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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ALIEN MERCENARY’S BRIDE (LATHAR MERCENARIES WARBORNE BOOK 2) by Mina Carter
Stowing away on an alien ship? Idiotic. Stowing away on the Warborne’s ship? Suicidal. Marika Ingrassia is desperate. To escape another wedding arranged by her father, she runs. Between a homicidal groom and a ship full of trained killers, she’ll take her chances with the mercenaries, thank you very much. Only things don’t go quite to plan. Her idea to force them to help her at gunpoint seemed a stroke of brilliance until she’s on board and facing down the sexiest mercenary she’d ever seen. She can’t think straight, never mind shoot straight. She’s doomed for a long walk out of a short airlock until Mr. tall, muscled, and growly agrees to help her escape her father’s clutches… by marrying her. Just one problem. This time she wants the wedding to be for real…
She’s the prettiest thing he’s ever seen. And everything a killer like him doesn’t deserve. Skinny has been a mercenary most of his life. One of the legendary Warborne, he’s killed more men than he’s had hot dinners and he’s damn good at it. When he finds a scared human female, he doesn’t expect his reaction to her, or for her to clock him over the head with a pipe. Unpleasantness aside, when he realizes she needs help, he’s all ears. And everything else she needs. Up to and including his hand in marriage to protect her… No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Between an assassination attempt and his past catching up with them… can Skinny convince Marika he’s the alien for her, or will he lose her forever?
SHADOWED BY HER ALIEN MATE (WARRIORS OF THE D’TALI BOOK 3) by Ava York
He’s deadly. The court assassin. And an alien. So why can’t I resist stealing glances at him? And why does the idea that he wants more than stolen glances make my breath catch in my throat?
FIRE DANCER: A NOVEL OF THE CONCORD by Elizabeth Lowell
VS Note: A re-release of a 1982 book.
Rheba and Kirtin are the last survivors of their homeworld, at the edges of the Concord, forgotten but rich in history and traditions. Rheba is a fire dancer, able to focus and manipulate vast amounts of energy through discipline and motion and form. Kirtin is her protector and mentor, training her in these skills and knowing that one day these energies may grow to consume her unless she masters her own emotions and the power she derives from them.
In search of rumored other survivors like themselves, they set out amongst the worlds of the “civilized” Concord, finding that the presented superior and enlightened cultures they encounter conceal hypocrisies that assist even greater crimes. Entire civilizations built upon slavery and degradation are tolerated so long as they play the proper games of power and civility. Led by the promise of knowledge regarding one of her kin, Rheba and Kirtin are brought to Loo, a planet ruled by a hereditary empire of slavers and decadents. There, both of them are consigned to slave pits beneath the gleaming cities and palaces of the surface. Amongst the forgotten and cast-off, Rheba and Kirtin find others like themselves, stolen or abandoned by their homeworlds and left to languish here, subject to labors and appetites and whims of the planet’s rulers. But not everyone wants to remain a slave.
THE CYBORG TINKERER (THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CYBORG CIRCUS BOOK 1) by Meg LaTorre
Gwendolyn Grimm intended to seduce men and women across the galaxy while working as a ship tinkerer on the finest vessels in the Crescent Star System. Alas, terminal illness is a buzzkill. When a life-saving opportunity struts into her life dressed in a pinstripe suit, she is made an offer she can’t refuse: become a cyborg and work as a tinkerer for Cirque du Borge, the once renowned cyborg circus. The problem is, a new law has banned the creation of new cyborgs and becoming one means execution if caught. Thus, no one cares to see the wonders of man and machine anymore.
Ticket sales continue to fall as the circus announces a competition to determine which acts will perform for the emperor on his home planet—an opportunity with the potential to save the circus from bankruptcy. But the competition has deadly consequences. Losing acts have their cyborg implants forcibly removed, and those who survive the extraction are banished from the circus. As the tinkerer, Gwendolyn is forced to perform the revolting task of removing the cyborg implants from the losing performers. When she falls for both the man running the competition and a woman competing in it, she must decide who to protect. But can she risk having to harvest the people she loves the most? Treasure Planet meets John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire in this LGBTQ+ steampunk fairytale mashup.
HER ALIEN MATES (THE DRIFT HAVEN COLONY BOOK1) by Susan Hayes
She dreamed of being free to make her own decisions. When it comes to a mate, why must she pick just one? Haven colony has everything a newly freed cyborg could hope for. After a life of violence and forced obedience, Shadow can finally make her own choices. But freedom comes with its own challenges – and hers includes a pair of sexy as fraxx aliens who both lay claim to her heart.
He wants her – but it’s complicated…After a tragedy, Denz needs a change. Haven offers him a new life, a chance to finish the work his friend started, and enough work to keep him from thinking about everything he lost… until Shadow arrives at Haven. She’s everything he’s ever wanted – smart, sassy, and heartbreakingly beautiful. There’s just one problem. She’s not the assassin who murdered his best friend, but she wears the same face. He lost his anrik and any chance of a mate long ago…Kade is close to having it all. One last debt to pay off, and all his mistakes will be behind him. He just has to live with the mistakes of his dead anrik… the one that condemned him to a lifetime alone.
Everything changes when he sets down in a backwater colony and catches wind of the impossible – the mate he wasn’t supposed to have. When trouble comes to Haven, all three will have to make a choice – protect their hearts, or protect each other, no matter what the cost.
DEUS (THE EURYNOME CODE BOOK 6) by K Gorman
VS Note: Not a romance…
Karin Makos is not herself anymore. Powerful, psychopathic, with abilities that can rend the very fabric of the universe apart, and a new, revenge-driven personality occupying her mind, she is constantly riding the line between patience and violence. But she has a universe to save, and a limited time in which to do it. With allies and enemies blurring together in the wings, she will fight her way through to the finish. And damn anyone who tries to stop her.
