The Coffee Shop Girl by Maya Asher

Hartford City was where dreams were made realities. Or where you meet the love of your life who’ll eventually rip your heart to shreds. Coffee shop part-owner, Bailey Johnson, and CEO, James Worthington, knew all too well about heartbreaks and cheating conniving exes. But, “caffeine conquers all”, or whatever the quote said. *The Coffee Shop Girl is a semi-clean romantic comedy perfect for readers who enjoy short laugh-out-loud love stories with a guaranteed HEA!

Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis

1675 -- Plymouth Colony -- Verity Parker promised to look after her family. Raised among the bookshops and turmoil of Reformation London, Verity now finds herself in Puritan New England, where she must learn to keep her head down and her mouth shut, or risk dire consequences. The only person who values her tenacity is Kit, the heretical ironworker she has been forbidden to see. When King Philip’s War breaks out, Verity must stay silent as the Puritan elders spread hateful rhetoric about the “savages” in the forest. When she witnesses a young girl die in childbirth, Verity must stand by as neighbors blame God’s vengeance. But when tragedy strikes her own home, Verity must choose between her duty to her family and her love for Kit. Will she choose to keep the peace, or will she defy the leaders of the colony for a chance at happiness? Set against the backdrop of King Philip’s War, the bloodiest war per capita in American history, Iron & Fire explores the experience of a clever, educated woman at a time when being so often resulted in death. Perfect for fans of Amy Belding Brown’s Flight of the Sparrow, or Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Iron & Fire was written for those who read the original American Girl series as children and are now all grown up.

The Crusade for Vengeance by Joe Ettle

A shocking crime . . . a mysterious clue . . .how does it all connect? Intrepid artifact recovery expert Rex Fletcher is tasked with tracking down a brazen group of criminals after they steal the Crown Jewels of England. But the closer he gets to them, the deadlier they become. With his erstwhile partner, Ruby Clarkson, by his side, can they uncover this mysterious group before all is lost? Or will they be allowed to enact their deadly plan to bring world powers to their knees through fear? The Crusade for Vengeance follows the exploits of ARROW (Artifact Recovery and Repatriation Organization Worldwide) agent Rex Fletcher on another daring mission.

The Last Gifts of the Universe by Rory August

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A dying universe. When the Home worlds finally achieved the technology to venture out into the stars, they found a graveyard of dead civilizations, a sea of lifeless gray planets and their ruins. What befell them is unknown. All Home knows is that they are the last civilization left in the universe, and whatever came for the others will come for them next. A search for answers. Scout is an Archivist tasked with scouring the dead worlds of the cosmos for their last gifts: interesting technology, cultural rituals—anything left behind that might be useful to the Home worlds and their survival. During an excavation on a lifeless planet, Scout unearths something unbelievable: a surviving message from an alien who witnessed the world-ending entity thousands of years ago. A past unraveled. Blyreena was once a friend, a soul mate, and a respected leader of her people, the Stelhari. At the end of her world, she was the last one left. She survived to give one last message, one final hope to the future: instructions on how to save the universe. An adventure at the end of a trillion lifetimes. With the fate of everything at stake, Scout must overcome the dangers of the Stelhari’s ruined civilization while following Blyreena’s leads to collect its artifacts. If Scout can’t deliver these groundbreaking discoveries back to the Archivists, Home might not only be the last civilization to exist, but the last to finally fall.

Of That Which Makes Glass by Ayo Tijani

Of That Which Makes Glass is Ayo Tijani's debut collection of poetry. In this 38 poem collection you will find honesty, humour, anger, fragility and strength. Exploring themes of friendship, identity and healing the collection is nostalgic and evocative. Reflections on society are also prominent in this debut. Succinctly written and split into four sections this collection intricately describes the human condition.

Whispers of Stone by Allegra Pescatore

A God is Dead. A Queen is Missing. Secrets are Unraveling. On trial for the murder of the King, Elenor and Gabriel must become allies if they want to survive. His magic is spiraling out of control, awakening a mystery hidden in the very walls of the palace. She has one month to pass her Water Rite and find a way out of the marriage her parents set up. But things are about to get much more complicated. Between sadistic family members intent on taking Elenor’s throne, Tirit Mindel breathing down Gabriel’s neck, and a Golden Dragon appearing in the sky above the Mondaer Desert with an ominous warning, more than the Kingdom of Lirin is at stake. If that weren’t bad enough, time is ticking down for Fedrik and Fay as well. With the desert turning against them and Daemon as a questionable new ally, figuring out how to control Fedrik’s Gift has become a matter of life and death. Picking up in the fallout of Where Shadows Lie, In Silence Abiding is the long-awaited and non-stop second installment of The Last Gift. Dive back into the world of Dracona and hold onto your hats. Things are about to get… salty.

