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A witch running from heartbreak, a merman who hunts the stars, and the Shade which binds them both. Keir Simmons, a bounty hunter for the Coven for the Regulation and Oversight of Witches, has made a career out of running away from his problems. Blindsided by a break-up, he leaps at the first assignment heâs offered, one that will take him far away from his ex: chasing a rogue lorelei to the edge of the European continent. When a chance encounter with a midnight diver leaves the pair inextricably linked, Keir is caught between his responsibilities as a C.R.O.W. Enforcer, his past as a questionably wicked witch, and his broken, but beating heart. With C.R.O.W. breathing down his neck and the lorelei continuing to evade capture, it becomes harder and harder to turn away from his unlikely ally â a man with a secret lurking just beneath the surface. |
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Nyle doesnât want to be there. But something is very wrong in the District of Portland, and the cold call of death forces his arrival. If he canât lay the dead fast enough, his long life, begun in Anglo-Saxon England, will end. Portlandâs electronic walls do more than keep the mutants out. The government is using them to block Nyle and his kind, the ravens, who roam the world, freeing the dead from their bodies where they remain trapped till a ravenâs arrival. Cait, a Portlander working as a beautician, has her own troubles, dodging the GM (genetic modification) police and struggling with rent. But the dead are invading her dreams. Nyle tells Cait that sheâs not genetically modified. Sheâs a necromancer. In the District of Portland, the dead are being trapped indefinitely and used as energy sources. Nyle and Cait must stop the technology from spreading before the abuse of the dead becomes a worldwide menace and they themselves end up on a laboratory table or trapped in a machine. Grave Cold is a biopunk novel about the value of life and the power of taking a stand in a grim near-future world of exploitation and authoritarianism. |
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Beelzebub's Bargain by Tessa Hastjarjanto The Devil is coming, and heâs bringing friends. When Nora finds out Ben was banished from the Angelic City she needs to know what happenedâeven if it means going to Hell. Beelzebubâs right-hand, Jack, forces Ben to revisit a painful part of his past while the demon lord thwarts Noraâs attempts at rescuing him. After a narrow escape Nora joins Lucifer on a trip to Hades in the Underworld, while Ben finds some much needed help from the Valkyrie in Purgatory. Together they must find a way to stop Beelzebub, or he will make Earth Hell for the living. |
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The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox The chaotic crew of heisting misfits in Leigh Bardugo's SIX OF CROWS meets the familiar yet fantastical, modern landscape found in Robert Jackson Bennett's CITY OF STAIRS. âThe thirteen emblems given to the original rulers werenât just symbols. Theyâre keys to the Vaultâone that no oneâs ever opened.â Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of âproblemsâ for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noaâs surrogate fatherâa Seerâhands her a long-lost emblem, telling her with his dying breath that it's her responsibility to reignite magic, she laughs at the idea that the fate of their world rests on the shoulders of a killer. Instead, she uses his words and the key he gave her as an excuse to go on one final suicide mission to seek out the power supposedly waiting for her to annihilate his murderer. Prince Glacier Caelius has lived his life trapped inside a gilded cage, pushed down by the ever-present threat of death as the bastard son of Amaraisâs late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacierâs rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his countryâs emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, heâs the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life. Well, once theyâre able to formulate a plan to take the palace back. Struggling with their tentative, newfound freedom, Noa and Glacier must learn to work together to survive the urban landscape of Avariaâs greatest cities fortified by technology in the wake of dwindling magic. The goal: steal as many keys as they can before their pasts catch up. But the further they go, the more they realize that something worse may be lurking on the horizon, and they may very well be the only ones able to stop it. |
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Our Darkest Hour by Gabriella E. Mari Coming into his psychic powers by accident, Adrian Sinclair finds he has the ability to see and communicate with spirits yet zero understanding of how anything works. So when the YouTube-famous Crossroads Paranormal Research Society offers to take him under their wing, he knows he is in no position to refuse. As Adrian learns what it means to be a paranormal investigator and how to navigate his newfound online celebrity status, he discovers that psychics are quitting en masse, and there are only vague rumors as to why... ... until something beyond his reach starts stalking him. |
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Stargun Messenger by Darby Harn Astra Idari must keep the last living star alive in a galaxy lost to shadows. Astra Idari is a mess. She drinks too much, remembers too little, and barely pays for it all as a Stargun Messenger. She hunts down thieves who steal filamentium, the fuel that allows for faster-than-light travel. When Idari meets Gen Emera, she meets the girl of her dreams and the last living star. There's just one problem. Filamentium is only found in the blood of living stars. Everyone wields knives and justifications for butchering the living stars, but once Idari knows the truth, she faces a stark choice. Either she turns Emera over to her employers who control the filamentium monopoly, or risks everything to help Emera fulfill her quest to save her people. The choice should be simple, but it's not losing her life that terrifies Idari. It's finally living. Idari knows she's human despite outwardly appearing to be an android with a failing memory stitched together by her ship's irascible AI, CR-UX. She's been just getting by for longer than she remembers, assured in her humanity, but not enough to risk it. Idari has lived her entire life in darkness. The dark comforts and shields. The dark preserves in its cold, and Idari may not be able to keep her star out of her shadow. |
