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The Children of Chaos (The Cruel Gods #2) by Trudie Skies WHEN THE SAINTS CALL, THE SINNERS ANSWER. Chaos stalks the steam-powered city of Chime and threatens the existence of the gods and their domains. Kayl swore to protect Chime's mortals from their gods' cruel whims, but when she agrees to represent the mortals of a god long thought dead, Kayl is thrust into a political role that goes against everything she's ever stood for. As the newly appointed ambassador to the god of time, Quen's goal is clear - protect Chime and the domains by any means necessary. But as the gods make their demands, Quen is caught between his loyalties and his conscience. To ensure a future for all mortals, Kayl and Quen must unite the gods against the threat of chaos and decide what they're willing to sacrifice for Chime - before the gods choose for them. For the gods are capricious and have their own divine plans. The Children of Chaos is the second book in The Cruel Gods seriesâa gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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The Nameless Restaurant: A Cozy Cooking Fantasy by Tao Wong There is a restaurant in Toronto. Its entrance is announced only by a simple, unadorned wooden door, varnished to a beautiful shine but without paint, hidden beside dumpsters and a fire escape. There is no sign, no indication of what lies behind the door. If you do manage to find the restaurant, the dĂŠcor is dated and worn. Homey, if one were to be generous. The service is atrocious, the proprietor a grouch. The regulars are worse: silent, brooding, and unfriendly to newcomers. There is no set menu, alternating with the whim and whimsy of the owner. The selection of wine and beer is sparse or non-existent at times, and the prices for everything outrageous. There is a restaurant in Toronto that is magically hidden, whose service is horrible, and whose food is divine. This is the story of the Nameless Restaurant. |
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Worldbuilding: Didnât add anything
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Unbalanced
Storytelling: Minimalistic
Immersion: Easy to switch to other tasks Emotional Response: Didnât feel much
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Adequately represents the story Cozy dark fantasy romance with kink, polyamory and a different take on blood-drinking creatures. I know 'cozy' seems like it doesn't exactly work in with the rest of that stuff, but trust me. A bit drawn-out, but if you're a fan of dark romantasy, you'll enjoy yourself! Review by |
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My Harimau King by Annie McCann
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Content Warnings: Be careful with Violence and fighting. Dead. A friendly adventure to solve the myth of the ancient King Prabu Siliwangi in West Java with the traditional weapon Kujang. They are trapped in a portal but can return. Review by |
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Everything Not Saved by N M J Coveney
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didnât want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Review by |
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How to Survive This Fairytale by S. M. Hallow
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didnât want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well Content Warnings: Eating Disorders, suicidal ideation, suicide, guns and gunshot wounds, cannibalism, murder, PTSD, animal death on page, child death, abandonment, and abuse An absolutely beautiful book!! Couldn't put it down and was constantly highlighting portions of text because of how raw and powerful the writing was. A new favorite and one I'm honored to have been able to read. Review by |
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Her Injured Biker (Broken Heroes Love Harder Series) by Annee Jones
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Review by |
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Chains Of Deceit: Stitchbinding Chronicles Book 2 by A.E. Zeigler A cure to find. A people to save. A romance running out of time. After the queen slips into the last stage of a mysterious plague, Princess Lineya, must travel to the treacherous mountains of Krashe in the midst of sworn enemies, hoping that the lost and forbidden Woolworsting craft has a stronger healing stitch. But before departing, she's forced to announce her engagement to Rhett, a Lynden nobleman, to bring hope to her people, but she despairs of a relationship with her true love Kemp. When an assassin threatens to kill Lineya, she must depend on the Krashe for support. Although she faces bandits, prejudice, scorn, and suspicion, she must win the trust of the Krashe and the heart of Kemp, who has no memory of the connection and kisses they had in the future. And Kemp's childhood sweetheart has prior claim on his affections. This girl can kill a black bear with her bare hands. Everyone assumes they will marry. Where does Lineya fit into his heart? How will Lineya and Kemp heal thousands of years of oppression, lies, and rekindle their love before the bandits and the assassin finish them all? |
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BOOM goes the Bride by Valiant Evermech A pulpy lesbian romance between an elven thief from another world and a corporate princess whose company is built on her clones. 300,000 and counting, and the woman they're made from wishes they didn't exist. Danger, spice, and everything not-nice. When the twice-dead thief Nil steals a magical dagger from one of the world's angriest trillionaires, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with his daughter Sook, the so-called Mother of a Million Clones. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and in this case the heart wants to be chased, shot at, and possibly exploded. Til death do us part is gonna need a bit of an extension... |