A Bond of Thread by Allegra Pescatore & J.P. Burnison

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Enter the Nine Lands of the Mountain Fell. Skye has only ever known pain and solitude since waking up with neither memories or magic. Hunted for being a Ruler in a time when they are scarce, she has survived in the wilds near the Rim, always on the run from the rest of her kind. Only starvation could draw her close to a village, but when a chance encounter and a bit of bad luck launch her into the arms of a man whose soul is bonded to hers, hiding who she is may no longer be possible. Ilyas is a hunted man. Wanted for killing the last High Queen of Vine, he is plagued by his past of wholesale slaughter. He never wanted another Queen, and certainly not a half-feral, distrustful girl who gave up on the Fae a long time ago. Unfortunately, Soulbonds are not so easily walked away from, no matter how hard they both may want to, especially when trapped together in a cave with a pack of Feral Fae right outside. With long-held enmities breaking out between the besieged villagers and all their lives on the line, Ilyas and Skye must learn to work together and trust each other if they want to survive.

Struggling with the Current by A.R.K Horton

Princess Eya’s life changes forever with the discovery of the Statue of the Goddess Winds, just as she’s coming of age. The long over-looked kingdom of Hicares finds itself in a war it isn’t prepared for against the far more powerful empire of Pescel. To survive, Eya must flee her home, losing everything and everyone she loves in the process. Yet, by leaving behind all she’s ever known, she learns that her sheltered life didn’t prepare her for the real world’s strange and frightening nature. She encounters people, places, and creatures beyond anything she ever imagined, along with sinister enemies from every direction. Perhaps her most surprising revelation is that she is developing terrifying powers of her own. Will Eya be able to find happiness in her new life, or will she continue struggling with the current?

Where Blood Runs Gold by A.C. Cross

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

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.

The Allfather Paradox by Ian Stuart Sharpe

What if an ancient god escaped his fate and history was thrown to the wolves? Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient god’s quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting history—and to Michaels’s dismay, Christianity itself—to the Viking sword. In this new Vikingverse novel, storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the sagas: A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens... A scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those “new worlds” are greater than he imagined... A captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war... A bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect... With the timelines stretched to breaking point, it’s up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it…

Forged by Iron by Eric Schumacher

From the bestselling author of Hakon’s Saga comes Forged by Iron, the first in a series of thrilling tales about Olaf Tryggvason, one of the most legendary and enigmatic kings of the Viking Age. Norway, AD 960. The fabric that has held the Northern realm together is tearing. The sons of Erik Bloodaxe have returned and are systematically killing all opposition to the High Seat. Through treachery, Harald Eriksson slays Jarl Trygvi, an heir to the throne, and then comes for Trygvi’s wife, Astrid, and son, Olaf. Astrid and Olaf flee their home with the help of Astrid’s foster father, Torolv Loose-beard, and his son, Torgil, who are oath-sworn to protect them. The group escapes east, through the dark, forested land of the Swedes and across the treacherous East Sea, all the while evading the clutches of Harald’s brutal henchmen. But the gods are fickle and the group is torn apart, forcing them to fend for themselves in Forged by Iron, a must-read for all who enjoy action-packed historical fiction.

The Everspring by Joshua Gillingham

Torin Ten-Tree's debt of service as a trollhunter in Gatewatch has been paid. Now he must decide whether to return home to take up his father's seat in Ten-Tree Hall or to become a Greycloak of Gatewatch along with Grimsa and Wyla. Torin grapples with an unexpected revelation, the long-hidden identity of his mother, just as a delegation brings urgent news of King Araldof Greyraven's grave and sudden illness. Heirless, the Greyraven's death would plunge the land into chaos as the Jarls of Noros entered a struggle of succession. The last desperate hope to keep the realm from wreck and ruin is the legend of a powerful source of healing, the Everspring. Yet, greater questions and graver answers await Torin and his company on the road north through the land of the immortal giants. As long-forgotten secrets are unveiled, they learn not only the cause of the Greyraven's illness but the insidious origins of the evil that first spawned the trolls in the wild woods beyond Gatewatch.

