Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle

On one of the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion, priestess Calinthe trades in information, collecting valuable secrets for her demonic employer. Calinthe has a secret of her own: she's intersex, making her a target for the matriarchal slavers of the Ophidian Plane whose territory she must cross in her search for hidden knowledge. But thanks to her friend Zakuro's illusions, Calinthe presents as a woman—a comfortable, if furtive, existence in a world determined to bring her to heel. But when, instead of a mere secret, the priestess uncovers an incalculably powerful artifact, Calinthe finds herself in a high-stakes negotiation with the same matriarchs who sought to enslave her. On the table: Calinthe's discovery, a charm powerful enough to transform a mortal into a god… against a secret so deadly it could quell all life on every plane of the dominion. If Calinthe plays her cards perfectly, she and Zakuro could escape Ophidia wealthier than either of them ever dreamed possible. But if she plays them wrong… …she'll learn slavery in her pursuers' hands is a fate far worse than death.

Paper Daffodils: A Dawn & Rosie Adventure by Titania Tempest

Is it ever too late for a love story? Dawn Clermont certainly doesn’t think so. Rosie Bishop absolutely disagrees. The last place divorcee Rosie wants to be is on a Seniors Retreat in the Lake District. She’s determined not to have a good time, but an unexpected reunion with an old friend thwarts her plans. Her armour of bitterness proves no match for the spirited widow Dawn; dragged through a whirlwind of adventures and betrayed by her own sense of humour, Rosie soon realises she hasn’t got a hope of staying sullen. As Rosie clings to the remnants of her sarcasm, something about Dawn draws her closer than ever before. Soon, their bond threatens to run deeper, but is the possibility of budding romance worth risking their rekindled friendship?

Breaker by Amy Campbell

SPFBO8

Unless this outlaw mage tames his magic, everyone he cares about will be crushed by the enemy. Blaise Hawthorne fears that all he’ll ever be is an outcast, stuck living with his parents for the rest of his days and unable to realize his dream of working in a bakery. Born a Breaker, his unbridled magic wreaks havoc with a touch of his hands. When an enemy Commander storms into his town in a cloud of dust hunting for spellcasters, Blaise escapes and flees the only life he’s ever known. While on the run, Blaise’s chance encounters with a pegasus and a surly gunslinger set him on the path to a new life where he’s accepted for who he is. But things go awry in his new town and Blaise is suspected, forcing the terrible choice between taking the blame or running from the only people who embraced him. When his chosen family is threatened by the Commander he thwarted, can Blaise find the grit to harness his volatile magic into a saving grace, or will his most dangerous challenge be his last? This gritty, uplifting fantasy is the first book in the Tales of the Outlaw Mages series, set in an Old West-inspired world. If you enjoy found family, LGBTQ+ representation, baked goods, and a whole lot of heart then look no further. Break away from the beaten fantasy path with Breaker today.

Shattered Queens Series: Serena by Inez Ocon

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Review by Lovelyreviewswithm on 2026-01-28T07:18:59Z

Shattered Queens Series: Serena by Inez Ocon

This book is such a masterpiece like wow The characters are confident and unapologetically bold.... Ian who's anti hero yet he's only green forest for her... Their relationship dynamic is ideal and compatibility is on another level.. this has plots, & amazing strong fmc 🎀

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Review by Aria on 2026-01-28T06:57:59Z

Hypochondria by Sarah R. New

Hypochondria is smart and emotional with a compelling, unreliable narrator and just the right amount of body horror. The female rage and internal thought in this are also absolutely stellar. Overall, it’s a short read and well worth the time.

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Review by LNHolmes writer on 2026-01-27T23:29:27Z

First Oaths by C.J. Tuma & Quinn Cameron

Review by c_reads_books_ book blogger on 2026-01-24T22:20:55Z

Shattered Queens Series: Serena by Inez Ocon

This book popped up on my IG and I fell in love with the cover. I decided to give it a shot and support and indie author. Let me tell you when i say OBSESSED! I love a morally grey MMC and Ian is it. I love the strong characters in the book. The banter and spice is chefs kiss!

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Review by LaurenPearl on 2026-01-24T03:32:26Z

Sadie Rowe And The Missing Necklace by Claris Lam

After losing her grandma’s necklace, Sadie must work together with a fairy named Pearl in order to find it. But can Sadie learn to trust Pearl as they continue working together, or will her doubts about others keep them from finding the necklace at all?

The Weight of Petals by Cade Meridian

In a city governed by an invisible digital heartbeat, the most dangerous thing you can do is remember. In a quiet Las Vegas cul-de-sac, four children walk home from school through the golden hour of an ordinary afternoon: Marcus, Leila, Tessa, and Sam. They have known each other since kindergarten. They have never truly been friends. At 3:00 PM, the world is whole. By 4:30 PM, it is gone. When the President activates the Civic Protection Initiative, the surveillance state recalibrates to identify, detain, and deport families who don't fit—targeted by ethnicity, by faith, by the algorithm's quiet judgment of who belongs. By sunset, the parents have vanished into the backs of silent vans. By moonrise, the children are running. The Weight of Petals is a devastating novel about state-sanctioned erasure, the detention and deportation of American families, and the children who prove—through sacrifice after sacrifice—that every choice matters. Especially the ones that cost everything.

Leo Learns at La Granja: Engaging Tales for Early Spanish Readers by New Horizons

Welcome to a wonderful journey into the Spanish language! This storybook has been specially created for young learners who want to explore Spanish through fun, colorful, and meaningful stories. Each tale introduces simple vocabulary, everyday phrases, and natural sentence patterns—woven into adventures that spark imagination and curiosity. Instead of memorizing long lists of words, children will absorb the language the way they learn best: by following relatable characters, joyful dialogues, and exciting situations. Every story is designed to gently build confidence, improve understanding, and create a strong foundation for real-world Spanish conversation. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or self-learner, this book turns language learning into a delightful experience. Open the first page, meet the characters, and let the journey begin—¡vamos a aprender español juntos!

Magic Mural by JC Youngstrom

All he wanted was a break from reality. What he got was a witch for a teacher—and a lesson he can’t skip. When Andrew Abbott is finally expelled from school (Science Witch!), he and his best friend are sucked into the secret mural Andy's been escaping into for months. But if Hairy Harris thinks this is punishment, the joke is on her. This painted life is way better than his real one. He can finally impress his crush, his parents love having him around, and his teacher? Sweet revenge has never been better. Andy soon comes to find out that he's perma-stuck in knight's armor, his BFF hates his puff-sleeved bard outfit, and his mural parents love him a little too much. Worst of all, he accidentally created the Nightmare Stalker, a phantom Andy-taking over his life bit by bit. When Andy's real mom is in danger, and his mural-crush is being drained of life, everything on both sides of the mural is on the line. With only a candle, a chewed up number two pencil, and magical sketchpad as weapons he must somehow defeat his phantom nemesis before he is forever trapped in this true nightmare.

