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The Magic Surrendered by Dax Murray "I havenât been trying to build a weapon! I have been trying to prevent a war. Ellie, please don't make me do this." A short story about a brilliant mage and an insecure empress; of love and ethics, partnership and conflict. After generations of relentless expansion, Empress Eleanor is ready to put her family's habit of conquest behind her, content to cease her army's forward march and solidify her position as the ruler of the territories already in her possession. But these countries her fathers' conquered are eager to leave the Empire and willing to resort to revolution. Amalthea grew up poor, her homeland destitute after being invaded and occupied. But her new status as a citizen of the sparkling empire gives her access to the Academy of Mages and all of their teachings. However, once there, she defies their rules and pursues her own experiments with dangerous and forbidden magics. Despite this, she catches the Empress's eye and is soon the first official Imperial Scientist and the unofficial consort. Together, the two have the power to sow cohesion, spur innovation, and improve the lives of everyone in the Empire; or they could obliterate any resistance at a perilous cost. |
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Too fondly have I loved these stars; all these galaxies we once called ours. A beautiful love story in verse. The relationship between two goddesses is tempestuous at best. Seya is the embodiment of a galactic creation and Tia of cosmic destruction. They create and they destroy and then they do it all over again. Seya and Tia use their divine magic to make pulsars and nebula, to set planets spinning around stars and bind a galaxy together with a central black hole. But when one of Seya's favorite stars goes missing, she blames Tia. What was once a symbiotic cycle of life and death becomes a game of broken hearts and promises betrayed. These tensions and insecurities are explored in sonnets and villanelles; the arc of their love tracked in meter and verse. These poems touch on queer love, betrayal, trust, acceptance, and forgiveness cast against a backdrop of stardust and celestial detritus. |
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Fugitive of Talionis by C.J. Milacci A treacherous journey. A devious enemy. The hunt for the fugitives has begun. Bria Averton and her friends have pulled off an impossible escape after being held captive in the city of Talionis for months. Now theyâre on the run and desperate to reach possible allies in Eryndale, but the Commanderâs hunt for them is fierce and relentless. Bria fights to keep her friends safe as each day becomes more perilous than the last. With Arkâs forces closing in and new dangers arising, she wonders who to trust and battles her growing fears. But one reality becomes clear: thereâs a greater peril than being a recruit of Talionis. Itâs being a fugitive. |
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Recruit of Talionis by C.J. Milacci When the world falls apart, one girl must find hope in the darkness. Seventeen-year-old Bria Averton grew up in a small town of survivors near the ruins of Portland, Maine, years after the Demise of North America. But when she is kidnapped and forced to become a soldier in the mysterious city of Talionis, she finds herself thrust into a world of danger and darkness. Unknown forces are at work in the city, and Bria soon realizes that escape is impossible. With her own guilt and the oppressive evil of the city threatening to drown her, Bria must find a way to surviveâŠand discover if hope is possible. Even here. |
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Cora Christensen by Tanner Howsden Ten years ago, Cora Christensen openly embraced her identity as a trans woman. Her father did not take it well. He burned her bras, refused to acknowledge her gender, and called her a pervert before exiling her from his home. Following his untimely passing, she has reluctantly returned to put his affairs in order. But after receiving a threatening call addressed to her deadname, she finds herself in the middle of a nightmare facing a crazed gunman, a disappearing child, and a house that aims to gaslight her at every turn. Beyond the nightmare lies a simple every choice we make changes our lives and the lives of those around us, including the choices we don't make. |
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How To Sell Your Blood and Fall In Love by D.N. Bryn No romantic story has ever lived up to Dr. Clementine Hugheâs reality but at least he has his steamy two-million-word fanfic and a prestigious research position at Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceuticals, where their benefits are superb and their experimentation on vampires highly unethical. When a mysterious accident turns Clementine into a vampire, discovery would demote him to lab rat and his growing thirst for his coworkerâs veins forces him to the streets to hunt. Justin Yu is usually the one attacking villains in alleys, not the other way around. After the tragedy he brought upon his local vampiric community in his youth, heâs struggled tirelessly to keep their vampires safe. So when a panicking Clementine botches a bite attempt, Justin takes pityâand advantageâand offers the vampire a trade: his blood in exchange for an exorbitant fee. In desperation, Clementine accepts. Justinâs blood is bland and unappealing, but the more Clementine learns to appreciate the manâs sharp humor and persistent compassion, the more he acquires a taste for Justin. Justin is determined not to let Clementineâs good looks and thoughtful intellect distract him as hunters from Vitalis-Barron close in on Justinâs neighborhood, and it turns out someone there knows Clementineâs vampiric secret⊠|
