|
The Protector and the Annihilation by Naila Moonsi Some 100,000 years have passed since Earthians swept across the galaxy. By the year 9955 ATF after a catastrophe all but annihilates them, humans upon the ocean planet Imion are struggling to become space-worthy again. Two young men attending university vie for the role of Protector of All Worlds. They know that the godly power the Protector wields will save them all, and yet one day they wake up momentarily and realize... 60-year-old Armando Rivera and Ranvir Chandrani once loved each other. Stuck within a mental palace called âthe Citadelâ within âthe Boundless,â an otherworld that reflects the galaxy in eerie dream-like ways, they are now 19 years old again and stripped of their memories. In these young forms, the two subconsciously test if this love between them was something true while attempting to take each other down. Their life has begun anew around them due to a time loop within the Citadel, and it follows their gentle, morose memories perfectly within the years 9955 and 9956, until... Until their families try to kill them. Until the children from the future begin to arrive. Until their son birthed outside the body with their Merged elemental outer coresâAntonio Chandrani-Riveraâinsists on killing his identical twin brother Fernando Chandrani-Rivera. Ranvir and Armando very quickly realize that they must solve the mystery of what their true goals once were within the Boundless, figure out how to get out of the Citadel, and grasp why Antonio and his friends are intruding within. After all, upon the true planet Imion within the galaxy in the year 9996, a 20-year-old Antonioâs gone ahead and confronted his once-affectionate friend Alejandro Altahaâthe Alejandro who became their generationâs Protector of All Worlds at the cost of Antonioâs worldwide reputationâand this has spiraled into circumstances that leave Antonio on the brink of death. Only for the bright and happy memories of Antonio's teens to flood his mind⊠Back when he and Alejandro Altaha cared deeply about each other, and yet the understanding they gleaned regarding their ancient selvesâthe civilian Nasir Hadid versus the Lost Protector Shakirâstill colored everything, including their continued 10,000 year rivalry over the simple stakes of saving the world. And then there are the machinations of Antonio's cousin Layla⊠She laughs over their rivalry, but Antonio knows one thing: she hides secrets like breathing and despite their camaraderie, she is surely worse than Alejandro. |
|
Common Bonds 3 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver Common Bonds strikes a third time with a new volume of 18 speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters and centering platonic relationships. |
|
Common Bonds 2 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver Common Bonds returns in this second volume of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. Housed within this anthology are a scientist who makes a terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean, a baker who must fulfill a prophecy, a priest and a witch who must form a family to escape a war, and a woman whose survival might just unravel time itself. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds 2 explores the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. From friends with benefits to mentors to life partners, this collection explores platonic relationships strong enough to overcome barriers of species, alien invasions, and the power of the gods themselves. |
|
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? |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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? |
|
Aloe is Book 2 in the Tales From The Night Garden series. Acanthus and Cypress, an age old Vampire and a young new Werewolf, have accidentally started a war. Nekane, the Werewolf in charge, will go to any means necessary to capture Acanthus; meaning even humans are in danger. On the run, our non-binary heroes encounter others caught up in Nekane's hatred of vampires, witches, and any werewolves that fraternize with them! As Acanthus and Cypress regroup with the Night Garden, an underground organization committed to liberating any in Nekane's crosshairs, they're tasked with some of the hardest challenges they've faced yet! Friend or foe? It's hard to judge just who to trust in a world wrought with danger. In this second book of the Tales From The Night Garden universe, our protagonists continue their adventure in this game of chess with very real consequences. A gaggle of strays begin to expand their found family and a love that blazes bright in the night starts to break out of the darkness. What can Acanthus and Cypress do to convince Nekane to stand down, or are words not enough? How will these two fugitives handle inviting more refugees into their growing resistance? How will The Night Garden continue to save the disenfranchised Supernaturals when Nekane shows up at their Head Quarters' door!? No one knows, but both Cypress and Acanthus have decided they can't run anymore. It's time to stand up for what is right and just. Will you stand up with them on their next journey? |
|
