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Undefined Tides by Briar Belmont Before they were pirates, they sought freedom. Rowan yearns only to be the master of his own fate. A year out from indenture in the navy, Rowan finds himself in the midst of a trafficking scheme he can’t stomach. Yves is transformed. No longer the victim he was. No longer fully human. The darkness within him pushes him toward violence and glory. Logan, newly released from the Marran navy, attempts to find the family he hasn’t heard from since childhood. Fox loves too hard. Trusts too easily. But he never thought it would be a mistake to entrust his heart to the one man who’s been by his side all along. John has spent his whole life working toward a higher rank, but when his superior officer orders him to do something appalling, he finally snaps and gives in to the flames that have always fought to rise to the surface. Henri’s mother is dead, and he cannot stand still anymore. Now he must embark on a journey to find the father that has been lost at sea since giving him a mysterious gift. Gaël gave in to his desires for one night, but fear drove him away. Now he must fight to get back to the one man he’s ever loved, even if it’s just to say sorry. Robin wanted a quiet life of bachelorhood, but his family has other plans. When they present him with his new fiancée, he runs, and finds himself face-to-face with pirates. Two pirate crews destined to clash, hurtle toward one another on the tide of their captains’ obsessions. Undefined Tides is a collection of interwoven short stories that follows each member of the Siren Song and Kraken’s Fury as they run, stumble, or murder their way into the life of a pirate. |
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The Midnight Carnival by Kenny Gould Max Plank is a down-on-his-luck handyman with no job, no prospects, and no plan. But when he discovers a million dollars hidden beneath his bathtub, he does what anyone would do: he buys a haunted, defunct amusement park. Now the reluctant ringleader of the Carnival of the Sun, Max finds himself swept into a world of monstrous politics. With the help of several unlikely allies, he sets out to rebuild the carnival, bridge the widening gap between humans and monsters, and maybe even find a little joy along the way. Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Spirited Away, The Midnight Carnival is a cozy fantasy full of spooky fun and heartfelt friendship. |
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Swallows of Mostar by Neira Fazlovic Two years after she moved to Mostar, a historic small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, eighteen-year-old Franka Garcia still struggles with loneliness, language barriers, and terrible grades. After she accidentally falls off the famous Old Bridge, Franka is rescued by Mirna, a wickedly intelligent, but exasperated teenager obsessed with cliff diving. Despite training all her life and frequently besting her peers, being a girl means Mirna can never participate in the centuries-old tradition of diving off the Old Bridge. But stubborn and determined Mirna won’t give up so easily. After Franka’s near-perfect accidental dive, Mirna reluctantly takes on the challenge of teaching her all she knows about cliff diving. If Franka and Mirna want to compete, they must enact their unorthodox plan to take down the patriarchal system forbidding them from diving. Falling in love was never part of the plan. |
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Let The Sun Shine On My Face by Ilis Trudie Palmer Let the Sun Shine on My Face - Micro Synopsis In this luminous collection of reflections, Ilis Trudie Palmer turns everyday Caribbean life into spiritual practice. With warmth and humor, she writes about yoga, gardening, friendship, and faith as paths to inner peace. Each story reminds us that enlightenment isn’t distant, it’s found in loving ourselves, trusting life, and letting joy rise from the ordinary. Let the Sun Shine on My Face is both a celebration of the Caribbean spirit and a guide to living lightly, gratefully, and awake. |
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Rise of the Wicked by E.R. Munley Destiny awaits you in the north... After the fall of the Red Dragon Movement in Myrrida, the Dread King Georg VII seeks to tighten his grip on the conquered regions of Briganta. The Hex Breakers, his elite division of witch hunters, are expanding their reach into the borderlands to root out magic and rebellion wherever it may fester. Kate Morgan and Kora Ellis have been able to evade capture as they make their way to Woad, the northern country that was able to defy the King and regain its independence so many years ago. While no word has arrived about the fate of their friends in Caer, they remain hopeful that they will all be reunited and safe in the hands of the Druid coven of witches. Their arrival in the north unlocks secrets long buried that shake the vary foundations of Kate’s life, forcing her to come to grips with her past and her fate. When they are unexpectedly summoned to the capital of Woad, Kate is faced with a decision that will set her on a path that could change the kingdoms as they know it. With her friends at her side, she will step into her power and become the formidable witch she is destined to be. |
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Between the Stacks: Stories of Lusty Librarians, Amorous Authors, & Bawdy Bookstores by Elisabeth Dove (Editor), Johannes T. Evans , Gemma Moon , A. Boss, Jack Stein , Day S. Grant , Achilles King , Cheeky Boutée The wet dreams of book lovers come to life in these seven erotic stories of library liaisons, bookstore hookups, and book convention orgies. Gay, straight, sapphic, cis and trans--everyone has a place between the stacks. Twenty percent of proceeds will benefit EveryLibrary, which supports libraries and fights censorship. A bookstore meet-cute gets steamy. Closeted gay men find connection in libraries. Roommates act out scenes from a smutty book. A man meets his favorite author—and gets invited to the author's dungeon. A she-orc uses books to send messages to her human crush in the university library. An orgy at a book convention turns into a backdoor gangbang for one author. |
