SPFBO10 SPFBO Participants
Books entered in the competition of SPFBO beginning May 2024.
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My Boss is the Devil by Ben Schenkman Finding the balance between good and evil is about to require a lot of coffee. What’s better than being a college dropout twenty-something working as a barista in New Haven, CT? Just about anything. Nick would give anything to escape the dead-end life he’s made for himself. He gets the offer of a lifetime from Lucifer himself, to trade his apron for a suit. Should he really consider becoming an agent of the Devil? With the way things are going for Nick, of course he should. Lucifer wants to give Nick a chance to do what he always wanted, to help people, wielding power and influence to make their dreams come true. He would have to sell his soul, but the Devil is a gambling man and lets Nick experience his new life before he has to sign on the dotted line. Can he use the Devil’s power for good, and make his mark on the world, or will he fall victim to his own desires and lose his humanity? As if that wasn’t enough, the very friend that made the meeting with Lucifer possible turns on Nick, and he needs to do some quick thinking to come out on top. Maybe the ends justify the means, but there are no easy answers. |
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The Dreams Thief by Bella Dunn THE FAE LIVE AMONGST US. Brun MacLugh is weary. For five hundred years he endured a life of loneliness, impatiently waiting for his days to come to an end and his grief along with it. Fate, however, has other plans: a new heir to the legacy he is duty-bound to protect is born, two hundred and fifty years after his greatest failure. Brun has no choice. He has to fulfil his purpose. And hope this task will be his last. Elizabeth “Lizzy” Endell was prepared to spend a very long summer in the company of her parents when the news of an astonishing inheritance in Scotland wreaks havoc on her otherwise ordinary life and puts her on the path of the captivating Brun MacLugh. And of mortal danger. To survive, Lizzie and Brun will have no choice but to unearth layers of secrets and solve ancient riddles. Will they find a way to defeat the faceless creature known as the Dreams Thief? Warning: Contains Mature language, Intense Violence, Graphic Sexual Situations. Expect magic, both Seelie and Unseelie and remember that the Fae live amongst us… |
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Worldbreaker by Becca Lee Gardner The Dark hungers for Ksara. It has plagued her since she was a child. She is desperate to control it. As a Land Mage, she should be able to control it. But the Dark is growing wild. She cannot pass within fifty feet of a noktum without its inky arms lashing out to drag her inside. Even the most commonplace shadows have begun to reach for her. Now her brother lies dying on the deck of her ship. Her only hope of saving him is to sail to Nokte Murosa, a city wedged between two walls of noktum. There, she must strike a deal with the city’s vengeful leader, avoid a fanatical cult that wants to own her… And resist the whispers in her mind. Voices that accompany the shadows. The Dark is alive. It wants her, and once it succeeds… It will swallow the entire continent. |
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Darkness Below by Barbara Cottrell 2023 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Fiction - Horror genre!

Nightmares. Disappearances. Suicide. Fall semester is always a challenging time at Miskatonic University. All Ellen Logan wants to do is pass her classes while holding down a bad job at a New Age bookstore. But when a former roommate jumps to her death from the university clocktower and another friend vanishes, leaving her with a mysterious book, she embarks on her own investigation. With the help of renowned professor Andrew Carter, she uncovers evidence of a murderous cult, a terrifying creature, and a ghost who knows far too much about her. To survive, Ellen and Carter must descend into the Darkness Below to stop the forces that threaten to tear their world apart. |
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What The Echoes Say by B.C. Rico “How far would you go to save a friend? Would you start a war? Would you kill a king?” Kel is born into a family of spies in a land torn apart by war. Savage creatures stalk the realm in its aftermath. Kel’s best friend was orphaned by the conflict, and when he goes missing it's up to Kel to bring him home. Ahni, a princess from an island nation, manifests magic and is swept away from the palace to the Academy, a testing ground for channelers run by an ancient order shrouded in secrecy. And at the center of it all, a boy, heir to a fallen empire. The echoes of war have hollowed him out on the inside, and in the emptiness an ancient evil has taken root. Its shadow threatens the world. |
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Of Blood & Stone by B.A. Turner A gargoyle story unlike any other … A hero we don’t deserve but desperately need. History would lead us to believe that the citizens of Detroit should turn to the police to save them, when in reality they should be looking to the sky. When a distraught Slade Allen saves the life of Rachel Winston in exchange for his own, he doesn’t expect to wake up metaphysically bound to a divine grimoire or to have the power of one of the world’s most feared supernatural creatures waiting to be unleashed. Human by day, gargoyle by night, Slade pulls at the strings of Detroit’s corruption, slowly unravelling a nazi era secret. Such a discovery spurs the formation of a team of vigilantes determined to crush the megalomaniac behind the city’s undoing. Under the alias Dreadnight, Slade and his team battle augmented mercenaries, a corrupt police force, and media deception in order to save the city before it’s too late. Filled with supernatural and biblical lore, “Of Blood & Stone” provides a high octane yet emotional story of vengeance and redemption. |
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A Curse Within The Waves by B. N. Reele Let The Sea Set You Free Iris sets sail alongside her estranged father, a pirate captain, and his vexatious crew in search of hidden treasure. The dangerous quest begins on Vatune, an island haunted by blood thirsty creatures, menacing ogres, and seductive sirens.

And then, her adventure takes an unexpected turn....

She becomes cursed and transformed into a mermaid, only to be abandoned once again by her father. When all hope seems lost, the only help she can rely on is a gorgeous merman with questionable intentions- but a magical personality that keeps her wanting more.