BATTLE WON (SPACE WARRIOR ADVENTURES BOOK 1) by Erin Raegan
Enslaved by aliens. (Cue the dramatic jazz hands.) Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. I saw it coming a mile away too. Doesn’t change the fact that here I am, sharing a cage with my fellow human peers—my smelly, crybaby, annoying female peers. You can sit at home and roll your eyes at just how predictable this story has already become or you can hear me out. —Earth destroyed by evil carnivorous(shudder)aliens—check. —Humans then saved by not as frightening but still visually alarming (think cats and a vat of radioactive ooze) do-gooder aliens—check. —Do-gooder aliens loaded up surviving humans to whisk them away to some fanciful far away planet so they can live out the rest of their traumatized lives in somewhat safety and peace. Check. Well…kind of. I made it on the ship. I lived on the ship zipping through space. Then the do-gooder aliens got their asses handed to them by pirate slavers and said pirate slavers snatched us physically inferior humans right out from under the radioactive cats’ noses and tossed us in cages delivered straight to alien slave auctions. Hungry, smelly, thirsty, and sunburned like you would not believe, I was finally bought. (I feel I need to stress the smell…I was peed on. It was not fun.) This is the part in the story that’ll veer right off the predictable train and land me smack dab in the middle of Crazyville. Sexy—in their own alien way—built like a brickshithouse—green viking-wanna-be warriors bought me and handed me over to their chief and presented me as a gift—like a slab of meat. I expected something like this to happen. For that alien to then make me his queen—(whoops, I mean chieftess …Fenru gets all hot and pissy when I screw up the hierarchy) —not quite surprising but I’d take the welcome happenstance, I am, after all, an avid fan of sparkly crowns. What threw me through a loop was when I was then expected to battle a roaring pack of enraged females to prove my worth and keep my man. These babes are not your average catty hair pulling vixens. My cat fighting experience(I had four spoiled rotten sisters) does me no good here in their arena. Oh, no…they have fists—twice the size of my own and have no fear of a measly broken nail. Biceps for days—and they know how to use the power behind them. Oh, and did I mention these green gladiators have a nasty little habit of flying off into a fit of rage and hulking out all over their enemies? And my man…my arrogant, battle-hardened, bossy, manipulative, makes-me-want-to-rip-his-beautiful-balls-right out-from-under-him sexy piece of man meat, thinks I can win. In fact, he expects it. Hah! Who said I even wanted to expend the effort for his sorry ass? They can have him.
THE HEALER (THE ORDER OF INTERGALACTIC PEACE BOOK 1) by Kelly Lucille
As a powerful Healer in hiding on old Earth, Serenity has managed to avoid the notice of both the Order of Intergalactic Peace and the rebel factions opposing them. That is about to change. Paying off an old debt brings her to the attention of both sides, but it is Lord Mal Ryn of the OIP who stakes his claim.
She thought keeping her heart intact while escaping the most powerful man in the known universe was the challenge. Turns out they have bigger problems.
NIKOL’S SURRENDER by Michelle Howard
Sometimes doing the wrong thing is the only answer – Nikol Wulven has spent his entire life as the son of the most hated criminal around. Heir to an illegal empire he had no desire to run, his life wasn’t his own. But in his world, there were no choices. Or was there? The new slave delivered to Nikol’s harem was unexpected. He was fascinated by her Earth ways and bold manner. If others noted his desire for the defiant beauty it could put them both in jeopardy. And that must never happen because Nikol’s harsh façade is the only thing standing between his father and his brother’s life. Sometimes the risk is worth it all. Darcy McHenry wished she’d never left Earth. Kidnapped, sold to slavers and living in a harem, is a far cry from the life and family she dreamed of. Only her growing feelings for her owner keeps her from running. Her new master is a dangerous alien with horns. The whispers warn no one crosses him and lives. Darcy’s about to test that theory.
REBEL SISTERS by Tochi Onyebuchi
VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note…
It’s been five years since the Biafran War ended. Ify is now nineteen and living where she’s always dreamed–the Space Colonies. She is a respected, high-ranking medical officer and has dedicated her life to helping refugees like herself rebuild in the Colonies. Back in the still devastated Nigeria, Uzo, a young synth, is helping an aid worker, Xifeng, recover images and details of the war held in the technology of destroyed androids. Uzo, Xifeng, and the rest of their team are working to preserve memories of the many lives lost, despite the government’s best efforts to eradicate any signs that the war ever happened. Though they are working toward common goals of helping those who suffered, Ify and Uzo are worlds apart. But when a mysterious virus breaks out among the children in the Space Colonies, their paths collide. Ify makes it her mission to figure out what’s causing the deadly disease. And doing so means going back to the homeland she thought she’d left behind forever.
POWER (DARK ANOMALY BOOK 2) by Marina Simcoe
Five decades after the disappearance of Svetlana Kostyk, the exploration of the mysterious anomaly in space has resumed. The first expedition inside of the Dark Anomaly is sent, sponsored by private corporations. We all have our reasons for being on this ship. Mine have everything to do with the reward promised upon completion of the mission. I have my future on Earth planned, and I need the money to make it happen. Most of us find death upon arrival. One goes missing. And my fate may even be worse than theirs. The man put in charge of me is a crude, uneducated brute, born and raised among the worst criminals of the ancient past. I have no power against him, but could I find a way to use his strength to my advantage? As mutiny and betrayal wreak havoc on the Dark Anomaly, Wyck and I learn that we can only rely on each other to survive. Welcome to the Dark Anomaly, there is no leaving this place.
AmazonKU
CLAIMED BY THE FIRE DRAGON PRINCE (ELEMENTAL DRAGON SHIFTERS BOOK 1) by Aria Winter and Jade Waltz
We set out from Earth in search of a new world. I never thought it would end with us crashing on a planet full of dragon shifters. When I’m taken from my people by a fierce Drakarian warrior, my first thought is of escape. Varus is the Prince of the Fire Clan. He claims the glowing pattern on his chest means that I’m his fated one—his Linaya.
I doubt he’s going to just let me go. But what does it mean to be fated to a dragon?
CAUGHT BETWEEEN TWO BLUE ALIENS: AN IN THE STARS SCIFI ROMANCE by Celia Kyle and Michelle Mills
It was just supposed to be a job—a well-paying job, but just a job. And it is… until it isn’t and suddenly Jenna’s facing two blue aliens who want her to leave Earth behind… forever. Da fuq was in that wine? Jenna is working her butt off at three different jobs in order to provide for her younger siblings. And tonight’s high-profile catering gig (hazard pay bay-bee!) at Drokten Main is going to give her not only dollahz, but also the perfect opportunity to check out the shirtless blue alien heroes who saved Earth from near destruction. Whoo Hoo! At the party, she overhears a crazy plot to destroy the Drokten and kick them off the planet. Holy crap! And the next thing she knows she’s standing in front of the Commander of the entire Drokten fleet, as well as the Drokten Ambassador, trying to warn them both of the eminent threat to their safety. And just like that they want her on their battleship and in their bed. Both of them. Together. W…what? Uh…no? Yes? NO. No matter how hot they are, the answer is no. Right? Being an alien booty call—no matter how hot the males are—isn’t on Jenna’s to do list. Plus, she can’t leave her siblings behind! But darn it, these guys should be in sales, because they’re so freaking persuasive. And every time they hold her in their possessive embrace, pressed between their hard bodies…well, her heart goes pitter-patter and her body lights on fire. How is a girl supposed to say no? But, on the other hand, how can she say yes when the lives of her brother and sister are at stake?
