Regency Rumors by Bethany Swafford

Juliet Sinclair knows her family are not traitors to the crown-the difficulty is in proving it. Driven by a desire to save the Sinclair name from disgrace, Juliet seeks assistance from her father's old friends, the Burnhams. Unfortunately, her arrival does not go as expected, and Juliet finds herself mistakenly assuming the role of lady's maid to Mrs. Burnham and her daughter Eugenia. This unintentional appointment provides her with an opportunity to gain Mrs. Burnham's confidence and to investigate the treasonous rumors against her family as she assists Eugenia with preparations for her first London Season. But a grave threat hangs over the denizens of Burnham House, and Juliet has uncovered evidence that might prevent the family from suffering her own disastrous fate... if she can reveal the truth in time. Follow the adventures of Juliet Sinclair in "Regency Rumors," Book One of the Sinclair Society Series.

The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell

England, 1810. The north is governed by a single rule. Faerie will take as it pleases. William Loxley is cursed. A pale and monstrous creature haunts his dreams, luring him from London to the desolate, grey landscape of his forgotten childhood. There, it will use him to open a door to Faerie—a fate that will trap Loxley in that glittering, heathen otherworld forever. His only hope of escaping the creature's grasp lies with John Thorncress, a dark and windswept stranger met on the moors. The longer Loxley stays in Thorncress' company, the harder it becomes to fight his attraction to the man. Such attraction can only end in heartbreak—or the noose. But Thorncress has his own bleak ties to Faerie. They come creeping in with the frost, their howls carrying on the winter wind. If Thorncress' past catches up with him before they can break the curse, then Loxley will not only lose his soul. He'll lose Thorncress, too.

Peaches and Honey by R. Raeta

A shapeshifting god, an immortality granting peach, and a woman gifted with forever. England, 1184: Anna is used to hunger and hardship. Ever since she was seventeen, when the pale shadows of her vitiligo were spotted, she has spent more than a decade struggling to survive alone and in exile. Then a single act of kindness towards a beautiful stranger and the taste of a divine peach changes Anna's life forever. Suddenly, her body is as untouched by Time as it by harm. As she watches the world change around her, knowing every human connection is only temporary, there is only one person she trusts to always return no matter the years or distance... The shapeshifting god who gifted her with immortality.

Wreck's Wake by Jof Croxford

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

Backmask by O F Cieri

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

Cabin Girl by E.G. Bella

Eight years ago, young Éirinn O’Connell’s papa disappeared at sea. Many sleepless nights later, in the rolling hills of 1600’s Ireland, Éirinn has given up on his return – while her mama continues to watch the horizon, her grasp of reality slipping. Desperate to provide for her and her sister, Éirinn learns all she can of medicine and spends her days struggling to assist villagers who shun her for her crooked back. Then in one brutal night, Barbary pirates raid her village, and Éirinn is dragged from her family and the only home she’s ever known. Set on a course to Morocco, and amidst a crew as turbulent as the ocean around her, Éirinn is forced to tend to the sick quartermaster. In addition, she must serve as cabin girl to the infamous Captain Gills, a hard-hearted man bent on thwarting her every attempt to return home…to the family she prays still lives. As Éirinn searches for a way home, she soon finds that all is not what it seems aboard The Lonely Eye. Unrest brews and mutiny whispers. Allies appear in unexpected places. A cunning enemy plots. Who can she trust? Will her God carry her through the storms? And how can she survive the Captain’s constant torment? The answers are unlike anything she expects.

Dust of Wrathful Years by Klara Łuczka-Hanzalová

1939… Childhood is cut short by the outbreak of war. After a short-lived era of renaissance, Poland is once again being torn to pieces. The endless struggle for freedom returns. Aniela, Jadzia and Kamil were simply adolescents growing up in a promising age of renewal. Part of a generation born with their homeland’s independence, they were to discover Poland as a free and thriving country… Only to later discover death and destruction. In the face of terror imposed by the German invasion, they take up arms to fight. The young scouts become bold soldiers, determined to defend righteousness against the all-encompassing and merciless evil. Dust of Wrathful Years is the first part of a trilogy following the trials and tribulations of the Polish resistance during WWII. Time to (re)discover this era through the unique perspective of youth in the scouting movement. After their lives are shattered, they must not only defend their country but also rebuild the ruins of their hearts.

