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The Birth of Ida by Rachel Grosvenor 'You believe in ghost stories? You afraid of ghosts when there's snakes and men tryin' to kill you?' Ousted from her homestead, Ida Vale quickly learns that the only way to survive as a lone traveller is to disguise herself as a man. Unsuspecting farmer Colt is the perfect target, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, looking roughly the right size. On the run as 'Colton John' the bounty hunter, Ida ventures into the unforgiving wilderness of The Nameless Stretch. Drawn towards a witch's house by the whisperings of the Derelict Woods, she discovers that the land is here, the murdered return to haunt their assailants. And to her shock, Ida is being haunted by someone she loves. She's not a murderer, like her brother. So who is it watching her every move? Meanwhile, Colt sets into motion a series of events that he hopes will end in one of two Ida Vale at his door, dead or alive. But in The Nameless Stretch, you can't escape your demons â and Ida soon learns she has far more to fear from the living than the dead. |
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Bring Out Your Dead by Heather Murphy Secrets from the past cannot be ignored forever. After her motherâs untimely death, Lucy Fray discovers the existence of family she never knew she had. But Adeline and Edmund Fray have been living with a tragedy of their own - three murders that have gone unsolved for 40 years. When Lucy and her six-year-old son are invited to visit Fray House, they discover that secrets often long to be revealed⌠and ghosts can haunt us whether or not we believe in them. |
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How will she survive⌠Kidnapped, tortured, amnesiac and on the brink of death. This will not be pretty! |
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The Mystery of the Pale King by Sam Flynn "Tonight, my friends, the performance is real. To you, my most faithful, I dedicate this, the final production of 'The Mystery of the Pale King.'" As an orphan growing up in a distant border province, Faron took pride in the epic tales of the Hero of Hathur, a great and powerful warrior who ruled in the name of the sun-worshipping Church of the Sol Creator. That pride is shattered by accusations from the Hero's family that he squandered their entire inheritance on the production of a profane play with him at the center: "The Mystery of the Pale King." The Church proclaims him under interdict and dispatches Bishop Antonius, his devoted page Faron, and a cadre of soldiers downriver to repossess Hathur on its behalf. The cruelty they witness on their perilous mission forces them to confront the horrors at the heart of Hathur's past and question not just their devotion to the Church but their very beliefs in gods and heroes. Amid a storm of betrayal, murder, and sacrilege, Faron must survive fanatical cultists, their obscene rituals, and the evil hiding in the light in order to save Bishop Antonius from the Hero's final performance. Inspired by the historical legend of Gilles de Rais, The Mystery of the Pale King probes the roots of modern American dysfunction in a grim flintlock fantasy setting that reflects the best and worst of humanity. âWhile the dark, riveting The Mystery of the Pale King is set in a distant time and place, its sharp examinations of religious cults and hero worship are all too relevant to todayâs world. Flynnâs clear prose leads the reader through a short yet complex tale of dark fantasy and horrors both earthbound and cosmic. Itâs a gripping, highly recommended read." - Nicole Willson, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Tidepool |
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The Darkest Light by Vicki-Ann Bush War is coming. As the star quarterback for his high school football team and local celebrity in the quaint town of Boulder City, Luke Jacob enjoys a charmed life. Everything's going according to plan, that is until the night he spots a mysterious and alluring girl in the crowd. Despite his father's cryptic warning to keep away from her, he's instantly drawn to Mary. The team plans a gathering to celebrate their homecoming win, and Luke decides to invite her. The evening turns dark when the demon Abezethibou appears and threatens them. When Mary steps in to save her peers, Luke sees her for what she truly is, forever changing their future and creating a bond between them. The revelation shatters what Luke believes about himself and forces him to face his destiny. Will Mary stand by Luke in the face of the coming storm, or will she be swayed by the allure of darkness? |
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Chronicles of the Median by Nicholas House A Median isn't something anyone chooses to be, it's just something you are. A living bridge between the worlds of the living and the dead. Now, long forgotten forces threaten the fine balance kept by the Medians and Richard is forced to face perils that would change his life forever. Setting into motion events that leave the world in the hands of the wrathful dead, Richard must work to set things right and find the truth of what it means to be a Median. |
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Offset: Book 2- Children of the Gulf by Delvin Howell Magic is violent. No one understood this more than Kyle Harding, a young stick-licker from the Caribbean island of Bimshire, where miracles are sold every day. The problem is, each one comes with a burdensome debt. As an obeah witch, Kyle's mother has built a massive debt which was passed on to her sons upon her death. And now Gulfsyde, a duo of brutal assassins notorious for leaving carnage in their wake, has come to collect. With a past drenched in blood, fire and bodies, Gulfsyde aims to retire with one final kill. But Kyle has a little brotherâDamienâto protect, and he will not lose any more family to the obeah trade. Though bus stops ignite, and devastating magical weapons form against him, Kyle defends his home with only the lowly sugarcane his mother left behind. |
