stories in

Heart So Hollow

Heart So Hollow by Emily Nealis

HER I escaped him once. He nearly took everything from me, and I almost let him, blinded by my own pride and tricked by his manipulation. But I got away. I was the lucky one—not like the others. I have to tell my story, but it’s only a matter of time before he finds out. I know what he did. I know all his secrets. And after I expose him, I know he’ll come for me to finish what he started. HIM I’ve been watching her for a long time. Some think I’m sadistic—blinded by both rage and love. But I never meant to hurt her. And even after what happened, I know I can never let her go. Now I’m her ghost, her phantom driven by vengeance. There’s only one way to fill this void, and that’s to find her and finish what I started.


Viral Airwaves

Viral Airwaves by Claudie Arseneault

Henry Schmitt wants nothing more than a quiet life and a daily ration of instant noodles. At least until he learns the terrible secret that drove his father away—the Plague that killed his mother and ravaged his country was created by those now in power. He has one chance to help expose the conspiracy: a ragtag band of rebels needs a pilot for their hot air balloon, where they can launch a broadcast revealing the truth. If Henry accepts, he can experience his dream of flight. But he would have to leave his safe, tranquil life behind ... and bring the wrath of a corrupt government upon his head.


Havoc & Happiness

Havoc & Happiness by Wren Handman

Michaela Peters didn’t let dying get her down. After all, it was only for a few minutes, and the hospital paid her a huge settlement. Now she’s an emancipated minor with nine million dollars in the bank and her entire future ahead of her. Life could be a heck of a lot worse! Michaela moves to Montana, determined to enjoy the queer high-school drama that life is serving up. Instead, she finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a fight between horrible monsters that shift with a person's imagination, and the gorgeous trigger-happy siblings who hunt them. The problem? She seems to be able to destroy the monsters with a thought, but the hunters haven't decided which side she's on.


A Midnight So Deadly

A Midnight So Deadly by Wren Handman

When dreams infect the waking world, what threats—and promises—do they bring? Maeve and Peri are 'dreamers, ' creators who record their dreams and publish them to the delight of their fans. When Maeve dreams of the murder of her friend's abusive ex—and then he's killed in the real world—her "dream" job becomes terrifying. At the same time, Peri is losing their grip on reality as they search for a woman who keeps appearing in their dreams. Who is this enticing stranger? How does she keep finding Peri, night after night? And what will it cost to hunt her down? To find the answers to their questions, Maeve and Peri will first have to find each other. As their dreams begin to bleed into the real world, and the borders between reality and illusion come unstuck, reality itself faces deadly collapse.


Keeper of the Sacred Scroll

Keeper of the Sacred Scroll by JR Swisher

The story of one prince will change the course of history. That’s the hope of Sapphira Jacobine Pham. Known as “Jake” from her friends, she’s second generation half human, half Nouban. The Noubans have lived on Earth since Mesopotamia, teaching humans how to harness their magic. But now they’re targets in need of a strong leader. She feels she’s not ready for the challenge, especially after handsome half-Nouban Allec confesses his love for her. She has to find a replacement soon. Otherwise she’ll be trapped in a life she never wanted.


Lethbridge: A tale of love in a time of war

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

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


Secrets and Stardust

Secrets and Stardust by Jeannin Counts

The stars are not what they seem. So look away; they’ll whisper you your fate. Iyana’s only ambition in life is to become a healer like her grandmother, but that all changes when her village is attacked by a neighboring kingdom. She desperately calls upon the heavens for salvation and the stars respond, yet not as she had ever imagined. She is sent Altair, a hypnotically handsome star in human form. Iyana is more shocked to discover that she is an Aztia, a magic bearer born once in every generation, and that a captured enemy soldier named Emmeric is unwittingly caught up in her destiny. Although he is fated to work with Iyana, Emmeric is reluctant to assist a woman from the village he was recently trying to destroy, no matter how spellbinding her beauty is. He trusts his rival Altair even less, as the star and Iyana are caught in each other’s orbit. When the emperor’s own son, Zane, joins their quest to stop his father’s tyrannical invasion, the companions begin unveiling long-buried secrets that echo through time. Secrets that could change the course of human history and reveal the hidden origin of the Aztia themselves. A captured foe. A fallen star. A forsaken prince. Betrayal is inevitable. But who will perpetrate it?


The Shadow Realm Chronicles: Maeve

The Shadow Realm Chronicles: Maeve by Nancy Ann Creed

Welcome to the Shadow Realm, where darkness reigns and the night is alive with magic. Many years ago, the Great War tore apart all the realms. Now, the darkness is rising again, and it all begins with a lonely mother named Maeve. Maeve was once a loving wife and mother, but she was turned into a vampire by the Vampire Lord Marius. Her husband, Hunter, fled with their infant son, fearing the monster she had become. Now, Maeve is a pawn being used by Marius and the Shadow King, who wants to make her his dark queen. Maeve must find a way to get back to her son and the family she left behind. But will she succumb to the darkness, or will she fight for her soul? Travel to the Shadow Realm, hear spellbinding tales, meet magical creatures, and join Maeve in the quest to save herself and her family.


