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The Ogre's Wife: Fairy Tales for Grownups by Richard Parks. Should a nice human girl marry a real ogre? Who sits in judgment when the defendant is a god? And why is there always one old shoe lying beside the road? Mere hints of the questions explored—and usually answered—in fifteen stories of wit and wonder in The Ogre’s Wife: Fairy Tales for Grownups. Throw in a perceptive and entertaining introduction by master fantasist Parke Godwin and what more do you need? Get your copy and join the fun! Praise for The Ogre’s Wife: "… an absolute treasure of a collection, one that I know I will return to again and again." Charles de Lint, F&SF “Deceptively simple, earnest, and tragicomic, Parks’ tales convey deep truths beneath narratives that tumble along like limpid streams.” Paul Di Filippo, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine “…like discovering an ancient, wise Zen master gassing up at a service station… transcendence in the midst of the ordinary and down-to-earth…” Terry McGarry, Author of the Illumination Trilogy |
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Silencing The Siren by Sara Reynolds FOR CALLIOPE, OPENING NIGHT AT HER TRICKSTER FRIEND'S NEW NIGHTCLUB WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR THE SIREN SING. SHE HAD HER BEST FRIEND THERE WITH HER-THE GORGON EVEN STARTED TO LOOSEN UP. BUT THE NIGHT QUICKLY TAKES A TURN FOR THE WORSE WHEN CALLIOPE STARTS FEELING THAT THE TRICKSTER IS HIDING SOMETHING FROM HER. SHE DISCOVERS SOME NEW POWERS THAT SIREN'S AREN'T CAPABLE OF HAVING. THEY MUST HAVE COME FROM HER DAD'S SIDE BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO HER DAD IS. WORSE THAN ALL THAT-HER CAMBION EX BOYFRIEND SHOWS UP AT THE CLUB AND KIDNAPS HER AND TRICKSTER FRIEND KNEW AND DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO STOP IT. SO HOW DOES THE SIREN GO FROM PARTYING TO BEING KIDNAPPED BY HER EX TO FLYING TO NEW ORLEANS WITH HER HALF-DEMON EX, HER GORGON BEST FRIEND, AND HER TRICKSTER FRIEND TO FIND OUT WHO'S TRYING TO KILL HER AND STOP THEM? IT'S BEEN A FEW CRAZY WEEKS FOR CALLIOPE, BUT THIS IS THE MOST ADVENTURE SHE'S EVER HAD. MEET THE SIREN, THE GORGON, THE TRICKSTER, AND THE CAMBION AS THEY SET OUT TO STOP A SINISTER PLOT TO STRIP CALLIOPE OF HER POWERS AND KILL HER. JOIN THEM IN THE CRESCENT CITY WHERE THEY'LL MEET THE WEREWOLF, THE HUNTER, THE SHADOW WOMAN, AND THE ELF... NOT TO MENTION, THE MULTIPLE GODS AND DEITIES THEY ENCOUNTER. |
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Marvels and Misfits (Trixie Towers) by Scarlett Dawn Death this way comes to souls who break Fae law. So it is written. So carved in blood. Mighty are the Fae who watch us all. I’m screwed. Royally screwed. Of all the ways to mess up, I picked a real gem this time—of the hot shifter sort. Especially because I’m the crowned elven princess.A forbidden soul mating with the cruel King Athon was not why I attended the royal summit of magical races. Our kinds do not mix, as is written in death-blood. And I’ll be damned before I let some arrogant alpha tell me what to do, and for once I’m not talking about my father.Now, I’m on the quest of a lifetime.My crew of accomplices—sworn enemies. Including King Athon and my father. Our mission—retrieve ancient artifacts lost forever. Good luck there. And if we fail? No worries. The giants will crush the realm.Between all the secrets and lies, my name is Trixie Towers; and that’s the only truth that won’t get me dead. |
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Evelyn Notte's had sixteen years to make Elysium her home, but not by choice: she only survived her husband's betrayal by fusing with the ley line beneath the asylum's foundation. Now rumor has it Adam is back to his old tricks, and if Adam's alive maybe there's still a chance for the newborn daughter he stole from Evelyn so many years ago. The only way out of Elysium is the Nightmare buried at its core. Waking him means reigniting a long-stalled war and giving up what little is left of her humanity, but Evelyn's not going to lose her daughter again - and she's sure as hell not going to let Adam walk away a second time. |
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Karda: Adalta Vol. I by Sherrill Nilson Karda rule the skies over Adalta.The powerful hawk-headed flying horses have been the protectors of their world for millennia. Now they are called to do battle again to save Adalta from an ancient enemy. On Adalta for her first solo undercover mission, Marta Rowan is awed by the sight of these beautiful, fierce creatures. When she is chosen to ride one, she must decide: Join the fight to save Adalta, or keep her dark secret hidden? Her choice becomes even more difficult when she is assigned to guard the Quadrant of handsome nobleman Altan. What about her iron-clad rules—no relationships, no friends, no lovers? Will she be able to resist her feelings for Altan, the love she feels for this magical world on the brink of war, and the majestic flying Karda, because she knows, when her mission is over, she must leave? From award-winning author Sherrill Nilson, Karda is the first in the Adalta series - a fantasy adventure for anyone who ever wanted to fly away to a new world filled with magic and romance. |
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Metaworld Chronicles: Vol.1 by David J Wuto Everyone dreams of reliving oneĘĽs life, starting over, but when Gwen Song awoke in her fifteen-year-old body, she found herself in a world of urban sorcery. Though her troubled child- hood remained, the familiar society she had once lived in had all but disappeared, replaced by a parallel reality.Back in her teenage body, she must navigate her new world, once again forging friendships, filial bonds, and gain mastery over the skills necessary to survive in a 21st century Earth ruled by Mages and Magic, where humanity lives in enclaves shielded from Magical Beasts, Demi-humans, and otherworldly beings in a meta-world made unreal by a sorcerous apartheid |