Once she discovers that the spell can be broken, she must follow her heart and make an ultimate decision that will affect her future forever. |
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The Apprentice Storyteller by Astrid V.J "Set amid an imaginative blend of sci-fi and fantasy, the novel’s fictional universe is vividly realized and will grab curious readers. The book works in thought-provoking themes that will further draw readers in." BookLife Prize The Alchemist meets fantasy with a splash of space opera. Viola Alerion, a renowned storyteller in the Haldrian Empire, wants to be left in peace. For years, she’s been hounded by her past, never to find a moment’s rest. Then she meets a boy who wants to become her apprentice. He refuses to take no for an answer, and she reluctantly yields, even though she knows taking him with her could endanger his life. As their journey progresses, Viola begins to understand she’s not the only teacher in the equation. The nameless boy also has something to teach, but Viola makes for a reluctant student. Can she give way to possibility and embrace a future in alignment with what she’s always wanted? Can she find the courage to embrace the principles that will transform her life? Can she overcome her circumstances and face her past? Or will she keep on running with nowhere to hide? And what of the boy who guards untold secrets and exhibits mysterious powers that defy belief? The e-book of The Apprentice Storyteller also includes exclusive access to "Viola's Guide to Achieving the Impossible". This workbook to help guide you through the first steps towards achieving your own dream is based on key transformational principles from the DreamBuilder™ Course and is not intended for publication. The workbook is only accessible through The Apprentice Storyteller e-book. The link to Viola's Guide to Achieving the Impossible is embedded in a concealed place. This is a treasure hunt. Good luck! This book is accompanied by The Wordmage's Tales, a series of novellas based on the tales the apprentice learns from Viola Alerion in this story. The Sewing Princess is exclusively available to my newsletter subscribers and Dragons' Daughter is available to pre-order. |
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Them Old Bones by Astor Y Teller Behind a veil of treachery and haunted bones, a dragon curse is about to set the world ablaze... Dragons didn’t exist until recently. Neither did traitors, until Miriam Huckerpucker started nosing around in The Vault where she and the other undeads are holed up, when they are not out in the countryside picking up haunted bones, which is what they do for an unliving. For Miriam, who has been in the game for a while, with a refined skill set in magic spelling and swordy gymnastics and mourning classes, the hard part is not bone picking but catching homing pigeons which like all living beings don’t fancy the undead at all. When no pigeons arrive from the undead expedition to barbarian lands, where the first known dragon’s bones lay waiting, Miriam suspects a traitor is messing about with the pigeon post. Mustering someone who is literally dying to get a new occupation and also getting an undead dog into the bargain, her investigations unravel a sinister plot far bigger than The Vault. (Content warnings: Adult situations, Adult language, Murder, Death, Suicide, Fear, Dark Humour) |
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The First Assignment by Billy Kramer Dead. Seventeen-year-old Shawn Turner no longer belongs to the world of the living. Armed without a heartbeat, he starts his afterlife as a reaper. After being given the name of a person destined to die in the next seven days, he must go out and collect their soul. As Shawn separates himself from the living and moves below ground, he attends Wayward Academy which teaches him the training and traditions all first-year reapers need to know to perform their duty. The only thing is, Shawn isn't sure he can handle this new responsibility. Dying at seventeen, Shawn never got to make the impact he wanted. So, when an opportunity arises, he has a choice to make. Does Shawn stay in his lane as a reaper, or go out of his way to make a difference? |
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Dragon Thief by Blake & Raven Penn Best Book of the Year 2023 - Indies Today Outlawed magic. Thrilling heists. Dragons like you've never seen before. "If I got executed again, my dad was going to kill me." Asher of Steel Rim might be a halfway-decent thief, but he's not exactly the realm’s most popular guy. As an outcast among outcasts, some hate him for his scale-tipped, pointed ears. Others wish him dead because he’s a magi in a land where those born with etherarchy are outlawed. In the wild, desert wastelands of Drakfell, Asher finally finds the opportunity he’s been waiting for: A chance to avenge his mother’s death by taking down the legendary leader of the Mage Hunters herself. The Black Valkyrie. To get his shot, Asher joins a crew of Knights determined to steal a true dragon egg. But Asher’s journey of personal vengeance lands him right in the middle of a war that goes far beyond anything he could’ve imagined. |
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"Highly recommended for fans of Patrick Rothfuss and Robert Jordan." -BlueInk Review (starred review) A catastrophe a thousand years ago divided the world into isolated Fragments, eventually driving most of humanity back to a premodern lifestyle. Since then, an unexplained blight has been spreading, and strange and monstrous creatures have arisen in its midst. Cor, the son of a whisky distiller, doesn't know about any of this. His peaceful little village has been isolated for hundreds of years—until he finds a way out, wandering into another Fragment. It's rather less peaceful. But with the help of Brayleigh—a spritely redhead teen he soon befriends, who is a bit wiser to the ways of the world—maybe our sheltered whisky stillman can survive and, in time, make his way back home. Celeste has not been so sheltered. Her family was murdered by orks at age 8; she left the Academy at 18 to travel with a merchant caravan; and now, she's the orator for the new leader of the People's Commonwealth. Everything she's dreamt of is finally in reach ... so why does it feel farther away than ever? Deliad, the Knight-Lord of Norvester—the former kingdom replaced by the Commonwealth—would like nothing better than to confront those responsible with the edge of his halberd, Celeste included. But, with his small band of former knights stuck hiding in remote hills and half-starving, it's looking increasingly unlikely he'll ever get the chance. Nothing could be further from their minds than the workings of a Warlock a thousand miles away, and his obsessive decade-long pursuit of vengeance. Yet as fragmented as this world is, it's also a small one. Will the hand of vengeance reach them across a thousand miles? ... Or will they, perhaps, reach him first? |
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Defy by C.S Doraga The Eridian Empire is rife with discontent and animosity. Now, Imperial Princess Redrinna has a choice: stay trapped in a life that terrifies her or betray the trust of her parents-the two people she loves more than anything. Sheltered from most of the Empire's turmoil, Redrinna has spent her entire life preparing for her eighteenth birthday-the day she will inherit the throne of a country she has never seen with her own eyes. Her parents believe she is capable of greatness, but she believes she is doomed to fail. Then, her entire world is turned upside down by a betrayal she never thought possible, a betrayal that leaves her nearly dead. With the help of a creature long thought extinct-a dragon-Redrinna uses the situation to run, determined to finally be free. But earning her freedom isn't that simple. Somone knows she survived. To win her freedom for good, she may have to find a strength she's never had in order to fight an evil long forgotten but responsible for the Empire's dark creation and eager to do worse. And if Redrinna can't, then the little she has left-her friend, her homeland, and her freedom-might be lost forever. Defy is the first in a young adult epic fantasy series packed with unforgettable characters, mystery, and adventure. If you like reluctant heroes, dragons, and coming of age stories, then you'll love the first book in C.S. Doraga's Rise of the Empress series. |
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She didn’t believe werewolves were real…
…until she was attacked.
