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Rusted Lies, a Dalton Rust P.I. Novel by Jacob Klop You'd think being a detective is a pretty good gig, but when Dalton Rust gets roped into his newest case he can't help but wonder why he ever got into the business. The Royals are looking for blood, the Harpers won't stop badgering him, and even his own cat, Thatch, keeps tripping him up. The news doesn't get any better when Rust discovers a cybermancer who's capable of turning invisible and tossing people around like paper plates is protecting the document he needs to retrieve. But it's not all bad. His coffee maker still works like a dream. Now if only Rust could figure out why a bunch of high powered families from the Hill are so interested in an average crank like him...but no one wants to talk, and time is running short. |
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Born powerless, Arabel is abandoned in twilight by her lumin parents. Raised by greys, she is treated like an outsider for most of her life, yet when her enclave is raided by lumin soldiers, Arabel vows to rescue her people at any cost. In spire city Coronus, Supreme Solar Roland discovers a dangerous firearm that violates the Great Edict â All machinery and weapons must be powered by lumins. Roland casts a suspicious eye upon the twilight dwelling greys, and ponders the relevance of their existence. Two nations that once lived in harmony have become divided by prejudice and fear. But conflict will not restore their fractured bonds. Only the return of sun givers can set Tandor's people on a path to reforging their broken ties. Only a sun giver can save them from destroying one another. But a sun giver hasn't been discovered in generations⌠âŚuntil now. |
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His senior year in high school couldnât be more boring for overachieving science nerd Taylor Young until Brad, a mysterious but hot new character, starts walking the school halls. Ignoring the rumors about his mental state and his murky past, Taylor falls for Brad head over heels. United in their love for science and for each other, they invent the Jump Box, a revolutionary piece of teleporting technology that changes their lives â and the world â forever, but then a series of freak accidents that threaten the fate of the entire planet finally uncovers the hidden truths that Brad had so carefully buried and worked so hard to forget. |
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The Merry Maids by Stefanie Contreras Alyvia Tippin is done with her training at the Academy, and ready to serve the Order. Her abilities with movement and telekinesis earn her a spot with The Merry Maids, a small black-ops team that works on the Order's behalf to unofficially clean up official messes. As the new Courier for The Merry Maids, Alyvia's training is immediately put to the test when the Order sends them on a mission to collect the disassembled pieces of an artifact called the Starkiller. The pieces are hidden across the galaxy like a deadly scavenger hunt, and the person who hid them wants Alyvia to destroy the Starkiller instead of turning it over to the Order. Luckily, The Merry Maids have her back. She's going to need it. |
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Reality Testing by Grant Price Welcome to Berlin. Population: desperate. In the throes of the climate crisis the green tech pioneers are king, and if you aren't willing to be their serf then you're surplus to requirements. Carbon credit for sleeping on the job. That's the offer a dreamtech puts to Mara Kinzig, and she jumps on it. After all, the city ain't getting any cheaper. Then somebody changes the deal while she's dreaming in the tank. Now Mara has a body on her hands, an extra voice in her head, and the law on her tail. Only the Vanguard, a Foreign Legion of outcasts seeking an alternative path in the dust between the city states, might be able to help her figure out what went wrong. First, though, she'll have to escape the seething streets of Berlin alive. |
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Of Anchors and Aspirations (Book 1 - Worlds Afire) by Scott Kelemen Worlds Afire Book 1 Hunted by a rogue operative on her home world, Johanna Summer is sent away to embark on a new life as a cadet at the Allianceâs Navy Space Academy. The challenging new life offers her the chance of finding a real purpose for the first time, a vision shared by her new friends and classmates. As these new friends start their careers, another group of more senior military cadets try to carve out a different way of life, shunning the Navy for a lifestyle of their own choosing. Stealing weapons, ships, and whatever else they might need, the thieves will stop at nothing to break free, whatever the cost. In the process, they will align with the one hunting Johanna, and everyone involved will discover just how far a zealot will go for his cause. Of Anchors and Aspirations is the first novel in the "Worlds Afire" series, set in a future where the human diaspora has carried humanity into a distant region of the galaxy where they have carved out a new destiny for themselves far from Earth. |
