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Tied to Death (Monsters of Brimrey Island #4) by Vee Debras He means death. But so do I. The cursed child of a cursed family, there are two questions that Iâve never been able to answer. Why would my brother end his life on my birthday? And why has he never come back to tell me? Since the day I was born, Iâve been plagued by spirits. They make me sick: numb and blind and passing out on a puddle of my own vomit. One day, I wonât get away. One day, theyâll kill me. I canât let that happen, not before I talk to my brother one last time. But when I return home, all I find at his grave is an empty casket⊠And a man who tells me my brotherâs not actually dead. Finch is not human. Heâs a death creature who knows what I am and who can protect me from the spirits. For the first time in my life, someone can keep me safe. So what do I care if he says I should be scared of him? If he tells me I should leave? I wonât. Not until I find out what happened to my brother and unveil the secrets everyone is trying to keep from meâincluding Finch. Tied to Death is an MM monster romance with a transmasc main character, an obsessed love interest, many secrets, and even more angst. It can be read as a standalone with a HEA or as the fourth book in the Monsters of Brimrey Isand series. |
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When Yesterday Ends by S. Jean Nettles Hollow is as good a place as any to restart your life. At least, Ambrose Howl hopes so after his life falls apart. The townâs got everything he needs: a general store carrying his favorite cigarettes, a library he could get lost in, and a hedge witch who immediately befriends him. He settles in as an herbalist, using the knowledge heâd gained from academia that heâd left behind, and for once in his life, he feels like he could be content. Itâs not so bad living in some rural, far-flung town. Until heâs visited and kidnapped by the skeleton valet of Renwick Frey, a fey lord living in hiding who is cursed to eat human hearts every five summers to remain alive. As his next victim, Ambrose saves himself by making the desperate claim of knowing how to break curses. Renwick is charmed enough to let him try, but if Ambrose canât break the curse by summerâs end, then his heart is forfeit. The problem? Heâs never broken a curse in his life, and given the mysterious circumstances of this one, he might even die before summer ends. |
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Haunts and Heats at Pointe Highview by A.L. Davidson Wren Swallows wholeheartedly believes in three truths: their dadâs credit card has no limits, ghosts are definitely real, and Alphas are the worst. When the opportunity to indulge in their passion for the paranormal arises, the plucky Omega sets off on a clear day to visit a lighthouse in search of specters. Located on a tiny island, the historical landmark known as Pointe Highview promises a perfect night of ghost hunting for the haunted historian's debut ghost hunt. Everything is going according to plan until Wren discovers the lighthouse keeper - a man named Joel Cutter - is not only devilishly handsome, but a grumpy dominant Alpha who canât stand the sight - or smell - of them. Tensions and pheromones spark between the two, but Joel remains professional despite his seemingly instant disdain for Wrenâs literal existence, and Wren refuses to let a grumpy old man ruin their mood. The night of ghost hunting takes a turn for the worse when the perfect autumn weather grows stormy and strands Wren at Pointe Highview, forcing the clashing personalities to hunker down inside of the lighthouse until the sea calms and the skies clear... |
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Afternoons at The Acid and Apothecary by A.L. Davidson Nick Winchester - AKA beloved supernatural book reviewer NyxNovelNook - is screwed! After accidentally cursing themself with an ancient spell that their own magics can't undo (while reviewing a book for their BooTube channel, of course), they decide to head to the supernatural town of Broochport in search of help. Only one witch on Earth can undo something so powerful, and Nick is running out of time to ensure they don't lose their magic. Packing up a suitcase and heading out on an unsuspecting Thursday afternoon, Nick leaves their cozy apartment with hope in their heart. While looking for the infamous owner of the Acid and Apothecary, Nick stumbles upon fellow BooTuber, Daedalus Upshur - a streamer and aspiring indie film maker going by the username BigDaeddy. The half-demon is in town on a mental health break from his heavy streaming schedule, and to see his down-in-the-dumps cousin. Happy to see a familiar face, Nick catches up with their fellow influencer as Daedalus offers to help them find their way through the overwhelming college town. Upon entering the cozy café owned by the legendary Miss Eloise, Nick and Daedalus soon realize that their chance meeting may have set them off on a magical adventure in Broochport that will change their lives - both online and off - forever. |
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Lonely Planet Hotel by A.L. Davidson When Ellis Hughes accepted a position at the mysterious Lonely Planet Hotel, he never expected to find himself on a plane bound for Antarctica. Forced to leave his technology behind, Ellis arrives on the doorstep of a grand, state-of-the-art facility nestled in the frigid arctic wasteland. The resort is secretive, exclusive, and completely hidden from public knowledge. Only those with high recommendations can book a season at the resort, and the newly arriving guests looking for reprieve are not what he initially envisioned. Run by the chipper Carlisle Hawthorne and his dedicated, hardworking staff, The Lonely Planet Hotel opens its doors for the first season of the year, thrusting Ellis into a world of artists, aristocrats, heirs, and lost souls looking for healing in the midst of a chaotic universe. The isolated facility offers rest for the weary, healing for the hurt, and family for the lonely; all things Ellis desperately needs. Perhaps the most important thing it brings into his life is a mysterious writer named Dean Winters who threatens to change everything... Ellis soon discovers that the loneliest people are the most caring, and he may just find that the home he's been searching for all along is not found in a building, but the people who live there. |
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The Wayward Souls of Avalon by A.L. Davidson After the collapse of Earth sends the last of humanity soaring to Mars, documentarian Jocasta Thorne finds himself trapped in his spaceship on the outskirts of the planet's orbit. Nearly giving up hope of ever seeing another human again, Jocasta's quiet life is disrupted when a knock at the bay door breaks through the silence, and the stranger on the other side promises he can get them home. The Wayward Souls of Avalon is a cozy sci-fi tale about two strangers caught in each other's orbits and their year-long trip to Mars, perfect for fans of Becky Chambers, "The Darkness Outside Us" and "Moon Soul". |