Will Jade be able to come to terms with her new shifter life? For as long as she could remember, she wanted to go to Uni and study law. When she got bitten, everything changed. Jade’s not ready to accept her new reality, but she had better come to terms quickly, because it’s her only way out. There are rules at the shifter academy. They’ll keep her locked up if needed. Facing the realities of her new life, her strange powers, and the fact that she’s more prisoner than student, Jade has some tough decisions to make. What she doesn’t know, though, is that there’s something sinister going on. People are in danger. Another gets bitten. The adventure has just begun. You’ll love this new Shifter Academy series, because every young woman has a hero inside of her she didn’t know existed. |
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Sailing to Redoubt by C. Litka Be good. Or one dark night the sorcerers of the Vente Islands may come for you. On the islands of the Tropic Sea, parents caution naughty children to behave or risk that some dark night the sinister sorcerers of the Vente Islands might come to carry them off. The reputed fate of these naughty children varies from island to island, but it is often whispered that they end up in a stew. Navy lieutenant Taef Lang must have been a very naughty boy, for one soft, tropical night the Vente came and carried him off. And he certainly ended up, if not in a stew, at least in some very hot water. Sailing to Redoubt is the story of his adventures in the company of two Vente Island sorceresses, Sella and Lessie Raah, and their quest to discover a legendary outpost of the world’s first people, the Founders. Equipped with a map and a golden key, they set sail in a small yacht to cross the bright, blue, and sometimes deadly, Tropic Sea. Sailing to Redoubt is the first book in a completed trio of stories set in the Tropic Sea. It is filled with the characters, humor, and adventure that are the hallmarks of a C. Litka story. |
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Ohlegan's Treasure: Search for the Runes by Brian Gardner "A grand otherworldly adventure with an appealing protagonist at the helm." - Kirkus Reviews Nall spends his days fishing, sleeping on the beach, and reminiscing with his childhood love interest on the peaceful island of Clearwater. But, despite his easygoing life, the young man has an inexplicable urge for adventure. On the morning of a festival, a ship arrives at port. As Nall listens to the captain's incredible stories, his thirst for adventure increases. Following the shocking death of one of the sailors, Nall finds the opportunity to leave the island. While at sea, he meets other travelers who seek a famous treasure. Nall learns of Ohlegan, an explorer who marked his place in history as charting the known world. Legends say a mysterious treasure—four runes—was responsible for his rumored destruction of the Lost Continent. Nall's new companions tell him the treasure comes with a mystery—how did Ohlegan discover the four runes, and why did he give up his exploration and scatter them across the world? Together, the treasure seekers battle monsters, solve ancient puzzles, avoid traps, sail oceans, cross burning deserts, and traverse Mount Noleta, the last known location of Ohlegan himself. However, unbeknownst to our heroes, someone else searches as well... |
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Strangers in Our Heads by Bri Eberhart Gemma, a seventeen-year-old orphan and empath, wants nothing more than to be normal. But after her older sister is killed in a hit-and-run, she discovers she can drain the energy out of any living thing. Fearing she might hurt someone with the faintest touch, Gemma flees from her foster home—guided by a boy she’s dreamed about for years but doesn’t believe is real. Meanwhile, Theo, the eighteen-year-old astral-projecting leader of a ragtag group of magical misfits, is doing everything he can to protect his found family after he failed to keep his little sister alive. From rummaging through dumpsters for food, stealing from convenience stores, and throwing punches in illegal fighting rings for extra cash, there’s nothing he won’t do to keep the crew safe from the Authorities who are hunting kids like them. When Gemma shows up in Theo’s world, their dreams become a shocking reality. The problem is that neither thought the other truly existed. Now they have to learn how to trust each other in person, as much as they had in their fantasies, if they want their secrets to remain hidden. What’s worse, Theo didn't guide her there. Instead, a vengeful entity hell-bent on stealing Gemma’s powers did. She and Theo must work through their grief to banish him or risk losing each other for good. But doing so won’t be easy when kids with powers are being hunted by something far, far worse than a ghost. In a cruel, contemporary world, can a handful of teens rely on one another to beat the odds? |
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Record of The Paladins: Book Of Oliver by BP McCoppin Demons are real. They walk this world. To combat Satan's hordes, Christianity relies on its secret weapons: Paladins. Oliver has visions. He hears voices. When he meets a beautiful stranger who seems to know why, Oliver must choose to answer the call of Christianity's mysterious order or never know the truth he's been searching for. Dive into the world just beyond the edge of perception, a place where demons terrorize and crusaders wage war. Journey with Oliver as he seeks the answer to the riddle of life: What is my purpose? Complete in itself, BOOK OF OLIVER is the first novel in an epic series, RECORD OF THE PALADINS. Note to reader: This is a book of faith based heroes who glorify God and seek his kingdom. It contains action, adventure, and villains. These villains are as far from God as one can be and will at times use profanity. There is a light amount of profanity in the final chapter, so fair warning. The demons in the book are vile creatures and may scare younger readers. We do not hold back on how evil Satan and his hordes can be. |
