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In the Spirit of Christmas by William Beck All the warmth and cheer of Christmas can't thaw a frozen heart. To some, Christmas is a time of family and love. Moments to cherish and joy to share. But not for Ebenezer Scrooge. After the tragic loss of his wife Marley, Christmas has become a beacon to grief, and a life long since lost. This Christmas Eve, his wife will return. But, will Ebenezer have the strength to confront a painful past in order to save a once-promising future? |
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The Hanged Man by K.D. Edwards Book 2 in The Tarot Sequence. Rune Saint John, heir to the fallen Sun Court, finds clues to his Companion Brand’s past on a mission into the ruins of his family estate. But while he’s still agonizing over whether to tell Brand, a more pressing matter arises. Rune’s ward, Max, is nearly kidnapped by the Hanged Man, who has asserted a marriage claim on the young man. Rune isn’t about to lose Max to the Hanged Man and his court, the Gallows, which is known to have unhealthy interests in necromancy and mutilation magics. Urgency will lead Rune and Brand to the family of an old servant, whose own son has fallen into the Hanged Man’s orbit. In going to her aid, Rune may find a way to free both young men, but only if he’s willing to gamble everything on a decision that will change his life forever. |
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Holding Up the Sky by Rebecca Alasdair A closeted Australian teen learns that there are some things love alone can’t conquer in this novel for fans of Heartstopper, Adam Silvera, and Sophie Gonzales. Everyone knows Carter Cantwell: brainiac, music nerd, school captain. Total overachiever. What no one knows about him: all of it is a sham. The real Carter is an anxious mess still drowning in grief after tragedy ripped his family apart. He’s just gotten good at pretending. Then he meets Remy. Brazen, charming, and everything he’s not, Remy blazes into Carter’s orderly world and turns his defences to ash. But as Carter juggles new responsibilities at school, old troubles at home, and this boy he can’t seem to stay away from, he starts cracking under the pressure. With his secrets leaking out and all that he’s worked for falling apart in his hands, Carter faces the hardest choice of his life: succumb to his demons, or fight for the future he never knew he wanted. But when you’re lost in the dark, how do you find your way back? |
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Ilia has never feared the sea. But when her sister vanishes on a clear night under a river of stars known as the Quiet, Ilia is the only person in her village who believes Adana is still alive. To find the truth, Ilia will wade into the ancient lore of her people armed only with her childhood journal, her wits, and a trio of enchanted relics that have lost their magic. Adana is out there somewhere—but so are the mythical, fearsome beings who dwell in the deep. A second-world fairy tale about believing in magic after we’ve grown up and about healing the old wounds that haunt us with the help of love we find along the way. This book is written in British English and includes relative diction. |
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River of Thorns: An Elven Gods and Mortals Fantasy Romance (The Waters Aeon Book Four) by Sylvie Greenhart A blisteringly cranky apothecary . . . Siúdar didn’t ask to be stuck caring for a comatose god–especially one known for both bloodshed and greed. But since she fell out of the sky and almost literally into his lap, no one else will take responsibility for her, and Siúdar is as stalwart to duty as he is stubborn. He can’t decide which is stronger: his resentment or the instinct to protect her. A still-grieving mother-god remembered only for war . . . Cladánei is just trying to get home. She remembers waking in tomb, she remembers one of her magical artefacts spinning out of control with the force of a hurricane, and she remembers her flight over the sea. After that, she remembers nothing but a haunting melody and the torment of her long-dead son’s face . . . until she opens her eyes to find the world has painted her not as a god of life but as a god whose hands are red with blood. Unwilling to be shipped off to strange mages to be poked and prodded, Cladánei refuses to subject herself to the indignity of letting others decide her fate. Siúdar is as bullheaded as he is dedicated to his arts, and after saving Cladánei’s life more than once, he’s not about to let her run off into the wilderness to waste his hard work. The waters have willed it, but even fated love demands more than magic to overcome the wounds of the past. Even gods deserve a second chance. |
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River of Veils (The Waters Aeon Book Three) by Sylvie Greenhart A snarky sailor . . . Scia lets no one know her except her beloved sister BĂ–she’s perfectly happy sailing the rivers of DiacilĂ© on a merchant ship to provide for BĂ’s studies until her unscrupulous captain asks her to take the place of his first mate and, by proxy, become complicit in his swindling. She knows her choice could make a splash, but she doesn’t expect it to be so literal. A god who has run out of tricks . . . Muánne is known for showing everyone in the world a different mask instead of his true face. With his grand plans thousands of years behind him in the blink of an eye and a shaky truce with Giam and TiathĂ©na, he figures he might as well go home. But in the harbours of SiĂşchdrei, he finds far more than he bargained for. An ancient tool falls into his lap. His magic comes raging back . . . and Muánne is plunged headfirst into a strange new world where the joke’s on him. Scia seems to see the masked god as he truly is, but can either of them trust their own eyes? With storms raging and hearts laid bare, a whisper of the waters draws them closer together. The waters have willed it, but even fated love requires more than magic to overcome the wounds of the past. *** An elven gods and mortals fantasy romance set in a queer-inclusive second world where magic is mundane and relationships between any and all genders are commonplace, the elven world of DiacilĂ© is a place that, for many earthlings, would feel quite different. Future books will include f/f, nb/f, m/m, and other pairings. The Waters Aeon are written in British English, so some spelling and punctuation conventions may differ from American norms. May the waters bless you, reader. |