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Of Bravery and Bluster (Book 2 - Worlds Afire) by Scott Kelemen Book 2 of Worlds Afire After years of intense training in the star system of Havoc, five cadets are nearing graduation from the Academy which trains officers for the Alliance Navy, the force responsible for protecting humanity in a region of space far from Earth. Having survived every test the Academy has to offer, including a deadly encounter with rogue cadets that was never planned, the cadets must now embark on a new series of challenges that will have them face to face with aliens, meet high powered politicians, and tested for bravery under deadly stress. Yet as difficult as those trials might be, there are worse dangers stalking them in the dark. The agents who manipulated the rogue cadets seek a reckoning for their disrupted plans, and an old enemy is about to resurface who is not nearly as dead as everyone thinks. The Academy wants to test the mettle of these cadets. But what they are about to experience will go far beyond anything their instructors ever intended. |
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Protostar: An Automatic Apocalypse by Jesse Pohlman Lahira Ocean is the Captain of the Messenger, a cutting-edge Cruiser defending Humanity and its allies against an alien race called The Orphans. After a hectic battle at the planet Gagarin, Lahira awakens from a two-week long coma to find two strangers carefully awaiting her recovery. The first is clearly from the upper echelons of Earth's government who calls himself Herodotus Fork; the second is distantly familiar to Lahira as a woman named Amber, an ambassador from the Automatons, a 'species' of alien who are fully artificial intelligences. Neither are happy to be sitting over her hospital bed. Lahira is suspected of being involved in an unprecedented attack on an Automaton: During the Battle of Gagarin, Lahira's ship emitted a strange signal which seemed to corrupt the mind of an elder Automaton, and Amber has been assigned to levy judgment about what happened. Unfortunately for her, the chaos of the ensuing melee led to the Human receiving serious injuries: She was mentally connected to a computer system which shorted out. These injuries - along with others lurking deeper under the surface of her thoughts - have induced retrograde amnesia, meaning she cannot fully explain the events leading to her role in the brawl. |
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Unicorn Farmhand by Samuel Yaw Jian Fong Every horse has a talent or two. Some can sit, some can jump over obstacles, and some can select a button for a treat. For one particular draft horse, Dok Saau, his talent is in writing. He does not just scribble letters in the ground as a trick, but he also uses his talent to express his own thoughts to his bemused owners. Surprised by his strange talent, his owner Chang Gao brings him to the Horse Fair, where he beats the other horses by writing proper answers to several questions. After a DNA scan, he is revealed to be a unicorn: even though he was supposed to be released into the wild, the authorities let Chang Gao keep him so that he might become a local attraction. Yet even as he tries to adjust to his new life as an animal celebrity, every now and then he faces recurring nightmares from his troubled past. As he seeks Chang Gao's help, will he be there to help him defeat his fears? Or would they instead attract something much worse: something that could threaten his comforts or even his own life? |
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Of Daring and Devilry (Book 4 - Worlds Afire) by Scott Kelemen Book 4 of the Worlds Afire Series: For those who survived the conflict at New Liberty, the galaxy has been forever changed. Nothing had prepared them for the realities of open conflict, and most found themselves unready. Even those who displayed courage cannot ignore that the battle unveiled how centuries of peace have eroded the Navy's fighting edge. Johanna Summer and her friends try to put the pain they suffered behind them and look toward the future. Their careers are still new, and they still have much to prove. But sweeping change is not kind. It does not wait for people to be ready. Events have been put into motion that cannot be stopped. War is coming. Once again, all these young officers can do is try and survive lest they be pulled under by the violent currents swirling around them. |
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A Million Little Souls by Chase Connor In the last two weeks of the school year, four teenagers check out books from the Long-Moore High School Library. Mrs. Clark, the high school librarian, says she has never seen the books before. They must have been shelved incorrectly because all of the books are from the city public library. Entrusting the teens to return the books to their rightful home once they are done, she lets them check out the books. Inside of each, the teens learn, is an invitation to attend a special eventâone that only happens every 25 years. You have been selected. Your presence is requested at 7 pm on the 5th. Tell no one. Come alone. Otherwise, your invitation will be invalidated. Cordially, The Librarian. Though all of them think better of it, one by one, they all arrive at the City Public Library alone, ready to attend this mysterious event the messages in the books conveyed. As the night unfolds, they find themselves locked inside the dark building all alone, with nothing to do but wait for dawn. But are they alone? Or is there something more than books inside the libraryâŚ? Get to know each other⌠Take a stroll through time⌠Reach a higher plane⌠Go by the numbers⌠Respect the books. |