The Unnamed by M.S. Masood

"A gift that is not freely given loses its worth. And when it's forcibly taken, a gift can become a curse." Reim was raised for one purpose: to inherit the Vuorian throne—a crown that demands she protect her fractured, volatile kingdom from those within its walls who seek to ruin it—the Unnamed. A destiny few believe she can fulfill. Least of all, Reim herself. With her beloved father's health rapidly declining, and the threat of insurrection looming, she makes a desperate deal—sealed in magic and blood—with an enigmatic Unnamed man known only as the healer. But when he finally comes to collect his due, the price he demands not only has the power to destroy her, but everything she thought she knew about honor, justice...and love. For lovers of the lyrical, character-driven storytelling of V.E. Schwab's Invisible Life of Addie Larue with the incisive social commentary of M.L. Wang's Blood Over Bright Haven comes the first book in a gripping new fantasy duology, The Unnamed—a bold reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin that examines the transformative power of names, identity, self-growth, and love, all while delivering fast-paced action and a slow-burn romance that will leave readers eager for more. "In a richly thought-out fantasy world, Masood weaves lyrical writing with political intrigue as Reim, a pure-hearted yet unyielding protagonist, refuses to bow to the forces that threaten her kingdom—even if that threat is herself. The Unnamed is a story of stolen legacy and rewritten history full of twists and cliffhangers that will make you gasping for more." —Sarah Mughal Rana, bestselling author of Dawn of the Firebird

The Book of Joy by Humphrey Archer

Joy is a monster, but you may end up loving her. Behind her blank stares and eerie calm is a mind that solves problems with unsettling precision — and sometimes, murder. From the man who lured children with promises of kittens, to the smooth-talking insurance salesman who preyed on the sick, social predators are her targets. As she grows, she seeks expertise and control, and masters lock-picking, improvises weapons, and slips unnoticed through the cracks of family life, school, and the wider world. But even as her darkness takes shape, her devotion to her family never wavers, and she is meticulous about how she uses her skills. The Book of Joy is the gripping origin story of an anti-heroine both terrifying and unforgettable because she is socially adept and learns to stay invisible, and is cold and controlled. This is a book for readers who like their thrillers intelligent, unsettling, and unusually dark, and their female characters unapologetically strong and complex, and not on a traditional redemption arc.

The Name and the Key by Kristina Elyse Butke

Some doors are sealed for a reason—and some names should never be spoken aloud. At thirteen, Lily Bellamy finds her mother’s body in the marshes. What haunts her afterward is worse. A corpselike spirit that looks like her mother follows Lily through every reflective surface—mirrors, glass, still water—whispering for Lily to open the door and let her out. Lily has no idea what the door is, how to stop the visions, or whether saving her mother is even possible. The haunting stretches into her young adulthood, eroding her sanity and dragging her closer to a breaking point she can feel but cannot escape. When Lily is eighteen, Andresh Zatavier returns—the boy who once knew her better than anyone, and perhaps still does. Changed by years overseas, Andresh confesses his study of dark magic and forbidden knowledge beyond human limits. He believes he knows the key to Lily’s curse—and how to end death itself. But every secret Andresh carries comes at a cost. As Lily is drawn deeper into a world of dark gates and dangerous names, she must decide how far she is willing to go to save the woman she lost… and whether opening the door will free her mother—or unleash something far worse. Kristina Elyse Butke launches a chilling new dark fantasy series with The Name and the Key, weaving grief, forbidden magic, and aching connection into a story where love tempts fate—and some doors should never be opened.

Parallels by James Kinsley

FROM THE FINALIST FOR THE 2023 PAGE TURNER AWARDS "THE MATRIX" MEETS THE FOREVER WAR IN JAMES KINSLEY'S BREATHTAKING SCI-FI ACTION ADVENTURE Two worlds. One mind. Endless uncertainty. Jeff is stuck in the mundane now, drifting through aimless days and gnawing doubts. Until the moment he sees the Pale Woman—and reality shifts. Suddenly, he’s Jezz, a mercenary trapped in a savage conflict, battling swarms of alien insects on a war-torn front line. Is he a restless young man just scraping by, or a desperate soldier risking everything for humanity’s survival? As identities collide, one question rips through his fractured psyche: What is reality?

It's Hard to Tell You This by James Kinsley

Michael’s father didn’t leave much behind. A handful of battered paperbacks, a few family photos, and an ancient tape recorder - the scattered remains of an old man’s empty life. But that tape recorder sparks something in Michael, a need to take stock of his own thoughts. His memories. His regrets. Turning the recorder on, Michael begins to speak. About the loves he lost. The girls who slipped away. The women he hurt. Each memory spools out of him and onto the tape, raw and unedited. As the recorder fills with Michael’s confessions, his days grow longer, his relationships stranger, his shelves emptier. And Michael finds himself on the precipice of an ending…

Blood & Blarney by Noah Bodie

What happens when you look death in the face, and it stares back? When a charismatic stranger steps into Hugh King’s classroom, desire and danger follow. Rory is beautiful, calculated, and hungry in ways that have nothing to do with food. Their charged encounters begin to unravel into ritual, blood, and myth, and Hugh discovers that being claimed is not the same as being seen. Blending queer gothic erotica with Irish folklore, Blood & Blarney is a dark, intimate novella about hunger, consent, and what it means to touch death without being consumed.

Speaking Out In Silence by Sienna Eggler

The life of an adventurer is hard. People get maimed, die, or go missing all the time, but the world keeps spinning. Meike was never big on monster hunting or collecting trophies. They're happier foraging, mixing potions, and befriending monsters and critters. A fact that's further cemented when one of their friends suffers a grievous wound during a quest. But they aren't ready to hang up their cloak just yet! There are plenty of quests that don’t require a blade, quests devoted to healing, not inflicting pain. And as Meike comes to find, social quests can be stressful in their own way, but just as fulfilling.

Menilmonea by David Catuhe

When the gods sleep, the world begins to die. Menilmonea is a mycomanceress. Gifted with the power to commune with nature and command mushrooms, she has always lived by the strict traditions of her people and their worship of the Mother. But silence has fallen over the village. Tunka, the colossal Turtle Titan and protector of their land, has failed to awaken from his slumber. With their guardian silent, Menilmonea and her friend Aureal must leave everything they know behind. Their mission: cross a perilous land to seek aid from the neighboring Frog Titan. But what begins as a desperate quest for help spirals into a discovery that challenges history itself. The adventure begins when you stop following the rules. As the world teeters on the verge of collapse, Menilmonea must embrace the power she once feared to uncover a truth that could save her people... or shatter their reality forever.

