The Archivist by V S Nelson

There is no God waiting for you in paradise. No afterlife where friendships severed by death are reformed and families reunited. There is only the Aether, a dimension of insatiable hunger that will possess you no matter the life you led. Yet there is hope for a lucky few. Archivists, existing between the world of the living and the world of the dead, can offer salvation… for a price. Taking your essence in the final moments before death, they become your afterlife, allowing you to speak with those who remain. When the last archivist is tricked into murder by troubled teenager, Sun-young Kang, he finds himself the centre of a suicidal cult that die at his feet. But there is more to these deaths than the Archivist realises. Someone is coming for him. The Archivist may be the closest thing to a god that walks the Earth, but is that enough to keep those he cares about safe?

Hurricanes 2007 by Darío Aguilar Peregrina

A long time ago, a meteorite fell in the middle of a hurricane killing several researchers from the National Hurricane Center, swallowing up the entire storm. While investigating the incident, scientists experimented with the remains of the space rock, discovering that it had the capacity to manipulate the hurricanes or any other natural phenomenon, including the earth's subsurface, being these reasons why the project was titled "Hurricanes 2007". Subsequently, a highly gifted mercenary called Katrina Fernandez, popularly known in her country as "Hurricane Katrina," heard that there was a reward for stealing the project, but in doing so and being surrounded by police, decided to commit suicide.... 10 years later, the Doctor Dominic Carson Phoenix, who was a member of the project, kept a complete sample finding that it had healing powers and after suffering an accident with his wife and daughter, dying the former, Dominic decided to inject the entire substance to his little girl named Darcy Ember Phoenix, who miraculously recovered from all her injuries ... Meanwhile, in the country known as Mexico, a young lesbian navy cadet called Rio Pedroza was fighting every day for a better nation that lately was filled with corruption, violence, unemployment and crime. But when one day she was called to bring help to the Drayson Martle Harbor, things would change... A story filled with violence, darkness, hope, solidarity and love would begin…

Dividing Ridge by Stacy N. Hawks

Dividing Ridge is based on a true story of an unsolved crime that took place along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Alleghany, N.C. in 1937. After a young woman goes missing on her way to school a community is left on edge. With news spreading quickly of her disappearance and gossip swirling, it is up to local law enforcement to restore a sense of safety and one determined Sheriff to bring justice to her family.

The Mystery Of The Murdered Guy by G.M. Nair

SFFOasis

After their very public triumph over the sinister machinations of the Future Group, Michael Duckett and Stephanie Dyer's accidental detective agency has become a household name. Practically overnight, they've cemented their place as the city's go-to sleuths for solving the weird, oddball cases that would confuse and irritate anyone else. Join them as they tackle the mysteries of a medically licensed vampire, a mysterious mad bomber, a genderfluid reverse werewolf, and the true meaning of Christmas - just to name a few. Meanwhile, an aging billionaire obsesses over his plans to achieve immortality, which could mean dire consequences for the world. But with Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire on the case, what could go wrong? If you said 'everything', you'd be correct.

Devil's Deal by Tessa Hastjarjanto

SFFOasis

When two angels break their deal with the Devil, he comes for the one they’re trying to protect. 16-year-old Eleonora Santos works through the summer break so she can visit her family in Italy when she graduates. With the new school year around the corner, her focus is back on homework and enjoying life with her tight group of friends. But on their first day back, she finds them fawning over two new guys in their class—Ben and Danny. Not a day goes by before Nora’s life is turned upside down. Her best friend now hates her, and the boys seem eager to get to know her. Despite their charming efforts, she’d rather have her best friend, not a boyfriend. When Nora discovers Ben and Danny are not who they claim to be, and their nefarious deal goes wrong, Nora is caught in the middle. To fix their mistakes, she must face the Devil and betray herself—or pay with her life. Devil's Deal is a YA romance novel with a paranormal twist set in the Dutch fictional city Lakeside. The Infernal Contracts trilogy is perfect for fans of the Twilight Saga, The Vampire Diaries, and Fallen.

Lucifer's Favour by Tessa Hastjarjanto

SFFOasis

When a demon takes over Hell, you turn to the one you fear the most. After Nora’s encounter with Beelzebub she can no longer escape the supernatural world–she is marked for life. The demon’s sinister plans will hurt the people she cares about, and the only way to restore order is to track down Lucifer and convince him to reclaim his throne. Lucifer has his own agenda for staying on Earth and faces threats he’s never seen before. His escapades draw the attention of Earthly demons, ones he doesn’t control, and they’re ready to protect their territory. Nora and her friends must unite and persuade Lucifer while escaping the dangers and temptations of supernaturals. Living on the edge of the mundane world and the supernatural world challenges Nora and her friends to look beyond what they know, and believe.

Tales of Lunis Aquaria by Tessa Hastjarjanto

SFFOasis

Lose yourself in the wondrous world of Lunis Aquaria. Explore daunting deserts, treacherous mountains and the deep blue of the Morcain sea. If you enjoy the fairy tales of old you will enjoy this collection of nine short adventure stories. • Coming of beasts: A mysterious Lady uses her powers to cultivate the land. When five otherworldly visitors arrive, she gives them a set of powers to aid them on their quest. • The sacred maiden: When a young girl's house is raided, she escapes. One thief chases her into the night. Both of them find something they never thought they would. • Moon Flower: To win the heart of a girl, a young man sets out to find the most beautiful flower there ever was. He faces the dangers of the mountains, looking for a flower that might not even exist. • Thomas and the wolf: A wolf finds a little boy watching a blazing fire in which his family is trapped. The wolf takes the boy to meet the only one he trusts. • The witch of Monterra Mountain: The blacksmith's apprentice falls for a woman who's accused of witchcraft. • Shepherd's Stick: A scholar ventures into the desert to experience the ghost stories the elders tell to scare the children. He finds much more than just a ghost. • Archipelago of Wonder: A fisherman survives a storm and ends up on a tropical island. As he looks for resources to repair his ship, he receives help from an unexpected source. • Decapod's Ire: An archer joins a seafaring crew to hunt the creature that destroyed a handful of fishing boats. • Lovers through time: A time traveller finds the love of his life in the past and must find a way for them to be together.