PRICELESS (SASS AND STEAM BOOK 2) by Catherine Stein
He’ll pay any price to win her. But her artist’s heart is not for sale. Raised in a squalid factory, Evan Tagget has battled his way to the top. Now a multi-millionaire, he runs a global empire of telecommunication devices, mechanical dragons, and clockwork gadgets. Evan can buy anything he wants. Except the love of the brazen artist who barges into his life.
Violet Dayton has made her living painting forgeries, scrimping and saving toward her true passion: a grand Paris art exhibition to display her work and the art of the friends who have always looked out for her. But a corrupt police inspector knows her secrets, and the only way to escape his clutches is to track down the master art thief plaguing museums across Europe. With the aid of Evan’s money and connections, Violet knows she can catch her thief, but she hadn’t counted on her powerful attraction to the arrogant millionaire, or the complex, passionate layers beneath his cool exterior. With enemies everywhere, she’ll have to trust Evan with her life. Her heart, though, she guards closely. And the only way he’ll ever win her is to prove he knows the true value of love.
OTHER LIFE (LAST REALITY BOOK 3) by Jason Segal
VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note…I went back and bought the first book in the series so we’ll see…
Simon, Kat, Busara, and Elvis are on the run with the tech super-villains at the Company hot on their heels. The new VR gaming experience the Company created, OtherEarth, will change how the world experiences gaming. Paired with the hardware the Company developed, it has the potential to alter our reality forever. The Company is on its way to becoming the world’s newest superpower. And Simon is determined to shut them down forever. But to do that, he’ll have to survive OtherLife–the next phase of gaming, and a complete reality reboot.
ALIEN SCROOGE: HOLIDAY STARRS by Zara Zenia and Starr Huntress
VS Note: No cover image was available at the time the post was put tiogether…
Photographer Cara is thrilled to be heading back to Big Sur to spend Christmas with her parents, despite last year’s fiasco with her now-ex-boyfriend, who tried to steal from them and can’t seem to let her go. With her camera in hand, she sets out to explore and document the wilderness surrounding her parents’ home, but what she finds is far from the usual wildlife. Egrix is a few million light years from home and is stuck on Earth assessing humans for a potential trade agreement as punishment for an unfortunate indiscretion. Unimpressed thus far with the planet or humanity, he dreads the return of the holiday season because nothing annoys him more than Christmas cheer.
PURSUED BY THE PANTHEON PRINCE: PANTHEON WARRIORS BOOK 1 by Hattie Jacks
Prince Griigor has never embraced his royal blood. Everything he has done since he came of age was to distance himself from his Clan, whether that was fighting alongside his comrades in the Krylix wars, or sowing his wild seed on pleasure planets. Anything to avoid facing his responsibilities back on Pantheon. He’s happy to be a playboy prince for as long as he can. The last thing he expected was to find his fated mate fighting for her life in the arena games. The beautiful, winged Faye. Fearless and fierce. She has taken his heart in one glance. Her strange master, the mythical Csigan, granted him an audience with her. For one night only. In the morning, she was gone. He has to find her at any cost. Pantheon warriors mate for life. If he has to pursue her across the Galaxies, he will, for his sanity and for the future of his line.
Faye is no longer human. The alien species that abducted her from Earth has seen to that. Equipped with wings, sharp black claws and a killer instinct, her alien master has her fighting for money in the arena games. The Csigan has become her world because she has nothing left. Griigor is one of a long line of males she has had to entertain. He’s big, blue, sexy and intriguing. Somehow he has got under the psychic bond that the Csigan has over her. But even if she wanted to, she can’t stay with him. Little does she know that their one night together has left her with far more than she bargained for. Or that he will come for her, no matter what.
DRIX: ALIEN HALFBREED (HUMAN FEMALE ABDUCTION BOOK 3) by Candy Croc
Drix is ecstatic his clan have decided to revive an outlawed female hunting game. But when the clan’s leader brings back a mixed group of females he’s disappointed by the offerings and especially with the small pathetic unknown species with translucent pale skin. She repulses him the most. Yet, something in her fragility stirs emotions in him, and he has carnal thoughts of her – thoughts he can’t ignore. The only thing is, their leader has invited a rival clan of Prumiqions to join in with this prestigious occasion and their leader also has his eye on her. Let the games begins – she will be his! Marcella cannot believe what is happening. One minute she is out running in the woods and the next she is tied up with a group of terrified alien women on a spaceship. But when they are all dumped in the middle of strange forest, it’s not the terrifying shrieking coming from the forest depths that frightens Marcella, it’s the huge purple alien who has horns jutting from his shoulders and elbows, a chest covered in scars, and a look of disgust in his eyes whenever he rakes them over her body – that’s what sends shivers down her spine. Now she and the others must run a race for their lives, because if they are caught by any of the alpha male aliens – God only knows what will happen to them!
CLAIMING THALIA (BLOOD MAIDENS OF KARTHIA BOOK 1) by Regine Abel
From the moment of her birth, Thalia has been groomed to become a Blood Maiden to a vampire. As a human born in one of the colonies of Karthia, Thalia’s extremely rare blood type is her ticket out of the life of poverty and hardship that normally befalls her species. During her first Blood Fair, she intends to entice the Vampire Lord Konstantin into claiming her. But unable to resist an unexpected offer, her long years of hard work and carefully planned future are derailed by a stunning, silver-eyed Lycan named Drogo. Struck by a rare but deadly illness, King Drogo’s only chance of survival relies on securing some golden blood. Yet, the moment he sees Thalia, the rabid emotions the clever female awakens in him surpass even his thirst for her unique blood. But the Lycan King’s efforts to claim Thalia as his mate revive a century-old rivalry with his nemesis, Konstantin. As the realm braces for a cataclysmic event, the clash between the two most powerful males of Karthia escalates. Will the battle to claim Thalia bring about her ultimate demise?
ALIEN BILLIONAIRE’S FATED MATE: A STARLIGHT MATCHMAKING ROMANCE by Miranda Martin
A date with an Alien, yeah right…Starlight Matchmaking, what a joke. I’m sure this is a scam. I’m more interested in figuring out their game than I am in a possible date. But the instant I see Wadjet, déjà vu hits me. Somehow it’s like I’ve known this sexy, golden skinned billionaire forever, but we’ve never met. He says we have. That he’s been searching for me for an impossibly long time. And now that he’s found me, he’s not going to lose me again.
