stories in and

Tales of Yamato

Tales of Yamato by Odessa Silver

Yamato. A land of lavish forests, full of life… and loss. The beautiful string of islands, surrounded by expansive seas, hide a harsh reality: Wrathful gods, dangerous yokai, and humans who could end your life with a slice of the sword. Follow the lives of those surviving in any way they can, while cherishing love found along the way. When the great sea god Susanoo is controlled more and more by the destructive part of his soul, he must do all he can to keep himself from harming humanity. A tanuki father goes on a quest to prepare his young pup to blend in to the dangerous human world and causes mischief and mayhem along the way. Lightning brings both luck and tragedy to a young boy who desperately picks peaches to save his sick mother. Fourteen tales will take you on a journey with humans, gods, and yokai, showing how each one isn’t so different from the other. And that, even in death, there will always be those who will honour your life.


A Legend in the Sky

A Legend in the Sky by Faye Oliander

Odd things shadow Naila Groenhart’s life. Her touch can bring a flower to bloom and sometimes her eyes flash with gilded flames. For as long as she can remember, she believed this power to be a figment of her imagination. Until they find her. Ruthless hunters. Their prey? Her flames. When they lure her from Earth to an archaic world, everything she thought a lie turns out to be a dangerous truth. Until a prince—an heir to the very people who see her power as their heritage—offers to help her find a way home. But this quest is a dangerous one, that may demand an unspeakable price. With her hunters tailing her every move, Naila must decide what sacrifice she’s willing to make to find a way back. Especially since her presence put something long feared into motion… and ancient secrets, dormant for ages, are starting to stir. Perfect for fans of plot-heavy, character-driven tales with a touch of romance, A Legend in the Sky launches a spellbinding New Adult epic fantasy series inspired by the ancient Middle East.


Kepstadur Keep

Kepstadur Keep by RG Sartain

All magic has a price. Sonja and her sister vowed to pay anything to revive their little brother, even if their own blood is the currency. After years chasing folktales, a single rumor remains: Kepstadur Keep. This once-decadent port rots at the far edge of their home country, harboring memories of the lost or forgotten. With the help of a foreign mercenary, Sonja dares to pluck at the strands of Kepstadur’s magic, risking her life to understand its secrets. But something malevolent lurks in the depths. If the castle proves itself more clever, Sonja could lose more than a brother to death’s soft voice.


Thorns Among Shadows: A Rapunzel Retelling

Thorns Among Shadows: A Rapunzel Retelling by Ally Kelly

Strong of Root, Strong of Thorn Meira is the daughter of a nobleman, expected to take her father's place at court. Bound by family duty, she returns to the capital city for the first time in years, feeling out of place as she enters the intricacies of court life and all that it entails. Since his father's death, a shadow has fallen over Crown Prince Gaelen and his kingdom of Alythia. Gaelen's stepmother is acting as Queen Regent, with a mysterious hold over the prince. Meira's appearance at court provides a welcome distraction from his troubles. Just as Meira begins to rekindle a childhood romance with Gaelen, the prince disappears. But finding Gaelen proves to be no small matter. In order to rescue him, Meira must travel through both the Fae realm and Shadowlands, facing obstacles that will test the limits of her resolve and forces that threaten everything she cares about. Thorns Among Shadows is a Rapunzel retelling for anyone who loves fantasy adventure, sweet romance, and a chance for the girl to be the hero of the fairytale.


Red Green Blue

Red Green Blue by PS Shai

Micah, a young archaeology student, gets lost on his first dig in the Mesopotamian desert and discovers a dragon statue chained up deep underground. It follows him home.


Dawn of Silence

Dawn of Silence by Heiner de Wendt

An icy dread seeped into Arkan’s bones. Vampires, spirits, dreamscapes…How was an ordinary thief like him supposed to handle this? On a mission to find his sister, Arkan finds himself at the center of a dangerous conspiracy—orchestrated by a terrifying foe from his past. He must band together with a vampire hunter and an illusionist on the run to save a city from the undead. But an even greater darkness casts its shadows over the reforged world of Ashandri. Dawn of Silence is the beginning of a dark epic fantasy trilogy. Follow a found family of adventurers in a diverse world of high magic, ancient secrets and political intrigue.


To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1)

To Speak with the Stars (Apprenticed to the Gods #1) by K.V. Wilson

A reluctant mage reborn in flames. A passionate princess fleeing her fate. A powerful telepath at the mercy of the world’s thoughts. A spirited goddess craving adventure. With Penumbra on the brink of an ice age, Eos dreams of helping to create the False Star each dawn to ensure the survival of his people. But there's just one problem: he cannot speak the star's name. In the eye of the storm, Rysa was raised to rule at her mother's side. But a terrible secret has been kept from the princess—one that will tear her life apart. Deep within the molten Heart of Penumbra, a secret society gathers. Elves, dwarves, fauns, ice dragons, and magma merfolk prepare to seize the stolen throne and end the enchanted storm before it devours the realm.


The Crimson Knight

The Crimson Knight by Zeta K. Pierce

Some traitorous secrets should stay hidden. Haizea is a knighted healing mage serving the elite Royal Guard. When a band of omens, mages with corrupted magic, attempt to assassinate her king and the neighboring monarchs during a diplomatic trip, the Royal Guard, though far from outnumbered, is easily outmatched. To save her king and comrades, Haizea uses blood magic, in turn revealing that she too is a forbidden practitioner of the Cosmic Arts. With her secret exposed, she is sentenced to execution and is forced to fully embrace the dark power that thrums through her veins to make it out alive.


