stories in and

The Gates Of Anak'anor

The Gates Of Anak'anor by Topher Metcalf and Walt Allen

SPFBO8

Jari Rockjaw, a dwarf from the Blue Mountains wants to retire from bounty hunting, and after 100 years in the trenches chasing brigands, highwayman, and an assortment of creatures, he has earned it. He recruits a rag tag group of heroes that need that retirement check too. In his company for retirement are his best friends Betha Silentnight, a female minotaur who kills first and asks questions later and Toli Hookhand, a one handed horny dwarf who wants nothing but dwarven a** and money. The trio prepare for one last mission to produce the coins needed for that permeant vacation on the coasts of Anak'anor, the mercenary hot spot and their favorite watering holes. Lord Polis Silverwell, a human with ties to the King of Ekepia finds them and recruits the group who call themselves the Loners to take out Boro Spiderbinder, an evil dwarf who plans on world domination across Labrys. Come join the Loners in an epic battle for survival, friendship and retirement as they bullnose their way to the finish line. The question that will need answering is how many of them live to retire after their one last mission. Retirement is always easy to get when you're the most hated company on Labrys.


Gatekeeper's Key

Gatekeeper's Key by Krista Wallace

SPFBO8

Outcast swordfighter, Kyer Halidan, walked out of a cornfield at the age of three. Twenty years later, she leaves her adopted home to discover who put her there. And why. When she kills a man in a duel, she catches the interest of one of her greatest heroes, who invites her to join his company on a mission. But the man she killed had powerful friends. Desperate to learn what she knows about their plans, her new enemies pursue her relentlessly. Kyer’s impetuousness and disregard for consequences put the mission, and her life, in jeopardy. But to save a village, and the continent, from a despicable evil, she must choose between adhering to duty and breaking the rules.


No Gods, Only Monsters

No Gods, Only Monsters by Steve McHugh

SPFBO8

Diana, the Roman Goddess of the hunt, lives alone on the far edge of the Roman Empire. When an old friend arrives looking for help, Diana finds herself thrust back into her old life, and old problems. With innocent lives caught in the crossfire, Diana realizes that the only way to ensure the safety of her friends and loved ones is to do what she does best: hunt her enemies down.


Flight of Sorcery and Shadow

Flight of Sorcery and Shadow by Meg Cowley

SPFBO8

A captivating and darkly delicious romantic fantasy perfect for fans of Throne of Glass and Air Awakens. Aedon's captivity is over when darkness descends upon the realm. The elf's only choices become escape or death—a far cry from his past fame and notoriety as a legendary thief. Lost, alone, and desperate to escape the deadly beasts now stalking him, he does not count on meeting Lief, a ranger of the woodland elves...and Aedon's natural worst enemy. Lief prides herself on being one of Lune's finest rangers—now, she is the only one left alive. She must alert the Queen at once that the realm's defences have been breached by unimaginably malevolent sorcery. The last thing she needs is to stumble upon an escaped prisoner. Aedon and Lief become unlikely allies. Neither can survive without the other in a deadly race to outrun what hunts them. Lief must learn to trust another again, and Aedon must dust off his once legendary skills if they are to escape—but what else will bloom in the darkness that niether of them can deny? An old enemy rises. Stronger than before. He will consume all in his path, until dominion over the world is his. Multiple fates are bound in an inexorable descent into darkness. This new series from USA Today Bestselling Author Meg Cowley can be enjoyed as a new entry point into the Altarea world, or to dive back into the saga and discover what happened after the events in the Chronicles of Pelenor: Rise of Saradon series. From irresistable enemies-to-lovers and found family to heartrending betrayals and redemption, the complete Darkness of the Living Forest trilogy will keep you turning pages all night to a gloriously bittersweet and satisfying finale and your next bookish hangover.


Weapons of Disharmony

Weapons of Disharmony by Chad Retterath

SPFBO8

Titans roam the world of Ruun, bringing chaos and destruction wherever they appear. Magical weapons of unimaginable power lie hidden across the land. It is a dangerous, unforgiving world. Two small kingdoms sit on the brink of war, unaware of the dangers gathering outside their borders. Elite mages and boorish monarchs feud and argue within the palaces of Brunta and Ta-Veer.
The Bone Knight, a notorious swordsman, reappears after years on the run. Trouble follows the Bone Knight as forces work in the shadows, attempting to resurrect a long-forgotten titan.
Powers collide in Weapons of Disharmony as legendary weapons, titans, and powerful mages clash over the fate of the kingdoms.


Oath Broken

Oath Broken by Jarryd Smith

SPFBO8

Kaleb Reigns just wants to live a normal life. So much in fact that he swore an Oath to never use any of his gifts again. An Oath to leave the supernatural world behind, to walk away and never interfere again. Kaleb’s best friend is missing, and someone is messing with his dreams. He has been warned by the witches not to get involved, but Kaleb has to make a choice. Some Oaths are meant to be broken.