Odder Still by D.N. Bryn

SPFBO9 Kraken Collective

Rubem of No-Man’s Land was content keeping to his wine, his pets, and his extensive collection of fishnets. But since a sentient, fuel-producing parasite bonded to his brainstem, every morally-depraved scientist and hardcore rebel for a hundred miles wants to ruthlessly dissect him. The parasite itself is no better, influencing his emotions and sassing him with his own memories as it slowly takes over his body. The only person offering Rubem help is Tavish K. Findlay, a dashing and manipulative philanthropist whose mother’s fuel company monopolizes their corrupt underwater city with an iron claw. She desperately wants to tear Rubem apart for the parasite before those who oppose her can do the same. Her son is irresistibly charismatic though, and after a lifetime of being kicked out and disavowed, Rubem is desperate to believe in the friendship Tavish offers. With revolutionary plots and political schemes tangling his every choice, Rubem must soon decide whether or not to trust Tavish in his fight against the parasite’s growing control.

Elevated Inferno by Carlotta Ardell

Monet Parker wasn't a sucker for a man in uniform. Even if he was a firefighter with dimples deep enough to swim in and ebony skin painted by the gods. She was just trying to get her dream internship and prepare herself for a career in social robotics. She had no idea how her life would change with the simple push of a button. When the elevator taking her to her interview at Real World Robotics stops, Monet isn't sure if she will live, let alone make her interview. She's rescued by Rhys Banks: the gorgeous hunk of a fireman. As much as their magnetism is palpable, Monet is trying to ignore her feelings. Focusing on her career and navigating her chaotic family drama is more than enough excitement for her. Still, it's hard to ignore #FiremanBae when her sister is hosting an Instagram Live video of the rescue and getting the whole internet buzzing. What happens when the internet becomes a third wheel in Monet's love life? What happens when past hurts, career goals, and family baggage are in conflict with their desires? Will these distractions win out and quash the elevated inferno? Can Monet have it all, including love?

Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo

First Poetry Runner-Up in the SAIP Awards 2021, Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo is a very relatable, inspiring and thought-provoking read on a journey to becoming, a journey of hope and healing. Written over an 18-year period, Lost in a Quatrain is a select collection of deep, must-read, soul-stirring poetry with each poem telling a story that pieces together the puzzle of this crazy, not always romantic, experience we call life. Ask your local bookstore/library to order your copy by stating ISBN: 978 0 620 803663 3

The Siren's Sister by R. M. Dilleen

A graduate student is drawn into an adventure to another world she never dreamed existed. Deandra discovers things about her past and the person she is destined to become. Impossible fantasies become her new reality as she battles with unseen forces and enemies she has never met. Ultimately, she must choose which fate to embrace. All she wanted was to return to the safety of her previous life until she makes new friends and follows her heart in a different direction.

Structural Integrity by Tabitha O'Connell

Messenger boy Kel never expected to strike up a romance with a government official. But Yaan lacks the self-important snobbery of the others, seeing Kel as more than just a pretty face. Living with him in the city’s plush government complex is everything Kel could want: no more expenses, kitchen workers and resident animals to befriend, and of course seeing Yaan every day. Even if Yaan does spend most of his time working or worrying about work, and seems to have forgotten that they used to have actual conversations… When the city decides to tear down the iconic theater building in Kel’s old neighborhood, Yaan’s indifference toward his pleas to help save it forces Kel to confront his growing unhappiness. In the aftermath, both will have to decide whether their relationship is salvageable.

Embers of Fate by Michele Quirke

Two months have passed since Elizabeth left Crompton Palace to join her brother Gregory in exile. Now she’s two months wiser, two months tougher. But the runaway princess is no closer to finding her footing beyond the palace walls- and keeping her identity a secret is becoming harder every passing day. Fortune changes when Elizabeth meets Matthias, a pagan with a kind voice, a facial tattoo, and the most striking cerulean eyes she has ever seen. With Matthias as their escort, Elizabeth and Gregory find themselves far from Christendom in the heart of the dreaded Skuge Forest. Despite Balmoral’s pagan propensities, Elizabeth finds comfort in her new home- and her blossoming feelings for her rescuer. But when she learns of a prophecy that fates her to marry the village’s self-impressed chief, Elizabeth faces her biggest crossroads yet. Can she wed a man she can’t stand to secure her family’s place in their new home? Or will she risk the wrath of fate to give her heart to a man she’d walk across hot embers for…even if he’s cursed?

The Bone Master: Book 2 in The Sands of Achten Tan by Debbie Iancu Haddad

Kaii Haku has lived his whole life in the shadow of his cruel father's magic. Rebelling against his father- the Bone Master- by drinking and sleeping around was Kaii's main occupation for years. But when one of his best friends is kidnapped by pirates, Kaii embarks on a perilous rescue mission with two retired pleasure house workers, a shy teen bookworm, and a feisty girl from the pirate crew. The journey will take Kaii and his allies far from Achten Tan, to a sea ruled by dangerous conditions and ships that travel on the backs of monsters. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference, but if he wields his emerging bone magic to save the girl he loves, he risks losing himself and becoming like his father - a man who tried to kill him.

