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Written In Blood (The Oakhurst Murders Book 1) by Alex R Carver A peaceful village torn apart by murder, mistrust, and a desire for revenge. When Oakhurst's daughters begin to turn up, brutally murdered and with accusatory words carved into their skin, the residents of the small, close-knit community are unwilling to believe that one of their own might be a killer. Suspicion falls on the village's newest resident, Zack Wild, attractive, charming, author of violent crime novels, and possessor of a dark history; he seems like the perfect suspect. As the investigation continues, the evidence against Wild mounts, but is prejudice against the newcomer affecting the judgment of Sergeant Mitchell, Constable Turner thinks so, and is prepared to do whatever she must to find the killer, whoever it might be. Who will be proved right, the sergeant or the constable? And will they catch the killer before he can strike again? |
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Some secrets should remain hidden, exposing them can get you killed. Julian wants a normal life, the only trouble is, he isn't normal. When Adam and Harry come into the petrol station looking for trouble, though, their actions threaten to expose his secret, a secret that would make him a wanted man - wanted by lots of people, for lots of reasons. Now he has to leave behind the life he's been building and start over again, but before he does that, Adam and Harry must pay. This is a novella of approx 8,000 words |
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An Unwanted Inheritance (Cas Dragunov Book 1) by Alex R Carver Cas Dragunov knew his brother's plea for help could only spell trouble. Nikolai created more messes than he could ever clear up, but family was family, and Cas couldn't turn his back on him. Alas, he arrived on Dormero Station to find Nikolai dead, but his debt to local crime boss, Valen Massio, very much alive. On the hook for the money, Cas is stuck working for Massio to pay it off. It's a simple job, all he has to do is deliver the package that got his brother killed, while evading both Massio's bloodthirsty rival and the Federal Security Service. Piece of cake, right? |
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Inspector Stone Mysteries Volume 1 (Books 1-3) by Alex R Carver Volume 1 of the Inspector Stone Mysteries, containing books 1-3 Where There's a Will (Book 1) The kidnapping of a child on the way home from school is every parents worst nightmare, for the Keatings it's no nightmare, it's a reality. A reality made worse when it is suspected the Russian Mafia is behind the kidnapping to force Owen Keating to sell his business. Are the rumours true, or is there something else going on? An Eye For An Eye (Book 2) A sudden surge in murders across Branton leaves Nathan Stone wondering if the town has gone made, or if they could all be the work of one man. If so who is it, and why is he killing such a diverse group of people. A Perfect Pose (Book 3) The murder of a teen model draws Nathan Stone back to work after the tragic events of An Eye For An Eye. When rumours surface of abuse at the studio where Ellen Powers worked, Nathan must investigate whether that is why she was murdered, or if her death is connected to her pregnancy. |
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KJK Presents: Vampires by Kevin J. Kennedy, Graham Masterton, Greg F. Gifune, Lee Mountford, Nick Roberts, Richard Chizmar, Michael Bray, Simon Clark A collection of vampire tales from some of horrors best. You will find no friendly vampires between these pages. In these stories, vampires are once again a source of evil, coming from the darkness. If you like your vampire stories with bite, this is for you |
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The Unwanted Prophet by Carolina Cruz Quincy Sauer is in jail. As far as sheâs concerned, that's where she belongs - until a god of death decides otherwise. Heâs got a plan to undermine his own priests and Quincy is his pawn of choice. Going from criminal to prophet would be a difficult transition under even the best circumstances, but Quincyâs luck is about to turn from bad to worse as corrupt priests, cults, and threats unknown stand between her and the answer to her greatest questions: Has the god of life and death made a terrible mistake? And if he has, who is going to pay the price for it? The Unwanted Prophet is the debut novel of Carolina Cruz. If you enjoy low-magic fantasy, character-driven stories, and diverse fictional worlds, the Unwanted Prophet has something for you to enjoy! |
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Under Pressure: Inspector Stone Mysteries #6 by Alex R Carver Nathan Stone hasn't long got back from a holiday, but he could already do with another one. Between a murder, an unexplained drowning, a trio of assaults, a missing teen, and an interdepartmental dispute over jurisdiction, he's under so much pressure he barely has time to sleep. All of that would be bad enough without one of the assaults having occurred on his best friend, Louisa Orchard, leaving her in the same ITU where his wife died. He's determined to catch the people responsible, despite the strain that such a busy caseload and worry over his best friend is having on him. Can he keep himself together and awake long enough to solve the cases and hopefully see Louisa recover from her injuries? |