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Three Meant To Be by M N Bennet Telepathic high school teacher Dorian prepares teen witches for professional casting because going in unprepared is what killed one of his partners. But new state mandates on magical proficiency make it nearly impossible, and Dorian worries he canât give his students the education they really need. Seeking a distraction from work, Dorian kisses his still-living on-again off-again clairvoyant boyfriend, Milo. Instead of a distraction, Dorian glimpses Miloâs vague vision involving the murder of Calebâone of Dorianâs new students. Already devastated by the loss of his partner, Dorian refuses to stand aside and let Caleb die. He searches for clues by delving into Calebâs mind. Rooting through Calebâs memories alongside teaching classes leads Dorian to two more students: Calebâs ex-best friend turned rival and the prodigy with connections to dangerous warlocks. However, each step further into his studentsâ minds forces Dorian to confront his deteriorating relationship with Milo. After discovering a link involving illegal casting, Dorian resolves to work with Milo to prevent the impending vision. To succeed, Dorian will have to explore the potential of a future with Milo and find closure on their third partner, whose loss looms between them. But meddling with fate to save Caleb inadvertently draws the warlocks near, putting all his students in danger. Dorian will have to risk his life and gamble his second chance with Milo to keep his students alive. |
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Ghosts of Mars: Adventures of Eva Knight by Stuart White The first book in the award-winning, space adventure series for children age 9+, and fans of Vashti Hardy, AF Steadman, and Christopher Edge. â â â â â "Simply brilliant" - LoveReading â â â â â âA thrilling, edge-of-the-seat ride for all space loving adventurers!â Vashti Hardy, Author of Brightstorm â â â â â âI loved this book â not only as a type 1 diabetic â but as a fan of brilliant middle-grade stories. Perfectly paced, hugely imaginative and wildly exciting, I predict readers will adore Eva and this stunning space adventure.â AF Steadman, Author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief Mars. 2045. 13-year-old Eva, the first Martian, will risk everything to save her dad. Fame, Type 1 diabetes and a sarcastic AI companion haunt her, but when her dad goes missing on the red planet, she must overcome the 'Ghosts of Mars' to save him. The Martian for middle-grade, full of science, friendship and adventure. With a Type 1 Diabetic main character, Ghosts of Mars explores how life beyond Earth, and the fame and scrutiny that come with it, affects the young people involved, who didn't sign up for life on Mars. Ten percent of author profits go to Diabetes UK. |
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IAMOS, S.C.D. 8378 One choice was all it took to put two worlds in jeopardyâbut that choice could be the thing that saves them both. By choosing to betray the geroi, Nadin saved the lives of her friends in the future, but it may have cost her own. Imprisoned and sentenced to a fate worse than death, her only hope of rescue may lie in trusting the one person her heart tells her to distrust most: Ceilos, her one-time partner and a traitor in his own right. But accepting Ceilosâ help may be the only hope Nadin has of reuniting with Isaak... and saving both Iamos and Mars. Time is running out. Something is coming, something powerful enough to change the face of the entire solar system. If Nadin and Isaak canât figure out how to stop it, all of Iamos will be destroyed. Little do they know thatâs been the Liberatorâs plan all along... |
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Fey go missing in the mortal realm. Everyone knows that. When Lizzy's mother is the next to vanish she's expected to grieve and move on. Instead, Lizzy wants to find out what happened, but the answers she seeks can't be found in the fey realm of Arbaon. With the help of her best friend, Booker Reed, Lizzy's determined to retrace her mother's final steps... straight through an illegal portal and into the mortal realm. Whatever leads she expected to find, it wasn't an academy of vampires, and a world stalked by their rabid cousinsâthe kavians. Forced to rely on the vampires for protection, and secluded away behind the high walls of Speculo School, it quickly becomes clear not everyone is pleased with Lizzy and Booker's investigation. With danger building the further they dig, the two fey need to decide if the closure they seek is worth risking their lives for. But the longer they remain amongst the vampires, the more Lizzy suspects that her answers lie with the deadly kavians instead. |
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Devout: An Anthology of Angels by Edited By Quinton Li Featuring work by FreydĂs Moon, Dorian Yosef Weber, Angela Sun, Ian Haramaki, Tyler Battaglia, Daniel Marie James, Morgan Dante, Cas Trudeau, AurĂ©lio Loren, Rae Novotny, Rafael NicolĂĄs & Emily Hoffman. A collection of stories, poetry, and art dedicated to the angelic. Here you will find the strange, the creepy, the funky, slightly silly, pieces with feeling. An experience buried deep inside, it might be from another dimension. Something questionable that makes you wonder if your first impression of the world is accurate enough to trust. Or maybe something human â too human. How about a feeling between a feeling? Longing, yearning. Conflict between moral and love. World between worlds. Above all â angelic. Are we what angels make of us, or are angels what we make of them? This anthology is for mature audiences due to themes and explicit content. Our genres include, but are not limited to: Contemporary Fantasy Romance, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fantasy Romance, Mythological, Gothic Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror Drama |
