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The Scoundrel's Blade (Chronicles of an Outcast) by Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis This is not the tale of a Great Hero, nor some great epic of a Champion of Good. It's about the struggles of a flawed scoundrel, a rogue, a self-banished elven man looking for redemption. An Outcast... It has been centuries since the Great War between the now Forgotten Gods and Great Demons ended with both sides forcefully banished from the mortal realm. Magic is now scarce and the few remaining elven races are hidden. One such elf is Avathar, a young orphan plagued by nightmares ever since his father brought upon destruction in a failed ritual summoning. Time passed and the dreams eventually stopped. The boy grew up into a carefree young man while in the care of his foster family. And now, years later, it is finally time for him to go through his ritual passing of age and take his place in Avaelin society, and his step-sister and best friend Anadriel will be his guide in his three-day ritual. By the final day of his trials, he is worn out physically and mentally. After all these years the nightmares return, worse than ever. And at the last night, a manifestation of a demonic version of him attempts to steal control of his body, taunting him while Avathar fights back in blinding rage. But in truth, it wasnât the demonic elf the one that he had struck down; driven momentarily insane, he had unintentionally killed his sister. Filled with remorse and despair, he banishes himself, only taking with him a family relic his sister had, an ancient elven blade much more important than he then realized... |
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The Eye Of Syl (Sylmanara) by Michael Aguero A chance discovery by two diplomats could not have come at a worse time. Ruins lost and treasures buried, rediscovered on a continent embroiled in war. The relics within could be a source of great danger, or just the thing to get the war moving. The Triple Crown may lack the resolve for a proper expedition, but the College of Wintermoore and the Church of Atterley do not. Rivals from centuries past, each desires the treasure for themselves, and will do anything to get it. A race is on, with a trophy of impossible danger, and the fate of the world in the balance. Eye of Syl is the first book in the Sylmanara trilogy but can be read as a standalone novel. Character driven, with a focus on worldbuilding, and a tight plot, Eye of Syl is a fresh epic for the modern reader. |
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The Signet Ring: A Trouvères Adventure by Ellis L Knox Never trust a noble, even if one hires you. The Trouvères are invited to an island to perform at a celebration: a peace treaty between two long-time enemies and a betrothal to seal the deal. Val, the head of the troupe of humans, plus an elf and an ogre, has a plan: give a good show, get good pay, and get out. |
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Festival of the Night: Vellum I (The Scrolls of Vilenzia) by Wes M. Henshaw An evil tinge to the annual darkness known as The Festival of the Night has set off a chain of events forever in the making. The evil, derived from its own darkness, is one that must be repelled for all would succumb, or far worse, to such. All is not lost. For in light of the darkness, the hidden forces, that of the Union of the Jenine, have been quietly, steadily preparing for this eventuality. The supposed saviour will be granted tools of knowledge from the Gods â The Scrolls of Vilenzia. But will this be enough to aid her and newfound friends, and sway the balance of forever more? I truly hope so . . . Grehn will break free of the clichĂŠd shackles of palace life; to finally venture beyond the walls of a city she has only ever known, to distant lands unknown. |
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Those Mages (Philosophical Mages Saga Book 1) by Caesar Who In 2022, coronavirus keeps reaping lives and mages are immune to it. Against mage-hating human sorcerers and the civillian mobs with their anti-mage ammunition, can they win the war against homo sapiens? Their power sources are called exousias, which are the crystalized aftermath of nuclear bomb detonations. Mages are, by default of their exousias, longevous, celibate, smarter and thus superior, but their critical thinking and philosophical spirits may fail them on this survival situation... |
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The Return of the Dark Sun: Book One of the Chronicles of a Higher Calling by S.B Zoltan A thousand years ago, the art of magic suddenly vanished from the world. No one could explain exactly what had caused this unexpected event. Kingdoms and empires fell apart as their economies and societies collapsed, and only the strongest, richest empires survived this hopeless time, the Age of Chaos, which lasted two hundred years. Without magic and the power of wizardry, whole generations grew old and died. In the Free Realms, people no longer believed sorcerers had ever existed. One day, however, a glimpse of the past returns. Kara Primusignis, a princess, lives her everyday life in the Kingdom of Kallahia, traveling from town to town in search of a missing part of her past. Strange news arrives from a neighboring kingdom: a merchant has made an unusual discovery in the Gaenessi Mountains, a range to the far southwest. Kara, with a group of soldiers, immediately sets out to the location to investigate. Days before the arrival of the strange news, Kara witnessed the sun change colors for a few hours, but then it returned to normal. At that time, she didnât suspect that this phenomenon would soon change her life forever⌠|
