost story, yet poor dead Vee feels anything but “good” being stuck upstage in the heavens of her own afterlife. She can peek in on Val, who’s “downstage” with the living but haunted by ghosts. Then there’s Julie, stubbornly stage left but longing to be downstage with Val. And finally, poor Peter remains solitary in his stage-rightness with the sneaking suspicion he might be dead wrong. Trapped at center stage lurks the demon Iago, willing to bridge heaven and hell to exit this cursed performance once and for all. Just as Good Omens revamped the book of Revelation and His Dark Materials reimagined Milton’s Paradise Lost, Iago’s Penumbra is a modern love story about the darkness that redeems us, rooted in the works of William Shakespeare—with a little philosophy, physics, and cosmic horror thrown in, just for fun.

Dog Won't Hunt by XM Moon

Milo Nelson has learned plenty of things from necessity: how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, how to shave his face. He’s also learned that the truth may hurt, but the fantasy of a life he can’t have hurts even more, so when Richard Remington Abernathy III waltzes back into his life two years after the end of their definitely-not-a-relationship and says he’s changed, that dog won’t hunt. Remi’s drug of choice is denial, and he’s always been one hell of an addict. The only things he’s ever committed to are the expectations of his good Christian family, and Milo knows those don’t include a trans librarian even in the role of friend or roommate. Despite everything, a part of Milo wants to believe that Remi is capable of change; he’s just not sure that the time it takes to find out is worth the risk of being hurt again.

A Christmas Truce by Emma Bennet

A BRAND-NEW, UTTERLY ADDICTIVE FEEL-GOOD FESTIVE GRUMPY/SUNSHINE ROMANCE FOR CHRISTMAS 2023. Photographer Libby just got fired. Again. Then she gets home early to find her boyfriend in bed with another woman. And just like that, her dreams of a Christmas Day proposal are shattered. Libby lands a new job as a personal assistant to enigmatic businessman Seth Coleman. He’s terse and demanding — it’s no wonder Libby keeps messing up. Then one day an adorable Golden Retriever puppy is delivered to the house. As Libby helps Seth train Barney, she realizes that there’s a surprisingly sweet side to this CEO . . . But everything goes wrong when Libby finds out that Seth’s company just bought the community centre where they’ve been training Barney. It’s not only puppy classes, it’s a lifeline for the whole village. Libby is devastated when Seth says it’s ‘just business’. So she packs her bags. Until disaster strikes and Libby is forced to spend her favourite time of the year with a man who doesn’t even own tinsel. It’s up to Libby to bring some much-needed Christmas spirit. Starting with a truce, since they’re going to be stuck together whether they like it or not. But Libby might just find magic under the mistletoe after all if she can encourage Seth to open his heart to Christmas . . . This heartwarming Christmas romance is perfect for fans of Jessica Redland, Jenny Colgan, Holly Martin, Teresa F. Morgan, Helen Rolfe and Julie Shackman. READERS ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH EMMA BENNET’S UPLIFTING, FEEL-GOOD CHRISTMAS ROMANCE: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is the perfect feel-good read. A lovely love story. I loved the cute puppy Barney.’ Rosamond ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A really cute Christmas-themed novel. I loved the storyline and how a cute dog tied in as well. This would make a great movie as well! Perfect feel-good holiday novel. Highly recommend.’ A reader in the UK ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.’ Sophie L. ALSO BY EMMA BENNET HER PERFECT HERO THE GREEN HILLS OF HOME THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY? STARSTRUCK FALLING IN LOVE AT NIGHTINGALE FARM

Points of Villainy/Points of Virtue by P. A. Hayden/L. A. Cunningham

For weeks there have been encounters: people experiencing things they can't explain, horrors coming out of the shadows, people's worst fears come to life.  Appearances have been increasing dramatically, until one day there is a surge. An army of terror appears and attacks Central London in what will forever be known as The Event. One Event. Two Anthologies. 16 people. 16 stories of terror.

TREBLE: THE RHYTHM WITHIN by Dre "DaBrute" Daniels

A mysterious virus has taken Washington D.C by storm! The city is in a panic and has gone crazy. A high school student named Zamir Green has been exposed to the virus and his body begins to mutate. It seems like music is triggering something deep down within him! What in the world is going on!? This series is an action drama/musical. Throughout the series our main character will discover that he has gained the ability to gain a different super power based on the genre he listens to. The powers are based on the emotional/stereotypical response that people in our world have toward particular genres of music. A mysterious virus has taken Washington D.C by storm! The city is in a panic and has gone crazy. A high school student named Zamir Green has been exposed to the virus and his body begins to mutate. It seems like music is triggering something deep down within him! What in the world is going on!? This series is an action drama/musical. Throughout the series our main character will discover that he has gained the ability to gain a different super power based on the genre he listens to. The powers are based on the emotional/stereotypical response that people in our world have toward particular genres of music.