Tawny Delis: The Curse Breakers Arrive

Tawny Delis: The Curse Breakers Arrive by Lillie J. Marl

Tawny Delis is a small town in Massachusetts with a big secret. It's cursed. Not a big curse, just a lot of small inconvenient curses. In The Cursed Cookbook, Joey finds a cookbook. Everything he tries to cook from it comes to life and makes a mess. Too bad Mom doesn't believe him. In The Cursed Apple Tree, Gil finds an apple tree on his family's land that is throwing apples at people in order to get their attention and show them the secret it's been keeping for over 50 years. In The Curse in the Woods, Franklin finds it hard to believe there's really a creature in the woods. Until he meets it.


Castaways

Castaways by Craig Schaefer

"Under our tutelage here at the Academy, you will receive a thorough instruction in occult history and practice, and learn to traffic with certain clandestine powers. You will face many ordeals, but you will emerge stranger than you have ever been. I'll change your life forever...if you'll let me." Trapped in a dead-end town and a dead-end life, Amy Nettle dreams of escaping her abusive father and starting over, somewhere far away. The arrival of a black envelope heralds just that, in a way she never could have imagined. Whisked away to the Saunders Academy, a Gothic manse in the heart of an eternal storm-tossed ocean, Amy is one of dozens of teenagers plucked from dozens of parallel Earths and selected for an education in witchcraft. It seems too good to be true...except. Except no one will tell them why they were chosen, or what happens after graduation. Or why the dormitories on the fourth floor are completely empty. There are tentacled leviathans and carnivorous mermaids in the water, a saboteur stalking the halls, and danger lurks around every corner. Worst of all, failure means the Arch of Resignation: a one-way trip back to where you came from, without your memories or your magic. Falling in with a crew of misfits, Amy realizes they're all in the same boat: with nothing but ruin waiting back home, failure is not an option. Then there's Vail, an enigmatic tomboy who makes her heart flutter. For the first time in her life, Amy has something to lose. Amy and her new friends will have to untangle the dark secrets at the heart of the Saunders Academy and master its mysteries, because there are only two choices left: graduate, or die.


The Veil

The Veil by Eamonn Bradley

They would have you believe, (the police and mainstream media), that I, Charlie Macall, and my friends, were the deadliest killers since Manson or Bundy. That’s only half true. Yes, we’ve killed, but to put us in the same category as those two I’ve just mentioned, is wrong, a fallacy. For starters, they’d have to be human for us to be considered murderers, right? What I’m about to tell you is nothing but the truth, the whole truth, as unbelievable as it may seem. Let it stand as testimony to the brave deeds of the people who have fallen in our task. The people who have died trying to free you all from a prison of no walls. You’ll have to bear with me on this journey, for if you are to believe me, it’s going to take time, time to unravel the illusion of what you believe to be your normal, everyday lives. Hell, I didn’t even believe it at first and why should I have? This shit is crazy…


Inferno's Silence

Inferno's Silence by Rainer Meri

Welcome to a world where monsters walk among mortals, gods pull strings from the shadows and heroes fall to their own obsessions. Ehrkon, a former militia turned fugitive, seeks vengeance after his family are executed in a brutal purge. Hunted by the regime he once served, he is granted the power of fire by a righteous goddess and drawn into a rebellion alongside unlikely allies. Ynka was raised for obedience in a bleak northern city and prepared for a life she never chose. When a terrifying transformation reveals a hidden power, she is betrayed and cast into the abyss. Forced to survive, Ynka must uncover the truth of what she has become and reclaim control over her fate. Tren is a fearless, sharp-tongued thief who thrives in the ruthless slums of Khurmal’s Fifth Sector. He takes on increasingly dangerous jobs that escalate into full-scale rebellion against the ruling elite. Marked by ancient powers and manipulated by those who know more than they reveal, Tren begins to unravel the legacy of a god, created to contain someone far more vicious. Inferno’s Silence is a dark fantasy of survival, vengeance and uprising, where the line between hero and villain is a matter of perspective.


Part Time Girl

Part Time Girl by Adriaan Brae

How much longer can Michael hide his sex-switches? After making it through the second year of high-school, he knows it’s only a matter of time until someone notices and freaks out. Then his family will have to run and lose everything, again, or risk being found by the shadowy group that hunts people like him. He should go, just vanish and stop putting his family at risk, but his oldest friend Angela is in trouble and he can’t leave until they figure out why her catatonia and hallucinations have reappeared. To help her, Michael has to trust in Ian—the hottest, richest guy in school who definitely has a hidden agenda—and a mystery woman with a traumatic past who is the only one to know him as a girl. With people to protect and mysteries to unravel, Michael will need to unlock the full truth behind his identity—something he’s been running from his entire life.


