SPFBO10 SPFBO Participants
Books entered in the competition of SPFBO beginning May 2024.
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Primal Fury: Trial of the Berserker by NoĂ«l Traver A hive-like race of brutal abominations. A single warrior who wants nothing more than to become a legendary berserker. Can Orsin survive the brutal, solo Trial, kill one of the greatest threats his people have ever known, and emerge as the favoured warrior of his god? Orsin wants nothing more than to pass The Trial and become a berserker. But to do that he must travel into the wilderness, completely alone, and do battle with the abominations that live in the tundraâa strange, constantly mutating species known only as the Herd. But when Orsin makes his way into that icy desert not everything is as he has been told it would be. The Herd beasts donât all act as he expects. Something strange is going on. The ancient enemy of his people is changing, evolving in new and dangerous ways. They are growing more canny and more deadly. But why? As Orsin delves deeper and deeper into enemy territory, he slowly begins to discover new facets to old dangers, challenges that will threaten not only his life but also his sanity and possibly, his very soul. Can he slaughter enough enemies to pass his Trial, make it back alive, and become the legendary warrior he knows he can be? Trial of the Berserker is the first book in the Primal Fury epic fantasy series. If you like brutal and bloody action, feats of great personal strength and fortitude, and high-stakes combat, then youâll love this debut page-turner! |
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The Shepherds of the Sunstone: Book One - Sunstone Saga (The Sunstone Saga) by Nicolin Odel A murdered father. Awakened magic. Nightmares of drowning in the dark abyss. Something hunts in the deep of the night through the endless sea of sand. Adventurous, captivating, and complex, The Shepherds of the Sunstone plunges into the world of fantasy with a blood-curdling scream. Hata thought she was ordinary until she discovered her power to bend the earth to her will. Simon had a dream of drowning, and then his nightmare became a reality. He was kidnapped by a savage tribe and enslaved in the desert. His wife, Saudett, is a soldier who would stop at nothing to rescue him. She joins forces with a band of warriors and Hata, the mysterious girl with earth-shattering magic. But they were not the only ones who wanted Hataâs gift. A powerful order of mages is hunting her down, and they will stop at nothing to capture her. And as they journey across the desert of the Burning Sea, they face a malevolent force threatening to destroy them all. Can they survive the perils and save Simon from his fate? Find out in this epic fantasy adventure, where magic, grit and courage collide. Fans of Patrick Rothfuss, Andrzej Sapkowski, Sarah J. Maas, and Robin Hobb will find this first installment in the Sunstone Saga an intense, tactile, dark, and action-packed journey. |
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Iâm Immy. I suck at being a witch, but make up for it with style. If you donât 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 homeâand lemme tell you, they leave some weird stuff behind. Weird enough that sometimes itâs a toss-up if itâll help pay the bills, or cause the next best thing to an apocalypse. I really donât want to start an apocalypse, but I gotta eat. Whatâs a girl to do? Read now on Kindle Vella or Laterpress! |
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River of Crows by N.P. Thompson Ty Baxter just wants to survive seventh grade without dying of boredom or getting flattened by the school bully. But when he tries to help an injured crow, his ordinary life is suddenly upended. Now trapped in a secret, magical world, Ty finds himself at the center of a cryptic prophecy, and the target of a brutal emperor who will stop at nothing to protect his power. In a desperate gamble, Ty struggles to control his emerging magical Talent so he can help his friends rescue their kidnapped family members before the emperor uses his dark sorcery to transform them into birds and enslaves them forever as soldiers in his enchanted avian army. |
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The Way of the Wizard by Michael Michel Even gods have their beginnings. Mine starts in the chasm between worlds. In the blink of eternity between life and death. If you wish to follow, let this be your road. First, join your brethrenâthose others who seek the Power. They are your allies and the key to your success. They will almost certainly try to kill you. Second, slay a wizard and claim their topknot. Be smart, be quick, and never hesitate. Theyâre the most dangerous creatures alive. If destiny does not favor you, your bones will be added to the piles beneath their feet. Third, acquire the hidden location of the Spirit Gardens. Secrets are worth more than kingdoms. Protect them at all costs or your enemies will win, and you will die. But above all, never look back. Godhood is the goal. If you have the courage and ambition to do so, read on. Your path to power awaits. |
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Fires of Caprica (Tigers of Caprica Book 1) by Mandy OâDell I was a physicianâs assistant, then I became his experiment. Caprica is hunted. By the tigers that roam her canals at night searching for food and from a fever that leaves no survivors. Until Me. Left with scars and an unusual change to my eyes, I hide myself in the hospital ward, tending to patients that I know will die where I had lived. I am no longer the beautiful girl that haunted the dreams of the Grand Duke, Vane. No matter what he says or how he requests that I return to the palace life where I had grown up as an orphan. But I have caught the attention of another. The Jackal. A thief stealing from the nobles like some hero from a tale of old. With his help, I grow strong enough to walk the canals at night, bringing hope to those who have no access to medicine. There is a force in the dark that neither the Jackal nor the Duke can protect me from. Someone who doesnât want me to find a cure. Someone who stays hidden in the dark shadows and only shows himself when he is trying to destroy the evidence that the fever can be defeated. That evidence is me. Iâm still fighting for my life. |