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Gryphon's Escape: An Areaer Novella by Raina Nightingale Sisel is a Gryphon of the Valor Hall, bonded to the Valor Knight Meir. She does not understand human society or why Meir and she have to do most of what they do, but she loves Meir and she accepts that humans are different. She does not need to understand them. Just as even Meir does not understand her. Until Sisel is asked to pluck information out of the mind of an uncooperative tortured prisoner. She does not understand what she is being asked to do, but when she touches the prisoner's feelings, she knows that, whatever else is going on, this is insane. Beyond even normal human insanity. |
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Maya is a 20-year-old with a graveyard shift at the post office, a ma whose temper rises even faster than the rent, and all of the million daily headaches of life as a young woman of color in New York in 2011. Her one saving grace is her local arcade, home of New York's feisty, burgeoning fighting game tournament scene. But that respite is taken away from her after she gets banned for standing up to a trash-talker who goes too far. To get back into the arcade and fight for her independence and respect, Maya will partner with a team of up-and-coming players and learn to defeat not just her opponents, but also her own worst instincts. Beneath Maya's quest for FGC glory shines a deeper story about how all of us are made by historyâand how we can make history in our turn. The connections between Maya, the women who raised her, and the generations who come after her, examine how our moment in time determinesâoften unjustlyâthe risks we take for the rewards we desire for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Bodied is a unique coming-of-age story with sneaky literary chops, a modern mashup between The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and A League of Their Own. |
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"If you ask my father who I am, heâll tell you Iâm nobility, daughter of a warrior and stepdaughter of a queen. And if you grabbed someone off the street, youâd probably hear that I was something that might just steal your children from their beds at night, but you didnât hear it from them. But if you ask me, Iâd say the term âmisfitâ is more appropriate." Kulebra Uhero â or âKulaâ, as she insists everyone call her â doesnât want to be a diplomat. Sheâs Ahktaliâs least qualified princess, and sheâs content to trade her royal duties of attending palace guests for overseeing royal animals instead. But after tragedy strikes, sheâs left as her little sister and new queenâs only resort to quell the fears of an empire. When her mission of goodwill doesnât go according to plan, Kula is left with several enemies and the threat of a provinceâs rebellion looming on the horizon. As she truly discovers her nation for the first time, she is forced to confront not only Derianâs shrewdest politicians but herself as well. |
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Among blood sisters, I find only misery. Among Red Sisters, I find ambition to thrive which leaves me breathless. I am a young Noble trapped in a most wretched spot: accused of assassinating my sister, the Matron's heir. If I take the blame, I am next on the sacrificial altar. Dark Elves live for intrigue in our underground matriarchy. We bend the rules for the cunning and the bold. To survive, I must play the game. Through court intrigue, demonic rituals, and mind-rending trials against deadly foes, pervasive webs surround me, all spun by our sadistic priesthood and the Queenâs brutal enforcers. Through it all, the Red Sisters delight in watching me. I must prove myself beneath their ravenous gazes, or I will become the next meal for our goddess. A.S. Etaski spins the first threads of an intense and epic tale with "No Demons But Us", in which the trials of a young Davrin test her resolve to rise from the depths of fear and hatred tearing her down. Sister Seekers is mature dark epic fantasy with an ever-broadening scope. Found family is a core theme throughout, and fans of Dungeons & Dragons will find familiar grounds. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuance, intrigue, action, and magic. The series begins underground with an isolated race of Dark Elves whose intricate webs first ensnare then catapult us to places a Red Sister can only imagine in her dreams. |
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Affirmations For Entrepreneurs: Daily Mantras For Life, Love, and Liberty by Gafar Olawale Liameed Affirmations for Entrepreneurs presents engaging principles for those who seek faith and enthusiasm in the pursuit of dreams and ambition. The journey of entrepreneurship is full of constant challenges and opportunities, but with daily mantras to boost your concentration and positivity, you'll have the tools you need to overcome obstacles and achieve success. Start each day with the positivity and focus you need to achieve your goals with Affirmations For Entrepreneurs. |
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Allowing the Night by T. S. Winterway Jaq is a loner. He is completely happy with sharing his home with no one but his adopted dog and having as little to do as possible with the neighbors. Or so he thinks until he bumps into a grimling in the pouring rain. Whether he wanted it or not, the encounter in the murky woods changes his life forever. When Briar sets out hunting with his clan mates on a rainy day, little does he know of how revolutionary consequences a simple act of goodwill can have. The nocturnal fays avoid contact with humans far as they can, but when it comes to choosing between saving a life or closing his eyes to evil, to Briar, the choice is clear. But will anything good come out of the collision of the opposites? Is allowing the night to step over his threshold the foolest choice Jaq has ever made, or could it result in something positive? |