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Dreams of a Dragon Girl by Bonnie Jacoby A dragon’s vision. A girl’s curse. A quest to save dragons from extinction. Dragons disappeared long ago. Now they’ve returned, and magic pours back into a world that has buried its existence. Becca is ridiculed for believing dragons are more than the plague-bringers of history. When a fever sweeps through her village, igniting fears that the dragon plague has returned, her belief becomes dangerous. To make matters worse Becca can suddenly sense emotions. It’s a curse, exposing secrets she’d rather not know and making life almost unbearable. The youngest dragon, Gregor, watched his family die because he didn’t know his power could’ve saved them. Defying the rules, he risks exposure to search for a human girl from his vision, certain she’s the key to dragon survival. But when Gregor finds Becca violence erupts. Now the fate of the world rests on these unlikely heroes finding the courage to save dragons without losing everyone they love. |
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"Forged by Pain" is a gripping tale that follows Princess Amelia, a good-natured and slightly mischievous girl whose life takes a turn at fourteen. In a ruthless coup orchestrated by Duke Nicholas, she loses her parents and freedom, becoming trapped and tortured within the infamous Black Tower for four harrowing years. Though her mind shatters under the torment, her indomitable spirit remains unbroken. With the unexpected aid of a crippled Inquisitor named Pretty and his loyal, mute servant Victor, Princess Amelia manages to escape her agonizing captivity. Transformed into a vengeful monster by the horrors she endured, she sets her twisted plans into motion, directing her anger towards Duke Nicholas's relatives and loved ones, determined to make him suffer as he did her. And as her sinister machinations unfold, a war looms on the horizon, engulfing the three kingdoms in turmoil. |
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A Drifting Sun by Ashley Capes Born without a face, Iggy is an outcast in his own village, surrounded by those who both fear his powerful telekinesis as much as they rely upon it for survival. But Iggy’s gift often feels closer to a curse, and after a tragic accident, he disappears on the day of his Exile. Only his sister Mei follows, chasing Iggy into the hostile nation of Nasaru – a land that sees them as nothing more than enemies to be captured or killed on sight. Two other quests are afoot in the land of Nasaru, with each seeker fated to cross paths with both Mei and Iggy. Anyo, disdained as the Beggar Prince, is desperate to win back his honour by unearthing a legendary blade, unaware of dangerous ambitions lurking within himself. Veteran Greyshield and king’s assassin, Rokura, is charged with rescuing a royal bastard from slavers. But despite Rokura’s considerable skills, his quarry stays one step ahead, as if receiving aid from unknown quarters. Separately at first, each character must overcome their own demons in time to unite and defeat a rapidly spreading darkness: the Moon Father, an ancient god determined to sow the seeds of chaos… |
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A Rose Among Thorns by Ash Fitzsimmons Runner-up, The Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award 2023 No one said anything about an attack vine. Rose Thorn should never be left unsupervised around plants. Potted things tend to die around her as if on principle. But when her great-aunt calls and asks Rose to watch her garden nursery for a few days, Rose can hardly say no. After all, Aunt Lily is the closest thing Rose has to a grandmother—and the only family she has left—so Rose doesn’t mind driving out to her tiny mountain town to look after the place. Aunt Lily never mentioned anything about an inspection, however. Rose is taken aback when an agent from an organization she’s never heard of arrives and panics to find Aunt Lily missing. As it turns out, Aunt Lily hasn’t been entirely straight with Rose. She’s not visiting a sick friend—she’s in danger and on the run. She keeps a hidden greenhouse on the property in which she grows highly regulated magical plants. And she’s an elf…as was Rose’s grandfather. Though stunned to witness magic at work and shocked that no one ever divulged the family secret, Rose refuses to abandon the nursery until her great-aunt is safely home. But as she and the agent, now awkward housemates, try to keep up their cover story and find the missing grower, they realize that whatever led to Aunt Lily’s disappearance might not be the only magical crime in progress. And while Rose has no green thumb, another talent of hers may be budding… |
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Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson “A fascinating merging of oppressive imperialism and disconcerting alienation.”—Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of Children of Time & Shadows of the Apt SPFBO X Finalist. Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. ENTER THE FUNGALVERSE. Blade Runner, True Detective and District 9 meld with the weird worlds of Jeff VanderMeer, Philip K. Dick and China Miéville in Adrian M. Gibson’s hallucinatory, fungalpunk noir debut. Two years after a devastating defeat in the decade-long Spore War, the island nation of Hōppon and its capital city of Neo Kinoko are occupied by invading Coprinian forces. Its fungal citizens are in dire straits, wracked by food shortages, poverty and an influx of war refugees. Even worse, the corrupt occupiers exploit their power, hounding the native population. As a winter storm looms over the metropolis, NKPD homicide detective Henrietta Hofmann begrudgingly partners up with mushroom-headed patrol officer Koji Nameko to investigate the mysterious murders of fungal and half-breed children. Their investigation drags them deep into the seedy underbelly of a war-torn city, one brimming with colonizers, criminal gangs, racial division and moral decay. In order to solve the case and unravel the truth, Hofmann must challenge her past and embrace fungal ways. What she and Nameko uncover in the midst of this frigid wasteland will chill them to the core, but will they make it through the storm alive? “This is like nothing I’ve read before. Its premise is cool, creepy, and incredibly unique, bolstered by prose as savvy and knife-sharp as the detectives of the NKPD.”—Nicholas Eames, award-winning author of Kings of the Wyld & Bloody Rose “This is more than a full-throttle, mushroom-and-blood-drenched adventure. At its heart, Gibson's story is one of acceptance: of hard truths, of others, and, perhaps most critically, of oneself.”—M. J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves & Thick as Thieves “Mushroom Blues is a brilliant debut that encapsulates all I love about the noir mystery genre.” —R.R. Virdi, bestselling author of The First Binding & The Grave Report “The imagination on display in Mushroom Blues is immense. Prepare to enter a fantasy world unlike anything you've ever seen, one that surprises, delights, and grosses the fuck out.”—Moses Ose Utomi, author of The Lies of the Ajungo |