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The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies Magic is a rich man's game. Archons control magic in the great city of Aefenhold. Brand-name spells, addictive potions, and celebrity TV keep the poor entertained while they toil in the factories manufacturing magic. That should have been the fate of Max and his childhood friend Lyle, until a violent workersâ strike tears their lives apart, condemning Lyle to the aetherstone mines and leaving Max orphaned with no choice but to sell his labour to a brothel. Life under the Archon's rule has given Max a taste for magical narcotics, and left Lyle with aether dust in his lungs and a deep resentment for magic. So when Aefenhold's rulers announce a televised contest to find the chosen oneâa prophesized distraction to unite the city against its detractorsâboth Max and Lyle see an opportunity to con their way into the contest. Where Max seeks to steal magic for his freedom, Lyle views magic as a tool of oppression to be destroyed. Their old friendship will be tested as they're forced to become adversaries against famous rival mages in a series of magical trials. Whoever becomes the chosen one will change the shape of magic forever. But magic is a rich man's game, and should Max or Lyle be discovered as frauds, their deaths will be televised next. The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duologyâa gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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The End of Time by Trudie Skies WHEN THE SAINTS FALL, THE SINNERS RISE. Calamity has befallen the steam-powered city of Chime as the gods declare war on each other, choosing Chime's streets as their battleground. Kayl has the means to end their reign for good and create a new world free from their whims. But recruiting an army against divine beings is no easy task, and as her allies fall one by one, Kayl is left to shoulder her burden alone. Finally free from his own god's shackles, Quen is bound in service to Chaos, who only wants revenge against Quen's former master. Torn between his desire for vengeance and justice, Quen is no stranger to the gods' cruelty and will do whatever it takes to see Kayl's vision throughâeven if it destroys his soul. To ensure a new future, Kayl and Quen must unite mortals against their makers and decide the gods' fate before time itself comes to an end. For the era of gods is over. The End of Time is the third and final book in The Cruel Gods seriesâa gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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Court of Snakes: Bitter Truth, Honeyed Justice by Tycho Dwelis The city of Segeno is on edge. Terran, nearing his 18th birthday, struggles with the burdens of leadership. The people are restless, resources are dwindling, and chaos looms. Parisa, now happily engaged, aids where she can but is haunted by her fatherâs legacy. A stranger, Aumi, brings shocking news: the Great War never happened. The world outside Segeno has thrived, and the cityâs isolation is built on lies. As this truth threatens to spark a riot, Terran and Parisa must decide whether or not to reveal it, risking their cityâs collapse. In this gripping sequel, Terran and Parisa navigate power, identity, and truth in a city on the brink of revolution. Can they lead their people through the storm, or will Segeno Fall? |
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The Gone Machine by Aimee Cozza Sylvanâs cyborg body is broken, his friend is missing, heâs being haunted, and yet a well-known fashion mogul has offered him the business deal of a lifetime. When Sylvanâs ghost turns out to be a digital passenger in his cybernetics, another apparition appears at his doorstep: a familiar looking robot named Fern. Despite forging powerful allies and working diligently to repay his debt of gratitude, Sylvan canât shake the persistent reminders of his long-lost housebot, Robbie. The ghost has some of Robbieâs memories, but Fern has Robbieâs body⌠Is it possible one of them is actually Robbie, or are even bots incapable of outrunning death? |
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Troubled Bodies by Jake Vanguard We can be monsters together. Curiosity has led Payne down a path of experimentation filled with corpses, connections to the undergroundâand a dead partner. When he finds Blaze, broken and lifeless, on a crime cleanup scene, Payneâs knowledge of anatomy and his created serums assist in bringing Blaze back to life⌠The only hitch in this plan? They come back different. Together, Payne and Blaze must navigate their new life, filled with a ravaging hunger for fresh meat and opioids, while keeping their urges secret from a powerful don. And things get even more complicated when they find themselves entangled with a third unexpected person who has more to give than financial freedom. Care to take a bite? Troubled Bodies is a tale of obsession, of devotion and addiction, of care and primal urges - and, above all, of love. |
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Prometheus: A Queer Futuristic Horror Anthology by Jake Vanguard; Ezra Wren THE YEAR IS 2099. A dark web dweller, a curious space explorer in a library, a forbidden queer couple seeking new horizons⌠Prometheus stole fire and gave it to humanity. To this day, we carry it in our hearts: an innate spirit no machine can replicate. Sixteen authors bring you tales of imagined futures, spanning vast worlds and a wide breadth of queer, human, and post-human experiences. From a surgeonâs backstreet office to a city of dreams to motherships, AI-dominated worlds, and cults, enter a universe of horrors that will make your heart race and your skin prickle. THE FUTURE IS HUMAN. |
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A Wrath of Souls by Darren Joy Across the Spectrum of Existence, angelic hosts gather their strength. While the infamous duo, Manic and Mania, finalise their plan, a mysterious dark armada engulfs far flung lands. Threadfin Todder, recovering from a great loss, is woefully unprepared for the final battle. Struggling to relearn his magic, he knows there is no time to waste. Lucifer threatens existence itself, and will soon step on to the mortal plane. Astra Darâs fractured soul is dominated by Lucifer, as she fights for sanityâfor soon she will destroy the world, while Myral Azarm, now queen of vampires, battles a terrible bloodlust as she is caught between primal instinct and the memory of who she was. Meanwhile in Desoolâs fractured kingdom, as he prepares for war, rebellion erupts in an attempt to cut out the heart of his kingship, and as Sarscha Todralan fights to save her imperium, disaster descends on her people. The final battle draws nearâa desperate gambit to thwart the end of all things. Can they each defy fate, survive, and beat back the Darkness? âA Wrath of Soulsâ is an exciting conclusion to this dark epic fantasy tale, filled with chaos, dark magic, treachery, and death, all tempered by loyalty, friendship, and hope. |