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Miss Bennet's Dragon by M. Verant Foreword INDIES Winner for Fantasy. Royal Dragonfly Award Winner for Fantasy. âA charming retellingââLocus Magazine An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austenâs Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever. Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. But Mr. Darcy has noticed, and he has his own dark secret. When Elizabethâs sister falls deathly ill, the cure lies in the mysteries of draca. Elizabeth, aided by her brilliant sister Mary, defies restrictive English society to hunt for lost draca lore. She must hurry. Englandâs war with France has drawn other dangerous hunters. Elizabethâs search leads her to the fabulous Pemberley estate, home of the entitled and infuriating man whose proposal she scorned. There, Elizabethâs worlds smash togetherâprotocol against passion, and exultation against the risk of love. But the stakes are greater than her sisterâs life. Elizabeth must test herself against a distant war. And her enemy is not who she thought. âThrilling, superbly paced, and moving. I highly recommend this novel to fans of Jane Austen, as well as to anyone who has ever pondered the mystery of dragons.â â Katherine Sturtevant, author of At the Sign of the Star âA historical romance that encompasses the Napoleonic Wars, arcane marriage laws, and women with the power to command the fiercest, most dangerous, and wisest of beastsâ â Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, author of All That Was Asked Miss Bennetâs Dragon is a stand-alone story that begins a trilogy of Jane Austen Fantasy. |
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Bringer of the Scourge by M. Daniel McDowell When the end of ages comes for the empire, the princess must rescue herself. Vierrelyne du Talorr, the last living daughter of the tyrant king, waits locked in a tower cell for the prophesied apocalypse only she can prevent. An army of three brittle allegiances, united under a rival prince, aims for the throne and lays siege to the castle in search of the princess and the fabled weaponry of the empire. With the aid of her mentor in music and swords, and a desperate cultist sent to find her before the mercenaries do, Vierrelyne steals that formidable ancient weapon from her family crypt: a holy suit of armor and a diadem infused with the soul of a demon prince--the Bringer of the Scourge. With it, Vierrelyne discovers an unstoppable power, but the demon within is corrosive, hungry, and dangerously persuasive. Vierrelyne is haunted by what it means to tame this power bequeathed to her, and by what means she might conquer it. When that rival prince finds her, it will take all the strength she can muster, for, if the prophecy she dreads is true, the very weapons she wields might destroy everything she holds dear. |
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Imago: A Dystopian Gothic by Matthew Zakharuk Tresor Institute accepts only the worthy, and Ada CÄlinescu is anything but. Intractable, mannish, a child of convicted terrorists, she can at best hope to be overlooked. Yet somehow the Institute accepts her application for transfer. Her ticket to the polar town of Heilung, home of the Institute, arrives free of charge. Her only chance to forge a brighter future. Except Heilung welcomes Ada with news of a brutal murder. Militiamen stalk the town, keen to fill their arrest quotasâand Ada knows she could make an easy scapegoat. At every turn the bloody conspiracy follows her, from the halls of Tresor to the arms of a stranger she yearns to make hers. What starts as a dalliance risks putting Ada at odds with the Bureau itself. And then expulsion will be the least of her concerns. |
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Spark of the Divine by Louise Holland SAVE THE GODS. SAVE THEIR REALM. As a Divine, Mae wields her strange gifts quietly as a mercenaryâuntil a simple rescue job sees the crew uncover a plot to steal divinity from the gods themselves. When the god Mae serves is attacked, she must restore their power before the seven realms are thrown into chaos. The first instalment in fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, SPARK OF THE DIVINE follows a group of reluctant heroes on a quest to save a god while the fate of the realms hangs in the balance. Will they each find what they desperately seek, or will secrets of romance and betrayal break them apart? Can they work together to defeat an evil their realm has never seen? Is it the strength of the god that matters⊠or the belief of the Divine? |
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When Shadows Fall by Lindy Enns âEverything I hated and feared was outside that window. There was nothing between me and the night, nothing but a boy I didnât know and shouldnât trust.â Afflicted with debilitating panic attacks and constant anxiety, Ara Holstenner is the last person who would ever oppose the tyrant lord who subjugates her people. But when her sister is taken by shadow creatures, Ara must defy The Lord's edicts and brave the forbidden night world to save her. Can Ara overcome the fears that have defined her since childhood, or will she doom her sisterâand herselfâto a lifetime of torment? |