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River of Dreams (The Waters Aeon Book Two) by Sylvie Greenhart A black sheep . . . Maithin is a stranger among the people she has known all her life. Seen as cursed by her kin and tolerated at best, her one respite has been an all-too-brief journey to help an injured man . . . until she literally falls into a tomb with a just-waking god and finds herself caught between his need for her knowledge and the fierce, wild woman hunting him. A hunter on the prowl . . . Tiathéna hates being wrong. She especially hates being wrong when it means the oldest of the gods, famed stick-in-the mud that he is, was right. But even waking to depleted magic and an unfamiliar world cannot get the god of the hunt down for long—not when she catches the scent of her prey and discovers the woman he’s taken from her people is far more enticing. Step by step and mile by mile, a whisper of the waters draws them closer together. The waters have willed it, but even fated love requires more than magic to overcome the wounds of the past. Even gods deserve a second chance. *** An elven gods and mortals fantasy romance set in a second world where magic is mundane and relationships between any and all genders are commonplace, Diacilé is a place that, for many earthlings, would feel quite different. Future books will include f/f, nb/f, m/m, f/m, and other pairings. The Waters Aeon are written in British English, so some spelling and punctuation conventions may differ from American norms. May the waters bless you, reader. |
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River of Mists (The Waters Aeon Book One) by Sylvie Greenhart A lonely mortal . . . All Bhiarai wanted was her florist shop and her tiny Thiadrei flat. But when her past comes calling and threatens her future, she finds herself caught in an unknown spider’s web, fleeing from the simple life she fought so hard for. The All-Tree’s ancient magic is her only hope for answers. But Bhiarai doesn’t make it far before tripping over a complication—an imperious, beautiful stranger who needs her help. A punished god . . . Giam is lost. His dominion is broken. His plans are shattered. With his very gifts and immortality dissolved by the Waters Aeon themselves, he must adjust to living as a mortal once more—and seeing mortals as equals. Bhiarai doesn’t care who he is or was, and she’s more than willing to walk away if he can’t control his rudeness. Giam only knows his waning power responds to her presence, and he must find out why. Step by step and mile by mile, a whisper of the waters draws them closer together. The waters have willed it, but even fated love requires more than magic to overcome the wounds of the past. Even gods deserve a second chance. *** An elven gods and mortals fantasy romance set in a queer-inclusive second world where magic is mundane and relationships between any and all genders are commonplace, the elven world of Diacilé is a place that, for many earthlings, would feel quite different. Both Bhiarai and Giam have had attractions to more than one gender of partner, and future books will include f/f, nb/f, m/m, and other pairings. The Waters Aeon are written in British English, so some spelling and punctuation conventions may differ from American norms. May the waters bless you, reader. |
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Tides of Change (Charley Deacon Book 2) by Andi R. Christopher Four months after she first arrived, the tiny settlement of Inver Aora is becoming home to Charley Deacon. Living in a studio high on the cliff, she's learning sea magic - and getting a handle on her own brain. For the first time in her life, she feels like she has a change of belonging. Even far from the city, though, things are never quiet. Charley's faced with a haunted artefact, a missing child, and a family that's not entirely human - and their safety depends on her magic, and her pushing through her barriers. And then there's True, mysterious and almost enchanting. Is Charley wasting her time on someone who is just being kind to her, or could there be more of a future for the two of them after all? |
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Tides of Magic (Charley Deacon Book 1) by Andi R. Christopher Meet Charley Deacon. She's failing out of uni, being near the sea makes her inexplicably ill, and now her sister has gone missing in suspicious circumstances. Her only hope of finding her may lie with an impossibly old woman who lives – you've guessed it – by the sea. Welcome to Inver Aora, a tiny settlement on the coast of New Zealand's South Island. It has a holiday park, a woman who may or may not be a witch, and not a lot else. Most people can't find their way here, but the locals find it hard to leave. If there's anything weird going on, they're not in the habit of talking about it. Charley might be the least likely person to show up in Inver Aora, but it also might just be the place she discovers new powers, her own purpose, and some people that make her want to stick around. |
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Alpaca and Apparitions (Windflower Book 3) by Andi R. Christopher Previously published as Alpaca and Apparitions by Andi C. Buchanan Mildred Windflower - witch and successful fibre artist - has been touring the world, demonstrating her craft and taking up prized residencies. Now back in Aotearoa, she hopes an isolated farm cottage will give her time alone to work out what to do next. She expected quiet. Instead she finds strange noises in the attic, and signs of an old mystery, while across the fence the quirky, gorgeous Anneke has returned to the family farm and is building up a herd of alpaca. Something supernatural is going on: it's up to Mildred to determine what is warning and what is threat. And ideally without making a total fool of herself in front of Anneke. Alpaca and Apparitions is the third in the Windflower series that started with Succulents and Spells, but can be read as a stand-alone. |