Cypress Borne is 22 years old, a dashing young non-binary lad with a fairly easy life in New York City. That is â fairly easy until their routine is interrupted by a vicious dog attack on the way home from the gym. Their life turns upside down after that one singular event-- blackouts, unexplained fits of rage and lost time plague him. Two years of medical tests, therapy, and a life that's spiraling down the toilet later, they navigate their way through the panic attacks and the hopelessness to an old, derelict, and a seemingly abandoned church in the woods, away from the noise and the people. Little do they know, the church isn't abandoned but rather occupied by a vampire hoping to die and rotting in a coffin. Acanthus Sylene believes that a fine wine should never have an age attached, and neither should a fine being. Nonbinary in such a way that gender is completely irrelevant, Acanthus has lived a very long life and is frankly exhausted by it. Embroiled deeply into the politics of the World of Shadows, they have abandoned their duties to The Night Garden, a refugee path that they forged. But, something changes when a lost, scared, ignorant werewolf shows up on their door step. Both of these preternatural beings are looking for answers. Somehow, instead of finding their place in the world, they find each other. However, in the process of finding and growing with each other, they may have put their entire lives â and The Night Garden â at risk. |
|
Tharaxis is the city of the dead. Within its walls, creatures known as souleaters hunt and feed. Lorn Larthuz, recently deceased, finds herself on a perilous quest to steal back the List of Souls, and end their reign of terror. Yaldo, a boy who pretends to be alive, searches for the family he may have only imagined. But when the Souleaters target himâit becomes clear they have darker plans for Yaldo. Can Lorn succeed in her bid to steal the List of Souls, and can Yaldo escape the Souleaters before he loses himself forever? Tharaxis is a dark epic fantasy tale of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spiritâeven in death. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
Love was never meant to save herâit was meant to burn the world down. Lilley Meade doesnât remember who she was before London, before the dreams of wings and fire. Then she meets Maxâfierce, magnetic, achingly familiarâand something ancient stirs inside her. But behind his gentle eyes lies another name⊠one that Heaven still fears to speak. Lucifer. As the truth unravels, Lucifer and his two fallen brothers emerge from the shadowsâangels who once loved her, betrayed her, and damned themselves for her. Torn between Michaelâs devotion and Luciferâs consuming fire, Lilley must decide whether love will redeem them all⊠or finish what the fall began. Devious Demons is the first book in a dark fantasy saga of angels, temptation, and the price of forbidden love. |
|
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! |
|
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. |
|
Breath of Darkness: Volume Two : Phoenix by HĂŒseyin 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. |
|
Breath of Darkness: Volume One : Awakening by HĂŒseyin 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 KaranlıÄın Nefesi. For readers of Ted Chiang, Emily St. John Mandel, and Jeff VanderMeer. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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). |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 heartâŠand Vincent and Henryâs love could be the only key. |
|
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 |
|
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. |
|
"I was born from love, yet I am heavenâs greatest heresy." Born of angel and demon, the half-breed is raised in captivity until the day he escapes, carrying only a single forbidden tenderness from a healer angel who defied Heaven to hold him for a single night. When the healer is taken into the Demon Realm as a sacrificial offering, the half-breed tears through demon arenas, claims a throne he never wanted, and crosses the void where souls face eternal erasure. He encounters angels of all ranks, demon lords and fallen beings, all to reach that one love that he was never allowed to want. This is a journey that asks whether a soul born as heresy can claim the right to love, and to be loved in return. âLet them see it. Let them feel the weight of everything I was never allowed to be. I will not cower.â God's Scar is a slow-burn, emotionally intense, M/M dark fantasy romance of forbidden devotion, visceral worldbuilding, and the quiet violence of choosing to love in a cosmos built to destroy you. âI just want you. Painfully. Desperately. Endlessly. You are the only reason worth living for. The only thing that makes this world bearable.â - Slow-burn, non-explicit M/M romance. - Gritty, lyrical storytelling. - The ache, yearning, and grief that love demands. - Touch him and die. - Who did this to you? - Forced proximity. - Found family. - Vivid, immersive, theological worldbuilding. - Epic fantasy grounded in philosophy and emotional depth. - Character-driven saga - Morally grey demons and angels. - Not a fast read. A lasting one. âBecause love was not the warmth they sang about in hymns. Love made you vulnerable, exposed to the sheer, naked terror of caring enough to lose everything.â For readers who love 'Angels Before Man' by Rafael Nicolas and 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton. For readers who want prose that reads like prayers. For readers who want vivid, epic Heaven and Hell. For readers who need love to cost everything, but then cost more. For readers who choose to be emotionally devastated. For readers who want an ending that will leave them quiet. |