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The Sunset Sovereign: A Dragon's Memoir by Laura Huie When a dragon finds an assassin sneaking into his lair, he tells her of his life's work and his soon to be final chapter. For the past thousand years, the dragon Vakandi has watched the people of Vakfored grow from a wandering band of refugees to a glorious city of art and magic. Under his protection, the city has survived monsters, floods, and wars all without building an army, dam, or even a wall. But time changes everything and now the citizens of his beloved city want him dead. Vakandi spends his last day telling his assassin why he loves them, and why it's his time to die. |
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A Contract in Sol Forne by Ălan MarchĂ© , Christopher Warman A standalone fantasy adventure featuring djinns, dangerous wishes, political factions, and militias. A djinn. A boy. A terrible contract. "I wouldn't have asked for that if I knew I could ask for anything." Vaelin is an ancient djinn on a quest to seek the artifact to which she is enslaved. Her centuries-long journey lands her in the southern port city-state of Sol Forne, where she is certain the artifact is held. There, she meets Dorovan, a disaffected youth from a dissolved noble house. Though their initial connection is cursory, their bond becomes one that may endanger the entire Cycle of Nature. |
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The Fealty of Monsters Volume 1 by Ladz Illustrated by Soren HĂ€xan Winter 1917. After years on the run from a dangerous cult, Sasza Czarnolaski and his father have found themselves among the Odonic Empireâs ruling class. One problem: vampires arenât supposed to get involved in human governance. What the aristocracy doesnât 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. Itâs already in his bedchambers. Though his pro-proletariat lover, Finance Minister Ilya GĂłrniak, 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 sourceâthe emperorâs own progeny, Ćwietlana. 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 peaceâeven if it means giving into the monstrosity he spent so many years concealing from even himself. |
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For an empath, "How do you feel?" is never just a question. Not when it can kill you. These are the rules: 1. Rare and powerful empaths never escape the compound. (Bastian Lucas escaped a year ago, and just because heâs been dragged back doesnât mean he won't escape again.) 2. Compound officers donât ask questions. (Captain Henry Mortimer has always followed orders, but Bastianâs arrivalâand the disappearance of one of Henryâs teamâhave him wondering things he probably shouldn't be wondering.) When Major Valentine orders Bastian and Henry to investigate a series of murders committed by an asset with powers similar to Bastianâs, it brings to light more than just a cover up. Things like why an empath who shouldn't exist is killing senators, whatâs really behind the compoundâs sinister asset program, and whether Bastian and Henry will live to see the end of this case. Because they're in danger of breaking rule number three as well: 3. Donât fall in love. |
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Elegy of a Fragmented Vineyard: Paladins of the Harvest Book 1 by Kaden Love The beginning of a new fantasy epoch from debut author, Kaden Love. Forced to appease the policies of a foreign fiefdom, Phenmir must do the harvest organs from infants. Ten years ago, a new generation of children began to manifest abilities from the gods. Now, nearly half of the continent has chosen to graft these organs into adults, granting them their powers. Phenmir will no longer participate, but can he repent his sin before all morality is lost? Meanwhile, Aerhee will give all to preserve the process of harvesting, silencing those who oppose her people Will this land of peace resort to the barbaric practice of war? In a battle of preservation and progression, there can only be one victor. |
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The Warrior's Path: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Tales of Gorania Book 1) by Karim Soliman #1 Bestseller in Arthurian Fantasy (Amazon UK & Amazon Canada) #1 Bestseller in Dark Fantasy (Amazon Australia) #1 Bestseller in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy eBooks (Amazon Canada) Blood is his sin. Blood will be his redemption. Forced to slay his father to prevent a massacre, Masolon and his name will be cursed until the end of days. To escape the shame of kinslaying and the justice of his clansmen, the young warrior braves the haunted desert to reach the fabled lands of Gorania. A journey he survives with his body, but not with his mind. Tormented by the guilt of his sin, Masolon seeks redemption through the war he wages against the armed gangs that infest every corner of his new home. But Masolon has to be careful; the war he has started might grow bigger than he can handle. The lords of Gorania do not take vigilantes so lightly. Now enemies and false friends close in from all sides. And Masolon, betrayed and outnumbered, must win one decisive battle to earn the peace he has been pursuing. But in the brutal world of Gorania, peace could just be a delusion. Masolon's path to redemption could be a lie after all. THE WARRIOR'S PATH is the first book in Tales of Gorania: a series for epic fantasy fans who are ready to immerse themselves in a world of flawed heroes and false legends, a world of political games and battles to the death. |