Beecham's Infirmary for the Affluent Afflicted by Briar Somseret

A Victorian Gothic Paranormal Romance Novella by Briar Somerset In a town where health is currency and longing is lure, a reluctant investigator and seamstress must uncover whether hunger will anchor a man already slipping into the dark. Behind the decrepit doors of an Infirmary said to offer miraculous cures to London's ailing elite, people are vanishing. Private Investigator and estranged heir to French aristocracy Jacques Valmont is summoned across the channel to sleuth, despite the lingering sickness of his own—one of grief that stirs in his blood and shadows his mind. Amidst the fog and fever, he finds an unlikely ally in Annie, the quick-witted seamstress working next door to Beecham's Infirmary, whose presence seems to quiet the storm inside him. When she suggests the only way to breach the infirmary's guarded walls is becoming a patient himself, Annie's grandmother warns them both of curses that fester with longing. Unnatural aches that transform a person entirely, if not quelled. As Jacques nears the truth, desire and dread twist together. Annie may be the last tether holding him to his humanity—or the final thread that unravels it.

Daydreamer: The Order of the Kresnik by Rick Houghton

In the frozen heights of Szentély, monsters are forged—and feared. Haunted by loss and bound by a vow, Nura enters the mountain stronghold of the Order of the Kresnik to become a blade sharpened by grief, wielded by love. But as she trains to hunt the vampyres that shattered her family, a darker power stirs within—one that links her to a fury that threatens to unravel everything she believes in. As ancient enemies close in and the Order prepares for war, Nura must choose between discipline and rage, vengeance and mercy, hate and love. In a world where monsters wear many faces, becoming one might be the only way to survive. The third chapter of the Daydreamer Saga plunges deeper into the gothic heart of Europe, where blood runs cold, love burns bright, and the line between salvation and damnation is razor-thin. She survived the monsters. Now she must become one. Perfect for fans of Anne Rice, V.E. Schwab, Deborah Harkness, and Empire of the Vampire.

Daydreamer: Threads of the Forgotten by Rick Houghton

Descend into the mist-shrouded forests of Europe, where a mother’s love becomes her fiercest weapon. When Nura’s family vanishes into the jaws of darkness, she risks everything to find them—only to uncover a hidden war between vampyres and the hunters sworn to destroy them. To survive, she must awaken long-buried powers and face truths that could unravel everything she thought she knew. In the second chapter of the Daydreamer Saga, the line between hunter and hunted blurs, and every step weaves a new thread into the forgotten tapestry of the past. Darkness has many faces, and salvation comes at a cost few are willing to pay.

Daydreamer: Escape from the Dark by Rick Houghton

Escape from the Dark A gothic fantasy of blood, hunger, and buried identity. Most vampyres remember nothing of the life they had before, but Larua is no ordinary vampyre. Haunted by flashes of a past that refuses to stay buried, and watched by monsters who fear what she might uncover, Larua must navigate a cruel world where remembering too much could cost her what little remains of her humanity. Torn between human companion Jenny, enigmatic vampyre Drake, and her all-consuming thirst for blood, Larua’s past is just the beginning of a centuries-long tale of vampyre and vampyre hunters. Some underestimate her. Others sense her hidden strength. All will remember her. Dark, atmospheric, and tragic, Escape from the Dark launches The Daydreamer Saga—perfect for fans of Anne Rice, V.E. Schwab, and Deborah Harkness.

The Sound of Nothing by Nicole Aisling

Without a keeper, no soul is safe. In the peaceful and secluded Konota Valley, every 16-year-old must embark on a sacred journey to find their animal soul keeper. The life-long bond protects their soul from malicious demons that would devour it, leaving behind an empty husk. As the mostly ignored misfit, Shaya has always felt isolated within her own village, but she hopes finding her keeper will also help her find a purpose. Instead, her return with a bizarre and frightening beast only leaves her more confused. She soon learns her keeper is a drakon, a legendary creature from the northern mountains, but that knowledge does nothing to win her the acceptance she longs for. When drakon riders invade the valley, Shaya’s people begin to question her loyalty. The invaders might offer what she’s always wanted, but she must decide whether finally belonging is worth betraying the few people who still believe in her.

Dangling High by Kaycee King

After suffering an intensely traumatic loss at the hands of Jesse "Snake Eye" Musslin, the eccentric, queer, and legendary outlaw Ezra "Two Shots" Smith embarks on a lifelong quest for revenge, eventually crossing paths with Alexander "Good Times" Davis, who stubbornly refuses to let him be. Dangling High is a gripping Western adventure that turns the genre’s typical, problematic tropes upside down for a more progressive rhetoric. It is a fresh, politically driven take on what the United States has stood for in the past, the danger of the current moment, and the potential to embrace a future that is based on entirely different systems of power and ways of life.

Mari-chan and Roboto Bunny by Jon Kaczka

“A fun and uplifting story, perfect for any young reader who draws their confidence from a favorite toy.” -The Children's Book Review "A children’s fantasy that understands something crucial about its audience: kids are capable of engaging with big emotions when those emotions are handled with care, clarity, and imagination.” -The Independent Book Review Mari-chan is a sweet, brave six-year-old who loves to play with her best friend, a magical stuffed bunny named Roboto Bunny. When her rock-climbing dad goes missing in an avalanche in faraway Antarctica, Mari-chan is heartbroken—until Roboto Bunny reveals a secret passage in her closet that leads to a tunnel to the Underworld and a magic tree with doors that can take her anywhere…even to Daddy. But there’s a catch: the tunnels are too small for a big girl, so Mari-chan is turned into a baby to fit! On their journey, baby Mari-chan and Roboto Bunny must outwit hungry animals, alligator bridges, three-headed “beasts,” silly thieves, grumpy talking trees, a Bunny Kingdom gate test, and a wise owl tribunal. Along the way, Mari-chan discovers that even in a tiny body, her courage, creativity, and kindness are bigger than she ever imagined. But will her bravery and wits help rescue her dad, before it’s too late? It’s up to Mari-chan and Roboto Bunny to find out. This heartwarming and imaginative allegory, reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno, shares that a difficult journey often has the best destination.

The Sorrow of Bees by Andie Holman

Dark magic comes at a cost, one that Jelly, warrior mermaid, must pay. After enduring a brutal ritual to give her Fae powers, a vital piece of her soul goes missing. She must abandon everything and everyone to find it. It is her journey alone. If she fails her mission, her lover’s brother will never again see the sun, trapped in a horrifying dimension called the Hellhole. If she fails, her lover Mako may not forgive her. If she fails, she will never be whole. She’s sent to a queendom so foreign she can barely breathe, transformed into a body she can’t possibly understand. Grappling with the enormity of her task, she struggles to appreciate the sorrows of the pollinators. But she must if she wants to succeed. Kirkus reviews: "The intricate details and person growth of major and minor characters make for a welcome continuation of this saga... The detailed depth of the fantasy world will delight those who enjoy all-consuming magical realms that integrate cleanly with contemporary, nonmagical locales... An often rousing personal quest that will have audiences looking forward to the next book."

