New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday APRIL 29

starbreakerHoping this weekly post of mine finds you well and safe…

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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STARBREAKER (NIGHT CHASER BOOK 2) by Amanda Bouchet

THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES – Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.  BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST – The clock is ticking. But as their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.

Amazon      Apple Books

barbarians treasureBARBARIAN’S TREASURE (ICE PLANET BARBARIANS BOOK 21) by Ruby Dixon

Everyone knows Megan and Cashol hit it off the moment they resonated…didn’t they? But when Josie goes into labor, an off-hand comment makes Megan point out to her friend that no, things weren’t always so smooth. Just because resonance is immediate doesn’t mean it’s immediately perfect. But also…just because it’s an instant bond doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Sometimes it’s very, very right.

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chinatownCHINATOWN by J Scott Coatsworth

VS Note: Not listed as a romance. Listed in short reads. I do always enjoy his writing…

Deryn is a dreamcaster in the new Chinese enclave in what was once San Francisco. He and his girlfriend Gracie scrape together a life, living in an old department store and struggling to live by the Charter under Chinese rule. But when someone offers a way out, Deryn is afraid he might lose everything if it goes wrong, including his unborn child. Until he learns that a worse fate awaits them all if he doesn’t act.

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truthbreakerTRUTHBREAKER: DISTANT WORLDS BOOK 5 by Kelly Lucille

Trig Kelia is employed by the High Ambassador of the Planetary Alliance as a truthseeker. It’s the safest place she could be with the secrets that she is keeping. Hiding in plain sight has worked for years to keep her out of the hands of powerful beings that would use her for her gifts. It’s safe… as long as no one finds out what she really is.

Captain Tyber Relian, his first mate Lore Trugarian, and the crew of the Jezebel are sent on a rescue mission for a truthseeker. Taking her from the most protected ship in the Alliance is a gamble, but with a megalomaniac like Cor Warrung on her heels they won’t take chances. Turns out getting the beautiful seemingly fragile female away from a regiment of elite space marines may be the least dangerous thing they do on this trip.

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aliens undoingTHE ALIEN’S UNDOING (DRIXONIAN WARRIORS BOOK 3) by Ella Maven

Reba: I consider myself a true crime expert. Never let yourself be transported to a second location. Kidnapping 101, right? Well, not on an alien planet apparently. I escaped the pack of blue aliens on hover bikes only to fall victim to even worse aliens. I must have missed the danger hierarchy memo during Outer Space Abduction Orientation. My only hope is the blue alien who tracked me down, but now he’s a prisoner too, and he’s not too happy with me…

Ward: Everything is going according to plan until the loud yellow-haired human decides to leap off the back of my bike and get herself taken by the slimy Rizars. My leader’s order is simple: Retrieve the human. His orders aren’t to desire her with every beat of my heart, but that’s exactly what happens. Now we’re on the run together, trying to survive. One thing is certain: she’s mine, and I’ll protect her until my last breath.

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arabis triadTHE ARABIS TRIAD: A NEGARI SCI-FI ALIEN ABDUCTION REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE by Charmaine Ross

Evelyn – Evelyn Ford isn’t prone to bouts of hallucinations, but she seriously wishes she was after weeks crammed into a tiny cage and tortured by Reptilian aliens. Then, she’s rescued by three of the sexiest ‘men’ she’s ever laid eyes on, if men have swirling magenta tattoos and black horns growing out of their head, that is. She knows they’re aliens, and aliens don’t mean anything good, so when she finds herself finally free, she bolts—right out of a space craft and into the wilds of a tropical alien planet.
The Arabis Triad – Paxt, Coltan, Ashir – The Arabis Triad can’t believe their eyes when they find their fated mate until disaster sends them into a wormhole to crash-land on a distant planet. Their mate doesn’t understand who they are and what they mean to each other. To make matters worse, the crystal they’ve been searching for that will save their Homeland remains in the hands of the Reptiles. They must retrieve the Arabis Crystal before all is lost. But how can they do the impossible, when not only do they need to fight the scaled ones, but an evil strong enough to crush entire galaxies?

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kissed by the alien mercenaryKISSED BY THE ALIEN MERCENARY (WARRIORS OF THE LATHAR BOOK 12) by Mina Carter

VS Note: A re-release of her story from the LOVED IN SPACE anthology.

Woken by a kiss, she didn’t expect her prince to be a handsome alien warrior. After being ill for months Lizzie Kalson wakes to a world she doesn’t recognize. Literally. That’s because it’s the home planet for an alien empire. Now she has to contend with the fact her sister is an alien princess and the hot as hell alien warrior whose deep, gravelly voice haunts her dreams. She should keep a level head but something about him makes her want to forget all about the differences between their species and wish for her own fairytale romance…Born with nothing, his honor is all he has. And he’d leave it all behind because of love...Saal has always had to fight for everything he has, including his place at the Healer’s Hall. Seen as a punishment by most, he doesn’t care. Not when it allows him to be close to the beautiful Lady Lizzie. He’s determined to make her his, but the cost is higher than he expected when cultural differences raise their ugly heads. Perhaps humans and lathar don’t get a happily ever after…But when Lizzie’s life is on the line, can Saal look past his heartbreak and save the only female he’s ever loved?

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remmelREMMEL (RAKUI WARRIORS BOOK 2) by Lena Grey and Juno Wells

On Earth, 12 female college students board a starship for A Year of Interstellar Education. Crashing on a primitive planet inhabited by barbarian aliens was not on their itinerary…
I did not want the Terran female as my mate. Now I cannot imagine life without her.
Jill-ee-un has the heart of a warrior and is as stubborn as a wild beast. She says she does not belong to me, that she does not want to be my mate. What she does not know is that she already is. For my heart to know true happiness, I must convince her that we belong together, that she is my forevermore bond. But first I must save her from the maw of a deadly trappol tree.

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possessive alien matePOSSESSIVE ALIEN MATE (SAVAGE MARTIANS BOOK 2) by Sue Mercury

Rem is completely taken by the beautiful dark-haired human who steps off the spacecraft from Earth. Tyra. His Tyra. After many years of solitude, he finally has a female to call his own. But he carries a dark secret, one which deeply affects his budding relationship with Tyra. She hasn’t given him any reason not to trust her, but as he tries to outrun the secrets that are haunting him, he finds himself restricting her freedom more and more, always on the premise of keeping her safe. Her furious response stuns him, but he refuses to back down—he’s determined to keep the female as his.

Tyra has spent her whole life looking to the stars and dreaming of leaving Earth. The prospect of becoming an alien mail order bride excites her and she signs up as soon as she reaches the minimum required age of twenty-one. But she’s in for a rude awakening when she meets her betrothed, a huge bossy Martian named Rem. He won’t let her out of his sight…in fact, he won’t let her do much, at all. His passionate kisses drive her wild, but he’s far too overprotective and prone to jealousy for her liking. Has she made a terrible mistake, or will the hunky green alien eventually come to his senses?

Amazon      Apple Books

playing cards with aliensPLAYING CARDS WITH ALIENS (KILBUS LORD BOOK 1) by Erin Raegan

VS Note: Author states this ends in a cliffhanger.

Small town. Small life. Smaller dreams. I’m content. Happy. It might not make sense to most people but this is the life I chose for myself. If there’s a small part of me that wants to travel and see the world, I’m okay with appeasing that desire with travel magazines and planning future vacations. I want this life and a life full of adventure. I don’t see why I can’t have both. I’m just fine with waiting. But something beyond me has already decided that my contentment with life is about to change. That change came with three new faces. Three new visitors that have suddenly—before I knew what was happening—taken over mine and my family’s lives. They live with us. They eat with us. They sleep and share a bathroom with us. I don’t remember inviting them. I don’t remember consenting to their invasion in our lives.I don’t remember much of anything these days.
But they’re here. He’s here. And I don’t think I want them to leave. I don’t want him to leave. At least until I realize why we stopped asking questions. Why we accept their vague explanations and strange mannerisms. Why we can’t shake the headaches.
Then I can’t get rid of them fast enough. I can’t get rid of him fast enough. Even if it breaks my heart.

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joaynnTHE PET PROJECT – JOAYNN by Amanda Milo

My alien keeper rescued me from a man I should have been able to trust: my father.
Raised by an alien, I never really learned how to interact with human people. And that’s fine. I’m happy just as I am. I never feel like I’m missing out on anything. …So I don’t understand why this new human, Lee, affects me so strangely. Then again, he did just admit that he’s been hunting me. If he hurts me, and Keeper finds out–he’s a dead man.
Ask me how I know.

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auctionedAUCTIONED: AN OMEGAVERSE ANTHOLOGY by Various

Algar-Din – Crown jewel of the Rathsima Empire. Home to the finest flesh markets in the galaxy. To be featured in a market square auction during the Unity Festival meant only the highest class of clientele would have the opportunity to bid. It was a reassurance that meant very little to the men, women, and aliens who were forced onto that stage and made to listen as the crowd decided how much – or little – their lives were worth. The most one could hope for was a merciful owner. But what if they found their mates instead? ~~~~~
This fabulous group of authors has joined together to bring you an Omegaverse/Sci-Fi crossover anthology filled to the brim with all the dark and naughty fun you’ve come to expect from these genres. All kinds of unique relationships between dynamics can be found within, as well as a variety of orientations. One thing they all have in common?
That Alpha growl.

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unbondableUNBONDABLE: BOOK ONE OF THE KINDRED BIRTHRIGHT SERIES (BRIDES OF THE KINDRED) by Evangeline Anderson

Kara is a rare Blood Kindred female…unfortunately for her, she has the fangs to prove it. To Kara’s dismay, it’s hard to find a warrior who wants to get bitten when things get hot and heavy. She’s tried dating humans too, but that doesn’t work out either. So when she meets Raakshas, a Kindred warrior with dark, silver-ringed eyes who actually likes her fangs, it seems like her troubles are over.

But there’s a problem…Raak is half Y’lyn–a kind of demon without a soul. And without a soul, there’s no hope of forming the permanent soul-bond that all Kindred have with their mates. Without the possibility of forming a bond, how can Kara give her heart to the big Warrior? And what will happen when she goes on an adventure to try a shrink her fangs and winds up naked in the Unseen Palace?

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arobis queenAROBI’S QUEEN (MATE INDEX BOOK 11) by S J Sanders

An Arobi pack needs a queen. It is instinctual, something that they yearn for until they finally find a female to complete their family. Exeri’s pack is no different, despite the fact that they’ve chosen to live far away from the rest of their kind. Although their post on Antari Minor is one filled with dangerous predators and unlawfulness that could only be found on a planet at the edge of federation space, they will use any means at their disposal to get their queen—even if that means making a bargain with a lone Edoka to use his accounts to order a bride from the Mate Index. When she arrives, Hayley is everything that they could ask for in a mate, but there is one little problem…their mate is plotting something. She will find that an Arobi pack is up to any challenge she presents them.

Hayley Benito was put in jail unjustly, but the Mate Index is the only way out of serving five to ten years for aggravated assault. She will marry an alien and fulfill the terms of her agreement, but there is nothing saying she had to stick with him. With a plan to give her “mate” the slip as soon as possible, she is surprised to find that one mate is actually four fiercely possessive males who are determined to keep her. Stuck on a planet full of wild beauty and many dangers, it is stupid to get attached and change her plans. Or is this everything she’s ever looked for?

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of steel and steamOF STEEL AND STEAM by Various

Love inventions, gadgets, and all things Victorian? This limited time anthology is just for you! With more than 900 pages of captivating fiction, you’ll be powered by steam, clockwork, hydraulics and gyroscopic action. With no more fear of harming the environment, our heroes can battle their villains in a world of fantastic flights of science and fantasy.

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alien gladiators prizeALIEN GLADIATOR’S PRIZE (STAR GLADIATORS BOOK 2) by Zara Starr

Even her scientific career didn’t prepare her for being abducted by aliens…
A biologist by trade, Amelia has always been curious about the world around her. She lives to learn and investigate, but those skills are put to test when she’s abducted by intimidating mantis-like aliens. A cool, analytical approach helps her assess the situation when she is paraded as a prize for the intergalactic gladiator tournament. But she needs a plan to escape. Enter Gage. One of the front-running gladiators of this season, he’s cocky, confident, and in-control. Amelia knows what she has to do to get out of this place. But is going with Gage really worth it? She’s just pretending to fall in love with him… right?

For the first time in his career, he wants to keep his prize…As a Qai, Gage is accustomed to predicting his opponents’ next moves to take a victory. A former weapons engineer, he has the skills and talent to win this tournament – for the third time in a row. He’s never been particularly interested in the female prizes, but this time, he can’t get the human female from his mind. She is different from the others. He wants to have her all for himself. He wants to win. This time, he’s in it for more than just the money. The female will be his.

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security agents alien bartenderSECURITY AGENT’S ALIEN BARTENDER: IN THE STARS ROMANCE: OLYMPUS STATION #3 by  Aurelia Skye

Agent Emily Ipsy is determined to make a name for herself. That leads to unauthorized shifts and sneaking around. She keeps running into Anthracite, the bartender. If he’s really just a bartender, why is he everywhere—and why can’t she stop thinking about him? Anth is stationed at Olympus Station on assignment from his government. He’s there to do a job, but Emily keeps getting in his way. She’s maddening, distracting, and pure temptation. He needs to keep his eyes on the job and hands off the security agent, but that’s proving impossible. When an old enemy of his people surfaces, he’ll need Emily’s help to find out why Baatesh is there and stop what he’s doing. After working with her at his side, will he ever want to let her go?

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alien kingALIEN KING (WARLORDS OF AEGIR BOOK 1) by Luna Hunter

My mission is to find Earth a new home. There’s just one tiny problem: A tall alien brute attacked my ship, stripped me, and took me as his prisoner. Now we’re heading to his icy alien homeworld, and the demanding warlord is not letting me out of his sight for even a second. In fact, his big blue claws are all over me. So what if his volcanic, smoldering eyes make me weak in the knees? Who cares if he’s hotter than the sun itself? I’ve got to escape. Before we reach his planet and he claims me as his eternal mate. Even if I’m starting to like the sound of that.

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bound by the ice alienBOUND BY THE ICE ALIEN (THEIR ALIEN MASTERS BOOK 1) by Alyx X

Izon purchased a human woman from the Terran Relocation Act. It was an easy way to get a cheap human servant… he ended up with something a bit more fiery. As captain of the Hydronian army Izon needed someone to replace his mate and raise his children, a cheap slave from the dying planet Earth seemed like a good fit. Until she arrived. Spunky, feisty, out-spoken humans were not what Terran advertised. Dangerous space dragons with tempers and wandering hands were not what Tessa wanted either. One of them will get what they want, and it’s going to end in a tangle. Sheets included.

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nojanNOJAN (THE VARTIK KING CHRONICLES BOOK 2) by Liza Probz

Mayra: I’ve known three things about myself forever. I’m a slave, slated to serve the feline king as oracle, and I’m hideous. The last one hurts the most, but the people in the palace never fail to make sure I know it and know it well. But things always change, and finally, it’s my turn. Unfortunately, a snap decision brands me a murderer. I’m forced to flee, but fate shines her face on me. In the process of running, I bump into the most handsome human male I’ve ever laid eyes on. Even in my embarrassment as a murderer, I am more concerned with hiding my ugliness than getting help, but he will have none of it. Is he the savior my mentor spoke of? The one that would free me from myself completely? I sure hope so.
Nojan: I’ve always been the smart one in the family. Such is life. But a chance arises to help my brother’s new mate, and I’m all in. Adventure calls and gives me a task. To kidnap the oracle of the Vanfian race. A feline race of beings that’s said to be deadly and disgusting. And this witch happens to belong to the king of the felines himself. Lovely.
Supposedly, the oracle is said to be grotesque, but someone got the definition wrong.
This woman is beyond beautiful and needs my help unlocking her powers. And there’s only one way we can make it happen… her loss of innocence.

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sorenFIRST CONTACT: SOREN (AN ALPHA QUADRANT SERIES BOOKJ 3) by Enid Titan

Soren falls to Earth with one mission…Observe humans in their natural environment.
Under no circumstances is he supposed to fall in love. The urge to mate with his subject, the beautiful blue-haired Nadia, is too strong. He needs to have her, to claim her, to mate her… Nadia has fallen in love with monsters before…But none like Soren. ..(more blurb on ebook seller page…)

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elves for cupcakeELVES FOR CUPCAKE: THE GIRLS ON THE HILL BOOK 3 by Marilyn Foxworthy

VS Note: Here’s the Author’s note, in part: Warning…or perhaps enticements: The stories of The Nogud, The Guardian Maidens, The Sea Nymphs, The Shrine Maidens, the Girls on The Hill Empire, and others are filled with mysteries, humor, good friendships, a bit of martial arts, post-apocalyptic fantasy, robots, philosophy, magic, elves, villains or horrible monsters, mating rituals, emotional turmoil and baggage and past wounding…and a lot of sex and casual nudity. The culture where these heroes live often have a tradition of having more than one mate, so that’s where the sex comes into it. These epic adventures don’t shy away from the graphic details of any of it. They are adventure stories for mature adults. A vicarious romp, and romping in the hay, with heroes, nymphs, and pixies. 

The blurb for this book: Robby and Alice, the Non-Biological, have some special projects in the works: some elves for Cupcake. She deserves them – they are every bit as much rascals and scamps as she is. They really do love doing the laundry and drinking orange soda.

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taken by the renegadeTAKEN BY THE RENEGADE (RISE OF THE SADECS BOOK 2) by Sadie Marks

Samantha is a masochist with no interest in the trappings of romance or submission, until she meets the sexy new Dominant in town and falls for him hard. But he’s not who she thought he was. He’s not even human. Trev is a renegade member of the sadistic Sadec race and by the time she learns it, she’s on his spaceship far from home. When she’s confiscated by his people as forbidden contraband, Sam finds herself reborn into her new life as Silla. She consents to fill her role as Pain Receiver and reluctantly learns to submit to their whims. But Trev is never far from her mind, and when she’s given the chance to get back to her renegade Sadec Dom, she realizes it’s worth risking everything to be with him.

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chance of a lifetimeCHANCE OF A LIFETIME (THE DRIFT BOOK 9) by Susan Hayes

VS Note: A re-release of her story in the LOVED IN SPACE anthology.

No risk. No reward. Erik O’Neill has finally stopped looking for trouble. Now, trouble’s come looking for him. After years of cage fighting, Erik is ready to step away from the Nova Club’s fight ring and into a new role – security for the club he calls home. All his plans change when a lovely loner starts visiting the club, and he finds himself caught between the need to safeguard his home and his friends, and his desire to protect the woman laying claim to his heart.
Chance is a cyborg with a secret. If the wrong people find her, she’ll lose her shot at having the life she dreams of – or any life at all. She’s come to the Drift looking for allies, but when she meets Erik, she discovers he can offer her more than safety. He’s her chance at happiness, too. When time runs out, she’ll have to make a choice that will change her life forever – keep running, or turn to the one man her heart tells her she can trust.

Amazon      Apple Books

dragon consultantDRAGON CONSULTANT (SUPERNATURAL CONSULTANT BOOK 1) by Mell Eight

VS Note: One review mentions an ‘”abrupt ending”. I believe more books are coming in the series.

Dane, a supernatural consultant, is hired by the FAA to look into a series of reported dragon attacks on their planes. What Dane finds in the wooded area where the attacks took place is not quite the problem he expected: a group of dragon kits and their sick father hiding from the authorities. When he learns the real reason the family was in the woods, his case grows more dangerous, and though Dane is experienced at both crime solving and watching his own back, taking care of baby dragons and their ill father makes everything else look easy.

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lola flaniganLOLA FLANNIGAN by Abigail Drake

VS Note: Listed in Superhero SF and scifi romance…

After getting struck by lightning seven times, hairstylist Lola Flannigan has a shocking problem. She can no longer touch anyone with her bare hands and must wear gloves for the protection of others. She isn’t sure if she’s freakishly lucky, or simply a freak. It makes her job as a beautician challenging. It makes her dating life nearly impossible. All it took was one little episode involving singed chest hair during a particularly intimate moment, and suddenly she’s a pariah in four-inch heels. Lola is ready to give up when sexy millionaire Morgan Slade struts into her shop. He promises to teach her more about herself than she could have ever imagined, including how to control her dangerous hands. But can Lola learn to trust Morgan, or will he be her biggest mistake of all?

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city of light and steamCITY OF LIGHT AND STEAM (CITY OF WAR BOOK 1) by Lexi Ostrow

Twelve years ago the Great Guilds put aside their rivalry and attempts for world control when a plague turned the sick into blood-thirsty beasts. Steam and Electricity no longer rivaled for world domination, but collaborated on tools to save their world. That ended when betrayal struck both Guilds, leaving them to fight the war separately.
Elise Nightingale was thrust into leadership of the Steam Guild when a ruthless vampire attack left her father and older brother’s dead. She was unprepared, and turned to the leader of the Electric Guild, Christopher Abbott, for help. On her way, she was attacked and left for dead.
Benjamin was smitten by the beautiful woman he found laying in the street just outside the guild mere feet from his Guildmaster. Posing as the head of the Electric Guild, he wooed her as best as he could, lying his way through things. Their love helps them to put aside differences and create great marvels, until she learns the truth and terminates the alliance.  As the vampires announce their claim to London, Elise and Benjamin will have to unite the guilds once more, or allow their city to fall. Their feelings must come second in the race to save London, but the lies of the past may destroy their future.

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overdoseOVERDOSE (THE GUNN FILES BOOK 2) by M G Herron

VS Note: Not a romance

Bounty hunter Anderson Gunn has had enough of this alien stuff. He can accept that offworlders live among us. He can even be friends with them. But that doesn’t mean he wants to be involved in their affairs. So, naturally, it’s just his luck that when Gunn tries to go back to his normal life of collecting bail-jumpers and minding his business, the Gatekeeper – Austin’s kingpin of extraterrestrial commerce – offers him a job. Worse, after Gunn refuses to take the gig, his buddy Vinny winds up in a drug-induced coma. Is this Gatekeeper’s dirty work? Or is there a new big ugly in town? One thing’s for sure…Gunn’s life won’t be going back to normal any time soon.

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hexing with a chance of tornadoesHEXING WITH A CHANCE OF TORNADOES: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION ROMANCE NOVEL (GRIMM COVE BOOK 2) by Mandy M Roth

A storm is brewing and so is a budding romance. I’ve been told I’m a force to be reckoned with. That I blow onto the scene like a tornado. I’ve stopped caring if that’s a compliment or a dig. Now I just wear it like a badge of honor. So when life threw me a curveball and I ended up going from a cushy job in New York City to the tiny Southern town of Grimm Cove, I thought I was ready for anything. Ha! Not quite.
You see, Grimm Cove is teeming with supernaturals. And since I’ve known they exist for a hot minute, I’m still in a state of total shock. When I learn that I come from a long line of witches and demon slayers, the stakes (pun intended) get even higher and sharper.
These monsters aren’t make-believe. They’re out for blood.

I’m trying to decide if having the alpha of the local wolf-shifter pack nipping at my heels is an asset in this fight, or if he’s one more person I need to watch my back around. I just wish he wasn’t so sexy and didn’t smell so good. He’d be a lot easier to resist. I have enough going on in my life as it is. I really do not have time for all this fated mate crap everyone keeps telling me about. My head and heart are at war and now isn’t the time for distractions, especially since it’s painfully clear that something evil wants me dead.

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suck it up buttercupSUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP (FIRST FANGS CLUB BOOK 2) by Kristen Painter

At 49, Belladonna Barrone’s life has taken some interesting turns. She unwittingly married into the mob but managed to get free when her husband died in a car accident. Most recently she was attacked and turned into a vampire, something else she never intended. As with everything, she’s made the best of her situation.
She just didn’t know this newest situation would also result in her becoming the vampire governor of New Jersey. It’s cool, though. The perks are great, the penthouse is spectacular, and the salary couldn’t have come at a better time. Vampire politics, on the other hand, might be more complicated than she anticipated.
She’s handling it all pretty well, including dealing with another governor who thinks she ought to do his bidding and telling her kids that she’s now one of the immortal, when a new wrinkle from her old life complicates things in ways she would rather ignore. But Belladonna isn’t the kind of woman who runs from her problems.
Instead, she makes a plan and attacks. With her friends at her side, everything goes off without a hitch. Or at least she thinks so until a note shows up telling her the one person who’s been instrumental in making sure her past life stays in the past is in serious dangerous. Belladonna suddenly fears she’s bitten off more than she can chew.
But she’s not about to sacrifice a single one of her friends, so there’s nothing left to do but suck it up, buttercup.

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fourth powerTHE FOURTH POWER: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION ROMANCE NOVEL (ORDER OF MAGIC BOOK 3) by Michelle M Pillow

Heather Harrison sees ghosts. It’s not something she brags about. In fact, she wished she didn’t. Communicating (or not communicating) with the dead only leads to heartache, and for her it led to a divorce. For the most part, she’s happy being single. She’s got a good business, close friends, and a slightly overprotective brother. What more does a forty-something woman need?

When her two best friends beg her for help in contacting loved ones, against her better judgment she can’t say no to the séance. But some gateways shouldn’t be opened, and some meddling spirits shouldn’t be stirred…like that of her Grandma who insists she’s “found her a nice man”. The supernaturals have come out to play and it’s up to this amateur medium to protect herself and her friends before the danger they summoned comes to bite them in the backside.

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sun brokenSUN BROKEN (WILD HUNT BOOK 11) by Yasmine Galenorn

Life isn’t easy when you bear the mark of the Silver Stag…Typhon, the Father of Dragons, is rising, and in his wake so are throngs of the departed. Amid the fallout, a serial killer emerges, targeting necromancers, psychics, and anyone dealing with the dead. Ember and the Wild Hunt head out on the trail of the killer, only to find themselves drawn into the dark underbelly of the Vampire Nation as they try to prevent the assassin from striking again. But the killer’s far more dangerous than anyone predicted, and now he’s got his sights set on his next target—Raven BoneTalker. Can Ember and Herne keep her safe, or will the killer slide beneath their radar and claim Raven as his next victim?

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storm bornSTORM BORN (THE WITCHES OF WHEELER PARK BOOK 1) by Christine Pope

Lightning doesn’t just strike twice for Adara Grant. It strikes all the time. She suffers a setback; the heavens open up. She gets bullied; a tornado flattens a barn. Addie’s mother has always found an excuse to move before whispers and stares morph into pitchforks, but Addie suspects there’s a connection. She just doesn’t know how. Or why.  Jake Wilcox is a witch hunter — for a good cause. His pet project is a powerful data-mining program that detects lone witches when their gifts manifest, thus bringing these “orphaned” witches under the Wilcox clan’s protection. When Jake follows a lead to tiny, remote Kanab, Utah, he discovers a young witch as wild and beautiful as a desert storm. But he’s not the only witch hunter in town, and in an instant, Jake and Addie are on the run from someone hungry to use her gift for evil. Addie finds a new home and protection with the Wilcox clan, but as danger closes in like an icy storm front, she faces a heartbreaking choice to protect her newfound family — and the man she’s coming to love.

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shadowborn academy year threeSHADOWBORN ACADEMY: YEAR THREE (DARK FAE ACADEMY SERIES BOOK 3) by G Bailey and Scarlett Snow

Secrets thrive in the Enchanted Forest and one girl must find a way to stop the fae war before it’s too late. With her sister raising titans and gods, the light in her dreams turning out to be a lie, and her men in grave danger…life at the academy has never been this dangerous. A mirror once spoke of a girl born in hate who could stop a war. But does that girl stand a chance against the power of the fae?

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dancing with a princeDANCING WITH A PRINCE (MATCHMAKERS IN TIME BOOK 3) by Kit Morgan

All Mitzi Fine ever dreamed of was following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a cop. She worked as a security guard in a small casino downtown, took judo and jujitsu classes and met the minimum requirements to start the process of getting into the police academy. But friends and family weren’t keen on her decision. For one, she was tiny. At 4’11” and 110 pounds they told her she was hardly a threat and perhaps they were right. For when she chased a suspicious character down a back alley one night, she got way more than she bargained for! A lot more.

Prince Asger Berg was betrothed to a princess from a neighboring kingdom. His parents assured him the arrangement would bring prosperity to Dalrovia and enrich his life. He doubted that. Princess Velta was incredibly beautiful, yes, but a shrew. But when a woman falls into his lap out of the blue one day (quite literally) he sees a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, she’s as strange as Velta is beautiful. Yet for some reason, he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Problem is, if he ignores his duty and doesn’t marry the princess, the result could be war. Can Time Master Dallan MacDonald and his friends bring these two together without destroying two countries? Find out in this third installment of the Matchmakers in Time Series!

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sealed by fireSEALED BY FIRE: THE NATURE HUNTERS ACADEMY SERIES BOOK 2 by Quinn Loftis

Hell is easy to get into but almost impossible to escape. Tara Thompson is an elementalist, given the powers of earth when her parents were murdered. Now that she knows about the supernatural world around her, she has been recruited to join other earth elementals at Terra Academy, one of the four schools that train young elementalists to battle against dark elemental spirits and their acolytes.

But fighting dark spirits isn’t the only thing occupying Tara’s mind. In addition to discovering the supernatural world, Tara has learned that she and Elias–Mr. Tall, Dark, and British and an earth elementalist himself–are soul bonded, which means they hold a special place in the elemental world. Unfortunately, Tara doesn’t have time to dwell on what this means because her best friend, Shelly Smith, has been trapped in the underworld by a crazed fire elemental. The only person who can help her is, Ra Nasir, a fire elementalist from Crimson Academy and one of Elias’s best friends.

Meanwhile, Shelly will learn that burning in hell is the least of her worries because Osiris, the lord of the underworld wants her to rule hell by his side. Overseeing lost souls and making demon babies was not in Shelly’s five-year plan. She will do whatever it takes, even sacrifice her heart to the handsome Ra, to escape from Osiris’s clutches. But will Ra get to her in time?

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dragon king honfleurTHE DRAGON KING (BLADE AND ROSE BOOK 5) by Miranda Honfleur

After Jon’s near brush with death, Rielle couldn’t be happier when he awakens. As he resumes his duties and his normal life, however, it becomes clear he is changed–perhaps forever. There is a power in him, and a darkness, that threatens to consume him… for all time. With the Order of Terra and the Tower of Magic now serving the Crown, Emaurria is stronger than ever, but the threats it now faces might lead to the kingdom’s undoing. Locked in open war against the Divinity of Magic, Emaurria is in grave danger and, worse, divided at its core. The Houses see opportunity in a withdrawn king, and Rielle, Brennan, and Olivia fight to keep stability as they try to reach Jon, while Leigh finds himself damned and looks for the strength to save himself before he can save the world from the Rift.
As the Houses and the war poke a sleeping dragon, they invite flames that could char Emaurria to mere glowing embers. Can Rielle and her friends reach Jon before it’s too late, or will he be lost to the darkness, and Emaurria to the flames of dragon fire?

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her dragon protectorHER DRAGON PROTECTOR (BLACK CLAW DRAGONS BOOK 2) by Roxie Ray

When I show up in Black Claw with bruises on my face and a split lip, I’m not looking for another man – I’ve made enough bad choices in that department. I’m ready to lie low with my best friend and pray to god that my ex doesn’t come to find me. But Axel isn’t like any of the guys I’ve been drawn to before. I’m not ready for a new relationship. I know that. But Axel sneaks inside my heart before I’ve even realized he’s there, and his touch sets my body alight with desire. But still… there’s something off about him. And when I find out his secret, I’m not sure I can stand the heat. If my human ex was terrible, could a dragon be any better? He says it’s fate. Still…I’m scared to risk my heart again. But when danger comes knocking, I know Axel’s the one I need to protect me.

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gilded stoneTHE GILDED STONE (DARK TIDES BOOK 5) by Candace Osmond

Make a choice. Go back in time. Save them from the devil…What good is a happily ever after if it’s all ripped away by the hands of a devilish siren? When Dianna’s children go missing, she and Henry are left with no choice but to do something they swore they’d never do again…travel back to the 1700s. But with their children’s lives in the hands of an unpredictable siren, they must make a hasty decision; trust that the sea creature will return their kids…or find a way to go back in time and risk never coming home again.
They soon realize they’ll have to travel further than they’ve ever gone; beyond our world to the mythical realm of Faerie to save their children. A task easier said than done. The rumored entrance lays across the ocean. They needed a ship. And a crew… In hopes of saving the family they started in the future, Dianna and Henry must search for the family they left behind in the past and travel across the sea to an unknown world. But four years is a long time and things aren’t quite as they left them. Can they sail across the sea and uncover the entrance to Faerie before it’s too late? Or will they find themselves broken hearted and lost in time with nowhere to go?

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vampire 88A SHADE OF VAMPIRE 88: ISLE OF MIRRORS by Bella Forrest

If there were other doppelgangers in The Shade, how would we know? And how could we reveal them before it was too late? Where is the real Isabelle?

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devils food rippleDEVIL’S FOOD RIPPLE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP (ONE SCOOP OR TWO) by Laura Strickland

Fenady Clark’s dream of owning an ice cream parlor has inspired her through some of life’s hardest challenges. Just when the grand opening’s within reach, that wicked rogue, Sebastian Bane, opens shop and starts serving Fenady’s designer flavors, all renamed. She suspects he’s using black magic to poach her recipes, and if she weren’t a good witch instead of a bad witch, she’d whip up a spell and retaliate.
Sebastian’s come all the way from England to establish his family’s business near Salem. He can’t explain how he and the lovely Fenady keep creating the same ice cream confections, unless it’s enchantment, or fate. Is there room in town for both their dreams? And what will it take to convince an angry white witch she needs him in her life?

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impassioned choiceTHE IMPASSIONED CHOICE (ETHERYA’S EARTH BOOK 5) by Rebecca Hefner

Heden, the youngest Vampyre royal, has always strived to live up to his sovereign duty.  As the most gifted programmer in the immortal world, he applies his skills to protect the kingdom and the family he adores. But his siblings have all settled down with families of their own, and Heden often feels like a perpetual third wheel.   Wracked with guilt after her grandfather’s violent death, Sofia Morelli made a sinister pact with an unknown ally. Utilizing her tech ingenuity to plan the ultimate attack against the immortal royals, she begins to realize they might not be the nefarious enemies she believed them to be.    As Heden discovers the new adversaries and learns someone on the Secret Society shares his hacking prowess, he realizes the human, Sofia, might actually hold the key to defeating them. Determined to turn the feisty woman to his side, he employs his jovial nature and seduction skills to win her over. But when their tentative connection turns into something more, Heden understands a coding war isn’t the only thing he could lose to the spunky human. For, he might just lose his heart to someone who can never share his immortal future.

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school of broken wingsSCHOOL OF BROKEN WINGS: ACADEMY OF SOULS BOOK 4 by C R Jane and Mila Young

With brave wings she flies…Adeline Jones always suspected Raven Academy was filled with monsters. And now those monsters want her. The Academy was meant to be a new start… instead it broke her. Now, all that stands between her death and survival are the Raven boys. They were her enemies. They became her protectors. And now, she’ll have to make the greatest sacrifice of all to save them…Sometimes discovering the truth about your past means losing everything in the future.

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vampire trialsVAMPIRE TRIALS: THE SUMMONING (THE VAMPIRE TRIALS BOOK ONE) by Storm Song

Drax. Colt. Finn. The three vampire bad boys that have been terrorizing the night life of this city since they were old enough to know what a party was. On top of being insanely rich and handsomely supernatural there’s one more thing that makes them untouchable- they’re next in line to rule this city. For the last hundred years humans have been at the bottom of the food chain since the rise of supernaturals, and in our city vampires rule the roost. Divided into three different triads, each section of the city has a vampire governor who is fit to do as he pleases. Drax, Colt, and Finn are next in line for those thrones. To keep their subjects in line every five years they do a purge where every adult man is fair game for any vampire to feed on for twenty-four hours. To determine which triads need to participate in the purge and which one will be exempt, three people from each triad are summoned to partake in a sick and twisted game to survive. The winner gets to guarantee safety for their community. The losers die.

For years I had kept my head down, followed every triad law, and focused on keeping my mother alive. But an announcement that women will now be included in the summoning turns my world upside down. The first person to be summoned from triad three is me.  I came into this prepared to fight for my life, but what I didn’t expect was the city’s supernatural playboys’ attraction to me. In the Vampire Trials only one thing matters to me- getting home to my mom. And when I say I’d do anything to get there, I mean it. But piece by piece the trials chip away at who I thought I was and what I thought I knew about supernaturals. The worst part? I love it.

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end gameEND GAME (THE FOUNDLING SERIES BOOK 5) by Hailey Edwards

Orphan. Daughter. Cop. Villain . . . Savior? This has all happened before. For millennia, our world has been the only remaining stone in the proverbial shoe of the universe’s most powerful forces. Their continued failure to conquer Earth has led to this: their last chance for success, and for Luce and her coterie, their only chance to save mankind, their own lives, and the world. As the last war begins, Luce and her mate Cole face danger on every front, from the angels and their all-powerful leader, from the demon inside Luce who will take any chance to break free from her pesky humanity, to the secrets her so-called allies seem to be keeping. Worst of all, they’ve got to keep finding new babysitters for one small, extremely loyal, far-too-fearless and very determined baby dragon.  At least Luce and Cole are in it together . . . or that’s what Cole thinks. For Luce is keeping a secret. She might be able to save the world, but she won’t be able to save herself. As the end of days draws near, Luce must do everything she can to hide the truth, for the sake of those she loves.

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yesterdays woesYESTERDAY’S WOES (A SLIP IN TIME BOOK 4) by Jane O’Brien

Traveling through time and life has never been easy for the Clark sisters, but in this fourth book of the ‘A Slip in Time’ series, life is more problematic than ever. Every character we have grown to know and love has a trouble or ‘woe’ of their own. Every thought or idea of the way we expected life to turn out for them is turned upside down.Luke and Fran have a new plan for their future, but there always seem to be obstacles in their way. Can they fulfill their dream?Dora and Daniel find themselves in a marriage that’s barely hanging on by a thread, until a tragedy binds them together; but for how long?Ned London is not exempt from troubles of his own in 1881. Will he lose everything, or will he be able to forge a life for himself?Ruth can only stand by and watch as the love of her life, Ned, charts another course; and Mavis, her best friend, struggles to find a way out of being the ‘mother’ to her siblings. Growing weary of the job that was thrust upon her at an early age, Mavis chooses a dangerous course with a stranger. Will she regret her decision?The Village of Twin Lake is growing. New people are arriving every day. Some will have a profound impact on the lives of the people we already know and love. How will they affect the lives of the Clarks and the Graingers? Only time will tell.

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dutch harbor kodiakDUTCH HARBOR KODIAK (THE NIGHT SHIFT CREW BOOK 2) by C D Brennan and Gemma Brocato

Broke and desperate, Benjamin (Ben) Shelikhov is on the verge of quitting the Night Shift Crew and leaving Dutch Harbor. He needs to earn a lot of cash in a short amount of time to help pay his sister’s mounting medical bills. And that dire need means moving away from Unalaska and the team who have become more like brothers than crew mates. But the silent, serious Kodiak shifter is the Night Shift’s only hope, and the guilt is killing him.

Cassiopeia (Cassie) Taqukaq wanders into town one day along with the Shift’s new engine equipment for the brown crab season. The Native Alaskan beauty is a shifter and a wanderer, proud of it all, especially her brown bear. But she isn’t a stayer, doesn’t want to stick to any one person or place. For the most part, people have just let her down. But when it comes to Ben and Cassie’s chemistry, it’s off the charts, and it doesn’t take long for things to heat up. They match in so many ways, but will either of them open their hearts enough to stay?

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exiled heirEXILED HEIR (MOON BOUND BOOK 1) by Abigail Cole

She was the life sentence I never knew I needed…Raised to be ruthless as well as empathetic, everything in life has always come easy for Jaxon. Too easy, for his liking. As commander of the vampire army, he is equally admired as he is envied, not that he cares. So when his King suddenly announces a competition for an illusive yet ‘immense’ prize, Jaxon jumps at the chance of a challenge. Maybe this will distract him from his boredom for a short while. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that this would only be the beginning of a journey he couldn’t have prepared for.

Iona is no stranger to pain, suffering comes as second nature to her. As the rejected off-spring of two rival species, she doesn’t fit in anywhere or with anyone. Until the night a dark and dangerous being comes for her, turning her world on its axis. Testing her resilience and pushing her to embrace both of the monsters lurking within. Will she survive the tests that life is about to throw at her and find a place to finally belong?

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mating the predatorMATING THE PREDATOR (PARANORMAL WARS BOOK 4) by Shea Balik

Zeke Torres was always picked on because he was a scared mouse shifter. When his mother married a hawk shifter, he had to suffer through his stepbrother’s cruelty on a daily basis. He fought hard for his independence and vowed to never be under the control of anyone else.
Rangi Ku is an eagle shifter and Director of Communications for the Alliance’s Northern Territory. Working late one night, he was shocked when his computer was hacked (a feat that no one had ever done), with a message asking for help. He saved the man who hacked into their network and was surprised to find Zeke was his mate. When Alek, their Alpha Primus, accuses Zeke of being a traitor, Zeke must find the courage to put aside his reservations and trust Rangi to protect him. A predator mating his prey may not seem plausible, but Rangi is determined to show his little mouse he is more than just a bird of prey.

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pig little liesPIG LITTLE LIES  (MAGIC MARKET MYSTERIES BOOK 5) by Erin Johnson

After confessing her dark secret, Jolene is left devastated when her cop-crush, Peter, ghosts her. But when a popular potion maker drinks her last draught, Jolene and Peter are forced to team up to find the butcher behind the brew. As the list of suspects pours in, Jolene’s only hope is to get the victim’s pet swine to squeal. But when Jolene piggybacks onto a promising lead, she learns some shocking truths about the cursed tonic that took away her own magic. Can Jolene put a cork in the killer before she’s drained of her last drop?

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once bittenONCE BITTEN (SHADOW GUILD: THE REBEL) by Linsey Hall

Vampires aren’t real, right? People say I’m a weirdo. Sure, my idea of a party is a mini box of wine and hanging out with a feral raccoon, but it works for me. When I’m accused of murder, things get crazy. One, I learn that I have magic. Two, there’s a secret magical city hidden right in London itself. And three, my only hope is a vampire who’s sexy as sin and scary as the devil himself. He’s called the Devil of Darkvale, and he all but owns Guild City. Some say I should just quit and turn myself in. Not a chance. I’m going to solve this murder myself, which means surviving in a new world of witch parties, magical guilds, and a vampire with a tortured past. The vampire and I are like colliding stars, and the heat is irresistible. I should avoid him, but if I want to save my own life, he’s my only hope.

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bears fake fianceeBEAR’S FAKE FIANCEE (WEREBEAR RANCH BOOK 2) by Layla Silver

Ugh, this so isn’t happening. I just met the most annoying man ever. Annoyingly cocky, annoyingly protective, and annoyingly… gorgeous. And my entire business depends on him. Every time I’m around him, I seem to lose control of the situation. I keep picturing us in compromising positions. Which I’m seriously not interested in. Because I can’t stand him. Honestly. I’m a dating coach. I mean, I know what my perfect man is supposed to be like. Certainly not like him. My perfect man is not a player and doesn’t have this wild, feral look in his eyes. And he certainly doesn’t have that primal, over-protective thing going on. Just my luck that we have to pretend to be a couple at this event that I have to go to. Just my luck that his sculpted body sends coils of hot magma slithering through me. Just my luck that he has me to a point where my knees turn to jelly the minute I see him. That if he pushed me against a wall and made out with me right now, I’d let him. What the hell is wrong with me? It takes more than hard abs, powerful arms, and that musky scent to win me over. So it’s a good thing that my mind’s made up. Like I said, I’m not interested. It’s just not happening. And that’s a promise.

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wolfs temptationWOLF’S TEMPTATION (HERO SHIFTERS BOOK 1) by Keri Hudson

Alpha wolf-shifter Caleb Kahr has received dream messages from his brother Carl, of a death battle with one of their enemy species, the bear-shifters. He arrives too late, but he finds a lovely nanny in Abigail Sanderson, an intriguing charge in the young heir apparent to the house, Daniel. The so-called master of the house is in Europe on business unknown, and the old New England property is besieged by attacks by forces both natural and supernatural.
Caleb knows he will find the answers to his brother’s death and the vicious creature behind it. But will he find the love he craves and the family he needs to survive in a world fast changing around his ancient species? Only a gruesome battle and the resources of every family member can forge right from wrong, and a bright future from a horrific past.

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devils day partyDEVIL’S DAY PARTY by C M Stunich

Hot bullies, busted cars, and the party of the year. On an endless loop. I don’t know how, but I’m living today over and over again. Every year, the town of Devil Springs holds a celebration known as Devils’ Day. There’s no magic, but there might as well be: we wear masks, we play tricks, we party hard. Every year, the students of Crescent Reform School party the hardest. They’re the lewdest, the most wanton, ribald, and lascivious. Why shouldn’t they be? Our ultrarich prep school sits in the middle of the woods, a place for wealthy families to dump their black sheep. Except for me. My parents sacrificed everything they had to send me to Crescent Prep. I can’t let Calix Knight, Barron Farrar, and Raz Loveren ruin that for me. They’ve bullied me for years, and I’ve never known why. At least today, they have something real to be pissed about. I crashed my shitty yellow VW Beetle into Calix’s Aston Martin. And somehow, someway, I keep waking up at the moment of the crash. I can’t undo it; I can’t run from the Knight Crew. My mantra has always been: this too shall pass. But not today. Not the worst day of my life.

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spooks and spellsSPOOKS AND SPELLS (A HOCUS POCUS COZY WITCH MYSTERY BOOK 1) by  Constance Barker and J D Sullivan

Celestial Meadow owns and runs the candle, spice and herb shop in town and has quite the reputation to heal what ails you. Since she’s a witch, a little magic and the use of said items can drum up a quick remedy. But Celestial can’t save a victim from murder, even her own family. The deceased, Isabella wasn’t the most loved in town…heck, she was the most hated, which means the suspect list is long. Was Joyce jealous of the Isabella’s closeness to a certain warlock in town? Did her sister, Opal, decide she’d had enough of her witchy sister’s abuse? Or did the dark coven conclude that Isabella had too much power?
Celestial’s best friend Dakota, a male witch who can’t cast a spell to save his life (he’s learning) tries to help. He just needs a few more lessons, that is if anyone can survive to teach him. Nikoli Brewer is the wolf shapeshifter detective and he’s hot on the trail of the killer. Does he believe Celestial is innocent? He thinks he can sniff out a culprit, but his nose may be more intuned for something a little more spicy. Can Celestial save her good name, catch a killer and keep her friends safe?

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THE REIGN OF DARKNESS (CRREATURES OF DARKNESS BOOK 4) by Britney Jackson

VS Note: Not a fan of the cover.

Powerful vampire, Rose Foster, and her girlfriend, Kara Unnarsdóttir, take refuge in a hidden kingdom of vampires, as war breaks out between vampires and humans. Rose is shocked to find that even though she doesn’t know them, the vampires of this kingdom know her. Not only that, but they’re prepared to follow her into battle. Yet, they refuse to tell her why. A world war rages on in their absence, threatening the extinction of both species. Rose soon realizes that, even though she doesn’t want power, if she wants to prevent genocide, she’ll have to take her place as a Commander of Power.
But when Kara uncovers a terrifying piece of information about Rose, she must decide, once and for all, if her loyalty to the woman she loves is strong enough to withstand even the end of the world. Or if it’s time to do what she does best: betrayal.

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enchanted springAN ENCHANTED SPRING (MISTS OF FATE BOOK 2) by Nancy Scanlon

A twist of fate left Aidan MacWilliam, younger brother of a medieval Irish laird, trapped in the future. Though he’s become a successful entrepreneur in the twenty-first century, Aidan still can’t banish thoughts of the world he left behind. In search of distraction, he heads to New York to scout a publicity manager for his cousin’s matchmaking firm, Celtic Connections.
Emmaline Perkins is the perfect candidate. A PR expert and closet medievalist, Emma has always put work before her social life. When her ex-fiancé resurfaces and threatens her livelihood, her home, and ultimately her safety, a new client proposes an offer she can’t refuse – a job, travel, and security. As they fall for each other, Emma struggles to keep her professional and personal lives separate, but Aidan is determined to meld them together. When it’s clear Emma’s ex will stop at nothing to claim her, Aidan realizes that the question is not where she’ll be safe, but when.

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third eyeTHIRD EYE by Rick R Reed

Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and a lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head. When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl.
When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.”
Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between them. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them.

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it begins with herIT BEGINS WITH HER (BECOMING THE WOLF BOOK 4) by T S Joyce

VS Note: A re-release

Morgan is finally hitting her stride with her new life. She’s accepted her inner wolf and is feeling good, getting work done, building a pack with her new mate and finally feeling like she’s on top of the world. Too bad the Silver Wolf world never stays steady for long. She’s falling deeper in love with Grey, the Demon Wolf himself, more every day, but with every passing minute, the packs of werewolves are joining forces to annihilate their entire way of life. And if that isn’t bad enough, someone has told the vampires she exists, and they aren’t too happy.
Balance is everything in the werewolf world. Grey is learning the hard way that the problem with that white-furred wolf inside of Morgan is she tips the scales of balance for werewolves and vampires. A war is brewing and he’s got to stop it if he wants his pack to grow. A trip to Summit, the annual werewolf rally, makes him realize just how much danger his new pack is in. He and Morgan will have to learn to work as a team as the first battles of war begin.

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protecting the dragons babyPROTECTING THE DRAGON’S BABY by Amelia Wilson

Flint was always the perfect child of an illustrious family line of fire-breathing dragons. He would never have abandoned his clan. Until his alpha’s stupid decisions result in the loss of Flint’s mate and unborn child. But were his Alpha’s actions plain ignorance, or something more sinister? Now Flint has hidden himself among the humans, seeking revenge. He gets his chance, but a pesky (and incredibly sexy) cop is poking her nose in his business. Flint’s got a big choice to make: does he commit the ultimate betrayal and reveal his clan’s existence to a human…Or does he betray his soulmate?

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callanCALLAN (OUTBACK SHIFTERS BOOK 2) by Zoe Chant

Everything’s hotter down under. Especially the shifter cops.When Ella was just a kid, her deadbeat dad ditched her in Australia. She’s still there, working as a biochemist. And apart from a few little trust issues, she’s gotten her life on track. Until now. Her lab? Trashed. Her apartment? Destroyed. Her life? Over. And now she’s on the run with a mysterious and insanely hot cop who just happens to turn into a massive extinct beast, in the middle of the Australian wilderness, pursued by some really weird enemies.
Shifter cop Callan has been a tough field agent for ten years. He’s built his reputation on being cool, calm, and collected. But nothing’s prepared him for the maelstrom of emotions that the beautiful, fiery Ella unleashes within his heart. It goes against everything he’s been trained for, but when he realizes she’s his mate, he knows he has no choice but to help her – no matter where that leads them. With a dangerous enemy hot on their heels and ghosts from Ella’s past coming back to haunt them, protecting her won’t be an easy job.
Can they solve the mystery before time runs out? Can sharing a Tim Tam slam by the campfire be enough to get Ella to open the heart she’s kept closed off for years?

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of killers and kingsOF KILLERS AND KINGS (THE ELDER EMPIRE: SHADOW BOOK 3) by Will Wright

Shera, the new Head of the Consultant’s Guild, faces more responsibility than she ever asked for. The Guilds are in a state of open war, her Consultants have been forced to relocate from their ancestral home, and Elder cultists plague the streets. In their tombs, the Great Elders stir. With the sky cracked and more Elders rising than ever before, Shera and her faction of Independent Guilds seek a truce with their Imperialist opponents. But they know that any alliance is a gamble. The Imperialists have appointed Calder Marten to the throne, and history has proven that a single ruler is vulnerable to Elder corruption. Even so, Shera and her allies want to bring the division to an end…if the enemy Guilds are willing to cooperate. And if Calder hasn’t been corrupted already. On the seas, a man clings to his own power. In the shadows, a woman fights for peace.

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faes deceptionFAE’S DECEPTION (QUEENS OF THE FAE BOOK 1) by M Lynn and Melissa A Craven

Brea Robinson is a murderer. That’s what everyone tells her when she’s accused of killing her best friend.  Her mother always claimed she belonged in a straitjacket. Turns out, she was right.  When the man with flashing violet eyes whisks her through a portal into a world beyond her imagination, a world vicious in its beauty and wicked in its lies, Brea begins to wonder if she was ever crazy at all. Every hallucination she’s ever had is real, but this new world has its own set of lies and questions. Why are three royals prepared to battle over her?  Who is Griffin O’Shea, and why did he abduct her?  And does falling in love with a man trapping her in this deadly land mean she really has lost her mind after all?  There is only one thing Brea knows: She can’t trust anything. Not her mind. Not her heart.  And certainly not the Fae who claims he’s trying to keep her safe.

Amazon

choose the slainCHOOSE THE SLAIN (THE LONE VALKYRIE BOOK 2) by Charlie Case, Martha Carr and Michael Anderle

The Lone Valkyrie has an insane evil haunting her dreams… And a sassy goblin helping her during the day. Which is worse? Hard to say. Mila has been trying to pin down the Drude’s location through the nightmares he’s sending her way, and he just made his last mistake. What’s a Lone Valkyrie to do when she can’t be around her sisters to help? She brings the battle to her enemies. Will her powers fully awaken before Azoth can take another unsuspecting victim? Not if Finnegan Dragonbender can prepare her to fight like everything is on the line. Because it is. Join Mila on her adventures across the country to face an evil that could end her existence before it really begins. Can somebody get that goblin to put his clothes back on?

Amazon

scarlet gazeSCARLET GAZE by Foster Bridget Cassidy

After a paranormal encounter in his youth with someone from his future, Collin Frey sets his sights on getting to Marke Staple University. Now eighteen and with a full scholarship to the prestigious university, Collin hopes to find an explanation to that life-changing event. Unfortunately, it only leads to more questions. Finding out he’s there to study magic is the first surprise. The second is his roommate, Terrence, looks identical to the person who started him on the path to Marke Staple. Collin’s more than willing to sell his soul to get closer to Terrence and uncover all the secrets hidden there. Can knowing a man will change after making a horrible mistake ease the pain of betrayal? Collin is going to find out.

Amazon      Apple Books

warring magicWARRING MAGIC (IRON SERPENT CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by Sadie Jacks

She warned them to leave her alone. They didn’t listen. All Kiema wanted was to fix and master the power coursing through her body. To spend the rest of her days with her chosen family in peace. All she needed was one more mate and two guardians to complete the rune branded in her skin. But just like all of her plans, this one was destined to fail. Caught between warring gods and a group of magical fanatics led by her psychopathic adoptive mother, Kiema finally joins the fight that has wrecked her life. This time, together with her stronger and bigger family, she’s playing for keeps. And she’s almost got all the power she needs to win. But when two of her enemies join forces against her, will she fall under the spell of the magic that courses through her blood, or will she cling to the life and family she’s prayed for all these years?

Amazon

her three dragon matchmatesHER THREE DRAGON MATCHMATES (DRAGON’S MATCHMATE AGENCY BOOK 3) by Maia Starr

My violent bear shifter ex-boyfriend is out to kill me. I need three able hands to fight him off. Three dragon shifters from the Protector Hearts Security Service. Hayden, Reed, and Sven are my men. My bodyguards. They’ve been asked to protect me, and they also have a chance at finding love. A chance at making their human clients their mates. Picking one of them is the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make. I want all three. Their protective hands all over me. But these men are as headstrong as they are able. They’re possessive.
Jealous of each other. They need to find a way to share me, without killing each other first. Without compromising the mission that they’re on. A mission to defeat my threat.
A mission to open their hearts. With a little secret on the way, we’re going to be a family soon. Hayden, Reed, and Sven are about to share not just me… but my baby too.

Amazon

bride of the witch kingBRIDE OF THE WITCH KING (DESTINED ENCHANTMENT BOOK 2) by Viola Grace

Training to be a queen, she just needs to find and enchant her king. Revenge can wait until she is settled. Viika barely survived her first night at the bride school. Waking up to being nursed by a demon was hard enough, but having Emrie sooth and heal her took her by surprise. The world around her was not what she had been told. Demons were wise and powerful, wizards did not always know what they were doing. Witches were common for the powered folks, and Viika was an exception in the crowd.
Controlling her hatred for the vampires who had tortured her meant learning to see them—and judge them—as individuals. It was a life lesson that helped her through the following years.
Once she was grown, it was time to seek out her king or, rather, find a witch lord to raise to the position of king. He could only rise to power with a queen of his own, and she was willing to go shopping for her king. After a false start she finds her match and sets about combining her power with his. It isn’t for the faint of heart, but he meets her advances head on, and together, they set about restoring the balance in the place she once called home.

Amazon      Apple Books

sylficSYLFIC (ASCENSION BOOK 2) by Kenna Bardot and Tove Madigan

After years of waiting for my time to come, of waiting for the rest of my males to Ascend, the Head of Sylfeshire House finally deems me ready for presentation to the Gods. There’s just one problem. They aren’t the only ones who want to claim me for themselves. And this time, they’ll have to compete. For me.

Amazon

his scorching desireHIS SCORCHING DESIRE: PARANORMAL DRAGON SHIFTER ROMANCE (REAL MEN OF WILD RIDGE BOOK 3) by Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix

He’s on the run and she’s just the dragon to catch him. But when she does, will she ever want to let him go? Dragon shifter Grizz Magna has become one of the most dangerous men in the world–one with nothing to lose.  With a death sentence hanging over his head, he doesn’t hesitate to escape prison when he gets the chance. Now he’s being hunted by all of dragondom, including one particularly delicious, curvy agent from Wildridge Security.
Elektra Mico is a dragon shifter who only cares about bringing in the bad guys. While the other specialists at Wildridge are finding mates and generally enjoying life outside work, she dives deeper into her job, training harder than ever. When her gut tells her to break away from the team to track a rogue dragon escapee, she listens.  She also listens when it tells her that the dragon with the sexy smirk and muscular body belongs to her–and she can’t let him be taken captive again. In the blink of an eye, their worlds are turned inside out. Grizz suddenly realizes he has everything to lose—namely, his fated mate. But will their unbreakable bond spell the end for both of them?

Amazon

cursed princeCURSED PRINCE (NIGHT ELVES TRILOGY BOOK 1) by C N Crawford

My heart hasn’t beat in a thousand years. I haven’t uttered a word in prison, and the guards keep their distance. If they get too close, they die–until at last, my magic binds my soul to another. Unfortunately, the person destined to save me is a Night Elf–the enemy of my kind. And yet, when I see her in the cell across from mine, an ember starts to burn in my chest. When we escape together down the palace walls, it’s almost like I can feel again. As we journey to find the magic that will save us both, attraction simmers between us. But I keep my secrets close. Because if she finds out what I am, she will find a way to kill me–even if it means sacrificing herself to do it.

Amazon

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

April 22

April 15

April 8

April 1

March 25

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post  but after that I’m not responsible.

No One’s Coming Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedI hope things are going well wherever you may be located and that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy!

Now taking excerpts from LANDON: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL, which was released on Jan 31st.

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

Punctuation may be wonky to comply with our guidelines here. May be edited a bit from published version.

If you haven’t read any of my Badari Warriors series: Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage unceasing war on the aliens. 

The excerpt, continuing on from where I stopped last week. Mandy is venturing deeper into the lab complex, to check on a person she’s seen on the security console vidscreen, trapped in a medlab.  I’m skipping over some of the details of the medical setup. He’s unconscious and restrained, with machines delivering nutrients and drugs.

“You’re lucky I came, buddy,” she said, resting one hand on his shoulder and surprised how warm his skin felt to her touch, “You were going to run out of nutrients soon.”

He didn’t open his eyes and seemed to be unconscious as she circled the table, deciding how to approach this set of problems. The first order of business was clearly to turn off the inputs, especially the stuff she was sure was a drug. She hoped it was the latter keeping him sedated.

Mandy leaned against the table and closed her eyes as vertigo hit her, “I’m not a nurse or a doctor—what do I know about this kind of thing? I could do more harm than good to this poor man.”

Of course no one answered her. And he couldn’t be left here to die. As a fellow sentient and a prisoner of the Khagrish, she owed him her best effort.

The sensors were growing agitated, beeping and blinking.

“No one’s coming,” she said to them, shaking her head.

landonThe blurb: When unexpected circumstances give her a chance to escape from an alien scientist’s lab after she’s been tortured, Mandy Rennegar knew she should run for the hills with the other prisoners. There’s one more special captive who hasn’t been freed, however, and she decides to risk everything to help him. Mandy’s not leaving anyone behind.

Captured by the enemy on a scouting trip, Landon of the Badari has been pushed beyond his limits of sanity and strength by the Khagrish experiments and waits to die…until the human woman sets him free and takes him into the wilderness with her on a desperate trek to freedom. If he could only regain his memory, he’s sure there’s a sanctuary on the planet where his people could help them both.

As Mandy and Landon flee the pursuing Khagrish new challenges arise, including secrets from the past which could destroy the growing attraction between them. Difficult choices have to be made, putting Mandy’s life at risk and Landon discovers the Khagrish have left a lasting mark on his mind.

Will they reach the Badari sanctuary in time? Can their love survive Mandy’s revelations? Will the Alpha of the Badari give them a chance to be together or will he allow her to die when Landon risks everything to save his fated mate?

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo     Nook       GooglePlay

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Last few days at $.99! Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook

box set sale canva APR3_2020

10 Books 3 Movies 2 Plays and More About Titanic’s Sinking

TitanicThis post by me first appeared in the Roswell Daily Record earlier this month…some selected portions of the text appeared previously on the now-defunct USA Today Happy Ever After blog…new material about the plays added at the end specifically for this post, however.

April to me is the month of Titanic, the luxury cruise ship which hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912 and sank with a terrible loss of life two hours and forty minutes later. Even though this month contains other events and family birthdays and even though we’re going through a deep and stressful crisis with COVID-19, April still brings Titanic to the top of my mind. There might even be some parallels between that tragedy and the one we’re currently living through but I’ll leave those analogies (loss of life, lack of advance preparation for the tragedy, failure of high tech, various modern day leaders compared to the ship’s captain, etc.)  to the political pundits. Certainly the scale of what we’re living through now is overwhelming and heart breaking.

All that notwithstanding, Titanic has been a lifelong fascination for me, beginning with the family story of how we had a distant relative on my mother’s side, among the Second Class passengers, who actually survived. As an adult, able to conduct internet searches, I came to seriously doubt the woman was in any way related to us, despite the rather unique last name but by then it was too late – I was imprinted with the need to know everything there was to know about Titanic. I think in some ways my impression of the tragedy and the importance of not panicking in a crisis, to always be prepared, to take action rather than hang back which it left with me has informed a lot of the way I live life.

Numerous tragic ship sinkings happened before Titanic and many occurred afterward, yet this is the one people research, write novels about and depict in blockbuster movies.

Preceded by premonitions and ominous omens (the ship’s cat supposedly carried her kittens off at Southampton!), the sinking of the Titanic has all the elements of a classic tragedy. Overly trusting in their unsinkable technology, the ships’ officers sped across the Atlantic on a clear night that ironically made icebergs harder to see. Missing binoculars.  So many people, too few lifeboats and a fear that overloading would crack the small craft in half, dumping the passengers into the freezing sea.

The wireless operators broadcasting the new signal SOS, electrifying a disbelieving world, but unheard by the off-duty operator on the Californian, sleeping in his bunk a mere ten miles away. His ship would have been able to save everyone, yet remained unaware of the tragedy until it was over.  The captain of the Carpathia driving his vessel through the Atlantic, dodging icebergs at full speed, knowing he’d arrive too late despite his crew’s heroic efforts.

Women and children first, gallant husbands remaining behind while the doomed musicians play. Lovers separated. Or staying on board together to take their chances.  The respected captain who’d never experienced a sinking situation. The ship’s builder traveling on her maiden voyage, called upon to estimate how long before she foundered.  The chairman of the White Star Line who stepped into the last lifeboat, surviving only to spend the rest of his life internationally despised. The steerage passengers, waiting for direction, huddled below decks for too long. The rich, the famous, the children, even the dogs, priceless artifacts…the tragic events of the night are overwhelming and captured the world’s imagination, never to let go.

Titanic carried many larger than life personalities of the early 1900s – Molly Brown (who reportedly didn’t care for the nickname “Unsinkable”), John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim…the public was fascinated with them and all their doings, just as today there’s curiosity about show business celebrities. In fact, Dorothy Gibson, one of the early movie stars, was a First Class passenger. Less than a month after the sinking, her studio had shot a movie and rushed it into distribution, starring her, wearing the clothing she’d had on during her escape from the sinking ship. Unfortunately there are no copies of this movie known to exist.

In the 1950’s two movies reignited public interest in the sinking – “A Night to Remember,” which goes pretty much straight from the nonfiction book of the same name by Walter Lord. This film was so effective at recreating the events, one elderly survivor reportedly became upset and demanded to know why the camera crew hadn’t stopped filming to rescue people. The other, “Titanic”, was a big budget Hollywood sudser with Barbara Stanwyck, that used the sinking as a backdrop for the soap opera plot.  And then of course in 1997, James Cameron released his epic version of “Titanic,” beautifully researched, framed by a fictional love story that could only have its Happily Ever After ending when  his heroine Rose dies and rejoins Jack in the hereafter. I cry. Every time.

no greater loveHundreds of books have been written about Titanic, both fiction and nonfiction because another fascinating aspect of this sinking is that there are always new facts to be gleaned, new snippets of poignant detail from that cold night. There are books set on Titanic in every genre of fiction from Young Adult adventures (mostly about plucky boys and girls) to steamy romances to paranormal thrillers involving werewolves. Even Danielle Steele used the sinking as a backdrop for a plot in her 1992 novel No Greater Love (Delacorte Press). Full disclosure, I wrote an award winning science fiction novel loosely based on the sinking, Wreck of the Nebula Dream, set in the far future on a luxury spaceliner, which reviewers have called “Titanic in space…”.

lifeboat no 8One of my favorite nonfiction accounts is Lifeboat No 8: An Untold Tale of Love, Loss and Surviving the Titanic by Elizabeth Kaye, which follows one set of survivors who ended up in a lifeboat together. The book sheds light on the “real” couple whose romance might have inspired Mr. Cameron’s Jack & Rose. Jack Phillips, the senior wireless operator, and Roberta Maioni, the Countess of Rothes’ maid, apparently experienced quite the instant attraction when they met onboard the liner at the start of the ill-fated cruise. The Countess and her maid survived, Jack of course did not. It’s not generally known but he was absent from the wireless room for an unexplained time after the ship struck the iceberg. Some speculate he went to warn his beloved that the ship was going to sink and she needed to get into a lifeboat, which she did, carrying his photo, retrieved from her cabin at literally the last moment.

Another heartbreaking nonfiction book is Titanic Love Stories by Gill Paul, which gives the true stories of thirteen honeymoon couples sailing on the ship, including their photos.  Mr. Paul includes many heart wrenching details of the events of the sinking, and gives rare glimpses into the survivors’ lives.

Over the years, not much attention has been paid to the Third Class passengers, who lacked the glamour, resources and name recognition of First and Second Class. The steerage story is told eloquently in a novel, The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor. The book was inspired by true events relating to a group of fourteen Irish passengers from one small village, who sailed together on Titanic. Ms. Gaynor weaves a riveting novel of why the group chose to emigrate, the sinking, the aftermath and the lingering effects on those who survived the tragedy and their descendants. She made Third Class come alive for me in a way no other account has ever done, and I was on the edge of my chair, waiting to see who in the little group would survive and how.  The author portrays the chaos and confusion below decks on Titanic as if she’d been there herself.

A romantic suspense novel that put a different spin on the sinking was Titanic The Lost Child by Bonnie Dune. Starting with the fact that one First Class child perished, and perhaps also influenced by the existence of an Anastasia-like claimant to that girl’s identity (and the family fortune) in later years, Ms. Dune wove a purely fictional tale. Her novel flashes back and forth in time between the account of a young girl travelling with her family on Titanic and the efforts to unravel the mystery by a modern woman who might be her descendant.

Titanic: Psychic Forewarnings of a Tragedy by George Behe collects many accounts of dreams, visions and other psychic phenomena associated with the sinking. Some of them gave me chills to read and it was certainly another aspect of the events to consider.

I have quite a library of books on all aspects of the Titanic and her passengers. I’m always looking for anything new and actually found several books this year that added to my understanding of the situation.

ship of dreamsMost recently I read The Ship of Dreams by Gareth Russell, a fascinating account focusing on six well known First Class passengers and  using their lives and the sinking itself as a frame to explore the end of the Edwardian era and a number of underlying forces at work in the world at the time. I’d never really considered these people in any other context than their few days on board the ship, the hours of stark terror and perhaps a bit of their life story afterward, if they survived. I found it very eye opening to read about their lives leading up to the sinking, and the events which shaped them as people. The book provided me with an entirely new lens for viewing the events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic.

This year I also read On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic by Tad Fitch, J. Kent Layton and Bill Wormstedt. This book delved more deeply into the construction of Titanic and the lives of the builders, as well as covering the sinking and then conspiracy theories (yes, they existed even in those days!) about the ship and the events of the tragic night. I picked up some further insights, particularly into Thomas Andrews, the shipbuilder who went down with his new ship.

If you enjoyed the Downton Abbey television series, created by Julian Ffellowes, I highly recommend his 2012 Titanic miniseries. Similar to the dramatic approach taken on Downton Abbey, the four episode series takes an “upstairs and downstairs” look at the Titanic’s voyage and sinking. Blending fictional characters with real people in a very effective, believable style, the miniseries was put together in a  Roshoman-effect, where the same events are seen from different points of view. One dinner in First Class, for example, is told from the POV of the extremely wealthy diners and then later from the standpoint of the Italian steward. Over the course of the series, the viewer has met members of First Class, Second Class, Third Class, servants, officers and crew and seen them all reacting to the sinking. Some of the political and corporate maneuverings that went on before the Titanic was even launched are touched upon.  Just remember this is all based on the true story and don’t expect much in the way of an HEA ending, however gorgeously it was filmed.

I think it’s important to note that while for most of us Titanic is an exciting, romantic, sad story, there are families all over the world for whom the losses were personal and are still reverberating down through time.  More than 1500 lives were lost in the cold Atlantic that night, which makes it one of the largest maritime disasters ever to occur outside of a war.

Subsequent to the publication of the Roswell Daily Record post, I received a message from Mr. Luke Yankee, author of the play The Last Lifeboat, which is about Bruce Ismay, Chairman and Managing Director of the White Star Line, who of course famously helped load lifeboats while the ship was sinking and then took that fateful step into the last one.  I must confess I hadn’t been previously aware of the play but wanted to include it here. There’s a trailer and more information on the play’s web page. Here’s a portion of the blurb for the play: THE LAST LIFEBOAT is the untold story of J. Bruce Ismay, the owner of the White Star shipping Line when The Titanic sank, whose decision to save himself rather than go down with the ship made him the scapegoat for one of the greatest disasters of all time. This epic tale explores not only the tragedy itself, but the sensationalized trials and aftermath of the night that changed the world forever.

Personally of course I always viewed Ismay as quite a villain – Officer Lightoller was my favorite person on the ship when I was growing up, as portrayed heroically by Kenneth More in the movie “A Night to Remember”. (I have read  Lightoller’s biography Titanic and Other Ships, which was fascinating.) But I can certainly see the tragic nature of Ismay’s life after the sinking! The play has been performed in numerous venues, more than 50 productions in North America alone, per the Facebook page.

This also reminded me of the musical “Titanic,” which debuted on Broadway in 1997, and won no less than five Tony Awards®. There’s an excellent documentary film about how the Serenbe Playhouse theatrical company staged a revival of this play in a lake in Georgia (I kid you not) in 2018. The film is short, and isn’t the entire musical itself obviously, but fascinating nonetheless. I can only find it on youtube.

And now, dear reader, I’m going to leave the subject of Titanic for this year….other than this little graphic with a couple of review excerpts for my science fiction book, below!

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_Titanic in space..._ says Heather at the Galaxy Express canva ad

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New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday APRIL 22

north boundNothing like a new book to transport you to a different time and place, and away from the current stressful situation for a few hours! Sending my best wishes to you and your loved ones, for safety and health.

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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NORTH BOUND (CYBORG SPACE EXPLORATION BOOK 5) by Cynthia Sax

VS Note: She’s an autobuy for me, love her cyborgs!

North, the second-in-command of a cyborg crew, has two priorities—he has to explore and collect data on Balazoid Minor, a small planet in their sector, and he must bring his three-being team back to the ship alive and fully functional. When he encounters his brash, bravado-wielding female, the one being genetically designed for him, he recognizes her for what she is—a distraction that might get him and his brethren killed. He WILL claim her, but only on his terms, when his mission is complete and everyone he is responsible for protecting is safe.

Myrina the Magnificent is the best warrior on her planet and possibly the universe. She has captured an unparalleled fourteen males for her all-female tribe. Once she has secured the fifteenth male, she will be a legend. Her name will live forever. She’ll earn the undying adoration of her sisters. Glory will be hers. The male in her sights—and in her snare—is a huge, gray-skinned, blue-eyed cyborg with a skill for war and lips designed for kissing. One emotionally charged battle is all it takes for Myrina to realize she wants North for herself. She won’t share his caresses with anyone.

Their forbidden love might be destined to be, but it won’t be easy to maintain. Myrina will have to fight her sisters, an all-powerful male-eating plant, and her cyborg’s unbending will to make North hers and hers alone.

Amazon      Apple Books

tributeTRIBUTE (BARBARIANS OF THE SAND PLANET BOOK 4) by Tana Stone

She gave herself to the aliens to save her friends. Now she’s pledged to be the Crestek warrior’s mate. But will the marriage of convenience become something more?
Volunteering herself as tribute to the aliens was the only way Holly could ensure the safety of the rest of her bounty hunter crew. Problem is, now she’s locked in the alien city and engaged to marry a guy she’s never even met. All she wanted to do was save her friends so they could get off the sand planet. She never dreamed she’d end up as some huge alien’s mate. She’ll play along until she can find a way to escape, and then she’s gone, and he’ll be nothing but a memory. What could go wrong with this plan?

As one of the high-born Cresteks, he could have his pick of mates, but now he’s been told he must marry the alien female they took from the Dothvek barbarians. The flame-haired female may stir his desire, but she also seems to take pleasure in defying him. The last thing he wants is a stubborn mate who doesn’t even want to be bonded with him. He’ll go along with it for the sake of his family honor, but he has no intention of falling for her. Right?

Amazon

crowned mateCROWNED MATE: STARGAZER ALIEN SPACE CRUISE BRIDES #1 by Tasha Black

VS Note: A new series from Tasha Black!

Juno Adair can’t believe her luck when she wins the Princess Package space cruise and sets off aboard the Stargazer II in the lap of luxury. But she soon learns that even pretend royalty comes at a price. Torn between the valet that loves her for who she really is, and the king who can save her people, Juno faces a choice that she never wanted, but one that will decide her fate. Can she resist her urges long enough to do what’s right for her people, or will she choose love over duty?

Zane is a royal in hiding. He spends his days staying out of the public eye, performing manual labor in the amazing forest at the center of a luxury space cruiser. Until he spots the newest passenger, Princess Juno, who stirs something in him he’s never felt before. He does everything in his power to be by her side, even posing as her personal valet. And when he learns that her people need help, he knows just what to do. But to help her, he will have to reclaim his forsaken lineage and take his rightful place on the throne, even if it means losing her forever. Will he reveal his secret to save her people, or will he confess his love to win her heart?

Amazon      Apple Books

javikJAVIK (WARRIORS OF VAZNIK BOOK 5) by Ava York

Brilliant scientist. Dedicated doctor. But beneath that cold, blue, analytical exterior beats a hungry heart. He’s watched the other warriors meet their mates. And he can’t wait to meet his own. Taste her. Claim her. But when she arrives, she’s not like anything he ever imagined. And unless he’s smarter than he’s ever been before, he’s going to lose her. Addie James has run out of options. She’s had to learn to protect her heart.  Keep her emotions safe, hidden. Better not to have any at all. But when fate throws her into the path of a giant, horned blue skinned alien, can she resist letting him in?

Amazon

wasteland treasureWASTELAND TREASURE (THE DEVIANT FUTURE BOOK 2) by Eve Langlais

New Earth isn’t a kind or gentle place, so Gunner isn’t entirely surprised when a freak windstorm leaves him blinded in a strange place. At least he’s not alone. Sofia might have been banished but she enjoys the freedom of living by her own wits and rules. When a handsome stranger shows up needing help, she agrees if he’ll give her the one thing she’s always wanted. A child. Before Gunner can make good on his end of the bargain, a calamity sends them fleeing right into danger. The monsters aren’t what defeats them, though. They end up captured, unwilling guests in a strange new city with a self-proclaimed king. Since a dungeon isn’t Gunner’s idea of a forever home, he’s breaking free, and when he does, he’s bringing Sofia with him. If they survive, will Sofia get the child she wants? Or will they both crave something more?

Amazon      Apple Books

escape velocityESCAPE VELOCITY  (OFF-WORLD SERIES BOOK 7) by Rebecca York

Max Cassidy, a space pilot who operates on the edge of legality, doesn’t know he’s risking his life when he picks up a shipment of contraband from Naxion. On this forbidden planet, all the inhabitants are beyond ugly except the gorgeous women raised for the interplanetary slave trade. When Cassidy discovers the cargo is one of these slaves, he vows to save her. But he doesn’t know how much the woman who calls herself Amber is hiding from him. Attraction flares between them. As their sexual relationship turns steamy, the chase is on to escape the corrupt official who bought Amber. But the only way to ensure her safety is to terminate the man’s sadistic avocation. Passion builds as they rocket off to what could be Max’s final mission.

Amazon

girl of flesh and metalGIRL OF FLESH AND METAL by Alicia Ellis

VS Note: Not a romance.

It was supposed to help her—not turn her into a monster. Now, Lena’s stuck with this cybernetic arm, and her friends are terrified of her. And maybe they should be.
The arm’s artificial intelligence takes Lena’s thoughts to the extreme. It acts when she doesn’t tell it to, even when she’s asleep. Ever since she got the new limb, she’s been sleepwalking and waking in odd places. To Lena, this is just another example of how CyberCorp—her parents’ company and the manufacturer of the arm—screws up everything. As the rollout of CyberCorp’s new android approaches, a murderer targets children of the company’s employees. And thanks to her sleepwalking, Lena doesn’t know what she was doing during the murders. When the evidence points to her, Lena decides to prove her innocence—or her guilt.

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karen vs alienKAREN VS ALIEN by Loki Renard

I’m a simple woman. I don’t like my food at a restaurant? I send it back. Poor service? I leave a review. Alien Invasion? There’s only one thing to do: speak to the manager.
The alien in control of my world is massive, brutal, entirely warlike in appearance and temperament. He is everything a human should fear, but I am Karen, and I fear nothing.
He may be eight feet of total alien domination, but he’s going to make sure I’m satisfied.
In every. way. possible.

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saved by the alien warriorSAVED BY THE ALIEN WARRIOR (WARRIORS OF AGRON BOOK 3) by Hope Hart

I was abducted, sold, then crash landed on a strange planet…only to be abducted again. And you know the funny thing?  I barely even care. I’m numb.  You see, I’ve already lost everything.  When you’re doing something you love, you never think that it could be the last time. That someone might take your life from you and leave you stranded on a planet where most of the locals are out to get you. Now I’m lying here, far from home, bleeding out in a trap built for a huge beast that could show up at any second and eat me.  Which isn’t quite how I pictured my death… But an alien warrior has found me instead. He says he can help me. Unfortunately, on this planet, I’ve heard that before. And it’s never boded well for me.  He’s huge, arrogant, and he’s got muscles in all the right places. Even a dying woman can appreciate the view when he takes off his shirt to keep me warm. I don’t know if I even have it in me to save myself at this point, but two women are counting on me to get back to them with help.  Can I trust the alien warrior to save us? And while he’s saving my life, can he make me feel something… anything other than hopelessness?

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kraken in the lakeTHE KRAKEN IN THE LAKE by Annie Beth Rider

VS Note: From March

Kate’s boyfriend has left her in financial ruin. After gambling away all their money, he skips town leaving her and his mess behind. Kate is in desperate need of money, with no way to pay off the debt left in his wake. When her sister swoops in with an unexpected job offer, Kate is in no place to turn it down. Even if it means living in the middle of nowhere for the next few years. Kate packs up her life in Vegas and moves to northern Washington to become the property manager of her brother-in-law’s newly inherited lake house. What starts out as a simple job quickly turns into so much more. With every day that passes, Kate discovers more and more secrets hidden within the lake house. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she might not be the only person living on the lake. When a mysterious stranger appears in the water, Kate must decide if she is ready to open her heart again.

Sam has spent the past fifteen years trapped on earth, with no hope of ever returning to his home world. He was raised at the remote lake house by John, an eccentric millionaire who was kind enough to keep Sam hidden from the eyes of the world. After John passes away, Sam is truly alone. Sam is convinced that humans cannot be trusted. ..(more blurb on ebook seller page…0

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titan venedicktovTHE TITAN (CHRYSALIS CORPORATION BOOK 2) by T A Venedicktov

The Titan. The largest battleship to exist and the place where fighter pilot Damion was sure he’d die beside his lover, Requiem, a human-AI hybrid. Their ship is set to explode in seconds—but when the countdown ends, they find themselves at the mercy of the rebel leader, Athena. She offers help, but Damion knows it won’t come for free. What is he willing to do to ensure Requiem’s survival and liberate him from the Corporation that holds his fate in their hands? In the belly of the Titan, Damion faces the worst parts of himself and must finally decide what to do about his feelings for Requiem. If he accepts the resistance leader’s offer, his path could lead him places he never expected—or to a bloody end.

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home frontHOME FRONT (STAR KINGDOM BOOK 7) by Lindsay Buroker

VS Note: Not a romance but I enjoy all her books…

Casmir and his allies have struck a devastating blow to the powerful prince who sent invaders into their star system, but war still rages at home. Worse, the prince has escaped with a lethal bioweapon, and he intends to wipe out all human life on Odin. Casmir could lose his parents, his friends, and everyone he holds dear.
On top of all that, the Kingdom fleet commander Jorg has captured two of Casmir’s friends to ensure his “compliance.” But Jorg wants a bioweapon of his own as well as the deadly crushers that Casmir has made. To side with him would be to side with the devil. But if Casmir doesn’t… he may never see his friends alive again.

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alien betrothedALIEN BETROTHED (ALIEN BRIDE SERIES BOOK 4) by Luna Kingsley

Celia is putting her farming skills to use on abandoned acreage in Endol when a pack of ferocious beasts send her running. She ends up lost on the unfamiliar planet with darkness fast approaching.
Bhaktus has just taken command of his own warriors when he’s tasked with locating a lost female from Earth. He tracks her into dangerous territory where she’s been captured by their enemy. It could cause an all-out war to save her, but she’s too valuable to leave behind.
On the run, they have to rely on each other to survive. Bhaktus tries to ignore how she makes him feel. After all, it has been a long time since he had someone share his furs. He needs to be prepared to say good-bye and return to his post if they make it back in one piece. Unfortunately, nothing on this planet is ever easy.

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feral skiesFERAL SKIES (REVERSE HAREM ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE) by K M Raya

You learn a lot about people when the $#!* hits the fan. You learn who to trust, who to rely on… who to watch out for. Me? I learned not to get too close to people, because one day I’ll probably have to put a bullet between their eyes.My friends and I got lucky… if you could call it that. We’ve been traveling North for exactly a year dodging baddies, looting the ruins of what used to be the United States and avoiding the snapping teeth and grabby hands of the undead. A year on the road has been hell, and after getting trapped in a burning warehouse full of walking corpses, getting rescued by a ragtag group of hotties just seemed too good to be true. I don’t trust these guys, no matter how much my heart and my… body would like me to. But we need the help getting North, and if I end up having to waste these savage, beautiful men, then so be it. At least I can have some fun along the way.

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lasaranTHE LASARIAN (ALDEBARIAN ALLIANCE BOOK 1) by Dianne Duvall

Taelon searches the galaxy for his younger sister, who mysteriously disappeared while on a diplomatic mission. When an ally reveals that she was seized and is being held prisoner on Earth, Taelon descends upon the blue planet, intent on freeing her and exacting vengeance. However, all does not go as planned. Before he can find her, Taelon is captured and becomes the subject of torturous experiments. For what feels like an eternity, all he knows is pain and fury… until a mind tentatively touches his own and a woman’s voice forever changes his world.

After suffering tragic losses, Lisa is finally beginning to carve out a future for herself when chance sends her to the Anomalous Cognition Research Institute. What at first appears to be a benign organization seeking participants for a psychic study instead turns out to be a government facility harboring a much darker intent. Lisa discovers this too late and soon becomes the unwilling subject of a terrifying experiment. Just as fear and desperation threaten to consume her, a deep, compelling voice penetrates the looming insanity and lends her hope.

Having seen only the worst of humanity, Taelon is shocked when Lisa risks everything to free him. Together the two make their escape, and Taelon finds himself fascinated by the small human woman who—despite all she’s suffered—can still laugh and tease and lure smiles from him. Friendship swiftly grows between them as they work together to evade soldiers intent on capturing them and find themselves hunted by mystifying preternatural beings. Through it all, Lisa steadfastly remains by his side, stealing more of his heart each day while she helps him unravel the mystery of his sister’s fate. Can they find his sister before the hunters find them? If they survive their quest, will Taelon have to bid Lisa farewell… or can he coax her into leaving her planet and joining him for the adventure of a lifetime?

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claimed by the warrior roxieCLAIMED BY THE WARRIOR (PRISONERS OF KARCERIKUS BOOK 2) by Roxie Ray

To survive on a hellish prison planet I’m doing favors for the most dangerous gang around. My fellow prisoners hate me for the special treatment I’m given, and I’m balanced on a knife’s edge since the Sives could turn against me at any moment … or demand more than I can give.
And when a new convict joins the gang, I know I’m in trouble. How can my body yearn for one of them when I’ve seen the terrors they’re capable of? Surge is as dangerous as they come, a born killer riding the edge. But when he’s with me, there’s more to him than the monster he’s pretending to be.
I can’t stay away from him, but the more time we spend together, the more danger we’re both in. And when I find out why Surge is really on Karcerikus, I’ll need to risk it all to help him solve the terrible mystery gripping the prison planet. But as trouble lurks in every shadow, will Surge give into his nature … or will he give into the desire between us and claim me as his mate?

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ruledRULED (APEXIAN WARRIOR ROMANCE BOOK 1) by Arcadia Shield

A mission that can’t fail. A wounded alien warrior with a dark past. A woman determined to protect her heart. Wren Tulloch needs a win. If this mission to capture a rare sapo explosivo fails, she’s out. She has to prove she’s good enough. If she doesn’t, she knows the cost of failure. But Wren has a problem. All six foot six inches of smoldering, purple-eyed, Apexian. Her work partner is a rule breaker. A good time alien, with abs to die for and an attitude that makes her blood boil. If only he wasn’t so toe-curlingly gorgeous. But she won’t fall for him. If she does, he’ll mess her around, and her fragile heart will shatter.

Striker Bandidar lives in the moment. Screw tomorrow. He could be dead by then. And rules are for morons. But there’s one adorable Human rule keeper who’s making him have second thoughts. He won’t go there. He’s faced soul shattering loss and betrayal from people he trusted. Have fun, live for today, and everything will be fine. But when his gorgeous, frustratingly sexy partner is taken, Striker learns some rules have to be obeyed if you’re to find meaning, joy, and a happily ever after in the stars. Will he overcome his fears and lose his heart to Wren? And if he does, will she let him in?

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axxeon princes prizeAXXEON PRINCE’S PRIZE (MATES FOR AXXEON 9 BOOK 3) by Liz Paffel

She’s a midwife to monsters. Human midwife Sasha Black was abducted from Earth and sent to an alien breeding farm to deliver hybrid babies. Suddenly, the monsters who put her on the desolate planet abandon them, and if she doesn’t get help soon, they’ll all die. They’ve run out of food and water, and her expectant mothers are delivering something unexpected. Something else. Hahn, Prince of Axxeon 9, receives a covert message from his father, the exiled King. He’s in trouble, and time is running out. Hahn must reach him soon, but a frantic transmission from a ghost planet forces him to jump far off course. He’s sworn to protect his father and keep their secret pact, but duty is challenged by the human female who needs him, and tempts him with her curvy body to forget his true purpose. When his heart overrides loyalty, Hahn must make an impossible choice. Will he sacrifice everything for his fated mate, or do the unthinkable?

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if it bleedsIF IT BLEEDS by Stephen King

VS Note: I don’t normally cover horror but hey, Stephen King…not much provided for a blurb so I grabbed what I could to show you:

“…an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas—Mr. Harrigan’s PhoneThe Life of ChuckRat, and the title story If It Bleeds—each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.”

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deus ex mechanicDEUX EX MECHANIC (THE CRICKET CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Ryann Fletcher

Alice is the best mechanic the corrupt Coalition regime has ever seen. When she’s kidnapped by an infamous vigilante space pirate named Violet, she has to make the hardest decision she’s ever made: escape back to the comfort of the Coalition, or risk everything to fight injustice?
When Violet decided to ransack Coalition vessels, she never though she’d have to fight her feelings for Alice, too. Will giving into an affair with the treasonous mechanic cloud her judgment and jeopardize the safety of her crew? As they fight side by side against ruthless rival pirate captain Leo and his crew, will they grow closer together, or will everything fall apart and leave them stranded in dark space?

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supremes kissSUPREME’S KISS (SUPREME SERIES BOOK 3) by M K Eidem

All Kirall wanted to do was bring his mate home, love her, and make sure she never suffered again as she had on Earth.All Autumn wanted was to make a home on Mondu, love Kirall, and maybe have a family.While some on Mondu embrace and support the return of the Supremes, others do not. Not everyone is happy Supremes have returned. Change causes conflict. Lives are about to change. All is threatened when an Elder was discovered carrying a jewel that the Varana took from Autumn’s brother, Jack.The Supremes have returned to Mondu, and it has stirred up ancient animosities. Can Autumn and Kirall overcome them and return Mondu to the proper path or will they be destroyed, and with them any hope their people have.

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sinners and saintsSAINTS AND SINNERS (RAVAGE RIDERS MC BOOK 2) by Nikki Landis

VS Note: Author states “A twist on traditional MC romance with a dash of science fiction & time travel.*”

R.J. – Bad luck seems to follow me wherever I go. My mother is a whore. My stepfather is an abusive drunk. I’ve lost the only woman I’ve ever loved. Our rival MC wants to take our club down. My best friend has a price on his head and now all hell has broken loose.
Worse, I’ve just had the biggest revelation of my life . . . endangering everyone I know.
I’m offered one chance to make everything right. It’s risky. There’s just one question . . . is it the devil playing games or an angel dangling salvation? There’s a lot at stake when you’re nothing . . . but a heathen and a SINNER.  …
Cara – I’ve done everything right my entire life. I volunteer at the local food pantry.
I’ve never used drugs. My grade point average is a perfect 4.0. In just three months, I’m supposed to marry my high school sweetheart. He’s a perfect gentleman. Wealthy. Educated. Lethal. In public, he’s everyone’s best friend. Behind closed doors, he’s my worst nightmare. I’m trapped . . .and I’ll do anything to find a way out, even if I have to lie, cheat, steal, or betray everyone in my path. There’s a lot to lose when all you want is freedom . . . especially when people consider you a SAINT.

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queen zahnQUEEN: A CHRONICLE OF THE SIBYL’S WAR by Timothy Zahn

VS Note: Not a romance but a release of note…

Nicole Hammond is a Sibyl, a special human that has the ability to communicate with a strange alien ship called the Fyrantha. However, Nicole and all other sentient creatures are caught up in a war for control between two competing factions. Now, the street-kid turned rebel leader has a plan that would restore freedom to all who have been shanghaied by the strange ship. She just has to unite the many alien races being forced to combat for their freedom, dodge slaving war profiteers determined to capture her, and convince an AI at war with itself to trust her above all else.

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hunted by the alien pirateHUNTED BY THE ALIEN PIRATE (MATES OF THE KILGARI BOOK 4) by Celia Kyle and Athena Storm

He’s one of the most skilled alien engineers in the galaxy. And he’s got my motor running. I can’t get enough of Montier.  Those broad golden shoulders and big arms that want to sweep me off my feet… Those alien bedroom eyes that look into my soul… Those abs that I want to feast on… It’s enough to make any human woman swoon. Except we don’t have time to swoon when we’re in constant danger. The people who kidnapped me have chased me around the galaxy and they’re not giving up. We don’t know why they want me and my friends so much. Hell, we don’t even know who they are. Until Montier finds something that could blow this thing wide open. It’s a gamble, but we’re willing to wager everything. It’s dangerous, but the alternative is death. This gorgeous horned alien man is my fated mate. He’s sworn to protect me till the last star vanishes. And now he’s going to lay it all on the line to keep me safe. Because otherwise we’re all gonna die.

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her alien keeperHER ALIEN KEEPER (PRAEZORIAN BOUNTY HUNTERS BOOK 2) by Ivy McAdam

If you’re on their bounty list, there’s no escape…I thought I’d made the most profound archeological discovery ever, but as it turns out, the remains I’m studying aren’t quite human. They’re alien. And apparently extraterrestrials don’t care for their dead being disturbed. When a tall, dark, and horned alien shows up to steal me away, I’m launched into a centuries’ old war between two powerful forces in a world I never knew existed.
It looks like it’s game over for me, but the way my bounty hunter lingers near my cage and touches my face has me curious. Maybe we can strike a deal for my freedom. He seems to know what he wants and with the way my blood heats when he kisses me, I’m not sure I’ll need to fake it.

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claimed by the alien warrior kingCLAIMED BY THE ALIEN WARRIOR KING (THE VADA WARS BOOK 1) by Zara Zenia and Eden Ember

Palace slave Chera fears she will be alone forever, but when rogue forces attack and kidnap the princess, injuring Chera, she awakes to find the enigmatic King Thras watching her with peculiar fascination. The newly crowned ruler has always been stand-offish, yet his intentions are clear: he wants her.
King Thras wasn’t ready to take the throne, but he holds the responsibility of ensuring peace in his system. The attack and kidnapping of his sister is an act of war, and it exposes the warrior’s true weakness: his feelings for the human slave Chera. He’s always been able to resist temptation, but when she’s injured and his uxormea appears over his heart, he knows he’s in the presence of his true mate.
Can King Thras secure the safety of his kingdom and the heart of his mate, or will the forces intent on destroying his birthright succeed in ending his rule and his life with his true love?

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determined heroTHE DETERMINED HERO (THE LOST PLANET SERIES BOOK 7) by K Webster and Nicole Blanchard

Our world is dangerous and destroyed by our ancestors. We’re a bunch of hulking, broody mortarekkers left on this wretched planet, and it’d be enough to frighten any alien female upon waking to see our ugly nogs. But my mate isn’t frightened. The moment she wakes, I claim her. How could I not when she’s the bravest and most beautiful female to ever walk this earth? Surprisingly, she’s excited for this new adventure. Eager to be my side. A heroine like in all the stories she so fervently retells.
We could even have the happily ever after she speaks of. If only an army of evil, violent, cruel Kevins weren’t headed our way. And I’m the one everyone is relying on to save them. Each solar flies by quicker than the last. It’s a race to build a powerful weapon to blow them out of the sky and woo the prettiest female at the same time. I’ve got this.
I’m a mort of many talents. I’m one determined hero. These Kevins think they’ll take away our happy ending? I rekking think not.

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dark oppressionDARK OPPRESSION (GALACTIC GUARDIANS BOOK 4) by Brooke Reed

Bex: I was abducted by aliens… twice. At some point, a girl has to admit luck isn’t on her side. Maybe if I keep my head down and let the more important people deal with all of the craziness, my life will quiet down, and I’ll finally have some peace. All I have to do is stay off everyone’s radar. No luck needed for that, right?
Uulos: I have dedicated my existence to the Ascension–to the perfection of myself through cybernetic enhancement. My crewmates consider me cold, aloof, and robotic.
And I do not discourage such opinions. But now I have found someone among the crew that is not so different from me. Someone who knows what it is like to separate from the others. Only, fate is sometimes cruel, and I know this union can never be.

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resisting the cyborgRESISTING THE CYBORG (RENEGADE CYBORGS BOOK 4) by Jude Gray

Cider – I want a lot of things out of life. Love? Sure. I want love. But I am looking for a particular kind of man to attach myself to–and I have not met him yet. Certainly the man I am working for is not the one for me. He is too dangerous. Too dark and disturbing. And I do not want to love a man I would have to be so afraid of losing.

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voxx oneVOXX – BOOK 1 IN THE MASTERED BY THE ZINN ALIEN ABDUCTION ROMANCE SERIES by Alana Khan

The ‘Girls for Guns’ lottery is a secret arrangement going back hundreds of years. The government allows the Zinns to abduct human women in exchange for advanced military technology. Voxx – I won the lottery, a chance to take the human female of my choice for the entirety of The Quest. I can keep her alone on my ship and do whatever I desire with her for fourteen days. At the end of the period, she can choose to stay with me to be my mate, or return to Earth with her mind wiped of our time together. I thought it would be easy to make her crave my dominant nature. I was wrong.  Victoria – On Day One I learn I have to submit to the handsome purple male who wants to control me, body and soul. While I use our time together to explore my sensual desires, I vow to hate him until I breathe my last breath.

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war priestTHE WAR PRIEST (ARS NUMINA BOOK 5) by Ann Aguirre

Dour. Dutiful. Dogged. Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he’s in charge of a hold he hasn’t lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he’s also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul…

Canny. Cheerful. Charming. Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she’s hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She’s also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life.
He’s the dark of night, and she’s the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them.

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jossJOSS (WERE ZOO BOOK 9) by R E Butler

All Jeanie Moon has to show for the last twenty-five years of her life is a divorce that left her broke with terrible credit, and a desire to never be in a relationship again. When her twenty-something neighbor gives her a coupon for a free VIP tour at a safari park, she decides there are worse ways to spend a Friday afternoon.

Alpha wolf Joss isn’t interested in anything but the Amazing Adventures Safari Park he and his pack call home – that and keeping their shifter abilities a secret from humans. He’s happy when one of his males finds a soulmate, but none of his people have found their mate with the help of the VIP tours which were designed to bring in potential mates. When he’s called to the tour desk to settle an issue with someone using another person’s ticket, he’s in for the shock of his life when he discovers his soulmate is the one holding the ticket.
Joss knows that taking a human as his mate means his alphaship is in jeopardy, but he won’t give Jeanie up without a fight, even if it means facing off against the one male he never thought he’d see again…his brother.

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race the sandsRACE THE SANDS: A NOVEL by Sarah Beth Durst

Life, death, and rebirth—in Becar, who you are in this life will determine your next life. Yet there is hope—you can change your destiny with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and are doomed to be a kehok for the rest of time. Unless you can win the Races.

After a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider, Tamra became a professional trainer. Then a tragic accident shattered her confidence, damaged her reputation, and left her nearly broke. Now, she needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok . . . and a rider willing to trust her.

Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she needs a first-rate trainer. Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win—if he can be tamed. But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races—and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special.

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indigo dustINDIGO DUST (THE AETHERIAL EMBRACE TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Kristy Nicolle

When Kairi Freemont happens upon a winged man on her parents’ Tennessee Ranch, she’s given what she’s wanted ever since the day she was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: An escape from the pain of her chronic, invisible illness. Through the power of the Aetherial Sun, Aro shows her there’s not only a place where her pain disappears but that she can live in a fairytale world of Unicorns, Fae, and magic she’s always wished was real. But when Kairi discovers that meeting Aro was no accident, that she may have lived a whole past life at Aro’s side before being stolen away by the monstrous Draconians, things start to spin out of control.

Are the Draconians, a race of banished dragon riders who have long since lost their precious reptilian steeds, as monstrous as the rest of Aetheria believes? And what lies at the heart of Aro’s motivation behind sweeping Kairi off her feet? Is it simply flirtation and his desire to give her a better life, or is the truth far more malicious than she could have ever expected?

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shifted soulSHIFTED SOUL (THE WOLVES OF FOREST GROVE BOOK 2) by Elena Lawson

I’m not just Allie Grace anymore. A beast slumbers beneath the surface of my skin. I have new urges and impulses. Not to mention a hot temper that flares up at the slightest provocation. But that’s not all—apparently, I’m also mated. It’s like a part of my soul has been sucked out, cleaved in two, and deposited into Jared and Clay. The strange otherworldly force tying us together is all but impossible to ignore. I try my best, though. At least until other packs catch wind of the new wolf in Forest Grove. The one who has not yet chosen her pack. The one with two tails and a will strong enough to challenge one of the strongest alphas in the state. To some, I’m a prize to be claimed. A trophy wolf that should be studied and admired. But to others, I’m dangerous. An unknown variable that could pose a threat to an entire race. With no other option, I’ll have to trust in my newfound animal instinct, and in the two shifters who’ve each claimed a piece of my soul.

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girl and the starsTHE GIRL AND THE STARS (THE BOOK OF THE ICE 1) by Mark Lawrence

In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. Yaz’s people call it the Pit of the Missing and now it is drawing her in as she has always known it would. To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same. Yaz’s difference tears her from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger. Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength and that the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people can be challenged.

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fire fury faithFIRE, FURY, FAITH (WINGED WARRIORS BOOK 1) by N D Jones

Issa, tribal chieftain and warrior, dies trying to protect his family and tribesmen from slave traders but is given a second chance at life as an angel. Having lost his home, daughters, and life by forces beyond his control, Issa, a Guardian Angel for four centuries, has yet to come to terms with this “failure.” So when a rogue demon attacks and almost kills his wife, Serwa, Issa goes on the hunt.
Serwa knows the pain of loss, the burn of fire, the heat of love. She is a Healer Angel, bound to help, to heal, to protect. And the person she wants most to heal is Issa, her husband, her soul mate, her warrior. But what is a woman to do when a husband’s guilt and fury challenge the very foundation of their marriage?

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lord of hellLORD OF HELL (THE DRAGON DEMI GODS BOOK 2) by Charlene Hartnady

I hate my father. At least, I want to. He is an evil bastard. I should hate him. You see, he’s Hades. God of the Underworld. I am his son. I find I desperately want his approval and, at the same time, don’t want to be anything like him. It’s a screwed-up place to be in. And people wonder why I am the way I am.
Hades is despicable. Immoral. Cunning. He’s my dad.
I’m not sure why I keep returning to hell. Why I keep going back to see him. Why I torture myself with his indifference. Am I ever going to learn? It seems not. It’s always the same, just when I think I am dead to him, he gives me another one of his duties. Something easy, he says. Something even I – his disappointment of a son – can get right. I should know better. I should turn him down flat. I can’t!
I do a stupid thing and accept. Now I have to bring a soul to hell. Her time is up. This woman killed an innocent. Fetch her. End her. She’s a murderer. Deserves to spend eternity down here. Only it isn’t as simple as my father said it would be. Not even close.

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tates truthTATE’S TRUTH (SEXY SINS RETREAT BOOK 4) by Lilith Darville

I have four destined mates. That all sounds like a great time if I weren’t tasked with running a retreat infested with incubi, coping with a suddenly out-of-control sex drive and calming jealousies among my guys. If only I could remember our past lives, surely that would give me some insights into how to bring us together this time around. And now all kinds of weird things are happening. Why can’t the afterlife be easy?

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voyages of cinrakTHE VOYAGES OF CINRAK THE DAPPER (QUEEN OF SWORDS PRESS MINIS BOOK 2) by A J Fitzwalter

Dapper. Lesbian. Capybara. Pirate. Cinrak the Dapper is a keeper of secrets, a righter of wrongs, the saltiest capybara on the sea and a rider of both falling stars and a great glass whale. Join her, her beloveds, the rat Queen Orvilia and the marmot diva Loquolchi, lead soprano of the Theatre Rat-oyal, her loyal cabin kit, Benj the chinchilla, and Agnes, last of the great krakens, as they hunt for treasures of all kinds and find adventures beyond their wildest dreams. Let Sir Julius Vogel Award-winning storyteller A.J. Fitzwater take you on a glorious journey about finding yourself, discovering true love and found family, and exploring the greatest secrets of the deep. Also, dapperness.

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midnight furyMIDNIGHT FURY (MIDNIGHT WOLF SHIFTER PACK ROMANCE BOOK 4) by L Ann

Jaden never wanted a mate ...But fate had other plans and now he not only has a mate, it’s also one he didn’t ask for. Still recovering from his capture and abuse at the hands of the Collector, Jaden wants revenge. But things aren’t what they seem and the female he’s been forced to bond with comes with secrets that could destroy what is left of his control. Can Jaden defeat his demons or will they swallow him whole?

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cerulean queenTHE CERULEAN QUEEN (THE NINE REALMS BOOK 4) by Sarah Kozloff

The true queen of Weirandale has returned. Cerulia has done the impossible and regained the throne. However, she’s inherited a council of traitors, a realm in chaos, and a war with Oromondo. Now a master of her Gift, to return order to her kingdom she will use all she has learned—humility, leadership, compassion, selflessness, and the necessity of ruthlessness.

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bewitched shifterBEWITCHED SHIFTER (ALASKA ALPHAS BOOK 3) by Tamsin Ley

Cupcakes and canines – Ashlyn Reed came to Alaska to run a bakery, not run from the law. But after she’s attacked in a dark alley and the guy ends up dead, the hot detective investigating the case tells her she’s not only a werewolf, but his fated mate. Can either one be true? Whispers of witches Someone in town is hexing shifters, and Detective Kepler Stone is determined to hunt them down, especially when it turns out his new mate may be next. But the pack wants Ashlyn eliminated before the curse spreads. Can he solve the case and keep her safe? Secrets and sacrifice – With the passion between them growing, they stay one step ahead of their foes, but the magic inside Ashlyn may be more than either of them can handle. As witches close in on one side and the pack on the other, will they have to decide between staying together and staying alive?

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little free libraryLITTLE FREE LIBRARY by Naomi Kritzer

VS Note: Sounded intriguing so I one clicked. (The cover drew me in!) It was GREAT. I wished it was longer, I wished it was the start of a novel or a series or both…loved it. I loved her book CATFISHING ON CATNET earlier this year too…

Upon setting up her Little Free Library, Meagan develops an unexpected friendship with a mysterious book borrower.

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shorefallSHOREFALL: A NOVEL (THE FOUNDERS TRILOGY BOOK 2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

A few years ago, Sancia Grado would’ve happily watched Tevanne burn. Now, she’s hoping to transform her city into something new. Something better. Together with allies Orso, Gregor, and Berenice, she’s about to strike a deadly blow against Tevanne’s cruel robber-baron rulers and wrest power from their hands for the first time in decades.
But then comes a terrifying warning: Crasedes Magnus himself, the first of the legendary hierophants, is about to be reborn. And if he returns, Tevanne will be just the first place to feel his wrath.
Thousands of years ago, Crasedes was an ordinary man who did the impossible: Using the magic of scriving—the art of imbuing objects with sentience—he convinced reality that he was something more than human. Wielding powers beyond comprehension, he strode the world like a god for centuries, meting out justice and razing empires single-handedly, cleansing the world through fire and destruction—and even defeating death itself.
Like it or not, it’s up to Sancia to stop him. But to have a chance in the battle to come, she’ll have to call upon a god of her own—and unlock the door to a scriving technology that could change what it means to be human. And no matter who wins, nothing will ever be the same.

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savage debtA SAVAGE DEBT (BEHOLDEN DUET BOOK 1) by Zoey Ellis

As payment for her father’s debt, he wants: Her At his mercy For three nights
Notorious outlaw Maddoc follows no rules. When he walks into the palace demanding repayment for a debt no one knew existed, he wants only one thing. The Omega princess. Protected and revered, Ana struggles to find control in a life planned for her from the moment she was born. When she is forced to give three nights to a dark, lawless Alpha, his primal touch turns her world to chaos. But the more she tries to resist, the deeper she is sucked into the intense savagery he has saved just for her.

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faerie traderTHE FAERIE TRADER: CHRONICLES OF ALBURNIUM SHORT TALE by J R Castle

Jael Azazel’s friends describe him as a stupid faun with a big heart, but Jael respectfully disagrees. Truth is, he’s simply not been able to catch a break. What he needs is a bit of luck to get back on his hooves. Then along comes the deal of a lifetime. With the wealth acquired, Jael sees that he will be set for life, be able to hold his head high, and hopefully win Tila’s heart. But it’s what he doesn’t see that could land him in a world of trouble and shatter all his hopes and dreams.

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heaven sent flameHEAVEN SENT FLAME (WARRIORS IN BRONZE BOOK 3) by Nancy Lee Badger

Scottish Highlands, 1790: London-born Marigold awakens naked inside a dark tomb. Using a spell to free herself, and wrapped in her long red hair and an unusual banner, she is startled by the bronze statue staring down at her.
Raleigh, North Carolina Present day: As a Fae living among humans, Sam heads home to his beach house in Rodanthe, but is compelled to park at the Raleigh Museum of Art. This is where he and fellow demon fighters vanquished two demons. Has another returned? Two women gain his attention, but mystery surrounds both.
He returns with the redhead to his cousin’s home, but the fire-throwing demon follows. When a sword-wielding Marigold saves him, he wonders where her abilities come from. Is she the third Heaven-sent warrior? A woman? If so, training her is prudent, but the urge to make love to her is too strong to resist.

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cinderella assassinCINDERELLA ASSASSIN: A GLASS SLIPPER ADVENTURE by Allie Burton

What if your fairy godmother sent you to the royal ball to assassinate the heir to the kingdom, but instead of killing the prince you fell in love? The kingdom is in upheaval. The royals are imprisoning anyone with fairytale blood in a crusade to get rid of magic and make technology—something they can control—dominant. It all gets personal when Ellery’s best friend, a smoke sprite, is arrested, and Ellery must find a way to rescue her.
Ellery’s fairy godmother devises a devious deal. She will get Ellery into the hi-tech palace to save her friend, if she kills the prince while at the ball. But there’s a problem. Several, actually.

Ellery passes as human but if the truth is discovered she’d be imprisoned. A truth she refuses to face. She doesn’t travel in royal circles and wouldn’t recognize the prince if he kissed her. And, she certainly doesn’t want to kill anyone. Ever. But Ellery will do anything to save her friend. When Ellery arrives at the ball, she meets a charming stranger and attraction ignites. He follows her into the palace prison. There they discover a dark royal plot that will destroy the fairytale creatures. Will she choose to fight for her magical friends or her heart?

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murder on the bayouMURDER (WHISPERS FROM THE BAYOU BOOK 5) by Sandra R Neeley

Murder is the last of the gargoyles in Whispers to find his mate. Or so he thinks…
A fateful mission into Hell to rescue his best friend’s stolen mate leads Murder to a female he can’t look away from. As he hangs helpless from the chains holding him secure in the Dark One’s torture cell, a quiet female with midnight-blue eyes tends his wounds and nurses him the best she can despite his snarls and warnings to leave him alone. He doesn’t understand why he’s soothed by her presence. Before he can figure it out, he’s rescued and whisked back to the place he calls home. But he finds he has only one desire… and he’s got to go back to Hell to retrieve it.

Lucitari is an ancient. All her life she’s believed a mate is nothing more than a liability — someone to be used against you. It’s a weakness she cannot afford Which is why eons ago, she selflessly gave away the part of herself that calls to a mate. It was an impulsive, yet sensible decision — until now. Now she’s found her mate, but he’s claimed another. Her heart is breaking, yet even so, she wishes him well. She’s doing her best to put on a brave face, though it’s hard to do when he makes her so angry she struggles to control her temper. But she’s determined to be happy for him. A little. Maybe…(more blurb on ebook seller page…)

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succubus chainedSUCCUBUS CHAINED (PARANORMAL PRISON) by Heather Long

I bet you’re asking yourself, why am I here? What happened that landed me in this cell? Trust me, you aren’t the only one. Who am I? You’d do better to ask what I am. You know it’s going to be a bad day when you wake up in the wrong man’s bed, your favorite leather outfit is completely shredded, your best Manolo Blahniks are broken, and your eighty-dollar manicure is ruined. But would you believe me if I said that’s just the tip of the shit storm? My name is Fiona MacRieve, and I’m a succubus…or I was. I seduced a vampire and we had a fantastic time, until he drained me almost to death. Which wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t forced his blood down my throat thinking it would heal me.Yeah, it didn’t. Cause that’s not how I heal. So not only did I wake up to losing my best outfit, I woke up dead. Now I’m a vampire. Some shit you just can’t make up. Oh…and my favorite part? I’m under arrest.

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broken warriorBROKEN WARRIOR (THE WEAVER’S CIRCLE BOOK 1) by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott

Clay Green – A brotherhood? Monsters? Goddesses? Magic?The world has become a strange place.After a life on the run, Clay Green is rescued by a crazy old lady with a shotgun and an even crazier story about monsters, goddesses, and a secret brotherhood. Gifted with the power of the earth, Clay must locate his missing “brothers” before invading monsters can destroy everything. As if that’s not enough to contend with, Clay can’t keep his hands off the man trying to rebuild the plantation house he’s temporarily living in.  Dane Briggs – Something strange is going on…Dane knew restoring the old plantation house wasn’t going to be an easy job, but at least none of the clients were going to be underfoot. Since losing his wife and child, the only way Dane can keep going is to focus on the work. But that focus crumbles the second Clay appears covered in blood and barely hanging on to life. Mystery and danger cling to Clay and the other men who suddenly show up. A smart man would walk away. Dane chucks smart out the window in favor of hungry kisses and the silken slide of skin against skin. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but there’s no question that Clay needs him. He’s just not sure his heart can survive being broken again if something happens to Clay.

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semi psychic lifeSEMI-PSYCHIC LIFE: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (GLIMMER LAKE BOOK 2) by Elizabeth Hunter

Who says you can’t live the rock and roll life after forty? You just need a lot more vitamins and a bigger bottle of aspirin. Valerie Costa was pretty sure she was rocking her forties. She had an amazing coffee shop, two cool teenagers, and a new superpower that gave her insight into any random object she touched. Okay, she wasn’t thrilled about that last one. Ever since Val and her two best friends had driven their car off the edge and into Glimmer Lake the year before, Val has struggled with her new abilities. She’s not exactly sure she wants to be psychic, she could live without her newfound glove addiction, and honestly no one wants to know that much about their teenage sons. But when Val’s ex-husband goes missing, and police show up at her door with questions she can’t answer, Val, Robin, and Monica are going to have to use their sudden psychic abilities to solve a mystery none of them saw coming.

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deck of omensTHE DECK OF OMENS (THE DEVOURING GREY BOOK 2) by Christine Lynn Herman

Though the Beast is seemingly subdued for now, a new threat lurks in Four Paths: a corruption seeping from the Gray into the forest. And with the other Founders preoccupied by their tangled alliances and fraying relationships, only May Hawthorne seems to realize the danger. But saving the town she loves means seeking aid from the person her family despises most — her father, Ezra Bishop.
May’s father isn’t the only newcomer in town–Isaac Sullivan’s older brother has also returned, seeking forgiveness for the role he played in Isaac’s troubled past. But Isaac isn’t ready to let go of his family’s history, especially when that history might hold the key that he and Violet Saunders need to destroy the Gray and the monster within it.
Harper Carlisle isn’t ready to forgive, either. Two devastating betrayals have left her isolated from her family and uncertain who to trust. As the corruption becomes impossible to ignore, Harper must learn to control her newfound powers in order to protect Four Paths. But the only people who can help her do that are the ones who have hurt her the most. With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, the Founder descendants must put their grievances with one another aside to stop the corruption and kill the Beast once and for all. But the monster they truly need to slay may never been the Beast.

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master of salt and bonesMASTER OF SALT AND BONES by Keri Lake

VS Note: Described as a dark modern Gothic romance.

Meet the Devil of Blackthorne Manor …When I was a little girl, I dreamed a handsome knight would come and rescue me from my wretched mother. He’d ride up on his white steed and break the curse I’ve been fated to carry since the day I was born. Funny how things changed over time. How the fairy tale twisted into something far more crooked, darker than I ever imagined. In reality, my knight is scarred and broken, living alone in a castle of bones that overlooks the sea. He isn’t searching for me. He never was. Lucian Blackthorne is as cursed as I am, and equally shunned by the locals, the fishers of men, who believe him to be the devil in the flesh.
Perhaps he is, with the way his amber eyes draw me in, ignite me like an infernal blaze. And the sins he whispers in my ear are as wickedly intoxicating as the man himself. Yet, his touch is heaven and his will is my weakness. He calls us forbidden, an unsalvageable tragedy, with no happy end. Maybe we are. But in this story, he’s the one who needs saving.

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tuckers troubleTUCKER’S TROUBLE (TIMBER VALLEY WOLF PACK BOOK 4) by Taylor Ryan

Tucker had been many things in his long life, but never what he and his wolf wanted most—mate and father. When a group of refugees shows up at the nearby den seeking sanctuary from a deranged alpha, Tucker never expected to scent his mate. His hopes are quickly doused when he discovers his mate isn’t yet of age and shows no signs of even knowing he exists. So he does what he’s done for over a century. He waits.

Flynn lived a happy yet sheltered life until suddenly it’s turned upside down and they’re forced to flee from their home. In a trek that takes over a year, Flynn realizes that there’s a whole new world outside of the small town he grew up in.
He’d always been told to trust his fox, but his inquisitive nature has gotten him and his brother into trouble on multiple occasions. Will it now, when the pull to Timber Valley is so strong?

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devil in apartment 13THE DEVIL IN APARTMENT 13 by Tiana Laveen

Shahzad Haidar has been called many things… evil, horrid, ghastly, incredible, alarming. The latest label was the usage of the word, ‘Devil.’ However, Shahzad is none of those things – he is a Jinn. But not just any Jinn…Shahzad is a slick urban genie who runs an empire. His company creates magic and grants wishes under the illusion of being merely for entertainment. However, for the right price, he can make true dreams and even ungodly nightmares come true. Having little interest in human lives other than for financial gain and amusement, he is shocked when an incident occurs that challenges his lackadaisical attitude towards hominids…
Vivian Carver believes her name is synonymous with bad luck. She’s a bartender living smack dab in the middle of NYC and has had it up to here with entitled tourists, an annoying roommate and just barely surviving. She’s forced to move into a cheaper apartment, and with it comes a seedy landlord, drippy faucets and a peculiar stranger in apartment 13.
Shahzad has pulled all the stops to get to know Ms. Vivian Carver, someone who in no shape, form or fashion understands her full potential… She is one of the most beautiful humans he’s ever seen, and he is determined to make her his mate for life. Shahzad however, doesn’t offer just three wishes — he is determined to give her so much more…
Can a black hearted jinn with the world in his palm truly fall in love?
Can a woman with the world on her shoulders see the beauty in a being that teeters the line of good and evil?

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midnight magicMIDNIGHT MAGIC (FAMILIAR KITTEN MYSTERIES BOOK 2) by Sara Bourgeois

The Midnight Magic Festival is upon Coventry, and Kinley Skeenbauer is excited to participate for the first time. Since her shop, Summoned Goods & Sundries, is the newest thing in Coventry, she’s been invited to provide swag bags and decorations for the festivities. With Meri at her side, Kinsley is ready to pull out all the stops and make this year’s Midnight Magic Festival the best her hometown has ever seen. There’s just one problem… A new witch, Astra Argent, has moved to Coventry and opened a competing shop across the street from Kinsley’s store. When Kinsley comes to work one morning only to find her windows smashed, decorations destroyed, swag bags missing, and Astra’s wallet in the glass, she’s furious. A confrontation the whole town witnesses goes down in front of Astra’s shop, The Summoning Scroll. Thirteen hours later, Astra is found dead on Kinsley’s front porch. Her body is sitting in a rocking chair with a cocktail in her hand. The macabre staged scene sends a shockwave through Coventry.
Someone wanted Astra dead, and they wanted Kinsley to go down for the crime. Can Kinsley and her friends solve the murder, or will she end up caught in a killer’s wicked snare?

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perfect imperfectionPERFECT IMPERFECTION by Dahlia Rose

Normalcy. That’s all Kaye yearned for. Was there any man who could look past the birthmark that covered her face to see who she really was? Tired of hiding. Tired of the makeup. Tired of being judged by shallow superficial men she had almost given up on love. Until Aros. He called her exquisite. His kisses made butterflies dance in her stomach. For the first time in her life Kaye felt seen. Until she saw his true form. A form that made her want to run in hide. People that could shift into dragons? Another world? Crazy talk. Myths. Legends. Fairy tales from books. And yet it was all real.

And then he dropped another bombshell on her; she was a part of this new world. A world that mirrored the reality she had come to think of as hers. And on top of all that she was the key to his throne and saving his people. All she had to do was accept what he was offering her; eternal love and adoration. No more judgments or rejection. But could she handle the burden he was placing on her shoulders? Did she truly believe this beyond fantastical man when he told her she was the one person his heart longed for; his mate? Did she dare accept this new truth? Did she dare to embrace her destiny and him?

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touch of deathA TOUCH OF DEATH (MARCI AND GRAVE) by Annitia L Jackson

VS Note: From the end of March

Novella-Marci Leeann Marsh was born cursed because she was not a pure blood Fae. Doomed to live an existence alone, she commits a selfless act and sacrifices her own life to save a baby. However, her good deed isn’t enough. When she gets to the afterworld her past misdeeds come under fire. Marci is placed on trial to decide where she should spend eternity. She is to be judged by the same council, who have shunned her most of her life; Marci knows she is doomed.

Grave is the King of Death and head of the council. Being the man of the afterworld has afforded him money, power, and the most beautiful bedmates in the realm, but never the love of a mate. He had held the fate of many souls in his court for centuries in the Underworld. But never had he run across someone like Marci. With her fate in his hands, Grave finds himself drawn to the unstable half-fae beauty. But will Marci be too much for even the King of Death to handle?

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selkies coatTHE SELKIE’S COAT (WAVES OF FATE BOOK 1) by Drea Roman

A marshmallow alpha with more heart than sense and a stubborn human omega trying to guard his heart fall in love in this first story from the Waves of Fate omegaverse.
“Oops! You dropped your coat!” With these words, waiter Daniel Collins turns alpha selkie Gregory Samson’s life upside down. Because that coat is not some fancy heirloom fur. No, it is Gregory’s selkie pelt, which magically connects him with his seal animal inside. When Gregory hears Daniel’ voice, he knows the rare human omega is his mate. Too bad Daniel has more than a few misgivings about trusting his heart to a selkie. Because the magical seal shifters have one of the worst player reputations of all shifter kind and Daniel fears a broken heart. How will Gregory convince Daniel to give him a chance?

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winter lairdTHE WINTER LAIRD (MISTS OF FATE BOOK 1) by Nancy Scanlon

THE PRESENT – Successful matchmaker Brianagh O’Rourke believes in happy-ever-afters – just not her own. Though she thrives on helping her clients find the partner of their dreams, her own dreams remain firmly in her head, not in her life. She’s fine loving only her business–at least, that’s what she tells herself when she agrees to her lackluster boyfriend’s proposal.
THE PAST – Laird Nioclas MacWilliam has big problems: His power-hungry, exiled father  wants him dead, his clan is pressuring him to marry to secure a strong alliance, and he’s been betrothed to the mystical O’Rourke daughter for years, despite the fact that she’s been missing for most of them. When she appears the day before his nuptials to another, he offers a solution for the both of them: If she marries him and convinces the clan they are a love match, he gives his vow to help her return home in three months.
THE FUTURE – Brianagh wants nothing more than to return home to her family and her life. But as the days turn into weeks, their bargain becomes less about convincing the clan and more about what is possible. When the time comes, she must decide: Does she return to her life of stability and success, or stay in the past for a chance at true love?

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tea on the tombstoneTEA ON THE TOMBSTONE (WITCH HAZEL LANE MYSTERIES BOOK 4) by J L Collins

It’s time to roll out the welcome mat at the charming but definitely haunted Hampton House! Not only is Birdie Devaine finished with her house renovation, she’s also invited her closest friend from Vegas to come visit. It should be a fun get-together, right?
But that’s not how things work for Birdie these days. Her magic is going haywire, she’s got a couple of unwanted guests party-crashing, while the secret ghosts of Hampton House are no longer such a big secret…And in the thick of it all is the unthinkable—her friend’s soul has gone missing.Even after all this time, Birdie’s starting to wonder if maybe this place isn’t just haunted, but rather cursed.

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mate to protectA MATE TO PROTECT (DRAGONS OF MOUNT ATERNA BOOK 3) by Riley Storm

Two years of constantly moving to avoid her ex-husband’s stalking has taken its toll on Anne and ten-year-old Liam. She has high hopes that Five Peaks will be different, that perhaps they will be able to find some semblance of peace here, but her hopes are dashed when a fight breaks out in her bar. Now she has to make sure the handsome hunk who started it all by defending her honor is okay. The last thing she needs is a dead body on her dance floor.

Dragon shifter Kal Aterna doesn’t have much anymore. He was in charge the day the Gate to the Otherworld was breached, and someone had to take the blame. Thrown out in disgrace from the only life he’s known, he’s taken to spending his evenings drinking down in Five Peaks. Still, even in his alcohol-fueled state, there’s one thing he won’t stand for. Seeing Anne taken advantage of by a slimeball, he rouses himself just long enough to get knocked out.

Yet when he comes too, the first face he sees is hers. Something changes in Kal in that instant. A new purpose is born, and he won’t rest until he’s proven to her that she’s found more than just a place to stay in Five Peaks. But the past is a tricky thing, and neither Kal nor Anne can get theirs to stay where it belongs. A possessive ex, mysterious disappearances, and a truth that will rock the shifter world. Will their love be strong enough to weather what’s coming?

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protect minePROJECT MINE (BECOMING THE WOLF 3) by T S Joyce

She’s baaack! The one and only Silver Wolf is back where she belongs, with the Dallas pack and right beside her man. Morgan Carter has missed Grey terribly in the time she was away, but after she was hunted by a Montana pack, she knows she can’t run from her destiny anymore. It’s time to own who and what she is, because a storm is forming right over the make-shift family she is building for herself. With formal challenges being thrown at her mate, Greyson, she needs to make a decision quick on how she will fit into the new pack dynamics. No more running, no more hiding. Her inner wolf is finally learning to fight for what she wants…even if what she wants is the Demon Wolf himself.

Greyson Crawford is fighting some gnarly instincts to protect everyone around him, even at the cost of his own safety. He’ll take any fight that comes his way as long as Morgan isn’t rushed into her destiny. She’s slowly creating a legend, and he wants to be the one to build a fortress of protection around her. He will see her reach her potential, even if he has to bring down every werewolf in existence to do it.

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dragon mates secretDRAGON MATE’S SECRET: GUARDIAN DRAGONS OF PROSPECT FALLS by Serena Meadows

Michael knows that finding love is a pipedream. Following in the footsteps of the dragon-shifter ancestors who came before him, his job is to mate and continue his lineage—not waste time on distractions like romance. Amy has one love in her life: teaching her students about King Arthur and the folklore of his court. But when her best friend Molly stops returning her calls, Amy leaves her reclusive life in New York and heads to Prospect Falls. Instead of finding her friend, however, she discovers Michael, a man rippling with muscle, charisma, and deeply hidden secrets. Amy will do anything to find Molly, and Michael seems to be the only person with answers. The trouble is, Amy is starting to suspect that Michael is not the man he claims to be, and when the truth is finally revealed, no amount of chemistry will forgive his dark manipulation.

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maddoxMADDOX: THE BOUNDARYLANDS OMEGAVERSE by Callie Rhodes

No woman willingly travels to the Boundarylands. It’s where they are—the Alphas.
They keep to themselves in the wilderness, and beta civilization knows to keep its distance. Especially beta women…for fear they may not be a beta after all. The only way to know your true nature is to feel the touch of an Alpha. Omegas may be rare, but every woman knows their fates are hellish—held captive, broken, mated, knotted, and bred.
After a hiking trip goes horribly wrong, Hope is on the run, tracked by men who want to ensure she doesn’t live to tell her story. She doesn’t realize that she’s crossed over into the Boundarylands until she collapses before the one creature she fears more than the murderers on her tail. Now her only hope for salvation lays with an Alpha so dangerous even other Alphas know to keep their distance.

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fae kings curseTHE FAE KING’S CURSE (BETWEEN DAWN AND DUSK BOOK 2) by Jamie Schlosser

Kirian and I were just twelve years old when I pulled him from the icy waters of the creek behind my house. As he looked in my direction with unseeing lavender eyes, I quickly realized our age was just about the only thing we had in common. He spoke with an accent, he had pointy ears, and he was so beautiful it made my heart ache. Oh, and he claimed to be a fae prince cursed by witches who stole his sight.

I thought he was crazy from hypothermia. Turns out, he wasn’t, and for some reason he keeps coming back. But a day in my world is a year in his. Every time I see him, he’s older. Wiser. Hotter. Over the past six years, I’ve tried not to fall in love with him because the terms of the curse are clear: If he doesn’t wait for his fated mate in all ways, including an innocent (or not-so-innocent) kiss, he’ll be blind forever. So when Kirian kisses me and pulls me through the portal to his realm, I make it my mission to do some damage control. It’d be a whole lot easier if he wasn’t determined to marry me… And if someone wasn’t trying to murder me every step of the way.

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friend in needA FRIEND IN NEED (GIFT OF THE ANCIENTS BOOK 3) by Bianca D’Arc

She’s a wounded warrior…Hannah came home from her tour in the desert with a foot busted up almost beyond repair. It’s been a struggle to get back to civilian life after her injury, but she’s working at the mall and doing what the doctors tell her, when all of a sudden, she’s back in a firefight, in the middle of suburbia!
He’s a very special operator…Carter is tasked to look after the woman who can’t run, and finds himself enchanted by her coolness under fire. He’s a Special Forces warrior with a near-magic ability for language. Days after the mall incident, he feels compelled to check on her, and then, the true adventure begins as attraction explodes into heated desire, and enemies on her doorstep cause him to take drastic action. They have a lot in common, including a smoldering mutual attraction…Both sergeants, they’re both in the Army, though under very different commands. Still, they find common ground and fiery passion, together. When a sleeper cell is awakened, it will take both of them to stop the insanity. Can they do it without losing anyone…especially each other?

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looking glassLOOKING GLASS (THE CHRONICLES OF ALICE BOOK 3) by Christina Henry

In four new novellas, Christina Henry returns to the world of Alice and Red Queen, where magic runs as freely as secrets and blood. Lovely CreatureIn the New City lives a girl with a secret: Elizabeth can do magic. But someone knows her secret–someone who has a secret of his own. That secret is a butterfly that lives in a jar, a butterfly that was supposed to be gone forever, a butterfly that used to be called the Jabberwock…
Girl in Amber – Alice and Hatcher are just looking for a place to rest. Alice has been dreaming of a cottage by a lake and a field of wildflowers, but while walking blind in a snowstorm she stumbles into a house that only seems empty and abandoned…
When I First Came to Town – Hatcher wasn’t always Hatcher. Once, he was a boy called Nicholas, and Nicholas fancied himself the best fighter in the Old City. No matter who fought him he always won. Then his boss tells him he’s going to battle the fearsome Grinder, a man who never leaves his opponents alive…The Mercy Seat – There is a place hidden in the mountains, where all the people hate and fear magic and Magicians. It is the Village of the Pure, and though Alice and Hatcher would do anything to avoid it, it lies directly in their path.

Amazon      Apple Books

sin and lightningSIN AND LIGHTNING (DEMI GODS OF SAN FRANCISCO BOOK 5) by K F Breene

One thing has become incredibly clear to Alexis and Kieran, if they hope to last in the arena of Demigods, they’ll need a more robust defense team. They must take two incredibly dangerous journeys, seeking the prized talents other Demigods would kill for. Except, there is a reason other Demigods don’t have these magical workers–they are as ruthless as they are dangerous, and the last thing they want is to be on a Demigod’s team.

If that isn’t enough, Alexis has received an invitation from Demigod Lydia, the only Hades Demigod who hasn’t openly declared war. She’s talking like they could be allies, but those of Hades cannot be trusted. A trap is just as likely as a handshake. Still, it’s a chance they must take. Any one of these trips could be their last, but to back down would be the most dangerous of all.

Amazon

my two wolvesMY TWO WOLVES (DOUBLE DESERT SHIFTERS BOOK 2) by Mia Wolf

I have to go on a trip with the two hottest guys in the pack. They’re devastatingly attractive, and I’ve had this stupid crush on them for ages. But I’m not going to show it.
I’m not interested in the bad boy party bro thing that they have going on. They’re just irresponsible womanizers who chew women up and spit them out again. I have no business being a part of that. So, here’s the plan. I’m going to be professional and the height of responsibility, like I always am. I’ll keep my head straight and not see them as the guys I sometimes fantasize about. I’ll ignore the contours of their muscles showing through their shirts. Most of all, I’m not going to let my guard slip, no matter how hungry they make me. And that’s a promise. Here’s to hoping I can keep it.

Amazon

oliverOLIVER: FORBIDDEN by Kathi S Barton

Oliver Moody had a lot on his plate. He was a self-made billionaire, but his personal life left a lot to be desired. Even with his mother and sister plotting his untimely demise, Oliver sought custody of his nephew Lyle, a lost soul he felt was worth saving. Even though he had a lot of new friends, Oliver was still a lonely man.  The doctors had told David Finch he had less than a year to live. The cancer had spread like fire through his body. That day he met Oliver was the best and worst day of his life. He had finally found his soulmate, only to have it snatched away. David was devastated. Oliver and his newfound family had more magic than David realized…. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

Amazon      Apple Books

shift out of luckSHIFT OUT OF LUCK (BRIMSTONE INC BOOK 2) by Abigail Owen

VS Note: Author states book has been re-edited.

The Montagues and Capulets have nothing on the Canis and Banes wolf packs. The two have been feuding for ages. The brutal murder of the Banes’ alpha only added fuel to the fire. And now there’s only one way to bring peace—the current alphas of each pack, Marrok and Tala, need a mating of convenience. Tala has her doubts. A thousand of them. Never mind that Marrok drives her body to levels of desire her vibrator has trouble keeping up with. If she can’t get her inner wolf—or her people—on board, forget peace, because she’ll lose the tenuous control she has over the Canis pack. Her new mate is just so damn alpha. He’d better learn to play nice or Tala will have to show him who’s boss. But Marrok has plans of his own, and nothing and no one, not even Tala herself, can resist an alpha.

Amazon      Apple Books

ranger of marzannaTHE RANGER OF MARZANNA (THE GODDESS WAR BOOK 1) by Jon Skovron

VS Note: Mixed reviews so far…

When their father is murdered by imperial soldiers, two siblings set out on opposite paths–one will destroy the Empire forever and the other will save it–in this thrilling new epic fantasy. Sonya is training to be a Ranger of Marzanna, an ancient sect of warriors who have protected the land for generations. But the old ways are dying, and the rangers have all been forced into hiding or killed off by the invading Empire.
When her father is murdered by imperial soldiers, she decides to finally take action. Using her skills as a ranger she will travel across the bitter cold tundra and gain the allegiance of the only other force strong enough to take down the invaders.
But nothing about her quest will be easy. Because not everyone is on her side. Her brother, Sebastian, is the most powerful sorcerer the world has ever seen. And he’s fighting for the empire.

Amazon      Apple Books

dark overlords wifeDARK OVERLORD’S WIFE (THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES BOOK 39) by I T Lucas

Jacki is still clinging to her all-or-nothing policy, but Kalugal is chipping away at her resistance. Perhaps it’s time to ease up on her convictions. A little less than all is still much better than nothing, and a couple of decades with a demigod is probably worth more than a lifetime with a mere mortal.

Amazon

war boundWAR BOUND (ELVEN ALLIANCE BOOK 2) by Tara Grayce

VS Note: apparently ends in a cliffhanger. Book 1 had pretty good reviews.

Marriage to an elf is complicated…especially bringing him home to meet the family.
Princess Elspeth of Escarland married the elf prince and achieved peace between the elves and her human people. But after a recent ambush by the trolls, it is clear the trolls are trying to start a war between the elves and humans once again. To keep their peoples at peace, Essie and Farrendel travel to meet Essie’s family and negotiate a stronger alliance. Yet in Escarland, not everyone is happy with peace. Traitors lurk in both Escarland and Tarenhiel, and it will be up to Essie and Farrendel to flush them out. The consequences of failure might be more personal and deadly than they can imagine.

Amazon

wilkd wolf mateWILD WOLF MATE (THE LEAGUE OF GALLIZE SHIFTERS BOOK 5) by Dianna Love

In this friends to lovers paranormal romance, Mad Red isn’t just a nickname for Adrian’s wolf, it’s the truth. His teammates want to save him, but his wolf is deranged and Adrian lives a tortured existence for his part in losing his wolf when a rescue mission overseas went horribly wrong. Now, he just needs to stay alive long enough to answer the call for help from the family of a fallen soldier Adrian loved like a brother. But to bring the wolf shifter who killed the soldier’s sibling to justice, Adrian will have to hunt down Jazlyn, a female wolf shifter who just saved his life, and put her in prison. Welcome to his hell on earth.

Even while on the run for her life, Jazlyn can’t turn her back on anyone in pain if she can heal them, but her last decision proves no good deed goes unpunished. She’s racing to find the one person who can prove her innocence then she can leave the southeast for good and return to her Kodiak bear shifter family without putting them at risk. They love her, but she’s the only wolf shifter they’ll accept, because they raised her. It’s not like she has time to worry about mating … not until her sexy mistake shows up and their energies hum with a powerful mating call. Giving into that desire could destroy everything, or it just might save them both.

Amazon      Apple Books

duping deathDUPING DEATH, WITCH BLUNDER (DREAD DYNASTY BOOK 2) by Alexa Gregory

Héloise broke the heart of the love of her life to protect her family and pay the debt they owed to the soul collectors, but still, it wasn’t enough. She has run out of time to make amends. Aldric Dread is a warlock who has filled his life with work to forget Héloise. When he finds out she’s bound for Hell, he can’t turn his back on her. Instead, he concocts a dangerous plan to get her released her from her debt. But Death isn’t easily defeated. While on the run, witch and warlock will have to put aside their painful past and work together to save more than just Héloise. Because something’s brewing in Lucifer’s kingdom, and they’re caught in the eye of the storm.

Amazon

beckBECK (WINTER – SHIFTER SEASONS BOOK 2) by Harmony Raines

Beck is back in town. After a year away he’s learned there is no place like home.
He’s also learned that life is full of surprises and you should never take anything for granted. Then his mate walks into his life. He’s ready to settle down and work hard to build a good life in Bear Creek. However, fate is about to remind him that things do not always run smoothly, even when it comes to true love.
They sweep their women off their feet and stay together forever. Wasn’t that what Aunt Betsy had said about the men in Bear Creek? Kassia wasn’t sure she wanted to be swept off her feet. After being betrayed by a man who swore he loved her, she needed time for her heart to heal. But Beck promised to mend her broken heart and keep it safe forever. Surely that was worth a second chance at love? However, when someone begins stalking Kassia, she must work with Beck to prevent the past ruining their future together. But whose past is hunting them?

Amazon

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mission her shieldMISSION: HER SHIELD (TEAM 52 BOOK 7) by Anna Hackett

VS Note: Not scifi romance (although there’s a hint of ‘ancient technology’) but I love all her books!

She’s the one woman he’s always wanted and the one woman he’ll never let himself have, but former Delta Force soldier Axel will risk everything to save his covert team’s beautiful archeologist. Former Delta Force soldier Axel Diaz knows that fighting the bad guys requires getting down in the muck. He’s done too much and seen too much to ever inflict his nightmares on a woman. Especially a gorgeous, smart archeologist who ignites his blood like no one else. Axel focuses on his work with the covert, black ops Team 52. He’ll work alongside Dr. Natalie Blackwell as they safeguard pieces of ancient technology, but he’ll never let himself touch her. Then everything changes when Nat calls for help. Her archeology conference in Greece has gone horribly wrong…Dr. Natalie Blackwell loves her work with Team 52. A lonely childhood and an indifferent family have taught her to be independent. She’s been attracted to Axel for a long time, but refuses to be another notch on his very notched bedpost. But when she finds herself in terrible danger, being hunted by something terrifying, all she wants around her are Axel’s muscled arms. She is in the fight for her life, and she’s praying her team—and the man she can’t resist—can find her in time.

Amazon

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VS: SciFi Romance Author Tasha Black put together a great BookFunnel event (I have a book in there as well…) – check it out!

SFR Promo price Tasha Black APR_2020

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VS: The first book in the STAR CRUISE series and my first best seller:

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iBooks        Amazon    Kobo     Barnes & Noble

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

April 15

April 8

April 1

March 25

March 18

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post  but after that I’m not responsible.

 

Where Did They Find This Guy? Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedI hope wherever you are, you and your loved ones are safe and staying healthy!

Now taking excerpts from LANDON: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL, which was released on Jan 31st.

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

Punctuation may be wonky to comply with our guidelines here. May be edited a bit from published version.

If you haven’t read any of my Badari Warriors series: Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage unceasing war on the aliens. 

The excerpt, continuing on from where I stopped last week. Mandy is venturing deeper into the lab complex, to check on a person she’s seen on the security console vidscreen, trapped in a medlab. She heard scrabbling sounds ahead…

She peeked past the corner and found a cleaning robo whirring impotently stuck in a corner. With a laugh at her fears, Mandy put the gun away and hastened through to the next area. She was having flashbacks of the day the guards had brought her here for the experiments and bit her lip until she tasted blood as she forced herself to keep walking, going more and more slowly. There was a person in need of her help up ahead and she couldn’t turn tail and run.

When she got to the medlab annex, one door was ajar, so she entered cautiously, ready for anything. The room was dimly lit but as she crossed the threshold the lights came up, revealing the prisoner she’d come so far to rescue.

Mandy stared in disbelief, clinging to the door as she was dizzy from dehydration.

The man was humanoid but clearly not human, judging by his immense size. His chest rose and fell slightly, showing he was alive so Mandy moved closer, astonished. He had to stand seven feet tall in his bare feet and was so big she figured he must weigh over three hundred pounds.

Where did the Khagrish find this guy?

VS: And how is she going to rescue him?

landonThe blurb: When unexpected circumstances give her a chance to escape from an alien scientist’s lab after she’s been tortured, Mandy Rennegar knew she should run for the hills with the other prisoners. There’s one more special captive who hasn’t been freed, however, and she decides to risk everything to help him. Mandy’s not leaving anyone behind.

Captured by the enemy on a scouting trip, Landon of the Badari has been pushed beyond his limits of sanity and strength by the Khagrish experiments and waits to die…until the human woman sets him free and takes him into the wilderness with her on a desperate trek to freedom. If he could only regain his memory, he’s sure there’s a sanctuary on the planet where his people could help them both.

As Mandy and Landon flee the pursuing Khagrish new challenges arise, including secrets from the past which could destroy the growing attraction between them. Difficult choices have to be made, putting Mandy’s life at risk and Landon discovers the Khagrish have left a lasting mark on his mind.

Will they reach the Badari sanctuary in time? Can their love survive Mandy’s revelations? Will the Alpha of the Badari give them a chance to be together or will he allow her to die when Landon risks everything to save his fated mate?

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo     Nook       GooglePlay

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One of my best sellers, first in the STAR CRUISE series:

iBooks        Amazon    Kobo     Barnes & Noble

canva ad april_2020

 

 

New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday APRIL 15

guard house of rone 5I hope wherever you live there’s good news on the pandemic situation…sending positive thoughts and best wishes to you and those you love, for safety and health.

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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GUARD (GALACTIC GLADIATORS HOUSE OF RONE BOOK 5) by Anna Hackett

VS: One clicked immediately of course, love her books. This contains two novellas. One is a re-release of Anna’s Pets In Space® 4 novella and the other is a brand new story! Plus a new short story…full details of each novella on ebook seller page.

From the dangerous desert sands to the deadly glitz of the city, the lawless desert planet of Carthago is filled with lethal cyborg gladiators risking it all for the women who capture their hearts. GUARD contains two novellas and one short story all set in the Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone series. Dark Guard: lethal cyborg Zaden will do whatever it takes to guard and protect beautiful, sweet Calla from mysterious attackers. Cyborg Guard: on a dangerous mission into the desert, female cyborg loner Seren must act as bodyguard for champion gladiator Xias—a man who pushes every one of her buttons. Includes the short story – House of Rone: Beginnings

Amazon

change of momentumCHANGE OF MOMENTUM (FLEET OF MAILK) by Liana Brooks

Rowena Lee lost the man she was supposed to marry and with him any hope for a happy future in the war. Now, five years later, with a suspicious kind of peace brokered between the sides, Rowena lives a half-life in emotional isolation. Neither her former enemies nor her crew have any use for her, and her only joy comes from her new job training cadets—something made difficult lately by Commander Silar’s constant, irritating presence. If he got out of her way for just THREE SECONDS, she could actually DO her job.

Commander Hollis Silar came out of the war a hero, the golden boy who could do no wrong. Romance came easily too: easy come, and easy go. But Rowena? Challenging. Like trying to flirt with a rock. Especially since he shouldn’t associate with her in the first place. As politics heat up on Malik IV and factions begin to draw battle lines, an unknown enemy forces Rowena and Hollis into an uneasy partnership. Love is a battlefield, and on Malik IV, war is in the air.

Amazon      Apple Books

silent flyghtSILENT FLYGHT (THE FLYGHT SERIES BOOK 5) by S J Pajonas

Vivian Kawabata has finally reached her breaking point. The plucky starship captain is doing everything she can to ensure her treasured family land isn’t stolen. But she’s shocked to learn they will auction the property in only two weeks, and she doesn’t have enough credits to compete.

Scrambling to forge a revised plan to save her inheritance, Vivian’s convinced the only solution is to add a new benefactor to her sexy stable of suitors. But with a rival sabotaging her business at every turn, she fears even a wealthy man’s help will come too late. Can Vivian preserve her birthright before it’s snatched away for good?

Amazon      Apple Books

stolen tana stoneSTOLEN (TRIBUTE BRIDES OF THE DREXIAN WARRIORS BOOK 9) by Tana Stone

When they told her she’d been abducted from Earth as a tribute bride for a badass alien warrior, Hope thought it was the craziest thing she’d ever heard. That was before she was kidnapped by space pirates.
Hope didn’t buy the idea of being a tribute bride. After all, she’d never been into commitment. But when she sees the Drexian who’s come to rescue her, she’s more impressed than she wants to admit. Not only is he gorgeous and built, but he seems willing to do anything to keep her safe. Too bad she has no intention of going anywhere but back to Earth.
Kos has always been a loyal and driven Drexian warrior, rising in the ranks to become first officer of the space station. He’s never spent much time with human women, but how complicated could they be? When he rescues Hope from the pirates, he figures the hard part is over. Now he only has to get her back to Drexian space and formalize his mating claim on her. What could possibly go wrong? Only everything.

Amazon

bonds of brassBONDS OF BRASS: BOOK ONE OF THE BLOODRIGHT TRILOGY by Emily Skrutskie

Ettian’s life was shattered when the merciless Umber Empire invaded his world. He’s spent seven years putting himself back together under its rule, joining an Umber military academy and becoming the best pilot in his class. Even better, he’s met Gal—his exasperating and infuriatingly enticing roommate who’s made the academy feel like a new home.

But when dozens of classmates spring an assassination plot on Gal, a devastating secret comes to light: Gal is the heir to the Umber Empire. Ettian barely manages to save his best friend and flee the compromised academy unscathed, rattled that Gal stands to inherit the empire that broke him, and that there are still people willing to fight back against Umber rule.

As they piece together a way to deliver Gal safely to his throne, Ettian finds himself torn in half by an impossible choice. Does he save the man who’s won his heart and trust that Gal’s goodness could transform the empire? Or does he throw his lot in with the brewing rebellion and fight to take back what’s rightfully theirs?

Amazon      Apple Books

book of koliTHE BOOK OF KOLI (THE RAMPART TRILOGY BOOK 1) by M R Carey

VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note this week…

Everything that lives hates us…Beyond the walls of the small village of Mythen Rood lies an unrecognizable landscape. A place where overgrown forests are filled with choker trees and deadly seeds that will kill you where you stand. And if they don’t get you, one of the dangerous shunned men will. Koli has lived in Mythen Rood his entire life. He believes the first rule of survival is that you don’t venture too far beyond the walls.
He’s wrong.

Amazon      Apple Books

taken to voraxiaTAKEN TO VORAXIA (XIVERI MATES BOOK 1) by Elizabeth Stephens

Miari – Here’s what I know: aliens invade our colony every three years, hunt and claim the most beautiful of our women, then leave. Here’s what I don’t know: why the king of them is here this time, and why his black, glittering eyes are trained on me.
A hybrid with red alien skin and brown human eyes, I’m not pretty. I’ve got no family and no plans to ever have one – least of all with this monster of a male. I’m an inventor, a mechanic, a tinkerer. The alien king wants me for reasons I can only guess at, but I’m not about to be taken for a slave and his response to me is something I know I can engineer my way out of. He plans to come back for me when I’m of age, but he’ll have to find me first. Our little colony is a scary, desperate place and I’m less afraid to face it, than to face him or the strange, alien sensations he stirs…
Raku – She is my Xiveri mate, yet she runs from me – straight into the horrors of her small, savage moon colony. Slaughtering in her defense is easy, while gaining her trust will be the true challenge. She fears my kind ..(mre blurb on ebook seller page…)

Amazon

alien gladiators claimALIEN GLADIATOR’S CLAIM (STAR GLADIATORS BOOK 1) by Zara Starr

Once a wealthy heiress. Now a human slave. Tanya’s life has always been eventful. After inheriting one of the biggest companies on Earth, she’s had her hands full. But even she didn’t expect to be abducted by aliens! Before she knows what’s hit her, she finds herself at the center of an intergalactic gladiator tournament – as the prize. She knows what she must do, but life is different in this strange world. Her status and wealth mean nothing. Her only saving grace may come in the form of a big, intimidating alien gladiator. Mal is bright blue, deadly in a fight, and irresistibly sexy. Could he be her chance to escape?
He wants to possess her. Even if it’s forbidden.As a Karzem, fighting is all Mal has ever known. He’s served many Saithin Masters in the gladiator tournaments, and his new Master counts on him to win. Mal is determined not to disappoint him, but when he sees the grand prize of the tournament, his instincts fail him. The female is unlike anyone he’s ever seen. Her strong spirit intrigues him and now, more than ever, he wants to win. There’s just one major problem. If he wins, she will belong to his Master. He can’t let that happen. Tanya is his.

Amazon

farseekerFARSEEKER by Joanna Starr

VS Note: From late March. Not sure there’s a romance…but has positive reviews.

Earth, 50,000 years ago before the magic vanished. Invaded by aliens posing as gods, advanced civilisations crumbled. Now, these powerful off-worlders war for control of the planet, and the people who remain no longer remember what they once were. Seduced then enslaved, humanity has fallen. Beneath the destroyed remains of an ancient temple, Thaya discovers a relic and a scroll written by the last of an advanced civilisation. The scroll contains a message and a vision of a forgotten world. The relic unlocks a memory about her own past that she should not have forgotten. The truth sets her free but it comes at a great cost, and now she must flee. In the ashes of her ancestors, Thaya fights to stay alive, but hers is not the only race beleaguered, and her survival is inextricably tied to the fate of an other-worldly being. In a journey that takes her to different times, alien worlds and across dimensions, Thaya must lose everything to find her own salvation.

Amazon

now then everywhenNOW THEN AND EVERYWHEN by Rysa Walker

When two time-traveling historians cross paths during one of the most tumultuous decades of the twentieth century, history goes helter-skelter. But which one broke the timeline? In 2136 Madison Grace uncovers a key to the origins of CHRONOS, a time-travel agency with ties to her family’s mysterious past. Just as she is starting to jump through history, she returns to her timeline to find millions of lives erased—and only the people inside her house realize anything has changed.

In 2304 CHRONOS historian Tyson Reyes is assigned to observe the crucial events that played out in America’s civil rights movement. But a massive time shift occurs while he’s in 1965, and suddenly the history he sees isn’t the history he knows. As Madi’s and Tyson’s journeys collide, they must prevent the past from being erased forever. But strange forces are at work. Are Madi and Tyson in control or merely pawns in someone else’s game?

Amazon

seconds to actSECONDS TO ACT: A TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE (CURATOR SERIES BOOK 1) by Stephanie Flynn

College drop-out April McCall hates two things–country music and blood. Despite this, she works at her brother’s veterinary clinic patching leaky veins, while her accountant boyfriend drags her to country music gigs at the local casino. One night he proposes at a concert, and she freezes in public humiliation. He gives her until morning to decide. Her roommate offers her extra time by participating in her graduate research project on dreams. There’s one caveat: April must prevent an Irish immigrant’s arrest in 1852, otherwise he will be murdered. Unable to say no to a friend in need, she accepts the study’s unusual terms.

In 1852, blacksmith Sam Hartley is the face of an extortion ring, coerced into compliance with the murder of his wife. So far, he’s been unable to hatch a plan to dispatch his boss while keeping the people he loves safe. When a woman named April comes asking for him, his suspicion of her and his boss’s escalating threat force him to keep her close. Perhaps too close. After April fails her first attempt to prevent Sam’s arrest, she must decide between staying in the present, giving her boyfriend an answer she isn’t ready for, and returning to 1852, risking her life for the fiery blacksmith that stole her heart.

Amazon

mate abductionMATE ABDUCTION (ALIEN ABDUCTION BOOK 9) by Eve Langlais

Sometimes love comes with a tail. Clarabelle might have been kidnapped from Earth years ago but she never forgot her roots. Her restlessness leads to her embarking on a quest to find a human colony. Instead, she encounters an alien dude who insists she’s his mate. Ha. As if she’s going to settle down. Clarabelle isn’t about to take orders from anyone. Not even the alien hottie who has a disturbing tendency of shifting into a giant lizardman. Her idea of a happily ever after doesn’t include a tail or glowing yellow eyes.
What will it take for her to accept his love and become his fated mate?

Amazon      Apple Books

close enough to touchCLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH (ANTI HEROES BOOK 3) by Megan Derr

VS Note: Superheroes. G.O.D. = Grand Order of Defenders

Leland has always lived a life apart, never willing to get too close to anyone for fear of what might happen should the wrong people learn just how powerful he really is. Then his own reputation led to a friend paying the price, and he’ll do anything to get her back.
Even if it means breaking all his rules to align himself with exactly the kind of troublemakers he’s always avoided as strenuously as he’s avoided the G.O.D. Even if it means sharing space with Byron Valentine, the beautiful, mysterious leader of the group fighting to destroy the G.O.D., a man who makes Leland wish he could have the normal life his own abilities have always denied him.

Amazon      Apple Books

culture shockCULTURE SHOCK: A FIRST CONTACT MYSTERY THRILLER (THE GUNN FILES BOOK 1) by M G Herron

VS Note: Not a romance but sounded kind of fun…

Aliens are among us, and Austin, Texas just got a whole lot weirder. When smart-aleck, down-on-his-luck bounty hunter Anderson Gunn snags his next job, he’s just happy to get the gig. The target he’s chasing may be wanted for murder, but his bills aren’t going to pay themselves. As it turns out, he probably should’ve been more selective. When he tracks down Cameron Kovak, the wanted man turns out to be no man at all. Gunn finds himself face to face with a tentacled creature out of Ridley Scott’s worst nightmare – a baby Cthulhu, wearing his target’s skin like a onesie. And that’s just the start of it. Aliens have their eyes on us, and Gunn finds himself swept up in their mysterious plans.

Amazon

faith in a time of furyFAITH IN A TIME OF FURY (SOLDIERS OF HOPE BOOK 3) by Athena Storm

I’m a Soldier of Hope. I’ve been taught to kill, and even die, for peace. But what if I want a chance to live for love? I am a natural born killer. A super soldier bathed in blood. An incomparable alien legend, even in a time of beasts and brutes. Who knew my fate would be altered by a tiny slip of a human woman? This is the story of how my beloved mate made life worth living. Her name is Arashi. We met when I rescued her on the fields of battle. I sought to teach her the dictates of war. But alas, she taught me the ways of peace. It was hard to learn. I resisted mastering it. But then Arashi taught me one final lesson. Loving a woman isn’t enough. It never is. You have to learn to trust them, too. To dare to hope for the future. If you can’t do that, then you’ll never really be able to be the man that they need you to be. And thus, despite the furies of war…I found my faith.

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bartered by the alien builderBARTERED BY THE ALIEN BUILDER (THE NOVANS BOOK 10) by Ashlyn Hawkes

A builder. Maybe the second most important job after breeder but who says he can’t be both? Drols loves his job, but at night, he’s tired of being alone, so why won’t he jump at the chance to barter a house for a female? When Zoe Perry learns he bartered for her, will she flee or stay? Will the builder burrow a way to her heart or lose her and his coveted position?

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titans dayTITAN’S DAY: THE CARTER ARCHIVES BOOK 2 by Dan Stout

VS Note: Not a romance but a gritty detective story set on an alien world. A release of note.

The city of Titanshade pulses with nervous energy. The discovery of new riches beneath its snowfields has given residents hope for prosperity, but it also means the arrival of federal troops, along with assurances that they are only there to “stabilize the situation”.

Newcomers flood the streets, dreaming of finding their fortunes, while in the backrooms and beer halls of the city, a populist resistance gains support, its leaders’ true motives hidden behind nativist slogans. And in an alley, a gruesome discovery: the mutilated body of a young woman, a recent immigrant so little-regarded that not even her lovers bothered to learn her name. But in death, she’s found a champion.

Detective Carter single-mindedly pursues the killer as he navigates political pressures and resists becoming a pawn in the struggles tipping the city toward anarchy. But when more innocent lives are lost and time runs short, he’s forced to decide if justice is worth sparking all-out war in the streets during the biggest celebration of the year: Titan’s Day.

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last emperoxTHE LAST EMPEROX (THE INTERDEPENDENCY BOOK 3) by John Scalzi

VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note.

The collapse of The Flow, the interstellar pathway between the planets of the Interdependency, has accelerated. Entire star systems—and billions of people—are becoming cut off from the rest of human civilization. This collapse was foretold through scientific prediction . . . and yet, even as the evidence is obvious and insurmountable, many still try to rationalize, delay and profit from, these final days of one of the greatest empires humanity has ever known.

Emperox Grayland II has finally wrested control of her empire from those who oppose her and who deny the reality of this collapse. But “control” is a slippery thing, and even as Grayland strives to save as many of her people form impoverished isolation, the forces opposing her rule will make a final, desperate push to topple her from her throne and power, by any means necessary. Grayland and her thinning list of allies must use every tool at their disposal to save themselves, and all of humanity. And yet it may not be enough. Will Grayland become the savior of her civilization . . . or the last emperox to wear the crown?

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rebel risingREBEL RISING (CAGE OF LIES BOOK 1) by Susanne Valenti and Carolyn Peckham

No one knows what lurks beyond The Wall. Only criminals are sent into the wastelands to face the Lawless Trialsand I never thought I’d find myself fighting amongst the ruthless convicts who live in the shadows of society. But the more rules I break, the more secrets I unveil.Like the fact that not everyone beyond The Wall was killed by the contamination a hundred years ago. Some of them became something…else. I got too close to the truth and now I have no choice but to play theirtwisted gamesor else risk the contamination beyond the borders of the arena. So when a wild man offers me the possibility of a new life in the ravished world, I have to take it. Coal Carson is like no man I’ve ever met. He’s strong, savage, fierce and the freedom that shines in his dark eyes calls to me like nothing I’ve ever known. A life with him is wrought with danger, but also hope…and maybe even love. But the Guardians won’t let me run for long. They’re coming to destroy me before I uncover the truth they’ve spent so long disguising. And I’ll do whatever it takes to stay ahead of them. But with the full force of the city coming for me, I might just have to find a way to fight back.

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like the first moon landingLIKE THE FIRST MOON LANDING (ROCHE LIMIT BOOK 1) by Matthew J Metzger

Stranded and injured in deep space, Maggie McLean has one chance at survival—the ship drifting off her starboard side, refusing to answer her distress calls. The ship the whole universe has been looking for. Maggie most of all. The Swift vanished without so much as a cry for help. There have been endless conspiracy theories, from aliens to government corruption to wormholes leading to other dimensions, but one thing was certain. She was gone, with all two hundred and thirty-six crew members on board. Including Maggie’s wife. Maggie’s going to figure out what happened come hell or high water—but she might not like what she finds.

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taken by a beastTAKEN BY A BEAST (HEARTS OF STONE BOOK 4) by Miranda Bridges

He’s a thief. And what did he steal? Yours truly. I get it that women are a hot commodity on this planet, but why me? It’s not like there weren’t others to choose from. Besides, I’ve just found my sister and I have no desire to be away from her. But this alien doesn’t take no for an answer – in English or in his language. So now I’m stuck in a new village with a bunch of Boraq who would rather see me dead than mated to their Masse. However, the more time I spend with the infuriating male, the harder it is to plan my escape. If only I could find a way to stay alive and be his… Assuming he will stop touching me long enough for me to properly think.

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alien easterAN ALIEN EASTER (ZERCONIAN WARRIORS) by Sadie Carter

It’s Easter time… But like all things on Zerconia, holidays are never simple. There’s mayhem and danger. Chocolate and mystery. And Jack dressed as a giant rabbit.
Please note: This is not a standalone. To fully enjoy this novella you need to have read the previous books in this bestselling series. Some storylines in this book continue on in Alien Conquest.

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pausedPAUSED (TIME CAPTIVE BOOK 1) by Heather Long

Their lives are on hold…

Dr. Valda Bashan wakes to the inexplicable—a biosphere where she and four others are the only occupants. Before this place, she possessed a life and a career. A computerized voice welcomes her to the biosphere and the job she’s apparently accepted. The terms are clear, she and her companions have to survive there for a year, and only when the time is up, will they be free. 

Her companions trouble her on a deeply personal level…
Andreas, Hatch, Oz, and Dirk couldn’t be more different. Each man seems to be in the same predicament as her. No one remembers agreeing to the project or what task they have to complete. If they can’t work together, they may never be able to escape.
 The first order of business: learn to get along. Though that task may be the most impossible of all, because everyone seems to be hiding secrets.

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dantes circle rebornDANTE’S CIRCLE REBORN by Carrie Ann Ryan

VS Note: Four never before published stories…

FALLEN FOR ALPHAS – Liam and Alec watched their Pack fall from grace and fought with tooth and claw to make it rise from the ashes again for the Alpha. Once from rival families and now true packmates, they’ve fought their attraction for longer than they should have. Now, as they leave the den in search of a rogue wolf, they’ll finally have a chance to entice their wolves—if they can overcome their struggles and survive what lurks in the darkness.
AT LAST SIGHT – Jonah assumed he’d seen everything there was to see throughout his long life. He battled dragons, lions, and anything else that came across his path. Now, it’s his job to protect the cubs under his care—something far more dangerous than anyone ever counted on. But when he comes to face to face with Dante’s sexy new bartender, everything changes. From his first look into those silver eyes, he was lost. But they’re eyes that can kill if the world isn’t careful, and some want them for their own.
BLOOD’S FIRST KISS – Calypso’s position as a representative on the Conclave for all mermaids is in jeopardy if she can’t uncover the true lineage of a mysterious stranger. Especially since his mere presence seems to rock the already shaky foundation of their people. Micha knows exactly what he is: the one supernatural being that everyone claims cannot exist. And he’s been searching eons for his mate. Now that he’s found her, all bets are off. But he must keep his past a secret, no matter the consequences.
REAPER’S SONG – He remembers his death. Even remembers parts of his life. But as a newly made reaper, he must do the one thing he knows he cannot: reap his soul mate. No matter that she can see death coming.

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held by heatHELD BY HEAT (WINGS, WANDS AND SOUL BONDS BOOK 3) by Terry Bolryder

When a fire prince falls for a woman he can’t have, the whole world may just go up in flames…Flynn, a notorious fire fae who always has some hungry princess on his tail, doesn’t think love exists. At least, not for him. But when a chance encounter with an intrepid woman who asks him the unthinkable turns into the most unexpected night of his life, the warrior prince realizes he may have just found his match.
Callie has always been a good judge of character. So when she asks sexy, surly, overprotective Flynn to do the one thing she’s never had the courage to do before—and he says yes—Callie can feel a magnetic pull between them that defies logic or even common sense. But even if she knows there’s something different about Flynn, he’s not the only one hiding secrets in the dark.
Callie may be the only person Flynn has ever wanted in his life, but the secret of her true nature may mean that he has no right to ever be with her. And while Flynn has to fight a lifetime of prejudice, Callie knows they’re meant to be together. Even if it means going up against the most powerful opposition the fae princes have ever encountered before.

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owl or nothingOWL OR NOTHING: A BEECHDALE PARANORMAL COZY (A VERY SHIFTY MYSTERY BOOK 1) by Willow Mason

There I was, keeping a low profile, until a ghost showed up at work. As an Owl Shifter forced to take refuge in the small mountain town of Beechdale, I’ve got enough trouble on my plate. But when my fellow barmaid is murdered, I feel compelled to investigate. While police pursue my boss as the main suspect, I team up with a handsome journalist who’s a few pies short of a picnic. Soon, we’re uncovering secrets and eavesdropping on evidential conversations all over town. With the help of wolf-friend Silvana and mouse-flatmate Dee, we sniff out a multitude of suspects. But until our rag-tag crew can narrow them down to a single killer, the true culprit is free to strike again.

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age of witchesTHE AGE OF WITCHES: A NOVEL by Louisa Morgan

In 1692, Bridget Bishop was hanged as a witch. Two hundred years later, her legacy lives on in the scions of two very different lines: one dedicated to using their powers to heal and help women in need; the other, determined to grasp power for themselves by whatever means necessary.
This clash will play out in the fate of Annis, a young woman in Gilded Age New York who finds herself a pawn in the family struggle for supremacy. She’ll need to claim her own power to save herself-and resist succumbing to the darkness that threatens to overcome them all.

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darkness risingDARKNESS RISING: FANTASY AND URBAN FANTASY COLLECTION by Various

Few can survive the rising dark. Join unimaginable paranormal creatures in epic battles or enjoy a heart-stopping romance that will take your breath away. In this collection of paranormal romance and fantasy novels, witches, wolves, demons, and demigods haunt the pages as they fight against the pull of darkness. But will they succeed?

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harley merlin 17HARLEY MERLIN 17: FINCH MERLIN AND THE LEGEND OF THE LUMINARY by Bella Forrest

An invisible city rises from the depths, led by a new savior…Prepare to expect the unexpected.

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to target the heartTO TARGET THE HEART (SPELLSTER SERIES BOOK 2) by Aldrea Alien

Prince Hamish has no interest in fulfilling his duty of marrying. Not to a woman, at least. That doesn’t stop his mother, Queen Fiona, from presenting him with every eligible noblewoman that enters their castle. He’s certain it’ll be no different with the representative of the Udynea Empire.

So when they do arrive, Hamish is relieved the imperial prince, Darshan, is not the woman everyone expected. Until the man kisses him and Hamish is confronted by the very emotions he has been forced to conceal or be punished for. Emotions he is eager to explore. But the kiss proves to be a little too public and leads his mother to take drastic measures to ensure Hamish adheres to her family vision. The contest of arms will force Hamish to make a choice: give up his happiness for convention’s sake or send the kingdom spiralling into civil war for the right to love his own way.

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harsh lineHARSH LINE (CATACLYSM BOOK 1) by Ann Gimpel

My very existence is under attack. I’ve kept a low profile, told myself the craziness sweeping the world would pass me by. Yeah, it was wishful thinking, actually an outright lie, but it’s kept me sane. I’ve been hiding out forever in one guise or another. Currently, I run a nightclub. Ascent is an “ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies” haven. For everybody. I’m a Vampire. Far be it from me to judge. My closest ally is a shapeshifting dire wolf. I adopted him when he was a scrawny puppy, but I’m getting ahead of my tale.

The fragile détente between supernaturals and humans has crashed and burned. I can’t avoid the truth any longer. Lucky for me, mortals don’t know exactly what I am. When I moved to Seattle, some vampiric sixth sense urged me to play my cards close to my vest, but I’m done burying my secrets. And my power. It’s past time for supernaturals to get over their stupid infighting. Meh. So what if Witches hate Druids? Or Fae never deal with Sorcerers? We have to pull together, or we’ll have no chance at all. Not that it’s likely, but if any mortals see the light and sign up for our side, we’d damn well better welcome them.
I’m Ariana Hawke. No more skulking in the shadows for me.

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magick marmotTHIS MAGIC MARMOT (AN ABRACADABRA MYSTERY BOOK 5) by Sharon Pape

Kailyn Wilde, owner of the Abracadabra potion shop, feels some dread anticipating her ten-year high school reunion at the new hotel in New Camel—but it turns out even worse than she feared. Running into her very first boyfriend is pleasant enough. Chatting with Ashley—who still can’t let go of a tragedy that happened on prom night—is a bit more uncomfortable. But the worst part comes when one of Kailyn’s oldest friends is found dead in the ladies’ room.
Soon this upstate New York town is in an uproar. And with some help from time-traveling wizard Merlin—who has adopted an unusual and alluring creature as his familiar—it’s up to Kailyn to identify the alumnus most likely to commit murder.

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matthewMATTHEW – HOUSE OF WILKSHIRE PARANORMAL DRAGON SHIFTER ROMANCE by Kathi S Barton

Matthew St. James was the Earl of Green Gables, and Lord of Lilac Castle. A dragon of great title and magic, but little wealth. Only one other knew what his true dragon was, and Devon, King of the Dragons, wasn’t telling anyone.

Aisling was a rare white warrior dragon. She had been in slumber several hundred years, healing from a near fatal blow in a great war. She felt betrayed when, Dak, her personal faerie, had been sharing information about her with Lord Connor. Now, she had to go talk to him to determine what kind of payment he would extract from her for his protection while she slept. She had no coin. Not knowing what type of payment he would demand from her had her heart twisted in torment. Aisling didn’t trust anyone. Too many had betrayed her. And when she refused to speak with the king, Devon ordered her to go to his castle. He would make her listen to reason. Matt arrived at the castle before Devon, but what he wasn’t expecting to find was his mate. And because of his title, he couldn’t get her to rise from groveling on the ground at his feet to even talk to her. When his dragon realized his mate was in front of him, the Earth dragon bypassed the man and bonded with the white dragon. The joining was both painful and spectacular. In pain, Aisling’s dragon, no longer white, took flight. When Matt finally found her, Aisling was no longer timid. She was mad as hell and out for blood.

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soaring in flamesSOARING IN FLAMES (REBORN BOOK 2) by M Sinclair

My father is back from the dead. He won’t leave town without me and no one can figure out why. Is it because of what I am? Does he want to use me as part of his religious cult? My mates are furious and I can’t help but feel like I have brought this trouble on them. The supernatural community is upset by the light I’ve brought on them with the rightful murder of my mother and Jed. My classmates have been swayed by the cruel rumors that my bully has put out. Worst of all? The boys keep saying I can shift but I have had no luck. And what is this about a possibly mating heat? I don’t miss the basement but it sure as heck was less complicated than this.

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unforgivablrUNFORGIVABLE (THEIR SHIFTER ACADEMY BOOK 4) by May Dawson

Would you make someone hate you… if it would save their life? That’s the decision I have to make when the Alpha Council assigns me a secret undercover mission to join the dangerous coven, The Day. After all, I’m the only wolf shifter around who’s also a witch. No one likes me much—except for my men—but at least I’m useful. There’s just one problem with my new assignment. Because there are spies at our school, I have to keep my mission a secret, or Dean Clearborn will yank me back to the academy before I have the chance to save the packs. But those protective, fated mates of mine will follow me anywhere. So I weave a spell before I leave to destroy their love for me, and mark my men in blood and ash and regret. Then I surrender myself to the Day, only to find I’m not entirely alone here. A handsome man with a stranger’s face but some oddly familiar mannerisms says he’s on my side. But can I trust him? Sometimes, he’s my friend. Sometimes, he’s my tormentor. And if I survive my time in the Day, will I be able to come home to my men and restore their love? Or is what I’ve done…Unforgivable?

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the ancestorTHE ANCESTOR: A NOVEL by Danielle Trussoni

It feels like a fairy tale when Alberta ”Bert” Monte receives a letter addressed to “Countess Alberta Montebianco” at her Hudson Valley, New York, home that claims she’s inherited a noble title, money, and a castle in Italy. While Bert is more than a little skeptical, the mystery of her aristocratic family’s past, and the chance to escape her stressful life for a luxury holiday in Italy, is too good to pass up.

At first, her inheritance seems like a dream come true: a champagne-drenched trip on a private jet to Turin, Italy; lawyers with lists of artwork and jewels bequeathed to Bert; a helicopter ride to an ancestral castle nestled in the Italian Alps below Mont Blanc; a portrait gallery of ancestors Bert never knew existed; and a cellar of expensive vintage wine for Bert to drink. But her ancestry has a dark side, and Bert soon learns that her family history is particularly complicated. As Bert begins to unravel the Montebianco secrets, she begins to realize her true inheritance lies not in a legacy of ancestral treasures, but in her very genes.

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sinfully deliciousSINFULLY DELICIOUS (A TWO BROOMSTICKS GAS & GRILL WITCH COZY MYSTERY BOOK 1) by Amanda M Lee

Stormy Morgan left her hometown of Shadow Hills, Michigan, with one goal: to write the great American novel and strike it rich. She sold her novel not long after college, did relatively well, and then fell off a cliff into obscurity. Now, without a book contract, she’s back at her family restaurant in a one-stoplight town … and she’s convinced things couldn’t possibly get worse.
That feeling only lasts until her first shift, when on a trip to the storage building behind the restaurant, she literally trips over a body.
Roy Axe, Shadow Hills most hated “Axehole,” died a hard death only feet from the restaurant (and the second-floor apartment Stormy currently resides in). The detective on the case is none other than Hunter Ryan, Stormy’s high school boyfriend, and the man who occasionally still calls to her in dreams. Hunter only cares about solving a mystery – nothing else – so their reunion is tense…(more blurb on ebook seller page…)

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heart of the mageHEART OF THE MAGE (TWYST ACADEMY BOOK 3) by D D Chance

I never thought I’d miss being a janitor, but at least I knew what I was doing in that job. Now I’m a great and mighty war mage trying to help a team of college wizards win a magic competition, and I’m desperately afraid of screwing up. To make matters worse, my four gorgeous, powerful teammates totally believe in me, none more so than dangerously sexy, unnervingly intense Marcus Winter. Marcus knows he can make me stronger…but only if I’m willing to let him unlock my deepest desires. Um…k.
Marcus has his own reasons for wanting to win the Mage Trials. Three years ago, he lost his cousins to the game. Now there’s the faintest hint they might be alive—but to find them, we’ll have to pull out all the stops. Marcus is willing to do whatever it takes to level me up…And I might just let him. Gulp.

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prison princessPRISON PRINCESS: PARANORMAL PRISON by CoraLee June and Rebecca Royce

Imprisoned, tormented and forgotten…I’ve never seen the outside of these four walls. I was born in Nightmare Penitentiary, and I’ll probably die here too. Or so I thought.
When an assassin captures me, I realize I’m far more powerful than anyone knows. I’m a princess. A Druid. The last of my kind. I command the earth and the moon speaks to me. There is royal blood running through these veins.
Tasked with bringing me back to my family, my captor is stuck by my side. The more time we spend together, the more I learn about the birthright stolen from me and the enemy who stole it. And the longer I’m with my assassin, the more my heart softens.
I never imagined that a harsh, lonely man would bring help. I never thought that leaving Nightmare would put me on a much different path. A path full of hope. Of freedom. Of love. A path that leads to accepting my birthright, with an assassin by my side.
But the future is blurry. There are two roads. One leads to happiness—to love. The other leads to demise. And even I can’t see which one wins.

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king of next weekTHE KING OF NEXT WEEK by E C Ambrose

VS Note: Not a romance. One review alludes to “a bit of romance” for example. A historical fantasy.

When a captain trades his cargo of ice to bring home a djinn bride, his life in coastal Maine will never be the same.

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bound to changeBOUND TO CHANGE: SPRING SHIFTER ROMANCE COLLECTION by Various

These shifters will defy tradition, tragedy, and fate to find their true loves. Through ominous prophecies and quests of glory, they’re bound to change—and bound to each other. And if there’s anything a shifter knows for sure, it’s that there’s no way to outrun their animal sides. Whether they transform with the pull of the moon or at will, through a curse or a gift, or simply because of evolution, you’ll adore the shifters in this limited edition spring collection brought to you by New York Times, USA Today, and bestselling authors.

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broken loyaltyBROKEN LOYALTY (JACKY LEON BOOK 3) by K N Banet

Jacky Leon is a member of the strongest werecat family alive; a family that commands the loyalty of every werecat that walks the face of the earth. Her family is the definition of power and none have dared challenge that for millennia. It’s not a legacy she’s comfortable with but it’s the one she’s been given and Jacky is resolved to do her best with her new responsibilities.
When rogue werecats begin to test Jacky’s territory, paranoia mounts as questions go unanswered and lives are potentially at stake. The greatest werecat family of all time is about learn a valuable lesson, and Jacky is going to have to suffer the most before it’s through with them. Loyalty is worthless when it’s broken.

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cadence and the pearlCADENCE AND THE PEARL by K L Noone

Once upon a time, on a rocky island with enchantment under the ocean …Cadence Bell left the windswept Northern Isles and his parents’ inn for the theaters and royal masques and glitter of Londre, swearing he’d make his fortune as a playwright and poet, trading fish stew and rain for fame and adoration and a place at the Queen’s Court. Now his parents are gone and Cade’s inheritance brings him back home, where he’d never wanted to return. But magic lurks beneath the waves, a stray pearl might be a key to another world, and even the quiet local schoolteacher has secrets of his own.

Jeremiah Carver never meant to hide secrets. But he promised to tell no one about the other world he’s seen, and he keeps his word. Even if that means concealing magic from Cadence Bell. Which is difficult, since Cade’s not only a dazzling literary success, but also the person Jeremiah’s loved from afar since their years-ago childhood. And he’s afraid he’s falling for Cade all over again now. When Cadence falls under the siren spell of the ocean’s magic, Jeremiah has to make a choice and return to a world he’s left behind once before to rescue his heart from the sea.

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loyal wolfLOYAL WOLF (WHITE WOLVES BOOK 3) by Julie K Cohen

Exiled. Into a world of humans. She has no survival skills.  No knowledge of humans.
She’s never even met a human before. Her one hope…A shifter who’s loyal…To the alpha who exiled her. He intends to drag her back Against her will. The alpha has plans for her.
So does the hunter who captured her.

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clear sightCLEAR SIGHT (PSIONS OF SPIRE BOOK 4) by Alex Silver

When the slightest touch triggers visions of horror, you learn not to let anyone close. 
After more than a decade hiding from society, Seth Albright is sheltered. His visions make it a necessary evil. After a precocious emergence as a seer when he was eight, his mother took him to live in the woods. To protect him.

When he can’t take another day of isolation, Seth turns to SPIRE. There, he gets partnered with Roy Merchant as his anchor. Enough inexperienced psions have burned Roy by using him as a stepping stone to last a lifetime. Roy has seen scandals come and go in his time with SPIRE. Seth has seen atrocities most people couldn’t imagine. But neither of them has seen anything like what’s coming for them next.

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guardian of magicGUARDIAN OF MAGICK (CAMBREXIAN REALM BOOK 2) by Jessica Wayne

Captured. Tortured. Persecuted. Sienna isn’t sure how much longer she can hang on to the shred of humanity left within her. Not when her only chance at escape would be to destroy what is left of her soul. Daxon is hell-bent on tearing apart the realm in order to find the Sage who has saved his life more times than he can count. But as the journey grows more perilous each and every day, Daxon is forced to confront the very real possibility that they may never recover the Sienna they once knew. As these two fight to find their way back to each other, they are faced with decisions that will determine the fate of the realm, and all those who live within it.

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born of mist and legendBORN OF MIST AND LEGEND (HIGHLAND LEGENDS BOOK 3) by Kat Bastion

Dark angel, outcast of his kind—lone angelic guardian of time itself—Skorpius receives a bewildering dual directive. Protect a human female. And end her. 
Once bright and innocent, sister to the laird of the mysterious Clan Brodie, Brigid awakens to incredible magick within her. And the ability to sense a foreign energy: Another stalks her, a beast hunting its prey. On a quest to protect her clan and save humankind, Brigid forges beyond the only home she’s ever known into the wilds of Scotland. Her destiny—to battle an ancient lurking menace—beckons her. She braves her task with fierce determination, even though she’s a mere novice among masters.
Upholding his vow to protect time against any threat, Skorpius is duty-bound to guard the female, with or without her consent. For he alone presides as judge and executioner.
As unprecedented danger to the fabric of time looms, the two beleaguered souls walk a tightrope between cure and cause. Yet while the destiny of every realm hangs in the balance, they are all that stand between salvation and destruction. But against insurmountable odds…will they both survive?

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empire of empty warsEMPIRE OF EMPTY WARS (SERPENTS AND KINGS BOOK 3) by S M Gaither

Death. Betrayal. Destruction. This was Alaya’s destiny, written in the stars on the night she was born. She should have been killed because of it. She wasn’t. The once crown prince of the highest throne in Sundolia is now the high king, and all of his advisors agree on one thing: He should have destroyed that dangerous Dragon woman when he had the chance. He didn’t. Now war spreads like a wildfire from the southern kingdom. The empire is burning. The day of prophecy is arriving. Alaya still lives, her power more dangerous and unpredictable than ever. And the stars, it seems, told no lies. Or did they?

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veil of honorVEIL OF HONOR (SEVEN DEADLY VEILS BOOK 7) by Diana Marik

VS Note: Vampires apparently…

When his former mentor, Lord Huay, lays dying, Remare is summoned back to Japan. While there, Huay exacts a risky promise from his protégé: See to it that his final wishes for his successor are carried out, a task Remare will find more complex than he could have imagined and extends his stay in Japan indefinitely. Huay’s two sons will fight to the death for the chance to rule their empire, even if that means challenging Remare to a competition he can’t possibly win.
Meanwhile, Miranda grows restless waiting for Remare to return. It’s been weeks since he left for the funeral of a friend. How many ceremonies and formal banquets must he attend? Learning Huay’s court is rife with dangerous politics and former allies who can’t be trusted, she suspects Remare is being held against his will and requests the help of Lord Valadon to get Remare back. Valadon agrees, but at a cost. A high one as the honor of both houses is now at stake.

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mate to believe inA MATE TO BELIEVE IN (DRAGONS OF AETERNA BOOK 2) by Riley Storm

Deputy Carla Frazer has been looking for a bust that will get her promoted for years. Now she has it. Catching a member of The Five red-handed should be more than enough, despite the hatred the fop of a Sheriff holds for her. Now, all she has to do is prove his guilt. His good looks, endless money and disarming charm won’t be enough to save him from jail time. Not on her watch.

Pace Aterna is more of a numbers sort of guy—well, dragon. That’s why he was put in charge of Clan Aterna’s bank accounts. All of them. So when someone tries to steal them from right under his nose, he’s the logical choice to hunt them down and bring them to justice. Dragon-style justice, not human. Now, all he has to do is find the culprit. For that though, he’s going to need help. Her help. Human help.

Carla is ready to take him in, but her boss has ordered her to drop the case. Something smells fishy, and the only place she’s going to get answers…is from her prime suspect. What Carla expected to find was a seedy criminal underworld that she could take down. Instead, she’s got a hunky dragon shifter trying to claim her, a dead body, and a whole world of paranormal trouble doing its very best to kill her. But to get to Carla, they’re going to have to go through Pace first. It’s time this number-cruncher shows his enemies that his fire burns just as hot as that of his brothers. Because nothing will stop him from being there when his mate needs him most.

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woundedWOUNDED: DELIGHT BOOK 3 by Jennae Vale

Small town romance meets time travel in California’s Sierra Nevada. Payton Fletcher is a grieving widower who has lost his wife and child in eighteenth-century Scotland. Time traveling to present day Delight, California hasn’t helped him move past his grief. He spends his days and nights working to avoid the painful memories that he can’t seem to keep at bay. His only escape is hiking the rugged trails that surround his new home. The solitude of the hikes brings him relief from the good intentions of his brothers and the people of Delight, but keeps him locked in the prison of emotions he seems unable to escape.

Crystal Stone has had a loss of her own. After her husband’s death, she and her daughter move back to Delight to live with her mother. Crystal is a psychic and believes there is someone nearby who needs her help. She thinks it might be Payton, but there is a very real possibility it could be someone or something else that is calling to her for help. Crystal has an almost immediate attraction to Payton, but he has vowed to love only one woman and he will not betray his vows. Will Payton and Crystal be able to abandon their grief, or will they remain tethered to their pasts? If the people of Delight have their way, anything could be possible.

Amazon

mess of sirensA MESS OF SIRENS (LOST SOUTHERN MAGIC BOOK 3) by Amy Boyles

When Blake Calhoun sets out to steal the heart fire, the object that makes the town of Magnolia Cove, Alabama, magical, his plan backfires. The heart isn’t stolen, instead it breaks into four pieces and scatters across the state. Now, newly married Pepper and Axel Reign must work to track down each piece. Lucky for them, when a person finds a piece, they are bestowed with strange abilities.
This is book three in the Lost Southern Magic series. In this story, Pepper’s search will take her to Silver Springs, where she will team up with Dylan Bane and meet a mess of sirens, who seem to be up to no good. Will Dylan and Pepper be able to find the piece of heart, or will Blake Calhoun beat them to it?
Lost Southern Magic is a four book limited crossover series. Over the span of these books, Pepper Reign with unite with ghosthunter Blissful Breneaux (of Southern Ghost Wranglers), witchy matchmaker Charming Calhoun (of Southern Belles and Spells Matchmakers) and Dylan Bane (of Bless Your Witch). These books will have witchy meet-ups and pit grandmother against grandmother. Each book will show Pepper’s perspective as well as surprise perspectives from Axel, and even Betty.

Amazon

witch confidentialWITCH CONFIDENTIAL (A SUPERNATURAL SPEAKEASY COZY MYSTERY BOOK 2) by Lily Harper Hart

The Big Easy is about to be buried in big trouble. Again. For Ofelia Archer, that means she’s knee-deep in an investigation … even though she’s not quite sure how she got there.
Zach Sully thinks he’s in for an easy night at Ofelia’s speakeasy – maybe a little flirting as a lead-up to a date included – when a scream in a neighboring abandoned building draws his attention. Upon further investigation, he finds a young woman dead and a real estate developer traumatized.
The dead girl is a street performer who lived on the edge. That’s bad enough, but when voices from the past cause Ofelia to break open a wall, they find more bodies … and a mystery more than ten years in the making. The new murder mimics the old deaths, but who are the girls in the wall? Ofelia was a child when stories of street girls going missing were prevalent … and then Hurricane Katrina hit and people forgot their fear in the face of a life-changing storm.
Now, all these years later, Ofelia and Sully are determined to uncover what happened then, tie it to what’s happening today, and find vengeance for all of the victims in the here and now. That’s easier said than done. There’s a malevolent force stalking the French Quarter and Ofelia suddenly finds herself in the killer’s path. Someone wants to keep a secret, and he or she is willing to kill to make sure that the past stays buried.
Can Ofelia and Sully evade a killer and uncover the truth? It will be a race to the finish to find out.

Amazon

behind the beginningBEHIND THE BEGINNING (BECOMING THE WOLF 1) by T S Joyce

VS Note: A re-release

Greyson Crawford means well when he comes to the rescue of a stranger in the woods, but even the best intentions can backfire. One chance meeting out in the middle of nowhere gets him bitten by a monster and his life is altered forever. Being a werewolf is hard enough, but being the vessel for a black-hearted beast like Wolf is nearly impossible. Grey’s life is circling the drain when he runs into the woman he saved a year ago. He isn’t the same man he was back then. In fact, he isn’t a man at all, but Morgan doesn’t seem to mind, and for the first time in a long time, Grey feels like he just might be redeemable. His redemption will come at a steep cost though.

Morgan has a fate that is so much bigger than she ever expected. She’s nothing special—a graphic designer and warden to her little niece, and right now, she’s just trying to get by. But a chain of events will change her destiny. There is no shot at a boring life when she is thrust into a culture she had no idea even existed—werewolves. There is nothing safe about this life, but she just can’t stay away from the mysterious, snarly man who saved her all those months ago. If she’s brave enough, and strong enough, she just might find a love story for the ages. Or she could get dragged down a path that will change the destiny of two wolf packs, and the entire race of werewolves forever. She has no idea what she is yet, or how important she is to a brewing war…but behind her beginning is a Silver Wolf waiting to reign.

Amazon

hold steadyHOLD STEADY (BECOMING THE WOLF BOOK 2) by T S Joyce

VS Note: A re-release

Morgan Crawford has everything made. A great man, thriving business, sweet niece, and a pack of growly new friends. Life is good but as a newly Turned werewolf, she has no idea what she’s in for as her new world discovers she is a one-of-a-kind Silver Wolf. Thrust into danger at every turn, she has to depend on the demon wolf himself, Grey, to protect her. But when she tries to go back to an old and familiar life, she figures out being Silver Wolf isn’t a blessing at all. It’s a terrible curse.

Greyson Crawford needs a lot to keep his monstrous wolf steady, and when the woman he has his heart on steps out of his protection range, he spirals bad. The other packs are beginning to find out what Morgan is, and with werewolves, any attention is bad attention. If he doesn’t learn to work with a local pack, he may lose everything he cares about. Too bad Wolf doesn’t play well with others.

Amazon

jumping the bullJUMPING THE BULL by Jenn Burke

Ben Beaufort, badass bison – Everyone who looks at Ben and sees his six-foot-plus, muscular build assumes he’s in construction. Or the military. Or something that requires brawn over brains. In truth, he’s a mild-mannered human resources professional—or at least he was, until he got laid off. Now he’s looking for a second career as a Furry United Coalition agent, to discover how truly badass he can be. Oliver Zuraw, whoop-ass whooping crane – Oliver’s enjoying a second career too, from exotic dancer to the FUC Academy’s yoga instructor. Big, badass men like Ben are totally his type—but he’s sworn them off, because they’re never good news. Except Ben is defying all of Oliver’s preconceived notions and making him wonder if maybe this bison is just the right type of badass for him. A simple undercover mission that turns out to be not so simple.

When an undercover mission needs a bison shifter, Ben jumps at the chance to put his training to use. A twist of events forces Oliver and Ben to pretend to be married…which leads to an invitation to work for the bad guy on his bad guy ranch doing bad guy things. There’s no way they can pass up the opportunity to infiltrate the criminal operation. ven if they’re a recruit and a civilian instructor who barely know what they’re doing. And even if there’s only one bed waiting for them.

Amazon

for the hell of itFOR THE HELL OF IT (RAISING HELL BOOK 1) by Cate Corvin

When I’m captured by demons and forced into the fighting pits of the Seventh Circle of Hell, I need to stay alive long enough to claw my way back to Heaven and destroy the archangels who betrayed me. Four dangerous men stand between me and my vengeance. A deadly Nephilim in self-imposed exile. Hunger incarnate, ravenous for an angel. The heir to Satan’s sinful throne. And the prince who bound my soul to his until I win my freedom. They think I’m still pure. They think I’m innocent. They think they’ll enjoy corrupting me. Joke’s on them. This angel’s no saint. If Heaven doesn’t want me, I’ll be bad for the Hell of it.

Amazon

bears secret babyTHE BEAR’S SECRET BABY (WEREBEAR RNACH BOOK 1) by Layla Silver

They call me the infamous womanizer, always stealing away with all the hotties. And it’s true. Once upon a time, I took a new girl home almost every night. Until I met her. Half the fun is gone when all I can think about is her, even though two years have passed since. Two years of tossing and turning in my bed, not able to escape her eyes. But I don’t even know her name…My world turns upside down when she’s suddenly right in front of me. She needs me to fix her car. I need her for other reasons entirely. ..(more blurb on ebook seller’s page…)

Amazon

defuseDEFUSE (INFERNAL COUNCIL BOOK 2) by Maya Nicole

The odds are stacked against me. The Infernal Council wants me out of the picture, and those that I thought I could trust are making me question everything. To make matters worse, a new threat might end us all. If we survive, can I overcome the new obstacles in my life, or will they destroy me?

Amazon

dragon rebelDRAGON REBEL (DRAECUS CLAN BOOK 3) by Alexis Pierce

Serenity and her mates have narrowly escaped death. With the Draecus Clan shattered and the queen in hiding, there’s not much Serenity and her mates can do. The rebels’ takeover and increase in Hunter activity has them against a corner. But what happens when a man keeps appearing in Serenity’s dreams? An assassin who says he’s meant to kill her? Will this unlikely ally help save Draecus Clan? Or will dragons go extinct?

Amazon

bobcatBOBCAT (ROLLING THUNDER BIRMINGHAM MC BOOK 2)  by Candace Blevins

Bobcat is good at managing the workin’ girls in Chattanooga. When the Birmingham chapter is decimated during battle, they put out a call for help, and Bobcat is sent to manage their strip club. It turns out, the dancers are divas and the waitresses are angry, and managing a titty bar is nothing like managing the RTMC Motor Hotel back home.
Tess McKnight is a highly-successful, tough-as-nails criminal attorney. She doesn’t have time for fools or idiots, but the RTMC is one of her biggest legal clients, so she has to spend time with the new manager of Blaze to make sure he doesn’t screw everything up.
She’s a mongoose and he’s a cat. These kinds of sparks aren’t supposed to fly between them.

Amazon      Apple Books

elysium girlsELYSIUM GIRLS by Kate Pentecost

Elysium, Oklahoma, is a town like any other. Respectable. God-fearing. Praying for an end to the Dust Bowl. Until the day the people of Elysium are chosen by two sisters: Life and Death. And the Sisters like to gamble against each other with things like time, and space, and human lives. Elysium is to become the gameboard in a ruthless competition between the goddesses. The Dust Soldiers will return in ten years’ time, and if the people of Elysium have not proved themselves worthy, all will be slain.

Nearly ten years later, seventeen-year-old Sal Wilkinson is called upon to lead Elysium as it prepares for the end of the game. But then an outsider named Asa arrives at Elysium’s gates with nothing more than a sharp smile and a bag of magic tricks, and they trigger a terrible accident that gets both Sal and Asa exiled into the brutal Desert of Dust and Steel. There Sal and Asa stumble upon a gang of girls headed by another exile: a young witch everyone in Elysium believes to be dead. As the apocalypse looms, they must do more than simply tip the scales in Elysium’s favor — only by reinventing the rules can they beat Life and Death at their own game in this exciting fantasy debut.

Amazon      Apple Books

how to elude a vampireHOW TO ELUDE A VAMPIRE (VRC: VAMPIRE RELATED CRIMES BOOK 2) by Alice Winters

Finn When the vampire stalking me sent me a letter, I was prepared for my new life with the man I love to get thrown into chaos. But as the days stretch on and nothing happens, I become determined not to allow that monster to rule my life, and decide that Marcus and I will move on. We can’t always allow the past to haunt us. If that includes pestering Marcus and harassing my fellow detectives, they’d better learn to love it, because I’m not going anywhere even if they like to remind me I’m the only human working in a department filled with vampires. But Marcus loves me for who I am, even if he’s not crazy about the cute pet names I call him like McBitey. Being with him is more than I could have dreamed, and even with the trials thrown in our way, he never fails to make me smile.
Marcus – When Finn joined the VRC, I never expected how everything would change. Now that he’s the brightest part of my days, I’m unsure of how I existed without him. Before Finn and I can settle into our new life together, we’re called in as lead detectives when a body is found in the river, and the case soon hits closer to home than we anticipated. I want to be by Finn’s side to keep him safe, but at the same time, Finn’s fighting for the freedom he’s always wanted after being forced to live a life of fear. What I do know is that my future is with Finn, no matter what happens.

Amazon

broken justiceBROKEN JUSTICE (FRACTURED MIND SERIES BOOK 6) by Kate Allenton

When FBI Special Agent Noah Roth recruited Lucy from a psych ward, he didn’t think she was crazy. She was something much more dangerous: An accomplished stalker. And those skills will be handy when it’s time to get back to basics.

Lucy’s current prey, a psychotic killer who left a terrifying blood bond in her mind, is hunting too close to home. Lucy knows there is only one way to get him out. Taking his life would make Lucy normal again, as normal as can be expected, but would killing her prey leave her whole again? She’s a government experiment gone wrong. She’s screwed with only one way out. She needs to kill a killer to eliminate his memories from her head. Not that she will… but she might. Maybe.

Amazon

bound in darknessBOUND IN DARKNESS (MISPLACED HALOES BOOK 3) by Nicole Edwards

Heaven refers to them as Misplaced Halos. Humans don’t even know they exist. Like angels, vampires have been protecting humans from demons while keeping to the shadows, lurking in the darkness. In return, they’ve asked for nothing. Until now.
After the heinous slaughter of his father, the Alpha Vampire, Kaj Courtenay finds himself taking on the role of the most powerful vampire in existence. He’s up against traitors out to topple him, demons bent on eliminating the vampire race entirely, and an archangel who has other plans for them. It’s all Kaj can do to maintain his focus, but he knows it would be easier with the female who owns him, heart, body, and soul at his side. Problem is convincing her.

Acadia only knows a life of subservience. She has spent fifteen hundred years bound to the Angels of Darkness, her race used as their life source to maintain their existence on Earth. Living out eternity at their mercy is her destiny, beyond her control. It has never been something she questioned. Not until Kaj appeared in her life and gave her something to live for, made her question her very existence. Acadia knows resisting the powerful vampire is futile. He holds her heart. Problem is, it isn’t hers to give.
Kaj and Acadia must break the chains that have bound them to their pasts so they can embrace the future and conquer the enormous obstacles and ridiculous odds standing in their way. And for the sake of all, they must do it together.

Amazon      Apple Books

ourrfectly trappedPURRFECTLY TRAPPED: PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY (A MAVERICK PRIDE TALE BOOK 3) by C D Gorri

Gretchen has searched for love her entire life, but what happens when the only man she wants thinks he’s a Tiger? Gretchen has finally done it! Cut It Out, her new salon, has officially opened for business. Of course, her first client is six-feet of gorgeousness in need of a serious trim and shave. As the only employee at the moment, she takes care of Mr. Sexy herself. If only she could stop staring at his acres of muscles and focus on his thick and shiny, but totally uneven, locks instead.

Reg has been so busy trying to make amends for past mistakes that he’s neglected to take care of other stuff, like his hair and beard. Not a good look on one of the select Tiger Shifters chosen to guard the Nari of the Maverick Pride. When Gerri Wilder comes in for a visit she orders him to the new salon in town for a quick haircut and a shave. Reg is willing to suffer for his Pride, but what’s a Tiger to do when he meets his mate in a hairstylist who doesn’t know Shifters exist? He won’t rest until his fiery little brunette is purrfectly trapped.

Amazon

dragon rightsDRAGON RIGHTS: PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 25 by Milly Taiden

Clarke Indiana, antisocial artist, needs an adventure. She wants to live. She wants to love. And Gerri Wilder can make it happen. But like all Gerri matches, Clarke isn’t even a little ready for two sexy shifters that want her for a mate. They might be ice dragons, but they’re hot enough to melt away her resistance.

Sleet and Hale are ice dragon alpha and beta on planet Aurora. They’ve begged Gerri to help them find their mate to complete their triad. Without this special woman, they will never be the rulers their clan needs them to be. Once they meet her, they know Clarke is the mate for them. She’s funny, sassy and those lips are driving them crazy.
When Clarke learns the clan’s secret, she invests more than just her time with them. After innocent lives are put into danger, Clarke goes all superwoman on them to get the precious ones back, no matter the cost. And it will take everything both dragons have to keep her alive long enough to succeed.

Amazon

dei ex machinaDEI EX MACHINA by Kim Fielding

VS Note: I always enjoy her books. A re-release.

Captured young and enslaved by the Romans, Sabbio died while building Diocletian’s palace. For seventeen hundred years he has haunted the city of Split, watching and listening as people pass through the old palace; but he is always alone. One afternoon he spies a handsome but sad man at a café, and Sabbio is intrigued.

Eight months earlier, landscaper Mason Gould’s husband was randomly murdered. In an attempt to comfort him, friends and family take him on a trip to Croatia. A local woman offers to help him contact his husband’s spirit, but they connect to Sabbio instead. Mason and Sabbio quickly make an emotional connection. But Sabbio is a ghost and Mason must return to California. For two men centuries apart, it’s going to take a miracle to make love work.

Amazon

acolyteACOLYTE (TEMPRIS BOOK 2) by Stephanie Fisher

How far is too far when it comes to love? In a matter of moments, everything Taly ever thought she knew came crashing down around her. Her mother’s spells were broken, her powers unleashed. She’s no longer mortal but fey, and every day serves as a reminder that her entire life has been a lie.
To make matters worse, Taly has been captured and imprisoned by a woman claiming to be the Time Queen. Her only way home is to play the Queen’s game and train in the art of time magic. The Queen has commanded that she become an Acolyte — a task that could take years to complete.
Meanwhile, Skye is left as the last line of defense to protect Tempris from an invading horde of walking dead. He still doesn’t have a name or a face to put to his enemy, and there are traitors inside the city. Everyone keeps saying that Taly is dead, but he can’t accept it. He won’t. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back — even if it costs him everything. A renegade queen, forbidden magic, and a love that reaches across time and space — Taly and Skye will be tested, their loyalties pushed to the point of breaking, as war looms on the horizon.

Amazon

magic unleashedMAGIC UNLEASHED (HALL OF BLOOD AND MERCY BOOK 3) by K M Shea

Ever had ex-housemates you can’t get rid of? When Killian and the rest of the Drake vampires kicked me out of their mansion without any explanation, I felt beyond betrayed…I was livid! But I refused to waste my energy thinking about them. Thanks to all the free training I got while living with vampires, I had the skills I needed to finally free my family. I even got my house back! Best yet, I can pass on the magic techniques and fighting skills I’ve learned to all the wizards in our group. As long as I ignore the rotating vampires standing watch on the corner across the street, life is normal again…until the fae risk injuring hundreds of supernaturals just to stage a surprise attack on Killian. There’s no way I’m going to let the fae get away with this. I may be furious with Killian, but I hate bullies even more.
But, big surprise, my good deed won’t go unpunished. I knew I’d face a fallout for saving the most feared and lethal vampire in the Midwest—I just never imaged the lengths Killian would go through to protect me and win me back.

Amazon

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VS Note: Sent back to the world for 30 days by the Goddess of Second Chances 200 years after his murder, the GHOST OF THE NILE seeks revenge and finds love… 

iBooks     Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Kobo

canva ad with dear author quote

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VS: Titanic sank  108 years ago this week, yet it still fascinates us today. Here’s the scifi romance novel I wrote which was loosely inspired by the Titanic tragedy…

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  iBooks    Google Play   Kobo

_Titanic in space..._ says Heather at the Galaxy Express canva ad

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

April 8

April 1

March 25

March 18

March 11

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post  but after that I’m not responsible.

 

Don’t Press Your Luck Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedWishing everyone a peaceful weekend and continued health and safety…

Now taking excerpts from LANDON: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL, which was released on Jan 31st.

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

Punctuation may be wonky to comply with our guidelines here. May be edited a bit from published version.

If you haven’t read any of my Badari Warriors series: Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage unceasing war on the aliens. 

The excerpt, continuing on from where I stopped last week. Mandy is venturing deeper into the lab complex, to check on a person she’s seen on the security console vidscreen, trapped in a medlab.

When she finally found a dead guard deep in the building who had his weapons, she forced herself to take the belt and buckle it around her own waist. She’d figure out the guns later but the force whip was easy to activate and a knife was a knife in any civilization.

I need better clothes.

She paused by an open door, able to see uniforms and boots stacked high on shelves inside. The room appeared to have been a changing space for the guards going on and off duty. Personal items were scattered here and there and visible in open storage compartments.

Deciding the higher priority was to check on the poor person helpless in the medlab, she moved onward. Either she’d have time to do what she needed to do and then escape or else the Khagrish would come and recapture her. Her fate was in the hands of the Lords of Space and so far today they’d treated her well. Mustn’t press my luck though.

Ahead she heard scrabbling sounds and drew the pulse gun from its holster, holding the weapon two handed and advancing slowly.

landonThe blurb: When unexpected circumstances give her a chance to escape from an alien scientist’s lab after she’s been tortured, Mandy Rennegar knew she should run for the hills with the other prisoners. There’s one more special captive who hasn’t been freed, however, and she decides to risk everything to help him. Mandy’s not leaving anyone behind.

Captured by the enemy on a scouting trip, Landon of the Badari has been pushed beyond his limits of sanity and strength by the Khagrish experiments and waits to die…until the human woman sets him free and takes him into the wilderness with her on a desperate trek to freedom. If he could only regain his memory, he’s sure there’s a sanctuary on the planet where his people could help them both.

As Mandy and Landon flee the pursuing Khagrish new challenges arise, including secrets from the past which could destroy the growing attraction between them. Difficult choices have to be made, putting Mandy’s life at risk and Landon discovers the Khagrish have left a lasting mark on his mind.

Will they reach the Badari sanctuary in time? Can their love survive Mandy’s revelations? Will the Alpha of the Badari give them a chance to be together or will he allow her to die when Landon risks everything to save his fated mate?

Amazon      Apple Books      Kobo     Nook       GooglePlay

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_Titanic in space..._ says Heather at the Galaxy Express canva ad

Amazon  Barnes & Noble  iBooks    Google Play   Kobo

This was the first published Veronica Scott scifi romance novel!

New Releases in #SciFi #Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for Wednesday APRIL 8

a few cyborgs moreContinued good thoughts and best wishes from me as this pandemic crisis continues worldwide. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and sheltered and not in want of any of life’s necessities. 

As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

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A FEW CYBORGS MORE (CYBORGS ON MARS 3) by Honey Phillips

J-817 would never forgive himself for the terrible mistake he had made – a mistake which resulted not only in his conversion to a cyborg but caused the same fate for his young private. Determined to atone for his failings, he protects B-669 during the long hard years terraforming Mars and even agrees to try his hand at mining the new planet.

Frantic to get away from Earth, Daisy seizes the opportunity to become part of the Martian mail order bride program, even though it means a dangerous new planet and an unknown husband. She doesn’t expect to find herself married by proxy to a stern older cyborg who refuses to let her close to him, but whose intense gaze creates a storm of longing inside her. And his young partner is just as attractive.

B-669 owes everything to J-817, but the other male is too buried in guilt to accept his gratitude. In an attempt to overcome the trauma of the past, B-669 arranges for a bride for J-817. Despite J-817’s original rejection of the delicate little human, B-669 can see the longing in his eyes when he watches Daisy. It’s just a matter of time before he succumbs. The only problem is, B-669 wants her just as much. When danger threatens, can they overcome their past fears and learn to live – and love – together in this harsh new world?

Amazon

healed by the cyborgHEALED BY THE CYBORG (CYBORG PROTECTORS BOOK 4) by Alyse Anders

To save his mate, he must first heal his heart. Hallam had wanted a mate and family before the war. But with his death and subsequent rebirth as a cyborg, those things appeared to have slipped from his grasp. When he’s faced with the arrival of a ship of human women, he must fight past his primal urges to claim his human mate and do what needs to be done to save the lives of the women trapped in stasis and prevent the Sholle from discovering their ship.
Ina is a brilliant engineer who is losing her sight. When the process of having her vision repaired backfires, she must put her trust in a man who claims her as his own while attempting to use her skills to save her friends.

Amazon

last lord of edenLAST LORD OF EDEN by G S Kenney

To save his planet, he’ll destroy his family. To save him, she’ll do anything it takes!
The world of Eden is in crisis. Politicians throughout the galaxy demand the psychic-power producing drug that grows only on Eden. And the demand is skyrocketing.
Adopted son of Eden’s previous warlord, peace-loving Kell has inherited dominion over the planet and is determined to keep it free. When he discovers that the warlord’s brother and a powerful drug lord have teamed up to seize Eden’s golden harvest, Kell will stop at nothing to prevent them—even if it means he must become a death-wielding champion.
To protect her from this danger, Kell must distance himself from Zara, the woman he loves. But when his efforts are not enough to save his beloved planet, Zara will do anything to bridge that distance. Will she succeed in time?

Amazon

ruthlessRUTHLESS: EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Sarah Tarkoff

VS Note: Not a romance but a release of note, 3rd in a series. The author was a writer for the CW series ‘Arrow.’

Grace Luther grew up believing in the Revelations: the moment when Great Spirit “saved” humanity and transformed the world into a place where pious behavior is rewarded with beauty, and wrongdoing results in ugliness and even death. But at eighteen she learned the truth: the Revelations were a lie meant to manipulate and suppress her society. Joining the resistance, Grace heroically struck a major blow against the government of the prophets. Now many in the rebellion believe that “Prophet Grace,” is the champion who will lead them to final victory. Grace isn’t so sure. The battle has cost too many lives—including those closest to her. Devastated by all she has seen and endured, she fears she cannot command anyone—much less an entire movement. As the government’s reign of terror intensifies, rebel after rebel is targeted and killed. Yet there is one last hope. With the future at stake, Grace must overcome her fears to expose and destroy the government’s false prophets forever. Though she has many doubts, there’s one thing she’s certain of: she will lead the rebellion to victory . . . or die trying.

Amazon       Apple Books

the mistakeTHE MISTAKE EARTH GIRLS AREN’T EASY by Leigh Royal

Ace is a slightly English, cute, tatted-up clerk working at an *ahem* adult supply store called the Sugar Cube. On a boring late shift he sees a girl drive by in a beige VW Bug – wearing black-rimmed glasses, a lab coat, red hair pulled back in a bun. She has car trouble and he tries to help, but they both end up in a bright blue light-basically sucked up and spit out on another world. A gorgeous island with black sand, blue vines and palm trees. Not too shabby.
On this new planet no one can pronounce, they meet some interesting locals, among which is Dar – a muscled Momoa-esque native who is nursing a serious me-Tarzan-you-Jane crush on the starstruck Harriet. Ace tolerates Dar. But he can’t stop himself from teasing Harriet…because, well, getting a rise outta her is jus’ so bloody fun. In the mayhem of their arrival, they accidentally let loose someone’s pet hounds, and offer to help find them to curry favor with the one Alien that has the power to send them both home. Will Harriet drink too much fermented island punch? Signs point to yes.
Is either of these guys even right for her? AND can she stop correcting their grammar long enough to find out? Tune in, find out.

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fantastic hopeFANTASTIC HOPE by Various

VS Note: Not romance but a release of note…

A child’s wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It’s not always about winning; sometimes it’s about showing up for the fight. It’s about loving your life’s work, and jobs that make you question everything.
In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humor, love, sacrifice, dedication, and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.
Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy, and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection.

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ozar triadTHE OZAR TRIAD by Charmaine Ross

Riley – Riley Sharp can fight her way out of anything. She’s a special ops soldier. Trained for war and hardened for battle. Nothing surprises her, but when she finds herself in a battle with Reptile aliens, she fights for her life as well as her sanity.
(Rujali, Setzan and Klaej – The Ozar Triad – The Ozar Triad are on a last-ditch mission of revenge. They are tracking the stolen crystal that powers all life on their Homeplanet. Without the crystal, their species is on the brink of disaster. What they don’t expect to find is their fated mate—the only female in the universe that can turn their Triad into a Quad. But when Riley fights them every step of the way, they find themselves in more trouble than just retrieving their precious crystal and saving their Homeland. She’s their saviour. Their mate. Their everything. Only she has no idea.
Can one human female fend off three sexy-as-sin alien warrior princes and find the love she never thought she would find, while fighting nefarious forces, or will she succeed in returning to her world nobody has heard of before?

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rescued by the warrior lordRESCUED BY THE WARRIOR LORD (LUNARIAN WARRIORS BOOK 2) by Roxie Ray

I had the perfect life: wedding on the horizon, a job I love, and a great family, but when I find my fiancé in bed with another woman everything falls apart. And before I know it I’m waking up on a slaver’s ship in the depths of space.
When another group of aliens comes to my rescue, I don’t know what to think. It’s all too much to handle…aliens…space. No way. And then there’s Haelian. One moment he’s gathering me in his arms and comforting me, and the next he’s telling me my tears don’t matter. All I should want is to go home…but as his emotional walls begin to crack and I see the sensual man underneath, I can’t help but want my alien protector.
I can’t forget my family back on Earth … but choosing them means giving up Haelian and leaving my heart behind. I only ever wanted a family of my own, but I never imagined I’d need to leave the planet to find my perfect match. And now that I’ve found him, I’ll need to decide if my life belongs safely back on Earth…or on an alien planet with him.

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peacemakerPEACEMAKER by E M Hamill

VS Note: From March

Third-gender operative Dalí Tamareia thought their life as an ambassador ended when they joined a galactic intelligence agency. When they’re yanked out of the field and tapped to negotiate the surrender of deadly bio-engineered warriors who crashed into hostile territory, Dalí is thrust headfirst back into the tumultuous world of galactic diplomacy.
Dalí has faced Shontavians before, but not like these. The stranded mercenaries are highly intelligent and have an agenda of their own. Dalí can’t afford to be distracted from the negotiations by their own demons or the presence of a charming diplomat with a mysterious past.
As a brewing civil war threatens to derail the entire mission, Dalí must use all their skills to bring this dangerous situation to a peaceful end—but the Shontavians may not be the biggest monsters at the table. Someone is determined to see Dalí and their team dead before they discover the brutal truth hidden in the wreckage.

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alien brideALIEN BRIDE by Penelope Woods

When warlord aliens invade Earth, I watch as my world crumbles.  Their mothership lowers above my head. A great beacon of light shines over the city.  They don’t want Earth. They want me…Three brutal aliens force me to my knees. They accept no peace treaty. They demand one thing: A bride. That is final.

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prizePRIZE: A ROUGH SCIFI ROMANCE by Sara Fields

I was for sale, but he didn’t buy me. He just took me. Exiled from Earth by a tyrannical government, I was meant to be sold for use on a distant world. But Vane doesn’t buy things. When he wants something, he takes it, and I was no different…(more blurb on ebook seller’s page…)

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edenEDEN by Tim Lebbon

VS Note: Not a romance but a release of note. I put it on my TBR. The author has also written authorized novels for the Star Wars, Predator, Aliens, Hell Boy and Firefly franchises. He also wrote THE SILENCE, which I enjoyed. He’s quite prolific LOL.

Earth’s rising oceans contain enormous islands of refuse, the Amazon rainforest is all-but destroyed, and countless species edge towards extinction. Humanity’s last hope to save the planet lies with The Virgin Zones, thirteen vast areas of land off-limits to people and given back to nature.
Dylan leads a clandestine team of adventure racers, including his daughter Jenn, into Eden, the oldest of the Zones. Jenn carries a secret–Kat, Dylan’s wife who abandoned them both years ago, has entered Eden ahead of them. Jenn is determined to find her mother, but neither she nor the rest of their tight-knit team are prepared for what confronts them. Nature has returned to Eden in an elemental, primeval way.  And here, nature is no longer humanity’s friend.

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blue dragons mateBLUE DRAGON’S MATE (DRAGONS OF XANTHARA BOOK 1) by Misty Malloy

Danax says we’re a match made in paradise. His dragon already claimed me, and he won’t take no for an answer. He’s got things all wrong. I’m a female mercenary. I’ve been slaying monsters and traveling the universe since I was a teenager. There’s no way I’m settling down to play house. He’ll never tame me. Not even if he shifts into his dragon form and gives me the ride of my life.

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vakaVAKA (DRAGON WARRIOR ROMANCE BOOK 1) by Keira Conrad

Callie is a survivor. Her mom’s abandonment taught her you can only count on yourself, and the rest of her crappy childhood taught her to get back up when life knocks you down. It’s why she’s chosen as one of the first space colonists to settle a new planet. And why she’s willing to step up when they reach their destination and things go horribly wrong.
Vaka, a warrior and dragon shifter, usually solves his problems by lighting them on fire or tearing them to shreds. But not this time. His people are dying out. The females of breeding age are gone. He can’t do a damn thing about it – until the answer to his prayers crash lands on his planet. He proposes a scandalous trade, and Callie is just desperate enough to accept. The consequences will shock them both.

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rescued by the dragorianRESCUED BY THE DRAGORIAN (PLEASURE PLANET BOOK 1) by Emma Vance

Stolen and sold to a pleasure planet, can a sexy alien warrior help her escape? After being kidnapped by aliens and waking up in a brothel, Beatrice was having a bad day. Things only got worse when a big, muscular, gold-flecked alien chose her to be his for the night. But could she convince him to help her instead? Dragorian Captain, Mekvar, arrived on the pleasure planet to find the key that would save his people from an ancient enemy. What he didn’t count on was finding his mate, especially in the form of a human woman. But can he rescue the female destined for him while saving his people at the same time?

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devouredDEVOURED by Piper Stone

My mate was taken from me. It’s time I took her back.(…more blurb on ebook seller page…)

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touch of darknessA TOUCH OF DARKNESS (THE TOWERS OF EARTH BOOK 3) by Nita Round

The state funeral of Princess Olivia at Port Ruth marks the end of the Queen of the Desert’s reign of terror. As Lucinda, Magda and Ascara attend this grand ceremony, all is not as it seems. A storm of secrets and lies emerge from the shadows and the darkness threatens to destroy them all. No matter where Magda goes, her heritage calls to her. Even when they make their way home, peace and safety are still not theirs. Malice and betrayal, hidden and out of sight, finds the three women and threatens to pull them under the waves of death and pain once more. For the Trinity of Truth: Raven, Fire and Ice, there can be only one way forward, but at what price?

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earl and the executiveTHE EARL AND THE EXECUTIVE: AN IMPERIAL SPACE REGENCY NOVEL by Kai Butler

An impoverished earl…Tiral Oican has inherited his brother’s title, estate, and the tremendous debt his brother took out before his unexpected death. There is only one option to save the estate and all the people who are now depending on him: marry a rich heir who is willing to pay off the debt in exchange for Tiral’s title.  Now, scholarly Tiral must transform himself into a seductive fortune hunter. The only way he can see through the mess is by hiring a tutor in love. It’s too bad that Zev is so good at his job that Tiral is falling for him. And a rich entrepreneur…To protect his heart, Zev Laft has spent years fooling the ton into believing he’s no more than an entertaining flirtation. He just didn’t expect the ruse to work so well that the newest penniless earl to arrive on Lus for the season would assume him a demimonde and try to hire him to be his instructor in courtship.  Now one of richest men in the empire finds himself struggling to keep up the façade, when his own heart is being taken by a man he has no intention of marrying.

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corsarCORSAR (SKY WARRIORS BOOK 2) by Becca Colton

I thought I’d seen it all. And then the green guys showed up and abducted me. Me and a few other girls destined for slavery crashed a spaceship on an alien planet. The green aliens weren’t happy about that. While running through an alien jungle, avoiding slavers, giant spiders, and who knows what else, I found myself rescued. Normally, I’m not into being rescued, but I also don’t usually end up in the very muscular arms of a handsome man with big . . . wings. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, but there’s no time to examine those feeling too closely because the slavers want me back. And they’re not the only ones. Other aliens, bigger and meaner, want me too.

She’s far from home and needs protection. I shouldn’t want to make her mine. I saw a girl without wings try to fly. My heart belonged to her from that moment on. An enemy from the past wants to take her from me. They’ll have to kill me first, and I’m not just fighting for honor. I’m fighting for the woman who sets my soul on fire. I’m fighting for love.

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baby for the savage blue alien kingBABY FOR THE BLUE ALIEN SAVAGE KING (THE CLANS OF ANTAREA BOOK 2) by Enid Titan

I’m more than just a baby-maker for an alien savage king. I’m a human woman with needs and desires of my own. There’s only one part of me Leofric hasn’t claimed. And I won’t give it up to him yet. We need to find our missing son… FIRST. I have to teach this alien brute to put his family first. Or he won’t get what he wants. He thinks he has me completely: my body, my womb, and even my heart. The powerful alien king has never taken no for an answer, but hey, there’s a first time for everything.

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patchworkPATCHWORK (STORM FRONTS BOOK 2) by Elle E Ire

Empath Kelly LaSalle means everything to cybernetic soldier Vick Corren—and Kelly deserves a partner who can love her in a romantic way. For the first time since receiving her robotic enhancements and an AI that makes her faster and stronger than the average merc, Vick thinks she can be that person. Vick wants Kelly for life, and she’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy. A holiday on a tropical planet seems the perfect time for Vick to demonstrate her commitment. And she has big plans. But the best intentions unravel when they’re pursued by a rival mercenary company that wants Vick’s technology—with or without her cooperation. A competitor for Kelly’s affection is determined to tear them apart, and a lover from Vick’s past has depraved plans of her own. Vick might not be able to save their lives without giving herself over to the machine she’s trying so hard to transcend.

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clockwork octopusCLOCKWORK OCTOPUS (THE CLOCKWORK ALMANAC BOOK 2) by Kendra Moreno

Victoria Greene always thought that returning to London would put her life back in some sort of order. The adventure was over, the mission completed, and she assumed she could continue her work with machines in peace, but Vic should have known that such a thing was not possible. Instead, she suddenly finds herself dealing with judgmental Elite, the corrupt High Council, and the certainty that London has deeper secrets than she ever knew. When the Queen of England sends Vic and her men on yet another task of the highest importance, Vic is relieved, if only to escape the city that feels less like home than an airship.

But Vic is not the only one racing around the world. The High Council is on their tail, and they have no qualms about doing anything it takes to win. Now, the Lost City of Kásskara beckons, and with Bram, Emory, Jules, and Jed by her side, Vic must find the sunken world fast. There are too many perplexities surrounding the disappearance of Kásskara and no one wants to speak its name. Some cities should never be discovered. Some machines should never be created. Some secrets were meant to die in the past. And sometimes, it is better to follow the compass than the clock.

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chosen onesCHOSEN ONES by Veronica Roth

Fifteen years ago, five ordinary teenagers were singled out by a prophecy to take down an impossibly powerful entity wreaking havoc across North America. He was known as the Dark One, and his weapon of choice—catastrophic events known as Drains—leveled cities and claimed thousands of lives. Chosen Ones, as the teens were known, gave everything they had to defeat him.
After the Dark One fell, the world went back to normal . . . for everyone but them. After all, what do you do when you’re the most famous people on Earth, your only education was in magical destruction, and your purpose in life is now fulfilled?
Of the five, Sloane has had the hardest time adjusting. Everyone else blames the PTSD—and her huge attitude problem—but really, she’s hiding secrets from them . . . secrets that keep her tied to the past and alienate her from the only four people in the world who understand her.
On the tenth anniversary of the Dark One’s defeat, something unthinkable happens: one of the Chosen Ones dies. When the others gather for the funeral, they discover the Dark One’s ultimate goal was much bigger than they, the government, or even prophecy could have foretold—bigger than the world itself.
And this time, fighting back might take more than Sloane has to give.

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alpha originsALPHA ORIGINS (ALASKA ALPHAS BOOK 0) by Various

Hundreds of years ago, a group of Alaskan explorers crossed a glacier in search of their fortune. When the storm blew in, the ice was their only refuge. But they found more than they expected deep inside that glacial cave. A gift. A curse. A secret. Whichever it was, they emerged as more than human. They emerged as Alaska Alphas. ❄~❄~❄ Welcome to the world of Aurora Shifters, where magic comes to life beneath the northern lights, and the wilderness isn’t the only place to find fur and fangs.  About Aurora Shifters: We are a collaboration of Alaskan authors who decided to put our own Arctic spin on hot paranormal shapeshifters. Look for wolves, bears, moose, ravens, seals, and many, many others. Each book stands on its own, with a guaranteed HEA and no cliffhangers, but be warned – once you read one, you’ll want them all.

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one dark and stormy knightONE DARK AND STORMY KNIGHT (AVALON CAFE BOOK 1) by Hermione Moon and Serenity Woods

Every girl needs a knight in shining armour…When kitchen witch Gwen Young discovers the spirit of King Arthur in the suit of armour that stands in her café only an hour after finding a dead body in the library, she knows it’s going to be a very strange day.

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demon dawnDEMON DAWN (THE RESURRECTION CHRONICLES BOOK 7) by M J Haag

With her father murdered before her eyes and her faith in the remaining humans shaken, Brenna reluctantly accepts sanctuary in Tolerance, a safe zone managed by the fey. The wall keeps the infected out. But it also keeps the humans in…with the very creatures that caused the world to break. Big, grey, and ruthlessly deadly, the fey strike fear in the hearts of men and women alike. But Brenna finds one more intimidating than all the rest. Scarred and angry, Thallirin watches Brenna with an intensity that makes her relive the events that followed her father’s murder. She knows what Thallirin wants, and she’s never going to be used like that again.  Tormented by her past, Brenna sees no possible future other than eventual infection or starvation. There is hope, though. Her community is abuzz with a newly discovered way to protect women against the disease that’s turning people into zombies. However, it doesn’t come from a needle. It comes from sleeping with the dark fey.

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queen of the corvidsQUEEN OF THE CORVIDS (RAVEN CRAWFORD BOOK 3) by J C McKenzie

Truth can be ugly and part-time waitress, casual PI investigator, and half-fae shifter, Raven Crawford, can’t deny she owes the Lord of War a favour. If she defaults on her debt, she relinquishes all her power to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of mercy. And she thought her bank loans were bad. With her new role in the Underworld contending with her debt to a dictator, a budding romance with the Lord of Shadows, and her need to pay the bills, Raven is in serious need of balance. But the moment the dark fae walked into her diner months ago, she’s been off-balance. It’s time for Raven to pull up her big girl socks and prove to everyone she’s no longer the burnt-out waitress with a nifty parlour trick. She’s the Queen of Corvids.

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wicked secretA WICKED SECRET (SECRET MCQUEEN BOOK 10) by Sierra Dean

Usually when your ex-husband dies, that’s the end of the story. Unfortunately for Secret McQueen — FBI agent and werewolf queen — nothing could ever be that simple. Her ex Lucas Rain came back from the dead thanks to a spell gone wrong, and now he’s in trouble. Of course.
Secret is going to need to figure out her priorities and finally decide where she belongs in the East Coast werewolf pack. And she’s going to need to do it in the middle of the jungle, because Lucas has gotten himself entangled with a South American werewolf pack, and his life is on the line. Now Secret, her new demon partner Harry, and her ever-patient husband Desmond, must work together to get Lucas back in one piece. ​Because nothing saves a strained marriage quite like an unplanned vacation with a body-snatching demon, and your once-dead ex in the mix, right?

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ALL ABOUT LEVETALL ABOUT LEVET (GUARDIANS OF ETERNITY) by Alexandra Ivy

LEVETGargoyles do not admire difference—and Levet is undeniably different. Of miniscule stature, rather beastly looks, and with fragile, delicate wings, even his family has shunned him, banished him from his beloved Paris. That he is the only gargoyle ever to help defeat the Dark Lord and his hordes of minions makes no impression. But now Levet has come home, determined to be restored to the official Gargoyle Guild. To do so, he must confront the most feared gargoyle in all of Europe. The one who tried to kill him as a child: his own mother . . . With few allies, Levet’s survival may depend on the aid of two strangers: Valla, a beautiful but damaged nymph, and Elijah, the fiercely possessive, love-struck vampire clan chief to whom she can’t quite surrender—unless Levet has something to do with it . . .A VERY LEVET CHRISTMAS – A gargoyle of Levet’s charm and intelligence should not be facing a solitary Christmas. True, he may appear a little unconventional—even for a gargoyle. But what Levet lacks in height he makes up for in loyalty, and being banned from the festivities surrounding the Queen of Weres’ new pups is quite unfair. So when a beautiful Christmas angel begs for help in fulfilling her duties, Levet is available. Armed with a magical wand, Levet confronts Damon, a pureblood Were intent on seizing the throne.  Challenging the King will put the pups at risk—and drive away Damon’s potential mate, Gia. Who better to convince Damon to choose love, not war, than a gargoyle expert in amour?

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monstrous heartMONSTROUS HEART by Claire McKenna

Arden Beacon arrives in the salt-swept port of Vigil with a job to do. Tasked with using the magic in her blood to keep the lighthouse burning, she needs to prove herself worthy of her family name and her ancestors’ profession. But the coastline Arden must keep alight – battered by a sea teeming with colossal, ancient beasts – is far from the cultured, urban world she knows. It is a place of secrets, rumours and tight-lipped expectations of a woman’s place. More than anyone, the town folk whisper about Arden’s neighbour, Jonah Riven, the hunter of leviathans. They say he murdered his wife. They say he is as much a monster as his prey. Amidst all her determination and homesickness Arden cannot get this shadowy stranger out of her head. A plot swirls around the lighthouse keeper, the hunter and the authorities. Arden must make sense of these dark waters – before they wash her away.

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perils and lacePERILS AND LACE: A GHOSTLY FASHIONISTA MYSTERY by Gayle Leeson

Budding retro fashion designer and entrepreneur Amanda Tucker is thrilled about making costumes for Winter Garden High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast. But when the play’s director Sandra Kelly is poisoned, Amanda realizes there’s a murderer in their midst. She’s determined to keep herself and the students safe, so when her ghostly fashionista friend Max suggests they investigate, Amanda rolls up her sleeves and prepares to follow the deadly pattern.

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across eternityACROSS ETERNITY: ACROSS TIME SERIES BOOK 2 by Elizabeth O’Roark

The exciting conclusion to Across Time! Separated from Henri by twenty years, Amelie discovers that what she thought was a weakness may be her greatest strength, and that nothing about her family and her gift is what it seemed. Now, with war on the horizon and a challenge she never saw coming, Amelie will learn what the prophecy really means for them–herself most of all.

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hemlock laneHEMLOCK LANE (HEMLOCK HOLLOW BOOK 1) by Ellen Dugan

Welcome to Hemlock Hollow, a little town tucked deep within the Ozark mountains where Witches, Lycans and the Fae have quietly existed with mortals for nearly two hundred years…Single mother Daphne Hart only dreams of living an ordinary life. Although her mother is a Witch, her father is mortal and Daphne ended up with no magickal talents whatsoever. Neither a part of the supernatural community, nor considered wholly mortal, Daphne has still made her own way. She owns, and successfully runs, the local ice cream parlor on Hemlock Lane. It is a very popular spot with not only the tourists, but also the mortals and the various races of supernatural beings that live in the hollow.
Ashton Lowell, a mysterious, yet attractive newcomer to town, has moved into the old house right down the road from Daphne. While her new neighbor certainly is sexy, he’s been acting very strangely. One minute he’s aloof, the next he’s charming and kind…and despite herself, Daphne is drawn to Ashton.
Daphne’s vanilla world is further shaken when she discovers a body dumped behind her place of business. However, this grisly death is only the start of a chilling string of events. Now all the races who once lived peacefully together in the hollow are beginning to turn on each other. Everything she once believed is challenged, and nothing will ever be the same ever again. With her world flipped upside down, Daphne is left with no choice other than to fight to protect herself and her young daughters as the dark legend of her town’s origins are revealed to be horrifyingly true.

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GHOULS PARADISEGHOUL’S PARADISE (SPELLBOUND EVER AFTER PARANORMAL MYSTERY BOOK 7) by Annabel Chase

When Emma’s return to work after maternity leave coincides with another murder mystery, she’s right back to burning the enchanted candle at both ends. Throw in ever-changing family dynamics, the potential loss of a beloved friend, and a hybrid baby with unpredictable talents, and you’ve got one harried new mother on a magical mission. Will Emma manage to catch the killer this time or will the undying be her undoing?

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dragon hunters sonTHE DRAGON HUNTER’S SON by Hanna Dare

A land of castles, swords and dragons… except the dragons are just stories now. The dragon hunters have done their job too well. Philip travels from town to town as his dragon hunter father chases old glories and the next drink. Philip is there to carry the bags, tend to the horses, and fade into the background. The promise of riches brings them to a village in a remote valley, but Philip longs to find something – or someone – to call his own. When a mysterious and compelling stranger appears in town, Philip hopes for connection – even a romance if they can hide it from his father. But the stranger has secrets of his own.

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crypts and crimesCRYPTS AND CRIMES (TRIXIE TOWERS BOOK 3) by Scarlett Dawn

King Athon is a shifter prick. If only my dastardly soul mate was a little less intelligent. Alas, not only is King Athon the most powerful in the realm—alongside my father—the King of Shifters is also sharp and savvy. The vigilant predator makes it difficult to hide my truths, but I am the heir to the Elf Kingdom, a top notch swindler. I will prevail.
With the five kingdoms in more trouble than we’d thought, the Misfits are even less forthcoming than usual, and all Fairy breaks loose while we search in the Caster Kingdom for the third artifact. Deep in the unsavory swamps, a deadly seduction thrives under a weeping tree. But the five rulers and I will not shirk our duty within those wicked shadows, even if we want to.
My name is Trixie Towers. I utterly loathe my cruel soul mate, but the truly miraculous has happened. I’m beginning to detest the Fae even more than him.

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master of honorMASTER OF HONOR (MERLIN’S LEGACY 5) by Angela Knight

A month ago, Cheryl Parker thought she was an ordinary woman — a nurse, a mother, a woman whose lover had walked out. Now she’s gained incredible power thanks to an alien spirit who has made her immortal. She looks twenty again. And her ex is back.
It’s not unusual to discover an old lover kept secrets, but some are harder to believe than others. Ulf’s secret is that he’s an immortal vampire Knight of the Round Table. The good news is, he still loves Cheryl. The bad news is, he thinks the creature inhabiting her is a potential threat to humanity. The worst news is, there is a threat — and it could well kill them all.
Ulf wants nothing more than to be with Cheryl again. The problem is her magic resembles that of a dragon who tried to set a small town ablaze. And she knows more about the creature than she’s saying. Even as passion rekindles between them, Cheryl and Ulf must overcome years of lies and mistrust. Otherwise they’re doomed — and so is everyone else. Because the creature stalking them is something worse than a dragon. Much, much worse.

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demon linesDEMON LINES: A SISTER WITCHES URBAN FANTASY 2 by Coralie Moss

I wasn’t expecting to meet Laszlo Arkadi the same day I discovered my family was built on secrets. My deceased mother? On the face of it, she was a matchmaker for witches seeking love. Concealed from her daughters, she risked her life freeing enslaved Magicals. My  father? He wasn’t there for me. And since my mother’s death, he’s been trying to join her on the other side. As for my oldest sister? I suspect she’s an assassin. Now I’ve bonded with my ice demon, Prince Laszlo, he’s taking me to the Reformed Realm to meet his parents. Turns out, there’s more to meeting the Queen than simply learning to curtsy.  I just want to catch a break from family drama–mine and his. That royal ball Laszlo and I are required to attend? The invited guests think the prince is still single. The uninvited guests intend to escape with the realm’s most vulnerable  Magicals.  I have to follow my instincts. Only now I’m bound to another. Can Laszlo and I merge our magics? Can we challenge a tyrant who envisions a world with many of us in cages?

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ghost and silver screamTHE GHOST AND THE SILVER SCREAM (HAUNTING DANIELLE BOOK 24) by Bobbi Holmes and Anna J McIntyre

Hollywood descends on Marlow House in preproduction for the movie adaptation of Walt’s bestselling novel, Moon Runners. Hoping for inspiration, they found death instead.
There’s a murderer loose, and as the body count increases, secrets are revealed—and it starts to get a little crowded with all these new ghosts hanging around.