Move Fast and Break Things

Move Fast and Break Things by Kit Walker

There is something wrong with Victor Keane. This makes him the ideal choice to lead a team of mercenaries, hired to recover an oil baron's granddaughter from a tech billionaire's personal cult. But the job gets more complicated when the team encounters Adrian Yates, a kidnapped academic with peculiar insight into the darkness of Victor's own mind. And when things go wrong, Victor must make a choice between the success of the mission and Adrian's life.


Squeak

Squeak by D.A Power

10-year-old Celeste Asher is as shy, quirky, and awkward as they come. After her mother remarries and moves her away from her friends, she finds herself alone and targeted by local bullies known as The Beastly Trio. If that isn't bad enough, her new stepfather is her fifth-grade teacher. One day, using courage she didn't know she had, Celeste rescues a mouse from being tortured by the same bullies who torment her. Her unexpected bravery is the spark that causes her fellow students to take a second look at the quiet new girl. Her awkwardness is multiplied by an unusual new friend and newly discovered ability- both of which she has no choice but to keep secret. This coming-of-age tale, set in 1984, is about a young girl who, with help from a special "little" friend, learns to stand up for herself, develop confidence, make friends, and bond with her stepfather. Squeak is the first installment of The Asher Chronicles.


The Last Echo of the Lord of Bells

The Last Echo of the Lord of Bells by John Bierce

A new kind of war has come to the continent of Ithos. Airborne mage armies traverse enemy territory in utter secrecy. Vast city-liches conspire to influence events from afar, while city-states and archmages unleash strange new magics in a rapidly accelerating magical arms race. Nations and great powers that have remained quiescent for years have begun reaching out into the growing power vacuum. Magical superweapons and giant monsters are wielded by every side in an deadly tangle of alliances and factions, as each squabbling force spirals in towards their inevitable final conflict. At the center of that spiral lays the capital of the Havath Dominion, where a vengeful madman has proclaimed the precise date and time he will destroy the city. The Last Echo will ring, and in its wake looms the threat of the Tongue Eater. Hugh and his friends are the only ones who can stop the ancient weapon, but the web of lies they've woven is fraying rapidly, and even their own allies have begun to question their mission. Monsters and archmages capable of leveling cities would stop at nothing to claim the Tongue Eater, leaving Hugh and the others with no one to trust. And if they fail to stop the Tongue Eater, it could mean madness and death for the entire continent.


Malediction

Malediction by Katerina King

She’ll survive, or burn everything in her flames. Scarlette Petrova is only a shell of who she once was. A go-getter without a care in the world. But that changes when her stability is ripped away from her and her voice of reason disappears in the night, and all that’s left for her is an addict for a mom and memories. She already lost everything once, and now it's happening all over again. Scarlette's blood runs deep with ancient power built by witches of old. But she finds herself powerless when her estranged uncle demands she live with him after he starts making threats and in order to protect her drug-addled mother, she does. She hates Whitechapel. It’s her mom’s hometown and her uncle controls everything there, but the joke's on him when she finds a deeper connection to her roots and important traces of family history that furthers her magic and connection to herself. Not to mention the return of a childhood friend, Elijah Hutton, whose been outcasted by the overly religious town for being gay. Together, Scarlette and Eli learn about her past, and the closer they get to answers, the more everything and everyone seems to want to kill her. Scarlette's determined to survive, but she may not be able to make that choice anymore. But Scarlette runs hot. If she goes down, she's taking everything and everyone down with her
in the flames.


The Noble’s Merman

The Noble’s Merman by S.S. Genesee

A merman who possesses deadly magic. Mo is a merman, born with a magical gift: the Siren's Song. It's a primal, instinctual force that runs through his veins, urging him to kill humans, to see their blood. But clashing with that urge is Mo's soft and tender side, taking a special interest in humanity and wondering what it'd be like to walk amongst them with legs of his own. A human noble with a broken heart. Kent Wilson is the heir to the Earl of Fareham. He'd felt his life was secure until his betrothed abandoned him unexpectedly a year ago, leaving both his future and his heart in tatters. After a fierce argument with his father one day, Kent runs away to the beach. Needing some time alone with his melancholy thoughts, he sings to the sea. What he doesn't expect, though, is for a merman to hear him. Together, the two form a secret relationship—one which propels them into passion, and a love greater than they ever thought possible. [The Noble's Merman is a standalone novel. It is an 18th century historical fantasy MM romance, with merfolk magic, cozy beach encounters, pirates, and plenty of spice.]


Jasmine Perez and the Wicked Sorceress

Jasmine Perez and the Wicked Sorceress by Joharra Harper

This is a story about Jasmine Perez. She is the Princess of one of the many Kingdoms in that Realm. But one day, a Wicked Sorceress kidnapped her people, including her father, the King. Jasmine has to leave her Palace, even though she has never left the Kingdom walls, along with two servants and her fiancé. They go on a long journey and find something that can help the on their mission, and find people who can help them as Jasmine practices her newly discovered magic. There is love, hate, adventure, action, anticipation, and lots of magic. Will she be able to stop arguing with her companions long enough to stay focused? Will she be able to defeat Lilac and save her people? Watch as Jasmine figures out who she is in time to save her Kingdom, and her entire Realm.