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A Stone's Throw: Inspector Stone Mysteries #5 by Alex R Carver A dead body really ruins your holiday. During a much-needed break in Devon, Inspector Nathan Stone finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation when the wife of the owner of the hotel is found killed. The last person to see her alive, he must contend with the suspicions of the local police. The arrival of a storm that isolates the small village of Donningford from the outside world changes everything, however, and Nathan must take charge of the investigation. A second murder drives home a frightening fact: Nathan, the other guests, and the hotel staff are sharing a roof with a hate-filled killer who will stop at nothing to exact revengeâŠand to prevent the police from discovering the truth. |
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Imago: A Dystopian Gothic by Matthew Zakharuk Tresor Institute accepts only the worthy, and Ada CÄlinescu is anything but. Intractable, mannish, a child of convicted terrorists, she can at best hope to be overlooked. Yet somehow the Institute accepts her application for transfer. Her ticket to the polar town of Heilung, home of the Institute, arrives free of charge. Her only chance to forge a brighter future. Except Heilung welcomes Ada with news of a brutal murder. Militiamen stalk the town, keen to fill their arrest quotasâand Ada knows she could make an easy scapegoat. At every turn the bloody conspiracy follows her, from the halls of Tresor to the arms of a stranger she yearns to make hers. What starts as a dalliance risks putting Ada at odds with the Bureau itself. And then expulsion will be the least of her concerns. |
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Milo Nelson has learned plenty of things from necessity: how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, how to shave his face. Heâs also learned that the truth may hurt, but the fantasy of a life he canât have hurts even more, so when Richard Remington Abernathy III waltzes back into his life two years after the end of their definitely-not-a-relationship and says heâs changed, that dog wonât hunt. Remiâs drug of choice is denial, and heâs always been one hell of an addict. The only things heâs ever committed to are the expectations of his good Christian family, and Milo knows those donât include a trans librarian even in the role of friend or roommate. Despite everything, a part of Milo wants to believe that Remi is capable of change; heâs just not sure that the time it takes to find out is worth the risk of being hurt again. |
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The One Exiled: A YA Sci-Fi Adventure by Jennifer Lewy Yesterday, she was a savior. Today, she is an outcast. Seventeen-year-old Rayne and her friends have just averted a disaster, stopping a shadow AI from wreaking havoc on their world. However, their relief is short-lived. In the aftermath, Rayne and her boyfriend, Vic, are blamed for the chaos. As punishment, their Threadsâtheir lifeblood and sole connection to the virtual Games they createâare severed, and Rayne and Vic are exiled, on the run⊠alone. To add to their woes, the neighboring community falls victim to a ruthless assault by the Settler rebelsâa radical anti-tech group dedicated to annihilating the AI that safeguards their world. Now, Rayne and her friends must find the Settlers, uncover their plans, and prevent them from striking againâbecause this time the Settlersâ target is Rayneâs own home, and everyone she holds dear. Her only hope lies in surviving long enough to track down Freyaâs Path, a legendary faction of coders, and persuading them to join her cause. But time is running out. It's a no-holds-barred-race that leads Rayne on a perilous journey and into the deeper darkness of the secrets lurking within her own path. And in this race, the only prize for second place is certain, lonely death⊠as The One Exiled. Mixing the excitement and wit of Ernest Clineâs Ready Player One, the cyberpunk suspense of Marie Luâs Warcross, and the sci-fi dystopia of James Dashnerâs The Maze Runner, The One Exiled is the second thrilling book in Jennifer Lewyâs post-apocalyptic young adult series, Game of Paradise. Dive into the exhilarating adventure today! |
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Silver Fire (Chronicles of Asgard: Awakening, #2) by Laura Brewer, Roland Brewer Rowan and Alvinariâs smooth routine is shattered by hordes of mordkii, larger and far better equipped than any theyâve ever seen, approach their borders. Rowan calls up every fighter and mage across the kingdom. Odin musters Asgard, but they are still horribly outnumbered.They block the advance, but when Alvinari breaks her spear, the replacement sheâs given bursts into flame â and so does she. Her fire incinerates the enemies sheâs facing â and almost consumes her friends. Hel has just begun to stir wars across the land and on the sea, unleashing demons. No place is safe. |
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Into The Fire: Inspector Stone Mysteries #4 by Alex R Carver The past just won't stay dead for Nathan Stone. When the Larsson Studio and its owner suffer a series of attacks, Nathan Stone must not only figure out who is responsible, he must try to lay to rest the rumours that have led to them. Rumours that have been encouraged by the local paper. Just as he is putting that case to bed a body is discovered in a burned out car in Branton Wood, a car that is connected to Kurt Walker, the man who murdered his family. Nathan must decide whether he is the right man to investigate, and figure out how a man who has been dead for nine months can be connected to a body that is only days old. Is it a coincidence, or is there something more going on? |