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The Tales of Blended Magic: A Short Story Collection by E.R. Munley and Ruth Sanger They learned the price of broken magic. They worked to mend the severed magic. Then, they fought to balance magic. But that wasn’t the entire story... From the authors of The Statera Cycle comes a collection of twelve short stories. Revisit with your favorite characters and learn what happened outside of their quest to rebuild the ancient staff of power. |
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Dudes Rock: A Celebration of Queer Masculinity in Speculative Fiction by Chase Anderson, Johannes T. Evans, Oliver Fosten, Jonathan Freeman, Rick Hollon, Sam Inverts, S. C. Mills, Franklyn S. Newton, Jay Kang Romanus, Aubrey Shaw, Simo Srinivas, Candy Tan, and Scott Vaughn. What does masculinity mean to you? Whether the answer is "toxic" or something more aspirational, speculative fiction can help you find the language to talk about it. The stories in this anthology visualize all the different ways masculinity might look in a world different than our own, for better or worse. Imagine living in a universe where you'd feel safe telling your best friend you've always loved him, or where smoking hot demons exist to indulge all your worst impulses. From buff aliens to gender-affirming werewolf bites, Dudes Rock is about celebrating everything that queer masculinity can become beyond the confines of a single world, and we want you to rock with us. |
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A Clean Pig by Johannes T. Evans Detective Inspector Phil Hutchinson, following up a last-ditch lead on an anonymous and impossible-to-locate narcotics distributor, attempts to get close enough to surveil her son, a young man called Adrian Gillespie, who uses a wheelchair. He gets closer than he intended, and is rewarded — and punished — as per. 13.6k, rated E, cis M/trans M. Written for an anonymous commission. Both parties are adults (49 & 27) and fully consenting throughout. Contains degradation and humiliation, age gap, dom/sub dynamics with the younger trans man dominating, mild cock & ball torture, sadomasochism, dirty talk, obedience & discipline, self-bukkake, mild drunkenness. Set in London in the 2020s. Set in my Magic Beholden universe, readable completely standalone. Phil Hutchinson is non-magical, but it is implied in several places that Adrian and his family are magical themselves. Work commissioned by an anonymous party. |
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Historic Brotherhood by Johannes T. Evans Novella. London, 1979: a young gay man seeks mentorship from a classmate’s flamboyant uncle. 23k, rated M, Gen. Mortimer Jones, a young gay man, comes from Tewkesbury to London where he meets Percival Campbell and, in short order, Percival’s beloved uncle — the flamboyant and loquacious Queen B. Uncle B soon takes Mortimer, shy and as-yet uncertain of his place in the world and in the gay community, under his wing, and serves as mentor. Focus on queer community in the 1970s, discussions of monastic history, science fiction, comedy, art and architecture, pop culture, connection, and cross-age friendship. Lots of body positivity for Mort and B, both fat men, in the aftermath of fatphobic bullying and homophobic isolation; lots of flirtation as a confidence and identity-building exercise even whilst B sets clear boundaries between them in terms of actual sexual activity; references to and discussion of historic and period homophobia throughout, but the tone is generally warm and companionable. |
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Strange Liberty by Johannes T. Evans Salvo Caine, a young man cursed with a magically sapping touch, is convicted of manslaughter and dispatched to an island prison. Once there, he’s offered limited freedom — and affection — by the cold and manipulative prison warden, Guillaume Villiers. Rated M, 27.5k, dark fantasy with some M/M dark romance on the side. Good bit of age gap sexiness, and some medical and care-giving kink as well. |
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Powder and Feathers by Johannes T. Evans Aimé Deverell, a depressed and lonely artist finishing up his degree in Dublin, watches the world go by, and paints it as it goes. Life is short, he thinks - and thank God! He’s tired of living it. That philosophy shatters like glass when his life is threatened by the beautiful Jean-Pierre, a Fallen angel. |
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An Uncommon Betrothal by Johannes T. Evans Alexos Fox, an introverted academic and polio survivor, is naturally quite sad when the long-time butler of his household, the man who all but raised him, retires. He is not at all prepared for the old man’s his exceedingly attractive and painfully tempting nephew. Unbeknownst to Alexos, his old butler chose Henry Sutton hoping the two of them might marry their interests together, and the gentleman is as suspicious as he is entranced when the new butler comes to him with talks of a secret marriage between them. M/M erotic romance, rated E, 100k. Set 1927, primarily in West Sussex, England. |
