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Shadow Fall

Shadow Fall by Audrey Grey

My name is Maia Graystone: prisoner, rebel, and reluctant savior of a dying world. In exactly 552 hours, an asteroid will end life as we know it. Not that I'm counting or anything. Trapped inside a hellish prison with thieves and murderers, I have more current worries. Like the brother I left behind or the not-so-friendly inmates or the fact that I'm wanted by the most powerful man in existence. 
Then a mysterious benefactor breaks me out and offers the impossible: a spot in the Shadow Trials. Win and I'll receive a coveted place for my brother and I on the space station in the stars. But the opportunity comes at a steep price. Partner with a dashing psychopath, enter the court that once condemned me to death, survive the ruthless trials created by my own mother, and kill the Emperor--the very man who's hunting me. In this cunning game of life and death, nothing is as it seems and everyone expects me to fail. But they forgot one tiny detail. Never underestimate the girl with nothing left to lose.


Destruction

Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice. Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.


Charming

Charming by Krystal Wade

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and that's great . . . as long as you don't die. Sixteen-year-old Haley Tremaine had it all: top-notch school, fantastic family, and a bright future, but all of that changed when an accident tore her family apart. Now, an alcoholic father, a bitter younger sister, and a cold headstone bearing her mother’s name are all she has left. Chris Charming has it all: a powerful CEO for a father, a prestigious school, and a fortune at his fingertips, but none of that matters when he lands a reputation as a troublemaker. Struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he reaches out to the one person he believes truly sees him, the one person he wants: Haley. Little do they know someone's determined to bring the two together, even if it means murder.


The Tome of Haren

The Tome of Haren by Damien Francis

The Tome of Haren, a powerful book, made from magic, with vast stores of knowledge, that could shift the balance of a war brewing at the edge of Narean’s borders…and one young man will become the Keeper for all to survive… The nation of Narean is vulnerable. There hasn’t been a Keeper to protect and defend its people for over 150 years. As rumours of war grow, Narean needs a Keeper more than ever. Orphaned since birth, Aeidor has no expectations for life except surviving day to day, so when a legend from old stories claims that he is to be the next Keeper, the powerful champions entrusted with defending Narean, Aeidor must journey farther than he ever imagined in search of an artefact long thought lost, the Tome of Haren. Now Aeidor must contend with elite mercenaries, called Blooders, hired to retrieve the Tome for their mysterious dark master. As the challenges mount and time draws nearer to the war to come, Aeidor questions whether he can live up to the legacy of the Keepers and save the nation of Narean…


The Marriage Wars: Book One

The Marriage Wars: Book One by Melissa Gowdy Baldwin

Ten years apart. Three nights of uncovered secrets. One decision to change it all. Miserable and bound in a marriage she never wanted, Olivia Smith has played her part in The Nation’s marriage system for the last ten years. She had two children and supported their schooling, cared for her mother and sister, and never used her Challenge Pass from the Marriage Reward System—showing everyone she believed in the life of The Nation. Until now. Determined to have something for herself, Olivia selects the Challenge Pass as her ten-year anniversary reward, which allows her three nights with state-sanctioned escorts at The Challenge Center. She experiences intimate encounters, uncovered secrets, and a decision that will change her path forever. When Ethan, her true love, stands before her as a state-sanctioned escort, Olivia questions the last ten years of her life. To Ethan, Olivia is the last key to undoing The Nation and everyone who believes in its future. To Olivia, Ethan is the escape she’s wanted, but now that he’s in front of her, can she actually take the leap and leave the world she knows behind her? In The Marriage Wars: Book One, Melissa Gowdy Baldwin’s dystopian world asks us to question the role power and gender play in our need for connection, denial, and choice.


Bloodstained Skies: The Core of Rage

Bloodstained Skies: The Core of Rage by Dagmar Rokita

After years of tension, war has finally come to the Union worlds. Hordes of rebels, seeking revenge for their lost worlds, ravage the Peripheral Zones. One of the leaders of the rebellion is Charon Antares. When another one of his braver mission ends in disaster, the rich and powerful sovereign plans to deprive him of his authority. To save his status, Antares agrees to execute her insane order that may cost the lives of thousands of his people. A young and easy-going girl named Cerridwen finds out about the tragedy that happened to her family. She vows revenge, but without collaboration with Antares and the rebels, she will not be able to fulfil her plan. Meanwhile, a group of the Union scientists decides to end the rebel's invasions, once and for all - they build a deadly, inhumane weapon out of sight of the government.