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A Wretched Darkness by Darren Joy Threadfin Todder, has been infected by a dark magic, and time is running out. His only hope is to find an ancient being known as the Despoiler. As his search brings him to a lost world, Threadfin discovers the cost may prove too high. Myral Azarm thought she had left her past behind, but when a name resurfaces, sheâs must journey into the bowels of the underworld to find her destiny. Sarscha Todralan, the ruling imperatrix, has lost friends and family, and canât settle into her role. When a dark witch threatens Icarthya, she must again take up the sword to defend her people. In the kingdom of Raddhon, civil war looms over the giants. Desool, the youngest son, seeks to become king. At stake is more than a throne, for the fabled Shathra Stone will belong to the victor. Four disparate paths collide in a world of magic and war as they fight for their lives and the survival of all. Will they each find the strength to overcome their past, and save the world? âA Wretched Darkness,â is a high-stakes dark fantasy epic that explores the limits of good and evil, love and sacrifice, and the power of magic. |
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A Nefarious Grim by Darren Joy Death is never the end. While the shadow of an ancient sorcerer plots to invade the world, an undead mage endeavours to stop him. With the shraeds of Tartaros continuing their relentless advance across the Spectrum, Threadfin Todder once more sets out to defeat the Grim. Meanwhile, his sister Aiyana is being hunted by an angelic assassin. She will soon make a perilous journey into the past to learn the secrets to unlocking the worldâs only hope. And Sarscha Todralan, once a legend and now an irritable drunk, decides to infiltrate the enemy to foil a rebellion against the imperium. âA Nefarious Grim,â is a dark epic fantasy tale stuffed with dark twists, unpredictable magic, and undead mages. |
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A Malignant Fetch by Darren Joy The Father of Darkness and Reaper of souls, the Grim, seeks to reclaim the world, and he will stop at nothing to get it. Threadfin Todder, an imperial undead mage, is determined to get in his way. Though his magic is unreliable, his reputation questionable, his stubbornness is legendary. And, Lorn Larthuz, the thief who stole existence, walks the wasteland of another world to face the Grim and her fate. While, Myral Azarm, once a cult priestess, crosses a bleak desert to confront an ancient form of undead and the Grimâs own vengeance. As Threadfin once more confronts evil, he will discover a darkness within his own soul. âA Malignant Fetch,â is a dark epic tale packed with undead creatures, snarky mages, delicious danger, and dark magic. |
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A Viral Imperium by Darren Joy A plagueâborn magic is awakening inside Threadfin Todder â hungry, volatile, and impossible to control. Exiled, undead, and hunted by a relentless shapeshifter, he races across the imperium to save his sister as a horde of armoured giants marches toward the capital. When the power inside him erupts, Threadfin becomes the only force capable of stopping a terror that turns cities to ash and stone to dust. At the heart of the empire, Princess Aiyana Todralan faces a usurper possessed by a fallen angel. With the throne stolen and her people trapped beneath a rising tide of monsters, Aiyana uncovers a truth older than the empire, one that could threaten existence itself. Two lives. One corrupted empire. A darkness older than the world. A Viral Imperium is a dark epic fantasy of ancient magic, monstrous legions, and a world on the edge of annihilation. |
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No Man's Daughter by Justine Lombardi Fugitive KĂĄra, the bastard daughter of a legendary hero, builds a new life on the mountain frontier, until bounty hunters find her, shattering her familyâs cherished peace. To earn a pardon, she joins a hunting party sent to retrieve a wampus catâs hide for the High King. Itâs a perilous task, as the cat stalks the domain of the fierce and immortal Jotun. To survive, KĂĄra plunders her fatherâs tomb, tearing Tyrfing, the last arcane weapon, from his undead hands. The rifle can slay any monster, but such strength comes at a terrible price: bloodlust and an unquenchable thirst for power. Immersive, propulsive, and compelling, No Manâs Daughter combines Norse paganism with Appalachian folklore in a darkly magical nineteenth-century world, focusing on a womanâs fight to return to her family. |
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Her Injured Biker (Broken Heroes Love Harder Series) by Annee Jones 𩺠Whitley: The most dangerous man I've ever treated just tried to climb out his hospital window. Again. Scorch â Road Captain of the Devil's Backbone MC â took a bullet meant for his president and landed in my trauma bay looking like trouble wrapped in leather and tattoos. He's built like a weapon and absolutely done being stuck in a hospital bed while his club needs him. I know this because he tells me every single time I catch him trying to leave. He flirts. I don't flinch. He turns up the charm. I use his real name. He goes so still it should scare me â and somehow that became our game. Every escape attempt. Every slow smile. Every time he says "come on, sweetheart" and I plant myself in his doorway and cross my arms. đ The problem isn't that he keeps trying to escape. It's that I'm starting to want him to stay. đĽ Steamy, fast, and impossible to put down â a standalone in the Broken Heroes Love Harder series. đď¸ Enemies-to-lovers ⢠Forced proximity ⢠MC romance ⢠Military hero ⢠Guaranteed HEA Binge it in one sitting. đ¤ He takes bullets for his brothers. She's the only one who's ever brought him to his knees. |