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Microscopes and Magic (Windflower Book 2) by Andi R. Christopher Previously published as Microscopes and Magic by Andi C. Buchanan Some magical problems take spells and potions to solve… but others can only be understood through the lenses of a microscope. Marigold Nightfield's life changed when she absorbed the magic stored in a family heirloom. Now, she's part of a growing network of magic-working scientists who are trying to change the world for the better, and has a girlfriend from a sprawling, powerful, witchy family. Things should be coming together perfectly for her… but her magic has a time limit. It's not hers for keeps and one day, she'll lose it for good. When her girlfriend's work is destroyed by possible sabotage, and strange things start appearing in Wellington's green belt, Marigold's amazing new life starts to unravel. With unknown motives and dubious players at work, she faces a destructive force spreading through the city and beyond. She'll have to not only draw on her scientific background and magical abilities, but make new connections and grow in confidence to face this new threat. This second edition also includes the bonus short story, Magic on the Waves. |
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Succulents and Spells (Windflower Book 1) by Andi R. Christopher Previously published as Succulents and Spells by Andi C. Buchanan Laurel Windflower is a witch from a family of magic workers - but her own life is going nowhere. Living in the damp, sunless side of Aro Valley, she works in a café, unable to produce anything more powerful than the most basic herbal potions. Until, one winter morning, Marigold Nightfield knocks on her door. Marigold is a scientist, but she knows plenty about magic. There are strange things happening in her house, and her future discoveries require careful negotiation with monsters. Laurel can't walk away from a mystery – and she can't walk away from Marigold either. But what lies ahead could reveal all of her shortcomings to the woman she's trying to impress… or uncover the true nature of her power. This second edition also includes the bonus short story, First-years and Familiars. |
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Borrowed Wings: Lyr and Cavere Book 2 by Novae Caelum Con man Anais Cavere has been obsessed with the immortal Barenin Lyr for most of his life--and now he's met Barenin. And now he's in love. But Barenin's people have no plans to let the two of them stay together, chasing them across the galaxy until they have no choice but to take refuge among the Eshi, a race of winged telepaths who are at an uneasy truce with the human worlds. Can Anais and Barenin stay true even in enemy territory? |
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Good King Lyr: A Genderfluid Romance (Lyr and Cavere Book 1) by Novae Caelum A con man. An immortal demigod. A chance at love that could save the universe. In the far future, interstellar con man Anais Cavere takes the job of his life to impersonate his hero, immortal demigod Barenin Lyr. But his job as contract king to an unstable world takes a dangerous turn when he learns it was his hero who hired him. Barenin sweeps Anais into a web of cosmic intrigue with consequences spanning the universe. And genderfluid Barenin, while she's at it, might also sweep Anais off his feet. Good King Lyr is a slow-burn genderfluid romance. |
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The King's Weaver by Novae Caelum My mother betrothed me to a murderer. Everyone thinks Torovan, the newly-crowned king of Barella, killed his father. Handsome and tempestuous, he certainly has the temper for it. And me, third daughter of a rival queen? I've got less than a year until the knot is tied. But I'm determined to meet him before I marry him. I've got magic, I've got a disguise, and the king won't see this woman coming--because I'm trying out to be his court mage as a man. I just didn't expect him to fall for me anyway. The King's Weaver is a sweet and slow burn fantasy romance for readers who love arranged marriage tropes, hidden identity, a woman disguised as a man, enemies to loves, bi romance, and a queer awakening. Aspen Meadowlark is the fantasy romance pen name of Novae Caelum. |
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The Fealty of Monsters Volume 1 by Ladz Illustrated by Soren Häxan Winter 1917. After years on the run from a dangerous cult, Sasza Czarnolaski and his father have found themselves among the Odonic Empire’s ruling class. One problem: vampires aren’t supposed to get involved in human governance. What the aristocracy doesn’t know, cannot hurt them. But aristocratic rumors blame the vampires for a summertime massacre months unsolved. Sasza suspects that same cult has finally shown up on his doorstep. It’s already in his bedchambers. Though his pro-proletariat lover, Finance Minister Ilya Górniak, has always been against putting working class lives at risk, he cannot say the same for his other comrades. Despite all rational arguments against it, the Emperor declares war upon the vampire states as vengeance. Ilya does not protest, and Sasza finds himself alone in a den of political wolves. Diplomacy has failed and insurrection comes from an unlikely source—the emperor’s own progeny, Świetlana. She invites Sasza into a bloody plan which will save his station and the lives of thousands at the cost of those he swore to serve. He will do anything to preserve his peace—even if it means giving into the monstrosity he spent so many years concealing from even himself. |
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The Resplendent Throne (The Transcendent Green Book 3) by Mati Ocha Earth has ascended… Magic tears through an unsuspecting planet of humans, bringing mythology and monsters to life—and providing humanity a chance to prove their mettle. A creeping infection and an enemy from the deep… Anomalies won’t stop coming. With the community of Oban researching to the best of their ability, the ever-changing landscape only provides new challenges. The ascension has remade Oban, and the people are thriving, but Calum knows that can’t last when new threats are born every day. Dangers in the sea to the west. Anomalies overland from the south. Every additional ally brings news of encroaching dangers. Oban may have built a bulwark against this brave new world, but when the anomalies claim a friend, the race is on to find something–anything–that can fight yet another wave of change in the ascension’s arena. Oban has had a taste of what it could be like to thrive. First, they’ll need to survive what has risen from the abyss. |
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The Nameless Storm (The Stars and Green Magics Book Five) by Novae Caelum Dressa trusted the woman she married, the woman she loved, but that woman betrayed her. Imorie thought they could reclaim their life of power, but they gave it up to help a friend. And Rhys, unwitting envoy to the unknowable Kidaa, is navigating uncharted space with no compass. With the ruling family crumbling and the kingdom in an uproar, can these royal siblings navigate the coming storm? Available in ebook, print, and audio. |