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HE BOKAI HAVE RETURNED Kamryn Coe and her friends are spread out across the east coast, struggling to stay alive and find answers. Her powers are growing, but at what cost? She begins to realize that her unique gifts may not be all that unique, after all. THE FINAL BATTLE APPROACHES Spider stalks the dreams of the survivors, a talent stolen from another. The orange sneakered goblin believes that she will be rewarded, provided she can complete one more task. THIS IS HOW IT ENDS And Quinn Flowers, after a beyond the grave visit from Lucy, realizes that he may have a more important role to play in the salvation of all things. Heath, Dani, Gabe, Wyatt, Jordan, Olin, Trip, they've all come so far, but sacrifices must be made. NO ONE IS SAFE FROM THE GLOWING |
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APPRENTICE - a story from the Road to Xibalba by Joaquin Gil The story of Fiona Robles, an aspiring student Gatekeeper in Gateway's Bio-Design program and her adventures in the Gold Coast of California, her first love, her travels, what she did wrong, and how Xibalba affected her life, and what she did right, and the friends she found on the way. Hand drawings over computer graphics. |
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Of Courage and Chaos (Book 3 - Worlds Afire) by Scott Kelemen Book 3 of the "Worlds Afire" Series Having survived the final trials of the Academy, Johanna and her friends begin their careers amidst the stars as Midshipmen in the Alliance Navy fleet. As they take their first steps, hidden forces continue their work to de-stabilize the very Alliance so many have fought to protect. Their plans will empower a madman, whose murderous attempt to usurp power will incite war for the first time in centuries. The Alliance Navy is summoned to stop him, and those ships will carry Johanna and the others right into the heart of the storm. |
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Thicker Than Blood (The Journey Missions Book 3) by Holly Ash Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf's hatred of politics has never been a secret through her spotless military career. So why is she being sent to Earth to speak at a military hearing on behalf of The Lands and Waters of Neophia Organization? When Crystal's team is tasked with convincing the US military to continue the officer exchange program that first brought Lieutenant Desiree Flint and Ensign Justin Anderson to Neophia to serve on Journeyâs first tour, the stakes are already high: if they fail their mission, Flint and Anderson wonât be able to return for the second tour. And to make matters worse, they arrive on Earth to find relations between the two planets are far worse than anyone let on. Things escalate when a terrorist group attacks a string of hospitals, demanding the US government acknowledge Neophiaâs superiority. Divided from their team in the wake of a retaliatory order that detains anyone with Neophian blood, Flint and Anderson, the only two pure humans, must find a way to complete their mission--and get the rest of their team home in one piece. |
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Models and Citizens by Andrew Sweet In the year 2185, models (or clones) do the jobs that others wonât. Failure to work is punishable by death. Ordell Bentley flees from the violence of the Human Pride Movement and discovers the death of his lover. Ordell chooses to escape rather than return to his life of forced-labor. Harper, his loverâs daughter, hides him from bounty hunters in her family home. Haunted by an unseen stalker, Ordell relies on Harper to help plan his refuge trip to Canada. The reward for Ordellâs capture steadily ticks upward⌠Can Ordell make it to freedom? Will his unlikely friendship with Harper prove to be his undoing? |
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Entanglement: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Thriller by Alina Leonova Cay thinks he may be going insane. His partner isnât herself. He can only surmise that sheâs been replaced, which is impossible. And yet⌠In a desperate attempt to discover the truth, Cay gives up his identity and flees home. Cutting out the implant that connects him to society is an unforgivable crime, but it may be the only way to find the people who can help him. His path leads him to the underworld where he meets Vietra. She wants to run from her past but canât leave it behind. Together, they get a chance to discover why the world has set out to destroy them. Will the answers they find save them, or bring their downfall? Readers call Entanglement mind-bending, exciting, and unpredictable. This cyber-punk thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. |
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A Tale of Stars and Shadow (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #1) by Lisa Cassidy Dumnorix princess and born warrior, Talyn Dynan was the finest fighter of her generation. With her Callanan partner at her side, she was invincible, reckless, a death-knell to their enemies. But after her partner is torn away from her, Talyn is left broken, wracked with guilt and unable to regain the confidence she once had. Could an unexpected mission to the mysterious country of Mithranar, home of the magical winged folk, be the thing that saves her? Or will the danger and secrets she finds there finally break her completely? The Shadowhawk lives a life in the shadows. Constantly hunted for his criminal exploits, yet desperate to help the human folk of Mithranar who are oppressed by their winged folk rulers, he haunts the streets of Dock City. The arrival of a foreign warrior threatens to upset the carefully balanced life he leads, but when she begins to offer a hope for the humans he's only ever dreamed of, can he risk trusting her? And unbeknownst to both, a mysterious foe stalks the dark corners of Dock City. One that answers to a single purpose... Vengeance. |