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Offset: Book 1- The Mask of Bimshire by Delvin Howell Magic is Expensive. An underground obeah trade lies within the Caribbean island of Bimshire, where miracles are sold every day. The problem is, each one comes with a burdensome debt. As a child, Kyle Harding thought Bimshire a frightening place. Bus stops glow. Flute music haunts the air. And the shadows themselves stalk him. With his mother dead, and a baby brotherâDamienâto raise, Kyle had much to endure growing up. But when a serial killer attacks his home, Kyle is forced down a bloody path where he discovers the history surrounding his family and the massive debts his mother left behind. |
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The Half Killed by Quenby Olson A dark apparition stalks the streets of Victorian London... Dorothea Hawes has no wish to renew contact with what lies beyond the veil. After an attempt to take her own life, she has retired into seclusion, but as the wounds on her body heal, she is drawn back into a world she wants nothing more than to avoid. She is sought out by Julian Chissick, a former man of God who wants her help in discovering who is behind the gruesome murder of a young woman. But the manner of death is all too familiar to Dorothea, and she begins to fear that something even more terrible is about to unleash itself on London. And so Dorothea risks her life and her sanity in order to save people who are oblivious to the threat that hovers over them. It is a task that forces her into a confrontation with her own lurid past, and tests her ability to shape events frighteningly beyond her control. |
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Midnight Waters by Rosie Wylor-Owen âIn my family, when someone is born, another will die.â A symbiotic curse has plagued the Arrowood and Everhart households for generations. When a new baby is born, a member of the ancient clans die. Only a truce between the warring families can break the deadly hex once and for all. Upon hearing her cousin is in labour, Maeve Arrowood hurries home to find out which one of them will be next. But the loss of her uncle is the least of her worries when a young man is found dead in the sea under suspicious circumstances. Called in by the police, Maeve has no option but to reprise her role as a scuba diving police consultant to retrieve the body. Unwittingly drawn into the investigation, Maeve is forced to work with the odiously handsome Ben Everhart. Obliged to put aside their differences, Maeve and Ben soon discover that a far deadlier danger has descended on the island of Dusk. One that could destroy both families forever. |
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The Ocean Hugs Hard by Eric Avedissian Surfside City, New Jersey. 1966. Cub reporter Harman Bass is cutting his teeth in the fast world of local journalism and getting out-scooped by the competition. Facetious, cocky, and always quoting Nietzsche, Harman isn't making any friends both in and out of the newsroom. All that changes when the daughter of a prominent family is found dead on the beach, handing Harman the juiciest news story of the year. But she isn't any old beauty pageant queen; she's his high school girlfriend. Harman's dogged reporting into the young woman's death reveals pushback from the authorities and pulls the newshound into the resort's darkest corners. After one of his sources is murdered, the routine story becomes dangerous and personal. Something watches Harman from the shadows, something ancient and hungry, worshipped by powerful men who kill to keep their secrets. Harman's job and life are soon threatened, and the once brash reporter must battle his boss, rival journalists, and his own sanity before filing what could be his last story. THE OCEAN HUGS HARD is a mystery with the salty whiff of the ocean, a tinge of nostalgia, and a dollop of eldritch horror. |
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EXTREME HORROR, CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS. Paint It Black is the first full length novel by Kaos Emslie, the first book in The Perfect Nightmare Trilogy, set in a universe filled with darkness and evil. Follow Jack Miller and Charlie Duvall as they descend into madness and feed The Creature that lives within their House. Inspired by Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and the novel House of Leaves, Paint It Black is a visceral look into the first steps a person takes down the path of darkness. Written as a means to manage and control the author's mental health, Paint It Black explores the darkness of rage and depression and psychosis. Something dark lives in the walls... When nineteen-year-old poet Jack Miller brings Charlotte "Charlie" Duvall--a twenty-one-year-old exotic dancer he meets in a bar--to his Victorian home because of dreams she's been having, all the fated pieces fall together. An Eldritch being has been unearthed... Shadows are alive and corruption grows... Darkness whispers... The Void is hungry and demands blood... |
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Keepers of the Crossing: The Dark Friars by Ryan J Hamshaw For Seventeen-year-old Liam OâConnor, nightmares become reality when he dreams of a fellow student's murder. Eager to uncover the truth, Liam and his friends investigate, revealing hidden secrets about his identity. Targeted by the menacing Dark Friars, Liam is saved by the enigmatic Tariq, who introduces him to a supernatural world where good and evil battle in the shadows. Can Liam juggle college, family, friendships, and desires while bearing the heavy responsibilities of his newfound destiny? Against the picturesque cathedral city of Sarumbourne, the looming threat of the Dark Friars intensifies, and Liam's normal life shatters amid the chaos. |