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Court of Magickers (The Stars and Green Magics Book Four) by Novae Caelum THE POWER TO DESTROY A KINGDOM. THE POWER TO HEAL A HEART. Ari’s new powers have awakened, threatening to tear apart a kingdom already on the edge. Sent back to Valon to face her father’s—and the people’s—judgement, Ari must decide how far she’ll go to reclaim her former life, if that’s even possible anymore. In the heart of the turmoil, Iata, the reigning ruler, is losing control of his increasingly unstable magics. As his secrets threaten to spill out, his brother’s wife, Haneri, draws ever closer—and he’s not sure he wants her to stop. At the border to Kidaa Space, Rhys grapples with the ominous and impossible patterns in the Kidaa attacks, and comes face to face with the Kidaa themselves in a harrowing meeting that could change the future of the kingdom. And Dressa, who secretly married an enemy prince, must now face the consequences of that marriage. Because Lesander was activated by her family. And Lesander has a choice: obey her family, or betray her wife. With enemies without and enemies within, can the Truthspoken save their kingdom, or is this kingdom doomed to fall? Court of Magickers collects episodes 94-150 of The Stars and Green Magics,previously published in serial form. Note: This book has main characters who use gender-neutral pronouns (they/them/their, fae/faer/faerself). |
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The Throne of Eleven by Novae Caelum Raen was an emperor of peace. Now he serves an emperor of war. A month ago, Raen was the ruler of a desert empire who’d ushered in an era of peace. But emperors only serve for five years under the watch of the mysterious Remnants of Eleven, and then they disappear. Now, cut off from his family and everyone he knows, with his name and face changed, Raen is a servant to the new emperor—an emperor bent on tearing down the peace Raen worked so hard to forge. The Throne of Eleven is a standalone novelette set in a fully queer-inclusive world! Available now in ebook and digitally narrated audiobook. |
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Ice Flight (Flux & Flight Book 2) by Andi C. Buchanan The mountain sanatorium on the edge of a glacier is a world away from the noise and hustle of Liquid City. For Rosalie, it offers a chance of health, and for Abra, Adèle’s daughter and a future art student, a thrilling taste of freedom. Things are rarely as peaceful as they seem. As Rosalie tries to piece together the past, a metal bird offers the first clue there is someone hiding in the mountains. Abra teams up with the doctor’s son Jem, to follow the mystery through the snow. As secrets come to light, and new are connections are made, their lives will take new trajectories and none of them will remain unchanged. |
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Liquid City (Flux & Flight Book 1) by Andi C. Buchanan Abandoned as a teenager on a strange planet, Casp Alkin earns a living transporting cargo through the ancient tunnels which lie beneath the rapidly industrialising Liquid City. It’s a dirty, dangerous game but one which affords them the independence they always longed for. But the offer of a lucrative contract persuades Casp to break with their established routine and journey into the unexplored parts of the tunnel network, deep underground. Accompanied by an ill-tempered cephalopod and the scientist daughter of their wealthy sponsor, Casp embarks on an increasingly dangerous journey. But they quickly find that success will mean an end to the livelihoods of the tunnel folk who have become their family, destroying the community which has relied on the tunnels for generations. Casp has little hope of saving the tunnelling industry, but they are persuaded to take to the tunnels one last time. Because some believe that humans weren’t the first to inhabit this isolated planet, and what they find will shift the balance of power in Liquid City forever. |
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To Catch a Flieff: A Holiday Romance ... in Space by Julia Rios Alessia is an engineer who just wants to have a smooth trip home to celebrate Mizzentide with her family, but what are those pawprints leading into the Astral Dancer’s engine room? Darmanda didn’t mean to let an arctic flieff loose aboard a spaceship, but once she has, her only choice is to go after it. Now the two women have to work together to find the flieff, AND pretend to be dating so the Astral Dancer’s captain doesn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary. Fake dating, only one bed, awkward lesbians, and a fluffy agent of chaos add up to a holiday romance that is truly out of this world! |
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The Ascendent Sky (The Transcendent Green Book 2) by Mati Ocha Earth has ascended… Magic tears through an unsuspecting planet of humans, bringing mythology and monsters to life—and providing humanity a chance to prove their mettle. The hunt is on… Argyll is full of danger. With Eilidh loose on her own in the countryside, Calum and his friends are always one step behind on her trail. They don’t know her route, only that Lord Sackington’s people have murdered the team sent to rescue vulnerable refugees. But Eilidh has left a trail of magical breadcrumbs—a trail only Calum can follow. When they encounter the full horror of Sackington’s hunger for power, it’s no longer a few ragtag Scots against the wilds: it’s a band of survivors against a rising evil. Their haven in Oban is in peril, and the beithir is back . . . and out for blood. Contains strong language in the face of the end of the world. You’ve been warned. Cover artist: Uzuri Art, Cover design: Novae Caelum |
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The Transcendent Green (The Transcendent Green Book 1) by Mati Ocha Earth has ascended… Magic tears through an unsuspecting planet of humans, bringing mythology and monsters to life—and providing humanity a chance to prove their mettle. Old grudges die hard… All Calum Green wants is to reach what remains of his family. Ninety miles of the Scottish Highlands stand between Calum and his family home in coastal Oban. He does not want to make that trek with his cheating ex-girlfriend’s bestie at his side. Eilidh MacIntosh has always disliked Calum, and now she’s armed with a bloody claymore on top of her haughty disdain. But the ascension directive is clear: humans cannot survive this new world alone—and this pair makes an annoyingly good team. With Calum’s magic and their combined bad luck, the unlikely duo accidentally trigger a rare ascension quest: to find the perpetrator of a dangerous, corrupt magic that could make all of humanity into an endangered species. Contains strong language in the face of the end of the world. You’ve been warned. |
