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The Tower's Alchemist by Alesha Escobar British intelligence wants her spying skills. A vampiric warlock wants to steal her powers. The Master Wizards who trained her want her dead... Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe, and the Allies are forced to recruit wizards to counter their attacks. Among them is battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job...extract a deadly warlock from Nazi-occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent. But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed off other wizards. When things don't go according to plan, one Cruenti sets his deadly eyes on her. Plans within plans. Plots versus counter plots. Heists gone wrong, Vatican wizards, and the greatest manipulation of history that has ever been seen, is just a taste of what Isabella George is in for, in her final mission. Readers who enjoy great fantasy mashups will devour this urban fantasy series that has been described as "Agent Carter meets Hellboy." |
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Soul Wizard: Awakening by Wesley CP Reeve Hern's life is going pretty well. He's attending college and lives with his beautiful girlfriend, Mari. But when Mari suddenly disappears, Reeve's world crumbles. Searching for answers, he enters a realm of magic and myths that exist in secret around the world he thought he knew. Soon after discovering this new reality, Reeve is recruited by a veteran Soul Wizard named Art. As Reeve learns about his new power, a growing threat of darkness looms as ancient enemies reawaken in the world of humanity. Reeve and Art become embroiled in the fight to keep the realms of magic and of humans safe from each otherâa fight that's deadlier than either imagined. |
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The Clan of the Moon Wolf - The Watcher's Monk by Kelly Strickland Morrow A family find they are descended from an ancient clan, the Tua De Denaan. Ancient ancestors appear to help them train to battle a rival clan and rescue one of their own. They are aided by "Light" Monks, and a supernatural pack of wolves, light orbs and Fae (Fairies). The Dark Skhaid seek to destroy a member of the clan who holds the key to their destruction. |
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Fogbound: Empire in Flames by Gareth Clegg London 1899, a ruined city under martial law. It was just another bounty job for Simmons - recover a killer escaping beyond the massive walled city, while avoiding the toxic red fog and the tainted creatures who make their home Fogside since the failed Martian Invasion of '94. When he stumbles across a dastardly plot to overthrow Empress Victoria, the hunter becomes the hunted. With the brutal military police on his trail, he needs to gather others to his cause, learn who is responsible for this treason and keep the Empire he loves from plunging into eternal darkness. But in the darkest and most fogbound areas of the flooded London streets, a sinister intelligence watches, biding its time until the hour of reckoning is at hand⊠|
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The Old Love And The New by Alistair Caradec 'My priority is, and has always been to protect the citizens of our country. God save the King.' Twenty-five years after the infection started spreading across Britain and Ireland, most people have stopped asking questions. Nobody seems to care anymore what happened to the women in the provisional quarantine centres. Sid doesnât have the headspace to care. Since receiving a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder at age nineteen, he has stuck to a strict regimen of routine, low expectations, and tuning out the world. When his best friend brings home the first woman either of them has seen since the epidemic, Sid has to push back the boundaries he set for his own safety and face outwards for the first time |
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When They Turn: The Miller Massacre by D.S. Ritter Debbie didn't exactly have a life other women would die for, and now it might kill her. When a group of housewives find themselves stranded in the suburbs and surrounded by inhuman monsters, there's only one thing to do: fight their way out. Armed with only what they can find, the women must face down threats from all sides, including their own friends and husbands. Their quiet, picturesque neighborhood is never going to be the same. Set against the backdrop of the red scare and the atomic 50's, When They Turn is a grisly story of brutality, murder and survival that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. |
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Empire's Legacy: The Complete Trilogy by Marian L Thorpe 'a magnificent fantasy epic.' Readers' Favorite 5-star review. A country on the brink of defeat. A woman who answers a call to arms. A man to challenge an Empire. For centuries, women used weapons to kill for food, men to kill in war. Now Lena must break with tradition to save those she loves, but as she steps from her settled world into one of battle, intrigue and politics, her lover chooses banishment. Lonely and afraid, each decision Lena makes brings more terrible consequences, until even her own people turn against her. Her partner in exile, the enigmatic diplomat Cillian, has no survival skills. Lenaâs quick wit and prowess with knife and bow keeps them alive as they search for a lost Empire of immense and ancient power. But how much will Lena sacrifice for a hopeless cause before the price is just too great? Individual Book Awards: Empire's Daughter: B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree; Eric Hoffer Finalist; BBNYA Semi-Finalist; (all 2021); Empire's Exile: Gold Medal, Historical Fantasy (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Historical Fiction Awards Trilogy Awards: Reader's Favorite 5 star Award, 2021; Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Historical Fiction Awards |