Journeys: the Archers of Saint Sebastian by Jeanne Roland

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

SHE by Tiffany Christina Lewis

For a rare moment in his life, newly promoted Det. Sergeant Michael Taylor is failing. The same day he began supervising an all-star group of four detectives, Taylor and his partner Det. Alex Jamison, get the case of an 18-year-old young man, shot dead in a fellow classmates’ bed. The seemingly perfect victim has one problem: girls. The case is made more challenging by the fact that the high schoolers involved are living secret lives and trying to save their own skin at every turn. At the same time, Taylor is being emotionally destroyed by his love interest, Azlynn Matthews. In turn, he is aiming his vexation at the detectives on his team. Due to his domineering and forceful management style, the team is on the verge of breaking down. Taylor must now combat his personal failures in order to pull his team back together, prevent the woman he wants from leaving him, and catch a maddening killer.

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.

Oxford Girls; Michaelmas ~ Alex by P.D. Kuch

Alexandra's ordinary teenage life is about to change – dramatically. Unaware of her altered DNA, Alex and her family are of interest to unethical scientists. Her parents' plane crash is just the onset of disturbing discoveries. When it becomes apparent that it wasn't an accident, Alex needs to figure out who's behind it or share a grim fate of a lab rat. The first part of this exciting adventure thriller presents the world's different faces: from beautiful to ugly, from frightening to comforting. Besides the stormy drama, the book is about friendship, intimacy and growing up – a heartening story mixed with educational, funny and even steamy threads. Full of action and with a great dose of humor, the story races to a surprising and gripping twist.

The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

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When the saints fail, the sinners step up. Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted. Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target. To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands. For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it. The Thirteenth Hour is the first book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website.

Bang to Begin by Jethro Weyman

Reality is Relative. There is no such thing as universal truth. But lies are always lies. From auctions to assassinations, from cosmos to subconscious mind, the roots feeding into these short stories start fine, but thicken and tangle as they grow deeper. Follow these wayward souls through their darkest moments, each beginning with a bang and each trying desperately to avoid ending with the same. A metaphysical, visionary exploration of the human psyche and all that it means to be real - discussed via an anthology with a difference.

Chasing Ghosts by Dean Cole

Haunted pasts. Terrifying apparitions. Dark secrets. Quentin Strange is … well, strange. But it isn’t just his anachronistic sayings and dress sense, the fact that he’s a socially awkward, book-loving loner who’s possibly still a virgin at nearly thirty. He’s seeing and hearing things. Odd things. Ghostly things. Getting the gig as photographer for The Cricklewood Gazette, he travels with his new partner, journalist Katrina (make sure you call her Kat) Brannigan, to Hilderley Manor, an enormous manor house nestled in the remote countryside of Northern England that is believed to be one of Britain’s most haunted buildings. The pair join a ghost hunting team and a group of fellow guests for a long weekend of ghostly activities. But something dark haunts the draughty corridors of the house. And it links to a decades-old mystery that is about to be uncovered. A mystery like no other. A story of the supernatural. Of death, and what it does to the living. The first book in a new series, Chasing Ghosts is a quirky British mystery that explores the supernatural elements of our world with touches of LGBT romance, humour and horror.

Icarus by Adam Wing

A myth as old as civilization. The boy who donned wax wings and flew too close to the sun. Follow the tale of Icarus. And that of the father who tried to save him ... but brought his life to an end. You will come to love him. Then you will watch him fall. Live the tragic story as you never imagined possible.

Dust of a Moth's Wing by R. Ramey Guerrero

SPFBO8

The age of Fire begins in six days. For fifteen hundred years, Slate and the other rebels have trained students to return Fire’s energy to the city of Wen. All have failed. Only one is left, and Nokhum’s past is less than ideal. If he cannot convince the Council of Elders to allow Fire magic to return, chaos will claim the city. The rebels are determined to avoid that end- even if it means sacrificing his student to chaos’s demons to make the Council believe Fire’s energy is necessary. Magically talented people are disappearing. Nokhum is convinced that his life-mate is still alive- no matter what everyone else says. Human slavers who salivate for magical beings have taken her. Realizing the Council of Elders will not help him, he seeks forbidden magics to find her. His plans are derailed when Slate sends him out of the city for training. Will his time in the Whisperwood be his undoing?