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The Last Temptations of Iago Wick by Jennifer Rainey he city of Marlowe, Massachusetts is a lovely place to settle down…just ask its two resident demons. For centuries, Iago Wick and his partner, Dante Lovelace, have meddled in the affairs of Man for the benefit of Hell—and had a damnably good time doing it. Everything changes when a peculiar demon hunter with a murky past comes to Marlowe and sets his sights on Iago. Mr. Wick is all too happy to grant him a game of cat and mouse. After all, a little distraction from his Hellish duties does an old demon good. But soon, Iago and Dante find themselves entangled in the mystery surrounding the strange hunter, and the line between danger and excitement becomes a blurry one. What happens when Iago gets a little too close? Is working for Hell really all it’s cracked up to be? And why is the idea of free will suddenly so appealing?Join a diverse and eccentric cast of demons and the hunters who hunt them in this wickedly witty tale of Victorian adventure and infernal mayhem. |
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Shade: A Re-Imagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (The Frankenstein Saga) by Merrie Destefano A dangerous holiday. A deadly curse brought to life. When Mary Wollstonecroft Godwin accepted an invitation to Lord Byron’s house party deep in the Swiss Alps, she hoped it would serve as a welcome distraction from her broken heart. Instead, she finds herself surrounded by enigmatic guests with their own dangerous secrets to hide. From the moment of her arrival, the party is more than it seems, as Mary and the others are strictly forbidden from leaving the villa after dark. But tales of feral beasts aren’t the only rumors whispering through the halls. Doctor John Polidori, a handsome and mysterious party guest, fervently pursues local legends that the dead can rise, ruled by their own barbaric king. When the group plays a game of storytelling to pass the time, they weave together tales of nightmarish ghouls and horrible villains inspired by the myths—and Mary soon realizes their harmless stories have the power to conjure. Twisted creatures will come to call. The dead will stalk the villa. And their royal master will stop at nothing to claim Mary as his own… |
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Talarans, a race of advanced and deceptively angelic aliens, invade and claim Earth as their new home. A handful of human uprisings and a short but violent period known as "The Flaming Purge" are followed by several decades of an uneasy peace.When a human rebel named Eric Matterson attempts to assassinate a Talaran senator, tensions between humans and Talarans are thrown back into high gear.This, in turn, forces Addison, a captain in the Talaran army, to face long buried memories surrounding Eric.When she tries to save him from the barbaric torture of a mind-wipe, the senator forces her to take full responsibility for Eric’s “rehabilitation”. Addison soon finds herself developing forbidden feelings for the rebel. She must keep her assignment a secret from both humans and Talarans, but most of all she cannot let Eric learn the truth behind their tragic past connection |
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There Are No Countries (Lucid Machines) by Marashall Smith Scouting crews arrive on newly discovered Dandros to find it ripe with life and fresh for colonization. There are no people and no vertebrate animals. But there is one castle, and one statue of a man known as the anomaly. Energy resonates from the head of this monument of times past where instruments and machinery probe the anomaly’s head and its empty keep, the only signs of civilization. It mourns for its love, speaks of its demise, and tells the humble beginnings of Dandros. It is kept under lock and key for the stories it tells.They learn that his name is Doug, a traveler from long ago, and he had prayed to a being known as the Goddess. Doug’s energy mentions her endlessly just before he had turned to stone. He had been making plans for her physical arrival on Dandros. |
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The Crystal Eye (The Crystalline Chronicles Saga) by Blake R Wolfe A bloodthirsty sorcerer seeks the power of the dragon lord’s crystal to rule the world. Can an escaped slave stop the evil that threatens to destroy all of humanity? A thousand years ago the dragon lords ruled alongside humanity and guided them through the weave of magic. When greed tore humanity apart, a powerful mage rose up to fight the dragons for their claim. In a single battle, the dragons were slain, the mage disappeared, and magic was removed from the world forever. |
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Code of Rainbow: Soaring Flame and the Dragon-transcending Magimal (Book 1) by Dr. Weiqi Wang This is the first book of a teen fantasy book series that nurtures the bloom of MAGIC in the soil of SCIENCE. The magic in this world is different from the "traditional" concept, because it's backed up by realistic, physical scientific theories. As the story goes on, you'll enjoy the unique charm of science and magic merging into each other - something that has rarely been attempted before. The transition from magic to science will be bit by bit, so the early books do read like a "mainstream" magic fantasy. Soarame has a pair of special eyes. He can see magic elements in this world, which are supposed to be invisible. This enviable gift of his could reveal the truth of the world, but it also puts him in danger. Many animals in this world possess magic power, so they are called “magimals” - dragons as examples. Soarame fortunately got a baby magimal as his best friend, but they got into troubles together - troubles that were a lot bigger than dragons. |
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The Queen's Blade by T.C Southwell A doomed kingdom, a young queen’s sacrifice and a killer who will bring an empire to its knees... In a world where men share kindred with beasts, the Idol of the Beasts predicts a child who will end the Endless War after centuries of strife, but first the enemy king must die and his son be brought to the Jashimari Queen in chains… After numerous failed attempts, killing King Shandor seems impossible, until an assassin offers to do the deed. His success places the Crown Prince at Queen Minna-Satu’s mercy, and Blade becomes the instrument of her wrath. Forged in the fires of fury, his heart died long ago in the desert kingdom. His glance is as icy as his smile is disarming, and the fires of passion will never stir his blood. He is the Master of the Dance in Jondar, the best to ever hold the title. Driven by hatred and with the skills of his trade, he will usher in a time of strife and pain that will live in legend, and forever bear his name. He is the instrument who can change fate. He is the Queen’s Blade. |