I don’t believe in fate. I don’t even believe in aliens. But before this date is over, he’s determined to change my mind.
STEALING JIA (COLETTI WARLORDS SERIES BOOK 13) IN THE STARS ROMANCE by Gail Koger
Jia grew up in an orphanage that turned children into master thieves and gave the school of hard knocks a run for its money. Jia’s psychic talents have kept her alive, but not out of trouble. While searching for her adopted brother, Jia finds herself on a galactic adventure with a horde of extra-terrestrial kids she’s determined to protect. Adding to the chaos is an Askole Battle Commander who claims she is his mate. How is that even possible? They’ve never met.
Trayon, the Battle Commander, is a deadly Askole. Huge. Battle hardened muscles. A regular warrior’s nightmare with black, armor-plated skin and tentacles. Who knew the scary guy was such an excellent kisser and had the heart of a romantic? All Jia ever wanted was a family of her own. Maybe an alien family wouldn’t be so bad. To win Jia, Trayon must prove he loves her and she’s not some female the Coletti Overlord just sold him. But first, he has to keep the trouble magnet alive long enough to convince her.
A BABY FOR THE ALIEN GENERAL (DOHAN WARRIORS BOOK 2) by Luna Hunter
The dominant alien general needs a baby and his intense gaze is fixed on me. The scheming Uttux have made Dohan women infertile and now the proud warrior race is dying. Thokar saved me from the clutches of those same Uttux before they could run their creepy experiments on me. Now he wants to knock me up. I have no interest in being a baby factory for an alien warrior. Not even one as hot as Thokar. I just want to go back home, but Thokar has a different plan. The Dohan need human women to repopulate their dangerous alien homeworld. So that is where he takes me: Doxhar. A savage, wild, untamed planet. I have no choice but to rely on the alien general because even the plants could kill me here. Thokar is very protective of me. He never lets me out of his sight and I start to enjoy his burning gaze. The alien general says I’m his gini, and that his twin hearts pump faster every time he looks at me. And then we reach his ancestral home and it all comes crashing down. Thokar has to choose. Me or his clan. This is my chance to escape and run as far away from the possessive alien general as humanly possible. So why do I want him to pick me?
SKINWALKER (SHADOWN BORN REBELLION BOOK 3) by Cyndi Friberg
Jaron travels to another dimension to rescue Velmar, a good friend and fellow rebel. While sneaking through the Cretzian fortress Jaron encounters another captive, a feisty human female. Nikki offers to help Jaron rescue Velmar but only if they agree to return her to Earth. Jaron accepts Nikki’s condition, but isn’t sure he’ll be able to let her go. She intrigues and arouses him in a way he has never experienced before. Though he senses deception in Nikki, he is also convinced that she’s his soulmate. Is she an innocent victim of their mutual enemy or a cleverly planted spy? Jaron must determine if the female he is falling in love with is friend or foe and convince her to accept his claim all while fighting a contentious civil war.
UNBROKEN: AN UNENDING WORLD LOVE STORY (SAVAGE NORTH CHRONICLES BOOK 4) by Lindsey Pogue
The Savage North clan has traversed the Alaskan wilderness in search of sanctuary, lost loved ones, and found hope and family where they least expected it. But dark pasts have a way of lingering…Thea was six years old when the Virus changed her, and while other survivors wear their superpowers like badges of honor, Thea fears the moment she’ll have to use her telekinesis again. After all, the mere flick of her wrist in the heat of the moment could prove fatal for someone she loves, and she already has enough blood on her hands to last her a lifetime. So, when she’s invited on a road trip to California, Thea jumps at the chance to shrug off the shadows of her youth and prove to herself she’s unbroken.
Since he was eight years old, Hunter has fought to keep his village safe from the Virus-ravaged world, and living in Whitehorse hasn’t changed that. Uncertainty still looms for the Untainteds, and Hunter joins the others on their trip south in search of answers. The only trouble is that Hunter and Thea have never gotten along, and three weeks together could be Hunter’s undoing…just not in the way he’s expecting. Thousands of miles of open road, close living quarters, and a doomsday cult might be just what Thea and Hunter need to realize their dark pasts belong behind them, and together, discover that their destinies will alter the course of humanity as they know it.
TASTE FOR THE PRIMAL (MATES OF THE PRECURSORS BOOK 3) by Athena Storm and Ann Hale
Leave it to Ayric to realize that I’m his fated mate while bashing in heads in battle. I mean, I get it. I really do.
Ayric is a big, knuckle dragging, alpha male caveman alien. He’s got giant horns on his head and even bigger muscles on his body. I wouldn’t mind being fated to mate with him. Especially when his muscles are glistening in the sun. Never mind that he’s fighting to protect me and the other fellow humans that crash landed on his planet. It’s all I can do to wait till Ayric beats everyone down and claims me as his. He’ll hunt me food to cook for him. He’ll lay out his bedroll and I’ll keep him company under the stars. Some of my people say we’ve crashed and we’re trying to survive on a hostile planet. But with Ayric? I’m living my best life! If I don’t die, that is.
MARKED RUNAWAY (MARKED MATES OF THE KROLL BOOK 1): A DARK SCIFI ROMANCE by Hannah Vox
Ever since the Kroll ripped our world apart, I’ve been hiding. And now I’m caught. I’ve spent my life running from monsters. Both human and alien. If they catch me, they’ll toss me in a work prison.
If I’m lucky. But now I’m captured. It’s terrifying. Especially when I lay eyes on the monster known as Zaver. He’s unlike any human. He has no softness. No empathy. He’s beautiful, in a merciless and cruel way. All he has is a need to possess. He takes what he wants. No holds barred. No questions asked. And what he wants is me.
DARK’S SAVIOR (DARK WORLD MATES BOOK 2) by Olivia Riley
When Aly joined the Grayhart mission to find advanced civilizations within deep space, she didn’t expect to be captured far from home and taken to Xolis–a galactic empire like none ever seen, ruled by the nillium–a powerful race with a serious god complex. Now outsiders, Aly and her team of explorers are sent to the darkest place within Xolis: Lethe Maws. A mining city on a planet home to outcasts, slaves, and monstrous creatures lurking in the deep dark. And home to the Dark One, a dangerous exile even the nillium fear, living at the bottom of the mines where all are warned never to go. When Aly runs into the legendary alien in a very unlikely place, what she finds is no monster but a large, mysterious, nillium male with fierce silver eyes, who makes her heart race. But though the nillium outcast had reached for her, desiring to touch her, fascinated by her as she was of him, Aly soon learns he’s not looking to be friends or possibly something more. For what Aly doesn’t know is the Dark One–known by his kind as Ryziel, son of the nillium’s now dead ruler–isn’t looking for love or a mate. He’s looking to get off Lethe Maws for good and return home to his brother, the only family who accepts him for who he is, the only one who matters. But the human woman brings out a darker part of him that he can’t control–something he never thought possible. As he is determined to escape, he struggles to understand his need for her. A need to protect her. A need to claim her. But determined not to let her get too close lest she be his undoing. Try as he might to keep her at a distance, Aly will become the one thing Ryziel needs to be free.