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Terra Incognita (A Transcendent Green Novel) by Mati Ocha A World On the Precipice . . . Will Grayson knew he would probably live to see the end of the world, with the way things have been going—he just didn’t think he’d live through it, let alone with an insufferable git by his side. A System Glitch . . . Hiking in the Peak District at the moment Earth is—accidentally—infused with magic and thrown into an indifferent and muddled system, Will returns to his Derbyshire village to find a ghost town. No bodies. No blood. Only a verdant, pervasive green that has overtaken his home as if it’s had a hundred years to grow. But this new magic is alive, and it’s not alone. Neither is Will. Accompanied only by the person he’d vote Least Likely to Team Up With in an Apocalypse and a literal baby dragon, Will searches for traces of his family and instead finds only dangling threads of clues. Tugging on those threads might lead to answers . . . or they might unravel what’s left of Earth. Contains strong language in the face of the end of the world. You’ve been warned. |
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You Fed Us To the Roses: Short Stories by Carlie St. George Final girls who take care of each other. Dead boys still breathing. Ghosts who whisper secrets you can never share. Angels beyond the grave, yet not of heaven. Wolves who wear human skins. Featuring ten contemporary dark fantasy and horror stories, You Fed Us To the Roses is a visceral, triumphant collection by Carlie St. George that you won’t want to miss. Stop by for the murder…and stick around for the feels. Cover art: Evangeline Gallagher ISBN: 978-1-949936-47-6 (ebook) | ISBN: 978-1-949936-48-3 (paperback) |
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These Imperfect Reflections: Short Stories by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor What’s the price of revolution backed by artificial intelligence? Can you change the past to free ghosts trapped in endless loops? Do fairy tales always end the same way? Follow a battle poet on aer quest to save a kingdom; witness the last documentary about alien whales; and travel with the Wolf who is prophesied to eat the sun as they look for alternatives to their fate. From living trains to space stations populated with monsters, these eleven fantasy and science fiction stories from Merc Fenn Wolfmoor will take you on otherworldly adventures that are tethered to the heart. ISBN: 978-1-949936-32-2 (ebook) | ISBN: 978-1-949936-33-9 (print) |
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Magnificent: A Superhero Novella by Novae Caelum The world wants me to be a “normal” hero, but I’m genderqueer, and I’m never going to fit into their molds. So how do you save the world when you’re just trying to figure out who you are? Having a superpowered family is hard. My dad’s a famous superhero and my mom used to be a villain. Toss in my older sister who loves showing off her powers almost as much as she loves boys and you basically have my life: far from ordinary. All I ever wanted to do was fly with my family and help save the world. But I didn’t get my own powers until bullies cornered me for not acting like the person they thought I was and I had to defend myself. Having a secret identity is hard, but there’s more than one kind of mask, and I can’t wear my masks much longer. I’ll soon find out if the world’s ready for a genderqueer hero. Magnificent is a nonbinary transgender superhero novella with lots of heart, big issues, a bit of snark, and a happy, triumphant ending. Please check content notes before reading. |
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Cast Off (Book Three of the Peridot Shift) by R J Theodore With the very survival of Peridot at stake, the crew of Fortune’s Storm sets upon a quest to reclaim pieces of the planet’s trapped soul before they can be seized by those who would sacrifice everything and everyone in their race for power over everything. The final entry in the Peridot Shift series is here! Praise for Cast Off and the Peridot Shift: “R J Theodore does a truly masterful job of heightening tension over the three books and bringing it to a satisfying conclusion.” — Emmie Mears, author of the Stonebreaker series “I had so much fun reading Cast Off! As a writer, I was freaking out over how Theodore handled the ensemble cast: I love that the world feels big and fleshed out, but familiar characters also run into each other in such organic ways. There’s an element of serendipity that the author pulls off so well. Cast Off feels like a masterclass in how to handle an ensemble cast. I love how the various factions overlap and separate in unexpected ways. The crew of the Not If We Don’t Get Caught was heaps of fun, and Hankirk is the kind of antagonist that I love to hate. When his comeuppance arrived my only coherent words were, “Holy shit, yes, he deserved that”; the rest of my mental capacity was taken up by gleeful screaming.” — Dominique Dickey, author of “Civilian Assumptions” (Lightspeed Magazine) “I can’t stop thinking about the world of Flotsam. Science-fiction, alchemy, and airships. It’s magic.” — Mary Robinette Kowal “Take a pinch of Jim Butcher’s Aeronaut’s Windlass, add a dash of Treasure Planet, some vivid imagery from Avatar, a generous helping of banter from Firefly, and you might have an idea of the feeling this story left me with. Rich language and imagery blend with a complex world, a story told with humor and heart, that left me breathless and wrung out. I want to know what’s in store next for this crew and their already shattered world.” — Ronda “A thrilling conclusion that rights wrongs both within the story and healing from historical ones, definitely a romp that will stay with me and a go-to recommendation for folks looking for a queer adventure expertly navigating the lines between science fiction and fantasy.” — Jo Ladzinski, Jo Writes Fantasy |