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The Fight for Balanced Magic by E.R. Munley and Ruth Sanger Four months, seventeen days. Wren had been too distracted to count the exact hours since Lily’s capture, but she could probably ask Ricky for specifics if necessary. When the Guardians of Statera arrived in Turkey, their only thoughts were of reassembling Statera—the ancient staff representing the unity of magic—and restoring balance to the world of magic. They had traveled the world collecting the pieces and rituals to complete the task. They didn’t expect to emerge from the spell to the chaos of an Arsa siege. In an effort to save her friends, Lily Zuo made the decision to flee with Statera, resulting in her capture by the enemy forces. Months passed and every effort made to rescue Lily from Arsa have resulted in failure. Wren Byrne and Ricky Lee, alongside Absalom Peres, Karina Hasanov, and Javier Moreno, will race across the country to try and find her. Balancing the search for Lily with the building of alliances has the team struggling to stay one step ahead. With Statera in the hands of Arsa, the Guardians and their protectors will be faced with their most dangerous challenge. Beside their allies, they must stand their ground in a final battle against Galiena Lear and her forces. There’s only one thing left to do Fight for Balanced Magic. |
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SLAKE HOUSE by Idal Waves Hallot Alexandra T. Singer IVQKS159 fleshfeel Crane J. Alan Andrews cam Judas Salieri Max Banshees Johannes T. Evans b SLAKE HOUSE is a queer erotic horror choose-your-own-ending (CYOE) anthology featuring 13 author/artist pairs collaborating to create a sexy and horrifying multi-route story which will end in spectacular climax and abject terror. |
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The Mending of Severed Magic by E.R. Munley and Ruth Sanger Blood of Arsa, make us strong. Blood of Sia, keep us from wrong. Blood of zheng, balance our forces. Gifts of others, adding more sources. When Wren Byrne entered the interrogation room with her partner, she never expected to be teaming up with her detainee, Lily Zuo, to save the world of magic. With Absalom Peres and Ricky Lee by their sides, the pair was able to collect the piece of the ancient relic known as Statera, a magical staff that represented and balanced the known magics of the world. Now, the Guardians of Statera have a new mission: expand the number of magical pieces and reassemble the staff. They are joined by Karina Hasanov and her protector, Javier Moreno, in the quest to balance the power of the universe once again. However, as they cross the globe once more, collecting new pieces to increase the power of the staff, Galiena Lear, a leader of Arsa, is hot on their heels. She longs to claim the power of Statera for herself and dominate the magical world in the process. Will the Guardians of Statera be able to reassemble the staff and stop Galiena’s evil plan? |
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The Price of Broken Magic by E.R. Munley and Ruth Sanger Long ago, the three magics of the world came together to bring balance to the universe. Europe brought a staff carved from the Tree of Life. Asia brought a jade orb, imbued with magical power. Africa brought a gold bowl, decorated to look like the wings of magical birds, one wing to represent each magic: a crane for Asia, a hawk for Africa, and a raven for Europe. This brought balance to the magics and all was well for a long time. Until it was broken… Wren Byrne is a good Arsa soldier: she follows orders and doesn’t ask too many questions. She fights diligently to help her clan fix the magical imbalance of the world. Lily Zuo is a dedicated zheng warrior who is trying to balance her family and magical life. She works hard to ensure the best life for all as the world of magic deteriorates around her. During an interrogation, Zuo feeds her a fairytale that makes too much sense to ignore. Torn between truth and loyalty, the pair will escape from the Arsa base and embark on an epic journey across the world, searching for the pieces of an ancient magical artifact. Will they be able to reunite the pieces of the Unity Staff in time to save the world of magic? |
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Swords & Stones by Kimberly Lynn Hanson It started with a sword. And it will end with one, too. Seventeen-year-old Ren Bedivere is no stranger to the protected life in Camelot, even though the rest of the kingdom is war-torn in the aftermath of King Arthur’s reign. As the son of a respected Knight of the Round Table, he’s trained his entire life with the expectation of becoming the first person knighted since Arthur’s death. But when his name isn’t called at the knighting ceremony, and his girlfriend betrays him by joining forces with Mordred’s vengeful sorcerer son seeking the throne, Ren is thrust into a world of self-doubt, questioning the life he knows. With a nudge from Merlin, Ren sets out on a rogue quest with his friends by his side—his supportive twin sister, the wise-cracking best friend, and a mysterious druid girl who is more than she appears. Together, they must venture to retrieve the legendary sword Excalibur to protect their home. The quest leads to an ancient magic that may save Camelot but uncovers a generation of lies about the king and his knights that, once revealed, threaten to destroy the kingdom. In the shadow of betrayal, Ren must choose to embrace the legacy of the knights who came before or shatter the myths to tell his own story. |