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Platinum Tinted Darkness by Timothy Wolf The Kingdom of Boulom has been lost. The realms have already seen what happens when the Gods and their Harbingers are left unchecked. Destruction. Chaos. Death. The Gods can't be trusted. No one knows that better than David Williams, the Leader of the Guardians tasked to protect the Realm from the Gods and their powerful Harbingers ever since the fall of Boulom. Six Guardians take their pledge to leave the squabbles of the kingdoms behind and live only to stop the Harbingers and protect the Realms from the Gods. Serenna Morgan, a famed Crystal Mage and Guardian, struggles with the Guardian Pact when the Kingdom of Terrangus invades her home. She's supposed to stay out of it. But she can't. When she breaks her Oath and joins in the skirmish, she earns the favor of the God of Death when the conflict escalates to an all-out war. And he makes her an offer, one that'll make sure she'll never fail in her goals again. To become his Harbinger. To partake in the ecstasy of destruction. |
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Fire consumes. It is its nature to do so. Thea Knight has lost the battle to the Brais and is forced to live in their castle with the mission of honing her rare fire abilities. She must blend in with them, lest she be destroyed. To keep her witch best friend and the vampire who created her safe, she must tear the Brais from the inside out before they risk their own lives to save her. To do this, Thea needs to find and defeat the elusive King of the Brais. In the land of the Brais, being a double agent is a death sentence. And to defeat them, Thea must unravel the secrets behind the rogue group and their true intentions with her. But learning the truth could shatter everything. |
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The Negotiated Death of Sara Glen by Brady Koch The results of an at-home DNA testing kit reveal the key to eradicating an emerging threat. Getting that key may cost Sara her life. |
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Glass Half Broken by Rachel Richards When the people Annie love mysteriously vanish one by one, how will she uncover the secret that lies trapped inside her own deceptive mind? Annie knows thereâs something wrong with her. A child genius with crippling social anxiety and a compulsion for tearing at her wrist, Annie struggles to please her reputation-obsessed mother. Annieâs dad is the only one who understands her. But when he runs off on a spiritual quest during a manic episode, Annie blames herself. As she matures, Annieâs grief is reignited each time someone she cares about mysteriously disappears without a trace. Suspecting sheâs gone insane, Annie learns she canât trust anyone, least of all herself. When she finally discovers the shocking truth, Annieâs next move could mean the difference between life and death. Glass Half Broken is a fast-paced domestic thriller packed with mystery and a shocking twist! |
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The Road To Joy and Happiness, How To: Develop Life-Changing Habits, Change Negative Behaviors, and Create The Life You Want by Byron Pulsifer, Catherine Pulsifer It's easy to become overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions that can lead to unhappiness and distress. But what if you could implement certain habits which could help you develop a habit of joy and happiness? Discover 19 practical and life-changing habits, along with a special 21-day challenge, to help you find joy and happiness. The 19 key habits are like a map that can take you down this rewarding road, allowing you to uncover greater joy and happiness in all aspects of your life. Developing life-changing habits is an achievable goal and doesn't have to be daunting. There is no one path to joy and happiness, but rather a combination of elements. It may seem like an impossible task, but with dedication and effort, you CAN travel the life-changing road to joy and happiness. So why not start today? |
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The Sherangivan by Jacqueline Fellows "You go no farther than your own mind; and what could be more familiar to you than yourself?" A new city on the rivers, its walls pristine and untested. Encroaching strangers, aggressive, seeking a new land of their own. A brutal triple murder in the woods. And a young man caught in the middle of it all, tormented by dreams he doesn't understand. |
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The Acorn Stories by Duane Simolke Visit the West Texas town of Acorn! Enjoy the German festival, a high school football game, homemade apple pie from the Turner Street CafĂŠ, and the cool shade of a hundred-year-old oak tree. Meet dedicated teachers, unusual artists, shrewd business owners, closeted gays, and concerned neighbors. See how lives become intertwined in moments of humor or tragedy. Just be careful, because in Acorn, the sky is always falling! From romantic comedy to razor-sharp satire to moments of quiet reflection, Duane Simolkeâs award-winning tales transform a fictional West Texas town into a tapestry of human experiences. âA lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.â âKirkus Reviews âThe ability to depict such a wide cross section of humanity, including details of each characterâs breadth of knowledge and experience, takes a talented, insightful author, and Duane Simolke is such a writer.â âE. Conley, Bettyâs Books |
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Severed Roots: A dystopian novel by Nego Huzcotoq WHO ARE YOU IF YOU HAVE NO ROOTS, NO REAL CONNECTIONS? In an alternative contemporary reality, Nick Wong is a product of the Children's Centres âgovernment-run residential schools designed to prevent all forms of patriarchy and help usher in an unprecedented age of world peace. While girls are groomed for leadership, boys are taught subservience. As is the case with most male graduates, Nick's emotions are stunted and he feels little connection to others. Nevertheless, his innate curiosity and his desire to do the right thing spur him on a perilous quest for Truth âabout marriage, family and the need to connect with who we are. NOTE: Replete with action and mystery, the novel is profoundly thought-provoking as it confronts current controversies regarding marriage, patriarchy, gender, and the relevance of the nuclear family. |