|
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. |
|
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? |
|
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. |
|
Medusaâs story didnât end. It went on, and on and on⊠Now her time is up. The gorgon of mythical infamy now goes by Onyx; the latest in a long line of reincarnations. She gets by, avoiding attachments that make immortality more unbearable. She wouldnât have chosen this life. But gods have never cared what she wanted, not even the ones who saved her from Athenaâs wrath. Now, sinister whispers about the vengeful goddess and a sudden change in circumstances have Onyx spooked. Perhaps, if she tracks down something Athena wants, she can earn a reprieve. Blake Miharaâs research skills are important, but so is the way they look at Onyx. She should be focused on the task at hand, not how they make her feel after centuries of loneliness. When they both end up stuck in the Underworld, Onyxâs choices narrow to almost nothing. The Goddess of War wants to kill her, and now the Lord of the Dead wants to keep her. But with Blake stubbornly at her side, hope isnât entirely lost. Maybe thereâs a way out of this hell. The question is, which one? The one inflicted on Onyx, or the one she inflicted on herself? Shades of Onyx is a single POV, sapphic romance containing reimagined elements of various Greek and Roman mythologiesâit is not a retelling. There are content warnings in the book and at www.tjwilliams.uk |
|
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. |
|
The Land of Flames and Other Stories by Riley Taylor Book two in The Kingdoms Set Ablaze contains nine short stories following the characters of Into the Fiery Woods and a prequel to book three, set in the neighbouring kingdom of Ithesha. Two years after saving Ailon, Gwen and Stark are forced to return to the legendary Land of Flames to discover why the fire is spreading and stop it. But when Gwenâs magic is blocked, and they find more than ancient ruins in the castle of Zivisea, their mission grows much harder. If they don't succeed, the flames will never stop. Sakda of the West was an elusive soldier travelling the kingdom to protect those in need. Kaew Chayanan was a lonely woman who wanted nothing more than to return home to her love, but had been gone so long, she worried sheâd no longer be welcome. While Kaew is busy as one of the kingâs most trusted knights, Eliza grows closer to Queen Guinevere. When the day finally comes to bring their child into the world, the midwife is nowhere to be found. Prince Erebus never thought he could love a boy and everything turn out okay. And though he was wrong about that, heâs not sure everyone will appreciate his new sense of fashion. Lucien was once willing to give up everything for their love to bloom, and now has a very important question to ask. Lady Sonya Blackwater knew becoming Queen of Ailon would take away many freedoms she enjoyed, such as swordfighting, but she never expected to both love and hate her husband. Solace came with her children, her two dear sons and the sweet princess who lost everything when Beihaal fell. Though Adrastosâ father was cruel and strict, that didnât stop him from sneaking into closets with a pretty serving boy. Sent in disgrace to the castle, he meets the most beautiful girl to have ever existed, so beautiful she could be a goddess; heâll do anything to protect her. Thomas cannot wait for Adrastos, finally his husband, to meet his parents, but, when they get there, their smiles are strained and the town is quiet, hardly the place he remembered from his childhood. Lady Divya wonât take Lord Donovanâs cruelty any longer, so she escapes to the castle with shocking news for her stepson. Once upon a time, Lilith loved a boy. Finn, the bakerâs son, was as sweet as the pastries he snuck to her when they met in the woods. But one day, her father caught them and sent her off to wed a miserable Baron to preserve the familyâs honour. When she finally escapes, innocent child in tow, she meets Sylvan. A mysterious man with dubious ideas, but working with him might just give her the power she craves. And more... |
|
You donât need to reach Mars to reach your dreams. Robbed of their chance at leaving Earth to pursue green-energy innovations, Ryn embraces new dreamsâfighting deep sea threats in conjunction with a giant cephalopod. Itâs 2139 in the Cali-Coastal Corporate Zone, and Ryn struggles with their own body and brain as they fight to survive five days locked up with academic rivals and the military-backed billionaires whoâve misled them all since their teenage years. Ryn needs an exit strategy but doesnât know whether to trust Akira, the hacker-spy who may have saved their life, or Jay, the geeky military rebel with a secret stash of hot chocolate. Not to mention, Jay keeps falling asleep in their bed, and Rynâs not sure if either of them is interested in moreâbut at least they like the same shows! Five Days. One Ocean. Unlikely allies connect to Dream the Deep. |
|