Lady of Ravensmere by Mary McKenna

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

Liath Luachra: The Raiders by Brian O'Sullivan

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A gripping adventure in Ancient Ireland! As winter draws to a close, a troubled woman warrior's cold seclusion is disrupted by a desperate plea for help. Raising a warband to liberate a comrade’s kidnapped sister however, she quickly discovers this ‘simple’ rescue is far more perilous than she could have imagined. Traversing the wilderness of ancient Ireland, in pursuit of an enigmatic raiding party, she encounters old enemies who seek to undermine her, new allies who cannot be trusted, and harrowing secrets relating to her own past that threaten to undermine her leadership. Confronted by horrors she’d thought long forgotten, Liath Luachra must revert to the very worst part of herself to survive. But in the wilderness of the ‘Great Wild’, even the best laid schemes rarely go as planned. And the southern forests hide threats far more lethal than raiders. This book includes the complete adventure contained in Liath Luachra: The Seeking and Liath Luachra: The Metal Men.

The Bachelor's Valet by Arden Powell

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

The Ring Breaker by Jean Gill

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

The Education of a Wetback by Marcos Antonio Hernandez

He left to seek a future. Can he escape his past to find his fortune? El Salvador, 1979. Young Toño has grand ambitions. But as the second son of a poor farmer, he sees little hope of taking over the family business. And when he catches his secret girlfriend cavorting with her ex at the carnival, he decides the path to riches lies north of the border. Arriving in LA single and desperate for money, Toño works under the table while cohabitating with his fellow immigrants, hoping to earn enough to help his family and attract the right woman. But when his illegal status always results in rejection, the stubborn migrant becomes frustrated at being caught between two worlds. Can Toño break through social barriers and ingrained prejudice to create the future he'd envisioned? The Education of a Wetback is a candid, fictionalized account of one man's true journey into adulthood. If you like insightful Hispanic American literature, engaging characters, and elements of magical realism, then you'll love Marcos Antonio Hernandez's exhilarating quest for freedom.

Where They Burn Books, They Also Burn People by Marcos Antonio Hernandez

They're devoted to God. But will doing the Lord's work lead them into darkness? 1549. Convinced he's destined to fulfill a whispered prophecy, Friar Diego de Landa labors to convert the Maya of the Yucatán Peninsula. Discovering a brutal Spanish landowner persecuting the native population, Friar Diego determines to protect them and punish the cruel man. But when he repatriates thousands of Maya and uproots centuries of indigenous traditions, the priest's obsession may end up destroying them all. 2010. Cortez Vuscar is convinced his father will return if he can grow their church's congregation. Certain he's found his true love and believing they can attract churchgoers together, Cortez sets out to win her from her wealthy and unfaithful boyfriend. But his fascination with the famous literature she's reading infects his mind with a deadly descent into madness... Can these men save their religion without destroying what they love? Where They Burn Books, They Also Burn People is the gripping combination of two books in the Hispanic American Heritage Stories series, based on historical events. If you like indigenous revenge, villain origin stories, and the consuming force of religious fervor, then you'll love this illuminating tale about Catholicism's shadowed past.

The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson

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

Herald of the Storm by R.S Ford

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

Winter's Fury by A.E. Rayne

IN A WORLD RULED BY MEN, ONE WOMAN WILL RISE She was their greatest warrior; the daughter of the king. But her uncle stole the throne and sent her away to marry Eadmund, the drunken son of their worst enemy. Now she must pick up her sword again to restore her family’s honour and return to the home she loves. Despite her skill with a sword, her prowess in battle, and her reputation as the greatest warrior in Brekka, without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn, a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions. Eadmund is broken hearted, tortured by the murder of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter has a dream about Jael, the woman who would save him, he eagerly jumps at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy. Jael and Eadmund will fight against their union, but the dreamers know that this marriage is meant to be; it must happen for the sake of all Osterland. For without them... without Jael and her sword, without Eadmund by her side, the five kingdoms will not survive the darkness that is coming to claim them all.