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Princess and the Pauper by Isabelle Kelly Aisling, the crown princess of the small European country Vyctorya, has been sheltered her whole life with only her lady-in-waiting, Florence, by her side. She has to be perfect for her parents, and she worries about losing their love, considering that she's a closeted lesbian. With her marriage to the Duke of Belare a week away, she has resigned herself to a loveless fate. Chava Burke, a girl from America, is reeling from her father's death a year ago which resulted in a move back to her mother's home country of Vyctorya. With the anniversary approaching, Chava feels more lost than ever with no support from her family, a recent break-up with her girlfriend, and a rejection from her dream school, Purdue University. One day, after Aisling sneaks out of the palace, the two girls run into each other and discover that they look identical. They agree to switch places until the night before the wedding, and with Florence on their side, both girls are confident that they can get through the week with no one discovering their secret - until they start falling for people they shouldn't. |
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Itâs easy to fall in love with Paradise. Lucky Wilde didnât know a stalled motor could lead to love until handsome alpha Antonio Saavedra offers to tow him back to port. He thinks it might be magic. Especially after a night of passion leaves them both wanting for more. As head of the search and rescue squad, Antonio knows not to accept drinks from the people he saves. But itâs his day off and Lucky is the prettiest omega heâs ever seen. Between random animal facts and blue eyes that threaten to pull him under, Antonio wants more than a single night. Despite Luckyâs marine studies and an endless slew of tourists in need of saving, they carve out time. When a new hotel threatens the historic hatching grounds of a rare sea turtle, interests clash. Lucky refuses to let such an important beach be taken over while a land dispute forces Antonio to confront his familyâs past. They're in it together. For the island and for their love story, Lucky and Antonio are willing to do the work. Tides of Love is an MM Omegaverse Romance and is a standalone novel in the Wilde Paradise series. |
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a fast-paced blaze through Hell... Deadbeat Trent Cain can't catch a break. Life's been one disaster after another, rent's always due, and he's always late. Even his band doesn't want anything to do with him anymore and playing the guitar was the one joy he had left in life. When he takes a shortcut home through the park at 3AM, he walks right into another five angels waiting to greet him. Unfortunately, despite their proclamations of be not afraid, they mean him harm. His only hope is another angel wielding a lead pipe, but thereâs something familiar about this one... |
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Fallow Till We Bloom by Nikki Null TWIN PEAKS meets STARDEW VALLEY in this stunning queer small-town farmyard romance. "Never talk about the Dark Watchers..." Robyn Fields first saw the ghostly shadows after arriving at her grandfather's farm. By the time she arrived, grandpa was dead and the farm had burned down. Villagers whisper that the cryptids atop the foggy foothills must have been involved. Local vineyard heir Ash Grantor has seen them for decades without incident. Bottling himself up worked out just fine, until he got disinherited and lost everything. After Robyn invites Ash and his friends to live on the farm, long repressed feelings bubble up to the surface as the Watchers draw ever nearer. It's said that the Dark Watchers are drawn to big secrets, and that they had something to do with the old farmer's mysterious death. To save the farm and avoid that strange and haunting fate, Ash and Robyn must cast secrets aside and bloom together... |
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Moon's Lament by Iris Retzlaff Betrayal took everything from him. His love, his home, his name. Years later, Suzu has built himself a new life, found a new home, and people he calls family. But the pain from the past is not so easily overcome, and the memories he tried to forget come crushing down on Suzu when he runs into the one person he never ever wanted to see again. Jin left behind the boy he loves to build a life for both of them, but five years have passed and he has hardly achieved anything. Worse, his love has vanished without a trace and the monks at the temple they grew up in pretend to have never heard of Kari. At least Jin has his best friend Niall and a boss who is like a father to him. When Jin and Niall sneak into a high society party to gather juicy gossip and useful rumours, they learn of a young couple in the employ of the Earl of Tsukikage that has gone missing, but not even their families seem concerned. To get behind the mystery of their disappearance they need the help of the Earl's lover â Suzu. Grudgingly, and only to prove the Earl's innocence, Suzu agrees. But what they find instead is a conspiracy that puts the whole empire at risk. And in its wake follow old enemies. Once again Suzu might end up losing everything and everyone he holds dear, until all that is left is revenge. |
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The Ink Eater by Alice G. Brooks Baird Cardall is perfectly content with never leaving the manor. For over 200 years, he's written and eaten thousands of stories, keeping the house alive and pleased as its vessel-alone, codependent, and devoted. Until one of his stories escapes. Hemming is a shapeshifter written into existence to keep Baird company. Gorgeous, part ink, and infuriatingly desirable, his mere presence is a disruption. Having broken away from his story, he causes harm to the manor-and thus, to Baird. And, yet, the magnetic pull between them is undeniable, even as Hemming digs up the ugliest parts of Baird's past. But the house wants Hemming dead. It's awfully hungry, and it won't stop demanding until its cravings are satisfied. As his bond to the manor grows more hostile, Baird must choose between protecting all he has lived for-or destroying it for good. |
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What Ink Etched in Flesh by Devi Letalis After a violent fallout with his guardian Victor, teenage half-demon Damien is sent to a ruthless academy where young demons are carved into instruments of power for a society that would never fully accept him. Graduation marks oneâs place in the infernal order, but for someone with human blood in his veins, conformity comes at a steeper cost. Desperate to conceal what sets him apart, Damien struggles with the volatile magic inked into his skin and a growing sense that he doesn't fit the mould he's meant to become. While a new friendship begins to crack his carefully built mask, old bonds strain under the weight of unspoken expectations. Damien must choose: obey the order that broke him or become the spark that shatters it. This prequel unfolds alongside the events of Book One - How to Steal a Demonâs Heart and Get Away with It - and can be read on its own. But some truths are best faced after Book Three - How to Slay a Demon Lord and Get Away with It. The timing wonât spare you the pain⊠but it might help you understand it. |