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Salvage (Book Two of the Peridot Shift) by R J Theodore A crew of salvagers plot to expose the evil dealings of Peridot’s enemies, but to protect their secrets, those enemies will destroy the crew and everything and everyone they hope to save. Peridot is headed for its second cataclysm. War has broken ancient alliances, sealed borders, and locked down the skies. The Five, Peridot’s alchemist gods, have seen one of their number die and another fall in their efforts to protect their world from invaders beyond the stars. Defeated and diminished, they have ceased to answer the prayers of their people and have left the rapidly unraveling world to fend for itself. Talis and the orphaned crew of the lost airship Wind Sabre have a plan to set things to rights, but they’re stranded on a rock far from the heart of the conflict. When an old enemy comes and offers them a ship and a path forward, it comes with strings that will pull them further from the home they are so desperate to save. Can Talis and her crew chart a course through hostile skies, shifting allegiances, and subverted governments before the true enemies of Peridot claim a power that can destroy the world once and for all? Praise for The Peridot Shift series: “Combining the best elements of steampunk and space opera, placed in a lavishly detailed and imagined world, Flotsam will hold you firmly till the final page.” — Cat Rambo “Flotsam sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. R J Theodore is a fresh voice who will soon be on your must-read list!” — Jennifer Foehner Wells “I can’t stop thinking about the world of Flotsam. Science-fiction, alchemy, and airships. It’s magic.” — Mary Robinette Kowal “Take a pinch of Jim Butcher’s Aeronaut’s Windlass, add a dash of Treasure Planet, some vivid imagery from Avatar, a generous helping of banter from Firefly, and you might have an idea of the feeling this story left me with. Rich language and imagery blend with a complex world, a story told with humor and heart, that left me breathless and wrung out. I want to know what’s in store next for this crew and their already shattered world.” — Ronda “Peridot is a fascinating, fractured world that truly comes to life on the page; it’s remarkable that Theodore manages to establish the world and its cultures and races so well straight off the bat. And as if that isn’t enough, she introduces an alien race and culture into the mix, juggling them all with aplomb.” — Alan Brenik “The worldbuilding is incredibly epic for a newly minted author and hints at uncovering even more as this series evolves.” — Koeur “1,000% here for the merger of scifi steampunk with fantasy. This is exactly the sort of thing someone who grew up on underappreciated masterpieces like Treasure Planet craves!” — Jenna R, NetGalley Reviewer |
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Good Monsters and Friends: Stories by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor Making friends with monsters is easy—bring them cookies! A young man must find a new reality to live in when his disappears. Birds team up to right the wrongs of classic literature. An android raises baby dinosaurs after the human world ends. Grandma reveals how she invented intergalactic diplomacy…and more. Good Monsters and Friends collects 33 stories about astronauts and cats, dragons and witches, portals and quests, ghosts and robots, and, of course, all the monsters and their buddies. |
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Banshees and Boba by Nia Quinn I’m Gemma: witch and single mom to a twelve-year-old sass bucket. When my corporate job gives me the heave-ho, I decide it’s time to try something new. Dragon manicurist? Golem artificer? How about monster-fighting mercenary? Have sword, will vanquish. Only my new job isn’t quite what I was expecting it to be . . . I’m too young for a midlife crisis–aren’t I? Read now on Kindle Vella and Laterpress! |
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I’m Immy. I suck at being a witch, but make up for it with style. If you don’t believe me, ask my demon roommates. I check in rental cars for supernatural customers leaving town, so I score whatever they ditch before they get on a plane home–and lemme tell you, they leave some weird stuff behind. Weird enough that sometimes it’s a toss-up if it’ll help pay the bills, or cause the next best thing to an apocalypse. I really don’t want to start an apocalypse, but I gotta eat. What’s a girl to do? Read now on Kindle Vella or Laterpress! |
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Unlikely Wonders by Juliet Kemp An exciting collection of short Science Fiction and Fantasy stories from a stellar group of Robot Dinosaur Press authors! Sign up for our newsletter to read this anthology for free! Featuring stories by: Andi C. Buchanan Novae Caelum Lore Graham Byron M. Kain Juliet Kemp Sarah Loch Jennifer Mace A. Z. Louise Emmie Mears Rhiannon Rasmussen Julia Rios Simon Oscar Pike V. Astor Solomon R J Theodore Merc Fenn Wolfmoor Come explore new worlds and visit unlikely wonders in this first newsletter-exclusive anthology from Robot Dinosaur Press! |
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A Bid to Rule (The Stars and Green Magics Book Three) by Novae Caelum While this book happens 23 years before the main events of this series, it contains characters, events, and context needed to fully enjoy the rest of the series. This is the preferred reading order, but it can also be read any time before, during, or right after books 1 and 2. THE RULER IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE RULER. Homaj Rhialden has lived his whole life knowing his older sibling, not himself, will rule his interstellar kingdom—and as a court rake, he’s perfectly okay with that. But when his parents are assasinated and the Heir goes missing, Homaj is suddenly thrust into power. All evidence points to an inside job, but who among his father’s trusted advisors are his enemies? Determined to track down his parents’ killers and prove himself in an increasingly hostile court, Homaj hatches a plan with his servant cousin, Iata, to use their shapeshifting abilities to switch places: while Iata impersonates him and rules the kingdom as a willing target, Homaj searches for the Heir in the capital city. But in a kingdom ruled by shapeshifters, anyone can be anyone, and not even your own identity is safe. When lies run deep enough to shatter a kingdom and family is hardly friendly, can Homaj protect both his kingdom and his identity from crumbling around him? A Bid to Rule is a fast-paced royal thriller with a genderfluid lead and glittering court intrigue! This book was first published as The Seritarchus in serial form on Laterpress and Vella. |