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Empire's Heir by Marian L Thorpe Eric Hoffer Award Category Finalist, 2022 Some games are played for mortal stakes. Gwenna, heir to Ăsparias, is summoned by the Empress of Casil to compete for the hand of her son. Offered power and influence far beyond what her own small land can give her, Gwennaâs strategy seems clear â except she loves someone else. Nineteen years earlier, the Empress outplayed Cillian in diplomacy and intrigue. Alone, his only living daughter has little chance to counter the Empress's experience and skill. Aging and torn by grief and worry, Cillian insists on accompanying Gwenna to Casil. Risking a charge of treason, faced with a choice he does not want to make, Cillian must convince Gwenna her future is more important than his â while Gwenna plans her moves to keep her father safe. Both are playing a dangerous game. Which one will concede â or sacrifice? |
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The Blind Guides: A Tall Tales Story by Tim McLaughlin A standalone short story that was originally available as convention swag in 2021, "The Blind Guides" introduces a group of WWII vets who find themselves uncomfortable with civilian life and head out for a cross-country road trip; but what they discover in the Utah desert changes their lives forever. |
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Those dark and terrible things from your nightmares are VERY real. They walk among us, masquerading as your neighbor, your lover, even your friend. You see, Empire City is full of themâŠif you only know where to look. How do I know this? Well, for starters the name is Detective Tom Holliday. I work homicide for Special Crimes. My friends, what few I have, call me Doc. And the other reason? Iâve got magic of my own. Welcome to Empire City, where magic and technology co-exist, and humanity endures behind walls of stone and spell-forged steel. A place where danger lurks around every street corner, and anything is possible. When former hotshot homicide detective Tom âDocâ Holliday is recruited to join Special Crimes, he trades in his boring desk job for a second chance to do what he does best: hunt down killers. And his first case doesnât disappointâa murdered woman with a bogus past, her body drained of blood, and two eyewitnesses wasted on the designer drug goldjoy claiming a vampire did it. Armed with a fickle clairvoyance and saddled with a team whose past is as checkered as his own, Holliday embarks upon an investigation through a dystopian landscape filled with bio-engineered vampires, interdimensional shadow parasites, and the magical masterminds behind it all. But to solve this murder and safeguard his city, Holliday will have to uncover the truth behind an ancient shadowy conspiracy and confront a destiny he never wanted. Fans of Ben Aaronovitchâs Rivers of London and Jim Butcherâs The Dresden Files will fall in love with Empire City. Grab your copy of BLOODLINES today! |
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"If you think this Universe is bad, you should see some of the others." -Philip K. Dick Itâs prom night for Pinkersville High School senior Jimmy Zarici. A proud space nerd, until today all he wanted to do was study aerospace engineering, play video games, and get to home base with his girlfriend. Tonight, his life will change forever, but not exactly as heâd hoped. In the blink of an eye, the constellations in the night sky are replaced by unfamiliar stars. Earth is thrust into chaos as humanity realizes the planet has been transported to another star system. But we are not alone: Seven other versions of Earth, plucked from alternate universes, orbit a star much like our Sun. On one of these planets, the Third Reich is in chargeâand they have armed spaceships headed our way. Jimmy finds himself part of a select few who will determine the future of humanity. Led by US President Fairuza Bishilâa committed leader, haunted by loss and suddenly called on to guide the world through an unprecedented interplanetary crisisâthey include Tim Brown, an underemployed genius working the NASA night shift until the universe changed on his watch, and Anna Kozinski, a psychology professor finally finding her place in a world that has lost its own. Against a backdrop of fear, anxiety, and global crisis, this brave and diverse team must navigate family drama, terrestrial conflict, and a whole bunch of complicated equations as they struggle to save Earth from the greatest enemy it has ever faced. Join them as they collaborate across nations and universes to battle the forces of evilâand find love along the way. The Shift is a treat for readers who enjoyed The Expanse, Enderâs Game, or The Man in the High Castle. Get your copy today! |
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The Hammond Conjecture by Martin Reed The Hammond Conjecture is an alternative history novel which explores themes of memory, identity and historical narrative. It is also a lot of fun. Are you sure you know who you are? If your memories disappeared and were replaced with someone else's, would you still be you? And what if those memories were not just from another person - but of a different world? London 1982. Regaining consciousness in an isolation ward of catatonic patients, glimpsing the outside world only through a television news bulletin, that is the dilemma facing Hugh Hammond. Gradually Hugh's memories return â of his life as an MI6 officer a decade earlier. But in a world where Britain has been locked since 1941in a lonely Cold War against a fascist-dominated Europe. Are his memories false: delusions, or implanted as part of a mind-control experiment? Or was the television news fake â and if so, why? And what is the role of Carlton, the shadowy Intelligence officer who delivered him to the hospital? Hugh types out his recollections: an adventure which takes him from an opium den in Limehouse, via a hippie encampment in British-occupied North France, to a State Reception for the Deputy FĂŒhrer in the Durbar Court in Whitehall, and a Le CarrĂ©-style climax in the divided city of Paris. Meanwhile in the hospital Hugh struggles to understand his predicament â and to escape from it. But escape only leads him into greater danger⊠|