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A Divided Life a memoir of hiding from myself, survival, and becoming whole by Todd Boler What does it mean to survive by hiding â and what does it cost? A Divided Life is a deeply personal memoir about growing up in a time and place where silence felt necessary. In a small Midwestern town shaped by faith, family expectations, and unspoken rules, Todd Boler learned how to divide himself in order to endure. Outwardly, life continued as expected. Inwardly, pieces of the self were carefully guarded. Rather than centering on a single moment of revelation, this memoir follows the quieter, more complicated path of endurance: how coping strategies form, how they protect, and how they eventually limit the life they were meant to save. Through friendships, belief, longing, and loss, the book explores the emotional and psychological cost of living divided from oneself. Neither polemic nor manifesto, A Divided Life offers no easy answersâ only honesty, reflection, and recognition. It speaks to anyone who has lived with invisible struggle while appearing âfine,â and who wonders what it might mean to finally live whole. |
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Smoke: A MC Biker Fake Dating OTT Reverse Age Gap Short Dark Romance by Julia Stone He agreed to be her fake boyfriend to protect her. Now he wonât let anyone else touch her. Bunny: Unwanted love letters began showing up in my work locker, increasing in frequency the longer I ignored them. Iâm not interested in the man leaving them. Not even a little. There is only one biker Iâve ever wanted. Smoke. Heâs gruff, gorgeous, and he looks at me like I might be trouble he canât afford. Which is ridiculous, considering Iâm the one asking him to pretend to be my boyfriend to deter this stalker of mine. It should be simple. A little convincing touch, a few possessive glances, maybe a kiss or two if we have to sell it. Except Smoke doesnât touch like heâs pretending. He treats me like Iâm really his. The longer I stay by his side, the more I find myself unable to decide what I fear more: my stalker or the end of this act. Smoke: Bunny is sunshine in a world that runs on sin. She flirts like she was made to ruin men, laughs like she doesnât know the damage she does, and looks at me like Iâm the one thing she canât resist. That should scare me less than it does. Iâve spent my life gambling, taking risks, playing games I know I can win. But Bunny is different. She gets under my skin and makes me want things I never planned on wanting. So when she asks me to play her boyfriend, I say yes before she can ask another man to sweep her off her feet. Now her stalker thinks sheâs taken. The problem is, Iâm not sure I know where the game ends anymore. When Bunny is cornered, and I finally decide to claim whatâs mine, everyone will learn the truth. Iâll never let anyone take her from me. Steelwood MC - Meadow Falls features darker themes throughout. Each book can be read in any order, and all conclude with a happily ever after guarantee! |
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Embryonic Cells by Yuval Sagiv What happens when the orderly life of a biologist turns into an experiment never written in any protocol? Sarah, a brilliant researcher at a prestigious Chicago lab, is on the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could change the face of modern medicine. But when she becomes unexpectedly pregnant, the boundaries between her career and personal life begin to blurâwhen she decides to test her discovery on herself. From the moment she presents her experimental results in a bold and unforgettable lecture, her life spirals out of control. Biotech companies pursue her relentlessly, internal power struggles at the university threaten her future, and anti-abortion protests erupt at the campus gates. When the danger reaches those closest to her, Sarah realizes she must save not only her projectâbut herself as well. But to do that, she must first understand: Who is the real enemy? |
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The Lineman by Christina K. Glover GRASPING AT THREADS If thereâs one thing Henley Yu has learned, itâs that nothing is easy when it involves Chief Operator Kittinger. The pair can finally face the world together, focused on the pursuit of the Ethereal lord who escaped into the Actuality. This time the mortal world wonât be a silent victim, and Kit and Henley will hunt their quarry with the help of mages who have plenty to lose. But Kit punched through something he shouldnât have in the battle for the Order Headquarters. His transgression has opened him up to a darkness that swallows him whole, leaving him cold and his body empty. What is broken can only be mended by the hand of the maker. In his fight for Kit and their future together, Henley will need help from the only one who knows the real story behind the Betweenâbut only if the Lineman is willing to lend his aid. Secrets will be revealed and the final battle unfolds as the Connections series comes to a close! |
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The Constellation Caves (PearlHeart Book 2) by Keilani McConnell A group of sailors travels together across a tropical country, meeting new people and solving the mystery affecting those there. The crew of PearlHeart is on break after their most recent journey. Rath, One-Eye, his Spirit Lion, and others have chosen to spend it on Delphy, Rath's homeland. However, while traveling to where they are staying for the Summer, cracks begin appearing in different parts of the country and the group agrees to help find the cause in order to protect the Constellation Caves, which lay underground. âFor readers who love rich characters, mysteries, and traveling across fantasy worlds. |
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Black Hole Guns For Hire by Friday Strout The empire made them soldiers. The void made them rebels. Lina Bho captains a beat-up transport at the galaxy's ragged edge, running aid missions with veterans who'd rather fight than follow orders. She left the United Earth Marines behind, with its politics, its prejudice, and the boot she wore too long. Her Chief, Zuri Josmith, keeps the platoon sharp and the Captain honest. She's also the only woman who's ever made Lina want to take orders. A black hole is swallowing their star system. No one is coming. When Lina discovers the United Earth deliberately stranded nine billion people to wipe out a rebel stronghold, she turns her crew against the government that raised them. Pirates stalk her vessel; alien predators nest in her cargo hold; and her hired guns look to her for a plan she hasn't finished writing. They'll fight their way out or die as the Black Hole Guns. A jump-capable freighter at the sector's edge is their only ride out. Between Lina and escape sits a pirate captain with a personal vendetta, alien cyborg predators, and her own unraveling mind. Zuri can hold her together or hold the crew together. She can't do both. This sapphic military sci-fi features a found family crew, morally gray characters, and a second chance romance with power exchange. It contains graphic violence, explicit language, and adult content. Check the copyright page for details. BLACK HOLE GUNS FOR HIRE is the first in a series. |