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Defending Jessica by Benna Bos From the author of the Lesfic Bard Award winning novel “Investigating Helen” comes another stand-alone installation in the Murder by the Bay Mystery Series… Few people accused of murder are as unlikable as Veronica Turner’s client, Jessica French. So to give the haughty heiress the best defense possible Veronica needs help from her favorite true crime podcast. But when she meets the newest sound tech for “Murder by the Bay”, she is instantly enthralled. She wants nothing more than to get close to the stunning, shy woman. Focused on her new job, Kaia Kent pays little attention to the pushy attorney defending their latest podcast subject. But Veronica just keeps coming around, and every time she does, Kaia finds herself slipping a little further away from dislike and toward serious attraction. With an innocent woman to defend, a murderer on the loose, and opposites that are smashed together in a whirlwind of fear, intrigue, and passion, defending Jessica will prove to be anything but easy. |
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Investigating Helen by Benna Bos Dr. Helen Nims is hauled into the police station when her new girlfriend is found murdered. Terrified and confused, she finds comfort from a stranger. But when that stranger turns out to be a crime reporter, Helen has to decide if she can be trusted or if confiding in the stunning podcaster will pull Helen deeper into suspicion. Agnes Coates loves reporting on true crime. But it hits a little close to home when her first crush from high school is found dead in a bathtub. A gorgeous surgeon is tangled up in the police dragnet as they search for the killer, and Agnes must navigate her own feelings as she digs into the mystery and seeks out the truth. With so much to lose, Agnes and Helen will walk the line between kisses and crime. |
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O'Donovan's Travels: A Healer’s Potion by John Tuttle Only a few mortals have the gift to draw back the veil separating the worlds to hear the voice of the uncreated Silence. In ancient times the stability of the worlds was a struggle for balance between the determined will of the gods and goddesses and the free will of mortals. The Druids interpreted and communicated this relationship from signs and symbols hidden from the casual observer in the mist and shadows of the Green World. O’Donovan is a shaman of the First Order of Airmid, Goddess of herbal medicine. The aging queen of Teamhair in Eire has failed to become pregnant, and there is an emerging urgency for an heir to assure a bloodless transition of power in the kingdom. Following the Archdruids’ invoked seeing, O’Donovan and twelve others sail into the uncharted western sea to the Isle of Fire and Ice to save Eire from a tribal war. No mortal had ventured that far west, and they must sail by faith in a cauldron forged by the smith god and a pointing stone created by the thunder god to find the Fertility Goddess Boann’s daughter, a white calf with red ears, who has wandered from the night sky into the Green World. The treacherous odyssey is fraught with sea monsters, bottomless waterfalls, tribal bickering, mutiny, disease and illness, and natural disasters threatening the quest seekers’ every turn. A storm sweeps O’Donovan into the raging sea, where despair sucks all under the green wave. As a castaway, O’Donovan cries for his lost brothers, questions abandonment by his Goddess protector and his role as a healer. Through entangled visions and answers blowing in the dreams of the winds, the Silence visits O’Donovan to stress the edicts of humanity and a glimpse of the suffering and illness caused by wealth exclusion and inequality. |
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Meeting Idana: 1 (The Gem Series) by Mors Deum Destiny is not decided, but discovered, as Idana will learn in her newest adventure. Learning new things is her favorite pastime, but nothing could have prepared her for legends coming to life. After being sabotaged and kidnapped while helping her father with an archoelogical discovery in Egypt, she awakes to the world of dragons, gryhpons, and more. Now, she must fight for her freedom, and step into her calling to free them and give them a chance to live once more. |
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Halayda (Star-Fae Trilogy Book 1) by Sarah Delena White A mortal alchemist. A faerie king. A bond that transcends death. Betrayed by a trusted mentor, Sylvie Imanthiya hides on the fringes of society, caring for half-fae orphans and trading her alchemical creations on the black market. She lives for the one night each season when she can see her dearest friend—a man whose destiny is far above hers. King Taylan Ashkalabek knows better than to exchange halayda vows with a mortal. Even their friendship is a risk; love is an impossible dream. Then a brutal alchemical attack poisons his realm, unearthing a dark power within him—and leaving Sylvie with the ancient mark of Faerie’s savior. Manifesting unpredictable abilities and aided by allies with their own secrets, Sylvie and Taylan journey into the wilds of Faerie to heal the damage and confront Casimir, an invincible star-fae determined to claim the realm as his own. But only their enemy knows Sylvie’s true capabilities—and Taylan’s weaknesses—and how to use them in his vicious schemes. Her fate is life. His fate |
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Beautiful Machine: The Orbs: Book 1 by K. D. Morey Humanity was saved. The Orbs opened ushering in the Light Era of Earth. Trade flourished, new worlds settled and the ravaged landscape healed. Mankind had finally taken their place in the galactic community. All eras end. A century ago the Orbs slammed shut. Stranding millions of alien refugees and plunging the world into a new dark age. Still, countless eyes search the skies praying the silver paths open once more. Echoes live on. Alexis scavenges the remains of the last age, until valuable starfall draws her to the barrens. She finds not debris, but an escape pod and the promise of change. However, not all want to see the world saved. Some want to control the future at all costs. Some secrets are better left buried.Beautiful Machine is the first novel in the series, set in the compelling world of the Orbs. |