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How To Become a Hero... Maybe by Iris Retzlaff To be a hero like the ones in the stories he grew up with â this had been Bran's dream for as long as he could remember. And it seemed straight-forward enough: save a princess, be a hero. But what if every princess has already been saved and every evil been defeated? Not one to give up that easily, Bran keeps looking for that one princess that still might need a helping hand. Yet when he finally finds his damsel in distress neither the rescue nor the 'princess' are quite as expected. And have fairy-godmother's always been such rude, forgetful drunkards? Having nothing better to do, Bran and his new companions embark on a quest to turn the young man into an honest-to-goodness hero â maybe. Oh, and turning his whole world upside-down in the process. |
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Bastian has made it his purpose to scavenge survival knowledge to trade with those who need it the most. In a world destroyed by a deadly parasitic fog, thatâs basically everyone. Life is hard in a waterlogged country prone to inclement weather and mutant butt worms. Just when things canât seem to get any worse, he ends up captured by a cannibalistic cult. Trapped in their cave where his only prospect is to become someoneâs dinner, Bastian meets his one chance of escape, the human equivalent of a mental breakdown, Felix. A cheerful, unstable disaster of a man who dreams of seeing the sky, touching some grass, and getting infected. Felix also happens to have a valuable talent that could buy Bastian supplies, favour, maybe even a future. But as they flee the cave and struggle together to stay alive, his contempt for the jaunty cannibal turns into the biggest risk to his life yet. Because falling for someone in the middle of fighting blood-thirsty cults and mutated parasites will absolutely get him killed. Especially when that someone not only relies on him for survival, but insists on being infuriatingly irresistible. Fogfall is a post apocalyptic gay romance novel that explores the brutal nature of an infested Netherlands and the few people still inhabiting it. |
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When Everything Was Fresh & Green by Bethany Tap When Tessa, a single foster mom, is charged with the care of Astrid, an abandoned teen witch, the world as she knew it disappears. Discovering secrets about her lost foster child Theo, Tessa follows Astrid and a fabulous witch named Cece to a magical house. There, she joins the ranks of Magix, including a burly siren, a snake-charming ogress, a morbid little vampire, a pair of wild werewolf toddlers, and a coven of ice fairies, all of whom are in hiding from a murderous organization hell-bent on destroying the magical and non-magical worlds alike. Interwoven with Tessa's journey is the story of three friends: Val, Tish, and Gunner. Letters between the three outline their work to prevent a looming climate crisis at all costs. As their story collides with Tessa's, it becomes clear that Tessa, Astrid, Cece, and even sweet Theo are mixed up in something far more sinister than they realized. Tessa must set aside her disbelief, fear, grief, self-doubt, and even her growing infatuation with Cece to join Astrid on a journey to find her family, finding her own family and the truth of herself along the way. |
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The Cloven Thief by Kelsey Wooley With their horns sharp and hooves swift, new heroes will rise to the quest⊠In the mystical realm of the Wilds, Pan, a clumsy, but good-hearted young faun of the Clovernest Herd, is excited to finally be old enough to become a Full Horn. Heâll be able to help protect his herd and their valley homeâŠand hopefully finally gain some respect among his herdkin. But due to Panâs foolish judgment, his herdâs peaceful life is thrown into chaos when their greatest treasure, a magical lute of fantastical power, is stolen by the young satyr, Hobkin. To atone for his grave mistake, Pan, along with his headstrong sister Omelia, must journey away from the safety of Clovernest to track the thief into the depths of the grand Hollowshade Forest. But evil forces are brewing within these ancient woodsâŠa faun is missing and wicked, blood-thirsty satyrs are roaming about. It will take all the bravery and strength within Pan, Omelia, and their allies to stop a great danger from spreadingâŠnot just to their herds but to all across the Wilds. The debut fantasy novel of animation story artist Kelsey Wooley, who also provides illustrations for readers of all ages to enjoy. |
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Byron: The One Lung Filipinomenon by Russovoir Bridging multiple genres, Byron: The One Lung Filipinomenon is a story of Byron Thomas, an 18-year-old openly gay student in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Enthralled with a fantasy of the American Dream, he is convinced beyond a doubt that he was born in the wrong country, and, with his parentâs blessing, he immigrates to the US. Finally free from suppression and the religious society of his homeland, Byron is able to start exploring his sexuality, while also dealing with feelings of inadequacy, the challenges of living alone, and fears of being an immigrant in a foreign land. Then, one night, Byron brings a stranger home, and everything goes terribly wrong. In a possibly supernatural turn of events, he becomes a completely changed man. Inspired by Greek mythology, the story asks: what if you had the chance to be totally happy and healthy, but in exchange you have to start all over again, forgetting anythingâand anyoneâwho hurt you? Would you take it? |
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Guitar Concerto in C Flat Minor, Op. 12: Lucina by S. Morgan Burbank A girl playing guitar in a bar was more than enough to catch Daniel's attention. But she was more than something hypnotic, something ethereal, something familiar. What if the girl of your dreams -- the girl in your dreams -- was someone you knew all along? What lengths will Daniel go to in order to find out? Or was the right answer always staring Daniel in the face? |
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Project Tasman by S. Morgan Burbank Alana Quevedo was supposed to spend a weekend at secluded mansion with her fiancĂ©e. Instead, sheâs found herself trapped in a sadistic government experiment that stretches every semblance of her sanity. The only way to get out is to kill someone and trap another person inside, but how can she choose to do that when almost everyone inside is someone close to her? |