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The Shadow Rule (The Stars and Green Magics Book Two) by Novae Caelum THE ENEMY BY MY SIDE. THE ENEMY IN MY HEART. Ari will never be the Heir again. Her younger sister, Dressa, was supposed to hold her place, but now Dressa’s stolen her future rulership. Banished to a resort world to recover from her illness, Ari’s determined to reclaim her shapeshifting abilities and race back to the capital. But a young gardener with a mysterious past is taking too much interest in Ari’s new persona, and a possessive duke is bent on capturing her attention for himself. Are they both after her heart, or something far more sinister? Dressa won her freedom, won her bride—and won a kingdom she didn’t want. Now, with an alien crisis brewing, she has to step up as the Heir, and maybe, soon, as the ruler. Because there’s a secret at the heart of the kingdom. A secret that spans her father’s entire rule and could bring everything tumbling down. And she’s already let the enemy into her palace, and into her heart. When no one is who they seem and every smile is a weapon, the Truthspoken must find their way to truth before the kingdom crumbles around them. The Shadow Rule collects episodes 37-93 of The Stars and Green Magics, previously published in serial form. Note: This book has main characters who use gender neutral pronouns (they/them/their, fae/faer/faerself). Available now in ebook, serial, and digitally narrated audiobook! |
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By Her Grace: A Dell Chronicles Novella by HL Bernabe If you liked Legends and Lattes, you'll love this novella. Halfling chef Paisley Dell lives in Aspenwood, a small town at the meeting of two major trade roads. The Dells own the Rosebud Inn and are pillars of the halfling community. Paisley is happy, but… something is missing. She feels unfulfilled and restless. On her Becoming Day, she meets a mysterious young human, pregnant and on the run, and through her Paisley glimpses a world she desperately wishes she could know. A world of spice, elves, and exotic, faraway places. With every recipe Prilani teaches her, Paisley’s desire to save her new friend from her pursuer grows, too. Protecting Prilani means facing an evil she has never known. Is the risk worth it? |
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Holidays Ablaze by Lucy LimĂłn When an arrogant demon with a taste for the finer things meets a salty chef with an attraction to fire, sparks fly. Sofia, a talented chef whose culinary dreams have flamed out, is spending her holiday season hiding away in a cabin atop Mout Winter Bliss until her solo retreat is disrupted by the arrival of Samite, a maddeningly pretentious demon. Sofia is no stranger to facing down big egos in the kitchen. With plenty of salt and steely resolve, she sets the ground rules and strikes her first bargain with a demon. Samite, a demon whose business ambitions have been dashed, finds himself stranded atop Mount Winter Bliss at the mercy of an infuriatingly unhelpful human. He is hell-bent on escaping this mountain, and she would gladly whip him up a swift exit except for one major obstacle. An avalanche has buried the only road down the mountain, trapping them together. Their initial clash ignites a simmering tension, and as they navigate the close quarters of her tiny one-bedroom cabin, more bargains are struck, and the heat continues to rise. |
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Unexpected Witness by MJ Blehart When a high-ranking businessman and two clones are murdered, Marshal Onima Gwok of the Confederation Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gets assigned the case. But nothing quite adds up. Is there something more insidious going on? There is just one witness – a clone. When the war ended ten years ago, the clones who had fought it were discarded, forgotten, and became second-class citizens of the new confederation. Jace Rojas, designated AC J7-2247, is an infantry clone. When he proves to be more helpful than just being a witness to a murder, Onima decides to bring Jace along to join her team as they look for answers across multiple solar systems. But every question seems to produce no answers - only more questions. Will this be the start of a new war - or something worse? |
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Isaree of the Wild Isles by Noor Al-Shanti Sandwiched between the mighty High Kingdoms and the great Land of Sunsets, the Upland villages did not have much claim to greatness or power. Many of these villages did not even have names. When an army of Sorcerers from the High Kingdoms was mobilized to invade the Land of Sunsets it was these small villages, stuck in the middle, that bore the brunt of that army’s march. In one of these villages Isaree has just discovered her own magical power, but even dreaming of what this could mean for her is made impossible by the presence of the sorcerous armies. When they hear that the Sorcerers have begun to forcibly take anyone with power, the village elders decide that those most likely to be taken must flee. In the blink of an eye, Isaree finds herself at the head of a group of runaways, responsible for leading them to safety, with nothing to rely on except her knowledge of the nearby woods and caves and the food that their families have lovingly packed for them. Isaree and her friends must stick together and survive in a world much bigger than any of them could have imagined. A world full of wars and empires, sorcery and power, and – tucked away in forgotten corners – impossible creatures of legend. In this vast, frightening world, Isaree must learn not just how to survive, but who she wants to be. |
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Roots Down to Hell by Matthew Louis When a rural misfit from a harsh, blue-collar world marries an idealistic college girl, the chances for domestic bliss are close to nil. Because marriage isn’t what it used to be, and neither is higher education. But nobody explained this to Kevin Chapman, and now it’s too late. His reality just crashed down around him, and when the dust settles, he’s in the aftermath of the unthinkable. Kevin’s life is now a nightmare that he can’t wake up from. As his bleak past weighs on him, and his unthinkable acts multiply, his only hope is to embrace the darkness—and risk being lost in it forever. |
