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Chefâs Kiss (A Gia, San Francisco Romance) by Stephanie Shea Valentina Rosas has always known what she wants. Mostly. Sort of. At least, she does now. And what she wants is the coveted staging role at Gia, San Francisco. With four years at the top of her class in culinary school and enough tenacity to fuel the entire Mission, no one doubts she is about to land the job of her dreamsâincluding the three-person cheer squad made up of her best friend and adorably overbearing parents. Renowned chef Jenn Coleman is not a people person. Her rise to the top of the culinary industry stems from a cultivated blend of top-tier schoolingâfrom her nonnaâand bouts of carefully managed misanthropy. Owning and operating two Michelin starred restaurants doesnât leave time for much else anyway. Just ask her ex. When the new stage at her restaurant trips into her with all the grace of a baby giraffe, itâs a sure recipe for disaster. But for all of Jennâs reserve, Valentina has twice the allure, and the chemistry between them is just⊠chefâs kiss. If only Jenn wasnât Valentinaâs boss with nearly ten years between them. |
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What Was Lost by Melissa Connelly When a young girl feels complicit in her own abuse, how does that thwart her attempts to build a happy life as an adult woman? Disturbing memories begin to surface for Marti and so she returns to the small Vermont town she ran away from thirty years ago to face her demons. She drags her unwitting and unwilling teenage daughter along on the journey heightening already existing tensions between them. But Marti is determined to achieve what sheâs returned home for: forgiveness for lies told, and revenge for secrets held. Exploring the vast social change from 1970 to 2000, in times before language such as #MeToo helped give voice to these all-too-common occurrences, What Was Lost is a raw, powerful tale of one woman confronting the ghosts of her past. |
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How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager by D.N. Bryn "I WANT YOU TO BITE ME." Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and theyâve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he canât help returning for seconds. Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampireâto use as bait. Heâs certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments. Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me. Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up. Wesâs plan is perfect. Heâll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned. How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win and Wager is a slow-burn paranormal mm romance full of laughter, angst, and thirsty pining. It is perfect for fans of fangs and scientific interpretations of vampirism, with a medium spice level that heats up further in the free bonus content. Content includes bite kink, bleeding (non-kinky), medical experimentation (not experienced by the point of view characters), one particular lesbian BFF who should be reported to HR, and the use of âbodice-rippingâ as a verb. |
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It's Only A Little Death by Shane Blackheart Being dead never felt so good... Silver's memories are gone, but that's the way death usually goes. You wake up by the Styx, you realize you're dead, you pick a name, and you pay Charon for a ride across the river. If you have nothing of value to give, Charon deals in other currencies too â including ones of the flesh. Silver soon finds themself sitting on a bed in a strange room. They're given a diary, which is the most important thing they now own, and a peer support worker, Ifris, who's less than stellar about the job. Silver isn't prepared to go through the stages of grief for their own death, but they're even less ready for the deal they made with Charon: Recover their memories and the reason they died in record time, and they get to avenge their murder. There's one problem; the only way to trigger memories is to create a shock to the system, which is easily attained by having an explosive climax at the hands of the beasts that hold Silver's life story. |
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Remote Angel Volume 1 by Yennie Fer and Banunu After a freak accident of an attempted assault, Alice Desangi wakes up in a different apocalyptic universe. Gifted with mysterious powers of an earth angel, she dies in unfortunate occurrences. She wakes up to relive that day again in a confused manner. Depending on her choices, they could change history. |