MAID FOR AN ALIEN PRINCE (INTERGALACTIC EXCHANGE PROGRAM BOOK 1) by Roxie Ray
I’ve spent my life mucking out the houses of the rich and famous. I know what they’re really like. They think they can take whatever they want. I learned that the hard way. Royalty? They have got to be worse. I’m not interested in any of them, not even an alien prince. I was supposed to be heading to another planet for a one-year housekeeping contract. Instead he bought me out. Does he think he can own me? I don’t want him. I won’t submit to him. So why is he so … nice? Niall is unlike any rich guy I’ve ever known, but I still can’t trust him. Not even when he treats me well. He calls me his fated mate! But he’s an alien prince and I’m a housekeeper. We don’t belong together. So why do I want to kiss him more than I want my next breath?
BY IMPERIAL DECREE (ESTO UNIVERSE) by Angel Martinez
Marsh Kensinger’s work as the utility mechanic for Bremen Station keeps his life interesting – but never quite as interesting as finding a pilot still hidden inside a hibernation drawer in what should have been a salvage craft. He knows he shouldn’t get involved, but the Altairian Imperial crest on the private craft and the semi-conscious pilot’s odd questions pique his always-whirling curiosity.
Still unattached at a concerning age for an imperial son, Prince Shiro Shinohara hadn’t been running from the endless, mind-numbing rounds of omiai his mother, the Empress, had mandated. Not exactly. He’d just wanted a break from persistent suitors at the family retreat on Ceti Tau. The short respite becomes a panicked flight for his life when one of the suitors stalking him attacks the family compound.Worried for the soldiers he was forced to leave behind, afraid there’s a conspiracy to kidnap him, Shiro confides in the handsome mechanic who found him and in a moment of panic, concocts the fiction of a serious relationship with Marsh. It’s only until Shiro’s people can reach him and he can press charges back home. Marsh is willing to play along and Shiro’s just going to have to keep himself together and not, under any circumstances, fall for the wonderful, generous man who refuses to stop helping him.
UNDER A WINTER SKY: A MIDWINTER HOLIDAY ANTHOLOGY by Jeffe Kennedy and Various
VS Note: I pre-ordered this one…
Five powerhouse authors of fantasy and urban fantasy bring you a feast of romantic midwinter holiday adventures. These heartwarming and pulse-pounding tales celebrate Hanukah, Christmas, the solstice, Yule – and holidays from worlds beyond our own. With fancy-dress balls, faery bargains, time travel, blood sacrifice, and festive cocktails, these stories will delight lovers of fantasy and romance, with a dash of seasonal joy.
CAROLED (THE BUREAU BOOK 7) by Kim Fielding
VS Note: I LOVE her books and had this pre-ordered…
Charles Grimes hasn’t celebrated Christmas in years, so spending December in San Francisco while keeping an eye out for monsters sounds like an easy way to earn a few bucks. He should have learned by now that nothing is ever easy—not his job, not his existence as the son of an angel, and not his relationship with a formerly captive demon. It’s going to take more than a few rounds of Jingle Bells to make Charles feel the joys of the season.
SECRETS OF THE SWORD 1 (DEATH BEFORE DRAGONS BOOK 7) by Lindsay Buroker
After helping my steady dragon Zav with his family problems, I thought life would get back to normal. As normal as it can be when you’re a hit woman responsible for hunting down bad guys. That was before a strange artifact showed up in a bog and turned my ancient dwarven sword into a magical beacon. Now my enemies can sense it from hundreds of miles away. More than that, every club-toting, over-muscled orc, ogre, and troll who would like a magic sword can sense it. Usually, fighting off opportunists wouldn’t be a problem (they don’t call me Ruin Bringer without reason), but even I can only handle so many attacks at a time. And Zav isn’t as much help as you’d think, since he’s busy on a quest for a ring. No, it’s not a Lord of the Rings kind of quest. My boss put it in Zav’s head that since we’re mated in the dragon way, we should also be married in the human way. Now, he’s off to find the perfect engagement ring. Given his taste in human footwear, I may be in trouble for more reasons than my marked sword.
Not only is there no chance of my life getting back to normal any time soon, but if I can’t figure out how to fix my sword, I’ll be dead long before I can get married.
THE SACRIFICE: A PARANORMAL MC ROMANCE by Jessica Gadziala
There was one in each generation. Destined to leave their loved ones, their home, their coven, their way of life.
To fulfill the age-old treaty with the demons. A Sacrifice. We all spoke about their fates in hushed whispers around open fires like ghost stories, conjuring up tales, each more horrifying than the last. I never thought I would become her. The Sacrifice. Ripped from everything I had ever known, thrown into a world of darkness and uncertainty, my life in the hands of creatures of pure evil. Nothing could have prepared me for the truth. Or the growing infatuation I felt toward one of my captors. But the questions remained: What did they want from me? What would happen to me once they got it? What price was I willing to pay? And what sacrifice was I willing to make to hold onto a love I never could have seen coming?
THE GREY QUEEN THE WANDERLAND CHRONICLES #3 by J M Sullivan
When Alice defeated the Red Queen, she thought the worst was over. Until the Grey Queen rose. Ever since her sister, Dinah, contracted the momerath virus, Alice Carroll’s world has been twisted upside down. Spurred by a desperate determination to save her sister, Alice has braved every peril Wanderland has to offer–rogue momerath, hostile survivors, and treacherous queens. But now, there is a new threat creeping in on Alice, one that leaves her facing an impossible choice. Does she follow her heart and save her sister, or abandon her to save the world?
SEDUCED (SEA DRAGONS OF AMBER BAY BOOK 3) by Zoe Ashwood
You’d think witch hunts were a thing of the past, but it turns out, some dragons aren’t happy with a witch living in their village. What’s worse, my family can’t seem to let me go, and I’m scared of how far they’ll go to keep me from using my magic. If I have to leave Amber Bay to save my men from being hunted, then that’s what I’ll do. Even if my heart will break with every mile I put between us. But they won’t let me go. They’ll fight for me until their last breath, and I want nothing more than to stay with them. No matter what the future brings.