In November 2039, marine scientist Wend Taylor heaves themself aboard a zero-emissions boat skippered by elusive nature photographer Viola Yang. Guided by instinct, ocean dreams, and a shared birthday in 1972, they barter stories for passage across the Pacific. Aljon, Violaâs younger cousin, keeps a watchful eye and an innovative galley. Story by story, the trio rethink secrets, flying dreams, and how they experience their own minds. When they reach HawaiÊ»i and prepare to part ways, opportunity and mystery pull them closer together. Both scientific and personal discoveries take shape as they join with ex-lovers, lost friends, and found family. Wend must navigate an ever-shifting future, complicated by bioengineered microbes and a plot to silence scientists, entangled with inexplicable dreams and a calling to Be the Sea. |
|
The Grilled Cheese Paradox by Andrew D. Bale Alan, the god of atheists, has had enough. Tasked with reconciling the ever-growing pile of contradictory scientific theories humans believe in, he decides the job is no longer possible. His solution is simple: wipe out humanity and end the problem at its source. Standing in his way is Jesus, whoâassisted by Ganesha and Stan, a militant atheist and engineerâattempts to stop Alan before belief itself collapses. Their plan relies on a dangerous truth: belief doesnât need to be true to be powerful. Things spiral out of control when an errant computer program begins killing belief-based beings altogether, threatening gods, demons, and reality itself. The Grilled Cheese Paradox is a satirical novel about belief, certainty, and what happens when humanityâs ideas become powerful enough to destroy the very gods they created. |
|
Winter of Traitors by Violetta Brooks Aislinn, crushed by Daegyn's death, returns to House Woodthorne to mourn. Vulnerable and frightened, the demons of her past have her in a chokehold. But someone is there for her through it allâLandyn. Even though she harbors a secret... Lines are crossed, and lives are forever changed. But can Aislinn truly move on from the one her soul craved? The one who was twistedly perfect for her in every sense? Does death really stop true love? The final journey of the House Woodthorne trio comes to a resting place in Winter of Traitors. |
|
Stranger In The Mind by J R Berrywood & S L Aspen Mystery and murder swirl around a dangerous doctor. One detective vows to unravel the truth. A supernatural thriller blending history, mystery, and the unexplainable. Liverpool, 1920. Detective Amelia Dei uncovers a string of unexplained comas in Liverpoolâs most notorious workhouse infirmary. As she digs deeper, she faces a sinister psychiatrist and a truth darker than anything sheâs imagined. "âStranger in the Mindâ quickly draws you in and does not let you go till the last word." Reader Views - â â â â â 5 stars |
|
Chronicles of the Forever Land: Whitehaven by Simon Howard and Perri Corbett Whitehaven is a home for the homeless and a sanctuary for the oppressed in the highly magical world of the Forever land. When Tate is invited to the island to study dragons, he finds mystery, danger and romance⊠Hopefully, heâll live long enough to uncover the isleâs darkest secrets! |
|
Beastly Dreams: A Cozy Fantasy Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Retelling (Displaced Fairytales Series) by Gabrielle Landi A grumpy tavern owner, his sunshine barmaid, and the curse that traps them together. Running his grandfather's tavern is all Roan ever wanted--though the failing budget wasn't part of the dream. But when a rogue sorcerer curses him, sending everyone into a magical sleep except Roan, his too-cheerful barmaid, and his loyal dog, his priorities shift fast: break the curse before he loses everything. Abigail has never felt safer than she does at the Lucky Goat, despite how miserable Roan is at times, and she'll do anything to keep her found home intact. At first, an opportunity to tackle the never ending to-do list without distractions seems almost like a blessing, but the pressure of hiding her own magic--and pretending she isn't falling for her grumpy boss--is a whole different kind of trouble,. Trapped together in the tavern, Roan and Abigail begin to discover that opposites attract...but when the magic unravels, will breaking the curse also break the spark between them? Torn from one fairytale and trapped in another: the Displaced Fairytales series is a multi-author fairy tale retelling series of standalones from your favorite clean and closed door young adult romance authors. BEASTLY DREAMS is Beauty and the Beast meets Sleeping Beauty with clean and wholesome forced proximity, a grumpy sunshine boss romance, and an adorable dog companion. |
|
The Witch's Journey by Keith Miller In a town beset by demons, from which the children are disappearing, redheaded Mira grows up wild and willful. When sheâs around, soups boil over and flowers catch fire, and one night in her sleep she unwittingly turns the house around. The morning of her thirteenth birthday, Mira receives a gift from the river: a gold key. It will lead her on a journey, to seek the door the key will open. The Witchâs Journey is a dark fairytale embroidered with fairytales, full of sorrows and terrors, heartbreaks and delights, chocolates and mayhem and magic. |
|