Shady Depths

Shady Depths by B.L. Brown

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 he’s 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 — a man with a secret lurking just beneath the surface.


Choice of the Traveler

Choice of the Traveler by Toni Binns

A war between two worlds. A destiny she can't escape... When Betha transfers to her best friend's university to study, life is looking hopeful. Her dream to open up her own café could finally become a reality, and all she has to do is study, enjoy nights out, and try not to make her crush on the tasty and intense Self-Defence trainer, Carter, too obvious. But her world is shattered when demons invade. As powers Betha didn't know she had begin to emerge, hopes of stopping the invasion fall to her, and Carter is tasked with keeping her alive. Betha has no fighting ability, no matter how hard she tries, but everyone she knows is dying. With Carter and her other friends surrounding her, will she be able to unlock the truth of her magic in time? Or will a cloak of darkness and despair shroud the land and destroy everything she loves? If found family, slow burn romance, and unknown magic are your thing, pick up Choice of the Traveler today!


The City Below the Cloud

The City Below the Cloud by T S Galindo

Few things endure like fear and fungus. In a city forever shrouded in darkness, Kalan braves the heights of the lichen covered buildings to scrub the invading fungi from the walls. What will be discovered when the secrets of The City Below the Cloud come for them? A dystopian cyberpunk novella that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. Approx. 26,000 words.


THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files

THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files by T S Galindo

A collection of 8 Science Fiction stories from the future What do robot apocalypses, existence-ending devices, fractured time, and a sentient single-celled species have in common? The Institute Investigative journalist, [REDACTED], spent a year stealing secret documents from The Institute's scientific think-tank in [REDACTED]. These files will leave you awed and terrified.


An Echo of the Fae

An Echo of the Fae by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

Echo enjoys the peace and solitude of the Faeorn forest, regardless of how strange spending time in the "haunted" wood seems to others. But on the cusp of her thirteenth birthday, the discovery of a family secret reveals why Echo has never been drawn to the sea like her mother. This discovery shakes the foundations of her world and sends Echo on a quest, not merely into the forest, but into the heart of the fae-lands themselves, to rescue the sister she didn't know existed. Elves, dragons, and fairy courts will put Echo's wit and resolve to the test. But with time running out for her sister, will Echo even be able to save herself? A fairytale adventure perfect for fans of The Secret of Roan Innish and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.


Veridian's Curse

Veridian's Curse by Kyle Harvey

The Society of the Leaf Chronicles Continues, Veridian’s Curse (Book Two) In a search for answers, Cedric and his companions travel to the capital city of the Holy Order of the Verdant Guard. A simple mission to find answers becomes fraught with danger upon the Grand Lord’s death. Political intrigue, sinister plots, and the race to find the Cube threatens to throw the Empire into chaos. Cedric’s personal struggles mount as he confronts the death of loved ones and his inability to grasp his newly acquired Spark. Only closure and a return to normalcy can save him. In the midst of his personal struggles, Veridian’s foundation crumbles with the death of the Grand Lord. High Lord Pellor seeks power at all costs to assure his Ascension to the throne. The Lady Eliza Dertian, Keeper of the Sigil and daughter of the Emperor, confronts Pellor and reveals a secret about the demise of her cousin and Worlin. Loreck’s search for the whereabouts of the Cube in the famous Archives of Veridian leads to shocking discoveries about the undercurrents of power in the city. The squabbles of the world of men intertwine with the awesome power of the spiritual world. Dark powers swirl in the Empire’s holiest city along with a secret better left uncovered. Be on the lookout for updates on Book Three of The Society of the Leaf Chronicles at https://kyleharveybooks.com and @kyleharveybooks!


Salvation's Path

Salvation's Path by Kyle Harvey

Here begins The Society of the Leaf Chronicles, Salvation’s Path (Book One) The Cube is gone. The very essence of the Green God in the world has disappeared setting off a desperate search by good and evil to discover it. Young Cedric is thrust against his will into a race for the preservation of a grim world, struggling with loss, love, and the yearning to fulfill a dying wish. Cedric meets both good in the form of his best friend, a strong-willed noble girl seeking a way out, and a guide who gets more than he bargained for along with evil on his journey as he tries to puzzle out the whereabouts of the Cube and his own identity. Powerless and unworldly, Cedric must make up for the many failures of character and strength by those tasked with defending the world. Be on the lookout for updates on Book Two of The Society of the Leaf Chronicles at https://kyleharveybooks.com and @kyleharveybooks!