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Three Curses and Other Dark Tales by Leanbh Pearson Come closer, let me tell you a tale or three. Sit nearer the firelight and if you notice the folk in the shadows, best not garner their attention. Beware the gifts, treasures and promises you make along this journey. There are temptations and curses too, plenty of those. From the tricks of jinn, vengeful Ancient Mesopotamian goddesses, the Hidden People and shadowy deals with demons & devilsâmany. In our journey through fairy tales reimagined, legends and folklore, and alternate histories, beware the uncanny folk who prey on unwary travellers. Mind your step now, keep your senses sharp, take nothing offered and you might evade those beings hidden just beyond the reach of the firelight. |
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Cursed Shards: Tales of Dark Folklore by Leanbh Pearson Be careful what you wish for⌠Weâve all heard childhood fairy tales and hearthside stories passed from generation to generation warning us of unseen dangers lurking in the dark forest, the glimpse of a future in watery reflections and to be wary of objects and people offering impossible gifts. The Fae are ageless beings dwelling between light and shadow, stalking the moonlit nights and wielding powerful gifts and curses. Welcome to Cursed Shards, a collection of dark fantasy stories inspired by folklore, legends, fairy tales and mythology. Ten authors spin ten different tales ranging from deserts, icy mountains and dark forests to legendary warriors to the mythical Fae. A realm where the landscape is as volatile as the rulers and an ancient cursed mirror, a once-powerful magical artefact created with blood magic was shattered before it could be used against the realm. A cursed mirror broken but never destroyed. Ten shards remain: now disguised and repurposed into ordinary items that are traded, stolen, and sold between rulers, common folk and the Fae. Whenever a shard re-appears its curse influences the decisions of all who come within reach. Table of Contents: FOREWORD â Kirstyn McDermott (Australia) THE CURSED HUNT â Leanbh Pearson (Australia) TATTERMOG â Louise Pieper (Australia) THE WITHERED â Mendel Mire (Australia) THE PHANTOM QUEEN â K. B. Elijah (Australia) LADY MARIANâS GAMBIT â Clare Rhoden (Australia) THE STRENGTH OF BONES â McKenzie Richardson (USA) ONCE UPON AN AUTOMATON â Nikky Lee (New Zealand) THE WRAITH OF MURKDRES â Stephen Herczeg (Australia) CHILDREN OF THE WOODS â Amber M. Simpson (USA) THE LADY OF STRANGENESSE â Leife Shallcross (Australia) |
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A Crow Named Torment by Silas A. Bischoff After a perfectly normal bird is captured by a perfectly deranged alchemist, and her soul is remade in torment, she rots in a cage, dreading her doom, awaiting the perfect moment ⌠Escape lies in the dark secrets of her new mind, as does a disturbing new thirst for blood. Together with Vladimir, her feline companion in captivity, Torment sets out on a flight through realms of dreams and spirits in search of a way to break the curse that binds them to their master. But in the vast and strange worlds yonder dwell the discontented spirits of the dead, and Torment and Vladimir are as likely to uncover the truth they seek as they are to be lost forever, or consumed by the ancient darkness stirring in the depths of their alchemically altered souls. A novel filled with horrors lurking in the shadows, with whimsical creatures from strange worlds â a fable about journeys inward and onward into the unknown â featuring mad scholars, vampires from the dawn of time, animal familiars and giant slugs (among many other oddities). Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett and Edgar Allan Poe, lovers of Richard Bachâs Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Otfried PreuĂlerâs Krabat, for those who would like to see Lewis Carrollâs Alice in Wonderland meet Mary Shelleyâs Frankenstein in a modern dark fantasy. |
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The Scent of Blood by Kit Walker Calebâs life has spiraled out of control ever since the day a stranger sank her teeth into his hand. Drifting from port to port in a haze of blood and guilt, he eventually lands in the city of Saintstown and is promptly arrested for murder. But the night before his execution, Caleb is offered both freedom and a job by the enigmatic Mr. Faulkner. Faulkner says he can teach Caleb to control the animal raging inside him â but what must Caleb sacrifice for the guidance that Faulkner offers? |
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Grace Foster's hunt for her husband's murderer has brought her to the city of Saintstown. But her quarry has killed again, and she'll need to rely on new, unexpected allies to bring her hunt to an end. |
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To Haunt and To Hold by Taliesin Neith When they first got together, Sam had resolved to never tell him. He was so afraid of loss, and so drawn to the bright, aching thing in Malcolm that called to him. He had reasoned that he never would need to tell Malcolm. In the end, casual practicality had become something stranger. Samâs secret held Malcolmâs secret, like a crocodile holding its young in her mouth, so gently in spite of all the teeth. Malcolm and Sam have been together for a long time. Sam knows what Malcolm does when he leaves their shared flat, late at night, returning alone and washing his clothes immediately. It's something worse than an affair. To Haunt and To Hold is a 5,400 word short story about a trans man who can see ghosts and his lover of three decades: a serial killer who is reaching the limits of what he can get away with. If you like your horny stories to be creepy and splattered with gore, if you like your horny stories to feature older men and/or trans and queer characters, you will enjoy this. |