Seas and Scepters (Cursed Kingdoms Series) by Annee Jones Thirteen men must die for her to rule the sea⊠but will the last man claim her heart instead? In the hidden realm beneath the waves, siren princess Selene must lure thirteen human men to their doom in order to earn her fatherâs Royal Tridentâand with it, her ascension to the mermaid court. But when her song fails to claim the thirteenth man, Prince Eirikâwhose life is guarded by an ancient sea pactâSelene is cast out of the ocean and cursed to walk among the very mortals she was raised to despise. Now stripped of her fins and forced to live on land, Selene has no choice but to finish her grim task or forever lose her birthright. Torn between her fatherâs demand for Eirikâs death and a blossoming affection for the prince himself, Selene struggles to reconcile duty and desire. As she witnesses poverty and splendor, cruelty and kindness, she discovers that humanity holds more wonderâand more dangerâthan she ever imagined. Caught in the crosscurrents of a dark secret and an impossible love, Selene must decide whether to obey the call of her kingdom or heed the longing in her heart. One final kill stands between her and the throneâŠbut will the price of the crown prove too high when the man she must destroy is the only one who can save her? SEAS AND SCEPTERS is a dark, seductive new twist on a classic fairytale, blending treacherous magic, forbidden romance, and a battle for the heart of the sea. Dive inâand find out what happens when the tides of fate and passion collide! |
|
For years, the vampire nations of Lucia and Torin have lived in an uneasy peace. That all changed when Lucia annexed the independent city-state of Cesvic. Now, war is looming on the horizon and no one is safe. A Slave Far away in the Lucian capital, Hayden is the human blood bag of the youngest Lucian prince. And a pawn in a political game of chess that might bring the nation to its knees. A Monk Mora, in Cesvic, is worried. She serves as a Monk of the Goddess of Humans, and the Lucians have declared her faith dangerous and heretical. It will take all her wits and courage to keep the humans in her care safe. A Soldier In Torin, Aldon is a cadet at the military academy. One who most definitely does not want to be there. He will have to find his strength if he is to survive both the school and the battlefield. |
|
Tobias is a vampire, living out his boring nights in the city of Cesvic. His life is turned upside down when he rescues a human called Bloodbag. Tobias never wanted a human. Hell, he couldnât even afford one. But now he has Bloodbag. Whatâs a vampire to do? |
|
Spooked in the Woods (Monsters in the Woods Series) by Annee Jones When the shadow man of Whistling Pines touches skeptical podcaster Riley Shaw, things get supernatural in more ways than one... RILEY: Ghost hunting rule #1: Don't screw the haunts. But here I am, lost in Whistling Pines with dead batteries, a useless compass, and a shadow man who can literally pass through my clothes. My podcast needs this episode, even if I have to camp in this creepy forest for a week. The locals warned me about the entity that stalks trespassers, but failed to mention he's got magical hands that can touch me in placesâand waysâthat should be physically impossible. Now we're being hunted by very human killers, and my sexy shadow is the only thing keeping me alive. If we survive, this will either be my most downloaded episode ever or the world's kinkiest ghost story. Maybe both. ASH: Forty years scaring away humans, and this mouthy podcaster just keeps taunting me to "bring it on." She thinks I'm a hoax. I'll show her how real I can be. I didn't expect her defiance to strengthen my manifestations or her touch to awaken sensations I thought died with my body. Now I can solidify enough to pin her against trees, trail shadow-fingers across her skin, and make her moan my name into those microphones she loves so much. I need her alive to expose my killers. She needs my protection from the men hunting her. What neither of us planned on was how addictive it would be when a creature made of shadows learns exactly how to make a skeptic believe. ****************** This steamy monster romance features passionate supernatural encounters, explicit scenes, and a love that transcends the boundaries between worlds. Indulge in this sizzling supernatural affair for a happily-ever-after that is truly out of this world! |
|
The Omens of War by Livia J. Elliot A philosophical fantasy of Thucydidean politics, eldritch intellects, and psychological horror woven into fractured timelines. The peace between Firard and Sestel teeters on the edge of collapse. In the fortress of Egon Hold, strategist Dante Praeto becomes the unwilling host of the War a simulated battle fundamental to rising in the ranks of Firardâs Legions. As the contestants march towards the ravine shared with their enemy nation, a landslide swallows the soldiers within. Across that ravine, Lady Calya Seve guards the Sestelii frontier, aware the War Games will provoke a diplomatic upheaval. She deals in treaties and political alliances, but little does she know the next threat isnât coming through the border. Unbeknownst to them, both are pieces in a larger a game played by eldritch beings for whom entire nations are little more than tools, and humans mere pawns. For in the end, the alchemists of The Orders will unleash chaos in their eternal pursuit of arcane knowledge. The omens of war will be heard by all. Psychologically intense, and written for readers who read to solve. |