Speechless in Achten Tan by Debbie Iancu Haddad

SPFBO9

Mila hasn't spoken in the five years since she became an Onra, a first-level Everfall witch. After failing the test to reclaim her voice and control her magic, her mentor sends eighteen-year-old Mila to Achten Tan–City of Dust–a dangerous desert town, built in the massive ribcage of an extinct leviathan. To reclaim her power, Mila must steal a magical staff capable of releasing it, from Bone Master Opu Haku's sky-high lair. Her only resources are the magical luminous elixirs of the cursed caverns where she grew up, and a band of unlikely allies; a quirky inventor, a giant-ant rider, a healer, a librarian's assistant, a Tar-tule rider, and the chief's playboy son. But in the City of Bones, enemies & friends are not who they seem, and trusting the wrong person can be deadly. If Mila fails, she will never speak again and her bones may be added to the desert. This book includes a kick-ass tattooed witch who can't speak, giant ants, first-person present-tense narration, magic, banter, lots of innuendoes, and cute boys kissing.

Tasmanian Gothic by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness. Solari wasn’t alive when the ozone layer split above Tasmania and spilled radiation over the edge of the stratosphere, but she’s living with the consequences—the mutations, the gangland war, and the border wall that divides the affluent North from the contaminated South. Orphaned and alone in the southern reaches, Solari survives the chaos the only way she knows how: cooking the wildly addictive snowrock for local crime lord, Worcsulakz, and avoiding the mutants that skulk in the lush, untamed wilderness of the Fringes. But, when her junkie ex-boyfriend puts Solari more firmly in Worcsulakz’s debt, she runs—escaping the promise of violent retribution with a stolen van and a pair of giant wings cleaved from a mutant moth. Grafting the wings to her body disguises Solari as one of Tasmania’s most reviled and hunted, but grants her refuge in the one place Worcsulakz won’t look for her—a mutant enclave. There, Solari will form an unlikely alliance and commence the dangerous journey through gangland strongholds and carnival towns to get to the Border Wall in the north. Hunted by Worcsulakz, the hidden terrors of the Fringes, the secrets in her family’s past, and the deception at the core of her fragile alliance, Solari will need to confront them all or stay condemned to a life of loneliness and brutality. -- This dark biopunk adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world of danger and decay is perfect for readers of dystopian, gothic, and new weird science fiction, and fans of China Mieville, Jeff VanderMeer, Kameron Hurley, and Tamsyn Muir.

Revolution (Divided Elements #3) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

With her conditioning finally unravelled, Anaiya is free. But her single-minded pursuit to pull down the Orthodoxy is made more complicated with the return of old friends and foes who challenge and fight her for the chance to decide Otpor's future. In a world of fragile trust and heavy betrayals - will Anaiya finally get what she wants? Or will she, too, join the legacy of her former mentor - the infamous Original Resistor, Kane 148?

Rebellion (Divided Elements #2) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

"The sky over the Edges shimmers then falters. Hovering between night and day, the dawn has come and trapped it between two very different realities - blurring it at the fringes until it becomes impossible to tell whether it is in one state or the other. Maybe both, maybe neither. Maybe something altogether different." In the anticipated sequel to Mikhaeyla Kopievsky's award-winning debut, Resistance, Anaiya 234 finds herself abandoned and reviled by both the Fire and Air Elements. While desperate to stay off the radar and keep her own Heterodoxy hidden, her guilt and need for redemption drive her back into the conflict that first unraveled her identity. But Otpor has changed - now a battleground scarred by violent attacks and reprisals. And Anaiya is no longer the Elemental she once was. Forced to confront her fractured identity and forge new relationships, will Anaiya's past come back to haunt her...or help her?

Playing Fae Games (Magical Artifacts Institute Book 2) by Isa Medina

Dangerous Fae. Dangerous games. Just when I thought I had achieved my life-long dream of becoming an Artifact Hunter for the Institute, Aidan goes missing before signing off on the paperwork. What’s a girl to do in these circumstances but track him down? Unfortunately, Aidan’s trail leads right into the one place best enjoyed from afar: the otherworld land of Faerie, where Fae Lords rule, help comes at a steep price, and creatures love to gnaw on human parts. It’s also way out of the Institute’s reach, so any rescue mission is up to me. Sneaking into Faerie might be the most dangerous thing I’ve ever done, but for Aidan—not to mention my dream job—I’m willing to take the risk. Getting into Fae-land proves to be easy, finding Aidan a bit more tricky. Surviving the trip and making it out? Well, that’s going to depend on how many Fae tricks we can avoid…and how good I am at playing their games. Playing Fae Games is the second book in the Magical Artifacts Institute series—a fun, fast-paced Urban Fantasy series featuring tricky magic, adventure, and an opposites-attract slow burn romance.

The Ancestor by L.J. Suarez

SPSFC

For centuries, humankind has been extinct...until now. Six awoke from a dream, only to find himself in a nightmare. He is the last living human – lost and alone in a city of unrecognizable wonders. A new empire reigns over the Earth, a race of genetically engineered humans so evolved they bear little resemblance to their ancient predecessors. Before Six can get his bearings in this strange new world, he is framed for a heinous crime and exiled into the deadly wasteland beyond the city walls. As he struggles to survive in this hostile environment, and memories of his past slowly resurface, Six discovers that he has been marked for death. The empire has a secret, one so devastating its own people would be executed if they knew. Can Six decipher the hidden world of new Earth before they wipe out what is left of humanity? Grab The Ancestor today and let the adventure begin!