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The Amulet and the Dragon by R. A. Klepsis What do you get for the prince who has everything? This question is on the mind of Rizo Malkin after he and Cordela Shent are invited to the wedding of their friend Prince Prothar. Rizo also wonders what he is going to do with himself now that he's learned all the magic he needs. But his chief concern is unlocking the secrets of the ruby amulet he âfoundâ on his last venture. Cordela has questions of her own, such as why she, the savior of the world, is stuck teaching hieroglyphics class. When Rizo requests her help to investigate his amulet, she eagerly joins him. Besides, she couldn't very well let him get into trouble by himself. During the resulting quest, Cordela, Rizo and their friends learn how perilous it can be to get exactly what they want. It might even cost them their friendships. Revisit Cordela's world, first introduced in Water Against Chaos. Experience all the excitement, dangers, surprises and shenanigans of her latest adventure, based on events of an actual tabletop fantasy roleplaying campaign. Spoiler alert: there may be a dragon involved. |
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A Perfect Pose: Inspector Stone Mysteries #3 by Alex R Carver A dead model, a studio suspected of abuse, and a depressed detective. Three months after losing his family in a deadly blaze the discovery of a teenage girl's body on the riverbank draws Nathan Stone back to work and into a complicated case. Ellen Powers was a popular internet model with many adoring fans, so who would want to kill her? The investigation soon turns up many secrets, including the fact that Ellen was pregnant and planning an abortion. Was the studio she worked for covering up a dark secret of exploitation? Or was this a crime of passion? When Ellen's stepbrother is attacked soon after her body is discovered Nathan is sure there's a connection. The guy's not talking, though; what is he so determined to keep secret, even if it puts his life at risk? As the case deepens and they discover more about the murdered teen can Nathan Stone overcome his demons to find justice for an innocent young woman? |
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An Eye For An Eye: Inspector Stone Mysteries #2 by Alex R Carver Revenge comes to Branton. Inspector Stone's past catches up to him with blood and flames. A series of murders rocks the small town of Branton and leaves Inspector Stone with his toughest case, one which may see him paying a tremendous personal price if he canât solve it quick enough. At first glance the murder of the wife and mother of an Asian shopkeeper appears racially motivated, and the local paper is quick to stir up tensions within the community. Another murder, this time the husband of a local barrister, an attack on a trio of teens, and the discovery of a previously unreported murder all lead Stone to the conclusion that something more than racism is at work. Before he can work out what connects these seemingly unrelated events he is distracted by the most tragic of events. Can Stone and his partner pull themselves together long enough to figure out who is responsible for bringing terror to the streets of Branton, or will the killer complete his fiendish plan and make good his escape? |
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The Dragon's Wrath Bounty by Patrick Dugan Cowboy Bebop meets the Witcher With the Ashen Orb in hand, Saria and the Shadow Blades return to Moonbourne to collect payment for their retrieval mission. But perhaps they were too successful, for now the temperamental sorceress Brar Opalback, whom Saria already suspects of deception, wants to hire them for a second job. Pretty please can they infiltrate the Dwarven capital to steal another teeny tiny artifact? After barely surviving the last bounty from Opalback, the Blades reject the offer in favor of a nice, simple missing person case. Or it would be simple, if a rampaging dragon didnât seem bent on becoming their new worst enemy. When a dragon is hot on your trail, itâs far too literal, and it doesnât help when your missing person turns out to be some kind of tricksy wizard. All that Saria and the Blades want is to make Southern Holm a little safer and earn enough coin for food and festivities while theyâre at it. But now it looks like theyâre todayâs special on a dragonâs menu. |
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Never Steal from Dragons by Patrick Dugan Welcome to Hub! Just a few simple rules apply: 1. Never Steal from Dragons 2. See Rule #1 3. Never Work for Dragons In Hub, a city of treachery and deceit, Gelsey, a pixie, is one of the best thieves around. When a smash and grab assignment turns into a job interview with a powerful dragon, Gelsey finds herself a part of a crew including five more of the best criminals Hub has to offer. Her crew includes Silai, a con artist with a deadly secret. Kelthar, a mage whoâs bent on self-destruction. Aikila, a smuggler set on avenging her father's murder. Nyx, a hacker coming off a busted run, and Lorcan, a mercenary whose child is being held hostage. The dragon pulls all their strings, forcing them to accept an impossible job: break into a fortress nobody in all of Hubâs long history has ever cracked. And if they fail, theyâll end up dead one way or another. A wild mix of fairy tale and Cyberpunk that hits all the marks of classic crime capers. Reads like Elmore Leonard and Neil Stephenson playing D&D in a pixie-infested bar and having the time of their lives way past last call. Kat Richardson, Bestselling author of the Greywalker novels Dugan weaves an excellent heist story by blending the fantasy, cyberpunk, and even noir genres. The world building is top notch, including the lore which uses familiar creatures, but in new ways. This is the book for you if you enjoy cyberpunk, urban fantasy, heist stories, or any combination thereof! Bishop O'Connell Author of American Faerie Tale series and Two-Gun Witch |