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A Journey of Black and Red by Alex Gilbert A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth centuryâs Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires. It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night, but for Ariane, it is too late. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but she will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable. |
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A King's Radiance by L. R. Schulz Three siblings⊠a rebel, a prince, a prisoner The sunâs light shines bright over the land of Zapour, and only a select few can harness its power. But all power comes with a cost, and the world is not kind to those who refuse to pay it. Raiz Glaive, a strong shine wielder, was born into royalty, though even royals have to answer to someone. When the King-Radiant sends one of his precious underlings to the Kingdom of Trost, Raiz quickly learns who holds the true power in the realm. After his sister is taken prisoner simply for having the violet eyes of a mystic, Raiz swears vengeance. But when an unwilling father stands in his way, Raiz promises to take revenge into his own hands. Dazen Glaive remains heir to the throne of Trost, and a sworn defender of the King-Radiant, but he has not forgotten what happened to his sister, and will not forgive their cruelty. Forced to be the centrepiece of her âmasterâsâ twisted human art gallery, Isha remains a prisoner. Though she has not lost hope. Finding friends among fellow captives, she begins to formulate a plan for escape. Though what she discovers has a much more sinister bearing on the fate of all of Zapour. |
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Burning Bright by Melissa McShane In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flamesâand extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years. As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy. Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on Englandâs enemies, French privateers and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athenaâs crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinorâs ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterlyâbut could it be at the cost of her own life? |
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Sacaran Nights by Rachel Emma Shaw SACARA IS DECAYING. THE DEAD WALK THE STREETS, FUNGI LIGHT THE NIGHT, AND DAGNER MUST FIGHT TO KEEP THE ROT AT BAY. Legacy is everything in Sacara. Those few who inherit live only to keep theirs alive, protecting the ghosts of their ancestors from the corruption seeping into every corner of the city.âšDagner longs to leave - to create a legacy for himself and see the world beyond - but he is trapped by an inheritance that was never meant to be his. When a figure from his past returns to claim the legacy Dagner has sworn to protect, he must decide if he will forge his own path, or stay and make the sacrifices needed to save the city of the dead. |
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Testament of An Archangel by Kat Loveland I am Remiel, one of nine archangels created by the universe to fill it with creatures and plants, but only one if us, my brother, Elohim, could actually bring things to life. The rest of us created the designs, which were simply statues until Elohim chose to give them the ability to breathe, grow and live. Over time Elohim's hubris grew, the fact the he is the true creator of life looms ever larger in his mind. He decided to create something that would worship him, thank him for it's existence. That creation became humans. The first of their kind, an entirely new creature unlike any we had ever made before. My other brother Lucifer at first liked the challenge, but disagreed with the idea of any creation fearing them. The first human they made was Lilith, but in an attempt to spare humans from being forced to worship Elohim, Lucifer gives Lilith a gift of her own, which starts the spiral that ripped our family apart and plunged the universe into eternal conflict. |
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The Cutthroat Prince by C. J. R. Isely Whispers of war, cryptic warnings, and new dangers await... Plunging into the second year of training as a squire, everything is looking up for Will. He gets to train with his best friends, work a new mentor, and learn to become a knight of Alamore. Though the war of the winter is a raw memory, Will is doing his best to push the secrets he's uncovered about who he truly is to the back of his mind. As long as he never speaks of his relation to King Tollien, he hopes he will never have to consider its consequences. But secrets aren't meant to be hidden forever and there are others who are not as willing to forget. With the arrival of a mysterious knight in Alamore demanding council with King Revlan, the short peace is fracturing. Now keeping his royal lineage a secret is a battle in itself. The Ranger has ordered him to trust no one, to hide the truth of who he is, and pretend that he is just another squire. And Will is trying his best. The problem is that people seem to know. Rumors are running through the castle about the arrival of this new knight, unrest in the south, and the grey cloaked riders attacking the unweary in the woods. Will and his friends and thrown into the thick of new dangers when it becomes clear the these rogues are after him and Will must face the Cutthroat Prince or risk losing more than just his life. |
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Ranger of Kings by C. J. R. Isely Training to be a knight isn't fun... if you die Living as a lowly village boy, Will finds himself thrown into a world he could only dream of when he meets the mischievous son of an influential Lord and a calculating last heir of a powerful Count. Brought to Alamore castle, he can not believe his luck when he is invited to join his two new friends in training to become knights of the realm. But training isn't all the grandeur and chivalry he imagined. After he and his friends stumble upon a secret set of tunnels beneath the castle that hide a clan of traitors to the crown, they are plunged into new dangers. Their lives are at risk from new threats beneath the fortress while, beyond Alamore's walls, alliances crumble and the uneasy peace begins to fracture. When fate twists again, Will must face the reality that more than good fortune brought him to Alamore. There are secrets he must uncover, truths he has to find, in order to help keep Alamore from falling into war. But the only person who holds the answers that might keep Alamore from falling, that will help him to discover who he is, is a man more dangerous than the tunnels themselves. A man known only as the Ranger of Kings. |