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Breath of Darkness: Volume Two : Phoenix by HĂźseyin Ărskaya From the ashes: reborn, but not the same. The crystals did not destroy the city. They rewrote it. A year after the night that changed everything, the survivors of Awakening are no longer survivors: they are carriers, translators, thresholds. The world has learned to speak through them, and they have learned, slowly, painfully, to answer without losing themselves. Anitta walks the crystal districts as a witness. Reha edits memory like a score. Onur reads the pulse of the new grid. Around them, a second Istanbul is rising, half architecture and half intention, and a decision is taking shape on every rooftop, in every stairwell, behind every locked door: whether to burn the past or carry it forward, transformed. Phoenix is a novel about what comes after survival. It is about the rooms that open only once you stop running. It is a fire that asks, gently, what you would like to become. Volume Two of Breath of Darkness, following Awakening. Literary science fiction translated from the Turkish. |
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Breath of Darkness: Volume One : Awakening by HĂźseyin Ărskaya Find your way in the dark. Istanbul has exhaled its last breath. The sky bleeds an unnatural dusk, the Bosphorus hums with a light that does not belong to any known star, and crystal lattices have begun to grow out of the bones of the drowned city: threads of green, veins of violet, a second nervous system waking beneath the ruins. Anitta wakes in a world that is no longer the one she fell asleep in. Reha remembers a name that should not exist. Onur follows a signal no instrument can measure. Taru hears a voice that is almost, but not quite, human. Seven lives, seven fractures, one long tremor beneath the surface of the real. Something has opened a window between what we are and what is watching. In the silence that follows, each of them must decide which language to answer in. Awakening is the first movement of a story told in breath: literary science fiction from a new voice, translated from the Turkish KaranlÄąÄÄąn Nefesi. For readers of Ted Chiang, Emily St. John Mandel, and Jeff VanderMeer. |
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Blessed is the Link by Sheri Singerling Lenore lives in the shadow of her parents, Fenrir and Sophie. Itâs been twenty years since they destroyed the Linkrot virus and, in doing so, restored the Link. A new world order has emerged with Fenrir and Sophie at the helm as wardens of the Link, dead set on protecting that enigmatic connection to other worlds. But Lenore doesnât believe the ideology her parents spout. She defies them by joining revolutionaries determined to destroy the Link. After the rebelsâ attempt fails, Fenrir and Sophie learn that the Linkrot virus isnât wholly gone. It gnaws away at other Link nodes in other cities. As punishment for her involvement with the rebels, Lenore is forced to help her parents bolster the Link. They must travel into a land of unknowns and cleanse the nearest node of its Linkrot virus. Lenore doesnât believe in their mission until she gets her first glimpse of the horrid creatures the Linkrot virus breeds. Were her parents right after all? Doubts consume Lenore, but thereâs one thing sheâs certain ofâsheâs not going to have her future decided for her. Can Lenore carve her own path and, whatâs more, survive the deadly task ahead? Blessed is the Link is a dark science fantasy novel, the second in the Bit trilogy and part of the Alfom shared universe. It is highly recommended that readers complete book 1 in the Bit trilogy, Blessed is the Rot, prior to reading Blessed is the Link. |
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Our Ways Unmasked by C.B. Lansdell Return to Knyadrea, a world of sea-born people shaped by tumultuous forces. Nearly a year after the events of Far Removed, the resourceful Oklas and guarded Prismer face a unique set of challenges in their socially stratified society. Knyadreaâs sovereigns grow ever more paranoid. Armed enforcers patrol Apideccaâs streets, and tensions escalate. With nothing to lose, Oklas Sayve turns to resyn for solutions. Could the mystical substance that unravelled his life also prove to be his salvation? There is no room for doubt. Too many are relying on his expertise. The knyads he once considered charities are now close friends and allies ⌠and one of them might even be something more. New threats stand between Prismer and the dreams sheâs only beginning to open herself up to. Venturing out from under the shadow of the Pentarchy, can she recover her faith in the knyad god, in herself, and in the people who see past her mask? In Our Ways Unmasked, the second book in the Apidecca Duology, Oklas and Prismer are not the only ones with an eye on the cityâs future. Rebels, traitors, and scumbled outcasts have a myriad of reasons to seek change. Together, can they overcome an oppressive regime that has stood for hundreds of years? No Gen AI was used in the production of this book. |
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The Tidelings of Dras Sayve by C.B. Lansdell Maverick diplomat Emis Rindar travels to the northernmost clan in the Dras Channel, seeking the assistance of an old friend. After a lifetime of adventures across Knyadrea, a large moon, his next planned endeavour will be unlike anything he has attempted. Isolated and enigmatic, the knyads of Dras Sayve keep even their neighbours at a distance, and few welcome the unorthodox ideas Emis brings from abroad. But all his breakthroughs happen here, and the Sayvians are the most technologically progressive knyads on the moon. Can Emis convince them that he will make a worthy mentor to one of their more curious juveniles? This story is set 30 years before the events of Far Removed (C.B. Lansdellâs debut sci-fi novel). |