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Embargo on Hope by Justin Doyle Even gods have secrets⊠On planet Vastire, worth is set by the sins of oneâs ancestors. Good families rise to the elite and the wicked fall into poverty. Unfortunately for sixteen-year-old Darynn Mark, his father incited a revolution. Now, Darynn scrounges his way through life in the slums. When Vastire is surrounded by an embargo, it gets even harder to survive. That all changes when an alien ship slips through the embargo, seeking Darynn with an offer: finish the revolution and the embargo ends. He might have a chance thanks to mysterious magic powers, and his two companions: clairvoyant crush Fyra and soldierly alien Kaylaa. Cutthroat killers, mystical beasts, Vampires, power-hungry priests and lords, and self-serving spies stand in their way. If the three of them can crack his fatherâs secret, maybe they can end the embargo and save the poor. If not, another poor orphan will be added to the growing piles of dead. |
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Wolf of Withervale by JoaquĂn Baldwin Lago was only a child when the shapeshifter entrusted the wolf-like mask to his careâan artifact so powerful that it could come to shape the entire world of Noss. Now that he is coming of age, Lago is growing ever more fearful of the ominous relicâs influence, of the empire who has scented its trail and is coming after it. Coming after him. Aided by his best friend, an enigmatic scout, and his trusty dog, Lago seeks refuge in the vastness of the Heartpine Dome. The eighty-mile-wide structure had remained sealed for centuries, safeguarding more than mere secrets. Now that the domeâs entrails are stirring, the mysteries of the long-vanished Miscam tribes are coming to light, and the shapeshifting animal spirits are making their return. Powers untold hide behind the blinkless eyeholes of the canid mask, powers that could tip the balance in the war. Lago is barely beginning to learn how to wield the dark visage, but he can already feel its potential. ⊠And he can feel a different change coming, deep in his marrow. |
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The Warhog Paladins by Jer Patch Mia Lark is running out of options. Without a neural implant, she'll be shut out of the Corporate jobs on her home planet, but without the cash to pay for it, she's desperate to find a way in. There is one way to score that implant and pay it back later: the game planet Revivium. It sounds easy enough: enter the game, earn enough Bitz to cash out, and exit before the game finds a way to kill her. Once she's in-game, though, Mia realizes Revivium is anything but simple. A realm-wide quest is a great opportunity to score her Bitz and punch out, but she finds a magical artifact that links back to a forbidden quest line: the Helm of the dead leader of the Warhog Paladins. The helm's friendly AI, Hex, Leads Mia on an entirely different quest, to find the main guildhall where she can discover what became of the old Warhog Paladins--a quest that could get her killed in Revivium, where Game Over means death... |
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A Breaking of Realms by Jasmine Young Praise for Jasmine Young's A Breaking of Realms: "This one deserves more than 5 stars." "[B]rings you such phenomenal dragons that your jaw will be on the floor." "I might have just read my favourite high fantasy book of 2023." "An absolute winner and no one, I mean no one should miss it if you enjoy a thoroughly fantastic read!" The Realm-Building Enterprise is open to all. On the continent of Elondria, anyone may become the next legendary dragon rider by building the greatest towns, cities, and even kingdoms. SkĂĄlda Branwright dreams of leaving the Longcold and becoming the first Dragonlord to build an official realm. Only no dragon egg has ever hatched for her. But when a wild hatchling falls to her from the skies, begging for rescue, she must decide whether to relinquish her dreams and become the worst criminal of all - a rogue rider. One with the potential to restore mankindâs sovereignty from the brutal dominion of elves. The Realm-Building Enterprise was meant to unite all races, until it became a means for elves to control the continent. But this is no ordinary dragon. By the time SkĂĄlda realizes what she holds in her hands, it is much too late. Stealing this hatchling will mean breaking Elondria's twenty realms, beginning with the one she calls home... A Realm-Breaker is coming. |
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Ghosts of the Catacombs by Janna Ruth I'm a ghost whisperer, not a catacomb crawler. But when you live in Paris, sometimes you end up being both. Hi, Iâm Alix. During the day, Iâm a history student at the time-honoured Sorbonne University. After class, I hang out with the ghosts of the revolution, the many undead misunderstood Parisian artists, and adventurous scientists that glow in the dark. None of them are alive, but they come to me to solve their problems with the living. When a recently deceased catacomb tour guide asks me to retrieve a mysterious personal item from the underground, things take a turn for the weird. Suddenly, I find myself in a city of ghosts, hunted by murderous cave crawlers, and stumbling across haunting secrets. If Iâm not careful now, I might end up a ghost myself. Urban Fantasy with a French twist. If you like cave-crawling adventures, hopeless romantics, and ghosts, you'll enjoy Ghosts of the Catacomb, the first instalment of the Parisian Ghosts series. Travel to Paris today to embark on your catacomb adventure. |