Bloodlines by Peter Hartog

SPSFC 2022

Those dark and terrible things from your nightmares are VERY real. They walk among us, masquerading as your neighbor, your lover, even your friend. You see, Empire City is full of them…if you only know where to look. How do I know this? Well, for starters the name is Detective Tom Holliday. I work homicide for Special Crimes. My friends, what few I have, call me Doc. And the other reason? I’ve got magic of my own. Welcome to Empire City, where magic and technology co-exist, and humanity endures behind walls of stone and spell-forged steel. A place where danger lurks around every street corner, and anything is possible. When former hotshot homicide detective Tom “Doc” Holliday is recruited to join Special Crimes, he trades in his boring desk job for a second chance to do what he does best: hunt down killers. And his first case doesn’t disappoint—a murdered woman with a bogus past, her body drained of blood, and two eyewitnesses wasted on the designer drug goldjoy claiming a vampire did it. Armed with a fickle clairvoyance and saddled with a team whose past is as checkered as his own, Holliday embarks upon an investigation through a dystopian landscape filled with bio-engineered vampires, interdimensional shadow parasites, and the magical masterminds behind it all. But to solve this murder and safeguard his city, Holliday will have to uncover the truth behind an ancient shadowy conspiracy and confront a destiny he never wanted. Fans of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London and Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files will fall in love with Empire City. Grab your copy of BLOODLINES today!

The Lighthouse in the Sky by B.Y. Yan

SPSFC

An Alternate History Epic. “Firefly meets Inglorious Basterds in 1930s China.” 1936. China. A whole new frontier exists in the war-torn Orient, and the crew of the Sky-Fortress class heavy bomber Goosefare will take any job to make their fortunes. From Constantinople, Capt. Mossfar de Crossfer Rain is coerced to train aviators in the Middle Kingdom. However, things take a complicated turn when he and his merry band accidentally kidnap the Chinese President, and find themselves on the run from Imperial assassins. A chance foray into the Devil’s Sea leads to a haunting vision that their version of the 1900s is but one of infinite possibilities, with nothing set in stone. But if all history is a canvas upon which anything is possible to change, then there are others with more sinister designs on such world-altering technologies. The Empire of Japan will stop at nothing to get their hands on the strange aircraft and its reality hopping ability, in order to enact a daring, full-fledged invasion at Pearl Harbor...

The Player Blackout by Lucas Flint

SPSFC

In 2043, Capes Online is the biggest, most popular VRMMORPG in the world. With over one billion active players and counting, gamers can become brave Heroes or cunning Villains, their every choice determining their Alignment. Everyone wants to play this game and almost everyone does. Except for 25-year-old police officer Nyle Maxwell, who can't log out. Killed in a car accident on his first day on the job, Nyle gets his mind uploaded to Capes Online to save his life. But the one way mind-to-game upload process means Nyle can never return to his physical body in the real world. Nor is he allowed to contact his friends and family outside the game or else he risks deletion by the secretive government organization that put him in the game in the first place. Things get even worse when a villain known as Dark Kosmos takes over Capes Online not long after Nyle's arrival. Trapping all of the players in the game and cutting off all contact with the real world, Dark Kosmos targets Nyle for death. Now Nyle must become a true superhero and save his fellow players from Dark Kosmos while adjusting to his new digital life. All of which would be much easier if he didn't have a hyperactive sidekick overly fond of puns or if he even wanted to be here in the first place.

Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet by Philip Harris

SPSFC

A gateway to another world. A lucky contest winner. An adventure across the cosmos! Dwayne "Glitch" Mitchell has always been obsessed with space. When he learns that NASA has discovered an alien gateway, he's the first to enter a contest to see the incredible phenomenon. Glitch wins and he travels deep within the Colorado Rockies to get a peek. He's in awe, but he's also in danger. As project head Dr. Zheng discusses the gateway, an armed man calling himself John Smith takes Zheng hostage and causes an explosion. When the rubble clears, Glitch is alive but trapped with Air Force Captain Scarlett Anderson on the other side of the gateway! Far from home on an alien world, Glitch and Anderson must find Zheng before the planet's inhabitants can eat, crush, drown, or execute them. Even if they can escape in one piece, will they still have a home to come back to? Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet is a sci-fi adventure that features exotic alien worlds and fast-paced suspense. If you liked the wild adventures of Flash Gordon, you'll love this thrill-ride throughout the universe!

Zero Car by Alex Knowles

SPSFC

Defective. Fierce. A lonely survivor. When Oto didn’t connect to the system at adolescence like everyone else, his dreams for racing his way off-planet shattered into a million little pieces. A chance encounter out in the Wilds will fix his broken parts and set him back on the path to escaping his terrible life—but not in ways he could have ever expected. With new friends that he’ll have to learn to trust, and a race car to cultivate, Oto’s in over his head. But that’s never stopped him before. He’s going to go up against the city’s best and most dangerous racers to guarantee, once and for all, that he cannot be ignored. Zero Car is a SciFi Litrpg Cultivation mix with sentient cars and lots of character.