The Mermaid's Wrath by Andie Holman

The ocean is dying. A mermaid vows to save it. The Mers are barely surviving in a magical marine bubble, isolated from the rest of the world. Jelly, warrior mermaid and champion of sea life, battles against the choking, accelerating pollution, living beneath the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. When Jelly's mind opens to terrifying premonitions, she must leave the ocean, collaborating with estranged magical beings on land. She’s seen one of theirs in a vision, a woman abducted for the power in her veins, and Jelly is the key to this woman's freedom. The black pearl at her throat holds a secret. When it wakes, it sends Jelly on a tumultuous journey, changing her life forever. Kirkus review: “A lighthearted novel that simultaneously features heavy environmental themes, multifaceted characters, and lots of charm. Holman weaves elements of humor, magic, romance, and environmental activism in a quirky ocean-set romantasy.”

A Stellar Spy by Maya Darjani

A futuristic, magic-fueled homage to the great classics of the spy genre: the cerebral musings of John le Carre with the excitement of The Americans. Devoted mother and career woman. A sleeper agent, poised to act. Tessa lives a double life. She’s the security counselor to Finn, the leader of the planet. He’s her ex-husband and father of her children. She’s still in love with him. But she has a far worse problem. Tessa is also a deep cover operative for an enemy planet, and turns out, her next mission is to betray him. After overpowered mages target and attack the seat of government, Finn wants to remove their magic completely—a brutal action Tessa can't support. So she does the only thing she can do: she contacts her handler. But every action she takes increases the chance of discovery. If caught, she can't protect the mages from retaliation or prevent future attacks against Finn and the children. And when her two roles collide, she must choose: fail her family, or forsake her ideals.

Falling for the Wolf: A Villainous Twist on Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella (To Win a Dark Heart) by Megan Charlie

A woman who betrayed her family A rogue hiding a hairy secret And a blackmail arrangement with unexpected consequences After her stepsister marries the crown prince, Tasia is shipped out of the country to live with relatives she’s never heard of before. Blamed and scorned for her role in that debacle, Tasia struggles to make a new life for herself amongst a community that doesn’t care for outsiders. But even that is less nerve wracking than her weekly trips through the woods to deliver a basket of “goodies” to the sinister old woman known only as Grandmother. Mitch helped a naive girl travel through the woods once before. After having his heart viciously yanked out and stomped on, he’s not doing that ever again. When Tasia comes along, all innocent smiles and no sense of self-preservation, he vows to stay far away. But she stumbles upon his furry little secret and he reluctantly agrees to play protector in exchange for her silence. What seems like a simple arrangement soon becomes complicated as enemies from the past begin cropping up in unexpected places. When Mitch and Tasia stumble onto a villainous plot with far-reaching consequences they must choose between looking out for themselves or risking everything for faceless strangers. With lives–and possibly their hearts–on the line, how will two recovering villains decide what to do? And will their choices be compatible? Or just another betrayal? Falling for the Wolf is a retelling that combines elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Set after the events of each of these stories, this no spice romantasy is the 8th book in the To Win a Dark Heart series which retells fairy tales as old as time, but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

A Tangle of Iron and Feathers (Tales of Eukarya #4) by Sarah Beran

Mulan meets The Goose Girl... Malana never aspired to wear a crown, but after years of war have decimated the royal family of Brisia, she finds herself in the unexpected position of being the closest thing to a princess her country has left…and also the chosen candidate for the marriage treaty that will finally seal the peace between Brisia and Cabriole. If only she weren’t keeping a secret that could ruin everything. After treachery and betrayal occur on the journey to her new home, Malana arrives in a much different position than she expected—a fact she is almost grateful for when she realizes she’s met her fiancé before. On the battlefield. Her forced position as Keeper of the Geese seems like the perfect cover to keep her secrets, until she stumbles upon an assassination plot and finds herself caught in a web of lies and secrets that threaten to destroy the tenuous relationship just starting to build between the two countries. Will she be able to salvage a future with the prince who has slowly begun battling his way past her defenses, or will the tangle of iron and feathers lead them right back to war?

Cursed Climb (Displaced Fairytales) by Sarah Beran

A swan, a bird catcher, and the plot they both intend to keep from hatching… Working under her father as the Assistant Keeper of the Menagerie, Odessa Rothchild has always believed two things to be true: animals are much better listeners than people, and Boris Rothchild is the most brilliant man in all of Kovskia. All of that changes when an unfortunate discovery in her father’s workroom leaves her the recipient of a curse. Stuck in the body of a swan until the sun sets, Odessa begins to think that her search for the truth is hopeless—until, that is, a mysterious man crash-lands in the middle of her lake. If there’s one thing in life that Jax should understand, it’s birds. As the fourth generation of a family of bird catchers, his future nest egg should be secure—and it would be, if he didn’t have his sights set on a different kind of winged creature. But after his search for a rare and elusive dragon egg goes wrong, Jax wakes up to find himself in the company of the one kind of bird he can’t seem to understand. She needs his help to break her curse. He needs her to get his dragon. But as they work together, secrets are uncovered that create ripples bigger than either of them could have imagined, and they both must decide whether or not a happy ending is worth the climb…or the fall. Torn from one fairytale and trapped in another: the Displaced Fairytales series is a multi-author fairy tale retelling series of standalones from your favorite no-spice, closed door young adult romance authors. CURSED CLIMB is Jack and the Beanstalk meets Swan Lake with He Falls First, Found Family, and a dragon companion who doesn’t understand why he can’t be a swan.

Ballad of River Bones by Alexandra Beaumont

Ballad of River Bones is the conclusion of lyrical folklore fantasy and Indie Press Award Distinguished Favourite, Dissonance of Bird Song, ending the critically acclaimed tale of "love, loss and sacrifice." Cursed by ghosts of her victims and haunted by her past, Nessa searches for her lost sister. In the enchanted Myst, change is devastating. To survive, Nessa makes a pact with a mysterious druid to protect herself from the ghosts of those she has killed. As the shadows draw long over ancient Cornwall, Nessa's path leads her to a choice: Save her sister and doom herself to a cursed life, or destroy the Myst and banish her sister to the sea.

A Slice Of Mystery by Sophie Maddon

When you’re lucky enough to land on a project in your hometown, nothing can ruin it—right? That is, until your boss disappears and you’re given her job, the police suspect you, and the cheesemonger runs out of your favourite Gouda. When socially-awkward IT consultant Abigail Palmer is sent to work on a local factory’s new computer systems, she’s looking forward to daily get-togethers with best friend Hannah and cozy nights with Jasper the cat—NOT being blackmailed by boss Lynn into investigating a threatening note. Between managing the IT project, untangling lies, and trying to decode a cute colleague’s attentions, Abigail’s plate is full—though there’s always room for Giuseppe’s insanely delicious pizzas. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and awkward heroines with a side of tech. Warning: may cause cravings for artisan cheese and late-night pizza.