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The Road To Joy and Happiness, How To: Develop Life-Changing Habits, Change Negative Behaviors, and Create The Life You Want by Byron Pulsifer, Catherine Pulsifer It's easy to become overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions that can lead to unhappiness and distress. But what if you could implement certain habits which could help you develop a habit of joy and happiness? Discover 19 practical and life-changing habits, along with a special 21-day challenge, to help you find joy and happiness. The 19 key habits are like a map that can take you down this rewarding road, allowing you to uncover greater joy and happiness in all aspects of your life. Developing life-changing habits is an achievable goal and doesn't have to be daunting. There is no one path to joy and happiness, but rather a combination of elements. It may seem like an impossible task, but with dedication and effort, you CAN travel the life-changing road to joy and happiness. So why not start today? |
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The Acorn Stories by Duane Simolke Visit the West Texas town of Acorn! Enjoy the German festival, a high school football game, homemade apple pie from the Turner Street CafĂ©, and the cool shade of a hundred-year-old oak tree. Meet dedicated teachers, unusual artists, shrewd business owners, closeted gays, and concerned neighbors. See how lives become intertwined in moments of humor or tragedy. Just be careful, because in Acorn, the sky is always falling! From romantic comedy to razor-sharp satire to moments of quiet reflection, Duane Simolkeâs award-winning tales transform a fictional West Texas town into a tapestry of human experiences. âA lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.â âKirkus Reviews âThe ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each characterâs breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.â âE. Conley, Bettyâs Books |
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Empress and Soldier by Marian L Thorpe A boy of the night-time streets. A girl of libraries and learning. Druisius, the son of a merchant, is sixteen when his fatherâs cruel order drives him from home and into the danger and intrigue of the military. Eudekia, a scholarâs daughter, educated and dutiful, is not meant to be a princeâs bride. In an empire at war, and in a city beset by famine and unrest, she must prove herself worthy of its throne. A decade after a first, brief meeting, their lives intersect again. When a delegation arrives from the lost West, Druisius is assigned to guard them. In the span of a few weeks, a young captain will capture the hearts of both Empress and soldier in very different ways, offering a future neither could have foreseen. A stand-alone novel that can also serve as a second entry point into the Empire series. No previous knowledge of my fictional world is needed. |
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Lipstick Covered Magnet by Amber Herbert Sheâs running from her past. Heâs hoping to become her present. Skylar has avoided the past for three years. She canât be plagued by guilt and regret if she never has time to process what happened. When a song triggers the memories sheâs tried so hard to bury, she knows she canât run anymore. Despite her ex being gone, heâs hiding in the quiet and stillness. Thereâs no escape. Connor has always been passionate. If heâs into you, he will follow you to the ends of the earth. Sure, his fixation once ended in a restraining order, but that was just one girl. When he meets Skylar, he feels that same itch. Despite her attempts to brush him off, he increases his effortsâeven if that means tracking her movements and stalking her online. He knows heâll win her over if heâs persistent. As Skylar does her best to heal, Connor sinks further into obsession. Lipstick Covered Magnet is a genre-bending debut that weaves the intricacies of healing with delusion and suspense. For fans of You and I May Destroy You *Content warning: contains sexual assault, mentions of suicide, and stalking. |
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The Girl Who Steals Christmas by C.G. Drews A prequel short story about the De Lainey family from The Boy Who Steals Houses. It's set a week before Moxie meets Sam. Available for free on author's blog. Last year Christmas didnât happen because their mother had just died... It's a hot miserable December and the De Lainey family are actively ignoring the festive season, but when Moxie finds her little sister's screwed up letter to Santa in the bin, she decides to bully Christmas to life. Includes various sibling dramas, a too-small tent, and confusion between Santa and a potato. |
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When nowhere is safe in the world you know, you have to hide... or start making a new one. Robert is eleven when his best friend dies and he learns that if he wants to survive in the world he has to be ânormalâ. He buries his feelings, his awful childhood memories, and his suspicion that he is gay. Even when he falls in love with Johnny, he pretends it isnât happening, and buries those feelings too, choosing safety in the closet, a career as a lawyer, a wife and kids, and suburban happy ever after⊠Until Johnny returns needing help, and then disappears, and Robert's façade begins to crack in heartbreaking and dreadful circumstances. Only one other person saw what happened that night, and after being arrested for drunk and disorderly, he disappears. It shares poignant and emotional elements of Douglas Stuartâs Shuggie Bain and Craig Silveyâs trans-coming-of-age novel Honeybee, with the suspense of The Dry by Jane Harper, while drawing on the historical facts leading up to the airing of the dirty linen of the Bjelke-Peterson era with the broadcasting of The Moonlight State-1987 . Trying to keep his secret and himself safe isnât Robertâs only priority. He wants justice too. But when the police force is corrupt from the top down, justice isnât merely elusive, itâs an impossibility. Or so it seems when youâre fighting for yourself alone. But other people have been fighting for justice too. If Robert can convince them to help him, together they may set something unstoppable in motion. It will either run down the corrupt police or run over and destroy Robertâs life. Inspired by the true story of a suicide that was reclassified thirty years later as a gay hate-crime murder, The Outing is set in 1980s Queensland, (Australia), where corrupt police and politicians rule together, with an audacious disregard for the law. It shares poignant and emotional elements of Douglas Stuartâs Shuggie Bain and Craig Silvey's trans coming-of-age novel Honeybee, with the suspense of The Dry by Jane Harper, while drawing on the historical facts leading up to the airing of the dirty linen of the Bjelke-Peterson era with the broadcasting of The Moonlight State-1987. Breaking a corrupt system can sometimes break you, and those you love⊠some, forever |
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The Kings of Nowhere by C.G. Drews Avery Lou has given up stealing houses â now heâs meant to build them. Forced to stay with the De Lainey family until Samâs return from juvie, Avery feels like heâs drowning. He hates that Sam chose the De Laineys instead of running away with him. And he hates working in their construction company while Vin, the thief who hurt Sam, still walks free. Avery wants revenge. Swapping the sharp-edged world of burglary and car theft for the homey chaos of big family life is a wild adjustment, and Averyâs determined to sabotage his time with the De Laineys and get locked up with Sam instead. Avery just has to stay immune to Jeremyâs charming shenanigans. EasyâŠsort of. But Averyâs war against Vin has brought trouble to the De Lainey door and he canât survive this fight alone. |
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The Ascendant: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey Defeating the Raven Spirit could cost them everything. After fleeing Castle Ciall, Ciara has chosen to remain at the side of the rightful Ri of Blaidd, even though Niall's future is uncertain. The two of them have finally confessed the truth of their feelings, but she still struggles to gain his complete trust, no matter how hard she tries. Niall knows he cannot abandon his people, but he also knows they greatly fear his power. To regain control of the clan, he must reveal his secrets and seek aid from the one man he loathes: his father. Ciara and Niall's journey to thwart the Raven Spirit and Niall's usurping brother, Bleddyn, eventually leads them back to Ciara's homeland. Alliances are made and traitors are revealed, until the fate of the island and Niall's very life fall into Ciara's hands. Will she break under Bleddyn's lies or become the warrior she has always longed to be? |
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The Betrayer: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey A broken warrior. An outcast king. And a darkness that threatens to destroy them both. Niall never imagined he would become king, nor did he ever imagine that he would be granted the abilities of a seer. His unnatural power, however, has proven to be no great gift, for it has already cost him the woman he loves and it threatens to cost him his kingship. His people already don't trust him and if they knew of his power, they would view him as nothing more than a monster. Niall's future looks grim, but a twist of fate returns Ciara to his life when he least expects it. He latches onto the hope of a different future, only to discover that things have changed while he has hidden away in his castle. When the man Ciara trusted the most disappeared, she turned to his brother, a man she never saw herself falling for. Bleddyn has shown Ciara that there is more to him than she first thought and she has carved out a life at his side, but things are unsettled on the island of Pern Coen. A dark power is stirring, one that hasn't been seen in decades. One man is at the center of the growing darkness, but is it the man that Ciara, and the people, think? Is Niall innocent or is he hiding more than just his powerful abilities? |
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Summer's Second by Jeff Billington Asher Brockâs last summer of youth is far from ideal. His hopes for the future, including an escape from his constricting Ozark Mountains hometown, seem increasingly fragile as he faces hurdles of poverty and abuse, all while coming to terms with being gay. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, he clings to his noted intelligence as an escape to a better life. But it will take more than brainsânamely, strength of character and aspirationâfor him to navigate the months leading to his senior year of high school. The pregnancy of his recent girlfriend, the heightened aggression of his long-time bully, and the increasing presence of his long-absent father create a season of turmoil, spurring unease and self-doubt. But with support from family and friends, an opportunity for love, and the shedding of generations of secrets, Asher sees beyond preordained fate and starts to realize the opportunities in his grasp. |
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Smoochy and the Maga by Lea Kinley Okay, okay. I admit I was bored with the tedium of my centuries of work as a magical Familiar. But did I really deserve to be punished with an assignment on Earth of all places? My employer, The Society for the Conservation of Wholeness, tasked me with locating a fellow Familiar that appeared to be working for a destructive wizard . . . which is a big no-no according to our employment contract. While Earth is generally a non-magical, dull, and undesirable location, I never thought Iâd have any trouble at all with the assignment . . . until I realized I knew far less about Earth than I needed to and my enemy, the destructive wizard, knew far more than I did. The stakes were high for me for the first time in tens of thousands of years . . . had I finally met my match? Smoochy and the Maga is a fun, fanciful, and charming middle-grade urban fantasy novel by introductory author, Lea Kinley. The perfect cozy fantasy for tweens, teens, and the young at heart. Recommended for grade five and up or ages 9 and up. |
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The Children of Chaos (The Cruel Gods #2) by Trudie Skies WHEN THE SAINTS CALL, THE SINNERS ANSWER. Chaos stalks the steam-powered city of Chime and threatens the existence of the gods and their domains. Kayl swore to protect Chime's mortals from their gods' cruel whims, but when she agrees to represent the mortals of a god long thought dead, Kayl is thrust into a political role that goes against everything she's ever stood for. As the newly appointed ambassador to the god of time, Quen's goal is clear - protect Chime and the domains by any means necessary. But as the gods make their demands, Quen is caught between his loyalties and his conscience. To ensure a future for all mortals, Kayl and Quen must unite the gods against the threat of chaos and decide what they're willing to sacrifice for Chime - before the gods choose for them. For the gods are capricious and have their own divine plans. The Children of Chaos is the second 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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Anya just got everything she thought she wanted. So why isnât she happier? Anyaâs made the colony team. Sheâs going to the planetâand even if itâs with a guy she barely knows, at least he respects her art skills and her ability to grow things. Thatâs way better than what she expected in her life partner. On the other hand, her schedule is intense, the living conditions are cramped, everybody seems to be in her business, and her dad is still trying to make life difficult for everyone. Plus, she has to start over making friends when that has never been her strong suit. |
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The Name-Bearer (Flowers of Prophecy #1) by Natalia Hernandez For her entire life, the Name-Bearerâs sole purpose has been to receive and deliver the names of the future monarchy from the Flowers of Prophecy. But when the child is finally born and the Name-Bearer is sent to the Flowers, they refuse to name him. Instead they deliver a prophecy; another child was born who is more worthy of the Naming, and if they are found and brought before them it will usher in a reign of peace. Having failed in her duties the Name-Bearer is considered a traitor to the crown, and must hide among an elite sect of warrior women where she experiences friendship, found family, and love. Her training as a warrior helps prepare her to embark on her quest to find the Unnamed Prince, clear her name, and bring peace to her realm. A story of magia, warrior women, found family and love - and not accepting who you are told to be, but embracing who you are destined to become. |
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Coffee, Alcohol, and Heartbreak: A Poetry Collection by Tyler Wittkofsky Coffee, Alcohol, and Heartbreak is Tyler Wittkofsky's debut poetry collection. Spanning a four year period, Tyler wrote these poems in his darkest of times as an escape from reality. From happiness to darkness, these poems range the emotional spectrum connecting those with their inner self. |
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The Seeds of Love: Sunflower Kisses Book One by Tyler Wittkofsky The story readers are calling âhard-hitting and meaningfulâ and "touching and realistic", The Seeds of Love: Sunflower Kisses Book 1 is the story of two lost souls who find each other at the right time in life. Clay Dabrowski is a recent college graduate who has his life planned out. He knows what he wants to do in life and embarks on those goals with the support of his family and friends. But when he meets the fiery red-haired Bailey Childe, she suddenly shifts all of his priorities. She gives him the strength and courage to do and be more. While he battles his insecurities and mental illness, Clay and Bailey forge a path through lifeâs ebbs and flows as a new, young couple. Their journey seems to be all but perfect. But is everything as it seems? |
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(Not) Alone by Tyler Wittkofsky (Not) Alone is the story of Henry Hovishky, a recent college graduate who is exploring life one step at a time. Already in his young career, he is the winner of multiple awards and recognitions. He is soon to be married to the girl of his dreams. His best friends are more than friends, they're family. His family supports him and raises him up. And yet, he can't help but to feel alone. How can someone who seemingly has everything be so alone? Everything seems to be great in his life on the outside, but this story shows the truth of Henry's life. He struggles with depression, anger issues, severe anxiety, and bipolar disorder. With so many successes in his life, he still fights an uphill battle every day. |
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We Are the Origin (Wrath of the Gods Book 1) by C.M. Lockhart She was a shadow. Forced into a life of serving the queendom before she was old enough to deny them, Brandi was a cultivator of death and the queenâs own blade, reserved only for the disloyal and the blasphemous. Crafted by the queendom and forged in blood, she was nothing more than a tool. She was never meant to have an opinion on whose blood she shed â never meant to question whose back she was pressed into or whose throat she was slipped across. She was destruction. But when Freya, the goddess of life and judger of souls, demands that she protect rather than destroy, Brandi has no choice but to obey her new orders. And while abandoning the queendom comes with its own set of problems, being hunted by the people she once called family is the least of her worries when the gods reveal to her an enemy who exists beyond the reach of their power. So, with a helpless princess in tow, she begins her search for a way to fight this impossible enemy and save the realm from destruction. Because she is the wrath of the gods. And it was foolish for anyone to forget that. |
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Gone Was the Glow by Sienna Eggler Evangeline Miles never envisioned themselves calling on a private investigator, least of all for their loving partner. But it's been a year since she up and left them, without a word. But not just any PI will do; while at odd ends of the supernatural (Evan, a witch with vampiric tendencies, Eddie a werewolf), Evan requires the expertise of one well versed with creatures of the night. Enter Svenja, the charming wolf shifter that Evan can't seem to resistâin more ways than one. |
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Spit and Song (Ustlian Tales) by Travis M. Riddle Kali is a merchant who yearns to leave the harsh deserts of Herrilock and travel across the sea, trading goods and soaking in the sights and cultures. With a new potion on the market undercutting her profits, though, her seabound dreams are put on hold indefinitely. Failed musician Puk hits rock bottom after yet another catastrophic performance. Wandering the city streets in search of any sip of booze or whiff of fire-spit he can get his hands on, he resigns to the fact that heâs stuck in the desert with no way back home to Atlua. Until one day, their paths cross with an illicit job opportunity. With its hefty payday, Kali and Puk could afford to finally escape the desert heat and set sail across the gulf. The black market job would see them travel endless dunes on a road made from a massive dead beastâs ribs and out to a mythical city in the sea, scuffling with monsters and thugs in search of a long-lost book that might be the most dangerous object in the world. How hard could it really be? |
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Adephon's Rise by B. R. Russell The Federation of Chinese City-States has known unrivaled peace and prosperity for generations. But as The Automated City of Chengdu goes dark, rumors swirl that the long peace is over. Generals are always fighting the last war, and George Chenâs life is on the line because of it. Leading the tip-of-the-spear to Chengdu, George will need everything he has to survive a battle the worldâs never seen before. Nicholas Chen dives into the criminal underworld of Shanghai to decipher a software update thatâs bricking everything with a microchip. Money and power beyond his wildest dreams are up for grabsâif he can fix the break and get out. Zhifang Li works four jobs and her Vio Corp position is the worst. Conscripted into the Clover espionage unit, sheâs in over her head. With the rumors of implanted people proving all too real, sheâs to infiltrate a rival companyâs most secure databank, or die trying. Adephonâs Rise is an action-packed techno-thriller on cybernetics, war, and corporate espionage. Itâs a cyberpunk Malazan Book of the Fallen. In book two of the Banned Algorithm Library, the Clovers get upgraded, and Weaverâs cousin, Adephon, rears its headâchanging the world forever. |
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Stellar Instinct (Agent Renault Adventures) by Jonathan Nevair Mission: Impossible meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this fun and fast-paced spy-fi adventure series featuring a tough yet conflicted secret agent/poet, cloak and dagger intrigue, and a charming cast of alien characters. When galactic danger calls, Agent Lilline Renault answers. Strange signals pulse from an icy planet in a remote star system. Enter Lilline Renault, GAM-OPs secret agent extraordinaire. To ordinary citizens she's Keely Larkin, an adventure company guide with a flair for the daring and a penchant for writing trite poetry. When a terrifying link between high-tech entertainment and ancient cosmic forces rises, Lilline leaps into action. Verses flow as she rockets through space, dons cunning disguises, and infiltrates enemy territory with an arsenal of secret gadgets. To solve the mystery behind a dastardly plan means beating a mastermind at his own game. Lilline will need her best weapon to stand a fighting chance: her instinct. Each Agent Renault Adventure is a standalone story - start anywhere in this award-winning series. |
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Under an Azure Sky - Elysia Dayne: Book One by Wil Chan "Love. Loss. Redemption." Elysia Dayne is a renowned hero, mercenary, and monster slayer famed for killing a dragon in single combat. At least, that's how the bards tell it. However, there was a time when she thought that dragons were beautiful. The jaded sword master accepts a job along the unforgiving borderlands to rescue Princess Isabella Solemaine, a prisoner of goblins in the Black Fort. With meticulous planning, nothing can possibly go wrong... It goes wrong, pitching the pair into a sprawling wilderness. Short of supplies, they have to fend for themselves and each other. Can love blossom under such harsh conditions? Meanwhile, a group of Niemirian raiders led by their psychotic leader, Varya, are dedicated to hunting down and killing the princess and her protector. Join Elysia as she traverses an ugly yet beautiful world, exploring the nature of the human condition. The precarious nature of her present is finely balanced, interwoven with a past timeline where a young Elysia faces dangers of a different kind. What is she ultimately willing to sacrifice? An emotional journey fraught with action, and suspense. |
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Angels Before Man by Rafael NicolĂĄs A queer retelling of Satan's fall â In an eternal paradise, the most beautiful angel, Lucifer, struggles with shame, identity, and timidity, with little more than the desire to worship his creator. It isn't until the strongest angel, Michael, comes into his life that Lucifer learns to love himself. Along the way, their friendship begins to bloom into something else. Maybe the first romance in the history of everything. But this God is a jealous one, and maybe paradise is not paradise. |
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With A Vengeance by FreydĂs Moon Kye Lovato left their hometown in search of a better future, but when their estranged mother passes away, they return to their parish to settle her affairs. Even though Kye escaped their traumatic past, being back in swampy Madison, Louisiana only worsens their debilitating depression, increases their dissociative episodes, and intensifies the intrusive voice plaguing their every thought. The moment Kye steps foot into their childhood home, they know something is wrong. That night, they come face to face with the shadowy presence driving them mad: the handsome demon duke, Eli, who offers them an irresistible deal. In exchange for their soul, Eli will give them pain, pleasure, and power. Kye set a path for themselfâlive fast, die youngâand Eli seems like the perfect exit route. With nothing to lose, they agree. But after an impromptu visit from a local ICE agent, Kye forms an unlikely friendship with their motherâs bookkeeper and stumbles into an insidious mystery surrounding their familyâs homegrown alebrije business. Met with ghosts, displaced employees, and a garage filled with unfinished artwork, Kye canât help but wonder. . . What was their mother hiding? And why is a rogue officer interested in Lovato Alebrijes? Kye is possessed, unkempt, and chasing death, but as stubborn as they are, theyâre the only person left alive who can resurrect the family business and carry the Lovato legacy, and their only ally is the demon possessing them. |
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Unanimity by Alexandra Almeida "Great for fans of Becky Chambers's A Closed and Common Orbit and Daniel Suarez's Daemon." Booklife The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Shadow is a reluctant god with a broken mind and a death wish. He used to be Thomas Astley-Byron, an affluent young screenwriter whose creativity and idealism saved a world from the brink of collapse. Together with Henry Nowak, an AI expert, Tom created heaven on earth by inventing a Jungian simulated reality that helps humans confront their dark sides. The benevolent manipulation platform turned the two unelected leaders into beloved gods, but now everything is failing. The worlds suffer as a sentimental Tom descends into his own personal hell, becoming the embodiment of everything he despises and a shadow of his former self. His journey from an optimistic, joyful Tom to a gloomy Shadow is paved with heartache and sinister interference from emerging technology. Humans and bots fight for his heart, but their aims differ: some want to own it, some to dissect it, and others to end its foolish beat. Estranged from the love of his lifeâthe activist poet Nathan StormâTom fails to realize the biggest threat comes from within. None of the sticky stories that steer his life end well. Now, a young goddessâEstelle Ngoieâhas been appointed to replace him, and unlike Shadow, Stella takes no prisoners, and her heart bleeds for no one. Whoâs pulling on Shadowâs heartstrings? Are their intentions malign or benign? Itâs all a matter of perspective, and Shadow has none left. The Series Themes An epic tale spanning across six daysâone per bookâand forty past decades of life lived across ten worlds and two universes. Weaving sci-fi elements with social commentary and queer romantic suspense, Spiral Worlds explores the nature of consciousness and how it's connected to a not-so-secret ingredientâstory. As software consumes the world, intelligence is nothing but the appetizer; the human heart is the main course. There is no black or white in this story about a contrast-making machine. |
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Find the Jinn (Wilde Contracts #1) by Maz Maddox Wilde Contract Killing and Fish Training, how can I help you? Murder contract? Piece of cake. Find a jinn? No problem. New necromancy powers while being followed by an unwanted vampire bodyguard? Not so much. Trained to handle even the most fierce undead, Dallas Wilde took out a powerful necromancer without breaking a sweat. Okay, that's a lie - there was tons of sweat, but he was victorious all the same. Unfortunately, killing a necromancer comes with some repercussions. Broody, annoying, vampire repercussions and new abilities to resurrect the dead. Can Dallas navigate his blood-sucking bodyguard, new powers, feelings for his attractive client and still handle his contract in time to pay his very, very late rent - all while trying not to get super murdered in the process? |
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Flames of Rapture by Riley Kade Life is full of temptations, but there is none so powerful as that between human and succubus. Sadie Hall has loved her best friend, James Baker, all their lives, though she had no idea how he felt about her until her powers developed and she could suddenly see his every waking fantasy. Sheâd lived a simple life in a small farm town in which almost everyone was human, but her world was turned upside down when an alluring stranger arrived to tell her she was becoming a succubus, like him. Soon, she would need to feed daily off the sexual pleasure of others, though when her mentor warns her of the addictive nature of human-succubus relationships, Sadie must fight the tempting attraction between her and James. Now Sadie must choose, will she continue to keep James close even as she desperately tries not to feed from him, or will she risk losing the one person she wants the most? Note this is a polyamory, bisexual romance, with the main focus on Sadie and Jimmyâs relationship. Themes include forbidden/unrequited love, friends to lovers, light edge play/denial, and group sex. |
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I Think of You Often: a small town paranormal romance by Sienna Eggler For Evangeline âEvanâ Miles, Honeycutt Academy is more than just a prestigious school of magic. Itâs home. Before graduating, it was the first place theyâd ever felt comfortable enough to be themself. Now, as a school librarian, itâs also where Evan might have finally found the promise of love - with Mimi, the bright and bubbly potions professor. But when Evan meets Hester, the half-sister they never knew they had, everything suddenly changes. Hester is being stalked by their murderous, vampiric father - an experience Evan remembers only too well. United, the two siblings agree that their days of running and hiding from their father are over - and itâs time to finally end his wretched existence. But to do so, they must turn to Svenja - a witch, a wolf-shifter, and the only creature they know powerful enough to take down their monstrous father. However, the paranormal private investigator is also Evanâs former lover - and as the hunt for their father draws them closer together, the flames of their romance begin to rekindle. Evan feels forced to choose between their chemistry with Svenja, and their commitment to Mimi - and that distracts them from a dangerous truth: That as Evan and Hester prepare to confront their centuries-old father, theyâve forgotten heâs also had decades to prepare for them. I Think of You Often is the first installment of the St. Acton series by Sienna Eggler - a small town sapphic PNR by an author praised for writing âengaging tales of emotions and strugglesâ and âsweet, realistic romance between two people figuring their way in life.â |