The Towers of Nine

The Towers of Nine by Alyssa Loutitt

The Towers of Nine School of Magic Study and Practice is an institution rich with ancient traditions and secrets. Serafina Stewart has grown up on stories of this place, passed to her by her witch mother. Now Serafina is finally old enough to attend. But getting in is the easy part. And Mother's stories never included ghosts or deadly spiders.


The Shadow of Summer

The Shadow of Summer by Marlon Yelich

Socialite Jem has always lived in an ivory tower, hiding his own secrets and insecurities behind a veneer of surliness. But tragedy has struck his life and he'd rather not stick around to see the mess. When his initial escape plan fails, he ends up taking a job on a secluded Cumbrian farm. In the English Lake District, glitz and glamour are out, traded for hay bales and horses. Surrounded by nothing but fells and mountains, he meets Mat. Mat is confident, openly gay, optimistic—everything that Jem struggles to be. Nevertheless, an unlikely bond forms. And above all, Jem realises Mat has secrets of his own. Together, the pair begin a journey that will shake their perspectives of the world. They must acknowledge all that stands against them—and make it, despite the odds, to the other side. IMPORTANT NOTICE: "The Shadow of Summer" is a work of fiction not intended for readers under the age of 16. The novel deals with themes that some readers may find upsetting. These include alcohol/substance abuse, bereavement, mental health issues & suicide. A more comprehensive list of trigger warnings can be found on Instagram at @marlonyelichauthor.


Z.E.R.O: Zombie Elimination and Rescue Operatives

Z.E.R.O: Zombie Elimination and Rescue Operatives by Jessica Ungeheuer

Jeffrey Knight is a down on his luck self proclaimed loser. He can't keep a job, forced into hours of work in the hell that is retail. His only stable thing in his life was his relationship with his longtime girlfriend
that is until he catches her cheating on him. Now with nothing left, he begrudgingly agrees to join his best friend on a night of fake zombie hunting paintball. The only solace he has in his pitiful life. That is, until he learns zombies are real
 Jennifer Mayer has spent her whole life hunting monsters. Working tirelessly for a secret organization of mercenaries to protect normal citizens from learning the truth. However, there are a growing number of undead, and her organization leaders refuse to believe her that something catastrophic is coming. She is in need of new recruits to prevent a coming “Day of the Dead” event. After saving Jeff from near death Jennifer takes him on as a pupil. Jennifer must train Jeff in everything she knows while avoiding the growing feelings and memories he reignites in her -- feelings she thought she buried long ago. Jeff has never finished anything in his life, allowing his fears to stop him. If he chokes up now, there might not be a normal world to go back to.


Gharantia’s Guardian

Gharantia’s Guardian by L.M. Douglas

The devastating gods’ war that ravaged the other side of the world for centuries is coming to Gharantia. Its rulers, Princess Melane and Criterious, the Guardian, stand as sentinels, safeguarding their cherished realm. As the Queen’s protective mist—the Bleak—rolls away after another winter, prophetic dreams haunt Melane and mysterious strangers converge on their city. Criterious must unravel the truth behind the war before it destroys them all. Who will stand with Gharantia against the coming tide? In this epic fantasy adventure alliances will be forged, loyalties will waver, and destinies collide.


After the Storm

After the Storm by Key Dyson, Raymond Roach, Hannah Birchwood

Rich Merrill, gene-tweaked supersoldier by birth and AI support technician by vocation, is done fighting. Finally reassigned after four hellish years aboard the Sympatico, a dysfunctional ship with a deadly crew, all he wants is to make the most of his second chance. The survival skills that got him through his last posting aren't going to help him on the Reliant, though. In among a kinder, gentler crew, Rich's old scars and bad habits are just as much of a problem as vengeful ex-crewmates, or the Sympatico's corrupted AI, which wants him back. Rich wants to be a better person. He wants to make some friends, finally. He'd especially like to be friends--or more--with Basil Wright, a brilliant teen rival who's grown up captivatingly handsome; or Liam Beaker, a beautiful, mercurial botanist and fellow tweak. Rich wants to reconnect with what's left of his family, pick up some hobbies, get some sun, learn to relax. But if he can't learn how to leave his old life behind, his new life won't be worth living.


The Price of Admission

The Price of Admission by Alethea Lyons

After a year of searching, Stella stands before the entrance gates of the worlds-renowned Carnivale Incendio. At the centre of the Carnival terrors, her heart's desire waits. She has sacrificed everything to get here and be reunited with her lover, Mona, who was stolen from her on the eve of their wedding. Though the carnival tries to take her as its own, Stella battles through to Mona's side and to face the final challenger, the Ringmaster himself. Standalone short story. Highly descriptive of scenery with some minor gore.