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Mark of the Witch by E.R. Munley The fires of persecution burn hot tonight in the city of Caer. Since the great rebellion of Myrridia fifty years ago, the Dread King Georg VII has ruled the country of Briganta with an iron fist. A religious zealot and follower of Malleus, the King has decreed that a new wave of inquisitions must begin. He created the Hex Breakers, an elite division of witch hunters to root out the plague of magic in his lands. Kate Morgan has tried to remain under the radar since her mother’s arrest and execution. By day she works at the Caer Chronicle, and by night she runs an informational blog for the Red Dragon Movement, an organization working to take down the Dread King’s regime. She keeps her nose down and trusts no one with the truth. When a powerful explosion rocks the Chronicle, Kate finds her world turned upside down. Though her boss is arrested for the incident, she finds herself at the center of the magical world that she thought she had left behind. With the help of her new friends and coven, Kate will embark on a journey to power and destiny. Will she be able to master the magic she has long suppressed and save the ones she loves from destruction? |
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Theology and science mix like oil and water. Never in his life would Eris Vandermere have thought The Effect of Divine Presence on Human Behavior would be the topic of his final research paper of the year—yet he finds himself combing the city streets with sophomore Miri Chase, tracking the footsteps of a real-life god who walks the mortal realm. When the god of the sea rescues a child from certain death, his divine blood heals the child’s wounds, and the mortal world hails him as a hero. An undercurrent of intrigue among the mortal population grows and slowly festers, which leads Eris and Miri to stumble across a horrifying truth: mortals will do anything to get their hands on God's Blood. What starts as a simple school project morphs into a frantic scramble for human survival. What must one do to appease an angered god? And how far is a god willing to go in the name of justice? After all, nothing is more devastating than divine rage. |
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Mere Flesh by Catherine Labadie Wynnifred Treloar has everything she needs to succeed as a budding occultist on the cusp of vowing her allegiance to king and country...and marrying the most tame yet influential man in society she can find. Yet everything is not enough for her when she knows more influence than she can dream of will be withheld from her because of who she is.Breaking one rule after another, she sacrifices portions of her body to summon a demonic entity to take over the world. There should be no harm in it: demons are only dark energy, after all, and Wynnifred is a prodigy. When the demon she summons into a circle vows she'll die screaming in his claws, and omens plague her friends and estate, Wynnifred begins to realize there are worse mistakes to make than marrying the wrong society darling. Like beginning to fall for the demon's allure. |
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When the tech company Kolton Moreau built with his brother experiences a surprisingly profitable quarter, the doors to high society open up to make way. Fancy parties, new business contacts, a seat at the adult’s table… It should have been a windfall and the logical reward for their years of hard work, but as Kolton begins to rub elbows with the societal elite, he realizes things aren’t quite so clear cut. From persistent attempts at corporate takeover to shady deals nudged towards him under the table, the risks begin to outweigh the potential rewards as Kolton finds himself pursued by a mysterious group keen on obtaining his allegiance, one way or another. It stood to reason that rising through the ranks would open doors. Kolton just wished he took the time to consider who—or what—would be waiting for him on the other side. |
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The First Stone by Teshelle Combs Sanaa of Rote exists only to please her father, the King, by marrying the High Prince of an allied realm. And she will succeed. She must. If she can bear to swallow her hatred for the man to whom she must yield every fragment of her power. |
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When a trip to India goes awry, Priyanka handles it the only way she knows how to, with liquor. The days blur together as she finds herself in a tumultuous tailspin, hanging on for dear life. One trip to the doctor's office, and her life is forever changed. Dr. Thalya Rishnya is nothing if not professional; however, when a drop-dead gorgeous woman winds up in her office, she can't help but feel for her. One random, coincidental meetup and her world will never be the same. Sparks fly as they relish each other's company. Follow along as these two fight to survive life and see if they will find their happily ever after, or will they mess it up for fate's sake? |
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The Old Goat and the Alien by Veo Corva Avari keeps to themself. They’re a goat-shape cosmoran, a member of the Cleaners’ Union, and a bit of a grump. That suits them just fine. They don’t have any friends, and that’s fine, because they have siblings. And if their siblings have all grown away from them to start their own lives, then that’s fine, too. Really. But then Avari meets a lost alien in the Elder Grove, and that is not fine. Everyone is telling Avari that this alien is their responsibility just because she’s lost on an unfamiliar planet. Avari can barely tolerate cosmorans; how are they supposed to cope with a human housemate? To get Jenna the human out of their home, Avari is going to have to do several unthinkable things. They’ll have to leave the house, talk to strangers, and even travel to the terrifying ocean planet that is the binary twin of their own. They’ll have to learn about Earth and go to board game parties and meet some of the strangest people in the city. They might even have to make friends. But the trouble is, Avari isn’t sure they deserve them. The Old Goat and the Alien is a cosy, slice-of-life space fantasy with an all-queer cast set on the binary planets of Geminus in a far-away star system. Geminus is populated by cosmorans, sentient creatures whose shape is determined by the stars at their hatching and who bear a striking resemblance to the animals and mythical creatures of Earth. |