Eye of the Wolf: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Lords of Alekka Book 1) by A.E. Rayne

A mysterious woman with many secrets. A lord forsaken by the gods. A kingdom on the brink of war. Alekka is an ancient kingdom, riven with rivalries, and though there has been a period of relative peace, the king’s enemies are now emboldened, seeking to rise against him and steal the throne. Trapped in a small village with two young children, an unhappy Alys is oblivious to the rising danger. Winters have been brutal, raiding expeditions proving unfruitful, and her husband has grown violent. Fearing for her safety, she hides away supplies, preparing for the escape she must make. Soon. Lord Reinar Vilander is acutely aware of the king’s precarious position, for his fort guards the bridge to Alekka’s capital. Enemies range above him, planning their attack – enemies with dreamers capable of wielding dark magic – and Reinar knows that a skilled dreamer is worth a few thousand men. Desperate to shore up his defenses, he takes to sea, looking for slaves to sell, hoping to earn enough silver to tempt more warriors to join him, though one of the women catches his eye, then captures his attention entirely. A beautiful woman in a green dress. Her name is Alys. And though Reinar doesn’t know it, Alys is about to save his life... Eye of the Wolf is the first book in A.E. Rayne’s thrilling six-part fantasy series, The Lords of Alekka: an epic adventure of swords and sorcery, love and betrayal, and dark magic, where warriors are tested, friendships are forged, and even the gods are forced to enter the fray. Come and start the journey today...

A Legend of Hidden Magic: A Fated Mates Paranormal Romance Filled with Celtic... by Stephany Wallace

How would you feel if you discovered magic was real, and the kind of powers that until now you’ve only read about are actually part of this world? Cynwrig "Cyn" Bressall is a Celtic warrior with the unique ability to harness and wield Druid magic in a way never before seen. Making him the only Druid Warrior to ever exist. After surviving a horrible night that began the extinction of his race, Cyn has spent the last two thousand years searching for the only man that can lead the Order of the Druids and mend the scars marring his soul. Instead, his quest leads him to a woman whose essence is unlike anything he's ever felt. Orphaned as a baby and raised by her loving but over protective grandfather, twenty-three year old Briana "Bri" Anwell has led an isolated life. Friendless and stuck in a job with no prospect, the self proclaimed flower child finds solace in her only friends. Books. And imagines an adventurous life in a magical world where anything is possible. So when a sexy stranger suddenly appears in her world as though he stepped out of her favorite story, she dismisses him as a figment of her imagination. But soon she realizes he's so much more than he seems. He signifies everything she's fantasized about, but is there a place for her in his extraordinary world?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His Castilian Hawk (The Castilian Saga Book 1) by Anna Belfrage

For bastard-born Robert FitzStephan, being given Eleanor d’Outremer in marriage is an honour. For Eleanor, this forced wedding is anything but a fairy tale. Robert FitzStephan has served Edward Longshanks loyally since the age of twelve. Now he is riding with his king to once and for all bring Wales under English control. Eleanor d’Outremer—Noor to family—lost her Castilian mother as a child and is left entirely alone when her father and brother are killed. When ordered to wed the unknown Robert FitzStephan, she has no choice but to comply. Two strangers in a marriage bed is not easy. Things are further complicated by Noor’s blood-ties to the Welsh princes and by covetous Edith who has warmed Robert’s bed for years. Robert’s new wife may be young and innocent, but he is soon to discover that not only is she spirited and proud, she is also brave. Because when Wales lies gasping and Edward I exacts terrible justice on the last prince and his children, Noor is determined to save at least one member of the House of Aberffraw from the English king. Will years of ingrained service have Robert standing with his king or will he follow his heart and protect his wife, his beautiful and fierce Castilian hawk?

In the Shadow of the Storm: The King's Greatest Enemy #1 by Anna Belfrage

Adam de Guirande owes his lord, Roger Mortimer, much more than loyalty. He owes Lord Roger for his life and all his worldly goods, he owes him for his beautiful wife – even if Kit is not quite the woman Lord Roger thinks she is. So when Lord Roger rises in rebellion against the king, Adam has no choice but to ride with him – no matter what the ultimate cost may be. England in 1321 is a confusing place. Edward II has been forced by his barons to exile his favourite, Hugh Despenser. The barons, led by the powerful Thomas of Lancaster, Roger Mortimer and Humphrey de Bohun, have reasons to believe they have finally tamed the king. But Edward is not about to take things lying down... Adam fears his lord has over-reached, but Adam has other matters to concern him, first and foremost his new wife, Katherine de Monmouth. His bride comes surrounded by rumours concerning her and Lord Roger, and he hates it when his brother snickers and whispers of used goods. Kit has the misfortune of being a perfect double of Katherine de Monmouth – which is why she finds herself coerced into wedding a man under a false name. Domestic matters become irrelevant when the king sets out to punish his rebellious barons. The Welsh Marches explode into war, and soon Lord Roger and his men are fighting for their very lives. When hope splutters and dies, when death seems inevitable, it falls to Kit to save her man – if she can. In the Shadow of the Storm is the first in Anna Belfrage’s new series, The King’s Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his lord, his king, and his wife.