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Ascent of a Vengeful Woman by Ashon Ruffins In the aftermath of Goliath’s murder spree in New Orleans, Nola Maor has committed herself to becoming a more skilled hunter in order to cope with the bloodshed in her city. Confronted with tragedy in her life, but unwilling to process her own trauma and grief, she leaves her career as a New Orleans police detective behind, and suffers in solitude. Nola’s lethal reputation has grown among the most savage and depraved for her unwavering resolve to eliminate the nightmarish creatures that stalk and feed on humans. Dozens of missing people, along with an unnatural and grotesque murder, prompt Nola to travel to the small town of Dalyville, hundreds of miles away. A disturbing occurrence will push her skills as a private investigator, a hunter, and her humanity to their limits. The town’s history of wickedness is catching up with its residents as an evil force that simmers beneath the surface boils over with blood-thirsty intent. The past never dies. It festers. It cultivates in pain, waiting to rear its ugly head and inflict suffering, terror, and vengeance, bringing everyone around it to their knees. Will Nola be able to identify the vicious beast’s origins and understand its motives before it destroys the town of Dalyville? Or will the entity eviscerate everything in its path and consume both the town and, eventually, Nola Maor? |
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Imperium Descent by Christopher Hopper The Imperium has reigned for 4,000 years… …but are its days numbered? For four millennia, the sixteen planets of the Imperium sector have served as a bastion of peace against the Chaosic Regions. The Imperium's legacy can be attributed to the formidable military power of the Stratus, the enforcers of the Supreme and the Senate. However, as is often the case with empires, it is the smallest cracks that threaten to shatter their foundations. Could this be the beginning of the end? A dishonorably discharged stratusaire struggles to recall why he was expelled from the only life he has ever known. Now working as a mercenary on the sector's most profitable mining planet, he is haunted by mysterious memories. Before long, he finds himself in conflict with the very government he once served. Can he survive being pursued by those he was once trained alongside? Simultaneously, the royal heir to a planetary throne is confronted with the harsh realities of her family's rule. As a result of her curiosity, she finds herself entangled in matters of statecraft that surpass her status and experience. Will she prioritize her family's legacy or the lives of those under her rule? Step into the captivating universe of Imperium Descent , created by the bestselling and award-winning author Christopher Hopper . Readers have hailed it as a space opera brimming with engaging characters, intrigue, and thrilling action. Begin your journey with Volume 1 today! |
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Edge of the Future by Andria Stone “He wasn’t human. You’ve discovered the existence of a new enemy combatant, Captain. Since you saw him—he saw you.” One hundred-fifty years after the last war humanity has united to explore space with colonies on Luna and Mars. But the Europa Mission has just failed and 152 people died in space. No one knows why. When military bioscientist, Captain Mark Warren’s hidden research installation is attacked, he meets armored assault Sergeant Axel Von Radach. They become entangled in a deadly fight to stop the theft of classified military secrets by a lethal female adversary. Her plan to use enemy cyborgs posing as humans, plus unsuspecting high-ranking military personnel with neural implants altered to accept her commands, has every chance of succeeding. Unless…Captain Warren and Sergeant Von Radach get a chance to end her first. |
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Descent of a Broken Man by Ashon Ruffins James Corbin is an ambitious high school history teacher who resides in the lively, yet dangerous city of New Orleans. He suffers from severe depression and anxiety and is on a downward spiral, unwilling to seek the help he desperately needs. His troubles are compounded by a lack of progress in his professional career, his disintegrating marriage, and lack of respect from his peers. While his struggles threaten to cripple him, the city is marred by a series of brutal religious murders. However, it’s soon clear that there is not only one, but two murderers wreaking havoc on the city. While police chase the murderers, James focuses on his quest for professional success and self-worth from his research. Unfortunately for him, the research leads to the discovery of a nefarious essence, which unlocks a darkness and brings James face to face with a monster of his own. Within some people, there is something… off. Something dormant. A terror that, if found, will leave a path of pain in its wake. |
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The Ice Mage by Julianne Munich Marcel lives with one foot in each world. The first world feels as harsh and cold as the ice he casts from his fingertips. They want to use him as a bloodless and efficient weapon, nothing more. The second world is home to three friendly passengers who charter his coach for a journey. Luc, Emilie, and Adelaide are happy to travel to a prince’s castle as retinue servants, while Marcel's heart sinks in guilt and dread with each step his horses take. Luc's amnesia spell is all that separates the good man he's become, from the evil killer within. The coachman is driving him to where his spell will be broken—and his true self will be unveiled. Marcel is faced with a terrifying dilemma of his own. Either obey the orders of Le Conseil Suprême and become their henchman—or die a traitor. All the while, his feelings for a forbidden woman tempt him to risk it all. |
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Samson & Domingo by Gume Laurel III Samson and Domingo fall in love during the summer before their junior year of high school. But Samson is the star player of Weslaco North’s football team and Domingo is a French horn player for Weslaco South’s marching band. Once school starts, their new love is challenged by those who don’t agree with their rival schools mixing, especially Domingo’s older brother, Pablo, a football player for South. As if that wasn’t enough, Samson’s Olympian-like athleticism is shrouded in mystery; the source of his strength is a secret he has vowed to keep his entire life. As Samson and Domingo’s love blossoms, Samson learns to trust Domingo more than he has ever trusted anyone before, and Domingo opens his heart once again after heartbreak. But will their love be Samson’s downfall? |