The Enlightened Spaniel - The Cat with One Life Left by Gary Heads

This is the story of two springer spaniels and their unrelenting quest towards enlightenment. Supported by their trusted companion The Bookshelf, and guided by an unwavering belief in the teachings of the Buddha, they undertake to discover the truth surrounding the reincarnation of the Buddha’s dog. The story takes an unusual twist when a mysterious cat arrives. The cat, Amara, believes he has used eight of his nine lives and is suffering from anxiety and uneasiness. He has travelled from afar to find Half-Sister in the hope that she will teach him to live in the present moment and therefore enjoy his final life on planet Earth. However, it soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems, and that Amara holds a secret that Half-Sister must unravel if the truth is to be revealed. The Enlightened Spaniel – The Cat with One Life Left is a charming story that winds its way down a path filled with ancient wisdom, humour, and compassion for all living beings.

Among the Olive Groves by Chrissie Parker

Elena Petrakis adores living on the Greek island of Zakynthos. When World War Two looms her way of life is threatened. Left with no choice she joins the island's resistance to fight for what she believes in; her family, her home, and her freedom. Decades later, thousands of miles away in the Cornish town of Newquay, Kate Fisher prepares to celebrate her twenty-first birthday, but her joy is fleeting when she learns she is adopted. Abandoning life in England, Kate flees to Zakynthos, where she is forced to acknowledge a life she has struggled to come to terms with, one that will change her future. From the beautiful crystal turquoise seas of the Ionian Islands to the rugged shores of the Cornish coast, 'Among the Olive Groves' is a story of love, bravery and sacrifice.

Instructions For Falling In Love Again by Lucy Mitchell

What would you do if your late husband left you a list of instructions on how to fall in love with someone else? Pippa Browning is faced with this exact dilemma, three years after the death of her husband, Dan. Buried at the bottom of a drawer are a collection of notebooks full of Dan's advice on how to live without him. Pippa's notebook is red and contains his instructions on how to fall in love again. But Dan doesn’t just want Pippa to fall in love with anyone - Dan’s crazy suggestion is that Pippa should date his handsome friend, Mikey Stenton, a known thrill-seeking ladies’ man. Reluctant to follow Dan’s advice, Pippa enters the world of dating. She embarks on a humorous journey of self-discovery, with the help of her children and two best friends. It isn't long before Pippa is finding it hard to ignore Dan's instructions and Mikey Stenton. Is Mikey really the man that everyone thinks him to be? Or was Dan right, and Mikey’s simply been misunderstood? An uplifting and heart-warming story about friendship and finding love, the second time around.

The Cake Fairies by Isabella May

"Nigella in a novel." - HEIDI CATHERINE 1960's Somerset is no fun for cousins Polly and Annabelle Williams. Mourning their non-existent love lives, and the mundanity of village life, their only pleasure is baking - until a chance encounter has them magically transported to the bright lights of London... in 2019! Promised a chance of love, first they must teach the people of the future about the simpler pleasures of life by becoming Cake Fairies. Over the course of a year they set off on a delectable tour of the UK, dropping off cakes in the most unexpected of places and replacing the lure of technology with much sweeter temptations. But will their philanthropical endeavours lead them to everlasting love? Or will they discover you can't have your cake and eat it? The Cake Fairies is the fifth novel by fantastical foodie author, Isabella May.

Just Friends in Vegas by Lucy Keeling

Is love always a losing game? When Mya is with Smithy, it feels like her eyes are constantly rolling. His wheeling and dealing charisma charms everyone but her. Well, that’s not strictly true – Mya is only human after all, and there’s no doubt the man is hot with his suits and swagger. It’s just that Smithy knows Mya’s secret, and she’s not sure she can trust him to keep it from their group of friends. As they immerse themselves in the glamorous and mysterious world of ‘The Suits’, growing closer as a result, Smithy has to question whether his time with Mya is destined to become a case of ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ ...