Atlas Rising

Atlas Rising by Blake Severson

SPFBO8

A new groundbreaking Virtual Reality MMO, a giant corporation with unknown motives, and a regular druid lost in the mix. Atlas finally gets the chance to play the latest VRMMO game with the first-of-its-kind Full Dive experience. Picking a druid, he charges forward into an unknown land as he tries to master an odd combat system. Luckily for him, the crafting system is ripe to make money and the game’s currency is tied to the real-world market. But a strange dungeon forces him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew. Is the company behind this game truly what it seems to be, or is there a nefarious purpose hidden below the surface?


Any Minor World

Any Minor World by Craig Schaefer

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

For Roy Mackey -- a recovering addict who makes his living as an unlicensed PI and occasional muscle for hire -- tracking down a dead writer's final manuscript should be a walk in the park. Too bad his client is a phony, the dead writer is a thief, and shadowy men are watching his every move. All clues lead to a canceled pulp-adventure comic, The Midnight Jury, and its mousy, reclusive author. Lucy Langenkamp is living a quiet life as an art restorer in Las Vegas; when Roy helps her escape from a crew of armed kidnappers, she's as baffled as he is. Then one of her own characters, a flamethrower-wielding "human exterminator," steps out of the pages of her comic book and into the real world. He's intent on hunting her down, and he isn't alone. The pulp villains spawned from Lucy's childhood imagination are coming to life, searching for their long-lost author. Her most sinister creation, the Illustrated Duke, has a dark plan in motion. This is a job for Lucy's two-fisted vigilante, the Midnight Jury. But the Jury is missing. To save the day, Lucy and Roy must descend into a noir-drenched nightmare city on a rescue mission. The walls between fiction and reality are shattered, there's wild magic in the air, and it's up to two unlikely heroes to risk it all and save the day.


The Last Dragonkeeper

The Last Dragonkeeper by Drew Montgomery

SPFBO8

Joven Farquin has spent a lifetime building up a reputation, his name spread far and wide as the man who travels with the last known dragon, as a mercenary who has made his living with a beast that inspires fear and awe throughout the land. It is a reputation that has brought him face to face with kings, warriors, clergy, and more across the Free Kingdoms as he has built his fame and fortune. But none of it could make him invincible. Awakened in a strange camp, injured and imprisoned, his dragon nowhere to be found, he finds himself at the mercy of powerful forces, agents of both a massive empire and an influential order of sorceresses. As he answers their questions, providing a glimpse into a past that has led him to this place, his mind seeks answers, searching for an escape and to find a reason that the beast he had so long entrusted with his life could allow him to fall.


Mysterious Ways

Mysterious Ways by Abbie Evans

SPFBO8 SPFBO Finalist

The Goddess works in mysterious ways, and Isabella Varselak intends to find out exactly what those ways are. As the commander of the 7th Unit of the Solistopian City Watch, Isabella Varselak has dealt with many a mystery. Murderers, burglars, con artists, and troublesome demons have given her a multitude of crimes to solve over the years. But injustice in the way the world works is all around her. Innocent people suffer, guilty people triumph. When this is questioned, the only answer she receives is that the Goddess works in mysterious ways. Determined to get to the bottom of what these ways are and solve the ultimate mystery, she sets off on a journey to find answers — but she’ll have to go through hell to get them. Mysterious Ways is a fantasy novel set in a matriarchal world. Women are in power, they worship a Goddess, and same sex relationships are common and socially acceptable.


A Blade For Hire

A Blade For Hire by Christopher D. Brand

SPFBO8

Who, and where, is Amheris? The question that will dominate the fortunes of Hale - a former soldier turned blade for hire – and could yet decide the entire fate of Ambria. After a bloody fight to protect the Lady de la Faye, Hale is offered a new task by his patron and frequent employer, the Lord Barthelme: to travel to Andrid and escort two priests on their journey to find their missing contact, known only as 'Amheris'. But despite the priest's assertions that this a routine job for a routine payment, the task quickly turns into a lethal game of cat and mouse, as Hale and his charges find themselves pursued at every turn by a relentless and deadly foe. Magic, muskets, mystery and mayhem are all unleashed in this swashbuckling fantasy thriller.


On Lavender Tides

On Lavender Tides by Travis M. Riddle

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

Ever since he was a kid, all Balt Vana wanted was to be a world-renowned Jekua Summoner like his grandmother, battling other Summoners in front of audiences of thousands. But from where he stands now, living up to the Vana name feels impossible. When his best friend Alani, an initiate at the local Church, is sent on a pilgrimage to find her path in life and the god she will follow, Balt sees the perfect opportunity to launch his career by escorting her across the archipelago and its purple seas. The islands are filled with monsters to imprint and Summoners to battle, with every victory bringing him one step closer to his dream. It will take more than just his family name to reach the same heights as his grandmother, but Balt won't stop until he does.


Water for Blood

Water for Blood by A.R. Henle

SPFBO8

Restore the spring of life! Losing her beloved father scarred Mara. She held tight to her mother, half-brother, and the unknown grandfather who showed up in the wake of her father's death. He never explained his absence. She never asked, valuing him as a link to her dad.