The Betrayal of the Guardians

The Betrayal of the Guardians by Diana Calanguia

When Arisa joined the trials to become a new Astral Guardian, she never thought she would have to fight for her survival. Arisa, Kazuya, and Zen have been friends since childhood. For Arisa, their friendship is what makes her smile and what made her develop deep feelings she had to forget. Living in a world that suffers attacks from other worlds' creatures, the chosen Guardians once fought for her world's survival. Blessed with the powers given by the Stars, those same Guardians have now become threats themselves. Despite hearing tales of when Guardians were still heroes, Arisa refuses to grow a liking for them. Even when one is always there to save her from troubles, she doesn't believe that they will ever return to the heroes they once were. Due to their more recent despicable behavior, she wishes she could do something to stop them. Her wish is granted when she is chosen as a candidate to compete for a spot to become a new Guardian. Even though she hates the Guardians, she has to become one of them if she wants to overthrow them. She accepts the challenge. But she never knew that the road to becoming a Guardian would be more challenging than she ever imagined.


Paramour

Paramour by Robin Alvarez

“You know that feeling people get when something bad is about to happen to someone they love? Or how some people know it’s their time right before getting into a horrible accident? Well, that’s me. I warn them Death is coming.” Sadie is a banshee on the run—from hunters, from her past, and from the terrifying truth that she’s already killed once before. As an empath, she’s learned to shut everything down: no highs, no lows, no chance of losing control. Because if she feels too much, she becomes lethal. But when a hunter casts a mysterious spell, Sadie gets so sick she can’t escape into other people’s emotions anymore. Now she’s forced to feel everything she’s spent years running from. Grief. Rage. Longing. For the first time, she’s breaking her careful rules for survival as she forges connections with new friends who see past her façade, and Nathan—the human boy she’s fated to. Falling for him might be her undoing. As hunters close in, and friendship and love creep past her defenses, Sadie must risk losing control—and everything that keeps her safe—to protect those she never meant to love.


Werecockroach

Werecockroach by Polenth Blake

Rin moves into a new flat on the day the aliens arrive. Their new flatmates are laid-back Sanjay and conspiracy theorist Pete. It doesn't take long to notice some oddities about the pair, like hoarding cardboard and hissing at people when they're angry. Something strange is going on, but it's not all due to the aliens.


Shiver Me

Shiver Me by Vermillion

A pirate’s life has never been so tempting. Long-suffering governess Regula is out of her depth on the Wretched Lady, a ship full of pirates as shamelessly charming as they are dangerous. She’d guessed her life would change, leaving the familiar walls of Sanctuary, but she’d never expected to fall into the hands of pirates. Even worse, the Wretched Lady’s roguish captain won’t let her, or her valuable charge, out of his sight, much less off his ship. Connor never wanted to be captain. Bad luck for him that the last one disappeared. It doesn’t help that after twenty years of violently enforced isolation, the city of Sanctuary has awoken with a vengeance, and the pirates who haunt her waters have already begun to pay. With a storm brewing in the isles and two strange women washing up on his deck, Connor must accept his captaincy, or else risk everything he holds dear. That is, if he can get his mind off the intriguing stranger who keeps dodging his questions. An adventurous romp of epic proportions, the sea will test them both as the shadow of Sanctuary looms larger over the water. Shiver Me is the first book in a daring fantasy romance series, each following a different couple towards their HEA.


Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology

Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology by Z. K. Abraham

In the anthology Silk and An Erotic-Eco Horror anthology, our thirteen authors explore the space where horror, the erotic, and nature meet. In these tales of uncontrolled, unknowable, and visceral nature, we explore folk tales, modern dating woes, filthy body horror, delicate and dark magic, psychological torment, and the dark humor of nature’s revenge. These stories range from creepy to horrific, from sensual to sultry, and from grounded to entirely strange. Edited and curated by Z. K. Abraham Stories ZH Sun "Flower Power" Shantell Powell "All That Came From Our Lips Were Lilies" Toshiya Kamei "The Last Garden" Annika Ancheta "Pop" Cindy Phan "All Her Darling Little Ones" Simo Srinivas "The Hilltop Eel" Cristian Presgraves "A Blueberry Delight" Mae Tang "Down by the River" Psyche Chimère "The Human Project" Candice Zheng "Merge" Maxine Nwigwe "Tinderfish" Winifred Burton "Miss Kaiyah Regrets, She's Unable to Text, Today" Kofi Brown "Deadly Pleasure"


Shadowless

Shadowless by Alison Robinson

In a kingdom where souls are bound to magical animals called Shadows, Rowena’s Shadow is a ghost—silent, powerless, and a death sentence if anyone finds out. The citizens of Wyre share a soul with their Shadow, a supernatural animal companion that gives them the ability to perform magic. But Rowena was born with a ghost for a Shadow, incapable of magic and marking her as a dangerous anomaly. Her superstitious neighbors would say she must be reported to the king (and executed for good measure!). And they would if they knew she existed—but they don’t. Hidden from the world with only her father and ghost for company, Rowena’s made the best of her secret life. She fills her days tinkering, inventing, and longing for the magic everyone else has. When Penalynn Graft, a disgraced Scholastic who refuses to use her own Shadow’s magic, is banished to Rowena’s city, rumors swirl about her rebellion. Both Rowena and Penalynn are outcasts: one hidden, one exiled. Both are cut off from magic: one by birth, the other by choice. Together, they could unearth the truth about the bond linking humans to Shadows, which, until now, has been lost under a veil of ancient mythology. But in a world where souls are split in two, the truth might shatter everything. With the stakes of The Golden Compass, the thrilling action of The Wingfeather Saga, and the heart and spiritual depth of the Chronicles of Narnia, Shadowless is a gripping fantasy tale that will captivate fans of epic adventures and magical worlds.