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Sowing (The Purification Era #1) by Angie Grigaliunas They can take your house, your daughter, whatever they want. For Ariliah, life under the militarized Hulcondans is one of order and safety. Despite the soldiersâ ruthless policies, she trusts their judgment. They alone provide protection from the enemies lurking beyond the city wall. For her older sister, Rabreah, every glance from a Hulcondan is a threat. Though even a whisper against them is treason worthy of death, Rabreah is determined to end their tyranny. Joining an underground resistance is her only hope â until she realizes she doesnât know the people sheâs aligned herself with at all. Unsure who to trust but unable to back out, she must work alongside the attractive yet infuriating rebel leader who reminds her far too much of the soldiers she hates. But with subversive posters appearing throughout the city and people dying on the blade of an unknown assailant, the sistersâ world begins to crumble. And as the line between friend and enemy blurs, both girls must face the truth: everything is about to change. Sowing is a gritty, slow burn spy thriller set in a dystopian world on the brink of war. Perfect for fans of the characterization and political tension in Leigh Bardugoâs Six of Crows, Sabaa Tahirâs An Ember in the Ashes series, and Pierce Brownâs Red Rising saga. **This series is meant to be read in order.** |
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Pilgrimage to Skara by Jonathan Pembroke Finalist in the 2017 Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off contest! It has been nearly two decades since Pell Wendt abandoned the power and prestige of Collum. Ruled by the semi-divine Ajudicar, the city had been his home all his life, but no longer. Spurned by the woman he loved, the former pathfinder, adventurer and criminal walked away from his life of escorting promising youngsters to the shrines of power, and retreated to his farm in the Sogras, to live a life of bitter and brooding rejection. Now, House Kettiburg has reached out with a an offer he can't refuse: a pilgrimage to Skara, a mythical and dangerous shrine far out in the barbarous Outlands, for the supplicant Keilie - the daughter of the very woman who rejected him. Trapped by the love his heart cannot deny, Wendt agrees to the pilgrimage and finds himself embroiled in intrigue and betrayal, with far-reaching implications for himself, Keilie, and the tattered remains of the human race. |
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The Wall: A Post-Brexit Dystopian Fantasy by Margaret Mason The only road to escape ends at The Wall. In a desolate post-Brexit England, nothing is as it seems. There is no chance, for those who remain in England encased behind The Wall, to live a long and healthy life in the smog drenched, almost abandoned cities. None. Apart from one. Walking North, alone, through a desolate and deserted landscape, on old, cracked roads, long since abandoned, Harra has only two items to guide her. A sheet of paper with a list of instructions to direct her steps to The Wall and an ancient Casio watch to ensure her timely arrival. Yet neither of those can guarantee success, not when the ever-vigilant Border Drones must be avoided to chance the final crossing. And with every step she takes, the Establishment lies begins to unravel, revealing to Harra just how far the Government has gone to ensure its âtruthsâ are not only never questioned, but that they also come to pass. Harra has a future to gain, and a past to unravel. The Wall both beckons and repels, but there is no other means of escape. |
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The Void Revealed (Origo Essentia #1) by Stephen J. Ethier The first book of the Origo Essentia Series, a Sci-Fi Fantasy adventure with a female protagonist. Sitting atop the Spire, Windhold is governed by the theocratical Brotherhood and the secular leadership of the Sentinel. Below them lies the Void, a barren land filled with the Red Death that arrived with the blistering winds of the Fury. The corruption in Windhold has left everyone at the mercy of a madman. The only hope is Elise, groomed to be the Aspirant and replace the Sentinel for a peaceful new world. But when she ventures into the Void, she discovers that Windhold may not be everything it seems. |
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The Usurper (Brutal Saga #0.5) by James Alderdice When a tyrant wears the crown, a hero must become an Usurper... The Fates weave a tapestry of life and death for young Gathelaus the Sellsword. Now an unexpected opportunity presents itself for the famed mercenary, he has but to claim the blood red crown⌠But once you wear the crown, how long can you hold it until that power is turned against you? Follow Gathelaus on a journey through a life of magic, action and intrigue; battling gods and monsters across a mystic realm ⌠The Usurper is an action-packed heroic adventure in the vein of classic pulp fiction and heroic fantasy. If you like Conan the Barbarian, The Witcher and Logen Ninefingers along with vengeful sorcery, savage duels, larger-than-life characters, and witty humor, then youâll love James Alderdiceâs barbaric tale. |