ANNAROSE (TAILS BOOK 4) by R E Butler
Everyone has bad dates. AnnaRose, however, has a bad date that leaves her with a stalker who doesn’t care that she’s gone to the police. When things escalate and Annie is running for her life in the woods, her only hope is to find someone else to help. Lion shifter Mayhem doesn’t have mating on his mind when he walks out of Tails one night, but the sweet brunette climbing him like a tree and begging for protection smells like home, and he’s not about to let anyone harm his newly found heart-match. Only Annie is in trouble – a coyote shifter claiming to be her rightful mate is terrorizing her. Hemi won’t let some punk who can’t take a hint claim his female. He’ll do anything to protect her and keep her safe and convince her that not all love-at-first-sight claims are bogus.
BLACKSTONE RANGER GUARDIAN (BLACKSTONE RANGERS BOOK 5) by Alicia Montgomery
Fighting for his mate – When John Krieger rescues a stranded fox shifter in the middle of a snowstorm, he never expected that she would turn out to be his mate. However, the darkness lurking in his soul prevents him from claiming her and he pushes her away. When he realizes his mistake, he vows to make himself into someone who deserves her. He spends the next few months fighting off his demons, so he could someday be good enough for Dutchy Forrester. But, when he unexpectedly encounters her again, he realizes she’s not the same–and she might never be again. Fighting for her life – Ever since her mate’s utter rejection,Dutchy Forrester’s life has gone into a deep spiral. Her world has literally become colorless and lifeless, and she’s not sure she can recover. When tragedy strikes and her life is put in danger, she discovers that not only have her shifter abilities left her, but her fox doesn’t recognize Krieger as their mate. Krieger vows to repair their bond and fix her fox, but can she trust him to not break her heart again? Or will she forever live in a dull, colorless world as her condition deteriorates?
NOT OVER YET by Barbara Ellsborg
VS Note: One clicked this. I liked the blurb and the sample…
The last thing Phin feels like doing is going to a New Year’s Eve party. After a day dealing with sick animals, all he wants is a glass of red wine, some food and his bed. But as he drives home down a steep, snow-covered hill, he skids and hits a guy dressed as Santa Claus. Maric’s not badly hurt, but he’s pissed off . He’s pretty sure Phin’s not the one he’s supposed to find, but when Phin takes him to his cottage, and Maric sees no sign of festivities, he begins to wonder if Phin is the one who needs his help. Much as Phin would like to get rid of Maric, the thickly falling snow makes it too dangerous for Phin to drive him anywhere. The pair are stuck together, which suits Maric just fine. Now all he needs is luck and a bit of magic.
TEMPEST MINDS: KINGDOM OF SAND AND STARS BOOK 2 by Candace Osmond
After risking her life to save the man she loves, Andie Godfrey is kidnapped by the same man who’d held him prisoner. His brother, Horus. The God of Vengeance holds the people of Egypt under his thumb, and Andie in a cage. He wants inside her mind, to discover the secrets she holds about Silas and the portal the Star People protect.
But he can’t get in, can’t access her thoughts or memories, and the mentally unstable god grows more impatient by the minute. Just when she thinks all hope of escape is lost, Silas foolishly trades himself to save her. But his plan backfires and Andie discovers Horus’ elaborate plot to frame his brother for murder. Anarchy ensues as Andie and Silas barely escape with their lives only to spiral deeper into Horus’ great plan to get what he wants; total control over the hearts and minds of the people, and he’s willing to release an unstoppable reign of terror on the world to achieve it. Can Andie and her friends work together to stop the resurrection of Chaos and Destruction before it’s too late? Or will the fate of the world crumble at its feet and everything she loves dissolve with the sands of time?
OUTLAW: WOLVES OF ROYAL PAYNES by Kiki Burrelli
Diesel didn’t only lose his pack in the hellfire explosion that turned the people he loved into ash, he lost his future omega as well. The only human among them, Quinlan had joined their pack as a child and through the years Diesel was his constant companion, protector, and best friend. Because of the difference in their ages, Diesel insisted they waited until Quinlan was a little older, until the gap between their years didn’t matter quite so much before he claimed Quinlan truly. He never got the chance.
Now, Diesel has watched his pack mates find their omegas knowing he’ll never have what his brothers have. He’ll never hold his omega, never kiss or tease him just to see the blush color his cheeks. He had his treasure, and failed to protect him. Quinlan was everything that was good in the world and trying to live without him is like trying to live without a heart. But Diesel is still an alpha, still partly responsible for the fragile—yet flourishing—pack that has assembled around them, despite the alpha team’s best efforts to cling to the past and care only about revenge.
When an old face becomes a new enemy, Diesel and his alpha team are once again racing to save everything they hold dear. Betrayed by someone they’d once called leader, the Royal Paynes pack has never been in more danger. Portal wants nephilim blood to open a gate to hell and there won’t be puppies and kittens waiting on the other side. Before the pack can figure out how to hold hell back, the alphas must deal with the traitor once and for all—and face the terrifying weapon he possesses. A weapon that has the power to change everything. Good vs. evil. Heaven vs. hell. Diesel already failed to save his pack once, and now, he’s expected to save the world?
WICKED CURSE (THE ROYALS; WARLOCK COURT BOOK 4) by Megan Montero
Only my power can unite us all…Something is coming. The Fallen have warned us. The world has warned us. And now it’s here. I feel it sizzling in the air around me. Magic is heavy and all of Evermore is on edge. The world is watching. Both Warwick and Evermore Academies are on the line. The warlocks have descended into chaos. Wars are brewing on more than one front, but we can’t stop now. Our world and our alliance with the rest of the super naturals species depends on it. Just when we thought we finally caught a break, one of our own was taken. We don’t know who or what took him, but we’ll do whatever we have to do to get him back before it’s too late. I want to stay with Tilly, my best friend needs me now more than ever…except they’ll never get Logan back alive without my help. So I have to leave her with the guy who flooded her body with demon blood. The only thing keeping me sane is Beckett. We need each other like I need air to breath. We’ve never been stronger, even if no one can know we’re together. But in the end, I question whether this is a blessing or the wickedest curse of all.