A Winter Haven by Margaret Amatt

She was the one that got away… Now she’s back. Career-driven Robyn Sherratt returns to her childhood home on the Scottish Isle of Mull, hoping to build bridges with her estranged family. She discovers her mother struggling to run the family hotel. When an old flame turns up, memories come back to bite, nibbling into Robyn’s fragile heart. Carl Hansen, known as The Fixer, abandoned city life for peace and tranquillity. Swapping his office for a log cabin, he mends people’s broken treasures. He can fix anything, except himself. When forced to work on hotel renovations with Robyn, the girl he lost twelve years ago, his quiet life is sent spinning. Carl would like nothing more than to piece together the shattered shards of Robyn’s heart. But can she trust him? What can a broken man like him offer a successful woman like her?

Everything is yours by Abigail Yardimci

New Year’s Eve is in full swing. Jess and Lindy have met by chance and already they’re sharing a bottle of wine in a cosy Turkish restaurant. Lindy is hooked on a story Jess is telling, but midnight is coming and happy endings aren’t always guaranteed . . . After Jess returns from the trip of a lifetime high on hope, ambition and new love, she’s ready to take on the world. She shuts down her business, cuts ties with her ex and announces to everyone the old her is gone. But a violent encounter rocks her world and her past comes crashing back to haunt her. With a childhood demon to forgive, a long-distance relationship to navigate and that final layer of self-love to uncover, can Jess dig deep and put the final pieces in place before midnight comes knocking?

Highland Games by Evie Alexander

Welcome to Kinloch, and the hottest winter Scotland’s ever seen. Zoe’s always played it safe, just as her parents wanted. But when her great-uncle dies and leaves her a ramshackle cabin in the Scottish Highlands, she decides it’s time to change her life. Upping sticks seems like a good idea in her cosy London flat, but the reality is very different. There’s no electricity or running water, the roof leaks and there’s no front door. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’s moved up in the depths of winter and her scorching hot neighbour wants her out. Rory’s got a fifty thousand tonne problem. If he can’t make Kinloch castle profitable, he’s out of a job. He needs a clear head, but there’s someone living in the cabin he saw as his own and she’s turned his world upside down. Rory needs Zoe out of Scotland, and out of his life. The trouble is, she has no intention of leaving. Let the games begin…

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.

DragonSword by Raina Nightingale

When the Obsidian Guardian rises and the Dragon-sword shines again, so will hope to defeat the Nightmare… Dragonrider Noren has narrowly escaped being burned at the stake. Reunited at last, he and Silmavalien flee northwards. Joined by Onyxalis, a black dragon who believes himself to be the destined Avenger of the Dragons, they must battle their way through the hordes of the Nightmare Lord to the Volcano of Ellen Island. There Onyxalis may receive the power he needs as the Obsidian Guardian, and there the re-forging of the Dragon-sword will be begun. With the Gift of the Volcano, they will finally have the power to fight the battle before them and even the mightiest of the Nightmare Legion.

DragonWing by Raina Nightingale

An ancient war to which the fates of nations are nothing is waged around them. Whether they ignore it or not, their souls are at stake, and their choices will shape their fate. After nearly starving underground, Silmavalien has found a safe place for herself and her dragons to grow in peace. The weather is temperate, and the dragons are finally able to hunt for themselves. But the nightmare is coming for her, and the battle against fear is not one she’s sure she even wants to win. Far away, Noren’s dragon has hatched, and he finally knows why Silmavalien left him, but he can’t understand why she did not trust him. Still, he tries to find her and struggles to hide Elninya, his growing dragon, from those who would kill her. But his fear could turn him into the monster he fears, and his real enemy isn’t the humans who would burn him alive if they knew about Elninya.

Children of the Dryads by Raina Nightingale

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When her human father, Eldor, a member of an organization of elite warriors dedicated to protecting the Valor Alliance, is called on a mission she does not think he can survive, Tara-lin violates his orders and follows him… She is a half-elf, born with the long-lost ancestral magic of the elves. With her is Alis, a human girl desperate to avoid a marriage forced on her by her father, a colleague of Eldor, but terrified that gods Tara-lin does not believe exist will cast her into the netherhells for her disobedience. Ahead of them is Eldor’s terrifying destination – Nightshade Castle, haunt of madness and black magic.