A Secret Never Told

A Secret Never Told by Maia Nunn

In a tale where no one was meant to grow up, fate had something else in mind. Reunite with your favourite characters from Peter Pan in this rich retelling, joining the minds and hearts of the Darling children long after they leave Neverland. "This book is a creation of love - a work of art in every aspect. It's a sit in the woods and lose yourself in the pages kind of book. It's a go back over pages previously read, and marvel over the insights that slowly reveal themselves." - Kathy Z.


The Memoir of Johnny Daywalker

The Memoir of Johnny Daywalker by Meghan Davis

The world knows him as Johnny DayWalker, the vampire whose willingness to challenge the status quo fundamentally changed the dynamic between our two species worldwide. But if you ask him, he’s just a guy who fell in love with a human. Interview with the Vampire meets Warm Bodies in this memoir of an isolated vampire who longed for a different kind of life. His story urges us not to take for granted the things that make us human, and to appreciate the beauty in our mortality.


Turbulent Magic

Turbulent Magic by E.M. Peterson

Tal never thought he would end up as a flight attendant on a budget dragon airline. He was destined for the life of a mage after graduating from the most prestigious university in the realm. That is, until his magic abandoned him, forcing him to flee the university in disgrace. Now, rather than getting his magic back, he’s stuck dealing with a stubborn dragon, needy passengers, and the demands of dragon rights activists who have begun picketing the airline. Worse, Tal makes the mistake of falling for the activists’ leader, who just might convince him to care about something besides magic, despite his best efforts. Meanwhile, the one form of magic returning to Tal is the rare ability to speak with dragons. This ability arrives just in time for him to learn that the dragons are planning a fiery rebellion against the airline, which makes the whole thing decidedly, and inconveniently, his problem. As the passengers, activists, and even the dragon begin to worm their way into Tal’s heart, he must decide whether to accept his new life and help their cause, or keep fighting for his old one.


Depths of Vanalf

Depths of Vanalf by Brady Hunsaker

Magic is earned by venturing through the depths of Vanalf, a dangerous cave filled with monsters, and depending on how people survive, they emerge with different powers. As an initiate, Hallik is determined to go through Vanalf despite the danger, hoping that the magic will help him locate his lost father, but when monsters start showing up on their island, the entire nation is on high alert. This could only mean one thing. The shield that has been protecting them from the fallen world is failing, and it’s only a matter of time before it breaks completely. Hallik pairs up with three others, hoping they can find a way to restore the shield, but their path must first take them through the depths of Vanalf.


Oathborn

Oathborn by Ann C. Orlandi

The war against the fae stole Zari’s future. Now she works as a nurse, dedicating her life to healing those still recovering after the final battle. When a mysterious fae mage appears, claiming her long-lost father is imprisoned by the fae, she strikes a dangerous bargain. Zari will infiltrate the fae Queen’s court, posing as one of her magical Oathborn soldiers, for a chance to bring her father home. But if she’s caught, her life, and the fragile peace, will be forfeit. Pursued by enemies on both sides, haunted by the past, and drawn to a man she cannot trust, Zari must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice and who she’s willing to become. Because to the fae, Oaths aren’t just binding, they’re deadly. A thrilling start to a new romantic fantasy series, perfect for fans of One Dark Window, Swordheart, and Once Upon a Broken Heart.


The Drowning Daze of Astraea

The Drowning Daze of Astraea by Ashley Mathias Root

When fifteen-year-old Astraea Windsor watches her grandmother die, her entire world changes. Literally. Taken from the small town she grew up in-and the only world she ever knew-Astraea finds herself transported to Voncord, a magical world inhabited by Signs, who wield elemental energies, and her true home. Here, there are people who look like her-with vibrant hair and orange-colored eyes-and despite drawing unwanted attention for her never-before-seen power signature, Astraea finally feels she's found her place. But Voncord is a world in turmoil. Signs are blaming each other for seismic tremors causing devastation, Guides, beings who can rip open gateways in timepsace are calling for equality to Signs, and girls from Astraea's new school-The University of Voncordia-are vanishing. And only Astraea may know how to find them. When she develops dark, unexplainable dreams of an ice fortress that leaves her dazed, Astraea realizes they might be more than just nightmares. But with her warnings ignored, she must dive into the madness herself, teaming up with an enemy and following the threads in her dreams, if she is to save the missing students and keep everything around her from sinking. Or watch her world drown. Furyborn meets Curious Tides with a dash of Sailor Moon in this magical dark fantasy debut.


Fortitude Waters

Fortitude Waters by Fox N. Locke

The man who solved his past life’s murder is about to face the cold case of a lifetime. Armed with his soul dowsing pendant, pet hand of glory, and stellar sense of smell, Fortitude Waters specialises in solving cold cases. With souls reborn into new bodies and the economy running on inheritance funds accrued over lifetimes, this perfume-loving private detective peeks behind the veil to find and decipher clues. When he’s reluctantly paired with disabled literary critic, Matilda Tame, on his latest case, the investigation unravels the long-hidden crimes he’s helped conceal. Fort is forced to confront the unresolved trauma of his past life, while Matilda must reconcile motherhood, her professional life, and her own intimate role in proceedings. With a Swiss inspired setting, this sensuous queer-normative novel tells a story about the power of parenting, generational trauma, and the importance of breaking the cycle in order to heal.