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Together is a Distant Star by A.J. Calvin, V. Carvajal Leiva, Nancy Foster, Andrea Marie Johnson, Natalie Kelda, C.B. Lansdell, Karen Lykkebo, Erika McCorkle, Branwen OShea, Alyse N. Steves, Delilah Waan, Isabelle Wagner How far would you go to find where you belong? A shapeshifting alien changeling raised by humans. The âwickedâ child selected as the village sacrifice. People trapped in rigid belief systems, oppressive regimes, well-intentioned families, complicated relationships, and their very own bodies. Is it better to succumb and survive, or escape by staking everything on a slender hope? What triumphs in the end, love or vengeance? And if all that remains is ashes, is it still worth it? Grapple with these questions by diving into twelve new science fiction and fantasy stories. Together is a Distant Star is a collaborative anthology that encompasses authors hailing from Europe to Australia, South Africa to South America, and celebrates a kaleidoscope of perspectivesâfemale, nonbinary, BIPOC, queer, and more. Featuring stories from: A.J. Calvin, C.B. Lansdell, Nancy Foster, V. Carvajal Leiva, Karen Lykkebo, Erika McCorkle, Branwen OShea, Alyse Steves, Delilah Waan, and Isabelle Wagner. |
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Alien Tower: An Alien Shifter Romance (Alien Wolf Tales #8) by Honey Phillips The tower was never meant to keep her safe. It was meant to keep her hidden. Locked in a lonely tower where the jungle meets the sea, Liora has spent her entire life under the protection of a watchful AI guardian. She has never left the tower. Never met another person. Until a massive Vultor warrior appears at her door. Baylin came south to investigate an almost forgotten structure mentioned in an old colony record. He never expected to find a beautiful female living inside. Curious, brave, and far too trusting, Liora is fascinated by the dangerous warrior who has suddenly entered her carefully controlled world. But when Baylin discovers she carries a powerful secret, he must decide if he can break the towerâs hold before the world discovers she exists. Because the moment Liora steps outside the walls⌠everything will change. A spicy standalone sci-fi fairytale retelling featuring an isolated heroine, a protective alien wolf shifter, and a tower that was never meant to be opened. |
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The Nature of Shadow by Emma.R.Schofield Will she be cast out of the one place she has left to go? Anhame, the Hall under the six point star, is the only place Lia can learn how to use her terrifying powers. But to take the oath, and to pass through the trials, she must conceal the darkness that is her nature. How long can she hide her dark secret from the Masters of her craft? And if they find out, what will they do to ensure she is not a danger to everyone around her? The Nature of Shadow is the first book in a literary high fantasy series of five. It is for people who love myth and magic, dragons and sword bearers, and walking the path of story with a frighteningly powerful protagonist who nevertheless faces entirely human struggles. Low on sex and violence, but rich in character development, atmosphere and world-building, it is suitable for fantasy lovers from young adult to long-retired elder. |
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Shadows We Cast by James Chance After their return from the Underworld, Vincent, Henry, and their pack find themselves with a new mission: break open the portals to Heaven and Hell, so every spirit can find their way to a peaceful afterlife. The catch: figuring out how to do it without a human sacrifice. The second catch: Vincentâs hellhound kin also have a new missionâto hunt him down, and kill anyone who gets in their way. With hellhounds and Shadowhand closing in fast, they need all the help they can getâeven from some old friends they would rather have left behind. But together, they might be able to carve out one last chance to right the wrongs of history. To do it, they must travel across the ruins of Heaven, back through the depths of Hell, and even to the deepest crevices in the mind of a vengeful god. But they may just find that the doorway to saving mortalkind resides not in the mind, but the heartâŚand Vincent and Henryâs love could be the only key. |
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Turtle Journey and Other Silent Comics (Silent Comics Book 2) by Keilani McConnell Five heartwarming, traditionally drawn comics following different animals on their journeys A turtle travels to a mountain, meeting friends along the way; a seagull finds a group of students attending a magic class and decides he wants to try it, too; a brachiosaurus guides the stars to their places in the night sky; a mouse makes their way through a snowy forest; a dragon and dragonfly fly together to different islands. Each comic is appropriate for all ages and reading levels, with uplifting and wholesome stories. Includes five comics: Turtle Journey Seagull Magic Dino Stars Snow Mouse The Dragon and the Dragonfly |
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The Heart of The Dawn by Joseph Moro A love meant to unite a world is shattered before it can begin. On the day their lives were supposed to become one, Joe is torn away from Cheri by a force neither of them understands. What was meant to be a beginning becomes a fracture that echoes across everything they believed was certain. Separated by a mystery that refuses to stay buried, both are forced to confront more than distance. Truths long hidden begin to surface. Power moves in ways it was never meant to. And the deeper they search, the more they realize their story was never just their own. Because some bonds are not broken by distance. They are tested by it. And some truths, once uncovered, change everything. |
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The Inescapable March by Hana Carolina Arran, a widely feared warrior-mage who can manipulate time and space, and his best friend, Hyacinth, an almost-famous actor and talented singer adored by (too) many, find themselves trapped in a recurring nightmare ending with their deaths. Separated amid a blood-soaked war, they keep meeting again, lost in a hazy space between winter and spring, dream and reality, friendship and love. |