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The Skin (Black Hind's Wake Book 1) by J.E. Hannaford You cannot fix this world alone, Selkie.â âI know. But, when we die, all that is left are shadows of our lives preserved in the memories of those who remain. I plan on leaving an exceptionally long shadow, filled with ripples of moonlight for those I helped, and darker than the worst of nightmares for those who wronged us.â How far would you go to save your skin? Iâm a selkie, trapped above the waves until I can recover my skin. Humans used to call us seal-wives many years ago â before they broke the planet. I thought that less humans, after the warming, would mean less danger. My kind believed our world was finally recovering. We were wrong. Up here, the magic is fading and Old Ones like me are being traded as trophies for rich and powerful humans to display in collections. Without the Old Ones, the magic fades, without magic, the planet dies. Humankind has gone too far and someone has to put a stop to it. I just wasnât expecting it to be me. Far to the south on his enormous pleasure ship, Barge, Lord Sal hunts for missing Old Ones â with a grand plan to leave his own mark on the world. But, Icidro and Prince Ulises are searching for them too, and this is a world where money talks louder than morals. |
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The Allfather Paradox by Ian Stuart Sharpe What if an ancient god escaped his fate and history was thrown to the wolves? Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient godâs quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting historyâand to Michaelsâs dismay, Christianity itselfâto the Viking sword. In this new Vikingverse novel, storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the sagas: A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens... A scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those ânew worldsâ are greater than he imagined... A captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war... A bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect... With the timelines stretched to breaking point, itâs up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it⊠|
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The Wolf and the Water by Josie Jaffrey Some secrets are worth killing for The ancient city of Kepos sits in an isolated valley, cut off from the outside world by a towering wall. Behind it, the souls of the dead clamour for release. Or so the priesthood says. Kala has never had any reason to doubt their word - until her father dies in suspicious circumstances that implicate the city's high priest. She's determined to investigate, but she has a more immediate problem: the laws of the city require her mother to remarry straight away. Kala's new stepfather is a monster, but his son Leon is something altogether more dangerous: kind. With her family fractured and the investigation putting her life in danger, the last thing Kala needs is romance. She would rather ignore Leon entirely, however difficult he makes it. But when she learns the truth of what really clamours behind the wall at the end of the valley, she faces a choice: share what she knows and jeopardise her escape, or abandon him to his fate along with the rest of the city. If she doesn't move fast, then no one will make it out of the valley alive. |
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Pigeon by Olga Werby Pigeon is eleven, homeless, and now an orphan. Alone and scared, he seeks to find a new family. But the past he barely remembers comes back to haunt him, endangering his newly-found friends, the Kikkert Family. Fortunately, the Kikkerts want to adopt Pigeon even if he is wanted by strange para-military DNA warriors. As they race through San Francisco to save each other, the true nature of Pigeon's birth is revealed as well as the secret identity of Madam Toadâthe matriarch of the Kikkert Family. What does is mean to be human? What does it take to be a family? Pigeon is willing to risk his life to learn and to love. |
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Lizard Girl & Ghost by Olga Werby A child lies dying. To save her, to preserve some of her identity, memories need to be retrieved from her avatarâLizard Girl. Judeâs dad is using a cyber reality game to recover some of his sick girlâs memories in an attempt to restore brain function. The avatarâs personality patterns help patch the holes in Judeâs brain ravaged by the disease. But what becomes of a virtual mind left to roam in cyberspace after its host falls sick? The Far Cinct is a cyber city forbidden to school kids and average citizens. The Far Cinct is where rogue entities go to hide and to innovate and to die. Itâs where illegal cyber enhancements and compulsions are sold to those who have the money and the connections to find them. But thatâs cyberspace for youânothing is ever what it appears to be on the surface. As Judeâs consciousness starts to slip, her cyber awareness gains independence. What is a girlâs avatar without her human? Can consciousness and identity be tied up in a digital world without the wet works of a human body? Jump into the world of weird and surreal, and as you journey to look for memories of a sick girl, you might accidentally discover a virtual soul of her avatar. Cyberpunk meets Sleeping Beauty meets cats⊠werecats |