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The Book of One by Adam Gaffen Angels and demons are never meant to cross paths, or so the ancient lore dictates. In 10th Century Rome, a realm teeming with shadowy intrigue and covert power plays, the demon Kalili, aged six millennia, receives a seemingly simple mission: to charm Octavianus, a youthful potential pope. Yet fate takes an unforeseen turn when Faith, an unseasoned angel, is assigned to eliminate her. This extraordinary encounter ignites a conflict beyond their wildest imaginings. Bound by an enigmatic bond and an undeniable attraction, Kalili and Faith are thrust into a labyrinth of danger and deceit. As the last of the legendary Thirteens, their intertwined destinies are key to resolving an eternal battle between light and darkness. Pursued by the forces of both Heaven and Hell, they must unlock nascent powers and unravel millennia-old enigmas to avert an impending cosmic upheaval. Their decisions will forge a new path for the ages, as they journey through a riveting saga of love and fate, a journey marked by harrowing risks and dark enchantments. A saga that leads them to confront their own nature, in a world where every choice could reshape the very essence of life itself. Dive into this spellbinding tale, where the lines between good and evil blur, and the journey of two unlikely allies begins, culminating in a breathtaking saga of passion, destiny, and the eternal struggle between celestial forces. INCLUDING AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS: A DELETED SCENE! |
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Father of Constructs by Aaron Renfroe #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release - LitRPG with heart! Lorith's magic is fading. Centuries ago, heroic adventurers stopped the World Boss’ cycle of rebirth by reducing the creature to one hit point and sealing it away so no one would ever find it. But, by ending one calamity, they halted the natural flow of magic within the world and brought about the Havoc Plague. With all civilization now on the brink of collapse, humanity's only hope is to find and kill the World Boss in order to restart the monster's rebirth cycle and bring back magic. When the Plagued janitor Harvey stumbles into a mysterious wreckage and accidentally kills the missing World Boss, he gains a million experience points, making him the target of almost all the would-be adventurers of the world. Burdened with ancient knowledge, and hunted by countless rivals, he must join with unlikely allies to do the unthinkable: find the reincarnated World Boss and defeat it again, before it can ravage the world anew. Father of Constructs is an optimistic LitRPG novel with a dash of Slice of Life. |
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The White Mask Society by A.M. Colwell When Yara Rivers has a vision of her capture by a mad scientist, she tries to discover if her future is set in stone or if she has control over her own destiny. Alongside her three Guardians, including a nymph and a shape shifter, her life changes from that of a simple girl trying to make it through her last year of high school to a seer fighting for her life. Book 1 in the White Mask Society series. |
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“We never steal children. We only swap them. An eye for an eye, a child for a child." Aiden's mission to retrieve the Sword Master from demon territory doesn't go to plan as he falls dangerously in love with the Swordsmaster, Keera. She's pretty as a fae, and a strong, graceful fighter and with every movement she makes, he falls harder. Keera and Aiden both ignore all the warnings, marry, and have two beautiful daughters. Meanwhile, Keera’s swords, forged with cold iron and adorned with fae silver, have angered the fae. Determined to pay the humans back, the ruler of FaerLand, Queen Persephone, orders Lettie to switch her beloved changeling, Nada, for one of Keera and Aiden’s children. Lettie’s heart breaks as Nada is torn from her hands and replaced with a snotty human child. Now, the one person she loved in all the world is gone, she will do anything to bring Nada back... ...including killing Keera and Aiden to end the fairy bargain. If you love fae, fairytales, and heart-pounding adventure pick up your copy of Into FaerLand today. |
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Darkness of the Northern Sky by A.E. Engle Can a battle-weary warrior stop a vengeful sorceress from building an empire of evil? Commander Soltari is jaded by battle and returns home to his wife and daughter to lay down his sword for good. When nightmarish hordes suddenly strike his city and murder his family, he promises to find and destroy the sadistic sorceress behind the raid. Blinded by his desire for revenge, he leads an army deep into a frozen wasteland to strike first and stop her next attack. But a supernatural event wipes out his force, leaving him and a handful of soldiers stranded in the barren lands. Driven to madness, Soltari swears to return to his homeland and fulfill the promise he made. Yet, now the sorceress holds his lands captive, preparing for her next deadly attack. Can Soltari rise from the void of his inner abyss to return and save his homeland before the sorceress unleashes another wave of destruction? For fans of classic sword and sorcery comes Darkness of the Northern Sky, a story of one soldier’s journey to reclaim his home, his land, and honor his family. |
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The Crippled King by A. Trae McMaken Who can withstand the vengeance of dwarven kings?