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The magic has been healed, the ambition of Aarkan has finally been defeated, and the dragons have claimed Aarin for their own. But outside the Long Dream, the world lies poised on the edge of chaos. Kinseris might rule in KasâTella, but Darred has suborned many in the KasâTalani Order who have no wish to give up their power, and his invasion of Amadorn has taken him to the gateway to the north itself. Those who survived the siege of Ephenor, who fought with Aarin to reforge the bond between the races, must once more face the consequences of the dragonsâ power in the wrong hands. But when Darredâs machinations imperil the emancipation of the dragons, Aarin will be forced to choose between two loyalties, and the resulting conflict could tear Andeira apart all over again. Silver Dawn concludes the Long Dream series. |
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The Many Shades of Midnight by C M Debell A mysterious enemy threatens the continent of Ellasia, spreading a deadly sickness that kills or transforms everything it touches. In desperation, the King of Lankara sends an envoy to his disgraced former military commander, Alyas-Raine Sera, recalling him from exile and begging his aid. But when a discovery links the contagion to the mining of Isyrium, the most precious mineral resource in Ellasia, it pits Alyas against the powerful mining syndicates in a conflict that could have catastrophic consequences. Because the syndicates will fight to defend their wealth and power, even if the cost is everything and everyone else. |
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Empress and Soldier by Marian L Thorpe A boy of the night-time streets. A girl of libraries and learning. Druisius, the son of a merchant, is sixteen when his fatherâs cruel order drives him from home and into the danger and intrigue of the military. Eudekia, a scholarâs daughter, educated and dutiful, is not meant to be a princeâs bride. In an empire at war, and in a city beset by famine and unrest, she must prove herself worthy of its throne. A decade after a first, brief meeting, their lives intersect again. When a delegation arrives from the lost West, Druisius is assigned to guard them. In the span of a few weeks, a young captain will capture the hearts of both Empress and soldier in very different ways, offering a future neither could have foreseen. A stand-alone novel that can also serve as a second entry point into the Empire series. No previous knowledge of my fictional world is needed. |
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Our Man in Mbabane by K. E. Karl A government job. Raucous parties and love affairs. Gunrunning at the weekends. What could go wrong? The Mission Impossible assignment from Nelson Mandela's organization was straightforward: Frank George was to go to Swaziland, get a job, and smuggle weapons into South Africa for the fight against apartheid. Based on a true story, Our Man in Mbabane follows Frank's gunrunning exploits supporting the African National Congress in the late 1970s. In between harrowing escapades, he banters with friends and has two turbulent romances, all while learning of the daily indignities and horrors of apartheid. This historical espionage thriller will have you on the edge of your seat one moment and laughing the next as Frank shifts between ANC missions, romantic affairs, and boisterous social outings. |
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The Blood of a Dragon by Jack Adkins Anuka Sandbar is the most interesting half-goblin alive. Just ask him. While searching for his famous father, a roguish young half-goblin swashbuckler and his unlikely companions are enslaved by pirates. An emissary of the Silver DragonLord Augmaximitis buys them and offers them freedom if they can find the source of illegal DragonsBlood flooding the country. They soon discover that success could trigger a war between Dragons that would destray the mortal races. How will they choose between gaining their freedom and dooming the world? |
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More Than A Gunslinger by J.R. Carrel The year is 1869 and the West is still wild. Izzy is the greatest sharpshooter on Earth. She's hell bent on tracking down a mysterious robber baron, who has been gobbling up the railroads. She will find out that there is more to this robber baron and the world around her than she could ever imagine. He will find out that she is...... More Than A Gunslinger. |
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Lipstick Covered Magnet by Amber Herbert Sheâs running from her past. Heâs hoping to become her present. Skylar has avoided the past for three years. She canât be plagued by guilt and regret if she never has time to process what happened. When a song triggers the memories sheâs tried so hard to bury, she knows she canât run anymore. Despite her ex being gone, heâs hiding in the quiet and stillness. Thereâs no escape. Connor has always been passionate. If heâs into you, he will follow you to the ends of the earth. Sure, his fixation once ended in a restraining order, but that was just one girl. When he meets Skylar, he feels that same itch. Despite her attempts to brush him off, he increases his effortsâeven if that means tracking her movements and stalking her online. He knows heâll win her over if heâs persistent. As Skylar does her best to heal, Connor sinks further into obsession. Lipstick Covered Magnet is a genre-bending debut that weaves the intricacies of healing with delusion and suspense. For fans of You and I May Destroy You *Content warning: contains sexual assault, mentions of suicide, and stalking. |
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The Girl Who Steals Christmas by C.G. Drews A prequel short story about the De Lainey family from The Boy Who Steals Houses. It's set a week before Moxie meets Sam. Available for free on author's blog. Last year Christmas didnât happen because their mother had just died... It's a hot miserable December and the De Lainey family are actively ignoring the festive season, but when Moxie finds her little sister's screwed up letter to Santa in the bin, she decides to bully Christmas to life. Includes various sibling dramas, a too-small tent, and confusion between Santa and a potato. |