A Designer Magick

A Designer Magick by Fox N. Locke

Vlyn Adare is an illegal magick user hiding in plain sight, a seamstress going nowhere fast. When she’s not dreaming of being Vlyn’s beau, socialite Shirley Hollister fantasises about being a fashion designer but is stuck in a rut as a receptionist. To escape his fundamentalist family, Ellory Miller begrudgingly becomes a mage, even if he only wants to make magickal couture. Rejected by both the mages and gender critical witches, Niven is forced to become a freelancer, hunting rogue magickal users to avoid arrest themself. Lien Bassett, a trans journalist living stealth, has been trying for decades in vain to hold the mage Tower to account. All five are brought together after Ellory blows the whistle on the Head Mage’s criminal activity. Hidden prisons, protests, dramatic magick battles, and plenty of fabulous fashion await them. Unashamedly queer – and built around a slow burn F/F romance – A Designer Magick investigates mental health, gender, and freedom of speech in an evocative 1920s style setting. For fans of V.E. Schwab and C.L. Polk.


Murder Inferno

Murder Inferno by Stephen Winter

Loque Lo’White is the most brilliant detective no one’s ever seen. Neurodivergent, reclusive, and razor-sharp, she’s cracked dozens of cold cases from behind a screen, using only her laptop and an anonymous Reddit handle to post her reveals. But when the world’s top gamer dies in a hellish VR game—and turns up dead in real life—Loque knows it’s no coincidence. This time, solving the case means stepping out of the shadows. Perfect for fans of Knives Out, Ready Player One, and anyone who’s ever shouted at a raid party.


Touched: PINK Edition

Touched: PINK Edition by Sage T. Greene

Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance.


Touched: BLACK Edition

Touched: BLACK Edition by Sage T. Greene

Touched is available in TWO unique editions 1 - PINK clean, “closed door” (romance without crude language or explicit erotic scenes) 2 - BLACK spicy, “open door” (mild crude language with explicit erotic scenes) Choose the edition which best suits you (or a recipient - the PINK Edition was edited for my mother!) The royals of Ephtas are Touched, esteemed for their pointed ears and ancient blood. They are beloved by their kingdom, but the Ephtas Manor is harboring secrets. Prince Erryn has been instructed to marry Lady Helm, yet a surprise romance with stablehand Rolfe complicates the arrangement, and Erryn must navigate the royal expectations of perfection without disappointing his kingdom—or revealing the true nature of his lover’s identity. Prince Drake is the playboy cavorting with maids, but he hides a secret affair beneath his carefree demeanor, and to be found out could result in death. King Merit, ever devoted to his kingdom and sons, finds his own desires growing difficult to repress. “Kingdom before self” is a tall task when pining for a fresh-faced noblewoman and navigating threats to tradition and order. Ancient blood stirs within the kingdom. The Touched are more numerous than is commonly known. Some, lurking in shadow, bide their time, waiting to make their appearance. The Ephtas men must reconcile their private hearts before they may truly be vulnerable with each other and with their kingdom. Touched is a heart-fluttering “romantasy” following the relationships of three couples. You will find slow-burn, fast-burn, queer representation, secret relationships, and journeys of self-acceptance.


Hounded fire & brimstone

Hounded fire & brimstone by Quinn Cameron

Loren sold his soul for love and, for love, he may risk eternity. As a hellhound, Loren has given his life to the service of his demonic owner, but he keeps one thing for himself: his relationship with a phoenix named Indy. Protecting Indy from those who would exploit his power has always been paramount to Loren, but it becomes far more difficult when word of the phoenix reaches Hell. Rumors that a phoenix’s tears can purify even the most corrupted soul make Indy a valuable asset to any demon, and Loren’s owner is no exception. Intervening in the hunt for the phoenix would reveal Loren’s treachery and guarantee his death, but he can’t stand by and allow the destruction of the man he loves. His devotion cost him dearly before, and now he may pay the ultimate price.


Everlife

Everlife by Alex S. Garcia

A magician, an alien mask, thousands of gods... What could possibly go wrong? Born an orphan and known throughout the empire as a powerful magician, Paul is on a lifelong quest to find answers about his past. Jack is a historian obsessed with the famous Face of Xian--an alien mask which has puzzled the universe for thousands of years. An obsession his friends can't understand, and which he himself cannot explain. Along with a detective, an archaeologist, and others, their destinies cross on a world brimming with alien artifacts. A world where thousands of gods walk among men, and where fanatics consider offworlders as heretics and raiders. Some might call it a recipe for disaster, and they'd be right. NOTE: Though this book is the first in a series, it has no cliffhanger and can be read on its own.


The North Tower

The North Tower by Michelle N Hagood

Nineteen-year-old Charlie has been dealt a bad hand from the day she was born. Found in a trash can as a baby, she's been shipped from one foster home to another, each one worse than the last. When she's offered an escape, she takes it. But fate isn’t ready to be kind just yet. After a brutal car crash, Charlie is dragged into an unfamiliar world of magic with promises of a fresh start at the Magisterium of Magic, a prestigious school for the rich and entitled. Here, she’s told that she’s a Royal, a member of the highest tier of Magic Users, with the kind of power most people would do anything to steal or control. When a student abruptly leaves and she catches the School Master lying about it, she starts to question if the motives of her rescuers are pure. Or do these devious liars have a darker reason for finding her? With the help of a crew of troublemakers, Charlie dives into one of the magic world's oldest mysteries, the death in the North Tower and the cunning ghost who haunts it. The identity of the ghostly woman and truth about the student’s departure could help Charlie decide who she can trust. Or it could prove that she should have trusted her instincts all along.