The Stars Wait Not by Anne Wheeler

Ryllis Camden has a secret – she can talk to nature, and it speaks to her in return. But her gift is forbidden by the Vilarian Star Realm who controls her planet, and the penalty is death. When she’s falsely accused of treason and exiled to the Vilarian home world, hiding her power becomes even more critical. But how can she hide anything when she’s forced to toil in the home of the emperor’s youngest son? Kresten Westermark might be a prince, but long ago he shunned a life of luxury to work as a telepath in the Vilarian Imperial Flee. His job demands he treat his new prisoner as a slave and test his deteriorating telepathic powers on her, but the only thing on his mind is the growing attraction he feels toward the earnest young woman tending his gardens. As the mountain winter fades, a reluctant respect between the two becomes trust, and trust soon blossoms into affection. But when the Fleet arrives to arrest Kresten for treason, Ryllis must make an impossible decision. Save Kresten’s life – or hers.

Cursed Song by Samantha Krose

Bound by Song. Cursed by Fate Ruyne, Leader of the Dusksinger bards, travels with his band from town to town, thrilling crowds with inspiring music born from an ancient magic. He leads a charmed life with his brother, and two life-long best friends. Disaster strikes when Ruyne ignores a cryptic message from a loved one. The band’s idyllic peace is shattered by a monster from the past, and the horrifying truth behind their magic is revealed, leaving their lives in tatters and the hearts of the four men forever scarred. Scattered and broken, can they harmonize their Song in time to prevent a tragedy of apocalyptic proportions?

Yokai Calling: The Complete Series Omnibus by Erynn Lehtonen

A haunted empire. A wicked sorcerer on the rise. Three teenagers stand between a generation of peace and the creatures of myth seeking retribution for a dark past… In the shadow of the fallen Warlock Empire, twins Hidekazu and Masanori thrive on tales of their ancestors’ wyvern-slaying, of the wars preceding Seiryuu’s first era of peace in over a thousand years. But as the Dragon Goddess’ influence wanes, her greatest enemies return. The sorcerer who kidnaps women for a sinister purpose is only the first of many to arrive. The warrior arts previously forbidden to Hidekazu and Masanori won’t be enough to stop the wyverns, dragons, and mythical spirits rising in search of retribution. Nor will working with the future empress, their adopted sister, who steers Seiryuu's future from within the palace—and from the head of the battlefield. Their enemies seek justice not only for the crimes of the Goddess and the Warlock Empire, but also for the sins of Hidekazu and Masanori’s very own clan. Secrets run in their blood. Facing the tide of war means overcoming the Warlock Empire’s grim history… and the darkness within themselves. Jump into the world of Yumihari, a land filled with spirits, dragons, monsters, and stunning characters wielding elemental magic to save their homeland. If you love epic fight scenes, mystery and political intrigue, mythology, monsters, and mayhem, all with a touch of progression fantasy, you will love the 1500+ pages of adventure in the Yokai Calling series.

Spirit of the Dragon by Erynn Lehtonen

SPFBO8

There is a price attached to every dream... After twins Genshu Masanori and Genshu Hidekazu witness a kidnapping at the annual Midsummer Festival, they discover the woman taken wasn’t this sorcerer’s first victim, nor will she be the last. They will break clan laws against warfare if that’s what it takes to bring the missing women home safe. They will sign their lives away to the prestigious Tsukiko Academy, regardless of the rumours about the Headmaster and the dark secrets harboured within the school grounds. They will give up the lives they know for a chance to uncover the real reason their family gave up their legacy as wyvern-slayers and swore a vow of peace. A pact with a mysterious dragon spirit, embracing their future as warriors, and servitude to the Tsukiko Academy is only the beginning. The twins have one chance to unravel the sorcerer’s sinister plan. If they can’t find him in time, the game he whispers about might be the last anyone ever plays. Jump into the world of Yumihari, a land filled with spirits, dragons, monsters, and stunning characters wielding elemental magic to save their homeland. If you love epic fight scenes, mystery and political intrigue, mythology, monsters, mayhem, and progression fantasy, you will love Spirit of the Dragon and the Yokai Calling series.

Fire Wave (Fire Wave #1) by Ana Stanojevic

Aiyana never expected that her life would change drastically. After having a near-death experience and her company being attacked, Aiyana is shocked to wonder who would attack the work place and for what purpose. She found out that some classified chemicals had been stolen from Ihode Labs but despite the warning from the Head of the Company, Aiyana pursues her curiosity even further. She soon learns that there is an evil brewing, nestled somewhere in Earth. Wanting to stop the threat, Aiyana never expected to do something that would be out of her league.