A Hymn for the Dying by J.L. Doty

SPSFC

For many the dying part is hard. For some the living part is harder. At sixteen years of age, Mathius’s life is focused on scrounging bits of food in the midst of a five-way civil war on the planet Novalis III. Two government factions and three rebel factions are all hell-bent on killing one another, and the civilian population is caught in the middle. If Mathius doesn’t find food, he and his father, mother and sister will go hungry for the day, a not unusual occurrence. Mathius must also avoid the rebel factions, who frequently kidnap young boys and force them to become soldiers. Will the Commonwealth of Allied Systems intervene? And what of the Blacksword Regiment, the elite soldiers of the Commonwealth Security Corps? Will they sweep in and make everything right? And the Kelk Supremacy, a race of strange humans with blood-red eyes, and pale bluish-white skin? They're perfectly human, and yet they are not. Why does Mathius keep seeing signs that the Kelk are somehow involved in the unrest? A gripping saga of war and redemption. Order it now.

Alan Lennox and the Temp Job of Doom by Brian Olsen

SPSFC

Alan Lennox has been assigned yet another soul-crushing temp job, keeping him from his first loves – drinking, playing video games, and looking for a boyfriend. But Alan’s new job proves to be anything but boring when his co-workers start turning up dead. The mysterious megacorporation Amalgamated Synergy has taken a deadly interest in Alan and his three roommates, and the hapless quartet are woefully unequipped to deal with the psychotic secretaries, murderous middle managers, and villainous vice-presidents hunting them down. Their investigation leads them deep into Amalgamated Synergy’s headquarters, but can Alan and his friends stay alive long enough to discover who – or what – waits for them on the top floor? Alan Lennox and the Temp Job of Doom is the first book of The Future Next Door, a contemporary urban science fiction comedic thriller series in four parts.

ALL IS SILENCE - Book I - Deserted Lands by Robert L. Slater

SPSFC 2022

As the world crumbles...Lizzie had it worse than most.Will she give up?A bat virus brought the world to its knees. At 17, Lizzie barely remembers her father. Surviving an apocalypse could push anyone to the unthinkable.Her shotgun is loaded.She meets survivor, a hungry, silent man with a dog collar. She leaves food.Things go to hell. People die. Some by her hands.When Lizzie is attacked, her box of family keepsakes is smashed and her father's name and a phone number peak out from under the paper.Like a beacon.Could he still be alive?She has to find out.You'll love this coming-of-age, post-apocaloptimistic adventure. Because when you need it most, a single piece of hope can be all it takes.Get it now.

Before and After by Andrew Shanahan

SPSFC

THE BEST-SELLING SCI-FI THRILLER THAT BLENDS HEALTHY LIVING AND LOTS OF DYING "A big fat five stars. This is a horror story. It's a visceral portrait of addiction and the hope of redemption in a world turned mad by hate and fear. The worst thing is that it is true. A must-read." Jane Almond-Deville, The British Obesity Society. Ben Stone is terrified. He's terrified because he weighs 601 pounds and needs his right leg amputating. He's terrified because a crane will shortly lift him from his fourth-floor flat and lower him 44 feet to an ambulance waiting below. He's terrified because he hasn't been outside in nine years and he doesn't know who will look after his beautiful dog. He needn't worry though, because the world is about to end.

Bypass the Stars by Kate Sheeran Swed

SPSFC

Seventeen-year-old Frankie Hartiger can reroute any elevator, steal the data from any ID chip, and scramble the facial recognition software on any security bot. The only thing she can’t hack? Her parents. They won’t trust her with a coffee order, never mind a position in their interworld exploration company. When their very first inter-universal tour goes wrong, Frankie sets out to rescue her parents—accompanied by Earth’s first (and most annoying) interworld immigrant, Jord Mathison. But a transport malfunction hurtles them into the wrong world, where a deposed prince wears Jord’s face. To the prince, Frankie’s last name is equivalent to a curse: his world is dying, and Frankie’s family is at fault. As a breadcrumb trail of conspiracies leads Frankie toward her parents, she’s sure Jord knows more than he’s willing to admit. If she can’t forge a truce with him to root out the truth, she’ll be stuck forever—and if the inhabitants get their way, she’ll burn with their world.

Dark Nebula: Isolation by Sean Willson

SPSFC

Lies crafted from good intentions. Death spreading through the stars. When the past returns to claim its due, will anyone survive? Earth Solar System, the Future. Abigail Olivaw is drowning in self-doubt. Hiding a devastating secret from the populace, the President of the Confederation of Planetary Explorers is horrified when hostile aliens arrive to announce they’re putting humanity on trial. Forced to act as her species’ defender in court, she struggles to hide her family’s hidden multi-generational history that could lead to a sentence of genocide. Epsilon Eridani Colony. Joyce Green’s passion for her job is dwarfed only by her love for her son. So when he dies from a mysterious virus that threatens the entire settlement, the Director of Colonization vows to stop at nothing to discover what triggered the deadly infection. And as she uncovers the truth bit by bit, her heartbreak fuels a berserk need for justice. Trapped by guilt over a mistake she didn’t choose, Abigail falls into a tailspin when the invaders reveal the facts of her race’s origins. And when Joyce unmasks a traitor, the rest of her people would be lucky to only die from disease. With their paths on a collision course, will the women’s consequence-laden decisions destroy humankind’s last hope? Dark Nebula: Isolation is the gripping first book in the evocative Dark Nebula space opera series. If you like emotionally complex characters, chilling twists, and eye-opening takes on technology, then you’ll love Sean Willson’s sweeping epic. Buy Dark Nebula: Isolation to launch a defense against corruption today!