Aboard the Timeline by Bastian Gregory

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

The Bee King by Mathilda Zeller

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

Empress and Soldier by Marian L Thorpe

A boy of the night-time streets. A girl of libraries and learning. Druisius, the son of a merchant, is sixteen when his father’s cruel order drives him from home and into the danger and intrigue of the military. Eudekia, a scholar’s daughter, educated and dutiful, is not meant to be a prince’s bride. In an empire at war, and in a city beset by famine and unrest, she must prove herself worthy of its throne. A decade after a first, brief meeting, their lives intersect again. When a delegation arrives from the lost West, Druisius is assigned to guard them. In the span of a few weeks, a young captain will capture the hearts of both Empress and soldier in very different ways, offering a future neither could have foreseen. A stand-alone novel that can also serve as a second entry point into the Empire series. No previous knowledge of my fictional world is needed.

Our Man in Mbabane by K. E. Karl

A government job. Raucous parties and love affairs. Gunrunning at the weekends. What could go wrong? The Mission Impossible assignment from Nelson Mandela's organization was straightforward: Frank George was to go to Swaziland, get a job, and smuggle weapons into South Africa for the fight against apartheid. Based on a true story, Our Man in Mbabane follows Frank's gunrunning exploits supporting the African National Congress in the late 1970s. In between harrowing escapades, he banters with friends and has two turbulent romances, all while learning of the daily indignities and horrors of apartheid. This historical espionage thriller will have you on the edge of your seat one moment and laughing the next as Frank shifts between ANC missions, romantic affairs, and boisterous social outings.

The Doctrines of Fire by CL Jarvis

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

Belle o' the Waters by Raima Larter

Belle Waters is about to celebrate her fourteenth birthday, and she is terrified. The fear of marriage looms large for her, and every other girl who was born into the Mormon settlement of Salt Lake in the 1850s. She knows it is her duty to marry and bring Heavenly Father’s children into the world, but she’s not interested in tying the knot with anyone—especially not the Prophet, an old man with a number of wives and counting. But when the US Army invades Salt Lake intent on arresting the Prophet, Belle soon realizes that the possibility of becoming a child bride is only the beginning in a series of disastrous threats. This is a work of fiction, but is loosely based on a true historical event: the Mountain Meadows Massacre of September 11, 1857, which sparked a short-lived Mormon War. Although set over a century ago, the themes and issues explored in this novel are timely and current: religious freedom and extremism, the role and status of women in society, and the contemporary impact of homegrown terrorism. Belle o’ the Waters is a searing exploration of those living within an oppressed community, and an ultimately revelatory novel about what it means to lead a courageous life, despite one’s circumstances.

The Etruscan Connection (Darren Priest Mysteries) by Dick Rosano

After a distinguished scientist dies under suspicious circumstances at an archaeological dig in Tuscany, Darren Priest and Alana Weber are called in to investigate. They discover that the now-deceased scientist's work was focused on Italy's earliest history, and the possible connection to the mysterious Etruscan people. Ancient coins found at the site point to the Lydian Kingdom of Turkey, but also to nefarious activities, the Curse of Croesus, and the possibility that the origins of Roman Empire would have to be called to question. Soon, the two realize that the findings at the site could threaten the very fabric of modern-day humanity. As a Pandora's box of secrets, foreign intrigue and revenge opens, can Priest and Weber find out what happened at the dig?

The Rose in Spring by Eleanor Fairburn

Yorkshire, England, 1425 Cecily Neville, dubbed the ‘Rose of Raby’, is ten years old when she is betrothed to her childhood love, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. Little does she know that their union is one to change Britain’s history for centuries to come, and that she will become a powerful matriarch in her own right. Beautiful, courageous and intelligent, Cecily carves out her place at her husband’s side as they navigate the increasingly difficult political sphere of 15th century Europe, rocked by the actions of Jeanne d’Arc in France. With wit and sensitivity, The Rose in Spring is a unique perspective of a previously overlooked figure in history, and the first in a quartet dedicated to the Wars of the Roses.