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Blood for Blood: Volume One Part I: (The Blood of Houses, Vol.1) by J.A Garza Game of Thrones with Lightsabers A secret is trivial for one, adequate for two, and fatal for three. Thereâs power in blood. Such is the legacy of House Vega, a Sovereign fiefdom standing on the brink against General Basil Zeren of Taras. There, Jase Vega of Attica declares neutrality in his familyâs war, in vein and virtue. A militant pacifist, he ventures beyond the neon city to train his clandestine daughter, Seva, how to wield their inherited powers: the roaring tides of Hydrokinesis and the collateral-inducing damage of Super Strength. Far across the Royal Strait, along the secular shores of Siteia, lie devote conjurers and moreâan innate power severed from the dynastic kings during the generation-long uprising, yet emerging with grievous consequences and divine authority not seen in centuries. But a more civil disturbance rises to the east, where Shoshana Vega, the General of War, has decreed an ultimatum for her heretic brother: join the destructive conflict or face execution for treason. Now, Basil is charging west to Attica, bringing his daughter, the apostatized but fierce Rome, her daughter, the infamous, immeasurable acolyte Seva, and the indomitable genetic powers of House Zerenâthe first an inferno like Dragonâs breath, the second a psionic enhancement of hearing. All are colliding in Attica, unaware of a fifteen-year mystery condemning Sevaâs birthright that will link the two feuding houses in blood forever. Game of Thrones with lightsabers in Blood for Blood, Volume One Part I, in the Series The Blood of Houses. Part II will release later this year. This novel features supernatural abilities, battle sequences, and political intrigue. |
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The Bones of Prophecy by J. Rokusson Forged in hate. Chained by fate. Azran possesses three gifts that evoke unease in both allies and enemies alike â sorcery to edge his blade, unsavoury virtues, and an ill-favoured, imaginary friend. Yet, even Azran isnât knowing in carrying the fourth: the Elder blade, glacier-forged, with a will of its own. After fulfilling his masterâs latest orders, Azran awakes inside a mausoleum, with both his memories and sorcery gone. Clasped in the hands of a corpse is a centuries-old letter, addressed to him. If Azran is to reclaim what is lost, he must follow a path of puzzles. With each step, a plot unfurls that stretches further beyond Azranâs own troubles, reigniting divine rivalries. A goddess reaches from beyond the grave, and a chained god stirs. To make matters worse, Azranâs fabricated friend sets out on his own, guided by a sinister hand. Unburdened by the remembrance of his former life, Azran has a chance to earn back his humanity ⊠If only he could stifle his simmering rage. And like his anger, so too the secrets of his past refuse to stay buried, giving Azran a glimpse of the man he used to be. What will happen to this earth if he ever regains his memories? |
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Gates of Hope by J.E. Hannaford The Watcher shattered the Gates. Now hope must arise from the shards. Darin and Suriin enter the Black Palace of the SoâDal, at a time when monstrous Edgelands creatures return to the skies over Caldera. After exhibiting magical traits thought lost, Darin is drawn into a secret society charged with keeping the Watcherâs secrets. Now he must balance learning to control his magic, caring for Star, his new companion, and finding a way to sustain the Howlersâ power for long enough to protect Caldera from the predatory creatures of the Edgelands. Before she arrived at the Black Palace Suriin broke the ancient rules of the SoâDal to save the life of the person she loves the most. As her search for a cure delves deeper under the mountain, is there any price she won't pay? On the outer moon of Tebein, Elissaâs newly awakened magic will endanger her home and family. Now she must race to find help for those she leaves behind as she escapes those who want her, and all those like her, dead. One wrong decision by any of them could return legends to life and end five hundred cycles of peace. Will they find the solutions they need in time? |
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A PRIEST AND HIS ANGEL... Father Ilya Pavlovich Sokolovis a lonely priest and pariah of his small town. Tasked with killing an injured monster in the woods, Ilya is certain of his death. Instead, he heals the monsterâs injury and lifts its curse, revealing a handsome, memory-less man. Cocksure Danya is a man lost in an unfamiliar world. He struggles to recall his past life, flashes returning as he and Ilya grow closer. Soon, his appearance begins to change once more, but not into a beast â instead, Danya grows into something just like the Sun that Ilya has worshiped all his life. With complicated pasts between them, the two must work together to deal with the corruption of Ilya's own church, as well as their blooming feelings for one another. |
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Umbra: Tales of a Shadow by Freddie A. Clark Obscurity must be explored, understood, heard. The light of revelation is generated from first-hand experience and knowledge. Will you face obscurity in order for light to reveal itself? Trained since his childhood and cybernetically augmented to seek justice in the canal-filled city of Florydia, Fulvio Donati is an assassin and thief who adopted a double identity. When night falls, Fulvio becomes Umbra: a masked vigilante, a charming and lethal shadow. The intellectual, philosopher and alchemist Soleluna Giordani was only twenty-nine when their search for immortality led them to a terrible mistake. Their consciousness has been trapped inside a mask for almost eight centuries, an irremediable captivity that robbed them of a glorious existence and their place in history. In a beautiful yet corrupted land in which crime lords, celebrities and ruthless politicians are competing for the highest power, a deadly conspiracy is unfolding. While alchemists and courtesans search for a way to survive and a prince must search for one to save his life, Fulvio finds himself involved in intrigues and machinations. Soleluna will show Fulvio the way, guiding him with their wit and their boundless wisdom. Fulvio will show Soleluna a world they were never meant to see, an astounding futuristic reality going beyond anything theyâve ever imagined. Together, they shall save Florydia from its downfall. |