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Suddenly, Paris by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby Julie Vorov thought her job was to do well in high school and stay out of trouble. She also thought her biggest problem was betraying her best friend by hooking-up with a traitorous boyfriend. But in a world where being human is just a matter of programming, everything changes. Suddenly, Julie finds herself allied with a scrappy group of alien scientists whose own world has already been destroyed. Together, they mount a clandestine effort to stop the Earth from also being eradicated. And Julie discovers that sheâs the pivotal instabilityâthe tipping pointâin the plans of another group of aliens bent on invasion. As Julie battles to save everything she cares about, she uncovers secrets about her own origins that shatter the core of her beliefs. And she falls so deeply in love that the most extreme obstacles posed by loyalty, age, gender, species, and parents will have to be overcome. Your heart always recognizes the one you love. |
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Zeroth Law (Digitesque #1) by Guerric HachĂ© Autonomous machines polish the bones of a civilization slowly being swallowed by wilderness. Creatures not born of Earth inhabit the remote corners of the world. Humans live with legacies they donât understand - old ruins, strange technological artifacts, incredible powers in their blood. There are other worlds alongside this one, and death is not what it once was. Isavel is ripped from a simple life into the heat of a conflict she doesnât understand, and saddled with powers and expectations she doesnât know how to handle. Lost in a storm, she hopes that by following the will of her gods, she might find purpose - and ultimately, peace. Ada took her own peaceful life and threw it out the window. Outcast for heresy against the scholarly dogma of her people, she decides the world needs to change, and she thinks sheâs the one to do it. To her surprise, she happens to be living at a time of more wondrous and terrible change than she can imagine. These two young women must navigate a world that is is barely holding together, each only slowly becoming aware of the otherâs existence and power. Each of them will have the chance to light a fire to change the world - but first, they must become the people they will need to be. |
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The Gottingen Accident by James Mordechai What if three famous scientists with superhero powers do team up to fight a villain that wants to subvert the very fabric of the Universe by using non-Euclidean geometry? What if the Germans won the Great War and the 1917 Bolshevik revolution never took place? Time is not always a straight line and sometimes it can expand and contract. Then, Charles Darwin could change the evolutionary destiny of any living being and be coeval with Marie Curie that in turn could see through walls thanks to her X-Ray vision. A terrible accident, the Gottingen Accident, made them all. It made them like this. Superhumans. Or maybe just monsters. |
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In the Shadow of Ruin by Tony Debajo King Jide Adelani has ruled the lands of the Yoruba in West Africa for many peaceful years, but now his kingdom is in turmoil and the cold grasp of death's embrace is closing in around everything he holds dear. Jide spent years garnering the respect and loyalty of the tribes in the hopes of uniting them into one cohesive empire when his half-brother, Prince Olise, returns from banishment to claim the throne as his own. The offspring of a union between the late King Adeosi and the evil enchantress Ekaete, the bitter Olise has devoted the last decade to one purpose; to seize the throne and rule the kingdom. If he fails, he risks his name being erased from the history of the tribes. With the support of his mother, a powerful witch whose name is whispered in fear across the lands of the tribes, the outcast Olise now seems unstoppable in achieving his goal. Facing overwhelming military might and dark forces that he cannot comprehend, Jide must either choose to ignore the warnings of the gods, and seek help from those who also practice dark arts; or risk losing his kingdom. |
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Empire's Hostage by Marian L Thorpe How do you trust an adversary whoâs your only hope? After eighteen months of war, Lenaâs Emperor asks her to stand as hostage to a truce. Sent north of the Wall to live among people who were the enemy only days before, Lena learns they had a reason to invade her land â one disturbing enough that challenging their leader over it might prove to be her worst decision yet. Far more than the success of a truce is now in Lenaâs hands, but in a place she neither knows nor understands, she needs help. But how do you convince someone who hates you and everything you stand for that working together is the only way to save both your lands? Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set of the Year 2019, Coffee Pot Book Club |
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Emily Lee wants nothing more than to live her life in peace, safe in the comfort of home with her father. But when he falls prey to dark magic, trapping him and countless others in a foreign land, she is forced to take action. Compelled only by the desire to save him, Emily travels to the northern nation of Odelia in search of a means to free her father from his terrible curse. Lehksi Olent works as a private investigator, helping those uncover the truth that is often shrouded by a world of magic and mystery. Together with her brother, Marty, she now travels the Odelian countryside in pursuit of the growing unrest taking place within the heart of a country torn asunder by unseen forces. When their paths converge, Emily and Lehksiâs lives will be forever changed. Two paths, one future. Be it for the good of all, or for a singular desire, the fate of Odelia lies within their choices. And should they prove lacking, the world of Oul might never be the same. To the North is the first novel in The Awakener Duology, an urban fantasy that explores what it means to discover the dark truths of an unforgiving land. It takes place in an alternate reality set in a pre-digital world, one that is governed by magic and corporate influence. Two young women must navigate numerous challenges in order to protect what is important to them, but in doing so they will make discoveries that may drive a wedge between them. |