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Welcome to Dorley Hall: The Sisters of Dorley Book One by Alyson Greaves Mark Vogel is like the older brother Stefan Riley never had, until one day he disappears, and Stefan has to adapt to life without him. But, one year later, when he runs into a girl who looks near-identical to Mark, Stefan becomes obsessed. He discovers that other boys have disappeared, too, dozens over the years, most of them students of the Royal College of Saint Almsworth, many of them troubled or unruly before their disappearance. What is happening to these boys? Who are the handful of women on campus who bear a striking resemblance to some of those who went missing? And what is the connection to the mysterious Dorley Hall? Stefan works hard to get into the Royal College for one reason and one reason only: to find out exactly what happened to the women who live at Dorley Hall, and to get it to happen to him, too. A closeted trans girl attempts to infiltrate a secret underground forced feminisation programme. |
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Where We Converge by A.E. Bross Darius Adair just wants to live in peace. He wakes up, goes to work, does his job, and comes home to a quiet studio apartment in Chicago. As a mage working to protect the magical and the mundane alike, it's as normal a life as he can have. After everything heâs been through, he deserves that much. A call in the dead of night shatters that illusion. Morgan Slavin canât recall much. His memories are fractured, and his body feels like a thousand bits of broken glass. He only knows one thing: Time travel sucks. After completing a ritual that forced him through the timeline, his mind, body, and magic are twisted and broken. Beyond the pain and mental anguish, there's little he can reach for. He is desperate to find an anchor in this storm. After all, he came back in time to stop...what? Why had he returned? Sent by the late-night call to find the broken Morgan, Darius now must help him find out what he's come back to stop, and soon. If that wasnât challenging enough, the longer theyâre together, the more Darius feels himself drawn to Morgan, and the more willing he is to open old wounds that nearly destroyed him in the past. |
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Fool's Play by David R. Packer, Tao Wong Not everyone falls during an apocalypse. Some rise to the occasion. For Fool and Jackal, the System Apocalypse was a chance to start again. A chance to rise, and be who they were meant to be. Now, they're trying to offer others the same opportunities as part of a secret organization helping humanity survive the System. Today's mission? Nothing big, just your typical save-the-princess quest. But when you're the Acolyte of a Trickster god, typical is the last thing you should expect. Just ask Fool's cat. Fool's Play is the first book in a new series in the System Apocalypse universe. Written by David R. Packer in Tao Wong's bestselling post-apocalyptic LitRPG universe, System Apocalypse: Kismet follows a different path through a post-apocalyptic world, one of hope, redemption, and second chances. |
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The Shadow Watch by S.A. Klopfenstein The world was once ruled by magic and monsters, but after a cataclysmic war, the chancellors of old eradicated these curses and ushered in a New World. One where sorcerers are hunted, and lowborns are sent to their deaths fighting the wars of nobles. In this world, a young slave reveals magical power before an empire. This revelation may be enough to spark a revolution, if Tori can escape the magic hunters pursuing her. An idealistic soldier fights to maintain his soul in the infamous Night Legions, but as Darien begins to show promise, the lure of power threatens to turn him into the type of monster he once despised. And a lordling rebel with a dark past journeys to a turbulent nation in search of a mythic weapon. Kale is soon thrust into a game of power that could upend the world. As sorcerers rise and monsters rage, the fate of all hangs in the balance. Will magic save the world, or bring it to ruin? Filled with complex characters, wild plot twists, and epic battles, the Shadow Watch series is perfect for fans of Mistborn and Shadow & Bone. Welcome to the breathtaking world of the Shadow Watch, where sorcerers are hunted, monsters rise out of myth, and the fate of all hangs on love and betrayal. Start the Four Book series now! |
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A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery Sometimes you have to leave home to find it⊠All Casper Bell has ever wanted is to belong. But now, abandoned by his friends and family after being outed, he has nothing left to lose when the people of Novilem abduct him. Except Earth. Teleported to a world where stars grant humans magic, Casper discovers he has the rare ability to draw power from all twelve astrological signs â a gift that makes him a political pawn for the Estellar Council. But Novilemâs inhabitants seem as hard and cold as the stone their city is carved from, and Casperâs new role leaves him more isolated than ever. Until he meets the grandson of the councilâs most powerful woman. Helix is kind, playful, and heartbreakingly handsome, yet itâs how Helix makes him feel that gives Casper hope. As rebellion brinks in the city, even the Council starts to fracture, reaching for extreme measures that could cost Casper not only his newfound abilities, but the first place he has ever wanted to call home. Together with Helix, he must uncover the secrets of his full potential â because the survival of Novilem hinges on Casperâs powers, whether heâs using them or not. Set inside a hidden lunar city, where astrology is magic and your birth sign defines your social status, A Circle of Stars is a queer young adult fantasy filled with political intrigue and romance. |