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The Ashen Orb Bounty by Patrick Dugan Cowboy Bebop meets the Witcher In a land torn asunder by a monstrous invasion, the only thing protecting the enclaves of thinking people in Southern Holm are high walls and the valiant warrior troops that strive to beat back the hordes, one troll at a time. When Saria and her Shadow Blades are asked to take on a secret bounty to retrieve a magical artifact from a forgotten temple, Sariaâs suspicions arenât aroused.Sheâs too busy hiring an archer and preparing their new mage to worry about anything but the job ahead of them. At least not until another troop attempts to collect a bountyâon the Shadow Bladesâ heads. Saria should have known better than to accept a mission to recover this Ashen Orb for the notorious sorceress Brar Opalback. After surviving the assassination attempt, she and her fellow warriorsâLithia, the shadow fae archer, Perric, the human paladin, Ayre, the elven thief, and Jileli, the half succubus blood mageâmust outwit wild and deadly forests, ingenious traps, and undead armies if they hope to get any answers. It would be a shame to die without ever finding out who wanted you dead. |
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Beginnings: The Omniscients by Kevin Marstall BEGINNINGS â The Omniscients â Book 2 Los Angeles, CA - Itâs late 1993, as Detective Jason Markham embarks on a new investigation, one that will challenge his patience, his methods, and ultimately his mind. A heinous crime, an innocent victim, and a partner with whom working together is more difficult than solving the case. Struggling to train his attention on the clues in the continuing series of burglaries, instead Jasonâs heart and mind remain focused on his personal investigation into the disappearance of the woman he loves. Driven to find her and know that she is safe, Markhamâs actions stretch his physical, emotional, and mental state dangerously to its limits. New and old friends alike lend their support to Jason, but the detectiveâs tumultuous battle rages on against his new partner, his generations of memories that seem just beyond his grasp, and worst of all his own sense of self. |
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Discoveries: The Omniscients by Kevin Marstall DISCOVERIES â The Omniscients Los Angeles, CA - Itâs 1993 and Detective Jason Markham faces a new case, unlike any heâs seen before. A nameless victim, no clues, and not a soul to care about the manâs unfortunate death. To make matters worse, sleepless nights, haunted by his memories, have him on the edge, and now a few chance encounters send his previously ordered life spiraling dangerously out of control. Love, friendship, betrayal, all swirling around him and threatening to consume his mind, Jasonâs heart desires to trust but is thrust into conflict with generations of wisdom passed down to him from his father and grandfathers before him. |
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The Collectorâs Lost Things by Jessica A McMinn Blind Those Who See⊠Rei-Hai Shaw is a Collector, and he is very good. At just thirteen years old, Rei became the youngest recruit ever to join the ranks of the Tower, the shadowy organisation that oversees the fulfilment of Whytâhallenâs darkest requests. Favoured by the masters but distrusted by his peers, Rei comes to learn the price of his accolades when the Tower demands more than the simple procurement of trinkets. They want him to steal lives, too. When his latest missions thrusts him back into the world of his childhood, Rei is painfully reminded of all he left behindâand what he canât bear to lose again. Includes additional short story, The King & His Shadow. |
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Balfairâs Confinement by Phil Williams Isolated in the derelict estate of the engineer Balfair, with only a miserable fellow slave for company, Deni dreams of changing her arduous life. When her master drags something new from the swamp and excludes her from his secretive project, she finally sees her chance. Deni will do whatever it takes to break free - even if it means bringing the full weight of the war-mongering Guard down on Balfair. The results may be devastating, but they will notice her at last - and she will be free. Balfairâs Confinement is a return to the cloud-covered post-apocalyptic land of Estalia, where the fossils of an ancient civilisation are revived in new and terrifying technologies. Loosely connected to the novel Wixonâs Day, this novella is a full, standalone story of an isolated household in a changing world. |
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Weâre All Monsters Here by Amy Marsden When Anna is invited to a secluded retreat full of selfish, greedy humans, of course she doesnât say no. Not only did she manipulate the CEO of the worldâs largest oil corporation, Peter Beyer, into organising the four-day getaway in the first place, but no self-respecting vampire would ever turn down such easy prey. Her weekend gets even better when she meets Saira, one of Peter Beyerâs employees, and they begin a whirlwind affair. Blood and beautiful women are Annaâs idea of a great time. She should have known it was too good to be true. Hunters are dangerous, deadly, and dedicated to eradicating vampires. When a group of them turn up at the retreat, Anna must use her centuries of experience to escape their ever-closing net. Will she get out unscathed, or will they finally catch up to her? Will she give into her intense and unexpected feelings for Saira, or will she leave her to burn as she destroys all evidence she was ever there? A fresh twist on urban fantasy, with an added splash of sapphic romance. |