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Too Many Gods in the Kitchen by Ben Schenkman Itâs good to be the boss, but be careful what you wish for. Nick got what he wanted and now has to establish an agency to audit Heaven and Hellâs operations. Rob is his right-hand man, but Amy has responsibilities of her own and owes a favor to the local coven. Nickâs plans go out the window when a mystery client shows up and throws everything into chaos, representing a new godly power no one expects. Things get even more complicated when Rob uncovers a massive loophole that threatens the natural spiritual order. Tensions run high between the agency and a psychic con man. If that wasnât enough, Amyâs bill comes due and the spirits come calling when she discovers a magical dilemma of epic proportions. Caught between loyalties, she must decide where they lie. Our trio faces their largest challenge yet, and the threads they chase threaten to tie everything in knots. Will Nick be able to deal with the elephant in the room, or will everything come crashing down? |
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The Price of Admission by Alethea Lyons After a year of searching, Stella stands before the entrance gates of the worlds-renowned Carnivale Incendio. At the centre of the Carnival terrors, her heart's desire waits. She has sacrificed everything to get here and be reunited with her lover, Mona, who was stolen from her on the eve of their wedding. Though the carnival tries to take her as its own, Stella battles through to Mona's side and to face the final challenger, the Ringmaster himself. Standalone short story. Highly descriptive of scenery with some minor gore. |
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After centuries of suppression, the magic of England is Reawakening Return to the world of The Seer of York with this collection of new tales set in the aftermath of The Hiding. Harper, Grace, Saqib, Heresy, and AJ bond as a team and as a family to save innocents, supernatural and human, despite hunters pursuing them. Introducing Zero, a starlight cat with a bleak and painful past. Demonic-possession Faery circles Pōcas And more⌠|
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Dawn's Cozy Horror Corner by Dawn Chen "Dawnâs Cozy Horror Corner: a queer Chinese diaspora horror short stories anthologyâ is a horror anthology which contains five stories featuring supernatural elements and young Chinese diaspora protagonists whose identities clash with the environment around them. In âBottle of Shameâ, a girl who can pull out people's shame must grapple with the gruesome consequences of the truth she reveals. In âThe Girl with No Faceâ, a girl slowly loses her facial features one at a time until she become a faceless horror who take vengeance upon her tormentor. In âMy Future Self Once Saidâ, a girl is paid a visit from her future-self as a warning. In "Judge of the Underworld Household", the protagonist disagrees with the method her ancestor god who rules over the Chinese Underworld and the way he views crimes and punishment. In "Meet Your Demonsâ, a girl is offered to be possessed by a demon and gladly accepts. |
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Whispers of Apple Blossoms by Brett Mitchell Kent A love story spanning decades. A Lonely widow mourning her husband and daughter. A tail of missing people all leading to one unpredictable source. Edna Mann, a lonely widow longing for the family she's lost, finds companionship in an unlikely source when her late husband begins communicating with her through her houseplant. As those around her begin to disappear, Edna must confront the reality that something mich worse may be at play...and has been for longer than she could have ever expected. An atmospheric and hainting tale of love, heartache, fear and obsession. The warped reality of an elderly woman filled with regret interlaces with the story of the past she desperately longs to relive. Whispers of Apple Blossoms is as romantic as it is heartbreakingly sinister and, as each petal falls, pulls you further into the darkness and toward the unforgettable finale. |
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What Manner of Man by St John Starling What would tempt you to sin? A sweet and naĂŻve priest at war with his desires, tormented by nightly dreams of a wicked demon. A vampire lord forced to do the unthinkable, battling needs he can scarcely control. Father Ardelian has been summoned to a distant, secluded island to perform an exorcism. What will happen when he begins to suspect his host â the mysterious, nocturnal lord of the manor â of wanting him for another reason entirely? Will the piously celibate priest be able to resist his monstrous hostâs diabolically seductive charms? What Manner of Man is a blasphemous queer horror romance about a priest and a vampire, inspired by Bram Stokerâs Dracula. A tale of forbidden love with themes of devil worship, demonic possession, and human sacrifice â this is the long-awaited completed version of the widely beloved story which rose to fame and fortune in the form of a newsletter! |