FACTORY WITCHES OF LOWELL by C S Malerich
Faced with abominable working conditions, unsympathetic owners, and hard-hearted managers, the mill girls of Lowell have had enough. They’re going on strike, and they have a secret weapon on their side: a little witchcraft to ensure that no one leaves the picket line. For the young women of Lowell, Massachusetts, freedom means fair wages for fair work, decent room and board, and a chance to escape the cotton mills before lint stops up their lungs. When the Boston owners decide to raise the workers’ rent, the girls go on strike. Their ringleader is Judith Whittier, a newcomer to Lowell but not to class warfare. Judith has already seen one strike fold and she doesn’t intend to see it again. Fortunately Hannah, her best friend in the boardinghouse—and maybe first love?—has a gift for the dying art of witchcraft.
MONSTROUS AS A CROC ( DAUGHTERS OF NEVERLAND BOOK 4) by Kendra Moreno
Even monsters have nightmares. . .Wolfbane knows that better than anyone else. After tangling with the Daughters of Neverland and the powers that controlled him, he’s ready to escape it all. But he certainly didn’t expect to find himself in an entirely different world. With everything changing and a new hope on the horizon, The Crocodile must decide which path to take: Follow the yellow brick road, or forge a path of his own? Both choices could mean death for a monster with the weight of a world’s guilt on his shoulders.
SACRED EVIL: KREWE OF HUNTERS BOOK 3 by Heather Graham
VS Note: A re-release…
The details of the crime scene are no coincidence. The body—a promising starlet—has been battered, bloodied and then discarded between two of Manhattan’s oldest graveyards. One look and Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the tableau: a re-creation of Jack the Ripper’s gruesome work. But he also sees something beyond the actions of a mere copycat. Something more dangerous…and unexplainable. As the city seethes with suspicion, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country’s preeminent paranormal investigating team, to put the speculation to rest. Yet when Whitney and Jude delve deeper, what they discover is more shocking than either could have predicted, and twice as sinister.
CHRISTMAS EMBRACE: AN IMMORTALS OF NEW ORLEANS NOVELLA by Kym Grosso
A supernatural wedding brings everyone together during the holidays. But it doesn’t feel like Christmas for Detective Sydney Willows. She finds solace in the arms of her sexy vampire but with a fragile heart, not quite mended, she’s afraid to commit to an eternity. After she rescues an abandoned child and is then forced to give him away, she’s determined to fight for the family she never knew she wanted.
Vampire Kade Issacson never expected to have a baby but soon realizes what’s been missing in his life. After he’s forced to return the abandoned wolf pup to the pack, the child’s mother is found murdered in an alley. Vowing to protect the boy, Kade fights for him, swearing he’ll never give him back again. Determined to win Sydney’s heart and her hand, Kade plans a surprise for his reluctant detective. Convinced their souls are destined for an eternal future, will he convince her to say yes once and for all?
WICKED WINTERS: A COLLECTION OF WINTER TALES by Various
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a sizzling romance … or seven under the Christmas tree!
Dash through the snow to the tune of holiday romance in this steamy winter collection. With seven cheerful sizzling tales of holiday magic and more, you’re sure to fall in love. Broken hearts. Hilarious situations. And more than enough heat between the sheets to keep you warm and toasty this holiday season. Wicked Winters contains contemporary and paranormal romances, some stories with multiple love interests and some with only one steaming hot hunk. But all of them contain a bit of the holiday magic and some loving romance.
NIGHT KISSED (CHOSEN VAMPIRE SLAYER BOOK 1) by Mila Young and Jordan Crow
To say I’m killing it at my job is an understatement… Literally. Monsters. I hunt them. I kill them. And I enjoy it, ridding the world of the vicious supernatural killers who stalk innocents and destroy lives. Like mine. Like my family’s.
That was years ago. But I’m strong now. I’m not the victim anymore. I’ve fought hard to become the thing they should fear—a vampire slayer. When I’m called in to investigate a chain of suspicious deaths across Alaska, I meet three of the hottest, and most dangerous, monsters I’ve ever seen. Just one problem. They’re the things that go bump in the night—a vampire, a fallen angel, and a demon. Enemies I must trust with my life if I’m to solve the dark trail of mysteries before more lives are lost. But just as hard as solving the murders is denying my attraction to them all. And as things heat up in more ways than one, I know I’ll never be the same again…That is, if I survive the evil I’m sworn to kill… and the ones I’ve let into my heart.
HEART SHAPED BOX: A TELL-TALE HEART RETELLING by Serenity Rayne
VS Note: The cover was too graphic for me….
My roommates pale blue eyes vex me, they haunt my dreams almost to the point of madness. He’s Adonis made flesh and every girl’s fantasy. I’ve been in love with him since we were kids, sadly I’ve been friendzoned my entire life. I watch him sleep and dream about the day he will see me. That is till the day I finally snap. It’s the quiet ones that you need to worry about. One way or another, his heart will be mine.
EARTH AWAKENED (THE ELEMENTAL WARS BOOK 4) by S R Frederock and K Gorman
Before absorbing an Earth Elemental spirit, McKay was a soldier in a steadily failing war. Now, the war is lost, she’s loaded with magic she can barely contain, and her entire life has flipped onto its back. When she finally loses control, she must turn to Gobardon, an Earth Mage with a dangerous past, for help. But Gobardon has other plans. Plans that take her right back into the heart of her old country and the war she lost. Javen Dantrell lost everything in the war: his life’s work, his home, and every single student in his class. Bitter, jaded, and armed with a unique brand of magic, he now leads a small group of refugees in an attempt to survive and avoid the Swargardian patrols that now occupy his city. Now, those patrols are closing in, and he needs to find them a new home.
RONAN: BAD BOY FAE WARRIOR (FAE ON WHEELS BOOK 3) by Riley Onyx
Talia – I see a lot of odd things while walking dogs, but a man covered in blood and laughing about it? I start running, that is until I see the monster…Ronan – My favorite hunting spot is also her favorite walking track, but I don’t get to choose when or where the monsters break through. Now she’s seen too much, and I can’t leave her in the human world. But if I take her to faery, she becomes mine, and I don’t know if I’m ready to give up the fight.
CLOCKWORK TWIST: CLOSURE by Emily Thompson
This is the final book of 12, in a long series of steampunk adventure books. Set in a magical fantasy version of the Victorian era, the Clockwork Twist series follows an unassuming and introverted clockmaker from London, named Twist. When a clockwork princess needs his help, Twist find himself on an adventures around the world surrounded by airship pirates, secret societies, treasure hunters, vampires, dragons, magical kitsune, and even a genie or two. Are you all caught up?
The world is hanging by a thread. Aden has ordered Twist’s and Jonas’s execution, and fae are on their heals. Now Twist might be the only one who can save his friends and the rest of the world. It’s been a long road. Twist has gone from an unassuming clockmaker to a heroic adventurer and dragon slayer. He’s gone from being a lonely orphan to a man with a large and loving family, a dotting fiancee, a friend as dear as a brother. Gone are the days of silence and soot under the London rain, now that Twist spends his days crossing the world with magical beings, off on grand adventures.