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless

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

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

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

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

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

The Revenge of Bridget Cleary by Mathilda Zeller

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

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

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

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

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

Rise of the Centurio Immortalis by C. Thomas Lafollette

It’s dangerous business getting mixed up with gods… ...but a centurion always follow orders. When blood sucking monsters attack, can even the gods protect a loyal soldier of Rome? After three years campaigning in Armenia and Mesopotamia and a meteoric rise through the ranks of the legions, Lucius has been promoted to centurion and given a final mission from his dying emperor—go to Armenia to protect a remote temple dedicated to the god Mithras. With a Parthian assassin on their trail and a ferocious Caucasus Mountains winter in front of them, Lucius and his men are running out of time. And with dark demons waiting for them at Mithras’s temple, Lucius may be running out of luck. Enemies—mortal and not—are dogging Lucius’s every movement, and he isn’t sure he’ll be able complete his emperor’s mission…or even make it out alive. You’ll love this blend of historical fantasy and vampires, because history is better with fangs. Get it now! Rise of the Centurio Immortalis is a Luke Irontree Historical Adventure.

The Mystery of the Adopted Son: A novel (Her Beauty and Evilness Book 1) by Elizabeth Noble

London 1803 In the cold weather of London, Alice, a young woman who ran from her past, coincidentally meets her lover, Mackenzie, an old friend from years ago and a dutiful soldier. She tells him how she got married in secret on the advice of the marchioness, Lady Fitz-Arthur, to a gentleman superior to her and who died prior to the birth of his son. However, according to Alice, her husband’s family would not countenance their union on account of their superiority. Alice stating that there is a secret attached to her poor boy, wanted her whereabouts to be unknown to the marchioness and to her previous connexions. The marchioness was described by people as always being so proud and overbearing, so haughty towards her inferiors, and so bold and forward towards her equals, that not a servant in the house liked her except Alice. She certainly had the beauty of an angel, but people used to say that she had a devil’s heart. Eventually, Mackenzie asks Alice to be his wife so he can be her protector and vows to be a father to her son, Edward, in the strictest sense of the word. Alice, appearing to love her daughters more than her son, felt the necessity of separating him from so formidable a rival to them. As a result, Edward was then sent to live with his grandmother, Margret, in a village, far away from his real parents and oblivious to his origin.

Saving Schrödinger's Cat by Mark Jenkins

n the 25th century, deep under the Earth's shattered surface, the dying remnants of humankind live in a dwindling Colony devoid of Nature and only one can travel to the past to save humanity from its dark fate. Clinging to life underground, after a cataclysmic all-out nuclear war, the remains of the human race are desperate for a way to change the past. Harnessing the power of an artificial wormhole, their only hope to avert global annihilation is to travel back in time and alter the discovery of nuclear fission. Humanity's future rests on the unlikely shoulders of Proteus. Born with a unique genetic mutation, scientists discover that he is the only one capable of surviving the ravages of time-travel. After decades of preparation, Proteus is sent backwards to early 20th century London... but Time doesn't want the past to change and it pushes back. To complete his mission, Proteus must manipulate the course of history, all the while battling enemy agents and avoiding the forces of Time, if he's ever going to save the future from the past.