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The Axeboy's Blues by Andy Reynolds New Orleans: A city with one foot in the past and the other ankle-deep in chartreuse-flavored dreams. Creatures and spirits of every ilk saunter down the jazz-filled streets day and night, struggling to find purpose amidst the ivy-drenched balconies and colorful shotgun houses.The Axeboy's Blues follows a centuries-old agency tasked with protecting New Orleans from forces that would see her destroyed. Unfortunately, the agency was nearly wiped out and is virtually nonexistent. In a city where mosquitoes wear vests and spectacles, where the Mississippi is teeming with monstrous beasts, and where Wonder sprouts from peoples' heads like plants, can this agency fill its ranks once more to take on an adversary from its past – an adversary that has jumped through time? |
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The Dragon Librarian (Scrolls of Fire) by Marc Secchia Blind. Outcast. Accursed. From the meanest of beginnings, greatness will rise. Abandoned at birth by her parents, Auli-Ambar is seen as a child blighted by a callous talon-stroke of fate. A worthless burden. She is blind, severely disfigured, and fit only for the most menial tasks. Then, a simple act of kindness changes her life. Flown to the Halls of the Dragons, the painfully shy girl becomes a cleaner of Dragon roosts, and a helpless wanderer of the Dragon Library. Here, Auli is able to walk amidst the lore she is drawn to so profoundly. Touch it. Imagine worlds within scrolls. She thrills to the hallowed scents of knowledge, but aches for what blindness has forever denied her. In the cruellest of ironies, Auli discovers she possesses a magic that makes people and Dragons forget her very existence. This is disremembrance, the accursed power of loneliness. She can only despair. One will not forget. Deep amidst the forbidden racks of draconic scroll lore, where Auli-Ambar has unwittingly breached the protective wards, the young Dragon scholar, Arkurion the Mercury Blue, will discover her true gift and ignite its flame. Now, in the environs of a magical library overseen by the mighty Dragon Librarian Sazutharr, the extraordinary courage and integrity of a blind girl will finally be given the chance to blossom. Little did they suspect that the fate of all Dragonkind would rest in her hands. |
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The debut novel from author Andrew Bixler, Space Junk is a sprawling sci-fi adventure full of space, scrap, and videotapes. If you're a fan of Ready Player One, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or Cowboy Bebop, Space Junk might be just the book you've been waiting for. Then again, what the fish do I know? Adam Jones is just another broke scrapper combing his little slice of space for the semi-valuable trash that litters its dark corners. He spends most of his days inside his junker, the Asteroid Jones II, drinking beer, watching ancient horror movies, and evading debt collectors. But life for Adam gets a lot more complicated when he discovers a mysterious object that attracts the attention of powerful and bumbling forces from around the universe. With the help of his wily grandfather and a mysterious feline stranger, Adam risks life and love in pursuit of financial freedom, even as the rest of the universe threatens to reduce him to space dust. |
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You wake upon the cold ground. As you struggle to rise, as your breath exhales like a ghost, you know only two things: You can’t remember who you are. And you’re being hunted. No one sleeps in Abeo City. The lost souls gather indoors at night as Snatchers tear through the sky on black-feathered wings, stalking them. But inside the rotting walls of the Safe Houses comes a quieter, creeping danger. The people of Abeo City have forgotten their pasts, and they can trade locks of their hair to sinister women known only as the Sixers for an addictive drug. Nox will give you back a single memory–for a price. Like the other lost souls, Lottie wakens in this harsh landscape and runs in terror from the Snatchers. But she soon comes to realize that she is not at all like the people of Abeo City. When she takes Nox, her memories remain a mystery, and the monsters who fill the sky at night refuse to snatch her. Trying to understand who she is, and how she ended up in such a hopeless place, Lottie bands together with other outcasts, including a brave and lovely girl named Charlie. In the darkness, and despite the threat of a monstrous end, love begins to grow. But as Lottie and Charlie plot their escape from Abeo City, Lottie’s dark secrets begin to surface, along with the disturbing truth about Twixt: a truth that could cost her everything. TWIXT is a stunning, page-turning adventure, part YA paranormal romance, part thrilling horror, from award-winning YA author Sarah Diemer. |
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Love Devours: Tales of Monstrous Adoration by Sarah Diemer We're all afraid of monsters. They coil in our subconscious, slither along the edges of thought. Still we creep to the crackling fire to whisper their stories. Love Devours is a collection of new fables for queer women, extracted from the bones of the dark: ominous fairy tales, sinister myths, dystopias rife with nightmares. But in the midst of monsters, love still struggles to find the light. A witch traps a beast of the sea; a corpse is reanimated out of love; a muse drains her supplicant; a priestess worships in a church of wolves. Six monster stories lurk within these pages. Six heroines, sometimes monsters themselves, unearth romance, rebuild worlds, shatter spells. Their courage unveils the secret faces of humankind's greatest compulsions: fear and love. Come into the dark and be devoured. Love Devours: Tales of Monstrous Adoration is S.E. Diemer's first anthology, a collection of queer dark fantasy and science fiction |