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Hotel Fen by Meri Benson, Marie Sinadjan The Shining meets Norse mythology in this tale of star-crossed romances, ancient prophecies, and revenge. Are you ready for the vacation of a lifetime? Victor has always had a passion for Norse history and mythology, but after hitting a dead end with his book on valkyries, not even that passion is enough to move him forward. Just when he's ready to abandon the project, he receives an email: he's won a free trip to Hotel Fen, a remote vintage resort in the Scandinavian Mountains. Silje has always felt that her life was fairly unremarkable. She cares deeply about people and that has led her to find her purpose at a nursing home in Oslo. When a resident dies and leaves her an all-expense paid vacation package to Hotel Fen, however, she takes the opportunity to experience something different. It all starts innocently enough, with a little meet-cute in the hotel elevator that takes forever to arrive on their floor. But the longer Victor and Silje remain together, the more dangerous the hotel becomes, and the more they question where reality ends and the impossible begins. |
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The Choice of Weapons by Alex Valdiers Ren is an officer on the rise, going from planetary conquest to conquest, until he crosses path with a senior female officer from his native Japan. His meeting with Izuna ends in a bloody duel â the first of many. As the war against other species progresses, Renâs obsession for Izuna grows and his discontentment for army life along with it. When Izuna gets isolated on an icy hell, Ren volunteers to rescue her for what may be his ultimate mission. The Raoke Gang series is prime entertainment with heart and brains, humor and sex (occasionally, when the story commands it), and, most of all, incredible characters running wild in the most exciting of settings: the Far West in space! |
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Harvest Nights by Ahmed H. Alameen âA Lovecraftian horror tale inspired by Native American Myths and colonial timesâ Harvest Nights is a story told through a young boy named Chua (Snake), who narrates the story of how the days were gone and replaced by nights when a strange shooting star appeared in the sky in 1811 Colonial America (Great Comet of 1811). During those dreadful nights, Chua, and later three other people, will have to survive the other worldly creatures that will stop at nothing to eat. A Lovecraftian horror story featuring famous historical figures and creatures inspired by Native American myths. âIt was the surgically-precise gore, the sensations of body horror, and the tenticular terror that Ahmed Alameen penned that will stick with me for a long time.ââMichael Arnzen, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Play Dead and 100 Jolts âGripping and EerieââEric J. Guignard, award-winning author and editor, including That Which Grows Wild and Doorways to the Deadeye âYouâll be hooked from the literally explosive beginning right through to the finale.ââPaul Kane â Bestselling and award-winning author of Before, Arcana and Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell âLingers long after the final page has been read.ââAmanda Stevens, Award-winning author of The Graveyard Queen âThis Lovecraftian story took a couple of unexpected turns that really amped up the horror... Alameen clearly knows the subject matter well and he does it a lot of justice.ââApril A. Taylor - author of Sinkhole and The Hunting of Cabin Green âAhmed Alameen is a true cosmic frontiersman, forging a new path through uncharted terrors and guiding his readers into the vast unknown with Harvest Nights.ââClay McLeod Chapman - Author of Whisper Down the Lane and the Remaking |
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Silence of the Song Trees by Branwen OShea Young Cerulean's carefree life as a Firth is shattered when a planet-wide disaster wipes out all of his kind except him. The song trees that once harmonized to maintain the ecological balance of their shared planet Lenglood are silenced by the tragedy. Grief-stricken, Cerulean struggles to survive and awaken the dormant trees. But when human colonists show up, he has more to lose--the planet of Lenglood itself. |
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See These Bones: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane Some superheroes want to save the world. Damian is just hoping to save himself. In the post-Break world of superpowers, necromancy is the one gift nobody wants. Everyone knows what happens to Crows; they go mad and they go bad. That's the story of infamous mass murderers like Crimson Death, Gravedigger, and Sally Cemetery. It's also the story of David Jameson, an otherwise unremarkable man who came home one day and killed his wife, orphaning their five-year-old son, Damian. Thirteen years later, Damian has inherited more than just grey eyes and a beak of a nose from his father. He too is a Crow, doomed to become a killer unless he can find a way to avoid the violent madness endemic to his powers. When a Finder offers enrollment at Los Angeles' Academy of Superheroes, he jumps at the chance, believing training could be the key to changing his fate. His classmates despise him, the majority of his teachers want him expelled, and his mom's ghost hasn't said a word since reappearing when he was nine, but Damian isn't the kind to give up. He's going to take control of his destiny or die in the process. It's that or end up like his father. |