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When nowhere is safe in the world you know, you have to hide... or start making a new one. Robert is eleven when his best friend dies and he learns that if he wants to survive in the world he has to be ânormalâ. He buries his feelings, his awful childhood memories, and his suspicion that he is gay. Even when he falls in love with Johnny, he pretends it isnât happening, and buries those feelings too, choosing safety in the closet, a career as a lawyer, a wife and kids, and suburban happy ever after⌠Until Johnny returns needing help, and then disappears, and Robert's façade begins to crack in heartbreaking and dreadful circumstances. Only one other person saw what happened that night, and after being arrested for drunk and disorderly, he disappears. It shares poignant and emotional elements of Douglas Stuartâs Shuggie Bain and Craig Silveyâs trans-coming-of-age novel Honeybee, with the suspense of The Dry by Jane Harper, while drawing on the historical facts leading up to the airing of the dirty linen of the Bjelke-Peterson era with the broadcasting of The Moonlight State-1987 . Trying to keep his secret and himself safe isnât Robertâs only priority. He wants justice too. But when the police force is corrupt from the top down, justice isnât merely elusive, itâs an impossibility. Or so it seems when youâre fighting for yourself alone. But other people have been fighting for justice too. If Robert can convince them to help him, together they may set something unstoppable in motion. It will either run down the corrupt police or run over and destroy Robertâs life. Inspired by the true story of a suicide that was reclassified thirty years later as a gay hate-crime murder, The Outing is set in 1980s Queensland, (Australia), where corrupt police and politicians rule together, with an audacious disregard for the law. It shares poignant and emotional elements of Douglas Stuartâs Shuggie Bain and Craig Silvey's trans coming-of-age novel Honeybee, with the suspense of The Dry by Jane Harper, while drawing on the historical facts leading up to the airing of the dirty linen of the Bjelke-Peterson era with the broadcasting of The Moonlight State-1987. Breaking a corrupt system can sometimes break you, and those you love⌠some, forever |
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The Girl Forged by Fate by Brittany Czarnecki A betrayal nineteen years in the making. Seventeen-year-old Ivy Blackbourne wants nothing more than to become a knight and help defend her home from southern raiders, but her father's law forbids it. King Magnus has his reasons for this law and will do anything to protect his family, but it might be too late. The war has spread to the kingdom of Godstone and Magnus is forced to send Ivy away for her protection but also to begin her training. Ivy soon meets a boy named Finn, whose past will links their fates together, and as their relationship grows so too does the danger. King Magnus has been betrayed. His wife is being targeted and his son is being hunted. Ivy soon finds herself fighting for her life trying to get back home, but home is no longer safe. There is one man behind it all, and he'll stop at nothing to get his revenge on the king who took everything from him. |
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The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux by Rohit Prasad Roy Aron stepped off a sun-kissed beach and plunged into the fiery pits of hell. He had a life-altering vision. To actualize his epiphany, he metaphorically descended the bowels of hell to grapple with manâs ruinous frailties. He followed in the footsteps of Dante Alighieri as he witnessed each of the nine sins: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. He came upon unexpected and macabre sagas, engaged in intriguing and enthralling events, which bore testimony to all that these sins manifest, and observed how the sinners end up sundering devastation around them. After observing the lowest of lows, he pulled himself out of these depths and vowed to fight the intoxicating attraction of sin. Roy undertook this odyssey, again and again, every year to make himself a better husband, a better father and a better human being. Journey with him through the heart of darkness, live through these bizarre and metamorphic incidents and emerge in the sunshine of hope. |
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Creating Centaurs by Mona Ventress Having barely escaped Bacchus with her life, Delilah is hungover, exhausted, and in major need of some serious self-care. Yet her journey is not over, as it seems her would-be rescuers are also her next paramours. Who happen to be a trio of brothers. Who are also centaurs. Which - for the size differences alone - is absolute insanity. With anextra large-sized scooping of nope. There is no way she could possibly survive coupling with a creature four feet taller and nearly four times her weight. Not to mention, in the last twenty-four hours, she's gotten screwed back to life by Anubis and played professional dominatrix to one of the brattiest gods in existence. A Lover of Mythic Proportions deserves some rest, right? Only the thought of losing out on Hermes keeps her from quitting on the spot. But when she learns her participation could make a difference for the survival of their people, she is trapped between her desire for the creature comforts of the modern world and the fate of an entire species. Delilah must push her body beyond its physical capabilities to help the brothers accomplish something they've dreamed of for centuries, or risk condemning the remnants of a proud and wise species to extinction. |