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Fluid Bonding: a sapphic paranormal romance by Sienna Eggler Itâs not that Vi Davis wanted to be alone. Itâs just that the outside world doesnât seem very welcoming for a shy, nonbinary introvert - especially one who can read minds. But when the gorgeous Hester MilojeviÄ approaches Vi in a crowded sports bar, it doesnât take telepathy to figure out that they share a mutual attraction - even if Vi suspects this towering blonde is way out of their league. That suspicion deepens even as the two get to know each other better - especially as Vi struggles to reconcile so many emotionally overwhelming first experiences, along with Hesterâs mysterious hot-then-cold behavior, and her claims to be something impossible: a vampire. But even in a world that seems intent on tearing them apart, Vi and Hester canât help but grow closer to each other - that is until the past and prejudice of their own families threatens to drive a stake through the heart of their relationship once and for all. Fluid Bonding is engaging and emotional paranormal romance between nonbinary and neurodivergent characters - described by one reader as âa sweet, realistic romance between two people figuring their way in life.â |
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Sam lives by her âtry anything onceâ motto to a fault. On an otherwise normal night out, she takes an experimental drug from a stranger at the bar that lets her see into alternate timelines. When she witnesses her own murder in a parallel world, she realizes that the mysterious series of hit-and-runs plaguing her college town are anything but accidents. Sam and her friends decide to stop the killer once and for all, but time travel has unforeseen costs, and one of them will have to pay. |
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Epoch of the Promise: Wings of Healing by Raina Nightingale Six years ago, a desperate mother asked Lynn to take care of her baby. The solitary huntress never expected it to be so long-term, but now her loyalty is to Ameriasel. When Lynn bonds to a dragon, she realizes that she and Ameriasel have to escape from the Servants of the Dragonqueen. But the Servants pursue them relentlessly, believing that Ameriasel is their godâs chosen Priestess. Along with Lauray, a lame woman whose spirit and beliefs rouse confused feelings in Lynn, she and Ameriasel flee into the southern jungles, where only Ameriaselâs awakening gift for speaking to animals keeps them safe. But Ameriaselâs gift does more than keep them safe. When she bonds to a family of the dangerous wusren and helps a lonely moon dragon form a bond with Lauray that could help both of them to heal, Ameriasel attracts the attention of a lost tribe that believes she might be the one to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Epoch of the Promise: Wings of Healing is a cosy comfort read X dealing with trauma fantasy. âThough there is no destiny and there is no fate, sometimes the spirits can give us glimpses of what may come, or even of what will come âŠâ |
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Epoch of the Promise: Dawn Unseen by Raina Nightingale All the dragon Camri knows is that life is dying. In a bid for immortality, she sets out on a rampage of torment and conquest. When Cassian and her play-mates explored a cave, they woke a tormented dragon, twisted with unnatural powers. Now Cassian is bonded to Camri as a rider is bonded to a dragon, even while Camri destroys all she knows and loves. There is nothing she can do except try to appease Camri, but sometimes Camriâs atrocities are so horrible they drive Cassian to a defiance she always regrets. Punished by the death and torture of the people and dragons she loves, Cassian wishes to die, but is kept alive by Camriâs magic. When no kingdom or wizard has been able to stand against Camri, can Cassian see the Promise of relief when it stares her in the face? Or will she commit the greatest of her bonded dragonâs atrocities by her own hand? âWhen twilight gloom has turned to darkest night, watch for your hope, the long-awaited Promise, for it is in the darkest and coldest of night that the Morning Star rises.â |
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Of Feathers and Thorns by Kit Vincent After manifesting thorned magic and nearly destroying his hometown, Kieren Belltower is summoned to join the Magic Service-an institution in charge of magical affairs-and start an apprenticeship with a high-ranking magician. But instead of the mage assigned to teach him, Kieren is greeted by his haughty and annoyingly handsome senior apprentice Esten, who clearly has more important things to do than chaperone some newbie. Their teacher has disappeared on a secret assignment, leaving Esten no instructions other than a warning not to trust a soul. But as Kieren's unruly magic proves too dangerous to leave unattended, Esten has no choice but to involve him in the matter. Together they retrace their teacher's last known mission-an investigation into the illegal use of magic and its connection to the devastating phenomenon called the sludge, which has plagued the country for weeks. But as Kieren and Esten grow closer, they uncover a plot that thrusts their lives into danger and threatens to shatter everything they know about magic and the world they were born into. Set in alternative 1900s America, Of Feathers and Thorns is an LGBTQ+ historical fantasy perfect for fans of Carry On and A Marvelous Light. |