Day 115 on an Alien World by Jeannette Bedard

SPSFC

A barren world. A crashed colony ship. A saboteur at work. After a tarnished military record leaves her unable to find work on Earth, Margo is hunting for a fresh start. A colonizing mission heading to a new world creates the perfect opportunity—or at least that’s what she thinks. Strapped into a crashing colony ship, she realizes how wrong she is. On the ground of their destination planet, the straight forward colonizing mission becomes a scramble for survival. Her new world is harsh and unforgiving. Accidents keep happening. Too many to blame on bad luck alone. The trail of evidence leads Margo to a startling conclusion—one of her fellow colonists is a saboteur. Tomorrow is the colony’s first communications window with Earth and their only chance to send a message home. With the fate of the colony at stake, will Margo stop the saboteur before it’s too late?

Drained by Marc Daniel Acriche

SPSFC

A Booklife Reviews editor's pick. Can you trust your family? Can you trust your friends? Because you may just have to choose. New York City, 2048. Superstorms, and the politics of privilege, have left downtown Manhattan in tatters with electricity rationed, neighborhoods condemned, and hope destroyed. When high school senior Casey Parker and her best friend Jennifer are ripped from their comfortable, prep school lives, the pair find themselves in the dangerous world of the resistance. With family on both sides of the conflict, there’s no way out for Casey but a dangerous gamble: allowing herself to be captured by the enemy in order to learn their secrets. Failure could mean the lives of her family; success could mean the lives of her friends…

Dusk Mountain Blues by Deston J. Munden

SPSFC

The Caldwells have one goal in life: to be left alone. They’ve been living on the backwater planet of C’dar for years, smuggling and scavenging their way to a comfortable life on their Homestead. But you know the saying about all good things – they come to an end. The Civilization wasn’t content with falling apart the first time and has finally caught wind of the ol’ boys and girls on their little rock in the middle of nowhere. Ain’t nothing much they can do about that, though…except fight ’em. It all comes down to three generations of Caldwells— Luke “Drifter” Caldwell, Woodrow “Appetite” Caldwell, and Cassie “Kindle” Caldwell—as they fend for everything they call home. What is isolation worth? Great for fans of Gareth L. Powell, James S. A. Corey, X-Men, Firefly, Mass Effect, and Red Dead Redemption.

Escape From Earth 1 by David DuBois

SPSFC 2022

Steve is an aspiring computer programmer and business owner. Zander is a burnt-out but dedicated FBI agent. They don't know each other, but their paths cross when they find a portal to another world. The gateway is not random, and they meet Maximilian Beauregard, the Vice-Chancellor of the United Federation of Americas. He needs their help. Steve and Zander travel to this strange world, quickly embrace new technologies, and get pushed into politics on the world's stage. They want to help, but the more involved they get, the more they realize things are not as they seem. The duo soon get in over their heads and must depend on one another if they want to survive and escape from Earth 1. Author Note: This is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy blend, predominantly a buddy adventure that emphasizes world-building, a detailed portal system, mysterious elements, and powering/leveling up. The content is appropriate for all ages, with a target audience of teenager and up.

Impact by Mark D. Owen

SPSFC

"We've found something here, something game-changing…" The explosion at the International Space Station (ISS) forever changed the direction of inventor Tamarind Chase's life. His life mission was to mine asteroids, but when the accident triggers an expanding debris field it strands the scientists at Moonbase Verity including the friend that once saved his life. He must find a way to rescue them and empower the secret they have discovered. "Impact" is the first book in The Pan Nationals series about a group of leaders trained to solve intractable world problems. But what happens when the problems come from beyond our world?

Neworld Papers by KB Shaw

SPSFC

CYGNUS AWARD FINALIST DANTE ROSSETTI AWARD FINALIST Neworld Papers is brimming with action, adventure, and a touch of New Adult romance grounded solidly in thought-provoking science fiction. Is revealing the truth worth the disruption of a society? Fallon lives in a peaceful world that has no concept of war, or murder, or even love. It is a society that prohibits histories and pledges itself to "The Service of Today and the Building of Tomorrow." Just weeks before he reaches adulthood, Fallon is torn from his sheltered life as a ward of the state. He is drawn into a subversive group that needs his secret talents and he quickly becomes a chronicler of discoveries that threaten to destroy the very fabric of Neworld. Can Fallon handle the weight of the new responsibilities thrust upon him while he navigates relationships with the feisty redhead Aidan and raven-haired beauty Lenore? This volume includes first two Neworld stories: The Historian's Tale and The Warriors' Tale. You can check out their reviews when deciding to buy this volume.

No Lack of Sunshine by Eric Kay

SPSFC

A Hard Sci-Fi Novel With a Hopeful Twist "If Red Mars was half the length and infused with The Martian with a touch of Bobverse." Warm, tropical weather, strong gusts of wind, poisonous air, and metallic-tasting seas that kill more organisms than it breeds — yet, life on the South Island goes about as well as it can. There was a reason why Earth colonized this place. Everything is familiar, consistent — consistency is a welcome reprieve, and Ava’s planet has plenty of it. The fifth to be born among the stars, Ava sets forth to make a name for herself despite this obscure claim to fame. Being raised by emotionless, loveless robots doesn’t exactly merit a natural flair for spontaneity or empathy, but Ava makes do. At the very least, she tries to. Her life is here on South Island, where the sea represents freedom and the air symbolizes a dangerous kind of thrill. But now, her existence is under threat. The autonomous supply ship fails to deliver. With only a few weeks’ worth of oxygen left, Ava and her beau must embark on a journey to retrieve more. However, what once was a straightforward quest slowly morphs into one rife with ambush. Something has affected the robots’ advanced processors, causing them to spiral into a fruitless quest for an artifact that may not even exist. And the more they wait, the more Ava’s in peril. Will Ava be able to save herself and her colony from asphyxiation? Will the robots prove too strong, too cunning to be overcome? Or will Ava succumb to her own resentful demons and allow her personal battles to take center stage?