Reawakening

Reawakening by Alethea Lyons

After centuries of suppression, the magic of England is Reawakening Return to the world of The Seer of York with this collection of new tales set in the aftermath of The Hiding. Harper, Grace, Saqib, Heresy, and AJ bond as a team and as a family to save innocents, supernatural and human, despite hunters pursuing them. Introducing Zero, a starlight cat with a bleak and painful past. Demonic-possession Faery circles Pƫcas And more



The Hiding

The Hiding by Alethea Lyons

Arcane archivist Harper has always been plagued by dreams of grotesque creatures and bloody deaths. When she bumps into a ghostwalker in the Shambles and has a visceral experience of his execution, she knows it’s a foretelling. Yet fear of the Queen’s Guard stops her speaking out. When her vision indeed comes true, the unusual markings on the ghostwalker’s corpse, combined with his neatly excised vocal cords, send a ripple of terror through York. The witch hunt is on. As the body count rises, Harper knows her magic is the only way to find the killer – if she can avoid being hanged as a witch. To protect both human and supernatural, Harper walks the thin line between their worlds. She and her demonhunter foster-sister form a multi-faith team with a forensic scientist, a spirit Harper accidentally summoned, and a techno-witch, to catch the killer before more people die.


Glass Wings

Glass Wings by Elle Kaelee

The Glass Wings Series Book One Pain erupted from Hadley’s shoulders, blood, deep and blue streaked down her back. A metal chain groaned around her ankle, the only sound besides her screams in the dark. Eighteen and alone in California, Hadley sells the only thing she has left to make ends herself. When strange things start happening, Hadley has nowhere to turn. She will soon learn that there are worse things than humans watching her from the shadows. Hadley’s existence is an anomaly. She has inherited an ancient feud between immortals both good and evil. With it, powers she can’t yet control. Her path extends back centuries, tying her to five winged immortals: a gentle soul burdened with destructive abilities, twins whose connection to the moon ties them to fate, a woman whose commands shape destinies, and a boy who wanders the realm of unconsciousness. She will soon learn what they’ve all known for even divine beings aren’t immune to family drama. When the light and the dark prepare for war, only you can decide which side you fall on—and it might not be as clear as you think.


The Magik Scarf

The Magik Scarf by M. K. Browning

After botching her first solo spell, where she only partially reanimates her grandfather into a voice in a toy jack-in-the-box, Alyssa has to set out to find and return a gryphon king’s magik scarf or else he will do something unspeakable to her grandmother. But that sneaky scarf is not where the king said it was, and now the only way to get to it is through a dragon’s lair.


Never Leave, Never Lie

Never Leave, Never Lie by Thea Verdone

The lies that brought them together will tear them apart. Alek and Ian’s relationship is built on lies and the cracks are starting to show. A pianist gifted with synesthesia, Alek sees sounds and hears colors and transforms all of his emotions into music. But no matter how hard he tries to hide behind a facade of apathy and seduction, he can’t escape the dark past that haunts him. Contractor Ian sees the beauty in something destroyed by neglect and his obsession with fixing extends beyond historical buildings. But when Alek’s self-destructive tendencies turn their relationship to ruins, Ian fears Alek is the first project he’ll have no choice but to abandon. Now the Gothic Victorian mansion they’re renovating is the only thing connecting them. Alek will do anything to keep Ian with him. Except tell the truth. Because Alek is lying about everything, starting with his name, and when Ian learns the truth, their house of cards will collapse. Never Leave, Never Lie is an angsty MM modern gothic romance that will appeal to fans of mental health representation, relationships in crisis, hurt/comfort, and a hard-fought happily ever after.


Widdershins

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

A reclusive scholar. A private detective. And a book of spells that could destroy the world. Love is dangerous. Ever since the tragic death of the friend he adored, Percival Endicott Whyborne has ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man. Instead, he spends his days studying dead languages at the museum where he works. So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons after the death of his partner. Now in business for himself, he must investigate the murder of a wealthy young man. His only clue: an encrypted book that once belonged to the victim. As the investigation draws them closer, Griffin's rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne's iron control. But when they uncover evidence of a powerful cult determined to rule the world, Whyborne must choose: to remain safely alone, or to risk everything for the man he loves. Widdershins is the first novel in the Whyborne & Griffin series, where magic, mystery, and m/m romance collide with Victorian era America. Buy it today and join the adventure.


The Gunrunner and Her Hound

The Gunrunner and Her Hound by Maria Ying

Viveca Hua, arms-dealer ...is driven by three things: the certainty of steel, the need to win, and the compulsion to possess. Yves, bodyguard ...hunts for the place she belongs, and she might just have found it in the captivating Viveca, who offers her a new organization, an answer—and a collar. But their world is violent. It is unpredictable. Luck alone will not shield them. Together they must survive assassins, rival gunrunners, and their own lethal attraction. The Gunrunner and Her Hound is an F/F/F mosaic novella (40,000 words) built from short stories connected by an overarching plot. Part romance (happy ever after included), part thriller, this is a high-heat love story set in contemporary Hong Kong, where passion burns between a ruthless ice queen and an ex-soldier who fled a ruined empire.


Peter Darling

Peter Darling by Austin Chant

The Lost Boys say that Peter Pan went back to England because of Wendy Darling, but Wendy is just an old life he left behind. Neverland is his real home. So when Peter returns to it after ten years in the real world, he’s surprised to find a Neverland that no longer seems to need him. The only person who truly missed Peter is Captain James Hook, who is delighted to have his old rival back. But when a new war ignites between the Lost Boys and Hook’s pirates, the ensuing bloodshed becomes all too real – and Peter’s rivalry with Hook starts to blur into something far more complicated, sensual, and deadly. Peter Darling is a queer, trans reimagining of Peter Pan.