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Reverence: A Faith-Based Dystopian Novel (The Reverence Trilogy, Book 1) by Raena Rood REVERE THE VOLUNTEER Twelve years ago, a global pandemic known as the Job virus decimated the worldâs population. One city withstood the virus by going into lockdown during the early days of the pandemic and erecting a massive barricade wall to insulate themselves from the sick and the dying. Now called Vita Novaâmeaning New Lifeâthe city is overcrowded and its resources are quickly dwindling. The area outside the wall, known as the Unregulated Zone, is a vast wasteland filled with crumbling buildings, overgrown highways, and the Lawless: brutal bands of marauders intent on breeching the barricade and claiming the cityâs resources for themselves. To combat the problem of overcrowding, the leadership of Vita Nova has implemented two programs: The Compulsory Program, which requires that anyone over the age of sixtyâor anyone who requires medical treatment for a chronic illnessâundergo a humane euthanization procedure. There is also the Volunteer Program, which offers residents the chance to be revered at a public ceremony and receive a Final Week of luxury, gifts, and praise...in exchange for giving up their lives for the good of all. After losing her mother as a Compulsory, Kira Liebert became a volunteer advocate for Vita Nova. She works closely with the Volunteers, arranging their stay at Rolling Meadows, a lavish, country-club estate where Volunteers spend their last few days. She also fulfills any special requests they might have for their Final Week. But when young, handsome Will Foster enters her office, wishing to end his life as a Volunteer, he has just one request for his Final Week. He wants to spend it with Kira. Unable to refuse the Volunteerâs last request, Kira gets swept into Willâs world, leaving everything she knows behind and going somewhere she never thought sheâd go: beyond the barricade. With the end of Willâs Final Week rapidly approaching, Kira realizes that Vita Nova is not the utopian sanctuary she once thought it was. And some peopleâthe truly brave onesâwill sacrifice everything to prove it. REVERENCE is the first book in Raena Roodâs thrilling new faith-based dystopian series. |
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The Good Pharmacist's Deadly Secrets (A Findale Fae Mystery) by Belinda M Gordon A Fae in hiding. A discarded backpack. A pharmacist murdered. Escaping the notoriety she'd acquired in The Otherworld,Sloan Murray packed up her loyal cocker spaniel Max and left her fellow fae to settle in the small town of Findale.Sloan thought her new life in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania would change for the better, become quieter, less unpredictable--if only a small group of fae hadn't followed her into this new world. Still,Sloan's enjoying her relative anonymity untilshe attempts to return alost backpack and ends up accused of murder. Suddenly, not only do half the town think they know who she is, they're under the misconception she's a dangerous killer. Will Sloan and her fae friends unravel the dead pharmacist's secrets before the obstinate Det. Moody arrests her for murder? Time is ticking, and if Sloan can't find the real murderer soon, not only will she lose what's left of her magical anonymity, she will lose her freedom forever. The Good Pharmacist's Deadly Secrets is a cozy who-done-it with a little something for everyone--humor, mystery, fae, and even a lovable dog! Read less |
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The Kings of Nowhere by C.G. Drews Avery Lou has given up stealing houses â now heâs meant to build them. Forced to stay with the De Lainey family until Samâs return from juvie, Avery feels like heâs drowning. He hates that Sam chose the De Laineys instead of running away with him. And he hates working in their construction company while Vin, the thief who hurt Sam, still walks free. Avery wants revenge. Swapping the sharp-edged world of burglary and car theft for the homey chaos of big family life is a wild adjustment, and Averyâs determined to sabotage his time with the De Laineys and get locked up with Sam instead. Avery just has to stay immune to Jeremyâs charming shenanigans. EasyâŚsort of. But Averyâs war against Vin has brought trouble to the De Lainey door and he canât survive this fight alone. |
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The Stories They Told Their Children by Izabela Raittila This is an anthology of fantasy short stories depicting the culture and beliefs of a fictional continent called the Gragiyan Empire. Inspired by the works of J.R.R.Tolkien and various European myths, these mythical tales follow powerful deities known as the Erai, their immortal servantsâthe enchanting Enai, and courageous mortals. This anthology includes the tragic love story of Avarrin and Amara, a touching romance inside the bleak Halls of Makar, the legend of the Orealisi Oasis, the battles of the Atarai and more. |
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Strangely Familiar by Alma T.C. Boykin When a goth-gal gets a Familiar, everything changes. Neither Jamie Macbeth nor Lelia Chan wanted Familiars. Now they have them, and Angus and Tay insist that their humans rise to the occasion. From inverted autos and giant cloven-hoof prints to attacking puzzle balls and the perils of shedding season, nothing's quite the same once a Familiar saunters into the picture. Especially when magic-workers start dying of unnatural causes. Or do they? |
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Icebreaker by Steven William Hannah Inside their walls, the people are safe from exposure to the unnamed horror that broke the world long ago; but now Bear, the last scientist in Forgehead, takes a case that threatens to throw that safety into question. Someone has been terminally exposed to the phenomenon, despite never having ventured outside the walls. This has only happened once before - to Bear's father. With the safety of Forgehead in question, and an opportunity to finally discover what happened to his father, Bear must leave the safety of the walls to unravel the mysteries left behind by the pre-cataclysm world; a task that will require him to join the Interloper Initiative, the team who crew the gigantic Crawler landships, the only vehicles that can roam the world outside the walls in relative safety. "Icebreaker" is the first entry in the Interloper Trilogy, a tale of horror and science charting the last days of a dying world, and humanity's endeavour to survive. |