Grave Cold

Grave Cold by Shannon Knight

SPSFC 2024

Nyle doesn’t 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 can’t lay the dead fast enough, his long life, begun in Anglo-Saxon England, will end. Portland’s 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 raven’s 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 she’s not genetically modified. She’s 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.


Akynd Chronicles: The Hero's Recusants

Akynd Chronicles: The Hero's Recusants by Daniel Roy Lehman

In the world of Eribeth, magic is learned by wizards, or a few lucky sorcerers are born with the gift naturally. Those were the only paths to magic, until the creation of the Akynd. These unique man-made hybrids allow the natural talent and mastery of a sorcerer, with all the versatility and adaptability of a wizard. Keldon was the first Akynd. Being transformed against his will by a disapproving father soured him against the selfishness and evil in the world. With his newfound power, he seeks to eliminate such darkness. To do so, he gathers three allies, granting them access to his unique abilities, turning them into Akynd. But that kind of power can lead one down some dark paths, even with the best of intentions. Each of the four keeps a close eye on the others, ensuring that they remain on a path of righteousness and avoid the corruptible influence of their power. If Keldon is successful, the world will know a peace that is more than just a lack of war, Eribeth could become a paradise. If not, the vile selfishness will spread through all the realm, until evil is all that remains.


Beelzebub's Bargain

Beelzebub's Bargain by Tessa Hastjarjanto

The Devil is coming, and he’s bringing friends. When Nora finds out Ben was banished from the Angelic City she needs to know what happened—even if it means going to Hell. Beelzebub’s right-hand, Jack, forces Ben to revisit a painful part of his past while the demon lord thwarts Nora’s 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.


The Quantum Entanglement Party: Adventures of the Miso Mice

The Quantum Entanglement Party: Adventures of the Miso Mice by Annette Czech Kopp

Oh no! The treasure chest and magical button are gone! Did the nefarious Lobsta Clamdestino steal them? Without them, will the Miso Mice be able to complete their quest to find The Answer Book? Explore more of their crazy and magical adventures as the Miso Mice attend a very entangled party, receive the rare gift of Tem-E-Laks, and then go timewalking! Enjoy the next fantastical volume in the “Adventures of the Miso Mice” 5-star acclaimed series.


Thralls of a Tyrant God

Thralls of a Tyrant God by Mars G. Everson

A Dark Fantasy Epic, The God Engine trilogy is the start of a unique and exciting universe, perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere and Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen. What would you sacrifice to be free? For Senn, former slave turned rebel leader and now the powerful Herald of the Lord of Greed, the answer was everything. He thought he had left hope behind forever. But when a ghostly child with sparkling blue eyes appears to him, Senn's loyalty is tested. His own God and army turn against him, forcing him to flee into the harsh desert wasteland alone and powerless. But as he searches for revenge and a new source of power, he must confront his past, including the woman he left behind at the mercy of the Forever King and his Chainkeepers. A new path that may lead him to Hope, even if he's not yet ready to embrace it. Will Senn find redemption and a new purpose, or will he fall to the forces that seek to destroy him and turn all of humanity into thralls?


The Name of the Shadow

The Name of the Shadow by Mars G. Everson

SPSFC 2023

Fear is a double-edged weapon. When a Shadow spreads over the utopian Colony, the only human enclave in a lonely planet, the young will be the first to understand the danger that hovers above them. What they find about themselves in that struggle will lead them to greatness... or to the destruction of their idyllic way of living. Who will rise a hero, and who will become a monster? In the tradition of Ursula K. Le Guin and Isaac Asimov, this is the story of a people that do not know fear... and what happens when they discover it. Of what is left when paranoia becomes all-encompassing, and men find the evil within each of them.


The Thirteenth Key

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. “The thirteen emblems given to the original rulers weren’t just symbols. They’re keys to the Vault—one that no one’s ever opened.” Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of “problems” for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noa’s surrogate father—a Seer—hands 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 Amarais’s late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacier’s rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his country’s emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, he’s the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life. Well, once they’re 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 Avaria’s 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.