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The Storm and the Rose by T.L. Johnson Obsession leaves marks deeper than any wound. Arden Rivers has rebuilt her life brick by fragile brick, determined not to be defined by the shadows of her past. But when roses begin to appear at her doorâperfect, blood-red, deliberateâso do the notes. Intimate. Intrusive. Written by someone who knows her too well. Each gift is beautiful. Each gift is a threat. The stalker who calls himself her admirer isnât the only man watching. Gideon Blackwell, heir to a powerful legacy, is as relentless as he is protective. Calculated where others are reckless, he offers her safetyâbut at a cost: letting him past the walls sheâs built. Torn between the protector who sees her strength and the predator who worships her fire, Arden must decide which man holds the greater danger. Because obsession doesnât always hide in shadowsâsometimes it comes wrapped in devotion. In book one of this slow-burn romantic suspense duology, passion and peril entwine. Love may be her refuge or the deadliest trap of all. |
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Amity in the House of Her Enemy by Hiyodori It was an undeserved hatred, but she knew one day she would earn it. Amity already got her revenge. Since childhood, she's secretly worked to bring down the wealthy mage who destroyed her family. After succeeding, she runs away to start a new life under a stolen identity. Years later, she turns thirty, and the mageâs daughterâJuniperâtracks her down. Amity (a born servant) and Juniper (heir to a magical lord) have a long and unpleasant history. They clashed as children, and again in college, while Amity pursued vengeance against Juniper's clan. Amity shamelessly wielded every weapon at her disposal: her wits, her looks, her healing abilities, and her fearlessness. In those days, lying and sabotage were her bread and butter. Icy, uptight Juniper couldn't be more different. Sheâs always been a stickler for the law. But now the government wants to make an example of Amity for her crimes, and Juniper steps in to protect her. This can't possibly be an act of compassion⌠yet, given the choice between going with Juniper or going to jail, Amity chooses Juniper. A dangerous gamble. Juniper still has the legal right to claim her as an indentured servant. By trapping Amity in the desolate old mansion where it all began, perhaps Juniper can finally start to exact her own long-awaited revenge. Amity in the House of Her Enemy is a twisty and extremely slow-burn f/f romance featuring childhood enemies, hurt/comfort, family drama, and the very tentative beginnings of a movement against the greatest foe of all: the mageocracy itself. This novel takes place in the same contemporary fantasy world as the Clem & Wist series, but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone story. |
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Usurper's Might: Book Six of New Blood by W.D. Kilpack III The future of Mankind relies on the Guardian of Maarihk. As the Usurper's darkness rises, will Natharr and the scattered Rilari stay the path when hope becomes dire? The Rilari are scattered, each forced down a different path as the Usurperâs power spreads across the continents like a growing storm. The Guardian of Maarihk, Ellis the Elder, Thair, and the remaining Knights of Ril fight to preserve the last fragile remnants of peace â yet even survival becomes uncertain as the darkness foretold in Natharrâs Sight draws ever closer, shadowing their every step. Meanwhile, Nathan endures the unforgiving mentorship of one of the Empireâs greatest warriors. Driven by a hunger for ultimate vengeance, he is pushed to the edge of his limits. But as his strength grows, so does the question that haunts him: how far will he go to claim the justice he seeks â and what will it cost him when the moment finally comes? |
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Battle Calm: Omega Message by W.D. Kilpack III Badger was bred to lead soldiers to victory. What will he do when he must question everything to save those who follow him? When Badger led his Keepers to Base Resurrection, he thought it was to a fresh start, a new Base from which to face the enemy. He did not know that the fighting would not end when leaving the trenches. He has to teach Red Skinâs Laws and relearn them himself, as the relentless combat with an enemy that never stops takes its toll, even affecting his closest bonds with Trinity and Korry. Those changes pale when lifelong truths are challenged by the discovery of the Omega Message. They were still Keepers. They fought, they killed, they lived to kill another day, but even that reality was unraveling. Life was war, they knew nothing else. So what do they do if even the promise of endless combat is not upheld? The remaining Keepers put their faith in Badger to lead them and find the answer ... but time is running out. ⢠5/5 Stars â"Omega Message is the second book in W. D. Kilpack III's Battle Calm Cycle. Set in a dystopian wasteland where the battle between the Keepers and the Reds is the only reality, the story picks up after Battle Calm. Badger and his Keepers are uncovering forbidden truths about the war they are sworn to fight. Badger's new borg parts can integrate with their automated systems. When the Reds force the Keepers from their base, they use their knowledge of the less lethal storms to mask their movements. The journey to find a new base becomes a journey of discovery as hidden truths unfold, and Badger's new ability allows him to contact other groups and open a new front against the Reds. The world the Keepers thought they knew has changed. Omega Message offers readers fresh insights into the Battle Calm universe while keeping a steady pace for the action!" â Kurt D. Springs, author of the Dreamscape Warriors Series ⢠5/5 Stars â "Omega Message dives into the emotional toll of endless war through Badgerâs eyes [as] a leader burdened by responsibility and haunted by unraveling truths. Kilpack doesnât just write action; he writes the weight behind every blow, every choice.As the Keepers struggle with fading purpose and shifting loyalties, the discovery of the Omega Message forces them and us to ask what happens when the only life you've known begins to fall apart. This is more than military sci-fi. Itâs a raw exploration of identity, loyalty, and the quiet unraveling of belief. Powerful stuff!" â Luna Ray |
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Outskirts of Oblivion by A. Q. Adams Under the iron grip of The Keep, the world is fractured, each piece ruled by a tyrant. In Xeon Eleven, peasants huddle near the throne for their daily breadâbut every morsel comes with a price. Rebellion is nearly impossible, yet a few gifted dreamers dare to challenge the regime. Phaidon Tteldran is one of them. Forced to flee the city with his friends, he trades the suffocating streets for the run-down outskirts, where freedom is a dangerous gamble. Kale Vess, overlord of this realm, could use his precogs to detect crime before it happensâbut he prefers a crueler game, purging the guilty and innocent alike at random. Colonel Grant âBrimstoneâ Brim is a prisoner in a remote facility, moved from the battlefield to a deadly game of wits. Freedom is the ultimate gambitâbut Dr. Volkov and her subordinates are already reaching for checkmate. As Phaidon and his companions fall under Vessâs predatory gaze, the horizon looms with a climactic showdown. Do they have what it takes to stay uncaged? This story is only the spark. Beyond it stretches a universe of monstrous intricacyâhumming, coiled, and waiting to explode. |
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The Tenant: A Novella by Odella Howe Marvin Hoeff never thought he was a selfish bastard. Unfortunately for him, the universe begs to differ. After surveying the grim aftermath of tenant Colette Finchâs death, all petty, miserly landlord Marvin Hoeff wants is his evening takeout and a long, hot shower. The problem is, something has followed him home⌠something sopping wet, sharp-tongued, and absolutely furious with him. Before he can say âlease violation,â Marvin finds himself the newest guinea pig of a cosmic bureaucracyâs experimental reformation method. Colette claims the purgatorial punishments are all for his âcharacter development,â which would be easier to believe if she didnât look so delighted at his misery. But as her relentless haunting begins peeling back the rot heâs spent a lifetime ignoring, Marvin canât help but wonder: What if sheâs not trying to destroy him⌠but save whateverâs left? Twisting together dark comedy, supernatural suspense, and a sharply absurdist edge, The Tenant delivers a haunting thatâs as unsettling as it is unexpectedly heartwarming. Perfect for readers who enjoy morbidly funny horror stories with a philosophical twist, morally gray heroes, and ghost stories wrapped in social commentary, this thought-provoking satire offers a fresh take on the paranormalâequal parts eerie, bizarre, and delightfully human. |
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How to Build a Champion: A Novel by Dylan Cody How to Build a Champion is a picaresque story of courage, resilience, quick wit, and joy, which follows Cassandra, a bright, outspoken young woman, through a British summer in a multi-cultural, working-class neighbourhood, peopled with personalities, where the inner-city skyline changes in 'fits and starts'. Living among artists, musicians, trade-unionists, bohemians, students, writers, and educators defining what it is to live 'successfully' in the face of 'progress' in their shared city, Cassandra works with her uncle, Bobby, and his partner 'Toria, in their community-minded osteria. All is well, until their landlord, Harry, throws their lives into a tail-spin when he considers an offer from speculators, gentrifiers, and property developers who seemingly know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Raising their voices in opposition, Cassandra and her friends, street artists Mc, Pat, and Teddy, band together in a fly-by-night adventure, making mischief in their fight for the osteria, while a cunning lifestyle journalist 'helps' their cause. Learn to question your first impressions; to look twice at what you see. Learn to live life, fully, whatever your circumstances. Discover How to Build a Champion. |
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Tied to Life (Monsters of Brimrey Island #3) by Vee Debras He has the keys to save herâŚand me. When I get the news that my cat Melody is dying, I know thereâs nothing I can do but watch her suffer⌠Until one night I wake up to a hand reaching for me from inside a tomb. Oliver St. James should not be alive, but he is here and begging me to get him out of the mausoleum thatâs been his prison for the past twenty years. I willâwith one condition: he has to tell me how he came back to life. The problem is that he doesnât remember what happened to him, and his family has put their millions behind keeping it a secret. Press-backed lies, bought silence, NDAs. All to pretend their heir never existed. The more time I spend with nerdy, charming Oliver, the less I understand what he couldâve done for his family to hate him like they did. And the more pieces of the puzzle I find, the more scared I get of the price I will have to pay to save Melody. Tied to Life is an MM monster romance with a trans main character, a couple of nerds falling in love, lots of angst, and bad science. Though best enjoyed as the third book in the Monsters of Brimrey Island series, it can be read as a standalone and has a HEA. Check out the rest of the series for more queer characters finding love in this small town on a haunted island. |
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A Myth of Ancient by T.M. Baylor Goddesses. A dead king. A long lost people. Old stories long thought to be myth that now walk free through Eterin. After a devastating battle, Andyse is in shambles and the Davegu kingdom, Lupegi province, and the forgotten mountain city are not far behind. The once-strong foundations of the things that used to be believed are shaky and cracking more with every day. With new, unsteady alliances and shifting motivations, no one knows who or what to trust. Long buried secrets have been revealed and the world itself is changing because of it. Something dark is coming⌠After the gods of Lupegi learn the truth of the vicious battle and a new king in Davegu is crowned, a war is brewing. One with the power to change Eterin forever. ââ--- A Myth of Ancient is the second book in The Secrets of Eterin, an epic dark fantasy series that follows multiple POV characters from across the broken world of Eterin. It centers themes of power, the nature of resistance, erased histories, and the importance of knowledge to fight hatred. Features LGBTQIA+ and women characters. Intended for mature audiences, please check the content warnings. |