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With everyone he cares about either dead or long absent, Cowl Coven has lost interest in life. Despite the endless distractions of a high-profile job as a programmer in the Hub and nightly runs into the chasm below for the black market, he still finds himself looking for a way out. When a hacked piece of data reveals what seems to be human life on the desolate, alien-infested surface of Earth, he thinks he might have just found it. What he finds instead is secret government project that has destroyed the lives of thousands. Human beings are being mangled and equipped with mechanical devices that rob them of all self-agency. Cowl is forced to decide if he will hold on to a safe life he doesn't really want or if he's going to accept the danger to save one of the victims |
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The Collector by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets They were kidnapped. Nobody knows where they are. They all receive instructions to follow the path through the forest. What they discover will come as a true shock. The truth is hidden under a veil of secrets. |
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From the Ashes by B. S. H. Garcia The civil war ends now. Igtheos and his rebels have fought tirelessly against a would-be dictator and his army for almost two years. The city theyâve holed up in has become a prison, soon to be a tomb if they cannot arrange a means of escape. When the enemy leader offers an armistice thatâs too good to be true, Igtheos reluctantly accepts, thinking it will buy him enough time to smuggle those loyal to him out of the city. But he quickly learns the cost of choosing hope over caution as he finds himself caught in his enemyâs sinister plan, fighting a final unexpected battle. Failure means death, or worse, the loss of his loved ones. And he only has one night to determine everyoneâs fate. From the Ashes is a prequel novelette that takes place over two thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadowsâvolume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. |
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The Godmother by Katherine D Graham Flames rise on the horizon. The Godmother rises to meet them. Eliza Farrington the Third is the top Fairy Warrior in the universe, undefeated in both magic and physical strength. She is also The Godmother -- the protector and trainer of the Fairy Crown Princess. For twenty years Eliza has prepared her charge to bring change to the rule of terror the tyrannical Fairy King and Queen have inflicted upon the worlds. The Princess's kindness and mercy are already renowned, and her coronation is only a month away. But the Dragon Emperor's legions landing on their doorstep threatens everything. When the Dragon Emperor presents the sole remaining royal Dragon Egg to the Fair Folk with a deadly proposal, can Eliza change the fate of her beloved Princess? Or will the hate of multiple generations snuff out their only flame of hope? |
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A terrifying body horror novella. Sometimes you are your own worst enemy. Margaretâs unhappy with her life. Overweight, overwhelmed and passed over. When her neighbor gives her a gift, she wakes up a new person - or three. Now Dot, Peggy and Daisy have the freedom to pursue their career, creativity, and darkest obsessions. But is it any easier living with yourself when there are three of you? And why, when they can indulge their cravings, are they still holding themselves back? Perhaps getting what you want, and eating it too, does not lead to happiness. From the author of the 7th Hell series comes a body horror fairy tale about self-talk, self-hate, and insatiable hunger. |
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First Contact Last Resort by Singularative Ranch A team of scientists must prove their surprising discovery or surrender it to conspiracy in this breakout soft sci-fi series exploring the pitfalls and virtues of human nature. In 2033, a rogue experiment in a Berkeley astrophysics professorâs lab leads to discoveries that astound humanityâbut have uncertain consequences for the planet. Those uncertainties incite a popular conspiracy theorist to spread apocalyptic doom. The discoveries also stir heretical ideas that provoke a firebrand religious crusader and her acolytes to vilify the leader of the Berkeley lab, a young professor striving to advance her career. While battling to overcome all that often violent backlash, the roller coaster lives of the professor and her colleagues careen into even more chaos when their collaborations with a gutsy biotech entrepreneur, an alt-lifestyle activist, and a divergently-developed child reshape societyâin beneficial but also divisive ways. As the intimate stories of this cadre of trailblazers unfold in the face of this changing world, some will be triumphant. Others tragic. The First Contact Last Resort series dramatizes how civilization is revolutionized by a chain of new technologies, scientific discoveries, and social movements. This crisply written saga of raw human experience will make you question our destinyâand our origins. |