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Telluria (Telluria, #1) by Jodi Trask The earth was on the brink of a futuristic utopia when a new and deadly disease threatened to wipe out humanity. Telluria slowly dissolved its victims into one of the four primordial elements of water, fire, earth or wind. Terra was a child when her parents caught Telluria. The corporation New Atlantis developed a cure and distributed it for free just in time, saving her parents and the world from extinction. The world was just beginning to rebuild when Terra caught Telluria herself. She planned to simply go get the cure, but when her best friend Grey is killed by New Atlantis officials for trying to warn her against it, Terra is on the run for her life and the truth. |
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Stray Magic (Faerene Apocalypse #1) by Jenny Schwartz When magic crashes through the Rift, Earth devolves into an apocalyptic nightmare. Survival becomes the only game in town, and college girl, Amy Carlton, learns sheâs a more ruthless player than she ever imagined. Magistrate Istvan signed up for the Faerene Migration knowing that the price of Earthâs future would be paid for in hellfire and blood. But the black griffin hadnât anticipated humans accessing magic. Now, a new and impossible bond must be forged between a Faerene invader and a human familiar. But first Istvan and Amy must survive to form the bond. *Note: âFaereneâ refers to the many peoples of another world: the griffins, dragons, unicorns, werewolves, elves and ogres who've crossed to Earth. No prepper or survivalist could have been prepared for their arrival. |
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Star Compass (Victoria Eternal #1) by Anthea Sharp Charles Dickens meets Firefly in this tale of an orphan destined for the stars. Steampunk with a twist! Enter a fantastical world filled with alien spacecraft and Victorian sensibilities, ball gowns and travel to the stars - where a pickpocket with a particular gift yearns for the stars⌠(Note: This novel was part of the Dominion Rising collection) |
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Squire Derel (Knight Protector #1) by Rachel Ford In the fires of war and death, she'll make her own destiny. Ana Derel was never meant to be a knight protector. She was never meant to be a squire. She was supposed to marry well, and raise sons who would become knight protectors. Ana had other plans. After years of hard work, Squire Ana Derel has earned the respect of her peers. She's a crack shot, and lethal with a blade. She's weeks away from earning her own knighthood. Then a deadly ambush leaves her charred, defeated and wanting justice. With the South readying for war, and the North demanding answers, Squire Derel finds herself alone in the epicenter of the coming storm. Alone, until she meets the enigmatic Knight of the Shire. Will their unlikely friendship be enough to prevent a war? Or will war consume them too? |
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The Nothing Within by Andy Giesler Root is... different. Though raised in a fearful society that reveres tradition and conformity, sheâs irreverent, outspoken, and deeply curious. Her blindness sets her even further apart. Centuries after the Reckoning, a global biotech plague, savage chimeras still threaten human survival. After Root hears a voice that no one else can hear, she flees into the wilderness. Outcast and hunted, she must confront a dire threat to her people--and unravel the mystery of who she really is. |
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Meadowcity (Arcera #1) by Liz Delton The first war in a thousand years has only just begun... Sylvia Thorne is one of the few people brave enough to travel through the empty lands of what remains of once great civilizations. She is a Rider: delivering messages betwen the Four Cities and setting up trade are her business, one that thrives only because she knows how to defend herself in the empty spaces called the wilds. Everything changes when Sylvia returns home to Meadowcity, carrying a message from the Governor of Skycity. She quickly finds out that what sheâs been carrying isnât some trifling correspondenceâbut a declaration of war from Governor Sorin Greyling. And the message isn't their only cause for concern... Join Sylvia as she embarks on a journey that will decide the fate of Meadow Cityâand all of those who live in the Four Cities of Arcera. And relive the past to discover what drove Sorin down his path of destruction... |
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Lazarus Code (First Family Saga #1) by Sharon Van Orman "I am Ryder of the Pentimalli, a member of the first families and Captain of the deep space exploration vessel, Serendipity." In the centuries since our forefathers tamed an uncivilized land and revolted against a King we had grown complacent. When our government waged cyber war on us the spirit of those long dead patriots was ignited, sparking a second revolutionary war. It was then that the First Families were born. Genetically enhanced humans who carried within our blood stream nano-bots that repair and regenerate. We were meant to be the record keepers. The vanguard of our species as we spread across time and space. I have returned home after a decades long mission to find Earth devastated by the Weeping Death. A disease that has made it possible for the dead to rise. With the help of my brothers and my crew we will find who is responsible. They expected us to be complacent. They were wrong. |