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Subversive (Clandestine Magic #1) by Colleen Cowley A wizard. An unwilling assistant. An explosive secret. In an America controlled by wizards and 100 years behind on women's rights, Beatrix Harper counts herself among the resistanceâthe Women's League for the Prohibition of Magic. Then Peter Blackwell, the only wizard her town has ever produced, unexpectedly returns home and presses her into service as his assistant. Beatrix fears he wants to undermine the League. His real purpose is far more dangerous for them both. Subversive is the first novel in the completed Clandestine Magic trilogy, set in a warped 21st century that will appeal to fans of gaslamp fantasy, strong female characters, slow-burn romance and intrigue. |
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College of Shadows by Mark Wells Cambridge is home to the brightest minds⊠and the deadliest monsters. Can Nick and Annabel banish the beast before freshman year becomes their last? Newly arrived Nick feels out of place at university. The hallowed halls of Cambridge seem impossibly huge and far beyond the mining town of his youth. But Nick has much more than fitting in to fear when he's attacked by a creature straight out of his worst nightmares⊠Emotionally scarred by the sudden death of her parents, Annabel buries her feelings deep in her studies. But when her new friends nearly fall prey to a monstrous beast that shouldn't exist, she's terrified that her bad luck could bring their demise. As Nick and Annabel plan to trap the creature, they stumble upon a long-held Cambridge secret. And the otherworldly truth is less pass-fail than do-or-die. If you like haunted heroes, unspeakable horrors, and parallel worlds, then you'll love Mark Wells's atmospheric fantasy series, Cambridge Gothic. |
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Half Sword by Christopher Matson Simon the fool, Simon the halfwit, Simon the lost is pursued across medieval Europe by a sinister league of conjurers, the Apostles of Light. Having erased his past, they will stop at nothing to steal his future as well. On the way, he joins the Knights of Palermo, a dubious band of wandering rogues, and attracts a mysterious young woman whose fate is somehow interwoven with his own. Simon finds himself caught in a struggle for power between the shadowy Apostles, his adopted Knights, and a cabal of powerful women known to a select few as the Weavers. With only a broken sword and his own shattered memories, Simon must thread this maze of warring factions to discover who he was and why he is inexorably drawn to the haunted ruins of twelfth century Rome. |
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Book of Secrets by Claudia Blood Joshua Lighthouse never wanted to save the world, but now he has no choice. Three hundred years ago, the human world and the world of Myth underwent a cataclysmic Merge. Those who survived â both human and Others â formed factions. Joshua led one faction, the Human Protection Agency, which is charged with maintaining the safety of the humans in his city. He secretly protects an artifact more powerful than even he knows⊠The Book of Secrets. As the anniversary of the Merge approaches, Joshuaâs world is turned upside down, the order heâs maintained for so long is stripped away from him. He is kidnapped and betrayed, and a bounty is placed on his head. And the Book? Stolen. On the run from the organization he once served and legions of Others who seek to kill him, Joshua is in a race against time to find the Book of Secrets and prevent the inter-species war that will end the world he knows forever. Can one man find his way to salvation when everything he believed in turns out to be something else? The Book of Secrets is an unrelenting page-turner that will keep readers on the edge of their saddles, an epic urban fantasy for fans of Rick Riordan and Sarah J. Maas. |
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The Broken Heart of Arelium by Alex Robins âA fast-paced epic fantasy thrill-ride filled with action-packed battles, compelling mysteries, and unforeseen betrayals.â Some Things Must Never Be Forgotten. Over 400 years ago, twelve great warriors united the beleaguered armies of men and scoured the war-torn lands of evil, pushing the enemy back into the underground pits and caverns from whence they came. To ensure their legacy, each of the Twelve founded fortress monasteries to impart their unique knowledge of war and politics to a select few, the Knights of the Twelve. But now the last of the Twelve have long since passed from history to legend and the Knights, their numbers dwindling, are harbouring a dark and terrible secret that must be protected at all costs. Merad Reed has spent half his life guarding a great crater known as the Pit, yearning for some escape from the bleak monotony. Then the arrival of Aldarin, one of the few remaining Knights of the Twelve, sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will change Reed forever. To the north, JelaĂŻa del Arelium, heiress to the richest of the nine Baronies, must learn to navigate the swirling political currents of her fatherâs court if she hopes one day to take his place. But the flickering flames of ambition hide the shadow of an even greater threat. And deep within the earth, something is stirring. |
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The Fire in the Glass by Jacquelyn Benson London, 1914. Lily's visions could stop a killer... if she'll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret. A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city's mediums. Lily Albright knows who's next. Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change. When a mysterious fiend threatens someone she loves, she's determined this time will be different. But she can't do it alone. To save a life, Lily must reveal her darkest secrets to someone she has little reason to trustâthe reclusive Lord Strangford, a man haunted by his own unusual powers. From the glittering galleries of Bond Street to the rookeries of Southwark, Lily and Strangford plunge into a dark conspiracy that lies at the heart of England's rising eugenics movement. To thwart it, Lily must face a past rife with betrayalâand embrace the power she has spent her entire life trying to escape. This gripping historical fantasy series is perfect for those who love supernatural suspense and slow-burn romance. |