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Five Lords of Dusk by F. Malbeck The hunt has begun. They will find him. And when they do, he will bring down the Empire from within. The Empire would say the Blooded who ruled the land before them are dead and gone, but those onboard the Oathbreaker know it to be a lie; one look at the captainâs ward will tell you that. Shye is one of them. A Stormborn, Dusk Blooded, Strange . . . an enemy of the Empire. He has spent his whole life running from port to port, hiding behind a hood, on a swift ship, running from the imperials who stole land, capital, and crown from his kind and left them to rot in thinning bloodlines. But when he blows his crewâs cover on imperial docks, he is forced to confront the will of the Empire and the humans who rule it. With newly discovered powers to aid him and whispers on the wind to guide him, Shye knows that the answers to the fading of the Blooded lay in Mistral, the capital of the Empire, and that the imperial bounty hunter dispatched to capture him can take him there. There can be no better coronation gift for the crown prince than a Stormborn. Dorian is an imperial bounty hunter. The best in Emin Rif. But Dorianâs independence is constantly threatened by the demands of their noble father, who wanted a perfect, controllable heir . . . he got Dorian instead. It is only their reputation that keeps them free. The assignment to track down a rumoured Stormborn, a being of legend in tales told to guild children, could destroy that reputation forever if it turns out to be a lie. But, if the rumour is true, Dorian will be untouchable in the eyes of the crown and beyond their fatherâs reach forever. Five Lords of Dusk is the debut queer fantasy novel by indie author F. Malbeck. Featuring a genderqueer lead and a flintlock fantasy setting, this novel takes place in a world partly inspired by the author's home country of Australia. |
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Stormborn: A Steamborn Novel by Eric Asher A throne claimed. A city reborn. A family broken. Thanks to the help of Jacobâs Titan Mechs, much of Belldorn survived the battle that ravaged its shores. But the war is far from over. Demands to chase Ballernâs surviving forces across the sea meet more resistance than Jacob could have imagined when Lady Katherine ignores her alliesâ protests and shifts her focus to reinforcing the city. Alice knows theyâll need to grow their numbers if theyâre going to stand a chance against Mordair on the other side of the Crystal Sea. Their hopes rest on Furi bringing the Skyborn into the fold. But Samuel has another plan that will take them back to where it all began ⊠behind the towering walls of Ancora. Whether they await Mordairâs return or bring the fight to him, their survival once more depends on Jacobâs allies. As hope begins to fade ⊠so come the Stormborn. |
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Poisoned Empire by Elyse Thomson Cinderella (feral) meets The Lies of Locke Lamora in this lush romantic fantasy set in a world inspired by the Eastern Roman Empire. Black-marketeer Selene has poison magic and the cynicism to match. When she and genius metals mage Iliana are arrested by the same scheming, noble fathers who tossed them out at birth, they suspect apologies wonât be forthcoming. Forced to either impersonate their half-sisters or die, the friends are stuffed into fancy dresses, packed off to the capital, and thrust into the perilous, glittering world of the imperial court. Traitors lurk in Prince Belisariusâ court, and only his loyal strategos Marduk is above suspicion. As noble-born villains siphon away the souls of their daughters to magnify their magic in secret, Belisarius plots to expose them allâby inviting every noblewoman in the empire to compete for his hand in marriage. But two infuriating imposters in attendance quickly become his bane. When the friends are discovered, they expect imprisonmentânot a deal. Vast riches are on offer if Selene poses as fiancĂ©e to the handsome prince while Iliana simpers for the towering strategosâa ploy to lure traitorous enemies to the capital. Yet even as they help secure the throne, false affections flirt with real passions, and Selene and Iliana are convinced theyâll either lose their hearts⊠or their heads. |
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Of Wind and Lightning: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Selah Book 1) by Ella Walker Henderson In a land of legends, three rival nations hunt the ancient relic that can control rare and powerful warriors. With lightning speed and an affinity for knives, Desa is a legendary, one of the warriors the relic can enslave. Disguised as a mercenary, she joins a band of enemy warriors who also hunt the relic. In the height of battle, a startling connection links her to their leader. Will he help her find the relic or betray her for the glory of his northern kingdom? His aid could be worth the risk. For if her oldest adversary succeeds in the hunt, he will destroy her and her world. Who will triumph? Join the epic quest to find the relic first. |
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The Tenfold Tenants by E.V. Belknap Corvinian Hark thought he'd be the next great villain. What he ended up as, is a caretaker of magical tenants. This setback was supposed to have been temporary. It has been temporary going on eight years. But things are looking up, or at least he was told things are looking up. If you were to ask Corbin, things mostly keep looking sideways. Because his latest tenant might just be human. It means no more magic in the hallways and keeping skeletons from wandering out of the closet. But mostly it means that if he can't figure her out, he'll be out of a job. Which would be rather unfortunate, as it is where he keeps his bed, and all of his stuff, and all of his friends. He'll just stick her between the vampire and the harpy and hope she doesn't notice, shall he? |