Psychostorm

Psychostorm by Moira Baird

In a world intent on suppressing your true self, would you fade into obscurity or become uncontainable? Rose felt destined to fade, until a chance encounter thrusts her into the world of the supernatural, where she faces an entirely new set of trials. Rose must work with Rift, a young man who conjures portals and clashes with her at every turn. She must also work with Echo, a mute telepath kept in containment for most of her life. Will they survive and defeat the shadow organization known as ORDER, whose mission is to eliminate all supernatural beings, or will they be swallowed up?


Wish Lists Lead to This

Wish Lists Lead to This by Kay Claire

Whenever Seb wants to get something done, he makes a list, and he sets deadlines. He's been in Cape Town for 2 years and has yet to do all the touristy things the city has to offer, so he's set his 24th birthday as his deadline to do 100 things on the list he’s come up with. JJ’s in a rut. He has no friends hates his job (working at a shirtless waiter at a gay bar isn't all it's cracked up to be), and is sick of one-night stands. After an awkward encounter with a former crush, JJ finds himself roped into helping Seb accomplish an item on his list – but plans change after he finds a box of abandoned kittens the day he’s suppose to meet up with Seb. When the two decide to foster the kittens together, they’re both surprised at how well they get along, since on paper they’re exact opposites – especially after their new budding friendship turns into something more complicated after JJ finds a secondary, secret list in the back of Seb’s notebook...


All Roads Lead to This

All Roads Lead to This by Kay Claire

Cedric and Rueben have been best friends since sixth grade, and cannot imagine life without each other - Cedric was there for Rueben when he came out to his family, and Rueben was there for Cedric through every step of his transition. Now, both twenty-four and working at the same plant shop, their boss gets an opportunity to receive some extremely rare plants she's wanted for years, except there's a problem: the plants need to be collected in person from across the country, and she cannot make the journey herself. Rueben, ever helpful, is quick to volunteer him and Cedric to travel across the country in her place. Cedric is apprehensive about the trip, both because he hates sudden changes to his routine, and because he may or may not have a few secrets he hasn't told Rueben about. Secrets like the fact that he might be in love with his best friend... All Roads Lead to This is a low angst HEA m/m romance that involves a road trip across South Africa, sharing a bed, heavy pinning, and childhood friends to lovers tropes. Roughly 85,000 words long.


The Full Moon Problem

The Full Moon Problem by Kay Claire

Felix was raised by a family who upheld traditional medicine over all modern medicine – so when he turned 18 and started transitioning, Felix had to run away from home if he wanted to live his authentic life. Now, ten years later, he’s surprised when his aunt passes away and leaves him a house, far from the place he left. Leaving an unfulfilling life in London to give country living a try, Felix is soon overwhelmed by the amount of books on folk medicine and gardening his aunt left to him. Wanting to reconnect with her memory, Felix decides to give the family craft he’s always shunned a try, and soon the locals are asking him for the remedies they had relied on when his aunt was alive. One of those locals is Declan, the handsome deliveryman who immediately catches Felix’s eye. Declan is shy and reclusive, but Felix manages to chip away at Declan’s walls and soon discovers his secret: Declan is a werewolf who loses control on full moons, and only a potion Felix’s aunt used to make can help him gain back that control. Felix is determined to make this potion correctly and help Declan
 and maybe fall in love in the process?


Dawn's Cozy Horror Corner

Dawn's Cozy Horror Corner by Dawn Chen

"Dawn‘s Cozy Horror Corner: a queer Chinese diaspora horror short stories anthology“ is a horror anthology which contains five stories featuring supernatural elements and young Chinese diaspora protagonists whose identities clash with the environment around them. In ”Bottle of Shame“, a girl who can pull out people's shame must grapple with the gruesome consequences of the truth she reveals. In ”The Girl with No Face“, a girl slowly loses her facial features one at a time until she become a faceless horror who take vengeance upon her tormentor. In “My Future Self Once Said“, a girl is paid a visit from her future-self as a warning. In "Judge of the Underworld Household", the protagonist disagrees with the method her ancestor god who rules over the Chinese Underworld and the way he views crimes and punishment. In "Meet Your Demons“, a girl is offered to be possessed by a demon and gladly accepts.


Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves

Unholy With Eyes Like Wolves by Morgan Dante

NoĂ©mie, a dishonored and widowed noblewoman in early 17th century Hungary, finds herself in an unenviable position: After grievous trauma and loss, her last chance to regain her honor comes when she must serve as Lady ErzsĂ©bet BĂĄthory’s handmaiden. BĂĄthory is stoic and imperious, and as NoĂ©mie struggles to acclimate and accept her present and future, she begins to have dreams about a mysterious woman. Worse, there are stories of disappearance and deaths in the castle, and NoĂ©mie might be next.