Accelerated Growth Environment by Lauren C. Teffeau

Dr. Jorna Benton is proud to be the Principal Scientist for the Climasphere, a massive, sea-going ecological nursery capable of supporting nearly every biome on Earth. On its inaugural mission to restore and re-wild collapsing ecosystems along the Atlantic coast, Jorna manages the Climasphere’s habitat and harvest, while her colleague—and inconveniently attractive commander—Ava Kaysar directs the rest of the vessel’s critical operations. When an explosion rocks the Climasphere, Jorna’s carefully-managed world is thrown into chaos, threatening both her personal and her professional future. And she’s the prime suspect. To clear her name, save the mission, and preserve her chance at a future with Kaysar, Jorna must finally confront the secret she’s been running from all these a family and a faith that could destroy her.

Revenge of the Druid Queen by Sydney Faith

Every realm in the West offers a fortune for captured druids. Mel is a shipwrecked barmaid with no past or future—until she meets Cormac. During a tavern brawl, she collides with the brash stranger, igniting long-buried druid powers. Suddenly, fragmented memories resurface: a husband who cursed her kingdom, a stolen throne, and a wasteland of dark magic teeming with wraiths and bloodthirsty undead monsters. When bounty hunters witness her forbidden magic, Mel must flee or face execution. Desperate to break the curse before it devours the realm, she reluctantly hires Cormac's crew to protect her on the journey to reclaim her stolen crown, end the curse, and discover what truly happened—all while concealing her druid blood and true identity. Yet traveling with a band of outcast wanderers means dodging both their enemies and those hunting her. With the cursed lands expanding and her past threatening to unravel everything, Mel and Cormac must battle monsters, bounty hunters, and the deadly consequences of their entangled lives. Perfect for fans of action-packed fantasy adventure, epic quests, and heroes with a taste for trouble.

Alien Song: An Alien Shifter Romance (Alien Wolf Tales #5) by Honey Phillips

A grumpy alien single dad, a fearless diver, and a bond stronger than the tide. Ariella was born to dive. Modified to withstand Cresca’s alien oceans, she’s always been at home in the deep—until the day she saves a drowning child and meets the girl’s father, a huge, brooding Vultor warrior with eyes like molten gold. Suddenly she wants more than just her isolated waters. Valrek has spent years alone on the sea cliffs, shunned by both humans and Vultor. He’s devoted himself to raising his daughter in solitude—until a human female crashes into their world like a storm tide, fearless, bright, and far too tempting. She challenges him. She tempts him. And she makes his beast want something he swore he’d never have. A mate. But Ariella’s past is surfacing—and if she doesn’t choose between her future and her heart, she could lose both. Because when a Vultor warrior loves, he doesn’t let go. Each book in the Alien Wolf Tales series can be read as a standalone romance. This sweet and spicy fairy tale retelling is intended for mature readers.

Mountain Man’s Winter Treasure: A Steamy Instalove Romance (Wildwood Valley Firehouse #4) by Lilah Hart

He watched her for weeks in silence. Now they're snowed in together. I was freezing to death in someone else's house when he showed up. The power was out. The snow had buried the doors. I'd already accepted that this house sitting gig might be the last decision I ever made. Then headlights cut through the storm, and a man climbed out of a truck like he'd driven straight out of my darkest, most desperate fantasy. Broad shoulders. Dark beard. Eyes that looked right through me. He didn't say much. He got the fire going, checked the pipes, made terrible instant coffee. And when I asked his name, he gave me one word. Wolfe. He told me he was staying. Protocol, he said. He couldn't leave me alone with no heat and no way out. But the way he looked at me had nothing to do with protocol. I didn't know he'd been watching me for weeks. I didn't know he'd memorized my schedule at the roadhouse, that he'd stared at his menu every time I came to take his order because he couldn't trust himself to look at me. I didn't know that when my name came through on that emergency call, his heart stopped. But I was about to find out. 🔥 Forced Proximity ❄️ Snowed In Romance 🐻 Grumpy Hero / Sunshine Heroine 👀 Secret Pining 🌸 Virgin Heroine 💘 Instalove 😍 He Falls First Mountain Man's Winter Treasure is an OTT age-gap romance featuring an alpha hero and V-card heroine. It's a forced proximity firefighter romance with lots of steam that's designed to be read in only 1 hour. If you like short, steamy instalove novellas, you’ll love the entire Wildwood Valley Firehouse series!

Mountain Man's Winter Sweetheart: A Steamy Instalove Romance ((Wildwood Valley Firehouse #3) by Lilah Hart

Snowed in with a rugged firefighter. Falling wasn’t optional. I don’t do distractions. I have a plan. A timeline. A future that doesn’t include this tiny mountain town—or the firefighters who pack into the roadhouse every night, loud and charming and impossible to ignore. Especially him. Hux is six-foot-three of trouble wrapped in flannel. A smile built to break hearts. A laugh that fills the room. I’ve watched him flirt his way through every shift, and I’ve kept my distance for a reason. Then the snowstorm hits. He stumbles through the door half-frozen, collapses on my counter, and wakes up to find me standing over him with a bowl of soup I don’t remember deciding to make. Now we’re trapped. The roads are impassable. The power’s flickering. And somehow, Hux has ended up in my kitchen—following my rules, watching me like I’m something worth seeing. He’s not what I expected. Under the jokes and easy charm is something steady. Something real. Something that makes me forget why I was so determined to leave in the first place. The storm won’t last forever. Neither will the forced proximity. Neither will the heat that builds every time he looks at me like he’s already chosen. He says he’s serious about me. And that terrifies me more than the storm ever could. ❄️ Snowed-In Romance 🔥 Firefighter Hero 🏔️ Small-Town Mountain Setting 🍲 Caretaker Moment 🧣 Forced Proximity 💕 Instalove Sparks 🛡️ Protective Hero Energy 🌨️ Winter Storm Isolation 💫 Opposites Attract 🏡 Found Family Vibes Mountain Man's Winter Sweetheart is an OTT age-gap firefighter romance featuring an alpha hero and V-card heroine. It's a forced proximity ex-military, lumberjack romance with lots of steam that's designed to be read in only 1 hour. If you like short, steamy instalove novellas, you’ll love the entire Wildwood Valley Firehouse series!

Rescued by the Cursed Phoenix (Rescued From Ruin) by Vala Stone

Have I just stumbled from one monster, straight into the clutches of another? Ava I have a habit of doing what people tell me I shouldn’t. Like eating that extra cookie, or you know, dating the bad boy. When I try to get out of this latest pickle, running is my only option. A dark gloomy mansion in the middle of the woods, surrounded by an ominous fence. Yeah, that’s not where you expect to find salvation. But the man that swoops down on me, pulling me from the snapping jaws of danger… He sets my blood on fire and makes my heart melt with his care and his cute pet cat. Lucius I just want to be left alone. The world is a dangerous place and I want nothing to do with it. But when pretty Ava stumbles onto my doorstep, I can’t help myself. Parts of me ignite that I thought had long ago turned to ashes. To keep her safe, to keep us both safe, I must let her go. I should send her away. To break my curse, to rescue her from ruin, I might have to break all my rules. I might have to ignite all the flames and make the ultimate sacrifice. Rescued by the Cursed Phoenix is a short, steamy novella that is part of the Rescued From Ruin shared author series. It features one sexy, cursed Phoenix, a plucky damsel in distress, and a very wise matchmaking cat.