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The Hybrid: Book 1 (The Hybrid Series) by E,K Frances Sebastian Parker is thirteen. He thinks he is just an ordinary alpha off to join the Academy to refine his skills, but âthe testâ shows something different. It turns out he is a Hybrid â a Quad-brid to be exact - and will grow up to be the most powerful alpha in more than two millennia. Forced to join the Dark side of the Academy, Sebastian faces fear, rejection, and brutality. Making some unlikely friends and finding adventure, he strives to keep to the Light. However, in a final twist, unsure of who to trust, and what is real, Sebastian is faced with the ultimate decision of whether to embrace the Darkness ⊠Dark, brutal, and gripping, The Hybrid is the first novel in The Hybrid series. |
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Where Fate Whispers by E. G. Tudor BOOK ONE IN THE FATED PARTNERS TRILOGY In the Twin Realms of Nos and Sol, Ceridwen Moonshade anxiously awaits the Fated Pair Choosing; she hopes to be partnered with her best friend, Malakai Ostara. But the Fates have other plans. Something insidious lurks amongst the shadows, and Ceridwenâs whole life will turn on its head, when an ominous prophecy is foretold. In order to save the realms and stave back the horrors of the lower realm of Fog, she must put aside her own growing feelings for Malakai and do what is right. But in the process of discovering who she really is, and what she is capable of⊠will she realise that Fate isnât always set in stone? |
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The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword by Dewey Conway & Bill Adams Galdifort Quillpen has grand dreams of writing epic tales of heroic deeds, just like his famous aunt. Unfortunately, heâs been assigned to Tanna the Tendersword, an excruciatingly carefree would-be-champion who canât seem to find a qualifying entry-level quest. When things are at their most miserable, the young Questers meet an enigmatic old woman who offers Tanna a quest: follow a peg-legged, sword-wielding rooster to help save a crying mushroom lost within a haunted forest. Tanna heroically accepts, regardless of how incredibly unsafe the odd quest seems. But Galdifortâs fears become reality when a sorceress sends her fog monster and lizard henchmen after them. Only a true Champion should confront a sorceress, and, in his eyes, Tanna is not up to the task. But if he wants to write his chronicle, Galdifort must learn to do something he certainly isnât comfortable doing â trust in honest friendship with Tanna the Tendersword. Heâs just a chronicler, after all, not a hero! |
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A Vermilion Curse by DC Guevara Former scholar turned mercenary Ryesand Valafar rummages through a ransacked city for banned religious texts, seeking information about ancient and dangerous magic. While investigating an abandoned temple, he encounters a threatening woman with a price on her head high enough to fund his research. Wanted by both the crown for her involvement in the dead king's occult studies and a menacing cult, Cressida Benoit searches for a way to get rid of a brand that scars her in the besieged capital in order to make her grand escape. An encounter with a demon leaves her in bonds. When this unlikely pair of opposing personalities discover that they have similar objectives relating to the outlawed religion, they agree to work together to find the place where all dark magic stems from. This proves to be a difficult task when their journey is tracked by a war commander set on bringing them to justice, a family they must escort back to a circus, and the growing tension rising between Ryesand and Cressida, serving as a distraction from their individual goals. In the midst of shifting rulers, villages, disarray, and a scattered court of decadence - falling in love was never in the cards. |
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Can a path of blood lead to redemption? Is redemption enough to amend a wayward world? Morality and reality have shifted from their natural axis. Technology and ideology derive from the remnants of a world long dead and segregated by the monsters that now rule the seas. Crow, a young ranch hand, is swept into an odyssey of redemption and revenge as he strives to hold back the ravages of fate and the urges born of a curse shared with his new mentor. Callus, an exile struggling to find redemption whilst keeping his vampiric curse from tainting his new ward, pursues his prey across the sea. The new world they discover reveals a tyrannical society fixated on their councilâs ascension to godhood. |
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The Dryad's Crown by David Hopkins Four titans sleep beneath the earth. Only one fae can keep them from waking. Silbrey is an orphaned wood nymph, taken from her forest home and raised in the corrupt city of Penderyn. The fae child grows up unaware of who she is, what she can do, and the calling of her kind. Under the control of a cruel guildmaster, Silbrey is trained as an assassin. As an adult, she escapes her violent past to start a new life and a family. But a tragic death brings her back to the familiar cobbled streets to seek revenge. This dark path leads Silbrey to uncover an even darker secret: An ancient evil will wake the titans and break the world. Silbrey must travel with her daughter across a war-torn land to defeat that evil. What begins as a fairy tale transforms into a multi-generational epic fantasy about love and lossâand a woman with a strange connection to nature. The Dryad's Crown is an emotional, coming-of-age fantasy debut. The first volume in a gritty saga, set in the immersive world of Efre Ousel. Booklife describes the story as "a fantasy unlike any other." |