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Monarchâs Mission by Emma L Adams As a squad leader who frequently rides a ferocious war dragon into battle for the nation of Laria, Yala is used to narrowly escaping death. Her sole objective in war is get her team back home in one piece, and sheâs never had cause to pay attention to the gods or the Disciples who wield their power. Until, that is, her monarch sends her team on a covert mission to seize control of a mysterious island. At first glance, the island contains nothing but the ruins of a long-abandoned temple, but a closer look yields a shocking discovery. The temple belonged to adherents of the god of death, Mekan, the one deity whose power is forbidden in Laria. Trapped and surrounded by the forces of the dead, Yala soon finds herself fighting for her life amid the ruins. Even if she pulls off a miracle and gets her team out alive, nobody walks away unscathed from the god of death⊠|
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Lira is an innocent little girl, struggling to survive in a cruel, heartless world. As her father dies, she is left to fend for herself. Each day is a desperate and exhausting search for food, scouring through the Abyss, the only home she knows. Acute awareness does not always protect her from the very real risk of cannibalization or worse-- being abducted. This is a horrifying reality that no child should have to face in a brutally poetic tale |
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A Wolf in Thiefâs Clothing by Lily Anne Crow Phrai joins a crew to pull off a dangerous heist. Little do her fellow thieves know that the end of their job is just the beginning of hers. |
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Huntress of the Hearts by Blanka H. Madow One minute heâs living the magical life he was supposed to â and the next, going on a mission to a human land. When the warrior, Avieles, is asked to bring humans to the land of the witches, he can't resist the challenge. He assembles a team of eleven witches, each with unique birthstones and abilities to assist him. He arrives and discovers that humans aren't as helpless as he believed, and most of all, they don't want to be saved. Faced with convincing five factions of the human race that he's their only hope of survival, he must use everything in his arsenal from threats to charm all in hopes of saving them all. One person stands between him and his mission, and she's the one he desperately needs to save. |
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The World-Maker Parable by Luke Tarzian Guilt will always call you back... Rhona is a faithful servant of the country JĂ©moon and a woman in love. Everything changes when her beloved sets the ravenous Vulture goddess loose upon the land. Forced to execute the woman she loves for committing treason, Rhona discovers a profound correlation between morality and truth. A connection that might save her people or annihilate them all. You are a lie... VarĂ©sh LĂșm-talĂ© is many things, most of all a genocidal liar. A falsity searching for the Phoenix goddess whom he believes can help him rectify his atrocities. Such an undertaking is an arduous one for a man with missing memories and a conscience set on rending him from inside out. A man whose journey leads to Hang-Dead Forest and a meeting with a Vulture goddess who is not entirely as she seems. |
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In the Lab of Love by Melissa Bobe Genevieve loves her life as a witch in Dela City, even if the local witch authorities are a bit of a drag (and Genevieve should know, as her big sister is one such authority). But when the city at large catches word of a scientist who has supposedly invented a cure for all things love and romance, Genevieve is intrigued. Is Dr. Alta Anoma for real? Or is she just another witch trying to capitalize off of a basic love potion? Always a bit too curious for her own good, Genevieve decides to investigate. What she discovers makes her question everything she knows about the politics of magic in her beloved home city. Meanwhile, Dr. Anoma's work continues to garner attention, and the Dela City witch authorities are not about to take the threat of exposure lying down⊠|
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Molting of a Queen by Peter Foote Can a new world heal an old wound? Nina Carson is a part of a health & safety team and wants nothing more than to curl up with a bottle of wine to drown out the voice of her long-dead twin brother. But when the teamâs helicopter hits a mysterious storm and falls through a hole in the sky, it crashes on an alien world ruled by insects, and everything changes. Survival in this alien world requires more than finding water & shelter. It also means Nina must learn to trust her own instincts â even when they go against all sheâs ever learned. Because something in this strange world is trying to make a mental connection with her, and its intent is unknown. |
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After being infected with nanites from a dead Pax Romana super-soldier, Genevieve should have died, like every other infected civilian. Instead she survived, remade in the image of the so-called Installs. Unable to truly trust her any longer, her people send her deep into Pax Romana space with a mission: upload a virus to destroy the Install reserves. When she arrives, she finds not the reserves but the self-destructive dregs of the program, the few who didnât die on the battlefield. Not allowed to retire, these Installs are charged with watching over dying infected civiliansâbut Genevieve knows those deaths aren't inevitable. To win a chance to save them, all she has to do is confess that she's from a conquered, enemy planet, to the empire's most efficient killers. |