Pale Boundaries by Scott Cleveland

SPSFC SPSFC 2023

Where do you go after you're torn from the only planet you've ever called home? What do you do when your new home despises foreigners? Who do you blame when they kill someone you care about....and how do you take revenge? Terson Reilly knew things would be different on Nivia. But he wasn't prepared for the draconian environmental laws, harsh population control measures or the prejudice against outsiders-and they didn't expect what he was willing to do to defend himself. Terson finds love when he meets Virene, an independent young woman chafing under the strict social controls herself. The couple do their best to conform, but their rebellious streak leads them beyond the colony's boundaries where their attempt to rescue the crew of a crashed spacecraft unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to expose not only Nivia's dark secret, but that of a powerful criminal organization as well.

Prototype by Anne Attias

SPSFC

Can you tell Fake from true? A thriller depicting reality and sci fi, what is true and what is fake? A fancy laboratory researching cures for life changing diseases, but what goes on behind the scenes? Is anything authentic these days? Virtual reality unlimited. From fake news to genetically programmed babies, follow the thrilling chase to uncover the secrets behind the news.

Sequela by Cleland Smith

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

Sequela is the debut novel from Cleland Smith, named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2013. Kester Lowe is the next big thing in viral fashion. For the price of a Brinkov suit you could be wearing one of his exclusively engineered STVs. And once you put it on, almost everyone will want you... At least, that's the plan. Alexis Farrell will stop at nothing to make her new designer a star, but not everyone is a fan; those offended by what he represents, those he has betrayed, his own suppressed ambitions and forgotten promises - Kester is racking up enemies and they are about to come together in an attempt to destroy him. Sequela is a solid debut from a fresh new voice in science fiction. Set in London in the 2080s, it follows the story of virologist Dr Kester Lowe as he rockets to fame as the first fashion virus designer. As events unfold, the reality of Kester's fame and desirability bring him to crisis point, forcing him to deal with the consequences of selling his services to the highest bidder and reawakening his ambition to use his scientific talent to the greater good. A potent mix of nanotechnology, terrorism and sexual politics.

Smokepit Fairytales by Tripp Ainsworth

SPSFC

An adventure tale for our times, the author combines real world events and supernatural elements in the style of a classical epic to tell a sometimes snarky, sometimes uproarious, and very poignant modern tale. Meet Hank Allensworth and Wilson Evans in a modern reflection of the Epic of Gilgamesh. An epic bromance between a Marine and his corpsman running around Oceanside, California . Degenerate Lance Corporals who have recently returned from Afghanistan, spending most of their time drunk at The Purple Church. One night while they're out drinking they are called back to base and the battalion is put on stand by because during the conflict with ISIS, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to end the proxy war and get involved themselves. Soon after, Hank and Doc go with the regiment to keep the Iranians from crossing the Euphrates. The war kicks off and the Marines push across Iraq and into Iran. Hank and Doc both are wounded and sent home. The rest of the story they deal with survivor's guilt, alcoholism, PTSD, covering up for a murder, and trying to manage deteriorating love lives. I don't know if I could say there's any deeper meaning than gratuitous sex and violence, but I can guarantee you that if you've spent more than three days in an infantry battalion you will love this book.

The Diamond Device by M. H. Thaung

SPFBO9 SPSFC 2022

After diamond power promises to replace steam, an unemployed labourer and a thieving noble unite to foil an international plot and avert a war. Alf Wilson resents the new technology that cost him his factory job, especially as his clockwork leg bars him from army enrolment. He daren’t confess his unemployment to his overbearing mother. Desperate over the rent, he ends up in a detention cell with a hangover. Impoverished Lord Richard Hayes maintains his expensive parliamentary seat by a mixture of charm and burglary. During a poorly planned break-in, he inadvertently witnesses a kidnapping. To cap it all, the police arrest him for the crime. At least he's using a fake identity. The real criminals make off with not just the professor who discovered diamond power, but her plans for a diamond-fuelled bomb. When Rich encounters Alf in the neighbouring cell, he sees an opportunity to keep his noble reputation intact. He persuades Alf he's a secret agent who needs an assistant. This chance association will take them to the oddest locations. But law-abiding Alf’s first assignment? Break Rich out of jail.

The Judas Cypher by Greg Dragon

SPSFC

When machine murders man, one detective is the world’s only hope of preventing an all-out-war… Dhata Mays has become used to living on the fringes. Unlike most of humanity, the detective treats the synth population with the respect they deserve. But when a gruesome murder points to a synth as the perpetrator, Dhata must do everything in his power to discover an explanation before the case goes public… In a race against time, Dhata discovers a scheme involving cypher hackers, synth prostitutes, and a pair of rival gang bosses that could tear the city apart. When the case puts his loved ones in harm’s way, the investigation becomes personal. For Dhata to keep the uneasy peace, he’ll have to track down the murderers himself, but no one said he had to take them alive… The Judas Cypher is a sci-fi technothriller with an enticing noir vibe. If you like robust future worlds, action-packed cyberpunk, and mysteries that keep you guessing, then you’ll love Greg Dragon’s electrifying tale. Buy The Judas Cypher to decode the futuristic suspense tale today!