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Witchborne by Rachel Grosvenor In medieval Locklear, Agnes harbours a dangerous secret - she can touch fire without being burned. As war rages beyond the town and whispers of witchcraft echo through its streets, Agnes navigates arranged marriages, rival’s schemes, and the threat of the hangman’s noose. When a desperate bargain with a local widow goes awry, Agnes’s world erupts in flames - she is accused of witchcraft. In a society that fears female power, can Agnes find the strength to forge her own destiny? |
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Twisted Souls by Skye Crawford Valan Anartes has a secret. Many, in fact. Growing up in the Unseelie Court meant learning how to fake a smile, how to lie directly to other sidhes’ faces, and to kill anyone who obstructs his path to power. At least, that’s the goal he’s led everyone to believe he has. He’s not the only person hiding something in the shadows. A mysterious rogue, who has vowed his life and love to Valan, will risk everything to protect the truth. But as their enemies—including Valan’s sadistic twin sister—close in and more than just their demi-immortal lives are at stake, Valan’s going to need something beyond an arsenal of magic and manipulation to keep their twisted secrets safe. |
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Step into an Old West of legends, legacies, and lies, where machines come to life and deadly silver terrorizes the land. Twenty-four years have passed since the devastating Awakening of the rogue commuter train, Bucephalus, left countless dead and America forever changed. It also took everything from Geist Warden Gabriel Velasquez. It took his father, his sister, and left him infected with silver, an illness that can be controlled but not cured. Since that day, Gabriel has lived for vengeance, but his time is running out. A chance encounter in the Nevada desert sets Gabriel on the trail of the legendary Colt .45 Buntline Special, the Black Rose. Fabled lawman Wyatt Earp himself once carried the cursed revolver. No one knows how he bent the demon to his will. Some say the Rose twisted him to hers. Whatever their pact, Wyatt Earp once carried the most feared gun in the West, a silver-spitting fiend. Only silver can kill Bucephalus, and only the Black Rose shoots silver. She’s exactly what Gabriel needs, and he’ll go to any lengths to get his hands on her. He will take the Black Rose for himself, one way or another, and finally have his revenge. But the Black Rose has plans of her own … |
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Trapped in the Past by Indira Merritt What if the only way to fix your future… was to confront the past that broke you? Seventeen-year-old Lennox Merritt is tired of holes―the ones in his story, his home, and his hope. When a glitch in an experimental beat machine hurls him three decades into the past, he lands in 1995 with nothing but a backpack and music the world hasn't heard yet. In a world of boom boxes, beepers, and block parties, Lennox meets people who feel too familiar―and a version of someone who never got the future they deserved. But getting back home isn't just about rewiring time. It's about feeling the grief he buried, the silence he inherited, and the choices he still has the power to make. Set in a rhythm-rich world where hip hop holds memory and healing moves through basslines, Trapped in the Past is a time-bending debut novel about rewriting what hurt you, reclaiming what made you, and remembering that the story isn't over just because the page turned. |
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Grim Portents by Christian Akins Bill Baker wants nothing more than to marry the woman he loves, but when his wedding is interrupted by a rampaging hell-beast, his life is thrown into disarray. Desperate for a second chance, he will do anything to set his future back on track. Now, with the help of a soul-collecting reaper named Sonny, he must uncover who is releasing monsters from Hell, in order to earn back the life that was stolen from him and prevent the oncoming end of days. Faced with the choice between what is right and what is easy, Bill may have to sacrifice all he holds dear for one last shot at life. Grim Portents is a paranormal odyssey that takes a man through Heaven and Hell in a satirical exploration of the institutional pitfalls of the afterlife. Though desperate to return, death may have been the very thing he needed to learn how to live. |
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Shattered Queens Series: Serena by Inez Ocon Serena Safe. Predictable. Logical. Numbers don’t hurt you. People do. I built my life on stability and earned my dream job as VP of Finance. I live in armor—my body trained, my mind guarded, my heart locked tight. Then Ian walks into my life. He says he'll protect me. He says he'll kill for me. But is he my savior…or my captor? And now, someone else is watching me, and I don’t know who’s more dangerous. Ian CEO. Heir. Killer. I erase anyone who threatens what’s mine. But nothing consumes me like her. Serena. My obsession. My undoing. Every step she takes is already under my watch. She thinks she rebuilt her life on safety. The truth? I am her safety—and her danger. Willing or not, she’ll belong to me. Because I’ll burn down this world before I ever let her go. |