Her Unbound Hallux

Her Unbound Hallux by Haldane B Doyle

If only Mother would hurry up and die in the war. Then Miobeth can claim the mansion, take a husband and restore the family bloodline. But Mother insists on staying one more year for a final chance to produce an alternative heir. It should be easy for Miobeth to wait a little longer. To contain her impudent rage. Before she can claim her birthright a mesmerising manservant, a forbidden map and an adventure beyond the mansion walls change Miobeth forever. Can Miobeth fulfil her duty after glimpsing the outside world? “Our Vitreous Womb” is a series of four science-fiction novellas that explore a distant post-industrial future where biological technology has transformed humanity. “Makes my world look timid and old.” – Adolf Huxley “Sci-fi without robots and rocket ships? Impossible!” – Yusak Asimov “I too longed to snuggle with the giant beetle.” – Frank Kafka


Betrayal of Hope

Betrayal of Hope by Justin Doyle

Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa have solved the mysteries of the gods. But how can they unveil the secrets to save the starving Olan-Har without unleashing chaos upon Vastire? Even if they knew what to do, war with long-time adversary Erodia forces them to wait. Unfortunately, the Erodians are winning: they’ve taken Vastire’s capital and bombard the west coast nightly. With few options left, Commander Aseus turns to Darynn to attempt a daring mission to infiltrate Erodia, just like his grandfather did 80 years ago. With Fyra, Kaylaa, and a small team at his side, Darynn agrees to the treacherous mission across the dangerous, wild continent filled with powerful enemies. But he’s conflicted. Not only does magical power rampage within, but he starts to wonder who he’s fighting for: royalty and the clergy, or the people? That question will drive him to make impossible choices. If he chooses correctly, he can end the war and save the Olan-Har, but at a great cost. If he doesn’t, the Erodians will rule Vastire and the secrets of the gods will be lost.


Assassination of Hope

Assassination of Hope by Justin Doyle

The destruction of the embargo has made Darynn Mark a lot of enemies: an interstellar bounty hunter, the Grand Cardinal, families of the fallen. On top of that, Darynn struggles with his new responsibility to discover the truth behind Vastire's gods, while battling his growing internal desire to destroy. Darynn and Fyra must travel to the frozen planet Yiptae to find the final pieces of the gods' puzzle. But Yiptae has problems of its own, from a violent revolution to the assassination of a key political figure for immigrant rights. In the middle of it all is Kaylaa, whose mysterious past leads to new opportunities, conflicts, and enemies. Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa must work with new allies to solve the secret to the past while navigating the revolution and solving the murder. If they don't, they will end up dead, and the truths of two worlds will be buried forever. Secrets ignite revolutions...


The Bone Spear

The Bone Spear by Alexander Layne

SPFBO9

All ex-hero Ettarian Valost wants is to die. When a seraph saves his life, curses him with the gift of undying, and offers him a second chance at saving mankind, Ettarian reluctantly agrees to right the wrongs of his past. He sets out across the ruins of the world he’d tried so hard to protect over twenty years ago, guided by the gods and intent on uniting the remnants of civilization. It soon becomes clear, however, that the gods may not be exactly what they claim to be, and that Ettarian may very well just be another pawn in a game played between divinities. Kalia is too young to have known the world before it was invaded by the Flayed Gods. Determined to escape her abusive father, she flees alone across the desolation, seeking shelter in the ruins of an old city. Here she comes across a solitary monster, a priest of the gods who have enslaved her own race, who assures her that she is destined to guide humanity into a golden age. Guided by her monstrous mentor and by visions granted to her by her new gods, Kalia understands that the only thing that stands in the way of her ascension is an old man and his own plans. She intends on striking him down and then fulfilling her destiny. But Ettarian is no ordinary old man. He is the White Dove, and he will have redemption, no matter the cost...


Our Darkest Hour

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.


Stargun Messenger

Stargun Messenger by Darby Harn

SPSFC 2023

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.