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Jenniâs Boy by Lewis J. Lewin Jenniâs Boy follows Luke as he grows up, struggling to tell the woman that he has loved since high school how he truly feels. As he fails to communicate with her, other problems take ahold of him in life, and she drifts away, but she is ever present in his mind. His old friends fade away, and even his family members start to go their own paths. He realizes just how important communication is in relationships. |
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A Kingdom of Curses by Danielle D Drummond One forgotten sin. A thousand deadly consequences. Paege Vailenbyrg has always been an outsider in the Wolf-ruled kingdom of Elyndria. As a half-Fae, half-Human hybrid, sheâs considered an aberration. Despite her efforts to discover her place in a world made to reject her, Paege finds herself unexpectedly embroiled in a web of secrets, lies, and unreliable magic. All of it threatens to shatter the fragile sense of safety she has managed to build around herself. Caught between two worlds, Paege must navigate shifting alliances and uncover long-buried secrets. The fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance as she becomes a pawn in a much larger game. Can she trust the enigmatic Wolf shifter, Guy Braxtion, whose dark past is as tangled as her own? Or the notorious bad boy heir, Quentin Ishaan, whose sudden interest in her raises more questions than answers? A Kingdom bound by curses. As the danger escalates, Paege is forced to embrace her true nature and harness her volatile Fae powers. But with powerful forces conspiring against her, a single misstep could unravel the very fabric of their world. Can Paege uncover the truth about the âOriginal Sinâ cursing the kingdom before itâs too late, or will she be consumed by the chaos threatening to tear her world apart? |
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Let Loose the Fallen: Book Two of Children of the Nexus by S. Kaeth The priestess searches for her faith. The fire-wielder wrestles with her past. The psion dreams of peace. And the hero is torn between his heart and his duty. While grief scatters the four protectors to the winds, outside forces write history according to their own whims. The fate of the Rinaryns lies twined with that of the boy, Eian, caught in a tug of war the heroes are unaware of. But the evidence lies waiting for Taunos and the others to see, if only they can move past their betrayal. |
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The Place Below (Maer Cycle book 3) by Dan Fitzgerald Itâs been twenty-five years since the Battle for the Archive. Peace reigns over the Silver Hills, and humans and Maer are preparing to sign their first trade agreement. Even warring tribes of the Free Maer have set aside old quarrels. Sasha is a young scholar of mixed Maer and human parentage, traveling throughout the Maer lands collecting stories of the Ka-lar, the buried Forever Kings. She finds a reference in the Archive to a Ka-lar named Kuun, a scholar in life, who was laid down in an ancient brightstone mine, beneath a mountain said to be the home of the fabled Skin Maer. The lure of the tale is too strong to resist. Joined by some old friends, Sasha sets out to uncover secrets that have lain buried for over a thousand years. In The Place Below, the Maer Cycle comes to a close as the darkest mysteries of the Maer are at last brought into the light. |
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Black Table by Anttimatti Pennanen Jon and Gus, science fiction fans from Finland with a penchant for fist bumping and pop culture references, travel to the Portland Comic Con where tragedy strikes. Their hero, Dr Wells, suffers a heart attack. With his dying breath, the doctor exhorts Jon to âfind the âŠâ as he pushes a book into Jonâs hands. Following clues inscribed in the book, Jon and Gus discover an alien structure with a mysterious Black Table which they accidently activate, transporting them to an alien world. Jumping from world to world via the Black Table galactic transportation network, Jon and Gus embark on the adventure of a lifetime where they encounter monsters, alien tech, giant vessels made of water and make new friends. But those friends are facing an unstoppable and mindless enemy. An enemy that is destroying the galaxy, and Earth is next in its path. Can two fans from Finland save the day? Black Table is a rollicking yarn of two likeable, wise-cracking friends who like nothing better than pranking each other. That is, except when they are not doing something more serious, like saving the universe. JOIN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE BLACK TABLE NETWORK! |