Whispers of Apple Blossoms

Whispers of Apple Blossoms by Brett Mitchell Kent

A love story spanning decades. A Lonely widow mourning her husband and daughter. A tail of missing people all leading to one unpredictable source. Edna Mann, a lonely widow longing for the family she's lost, finds companionship in an unlikely source when her late husband begins communicating with her through her houseplant. As those around her begin to disappear, Edna must confront the reality that something mich worse may be at play...and has been for longer than she could have ever expected. An atmospheric and hainting tale of love, heartache, fear and obsession. The warped reality of an elderly woman filled with regret interlaces with the story of the past she desperately longs to relive. Whispers of Apple Blossoms is as romantic as it is heartbreakingly sinister and, as each petal falls, pulls you further into the darkness and toward the unforgettable finale.


Mother of Pearl: A Sapphic Sugar Baby Romance

Mother of Pearl: A Sapphic Sugar Baby Romance by A.A. Fairview

The summer has never been so sweet. Lydia hadn’t planned to spend the summer poolside. She was supposed to get an internship in the city and spend nights with her girlfriend. Instead she’s single and making minimum wage as a country club lifeguard. Chlorine might dry out her scales, but it’s not all bad. At least she can flirt on company time. Stephanie is a bombshell mom with a fortune five-hundred job but without a wedding ring. She might have baggage, but it’s designer–and she’s happy to share the wealth with Lydia in exchange for some lessons in fishfolk biology. Lydia isn’t sure she’s ready to navigate exes, kids, or even a proper relationship. But summers never last forever. Will this situationship be any different?


Stitching Palms

Stitching Palms by B.L. Brown

Greed is a curse. Diego Gregorio de Bimini needs a vacation. After his roommate stirs up trouble with the Enforcers of Witch Law, he leaps at the chance to head down to Key West, lounge in the sun, and cruise the Conch Republic for reliable cell service. When a run-in with a rogue chicken lands him in the care of a handsome pawnbroker, Diego thinks this forced vacation might be just what the witch doctor ordered 
 until he stumbles upon evidence of an occult artifact housing a curse. The same curse that killed him in the 16th century. Calling on all he knows of the Ways and his own Stitch Witch magick, Diego must race against the clock to spare the mortal world from an ancient threat. Return to the World of C.R.O.W. with Stitching Palms, an M/M Paranormal Romance.


Faun Over Me

Faun Over Me by B.L. Brown

Welcome to Camp Cryptid As the new Assistant Director of Elkwater Music Camp, Avery Payne has sixteen weeks between her and her Carnegie Mellon dream. Sixteen weeks working at the only human-inhuman band camp in the nation. Just enough time to have her world turned upside down by a curly-haired faun. Cricket is ready to fight for her woodland home against the Georgia Men who would buy it out from under her. In search of her cousin—the only faun to have integrated with the broader human world—Cricket finds herself stranded at Elkwater Music Camp. The roads are closed, her cousin is gone, and the red-headed Assistant Director can’t seem to leave her alone. When a mysterious and violent monster threatens the camp, Cricket and Avery band together, discovering the truth behind the land grabs in Green Bank and their undeniable attraction to each other. Faun Over Me is book one in the Camp Cryptid series. Each book will take place in and around Elkwater Music Camp and feature different relationships among the staff of the camp and the surrounding hills.


The Fragile

The Fragile by Mitra De Souza

Seventeen-year-old Maya is a Fragile. She’s spent the last decade locked in a rehabilitation center with other sensitive kids deemed too weak to function in society. Tired of experiencing the pain and emotions of others, she wants nothing more than to be cured of her debilitating empathy. But instead of getting better, she begins to sense the pain of a young girl she has never met. Desperate to escape the pain, she finally learns to empty it. Into other people. When Maya discovers the girl is part of the rehabilitation center founder’s plot to destroy the empathy centers in children’s brains, she knows she must use her newfound power to act. But when fighting back against a man bent on destroying anyone like her threatens the lives of those she loves most, she must decide if the fight is worth the risk. Especially when surviving the procedure might free her from the burden of empathy. Permanently.


Bump in the Night

Bump in the Night by Lily Mayne, Nik Knight

You never know what’s hiding in your closet...At twenty-six, Ivy has their life figured out. They have a decent paying job at the London office of Somnus Entertainment--the gaming company behind the wildly popular game Black Oasis--a draughty flat they inherited from their wild great aunt, and a few select friends to pass the time. They’re a responsible adult, thank you very much, and while they might get lonely at times, they know better than to put too much stock into that fanciful notion known as love. But when a skeevy encounter during a fun night at the pub devolves into a violent hate crime, their life changes forever. Waking up in a demon dimension, beaten within an inch of their life, is bad enough. But add a snarky, haughty healer with the universe's worst bedside manner, and Ivy knows they’re in for a long, excruciating recovery. Lau the Dreamwraith is prickly, arrogant, and entirely infuriating, but for some strange reason, he seems hellbent on nursing Ivy back to health. Despite Lau’s whinging over their “inferior human qualities,” there is a heat building between them that neither are able to fight. Like a match meeting kerosine, their chemistry ignites, but Ivy’s stay in the demon world is temporary and fire always burns out eventually. Love is a dream, after all; it has no business in nightmares. Right? Join Ivy and Lau as they nurture the sparks between them until they explode into an unexpected passion that crosses dimensions in Bump in the Night, the second book in Knight and Mayne’s co-authored queer, monster romance series, Black Oasis. Bump in the Night is an M/X monster romance full of hurt/comfort, angst, humor, and a sweet, spicy love between a fiery Brit and their arrogant sleep demon. This love story contains explicit content and is not suitable for young readers. Be sure to check the Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book for more details