Strung by Roske

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

4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace by Johan Twiss

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

Atrocious Immoralities by Brynne Stevens

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

Mother Figures by Amy Barnes

Amy Barnes has a knack for what Jennifer Pieroni has called “smart surprise”. Each of these mother/daughter stories grabs the attention with its first sentence then continues to wrongfoot the reader willfully as it proceeds. The stories are focused, lean, yet packed with unexpected details – stigmata, plastic eyes, industrial bras, a watermelon called Trudy, vulture balloons. Barnes has a voice that is entirely her own. ―Michael Loveday author of Three Men on the Edge From the first sentence of each story in Mother Figures, Amy Barnes entraps us and stuns, taking us into a variety of worlds, strange and surreal—we embark on a journey involving distorted familial relationships, and through these contorted realities, there is a booming thread of truth, mirroring our need for love and friendship. Magically entertaining, Barnes is on the forefront of breaking barriers in the craft of flash fiction. ―Shome Dasgupta author of Mute Mother Figures both elevates and devastates. In twenty-three tiny stories, Amy Barnes explores the oft-searing complexities of motherhood and mother-daughter relationships through a funhouse lens of pop culture, religion and artifact. Each story is a tightly-woven portrait that exposes our most intimate relational fissures with surprising language and a playfulness that punches to the emotional core. ―Sara Hills author of The Evolution of Birds Reading Mother Figures feels like lifting a band-aid: sharp, ugly, and vulnerable, but tender too: and after, relief: you feel as though the new light and air will heal you. ―Meagan Lucas author of Songbirds and Stray Dogs, and editor, Reckon Review In ‘Mother Figures’ Amy Barnes explores the subtle complexities of female relationships. Each story, steeped in rich detail and nestled between the real and the surreal, will pull you in and keep hold of you long after you’ve finished reading it. An absolute delight. ―Laura Besley author of The Almost Mothers and 100neHundred

Ambrotypes by Amy Cipolla Barnes

We are all slightly askew,” says one of the characters in this delightful and moving collection of innovative stories that bend, at times, toward allegory. Here's a vintage world of cigarette vending machines, Jazzercise, Sears photography studios, McNally road maps, full-service filling stations, and Green Stamps dish sets, a world where a sister with sugar for shoes who desires an octopus lover, giraffes who give funeral eulogies, a student with a backpack wormhole that houses Einstein, and a woman who places a want ad to see if someone has found her name—all highlight our humanity, its losses and its longings, and in moments, the last times we don’t know are the last times. I loved these stories.” — Jill Talbot, author of The Way We Weren’t: A Memoir “Read this collection slowly. Each of these stories unfolds like a palimpsest of images you'll want to spend time unpacking. At the heart of Barnes' prose are the intricacies of human relationships made technicolor by magic realism and the author's expansive imagination.” — Christopher Allen, author of Other Household Toxins “No one aces the first sentence test quite like Amy Cipolla Barnes. Every story in her whimsical debut begins with a zing. With irresistible openers like: "There’s a beach ball in the apartment toilet," "I knew what I was doing when I swallowed the glass piano," "My great grandmother hung the moon," and "My third baby was born an alligator," how can we not keep reading? These may be AMBROTYPES, but Barnes writes in living, breathing color to bring us captivating, quirky family snapshots that engage faith, myth, fairy tale, and a little magic. For all the absurdist delight, there's no shortage of heartache or truth: "I prayed hard that my plastic Jesus would find my daddy either real pants or a job; It felt like too much to ask for both." Barnes is adept at rendering the familiar unfamiliar and the unfamiliar familiar in these sharply observed slices of life that never fail to snap, crackle, and pop.” — Sara Lippmann, author of Doll Palace “Nothing can really prepare you for the people you'll encounter in Amy Barnes's Ambrotypes: little girls with feet made of sugar; alligator babies; wives who grow feathers; fathers made of origami. These stories are surprising, wholly original, and go down easy -- the perfect reading for our current reality.” — Amy Shearn, award-winning author of Unseen City and The Mermaid of Brooklyn

Blood & Ravens by A.D. Brazeau

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

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

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

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

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

St. Elmo's Fire by Oliver Theakston

1519, the earliest years of European colonialism. After years of planning, Ferdinand Magellan is finally ready to plunge into the uncharted oceans of the New World in his search for a mythical strait and the untold riches beyond. Joining him is Juan de Morales - a physician desperate to break free from the ghosts of his past. But de Morales' hopes of a new beginning are quickly dashed as he discovers the web of treachery into which he has unwittingly entangled himself. From the windswept tundra of Tierra del Fuego to the searing emptiness of the Pacific Ocean, St. Elmo's Fire is a descent into the madness, mutiny and cruelty of the first circumnavigation of the globe.

The Feast of the Innocents by Colin Harker

In the spirit of Mary Shelley and Thomas Ligotti, a new novel that unites the charismatic, scheming villains and chilling atmosphere of classic Gothic horror with visceral, supernatural terrors and historical intrigue... Winter 1665. Cyrus flees England to escape the human monster who murdered his father, but the horrors of Laughlin Priory are as inescapable. Pursued by a mysterious killer from France — haunted by a one-eyed chimney sweeper with sinister motives and an insatiable curiosity — in the Priory, Cyrus learns some secrets are worse than death.