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n Avalon, where the world runs on magic, the king of Britannia appoints a witchfinder to rescue unfortunates with magical power from lands where magic is a capital crime. Or he did. But after the royal princess was kidnapped from her cradle twenty years ago, all travel to other universes has been forbidden, and the position of witchfinder abolished. Seraphim Ainsling, Duke of Darkwater, son of the last witchfinder, breaks the edict. He can't simply let people die for lack of rescue. His stubborn compassion will bring him trouble and disgrace, turmoil and danger -- and maybe, just maybe, the greatest reward of all. |
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TOM by Dave Freer Tom is a cat in trouble. The worst possible kind of trouble: heâs been turned into a human. Transformed by an irascible old magician in need of a famulus -- a servant and an assistant, Tom is as good at being a servant as a cat ever is. The assistant part is more to Tomâs taste: he rather fancies impressing the girl cats and terrorizing the other toms by transforming himself into a tiger. But the world of magic, a vanished and cursed princess, and a haunted skull, and a demon in the chamber-pot, to say nothing of conspiring wizards and the wickedest witch in the west, all seem to be out to kill Tom. He is a cat coming to terms with being a boy, dealing with all this. He has a raven and a cheese as⌠sort of allies. And of course there is the princess. If you were looking for âWar and Peaceâ this is the wrong book for you. Itâs a light-hearted and gently satirical fantasy, full of terrible puns and⌠cats. |
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Our Lady of the Artilects by Andrew Gillsmith World leaders are on edge when reports start coming in of next generation androids having strange, apocalyptic visions of a lady in white. But when an Artilect belonging to the wealthiest man in Africa shows up at Our Lady of Nigeria basilica claiming to be possessed, the stakes are raised. The Vatican sends Father Gabriel Serafian, an exorcist who left behind a brilliant career as a neuroscientist, to Benin City to investigate...and to figure out who is behind what must surely be a hack. The timing couldn't be worse. Rome is on the verge of reconciliation with the Chinese Economic Interest Zone after a 50 year cold war, and the Chinese are particularly sensitive about the so-called Apparition. Serafian quickly finds himself caught up in a conspiracy of global--and possibly supernatural--dimensions. To discover the truth and save not only humanity but the artilects themselves, Serafian enlists the aid of a tough-as-nails Imperial Praetor named Namono Mbambu. Serafian and Mbambu are helped by a guilt-wracked Filipino Emperor, a taciturn Caliph, and a Uyghur Sufi named Ilham Tiliwadi as they race against time to stop a centuries-old plot that could end humanity as we know it. Our Lady of the Artilects is a mind-bending supernatural science fiction novel where "The Exorcist" meets "Westworld,â with a light dusting of Snow Crash! |
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Sweet Baby Mine by Maria Daversa Set in Paris, Sweet Baby Mine is about the secrets, lies, and mental illnesses that take a toll on two people who once thought theyâd found their true love. The tale is brutal, oftentimes heartbreaking, but always hopeful. The message? On the road to self-discovery, youâll learn that no matter what anyone says, no matter what flawed message you believed about yourself growing up, you are a good person and deserve love. |
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The Rose and the Knight by LuĂs FalcĂŁo de MagalhĂŁes A guilt-ridden knight seeking redemption at the edge of a blade. A would-be emperor on a quest for prophecy. A young cleric finding purpose amidst the deepest darkness. Their stories will shape the future of Elessia for ages to come. Enter Elessia, a land of sword and sorcery, of fiery battles and demonic foes. Heroes will rise and legends will fall in six short stories that set the stage for the epic saga to come. After two thousand years without magic, the Age of Decadence draws to an end. The cycle of death and rebirth strains against the shackles dictated by the gods. Ancient powers stir beneath the mountains. Malevolent beings awaken in long-forgotten tombs. And a handful of humans find a spark of divine power kindled within their breast. Among these are The Roses â avatars of War, Love, and Prophecy. |
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A Silvery Moon by LuĂs FalcĂŁo de MagalhĂŁes As magic returns to Elessia, so do the undead. A lone monster hunter rises to protect the weak. Continuing the hunt that consumed most of his adult life, monster-slayer Lucius travels to a quiet mountain town to consult with a fellow monk⌠only to find him dead. When the townâs rulers turn a deaf ear to his questioning, he and his newfound allies set out on their own quest for answers. Their path will take them into the mountainâs darkest depths, where ghastly foes stalk their every step. But what the forces of darkness donât expect is that Lucius is not just any monster hunter â for he wields the power of the Silver Lady, primordial goddess of Elessia. No darkness shall remain unburned before her silvery light! And yet, a greater power still lies in wait, shielded by the mountainâs secrets⌠|