Siren Daughter (Olympian Exiles #1) by Cassie Day

A determined siren. A journey for immortality. A bargain shaking the realms apart. Seventeen-year-old Agathe is a siren, a creature once known for their enthralling songs. But her ancestors’ exile locks her and her family deep beneath the Akri Sea. She resigns herself to an unremarkable life with only her beloved mother for company. Yet when everything she holds dear is stripped away during a bitter winter, she embarks on a deadly quest. One for the most precious gift in all the realms: immortality. Bargain upon bargain, she travels across the realms to formidable god-king Zeus and his gilded palace. In the stark corridors and fracturing court, death and loss, friendship and love wait around each turn. But when betrayal renders a bargain with Zeus fruitless, Agathe must choose: her family or herself. One last shot at bargaining with Zeus. But every bargain has a price. If you like Greek mythology, slow-burn romance, and mythological creatures, you’ll love Siren Daughter, the first book in a spellbinding fantasy trilogy.

Cleansing Rain by Holly Ash

SPSFC 2022

Earth is dying and the only way to save it is to eliminate its biggest threat. All Zoe Antos wanted was to make it home from work in time for date night with her fiancé Cole Wilborn, something her research had been preventing a lot recently. After managing to get out the door on time, all hope of making it home is lost when she is kidnapped by a man trying to steal files from her lab. Zoe is thrown into a world of conspiracy theories as her kidnappers reveal that they are trying to stop The Arrow Equilibrium, a powerful eco-terrorism group Zoe has never heard of, from going through with their plan to restore balance to the environment. It doesn’t sound too bad until she realizes the only way to have a shot at doing that would be to eliminate the human factor from the scales. Zoe almost starts to believe them, until it’s revealed that her kidnappers believe the Wilborn family is the behind The Arrows, something she knows can’t be true. Once rescued, Zoe starts to notice irregularities with her future father-in-law that makes her question if her kidnappers might have been right. Zoe must decide who to trust, her fiancé’s family or her kidnappers. Her life, and the fate of humanity, could depend on her making the right choice.

The Alchemist: Awakening by L.A. Wasielewski

Insurmountable Odds. As the world is plunged into chaos, Destiny’s champion has been thrust onto the battlefield between life and death, and whether he survives is not necessarily for him to decide. With friends missing, relationships in jeopardy, and the existence of life across the empires in danger of being extinguished, will good triumph? Or will darkness befall the lands, dooming the remaining citizens to walk the fields of death until they can no longer fight? Foes are not what they seem as the spirits of time try desperately to hold on until their savior appears. As the end draws near, hope is waning. Death. Life. Love. Loyalty. Boundless time. The thrilling conclusion to The Alchemist Trilogy

The Alchemist: Dark Horizon by L.A. Wasielewski

Impending war. Lives have been lost, and the blood of the people flows fresh across the Vrelin Empire. Beaten, and without the person who means the most at his side, Ryris Bren's life has been tossed into a tailspin. He is now faced with a weighty decision that will ultimately decide not only the fate of the world, but the fate of the one he loves beyond all reason. Will he be able to summon the strength to revolt against the evil scourge and take back what has been stolen from mankind? From him? With new friends, and wielding impressive new magic, he quickly realizes he is so much more than just a simple alchemist. He will not give up. He cannot fail. The time to sit back and watch has passed, for Ryris’ destiny has given him no choice but to answer the call.For himself. For the world. For love. Book Two of the Alchemist Trilogy

The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny by L.A. Wasielewski

Ryris Bren is a talented alchemist with a secret: forbidden magical power. After making his way to the capital city to open a new shop, he goes on a routine harvest trip and soon discovers his life will never be the same. Destiny, it seems, had her eyes set on him—even before his birth. He stumbles across a specter from the past, one who will turn his life upside-down and force him to face demons he never thought possible. With war now on the horizon, an evil necromancer and his new pawn threaten to transcend time to wreak the havoc he was denied on an ancient battlefield—and Ryris needs to decide if secrets are best kept…or utilized to his advantage. Book One of the Alchemist Trilogy

Veles by P. J. Marie

I was the land. I was the air. I was the sea. I was all of it – everywhere – and as I inhaled then let the tormented sorrow screech from my lungs, the world buckled and broke beneath my feet. I was burning alive… And the world would burn with me. A century after the Great Destruction that devastated civilization, Mizuki Altherr lives within a small village struggling to survive beneath the shadow of a great mountain. The Elders teach that it is home to Veles, god of the earth, who keeps them safe – but demands penance for humanity’s past indiscretions. It’s a Gifting year… The previous sacrifice tore Mizuki’s family apart and forever changed her world. Now she must face the terrible tradition again as her closest friend, Aiden, and his family are chosen to provide the next offering. In a desperate bid to end the cycle of violence and defy the Elders’ iron rule, Mizuki and Aiden set forth on a daring journey into the Wild – where together they discover a secret that shatters their understanding of the village and reveals the truth behind the horrors that left the world in ruin.