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Solace of Dusk by K. V. Meadows Those who play with prophecies will get burned… 23-year-old Undesirable, Durvla Garrick, has a dangerous secret. Being both deaf and having a chronic ailment, her very existence is treasonous. So, when the Queen’s mercenaries accuse her of stealing a dress, she comes quietly—better to be arrested for her knitting skills than her illness. Under the watchful eye of the broody royal guard, Tiernan Kilkenny—the embodiment of the very people she’s spent her life hiding from—Durvla is appointed dressmaker to the princess. But castle life isn’t quite what she expected, and nor is its staff… With the Queen dying, Princess Carys Meredyth fa Rhodri is reluctant to inherit the throne of a broken Kingdom when she feels so broken herself. Magic has been outlawed for a millennium—so why are her memories filled with whispers of enchantment? When Carys finds a book that only she can read, more questions unravel. Are the fairytales that have provided her comfort since childhood really only stories? Or has the truth been right there all along? |
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How to Survive This Fairytale by S. M. Hallow You are not a hero. You don't get your True Love. This is the part where you lose everything. This is the part where you rewrite your story. After losing everything in service to the Evil Queen, and driven to the edge of sanity by a cruel narrator who won't let him die, Hansel must bring himself to do the impossible: forge his own destiny or give up on his Happily Ever After. For fans of T. Kingfisher's THORNHEDGE and Tamsyn Muir's HARROW THE NINTH, comes a story crafted by S. M. Hallow. Twining together a dark fairy tale retelling with mental health and disability representation plus queer normative world-building splashed with a cozy horror game vibe, HOW TO SURVIVE THIS FAIRYTALE is rewriting Happily Ever Afters. |
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The Shadowbearer's Promise by Jasmyn Morning Whispers of unrest echo through the Shadowrealm. As tensions rise and long-buried fears resurface, a mysterious cult emerges from the darkness, vowing to challenge the rule of the Shadowbearer. As the shadows close in, Edan finds his guarded heart unraveling and his growing affection for Ryuji and Micah pulling him deeper into a bond that defies fate. But with betrayal lurking in every corner, love may be the most dangerous promise of all. In this soul-shattering final instalment of the trilogy, the Shadowbearer must decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice, and whether their love is strong enough to survive the chaos. |
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The Shadowbearer's Burden by Jasmyn Morning The High King of Aetheria stands at the crossroads of duty and desire. Bound by his love for the Shadowbearer, he navigates a fragile bond with the man cursed to wield the darkness. But as a Shadow warrior claims his place in their star-crossed union, their hearts wrestle with jealousy and doubt. With his kingdom demanding unwavering strength and the Shadowbearer's burdens growing heavier, the High King must face impossible choices. Can he bridge the growing chasm between love and duty, or will the shadows tear apart everything he's fought to protect? In this gripping sequel, betrayal and passion entwine as the trio discover that the path to peace is paved with sacrifice. |
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Against an Alpine Sky by Nicole Leland Talos is an artist, a naturalist, and a lithander—a person carved of stone. He lives with his brother but spends his days wandering the mountains and observing the natural world, not realizing how lonely he is. Maëlle is a human woman dreading her arranged marriage to a nobleman. While she doesn’t like her betrothed, she’s convinced herself it’s her duty to tolerate him. When Maëlle receives devastating personal news that makes her situation with her fiancé unsafe, she flees on her owl gryphon to the mountains—and into Talos’s life. As the gentle stone man and the strong, vibrant woman discover truths about themselves and each other, they feel the budding promise of something new, something bigger and more lasting than the mountains. But to embrace their happiness together, they’ll need to overcome Maëlle’s obligations, the censure of Talos’s brother, and most importantly, their own insecurities. |
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Hearts of Bark and Scale by Nicole Leland The world is blood and pain, but still there’s love. All Kvisti has ever wanted is to protect her desert village in a way that would make the Mother Tree proud. Unfortunately, an old injury has left her once-potent dryad powers broken, and she can’t even stop the ruthless magic poachers that invade her village for the scraps of magic she still holds. Snake shifter Iason is bound to a criminal snake den for the sake of his rare healing magic. But the magic poachers want his magic, too. When the poachers throw Kvisti in the same magic-proof cell as Iason, the two are inexorably drawn together, bonding over past traumas. In their isolation, they begin to heal each other, finding a connection deeper than they imagined possible. But when disaster strikes the poachers, Kvisti and Iason are abandoned in their cell with no hope for freedom. In a world that thrives on cruelty and despair, love may be their only salvation. Can Kvisti and Iason break free of their prison and the pasts that haunt them before their connection is torn apart? Will the delicate new feelings taking root in their hearts bloom, or will the desert bury them? When blood and pain are a constant, love is a fragile thing—but one worth fighting for. |