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The Heresy of Thieves by Mia V. Moss Vael stole magic from the gods for Her people and put an end to centuries of unrest. Now magic is gone, and the battle for the Witchlandsâs soul begins. After a millennium of prosperity and magic, one catastrophic night undoes the realm of Yvaelen. Magic has fallen, and prayers to Vael the Giver go unanswered. Jal Riago knows when itâs time to move on from a con. She canât maintain her false refugee heiress story forever, and her benefactors grow weary of playing host. Just when sheâs about to confess and cut ties, a deadly raid sets Jalâs life on a collision course with a powerful entity reckoning with its own madness. The young, steadfast King Thealys Vorrine inherited the throne of Dynestra after her parentsâ deaths at Spellfall. But sparks of unrest flare all too quickly into the unpredictable wildfire of rebellion, and King Vorrine must forge headlong into unknown territory. Royal knight and notorious rake Ember Carrado is trying his best to get fired. Instead, when heâs paired with a judgmental paladin and sent on a mission to hunt down a rampaging mythical beast, he finds himself face-to-face with the past heâs been running from since Spellfall. Beacon Wylda Lorcanthas wields a sharp tongue and the second-highest office in the Church of Vael. When the head of the Faith dies, Wylda must seek out a biddable successor. Unfortunately, the clergyâs clear favorite is a charismatic priest who promises the restoration of magicâfor those willing to partake of a bloody cost. The dark betrayal behind Spellfall, and the very fabric of Yvaelenâs faith, will be hidden no longer. What began with a thiefâs touch will end with a reckoning. And salvation for some may be a waking nightmare for others. |
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Locker's Rebellion by Jesse Pohlman Katherine London, an arcane scientist for the Kingdom of Emor, is alarmed when her much-needed vacation with her swordswoman wife Clarice is interrupted with a summons to the capital. The Kingdom has always had trouble keeping the Principality of Presia in line, but a peasant uprising striving for independence is brewing and it falls to Kathy and Clarice to track down its ringleader. There are just two problems making Presia an awful place for Kathy: First, the theocratic Principality is hostile to non-conformist relationships like hersâ. Second, arcane gifts are viewed as witchcraft. But when an ancient relic tied to Presia's mythological savior is stolen through what can only be magic, the uprisingâs leader gains an air of legitimacy. Kathy would love nothing more than to leave this problem to someone else, but if she did - if the rebellion succeeded - it would strip away the Kingdom's protection from those like her who call Presia their home. She and Clarice cannot risk leaving others like them to a theocracy's scant mercies. When an opportunity to both quell the rebellion and place a more reform-minded cleric in charge of the Principality emerges, Kathy has a first-hand opportunity to help guide him to the right side on both core issues. That leaves her with two unknowns: Whether or not they'll be in time, and what they'll find when they get there. Locker's Rebellion is a fantasy action story which plays out like your favorite battle-manga centered around themes of Queer liberation and self-acceptance. Pick it up if you're ready to stand up and defend the defenseless! |
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The Curse of Aldebaran by Dakota Jackson Two spirits. One body. No way out. When Suraya and Meilingâs second year at the Academy begins with paired reconnaissance training, neither of them expects it to end in disaster. But when a mysterious agent of the Miyako family attacks, Meiling throws herself into the line of fireâand her spirit is torn from her bodyâŠonly to bind itself to Suraya instead. Now trapped together in a single body while Meilingâs empty form lies dying in the intensive care unit, the two girls are forced into an alliance neither of them wants. But the Mikayo family is still out there, draining spirits, hunting powerâŠand closing in on Suraya for a reason no one understands. As Suraya is hailed as Ataru Reborn, her power grows more unstableâand more dangerous. Meanwhile, Meiling is running out of time to reclaim her body before sheâs lost for goodâŠor killed like her uncle before her. The Curse of Aldebaran is book two in The Construction of Shadows series, a young adult fantasy series for fans of Percy Jackson and Avatar the Last Airbender. This installment ups the action, danger, magic, and romance for a thrilling race against time. |
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Spikes, Dice and Other Variables by Harper Kinsley Life is over for Riley McMahonâ â When junior setter Riley McMahonâs spot on the volleyball team is threatened due to academic ineligibility, sheâll do anything to save her grades. So when she finds out about the gaming club run by Simon, the smart kid in her math class, she joins without a second thought in order to convince him to tutor her. The problem? She sort of told him she loves the game he plays. And sheâs never rolled a single D20 in her life. But as they spend time together, Riley realizes she might feel something different for Simon. Rileyâs been avoiding relationships her whole life, and as her friends start to notice her not-so-platonic feelings for Simon, sheâs forced to admit why: sheâs uncomfortable with the idea of sex, which seems to be all anyone can think about in relationships. Balancing her own fears against societyâs expectations, Riley must figure out what matters most to her, and how to let everyone elseâs expectations go. |
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Riyati Recollection by Kai Zeal When the night is at its darkest, the sparks of life shine brightest. Kylie thought the danger was over: the last of Asuzaâs followers now dead, she was free to live life as a normal teenager â a freshman in college, the events of her high school years behind her. But what shouldâve been a fun vacation to Savannah takes a dark turn as an undead Riyatian attacks Maya and leaves Kylie with a cryptic message: her existence damned every other mage and she should not have survived that fateful day in June. Kylie is left with only questions; but the most difficult one of all is if she is even worth saving, even if it's just to make amends. But time is of the essence and she can't afford to wallow. She must now decipher the truth of the warning and figure out how to save the other mages before itâs too late. Riyati Recollection is the fourth book in a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series that seeks to explore themes of identity, legacy, generational trauma, and finding your own path in life. The series is set in the modern day fictional Southern US town of Opal Pines and includes multiple first person perspectives with characters across a range of queer, neurodiverse, and socioeconomic statuses. |