Until her dying grandfather asked her to go on a quest for the conquistador who, centuries earlier, stole the spring of life.

She agreed, never guessing that the quest involved deep, dark secrets about her father—and herself.

Moving and powerful, Water for Blood features compelling, complex characters facing generations-old evil.


Flowers and Bones

Flowers and Bones by Mae Jordon

SPFBO8

Shattered dreams lay around Rosalind MacBeth’s life. A Chosen of deities, trained to hunt monsters in Japan, she is forced to flee the only life she’s ever known after her family’s mysterious death. Tick Tock, a hunter of the supernatural, is also a Chosen. After his husband is slain, the Hunter’s Association sends him away on a mission to find a young person with flowers and bones in their hair: Rosalind. A dangerous road lies ahead for them both. Corruption and civil war brew inside the Hunter’s Association. Supernatural beasts of all kinds close in for the kill. Will they survive?


Vulcan Rising

Vulcan Rising by J. W. Judge

SPFBO8

Even your most deeply buried secrets can find their way back to you. The mysteries of Agatha's past threaten to expose themselves when Joseph investigates a noise he hears in the middle of the night and stumbles upon a world that he didn’t even know existed. Her quiet life in the suburbs is about to come crashing down around her.

When their son is kidnapped, Joseph and Agatha have to rely on each other to figure out why he was taken and how to get him back, whatever the cost.

Along the way, Agatha discovers to her horror that even her most deeply buried secrets are finding their way back to her. And the consequences are inescapable.

Vulcan Rising is the first book in The Zauberi Chronicles series. It is a work of contemporary/dark fantasy where Stephen King's The Institute meets Brandon Sanderson's Steelheart and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.


The Reign of the Occult

The Reign of the Occult by Lauren Louise Hazel

SPFBO8

The Reign of the Occult is a shuddering, thrilling, urban fantasy for Young Adults. Filled with hair raising chases through shadowy streets, frightening fights and mind-blowing magic, it's sure to keep many a different genre loving reader happy. The battle between the Underworld, full of darkness, and the Overworld, full of light, has been evenly balanced for millennia. Caught between them is the mortal world, where humans have become so afraid of a magic they cannot understand or control that they allow the Occult to rule them. After the Occult joins forces with the Underworld, the balance shifts and the Overworld is decimated. But still, in the mortal world, the magic won’t die. It appears when a supernatural being and a human have a child, like Prue. This is the first volume in an epic new fantasy series that spans the three richly detailed worlds as Prue, her non-magical half-brother Everett, and all Magic Users, fight to survive. They are being hunted by the Occult, who turn the Magic Users they capture into tools to eliminate their own kind and, eventually, to destroy all traces of magic.


Quenched in Blood

Quenched in Blood by Sean Crow

SPFBO8

Twilight City hosts over a hundred million souls, most held beneath the heel of the global empire, Tenocore. After suffering a bitter defeat in Europe, Angus Jarlson, the Glade Burner, has brought the Old Gods and what remains of his once mighty empire of Valhalla Steel, across the ocean to stake a claim in the megacity and begin to rebuild. Yet the long-lived Fae despise the Glade Burner and will muster their might and magic to destroy what remains of Angus and his clansmen. When vengeance and duty to family collide, violence ensues. The question is not only which side will be victorious, but will either remain standing at all?


The Black Parade

The Black Parade by Kyoko M

SPFBO8

Jordan Amador. 21. New Yorker. Waitress. Mild alcoholic. Murderer. Two years ago, Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can see, hear, and talk to ghosts with unfinished business. Her crime came with a hefty price, too. She has two years to help a hundred souls cross over to the afterlife or her soul is bound for hell. Tough break. As if that weren’t bad enough, two days before her deadline a handsome pain-in-the-ass poltergeist named Michael strolls into her life. His soul is the key to her salvation, but the cost just might be more than she can handle. Solving his death puts her right in the crosshairs of Belial: a vain, bloodthirsty archdemon who won’t rest until she’s his slave. Can she rescue Michael and save her own soul, or will they both be dragged down into the clutches of the eternal black parade?


The Fangs of War

The Fangs of War by E J Doble

SPFBO8

After the brutal execution of Provenci's King by the roving forces of Tarraz, a new military government vaults into power with the nefarious Alvarez at the helm. Hell-bent on bloodshed and the glory of an imperial past, he amasses the largest army seen in a generation and plunges the two nations into a bloody war, against the will of the god-like being known as the All-Mother. Cavara, a general of the army at odds with her superiors over the war, is ground under the heel of the scheming Commander Revek and betrayed by her own people, left for dead on a distant shoreline. Saved by a passing ship and taken to the other end of the world, she is plagued by visions of a white void and a figure known as the Shadow Woman, who begins to unravel the true nature of the war - a conflict not only of men, but also of gods alike. In a story of hope, power, greed and hatred, all are driven mad by the enemy within - none are safe from the Fangs of War.