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The Pyre Starter by Jaimie N. Schock Exhausted with life, Dakota tries to end hisâonly to be saved at the last moment by his friend, Terrell, who then drags him into a world of magic and intrigue that's always been right there, hidden beneath the surface. Powerful magic users are steadily dragging the planet into a violent war, and evil forces will stop at nothing to take the talismans possessed by Dakota and his newfound family. Dakota soon finds himself deeply in over his headâwith love, with family, with fighting for all their lives. |
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The Manhattan Split: Proto by Chris Kenny Manhattan has been split in two. A war rages between Downtown and Uptown, with two mega-corporations, TegaLyfe and Kaizen Sciences at the forefront. Meanwhile, a former bounty hunter named Cade is serving a life sentence in jail for a murder he didnât commit. The CEO of TegaLyfe, Rodrigo Ortega sees this as an opportunity. Nueva Yorkâs most powerful man gives Cade a lifeline. The brief is simple. Do the job, no more jail time. Only one catch. Cade has seventy-two hours to complete the mission, or heâs back in prison forever. Question is, can Cade take out the head of Kaizen Sciences, Ichiro Nishikawa, and live to tell the tale? Cade needs to navigate the dangerous streets of Nueva York, which are filled with augmented humans desperate to survive in the dystopian future of 2082. Friends are scarce, enemies are everywhere. Rival bounty hunters like Tayo Akinyemi look to undermine Cade at every turn, and all the while, the clock is ticking. Cade must remember his past skills to get the task done. As he plummets into the depths of Nueva York, heâs going to come face-to-face with dark secrets, which could unravel a tangle of lies that run deeper than he can imagine. Will Cade know who to trust and where to turn when the moment comes? Fans of Blade Runner, Altered Carbon, Neuromancer, and Deus Ex will love this exciting cyberpunk action thriller! |
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Visions of Iotan by Jaimie N. Schock When Cillianâs daughter accidentally poisons a bison-sized alien child, he goes to prison. But intervention by another alien sends him and his family on a journey to a nearby solar system. Along with a group of humans and aliens, he investigates a planet with glee, but soon enough, all hell breaks loose. Meanwhile, Cillian meets a priest named Father Whalen who helps guide him on a path to faith. Whalen is helpful ... at first. Shortly after the mission begins, he becomes obsessed with Cillian and will stop at nothing to have him. Will Cillian shake off Father Whalenâs advances? And, more importantly, will anyone survive the ill-fated trip to a new planet? |
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In the late 21st century, Earth has been ravaged by climate change. Seeing it was time for decisive action, the billionaires bioengineered immortality, purchased the last habitable biospheres on the planet as their personal shares, and fled to Mars. For everyone left behind, life on a dying planet isn't easy. The lucky ones live in enclosed cities eating bug protein and saving up for passage to Mars. The rest of humanity exists as climate refugees passing through worlds that are perpetually on the brink of ecological collapse. Ian Gateman, one of Earth's last bureaucrats, works on the settlement of ecological refugees while he, his wife, Anne, and their son, Alex, look forward to life on Mars. When Anne becomes terminally ill, she decides to upload her consciousness and live forever in Lotus: a corporate-run virtual reality simulation. To keep up with the monthly payments for Anne's digital residency and stop Lotus from deleting her consciousness, Ian takes on a special assignment. Tasked with finding a buyer for a fledgling colony of newly settled ecological refugees, Ian travels to the estates of several visiting immortals. As Ian tries to flog the colony to a brooding class of bored immortals, it becomes clear they have their own plans for humanity's future. |
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Step through a gateway hidden inside your dreaming mind. From the gritty streets of San Francisco to labyrinthine dream worlds conjured from humanity's collective psyche, this is a philosophical, page-turning, dark-fantasy odyssey. Meet Kid, an American foster system survivor turned clandestine courier for an underground syndicate, The White Lotus. With the disappearance of their previous runner, Kid must navigate through a harrowing night filled with deranged stalkers and nightmarish creatures born of his darkest fears. Then there's Alice, a teen prodigy from The Young School â an enigmatic institute for violent psychics, also known as travelers. These travelers have the power to traverse The Dream, a parallel universe birthed from humanity's collective consciousness, capable of manipulating society, acquiring superhuman abilities, and even discovering immortality. Alice yearns to harness these mystical forces to gain her freedom. When an assignment goes dead wrong in Chinatown, Kid and Alice's paths intersect. This streetwise runner and covert operative of parallel worlds find themselves in a reality-defying struggle for the survival of humanity. Can they channel their abilities, love, and determination to mend the very fabric of existence, defeat an ancient evil, and safeguard both realmsâThe Dream and The Real? This visionary dark-fantasy novel, woven with elements of thriller, horror, science-fiction, and the supernatural, resonates with readers who appreciate intricate world-building, in-depth characterization, and an engaging, fast-paced narrative. Praise for The Rivener âThe Rivener' offers a profound, immersive experience resonating with wisdom and truth. With endearing characters and a formidable villain, it's a soulful, thrilling narrative akin to The Sandman and The Matrix." - A Page of Words and Wishes "Littered with feeling and philosophy, violence, and mythology. This had me gripped from start to finish.â - Christopher Badcock, Those You Killed "Absolutely brilliant. An epic mix between Gaimanâs âThe Sandmanâ and everything I wanted but never got from Kingâs âDark Towerâ.â - The Misfit Bookshelf "The Rivener pulls you in from the very first page and doesnât let go. You emerge completely invested in the world and its characters and are left questioning the nature of reality.â - Book Naked |