The Winds of War

The Winds of War by Mosha Winter

THESE THREADS ARE SOAKED IN BLOOD. The Astaris Empire is fracturing, its realm flogged by war and fanaticism. Empress Seline and her Gold Council vie to maintain control, but what is control for a nation built on blood and lies? In the east, the storied Rhaavi people cling to their independence, but as the ruinous First Legion of the Empire arrives at their walls, hope is decimated. Even so, Yuei, the dragonrider, and Rizu, the shadow guardian, will lay down their lives to protect their home. And Kirana, High Chieftainess of the Rhaavi, vows to lead her people through . . . no matter the cost. Elsewhere, the prodigious Hatsun pursues an education at the fabled Great Library of the Awakened. But he quickly learns that curiosity is both a boon and a burden as his studies unveil cataclysmic secrets about the world that could change everything. This book marks the first chapter of The Tapestry of the Tarnished. Here is a tale spanning the whole of the Ring: A circle of continents rife with war and unrest. A world colored by magics and mythical creatures. A place you will fear, yet not wish to leave. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire meets Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen in this burgeoning epic fantasy saga.


A Hex For Hunger

A Hex For Hunger by Alistair Reeves

Ambrose, a trans knight serving the medieval witch king, spent his life trying to be a hero. Instead, he died a villain in the name of a love he hungered for in secret. That would have ended his story, except a suspicious necromancer, Emery, resurrects him and gives him two things: a second chance and a job. He needs Ambrose to kill Morcant, a cult leader who is terrorizing a small group of students. Ambrose thought he was done with killing, but this modern world whet his appetite. If he can bring his king back from the grave, they could finally enjoy the love they’d been starved of. The witch king’s voice tells him how it can be achieved: kill Emery. But while Ambrose’s magic might hunger for Emery’s blood, his heart hungers for Emery another way entirely . . . Another delightful MM romantic fantasy from Alistair Reeves, A Hex for Hunger promises to captivate with more magic, wonder, and adventure.


The Courtesan's Eye

The Courtesan's Eye by J.C. Smith, Kate Hyers

A courtesan-spy on the hunt for a killer. Cordè is an agent of allure, trained to pull secrets from even the stiffest of lips. But when a prestigious assignment ends in a shocking death, she'll have to navigate her city's shadowy underbelly to find the culprit. A cursed priest desperate for redemption. Aelus is a holy warrior, devout in his faith, plagued by his own complicated lineage. Given one last chance to prove himself, he's sent to unravel the plot threatening his order—a mission that puts him in Cordè's employ. A conspiracy so deep, everyone's a suspect. Aelus's uptight personality and austere lifestyle clash with Cordè's free-spirited world of parties and indulgence, creating friction that breeds suspicion. However, they must put their animosity aside when they discover a bigger threat lurking beneath the streets—one that's stolen the power of the gods themselves. As the bodies pile up, Cordè and Aelus will be forced to choose: trust each other, or let the city burn.


Page's Pyre

Page's Pyre by Jordan Loyal Short

How do you steal a book that doesn’t exist? When Izola travels to Jarlsbeck bearing news of her ex-husband’s death, she discovers that her daughter, Page, has made dangerous friends. Obsessed with finding a mythical book whose origins are clouded in mystery, Page is embroiled in a magical heist. To steal the book out from under the noses of a secret society of librarians, she’ll have to assemble a team of a sarcastic dwarven historian, a devious summoner, and of course… a book witch—her mother. But working together will test the team’s loyalties. Page was always a daddy’s girl, and her rebellious spirit has pushed her away from Izola. Worst of all, Page is keeping a secret that just might get the whole team killed. On the eve of Reinveldt’s post-war election, the world’s fate teeters on the brink, and the sinister Thule Society puts forth a candidate. Nothing is beneath the Thule in their quest to control the fabled intimidation, blackmail, assassination. Can mother and daughter make peace in time to save a nation from itself? And can the team hold it together long enough to steal the legendary book, or will old scars and secret agendas tear them apart?


Dragon Bone Elixir

Dragon Bone Elixir by Jordan Loyal Short

Delve into Wormwood's wonderfully warped mind and discover a secret the Thule Society will kill for. Dragon Bone Elixir puts the high in high stakes adventure as the alchemist Jabar Wormwood unravels a psychic puzzle with clues scattered across the Continent. To cure the magical tumors transforming his dearest friends, Wormwood embarks on a madcap journey to decipher the fragmented truth of a year-long blackout. Cackles and chaos follow in his wake as Wormwood sets out to find a magical formula with the power to sway the course of the next Great War. Zeppelin rides, unhinged assassins, and psychedelic shenanigans await! But when the dragon supremacist nation of Reinveldt invades its helpless neighbor, Wormwood is forced to flee, one step ahead of the bloodshed. With the brilliant and cruel Colonel Gelmen hot on his trail, Wormwood races an elite unit of dragons on a quest to unearth the terrible secrets the alchemist has hidden—even from himself!