The Lunar Quartz Library by Melanie Steele

At thirty-five, Esme thought her life was set—until a magical book offered her a whole new chapter. Esme has lived the same quiet, bookish life for as long as she can remember—mornings spent sorting rare tomes at the beloved Goldsteins' Bookshop, evenings sipping tea in her tiny flat, and weekends buried in classics and comfort reads. Then a curious delivery arrives: an oversized book with a lock, but no keyhole. It doesn’t appear on any inventory list—and it doesn’t seem to belong to this world. When the Goldsteins' bookshop, where Esme has worked for half her life, suddenly shuts its doors, she finds herself adrift. Her routine is gone, her future uncertain, and the quiet, bookish life she’s always known begins to unravel. When a mysterious stranger shows up claiming the book belongs to another realm—and that Esme is the only one who can unlock its secrets—she’s offered a chance to start again. But stepping into her new role as Librarian of the Quartz Falls Library won't be easy. Esme must learn to wield magic, confront enemies who want the library sealed forever, and—most daunting of all—believe that she’s worthy of a life beyond the quiet edges of the world. A heartwarming, whimsical tale of transformation and quiet courage, this low spice cosy fantasy is perfect for fans of The Spellshop, Legends & Lattes, and The House in the Cerulean Sea. 🌙 Tropes & Themes You’ll Love 🙋 Midlife Protagonist ✨ Sweet romance 🏡 Found family 📚 Light academia 💐 Strong female friendships 🌈 LGBTQ+ rep 🧠 Neurodivergent rep ❤️ A comforting, low-stakes fantasy full of heart

Hide & Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin by Sunny Dhillon

In 2018, Sunny Dhillon resigned as a journalist with the Globe and Mail. His blog post announcing his departure went unexpectedly viral. It was a decision that had been long brewing and Dhillon posted the piece with the hope that it would lead to “meaningful reflection on the lack of diversity in Canadian journalism and the problems therein.” But he was not optimistic. In this sharply funny memoir, shaped as a series of letters to his daughter, Dhillon explains why he was not hopeful. From his earliest memories, his experience of being Canadian was shaped by race, and as a child he’d often found himself confused by what he should do when the fact he was “different” was raised. His first reaction was to hide – from his skin colour, from his native tongue and even from his name. Until he realized he didn’t feel the need to hide anymore, that he didn’t want to hide anymore. With warmth, honesty and lots of humour, Dhillon shares his journey so that his daughter will not have to struggle through the lessons he took too long to learn, so that she will know who she is and be proud. Sunny Dhillon is a former news reporter whose viral essay “Journalism While Brown and When to Walk Away” highlighted the significant challenges that journalists of colour can face. Sunny worked as a print reporter for ten years. He has also appeared on television and radio and has spoken at conferences. He is passionate about racial justice and continues to write on that theme. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of British Columbia. He and his young family now live in Ontario, where Sunny attends law school. This is his first book.

Syncopation by Whitney French

In this speculative and intoxicating novel, French offers readers an intricate future-world that resonates so powerfully with our own, as it explores a people gripped in the war-torn politics of migration, memory-keeping, labour and survival. In the aftermath of a Memory War, society is fragmented into strange new cultures, castes and coalitions. Set against a backdrop of retrofitted food garages, microchip-sorting factories and hyperloop terminals, Whitney French brings us a dazzling novel-in-verse where memory is the highest currency and love, like all revolutions, is dangerous, unruly and singed with hope. O and Z are two young women searching for purpose in a world where a decades-long earthquake reverberates through the Earth's crust, and the population scrambles to hide from deadly acid rain. Descended from space pirates, O is drawn to the sky, while Z is earthbound, a skilled forager with connections to the black market. The two become travel companions and lovers until, torn between choosing their values or each other, a fateful decision must be made at the el Corazón space station. In this speculative and intoxicating novel, French offers readers an intricate future-world that resonates so powerfully with our own, as it explores a people gripped in the war-torn politics of migration, memory-keeping, labour and survival. About Whitney French: Whitney French (she/her) is a writer, educator and publisher. She is the editor of the award-winning anthology Black Writers Matter (University of Regina, 2019) and Griot: Six Writers' Sojourn into the Dark (Penguin Random House, 2022). Whitney is a Black futurist who explores memory, loss, technology and nature in her work. She is a certified arts educator and an Assistant Professor in Creative Writing at the University of British Colombia. She is also the co-founder and publisher of Hush Harbour, the only Black queer feminist press in Canada.

Beneficiary by Joann McCaig

A novel about what it means to face the world as a woman on her own terms from the award-winning author of The Textbook of the Rose and An Honest Woman. Seren was doomed to a country club cage and a leash of pearls until out of the blue on a Tuesday night in 1969, she found herself suddenly saying “no.” More than fifty years later, she looks back on her life and each choice that followed, beautiful, tragic and completely her own. Leaving her family for the freedom of the 1970s, Seren began a quest to discover how to live in this world as her true self—a quest that would take her from the heady countercultural milieu of communal houses on Vancouver Island through marriage and motherhood, divorce, and an unexpected inheritance that changed everything. Suddenly wealthy, Seren must wrestle with money, with class, and what it means to have more than most. What does it mean to live truly, through tragedy and heartbreak? How do we create ourselves in a world that keeps changing? What does it mean to have money when so many people don’t? A richly written, fiercely feminist novel imbued with real bravery, Beneficiary weaves the past and the present in a rich tapestry of life. JoAnn McCaig is the author of The Textbook of The Rose and An Honest Woman. She is the proud owner of Shelf Life Books, an independent bookstore in her hometown of Calgary, AB.

Shoebox by Sean Paul Bedell

Shoebox is a gritty and emotional exploration of the human condition, Steve Lewis, a dedicated paramedic, faces the devastating aftermath of a fatal accident that casts a dark shadow over his once-passionate commitment to saving lives. Plagued by guilt and grief, he finds his career, family, and very existence at risk as he navigates the complexities of trauma, both personal and professional. As Steve grapples with the high stakes of his job amidst the scrutiny of a community that admires yet questions him, each life he saves rekindles his passion for his work, reminding him of the profound connections he can forge through compassion and care. About Sean Paul Bedell: Author of the novels Shoebox and Somewhere There’s Music, Sean Paul Bedell has been writing and publishing for more than 30 years. Sean was a longtime paramedic and captain with the fire service. Bedell has worked in the finance, insurance, and aerospace industries. He is a leading safety expert and has provided safety consultation to private and public sector entities, including transportation, mining, manufacturing, and construction operations. Sean holds the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation. He was a director with Capital Health, the precursor of Nova Scotia Health and he was appointed by the Minister of Labour to Nova Scotia’s Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Board. Sean is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, The New Brunswick Writers’ Federation, and the Nova Scotia Writers’ Federation. He served on the board of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia for many years, including as president. Sean was instrumental in the creation of the Jampolis Cottage writing retreat centre. Sean is married to Lisa, and they live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with their golden retriever, Maggie. They have two grown children, Amy, and Luke. Sean enjoys reading, travel, music, hiking, kayaking, golf, and spending time at the cabin on North Mountain.