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A Flame In The Night by Morgan Dante Bloody decadence... The definition of marriage: Two people and their silver-haired vampire. In 1924, Paris is a bastion of sexual freedom, even for shell-shocked Leon Laflamme, the most dramatic blond this side of the Seine. After years of loneliness and secrecy, he's married the clever and sumptuous burlesque dancer Claire. However, Leon truly finds liberation when he meets the stoic, intriguing, and silver-haired Count Matthias, who offers true freedom in his dark gift: immortality. |
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Providence Girls by Morgan Dante Love changes you. So do the Outer Gods. âAn extraordinary departure. Dante splices genre in a beautiful and brutal Horror Romance a la The Shape of Water and Midnight Mass. Someone call Guillermo Del Toro, because Providence Girls deserves an adaptation.â - FreydĂs Moon, bestselling author of Heart, Haunt, Havoc Now: Alone in a cottage, Lavinia writes to the woman she loved. Fifteen years ago: Middle-aged Lavinia Whateley escapes her hilly Massachusetts town when the townsfolk decide to sacrifice her on Halloween. After almost dying in the woods, she's saved and housed by the stoic and mysterious Asenath Waite, or Azzie. On the coastal outskirts of East Providence, they start to fall in love. However, things change when Azzie, with her secret past and the strange "scars" on the side of her neck, begins to transform into an eldritch creature of the deep. A story inspired by the "doomed" women in H.P. Lovecraft's "The Thing on the Doorstep" and "The Dunwich Horror |
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The Elements of Time: The Winds of Change by Sam Paisley Destiny, personal responsibility, what the future holds â common concerns for anyone graduating high school. But usually not because of a cosmic war between timeless beings where youâre the central player. (Download the first seven chapters for free at www.elementsoftime.ca) As the end of school quickly approaches, and Cooper Bailey watches his perfect world slip away, his only concern is savouring every last minute of his high school career. For his best friend, Reid Patterson, graduation is a doorway to the future, where his discipline and focus will finally allow him to meet his true potential. When a mysterious mirror-masked man begs for their help to stop a dangerous heretic, Cooper and Reid find themselves thrust into unknown worlds, wrestling with a destiny as old as time itself. As the truths about their roles in the universe unfold, and enemies disguise themselves as allies, their only hope is to trust each other - and learn fast! Far from home and in mortal peril, Cooper and Reid attempt to hone their newfound abilities and come to grips with their purpose for being. Inspired by classic and modern science fiction and fantasy, and drawing upon timeless themes of destiny and personal responsibility, The Elements of Time is a series written for anyone who loves an escape into a rich and deep world. With references to Star Wars (the Original Trilogy), Avatar: The Last Bender, Stargate SG-1, Supernatural, and much more, The Elements of Time: The Winds of Change is fun action-adventure, with itâs own unique magic system, and themes that touch what it means to grow up and take on the challenges of life The Elements of Time - Book 1: The Winds of Change For more story information, behind the scenes details, and additional content visit www.elementsoftime.ca |
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Tyranny of the Fey by Terry Bartley A famed Elven researcher is worried about her home. When she discovers a new realm with massive magic potential, she believes she has found the answer. Will the Seasonal Fey Courts allow her to continue her research without interference, or do they have more nefarious plans? An Elven princess runs away from her arranged marriage to a parallel world. Will she be able to find the adventure she seeks? While she is in search of battles with dragons and quests to obtain sacred artifacts, she finds that what she was looking for may have been a true connection with someone that understands her. Two childhood friends, an orc and a goblin, have long dreamed of adventure. When a magic school dropout stumbles into their lives, they jump at the chance to realize their ambitions. This found family realizes the world of Galevyn is a much bigger place than the jungle they grew up in. |
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Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato In the depths of a remote forest, an enchanted castle preys on unwary travellers. The servants of the Goddess Morana sacrifice to their dark mistress every soul who crosses its threshold . One terrible night, three people who should never have met find themselves trapped there: a spoiled lady escaping an unwanted marriage, an aging warrior-prince on a deadly mission, and a resourceful rogue caught up in a botched heist. As their destinies entwine and the dawn approaches, the solution to the castleâs riddle becomes clear: if they want to escape, one of them must die. A dark fantasy tale inspired by Slavic folklore, Dark Woods, Deep Water is the debut novel by Croatian author Jelena Dunato. Set in an intricately imagined world that staggers the line between fairytale and brutality, this novel will appeal to fans of Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik, as well as lovers of classic Gothic fiction. |