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The Hidden King (The Coming of Ăed #1) by E.G. Radcliff SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis Hidden truths. Hidden power. Hidden destiny. On the shores of a rusty sea, in the streets of a starving city, a young man named Ăed scraps to build a life for himself and the makeshift family he loves. Scarred by a trauma he cannot remember, and haunted by the brutal damage it left behind, he has no idea of the courage his future will demand. When tragedy strikes, a desperate Ăed risks a treacherous, life-changing journey in his last chance to save the only family he has left - but an ancient legacy smoldering within him is about to turn deadly. Neither he - nor a kingdom - will ever be the same. |
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That Girl Who Ran Off and Kissed a Vampire by K.R.S. McEntire Eighteen-year-old Raven has always had a college, a stable job, and marriage to her high school sweetheartâall within the safe boundaries of her comfort zone. As a neurodivergent girl adopted into a family of high achievers, she understands the importance of stability. But when a single disastrous day leaves her without a job, her best friend, or her boyfriend, Ravenâs carefully planned future unravels. Desperate for a fresh start, Raven takes a leap of faith in the form of a mysterious job offer that lands her in a magical realm where humans coexist with fae, dragons, vampires, and other fantastical creatures. Her unlikely guide is Hunter, a snarky and secretive vampire who insists her bloodline holds the key to breaking an ancient curse. Reluctantly, Raven agrees to help, embarking on a quest filled with impromptu hip-hip concerts in medieval taverns, sassy talking unicorns, and growing feelings for Hunter. But as sparks fly, so do her suspicions about his true intentions. To save a kingdomâand herselfâRaven must uncover the secrets of her heritage and decide if sheâs willing to risk everything for a magical world and a love that feels too impossible to be real. |
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The Call for Finis: Pride by A.J. Torres Seven sins. Seven hosts. One city purged. After everything youâve learned, can you still stand with your faith, or finally rise up against it? Salvia VerdaderaFe has signed a pact with Ultor, a demon of Infernos, to enact the end of all and purge the world of sin. Ultor and six others were granted permission to enter the middle world of Eldara, bound to mortals by the Seraphim of Hevellum. Upon his arrival a messenger of Hevellum should have been waiting to assign him his task, unfortunately the messenger did not appear and thus his mission is a mystery. Along their journey through the country of Marlela, they are set upon by a group of Templar Equitums, bearers of virtue and enforcers of the Cirine faith. From their encounter their destination is revealed. Their journey to Lumen Magnum begins. |
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The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power A Mystery Scene Magazine 2021 Editor's Pick Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors. Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesnât end there. She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby. Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer. |
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Heart, Haunt, Havoc by FreydĂs Moon Laced with romance, gothic imagery, Catholic mysticism, diaspora, and horror⊠When lonely transgender exorcist, Colin Hart, finds himself challenged by an unruly haunted house in Gideon, Colorado, heâs kept awake by ghosts, demons, ghouls, and the handsome nonbinary owner of the house, Bishop MartĂnez. Unlike the simple hauntings Colin is accustomed to, Bishopâs house is a living beacon, attracting a plethora of inhuman creatures, including a vengeful wolf-headed spirit who might be the key to quieting their sleepless nights. But as a heartbreaking mystery unravels, Colin comes face-to-face with the past Bishop tried to bury, opens a closet full of bloody skeletons, and trips into an accidental romance. As paranormally skilled as Colin might be, this particular haunting may be too messy for him to handle⊠|