Fly Stone, Fly

Fly Stone, Fly by Dust Kunkel

A boy, his dog and a monstrous friend. 16-year-old Clayton Stonefly, who lost his parents four years ago and is being raised by his Granma Lina, just wants to be brave like Dammit, his dog, and face the town bully, Big Jim. That, or read Shakespeare on the porch alone in the Idaho wilderness. But Clay has an unfortunate he’s haunted by monstrous dreams of his family’s dead nemesis, Das Ungeheuer, and every time he tells a story, someone dies. That — and he just watched his friend, MK, suck the soul out of a man, leaving the man clawing at his chest. Who is MK anyway? Is Big Jim just a small town pastor, or something else? Something with insect eyes sacrificing boys to bring a greater evil? Is there a chance that Clay’s new friend, Penny — the one with the dark eyes and twisted smile — could be more than a friend? Clay learns that his parents kept many secrets from him — not the least being there’s a family calling that involves monster-wrangling, and a family axe with a mind of its own that may or may not be trying to talk to him.


The Skald's Black Verse

The Skald's Black Verse by Jordan Loyal Short

Brohr has a noose around his neck. When a soldier’s murder sparks rebellion in the tiny village of Skolja, Brohr’s violent past marks him as the prime suspect. Haunted by his infant brother’s raging ghost, he is heir to the dark legacy of the Skalds, and cursed by the forbidden magic of the Dreadbound. As loyalties in the oppressed village fray, Brohr must choose: sate his vengeance, or save his people. In the shadows, an all but extinct race of alien demigods have begun the endgame of their millennia-spanning war. And Brohr is a pawn in the closing gambit. But Brohr’s grandfather harbors a secret that will change everything. Above it all, a dire omen looms in the sky, spelling the death of Brohr’s world. With doom spiraling down, Brohr must lead an unlikely revolt, unearth the truth of his brother’s murder, and tame the raging spirit that haunts him. Can Brohr unite his fractured people, or will he succumb to his own terrifying bloodlust, and destroy the very souls he has sworn to save? Ragnarok Reimagined: Alien Gods, Eldritch Space Travel, and Black Magic! Unique worldbuilding, fierce anti-heroes, and vivid action await in this epic tale, stretching from the stars above to realms below.


Stone Heart

Stone Heart by Mallory Glass

An isolated manor. Ancient enemies locked in an eternal struggle. An innocent woman’s heart and soul caught in the middle. Lord McCardle hires me to stay at Kinloch Manor to restore the keep’s magnificent granite guardians. From the arrogant McCardle to the grumpy Cook, no one here is what they seem. Adriel, the great stone beast guarding the manor’s entrance, unlocks the magic hidden inside me. Now I have two choices. Flee from the handsome monster who occupies my nights and surrender my daylight dreams... Or risk it all for love and join the battle between two ancient enemies. A slightly unhinged Gothic-inspired romance set in a remote Scottish manor, with stone monsters, ancient enemies, unexpected magic, fated mates, a touch of grumpy/sunshine, and spice.


A Fate Unwoven

A Fate Unwoven by Rachael A. Edwards

A heretical storyteller partners with an ancient spirit to undo the magic that subjugates her to the crown, in this chilling debut fantasy filled with monsters, forbidden rituals, and corrupt deities. The Emperor of Wyrecia is dying, and 17-year-old Lena has just gained the power to control fate itself, binding her to the young prince Dimas as the empire's next Fateweaver. Hunted by the empire's most ruthless soldiers, Lena escapes with a handsome smuggler toward enemy territory. But a former lover betrays Lena, and her magic becomes agony—compelling Lena to submit to a gilded cage. Still, an ancient spirit offers hope: to sever her bond to the throne, Lena must unroot a ritual hidden beneath the palace. As Prince Dimas struggles to forge friendship with Lena and bring his empire under peaceful rule, sinister cultists unveil a twisted plan to unleash an ancient evil that could tear the realm asunder. With every step Lena takes on her quest to freedom, she uncovers a troubling imperial past that tarnishes the nation’s matron goddess. Perhaps the oral histories passed down to Lena are not foolish heresy, after all. Written with captivating mystery, queer romance, and a dual point of view narrative, this dark fantasy features a gorgeously detailed map and roots its magic system in mythological lore. An enchanting selection for young adult readers who don’t mind a little terror with their adventure!


The Ice Moves for No One

The Ice Moves for No One by Arlo Z. Graves

Thalon was born to fight. A warrior, a selkie, a daughter of the Dread One herself. For years, she’s trained for the Dusk Trials and earn a place aboard one of the legendary Duskingr airships. But the Trials are only the beginning. Victory does not come clean. The game is rigged, the sponsors corrupt, and the selkie way of life is slipping through the cracks. Worse, her own body is beginning to betray her, and no amount of training has prepared her for what comes next. Nothing in this world bends easily. The odds are stacked against her, and the path ahead is nothing but locked doors and closed fists. But Thalon has never let anyone—man, woman, or god—decide her fate. The ice moves for no one—but it’s never met Thalon.


Beyond the Border Forest

Beyond the Border Forest by Molly Haniszewski

Two kings rule the woods-the Oak King in Summer and the Holly King in Winter-and no mortal may enter their realm without permission. But when Rowan GwĂłzdek's older sister goes missing, Rowan must search the forest for her, risking the kings' wrath. She enlists the help of her sister's hunting rival Keziah, a trans (and very handsome) hunter with a mysterious connection to the Oak King. He offers to lead her through the forest to find a magical wish granter called the Bear Maiden. Together, Rowan and Keziah face mossmen, a wood dragon, and other fearsome creatures who serve the Oak King. To make matters worse, Rowan stumbles upon the Holly King, the Oak King's nemesis, and becomes tangled in the conflict between the two kings. To get her sister back, Rowan will have to join in the battle, even if it means she can never return home.