The Concealed

The Concealed by SK Horton

Sometimes destiny is written. Hers was concealed. When Cate travels from Oregon to university in England, she expects her gravest dilemma to be finding coffee instead of tea, but she’s got bigger problems—much bigger. At Staton University, nothing is quite what it seems. Even her own identity. Unbeknownst to Cate, a prophecy deems her as destined to defeat a ruthless enemy in a magical land, placing a target squarely on her back. Now, someone on campus is stalking her, and a narrow escape sends her through a mysterious portal, assisted by two irresistible boys. Yet the fantastical new world is even more treacherous with rival kingdoms and imminent war. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan, but what’s a girl to do? A fresh start was all she wanted—a few new friends in the dorms with a trusty latte in hand—not war, an estranged biological father who is king, or a star-crossed love straight out of Romeo and Juliet (hopefully without the dying part). As the battle looms, Cate must solve the mystery of the prophecy and decide who in her circle is trustworthy before the place she now calls home is destroyed. Don't miss this new Young Adult Romantic Fantasy from debut author SK Horton about first love in a fantastical new world. Featuring swoon-worthy romance, court intrigue, backstabbing villains and so much more, it's perfect for fans of Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, Lauren Roberts' Powerless, and lovers of all things romantasy!


A Bone in His Teeth

A Bone in His Teeth by Kellen Graves

When a fall from the mast leaves Alba Marsh unable to sail, he finally has the chance to run away from his family debts in search of a better life. He hopes to reunite with his mother, Edythe, where they always promised to meet if things went awry, but finding the small, secluded, secretive town of Moon Harbor proves a greater challenge than Alba ever expected. Worse, upon arriving, no one seems to know anyone by the name Edythe Marsh at all. Taking a job as the local lighthouse keeper while waiting for her to come, Alba attempts to find peace in his stolen freedom--but the sea has other plans. First come the shadows, then the voices, then watery trails left on the floor while he sleeps. He's inundated with erotic dreams of sirens calling out to him, and distant singing haunts his waking hours, all while the townspeople claim to hear nothing. After a debtor catches up with him and he's forced to dispose of their body in the harbor, Alba is interrupted by Eridanys, the last merrow of Moon Harbor, who curses him from leaving until he can find out what happened to the other merrow that once filled those waters. Eridanys' demands, both mental and physical, are exhausting and endless--but as their relationship deepens, and Moon Harbor’s long-kept secrets are butterflied open to see, it becomes clear they may both be prey to the town in ways neither of them ever anticipated


Shelter

Shelter by Steve Rogan

Shelter Dean Golinski’s recently deceased father, Marek, believed ‘they’ would come for everyone at some point in time, so he’d made some very serious preparations, fracturing his family in the process. Marek believed ‘they’ would seize any opportunity to test the mettle of the nation; a chisel strike here, a chisel strike there, and then the final blow to render freedom and liberty to slivers and dust. Being estranged from his sister, Jacqueline, for the most part of fifteen years, Dean couldn’t convince her not to go to the Comerica Park refuge shelter when a coronal mass ejection, 1,000 times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859, was reported to be enroute to Earth. Played down by official sources, Dean was convinced of the event’s anticipated severity after watching a video blog posted by Professor Martin Monroe, a discredited Astrophysicist from Ireland; yet everything he said, Dean found, was corroborated through other reliable sources. It was enough to convince the majority of America’s citizens into an exodus to the many shelters set up around the country. Dean, however, moved swiftly to occupy a location his late father had prepared for whatever flavor the End Times would take. As if ordained by fate, an assassination attempt is made on the POTUS at a Seattle golf club dinner the day before the CME event, and an opportunity is seized to initiate a game-changing strategy across the U.S., and refuge shelters to protect the country’s greatest asset forms a key component of that strategy. Dean soon discovers that the sins of the father are indeed paid by the son, as he finds himself and his sister somehow linked to Russian interference within the U.S. political system, in addition to becoming prime targets in a hunt to keep the country’s over-haul mission on track. Dean’s late father wasn’t crazy at all; he was right!


A Wrecking of Salt and Fire

A Wrecking of Salt and Fire by E.K. Condos

Plagued by fear. Haunted by the sins of her past. Approaching twenty-five, Katrin Drakos should only be concerned with two things—being crowned Queen of Alentus and marrying her Fated, Kohl. For five years, she focused on falling in love, on living, on becoming whole again. For five years, she was able to forget what the vile King Nikolaos of Nexos had done to her. For five years, her nightmares did not return. But then the whispers started. A rumbling of rebellion poised to strike. The King of Nexos had never attacked before. Until now. Until right before the Acknowledgement. So when a notorious pirate captures her, claiming to have saved her from the lies the leaders have woven into history, Katrin must decide if the enemy from her past has really been her ally this whole time. Decide before the world around her crumbles and not only her power, but the power of all the gods, is lost forever. Because sometimes the Fates have other plans.