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The Five Trials (Tsun-Tsun TzimTzum #1) by Mike Truk My name's Noah Kilmartin. I'm from Ruddock, Ohio, and I'm absolutely, 100% unqualified to save the universe from the slavering demonic hordes of the super evil bitch queen Lilith. Too bad nobody asked my opinion. All I've got to do is pass five lethal trials that'll prove I'm the universe's last chance at salvation. To do so I'll have to lean hard on those three years of Okinawan jiu-jutsu classes I took in highschool, learn to wield my new magic sword, and oh yeah - select five women to flesh out my team, bonding with each one for arcane purposes and desperately trying to stay alive in the process. Piece of cake. Right? Warning and minor spoilers: "The Five Trials" is an 18+ book intended for mature readers. It contains graphic sex, medieval violence, and nudity. People curse, piss their pants, hack off heads, get a little dizzy, tortured, seduce each other, try to seduce each other, and scared witless by horrors from the darkest dimensions. Most importantly, you'll meet gorgeous, powerful women, some capable for hurling lightning, others of swinging battle-axes, and one that's Noah's unrequited crush from highschool. All of them are willing to enter unconventional, polyamorous, harem relationships if it means saving the universe, and luckily for Noah, this time it actually does. Read at your own risk. |
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First Steps (Meandering Paths #1) by Luke Daher Not all roads lead to desired destinations... A swordsman struggles beneath the burdens of lost friends, survival in the lawless Wilds and a fate he wishes to outrun. An artist stands on the fringes of her society, derided by her peers while striving to impress the Divine her people worship. An uncaring world shifts around them, leading their feet onto greater paths unknowingly. |
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Few Are Chosen (K'Barthan #1) by M.T. McGuire Charming outlaw with own transport and limited social skills seeks lucrative, employment at minimal risk. When you're running from a murderous government and work for an equally murderous gangster, accidentally torching his apartment is a bad move. The Pan of Hamgee just wants a quiet life but destiny has other plans. |
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Emissary (Emissary Quintet #1) by E.B. Brooks Ewan OâMeara dreams of becoming the greatest adventurer Veridor has ever known. Problem is, there havenât been any epic quests since the ancient war of independence. His parents keep badgering him to take a respectable profession, and the overbearing Church soaks him for penance gold every time he dies. When he encounters a young woman fleeing arrest, he canât resist helping her. At first glance, Treanna Rothchild needs it: sheâs clueless about Veridian life. But she has other skills that defy Ewanâs understanding, and she knows things. Unsettling, seditious things the Church wants kept secret at any cost. And sheâs here to raise an army. Risking both life and soul, Ewan follows Treanna where no Veridian has been, but he must come to terms with the harsh world she reveals as he discovers how much they have in commonâand how much they depend on each other to survive. |
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The Edge of Nothing (The Lex Chronicles #1) by Crystal Crawford An evil force terrorizes Arameth, but those out to stop it have a serious problem: their prophesied hero is dead. Centuries ago, a malevolent magicborn overtook Arameth, fracturing their world and unleashing a devastating war between magicborn and their non-magic neighbors. To protect their magical heritage, the Ancients of Arameth sealed themselves off in The Core, wiping all memory of magic from the ordinary people. The remaining magicborns retreated into hiding, unable to use their abilities for fear of inciting the wrath of the Ancientsâ dark regimeâor the terror of their own neighbors. Two hundred years later, the damage wreaked by the Fracture threatens to unravel their world. A dark energy from The Core is slowly corrupting once-beautiful Arameth, and the Worldforce, the source of all Aramethâs magic, is destabilizing. The heroes sworn to restore the balance fail catastrophically in their final battle, and tensions peak between the peoples of Arameth. Fluctuations in the unstable Worldforce bring frequent disasters. But not all of Aramethâs problems come from The Core... Lex is a seventeen-year-old with no memories before this morning, and no clue why a group of villagers want him dead. Realizing they have mistaken him for a destructive magicborn who slaughtered innocents in their village, Lex flees for his lifeâonly to discover heâs more tangled in the conflicts of the past than he ever imagined. And the mysterious girl he stumbles upon during his escape creates a whole new set of problems... An epic fantasy / portal fantasy / soft sci-fi mashup, this book is teeming with quirky characters, fantastical creatures, surprises and suspense. With subtle clean/sweet romance, high-stakes adventure, and a strong focus on friendship and second chances, this all-the-feels fantasy debut will keep you flipping the pages. |