Dead Sexy

Dead Sexy by Cameo MacPherson

A light-hearted and lightly steamy fantasy/paranormal romance.... because sometimes falling in love can be harder than hunting the undead. Cassie Jones, the head of Jones' Post-Mortem Tracking Agency, has been cursed with a capital "C." Thanks to an unfortunate incident with an angry wizard, any guy she falls for is guaranteed to betray her. So when David MacDuff - the most mouthwatering man she's ever had the misfortune to meet - hires her to track his recently deceased brother, Gideon, she knows she's got to keep things strictly professional. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Maybe she should have stuck to hunting vampires after all.


Got Trouble

Got Trouble by Dave Dobson

Trouble can find you anywhere. When your day starts at 11 pm, it’s a long way to sunrise. Glynnis Cary is stuck working as a night manager at the Gas-O-Mart. Her husband Keith’s idea of romance is buying her grocery store flowers, usually only when he comes home drunk. Her son is in trouble at school, skipping out with his girlfriend, and keeping secrets. Big secrets, ones that may turn out to be both lucrative and felonious. Keith’s bumbling unexpectedly makes Glynnis the target of multiple murderous enemies and a lot of bullets. Way more bullets than is reasonable. On the run with a new friend, one whose life she’s just inadvertently destroyed, Glynnis has to rely on her gut, her grit, and her ability to spin big lies to find a way to survive. Got Trouble is a new novel of suspense, thrills, humor, and one woman's attempt to just have something go right. For once. For crying out loud.


Words Like Promises

Words Like Promises by Susanne Schmidt

Dark poetry from European suburbia, Words Like Promises explores the discrepancy between what we wish we had, what we perceive as should be, and the reality in which we sometimes find ourselves. It searches for answers for a better future in a world that perhaps no longer cares.


What May Rise From the Ashes

What May Rise From the Ashes by Susanne Schmidt

Ofronia Mills is far too old to retire. She has spent all her life as a librarian, and when Grand-Director Lorn Van Shipplestorm threatens not only her job, but the integrity of the library itself, she has no choice but to act. Evading her boss and Tess Dingly, it-girl and reluctant librarian apprentice, Ofronia descends into the library's forgotten fourth basement, which once housed the collection of magic books. While Van Shipplestorm plots to bar the general populace from even entering the hallowed halls, Ofronia must decide what to do with what she finds. Will she entrust her fate to magic, although she once refused to learn anything about it? Or will she walk away quietly, like she has done all her life?


Heirs of War, Ordained by Fate

Heirs of War, Ordained by Fate by Mara Valderran

Seventeen-year-old Zelene had never believed in magic or prophecies; until the day she was attacked by an assassin with unnatural powers. Now, her life has been thrust into a war between two worlds she knows nothing about and told that she must fight against an enemy determined to snuff out her existence—all because of some ancient prophecy that claims five girls from her bloodline will unite and end the war between the worlds. The girls are taken back to their home world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can't seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in. Zelene sees this connection as a prison rather than protection and can think of a place or two she'd like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When Zelene finds out her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by rebels, her attitude changes abruptly. She doesn't know how she can go up against an army of powerful adversaries when her own ability to manipulate the elements remains dormant within her. But time is running out and all that matters to Zelene is rescuing her sister—no matter how much destruction it causes in its wake.


Gryphon's Escape: An Areaer Novella

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.


The Gifts of Faeri

The Gifts of Faeri by Raina Nightingale

When Faeri is asked to use her magical song to assist in a birth that is not going quite right, she realizes that her power is greater and far more dangerous than she thought. And when shortly later a Nightmare creature appears, using its touch to taint her song-enchanted gifts, that newly-discovered danger escalates to nightmarish proportions. She thought she was helping people. But what if every one of her gifts is a liability, a way for the Nightmare to dig its touch, unsuspected, into people's souls? But when a rare Nightmare creature almost consumes Faeri's soul, her dragon friend Chrysanthemum saves her with her fire, and Faeri wonders if there's any way dragonfire can guard her enchantments against the Nightmare, or if the damage already done is irreparable and she should never sing again.


Hills of Heather and Bone

Hills of Heather and Bone by K.E. Andrews

SPFBO9 SPFBO Finalist

The bones of the dead hold stories. On the fringes of Errigal, Morana longs to exchange a life of hiding for a peaceful one with her husband, Percy. While Percy's bloodgift lets him grow plants and heal broken bodies, Morana's a boneweaver, despised and feared because she can hear bones and raise the dead. Morana doesn't want to be seen as a villain from the old stories and instead spends her time gardening, writing the stories of the dead, and fending off a spiteful chicken. Morana and Percy's lives are shattered when a group of Failinis tasked with capturing boneweavers and rogue bloodgifted find them. On the run and battling the elements, ancient creatures, and the loss of all they called home, Morana and Percy search for any sanctuary left in Errigal. Morana must choose between the call in her blood or the family she holds so close to her heart if she and Percy are to survive. Please be aware that this book contains some scenes of violence, death, depression, mentions of miscarriage, birthing scenes, suicidal thoughts, suicide, and cannibalism.


The Story of Evil - An Epic Fantasy Saga

The Story of Evil - An Epic Fantasy Saga by Tony Johnson

The Story of Evil is the first standalone novel in Tony Johnson’s literary universe, The Chronoverse. This book is a giant tome of epic fantasy made up of five volumes ( Heroes of the Siege, Escape from Celestial, Three Visions, The Cursed King, and Battle for the Kingdom ). During an annual jousting tournament, a mysterious villain attacks the capital with his army. Because of this disastrous event, Stephen Brightflame, an aspiring knight, embarks on a quest to save the kingdom from further destruction. He joins up with a convicted felon, an arrogant warrior, and a Halfling woman, but learns their tragic pasts are just as dark and disturbing as his own. This 430,000 word adventure features everything that makes the fantasy genre knights, castles, war, prophecies, magic, monsters, and dragons! Experience a book over ten years in the making!


Bodied

Bodied by Eli Horowitz

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 history—and 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 determines—often unjustly—the 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.


Kulebra

Kulebra by Wendelyn Vega

"If you ask my father who I am, he’ll tell you I’m nobility, daughter of a warrior and stepdaughter of a queen. And if you grabbed someone off the street, you’d probably hear that I was something that might just steal your children from their beds at night, but you didn’t hear it from them. But if you ask me, I’d say the term “misfit” is more appropriate." Kulebra Uhero — or “Kula”, as she insists everyone call her — doesn’t want to be a diplomat. She’s Ahktali’s least qualified princess, and she’s content to trade her royal duties of attending palace guests for overseeing royal animals instead. But after tragedy strikes, she’s left as her little sister and new queen’s only resort to quell the fears of an empire. When her mission of goodwill doesn’t go according to plan, Kula is left with several enemies and the threat of a province’s rebellion looming on the horizon. As she truly discovers her nation for the first time, she is forced to confront not only Derian’s shrewdest politicians but herself as well.


Persuader

Persuader by Amy Campbell

When the enemy comes calling, this outlaw spitfire will gamble her freedom to save her friends. Vixen Valerie dreads her past. After more than a decade of life on the run, she fears the charade is over. When an enemy nation threatens to attack the outlaw mage’s chosen homeland, she’s desperate to stop them. Teaming up with her friends, Vixen travels deep into Confederation territory on a dangerous mission. But with a clandestine foe doubling down on their every move, Vixen fears that she and her friends have been dealt a bad hand. Will Vixen’s magic be the royal flush needed to save her friends, or will they be doomed by a losing bet? Persuader is the exciting fourth book in the weird western fantasy series Tales of the Outlaw Mages. If you like LGBTQ representation, magical cowboys, pegasus, and found family then you’ll love Amy Campbell’s sweeping adventure. Buy Persuader and saddle up for a fantasy ride unlike any other today!


No Demons But Us

No Demons But Us by AS Etaski

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 Queen’s 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.


The Dent in the Universe

The Dent in the Universe by E.W. Doc Parris

SPSFC 2023

It turns out "Move fast and break things" is terrible advice when developing a time machine. To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time. Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago. It’s the time machine for the rest of us. In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he's unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares. The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.


Affirmations For Entrepreneurs: Daily Mantras For Life, Love, and Liberty

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.


Stormless

Stormless by Nick Stitle

Auris is a place of storms and chaos where seven violent Tempests rule the land, wreaking havoc across the continent. Only the Summoners, bearers of powers not unlike those of the divine Tempests themselves, have the strength to stand against the tyranny of the storms. Society depends upon the enigmatic Summoner-empowering Crystals for survival... Yet when a Summoner bearing powers that should not exist appears on Arvendon’s doorstep, the world begins spiraling into chaos. Castien Varic, a common soldier, finds himself in the throes of a coming war. He embarks on a mission with the most legendary of Auris’s Summoners, hoping to discover the truth behind the resurfacing of the Ancient Summoner. Faelyn Titansworn, heir to the largest of Auris’s empires and one of the most powerful Summoners in the world, finds himself lost in his father’s shadow. When a conspiracy threatens to destroy all that he knows and loves, Faelyn takes it upon himself to save not just his kingdom, but all of Auris. Asteros Silverglade bears the powers of a god. Two years in the past, he, along with five others of his Sect, uncover the hidden secrets that the world has tried to erase. Yet they soon learn that the mysteries of the baffling event known as the Vanishing—the war that somehow caused over half of Auris’s Summoners to disappear without a trace—run far deeper than they could’ve ever imagined. These three heroes walk the threads of fate, together weaving an epic tale of magic, war, love, and loss. Together these individuals will forever change Auris’s future. Empires will shatter, Tempests will be Unbound, but destiny will prevail as these heroes face their fated ends.


Allowing the Night

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?


Gothic Revival

Gothic Revival by Michael Mullin

The Psychological Thriller Inspired by the Creation of Frankenstein Chris, Anne, Fiona, and Lauren were inseparable friends while earning MFAs in Creative Writing. Years later they've grown apart and are surprised to receive an invitation to a reunion from the fifth member of their group, Eric, a successful screenwriter. Eric flies them to a remote lake villa where he reveals his new obsession: their group is a modern version of the famous one from Villa Diodati in 1816, the iconic literary event during which Frankenstein was created. Chris and Anne are their Percy and Mary Shelley. The free-spirited artist Fiona is like Claire Clairmont. Instead of Dr. Polidori, they have Lauren, PhD in Victorian History. That leaves Eric, the Hollywood player, as Lord Byron. Like Byron, Eric proposes they write ghost stories, an homage to their famous predecessors. Laughter, creativity, and reminiscence are soon replaced with deceit, suspicion, and fear. What is the self-proclaimed clairvoyant Fiona seeing and hearing? Why does Eric lie? What does the creepy old housekeeper know about their host? Tensions grow as relationships are tested until a shocking discovery reveals the true intention for the reunion.


River's Roar

River's Roar by C. R. Collins

The realm of Maldhonia was happy and prosperous, until strangers fell from the sky She’d given her life for power and a fresh start, but Calianthema had found a new trap—caught in a love spell with a dangerous nemesis. And this wasn’t the worst of her problems. RIVER’S ROAR is a standalone MAGE ERA prequel to the WOODPELL SERIES and one of the TALES OF ARDONNA. Content Advisory: Adult themes and situations


Poetry for the Blind

Poetry for the Blind by Atmos

How often do we reflect on the life we are living or the kind of future we are heading towards as a species? The way that we think of the world shapes the world that we live in and how we interact with it. Poetry for the Blind is a collection of poems about issues in the world, philosophy, consciousness, raising awareness of gratitude, promoting positive change, and concerns for the future of humanity. Through poetry, this book offers readers a way to explore the human condition through the eyes of the author and reflect on issues affecting the collective consciousness residing in human lives on a mass scale. Through turmoil and devastating circumstances, Poetry for the Blind progresses towards a sense of possibility and hope for a positive future—a future that we can still have. We have the power to change the world but we have to start with ourselves first.


The Baron's Ghost

The Baron's Ghost by Kyro Dean

Christina Rushing, a baroness and spy, is no stranger to the dark—her late husband can attest to that. But when she takes an espionage job for a shipping mogul and ends up double-crossing the nation of Oceana, she finds herself gun-deep in trouble that could destroy her plans to escape the suffocating life of a gentry. What’s worse, the late Baron’s name has appeared on an active shipping schedule, though he should be six feet under. Determined to make sure the despicable man is dead and find a secret worth selling, Christie heads to Ravensworth followed by deadly shadows. There, she learns her first love, Charlie Blackwell is tied up in her dirty work, too. As ballgowns and whispers devolve into bullets and secrets, the lady-turned-spy becomes a spy-turned-pirate. In a fast-paced political intrigue plot that aims for her heart, Christie must navigate backstabbing colleagues, snotty gentry, hidden caves, blazing guns, poison quills, the occasional assassin, and a dashing man’s knack for rekindling her heart. But the real trick isn’t necessarily how to stay alive—it’s how to keep her blasted gloves clean in the process.


The Hunter's Lament

The Hunter's Lament by Steve Pannett

Infamous bounty hunter Bitter Sweet has led his crew of like-minded miscreants for nearly three decades. They can track and capture any man or woman in the known world…for a price. But Sweet is tired. Decades of pursuing the lowest reaches that humanity has to offer have taken their toll. The grime, the lies, the danger, the death. He’s sick of it all. But it’s the only business he knows, and business is good in the aftermath of a long and bloody war. The unstoppable armies of the Vol Empire have conquered Pratia, obliterating all opposition and occupying the kingdom’s cities as they establish a brutal new order. The Pratian king is slain in the carnage, but his son—the Crown Prince and sole heir to the throne—has vanished. Eager to tie up the loose ends, the new Vol rulers turn to those who know the land and its people the best. Bounty hunters. Against his better instincts, Sweet accepts the contract and sets out in search of the fugitive Crown Prince. But his crew are not alone in the hunt. Danger rides with them every step of the way. Rival gangs, Vol soldiers, deadly trackers and dark magickers are all pursuing the heir to Pratia, too. Soon Sweet and his crew have a choice to make, hunt or be hunted?


Curse Breaker Books 1-3

Curse Breaker Books 1-3 by Melinda Kucsera

Curse Breaker Books 1-3 features the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series in one action-packed boxed set. Curse Breaker Enchanted Sarn wants to be like everyone else, not a mage with a power he can barely control. But he must hide his magic in a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic. But that magic comes in handy when he wakes up far from home with only his cloak to protect him from monsters and murderous trees. How will Sarn return home in time and unravel the dark conspiracy that’s destroying it before his son pays the ultimate price? Curse Breaker Darkens When a disembodied voice warns him that a demon is after his mage, Jerlo sets off to find the man who could summon it. He swore an unbreakable oath to protect Sarn, no matter the cost. In a country run by a group that wants to destroy all magic, mages and demons shouldn’t exist. But they do, and Jerlo’s in a fight, not just for his life but for his soul. Even if he risks both, how will he save Sarn without magic? Curse Breaker Faceted Sarn spies on the men responsible for his best friend's death with his young son in tow. And those men are hunting for magic-stealing rocks to fuel a zealot's quest. When their greed leads them into a forbidden cavern, they release an ancient monster, and it's hungry for a certain mage and his son. Who will survive the dark terror lurking under the mountain? Curse Breaker Books 1-3 contains the first three books of the Curse Breaker Series: Curse Breaker Enchanted, Curse Breaker Darkens, and Curse Breaker Faceted. It’s an epic fantasy adventure starring a loving father, his young son, and the people and monsters that dwell in an immersive world of intrigue and adventure. Get Curse Breaker Books 1-3 now if you love found family, reluctant heroes, and magical mayhem, then this is the book for you!


Aboard the Timeline

Aboard the Timeline by Bastian Gregory

Aboard the Timeline It's the story of a bored boy, Pete who doesn't find anything interesting at school. One day he becomes so bored, and time stands still and he escapes to Outermind. Here he befriends various living beings in different worlds, and along the way becomes aware of a constant conflict going on in these different lands. Ultimately, Pete is asked to make a difference, and the question is whether he is up to the task? Anyone who has a passion for words and wordplay will enjoy reading “Aboard the Timeline” In this wonderful children’s book , Bastian takes us on an adventure with his main character Pete, a young boy who at first seems to be lost (in many more ways than one!) but who ultimately finds his way together with the help of his companions, the lovely dinosaur Reginald and the ancient Greek thinker, Philosophocles. Bastian manages to keep the reader engaged page after page, with clever puns and witty plays on words, which makes his story even more entertaining. Here is a quote from a teacher on Amazon: “My 10 year old son and I read this together and we both really enjoyed it. Redolent of Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories/Luka and the Fire of Life plus Walter Moers’ Captain Bluebear series, it’s a consistently chuckleworthy, highly imaginative, multi-layered yarn that carried us wackily along its narrative tracks from start to finish. There’s a great cast of characters - from a doddery old dinosaur to an ebullient Ancient Greek philosopher (“Philosophocles”) to some suitably dastardly demons - and the illustrations, which perfectly complement the text, are great fun too. Highly recommended!”


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