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Call of Kythshire: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Keepers of the Wellsprings Book 1) by Missy Sheldrake A peaceful kingdom under threat. Can one girl find the courage to save her family and two worlds? Sixteen-year-old Azi Hammerfel has finally achieved her dream. Inducted into her parents’ honored guild of knights, she’s excited to set out on her first quest for the king. But when she isn’t chosen and her father returns nearly destroyed without her mother, the young squire is shocked to discover herself struck by a curse. Unable to even raise a sword without experiencing excruciating pain, Azi despairs at her mum’s disappearance. When a fairy appears with a dire warning for the realm and offers a mysterious bargain, the courageous teen journeys forth toward a destiny that will put her in the path of wicked magic. Can Azi stop two lands from falling to a deadly darkness? Call of Kythshire is the enchanting first book in the Keepers of the Wellsprings YA fantasy series. If you like strong female characters, immersive world-building, and electrifying adventures, then you’ll love Missy Sheldrake’s award-winning tale. |
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Fae Hunter (Tangled Fae) by Sarah K.L Wilson Our lives are nursery rhymes and faerie stories now, Allie. When Allie Hunter's twin sister steps through a magic circle into the Faerie realm, she opens the door to deadly fae, bent on causing havoc and harm to Allie's village. Rendered blind to all but the spirit world, Allie is frustrated and angry but determined to bring the fae down. No matter what that might cost her. But in a world where lies are truth, power is sustenance, and every action ripples into violence, how can one mortal stop all of Faerieland? For lovers of The Cruel Prince and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a world of violent fae royals, trickery, and magic. Grab the first book of this hot new series today! |
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The Teeth in the Tide (Savage Seas Book 1) by Rebecca F. Kenney Pitched as Attack on Titan with mermaids, this savage gender-swapped retelling of “The Little Mermaid” is perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Alexandra Christo, and Holly Black. Trapped on a walled island with her people, Kestra aches for vengeance against the swarms of ravenous mermaids that ate her father fifteen years ago. The swarms threaten her town’s last supply ship--and the life of the brave young captain who smiles so charmingly at her whenever he makes port. With the help of her scientist cousin and the handsome captain, Kestra takes her future and her people's fate into her hands, determined to find a way to destroy all the mermaids for good. Abused and miserable, Rake serves in the harem of the three mermaid Queens. When he is given one of his spawn to raise, Rake resolves that his little son will have a better life. With the help of a monstrous creature that deals in memories, he discovers an ancient secret—one that could lead to freedom. This fantasy novel blends a dark, brutal setting with romance and humor. New Adult. (Co |
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The Shrike and the Shadows: A Dark Retelling of Hansel & Gretel (The Witch of Krume Book 1 by A. M. Wrigh, Chantal Gadoury The village of Krume is plagued by a haunted wood and a hungry witch. It’s been that way for as long as Hans and Greta can remember, though they have never seen the witch themselves; no one has. When men start to disappear once again in the cover of night - their bloody hearts turning up on doorsteps - the village falls into frenzied madness. Hans and Greta, two outcast orphans, find themselves facing accusations of witchcraft and are met with an ultimatum: burn at the stake, or leave the village forever. With nowhere else to go, they abandon their only home. As they venture into the strange forest, their path is fraught with horrific creatures, wild and vivid hallucinations, and a mysterious man tied to the witch's past. The Shrike is watching, just beyond the deep darkness of the woods. |
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Butcher of Banshees by Michael W. Huard There are 4 dark souls in the realm. The Wicked Banshees of the North, East, West, and South. Yet, there is only one amazing, brave young woman, who must defeat them. This is her tale! Bodana is a young woman beaten down to nothing. Yet soon, she rises from her sorrow; for it is the only way to silence the voices in her head. ___________________________________________ DARK SOULS exist in this world, this she learns firsthand. Those that are responsible for much of her grief. ___________________________________________ It soon becomes her life's mission to seek out these crones, these monster’s that prey on the innocent. Her only salvation is to be a glimmer of hope to those in need. ___________________________________________ She’s a DARK ANGEL who sings her song in the moonlight!*This is her tale, one filled with swords' and sorcery, gothic monsters, love, death, and so much more.* |
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It's an obscene amount of money for a global tournament, and player Jay2517 is on the cusp of securing the top prize. Although he's an expert at simulated combat, a separate server will test Jay like never before. When he discovers digital bioforms in his class project, the line between bot and life gets blurry, as they're less than agreeable to many of his commands. Despite his efforts, a faction looks to destroy themselves, along with the rest of their sapient brethren. Jay and his team will need an elite performance against the fanatics, but it might not be enough to save one of them, let alone billions. |
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Lair of Thieves and Foxes: A Reynard the Fox Retelling by Rebecca F. Kenney Angelique is on her way to marry the evil Lord Ysengrim when a handsome silver-eyed man leaps into her carriage and proposes a trick that could set her free. Once she makes a deal with the trickster Reynard, Angelique realizes that the world is full of magic, monsters, and temptations beyond the quiet rural life she knew. For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout, this romantic adventure blends the French legend of Reynard the Fox with elements of Celtic folklore. Medium-heat romantic scenes, Happy-for-Now ending. You can stop at the HFN, or read the epilogue which might make you cry. Fair warning. :) |