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Two tales of sinister influence, two trans protagonists struggling to come to terms with the consequences of relying on the supernatural to fix their problems. Trick or Treat. THE SOUL LOTTERY primal play || knife & blood play || CNC Tate played the soul lottery and won a single wish ten years ago, but now his years of fortune are up, and the demon who owns his soul has come to collect. On the run from Hellhounds, and with only one person to turn to, he's out of options. But what awaits him isn't what he expects. SILVERTONGUED DREAMS somno || dubcon || praise & degradation Kiran is an insomniac and college student who dreams of more than what he has. After finding a rare spell book, he brings an egregore into being, and feeds it his ideas and dreams in hopes that it can be his equal and help him become great. But what happens when his dreams outpace him and take on their own life? UNHOLY FAVORS is a dark, mature 21k word book and is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. Please read CWs before purchasing. |
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Dance with the Devil by Madison Chase She lost everything she built, he was built to lose everything, and the Heavens themselves are duty-bound to keep them apart. Charlotte Brant, former detective and present-day pariah, has been rebuilding her life following the attack that cost her a job, a marriage, and possibly her sanity. When the King of Hell inserts himself into her life--all dark, handsome, and aggravating--it does her no favors in her efforts to regain some normalcy. Especially when an Archangel is sent on a holy mission to keep them apart by any means necessary--even offering her what she thought she lost forever. |
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Angels & Exorcists: The Rosary Rejects Book 1 by Finnely Ray The deep dark below had tried to take her once...Maryam would be damned if she let it take her again. Maryam Bishop is demon-kissed. Her mother was possessed while pregnant and now a dark shadow haunts her life. To keep the darkness at bay, she keeps her distance from the occult. Her godfather is a rebellious angel fighting for his redemption and her roommate is an illegitimate faerie prince, but hey - everyone has their faults. Everything else is perfectly, normally normal... Until her charming new neighbor attracts a powerful Duke of Hell. And her neighbor isn't the only one in danger. The duke wants vengeance on Heaven and dominion over Earth. Maryam just might be the key to both. Can Maryam and her found family of rejects save her neighbor and stop the duke? Or will Heaven and Earth fall in a blaze of hellfire? |
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Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li At Adraredon Academy, fervent passion, contemporary companionship, and forbidden desires intertwine with tall gothic spires, ancient halls, and centuries of history. Veaer Rosell can't imagine a better place to satiate her craving for beauty, knowledge, and art. Yet senior year shatters her illusion of tranquillity and civil intellect when she witnesses the headmaster's daughter murder another student and is confronted by an unthinkable choice: avenging her fallen peer or taking this secret to the grave, one way or another. But fate laughs at Veaer's expense when the headmaster's daughter requests her aid. Driven by an all-consuming thirst for answers, Veaer becomes an untimely partner in solving a murder they both know the answer to, unaware of the intricacies that come with learning the bigger picture and playing with death. Chrysalis & Requiem is a haunting thriller of tragic obsession and relentless grief, weaving two young, queer women in a spiral of clandestine violence and illicit love. |
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The Church of the Mountain of Flesh by Kyle Wakefield THE CHURCH OF THE MOUNTAIN OF FLESH is a cosmic horror novel about mad artists, bodies spiralling out of control, and a trans man's merciless desperation. Sole De Gasinis drowns his grief in wine and buries his hatred of his body in twisted sculptures. When, one drunken night on the beach, God orders him to rebuild his village's church, he knows he wasn't chosen for his piety. Instead, he and God make a deal. If Sole rebuilds the church, God will give him the body of a man. As Sole works in a frenzy for salvation, lifelong friendships decay, a village united to tear down its church fractures into pariahs and zealots, and power and grief reshape the prophet into a tyrant. Grief for a boy he fell in love with ten years ago, who claimed to be a virgin birth, who died in agony in the church crypt when the God inside him wanted out--and whose monstrous remnant Sole must commune with for every piece of his prize. |
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Dreadland by Uilleam Whitedale Following the last Harvest Moon, the world has begun to dim, as a strange mist continues to rise at dusk. DeShawn Lucas witnessed a murder in the street, committed by something he cannot identify. It soon becomes apparent that, as the world grows darker, people are changing, changing into what appear to be monsters. DeShawn and his secret flame, his neighbor, Keneisha Dillon, find themselves trapped and on their own, wondering if they can survive the end of the world or if they will succumb to the mist. |
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The Haunting of Sheila Lee by Uilleam Whitedale Sometimes the human psyche seeks to protect itself in ways that shield one from trauma in the short term through denial, sublimation, projection. Regardless, the emotions shunned must be addressed in due time in some manner. Yet, once in an age, trauma is so severe and the bearer so unwilling to face it that it is wholly displaced, made homeless, and, epitomizing pain in excess, intends to punish its source. Sheila Ann Lee, a narcissistic and neurotic seeker of affluence, creates her own manifestation of trauma and leaves it forlorn. As it tortures her mind, and, eventually, interferes with the true love she finds, it remains unclear to her and all those seeking to protect her whether she is being haunted or she is the source of her own misery, and theirs. |