From A Great Height

From A Great Height by Jacob Stewart

SPFBO8

Rachel has been waiting her whole life. Waiting for power, waiting for freedom, waiting to see the walls of the city where she has lived in exile come crumbling down--but when the time comes, will she be ready? The king of Belum fears a revolutionary may be stoking fires in his city, and he will stop at nothing to silence her. A young soldier flees the front lines with a brutal hunter of deserters hot on his trail. Signs and wonders rain down on the city of Belum, calling into question just how far the daughter of a priest will go to secure the return of her people to their homeland. All these threads weave together as Rachel navigates a tenuous relationship with a divine power shrouded in darkness and mystery. And with such a heavy burden on her shoulders, she must keep an eye on those in her company who would use her for their own ends.


The Beckoning Void

The Beckoning Void by Patrick LeClerc

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

Emelia DuMond is an actress, her skill at adopting and changing her identity lifting her from her humble beginnings to success on the stage of Victorian London. And to the attention of the Ghost Society, a secret organization who work to defend the world from threats of the paranormal. After centuries of seeking, the sinister Disciples of the Void have obtained an arcane book of great power. A power that could tear the veil between dimensions and plunge the world into a dark, unspeakable future. Now she has recruited an aging soldier of fortune burdened by a conscience, the sword wielding daughter of an Afghan brigand and an airship whose captain escaped slavery during the Civil War by stealing a Confederate vessel. Can Emelia and her band of plucky outcasts save the world from a cult of fanatics intent on unleashing an ancient horror? “The Beckoning Void” is a tale of cunning plots, flashing swords, skillful piloting, witty repartee and eldritch dread.


Honor for the Dead

Honor for the Dead by Connor Ludovissy

SPFBO8

Ao has always tried to do the right thing. So when Renfreya was attacked by the bloodthirsty Kings, he volunteered for the army. Now he has blood on his hands, his own comrades are hunting him, and the right thing to do isn’t so clear anymore. Renfreya and the Kings have fought each other to a bloody stalemate on the Plain of the Ancestors, and no one knows who will emerge the victor. No one but Ao. When an easy first mission turns into a massacre, Ao uncovers a secret that could turn the tide of the war and save his home. But with a power-hungry sergeant leading the company and a horde of killers opposing them, he might never get the chance. Not unless he creates it himself. With his rifle, cunning, and a little bit of runic magic, Ao will do whatever it takes to save his home. No matter who has to bleed for it.


Candle and Claw

Candle and Claw by Stephen Taylor

SPFBO8

Hard magic, nuanced characters, and epic conflicts make Candle and Claw perfect for fans of Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson. Giovel Ullin’s job is to stop witches from crafting experimental magic and destroying the world. It’s a job he never wanted. Every time he hunts a witch, he’s reminded of the ones who stole his wife away and sent her back distant, delusional, and dying. Even worse, the same magic that ruined her life is now part of his—a tool Giovel’s expected to master for the sake of his duties. When a coterie of witches begins systematically removing Giovel’s companions, he has little choice but to fight back. But the more he learns about his own power, the more he sees himself in the very witches he hunts.


Ser Ghostwriter

Ser Ghostwriter by Joshua Derrick

SPFBO8

Heraclia is a land of poets, whose haikus and sonnets build towers, grow grain, and sail ships. Ed is a scribe to one of these poets, and when his master is murdered by highwaymen, he takes up his quill and becomes a ghostwriter, a masterless poet. Broad shouldered and strong, Ed does not exactly have the makings of a master poet, but enters his names into the rolls at a poetry slam tournament nonetheless. Though his poems are little more than scratchings of a quill, Ed's good heart soon lands him in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens the safety of the realm itself.


The Blood of Crows

The Blood of Crows by Alex C. Pierce

SPFBO8

Ren, a state-trained thief working in a world where everyone has magical ability except for him, doesn’t kill people. Tensions are already high in the walled realm of Lenmar, and when the nobility start dying with no trace of magic that isn’t from the victims, Ren immediately becomes the prime, and only suspect. Hunted by magic-eating Inquisitors and the Captain of the Royal Guard, his life becomes one of flight and fear through a realm on the brink of civil war.

All Ren wants to do is stop a serial killer, clear his name, find his mentor, and protect the people he cares about. To do that, he’ll have to pull one more high-stakes heist— And steal the proof he needs from the very people who want to catch him.


Ever Alice

Ever Alice by HJ Ramsay

SPFBO8

Alice’s stories of Wonderland did more than raise a few eyebrows—it landed her in an asylum. Now at 15 years of age, she’s willing to do anything to leave, which includes agreeing to an experimental procedure. When Alice decides at the last minute not to go through with it, she escapes with the White Rabbit to Wonderland and trades one mad house for another: the court of the Queen of Hearts. Only this time, she is under orders to take out the Queen. When love, scandal, and intrigue begin to muddle her mission, Alice finds herself on the wrong side of the chopping block.