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Palon, a Windward novella by S. Kaeth Itâs not easy growing up part of a famous family. Twelve-year old Palonâs magic isnât strong compared to the rest of her familyâs, she has no special talents, and sheâs constantly falling short of the mark. Desperate to stand out, she leaves home and bonds a dragon, Windward. But life among dragons and other dragonbonded is not easy. Palonâs refusal to admit to mistakes makes it hard for her to fit in. Sheâs so worried about proving herself, she pushes people away. When Palon sees an intruder in the nest, no one believes her. Despite her insistence, they explain away her concerns, and soon everyoneâs too distracted with a spreading illness to listen. Frustrated, Palon defies her mentorâs instructions and convinces Windward to help her investigate. In order to heal the nest, Palon will have to trust that her newfound family will accept her despite her imperfections. And it begins with immersing herself in the wisdom of the dragon she bonded. |
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Jack of Thorns (Inheritance, 1) by AK Faulkner Youâd think seeing the future would make life easy, but Laurence Riley knows better. No matter how hard he tries to master the chaos, everything slips out of control. His violent ex-boyfriend, his supernatural talents, his drug addictionâseeing whatâs coming doesnât help with any of them. He needs help and he knows it. Help that only a god can provide. The answer to his prayers is Jack, who offers aid with reining in his powers and mastering his life. In exchange, all Jack asks is regular offerings of sexual energy from Laurence's conquests. A month ago, that would have been just fine with Laurence. If not for Quentin, it still would be. Devastatingly handsome, incredibly desirable, and so far out of Laurenceâs league itâs not even funny, Quentin is the flame to Laurenceâs moth. Laurence doesnât want anyone else, he canât think of anyone else, and neither Quentinâs frustratingly chaste behavior nor his uncontrollable telekinesis are enough to put him off. Not even if his focus on Quentin means breaking his bargain with Jack and facing the consequences of disappointing a god. Laurence doesnât need to see the future to know thatâs a bad idea, but he has no clue how dangerous Jack really is⊠|
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Rapunzel's Gambit by Mary Mecham Some princesses would rather be the villain than the damsel in distress. Desperate to rid his kingdom of a troublesome dragon, King Harrigan offers his daughterâs hand in marriage to any man who can slay the beast, but Rapunzel refuses to be pawned off. Deciding that a life of crime is preferable to wedding some power-hungry suitor, Rapunzel fakes her own kidnapping and joins forces with the cunning dragon plaguing her own kingdom. Together, they plot a grand scheme that would amass them both riches beyond their wildest dreams. As the lure of a reward for the princessâs safe return attracts men ensnared by greed and Rapunzelâs flirtations, the would-be heroes soon become the ones in need of rescue atop a tower only accessible by dragonback. But as her alliance with the dragon grows more precarious and dangerous, Rapunzel is forced to question whether sheâs trusted the wrong side. Amidst the chaos, Griffin, the humble but brilliant squire, emerges as an unexpected ally. His quick wit and resourcefulness stand in stark contrast to the arrogant knights he serves, and Rapunzel canât help but take notice. On the chessboard of fate, the swindler princess of Rookwyn must make her own moves with every calculated gambit and soon realizes⊠The real game was never about knights, kings, and queens, but about how a mere pawn could become a legend. Rapunzelâs Gambit is a no spice, diabolical fairytale retelling packed with villain vibes, a dragon/princess con artist duo, and banter that will have you laughing out loud. Join a diabolical princess on her daring swindles in this part of All That Glittersâa 12-book series brimming with Tales of Treasure and True Love. Each book stands alone and is written by a different author, so pick your next adventure and remember⊠not all that glitters is gold! |
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Shattered Queens Series: Serena by Inez Ocon Serena Safe. Predictable. Logical. Numbers donât hurt you. People do. I built my life on stability and earned my dream job as VP of Finance. I live in armorâmy body trained, my mind guarded, my heart locked tight. Then Ian walks into my life. He says he'll protect me. He says he'll kill for me. But is he my saviorâŠor my captor? And now, someone else is watching me, and I donât know whoâs more dangerous. Ian CEO. Heir. Killer. I erase anyone who threatens whatâs mine. But nothing consumes me like her. Serena. My obsession. My undoing. Every step she takes is already under my watch. She thinks she rebuilt her life on safety. The truth? I am her safetyâand her danger. Willing or not, sheâll belong to me. Because Iâll burn down this world before I ever let her go. |