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Shattered Magic by Emily Huffman Rocco has his future figured out. One magical tournament is all that stands between him and admission to the Academy--the most prestigious school for magic in the world and the place where he will finally belong. But when a mysterious stranger shows up with an offer from the God of Magic himself, Rocco is left with a choice: swear fealty to the god or follow his own path. Fueled by the desire to realize his dreams, Rocco plunges forward, but the God of Magic cannot be ignored, and Rocco soon learns there is more to lose than just the tournament... |
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Manticore Park by Quenby Olson When Mrs. Rachel MacGinley arrives at Llewellyn Park, it is with little more than the clothes on her back and a wall around her heart. Falling prey to her affections has harmed her in the past, and she is determined not to let it happen again. But at the first sight of Mr. Rhys, the enigmatic beast of a man who will live and work with her at Llewellyn Park, the protections sheâs so carefully constructed around herself begin to crumble. And so she must ask herself, can she continue to keep her heart under lock and key? Or does she even wish to? *100% of both ebook and KU royalties will be donated to the Juniata County Food Pantry in Pennsylvania* |
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Solace of Memory by Allegra Pescatore Midwinter is a time for Remembrance. When the candles are lit, the dead walk among the living. Devotions are renewed, vigils are held, and forgotten souls find their peace. But for Gabriel, who has never believed in the Gods, there is little peace to be had. Gabeâs last year at the Academy of Tirit Mindel promised to be a great one: good friends, a chance at a coveted spot in the College of Science, and work that he loved at the school clinic. All that was changed by the call for volunteer medical students to assist in an outbreak of wasting fever. Working with the dying in the sweltering heat of southern Miriel was hard, but coming back from the front lines of the epidemic might prove even harder. Haunted by what he saw and faced with unexpected personal loss, for Gabe, this Midwinter would be different than all those before it. For the first time in his life, Gabe needs a little faith, and what the Gods wonât provide, his friends and found family might be able to help with. |
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Becoming Solo by Joyce Reynolds-Ward WHAT WILL A WITCH DO TO SAVE THE MAGIC FAIR THAT PROTECTS HER POWERS? Yesenia Cruz is ambitious. She wants to become a Solo witch, one who doesnât need to renounce her powers at age twenty-one unless she becomes part of a protective family spell matrix. She has plans with her best friend, Kirsten Rogers, to open a boutique selling magic-spelled goods to the non-magical. But. In order to become Solo, Yesenia needs to win the Bright Star Magic Fair crown for a third year. She canât afford the academy that will qualify her to become Solo. Her family wants her to give up her dreams of becoming Solo, marry Saul Ramos and become part of the Cruz family spell matrix. And a strange new witch, Shadow the Question, from a Lost Fair, is a potential challengerâeven as Yesenia and Kirsten become aware of a new threat to Bright Star Fair. They have to draw on Shadowâs knowledge to save Bright Starâbut is Shadowâs knowledge sufficient? Can these three witches save the Fair? For if Bright Star failsâthen all magic fails. Eventually. |
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A Wild Heritance prequel novella from a time before Duplicity of Power. An impossible theft, a dangerous duel, and a scheme that could too easily fail⊠all for a place among the Shadowers, guild of rogues⊠Just shy of her eighteenth year, Namid has been preparing for this moment for two years. Her chance to become a Shadower! Before she can take her place in this select guild of rogues in Rhadanthus, city of thieves and thugs, she faces her Trial: a demanding ordeal designed to test the limits of her skills with weapons and thievery. All Namid must do is overcome this final test â survive and succeed at it â to earn acceptance within the Shadowers as one of their own. With challenges facing her both in the city and from within the guild itself, Namid is determined that nothing will keep her from her goal. She only hopes that sheâs not outmatched⊠|
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Sunset on Maior Pales by Benjamin X Wretlind CYN-4329-2316-ACBS-092134853a--known to itself as Cletus and assigned a male gender in one of its first acts as an AI consciousness--has a bug in its programming. Against all logic, the ghost of a young man has muddled its circuits and promised to give it a soul...provided one small thing that only a self-aware robot with a yearning to self-actualize can do. After centuries of exploration, humans are finally on the move to settle new worlds. To better facilitate settlement, advance teams of sentient robots have been sent ahead to build new towns and roll out the red carpet for the arrival of their masters. Now, just one month before the big event known as Arrival, Cletus is about to mess it all up. The ghost of Boone Richards claims his family was murdered hundreds of years ago, and on board the shuttle that will deliver the humans to the western-themed town of Free Point, the direct descendant of that murderer has put together a gang of other outlaws to wreak havoc on the newly dubbed planet Maior Pales. When the ghost of Booneâs sister, Delphine, speaks up, Cletus finds himself faced with a dilemma for which its programming is incapable of processing. How do you follow orders when doing so would break one law but not doing so would break another? And just how does a robot gain a soul? |