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Legend of Samantha Torres by Jacob Ryckman For twelve year-old Samantha Torres, her Type 1 diabetes used to just be a frustrating nuisance - one more thing for her mother to tell her she wasn't being responsible about. But when her cruise ship crashes on a mysterious jungle island and separates her from her family, managing that chronic illness becomes a struggle for her life. Luckily, she receives some help from a 3,000 year-old woman named Belby, who claims that Samantha's powers indicate that she is supposed to protect the island from intruders. Specifically, she has to stop a bunch of creepy zombie-people - who most likely have kidnapped her mom - from reaching the magical tree at the center of the island. With just a single bottle of insulin, some awesome gravity-bending superpowers, and a quippy attitude, Samantha is guaranteed to succeed and prove to her mom once and for all that she can be responsible. After all, putting yourself in harm's way to fight a bunch of bad guys is super responsibleâŠright? |
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Kenai by Dave Dobson Jess Amiko is long past her days as a space marine, with all the glory of that time tarnished beyond repair by what came after. Trying to rebuild from the ashes, she's taken a job as a security guard on Kenai, a lonely world far from the Council systems. It's supposed to be easy duty - quiet and peaceful, on a docile world with no real threats, watching over an archeological dig at a site built by a race long vanished. Betrayed and attacked by forces unknown, and finding that nothing on Kenai makes sense, Jess is plunged into a desperate fight for survival that leads her deep into the mysteries of Kenai's past, and deep into the hardship and paradox the planet imposes on all who call it home. |
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The Collection Awakens by Aimee Donnellan "Well, you have armour. It's the lyre and the goose that have me a bit confused." The Dragon War has left its mark on everyone, and Reverie Rosetia is no exception. After her brother is struck down in a skirmish, it is on her to take up the family legacy of greatness â no matter what her plans might have been before that. She must find his sword and bring it home. With no better place to start her search, Reverie arrives at the Collection, an isolated place full of magical oddities and artifacts. Soon after her arrival, the eclectic visitors to the Collection and its owner find themselves trapped inside. A magical force has broken free and is determined to break them, one by one. Can Reverie solve the mystery of how their attacker manifested and put it right before it is too late? (Reverie meets adventurers Lark and Wren as the trio are trapped in this claustrophobic and irreverent fantasy mystery, which may have more to do with Lark and Wrenâs chase than they thinkâŠ) |
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The Chase Begins by Aimee Donnellan "She's escaped. Gods help us all." The Theocracy of Izirm is losing a war against dragons. While the Bishops scramble for a solution, the holy city of Kequm faces a more immediate the murderous mage, Nightingale, has escaped prison and only one person can stop her. Lark is a devoted follower of the Scholar god who searches for adventure around every corner. Ever since apprehending Nightingale three years ago, they've done whatever they can to forget the hole she ripped through their heart, and can think of nothing worse than facing her again. But when Nightingale's meddling leaves Kequm vulnerable, Lark has no choice but to act. A whimsical New Adult fantasy adventure novella set in a queernormative, mysterious world begging to be explored. |
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Witches of Worth by Journey Windrow Itâs the witching hour on Samhain. Born-witch Amaris Rutter is on a mission to safeguard the familiars of the Salem Council of Witches. But her best intentions turn her world upside down as she's crushed between warring factions of the Cabinet of Witchery. To make it worse, Amaris finds herself caught in a web of intrigue that leads to disaster. This fast-paced spin-off from the Mage of Boston series is an enjoyable standalone that also offers fresh insights that enrich the mage series. It slots neatly between The Reluctant Mage and Stone and Bone, enriching both. Immerse yourself in a world where magic, mystery, dominance struggles, and the power of second chances collide. |
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The Spring of the Sentinels by Eduard Lerperger A small town plagued by mysterious disappearances. A girl tormented by apocalyptic dreams. An impending alien invasion. Welcome to Aurora Bay, Oregonâa picturesque town turned epicenter of strange and otherworldly events. After surviving a traumatic earthquake in town, Ava Mason, a 16-year-old book-lover, reluctantly returns to the place she once called home. Her life takes a turn for the surreal as she's caught up in a web of chilling disappearances and unsettling nightmares that bleed into reality. These dreams hint at a destiny tied to the mysterious Sentinelsâtowering entities of unfathomable power. When Ava crosses paths with Hailey, a secretive girl whose robot insists Ava is its rightful owner, the mystery deepens. Ava must confront her past, her fears, and unlock the secret of the Sentinels to stop the impending alien apocalypse. Each revelation plunges Ava further into a cosmic chess game. She's forced to grow and make hard decisions that could trigger dire consequences. She might be humanity's only hope. With the weight of the world on their shoulders |