Between Ink and Shadows

Between Ink and Shadows by Melissa Wright

SPFBO8

She’ll win back her freedom, even if she has to steal it. Nimona Weston has a debt to pay. Her father’s dealings with the dark society known as the Trust cost Nim her freedom. There’s one way out of the contract on her life and that’s to bide her time and pay the tithes. But when the Trust assigns Nim to a task in the king’s own castle, her freedom is not the only thing she’ll risk. Warrick Spenser has a secret. As king’s seneschal, he should be the last soul in Inara to risk association with dark magic, but long-hidden ties to the Trust are harder to shed than simply cutting the threads. When the Trust sends a thief to his rooms, Warrick thinks he’s finally found a way to be rid of them for good. But Nimona Weston is hiding secrets of her own. Magical contracts, blood-debt accountants, and a deadly game. An epic fantasy with regency flair, an improper and slightly stabby heroine with a penchant for trouble, clean slow burn romance, and a dark and twisty plot that pits magic against kings, love against power, and a gothic underworld against a kingdom desperate to survive. Perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and The Shadows Between Us.


When the Traveler Stands Still

When the Traveler Stands Still by Noor Al-Shanti

SPFBO8

Some events change the course of the world, but do people know, when they’re living through such events, that they will become part of history? Sent ahead to secure her merchant caravan a place in the next village, Sedra took a shortcut through the familiar ruins she used to play in as a child -- but found a magical attack waiting for her instead of memories. No trace of her encounter remains except the strange dancing lights that only she can see and the debilitating headaches she’s had ever since, but she can’t go back to her normal life and pretend it didn’t happen. The Travelers, who have dedicated their lives to roaming the world and helping those in need, are Sedra’s only hope of finding out who attacked her and why. They may be her people’s only hope in the dark days yet to come. Sorcery isn’t practiced anymore in the Land of Sunsets, but there is a rising power in the Circle of the World and those who can bend it to their will are willing to go to any lengths to get more power. The attack on Sedra is just the beginning.


Asterius & Thesius Walk Into the Light

Asterius & Thesius Walk Into the Light by Aaron Fown

SPFBO8

In the heroic age, man lives under the shadow of imperial ambitions, both past and present. The perfect gods reign openly, and none dare question their motives, in fear of their wrath. Seeking power, Minos, an empire of man, has built a temple to the perfect darkness, and seeks to use it for an unspeakable purpose. The tiny fishing city of Athens suffers under the gaze of their eye, and mourns the cost of their bloody sacrifice. But the goddess Athena has a plan to save her city from their fate, and she has the means to execute it. Is there a way out of the Labyrinth, besides the shaded path of death? Can love solve the puzzle of the mythos, and give the most surprising hero the chance he needs to save the people he loves? Can our heroes, with the love in their hearts and their lights in their hands, set the stage for a miraculous musical to invert the plans of the darkness, on a long chance and a song? Yes!Love has found a way. Love has a plan. It onlyseems like no plan at all. Note: This book is not a work of pornography, but some people might confuse it with one because it has people being queer and happy, free of the sort of mental anguish that is expected nowadays. But that would also be out of place in the temporal setting, as no one had come up with the bad idea to create such guilt complexes yet. Also, the mains understand consent so there isn't going to be any sort of 'Surprise, rape!" like there is in so many works of this sort. There is also some wisdom some people may be uncomfortable with contained within, but that is neither here nor there. If any of this sounds like a bad time, don't read the book!


The Lich of Thandorien

The Lich of Thandorien by Zak Dragon

SPFBO8

Old high school classmates and current drinking buddies, Phil and Don find themselves transported into a Crypts & Crusades role-playing adventure they had abandoned five years earlier. If that wasn't bad enough, it seems that some of the non-player characters, or Extra Dungeon Personalities (EDPs) as they now prefer to be called, have taken on a life of their own during the extended downtime and have veered away from the normal script. Fortunately for the daring duo, there is plenty of beer and they manage to get a little help along the way from an inquisitive but emotional ranger, a home-brewing, pub-owning dwarf and his ogre bartender, a grumpy old gardener and a host of other colorful characters. But will it be enough to defeat the crypt's antagonist, locate a powerful relic and get out alive?


Where the Valley Meets the Sky

Where the Valley Meets the Sky by Ben Merrick

SPFBO8

When the peaceful Achare people find themselves in the path of the warring clans, the pressure of survival falls heavily upon them. Rennik, a spurned Achare hunter, must navigate a life-threatening journey into the wilds to assess the reality of the threat. Upon his return, Rennik is thrust into both the heated politics of his home and the divination magics of his mentor. He tasks himself with convincing the Achare clan to leave their promised land and return to their traditional nomadic lifestyle. A dangerous opposition forms in the shape of Ciqala, a belligerent man who will do everything in his power to keep them where they are, ready to raise spears against the coming threat - a prideful decision that will surely turn their home into a grave. To save his family, his people, and himself, Rennik must change from a disgraced outsider to a leader of his people, from a quiet hunter to a man of action. After all - he won't always have a herd of bison to do his killing.


Memories of Blood and Shadow

Memories of Blood and Shadow by Aaron S. Jones

SPFBO8

Guilt cuts deeper than the deadliest of blades. Tavar Farwan lives alone past the Undying Sands. During a violent storm, he is attacked by two young warriors claiming a need for vengeance for pain from ages past. Tavar defends himself, killing one of the intruders and leaving the other to bleed on the floor. Weary and filled with regret, Tavar offers to tell the young man his story: a story of how, in a world of Naviqings, Leviathans, and Shadow Warriors; a poor, nomadic orphan rose to inspire a kingdom, and kill a God.


DARK HILARITY

DARK HILARITY by Joseph Sale

SPFBO8

Tara Dufrain and Nicola Morgan are eleven year old girls growing up in the ‘90s, obsessed by Valentine Killshot, a metal screamo band. In particular, they’re enamoured by the lead singer, the mysterious yet charismatic Jed Maine who bears the epithet “The Cretin”. In Jed’s lyrics, he describes a world beyond the Dark Stars that he hopes one day to reach. The girls think it’s all just make-believe they share together, until a freak, traumatic incident makes this world very real. As adults, Tara and Nicola try to come to terms with the devastating catastrophe that changed their lives growing up, but to do so they will have to step once more into Jed Maine’s world, and confront the man who took everything from them. Dark Hilarity is My Best Friend’s Exorcism meets The Never-Ending Story, a fantasy that explores addiction, depression, and the healing power of friendship.


Scarlight

Scarlight by Evie Marceau

SPFBO8

A life saved is a soul owned. When she was six years old, Bryn was saved from a wolf attack by a prince from a rival kingdom. Rangar Barendur’s people believe that a life saved is a soul owned, and ten years later, Rangar returns to collect his prize: Bryn. Yet Bryn is the youngest daughter of a ruthless royal family, and Rangar arrives on the night the Mir people rise up against their despotic rulers. With her castle on fire and most of her family dead, Bryn has no choice but to escape with Rangar's help. Was she rescued…or abducted? Taken to Rangar’s wild seaside kingdom, Bryn slowly finds beauty in the harsh Outlands. There, she discovers magic is not the sin she’s been led to believe it is. Magic can heal the sick and summon rain for the crops. As she learns the full truth of her own family’s tyrannical rule and plans to take back her kingdom by the sword or by marriage, Bryn falls under the spell of each of the three Barendur brothers. But which one will end up with her hand—and her heart—not even magic can foretell. A Kindle Vella Top Faved...now available as an ebook and in paperback!


Falhorne: The World Is Burning

Falhorne: The World Is Burning by Tristan Dineen

SPFBO8

The Order is no more. The Falhorne, ancient champions of the elder gods, have dwindled to no more than a handful of beleaguered warriors. The skies are darkening over the land of Vinos and persecution of the maligned Old Believers escalates at the hands of both church and state. As one of the few surviving defenders of a proud tradition, Tagus is among the last of the Vinosian Falhorne when the pogrom comes. His mentor slain, his comrades slaughtered, and his people enslaved, he must begin a quest that will take him into the darkness of his past and a depth of evil beyond anything that he has ever faced.


Falling through Stars

Falling through Stars by Staci Olsen

SPFBO8

After crashing her dogsled into the frozen river, Ts'ellbah fears something is wrong, something deeper than the inexplicable new scar over her heart. She feels like a stranger in her own skin and struggles to remember her closest friends and family. At first, her clan is relieved that she survived the accident. But on a night when red spirit lights stain the sky like blood, Ts'ellbah suffers her first violent seizure and sees a vision in which a revered elder encounters a mythical monster and dies. When her announcement of the elder's death proves correct, many people are convinced something evil possessed her in the dark river. They believe she killed the old man and want to cast her out. Before they do, Ts'ellbah must persuade her people that their ancient enemies have indeed returned, that they are looking for something, and they'll destroy the entire clan to find it.


Elusion of Freedom

Elusion of Freedom by Kelvin Womack

SPFBO8

After thousands of years the trapped darkness is breaking free, and once it is, no longer shall we be. Thought to be long locked away, darkness has escaped it confines, enslaving everything it touches. The only safe haven is behind the Order's towering walls, where 17-year-old Vayn and his father have fled. But it's not the darkness they're afraid of. After escaping the clutches of Shadow Reapers that ravaged his land, Vayn desires to never live in the free world again, exchanging his liberation for what some would consider a form of slavery. But when Reapers break inside, murdering his father, Vayn is determined to attain retribution. The Order forbids it, knowing he'll uncover their secrets. There is but one way to regain his freedom. Once a year, on the Day of Liberation, one may leave the walls but at great cost. A life. Vayn must sacrifice someone innocent. If he doesn’t, he'll never bring his father's killers to justice or learn the Orders secrets. Outside awaits the darkness, its creatures perishable only with the aid of a larger-than-life sword. But not even that will help him face the darkness of his own past. Freedom is both elusive and hard to distinguish. Time is of the essence, and on his quest of vengeance, Vayn must learn that true freedom is more than escape from physical and mental subjugation before the darkness swallows their world into oblivion.


The World Breaker Requiem

The World Breaker Requiem by Luke Tarzian

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Prince of Woe… Avaria Norrith is the adopted heir to the Ariathan throne. But that means little to a man who, for the better part of fifteen years, has sought and failed to earn his mother’s love. Fueled by pride and envy, Avaria seeks the means to prove himself and cast away his mental chains. When he’s tasked with the recreation of The Raven’s Rage he sees his chance, for with the infamous blade he can rewrite history and start anew. Daughter of the Mountain… Erath has not felt sunlight for a century. Not since Ariath condemned her people to a life of darkness with their misuse of The Raven’s Rage. But when an old friend comes seeking the remnants of the ancient sword, Erath cannot contain her curiosity and resolves to lend her aid. Is it true—can history be revised? Can her people be reclaimed? Toll the Hounds… They are hungry—and they are here.


The Heretic

The Heretic by Thane Tyler

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“Oh gods, I'm some sort of prophet now? I only wanted a drink...” The Heretic is the story of a man who finds himself in great danger, and can't quite work out how he got there, although it probably has something to do with alcohol. His mouth gets him in trouble, and before he knows what's happening he has to flee not just his hometown but his homeland entirely, with an unexpected companion in tow. This book is his story, the story of a journey and an odd friendship.

The Heretic is a work of fantasy, but one with few truly fantastical elements. It is based on real historical cultures, mainly those of Classical-era Europe.

The tone is darkly humorous, and has been described by acclaimed author Terri Nixon as “Python meets Pratchett”.


The Hellborn King

The Hellborn King by Christopher G. Brenning

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A kingdom at war. A royal family at war with itself. After the massacre of his people, Damien Dreadfire leads a patchwork army of unlikely allies against the Kingdom of Betanthia. The alliance teeters on the edge of a knife, as old rivalries between clans threaten to tear it apart. With the help of his trusted friend, Einarr, and a strange mystic, Damien launches a bold offensive that will decide the future of the free lands. Short on time, and even shorter on men, the fate of a once vibrant culture and its people rests on the outcome of the next battle. Meanwhile, Betanthia's crown prince, Gareth Bethard, faces dangers of his own. With his family coming apart at the seams and a growing conspiracy afoot, he tries desperately to hold everything together. Even as Gareth grapples with inner demons, he must learn to take up his father's mantle as the protector of civilization and defeat Damien’s invading horde. It's only the fate of a thousand-year dynasty resting on his shoulders, after all.


Crownkeeper

Crownkeeper by Anne Wheeler

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It Takes a Queen to Save a Kingdom The last thing Riette expects on a snowy winter’s evening is Meirdre’s royal guard appearing on her doorstep. Their purpose? The king needs a bride, and tradition dictates the position is hers to accept. Desperate to secure her parents’ future, she agrees to the marriage and is whisked away to Lochfeld Castle, all too aware her childhood friend is there as well, imprisoned as a rebel in the dungeons below. But life at the Meirdrean court isn’t anything Riette expected. Not only does King Laurent have secrets, but so does the castle itself—mysteries she alone can see. The latest in a long line of women chosen to protect Meirdre, she discovers her foremost purpose is to shield the kingdom from both natural disasters and outside forces who would love to see it fall. War is on the horizon . . . but can she call upon her powers to stop it? Between love and treachery, Riette will discover what it truly means to be a crownkeeper—because accepting her future as queen of Meirdre might be the one thing that saves her kingdom. For those who prefer standalone novels, Crownkeeper consists of the novellas Treason's Crown, War's Crown, and Queen's Crown. It contains limited new material.


Cutthroats and Traitors

Cutthroats and Traitors by Steven Smith

SPFBO8

Will the Jagged Ghosts stop at nothing to evade capture? Their journey of alcohol induced law breaking may soon come to an end, with naval commander Lieutenant Dainsley being appointed the task of bringing the small pirate crew to justice. It’s a race against time. If the Jagged Ghosts lose, the noose will await them all.


A King's Radiance

A King's Radiance by L. R. Schulz

SPFBO8

Three siblings… a rebel, a prince, a prisoner The sun’s light shines bright over the land of Zapour, and only a select few can harness its power. But all power comes with a cost, and the world is not kind to those who refuse to pay it. Raiz Glaive, a strong shine wielder, was born into royalty, though even royals have to answer to someone. When the King-Radiant sends one of his precious underlings to the Kingdom of Trost, Raiz quickly learns who holds the true power in the realm. After his sister is taken prisoner simply for having the violet eyes of a mystic, Raiz swears vengeance. But when an unwilling father stands in his way, Raiz promises to take revenge into his own hands. Dazen Glaive remains heir to the throne of Trost, and a sworn defender of the King-Radiant, but he has not forgotten what happened to his sister, and will not forgive their cruelty. Forced to be the centrepiece of her “master’s” twisted human art gallery, Isha remains a prisoner. Though she has not lost hope. Finding friends among fellow captives, she begins to formulate a plan for escape. Though what she discovers has a much more sinister bearing on the fate of all of Zapour.


Den of Thieves

Den of Thieves by S.A. Klopfenstein

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A world of villains is no place for a hero... Imprisoned for a crime he barely remembers, Gunnar is forced to labor in an underground prison camp. But if he works hard, he earns time in a beta test for the first fully immersive online RPG.

Pantheon Online is beyond anything Gunnar has ever experienced, but the game is inextricably linked to his reality as a prisoner. He may not be the best or the brightest criminal, but if he fails to perform... things are not going to go well for him.

Gunnar must quickly learn to navigate a cutthroat city of thieves and assassins, garner the favor of a goddess, earn his way into a guild, and try not to be the brunt of all the AI's deprecating jokes. But there's more going on, and the further Gunnar progresses, the more he realizes that he is in for the ride of his life. Or is it... for his life?


The Hidden Blade

The Hidden Blade by Marie M. Mullany

SPFBO8

How far will commitment to his liege take the assassin Louis? The bluron’s wings delivers a stark command of death as the Empire teeters on the edge of a most uncivil war. For the first time in Her long history, a ducal line has failed. The last duke of Etendulat is dead and none of his heirs have undertaken the Trials of Dusang. The wealth of farmlands that lies at the heart of the Blutben peninsula lack a ruler and greedy men circle the bountiful plains. Into this high stakes game, Louis is sent to end the ambitions of Tybalt du Mamel, Baron of Somfaux, who would reach for the Etendulat Sash. With every step, he uncovers more of a treacherous plot that is poised to strike at the heart of the Empire. Forbidden magic shadows him and ultimately he must make a dire decision: Can he take the life of an innocent for the greater good? The Hidden Blade is the first book in an exciting new fantasy series. If you like epic fantasy with strong world building, a plot that stretches from the past to the future, human characters with human flaws and realistic magic, this book is for you! Plunge headlong into the world of Sangwheel Chronicles to learn what happens when the subtle game of politics turns deadly, start reading The Hidden Blade today!


The Prophecy

The Prophecy by R.E. Davies

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Elf born, raised by wolves, and talks to dragons… Who is this girl? She wants to find out, too, as she abandons the safe confines of her home to discover the truth for herself. Blessed with a magic unlike any before, she discovers a world at war ruled over by monstrous dragons, where the land has been slowly dying beyond that of her cozy little wolf den. The young elf discovers she is known by many names, and some believe her to be the one of prophecy meant to unite the land of Onis. It is no easy task that has been placed on her shoulders. There is no love between the dragons, the elves, the humans, the dwarves, and the drow, so getting them to listen will be quite a challenge. Luckily, the wolf child has an unprecedented team of cohorts to aid and guide her on her quest, but is she ready for such a challenge? Will the ancient dragons’ extreme hatred be overcome so that peace can be brought to the land? Or, will the young girl fail in her quest and bring forth an even greater war between the races? Join this young elf on her epic quest for peace and self-discovery as she battles against monsters, forms unbreakable bonds, and faces the reigning ancient dragons of Onis.


Fountain Girl

Fountain Girl by Patricia S. Bowne

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Paio's brother has come back to the village! But he's come home to die, and to require a promise that will change her life. She has to reveal the magic talent she's hidden, go to the far-away city of Selanto for training, and find his lost child -- before the water they all depend on is lost forever. Paio doesn't realize that the people most determined to stop her are right in front of her.


Augustine

Augustine by Emerson Laine

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DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING in this epic series starter by debut author, Emerson Laine. In a small village in the south of England, two sisters try to resurrect an ancient evil, but when one sister betrays the other to save the life of an innocent child, everything goes horribly wrong. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER, grieving the loss of her recently deceased mother and desperate to escape her ex-fiancé, Raewyn Winters relocates to Cranston Myre for some much-needed tranquility, only to discover that having an entire forest on your doorstep is less than idyllic, especially one shrouded in fear and suspicion. Then she meets John, the mysterious and handsome gardener from the Gothic mansion on the hill, who just happens to have the same unusual birthmark as Rae, and suddenly Rae’s quiet life spirals out of control as she is dragged into a dark and sinister world beyond anything she could ever have imagined.


The Last Lumenian

The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise

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MOST PRINCESSES NEED SAVING. THIS ONE WILL SAVE YOU. She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees's freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla's mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price. The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla's life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel. Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla's world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it's too late. They all seek to control her anyway. Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her.


The Shadow Courtesan

The Shadow Courtesan by Willow Woods

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No mortal will tell of our tragedy... Tenebrae; a world of darkness, trapped in the past and where vampires rule over their mortal slaves. Torn from the safety of her small village, twelve-year-old Reina is a thrust into a life of slavery and eternal darkness. Spending her prime years in servitude to the demons known as vampires, Reina learns to keep her head down and remain unseen. But all that changes when she makes a fatal mistake. A century after seeing her home destroyed and family slaughtered, Reina is forced to return toTenebrae. No longer a slave and raised to the ranks of vampire, the very creature she loathes, Reina is determined to end slavery and destroy Tenebrae. But she has caught the attention of Master Vrykólakas, the man responsible for the death of her family. Suspicious of Reina's return he issues her an impossible ultimatum: become his treasured courtesan or condemn the man who is both her Creator and lover to death. Buy now and join Reina as she battles the demons of her past and fights to forge her own path in life.


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