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Roxy Buckles and the Flight of the Sparrow by Nicole Little Exterminator ROXY BUCKLES, a bounty hunter-cum-mercenary, lives on Aurora, a highly advanced Earth-2 planet in a solar system on the flip side of the Milky Way. At the helm of Buckles & Associates, Roxy takes down space thugs and alien lawbreakers with relish. Her longsuffering best friend, SUKI KWAN, runs the office with an iron fist. She desperately wants Roxy to let go of the past. But Roxy is consumed by a need for revenge⊠Ten years ago, Roxyâs fiancĂ©, SAM SPARROW, a high-ranking fly-guy at The Academy for Intergalactic Law Enforcement, stood accused of a heinous crime â setting a bomb that destroyed The Academy, killing hundreds of innocent people and leaving Suki Kwan with near fatal injuries. Sparrow insisted his innocence but then he escaped custody, disappearing from the authoritiesâ eyes⊠That day, Roxy swore she would bring him to justice, one way or another. Perhaps her time has finally come. |
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One miniature girl leads her human and fairy people to decolonize Venus in this speculative, queer-inclusive reimagining of Thumbelina. A Dutch company known as The Bedrijf commences colonizing Venus via the construction of a dome filled with plants that convert its natural air into something breathable by humans. Since all workers are granted permission to bear a child, a woman and her spouse join the crew. But the woman soon discovers she is plagued with infertility. When her spouse illegally brings home a tulip from the garden, they discover a miniature baby inside who they name Bloemetje - little bloom. As the baby grows in mere days into a teenager, pushing her boundaries, she illuminates the true horrors of colonization and leads them all on a journey to decolonize. This retelling takes the original Thumbelinaâs focus on marriage and flips it on its head, granting the miniature girl a strong voice of her own and questioning her removal from the fairy world. Exploring themes of childlessness, adoption, being childfree by choice, colonization, decolonization, negative impacts of capitalism, and what LGBTQIA+ inclusive societies can look like, this novelette comes in 17 bite-sized episodes perfect for reading in the small snippets of time available to modern individuals and families. Early readers called this âtransportingâ and âintriguing.â The âjourney is beautiful,â and the ending is âdeeply satisfying.â âA great escape read that also made me think, and itâs both quick and engrossing.â *A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, a Native American-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit. |
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Serenissima by Orazia Moritmer Would you risk knowing the future? Venice, 1470. The city is filled with rumours of a Turkish fleet sailing the Mediterranean. Isabetta Zorzi, who walks the fine line of being a respectable courtesan, worries about the for-now distant threat. That threat seems even more distant to her twin, Catarina, living a quiet scholar's life in a convent. But a chance encounter with a sailor changes that. They now possess a magic glass gem that Catarina can use to see the future. It's a future no one wants to see: a future where Venice's colonies fall to Ottoman armies, while the Venetian fleet does nothing. The women can't tell anyone what they know, though, because they would be denounce for witchcraft. They need a man, but the only one who knows about the glass gem is a runaway slave from an enemy city. Can a courtesan, a nun, and a (former?) slave save Venice? |
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The Darkest Curse by Rachel Rowlands Annice's hair is cursed. It kills every other living thing it touches. And no one knows the cure. Locked away in a tower ever since she can remember, Annice longs to be free to travel and live a normal life. But she knows the outside world must be protected from her, as her mother Gothel always reminds her. She's even tried cutting her hair off, but the dark magic means it always grows back with a vengeance. Annice passes her days playing music, with only limited visits from her mother. When the handsome, well-travelled bard Cyrus passes her tower and hears her playing her lyre, Annice knows she shouldn't get involved with him. But his lifestyle and adventure stories draw her in, and she soon finds herself longing more fiercely for a life outside. When she begins a fresh search for answers about her curse, she unravels a web of deceit that will change everything she thought she knew about love and family. This novella introduces a series of standalone fairytale retellings set in the world of Nethervale. The Darkest Curse is a Rapunzel retelling with a sweet love story, cosy vibes, and a splash of darkness and adventure. |
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A disgraced warrior seeks an honorable death on the battlefield, but an eldritch god has other plans for her. |
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Nyarai: Traveler of the Circle by Noor Al-Shanti When her grandmother is kidnapped from their small farming village Nyarai sets out to find her and bring her back home. In a town on the edge of the Kingdom of Jade she stumbles upon a small orphanage and uncovers a dark secret that brings back memories of the Giant War she escaped as a child and propels her into an impossible quest. A quest that pits her against the terrifying Sorcerers of the High Kingdoms. Join Nyarai on an adventure that takes her from the highest peaks of the High Kingdoms to the darkest secrets below the ground... |