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Empire's Daughter by Marian L Thorpe An Emperor's request. A lover's refusal. And a young woman who must choose between them. Lena's world is about to change forever. Harried from north and south by two different enemies, both wanting this last remnant of a greater Empire's land, and with invasion imminent, the military leaders see no choice but to ask the unthinkable: that women learn to fight. In accepting the challenge, Lena is separated from her lover, who chooses banishment rather than break with generations of tradition. Promoted to leadership, drawn into the intrigues of power, Lena must make difficult choices, for herself, for her village, and for her country: a young woman at the heart of both violence and diplomacy, beginning her epic journey to save her land. Eric Hoffer Book Awards Finalist, 2021; Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Awards |
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Jewels of Smoky Quartz by Anat Eliraz A world ruled by force and magic. A game which could have a fatal ending. She is just an ordinary woman - an emergency room nurse who practices martial arts in her free time. Teleported into a harsh, strange world and sold into slavery to the fighters' ring of Tur'an, she must use her wit and skills to survive. On the brink of death, she wakes up in a strange room - only to meet one of her captors. Now, he acts as her protector. Together they leave the city, but their journey will confront them with their own fears and deepest secrets. And through it all, she finds solace in an old tune. Not knowing yet how it will impact her life - and the lives of everyone else. |
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The Mazes of Magic by Jack Massa The Lord of the Abyss is rising in Egypt. Can a reckless young Greek find the power to stop him? Imprisoned in a slave yard, tormented by spells of madness, Korax the Greek struggles to regain his memory. Purchased by the High Priest Harnouphis, he is given an Egyptian name, transported to a temple on the Nile, put into service as a translator. But Harnouphis also has another plan: to tap the Greek's extraordinary talent as a seer to advance his own dark ambitions. As his wits return, Korax forges a plan of his own: to learn enough of the mystic arts to escape Egypt and return to his home island of Rhodes. But before he can act, he must perform a service for the Goddess Isis. Korax may be gifted, but can he summon the power to overcome both his master and his master's god? A novel of myth, magic, and adventure, set in the Age of the Seven Wonders of the World. If you like stories of heroes, gods, and magic, then you will love the Conjurer of Rhodes series. Book 1 - The Mazes of Magic Book 2 - The Lights of Alexandria Book 3 - The Treasure of the Sun God |
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Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill Born in fire. Tempered in blood. Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving â a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calenâs world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries. There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold. He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will. |
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A Song of Steel by J.C. Duncan A roaring Norse saga of war, honour, love and loss. Vikings face Crusaders in an epic battle for the soul of the North 'A gripping, well-executed story, with a fun, original premise.' - Angus Donald' A Song Of Steel is a rising light of Norse Mythology.' - Daniel Kelly It began with a single Viking raid, now their world will blaze with the fury of a pope's revenge. Alternate history - 1116 AD. Three hundred years of cruel Viking raids have finally united Christian Europe against the pagan Northlands. A great crusade has been called to pacify the wild Norse kingdoms. The banner of the cross has been raised against the north, and all the power and fury of the west rides under it. Ordulf, a talented young German swordsmith, is ripped from his comfortable life and cast into the bloody chaos of the crusade. As fate deals him a cruel blow in the lands of his enemies, he will have to forge a new path through the chaos, or be consumed by it. In the Northlands, three rival kingdoms must unite to survive the onslaught. But can any man, king or commoner, unite the bickering brotherhood of the Norse? Or is the time of the Vikings finally drawing to a violent end. Heroes will fail, kings will fall, and ordinary people will fight for the right to a future. An epic saga of war, love and politics sure to delight fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Krystian, Matthew Harffy, Christian Cameron and all lovers of historical fiction. |
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Nor Do the Stars Shine There by M J McBride Ruarshi Illyana, a sorcerer-physician from the far northern land of Miriyan, has traveled south to ply his trade in Europe. He is entirely content with the life of a wandering healerâright up until the day his assistant Wil is targeted in a terrible act of violence. His priorities shift overnight and he soon finds himself back in Miriyan, where he defies his training and his clan in order to study with a member of his country's warrior caste. He quickly discovers that his unusual talents are likely to get him into trouble, a worrying development but not one that's going to change his mind. Meanwhile, discontented Miriyanti and ambitious Europeans are putting their nefarious plans for Miriyan's future into motion. When his newfound abilities mark him out to play a major role in the vicious conflict that ensues, Ruarshi will have to use all his wit and skill to keep his friends and allies safe, or watch destruction overtake everything he loves. |