The life of a dwarven prospector is one of shame, loneliness, and a constant battle for survival. Striking it rich is the only way for Naen to keep his bones from bleaching in the sun without heritage or memory. When riches finally fall into his hands, he encounters a group of indentured servants fleeing from a vengeful master. A dwarf-maid named Jade leads the refugees, but she has her own desires for her future and they don’t seem to include Naen. Yet in the face of the brutal wilderness, they need help to survive, and the experienced Naen could give it. When spring comes, should he leave them to their fate and return to the wilds alone, or should he stay with the outlaw dwarves and face the coming onslaught? Mocked as the King of the Cripples, the epithet could become Naen’s true heritage as the ragged refugees prepare their mine to withstand the vengeance of dwarven kings. |
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Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano His dark destiny awaits, and nothing will stand in his way. Except her. Dark lord Demon spawn Prophesied realm destroyer With a demon for a father, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne’s destiny could be nothing but nefarious, and with the completion of his most vicious spell, Damien is on the cusp of fulfilling the evil inevitability all of his dark machinations have led to. And then, her. Bubbly Obnoxious Blonde Harboring secrets of her own, a tiny yet troublesome thief calling herself Amma completely upsets Damien’s malevolent plans when she mistakenly gets chained to his side through magic, forcing him to drag her across the realm. Killing her would fix things, of course, but the nauseatingly sweet Amma proves herself useful on Damien's unholy crusade and then proves herself the source of something even more sinister: feelings. Will Damien be forced to abandon his villainous birthright to help the tender thorn in his side? Or will he manage to overcome the virtue Amma insists on inspiring and instead cut it out at the heart? |
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The Desert Heiress by Shoshana Rain Nothing will stop Lis from regaining her family's power—not even the three tempting men standing in her way. In the desert port of Cenefra, the Sun Rose is life blood. A magic plant with the ability to grant people greater abilities. Sale of the plant is strictly forbidden, its growth restricted only to farms owned by the Empire's shipping company. Liseya Moroeste has only ever wanted one thing: to run the syndicate smuggling it. But her family has been cut off for over a century, forced to advise but never lead. When the government cracks down on all illegal export, Lis is ready to seize her chance. To do so, she must best her three rivals. Filip, Deo and Adrian each want to court her, control her, cajole her into doing what they want. Liseya finds herself drawn into their complicated web, but to survive, she must learn if she can trust them, or if she must cut them down before they can do the same to her. The Desert Heiress is the first book in The Seven Star Empire Series. It is a slow burn, MMMF why choose, second world fantasy with steamy scenes and a guaranteed HEA at the end of the series. It contains both MM and FF scenes, and involves the FMC in a relationship before getting involved with her main love interests. |
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Seeds of Inheritance by Aimee Kuzenski A decade ago, Berenike, adept of the Fingertip Order, conspired to put her son on the throne at the head of a group of rebels who only wanted their futures back. Â She failed. Â Her son and husband dead, her dreams and reputation in tatters, Berenike makes the only bargain she can - she gives her magic-sealed oath to serve emperor Leontios the Unbending in exchange for the life of her young daughter, Evrim. Â Now, after her failure to help the rebels and her years of slavery and humiliation, Berenike is dealt yet another blow. Evrim, frustrated with her mother's dedication to a lost cause, rejects Berenike's plans. She will not fight the battles Berenike cannot. Â Berenike must find a way to unseat Leontios and redeem her promises to the rebels, all while navigating an almost unbreakable oath. Alone and disregarded, she will use any weapon that comes to hand - even if that weapon is her own daughter. |
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This is the story of how monsters saved their corner of the world. Whether they deserved to be saved is another story. For years, High Seer Aurienne has lived with a single haunting truth-her visions will not save her people from the prophesied apocalyptic war that's always haunted her nightmares. That all changes the day blacksmith Theo saves her life. She foresees Theo's destiny to gather the continent's five warring nations to stand against the invading forces. Suffering the soul-rending consequences of spirit necromancy, Aurienne finds herself fighting to survive a deadly web of assassination attempts, mind-shattering visions, and ruinous betrayal. Theo cannot refuse when Aurienne asks for his help to save their people. He travels the length of the continent facing timeworn superstitions coming to life as he asks neighboring nations to join their cause. Refusing to let down the woman he's falling in love with-even though the fates whisper she will never love him back-he assembles an army of rebels fighting to retain their humanity as the corrupted magic of the land transforms them into the monsters of legend. Saving the world does not come without cost. Standing against the conquering emperor, backed by his bloodthirsty goddess and moon-cursed army, Aurienne and Theo must decide whether to unleash forces more monstrous than the enemy they're fighting against. |
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The Plagued Elf by Armanis Ar-feinial In a race against time, Quarala battles against the unknown, desperately striving to save the life of Anaergienne, Malitu's hunter. Armed with her vast knowledge and unwavering determination, she must unravel the mysteries of a disease that has eluded even the most skilled healers. Will she succeed in her quest to find a cure and restore him? Dive into this gripping tale of magic, courage, and sacrifice, and prepare to be spellbound. |
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The Best of Us Is the Last of Us by Anthony Halligan Enter a world where forgotten magic thrums in the very air and danger lurks around every corner. Awakening in a realm tinged with mystery and wonder, a spirited young woman finds herself at the heart of an extraordinary journey shrouded in secrets, prophecies, and ancient powers waiting to be unleashed. As she navigates through perilous quests and unexpected alliances, her quest for self-discovery intertwines with the fate of realms on the brink of chaos. A chance encounter with an enigmatic wizard sets her on a path rife with trials and revelations, leading her to confront not just her past but a future enmeshed with destiny itself. Beset by dragon fire and shadowy betrayals, her metamorphosis heralds the resurgence of forgotten magic and the awakening of a long-dormant legacy. With each step she takes alongside a magnetic rebel leader and his formidable father, she uncovers truths that will shake kingdoms to their core. Amidst a tapestry of love, sacrifice, and treacherous intrigue, she finds herself torn between conflicting loyalties while harnessing powers beyond imagination. As she embraces her legacy, the stage is set for an epic clash that will test the very fabric of existence. Prepare to embark on an odyssey where bonds are forged in fire, destinies are rewritten in blood, and the battle between light and darkness reaches its crescendo - for in this realm of magic and mayhem, our mysterious and courageous heroine will discover that her true power lies not just within her, but in the choices that she makes when faced with the ultimate test of courage. |
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Facing Shadows by Anna J Worthy #1 Ranking in Teen and Young Adult Epic Fantasy eBooks! Dangerous chasms. Deadly monsters. Treacherous powerplays. And only a handful of young Denizens can save their village from utter ruin. 