Ishraat's Interrupted Wedding Night by Bob Young

Ishraat Sarabhai has become the CEO of a chemical assay company spun off by her alma mater Chemistry Department. Her company is enlisted in discovering how a group of elementary aged school girls ended up poisoned. Unfortunately, before Ishraat can get started one of the girls dies. By the time she figures things out, two are dead. Ishraat gives the authorities the info to pick up the killer and flies off to Mumbai for her destination wedding. The killer eludes the police and checks into Ishraat's hotel in India.

Ishraat's Long Night by Bob Young

Ishraat Sarabhai is a chemist for the adhesives manufacturer she works for. She becomes a hostage when three disgruntled employees take over the company ushering all the other employees out of the building. She manages to escape her captors remaining elusive hiding in the warehouse. She pulls in her fiancé to help her survive the siege. But things turn screwy when the terrorists start dying. Ishraat uses her chemical expertise to detect how they died as she waits for the police to rescue her. Unfortunately, she becomes a murder subject.

The Centaur Wars by Roz Evans

A rollicking modern fantasy! Sixteen-year-old Dee Markappen is flunking Chemistry, flunking History, and flunking basically everything else. Biology, though—Bio is great. She’s grown up next to a haunted forest that contains impossible creatures, and she wants to know why: snakes with wings. Toads with feathers. Surely there’s an explanation. Everything changes when Dee finds an injured centaur chained beneath an old motel. He’s shackled. He’s furious. He’s disgusted at being captured by humans. And he’s exactly the source of information Dee needs. Every member of her family dies young. Her mother is involved in something gruesome. Despite Dee’s lifelong efforts, she hasn’t learned why. So, Dee strikes a bargain with this half-crazed centaur. In exchange for his freedom he’ll give her the answers she seeks. His herd is murderous. Even worse foes lay beyond the haunted forest. But if Dee can survive the journey, the distant homeland of her ancestors holds not just the source of impossible beasts, but the greatest secret ever hidden from humankind… Featuring an inconveniently-attractive sidekick and a temperamental centaur, this banter-filled romp is sure to please fans of adventure and magic.

Wax & Gold: Journeys in Ethiopia & other roads less travelled by Sam McManus

Don't catch a leopard by the tail, but if you do, don't let it go - Ethiopian Proverb Author Sam McManus has collated 15-years’ worth of adventure travel writing in Ethiopia, Japan, Bolivia, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Mongolia, Lebanon, Oman & Costa Rica in this collection of travel stories, which revolve around a central solo journey exploring the mountains of Ethiopia over a three-month period. This is pure travel writing: "The most prized form of Ethiopian Amharic prose and poetry, loosely translated as ‘wax and gold’ ሰምና ወርቅ [sam-enna warq], is meticulously comprised with a focus on the duality of its meanings. The surface meaning, the wax, must be stripped away to reveal the hidden core of gold underneath. Ethiopia as a country also encourages you to look deeper within yourself, to fully understand and appreciate a deeply rich spiritual significance, that often resonates beneath simple or plain exteriors...”

The Manila Vigilante by JM Alvarez

The crime rate in Manila was the lowest in decades. Drug addicts and pushers are virtually nonexistent. Newspapers are almost out of business for lack of bad news except for the occasional scandals of stars and politicians whose popularity were fading. So, news of the brutal massacre of a doctor and his family in Ermita, Manila came like an electric shock. Ex Marine Brando. the godfather and close friend of the slain doctor, vowed to hunt down the culprits one by one. As he identifies the perpetrators, he soon discovers that he was just scratching the surface of a powerful drug empire. The spectacular killings of two of Manila's most wanted criminals made the Manila Vigilante the stuff of headlines and quickly became a legend.. In the tradition of Marvel's 'The Punisher' and Charles Bronson's 'Death Wish' comes their Filipino counterpart: 'The Manila Vigilante', a fast paced crime action thriller from JM Alvarez.