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On the Winds of Quasars by T.A. Bruno The thrilling sequel to In the Orbit of Sirens THE WORLD OF KAMARIA WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. In the aftermath of the brutal slaying of a sacred aukânai deity, Cade and Nella Castus are taken from their home and brought deep into the wilderness. They must make their way back to civilization, traversing dangerous landscapes as they are pursued relentlessly by their captorâa winged abomination. As Denton and Eliana search for their missing children, they uncover something that will change all life on Kamaria forever. |
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Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman It's the most-watched game show in the galaxy! In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth--from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds to all the trucks and cars--collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground. The buildings and all the people inside, they've all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your views and your followers. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big. You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game, with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game. |
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A Mean Piece of Water by Jes McCutchen Dani (a lake merfolk) and Kye (a lake local) would do anything to save their families, their homes, their neighbors, and especially each other. And their pets. They both really love their pets. So, when a threat to their entire world forces them to take action, there's no question about whether the two of them will meet the challenge. In the follow up to her debut YA novel, Jes McCutchen returns with another humorous cast of queer characters whose lives have a touch of fantasy to them. |
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Four generations ago a generation ship crashed into the sands of Savene. Since then, its survivors have eked out an existence in the planetâs hostile desert. Yet, the tech is failing, the sands are encroaching, and people are dying. Rescue is still generations awayâif it comes at all. But Marsa is a survivor. And an outcast. Infected with the Chrysalisâa disease that grants its carriers uncanny abilitiesâshe keeps her distance from her dwindling community. Until an old friendâs dying wish sends her and a young boy across Saveneâs inhospitable sands in search of something Marsa had thought sheâd long forgotten. Hope. |
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As above, so below. Panacea was a lie. An elaborate scheme instigated by Zeus, greatest of the Ruined Gods. Among its many victims was the former strategos Dexios, tricked into murdering Zeusâs brother, Hades, as the city of Thena fell to an unstoppable tauran herd. With the death of Hades, the barrier between realms has been shattered. The lifeless shades of Tartarus are no longer bound to the Underworld, but free to return to their decaying bodies and walk the lands of Tyrris once more. Only one can stop this. Makar, son of Hades, reluctant heir to his fatherâs legacy. Accompanied by the disgraced priestess Graycea and the sophistes Elena, he must find a way to traverse the mists of Tartarus and reclaim his birthright. A long, arduous path awaits. For deep in the fiery pits of the Underworld, someone is releasing the shades of the damned. Decrepit, pitiful shadows, their tortured minds broken by an eternity of torture. Yet, despite the madness, a single, overwhelming desire remains. Vengeance. |
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Sisters separated by war... Brothers divided by hate... To stop their world being torn apart by darkness, will they find a way to unite? A royal rivalry divides the two princes of Erlingue. A bloody battlefield separates the two princesses of Arbinad. And a creature of darkness waits to destroy them all. When Katâs father, the King of Arbinad, tells her and her sister to flee the coming war, only one of them listens. Determined to help her army, Kat instead disguises herself as a boy and joins their ranks as an archer. But the battle turns bloodier than anyone anticipated, and before she can escape, Kat is taken captive by the crown prince of Erlingue. As second in line, Prince Thomas isnât the one taking the throne. But he knows he would make a better king than his power-hungry older brother. So when he finds Kat as his brotherâs prisoner, they begin an unlikely alliance to seek the sinister new kingâs demise. But little do they know, a darker power is at work behind the new king. And civil war has stolen safety away from Katâs sister. Can they unite forces in time to stop their world being torn apart? |
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Legacy of Brick & Bone by Krystle Matar Follow the law and youâll stay safe. But what if the law betrays you? It all started with the girl from the river: mutilated, tattooed, murdered. TashuĂ© couldnât help but look for answers and in the process, he uncovered the ugly truths being hidden by the very law he used to believe inâthe law of the Authority. Now heâs fighting for his life. Mere survival isnât enough; he desperately wants to save his son from the Authority, and he wants revolution. At any cost. Davik Kaine has been gathering power under everyoneâs noses. Ruthless, ambitious, with a rebel army backing him, he wants revolution, too. Heâs probably the only person powerful enough to protect TashuĂ© from the looming implosion of the political field. And heâs the only person with the connections to save Jason. He may also be responsible for the death of the girl from the river. Is making peace with Davik worth it, if it saves TashuĂ©âs son from the Authority? If TashuĂ© plays along with what Davik wants, can TashuĂ© get retribution for the girl from the river? |