Whatsoever is Just

Whatsoever is Just by Augusta Ren

21-year-old Wes Blake was set to graduate university as the best swordsman in her class, but when her friend and secret lover dies, her world is turned upside down. Now, she must do one last thing for the deceased and get his journal into trusted hands. But when your government has more secrets than you can count, trusted hands become few and far between. With suspicion growing as the days pass, Wes gathers the help of her friends and newcomer Rhyatt to assist in turning over the journal. If she fails, it means more than not honoring the dead’s wishes. She risks allowing kidnappers and human experiments to continue in the shadows. Every step Wes takes puts her or her loved ones in danger. Even worse, she is beginning to care for Rhyatt. Mindless soldiers. Rotten politicians. Shady businessmen. Everyone is playing a part, and it’s up to Wes to find out who is innocent before they capture — or silence her for good.


Kestrel

Kestrel by Adrienne Lothy

Book one of the Starhawk trilogy Niko has only ever wanted to protect people. Once a bounty hunter renowned for bringing in the most dangerous criminals the galaxy had to offer, Niko's life was forever altered after a job gone wrong left him with a devastating injury. Resigned to a languishing existence, he now believes his bounty hunting days are officially over. But when an elusive assassin known only as the Kestrel sets his aim on galactic leaders and celebrities, Niko is called back into the fight. Caught in a deadly hunting game of cat and mouse, Niko soon discovers that nothing he's been told about the Kestrel is what it seems, exposing a web of lies as vast and entangled as the galaxy itself. Niko is forced to make a choice: work alongside the only family he has left to stop the Kestrel from ever killing again, or save the life of the very assassin he's been sent to take down
 And Niko might just be falling in love with him.


Polar Terror

Polar Terror by Reuben Shupp

Alex is so excited about visiting his grandfather for Christmas in Alaska until he realizes he has to fly in an airplane–he is terrified of flying. At the last minute, his parents and brother abandon him. Now Alex has to face his fears and fly alone with complete strangers. Then the unthinkable happens. The plane crashes in the middle of the Alaskan Tundra. He will do anything to survive against the weather and creatures in and out of the plane. All the while learning this was not an accident after all.


A Sparrow Among Stars

A Sparrow Among Stars by Sara Puissegur

Fight or Flight? The sparrow must do both to survive. Determined to keep his stolen crown and the besieged kingdom of Hyrosencia, King Antoine Rexton hunts Garrick loyalists without remorse. When his bloodthirst fixes upon Serena Finch, he orders his Enforcing Army to kill her and anyone who stands between them. Labeled a traitor by the unrelenting sovereign, Serena must flee her idyllic homeland and cross treacherous mountains to seek asylum in the City of Mercy, the last stronghold of Queen Elara Garrick’s realm. As Elara secures alliances through her wedding, Rexton’s son, Crown Prince Anteros, interrogates their newest prisoner—and Serena’s best friend—Talitha Vise, forging an unlikely friendship that could further unravel his father. Guided by the queen’s elite guardians, Serena must learn to wield her father’s sword if she wants to survive the barrage of aggressors in their path. But when faced with dangers untold, will the gentle girl from Durmak find the strength to fight, or will she be caught in the tyrant’s snare?


Glass Kanin

Glass Kanin by Kia Leep

As a rising actor, Kanin's body is his career. His identity. His life. All that is taken from him when he dies and is reborn as a bottle of ink. Now living as the heart of a magical glass servant, Kanin's new purpose is to perform a senile wizard's yard work—a role this world's magic system seems intent on enforcing. All that might have been manageable if a murderous shadow monster wasn't hunting his very soul. But he's not in it alone. Teaming up with an elf whose soul has likewise been trapped in a toy octopus, they recruit help from a devilishly handsome rogue and set off on a journey to break the spell that's trapped them in this state. A wizard owns his body. The magic system has determined his fate. A shadow monster wants to control his mind. But as long as Kanin's soul remains his own, he'll fight to win back his autonomy—or die trying. Again. Glass Kanin's blend of whimsy, humor, and horror will appeal to Ghibli fans looking for queer characters on a quest for their agency while exploring what it means to be human.


Etched In Ink

Etched In Ink by Jessica Salina

In the quest for love and power, you can’t have it all. Sterling Harrison finally achieved his dreams. As the powerful leader of Riverpeak, Colorado’s crime ring, he’s acquired multiple superpowers, including the same immortality granted to his nemesis, the vigilante Hematite. But when he meets Jolene Gautier, he must balance his quest for love and power. Tattoo artist Jolene Gautier can’t sleep thanks to a strange, secret power she can’t uncover. When she reaches out to Hematite, the superhero doesn’t answer – but Sterling does with promises to help. As Jolene falls for Sterling, who teaches her how to use her tattoo manipulation, she slowly learns his secrets. But as Sterling unravels, trying to find a way to keep everything he’s worked so hard for, the final fight with Hematite looms ahead.


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