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Blood of Heirs (The Coraidic Sagas #1) by Alicia Wanstall-Burke Lidan Tolak is the fiercest of her fatherâs daughters; more than capable of one day leading her clan. But caught between her warring parents, Lidanâs world begins to unravel when another of her fatherâs wives falls pregnant. Before she has time to consider the threat of a brother, a bloody swathe is cut through the heart of the clan and Lidan must fight, not only to prove her worth, but simply to survive. Ranoth Olseta wants nothing more than to be a worthy successor to his fatherâs throne. When his home is threatened by the aggressive Woaden Empire, Ran becomes his cityâs saviour, but powers within him are revealed by the enemy and he is condemned to death. Confused and betrayed, Ran is forced to flee his homeland, vowing to reclaim what he has lost, even if it kills him. Facing an unknown future, and battling forces both familiar and foreign, can Lidan and Ran overcome the odds threatening to drag them into inescapable darkness? |
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Lesbians in Space: Where No Man Has Gone Before by Edited by J.S. Fields, William C. Tracy, Heather Tracy Peanut butter and chocolate. Cheese and wine. Sex and rock n' roll. History is full of great pairings. Get ready for your new Lesbians and Space! Join a host of intrepid explorers heading to the outer reaches of the galaxy, exploring planets, space stations, strange new worlds and interesting aliens. Launch into stories that span the cosmos, covering Space Opera, Xenobiology, Space Stations, Adventure, and Spaceships! From spaceship mechanics to intergalactic colony queens, heists, smugglers, gods, and sentient planets, Lesbians in Space explores the galaxy from the unique perspective of the lesfic world, blending the best of sapphic literature with modern sci-fi and space opera tropes. With stories Mary Robinette Kowal, Seanan McGuire, Travis Baldree, Emma Newman, MK Hardy, Ashleigh Martin, Nathan Chu, Stewart C Baker, Kayla Whittle, Joel Glover, Caye Marsh, Kira Neu, Jes Honard, Scarlet Passmore, Sylvie Althoff, Jasmine Gower, Siena Buchanan, BeĂĄta FĂŒlöp, Danielle Woolhead, J.S. Fields, and Heather Tracy |
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Once Upon a Dark October by Jessie Thomas All curses made in blood must be broken with blood. Dreadmist Harbor sleeps under a near-perpetual veil of coastal fog, home to mortals, vampires, and those somewhere in between. Already down-on-her-luck, mortal charwoman Elspeth finds herself the target of a rogue vampire, shattering the peaceful coexistence. Forced to seek help from a reclusive vampire coven, she barely makes it to their dreary seaside perch before she succumbs to the bite. Morrigan and her coven are haunted by a bitter rivalry that has left them devastated and fractured. As their old feud is once again rekindled, she is inexorably tied to Elspeth, who now carries an ancient vampiric power within her. The two are quickly swept up into a tangle of bloodlust and sorcery after the fraught transformationârealizing that matters of the heart are complicated, especially in undeath. While something sinister gathers in the shadows of their quiet town, they are pulled deeper into a world of curses and magic, dark dealings and betrayal. But Elspeth and Morrigan soon learn that all power must come with a price, for curses are not so easily broken. |
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Nana by Mark Towse Nana: A term of endearment used in some countries for oneâs Grandma. Some say the title is derived from the Italian word for Grandmother, Nonna. Another theory is that it stems from the word Nanny, i.e., someone who takes care of children. Meet Ollyâs nana, Ivy. It takes more than clean dentures, brandy, and bingo night to keep this one happy! Nana Ivy lives in Newhaven Crescent, where most of the other residents are past their expiry date and all kinds of batshit crazy, the kind of place where you hang your sanity up at the door. Being the matriarchal type, Ivy cares for the other residents as though they were kin, so of course, itâs of enormous concern when their veins begin to blacken and they start shedding skin, not to mention the glistening things crawling out of their hair. Theyâre pushing their luck, and Nana Ivy knows it. Did I mention she has a dark secret? Young Olly doesnât know what to make of it when he comes to visit, but heâs about to find out thereâs more to his nana than cough drops and slippers. Oh yes, heâs in for a long night. |