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Against Fearful Lies by Vivian Moira Valentine In this second book in the series, Amelia Temple's world has changed. As a test subject to a shady government entity, it is 1954 and she has finally been given limited freedom to move around after being kept captive and studied since birth. That freedom came with a price, however. She now has friends, people she cares about. People who care about her. She has a girlfriend, but she manages to hide that fact, knowing how society would respond. And she has enemies, those who want to study her, dissect her, see what she is. Amelia is not sure what they will find. Something strange is going on at the hospital where her friend Ralph is being kept. And not a normal kind of strange, either. The kind of strange that means Ralph is no longer himself, the nurses at the hospital are keeping secrets, and somehow memories are stolen. In trying to save her friends, and herself, Amelia must not only deal with the creature now living inside her, but she must learn more about who she is and what, exactly, she is capable of. Because one thing has become clear: it's not just her and her friends' lives at stake... there are worlds within worlds and a universe of extranormal activity that just might depend on her. |
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Pray For Him by Tyler Battaglia A psychic priest is thrown headfirst into a battle of faith and love against the forces of Hell when his dearest friend becomes possessed. Father Isaias Flores may not have much, but he has his faithâand his dear friend Hector to keep him anchored when he is mired in self-doubt. But when Hectorâs daughter, Violet, comes to Isaias with concerns that her father is acting strangely, Isaiasâs doubts only increase, now with no one to keep him steadfast. For Hector seems to be possessed by something darker than even the traumas of the past, and Violet has nowhere else to turn to save her only family. This is a problem that may require divine interventionâthe rites of exorcism. Unsure of his place in the church, doubting his gifts from God, and struggling to make sense of his feelings for the man he had thought was only a friend, Isaias isnât sure if he is strong enough to save anyoneâs soul from damnation. For what can one man do against the torments of Hell? |
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Recipient of the 2023 Best Novella Award from the Queer Indie Awards. Work as a Curse Breaker is anything but glamorous. Itâs difficult, gruesome at times, and it takes Curse Breaker Thierry Pryor to places better left untouched. The Paris Catacombs were once a symbol of French identity, the true sign of death making all equal in the end, but after centuries of layered spell work, ancient hexes, and more than one hastily patched protective charm, the resulting magical amalgam has begun to break down, tainting the surrounding land. Itâs up to Thierry and his team to figure out the source of the miasma and quell it before it begins having an effect on those living above the city of the dead. But unlike the jobs before, thereâs something at work in the catacombs much more sinister than some moldering family curse. Sometimes the dead sleep more soundly than the living, but then again, maybe some of the dead donât sleep willingly at all... |
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A witch with a dead familiar is an outlier and an ill-omen to every village they pass through. Rehan Nadir is one such witch. The only jobs available to him are terrible ones, and vagrancy is his only recourse⌠At least, it was until he heard tell of the town of Hamelinâs plight. Stories of a malicious entity, a chaos god, have tormented the village for hundreds of years, and like clockwork tragedy has struck once more: while the adults gathered elsewhere, the children were spirited away. No trace of them has been seen since. The town is desperate to bring them back. Very desperate. Finding and returning the lost children would be just the thing to give Rehan a new chance at the life he lost after the death of his familiar, and if all it takes is killing a god of chaos, then heâs more than ready to take the plunge and open that door. Unfortunately, he just didnât anticipate opening a few more in the midst of dealing the finishing blow. |
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Incorrect Eyes by Andromeda Ruins Be Not Afraid Those three words have haunted me my entire life, and now I'm close. I know I am. I'm close to finding out the truth behind the words, the truth behind the Seraphim. The closer I get to uncovering the truth, to proving that the Seraphim are real, the further my mind slips. I can't sleep - can't dream - without seeing them. Life has become difficult all of a sudden and I know it's tied to them. I just have to keep going, keep learning, keep discovering. Everything will be better once I complete my research... Incorrect Eyes is a psychological religious horror involving paranoia, angels with too many eyes, and the least mentally stable protagonist Iâve ever written. Please read with caution. |
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Rituals & Grimoires: Gothic Tales of Dark Magic and Wizardry by Eric Avedissian, Stefanie Contreras, Evan A Davis, Colin Harker, Nicola Apron, A.R.C. Mitra, Teagan Olivia King, R. Thursday, Melanie Whitlock A seerâs dance descends through mist and time⌠Within this grimoire rests a collection of magical tales, most Gothic. Full of witches, ghosts, and spellcasters both ancient and new, these stories will thrill and haunt you like the very creatures they summon. Whether you love magic, mayhem, or something in between, these tales will cast their spell on you and hold your mind captive, well after the book has closed. |