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The Garden Gnome - Theory of Magic Book 1 by Jeff McIntyre Where did magic go? Our world is defined by science, but history tells us that the world was once a much more magical place. Every culture has tales of when the gods walked among us, when strange magical creatures dwelt in the dark, and when users of magic were respected and feared. We tell ourselves that these stories are myth and superstition. But what if they arenât? What if magic were to return? And what does it have to do with a ten year old boy and his imaginary friend? Daniel and Sophia Fitzroy are worried that their son Tony is being bullied in his new school and is struggling to cope. Leo Schafer is reporting on a new and powerful particle accelerator experiment and the protestors who want it stopped. FBI Special Agent Debra Kazdin is investigating the protests and trying to keep things from escalating. Brian Cooke is being inducted into a secret society that knows the truth about magic and will stop at nothing to keep it from returning. They will be drawn together in an extraordinary confrontation that will change the world forever. |
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Hold My Place by Cassondra Windwalker When librarian Sigrun falls head-over-heels for the sophisticated and very married Edgar Leyward, she never expects to find herself in his bedâor his heart. Nevertheless, when his enigmatic wife Octavia dies from a sudden illness, Sigrun finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance worthy of the most lurid novels on her bookshelves. Sigrun soon discovers Octavia wasn't Edgar's first lost love, or even his second. Three women Edgar has loved met early deaths. As she delves into her beloved's past through a trove of discovered letters, the edges of Sigrun identity begin to disappear, fading into the women of the past. Sigrun tells herself it's impossible for any dark magic to be at playâthat the dead can't possibly inhabit the bodies of the livingâbut something shadowy stalks the halls of the Leyward house and the lines between the love of the present and the obsessions of the past become increasingly blurredâand bloody. |
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Love Like A Cephalopod by Cassondra Windwalker Being an executioner for the state is exhausting, but after a lifetime of dispatching the criminal and the inconvenient, fifty-eight-year-old Grenda finds it does have its compensations. Her cat- sized dragon Bjartur and the dragon eggs she tends are all the friends and family she needs. Completely cut off from the outside world, she happily accepts the luxuries owed her status â including a pet octopus named Morrigan â without the faintest twinge of conscience or doubt. All that changes when she encounters the most unexpected nemesis: a young refugee girl whom Grenda is incapable of executing. Against her will, Grenda finds herself shifting from killer to caretaker, risking her life to defy the state sheâs never questioned and help young Allora to freedom. Everything Grenda thinks she knows about her world, her life, and even her own identity cascades out of her controlâincluding the dragon-bond she holds dearer than life itself. |
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Stranger Shores by Katie Zaber Busy learning how to kill with her gift of life, Princess Megan craves time to practice how to heal, but knows that only death will win the upcoming war. For the first time in Meganâs life, she has fallen in love, and with the wrong man, at that. As much as she loves Mana, will she have to end their relationship to keep her promise to the soon-to-be king of the Syreni, Prince Aenon? Meanwhile, Kevin is busy preparing for his child with Dana and trying to keep Megan out of trouble. When Brynjar takes him to the Saoirson Fighters' hideout, he realizes he knows nothing and if he wants answers, heâll have to talk to people he never expected to meet and never wanted to. On Earth, Carmia is learning what makes this foreign world spin. She discovers an island with inhabitants that appear primitive but are more sophisticated than anyone on Dalya. Their technology is more advanced than the inventions in her dreams. She flirts with the idea of staying on Earth forever until tragedy sends her sailing back to Dalya and into a deadly storm. She promises to return and never leave Earth again. At the same time, the king of the Paradise Kingdom and secretly all of Dargone, Meganâs father, plans his next move against his daughter, giving her a surprise she will never expect. |
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What To Expect When You're Expecting Something Different by Katie Zaber Itâs weird how every woman reacts differently. How each pregnancy differs. Mine is definitely unique. My sense of smell became stronger, picking up the faintest odors, and my stomach was in constant turmoil. Those were the first signs. And then I started eating. And eating. If I donât, I get a migraine and peopleâs faces become blurry. Electronics seem to malfunction in my presence. And the nightmaresâthey donât stop. Something is changing my body. Something that should have never happened. Something that my husband and I had prevented from happening. Something people say is miraculous. The bigger I get, the more frequently I encounter people who become possessed. And the more often I wind up questioning if I am carrying a miracle baby. The closer I get to the due date, the more I love this child and the more confident I am that I will protect my baby from anything. Even its fate. DNA Demons N Angels contains violence, swearing, and sex scenes. If you are looking for a clean, curse free book, this isn't it. |