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Inarora's Excursion by Astrid Abell Inarora Beservera is the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but sheâs never been concerned about his political career before. After all, politiciansâ families were only targeted in Naaâran, right? Sheâs in for a rude awakening when sheâs sent almost 50 years into the past and finds herself living with her great-grandpas. During Inaroraâs stay in the past, she finds herself walking down a path of self-discovery. Of all the things to happen, she never expected sheâd develop unknown powers! Kaedan Beservera never expected his daughter to get kidnapped in a relatively safe country like Endâoria. Yet he has to rely on the Intelligence Ward, the same organization that refused to investigate his grandfatherâs murder, to find her. Between two useless bureaucratic institutions, Kaedan is forced to take matters into his own hands before he loses Inarora forever. But what can he do if he doesnât know who took her? |
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The Protector and the Annihilation by Naila Moonsi Some 100,000 years have passed since Earthians swept across the galaxy. By the year 9955 ATF after a catastrophe all but annihilates them, humans upon the ocean planet Imion are struggling to become space-worthy again. Two young men attending university vie for the role of Protector of All Worlds. They know that the godly power the Protector wields will save them all, and yet one day they wake up momentarily and realize... 60-year-old Armando Rivera and Ranvir Chandrani once loved each other. Stuck within a mental palace called âthe Citadelâ within âthe Boundless,â an otherworld that reflects the galaxy in eerie dream-like ways, they are now 19 years old again and stripped of their memories. In these young forms, the two subconsciously test if this love between them was something true while attempting to take each other down. Their life has begun anew around them due to a time loop within the Citadel, and it follows their gentle, morose memories perfectly within the years 9955 and 9956, until... Until their families try to kill them. Until the children from the future begin to arrive. Until their son birthed outside the body with their Merged elemental outer coresâAntonio Chandrani-Riveraâinsists on killing his identical twin brother Fernando Chandrani-Rivera. Ranvir and Armando very quickly realize that they must solve the mystery of what their true goals once were within the Boundless, figure out how to get out of the Citadel, and grasp why Antonio and his friends are intruding within. After all, upon the true planet Imion within the galaxy in the year 9996, a 20-year-old Antonioâs gone ahead and confronted his once-affectionate friend Alejandro Altahaâthe Alejandro who became their generationâs Protector of All Worlds at the cost of Antonioâs worldwide reputationâand this has spiraled into circumstances that leave Antonio on the brink of death. Only for the bright and happy memories of Antonio's teens to flood his mind⊠Back when he and Alejandro Altaha cared deeply about each other, and yet the understanding they gleaned regarding their ancient selvesâthe civilian Nasir Hadid versus the Lost Protector Shakirâstill colored everything, including their continued 10,000 year rivalry over the simple stakes of saving the world. And then there are the machinations of Antonio's cousin Layla⊠She laughs over their rivalry, but Antonio knows one thing: she hides secrets like breathing and despite their camaraderie, she is surely worse than Alejandro. |
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Through the Shards of My Heart by Machelle Berglund Ah, love! A powerful emotion. It can bring a spring into the steps of the lucky. The twinkle in their eye tells of the endless joy and laughter love had brought them. Loving hands cradle their hearts at all times. Others, however, may throw their hearts into the fire again and again. They hope for the warmth of a loving hand rather than to feel the pain of the blaze. And for a while, their wish may be granted; maybe for a short time, or for a blessed eternity. There are, however, the most unfortunate of souls whose hearts are forever twisted, forever scarred, and forever broken. But that doesnât mean that their love is forever lost. They may not be whole, but through the shards of their heart, they can find and give love still. In âThrough the Shards of My Heartâ, youâll find poems that explore the lows and the woes, the highs and the smiles, and the messy in betweens that love brings in all its forms. |
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Monitored Activity by Mitch Miller When a dancing mob feeds a woman to the food court escalator, security guard Shaw Price knows he is in for the worst shift of his life. Visitors speak in tongues. Somewhere in the building, a man has been scalped by a floor polisher. The security cameras have gone rogue, and strange, small objects reject visual perception. But Shaw canât focus beyond the insatiable hunger driving him mad. While he could blame it on a late coming-of-age, the last time he checked, visions of his supervisor gloating over the bodies of missing girls isnât exactly a common side-effect of teenage hormones. And then thereâs the whole thing about the mall maybe being alive. MONITORED ACTIVITY is a queer, sci-fi horror novella set in the early 2000s. Perfect for fans of THE BACKROOMS and digital indie horror. |
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Common Bonds 3 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver Common Bonds strikes a third time with a new volume of 18 speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters and centering platonic relationships. |
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Common Bonds 2 by Claudie Arseneault, Em Ishii, and RoAnna Sylver Common Bonds returns in this second volume of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. Housed within this anthology are a scientist who makes a terrifying discovery at the bottom of the ocean, a baker who must fulfill a prophecy, a priest and a witch who must form a family to escape a war, and a woman whose survival might just unravel time itself. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds 2 explores the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. From friends with benefits to mentors to life partners, this collection explores platonic relationships strong enough to overcome barriers of species, alien invasions, and the power of the gods themselves. |