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The Tronis Assignment by E L Grover Humanity has started to colonize other worlds and learned the lessons of colonization anew. A recent war with a neighboring alien race has prompted changes in Earth's military. Straining the relationship between Earth and her colonies. Worlds such as Tronis, now a trade center that was spared from the war. Pirates have started to attack the Tronis trade routes. The latest attack has taken hostages, and the government is forced to ask for help from Earth. Enter Gamma Squadron, the United Nations Space Corps' latest evolution of Earth's special forces teams. Commander Jubert and his two squads lead by Chief Petty Officer Keith, and Petty Officer First Class Holte, are tasked with rescuing the hostages and putting an end to this piracy with any means necessary. The only complication is the presence of a journalist, John Aerovant. This adds one more life Keith must protect amid a battle inside a pirate stronghold. |
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Evolution of the Elements by T.M. Faulkner The Elements are phenomenal beings, each with unique and extraordinary powers. It is unknown why and how long they have been dormant from the dangerous worlds of Izara and Raziz, but now the time has come to be awakened. In the wondrous City of Lementes, Jaykin, a deeply troubled young man, is searching for his father, who has disappeared in baffling circumstances. He nearly gives up hope until he secures the help of the mysterious Kanaren and his trusty companion, Q-Tech. As their adventure begins, Kanaren warns of an impending invasion, but no one in power will listen, and Jaykin discovers he has an innate and disturbing ability. |
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Lost in the Waking Well by John Notlad Dreams are made of memories, as is waking life. Whoâs to say which is real? Claraâ the girl of Allenâs dreams. She was his world in that other life. . . The one before he awoke from his coma. Now he has Elizabeth, a wife he has no memory of, and Goose, a daughter he no longer recognizes. Despite their love for him and the man he used to be, Allenâs only desire is to return to the life he had before he awoke. With the help of a local research doctor and a cocktail of drugs, Allen returns to the world of his dreams in search of the woman he loves. But dreams can be fickle. Answers are carefully guarded. And for his broken mind, the line between fantasy and reality grows blurrier with each excursion. |
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Season of Kings by A.J. Rettger War is upon the land and the throne sits empty. Who will claim it? Elbert of Artanzia finds himself in a precarious position. After stealing the throne from his older brother, he finds himself newly crippled and low on friends. The nobles want to undermine him, while the populace wants to depose him. In a desperate attempt to keep his power, he launches a campaign against the barbarian islanders to the north, something that no king has ever done. In the forest to the south of the capital, lives Anna and her father. While raised in isolation, Anna is taught how to hunt and kill everything that makes its home in the monster-infested forest. However, her quiet life is torn apart when a group of visitors pay her father an unexpected visit. Forced to flee to the capital city, she must find her long-lost aunt, all while fighting to protect herself and socializing with other teenagers for the first time. Grimm White-Eyes, a legendary barbarian warrior and Shield of the Isles, is accused of murdering the Islander High Kingâs brother. With a price on his head, he must flee his homeland and find refuge on the continent. Yet no ship will risk carrying someone of his notoriety. Unable to leave, he is forced to ally himself with the enemy, in hopes that he can continue to live his life as the gods intended, free. |
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The Forsaken Planet by Bryan Wilson The world is more than just a planet. Itâs an ancient tribute to the woman who guided it from ruin, a devastation she foresaw arising again. When mysterious aircraft wreak havoc across Earthâs skies, it is revealed that there are clusters of other planets where humankind resides, distant worlds where the people wield the power of the stars themselves. It is an energy force that can bring about miracles or, as the alien fleetâs ruthless leader displays, unleash horrors beyond imagination. After experiencing a loss during the onslaught, Colton Samson, an ordinary college student, vows to protect his loved ones at any cost. But to learn the power to do so, he must enlist into the Army of the Universal Throneâa second alien force with its own agenda. With the revelation of a secret prophecy foretelling humanityâs demise and Coltonâs improbable role in preventing it, he embarks alongside a diverse group of friends to the Throneâs capital, the planet of Vintara. There he faces prejudice from supposed allies, lifelike combat simulations that test him to his core, and the looming threat of a universal war. Only by embracing his true potential can Colton hope to secure the safety he seeks, in a universe that views him as nothing more than Forsaken. -A coming-of-age story about family, the bonds of friendship, and leaping blind into the dark to protect them both. Come learn the truth about Earthâs ancient past alongside Colton, journeying with him to Vintara, where action, mystery, and a side of romance await. Itâs time we all begin to grasp the true power of the stars |