The Last Shadow by J.D. Robinson

SPSFC

The woman in the alley scratches a symbol into the pavement, then vanishes from the video. Now her desperate father is begging Bas Milius to accept one last case.In 1991, strange things are afoot in Boston. Bas is on the verge of hanging up his hat, until his final client—the missing woman’s father—suddenly claims to be someone else entirely. Someone without a daughter.Across town, Dee Khalaji finds herself seeing visions of someone in the shadows watching a recorded video—one that changes each time it’s played back.In a downtown compound, a secretive couple promises healing to lost souls through compulsory sessions of meditation and dance. But how have they been monitoring each member without the use of cameras? And why does the very first tape in their extensive surveillance collection focus on someone Bas lost a decade ago?A man on a mission to put the pieces together. A nonverbal autistic girl with the ability to see through others’ eyes. A story of identity, connection, and magic, set in a Boston that never was.

The Rax-Out of Darkness by C.G. Harris

SPSFC 2022

Human technology is a crime punishable by death and the alien race controlling the planet fears one thing... a blind boy immune to their greatest weapon... With Earth enslaved by a vicious alien race known as the Rax, hope hangs on a single savior—a blind runaway named Tael. His alien captors distill fear into a devastating weapon, but Tael and a small band of rebels discover an ancient super computer that holds the technology to defeat them. If Tael unravels its secrets, humanity may have a fighting chance. But only if they find the traitor hidden within their rebel ranks who threatens their extinction…

The Solid-State Shuffle: Sunken City Capers Book 1 by Jeffrey A. Ballard

SPSFC 2022

Almost a hundred years ago, a major terrestrial event reshaped the earth’s coastlines. Goodbye entire cities. Goodbye entire states. Goodbye entire countries. And when the authorities outlawed salvaging from these sunken sites, why say hello to a new breed of criminal: underwater reclamation specialists. Even a hundred years later, there’s still a whole lot of loot for the reclaiming. But it’s not theft if you put it back, right? After cracking an underwater vault in their first major heist in the Seattle Isles, Isa and her crew think they’re on easy street again—that is, if they can figure out what it is exactly they stole. A question, they soon learn, where their very lives hang in the balance. Thrust into a high-stakes game of subterfuge and deception by the local mob boss, Isa and her crew must scramble to unravel the mystery of what it is they stole while unseen forces move against them. Harried. Threatened at every turn. Isa and her crew must stay one step ahead to stay alive. Sunken City Capers is a fun post-apocalyptic series with no zombies, just criminals and mischievous ne’er-do-wells. Fans of heist novels/movies and strong female protagonists will likely enjoy this series.

The Star Collector by Matthew William

SPSFC

Space-sheriff Joe Corbit has just stumbled upon the greatest artifact in the history of the universe. Too bad it's a threat to our very existence. When a distress call leads Joe to the ruins of a lost, alien civilization, he finds an illegal archaeological dig underway. The Chinese Galactic Empire is working with the Martian mob to smuggle an artifact across state lines. One deadly shoot-out later, and Joe finds himself in sole possession of the curious trinket. His plan is to auction it off to the highest bidder... that is, until he finds out why the Chinese were after it in the first place. They believe it to be an ancient alien super-weapon, a device that has already sent one intergalactic species into extinction. Joe must fend off the powerful Chinese Space Fleet all while trying to figure out how to deactivate the artifact. Otherwise... it will be our turn to go extinct.

What a Piece of Work is Man by David Clark

SPSFC

By joining the grafters, Joaquin has become an outcast, part of a group distrusted and hated by the people of Laurim, the last vestige of humankind after the Days of Desolation. But the cybernetically-enhanced grafters have long been a necessary evil that bring stability to the fragile colony. Laurim is thrown into turmoil when news leaks that the recently-landed alien, the only other known life in the galaxy, has died under the care of the grafters. When Joaquin uncovers a conspiracy that would destroy the delicate balance of power, he must make a choice: Will he sacrifice his new identity among the non-grafters for the good of Laurim or will he remain silent? The stakes grow higher when a distress signal from Earth breaks over a century of silence. Are there really other humans left or is it a trick? As part of an envoy to Earth, Joaquin discovers nothing is as it seems, and the fate of not only Laurim, but of all of humanity rests on him forsaking his own humanness. . .

Gates of Mars: Book 1 of the Halo Trilogy by Kathleen McFall

SPSFC

What happens after the plutocrats colonize Mars? An interplanetary mystery and a searing critique of the billionaire quest for Mars. Funny, irreverent, a bit hopeful. Plus, giraffes.   IN THE AGE OF SURVEILLANCE, HOW CAN A PERSON GO MISSING?  The year is 2187. Crucial Larsen, a veteran of the brutal Consolidation Wars, is working as a labor cop on Earth. The planet is a toxic dump and billions of people are miserable, but so what? It's none of his business. He's finally living a good life, or good enough. But then Essential, his beloved kid sister, disappears on Mars.  When Halo--the all-powerful artificial-intelligence overseeing Earth and Mars on behalf of the ruling Five Families--can't (or won't) locate his sister, Crucial races up-universe to find her. In the Choke, the frigid, airless expanse outside the luxury domes, Crucial uncovers a deadly secret from Essential's past that threatens to shatter his apathetic existence...and both planets. Blending science-fiction with the classic, hard-boiled detective story, Gates of Mars is a page-turning, futuristic thrill-ride featuring a gritty, irreverent anti-hero--Crucial Larsen.  The first book of the Halo Trilogy, Gates of Mars is the eighth novel by award-winning authors Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall.