The Academy War

The Academy War By Sean Scarborough
Publication date: October 1, 2026
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Three colleges, three hearts, one prophesy that will either save magic or destroy it.

On their eighteenth birthdays, three strangers are ripped from ordinary life and thrust into a hidden world that has shaped history for centuries.

Aryna awakens a rare, volatile magic that doesn’t just channel power — it absorbs and reshapes it. At the Mage War College, her dangerous gift sets her apart and draws the secret attention of those with their own agendas.

Paul is claimed by an ancient vampire bloodline and forced into brutal trials where dominance means survival. As his humanity slips away, he realizes he’s being forged into a weapon for a war older than he knows.

Dean Blackthorn, an orphan desperate to belong, bonds with a powerful Stormwing dragon in trials where most recruits die. For the first time, he has a place — and a destiny tied to coming conflict.

Separated across rival academies, each believes they are training to protect their own kind. But when a devastating attack shatters the illusion of safety, a darker truth emerges:

They are not just students. They are pieces in a game controlled by an ancient power now awakening — and the fate of magic, monsters, and humanity may rest on who learns to control it first.

—

CHAPTER 1:

The Wish

Aryna

“Look, Aryna,” my mom said, setting down the lopsided chocolate cake she’d clearly stayed up late making—complete with uneven frosting and slightly smudged Happy 18th Birthday written in shaky pink letters—her cheerfulness seemed forced.

“Let’s try to make today as fun as we can,” she said.

I love my mom, I really do, but sometimes she drives me absolutely crazy.

“Honey, I’m not upset you were out with your friends last night. I just wanted to know where you were.”

Dune Queen

Dune Queen By Amina Adamou
Publication date: June 6, 2026
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary:

When Salima Farhan turns eighteen, she thinks she’s finally old enough to escape the absurd teachings of the cult her parents joined ever since she was a kid, but Farik Masood, the founder and leader of the Crescent Compound, has other plans for her: he wants her to join a recruitment program to bring in more cult members.

Salima agrees to join the program in order to eventually escape—but she quickly regrets that decision when she finds out Masood’s ‘program’ is actually a front for something far more sinister. Knocked unconscious before she can run, she wakes up two months later only to be told that she now has the same magic as djinn, mischievous, mythical beings who are normally invisible to the human eye. And as a reward for these powers, she’s expected to use her new abilities to help Masood take over the world.

Distraught but determined, Salima must fight for her freedom and for the innocent lives Masood wants to destroy—even if it means marrying the very djinn who has sworn to protect her enemy.

—

Coming Up for Air

Coming Up for Air By Jessica Natalie Reino
Published by: Fire and Ice YA
Publication date: October 20th 2025
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Summary:

As if the rumors and whispers from the people of her seaside town, Oceanbrook, weren’t bad enough, 17-year-old Sarah D’Antonio is troubled by the whispers from the forest. 

It’s not her fault that she hears voices, that she sees auras, and that she has been sleepwalking along the shore. The townspeople, and Sarah’s parents among them, claim that it is all in response to stress, including her chronic migraines and panic attacks. 

They believe that she can’t come to grips with the fact that her cousin, Lena, is dead. But Sarah knows that the things she is experiencing are real and not something she is bringing on herself. 

She also knows that Lena is not dead, only missing. She believes that there is something more supernatural going on and that the town is hiding secrets.

Sarah’s feelings are validated when she suddenly becomes thrust into a world in which she has always sensed but never seen. 

A world of fairy witches, shape-shifters, and legendary creatures. The world of the astral plane. And now, it will be up to her to form alliances to save the magic, fix the astral plane, and most importantly, to bring her cousin home.

—

EXCERPT:

I had lost so much over the span of the last few years. Second-guessing everything but still trying to find a reason behind why bad things happen. 

It’s not like I didn’t know that life wasn’t fair, but living with chronic illness and how everyone reacted differently to Lena’s disappearance really drove home the fact that I would never be able to fully trust my relationships, my health, or even my beliefs. I think that’s what scared me the most. 

The Silence of Deceit (The Deceit Trilogy, #1)

The Silence of Deceit (The Deceit Trilogy, #1) By Jillian Eagan
Publication date: October 4th 2025
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

The nation of Seity.
Four ruling families.
One merciless tyrant.

When Eldon Durane executes a noble family and extinguishes all magic, he ignites a war that spans generations.

Two decades later, Lady Rosalie Yorke and her best friend, Silence, are uprooted from their comfortable lives to escape the spreading war. But Rosalie’s world shatters when ruthless raiders kidnap her—only for her fate to collide with Crowe, the notorious pirate captain of the Deceit.

Crowe wants nothing to do with Seity’s political turmoil, but the thirst for revenge leads him to Rosalie. Hoping to change his luck, he decides to extort Rosalie’s father for a ransom.

Rosalie refuses to be anyone’s pawn, and Crowe has no patience for nobility. As the two bicker and dodge danger, Seity’s long-buried secrets begin to emerge from the shadows.

With Eldon’s deadly plan looming, Rosalie and Crowe must set aside their differences. Should they fail, Rosalie may lose everything.

Perfect for fans of Adrienne Young’s Fable and Amie Kaufman’s The Isles of the Gods, The Silence of Deceit is a seafaring tale of betrayal, friendship, and survival. A must-read for fans of pirate fantasy, enemies-to-lovers tension, and sweeping adventures filled with magic and rebellion.

—

EXCERPT:

“You left your book lying around.” She picked it up and held it out to him. “Don’t want to lose one of your precious first editions.”

“I didn’t—I left that for you to read.” He didn’t move from the doorway to take it from her.

“You said—”

“I know what I said. But that’s not a first edition, and I was being generous. Don’t get used to it,” he said, and backed out of the cabin.

Rosalie lowered the book but didn’t release her grip.

“Every time I think I have him figured out,” she muttered.

The Boy Upon Death: Reaper’s Last Call

The Boy Upon Death: Reaper’s Last Call By J. Robert Adams
Publication date: April 5, 2025
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Young Adult
Summary:

My existence was as cold as my birth. I was born with both knowledge and will—an inevitability for my kind. 

Drawn to the final moments of mortal life, we came into being. Some of us became Reapers, tasked solely with ferrying souls to their afterlife. 

Others craved the power of souls, calling themselves gods of Death—Shinigami. They believed that devouring or absorbing souls granted them greater might, but found that power only deepened their coldness and emptiness. 

Those gods of Death became husks, bored of their own immortality yet too frightened to end themselves. But being a Reaper can yield the same chill. Though I know the souls would be lost without our guidance, my own existence seems bound to a perpetual winter, drawn to the final beat of each mortal life.

—

EXCERPT:

Prologue: The Cold Existence

My existence is as cold as my birth. I was born with both knowledge and will—an inevitability for my kind. Drawn to the final moments of mortal life, we come into being. Some of us become Reapers, tasked solely with ferrying souls to their afterlife. Others crave the power of souls, calling themselves Gods of Death. 

They believe that devouring or absorbing souls grants them greater might, but such power only deepens their coldness and emptiness. The Veil—the great boundary between life and the afterlife—exists as the ultimate destination for souls. It does not judge or choose; it simply awaits those ready to cross. 

Souls unwilling to pass linger in the mortal world, their tether to the Veil slowly degrading. Once that connection is broken, they descend into madness, becoming fragmented and unstable, unable to find peace. For Reapers, our role is clear: guide the souls before they are lost. Yet even for us, there are choices. 

Immortal Dark

Immortal Dark By Shermon Kodi
Publication date: March 10, 2025
Buy Link: Coming Soon...
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

The shadows awaken as darkness falls. And these shadows have fangs.

Seventeen-year-old Bexis has survived the frozen streets of Coppejj by trusting no one but herself. With her shadow magic, she’s scraped by as a freelance thief, working for local gang lords and politicians.

But when a routine heist goes horribly wrong, Bexis is branded with ancient magic, making her the target of a bloodthirsty spirit.

Desperate for answers, she turns to an eccentric demon hunter. Together, they uncover a deadly plot by a sinister cabal, threatening to plunge the world into eternal night. As Bexis confronts her haunted past, she faces a grim choice: Embrace the shadows within, or lose everything she holds dear.

To destroy the darkness, she must first become it.

—

EXCERPT:

The job is simple.

Enter the room unseen. Wait for Ajjan to distract the mark—a foreign dignitary from the south. Then acquire her handbag and deliver it to the other side of town.

No blood. No trace.

My employer was very specific about that last bit. It’s common protocol in my line of work, along with an understanding that pay will be docked by half if I’m spotted. If there’s blood, I might not get paid at all. My mark must never know I was here. Personally, I thought I’d outgrown grabbing purses in the night. But it’s an easy job, and I can use the money.

Brimstone & Blades

Brimstone & Blades By Maria Alexander
Publication date: June 3, 2025
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult
Summary:

It’s 1689. Sixteen-year-old Julie de Maupin is on the run with her boyfriend, a young swordmaster named Sérannes. They perform sword fights and songs in taverns to survive. But when a diabolical creature kills Sérannes, it also injures Julie in the attack. 

Plunged into the dangerous world of French magic, Julie needs to return to Paris to find the great magician that can heal her devastating wound so she can avenge Sérannes’s death. 

On the way, she finds the creature is controlled by a necromantic coven called the Shadow Holders. Defeated during the Affair of the Poisons, they’ve returned but this time with traitors in the royal court to crush Louis XIV and terrorize France. 

With her found family of magical and moggie misfits, Julie must use her sword, wits, and gender-bending wiles to send the threat back to Hell. But will they be enough? Magic is illegal, and so is dueling. But that won’t stop La Maupin.

Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver

Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver By D. Wallace Peach
Publication date: January 9, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

“Already the animals starve. Soon the bonemen will follow, the Moss Folk and woodlings, the watermaids and humans. Then the charmed will fade. And all who will roam a dead world are dead things. Until they too vanish for lack of remembering. Still, Weaver, it is not too late.”

In the frost-kissed cottage where the changing seasons are spun, Erith wears the Weaver’s mantle, a title that tests her mortal, halfling magic. As the equinox looms, her first tapestry nears completion—a breathtaking ode to spring. She journeys to the charmed isle of Innishold to release the beauty of nature’s awakening across the land.

But human hunters have defiled the enchanted forest and slaughtered winter’s white wolves. Enraged by the trespass, the Winter King seizes Erith’s tapestry and locks her within his ice-bound palace. Here, where comfort and warmth are mere glamours, she may weave only winter until every mortal village succumbs to starvation, ice, and the gray wraiths haunting the snow.

With humanity’s fate on a perilous edge, Erith must break free of the king’s grasp and unravel a legacy of secrets. In a charmed court where illusions hold sway, allies matter, foremost among them, the Autumn Prince. Immortal and beguiling, he offers a tantalizing future she has only imagined, one she will never possess—unless she claims her extraordinary power to weave life from the brink of death.

In the lyrical fantasy tradition of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black, D. Wallace Peach spins a spellbinding tale of magic, resilience, and the transformative potency of tales—a tapestry woven with peril and hope set against the frigid backdrop of an eternal winter.

—

EXCERPT:

A wicker basket of colorful spools rested at my feet. I picked through the bewitched thread my mother had hand-spun long before my birth. No matter how many seasons passed, the spools unwound and unwound, and I no longer fretted about reaching their ends. There was no end to magic, no end to the seasons, no end to my place on the cusp of two worlds.

A delicate pink caught my eye, a color crafted from the cherry blossoms bordering my garden. I held it against the tapestry, testing its suitability for flowering plum trees and coral bells I’d stitch into the meadows and along the forest’s edge.

Vibrations – Children of Atlantis

Vibrations – Children of Atlantis By A. R. Alexander
Publication date: November 12, 2024
Buy Link: Coming Soon...
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Summary:

Nada and Kani, two sixteen-year-olds with secrets as deep as the ocean, are about to face the truth. Nada, an orphan hiding her ability to read sound waves despite being deaf, has kept her powers buried for years, fearing rejection and isolation. Kani, who seems like a typical popular kid, also harbors a secret, he can sense and manipulate vibrations around him, a gift he’s never fully understood.

When a string of unexplainable attacks turns their world upside down, Nada and Kani are thrust into a hidden war between ancient forces. Atlantis, the legendary lost civilization, isn’t just a myth: it’s their destiny. Together, they must unravel the mysteries of their origins and confront mythical creatures determined to stop them. With the survival of Atlantis, and possibly the world, on the line, Nada and Kani must face their fears and inner demons. But can they rise to the challenge and prove they are the champions Atlantis has been waiting for? Or will their secrets be their undoing?

—

EXCERPT:

Nada
December 21, 2012
NADA

I can feel the gritty sand under my hands as I hit the ground. My battle partner lies still beside me, his chest barely rising and falling. I reach out, my fingers brushing through his blood-soaked hair, feeling the ragged rise and fall of his breath. The creatures’ footsteps grow louder, the sound of their approach heavy and unrelenting. We wait for the final blow, completely spent. Every movement sends a fresh pulse of pain through our battered bodies, blood seeping steadily from our wounds. I shut my eyes and think, Mom, forgive me. You told me to run, but I didn’t listen. The world around me starts to fade away.

Son of the Siren

Son of the Siren By Kristina Elyse Butke
Publication date: July 2, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Sometimes love is a curse, a twisted, unnatural obsession.

Such is the dark magic of a siren’s song, the power of which half-siren Lirien witnesses for himself as he watches his mother sing his father, the King of Ardeth, into the sea. In a fruitless attempt to reverse his father’s fate, Lirien sings the siren song himself, not knowing its true power is seduction. Instead, he ensnares his stepmother, the Queen, with its hypnotic melody.

When Lirien refuses her desperate advances, she turns to forbidden magic to force her love on him. But wishing upon a havoc stone is an invitation to chaos. The queen’s own son and daughters, Lirien’s beloved siblings, are whisked away and transformed into animals. They flee the kingdom, and Lirien chases after them, his beautiful voice also gone.

Through elven mountains, fae forests, and siren waters, Lirien will stop at nothing to find and save his family. Threats come at him from all sides, but there are allies, too—Kitra, a shapeshifting fae fox who vows vengeance on the Queen for killing her brother, and Brandegil, an elf who can awaken the sacred sword Alibrandr to help break the spell on the children.

Together, they’ll bring the stars raining down from the heavens if that’s what it takes to save Lirien’s family, but there’s still the matter of breaking the spell on the Queen. And Lirien’s own deadly curse haunts him should he stray too long from the sea.

—

EXCERPT:

On the night of his twentieth birthday, Lirien was dreaming he was a golden bird with long, lustrous plumage, when a wordless song invaded his sleep. A woman’s voice, rich and beautiful, floated upon the warm summer breeze through the open balconette window, but it wasn’t until he felt the gentle brush of her breath against his ear that Lirien opened his eyes.

He was alone in the darkness of his room, but the song caressed him with silky fingers. A tingling warmth traveled his skin before it settled down as a hot knot in his stomach. He felt something like a tug at his waist, pulling him forward.

He didn’t remember standing or walking. He was in his bed, and then he was on the beach with the hulking silhouette of the castle and cliffs rising behind him. He thought he was dreaming again, until the cold water washed over his bare feet and, at last, the dreamlike haze within him dissolved.

Storm and Flame (Enchanted, #1)

Storm and Flame (Enchanted, #1) By Mallory Wanless
Publication date: September 22, 2022
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Elena has always been a disappointment. Her magic is practically non-existent and now, on her sixteenth birthday, she is expelled from magic school by the strict headmistress–also known as her mother. Cast out into the world of the magically inept with only her familiar for company, Elena feels lost and alone until she meets a strange boy in the woods.

Quinn is a thief, a hunter, and a hothead. His unexpected friendship with Elena awakens a fiery side in him–quite literally– and uncovers new and surprising magical abilities. Except men aren’t supposed to be capable of magic.

With Quinn’s help, Elena carves a safe new life as a barmaid, but when she is attacked, her powers awaken with shocking ferocity. Elena’s explosion of magic creates a power surge that attracts the attention of magical investigators, sent to uncover and contain the source of the power surge.

But the awakening of their powers kickstarts an ancient prophecy. Will they be able to escape those that hunt them? Can they fulfill the prophecy, destroy the turmio and save magic from being destroyed once and for all?

Content warning: the story mentions incidents of child abuse, sexual assault, and birth trauma. May not be suitable for some readers.

Storm and Flame is the first in a completed trilogy. A found family low-spice series perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series, Margaret Rogerson’s Sorcery of Thorns, and Phillip Pullman’s Golden Compass.

—

EXCERPT:

“Come on. Just work, dammit,” Elena muttered to herself, trying for the millionth time to cast her spell.

Agon had stretched his lithe, weasel-like body across a long, skinny patch of sunlight on the floor of the testing room. He’d spent the morning basking in the warmth of the sun-drenched stone and flicking his fluffy blue-black tail back and forth. As her closest, and arguably only, friend, Agon knew nothing he could say would make her feel better. She was in a mood, and the best thing he could do was to leave her be.

Sparks flared and quickly sputtered out from Elena’s fingertips.

The Winchester Codex

The Winchester Codex By Frances Spurrier
Publication date: January 2, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Books can be dangerous. Fitz believes he is guardian of one of the most dangerous of all – The Winchester Codex was responsible for wiping out the entire draconic race, of which he is one of the last vestiges. 

Caught in a trap from the deep time of history, the dragon had vowed to protect the book’s author. Yet in the 21st century, what relevance does this ancient manuscript have? He hides the codex in his attic and tries to forget about it.

A surprise visit from a friend leads to one last quest, forcing them both to confront their past.

In Swansea, Fitz and his friend Perceval happen upon a temporarily homeless teenager who joins them on a walk around the coast of Wales to raise funds for charity and records everything on social media.

But not all their followers are benign. Someone wants the codex that has lain neglected in Fitz’s attic for centuries and wants it badly. What started as a simple walk, ends with a journey into darkness and to the gates of death.

—

EXCERPT:

When he surfaced from the Tube, he realised with a jolt of panic that no-one had given him directions to the museum entrance. Or he’d forgotten to print out the email. Find phone, he thought grappling for his mobile in his rucksack. Find email. 

The arrangement was for two interviews, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, plus he was to be wheeled out for some guest appearances among the exhibits. The traffic as ever was dense and impatient. How could anyone think straight in all this noise and busy-ness? Already he felt a headache coming on.

Angelbound Tales Volume 1 (Angelbound Tales, #1)

Angelbound Tales Volume 1 (Angelbound Tales, #1) By Christina Bauer
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: March 19, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Love Myla Lewis? Don’t miss Angelbound Tales Volume One, a collection of five bonus stories from Myla’s world, including:

· Walker’s Love Connection, where Myla uncovers a secret about her honorary older brother 

· Sharkie and Snickerdoodles, in which our heroine faces down an uber-evil ghoul in order to get her hands on (what else?) some damned fine cookies. 

· Wedding Bells, aka the story of a certain happy couple getting married. Havoc ensues in more ways than one!
· Herbie and Baby Hotdogs, the tale of a quasi-demon whose ‘mortal sin power’ is gluttony. Consider yourself warned.
· Saving Mrs. Pomplemousse, a mini-romance that explores the true meaning of ‘soul mates.’ Say it with me now: awwww!

Originally released in special editions, these many tales now unite in one master collection that spans print, ebook and audio formats! 42,000 words.

***Warning*** If you don’t like quirky indie authors, then you’ll hate the following disclaimer from my inner pirate: Shiver me tinders, if ye haven’t read Angelbound books one through three, then these tales’ll frustrate ye more’n a drunk goat on astroturf. Argh!

Now back to my regular pirate-free self: I hope these stories provide a little escape from reality because, let’s face it, we all need one these days

—

EXCERPT:

Walker’s Love Connection
Myla

My tail and I always get along.

Until we don’t.

Take now, for instance. I drive my ancient station wagon, Betsy, through the many strip malls and weedy lots that make up Purgatory. My ride is an un-pimped junker whose radio stays eternally stuck on a polka station. As ‘Roll out the Barrel’ blares from Betsy’s tinny speakers, my tail jabs my shoulder in time to the music. This is its way of saying, I’m not happy with our destination.

My tail loathes trips to the Ghoul-E-Mart.

“Come on,” I plead. “I promised Mom that I’d pick up milk from the Ghoul-E.” Technically, our overlords sell us something called white liquid product.

Bride of the Mountain King (Kings of Starfall, #1)

Bride of the Mountain King (Kings of Starfall, #1) By Misty Malkasian
Publication date: March 29th 2024
Buy Link: Pre Order
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary:

She must wed a powerful ally to save her kingdom. But a terrifying ghost king steals her instead.

Princess Liosa keeps half of her face hidden under a curtain of hair. She must wed to save her kingdom from the looming threat of attack by the Rose Court, but if a future husband ever found out the truth of her face, she could lose both her kingdom and her life.

But on the day she’s supposed to choose from a room full of suitors, a terrifying king arises from underground and steals her away to the Hollow Deep—and he may be worse than all the other suitors combined. He may not even be alive.

Liosa, now a queen of a strange kingdom she’d never known existed, must navigate its perils as she struggles with her terrifying new surroundings and marriage. Unsure of herself and petrified beyond what she’d ever imagined, she grapples with the same question she’s asked herself her whole life: why has the Great One chosen to inflict so much suffering on her? Hasn’t she suffered enough?

As she finds herself drawn deeper into her husband’s world, she learns of deadly goings-on in the Hollow Deep, plans that could set into motion a chain of cataclysmic events in Starfall. She must decide if she wants to remain terrified and useless, or if perhaps the Great One brought her to the Hollow Deep for a reason after all.

She only wonders—why did the Mountain King choose her? And can she ever love a creature made of mist?

With a new take on fae fantasy and an undercurrent of faith, Kings of Starfall is a connected series of clean standalone romances with their own happily-ever-after, leading up to a single cataclysmic event that must be stopped before the entire world falls to ruin.

Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and Sylvia Mercedes’ The Moonfire Bride, prepare to be swept into the dark and glittering world of Starfall…

The Penance of Valentine Cash

The Penance of Valentine Cash By Rebecca Rook
Publication date: January 16, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Neil Gaiman’s American Gods meets Jennifer Mason-Black’s Devil and the Bluebird in this modern adaptation of the Greek legend The Twelve Labors of Hercules for young adult fantasy readers.

Valentine Cash is dead.

When she dies in an accidental collision she caused on the cusp of musical fame, Valentine is offered a deal: Complete a series of difficult tasks to get her life back. Fail, and she dies a final, everlasting death. Guided by Route 66 the Mother Road of America on her quest, she tackles one herculean task after another, giving up a piece of herself with each trial.

Valentine begins to understand that the fame she once sought won’t bring her happiness or belonging – and if she fulfills the penance, she must decide what’s more important: Her old life or restoring the lives of the strangers who died alongside her.

The young and the ancient, the tangible and the mythical, collide as Valentine learns the true meaning of redemption, connection, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

—

EXCERPT:

The Huntsmen had arrived.

They were all large, dressed in furs, leathers, and thick boots. The men had thick beards and braids; the women either wore braids or had shorn hair. All of them wore armor of some kind, with runic designs upon their crests. Ghost green flames danced and kissed across their skin. As Valentine watched, she saw that their skin flickered and faded in the moonlight, alternately translucent and opaque. During the translucent phases, she saw their skeletons underneath.

She shivered.

Then, beyond the Huntsmen, she saw the mounts.

The Withering Trials of Gwendolyn Gray (The Chronicles of Gwendolyn Gray, #3)

The Withering Trials of Gwendolyn Gray (The Chronicles of Gwendolyn Gray, #3) By B.A. Williamson
Publication date: November 18, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Summary:

She Saved the City, But Lost Her Life

What would you do if your parents disappeared? How would you live, barely scraping by, lying to everyone in your life?

Two years ago, Gwendolyn Gray saved the City. But The Blackstar stole her parents and took them to another world. She lost her powers, her portals, and even her hair. 

So while the rest of the City is reveling in its newfound freedom, Gwendolyn has spent two years dodging the clutches of the Childkeeper and the Home for Unclaimed Children. Balancing work and school and impersonating her own parents hasn’t been great for her bipolar disorder, either.

So when a school bully and a vengeful faerie bring her carefully constructed lies crashing down around her, Gwendolyn seizes the chance to travel through the realms of story again, trying to find the world where her stolen parents are hidden. 

But battling bills is nothing compared to the gothic vampires and eldritch horrors she’ll meet along the way. And on a world of smoke and lightning and metal, a teenage rebel holds the key to saving her parents and getting back the life she lost.

Because growing up isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

—

EXCERPT:

An Unexpected Party

The phone rang, and Gwendolyn squealed in surprise. She sprang out of bed and dashed into the ruined living room, but she tripped over something dark and furry, and fell flat on her face.

The black cat rubbed itself against her cheek.

“Ugh.” Gwendolyn shoved the cat away and got to her feet. “As if destroying my home wasn’t enough. This is the last time I take in a stray.”

The cat bounded away and Gwendolyn started toward the phone in the kitchen, but at that moment, there was a knock at the door.

She froze, torn between the ringing and the knocking. But an unexpected knock was almost certainly a sign of trouble, the kind that made scratched up furniture seem tiny in comparison. The kind of trouble where polite men would politely tip their pointed caps and politely pack her away to the Home for Unclaimed Children.

War of the Land

War of the Land By Dana Claire
Publication date: December 7, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary:

His valor could save the lands. Her darkness could consume it.

In a world where mortals are hapless pawns moved at the whims of gods, a defiant Titan emerges from the shadows of history. Prometheus, having once defied Zeus to gift mankind with fire, dares to challenge the heavens to a new match. Now, he fights not just to ease man’s suffering, but to prevent Zeus from clearing the board. Success or failure depends on a future queen.

Princess Savina of the Isle of Cava, a demi-god whose powers hold sway over life and death, becomes the latest target of her grandfather Zeus’s merciless vendetta. Exploited by family, she gambles her last shred of trust on the enigmatic Duke of Eloqua, her promised consort. But is he a white knight, or is he part of a more insidious plot to weaponize her against her own people?

As the celestial storm brews and loyalties are tested, the land’s fate balances on a knife’s edge. Can a Titan and demi-god stand united against Olympus, or will their dangerous newfound flame for one another burn their beloved world to ash?

—

The Queen’s Crown (League of Rulers, #1)

The Queen’s Crown (League of Rulers, #1) By Jennifer Anne Davis
Publication date: October 19, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Summary:

Eighteen-year-old Princess Sabine Ludwig of Backley thought her biggest problem was finding a man remotely interesting to dabble with while trying to fill her days with something other than knitting or drinking tea. 

But when her dear sister is brutally murdered in a foreign kingdom a week before she’s to be married, Sabine suddenly wishes for boring, ordinary days again.

Seeking retribution, Sabine decides to take her sister’s place and marry the mysterious king of Lynk. It’s the only way she can hunt down and find the killer. It’s the only way she can get revenge. When she finds the king far more appealing than she’d intended, it becomes difficult to keep her wits about her and remember why she’s there.

Thrown into a world of lies, power struggles, and seduction, Sabine must learn to navigate through the foreign kingdom’s dangerous court as she seeks her sister’s killer. The closer she gets to discovering who it is, the more she questions who she can trust—including herself.

—

EXCERPT:

“I really don’t feel like dancing right now.” Sabine needed to be alone to think over everything the man from Avoni had just said.

“Neither do I.” He clasped his hands behind his back and headed toward the balcony. He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, the invitation clear.

Being away from the dancing couples sounded like a good idea, so she followed him. No one else was on the balcony. She rested her arms on the railing and looked out over the dark valley below, trying to calm her rattled nerves.

“Interesting outfit,” Axel said as he mirrored her position beside her. His mask was a deep purple, matching his pants and shirt.

Year of the Fledgling

Year of the Fledgling By Linda Kage
Publication date: July 29, 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Theron, the Eradicator, has one job: to protect the people of Starcast by killing the deadly creatures that attack them. That’s it.

Being an Eradicator comes with a heavy price, however, for he’s strictly prohibited from having any kind of personal contact with the villagers.

But one night, he sneaks into the town’s harvest festival, anyway, and meets the lovely, young healer’s apprentice.

As Theron grows close to her, it becomes harder to tell what’s more dangerous: risking a fatal injury while battling dark ones or risking fatal punishment by beginning a secret dalliance with a forbidden girl.

In either case, doom seems to be the only outcome, and tension mounts as love and danger blur across the reach of this fantastical, seaside landscape.

—

EXCERPT:

She pounded on the thick door as hard and loudly as she could.

When it began to open and she had her first look at his face again—his features a mask of puzzled bewilderment—the terrible pressure in her chest finally released in a flood, and it all seemed to spill right out of her mouth.

“Wha…?” he started to ask.

But the flood had already hit her.

“I am beyond vexed with you,” she seethed, flinging off her hood so he could see the full extent of her rage before she pushed past him to enter the watchtower.

Thorns at Sunrise

Thorns at Sunrise By Janeen Ippolito
Publication date: March 23rd 2023
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Summary:

A young queen. Her imaginary friend. A kingdom on the verge of death.

She believes she’s crazy.

Queen Usilea has a secret–and he lives in her mind. Ever since she was six years old, her imaginary friend has been her closest companion, and her arranged marriage has been a great dread. When she learns her betrothed and the royal family have suddenly died, she feels obligated to attend the funeral in the foreign land of Absteph–and perhaps learn more behind their mysterious passing.

He only wants the truth.

Petar endures great pain to protect those he does not remember. His only solace is a shadowy woman who he loves–even though she denies that he exists. When a terrible tragedy occurs in his kingdom, that mysterious woman is his only hope of bringing justice to light. For the cage that imprisons him grows harsher every day, and he is losing the fight.

But there are thorns at sunrise.

Brought together on the barest thread of reality, Usilea and Petar must discover what really happened to the royal family. But Petar’s time is running out. Soon not even a Mender like Usilea will be able to save him.

This YA romance features a gender-swapped Sleeping Beauty in an original fantasy world on the brink of doom.

—

EXCERPT:

Her imaginary friend was playing a new trick on her. This time, she would discern his meaning.

Usilea set down the quill on the paper, frowning at the words mocking her from the page. She pressed her lips together in thought. Thorns at sunrise? What could it mean? What was her mind trying to tell her?

“What do you think of my riddle?”