"We’re more than our worst impulses, more than the shadows we face." When Evaya, a 16-year-old warrior, stumbles into one of the mysterious chasms that have suddenly appeared near her remote island village, she’s determined to find what’s causing them before another one destroys them all. If only it were that simple. Her concerns are ignored by her village’s Elders who are distracted by the decades-long feud between warriors and hunters—a conflict that has Evaya questioning which side she should be on. And a desperate power-play made by the volatile Elder warrior, Delcrom, could unravel any hope of unity. Meanwhile, a prophesy suggests that pairing Evaya with the flawless young hunter, Rykas, would finally end the village feud. But she has developed complicated feelings for Aldric, a brooding cook who’s fallen hard for her. The only thing Aldric wants more than Evaya is to defeat his father, Delcrom, who intends to pair Evaya with Valgrun, a villainous young warrior who will stop at nothing to claim her. Evaya must unite her people and confront the mystery of the chasms before it’s too late. But can she save them without sacrificing her heart? |
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Quaint Creatures: Magical & Mundane by Andrew D Meredith When a city councilor comes into Quaint Creatures and asks veterinary doctor Norrik Softstep to investigate the magical crate confiscated by his customs agency, the entire staff of Quaint Creatures will need all their skills and knowledge to unravel the troubles threatening the relatively peaceful city of Brightfall. From liches seeking city approval for their public adventurer dungeon, to strange goings on at the pet food factory, no problem is too magical nor mundane for Rik and his friends. |
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Merewif: the Mermaid Witch by Amanda Adam When Madge receives a moonstone necklace on her sixteenth birthday, she discovers she is not only a mermaid, but also, a witch. Problem is, she never knew either existed in the first place. As if wrapping her head around the fact that she’s a mermaid-witch isn’t enough, it also turns out her parents were royalty to her kind and didn’t die as she’s been told her entire life. Instead, they were murdered by her estranged aunt Viviane, who is now after her. If Madge is to prove herself fit to lead her kind, she’ll have to hone her newfound Vala and unravel clues from her mother’s tome. But when Madge uncovers the dark power her murderous aunt wields, will she have what it takes to save them all? |
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The Autumn Apprentice by Alexandra Runes A disabled young woman opens her heart to a man with a soul full of secrets and magic of the darkest kind… Kirzemaj Rüdisch, daughter of a wealthy merchant family, is soon coming of age and ready to enter society. Recovering from a curse that left her disabled, Kirze has spent much of her life in convalescence and seclusion, and now she must learn everything all over again. Under the guidance of Master Andruš Bagadúr, Kirze discovers not only her lost abilities but a wider world beyond her privileged life—and feelings that call all her beliefs into question. As the reality of the world unravels, Kirzemaj is torn between duty and desire–because the man is twice her age, of an undesirable, foreign background, and has a darkness about him that, even with her new-found knowledge, Kirze cannot explain… A romantic fantasy, The Autumn Apprentice is set in a world evocative of Hanseatic Northern Europe and inspired by the histories and mythologies around the Baltic Sea. |
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Souls chained to the earth scream for release, and nightmares devour dreams. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, hides in the dream world from a past she yearns to forget. But when the scent of rotting flowers wafts through the Nexus, and multiplying nightmares nip at her heels, she realizes it’s her responsibility as the goddess Muska’s chosen to protect her realm. And then a dreamer notices her for the first time... Lazarus hates the power the god Lokahn cursed him with – as a spirit seeker, he’s tasked to wander Bodhira, sending off lingering souls to the unknown. In one town, he stumbles across a mass grave and fails to free the spirits, as they’re bound to the earth by another spirit seeker’s magic. Determined to liberate the souls, he seeks help from an unlikely source. A woman from his dream, with blue eyes and feathers in her hair... Aysa and Lazarus reluctantly make a pact to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares, as well as life and death. |
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Trollgrave by Alex S. Bradshaw Something stirs in the Forest of Broken Trolls... Despite all his skill in healing and runecraft, God-Speaker Alvir Einarson could not save everyone. In the wake of failure, he seeks aid from an old mentor and witnesses a wave of darkness sweep over the land that, for a single moment, extinguishes all magic. In the capital, he discovers a fellow god-speaker is missing and the streets swarming with Windborn - resurrected warriors gifted with supernatural powers by the gods’ enemies. Answers await in the Forest of Broken Trolls, but within its sinister depths even the gods’ protection may not be enough, and no more so than now, when the gods’ strength may be fading and dark powers are on the rise. One thing is certain: Alvir Einarson would rather die than let the gods fall. Trollgrave is a standalone Norse fantasy filled with fanatical outlaws, strange magic, and vicious monsters. |
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A Witch's Guide to Business by Alex Evans In the free port city of Barramar, the only law is the law of money. Here, the dingy taverns and the opulent teahouses alike thrum with the whispers of dark dealings. It's a place for the ruthless — spies and smugglers, or the desperate—refugees running from war, opression and poverty. Trust is a rare currency and alliances, as fluid as water. After spending their youth on opposing sides of a brutal war, Tanit Murali and Padma Amrithar are as different as night and day. One is a former spy, a rogue with a serious taste for violence, brandy and handsome men. The other is a compassionate surgeon and devoted family mother. They share but one thing: their rare magic gift. Forming an unlikely partnership, they run together an occult business. Their enterprise is thriving until two peculiar cases land on their doorstep: a murderous vampire ensnared by a hex and a string of deadly mishaps in a notorious factory operated by zombies. Pursuing the truth leads them to the city's influential high priest of the god of wealth. Soon, they uncover a web of intrigue and realize that humans are far more dangerous than magic creatures. A special note for readers: this book contains a lot of different characters and a lot of worldbuilding. If you prefer your settings conventional and your story focused on a few heroes and villains, you probably won't enjoy this novel. |