Kissed By The Gods

Kissed By The Gods by Caty Rogan

Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring. Then soldiers came for her brother, and divine fury surged through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less. Instead, Ryot, a godsworn warrior born to privilege and raised in order, drags her into a world that was never meant for her. One of divine armies and death demons, winged war horses and monsters, sacred power and royal secrets. A kiss from a goddess changes everything. No longer a criminal, Leina is a prize. The kingdom's most powerful men want what the goddess touched. Leina wants only one thing, though: freedom for her people. And she'll trade herself for the strength to destroy the kingdom that broke them. Conscripted into a war she never asked for, fighting for gods she doesn't believe in, Leina must decide how far she's willing to go and what she's willing to lose. Because her power is more than a threat to the kingdom's buried secrets. It's a death sentence.


Drift

Drift by Anita Morenos

Drift is a story of personal healing, reclaiming identity, and being loved with a romantic MM ending. After an earthquake, 27-year-old Damian Palomo is in a coma and wakes up as his boss's new custom Audi RS4. Damian's also stuck in Southpoint, the Central Valley town he ran away from almost a decade ago. Relying on his boss, 25-year-old Ethan Reynolds, proves difficult as Ethan's gotten himself involved in the local, dangerous racing scene—and he owes people a race. He must put up his shiny new car, now possessed by his assistant, Damian. They must work together to keep Ethan and the car out of criminal hands. Damian unravels as he faces the traumatic past he spent years suppressing and hiding from Ethan, the only person he can depend on.


Lost Together

Lost Together by Courtney Rosaleen

A twenty minute daylight cycle and the creatures who lurk in the dark were just the beginning. They’re still lost to a world of magic and monsters… only now, they’re not alone. And time is running out. — Steven Stone and Alexandra Cutter have not only learned how to survive their new world, and to use their powers, they’ve found out what it means to live. In this strange place where magic exists and monsters rule the dark, they realize that home is where you choose it to be. That maybe they were meant to find each other, and this place. Until someone new lands on their beach, and everything changes. When clues about what happened to those who came before slowly come to light, they must work together as they’re faced with the reality that the life they’ve created in their cliffside home isn’t the end of their journey. They’re nowhere closer to finding the way back. All they know is that their days are numbered. This is an upper YA/NA dark romance series. Book one, Lost to a Dream, is intended for readers 15+. This novel is NA and is intended for readers 18+.


Lost to a Dream

Lost to a Dream by Courtney Rosaleen

Two teenagers find themselves alone in a world where magic exists, and monsters appear in the dark. Only... the night comes every ten minutes and not even death can help them escape. Alexandra Cutter has hopes of leaving her small town. Until she falls through a portal in an abandoned mineshaft and finds herself lost to a world where you either find shelter, or fight for your life until the sun rises. Never did she imagine being so desperate to get back home. When Steven Stone is forced to live in a new town, he’s flat out angry about it. Until the dreams start. Dreams about the missing girl he never even met. But watching her die, night after night, never being able to save her, is far from a dream. When Steve wakes up in the ruined landscape of his nightmares and Alex saves his life, not only are they forced to survive and learn to live together as they search for a way out… but they are left with the question, what happens if they never do? This is an upper YA/NA dark romance series. It is intended for readers 15+ for book one, and 18+ for the remainder of the series.


Killer Quill

Killer Quill by Shida Ketzer

Murdered in cold blood and resurrected through forbidden powers, Quill becomes her world’s legendary assassin. She can never part with her eponymous quill. The mythical quill keeps her alive, heals her wounds, and enables her to transform colors into animate objects doing her bidding. In exchange, the quill feeds on her victims’ souls. When her latest mission sparks the higher power’s wrath, Quill must avenge the death of her people and her own murder. Failure will cost more than just her life. A Wisteraverse Novella


An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder

An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin

A wannabe witch tries to break a curse on a clueless client in this laugh-out-loud debut, for fans of queer romantic fantasy by T. J. Klune and Tamsyn Muir. Mateo Borrero has 99 problems—and all of them hinge on his missing bruja mother and the demon she trapped inside his body. Mateo's mother forbade him from ever using magic, but now that she’s gone, magic’s his only marketable skill, and he’d really like an exorcism—which costs money he doesn’t have. What’s the harm in making a quick buck by calling himself an Occult Specialist and chanting a few half-remembered spells in his crappy Spanish? Enter Topher, a naive nepo baby with a curse that keeps killing people around him. Most importantly, he’s rich and too clueless to clock that Mateo—and his (absolutely-not-the-assistant) astral projecting best friend Ophelia—have never actually had a client before. Lifting Topher’s bad luck curse should be simple, but as luck would have it, nothing is simple, and Topher–who Mateo sort of, kind of likes–might be at the center of a deadly magical conspiracy. To make matters worse, the more magic Mateo does, the stronger the demon inside him grows and the more he wants to eat people. But would caving to the urges of an ancient evil really be that bad if it helps him get a payday? Legends and Lattes meets A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer in this hilarious and charming queer romantic fantasy readers won’t want to miss.


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