WOMEN AMONG MONUMENTS: Solitude, Permission, and the Pursuit of Female Genius by Kasia Van Schaik

What does it take for a woman to don the mantle of genius — a title long reserved for male artists? From her studies in Montreal to a dead-end job in Berlin, a midnight tour of Paris, a bankrupt art residency on the Toronto Islands, and a mysterious sculpture garden in the Karoo desert, South African—Canadian author and professor Kasia Van Schaik considers what it means for a young woman to call herself an artist and claim a creative life. Drawing on a diverse web of literary and cultural sources and artistic icons — from Georgia O’Keeffe to Ana Mendieta, Gertrude Stein to Jamaica Kincaid, Leslie Marmon Silko to Bernadette Mayer — Women Among Monuments asks, What, beyond a room of one’s own, are the necessary conditions for female genius? Where does the inner flint of artistic permission come from? What is the oxygen that keeps it burning? In her memoir interwoven with incisive biographies of female solitude, constraint, and perseverance, Van Schaik blazes a trail for more inclusive artmaking practices, communities, and monuments. Kasia Van Schaik is the author of the linked story collection We Have Never Lived On Earth, which was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her writing has appeared in Electric Literature, the LA Review of Books, the Best Canadian Poetry, and the CBC. Kasia holds a PhD in English Literature from McGill University and lives in Montreal.

Breathing is How Some People Stay Alive by Alison Gadsby

Breathing is How Some People Stay Alive is due to be released on March 1, 2026. Extraordinarily powerful, both edgy and foreboding, Alison’s layered character-driven stories search for happiness and hope in an unhappily-ever-after world. More about Breathing Is How Some People Stay Alive: Breathing Is How Some People Stay Alive blurs the lines between horror, catastrophic speculative fiction, and psychological realism in a collection that might best be described as weird fiction. These connected stories offer dark reconstructions of lives brimming with desperate loneliness. They allow us to bear witness to the life-altering love of sisters, brothers, mothers… the life-altering love that buoys them as they struggle to stay afloat in the wake of childhoods they merely survived. About Alison Gadsby: Alison Gadsby lives and writes in Tkaronto/Toronto. Her short fiction appears in Blank Spaces, The Temz Review, The Ex-Puritan, Blue Lake Review, and many other literary journals in Canada and abroad. She holds an MFA from the University of British Columbia, and a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from York University. She is the founder/host of Junction Reads, a prose reading series in the west end of Toronto where she lives in a multigenerational home that includes several dogs. She enjoys writing novels, but is always writing weird, dark and strangely funny short stories. You can find links to her work at www.alisongadsby.ca and more information about Junction Reads at www.junctionreads.ca

Stan On Guard by K.R. Wilson

Stan On Guard, forthcoming with Guernica Editions on March 1, 2026. Ishtanu (call him Stan) is a Hittite immortal keeping his head down in Toronto and recounting some of his experiences. Tróán is an immortal Trojan princess who thought she’d killed Stan in post-war Berlin but who now knows he survived. Yes, technically Stan can die. He has just managed not to for 3200 years. As their stories braid together toward a final reckoning they take us through a subversive retelling of the Odysseus story, the resistance of pagan Lithuania against Papal crusaders, the decline of Friedrich Nietzsche in a German clinic, the arts scene in belle epoque Paris, and the descent of Europe into the horrors of the Great War. Strap in. Stan On Guard is the follow-up to K. R. Wilson’s tragical-comical-historical novel Call Me Stan: A Tragedy in Three Millennia, which was long-listed for the 2022 Leacock Medal for Humour. About K. R. Wilson: K. R. Wilson is a Toronto-area writer. His novel An Idea About my Dead Uncle won the inaugural Guernica Prize in 2018, and his novel Call Me Stan was long-listed for the 2022 Leacock Medal. His follow-up novel Stan on Guard will be published by Guernica Editions in 2026 and his SF-noir Tendrils by Palimpsest Press in 2027. His work has appeared in various literary journals and the flash fiction anthologies This Will Only Take a Minute (Guernica Editions) and Sticks and Stones (Chicken House Press). He can be found at www.krwilson.ca and on social media at @krwbooks.

Marmalade Parade by Matthew Joudrey

Marmalade Parade is a mesmerizing short novel that explores themes connected to different forms of memory. Memory as construct that is both built, destroyed, and altered daily, its reliability fleeting. A first-person narrator arrives at a house set high in the mountains in an undisclosed, remote location. He is confused, disoriented, and guarded. The home is owned by a man who is suffering from an illness affecting his memory. Both must navigate their combined gaps in memory to determine why they’ve been brought together. M. C. JOUDREY is an award winning Canadian writer, artist and designer. His second novel Of Violence and Cliché was released 2013, followed by his collection of short storiesCharleswood Road: Stories in 2014 (nominated for a 2015 JohnHirsch Manitoba Book Award). His novel Fanonymous was released in 2019 and won the Independent Publisher gold medal for best work of fiction for Western Canada. It was also nominated for two Manitoba Book Awards, including the Margaret Laurence Award for best work of fiction. M. C. Joudrey has been a member of the submission selection committee for the CBC Short Fiction Prize and a jury member for the Manitoba Book Awards. As a designer, his work has been awarded two Alcuin Design Book Awards and the Manuela Dias Manitoba Book Award for Design. He is also a bookbinder and a number of his works are held in galleries internationally.

Blood Bound: Unlacing Secret Ties by Marie-Josée Poisson (translated by Flora-Lee Bendit)

Blood Bound: Unlacing Secret Ties by Marie-Josée Poisson (translated by Flora-Lee Bendit) which is forthcoming with Guernica Editions March 1, 2026. This is a fascinating and intriguing fictional story steeped in history about Madame de Pompadour — Louis XV’s long time mistress, friend and advisor. In Blood Bound: Unlacing Secret Ties, costume historian Geoffroy Le Hideux recognizes the coat of arms of Madame de Pompadour on a blood-stained dress found hidden in the walls of the lyse Palace. In a genealogical investigation taking her from Montreal to Paris, Lou Ashby, a successful communications agent at a television station called La Chane, meets Geoffroy. Together they will expose a secret that alters what was considered historical fact: Madame de Pompadour did not have descendants. But what if she had? Why hide the fact that she had a son who, contrary to historical belief, survived childhood?