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A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery Sometimes you have to leave home to find it⊠All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him. Except Earth. Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw power from all twelve astrological signs â a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar Council. But Novilemâs inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casperâs new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the councilâs most powerful woman. Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet itâs how Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope. As rebellion brinks in the city, even the Council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home. Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential â because the survival of Novilem hinges on Casperâs powers, whether heâs using them or not. Set inside a hidden lunar city, where astrology is magic and your birth sign defines your social status, A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance. |
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Sisters separated by war... Brothers divided by hate... To stop their world being torn apart by darkness, will they find a way to unite? A royal rivalry divides the two princes of Erlingue. A bloody battlefield separates the two princesses of Arbinad. And a creature of darkness waits to destroy them all. When Katâs father, the King of Arbinad, tells her and her sister to flee the coming war, only one of them listens. Determined to help her army, Kat instead disguises herself as a boy and joins their ranks as an archer. But the battle turns bloodier than anyone anticipated, and before she can escape, Kat is taken captive by the crown prince of Erlingue. As second in line, Prince Thomas isnât the one taking the throne. But he knows he would make a better king than his power-hungry older brother. So when he finds Kat as his brotherâs prisoner, they begin an unlikely alliance to seek the sinister new kingâs demise. But little do they know, a darker power is at work behind the new king. And civil war has stolen safety away from Katâs sister. Can they unite forces in time to stop their world being torn apart? |
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"Humanityâs time has run out." Sheâll never be a victim again, but Rowenaâs new power could destroy her country. WOODSPELL is Volume 1 in the completed trilogy, TALES OF ARDONNA: WOODSPELL SERIES, a fairy tale for adults. Content Advisory: adult themes, domestic violence, suicidal ideation |
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Every witch has her Way. Milla is a witch who wants to hide. Grieving the loss of her mentor, she retreats to St. Augustine where her only goals are to run her antique store and tend her demesne into obscurity. But C.R.O.W. has other plans for the formerly wicked witch. As if being saddled with a new apprentice and trying to get rid of the Aural Insurance Adjuster sent to observe her isnât enough to deal with, a pack of multi-level marketing huns sets their sights on Milla, intent on burning her store to the ground. When a threat to the demesne, and the witches and mortals under Millaâs care, raises its ugly head it is up to her to decide: Is living out her days as a nothing witch in a nowhere demesne what she truly wants, or is the formerly wicked witch ready to rejoin the witchy world of C.R.O.W.? |
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Kingdom of Forgotten Curses by Autumn Kaufer The prince is a bloodthirsty soldier who enjoys death, fine wine, and the company of beautiful women. Until one fateful night, when everything changes. 80 years later, the king's barrister, Marius, discovers a reference to the prince and is immediately sent upon a mission of discovery by the king, much to the dismay of his three daughters. At the chateau, Marius makes a deadly mistake, and now someone must pay the price... For fans of Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, and romantic fairytales, this is for you. A gothic tale as old as time... |
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Fey go missing in the mortal realm. Everyone knows that. When Lizzy's mother is the next to vanish she's expected to grieve and move on. Instead, Lizzy wants to find out what happened, but the answers she seeks can't be found in the fey realm of Arbaon. With the help of her best friend, Booker Reed, Lizzy's determined to retrace her mother's final steps... straight through an illegal portal and into the mortal realm. Whatever leads she expected to find, it wasn't an academy of vampires, and a world stalked by their rabid cousinsâthe kavians. Forced to rely on the vampires for protection, and secluded away behind the high walls of Speculo School, it quickly becomes clear not everyone is pleased with Lizzy and Booker's investigation. With danger building the further they dig, the two fey need to decide if the closure they seek is worth risking their lives for. But the longer they remain amongst the vampires, the more Lizzy suspects that her answers lie with the deadly kavians instead. |
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City of the Seventh Moon by Antano Sparreboom When he is chosen as champion of the noble Urwilar family, Verhan knows well that his main job is to fight other champions to settle political disputes. What he doesnât count on are the machinations of the beautiful Lady Morani, and his pride is mercilessly turned against him. As he fights to survive the dangers of the capital, the influential Three Cities Council plans to assassinate the emperorâs chief advisor and take control of the entire imperial court. |