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samsonSAMSON: THE BOUNDARYLANDS OMERGAVERSE by Callie Rhodes

No woman willingly travels to the Boundarylands. It’s where they are—the Alphas.
They keep to themselves in the wilderness, and beta civilization knows to keep its distance. Especially beta women…for fear they may not be a beta after all. The only way to know your true nature is to feel the touch of an Alpha. Omegas may be rare, but every woman knows their fates are hellish—held captive, broken, mated, knotted, and bred.
Cassidy is one of the few trusted betas in the Boundarylands, and maybe the one who knows them best. She’s spent years keeping her head down and studying their ways. But her submissive ways and mundane nature hasn’t stopped the biggest and baddest Alpha from noticing her. Even though she’s no one special, Cassidy can’t deny the pull that draws her toward Samson. She might never be his omega, but that’s the benefit of being the biggest alpha in the pack—you can do whatever the hell you want.

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governed by whimsyGOVERNED BY WHIMSY (SONGS OF THE AMARINTHINE BOOK 4) by Forthright

To Ambrose P. Merriman, a stage actor who’s gained acclaim on three continents, reaver escorts are more trouble than they’re worth. Easy-come, easy-go, he hardly bothers to learn their names anymore. But the director and producer of their theater troupe, who are already dancing on the fringes of acceptability, won’t risk losing their independence by neglecting this duty to the In-between.
Reaver Greta Demerara comes with suspiciously excellent references, but by the time the Evernhold brothers realize she’s carrying considerably more baggage than anyone bothered to mention, the train’s already left the station. What’s more, it’s quickly apparent that Greta’s no easier to deal with than their star. It’s either a game of cat and canary or a courtship. And Ambrose would give almost anything for a look at the script.

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dance for meDANCE FOR ME: A DARK TALE OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by Charity Wells

Michelle just needed a vacation. One week without her overbearing mother before her upcoming audition for Swan Lake. A friend’s cabin in the mountains sounded like the perfect getaway. But a sudden storm sends her car careening down the mountainside and she wakes up in the arms of a monster.
He’s a beast, more animal than man both in mind and body. Leaving no doubt that he wants her, willing or not, he uses her fears to control her. Forced to dance at his whim, he cages Michelle in the valley he’s claimed as his home. The only escape she has is a dream world and the arms of a handsome mystery man whose only memories are of his name and a certainty that the beast is just as trapped as she is. With his encouragement, she pushes back, reclaiming her freedom a piece at a time until she finds herself battling the true evil with the beast at her side.

Amazon

ruthless godsRUTHLESS GODS (SOMETHING DARK AND HOLY BOOK 2) by Emily A Duncan

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who–and what–he’s become. As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. Their paths are being orchestrated by someone…or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet—those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer. In her dramatic follow-up to Wicked Saints, the first book in her Something Dark and Holy trilogy, Emily A. Duncan paints a Gothic, icy world where shadows whisper, and no one is who they seem, with a shocking ending that will leave you breathless.

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iron crownTHE IRON CROWN (THE DARKEST COURT BOOK 3) by M A Grant

After the last Faerie Civil War, the leaders of the magickal pantheons stripped the shining Seelie Court of its power and tasked the dark Unseelie Court with maintaining the natural balance of the world. Ages later, a twisted intrigue throws the balance of all Faerie into ruin and ignites a new civil war.
Discounted by his family and haunted in the Unseelie sidhe, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh.

Keiran and Lugh have loved each other for centuries—as friends and brothers in arms. Lugh has long since put aside his romantic love for Keiran to protect their friendship. But with the looming war in Faerie and the ghosts of the dead dogging Lugh’s every move, Keiran realizes there may be room for romance between them after all, if only they can survive. Rallying the Sluagh to fight in the looming war between the Seelie and Unseelie seems an impossible task. To achieve it, these childhood best friends will have to free Lugh from the restless souls haunting him and turn the tides threatening not only their growing love, but the balance of life and death itself.

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saviors hexSAVIOR’S HEX (SPELLCASTER SERIES BOOK 2) by Gwen Rivers

When a notorious fae-hating celebrity dies under mysterious circumstances, the police suspect the forever young. Spellcaster Emma Slade and Alpha werewolf Liam Cooper launch their own investigation into the crime. Bad PR could poison public opinion faster than gas station sushi. But how can they catch a murderer not bound by flesh? Supernatural problems have magical solutions…. With hate groups sprouting up like hair on a werewolf’s backside, Emma and Liam must provoke the gods into revealing a closely guarded secret. With every mortal body susceptible to the power of possession, how long before friend becomes foe? And will Emma’s life magic be enough to save the one she loves most?

Amazon

playing with powerPLAYING WITH POWER (THE KERRIGAN KIDS BOOK 4) by W J May

When Aria and her friends get a dangerous vision, they have only moments to act. A life is in danger and they find themselves caught up in the kind of adventure they’ve always wanted. But things aren’t always what they seem. A split-second decision and a surprise invitation change everything, as the gang’s lives are turned suddenly upside-down. They struggle to adjust to their new reality, but find that some ties are harder to break than others. Some ties should never have been made in the first place. Some ties can’t be broken at all.

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rough magicROUGH MAGIC (FAERENE APOCALYPSE BOOK 5) by Jenny Schwartz

A new tempest sweeps the Earth as the truth of humanity’s magic is revealed.
Magic is far more complicated on Earth than the Faerene suspected. Now, they must work with humans to create new ways of surviving it. They’ll have to listen to Amy.

Amazon

only the devoutONLY THE DEVOUT (A DEATH GATE GRIM REAPERS THRILLER BOOK 4) by Amanda M Lee

Izzy Sage should be on top of the world but the revenant threat has her watching her back. Things only get worse when an oddball cult looking for a door to another world show up on Belle Isle and start circling the parking lot while demanding entrance to the other side.
Izzy is out of her league when it comes to dealing with the group – especially their charismatic leader who pushes all of her buttons – and when a body drops outside the aquarium, her suspicion is piqued.
As much as she wants to focus on the revenants, the cult has to take priority. The more Izzy digs, the more disturbing information she finds. It seems at least one member has ties to Paris’ past and another cult run amok … and further ties just might lead to the current threat hanging over the reaper world’s heads.
Death is basically knocking on the door between worlds and it’s anybody’s guess who will answer.
That all pales in comparison to the bigger news. The Grimlock grandparents, Emmet and Mary, have arrived in Detroit … and they’re not happy. They have plans for each Grimlock – and their significant others – and they refuse to back down.
It’s utter chaos in the reaper world and there’s trouble at every turn. Izzy has to sort it all out … if she survives long enough to untangle an unsavory bundle of threads that lead to mayhem and destruction, that is.

Amazon

case of the deadly game part 2THE CASE OF THE DEADLY GAME PART 2 (MAI-FLY MYSTERIES 2) by Stephanie Burke

Time is running out, and Mai swears Fate, that fickle b*tch, is laughing at her. Accused of murder, and hunted by a vindictive British agent who’s out for blood, how will Mai solve the crime, save the day, and beat the Deadly Game so she can finally have her fairytale ending?

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greyhound dreamsGREYHOUND DREAMS: GREYHOUNDS THROUGH TIME SERIES BOOK 1 by Hope Chase

Liz, manager of an art gallery in Arizona, experiences nightly dreams and daytime visions that bring her great pleasure, terrify her, or simply leave her sad and tired. The man of her dreams almost changes her resolution to swear off men, especially those like her thieving ex-finance. The poor economy has her mentor’s gallery on the edge of ruin and she is desperate to find a painter to generate the revenue it needs to survive.

As an unknown contemporary painter, Michael is looking for his big break. He volunteers for a Greyhound rescue association which fills his life along with his job as a graphic artist. His broken heart, current situation, and sense of ethics have hindered him from falling for another woman. Michael has the art that Liz needs, but there are complications, and only one of them is financial.

As a distant descendant of Cupid and Psyche, the demigoddess, Adonia, uses her special lineage of greyhounds to identify and reunite lovers from past lives. So what does a demigoddess have to do with Liz and Michael?

Amazon

ridin for hellRIDIN’ FOR HELL (ROYAL BASTARDS MC TONOPAH NV) by Nikki Landis

In this life, you reap what you sow . . .Not everyone wants to run from their past.
Some souls embrace the chance to hunt their prey and seek vengeance. And some bastards just like the carnage a little too much. There’s a reason I’m the SGT at Arms.
I handle the hard shit. The jobs no one else wants to deal with because its messy.
Thing is, I love to lose control. When I’m angry, my demons come out to play. And then the real fun begins . . .
Revenge is my only master. I’m the judge, jury, and merciless executioner.
My enemies think I’ve forgotten about them. They think I hide behind my patch.
I don’t. There are only two things I care about – Protecting my club and spilling blood.
They call me Azrael, the Angel of Death. A one-way ticket to Hell. My Reaper is ready to ride. And where he goes, death and destruction follow.

Amazon

vigil in the mourningA VIGIL IN THE MOURNING (SOULBOUND BOOK 4) by Hailey Turner

Special Agent Patrick Collins is dispatched to Chicago, chasing a lead on the Morrígan’s staff for the joint task force. Needing a cover for his presence in the Windy City, Patrick is ordered to investigate a politician running for mayor. In the lead up to election day, not everything is what it seems in a city where playing to win means appeasing the gods first and the electorate second.
But Chicago brings its own set of problems outside the case: a stand-offish local god pack, a missing immortal, and Patrick’s twin sister. Fighting Hannah and the Dominion Sect provides Patrick with a sinister reminder that some blood ties can never be cut.
Left behind in New York City, Jonothon de Vere finds himself targeted by hunters who will go through anyone to kill him—including the packs under his protection. With a bounty on his head, Jono is forced to make a choice that Patrick would never approve of. Doing so risks breaking the trust he’s built with the man he loves, but not acting will give the rival New York City god pack leverage Jono can’t afford to give up.
When Patrick and Jono reunite in Chicago, Patrick must confront the fraying of a relationship he’s come to rely on for his own sanity. But fixing their personal problems will have to wait—because Niflheim is clawing at the shores of Lake Michigan and the dead are hungry.

Amazon

a hunters moonHUNTER’S MOON (WINGED GUARDIANS BOOK 2) by Alexis D Craig

Cherry Belmont is an investigative reporter with a nose for trouble. Normally, her ability to sniff out a story is a good thing, check the awards on her shelf. This time though, instead of hunting down a story, the story came to her in the form of her being kidnapped for reasons she’s yet to figure out. She found herself in a cage, locked down with other shifter women; it becomes clear they were taken more because of their animal than because of who they are as humans.

The who and the why concerning the string of missing women are anyone’s guess, and Cherry is just grateful she is able to escape. Her only concern is the unspoken vow she made to return and rescue the others. Too bad once she’s free, no one believes her. No one except for the one man who broke her heart into a dozen pieces just as many years ago; the man who Cherry swore she never wanted to see again.

Commander of the Royal Guard, Vasily Brețcu’s life was complicated, to put it mildly. He’s coming off a gunshot wound he and his owl had sustained while protecting the Prince of Therantia from an assassination attempt. But he plans to make full use of the light duty he’d been assigned too. Vasi has a mystery of his own to solve, was the King of Therantia killed on his watch? Then Cherry called and his whole life got turned upside down.

He would do anything at all for his wolverine and unwilling mate Cherry, including flying across the country to help her find the missing women. The mystery deepens however when both cases appear to be connected. Will Vasily and Cherry be able to overcome their quick decisions in their past to help them survive for a future together?

Amazon

destiny of the witchDESTINY OF THE WITCH (RISE OF THE ORION BOOK 4) by J M Davies

In the thrilling climax of the Rise of Orion series, the stakes are higher than ever before as Ella Masters risks everything to fulfill her destiny. As the last Welsh witch and soul-shifter, she has battled many enemies, but none as malevolent as the Morrigan. The devious goddess is determined to destroy not only her, but mankind as well. Betrayed by her lover Marcus Drayton, an agent for the security team Orion, and facing impossible odds Ella must find the strength to fight her deadly adversary—alone.
Marcus is desperate to save Ella. In a daring and calculated move, he surrenders himself to the Morrigan to prevent his soulmate from clashing swords with the harbinger of death. But has he underestimated what’s at play? When the seductive goddess, manipulates him—her true agenda in this twisted game is revealed. With the world a battlefield and the very balance of nature under threat, will Ella and Marcus defeat their foes? Will destiny keep them together or tear them apart?

Amazon

malevolent intentMALEVOLENT INTENT (NOIR FAIRY TALES BOOK 2) by Linda Mooney

Rose White has had a string of bad luck, and it doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. When two fairies are found dead in her nightclub, her livelihood is shut down until further notice. With no income coming in, and her employees left hanging, she’s forced to look for other alternatives.

Detective Rich Florian is on the case of the dead fairies, and soon learns they were poisoned. The nightclub owner and the Miner gang, her partners, are his first suspects, but Rich isn’t so quick to pin it on them. He’ll need to investigate further, and not just the DBs—something about Rose is drawing him in as well. And he’s convinced she’s innocent.

Just like every other bad thing that’s happened to Rose, her stepmother, Queenie, seems to be right in the middle of it. She offers to loan Rose the money to pay her way out and stay afloat, but as always, Rose knows the help would come with a much higher price. How far would Queenie go to get what she wants? Murder? Arson? Even with the protection of the gang and her handsome detective, Rose still needs to keep her eyes open. But sometimes the most obvious suspect isn’t who you need to look out for. As we’ve learned before, things in Grimm City are almost always not what they seem.

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witch is how life changedWITCH IS HOW LIFE CHANGED FOREVER  (A WITCH P I MYSTERY BOOK 36) by Adele Abbott

When the cat’s away…Busy as always, Jill must find a missing painting and help a man wrongly convicted of murder. And what is it that Grandma knows that Jill doesn’t?
his custard creams are mine.

Amazon

when hes darkWHEN HE’S DARK (THE OLYMPUS PRIDE SERIES BOOK 1) by Suzanne Wright

Cat shifter Bree Dwyer doesn’t fear much. Ironically, what she fears most is the person who was put on the Earth just for her. Your true mate wasn’t supposed to be cruel and twisted; wasn’t supposed to be someone who’d never love or want to claim you. The rumors that her true mate is dead bring her only relief. Bree’s intent on moving forward with her life and building a future with someone else. Sadly, the male she wants most is one she can never have—a hot-as-sin wolverine shifter who happens to be her boss … and the cousin of her predestined mate.

Aleksandr “Alex” Devereaux detests being bullshitted, but he’s been lying to himself for years—pretending he thinks of Bree as extended family; that he doesn’t want her so bad he aches with it; that he can’t feel himself weakening against her pull. The night they spend together changes everything. He’s done fighting himself on what he wants. Someone isn’t happy about that. Possibly the same ‘someone’ who’s playing mind games with Bree, trying to scare her. They’re succeeding, because too many leads point to the possibility that the culprit could be the one person that she’s determined to believe is dead.

Amazon

southern book clubTHE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES by Grady Hendrix

VS Note: NOT a romance! Listed as horror…but sounded kind of good to me actually. A release of note.

Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor’s handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind—and Patricia has already invited him in.  Little by little, James will insinuate himself into Patricia’s life and try to take everything she took for granted—including the book club—but she won’t surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

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crave tracy wolffCRAVE (CRAVE SERIES BOOK 1) by Tracy Wolff

My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me. Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me. Which could spell death for us all. Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.

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glass magicianTHE GLASS MAGICIAN by Caroline Stevermer

New York 1905—The Vanderbilts. The Astors. The Morgans. They are the cream of society—and they own the nation on the cusp of a new century. Thalia Cutler doesn’t have any of those family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away. That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful. But first, she’ll have to learn to control that power…before the real monsters descend to feast.

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dragons nanny matchmateDRAGON NANNY’S MATCHMATE (DRAGON’S MATCHMATE AGENCY BOOK 2) by Maia Starr

I am a single dad and The Nanny Hearts Service helped me find her. I needed someone to take care of my son when my own wife betrayed me. She let the enemies come after our family. My rival, Lexi, is still looking to harm me. I’ll deal with him once I have my personal affairs under control. And right now, the only thing I have on my mind is her.
Naomi Stark. As beautiful as the moon. And as damaged as I am. I see myself in her eyes.
And I want her in my bed. I’m afraid it’ll be too late if I don’t claim her now. My rivals will stop at nothing to destroy me. They won’t hesitate to use her to get to me. I need to be her protector. And then discover the big secret she’s been keeping from me.

Amazon

perfect pendingPERFECT PENDING: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (WITCHES OF GALES HAVEN BOOK 1) by Lucia Ashta

Marla’s ancestors saddled her with frizzy red hair, sarcasm on tap, the Gawama last name, and the urge to run from her problems. Her bloodline was also supposed to guarantee she’d be a powerful witch. She isn’t, not by a long shot. Only those with magic are allowed in her hometown. Now that her teenage children are awakening, and sparking enough power to be a fire hazard, she’s headed back. Even if she isn’t ready. Even if she’s fresh out of divorce court. Home is where her family is. Her nan is head of the council, and her aunts claim multiple orgasms are the source of their limber joints.
But then Marla and her kids all but blow up the town on day one. And her first boyfriend, the one who broke her heart long before her ex did, seems better than ever.
He has his eye on her…So does everyone else. Somehow it’s on her, and the magical creature who won’t get out of her head, to save Gales Haven. Before her former mother-in-law redecorates the town in baby pink … and breaks the centuries-old spell that keeps it safe and hidden.

Amazon

midlife cursesMIDLIFE CURSES: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION MYSTERY (WITCHING HOUR BOOK 1) by Christine Zane Thomas

Constance Campbell has made a few questionable decisions in the run-up to her fortieth birthday. So in a way, moving two thousand miles away from everything she’s ever known makes perfect sense. Creel Creek, Virginia is the last place either of her ex-husbands would ever think to look for her. What better place to hide from her humiliations than a town too small to warrant a mention on a map? Laid off, and recently divorced from husband number two, this former workaholic moves in with her estranged—and very strange—grandmother. A grandmother who informs Constance that she comes from a long line of powerful witches. And on the day she hits the big 4-0, she’ll come into her powers. It turns out that she’s not the only paranormal person in town. Under the sleepy surface, the small town is teeming with supernatural beings.
When Constance finds the town’s resident vampire dead, things go from surreal to scary. The local sheriff is convinced that a killer is lurking in the shadows, hunting anyone with supernatural abilities…including witches like her. He’s not wrong. Can Constance learn enough magic to save herself and Creel Creek from this unknown foe?

Amazon

jettaJETTA (PACK OF MISFITS BOOK 3) by Raven Kennedy

I’m kind of a bitch, but you would be too if you had my life. I was taken as a baby and trained to become an elite member of Troupe Delirium. My time with them is as permanent as the damn collar on my neck. Until Heathcliff helps me escape. I have nothing but the clothes on my back and the good sense to get as far away as I can. But then I stumble into someone else’s territory and get snagged by a shifter-happy cop who brings me to a pack. Pack Aberrant. The only shifter pack in the world that would actually be willing to help me. Before I know it, I’m getting attached to an enforcer and I’m fighting for these misfits who somehow thawed my heart. But I know better. My old master is coming for me, and Heathcliff…I can’t ever really move on without Heathcliff. I guess I won’t really need to, though. There’s no way I’m making it out of this alive.

Amazon

stolen songSTOLEN SONG (PARANORMAL PRISON) by Autumn Reed and Riley Proserpina

My voice doesn’t charm forest animals…It predicts death. That’s right—I’m a banshee. And I’m locked up in Nightmare Penitentiary with no hope of escape. I don’t expect to be rescued by handsome fae princes, either, since the last ones I had a crush on put me here. Now, the princes are here to rattle my cage, and they’re just as handsome and judgmental as I remember. I’d tell them exactly what I think about them, but in addition to stealing my freedom, they’ve taken my voice.

Amazon

ronan hope fordRONAN (NEW LAW MC BOOK 1) by Hope Ford

Bree I never knew how much I needed my freedom until I moved to the Klamath Mountains. I was ready to get out on my own and let my bear run free. But when I have a run-in with the Eater Motorcycle Club it could have gone really bad if my cousin, who is part of the New Law MC, hadn’t shown up. Now, I’m under New Law’s protection, and after pissing off the dangerous high-ranking member of the rival club – I’m going to need it.
Ronan She rides in on Sayer’s bike… and I don’t like it. She needs the club’s protection and my instant attraction to her won’t let me say no. When the Eater’s come for her, and I know they will… I’ll be ready. Because this Bear is mine.

Amazon

blazing academyBLAZING ACADEMY SEMESTER ONE (ACADEMY FOR ALL THINGS SCORCHING BOOK 1) by Avery Song

When the element of fire burns within your veins, the academy for all things blazing is the best place to learn how to make that flame burn even stronger. Alice Blaze is my name, and I’m your typical adopted sixteen-year-old. My mom disappeared after my birth and my dad was an alcoholic maniac. That left me being raised by my protective grandparents in the single house up the hill that people only come to view on Halloween.

Apparently, our house is haunted, but I haven’t figured that one out yet. Regardless of my depressing backstory, my life has always been in the line of misery. Since I was little, I always got into trouble, and it always ended up with something combusting into flames. Lighting up the curtains, explosive vials in lab class. Don’t get me started with the accidental school fire. Need I say more?
The last straw is when I’m accused of shattered all the windows in the entire school, but that doesn’t make sense because it has nothing to do with that burning nemesis called fire. With my grandparents having enough of my constant transfers, a letter of invitation lands right onto our doorstep. I’m invited to Blazing Academy, the academy for all things scorching hot. Shifters, demons, and blazing hot witches…oh right. That’s apparently what I am. A blazing hot witch. Let’s hope that’s all I am, and that this first semester goes a lot smoother than I’m imagining.

Amazon

shifting fatesSHIFTING FATES (SANMERE SHIFTERS BOOK ONE) by Lola Gabriel

When Ellery Martin finds herself abducted and thrown into a makeshift prison with two other women, she is terrified. Ellery learns that her blood has a special protein, Sanmere, which allows her to become a shifter. The captor’s plan is to sell Ellery to the highest bidder—the alpha wolf of a dangerous pack.
Grey Langdon is the alpha of another pack of wolves. These wolves don’t believe in trading humans for money. He vows to end the evil pack, but when he finds himself imprisoned with Ellery and the others, he starts to think he has missed his chance.
Can Grey and Ellery escape their prison? And will they ever get a chance to act on the feelings that are developing between them?

Amazon

very bad wizaRDSVERY BAD WIZARDS (THE WICKED WIZARDS OF OZ BOOK 1) by C M Stunich

VS Note: From mid March.

My little dog, Toto, just shifted into a man. A gorgeous, chiseled beast of a man. That was about thirty seconds before the storm hit and he clutched me against his naked body while wild winds raged all around us. Yeah, we’re seriously not in fucking Kansas anymore. There are male witches with toothy smiles, a man with a tin arm, and some wizards. Some very, very bad wizards–and they’re all interested in me. Romantically. How … interesting. Oh, and then there’s Dorothy, the girl who’s claiming that she’s the good guy, and I’m the bad one, all because the power to control storms sleeps in my fingertips. My name is Ozora, Oz for short, and I’m a girl from nowhere, destined for somewhere.

Amazon

enforcerTHE ENFORCER by C D Gorri

She’s a sorceress sworn to protect a young Were whose very life is on the line. He’s an Enforcer charged with bringing them in. Garren Strengest is a man of honor and principle, but when he discovers his lady fair in Isabeau Rose, all bets are off. Her safety is the most important thing. Can he get her to give up the one thing she’s promised to protect in order to keep her out of danger?

Amazon

 

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VS Note: I’ve put the box set of the first 3 books in the award winning Badari Warrior series on sale for $.99! Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, with fierce alien predator DNA woven into their humanoid DNA, they fight the alien scientists for the right to live and to love…in these three books Aydarr the Alpha, Mateer the Enforcer and Timtur the Healer each find their fated mates among the human prisoners and the battle for survival and romance is ON!

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook

box set sale canva APR3_2020

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SFR Station is a great source for discovering new-to-you SFR authors and books! (I have no connection with the website other than my books being listed there too.) There are various ways to search for books and tropes. Each month she’s now running a BookFunnel of new scifi romance releases from the previous month which have been submitted to her. One of mine from March is there too…the LINK to the BF event.

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

April 1

March 25

March 18

March 11

March 4

“New” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  And I may mention ‘special items’.

I do NOT cover every single new release in SFR/FantasyR/PNR. I never have. That would be an impossible task for any human! I assemble my list by hand every week based on various informal inputs, and I do curate the list to some extent…

I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post  but after that I’m not responsible.

Leave No One Behind Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedThinking of everyone, hoping you and your loved ones are making it through this worldwide pandemic crisis as best as possibly can be done…sending BEST WISHES!

Now taking excerpts from LANDON: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL, which was released on Jan 31st.

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

Punctuation may be wonky to comply with our guidelines here. May be edited a bit from published version.

If you haven’t read any of my Badari Warriors series: Genetically engineered soldiers of the far future, the Badari were created by alien enemies to fight humans. But then the scientists kidnapped an entire human colony from the Sectors to use as subjects in twisted experiments…the Badari and the humans made common cause, rebelled and escaped the labs. Now they live side by side in a sanctuary valley protected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence, and wage unceasing war on the aliens. 

The excerpt, continuing on from where I stopped last week. On the building’s security vidscreen Mandy has seen a person strapped to a table in the medlab:

Sinking into the chair, she rolled the cool water bottle over her forehead and sighed. She’d have to go investigate or she’d never forgive herself, even if there was a high risk the Khagrish would show up. What if it had been her, restrained in the medlab? She could not leave someone else in those circumstances. Taking a deep breath, Mandy forced herself to approach the dead guard, who’d fallen between the console desk and the wall and died there, curled up. The weapons had already been looted so she double-checked the building floor plan at the side of his desk, ignoring the flashing red lights she assumed were dying calls for help from Khagrishi in their rooms or offices, now days old. Those callers were long past any help. The medlabs were in the wing opposite the cells, so she set out, wondering how much longer the automated systems and the power would continue to operate.

Passing through the main portion of the complex, she saw signs of hasty looting everywhere and at one point stopped to check out what was obviously a storeroom, where she grabbed ration bars and nutrient drinks and stuffed her pockets. The other humans had left a wealth of food and gear behind but she understood how driven they were by fears of the Khagrish rescue party arriving. She was too but she was realistic about her own physical weakness. Besides, she had a mission. Leave no one behind sounded damn good to her, worth running a risk.

landonThe blurb: When unexpected circumstances give her a chance to escape from an alien scientist’s lab after she’s been tortured, Mandy Rennegar knew she should run for the hills with the other prisoners. There’s one more special captive who hasn’t been freed, however, and she decides to risk everything to help him. Mandy’s not leaving anyone behind.

Captured by the enemy on a scouting trip, Landon of the Badari has been pushed beyond his limits of sanity and strength by the Khagrish experiments and waits to die…until the human woman sets him free and takes him into the wilderness with her on a desperate trek to freedom. If he could only regain his memory, he’s sure there’s a sanctuary on the planet where his people could help them both.

As Mandy and Landon flee the pursuing Khagrish new challenges arise, including secrets from the past which could destroy the growing attraction between them. Difficult choices have to be made, putting Mandy’s life at risk and Landon discovers the Khagrish have left a lasting mark on his mind.

Will they reach the Badari sanctuary in time? Can their love survive Mandy’s revelations? Will the Alpha of the Badari give them a chance to be together or will he allow her to die when Landon risks everything to save his fated mate?

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Medical #SciFi Books/Movies/TV – what I’ve Been Reading and Watching Lately

medical scifi take 2This post appeared first in the Roswell Daily Record..

For this month’s post, I felt I really needed to talk about the subject that’s top of the mind in my household, which is the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus and how reading or watching stories of similar, but fictional situations can be helpful if you’re of a sci-fi mindset.

Kathryn VanArendonk, senior writer at Vulture and New York Magazine (vulture.com) published a good article on this topic recently and gave me permission to republish the story in the Roswell Daily Record’s Vision pages. Here’s what she had to say about why these types of stories are especially appealing at a time like this. “Pandemic fiction is usually a story of helplessness. The virus is spreading, it’s invisible, and all the usual safeguards have failed. Even when a deadly virus isn’t sweeping the globe, safeguards are never perfect. But in pandemic stories the threat becomes more immediate, universal and horrible. Viruses are not supervillains with origin stories to explain their villainy, and they’re not serial killers with fetishes. There’s no theory of mind to wrestle with. So pandemic fiction is about how people behave in response to acute, sudden-onset helplessness. When we’re confronted with that helplessness in real life, watching some version of it — any version of it, and ideally one where at least some people survive — is comforting. It’s a model for how we could respond.”

She and others have spent a lot of time discussing the 2011 movie “Contagion”, which was heavily researched and which does depict a virus emanating from China and causing a worldwide pandemic. It’s one of my personal favorites as well because the movie does such a good job of laying out the entire life cycle of the crisis, with some pretty realistic timelines and (spoiler) things starting to look up for the main characters by the end. Watching it years ago also taught me about the R0 or R-naught factor of how many people on average each sufferer can infect as well as the huge importance of not touching my face. Easier said than done! But the world does get through it and the vaccine eventually becomes available, which again is our real world hope, for some time in late 2021.

There are other movies, both with zombies and without, which also deal with these issues. Depending on your tastes, you may prefer “World War Z,” with its fast moving zombies, or “Last Train to Busan”. If you prefer less sci-fi in your plot, 1995’s “Outbreak”, which takes a pretty cinematic approach to a novel ebola virus making it into the world, until Dustin Hoffman and company find a cure.

A personal favorite of mine because of the dogged medical detectives, which sadly is unavailable currently, is a 1992 made-for-TV movie, “Black Death”, starring Kate Jackson as the heroic doctor who must save New York City from an outbreak of the pneumonic plague. It’s very well done and depicts the hard work done by the epidemiologists trying to track down contacts and paths of infection, much as the real experts are currently doing all over the world right now for COVID-19.

“Panic in the Streets” is a tense 1950 film noir starring Richard Widmark as a Public Health Officer working against time to stop the pneumonic plague.

“The Walking Dead” TV show started off with the pandemic, although it’s become much more focused on other aspects of the zombie apocalypse after the first season ended. They did, however, end up at the CDC in season one. I guess it’s not a spoiler by now to say the characters didn’t find the cure they were hoping for at the CDC.

An excellent and timely nonfiction program to watch is “Pandemic,” an eye opening series about doctors and scientists all over the world working hard to track and fight viral disease outbreaks. It was released just prior to the rise of COVID-19 so it’s eerie listening to these experts talk about “the next one.” I found it heartening, however, to know how many people work so hard behind scenes in many countries, trying to keep us all safe. All the science being done is the absolute key to success. On the more depressing side, I was pretty horrified at the working conditions faced by medical professionals in less economically developed countries. This is only available on Netflix currently.

My interest in medical issues of this type arose at an early age, listening to my father talk about nearly dying of cholera when he was a child. According to him, he was the only person in the entire state of New York that year to have the disease and eventually the epidemiologists tracked the source. Hearing my father talk about this incident inspired me to read books on epidemiology, with fascinating stories of doctors locating Patient Zero, or the first person to come down with the disease in question, and trying to figure out where that person acquired the illness, among other things.

I naturally devoured science fiction with medical storylines, such as the excellent “Sector General“ Series by James White, set on a gigantic interstellar space station which serves as a hospital. There was also Murray Leinster’s “Med Ship” series, about a roving space-going doctor. And of course Andre Norton’s “Plague Ship, Solar Queen,” book 2, about an outbreak on a free trader spaceship.

The “Andromeda Strain” by Michael Crichton, both as a novel and a movie, was well done and exciting, with that touch of science fiction to add an edge to the medical mystery.

Stephen King’s “The Stand” also begins with a terrifying outbreak.

The “Apokalypsis” series by Kate Morris is one of my favorites currently and includes a nice level of romance threaded through the dire events. The series stands at three books — the second one is my favorite and I’ve reread it numerous times — and we readers are waiting for the promised fourth book. Morris is very good at depicting the early stages of a pandemic and the subtle signs the characters ignore or are puzzled by. We readers of course know what’s coming but there are still some surprises. She does include not-quite zombies, not-quite human any more creatures.

I always wanted to write a plague or pandemic story myself because the subject fascinates me. And perhaps I have leftover anxiety from hearing the story repeated as a child how my dad nearly didn’t make it out of his childhood! There’s that whole aspect of what would I or the reader do if we were caught in the situation. Would we figure out what was happening soon enough? Could we save ourselves and our loved ones? I guess we’re finding out now in an all too real way as COVID-19 spreads across the globe. Writing about such a situation is even more cathartic for an author than reading what others have written.

At the same time, I also wanted to write more novels about interstellar cruise liners. I created a wonderful starship for Wreck of the Nebula Dream and then of course had to destroy her, but as time went on, I kept thinking of intriguing stories I could tell on a cruise ship sailing the stars. I had the idea of using the ship as my “village,” with a recurring cast of characters. The two ideas came together, in 2016’s Star Cruise: Outbreak, partially inspired by a run of news stories at the time about noroviruses on ocean-going cruise ships. I pondered what would happen if a seemingly benign-but-unpleasant bug hit an interstellar cruise ship and was really the start of a much more serious outbreak, harbinger of something never seen before.

After a lot of research into various earthly diseases, I came up with an alien ailment that combines deadly aspects of several real viruses and conditions. I decided my main characters would be Emily the ship’s new doctor and Jake, the head of security. Both are military veterans and suffering from varying degrees of PTSD, so that’s an added complication for them to work through on their way to romance, as they handle the outbreak. I write romances so of course there’s a happy ending.

But as reassuring as fiction can be, we all live in the real world and must protect ourselves and our loved ones and everyone else as best we can. I strongly recommend bookmarking the Center for Disease Control’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/.

Sending my best wishes to you and yours to stay safe in the current pandemic situation.

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