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Woe to the Stargazers by Alex Shipper Heroes strive to end the world. Villains fight to save it. Kelydy just wants to go home. But it's too late. He’s been sucked into this backwards debate with no way out, forced to choose. Either preserve his spoiled, rotting reality or obliterate it forever. Either side with the selfish, narrow-minded saviors, or join the misguided bringers of doom. Saints clash over holy ground. Cults squabble and scheme in secret. Divine weapons are forged and shattered until the morality of creation itself is brought into question. Why begin if the end is inevitable? Why live, only then to die? Kelydy doesn’t know. Kelydy just wants to go home. But he must make a decision. Which side would you choose? Woe to the Stargazers is a standalone tragic fantasy set in a world filled with mythos and mystery. Explore new societies and cultures as they each wrestle with their own inevitable end in unique, gut-wrenching ways. |
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South Breaks by Hannah Steenbock South Rabbit thought she could accept giving her life to sustain the magical Veil protecting the Holy Empire. Fate proves her wrong, but can she escape the Priest’s wrath? As a Wind, South supplies power to the Pillars working their magic in the service of the Holy Empire. She has already watched her beloved Moon die on the top of a pyramid and her own Sacrifice is approaching. When Fate changes the path of her life and reunites South with her family, she realizes that everything she has been taught was a lie. Feeling beyond lost, South struggles with finding a new purpose for her life and her own powers. Just as she finds her bearings, disaster strikes her newfound family. South has to sneak back into the Empire and risk everything to avert new tragedy and even more death. Winds of Destiny is an epic fantasy series with low magic and high stakes. If you like a slight Aztec vibe, fast-paced action, clever mules and a heroine growing into her powers, you’ll love South Breaks by Hannah Steenbock. |
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Clysm Games: Dark Seeds by Dom Sabasti [must be read in *movie guy* voice] In the wake of an arcane cataclysm, in a storm of lust and deceit, swirling in shadows of ancient magic, a brilliant light shines, eager to breed. |
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The Vermilion Ribbon by Hayley Price Hayley Price's debut novel, The Vermilion Ribbon is a pulsating mix of fantasy, romance and adventure. Corelle's journey from innocence to cold-hearted killer leaves a trail of bodies from one end of Dur to the other. With her enemies in relentless pursuit and another woman's life in her hands, Corelle cannot relax for a heartbeat. Despair and vengeance compete for her attention as death dogs her footsteps, leading to a thrilling climax that will leave you breathless. |
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Moonshadow's Guardian by Dianna Gunn All Riana has ever wanted is freedom. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing her kind cannot have. Bound by the curse in her demonic blood for millennia, Riana has tried several times to bend the rules and live out her life in the mortal realm. Now her consistent rule breaking has drawn the attention of Loki, God of Mischief, the main tormentor of Riana’s kind. But instead of punishing her, he offers her the escape she has always desired. All she has to do is save the kingdom of Moonshadow from a mysterious magical plague. Armed only with the inherent power of her own blood and Loki’s pet dragon, Riana is determined to fight for the right to create her own destiny. However, when her mission forces her to destroy the last remnants of an ancient culture, Riana must ask – what is freedom really worth? Moonshadow’s Guardian is a tale about the meaning of belonging, and the struggle to create a future not defined by your past. |
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Infinite: Rise of a Rebel by Diana Priyanka Chowdhury Leon Hearth-Bringer is being watched... The enslavers of his kind are now after his ancestral powers. How will he escape this dark & dangerous situation? Read this book right now to find out! |
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I am the last remaining Sylvian. The final warrior in a line of Lycan-Undead hybrids. Because of the demon that resides within me, I mistakenly slaughtered my family when I was ten. But my family is not just any ordinary family. My father was the king. I’ve been on the run my entire life, wanted for treason. But now my enemies have my daughter, the only person on this earth I have left to love. For her, I will fight. For her, I will take back my kingdom. For her, I will make this world bleed. |
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"Please, Hunter. Don't do this. Come home..." Tobias Thornfield has been assigned by the Bellwater Mages to work undercover as a high school English teacher. At the end of a long day of teaching, his best friend Hunter attacks his school and his students on orders from the Arcane Rebellion, an organization that believes only they should have access to magic! Tobias must break his cover to save them, overpowering Hunter and taking his students to safety at Bellwater Academy, where they will learn magic and be recruited to join the Bellwater Mages. While his students are busy learning magic, Tobias turns his attention to finding his friend. Why did Hunter attack his students at his school? Why is he serving the Arcane Rebellion? Can Tobias ever forgive Hunter and get his best friend back? What will become of their friendship moving forward? |