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Violet Flames: Primordial Gods Book 1 by P.S Nail UNTIL DEATH, DISMISSAL, OR DISHONOR. Ember Lavaris is a Fire Caster. She is a descendant of the God of Fire, which gives her the ability to cast fire magic from her palms. She is one of nine distinct species born from the ten Primordial Gods. A Vampire killed her mother two years ago, and her father is always off on business trips, so her sister is all she has. Born with a tattoo that makes her destined to be a King’s Guard, she is summoned away to fulfill her duty. She will now live with other members of the King’s Guard, away from her sister, and train to be a warrior. Unfortunately, her new trainer, Valarian Grey, is a Vampire. She must learn to trust him while training to defend her world from Demons and other malevolent creatures. Ember is caught up in a world of lust, danger, excitement, and love, all while adapting to her new life and becoming the warrior she is destined to be. |
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Magpie's Song (IronHeart Chronicles Book 1) by Alisson Pang In the slums of BrightStone, Moon Children are worth less than the scrap they collect to survive. It doesn't matter that these abandoned half-breeds are part-Meridian with their ancestors hailing from the technologically advanced wonder that floats above the once-thriving, now plague-ridden city. Instead they are rejected by both societies and forced to live on the outskirts of civilization, joining clans simply to stay alive. Not to mention their role as Tithe, leading the city's infected citizens deep into the Pits where their disease can be controlled.Nineteen-year-old Raggy Maggy is no different, despite the mysterious heart-shaped panel welded to her chest. Or she wasn't, until her chance discovery of a Meridian-built clockwork dragon—and its murdered owner. When the Inquestors policing the city find Maggy at the scene of the crime, she becomes their prime suspect. An exiled doctor and a clanless Moon Child named Ghost keep her hidden; all she has to do is help them find a cure to the plague they believe was not accidental. Doing so might risk more than her life—but it might be the key to uncovering the truth about the parents, and the past, she knows nothing about. |
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Woods of Silver and Light (The Storyteller's Series) by ‎ Victoria McCombs There is a dark magic in those woods. Banished. Outlawed. Then one day a man enters the fold who can set the magic free in exchange for his son brought back to life. The dark magic soon finds there's nothing Ronin Hood wouldn't do for his son. The magic is awakening. But then the trees lure a girl inside who challenges Ronin. She finds that the truth changes depending on which side of the arrow you're on, and that the hearts of good men are easily blackened. For only the wicked can raise the dead. Anika races to uncover Ronin's plan and hide her association with him from the other nobles before he crossed a line they can't return from. The magic of the Woods should never have been disturbed. McCombs has created a lush world inside the Woods that pays homage to the original Robin Hood story while weaving a unique story overtop. This tale is set in the same world as The Storyteller's Daughter with a standalone plot. |
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The Storyteller's Daughter by Victoria McCombs His shadowed face lit by flames, Rumpelstiltskin is my name... For as long as anyone can remember, every child in Westfallen has been born with a Gift, and these Gifts defined them. Then Cosette is born, Giftless. An attempt to hide her misfortune brings her before the King, who entraps her to use her Gift as a pawn in his war. Caught in a lie, Cosette desperately searches for a power strong enough to free her. Intrigued by whispers of an old king and a dark curse, she calls upon Rumpelstiltskin and finds him trapped in a magic deeper than she bargained for. Now, Cosette must fight to reclaim her freedom from the King and break Rumpel's curse. When time runs out, she'll lose more than her heart. She'll lose her life. THE STORYTELLER'S DAUGHTER is the perfect introduction to YA that will satisfy fans of Gail Carson Levine's ELLA ENCHANTED, as well as Jessica Day George's DRAGON SLIPPERS and PRINCESS OF GLASS, and Cameron Dokey's THE WORLD ABOVE. |
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Illustrated Gnome News (The Gryphon Clerks) by Mike Reeves-McMillan They may be putting out a newspaper, but there are some things they don't want becoming news. The Illustrated Gnome News is the only newspaper serving the newly emancipated gnome community, but there are days when Ladle, the paper's overworked editor, thinks that's because nobody else is stupid enough to try to run one. She has to balance not scaring off all their advertisers with putting out a paper that stands for a better future for all gnomes. Including those gnomes who don't match up to traditional ideas of what's proper. One of these is her friend Loom, the first gnome woman to qualify as an engineer. But Loom has a secret that would shock conventional gnomes even more than that, and must somehow find a way to pursue her own happiness amidst the wider struggle to turn gnome emancipation into true freedom. (Advisory: contains non-explicit scenes of a romantic and sexual relationship between two women. The book itself is not illustrated; the title refers to the newspaper at the center of the story.) |