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He Hears Death by A.L. Davidson He Hears Death tells the morbid tale of an embalmer who can no longer hear the world as it is, but as Death does. Cursed with the ability to hear the voices of the deceased who linger in his quiet hometown, The Fool finds himself struggling to hold onto his sanity. Reeling from the murder of his Lover four years prior, he spends his days fixing up the dead and the nights sewing up his own damaged soul amidst the anxiety and loneliness in his life. His only safe haven is his apartment - the place where his Lover's spirit still lingers - but the trek home each night is a dangerous one indeed... A violent, malicious entity stalks the halls of the high-rise, and every time The Fool steps through his doorway he risks it being his last. Wrestling with his future, his desire for reunion, and his spiraling anxiety, The Fool's story is one of grief, loneliness, and lost love. His near-obsessive romance with the literal ghost of his past grows ever stronger as his inability to move on throttles his will to live until all hell breaks loose. When an unforeseen crisis hits the neighboring city, The Fool finds himself trapped within the confines of The Tower, forcing him to face not only the hell-bent monstrosity in the hall and Death's presence in the shadows, but the finality of life as he knew it. |
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Dueling Shoulder Angels by Ben Schenkman Selling his soul to the Devil was the best decision that Nick ever made. He got the girl, saved the day, and settled in for a comfortable career at Devil Co. That means itâs the perfect time for God to have other plans for himâ and guess who shows up to try and poach Nick for Their organization? Why have one complicated job working for a personified deity, when you can have two? Caught between worlds, and moonlighting for the âgood guys,â Nick learns his deal with Lucifer might not be what it seems. Uncovering a scheme to take advantage of the Devil himself rocks Nick to his core, and makes him question everything. The line between good and evil gets blurrier by the day, and Nick doesnât know which shoulder angel to trust. His partner Amy, a witch growing into powers of her own, warns him of the danger he faces, but canât stop Nick from running headlong into it. Can Nick save himself, or will Amy need to make an ally of a former foe to save him from a fate worse than decaf? |
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Who are you feeding? New York, 1899: Working class nobody Jasper is whisked away to a castle in the mountains by his wealthy lover Leo. Itâs supposed to be a romantic escape, even if Jasper is officially here as a servant. But his dreams are soon dashed as heâs worked to the bone and demeaned by Leoâs callous, conservative family. Trapped in the isolated castle, with even his lover against him, Jasper sees no choice but to accept this rotten treatment. That is, until he makes an unlikely friend: the man in the walls. Chained in a hidden room, the man wonât say who imprisoned him or why. He demands to be kept a secret, and for Jasper to bring him a steady supply of his favorite meal: leeches. Bizarre, but it becomes easier to swallow when the man promises great rewards for Jasperâs help: money, power, revenge. Jasper doesnât see anything wrong with taking the deal. He believes his hard times will soon be overâuntil heâs forced to confront the monster heâs been feeding. |
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Burrows of Blood and Shadow by Rebekah L Webb An enigmatic entity's journey to process a trauma he can't even remember. The dreamers dream all the time, free to go anywhere, to be anything, to see worlds outside themselves, inside themselves and beyond themselves. The Dream Surfer has no past or memory and can only experience life through the dreams and memories of others. He is stuck in a world of doors and windows leading to quiet lives, where pain and tragedy flow like the inevitable path of gentle streams. There is one spot he refuses to go, a dank corner where burrows dive down to dark and brutal depths. He yearns to break free of his cage and create an existence of his own. But nothing he's done so far has brought him closer to freedom. Maybe the key to escape lies where he has so far feared to tread. The Dream Surfer takes the plunge into the depths of the burrows, where he will travel the turbulent current of pain and cruelty intersecting through various narratives. Will this give him the freedom he craves? Or is it just a way to add more chains? Thirty-seven tales weave together to shape multiple plots, some which dig into literal flesh, while others rip at the flesh of the mind. Neither guilty or innocent, young or old, are safe in this twisting path of mental and physical horrors. |
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At times creepy, funny, and frightening, and told deftly from a child's perspective, Od and Ed is a haunting and heartfelt suburban dark fantasy about a sister and brother that brings the 1980's to life in ways that feel both new and familiar. October 1988 In a moment of desperation Od pressed the button set deep in the wood of the scarebox, and unknowingly pushed Edâs soul out of his body. For some reason Edâs Body can still walk and talk, but it isnât behaving like Ed, and it refuses to leave the graveyard. Thrown into the supernatural currents running under her small town, Od soon realizes that her only ally may be Loney Scrobeâa strange classmate of hers whoâs surrounded by dark and disturbing rumors. Odâs not sure if she can trust Loney, but her brotherâs life hangs in the balanceâŚand she only has one night to put him back together again. |