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The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies Magic is a rich man's game. Archons control magic in the great city of Aefenhold. Brand-name spells, addictive potions, and celebrity TV keep the poor entertained while they toil in the factories manufacturing magic. That should have been the fate of Max and his childhood friend Lyle, until a violent workersâ strike tears their lives apart, condemning Lyle to the aetherstone mines and leaving Max orphaned with no choice but to sell his labour to a brothel. Life under the Archon's rule has given Max a taste for magical narcotics, and left Lyle with aether dust in his lungs and a deep resentment for magic. So when Aefenhold's rulers announce a televised contest to find the chosen oneâa prophesized distraction to unite the city against its detractorsâboth Max and Lyle see an opportunity to con their way into the contest. Where Max seeks to steal magic for his freedom, Lyle views magic as a tool of oppression to be destroyed. Their old friendship will be tested as they're forced to become adversaries against famous rival mages in a series of magical trials. Whoever becomes the chosen one will change the shape of magic forever. But magic is a rich man's game, and should Max or Lyle be discovered as frauds, their deaths will be televised next. The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duologyâa gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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The End of Time by Trudie Skies WHEN THE SAINTS FALL, THE SINNERS RISE. Calamity has befallen the steam-powered city of Chime as the gods declare war on each other, choosing Chime's streets as their battleground. Kayl has the means to end their reign for good and create a new world free from their whims. But recruiting an army against divine beings is no easy task, and as her allies fall one by one, Kayl is left to shoulder her burden alone. Finally free from his own god's shackles, Quen is bound in service to Chaos, who only wants revenge against Quen's former master. Torn between his desire for vengeance and justice, Quen is no stranger to the gods' cruelty and will do whatever it takes to see Kayl's vision throughâeven if it destroys his soul. To ensure a new future, Kayl and Quen must unite mortals against their makers and decide the gods' fate before time itself comes to an end. For the era of gods is over. The End of Time is the third and final book in The Cruel Gods seriesâa gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some readers may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies's website. |
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Court of Snakes: Bitter Truth, Honeyed Justice by Tycho Dwelis The city of Segeno is on edge. Terran, nearing his 18th birthday, struggles with the burdens of leadership. The people are restless, resources are dwindling, and chaos looms. Parisa, now happily engaged, aids where she can but is haunted by her fatherâs legacy. A stranger, Aumi, brings shocking news: the Great War never happened. The world outside Segeno has thrived, and the cityâs isolation is built on lies. As this truth threatens to spark a riot, Terran and Parisa must decide whether or not to reveal it, risking their cityâs collapse. In this gripping sequel, Terran and Parisa navigate power, identity, and truth in a city on the brink of revolution. Can they lead their people through the storm, or will Segeno Fall? |
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Aloe is Book 2 in the Tales From The Night Garden series. Acanthus and Cypress, an age old Vampire and a young new Werewolf, have accidentally started a war. Nekane, the Werewolf in charge, will go to any means necessary to capture Acanthus; meaning even humans are in danger. On the run, our non-binary heroes encounter others caught up in Nekane's hatred of vampires, witches, and any werewolves that fraternize with them! As Acanthus and Cypress regroup with the Night Garden, an underground organization committed to liberating any in Nekane's crosshairs, they're tasked with some of the hardest challenges they've faced yet! Friend or foe? It's hard to judge just who to trust in a world wrought with danger. In this second book of the Tales From The Night Garden universe, our protagonists continue their adventure in this game of chess with very real consequences. A gaggle of strays begin to expand their found family and a love that blazes bright in the night starts to break out of the darkness. What can Acanthus and Cypress do to convince Nekane to stand down, or are words not enough? How will these two fugitives handle inviting more refugees into their growing resistance? How will The Night Garden continue to save the disenfranchised Supernaturals when Nekane shows up at their Head Quarters' door!? No one knows, but both Cypress and Acanthus have decided they can't run anymore. It's time to stand up for what is right and just. Will you stand up with them on their next journey? |
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Cypress Borne is 22 years old, a dashing young non-binary lad with a fairly easy life in New York City. That is â fairly easy until their routine is interrupted by a vicious dog attack on the way home from the gym. Their life turns upside down after that one singular event-- blackouts, unexplained fits of rage and lost time plague him. Two years of medical tests, therapy, and a life that's spiraling down the toilet later, they navigate their way through the panic attacks and the hopelessness to an old, derelict, and a seemingly abandoned church in the woods, away from the noise and the people. Little do they know, the church isn't abandoned but rather occupied by a vampire hoping to die and rotting in a coffin. Acanthus Sylene believes that a fine wine should never have an age attached, and neither should a fine being. Nonbinary in such a way that gender is completely irrelevant, Acanthus has lived a very long life and is frankly exhausted by it. Embroiled deeply into the politics of the World of Shadows, they have abandoned their duties to The Night Garden, a refugee path that they forged. But, something changes when a lost, scared, ignorant werewolf shows up on their door step. Both of these preternatural beings are looking for answers. Somehow, instead of finding their place in the world, they find each other. However, in the process of finding and growing with each other, they may have put their entire lives â and The Night Garden â at risk. |
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Troubled Bodies by Jake Vanguard We can be monsters together. Curiosity has led Payne down a path of experimentation filled with corpses, connections to the undergroundâand a dead partner. When he finds Blaze, broken and lifeless, on a crime cleanup scene, Payneâs knowledge of anatomy and his created serums assist in bringing Blaze back to life⊠The only hitch in this plan? They come back different. Together, Payne and Blaze must navigate their new life, filled with a ravaging hunger for fresh meat and opioids, while keeping their urges secret from a powerful don. And things get even more complicated when they find themselves entangled with a third unexpected person who has more to give than financial freedom. Care to take a bite? Troubled Bodies is a tale of obsession, of devotion and addiction, of care and primal urges - and, above all, of love. |
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Prometheus: A Queer Futuristic Horror Anthology by Jake Vanguard; Ezra Wren THE YEAR IS 2099. A dark web dweller, a curious space explorer in a library, a forbidden queer couple seeking new horizons⊠Prometheus stole fire and gave it to humanity. To this day, we carry it in our hearts: an innate spirit no machine can replicate. Sixteen authors bring you tales of imagined futures, spanning vast worlds and a wide breadth of queer, human, and post-human experiences. From a surgeonâs backstreet office to a city of dreams to motherships, AI-dominated worlds, and cults, enter a universe of horrors that will make your heart race and your skin prickle. THE FUTURE IS HUMAN. |
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No Man's Daughter by Justine Lombardi Fugitive KĂĄra, the bastard daughter of a legendary hero, builds a new life on the mountain frontier, until bounty hunters find her, shattering her familyâs cherished peace. To earn a pardon, she joins a hunting party sent to retrieve a wampus catâs hide for the High King. Itâs a perilous task, as the cat stalks the domain of the fierce and immortal Jotun. To survive, KĂĄra plunders her fatherâs tomb, tearing Tyrfing, the last arcane weapon, from his undead hands. The rifle can slay any monster, but such strength comes at a terrible price: bloodlust and an unquenchable thirst for power. Immersive, propulsive, and compelling, No Manâs Daughter combines Norse paganism with Appalachian folklore in a darkly magical nineteenth-century world, focusing on a womanâs fight to return to her family. |
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A Divided Life a memoir of hiding from myself, survival, and becoming whole by Todd Boler What happens when everything around you teaches you that an essential part of who you are must remain hidden? In the tradition of Boy Erased, A Divided Life explores the destructive logic of conversion therapyâbut from inside the mind of a young man who became both its subject and its enforcer. Growing up gay in a faith-shaped Midwestern town during the 1970s and 1980s, Todd Boler was never sent away to be changed. With no safe place to bring his questions, he built his own private system of correction, restraint, and moral bargaining. Family, faith, friendship, and community offered real love, structure, and belonging, but also expectations Todd believed he could not meet as his whole self. To preserve those relationships and the life he knew, he adapted. Outwardly, he appeared capable, faithful, and âfine.â Inwardly, he became divided. With candor, psychological insight, and unexpected humor, the memoir traces how compartmentalization, silence, bargaining, and emotional restraint helped him endure. Practical Brain kept daily life functioning. Irrational Brain kept asking questions. Shame transformed Toddâs hidden identity into the âGay Monster,â an imagined enemy he believed he had to defeat. Over time, the survival system reached its limit. The turning point comes on a freezing country road in January 1985, when everything Todd believed about himself narrows into a potentially fatal conclusionâbut then gives way to a quieter truth: the part of himself he had been fighting was not evil. It was simply him. This is not a dramatic coming-out story, and it does not reduce the people Todd loved to villains. Although rooted in one gay life, A Divided Life speaks to anyone who has hidden part of themselves to preserve a relationship, satisfy an expectation, remain in a community, or simply belong. It is a relational memoir about the intelligent ways people adapt when honesty feels unsafe, the limits of those survival structures, and the difficult but possible movement toward self-recognition, reconciliation, and ordinary wholeness. For anyone who has appeared âfineâ while hiding part of themselves to belong. |
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The Lineman by Christina K. Glover GRASPING AT THREADS If thereâs one thing Henley Yu has learned, itâs that nothing is easy when it involves Chief Operator Kittinger. The pair can finally face the world together, focused on the pursuit of the Ethereal lord who escaped into the Actuality. This time the mortal world wonât be a silent victim, and Kit and Henley will hunt their quarry with the help of mages who have plenty to lose. But Kit punched through something he shouldnât have in the battle for the Order Headquarters. His transgression has opened him up to a darkness that swallows him whole, leaving him cold and his body empty. What is broken can only be mended by the hand of the maker. In his fight for Kit and their future together, Henley will need help from the only one who knows the real story behind the Betweenâbut only if the Lineman is willing to lend his aid. Secrets will be revealed and the final battle unfolds as the Connections series comes to a close! |
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The Constellation Caves (PearlHeart Book 2) by Keilani McConnell A group of sailors travels together across a tropical country, meeting new people and solving the mystery affecting those there. The crew of PearlHeart is on break after their most recent journey. Rath, One-Eye, his Spirit Lion, and others have chosen to spend it on Delphy, Rath's homeland. However, while traveling to where they are staying for the Summer, cracks begin appearing in different parts of the country and the group agrees to help find the cause in order to protect the Constellation Caves, which lay underground. âFor readers who love rich characters, mysteries, and traveling across fantasy worlds. |
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Together is a Distant Star by A.J. Calvin, V. Carvajal Leiva, Nancy Foster, Andrea Marie Johnson, Natalie Kelda, C.B. Lansdell, Karen Lykkebo, Erika McCorkle, Branwen OShea, Alyse N. Steves, Delilah Waan, Isabelle Wagner How far would you go to find where you belong? A shapeshifting alien changeling raised by humans. The âwickedâ child selected as the village sacrifice. People trapped in rigid belief systems, oppressive regimes, well-intentioned families, complicated relationships, and their very own bodies. Is it better to succumb and survive, or escape by staking everything on a slender hope? What triumphs in the end, love or vengeance? And if all that remains is ashes, is it still worth it? Grapple with these questions by diving into twelve new science fiction and fantasy stories. Together is a Distant Star is a collaborative anthology that encompasses authors hailing from Europe to Australia, South Africa to South America, and celebrates a kaleidoscope of perspectivesâfemale, nonbinary, BIPOC, queer, and more. Featuring stories from: A.J. Calvin, C.B. Lansdell, Nancy Foster, V. Carvajal Leiva, Karen Lykkebo, Erika McCorkle, Branwen OShea, Alyse Steves, Delilah Waan, and Isabelle Wagner. |
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Shadows We Cast by James Chance After their return from the Underworld, Vincent, Henry, and their pack find themselves with a new mission: break open the portals to Heaven and Hell, so every spirit can find their way to a peaceful afterlife. The catch: figuring out how to do it without a human sacrifice. The second catch: Vincentâs hellhound kin also have a new missionâto hunt him down, and kill anyone who gets in their way. With hellhounds and Shadowhand closing in fast, they need all the help they can getâeven from some old friends they would rather have left behind. But together, they might be able to carve out one last chance to right the wrongs of history. To do it, they must travel across the ruins of Heaven, back through the depths of Hell, and even to the deepest crevices in the mind of a vengeful god. But they may just find that the doorway to saving mortalkind resides not in the mind, but the heartâŠand Vincent and Henryâs love could be the only key. |
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The Inescapable March by Hana Carolina Arran, a widely feared warrior-mage who can manipulate time and space, and his best friend, Hyacinth, an almost-famous actor and talented singer adored by (too) many, find themselves trapped in a recurring nightmare ending with their deaths. Separated amid a blood-soaked war, they keep meeting again, lost in a hazy space between winter and spring, dream and reality, friendship and love. |
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"I was born from love, yet I am heavenâs greatest heresy." Born of angel and demon, the half-breed is raised in captivity until the day he escapes, carrying only a single forbidden tenderness from a healer angel who defied Heaven to hold him for a single night. When the healer is taken into the Demon Realm as a sacrificial offering, the half-breed tears through demon arenas, claims a throne he never wanted, and crosses the void where souls face eternal erasure. He encounters angels of all ranks, demon lords and fallen beings, all to reach that one love that he was never allowed to want. This is a journey that asks whether a soul born as heresy can claim the right to love, and to be loved in return. âLet them see it. Let them feel the weight of everything I was never allowed to be. I will not cower.â God's Scar is a slow-burn, emotionally intense, M/M dark fantasy romance of forbidden devotion, visceral worldbuilding, and the quiet violence of choosing to love in a cosmos built to destroy you. âI just want you. Painfully. Desperately. Endlessly. You are the only reason worth living for. The only thing that makes this world bearable.â - Slow-burn, non-explicit M/M romance. - Gritty, lyrical storytelling. - The ache, yearning, and grief that love demands. - Touch him and die. - Who did this to you? - Forced proximity. - Found family. - Vivid, immersive, theological worldbuilding. - Epic fantasy grounded in philosophy and emotional depth. - Character-driven saga - Morally grey demons and angels. - Not a fast read. A lasting one. âBecause love was not the warmth they sang about in hymns. Love made you vulnerable, exposed to the sheer, naked terror of caring enough to lose everything.â For readers who love 'Angels Before Man' by Rafael Nicolas and 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton. For readers who want prose that reads like prayers. For readers who want vivid, epic Heaven and Hell. For readers who need love to cost everything, but then cost more. For readers who choose to be emotionally devastated. For readers who want an ending that will leave them quiet. |
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Amity in the House of Her Enemy by Hiyodori It was an undeserved hatred, but she knew one day she would earn it. Amity already got her revenge. Since childhood, she's secretly worked to bring down the wealthy mage who destroyed her family. After succeeding, she runs away to start a new life under a stolen identity. Years later, she turns thirty, and the mageâs daughterâJuniperâtracks her down. Amity (a born servant) and Juniper (heir to a magical lord) have a long and unpleasant history. They clashed as children, and again in college, while Amity pursued vengeance against Juniper's clan. Amity shamelessly wielded every weapon at her disposal: her wits, her looks, her healing abilities, and her fearlessness. In those days, lying and sabotage were her bread and butter. Icy, uptight Juniper couldn't be more different. Sheâs always been a stickler for the law. But now the government wants to make an example of Amity for her crimes, and Juniper steps in to protect her. This can't possibly be an act of compassion⊠yet, given the choice between going with Juniper or going to jail, Amity chooses Juniper. A dangerous gamble. Juniper still has the legal right to claim her as an indentured servant. By trapping Amity in the desolate old mansion where it all began, perhaps Juniper can finally start to exact her own long-awaited revenge. Amity in the House of Her Enemy is a twisty and extremely slow-burn f/f romance featuring childhood enemies, hurt/comfort, family drama, and the very tentative beginnings of a movement against the greatest foe of all: the mageocracy itself. This novel takes place in the same contemporary fantasy world as the Clem & Wist series, but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone story. |
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Tied to Life (Monsters of Brimrey Island #3) by Vee Debras He has the keys to save herâŠand me. When I get the news that my cat Melody is dying, I know thereâs nothing I can do but watch her suffer⊠Until one night I wake up to a hand reaching for me from inside a tomb. Oliver St. James should not be alive, but he is here and begging me to get him out of the mausoleum thatâs been his prison for the past twenty years. I willâwith one condition: he has to tell me how he came back to life. The problem is that he doesnât remember what happened to him, and his family has put their millions behind keeping it a secret. Press-backed lies, bought silence, NDAs. All to pretend their heir never existed. The more time I spend with nerdy, charming Oliver, the less I understand what he couldâve done for his family to hate him like they did. And the more pieces of the puzzle I find, the more scared I get of the price I will have to pay to save Melody. Tied to Life is an MM monster romance with a trans main character, a couple of nerds falling in love, lots of angst, and bad science. Though best enjoyed as the third book in the Monsters of Brimrey Island series, it can be read as a standalone and has a HEA. Check out the rest of the series for more queer characters finding love in this small town on a haunted island. |
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Medusaâs story didnât end. It went on, and on and on⊠Now her time is up. The gorgon of mythical infamy now goes by Onyx; the latest in a long line of reincarnations. She gets by, avoiding attachments that make immortality more unbearable. She wouldnât have chosen this life. But gods have never cared what she wanted, not even the ones who saved her from Athenaâs wrath. Now, sinister whispers about the vengeful goddess and a sudden change in circumstances have Onyx spooked. Perhaps, if she tracks down something Athena wants, she can earn a reprieve. Blake Miharaâs research skills are important, but so is the way they look at Onyx. She should be focused on the task at hand, not how they make her feel after centuries of loneliness. When they both end up stuck in the Underworld, Onyxâs choices narrow to almost nothing. The Goddess of War wants to kill her, and now the Lord of the Dead wants to keep her. But with Blake stubbornly at her side, hope isnât entirely lost. Maybe thereâs a way out of this hell. The question is, which one? The one inflicted on Onyx, or the one she inflicted on herself? Shades of Onyx is a single POV, sapphic romance containing reimagined elements of various Greek and Roman mythologiesâit is not a retelling. There are content warnings in the book and at www.tjwilliams.uk |