Flint in the Bones by Eva St. John

In a city where history bites back, murder is just the beginning. Detective Eliza “Bish” Barnaby thought she’d left her home behind—along with its plague outbreaks, random time-shifts, and tendency to accidentally host people from the 1600s during breakfast. But when a dangerous practitioner escapes custody in London, Bish is forced back to Norwich, a city where ancient maps hide deadly shortcuts, angry nuns have scores to settle, and Puritans throw acid at those they don’t approve of. Armed with only a gun she can’t fire, a spaniel who thinks he’s a wolf, and a partner who dresses like a rejected Bridgerton extra, Bish must stop a killer before wild magic unravels the city’s fragile balance. But keeping her own forbidden talents hidden is just as dangerous as catching the murderer. And in a place where past and present bleed together, the only way to solve this mystery might be to embrace the very magic she fears. Grab the brand new adventure from Eva St. John, author of the bestselling Quantum Curators series

The Old Crones Club: A Fairytale Retelling from the Wicked Witches by Jennifer Taylor-Gray

Fairytales made witches villains. Now they’re taking their story back. Tibby never thought she’d end up in a prison for witches. She isn’t one, or so she claims. But on her first night at the Grimm Brotherhood’s Reformation Centre, she meets four infamous witches the world has branded wicked. As they share their real stories, Tibby begins to wonder if they’re not so different after all. When the Brotherhood threatens to erase their memories and their magic, the women stage a daring escape. But freedom isn’t enough. To truly reclaim their power, they must untangle the twisted fairytales written about them, confront the men who tried to silence them, and light a fire that could spark a rebellion. In a world built to turn women against each other, Tibby has to choose: stay quiet and survive, or rise and be remembered. A witchy fairytale rebellion for fans of Alix E. Harrow, T. Kingfisher, Naomi Novik and Gregory Maguire.

A Mage's Mentor by Stephen Jarocki

Twenty years after her mother’s mysterious disappearance, Sinccah sets out to find answers in the untamed province of Ucksland. Hoping to bolster her meager magic skills, she seeks out the old mage guarding the caravan. While talking to him, she discovers that the pendant her mother left her might hold a secret. Unfortunately, before she can uncover anything, the caravan is attacked and the pendant is stolen. Determined to get the pendant back at all costs, Sinccah makes an agreement with the local lord, Ucksil, and is sent into a goblin-infested wilderness. If she can find the powerful mage living in southern Ucksland and convince him to help, she’ll be one step closer to learning the truth. As she begins her search, she stumbles upon a member of a despised race of creatures who inexplicably agrees to guide her to the mage. But after decades of hostility between his race and her own, can he truly be trusted? With an uneasy truce lingering between them, the two companions navigate a land where peace is fragile and disdain runs deep. Yet as they struggle together, genuine conversations begin taking place and Sinccah starts to wonder at the truth of what she’s been taught. But even if she can overcome the murderous bandits, are they truly the greatest threat, or does something darker lurk in the shadows? If Sinccah can’t learn who to trust, her very life will be at risk and she’ll never find the answers (or purpose) she’s seeking.

Edenlost: The Borderless City: Book one of the Edenlost saga: a dystopian urban fantasy adventure by Alexandra Kathleen Blade

A perfect city. A memory slipping away. A power that cannot be ignored. Leyla wakes up in Edenlost, a city both dazzling and unsettling. She doesn’t remember how she got there and doesn’t know who to trust. Beneath the city’s radiant surface, shadows whisper, secrets grow, and a power she never knew she had begins to stir. The more Leyla seeks answers, the more Edenlost reveals itself as a maze of hidden truths, intense emotions, forced alliances, and revelations that shake everything she thought she knew. Friendships become lifelines, love burns silent but fierce, and supernatural forces call to her—pushing her toward choices she may not be ready to make. Eedenlost: The Borderless City is a dystopian urban fantasy filled with magic, mystery, and emotional depth. A cinematic story that plunges the reader into an adventure with a courageous yet vulnerable heroine, unexpected twists, awakening powers, and bonds destined to change everything. Perfect for readers who crave: • immersive and emotional urban fantasy • mysteries and hidden truths behind a perfect city • strong, relatable female protagonists • supernatural powers and gripping suspense • deep friendships and heart-wrenching romance • a vivid, cinematic reading experience Edenlost is not what it seems. Neither is Leyla. Step into the Borderless City and experience the story to the fullest.

Blackwater by Emily Blakeney

There is much to be done when the kingdom isn't looking. Iona Strider is a ruthless pickpocket cursed with a disobedient shadow. Violent, too. Worse, she can’t remember who cursed her, or why. But she does know one thing: with each passing day, her control of the shadow dwindles. In her relentless pursuit of answers, she winds up stealing from the wrong man: Captain Liam Blackwater of the Wraith. A man who, according to legend, might just turn the Silver Seas red. Blood-bonded together by a dishonest mistake, Iona begrudgingly teams up with the handsome rogue to embark on a bloody, swashbuckling quest in the hopes that she can break the curse of her shadow once and for all. Alas, it’s never that simple. Especially when Liam and Iona can’t keep their hands off each other. But as they carve a path through the realm, disastrous secrets of the kingdom are revealed, and when shocking revelations of her true past come to light, Iona must decide whether she is to become the kingdom’s villain, or something else of her own making.

An Oath Sworn by M.T. Kadisin

M.T. Kadisin's debut novel in the Saga of the Stone King series masterfully blends dark fantasy, political intrigue, and reluctant heroism. Grady, a clanless dwarf, lives an ordinary, lonely, and forgettable life. Until a mysterious Poster changes everything. Drawn into a brutal experiment by the ruthless Keyrdegen Salzum, Grady is molded into the perfect soldier: obedient, unthinking, unbreakable, extraordinary. But, as the truth behind the warlord's plans comes to light, Grady must fight to reclaim his will-and his identity. An Oath Sworn is a tale of control, resistance, and the cost of becoming a hero in a world that would rather you remain a victim.

Errant Gift by Rhys Price

A young shepherdess named Tali and her father abandon their flock to seek out a fallen star that speaks to them in wondrous visions and whispers. Under the star’s guidance, they are rewarded with a new life of luxury and status they could never have imagined. Everything seems blissful until Tali’s father is asked to partake in a strange ritual that may cost him his life. To her horror, he willingly agrees. Nine years later, swarms of Nemagraws—nightmarish creatures of unknown origins—have begun to spread across the land. Caught in their path of destruction is bookish Dale who fled the comforts of home when his parents were arrested on charges of treason. Armed with nothing but a keen knowledge of botany, Dale searches for his brother Finley, a fabled warrior who might be their best hope of saving the family from ruin. But when he finally finds Finley living with a mysterious cult, he realises that his brother will be of no help at all. Unbeknownst to Tali and Dale, their journeys are bound by a common enemy—one whose aims are far greater and darker than any have yet perceived.