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She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead. Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once sheâs forced to kill in a small skirmish, sheâs ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad itâs too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilariâs army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military sheâs always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic? The problem with being a woman who fights for whatâs right is that now, she has to figure out what is. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Cares Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Coral knows hers. People have been telling this tenderhearted 13th-century woman for years. So when a heroic army officer proposes, she decides sheâs stronger than people realize and her dreams have come true. Except, the perfect man turns out to be less than ideal. And sheâs gotten pregnant. And her homeland is gripped with fear of a pending Mongol invasion and she cries about everything now that sheâs with child. When a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what anyone imagines, Coralâs sister decides this formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks heâs stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland? This is just the sort of problem encountered by a woman who cares too much. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Thinks Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Ryalgar knows hers. People have been telling this over-educated 13th-century woman for years. So when an equally intellectual prince decides he loves her, it looks like everyone was wrong and her dreams have come true. Except, this prince is obligated to marry another. He is leading the army training to defend their tiny realm against an expected Mongol invasion. And he is considering sacrificing Ryalgarâs home nichna by abandoning itâs rich farmlands to their foes. If only he wasnât such a nice guy. Another woman would âŠ.. Ryalgar has no idea what another would do. All she knows is she has a multitude of university intellectuals and a family of tough farmers behind her, and a newfound connection with the witches in the forest. Why not devise her own strategy to keep the invaders from destroying her home? Then she can figure out what to do about this problem prince. Itâs just the sort of thing that happens when a woman thinks too much. |
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A Darkening Fate by Ruth Miranda While Emrys and Yseult struggle to focus her powers and make them work in their advantage, Nora must find a way to break a binding she and Aaron have been put under, while in the Avalon of old, Artuir comes of age and stands on the brink of becoming king and choosing his queen... |
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Silver and Blood by Trina L. Talma Most of the human population of Morstan lives in walled cities, though very few people know the real reason those walls were built. Stories tell of strange creatures like elves, vampires and shape-shifters, but to most people, these are only stories. Zania Corthinn, an ordinary girl from the city of Ocrisia, is about to find out the truth behind those stories -- and a few things about herself as well. "You'll see many more things you never believed in, before you've been with us very long." |
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Tiger Lily (Tiger Lily #1) by K. Bird Lincoln Lily isn't supposed to hunt game in the Daimyo's woods. She's just the cook's daughter. It isn't her place to talk to nobility. And she definitely isn't supposed to sing the forbidden old, Jindo religion songs. But Lily was born in the year of the Tiger, and can't ever be like other village girls. In the woods snaring rabbits one day, she finds instead the Daimyo's son, Ashikaga, wounded, in the gooseberry brush. When the Pretender Emperor's men arrive to kill Ashikaga, Lily, desperate, sings a forbidden Jindo song. The song wakes a powerful spirit â as well as Ashikaga's interest. The prickly lord has hidden secrets of his own and a burning desire to prove himself to his father. He will stop at nothing to defeat his father's greatest enemy. All Lily wants to do is take care of her sisters. But the Pretender-Emperor's forces are drawing near, and now the Daimyo's son knows she communes with Jindo gods. She wants to trust Ashikaga when he swears he will not tell her secret, but he is a noble â and Lily only a peasant. Lily's heart is leading her down a dangerous path. She may have to defy her father, Ashikaga, and even the spirits themselves in order to defeat the Pretender-Emperor's magic and keep safe all that she loves. |
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Fionn: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma (Fionn mac Cumhaill #1) by Brian O'Sullivan The Fionn mac Cumhaill Series - Book 1: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma: Ireland: 192 A.D. A time of strife and treachery. Political ambition and inter-tribal conflict has set the country on edge, testing the strength of long-established alliances. Following the massacre of their enemies at the battle of Cnucha, Clann Morna are hungry for power. Elsewhere, a mysterious war party roams the forests of the âGreat Wildâ and a ruthless magician is intent on murder. In the secluded valley of Glenn Ceoch, disgraced druid Bodhmhall and the woman warrior Liath Luachra, have successfully avoided the bloodshed for many years. Now, the arrival of a pregnant refugee threatens the peace they have created together. Run or fight, the odds are overwhelming. And death stalks on every side. Based on the ancient Irish mythology and Fenian Cycle texts, the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series by Irish author Brian OâSullivan is a gritty and authentic retelling of the birth and early adventures of Irish mythology Irelandâs greatest hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Gripping, insightful and utterly action-packed, this is Irish mythology/ fiction as youâve never read it before. This classic Irish fantasy and historical adventure was a 2016 SPFBO Competition finalist and Irish bestseller. The book also includes the following extra content: * a glossary with explanations on ancient Irish cultural concepts * historical notes on the Fenian Cycle * a pronunciation guide and links to an online audio pronunciation guide |