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An Appreciation of Cats by Des DeVivo How do we know if itâs too late? Dr. Ian Devonshire, the beloved veterinarian of Holly Grove, is sixty-eight with no plans to retireâuntil a skin exam ends with an unexpected biopsy. Ian tells no one, privately worrying about what a worst-case scenario would mean for his practice and, more importantly, his assistant, Dr. Alec Tarley. Ian isnât sure if Alecâs friendliness means what he hopes it does, though it wouldnât matter if it did; Ian is old enough to be Alecâs father, and as his boss, Ian doesnât want the small-town scandal of becoming involved. So even as Ian wonders what it might be like to have their afternoon tea somewhere other than behind closed doors, he convinces himself the risks far outweigh the gains. Especially now, as the pending results strand him like Schrödinger's Cat. In an attempt to protect them both from the heartache of a malignant prognosis, Ian makes the abrupt decision to retire. But when Alec refuses to take over the clinic without an explanation for the sudden change of heart, Ian must decide between whatâll hurt more: revealing his secrets or walking away. |
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They of the West (Scrublands Book 1) by Dani Finn Dralen never could leave well enough alone. He knows better than to go near the canyons. Thatâs where the Logans live, wild men of the hills said to devour lone travelers in frenzied midnight feasts. But the mysterious cloaked figure he saw down by the canyons had to be there for a reason. And he canât get his Urpaâs poem out of his head: something about âThey of the Westâ and âTreasures buried in memoryâs mine.â Folks used to mine for topaz in the canyons, and other stones too. Magical ones, some said. But the Logans and the cave-in put an end to all that. Dralen knows heâll get in trouble if he goes after the cloaked figure, and heâs doubly sure he doesnât care. Maybe They know something everyone else has forgotten in this little nothing town. Dralen is called to follow Them, but the closer he gets to unraveling the mystery, the more it seems his own journey is just beginning⊠They of the West is a fantasy novella set in a brand-new world, a coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and self-discovery. It is the first book in The Scrublands, a planned trio of novellas. It is appropriate for older young adult and adult audiences; content warnings include hunting/butchery, smoking, drinking, cursing, and brief references to sexual topics. |
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The Skeleton Key by Justine Manzano Sword and Silk Books Teacup Dragon Coop Sequel to the award-winning Order of the Key Kyp Franklin can't move on. One year after his mother officially declared war against him, Kyp is still struggling to find his feet as the Order of the Key's new leader. He's far too concerned about tracking her down before she causes even more damage than she already has. In fact, that's all he's been doing. Until one day, after a particularly reckless mission, he returns to find a surprising visitor on his doorstep... Jacklyn Madison can't move on. One year after she left the Order, she has a new team, and a new mission. She's determined to close all the interdimensional rifts between our world and the Dusk, before more people die trying to stop the creatures that pass through them. But a vision she had while on the edge of death leads her to the one place she never intended to return ⊠Forced to work together, Jacklyn, Kyp, and their respective teams uncover Lavinia's next plan: an alarming mix of magic and science the likes of which has never been seen before. Jacklyn and Kyp must learn to work together again and confront the demons of their past if they're going to stop Lavinia and those assisting her before their larger plan is put into action--a plan that could bring the monsters of the Dusk to our world...forever. |
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Obsidian: Awakening by Sienna Frost An epic tale of humanity that survives its ugliest and most admirable moments, one that will change your perception on love, life, and what it means to be human forever. When Hasheem, a legendary male-escort-turned-assassin finally escapes the city that enslaved him as a child, he finds himself trapped in the centuries-long war between his nomadic race of desert warriors and an empire that seeks to rule them. There, a new set of shackles awaits him in the form of a fifteen-year-old girl and her oracle brother whose agenda plunges him into the blood sport of power and politics. As warfare exacts its price and the line between good and evil gets put to the test, the men and women from both sides are forced to fight a common enemy that remains the greatest threat to mankind: humanity and all its flaws. |