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A Darkness At The Door by Intisar Khanani I've been cursed, betrayed, and sold into slavery â but the truth I carry can't be allowed to die. Only Rae knows the extent of the corruption at the heart of the kingdom of Menaiya, from the noble lord who betrayed her, to the Circle of Mages whose wards protect the slavers from discovery. Injured and imprisoned on a slave ship, Rae's options are quickly running out. When a desperate escape attempt goes terribly wrong, she finds herself indebted to a terrifying Fae sorceress. Now Rae will not rest until she has rescued her fellow prisoners and freed her land from the darkness that has taken hold. To succeed, she'll need every ally she can findâincluding Bren, the thief who may have stolen her heart. But Bren is hiding his own bloody secrets, and the curses that encircle Rae have sunk their claws into her mind. With her debts coming due and time running short, all the truths in the world may not be enough to save her kingdom, or herself. What critics are saying: "Full of action, magic, and intrigue." - Foreword Reviews, starred review "A fairy tale that goes beyond happily-ever-after, exploring the will and vigilance needed to achieve justice and equity." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review Named one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Young Adult Books of the Year, 2022 Snap up the thrilling sequel to THE THEFT OF SUNLIGHT now! |
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The Ascendant: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey Defeating the Raven Spirit could cost them everything. After fleeing Castle Ciall, Ciara has chosen to remain at the side of the rightful Ri of Blaidd, even though Niall's future is uncertain. The two of them have finally confessed the truth of their feelings, but she still struggles to gain his complete trust, no matter how hard she tries. Niall knows he cannot abandon his people, but he also knows they greatly fear his power. To regain control of the clan, he must reveal his secrets and seek aid from the one man he loathes: his father. Ciara and Niall's journey to thwart the Raven Spirit and Niall's usurping brother, Bleddyn, eventually leads them back to Ciara's homeland. Alliances are made and traitors are revealed, until the fate of the island and Niall's very life fall into Ciara's hands. Will she break under Bleddyn's lies or become the warrior she has always longed to be? |
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The Betrayer: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey A broken warrior. An outcast king. And a darkness that threatens to destroy them both. Niall never imagined he would become king, nor did he ever imagine that he would be granted the abilities of a seer. His unnatural power, however, has proven to be no great gift, for it has already cost him the woman he loves and it threatens to cost him his kingship. His people already don't trust him and if they knew of his power, they would view him as nothing more than a monster. Niall's future looks grim, but a twist of fate returns Ciara to his life when he least expects it. He latches onto the hope of a different future, only to discover that things have changed while he has hidden away in his castle. When the man Ciara trusted the most disappeared, she turned to his brother, a man she never saw herself falling for. Bleddyn has shown Ciara that there is more to him than she first thought and she has carved out a life at his side, but things are unsettled on the island of Pern Coen. A dark power is stirring, one that hasn't been seen in decades. One man is at the center of the growing darkness, but is it the man that Ciara, and the people, think? Is Niall innocent or is he hiding more than just his powerful abilities? |
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The Successor: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey Can she trust a man sent by her enemy to help her save her clan from darkness? A loyal warrior of the Ri of Ceffyl, Torin has no choice but to do the Ri's bidding when he's sent to hunt down a powerful healer. His task, however, is fraught with peril, as the healer he is forced to seek out is rumored to have been cursed by one of the Dark Spirits of the island of Pern Coen. After a heart wrenching betrayal by the man she trusted the most, Briallen has been forced to carve out a lonely existence on the rugged coast. When a warrior comes to her door claiming to be sent by the man who betrayed her and demanding her return to Castle Afon, she refuses. But when that same warrior is attacked by a monster from the deep, she feels duty bound to help him with her gift of healing. Thrown together in unexpected and unlikely circumstances, Torin and Briallen find themselves drawn to one another in ways they never imagined. But as their feelings for one another grow, the dark threats against the people of Ceffyl increase and Briallen discovers that she just might have the power to put an end to them. If there is to be any hope for the clan, Torin will have to determine where his loyalties lie and Briallen will have to decide if she can trust a man sent by her enemy. |
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The Huntress: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey The war must end and Rhiannon must fight for the life she dreams of. Conor and Rhiannon have joined forces to win Pern Coen its freedom from the Empire of Kelnore, but their fight has only just begun. Crown Princes Alekos has sworn to capture and destroy both the Hunter and the Huntress, but what he doesn't know is that the Huntress is his beloved cousin. More than just Alekos and the Kelnorian Army, however, threaten to tear Conor and Rhiannon apart. Conor's former betrothed reveals that she, too, has survived the Kelnorian invasion. Wynne wants Conor back and her return to his life threatens the fledging relationship that he and Rhiannon have built. But Wynne is also hiding a secret. She harbors a power that could change the tide of the war. When Alekos learns of Wynne's gift, he offers her a greater future than any she has ever imagined, but it will only be hers if she gives him her loyalty in return. Rhiannon has become the warrior she has dreamed of, but will she and Conor lose everything they have fought so hard for at the hands of the empire? |
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Demon's Call by Julie Boglisch Alex, Rita, and Milos journey north in search of a missing mother and the answers she can provide. With danger around every corner, it will take all their skills and comraderie just to survive ⌠Before the waters of the north tear them apart. |