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Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair Michael Duckett is fed up with his life. His job is a drag, and his roommate and best friend of fifteen years, Stephanie Dyer, is only making him more anxious with her lazy irresponsibility. Things continue to escalate when they face the threat of imminent eviction from their palatial 5th floor walk-up and find that someone has been plastering ads all over the city for their Detective Agency. The only problem is: He and Stephanie donât have one of those. Despite their baffling levels of incompetence, Stephanie eagerly pursues this crazy scheme and drags Michael, kicking and screaming, into the fray only to find that they are way out of their depth. They stumble upon a web of missing people that are curiously linked to a sexually audacious theoretical physicist and his experiments with the fabric of space-time. And unless Michael and Stephanie can put their personal issues aside and fix the multi-verse, the concept of existence itself may, ironically, no longer exist. |
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The One-Hundred Percent Solution by G.M. Nair The Future Group is the cityâs biggest and most lucrative company even though no one really knows what it is they do. Michael Duckett has worked there for four years and he still has no clue. All he knows is that he hates his meaningless job and all the people in it. But it pays the bills. Bills that have been stacking up since his roommate and best friend Stephanie Dyer decided to open a detective agency â despite her chronic inability to commit to anything. When Michael is suddenly fired, he and Stephanie are forced to return to the world of private investigation against his better judgment. A mysterious woman wants to enlist the services of Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire to track down an assassin who has a bone to pick with Michaelâs former employer. Apparently, The Future Group has been harboring a deadly secret for decades. One that could put the world in the grip of an indescribable horror. It turns out Michael was lucky to get out of that job alive. Too bad he and Stephanie are being dragged back to work. |
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Across the Broken Stars by Jed Herne LEON HAS A SECRET. He was once an angel â a winged warrior sworn to protect Paya, a realm where people live on discs that float in space. He failed. Now, Leonâs a broken man, trying to forget the past. He thinks heâs the last angel. But then a young fugitive stumbles onto Leonâs doorstep. Sheâs an angel, too. And she has a riddle leading to a place where angels still live. Or so the stories claim ... Desperate for redemption, Leon begins a perilous quest through myth and folklore. But will Leon and the fugitive find their legendary destination? Or will Leon lose his last chance for salvation? Brutal and gripping, this is a story about a flawed manâs search for forgiveness, set against the backdrop of an incredible world. |
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My Friend, The Gifted: A Sci-Fantasy (The Universe of Infinite Wonder Book 1) by E.L. Aldryc What would you sacrifice to become extraordinary? ⨠⨠Elodie Marchand struggles to stand out at the Sight Institute. With so many brilliant minds pushing the limits of AI, alchemy, and nanotechnology, it feels impossible to compete. A stark contrast to her best friend, and the Instituteâs unrivalled favourite - Soraya Gourrami. ⨠Sorayaâs firm encouragement curbs Elodieâs impatience, and in turn, she helps keep Sorayaâs temper in check. A perfect symbiosis. ⨠But all that is about to change with one simple meeting. ⨠When the Instituteâs psychic organisation mandates a thorough search for new gifted blood, Elodie jumps at the opportunity to finally reach for greatness. ⨠Even if she may not survive the test, or the process that follows. ⨠Elodie will need all the help she can get to keep her life and sanity through the test that will establish her suitability for a life of duty and prestige. But Sorayaâs friendship suddenly comes with a single new rule. ⨠Elodie can never look into her past or future. ⨠But accidents happen. And some secrets are too big and dangerous to keep. ⨠Itâs time to choose. Friendship or a chance to claim her true self at any cost? |
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IRONSHIELD (The Ironshield Saga, #1) by Edward Nile A Pile of Scrap, Held Together by an Ideal. It's been almost thirty years since the budding nation of Arkenia used Kaizer Warsuits, gas-powered mechanical giants, to wrestle independence from a tyrannical empire. Now, Arkenia is pressured into disarmament by that same power, strong-armed into a deal that will strip them of the very weapons that won their sovereignty. The Southern provinces agree to the terms. The Northern Industrialists do not. Led by commander James Edstein, heir to the legacy of the mighty Ironshield Warsuit, the North defies the Southern Appeasers. Intent on keeping their Warsuits, and their nationâs hard-fought independence, from Imperial rule. Senator Samuel Mutton, veteran of the Revolution and a key leader in the South, wants nothing but peace for his nation. No matter how high the cost. As the Civil War ramps up, both men are forced to question their morals, forced to decide what matters most. Victory, or Honor. |
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Illegal Adult by Aditya Balaji A lawyer-turned-vigilante conducts a fatal experiment to discover the perfect set of laws. It's the year 2035, and Tillamet is now a bustling smart city. With its city-wide blockchain and rich internet-of-things ecosystem, it serves as a glowing reminder to the world that investment in the right technologies can empower every fathomable industry. What is not apparent to the outside world, is that these same technologies are being used to give each Tillamet citizen the license to create his/her own laws and live by them without legal consequence. Are all human beings similar on some level? And will different peoples' preferences for the law eventually converge to create the best possible laws for society? Tarun Ladda, the mastermind behind the city's functioning, seems to think so. At least, that would explain why he sacrificed his career and his morals, got the blood of an entire community on his hands, and imprisoned thousands of men and women within the boundaries of Tillamet. But it's only a matter of time before the web of deceit around which this city was built will begin to unravel. Plus, there's the added issue of an abused teen killer in Tillamet who's acquired the power to escape the city, raring to hunt down the very people who put her in there... |
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What Branches Grow by T.S. Beier A boldly imagined, exhilarating quest through post-apocalyptic America, where human nature is torn between the violent desperation to survive and the desire to forge connection. Thirty-five years ago, the world was ravaged by war. Delia, driven from her home in Savannah by loss, travels North in search of a future. Gennero is tortured by his violent past and devotion to his hometown. Ordered to apprehend Delia, he follows her into the post-apocalyptic landscape. The wasteland is rife with dangers for those seeking to traverse it: homicidal raiders, dictatorial leaders, mutated humans, and increasingly violent and hungry wildlife. What Branches Grow is an unflinching depiction of life after civilization, where, above all else, trust is the hardest thing to achieve and to give. The survivors have an audacious dream of a better life, but their quest may end up being a fruitless endeavour in a world openly hostile to hope. |
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The Shoggoth Who Loved Me by K. X. Douglas What does it mean to love? Peter Nelson is a shoggoth, a shapeshifting creature bio-engineered by humanityâs ancestors as a beast of burden. But humanityâs ancestors are long gone, and Peter has since began living as a human in Canada with his adoptive parents. Now convincingly eighteen years of age, he is set to begin attending Summerfield Academy, a local community college. He moves into the dormitory and starts making new friends. But why does he keep falling into suggestive situations with his coeds? Meanwhile, people in the area are vanishing or turning up dead under mysterious circumstances, and Peter finds himself compelled to investigate. But can he keep his new friends safe while protecting humanity as a whole from the myriad horrors of the cosmos? |
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The Engineer by Darran M Handshaw Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis SPSFC 2022 "We are born in the shadow of fading memories and fallen dreams, living our days within the decaying bones of an age long gone." When the Engineer, Actaeon, arrives at Pyramid in the heart of Redemption, nothing goes according to plan. Mysterious raiders pursue him relentlessly across the shattered remains of the ancient metropolis, and the leaders of his homeland pay no heed to his ambitious ideas. Meanwhile, deep beneath Pyramid, a deadly creature stirs. And, when Actaeon meets a skilled young Knight Arbiter with brilliant blue eyes, he starts down a path he could never have imagined. The vast, fallen city of the Ancients is home to a new people who face the constant struggle to find resources needed to survive in the dangerous ruins. For the Engineer, however, Redemption is a treasure trove of technology, opportunity, and answers. But his unique skills make him a target for those who would use his talents to achieve their own dreams of power and control. In his endless quest for the truth, will Actaeon discover the fallen cityâs greatest secrets? Or will he share the same fate as the Ancients of whom nothing remains but a whisper? One thing is certain: in Redemption, everything comes with a cost. |
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Grace's nine-year-old son, Jordan, is dying. . . . First, the Metagenesis disease will tear his soul from his body, and then it will kill him. Desperate for a cure, Grace agrees to take part in an illegal clinical trial cloning souls. Supported by her best friend Kay, the two embark on the ultimate "Vegas Vacation" to the past in search of the right soul to clone, racing against time to save Jordan's life. But someone is trying to stop them and when they discover why, Grace must make a choice: let her son die or kill her husband. If she kills her husband, she triggers widespread Metagenesis, sealing the fate of the human race with a new plague. Humanity is counting on Grace choosing to let her son die. Book trailer: https://youtu.be/nZwRXDKHZ-4 Praise for Hamartia: âRich spins an ambitious and imaginative concept into a plot thatâs full of fantastically complicated twists. . . . Throughout, the narrative raises and resolves questions at a brisk pace, making for a compelling page-turner.â â Kirkus Reviews "The love story is a complex, thought provoking relationship with a seductive touch of heat. Ms. Rich delivers a mind-bending futuristic thriller with seductive skill and a unique perspective to the dilemmas of time-travel!" â InD'tale Magazine |
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Always Greener by J.R.H. Lawless A smash-hit reality show is offering a lifetime of luxury to the one person living the worldâs worst life, and now everyone is out to prove just how bad theyâve got it. |