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The Afterlife Experiment by Sam Weiss Previously published as Cynosura 99 by Sam Weiss. âThe night the moon bleeds is the night the world will end. Thereâs death in the moon. And the moon is you.â Atra Hart has spent the last seven years locked away in Vanishing Plains Psychiatric Hospital. In that time, her shadow has transformed into its own entity and is growing stronger by the day, threatening to devour her mind. She calls that shadow Dread, and only her missing father knows what it is. When a fire breaks out at the asylum, Atra makes her way to freedom just in time to see an electric-purple rift sunder the sky. Like Dread, the rift is only visible to her. Atraâs already loose grip on reality unravels when she learns the rift is a gateway to the world of the dead. And the Queen, an ancient evil lurking on its fringes, wants Dread for her own. Even worse, Atra canât tell if any of this is really happening. She might have escaped one asylum, but the closer she gets to unearthing answers about Dread, why her father knows itâs there, and its role in the Queenâs plans, the more she risks getting trapped inside her own mind forever. Maybe some truths are meant to stay buried. |
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Rites of Passage by M. D. Presley Corbin James has never been so lost. Able to dowse since a kid, heâs adept at finding missing things. But after weeks on the run from the FBI, the teenâs luck has finally run dry. Enter the enigmatic Mister with a tempting offer: find an enchanter who has disappeared inside the mysterious Harmon House. Recruited into a reluctant crew of motley magicians, Corbin only has days to navigate their shifting loyalties to earn his freedom by entering the Inner Circle. Lucky for him heâs got his trusty dowsing rod, a defaced 50-cent piece, and enchanted iPod. |
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My Boss is the Devil by Ben Schenkman Finding the balance between good and evil is about to require a lot of coffee. Whatâs better than being a college dropout twenty-something working as a barista in New Haven, CT? Just about anything. Nick would give anything to escape the dead-end life heâs made for himself. He gets the offer of a lifetime from Lucifer himself, to trade his apron for a suit. Should he really consider becoming an agent of the Devil? With the way things are going for Nick, of course he should. Lucifer wants to give Nick a chance to do what he always wanted, to help people, wielding power and influence to make their dreams come true. He would have to sell his soul, but the Devil is a gambling man and lets Nick experience his new life before he has to sign on the dotted line. Can he use the Devilâs power for good, and make his mark on the world, or will he fall victim to his own desires and lose his humanity? As if that wasnât enough, the very friend that made the meeting with Lucifer possible turns on Nick, and he needs to do some quick thinking to come out on top. Maybe the ends justify the means, but there are no easy answers. |
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Nominated For A 2023 Whitney Awardâ¨â¨"Cooper has written a masterpiece! This author has an uncanny ability to weave together intricate plot lines and complex characters that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. You can put this book down once you've devoured every last page." - Midwest Book Reviewâ¨â¨"A tale of transformation and the triumph of the human spirit... a must-read for anyone who craves a captivating blend of romance, fantasy, and adventure, with characters who leap off the page and into your heart." - A Look Inside: Books, Movies & Music When Ellie Forth sets out to have a great Alaskan adventure with her remaining family members, sheâs got something to proveâand not to them, but to herself. Four years after the unexpected death of her mother and sister, sheâs ready to re-embrace her adventurous side. Oliver Coleâs life, on the other hand, is very simple: go to work, catch fish, come home, and stash every penny earned into his bank account so he can afford to pay for college. But his life is turned upside down when Ellie and her brotherâtwo nearly-forgotten acquaintances from his childhoodâburst back into his life. After a horrific encounter with the supernatural deep in the Kenai Peninsula, Ellie and Oliver must team up to discover the truth about what happened in Portlock, and how to fight a rising tide of evil that has the power to envelop not just Alaska, but the entire world. A stunning debut, Silverskin is a blend of fantasy, suspense, and the supernatural. With Hallmark-meets-Hitchcock vibes, the adventure and sweet romance in this book will keep you up turning pages well past your bedtime. It features strong female and male leads, low-spice friends-to-lovers romance, found family themes, and more. |
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The Tickle Monster by David Washburn There is comfort in the wholesomeness of family. Pure joy to be cherished in the innocence of a child. âŚBut what happens when a looming sense of dread has a death-grip on a childâs mind? Teddy is âonly a boyâ but there is a rebellious fire in his belly that urges him to forge his own path as a man. With much to learn, his father does his best to teach him about being a man and respecting family traditions while appreciating the mundane. After Teddyâs father tells him not to go into the woods, in what was meant to be a teachable moment, Teddy is soon faced with a choice that sees him in the very place where he shouldnât be. Teddy encounters something that he cannot make sense of that will haunt him in the coming days. This tale of colonial era horror proves that a childâs imagination isnât always a safe place. |