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In the neon-drenched world of Echo City, a simmering angst brews between the lost ways of religion, unshackled from centuries of dogma, and the modern threats posed by technology that risks erasing what it means to be human. Jasper, a seasoned netrunner, stumbles upon a secret that could unravel the very fabric of this reality, drawing him into the orbit of commercial greed. Nova, an aspiring freelance dancer meets a corporate woman who will change her life forever. As Jasper and Nova's paths intertwine, they uncover a conspiracy that links their city’s fate to their own survival. P.A.R.A_LYZE, is a gripping cyberpunk novel that delves into the intersection of technology, rebellion, and survival in a world where every shadow conceals a secret and every neon sign tells a story. Will Jasper and Nova uncover the truth before their city—and themselves—are consumed by the darkness of the net? |
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Drawing inspiration from classic video games, CodeSkull centers on an ambitious arcade gamer, Mick, who is one day gifted a floppy disc of an RPG game by her rival, Tommy. But when she plays it, she inadvertently unleashes a terrifying technological creature that can infest and overload any electrically powered object. After their classmate meets a grisly end, the two must team up in order to save their small town—and possibly the world—from annihilation... In her entry into the Totally Freaked! series, Chloe Spencer takes pre-2000s tech panic and gamer culture for a nostalgic 90s horror ride! |
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The Skeletons In Our Closet by Sinclair A. Macabre For as long as he can recall, Daedalus Macabre has been bound to one rule above all else: Don't Step Out of Line. He's always followed it to the letter—his days spent training in elegant forms of fighting, his nights spent studying in his library, and the breaths between spent lost in the worn keys of his piano. He keeps his head down, and he does what he's told. But when Daedalus moves to Nemoure and meets Cain Sidrelle, his meticulously crafted control and rigorous adherence to the rules seem to disappear overnight. Without realizing it, his entire world narrows down to a pretty rich boy with hair like hellfire. A hellfire that threatens to consume him with every passing smile and shared glance. Still, his mother's expectations are a heavy burden, and her anger only grows with his continued distraction and blatant disregard for her rules. The longer Daedalus allows himself his dalliance with Cain, the more dire the consequences become. Until one day those consequences arrive, and Daedalus is faced with a punishment he cannot run away from. Separated by forces outside their control, Daedalus and Cain must overcome years of distance and longing when fate deems to grant them a second chance. But as others start to find themselves in Daedalus' way, Cain begins to question whether this is the man he once knew, and if there can be any hope for the two of them in the end. |
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Not The Fighting Kind by Will Soulsby-McCreath Nat should be doing what dandies do creating fashion, trading information, working on the edges of high society to further their own aims, and flirting with scandal. Instead, they're in the bowels of a ship, captured by pirates intent on ransoming them back to their family as soon as they find out to which family they should send the letter. Unfortunately for all involved, Nat knows one thing the pirates can never be allowed to find They are unransomable. Their family has plenty enough money to pay any ransom, but Nat's father sent them to sea in the first place, put them in the path of these pirates, because he wanted Nat out of the way. Ransoms create scandal. Nat can't afford another. |
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Rise of the Dragonwitch by Timothy K Clark Kidnapped from NYC and thrust into Tir Na—a dangerous world where myths and legends truly exist—college student Finley Maguire is named the prophesied savior destined to stop a mad king’s rise to immortal power. But Finley isn’t a warrior, and dealing with deadly court intrigue, her intense training, and even fiery dragons might kill her before the prophecy ever has a chance. As war looms, she must decide: fight for a world she doesn’t understand, or risk losing everything to a king who will destroy it all. |
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After years of being the quiet, “weird” gay kid with no friends, seventeen-year-old Alex Sato is counting the days until graduation. But when the ghost of handsome, popular soccer star Noah Thornbridge appears in Alex’s English class one morning, Alex grudgingly agrees to help him solve the mystery of his death. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of Noah’s body, and the last thing he remembers is hiking through the woods with two of his friends, who are also missing. With Noah’s friends’ lives on the line, Alex must push aside his introverted tendencies and better judgment to chase Noah into the woods that claimed him. There, Alex will face more than just the danger of following in Noah’s ghostly footsteps. He’ll face the greatest challenge of his life: not falling in love with a dead boy. |
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A Demon to Save Me by H.S. Kallinger Gabriel Belmont's life is succumbing to a downward spiral when he accidentally summons a demon. After he refuses to make a contract, something ignites within him, inspiring him to strive for a real future—a real life. Two years later, he has everything he wanted, and his life is on track. But it's a fragile thing. A cascade of events threatens to destroy it all. He has to find it in him to not only save the people he loves, but also the demon who saved him in the first place. |