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Saving Schrödinger's Cat by Mark Jenkins n the 25th century, deep under the Earth's shattered surface, the dying remnants of humankind live in a dwindling Colony devoid of Nature and only one can travel to the past to save humanity from its dark fate. Clinging to life underground, after a cataclysmic all-out nuclear war, the remains of the human race are desperate for a way to change the past. Harnessing the power of an artificial wormhole, their only hope to avert global annihilation is to travel back in time and alter the discovery of nuclear fission. Humanity's future rests on the unlikely shoulders of Proteus. Born with a unique genetic mutation, scientists discover that he is the only one capable of surviving the ravages of time-travel. After decades of preparation, Proteus is sent backwards to early 20th century London... but Time doesn't want the past to change and it pushes back. To complete his mission, Proteus must manipulate the course of history, all the while battling enemy agents and avoiding the forces of Time, if he's ever going to save the future from the past. |
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The Cassidy Chronicles by Adam Gaffen Welcome to the world of 2113. The country has shattered into ten squabbling nations and the solar system is on the edge of colonization. Technologic wonders abound. Yet, it's not unlike our own. People meet, fall in love, face assassination at their wedding - well, perhaps not.Meet Aiyana and Kendra, Cass and Ken to their friends, a genius physicist and a retired movie star with a mysterious past. They live quietly, get along with their neighbors, don't have problems at work. So why did they have to run for their lives from their wedding?Travel with them across the continent as they search for answers, make new friends, face daunting challenges, and discover unexpected enemies. It's a ride you don't want to miss! |
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Scandal: Scions of the Star empire by Athena Grayson When a princess who's no stranger to scandal runs afoul of the secrets of the most powerful cabal on Landfall, even her crown can't protect her from the consequences. They can have anything they want...except a future. Nothing infuriates Princess Ione Ra more than having someone else take control of her reputation from her, and her old nemesis--gossip journalist Jaris Pulne--is poised to do just that with pilfered pics of her caught in a compromising position with her power-couple partner. As someone who's no stranger to manipulating the markets on her own social life, Ione knows the wrong scandal means social suicide. Privilege is a prison... For the other half of the power couple, Den Hades, his survival has depended on staying in his powerful father's shadow in order to protect his secrets. But on the very night of his one chance to earn a shot at becoming a Scion--and freedom from his father's ambitions, scandal threatens to tear him from Ione, or worse--force them together before their time. |
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The Night of the Witch by M Woodruff When seventeen-year-old Lena Beckford hears the lock turn in her bedroom door she begins her nightly ritual to honor the moon. But instead of seeing the usual visions from her father, the flame, she’s contacted by her grandmother pleading for Lena’s help after she’s been buried alive in the Strangers’ Graveyard. As Lena begins her search she meets two witches, like herself, who promise to help her find her grandmother. One is a ridiculous old crone who seems to be leading her around in circles, and the other is a seductive man she’s immediately drawn to. But she can’t quite seem to escape from either of them when she realizes they're armed with their own devilish motives, which blur the lines between friend and foe, sanity and insanity. Is it murder Lena must commit, or justice she must serve, to finally free her grandmother from the darkness of the grave? |
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Queen of Egypt (The Amarna Age Book 1) by Kylie Quillinan She knows she's going to kill the man she loves. She just doesn't know why yet. Ankhesenamun needs to produce an heir to the throne -- quickly. Pharaoh Tutankhamun is young and weak. His chief advisors are planning his quiet removal and Ankhesenamun hopes to hold them off by producing an heir who can become a stronger Pharaoh. When Pharaoh's advisors move the court from the desert city of Akhetaten back to ancient Memphis, Ankhesenamun is thrown into a new world of danger, secrets, and old gods. Her dreams warn her of a blond-haired man who she will fall desperately in love with -- and who will die by her own hand. When the man from her dreams suddenly enters her life, she realises just how hard it's going to be to stay away from him. Forgetting the warnings, she throws herself into an affair with him. After all, she's supposed to be producing an heir. As his secrets start to be revealed, she searches for a way to save him. But saving his life might lead him to a fate worse than death. Queen of Egypt is the first book in a series set in 18th Dynasty Egypt in a world where the old gods have been worshipped for thousands of years and magic is a matter of belief. For readers of historical fantasy who enjoy magical realism and an ancient world setting. |
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Mistress Of Sky And Stars (Forgotten Gods: Origins) by Laura Greenwood Nut knows she shouldn't spend all of her time with Geb, but she can't help herself when she's around him. When their forbidden relationship is discovered, the other gods take steps that Nut never thought possible and bans her from giving birth to the children she's carrying. Can she find enough allies to reverse the decision and have her babies before it's too late? - Mistress of Sky and Stars is part of the Forgotten Gods: Origins series. It features Nut and Geb as they embark on their forbidden romance. It is based on Ancient Egyptian creation myths and mythology. |
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Traitor's Revenge (Tales From Undersea Book 1) by Jessica Wood Secrets always rise to the surface. Pirate Captain Alethea Hera found comfort with her life in the Undersea world of submarines, sunken cities, and sea monsters - a destination for all those, such as herself, who wish to run away from their past. But now, the discovery of an enchanted gemstone and a legendary treasure drives her past to haunt her. Alethea's love-sick daughter Marina has her eye on an attractive Viking shieldmaiden, but raised in piracy, even she can't ignore the allure of a treasure hunt. Unfortunately, this hunt will not only drive her apart from her love, but from her mother and her life in the Undersea world. Will Alethea dare to face her past in order to keep her pirate crew safe? Can Marina make the right choice for her future, and whether her mother has a place in it? Embark on the first thrilling Undersea novel and set sail for a rollicking steampunk pirate adventure! Want a female Jack Sparrow? She's here! |
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Penzeath, Cornwall. An abandoned tanker washes ashore onto the beach. Nobody knows where it came from, or where it was going. A search team investigates the ship - nothing seems amiss at first. Then they find the bodies… As the locals and the military battle creatures from their darkest nightmares, something else stirs on the ocean floor. Something ancient… Something hungry… An homage to the late Guy N Smith, FROM THE DEEP relives the glory (and gory) days of 80s pulp horror! |
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Bluebeard's Curse by Lidiya Foxglove He'd kill for me. I'll die without him. My mother has promised me to a complete stranger. She says he is the doctor who saved my life when I was ill--but I've never known a doctor like Torvald Madsen. When I wake from my illness, he has marked my skin with the tattoo of a tree that spreads across my whole body--and heats at his mere presence, crying for his touch. We are married quickly, with no friends or family, and then he steals me away. I dreamed of being an artist, and now I am the wife of the lord of a northern keep at the edge of troll country. Although he is handsome and protective and encourages me to paint, he is keeping secrets from me. Why is it rumored that he had other wives? Why do I grow so cold without his presence? Why can't I go into the east wing? And why are his eyes full of such pain? As I peek back my husband's secrets, the truth might kill me--or set us both free. Bluebeard's Curse is a fairy tale retelling for those who like an adorable happily ever after with a side of serious steaminess! |
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Sparkles of Blue: Sleeper Chronicles by Ray Zdan Book One of Kyle's Story, Sleeper Chronicles. The secret world of Sleepers broke my life like a powerful twister. I was a humble office rat, spending my grey days hiding in the crowd, doing my job as thousands of others without attracting attention. Then everything changed. The alien world sneaked into my dreams with the persistence of a scarab. I was puzzled at first, I was Prince there, but then the dreams turned into nightmares with dangerous creatures, wars and twisted plots plaguing the alien realm. My consciousness was bouncing between two worlds. I was forced to live two lives. It wasn’t easy. I thought I could cope with my dreams, but then hunters from the alien world began tracking me down the streets of London. I was on the verge of insanity. Until I found others living the same cycle. And none of us had the slightest chance to break free. |
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The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons by Virlyce Blue mages learn skills from beasts. This is the story of one fortunate enough to be taken in by dragons. |
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Bluebeard and the Outlaw (A Villain's Ever After) by Tara Grayce Marriage: the ultimate heist. Robin of the Greenwood spends her days robbing from the rich to feed the poor. With her knowledge of the fae paths, she eludes all attempts to capture her. But she and her merry band of brothers never seem to get anywhere. The more she steals, the more the evil Duke Guy "Bluebeard" taxes the villagers. When Robin discovers that Duke Guy plans to marry yet again, she conceives a plan for a final, big score. As Guy's wife, she will have access to his wealth. The lord is notorious for killing his wives shortly after he marries them, but Robin has no plans to be dead wife number four. The only problem is that Duke Guy is devastatingly handsome, brooding, and nothing at all what she expected. If she isn't careful, she might just find that he steals her heart before she can rob his riches. A fantasy retelling of the Robin Hood legends and Bluebeard fairy tale. Bluebeard and the Outlaw is one of twelve short novels in A VILLAIN'S EVER AFTER, a collection of stand-alone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favorite classic fairy tales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures … and fall in love with villains as you've never seen them before. Who said villains can't have happily-ever-afters? |
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Blue: When The Sea Calls by Ursula Graetz On the island sanctuary where her Marine Biologist parents run a marine conservancy, Blue sits on the rock, watching as the tides of the sea go in and out, and is tempted to run into the sea, despite being forbidden to do so. But the call of the sea is so strong that finally she succumbs to its lure and runs into the sea. Blue soon discovers her true form and a whole new world that she was deliberately kept away from but which was her inherent right. Secrets, lies, betrayal, murder is the thread that runs through this paranormal thriller. |
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Bjerner and the Beast by Miranda Grant A story where mythology (Medusa) and a classic fairytale comes together in a funny, gory, sweet, tragic romance that will last the ages. He’s Sworn to Protect the Emperor at All Costs When he was a child, Bjerner sacrificed his eyes to the Goddess of Death. Raised as a warrior, he’s now a trusted member of the Varangian guard. As he struggles to keep the emperor alive, Bjerner is forced to take a mission that will either see him killed or see him hailed as a hero. She’s Tired of Heroes All they ever want to do is try to kill her. Ever since she was born, Ophidia has been hunted like an animal and all because of what she is: a beast that has the power to turn people into stone. Forced to hide in a cave her entire life with only the dead heroes for company, Ophidia desperately wants her next visitor to be a little less stabby. And less inclined to look at her face. And would it really kill them to just talk to her first? But as the centuries pass, she’s starting to lose hope that such a man exists… |