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Suddenly, a murdererâs memories force their way into Max Iversonâs mind. Max is horrified and bewildered. Surely this isnât real! Max is a private person by nature, isolated from his fellow humans. Now he is forced to know what the worst of them are thinking, and his nights are filled with nightmares. Even worse, he is drawn into helping the authorities punish the criminals whose thoughts he now knows. He is unaware of the danger this will expose him to. There is a cabal of criminals behind much of the major crime in the city. He didnât know of their existence, but they become aware of his, and now they are determined to eliminate him. Max must change from frightened quarry to pitiless hunter. His hunt leads him to the cabal and also to lifeâchanging discoveries about his own history. |
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A fractured mind or a global conspiracy? Uncovering the truth can be hell when nobody believes you⌠and you canât even trust yourself. âA fantastic science fiction thriller with a sincere and important message.ââKirkus Reviews âA breathtaking, deeply dark alternate-history Earth with complex characters, layered worldbuilding, and twist after twist after twist.ââJulianna Caro, Reedsy Discovery âCrisply and actively told, Cody Siscoâs Broken Mirror expresses powerful empathy for those suffering from the stigma of mental illness in our own society today.ââIndieReader Broken Mirror is the first volume in a queer psychological science fiction saga that looks at the stigma of mental illness and the hellish distrust and alienation that goes with it. Victor Eastmore knows someone killed his grandfather, the pioneering scientist Jefferson Eastmore. But Victor, diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome, has been shunned by Semiautonomous California society. Nobody will believe a Broken Mirror. Now Victor must tread the line between sanity and reclassificationâa fate that all but guarantees heâll lose his freedom. With its self-driving cars, global firearms ban, and a cure for cancer, the science fiction world of Broken Mirror may sound like a near-future utopia, but on Resonant Earth, history has taken a few wrong turns. The American Union is a weak and fractious alliance of nations in decline. Europe manipulates its citizens through propaganda. And Asia is reeling from decades of war. Determined to uncover the truth about Jeffersonâs murder, pansexual Victor and his trans friend Elena set out on a road trip that takes them across the American Union from Semiautonomous California through the Organized Western States to the Republic of Texas. But Elena is holding something back, and Victorâs condition worsens. Amid shifting geopolitical sands, Broken Mirrors like Victor find themselves at a cyberpunk crossroads: evolve or go extinct. |
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Welcome to the Isulum Empire. Inflation is high, trust in the government is low, and unrest is growing. Here, oligarchs live offshore on superyachts with their pleasure androids, far from tax obligations and the crumbling, crime-ridden city center. The rest of the population retreats into the digital world of Parallel, a sanctuary that offers daily respite from the real world. Many of Parallelâs users have rallied around the speaker Rita Shor, who challenges the empireâs class division and the injustices faced by women. Shor and her followers adamantly oppose the radical ideologies of another charismatic speaker, Doctor Gagarin Sokolo, who promotes extreme misogyny in an effort to address the empireâs declining birth rate. Neither Shor nor Sokolo realize that in the depths of Parallel, a team of hackers is working hard to unite their disparate followers under a singular purpose: to dismantle the Isulum Empire. As Shor and Sokoloâs lives become further intertwined, the empireâs fate rests in their hands. But the price of victory may prove far greater than they ever imagined. |
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A colony ship left Earth to settle the planet Avalon with thirty-two hundred souls on board. The last radio signal received a hundred years ago said that they had arrived. Why did the signals stop? What happened to the original crew, their descendants, and Earthâs attempt to re-establish contact? |
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ASH by Grace Walker The mission was supposed to be simple: go to Xeiryn, complete the objective, and leaveâbefore itâs too late. Of course, thatâs where everything fell apart. Kade, an underworld operative, fights for survival on Xeirynâa planet on the edge of the galaxy where crime syndicates control the only antidote to the deadly atmosphere. With no other choice as a human, he is caught serving the syndicates under his protector, a woman called Ash. However, when her secret against the syndicates is revealed, their world is torn apart. After a devastating separation, Kade is forced into a struggle for survival in a new galaxy. Working with a crew of mercenaries, he has only one goal: Find his way back to Ash. When a powerful client offers the crew a secretive mission to Xeiryn, Kade canât resist the opportunity that could lead him back to Ash. But the mission quickly becomes the least of his worries when Kade and his sharpshooter comrade Xiara suspect their assignment isnât at all what it seems. Now, torn between his past and his future, Kade has to face the bitter reality of what it will take to find Ash and if she is truly everything he once believed. |
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All Hope of Becoming Human by Lonnie Busch The world is about to change in unimaginable ways⌠Earthquakes rock the planet, revealing massive metallic objects and vast subterranean graveyards. One such location is in the Arizona desert. Scientists believe this incredible discovery may hold answers to the origins of man, but when the site is suddenly shut down due to seismic activity, one researcher knows she must return. Assistant archaeologist Rebecca Duccati sneaks into the compound alone, and will have to dig deep to find clues in these strange underground caves and tunnels. The work is dangerous and frightening, but she feels a connection to this bizarre phenomenon that even she isnât fully aware of yet. FBI Special Agent Demzey knows nothing about archaeology; his specialtyâ anomalous crimes, the fringe edge of the aberrant and the unknown. Demzey is investigating a recent rash of vicious and brutal murders, the clues surrounding the killings both disturbing and inexplicable. He and his assistant Connie Wegman catch a break when they discover remains of two monstrous creatures unknown to science, believed to be a race of aliens responsible for attacks on humans across the globe. With the death toll ticking ever higher, scientists and intelligence agencies on every continent search for the source of these vicious creatures, until the combined efforts of Duccati and Demzey begin to unravel the mystery, though what they uncover could spell the end for the human race. |
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Alien Dissonance by Wendell Warman Jordan Ackerman garnered degrees in criminal and anomalistic psychology at a very young age. Yet rather than working as a consultant for the FBI, he opted to serve as a special agent where he could be more engaged in bringing criminals to justice. He loves his work, but the untimely death of his parents turns his world upside down. In a mysterious twist of events, Jordan is then asked to head up the Hostage Negotiation Team dispatched to investigate rumors of supernatural activity in the small town of Belmont, Kansas. As an anomalistic psychologist, he rejects paranormal phenomena, but what he discovers could very well mean the undoing of an unknown race of people and possibly the destruction of earth. With this new knowledge in hand, it becomes a race against time. Jordanâs investigations will literally take him into new and uncharted realms of abnormal and extraterrestrial psychology. Alien Dissonance brings together science fiction, psychology, mystery, treachery, romance, and irony that lead readers into a dissonant experience of their own. |
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After the Fall: The Engineer and the Apocalypse by Gerry Gainford Haley left Dublin for a six-week internship in Seattle. Four years later and sheâs living in the ruins of Washington State after the world fell in a cascade of nuclear bombs, computer viruses and human plagues. When she is accused of her friendâs murder, she flees into the night, with one destination in mind. Home to Marley, the love she left behind. To escape her pursuers, skip around the swathes of chemical and radioactive waste, avoid the Kings, a roaming gang of marauders, she will need to use every bit of engineering knowledge she has. Can she make it across the continent and an uncrossable ocean to finally get home? Does home still exist, or did it perish in the Fall? |
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Achilles: Origin of Heroes by Chad Retterath Jimmy Dale, an average middle-aged man, undergoes a life-altering transformation when he participates in an experiment that grants him super strength. Embracing his newfound abilities, he joins the secret government organization known as Olympus. In the Twin Cities, individuals with various powers begin to surface, turning Minneapolis into a focal point for powered criminals. |
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Strains is a research project, to find 1 solution to 2 problems: 1) Save thâEarth from humanity. 2) Save humanity from humanity. Not as easy as it sounds. We can solve the 1st one by destroying humanity â working on it. We can solve the 2nd one by destroying thâEarth. Actually, no, that wonât work, yet itâs been our consistent approach thus¡far. Also, thatâs 2 solutions, and we need to solve both with just 1, so as to avoid thâadded burden of deconfliction, which would any¡way fail. Not easy, yet the solution is simple, even obvious, to an outsider. No¡one can believe it, because no¡one will even consider it. So the 1st step is to trick us all into thinking thâunthinkable. No problem, we do that all the time. Just present it as fiction. After all, so much fiction already gets presented as research results, and turn¡about is fair¡play, so . . . Actually, better make it sci¡fi. Just as well â saves having to apologize for all thâunorthodoxies. Non¡standard fiction vs accepted reality . . . Faites vos jeux. |
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A Universe Upon Us by Marc DeGeorge When Ceri boarded the colony ship with her parents, they were escaping the destruction on Earth. Theyâd sleep in stasis for a thousand years, then wake on their new home, free from the ravages of war. But for Ceri, it was not to be. The adults of the Stratford stole her childhood and replaced it with terror. For seven years, they forced her and her squad to fight against a rival faction. They were called the enemy, but just like her, they were children, trying to survive. One day, Efa, her squad mate and friend, confesses a forbidden love that can only be considered treason. Ceri is furious, but also confused. They were like sisters. Why had Efa kept this from her? The reason forces Ceri into a choice. Should she do what Efa asks, or risk losing the only person on the ship she could trust? |
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A Quiet Universe by Kay F. Atkinson CERHA is a fabricant, and her job is simple: keep Annalise Fletcher safe, a role she performs dutifully and without fail, as she was designed to. Neither she nor her charge expected that this routine assignment could lead to love, but when feelings begin to bloom, neither see fit to stand in their way, and the two find themselves leading a shared life where both must walk a tightrope, precariously balancing between duty, and what domestic bliss is woven into the spaces remaining. For a time, they are as close to happy as they can manage. Then Annalise vanishes away to the embattled starship âUpon Silver Tidesâ, leaving a cryptic warning in her wake, and CERHA finds herself frantically in pursuit, on an illegal mission to save her objective-turned-lover and bring her home alive. She isnât sure what sheâll find. But what awaits is a web ensnaring both wayward lovers, far more tangled than either could possibly know, and lurking upon this forsaken vessel is a descent into insanity that will force CERHA to confront the bleak truth at the heart of her function. |
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In the Valley, A Shadow by Samantha Tano An action-packed sci-fi western tale of revenge, love, and identity. The frontier planet Celestine, millennia from now. It was supposed to be the furthest Alix could get from the Xypha Corporation, that all-consuming entity at the heart of humanityâs interstellar expansion. After the Xypha forward station arrives in orbit, Alix, a transgender pilot, finds herself out of work and her ship grounded. Sheâll do anything to pay off her mounting debts so she can fly againâeven if it means killing for the meanest crime boss in the Isidis Valley. As Xyphaâs influence grows, Alix is trapped in a web of betrayal and politics that threatens more than just her life. Armed with a pair of Plasveld-7s, a sharp wit, and with the love of her life by her side, Alix embarks on a deadly path across the valley. Can she flee Xyphaâs creeping shadow, or is it time to stop running and stand her ground? |
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âEarthâs time has run out. You must leave this decaying cradle.â With only a few words, Orinious Xaivâs deliberately small world is altered forever when heâs named Exim, the leader-elect of the Imitari. A theocratic group of genetically altered beings presiding over the dying Earth. As a âNamed,â Orinious receives an impossible task: to recover the lost seeds of mankind. Without them, all is destined for failure, resulting in not only his death â but that of all. Setting out with him on this mission is Veyra, one of the rare Chimaera with an elevated position among the Imitari. An elite personal enforcer, infamous for her ruthlessness and violent nature. Sheâs ordered to leave her masterâs side to protect Orinious â no matter the cost. Forced to work together to survive, theyâre confronted by gut-wrenching realizations about themselves, their world, and the true purpose of their mission. Unlikely friendships emerge and a forbidden romance dares to gasp, all while brutal attacks, unrelenting chaos, and bitter deception challenge them at every turn. Tracking down the seeds is only the beginning. Imitari is the first book in the exhilarating dystopian sci-fi ALTERA DOMI Series. |
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Hounds of Gaia by Sean M. Tirman Foxhound doesnât care about the gaps in her memory. Being a Contractor, a kind of spacefaring mercenary, keeps her occupied enough. Rather than dwelling, she rockets around the farthest reaches of the solar system, earning a steady paycheck hunting down neâer-do-wells and enjoying a semblance of freedom most folks in the outer colonies canât dream of. So when she receives an urgent prisoner transfer request from a cult starship, she accepts the gig. She figures that transporting a bone marrow-eating serial killer from the cultâs colony back to Earth is just another well-paying job thatâll keep her mind off things. Upon discovering that the suspect in custody is an orphan girlâone that could pass for her much younger doppelgängerâshe decides itâs time to get some answers. Before she can piece together who the girl is and how their lives intertwine, a group of violent prisoners aboard Foxhoundâs starship breaks free. As the once-peaceful cultists take up arms in response, the Contractor teams up with her mechanized AI assistant and two of the cultâs wayward members to stop the barbaric escapees and elude the grasp of the cultâs radicalized leader. And when thatâs done, she can focus on figuring out the secret behind the mysterious, potentially dangerous girlâbut will she even want to know the truth? |
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Historian of Future Past by Revis Grey Alaina is a 26th-century data linguist and a historian specializing in 15th-century Turkey. Working with a quantum computer called Nexus, a machine able to record history in real time, she longs to be like the woman she observes, a red-head warrior temptress. But when an anomaly appears, and a peasant from the past is teleported into the future, anyone involved begins to be reassigned or disappear. Alaina finds herself thrust into the history sheâs been studying when her godfather, the Director of Operations, chooses to lose her in time rather than eliminate her. Alaina transports from a culture of peace and abundance to a world of scarcity and violence. She will have to navigate 15th-century strife with the aid of a holographic cohort and a 26th-century mirage of life rapidly fading. Betrayed and wrongly accused of murder, her last hope rests in a crooked dwarf merchant. When a mysterious reflection brings her closer to understanding the futureâs past. |
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Hi De Ho, Infecterino! by Andrew Marc Rowe Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Larry Evans never asked for this, dude. As the front man for a rock band with the brand spankingest new deal with a major record label, the Irish-born Londoner was on the up and up. Finally, he could cease slinging pot to make ends meet and maybe â just maybe â make his father proud of him. One little âaccidentalâ fire and a faceful of sporulating destiny had another idea⌠Subject #30452 never really asked for it either. Not the injections from the strange men, not the development of sapience and self-awareness out of his easy-going life as a crow. Not to mention the fact that he was the sole one of his murdermates to have some kind of Cartesian epiphany in the California section of Parasol Industries. Escape â and revenge, served hot â might prove to be the first orders of business as brilliant bird of⌠opportunism. And what about Willy, the adult book shop worker who is trying to get clean from sex addiction? Or Hester, the brilliant scientist with the aesthetic challenges? Or Hector, the black ops Zen master? Or Constable Sheri Allston, the bobby who just happened to be thrust into a world of⌠Flesh-eating zombies that may or may not be tripping balls as they feast. There, I said it. Thanks to Parasol Industries, your friendly neighbourhood nefarious corporation on the government teat, some brand-new strain of fungus that is definitely not a derivative of jock itch and Albert Hoffmannâs beloved ergot is bringing humanity to the brink. But the brink of what? Will the monsters destroy us all? Will we use the nuclear option? Or is this all about⌠Evolution? |
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Inarora's Excursion by Seraph Abell Inarora Beservera, daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of End'oria, never felt concerned by her father's position. After all, politicians' families were only targeted in the Corporate States of Naa'ran, right? She's in for a rude awakening when Naa'ran Supremacists attack her and send her over 50 years into the past! Inarora finds her great-grandpas, who send a letter to the Council of Sorcerers to ask for help. While they wait for a response, Inarora learns more about herself, including scary powers she never knew she possessed. Meanwhile, Kaedanâs mounting frustration with the lack of help from the present day Intelligence Ward leads him to take matters into his own hands when another child goes missingâInaroraâs best friend. Can Kaedan find Inarora and her friend before more children go missing? Or will they remain forever lost due to the Intelligence Wardâs negligence? |
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Gospel of the Cuckoo by Sirius Dallasâ entire life changed when the Church of New Lazarus opened its doors. The small town of Wicker, Alabama has been taken over by a glamorous, fast-talking reverend with a charismatic smile as bright as his Rolex watch. This new reverend, who calls himself Blue, has declared himself a âmodern day Lazarusâ and has set the whole town on fire with religious fervor. Yet, Dallas doesnât trust him. There is something sinister about the new church and its cult-like following. And when Dallas, who has spent five years caring for his ailing grandfather, is suddenly thrust into the world behind the pulpit; he finds that his expectations of salvation may lie in more infernal hands. |
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Beautiful World Part 1 by Bill Sharrock In a broken future, ink-like stains have appeared on people's skin splitting the world in two. Now the beautiful people all wear masks and live in a luxurious haven kingdom where strict beauty laws are enforced. The others, âstainersâ, are segregated to a lawless life in the Outlands ruled by chaos and warlords. But when Chesterman, a mysterious, ruthless leader from the north rises to power with plans to bring the kingdom to its knees, people will have to find out what they truly want to live for beneath their masks. Beautiful World is a grand scale story of Anna, Barvarik, Talessa and the individuals who will shape destruction, hope, terror and change to a future where only the most beautiful can sit at its apex. |
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Book of You & I: When Two Souls Collide by G Severino OLIVIA WOODS IS CONVENTIONAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH, AND COMPOSED. She's the kind of girl who goes out of her way to do the right things for others but forgets about herself. BRANDON COLLINS IS UNCONVENTIONAL, A CREATIVE SOUL, AND PRONE TO ECCENTRICITY. He values facts over feelings, and his ability to detach from emotions can sometimes make him lonely. When the universe pushes them together under unfavorable circumstances, like lovers from the past and secret relationships, they try to stay apart. But their feelings are too strong to ignore, and they become swept up in a love like they've never felt before...until their true colors start to show. Even after their first kiss, their first touch, the first time they ever laid eyes on each other; were they destined to meet and fall in love, or was their relationship doomed from the start? *Inspired by true events* |
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Death and Sweet Temptations by Kristen Coar Kristen Coar launches her brand-new ALEX BAIN series with Death and Sweet Temptations, a tale of half-vampire, half-human Alex Bain, where the veil between the mundane and the monstrous thins to a nearly imperceptible shroud, and within its folds lurks a desire as perilous as any fiend. Set in a contemporary fantasy world brimming with magic, danger, and searing romance, this story is perfect for fans of series like Anita Blake, The Hollows, Crescent City, or the Night Huntress. Alex's tenure at Sweet Temptations is marked with success, her ascent up the corporate ladder as smooth as molten cocoa. But as Chicago's shadowed alleys echo with the cries of supernaturally murdered women, her dark heritage calls her to a far greater task. Joining forces with her wisecracking roommate Argo, a gourmet-loving corgi from Hell, and Sergeant Isabella "Izzie" Bliss of the CPD, they race against time to thwart this diabolical terror. However, before they can find those responsible, her two carefully curated identities collide in an office romance that quickly threatens to pull her under. As she falls deeper, the lines between sanity and chaos blur, and Lucas, the steamy consultant, becomes more than just a delicious distraction. As more women die and ancient powers awaken whispering of a long-forgotten prophecy, can her burgeoning love for a man with shady secrets and a wicked past craft a new destiny? One thing becomes clear: the price of temptation could be her very soul. Death and Sweet Temptations is a story of deep bonds, what makes a monster, and a love that transcends the darkness within each of us. Don't miss this gripping adventure, your next sexy supernatural obsession awaits! |
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Long have the Rangers of Eshana patrolled the land. When danger presents itself, in distance cities and towns, they answer the call of the King Crow. Ranger of the north, Michel Danage, after a life of service and protection, has retired, passing the torch to his son Eraden. Now, with his years of training complete, Eraden finally steps into the wild, ready to take up the mantle of his familyâs lineage and protect the lands from evil. Hemavale is in trouble, the young Ranger must travel many miles to unravel its mystery, a journey, that sets in place a chain reaction of events, taking Eraden and Eshana to the very edge of darkness. |
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Shrouded Guard by Amanda N. Newman Living a double life is never easyâŚespecially when itâs shrouded with secrets and lies. Hunter Wildmoor lives under two identities. By day, heâs viewed only as a troubled bad boy at Hydhexa School of Magic. At night, heâs the legendary Shrouded Guard, courtesy of being raised in and training with the Guardianâs Guild since he was old enough to pick up a staff. But guild life isnât easy. The training regimen is brutal, the missions demanding, and being the Guild Masterâs right-hand man only brings on more pressure. As if it isnât enough to balance schoolwork and guild duties, by order of his uncle, Hunter is forced to keep his affiliation with the Guardianâs Guild a secret, an easy enough task for Hydhexaâs main outcast. At least, it was until a new student comes to Hydhexa and insists that she wants to be Hunterâs friend, no matter how much he tries to push her away. It canât last, though. After being assigned to a group project with two of the most accepting people heâs ever met, Hunter canât help but find himself growing close to his newfound friends. His guild responsibilities become more demanding and his already abusive uncle only becomes more violent. To make it worse, heâs set his sights on Hunterâs new friends as potential guild recruits. But Hunter has to do something, even if it means risking his own safety and uncovering some of the guildâs darkest secrets along the way. |
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The Weight of Darkness by John A. McColley Silver Hill, Nevada - 1874 The 1870's offered a peaceful, simple, life after the strife of the Civil War. Its mine promised steady work. Abigail and Martin Beckett's parents owned and ran the mine, often away for days at a time, leaving the twins to... find their own fun. Tales of strange creatures, eerie cries, men and women gone missing in a blink... Folktales flow like whiskey amongst the miners. When curiosity gets the better of Abigail, she ropes her brother into an expedition, finding far more than they bargained for. With their parents and miners acting strangely and unseen influence beginning to take hold of her faculties, Abigail reaches out to her correspondence course professors for aid. Even when they arrive, though, these wise men can hardly believe what has become of the town and its people. Amid fires and armies of the undead and other monsters, how will they survive, let alone save their parents or the town? |
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The Faerie Guild Trials by G. L. Preston Step into the deadly world of the faerie realm, where alliances are fragile, and shadows hold the key to survival. Efia Mathonwy, the last Gwri, is thrust into the treacherous trials of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, wielding the rare power to control shadows. As she faces ruthless foes and navigates the cutthroat faerie politics, Efia discovers an unexpected ally in Ansel, a mysterious fae with secrets of his own. In a contest where every decision could be her last, Efia's journey unfolds in a dance of danger and intrigue. Shadows cling to her every move, revealing hidden dangers whilst unlocking the secrets of her family. As the realm teeters on the edge of chaos, Efia must choose her path wisely. Will she conquer the trials and emerge triumphant, or will the enemies that surround her become her undoing? In a world where survival is a deadly game, alliances will crumble, and the realms destiny hangs in the balance. |
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Two tales of sinister influence, two trans protagonists struggling to come to terms with the consequences of relying on the supernatural to fix their problems. Trick or Treat. THE SOUL LOTTERY primal play || knife & blood play || CNC Tate played the soul lottery and won a single wish ten years ago, but now his years of fortune are up, and the demon who owns his soul has come to collect. On the run from Hellhounds, and with only one person to turn to, he's out of options. But what awaits him isn't what he expects. SILVERTONGUED DREAMS somno || dubcon || praise & degradation Kiran is an insomniac and college student who dreams of more than what he has. After finding a rare spell book, he brings an egregore into being, and feeds it his ideas and dreams in hopes that it can be his equal and help him become great. But what happens when his dreams outpace him and take on their own life? UNHOLY FAVORS is a dark, mature 21k word book and is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. Please read CWs before purchasing. |
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Skin in the Game: The Hooded Warrior Spy by Sam Carnes The year is 1942. Alex is a young American soldier off to war. Noticing his foreskin and his ability to speak German flawlessly, his superiors believe he can effectively infiltrate the German army. But Alex has a secret his superiors donât know - he is gay. Will Alex be able to survive this web of secrets? Forced to keep this part of himself a secret from the American military while simultaneously keeping his cover as a spy, Alex must live life, never showing his true self. During all of this, Alex falls in love with a young German soldier. Will they find themselves on the same side or will the chaos of war tear them apart? Will they be able to find happiness? |
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A Pocket of Lies by R A Sandpiper BLOOD BOUND AND PENNILESS. EXILED INTO CURSED LANDS. HUNTED BY DEATH. When the thief Suri suffers a humiliating robbery, she has one day to pay off an ugly debt. Her solution: abduct and impersonate a foreign princess at the royal ball. But the wickedly handsome fae lord of the wasteland, Kol, has gatecrashed the party to find the princess sheâs pretending to be. And worse, his bodyguards are the same ones who robbed her the night before. With Suriâs knife lodged in Kolâs right-hand man, stolen trinkets in her pockets, and now her kidnapped princess missing, she can't outrun the law. The King exiles her with one condition: assassinate Kol, and all is forgiven. But Kol has promised his own brutal revenge against herâif his wastelands donât kill her first. In this fast-paced fantasy debut, expect a powerful adventure, lots of twists and turns, and the start of a slow-burn romance. |
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In a town where shadows hide secrets, Fred must unravel the truth before they become prey to something far more sinister than they could have ever imagined. Seventeen-year-old Fred McTire is counting down the days until freedom. The foster system has dealt them a hand of hardship, but one more year stands between Fred and escape from their nightmarish existence. That is until Genevieve 'Ginny' Chase, all blue eyes and freckles, sashays into Fred's life, unexpectedly brightening their bleak world. Yet, as Fred grapples with the complexities of adolescence - as if being queer in a rural town wasnât hard enough - an unsettling force within them begins to stir, marked by violent outbursts and dreams of wolves with amber eyes. The arrival of Mathusi Manebarn, a new student with familiar amber eyes, coincides with the discovery of a mutilated body on the outskirts of town, exposing a sinister supernatural cover-up. The truth is elusive, and Fred must navigate a treacherous path of betrayal and familial ties as they unravel the secrets of their past. âThey Them Wolfâ is a tale of self-discovery, identity, and the courage to confront the unknown, resonating with the howl of the wolves within. |
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The Dictionary of Disillusionment by Kristen Gregg A piece of experimental fiction, The Dictionary of Disillusionment follows the writings of a nameless protagonistâs memories and rambles in an attempt to understand herself better through entries written on post-it notes and index cards. All she ever wanted was control; control over her feelings, control over her life. In her senior year of college, she attempts to categorize her thoughts by ascribing them labels from the dictionary and then from vocabulary in her psychology textbook. But the more she writes, trying to control her feelings and pinpoint all of the underlying stress that comes with fast-approaching graduation and the subtle changes in her relationship dynamics, the less control she finds she has. Soon, all of the small tensions build until they boil over, and she's forced to reconsider what she should focus on in her life. |
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The Sea Spirit Festival by Claudie Arseneault Fate and friendship brought Horace, Rumi, Keza, and Aliyah together in Rumiâs sentient self-propelling wagon. They seek the forest haunting Aliyahâs dream, hoping for answers about the elfâs past and unique abilitiesâbut first, they need to traverse a world haunted by Fragments, dangerous shards that can possess travellers. Their journey has brought them to Alleaze, a coastal city from which they hope to book passage across the ocean. But Alleazeâs regular life has stopped, giving way to the excitement of the Sea Spirit Festival, a weeks-long event. Forcefully grounded, the Wagon crew is more than happy to partake in the local festivities, brimming with games, seaside delicacies, and legends about the Bay. But the Festival is more than one big celebration: it is a crucial time during which the Bayâs Spirit guides its residents to their new life path and chooses a Storm Catcher, a divine hero meant to revitalize the Spiritâs strength. When the Festival winds down and no Storm Catcher has been chosen, panic washes over Alleaze and the Wagon crew finds itself embroiled in the subsequent chaos. In order to help Alleaze find its local hero and be allowed to sail out, they will need to confront the truth behind the legend of the Sea Spiritâand survive it. |
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Secrets Don't Stay Buried by J. D. Mills How far would you go to keep a secret? Lennon Larkin wants a run-of-the-mill college experience, but thatâs not what sheâs in for. Set to start her freshman year at a local university for deaf and hard of hearing students, Lennonâs chances at normal are yanked out from under her after a prank on her nemesis goes wrong. As the skeleton in her closet is picked apart bone by bone, someone inches closer to a long-buried secret: the private photos of her that were shared without her consent. When her roommate is killed in the crossfire, Lennon and her friends hatch a plan to unmask the killer's identityâbut could someone close to her be behind the plot against her? Maybe itâs the boy sheâs held a grudge against since her sophomore year of high school, or one of her new allies. Worst of all, it might be the girl across the hall that Lennonâs falling for. |
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Guns & Scones by Darcia G. Laucerica In a city ruled by magic wielding families, Arawn Stant is thrust into power when his father´s abilities run dry. Taking care of his neighbours and their businesses is challenge enough. But his main concern is the school´s upcoming bake sale. He promised his niece he would bring something homemade. The problem is... Arawn could burn water. He must learn to bake before the weekend arrives. It´s a good thing a little bakery just opened in his territory. And that the owner, Alejandra, is terribly cute. |
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Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace & S.O. Callahan Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle. Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores. Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies. Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric â and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher. Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making â but they'll need more than magic to succeed. |
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Tale of Three Ships by Darcia G. Laucerica In a world under the thumb of an empire, pirates sail away searching for a breath of freedom. But even the ocean is tainted by the powerful nation that has spread lies about women being bad luck at sea. Glenlivet has never cared about the fear-mongering. Her ship welcomes those who are rejected and need a home. For all the sailor´s superstitions and âcodesâ of piracy the captain mocks every day, not leaving the docks when itâs dark is a personal boundary she swears by ever since acquiring The Outsider about eight years ago. She just might have to break her own rules to protect her crew, escape the claws of a king who wants her dead, and murder the man who raised her. |
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The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress by Sarah Wallace You canât orchestrate true loveâŚcan you? Spellmaster Geraldine Hartford has everything she could want â a successful spell shop and close friends and family â but sheâs still waiting on her own swoon-worthy romance. Her friends think their matchmaking efforts are helping, but itâs the tall, handsome stranger in town who immediately catches Gerryâs eye. Basil Thorneâs life has turned upside down. After his fatherâs death, heâs found himself uprooted from Bath to become the head of a family he barely knows. Overwhelmed by responsibilities, not to mention the clamor of Tutting-on-Cress locals wishing to befriend him â only the lovely spellmaster with a twinkling smile seems to soothe Basilâs heart. And heâs not the only one whoâs noticed⌠Soon it seems as though everyone in Gerry and Basilâs lives is determined to match them up. But Gerry is waiting for the surefire spark of romance and Basil is waiting until his life settles down. They may be perfect for each other, but it will take some meddling â and a bit of magic â to bring them together. This book is the fifth installment in the series Meddle & Mend. It can be read after Dear Bartleby or as a standalone. |
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Sentence for Life by Maxime Jaz âSometimes, we are in a place where we donât want to be. And maybe, that place is the only place we should be after all.â Theo knows he will become a star lawyer, like the one his Dad paid to keep him out of prison... he's wrong on both counts. He thinks the first day of jail is brutal; meeting his new cellmate redefines the word. Theo's world not only falls apart; it shrinks to the size smaller than a dorm bathroom he has to share with a man who doesnât belong in his world. Ryker is as strong as a fortress, one that he had to rebuild from the ruins of his own self. Serving the last year of his long sentence, he is terrified of having his freedom at arm's reach. Ryker is everything Theo fears; Theo is everything Ryker loathes. But being locked up together in a tiny space is a powerful force sparking the fires of love, and neither of the men are prepared for the turmoil this raging inferno will unleash. Are Ryker and Theo who they think they are? Or will new lives be born, like the phoenix etched in Ryker's skin, out of the fire of their love? |
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Dance with the Devil by Madison Chase She lost everything she built, he was built to lose everything, and the Heavens themselves are duty-bound to keep them apart. Charlotte Brant, former detective and present-day pariah, has been rebuilding her life following the attack that cost her a job, a marriage, and possibly her sanity. When the King of Hell inserts himself into her life--all dark, handsome, and aggravating--it does her no favors in her efforts to regain some normalcy. Especially when an Archangel is sent on a holy mission to keep them apart by any means necessary--even offering her what she thought she lost forever. |
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The Lies of the Eternals (The Realm Weaver Trilogy) by B.B. Aspen Threads will be frayed. Hearts will be broken. Lies will be exposed. The Woodlands Wisteria left behind swiftly became the Deadlands. The nation of Numaal rotted with corruption from the inside out, only now humans no longer accept the blindfold of ignorance and lies. Lies that have pervaded across the Thalren Mountains where the Weaver of Fates continues to intertwine Wisteria, Zander and Fennick's threads. As well as the threads of ancient mythical creatures, Eternals and rebels leaders... Each woven's resolve is tested, their character tried, their weaknesses made vulnerable for sacrifices that must be made. The runegate to the beyond threatens to shatter, leaving the Dreamer Realm, and whole of Kinlyra, susceptible to the all consuming plague. Our wovens' future is daunting and indeterminable, but as the War of Worlds commences, light is shed on their pasts and what is revealed is profound enough to rattle even the White Tower. |
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Death and Loves Confession by Kristen Coar With her vampire side more or less under control, Alex Bain had finally found some happiness, especially with Finn, the charming half-fae bartender, heating things up things in the romance department. But when a desperate letter from her ex, Lucasâa warlock with a shadowy pastâarrives, her fragile peace is shattered. Unable to abandon him, Alex sets off for Brazil with her bonded mated and the snarky demon Corgi, Argo, to rescue Lucas's sister from the clutches of a ruthless vampire Master. Through the wild and colorful streets of Sao Paolo and the lush jungles of the Brazilian countryside, the group gains new allies and faces nightmarish monsters at every twist and turn. With every step, they all grow closer; even Argo stops giving Lucas a hard time, and Alex finds herself torn between her unresolved feelings for the fire-wielder and her deepening love for Finn. Then, when a desperate escape uncovers a sinister prophecy binding the three of them, Alex must confront the true source of her growing power and passionâone darker than she ever imagined. As unforeseen betrayals and revelations cloud the path and threaten those she loves, will Alexâs heart guide her to a new destiny, or will it lead to catastrophic consequences? Can she master the darkness within, or will it consume them all? And does a girl really have to choose? |
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In "Bloody Fantasia," Aubri Harlow and her friends believe that their days of investigating murders are over. However, when Aubri's sister, Aria, moves into her new music school, the Da Capo Institution, the school's acting president suddenly dies during the welcoming ceremonies. However, the acting president's death is far from the first murder committed on campus. A string of past murders haunt the school's reputation and its students. It doesn't take long before new corpses start piling up, and Aubri, Aria, and their friends realize they must take up the mystery-solving mantle once more and find out who the murderer is. Will they figure out the person responsible for causing these new tragedies, or will they become part of its bloody history? Find out by reading "Bloody Fantasia!" |
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As the Sun Comes Up by Olive J. Kelley When competent, capable, and drop-dead gorgeous bed & breakfast owner Cricket Sterling asks friend-of-a-friend Moriah Becker if she can crash on her couch for a night, Moriah doesnât hesitate to say yes, even despite her secret crush on the other woman. But, when the awards ceremony Cricket is being honored at gets pushed three days, Moriah starts to panic. With her post-pandemic agoraphobia, OCD, and odd hours, she knows sheâs difficult to live with, and the idea of having someone in her space for that long nearly sends her into a tailspin. However, Cricket is considerate and accommodating, excitable and passionate, and Moriah finds herself oddly at peaceâand falling deeper than ever. It feels inevitable when they crash into each other, spending one sizzling night togetherâand then anotherâand Moriah has to reconsider her own mental walls. Were they built to keep people out, or only ever to keep herself inside? |
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Ari Barlow has long survived on instinct. Itâs crucial for living in the crime capital of the Meridian System. Established for space travel and trade by Illyarium, a world of gods amongst men, the Port of Acheron is now a far cry from the holy image it was spawned from. Just how she likes it. Together, with her level-headed partner, Ari takes any job that brings in the credits. Chosen to investigate a simple distress call, the pair travel to a desolate planet looking to find an easy pay day. Instead, they stumble upon a child in danger, and their decision to intervene puts into motion a war that will span the universe. Out of options and out of luck, Ari is torn away from the person she cares about most and burdened with a new responsibility in the form of a young ward with mysterious origins. Desperate to get her life back on track, Ari charters a ship and meets a crew of unlikely allies. However, a target has been painted on her back and she is now enemy number one to mortals and immortals alike. Ari will be forced to make sacrifices, but the most dangerous battle to face is with the monster lurking inside her. |
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A Spectre in the Stream by Simon Tull In a world gone mad with bloodlust, can a girl with a fragmented past use her inner monster to save a boy from undying predators? Earth, post-Apocalypse. Prisma longs to understand herself. Two centuries after humanity died, the claustrophobic immortal is grateful sheâs not driven by the thirst for blood plaguing every other enslaved survivor. But when she encounters a strange boy with a cryptic message about her origins, she fears his existence has made them both a deadly target. As Prismaâs violently protective alter-ego gives her remarkable abilities, she and her curious companion track his mysterious origins through their decaying city and its virtual twin. But sheâs horrified to learn of a vicious truth that sends her split personality into dangerous denial when a psychotic assassin and a desperate bounty hunter close in for the kill. Can she unearth the secret that will renew their stricken planetâs hope? A Spectre in the Stream is the edge-of-your-seat first book in The Slip Saga science fiction fantasy series. If you like gritty characters, violent action, and dark-edged humour, then youâll love Simon Tullâs fast-paced adventure. |
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Ghosts of Colossus by Peter J. Foote Asa Kleve craved a life of intergalactic adventure. Instead, sheâs tasked with babysitting a group of demanding scientists on the dead planet Cozore. But all of that changes when a rival galactic power attacks and kidnaps the scientists, leaving her for dead. Rescued from the rubble by an alienâone long thought to be extinctâAsa makes a pact with her unexpected new ally to save both their peoples before itâs too late. This dead planet may not be so dead after all, and Asa is about to find more adventure than she ever bargained for. |
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Pretty Average by Arini Vlotman Society should agree that growing up was a scam. One giant experiment that failed.. Esha More is celebrating her 35th birthday and her quick fix of hair dye and champagne only leaves her with a hangover and more problems. When she asks for excitement, getting thrown in the deep end of a corporate scandal is not what she meant. Kane Mittal has been called in as a consultant to manage yet another crisis. Kane has enough women making demands, but after Esha tumbles into his life he can't stop thinking about her. On a mission to save Esha's career and Kane's family business, together they navigate an inept flock of managers while faced with a mounting deadline, their powerful attraction, and a pandora's box of secrets. Join Esha and Kane in their adventurous meet-cute, a workplace romance filled with laughter, and a hefty dose of intrigue. |
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Madame Eldridgeâs Wayward Home For Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan Deep in the heart of Virginiaâs dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridgeâs watchful eye, three strict rules govern her behavior program: â 1. What happens here stays here. 2. You must complete all eight stepsâno exceptions allowed. 3. Forget your name; youâll be known only by your problem. â But, thereâs one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys' spines: never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers. When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridgeâs whimsicalâand often bizarreâchallenges, only to learn magic always demands its price. â Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boyâs fate. But who will trust the words of a liar? â Bound by the houseâs darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demonsâand each other. |