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Noel I’m impossible to love. At least, that’s what my ex-boyfriend said after he moved out and left me short on next month’s rent. Luckily, I've found a sexy solution in the form of Luca, a tattoo artist looking for a place to crash. He’s older, hot, a little awkward…and he’s also in the middle of a divorce. Whatever. All I know is, my new roommate leaves me absolutely breathless. Our arrangement benefits us in more ways than one...as long as I can keep it together. He’s sweeter than I deserve, but that’s only because he doesn’t know how broken I really am. Once he figures that out, he'll leave. Everybody does. Luca Meeting someone like Noel is the last thing I expected after separating from my wife. But I can’t help being drawn to him. He’s gorgeous, talented, and unapologetically himself—something I’ve struggled with my entire life. Moving in with him may be impulsive, but it is convenient. And our chemistry is next level. Yeah, he’s bit of a brat, but this complicated man is showing me everything I’ve denied myself for years. Falling for him feels almost inevitable. But when my past threatens everything, it’s easy to fall back into familiar patterns—and playing it safe could cost me the one person who’s ever really seen me. SUCKER LOVE is a soft D/s, roommates-to-lovers MM romance between a bold art student and a closeted tattoo artist. Unraveling against the vibrant backdrop of Boston, Massachusetts, it's a love story brimming with drama and messy desire. |
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A Spell of Bones and Madness by E. K. Condos Blood. Daggers. Golden chains. Katrin’s nightmares have returned. This time they are not visions of the past, but the present. His present. Castle Drakos hadn’t been attacked since the ancient war. Until that day. The day everything changed. The day she became Queen. The day she barely escaped with her life in exchange for Alexander’s. Now Katrin must work with the crew of The Nostos and several unlikely allies to not only rescue Alexander, but journey through the depths of Aidesian itself to prevent Hades from being resurrected. Because if King Athanas and the King of Harrenfort have their way, the fallen will rise |
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SUMMONED to ANOTHER WORLD, but ALL I’M SUPPOSED to DO is FARM MYTHIC-RARITY RAID DROPS by eskay Gravity Gales is depressed. Her retail job is physically painful, her student loans are coming due, and her relationship with her long-term girlfriend grows rockier with each bill. Life out of college is nothing like she was led to expect, and merely navigating the maddening rituals required to get by in modern society has left her helplessly exhausted. So when she’s inexplicably summoned into the virtual reality game Final Destiny Light 3, she’s in no hurry to leave. Things here make sense—the mission guidelines are clear, the player roles are unambiguous, and if she works twice as hard as the next person, then she’ll receive twice the rewards. Despite the fact that her favorite weapon has begun to talk to her, speaking of some apocalypse-averting quest that she supposedly was summoned to complete, Gravity is determined to stay here for the rest of her life—even if that means letting the rest of her world fall apart around her. |
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Marigolds and Murder by AK Ikezoe What good is it to know the truth if you're powerless to change it? Philadelphia, 1950. Nobody suspects that private detective Katsumi Okazaki uses prophecy magic to solve her cases. But her uncanny "intuition" at finding the truth can't help her prove that her new client's wife was murdered. Not when everyone else is convinced the death was accidental. To make matters more complicated, Kat's new client is an Exalter--afflicted with unpredictable magical abilities as collateral damage from the war--and her story stirs up Kat's own painful memories of displacement and the love she lost. Luckily, Kat has plenty of practice burying her personal problems under a mountain of work. She sets out with her ethically questionable but trustworthy assistant to find evidence and catch the killer. But dread creeps in when she realizes she's being tailed. Is someone trying to thwart her investigation, or does the government still not trust her? Either way, Kat can't let her client down. And if what her magic tells her is real, then catching the killer might not be enough... not if she's going to be able to live with herself when it's done. The first book in The Exalted series, Marigolds and Murder is a queer fantasy murder mystery that blends WWII history with magic. |
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Grace Everly might be a lot of things; like a podcaster, K-popster, sort-of-popular girl at Richmond Hill High in southern Georgia. But let’s get one thing straight. She is NOT friends with Gloria Sanchez, her next door neighbor. So when Gloria goes missing, and the only clue leads back to Grace, tensions run high! Especially since the police can’t get it through their thick skulls that Grace had nothing to do with Gloria’s disappearance. Then Seth, Grace’s boyfriend, goes missing, putting an even bigger target on her–and she starts experiencing stress-induced flashbacks of a kidnapping scene right out of some campy horror flick. The kind her and her friends spoof on their weekly podcast, What’s in the Woods? Confused and angry aren’t a great mix of emotions–but they fuel Grace into unlocking her memories, while boxing at her dad’s gym. Armed with new clues, Grace and her friends race against time to find Gloria and Seth, before the rotten-faced man from her memories turns Richmond Hill into a real life horror movie. One they can’t spoof on their podcast. |