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A Cup of Tea at the Mouth of Hell (Or, An Account of Catastrophe by Stoudemire McCloud, Demon) by Luke Tarzian BRIEFLY, A WORD ABOUT ORDER Order is the focal point around which existence revolves. Without order there is only chaos. And in the halls of Damnation (pronounced Dam-NAWT-ion, thank you kindly) the first sign of impending chaos is a cup of tea made without the water having first been well and properly boiled in a kettle. Why is this relevant, O nameless narrator, you ask? Who cares about the preparatory order of tea in the fires of Hell? Lucifer, dear reader. After all, how does one expect to properly greet the newcomers to Hell without having first had a hot cup of tea to bulwark the cold? Behold the Morning Star, frantic on the annual Morning of Souls, the arrival of Damnation's newest recruits. Someone has misplaced the kettle. |
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From the Ashes by B. S. H. Garcia The civil war ends now. Igtheos and his rebels have fought tirelessly against a would-be dictator and his army for almost two years. The city theyâve holed up in has become a prison, soon to be a tomb if they cannot arrange a means of escape. When the enemy leader offers an armistice thatâs too good to be true, Igtheos reluctantly accepts, thinking it will buy him enough time to smuggle those loyal to him out of the city. But he quickly learns the cost of choosing hope over caution as he finds himself caught in his enemyâs sinister plan, fighting a final unexpected battle. Failure means death, or worse, the loss of his loved ones. And he only has one night to determine everyoneâs fate. From the Ashes is a prequel novelette that takes place over two thousand years prior to the events in Of Thieves and Shadowsâvolume one in the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. |
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Your Blood and Bones by J. Patricia Anderson Kill the monsters when theyâre found. No matter who they used to be. The girl with secret feathers in her skin and strange bones jutting out beneath her clothes is resigned to her fate. Her deformities mark her a monster and the stories say monsters must die. When her family finds out and turns on her, a village boy saves her and leads her on a frantic escape. The girl believes her death has merely been delayedâuntil he mentions a cure. With the world against them and the monstrous change progressing, they must cross water, forest, and field to chase the rumor that fuels their desperate hope. But is hope enough to keep them going? |
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Salt Magic, Skin Magic by Lee Welch An entrapped lord and a magician whose sex life melts windows; will love destroy them, or set them free? Lord Thornby has been trapped on his fatherâs isolated Yorkshire estate for a year. There are no bars or chains; he simply canât leave. His sanity is starting to fray. When industrial magician John Blake arrives to investigate a case of witchcraft, he finds the peculiar, arrogant Thornby as alarming as he is attractive. John soon finds himself caught up in a dark fairytale, where all the rules of magicâand loveâare changed. To set Thornby free, both men must face life-changing truthsâand John must accept that the brave, witty man whoâs winning his heart may also be about to break it. Can they escape a web of magic thatâs as perilous as love? Genre: Fantasy historical m/m romance Novel-length standalone book, approx 80,000 words |
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The Bone King and the Starling by Elizabeth Stephens They call him the bone king. A massive, beast of a male who worships the gods and is all too willing to provide them their sacrifices. Human sacrifices. He and his warriors have come to visit Winterbren, a poor little village on the outskirts of Wrath and my home. Iâve never been more grateful to be a thrall, for my low status will ensure that I remain outside of his notice. But when he requests â nay, requires â a willing female to warm his furs for the duration of his stay, his selection falls to me. All I can do is pray to the gods that I survive the night⊠And beg the bone king for mercy. |
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Things Magical Under The Moon: A Grim Anthology by Alexis L Carroll and Amanda Stockton To those who wander the woods alone, be wary of Things Magical Under the Moon. For the trees and crows conspire while vengeance is sought by werewolves and vampires. Fairies and spirits linger just out of sight while the witches convene in the dead of night. Magic and malice take flight, while a dragon hungers for your life. So, dear reader, take to heart this warning: Mind the path and youâll make it to morning. Featuring fairytale mashups of: Cinderella Red Riding Hood The Fox and The Wolf Rumpelstiltskin The Tailor The Fairy Tree of Dooros The Juniper Tree The Crows Fowler's Fowl Wizard of Oz The Crucible |