Along the way, things have also changed from calm, to dire. Evil fairies want Twist’s death, and they will stop at nothing to have it. They have conscripted the Rooks into service, and they are now threatening every single person that Twist holds dear. His friends and family tell him that they will brave the dangers and live the rest of their lives in hiding for his sake, but Twist can’t bear to let them all be exiled from their own happiness and freedom.
The only people who still might be able to stop the fae once and for all, freeing Twist and his friends forever, are the mysterious race of clockwork Atlanteans who have been in hiding for a thousand years. Twist, however, happens to have found their hiding place, by accident. They made him promise to keep them secret and to never return, but now has no choice but to break his word and go to ask for their help.
THE JUNGLE AND OTHER TALES: TELL TALE PUBLISHING’S 5TH ANNUAL HORROR ANTHOLOGY by Various
VS Note: I don’t usually cover horror but it’s the season of anthologies, so…from OCT 31…
“Now in its fifth incarnation, Tell-Tale’s horror anthologies have become an annual benchmark of emerging talent and well-told stories. The select seven featured here will yank you backward and forward again in time, visiting the exotic and the seemingly mundane, at a pace and a pulse calibrated for Halloween chills. Beware of a cat named Sabrina and a Celtic goddess with a passport to Salem – yes, that Salem. An old farmhouse could hold more vivid memories than just its mortal foundations, and think twice about rescuing the sister of a young boy if you find yourself in a desert. Twins may not be what they seem, so hang onto your hat (and your head). For that matter, hang on to your whole body unless you want to risk permanent eviction. Also, you may never use steak knives again. Trick or treat! ” –Thomas Sullivan–USA Today best-selling novelist (https://thomassullivanauthor.com)
REBORN (FALLEN FIRE BOOK 1) by Richard Amos
Solitude and shiny things.That’s all I care about. I’m a fixer of magical objects, and collector of golden bears. I like my own company, finding solace in my own little world. But a life-changing encounter with a male stripper and a swimming pool puts an end to all that. I find myself with an ability I shouldn’t have—the ability to transform into a creature of wings and scales. This isn’t me. I’m a Humanblood, not this thing that shouldn’t exist. No clues, no answers—I’m left completely in the dark. Enter Charlie, a Felineblood and wannabe detective with a sharp tongue and an addiction to catnip cigarettes. As annoying as he is, he may have the skills to help figure out the insane puzzle that has been dumped in my lap. Goodbye to peace.
GHOST DANCE: A SEQUEL TO GASTON LEROUX’S PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by Christine Pope
VS Note: From mid-OCT
Two years have passed since Christine fled the opera house, put the memories and the horror behind her. And yet, in her dreams, she still hears his voice, feels his moth-light touch on her throat. The rumors involving the legendary Opera Ghost are merely newspaper sensationalism. The Opera Ghost is dead. His tragic life, his epic opera, his obsession with her voice…ended. But with a slow, heart-pounding dread, Christine lets a lie slip from her lips, and heads for Paris. Alone. Because she has to know if Erik is dead. Or if he’s alive…and wreaking his vengeance.
A WHEELER PARK CHRISTMAS (THE WITCHES OF WHEELER PARK BOOK 5) by Christine Pope
Christmas is made for magic…unless a spell takes a wrong turn. For the past six months, Addie Grant’s life with Jake Wilcox has been a perfect storm of love, in and out of the bedroom. As her first Christmas with him and the extended Wilcox clan approaches, there’s only one thing she could wish for. Okay, two things. Snow, and an engagement ring. Jake has a ring burning a hole in his pocket. He’s just waiting for the perfect moment to spring it — preferably Christmas Eve, with a backdrop of falling snow. But as the holidays approach, the cold skies over Flagstaff remain stubbornly clear. When the clan joins forces to investigate, they find out that magic, especially weather magic, can have a butterfly effect of unintended consequences. And if they’re going to have a white Christmas, they’ll have to find a way to break a spell without making things worse.
MORRIGAN’S BOND (CROW’S CURSE BOOK 3) by Laura Bickle
To end the war between vampires and witches, Garnet must battle the queen of the vampires, a woman who the Morrigan narrowly escaped in the skies of World War II. Garnet Conners, incarnation of the legendary Morrigan, has pieced her life back together. After being turned into a vampire against her will, she’s quit her career as a surgeon and taken a job on the night shift at the city morgue. To her dismay, victims of vampires are piling up at the morgue…including the body of the vampire who turned her, Merrel. Merrel’s faked his own death to set into motion a plot to wrest control of Riverpointe’s vampires from their queen, Varya. If Garnet helps him, he promises to move the vampires away from Riverpointe entirely, leaving Garnet and her lover, the warlock Sorin, in peace. But Garnet’s haunted by dreams of her prior incarnations as Alix, one of the pilots of the fabled Night Witches in World War II. Alix fought Varya during the war… and was nearly destroyed by her. Varya held a magical artifact hostage, the magical sword Durendal, which she still uses to control the Asra hive of vampires. When the vampires burn down the witches’ coven house, Garnet and her allies must locate the vampires’ stronghold. She, Merrel, and the surviving witches must rip Durendal away from Varya…or the city and all its supernatural inhabitants will be devoured in flames.
DARK ALPHA’S CARESS by Donna Grant
There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…Reborn to serve, I have never once questioned Death’s directives. Until my mission leads me to a Halfling who stirs things within me that I’ve never felt before. Sorcha’s past intrigues me, but not as much as the gorgeous and stubborn Halfling herself. Though the Others are no more, our enemies still lurk around every corner. I can feel it. But for her, I will battle whatever comes my way—be it present dangers or ghosts of the past.
DEVIL’S RIDE: RBMC TONOPAH,NV by Nikki Landis
I’ve always been a selfish bastard. As president of the RBMC I’ve learned how to live and ride hard. I take life one day at a time, never looking back at my past. But I’ve got a dark and deadly secret. One that could ruin any chance I have with the one woman who owns my black soul. Trish Holloway. She’s been my weakness since the day we met.
All it takes is one wrong move and her life is in danger. My enemies surface from every corner. Lies, deceit, and carnage threaten to tear us apart. If I’m going to finally take her as my own, I’ve got to tear down every obstacle in our path. Problem is – the Devil’s Ride shows no mercy . . .And bloodshed is the only way to truly stake my claim.
* WARNING – This book contains dark and mature content, human trafficking, and violence with a paranormal REAPER twist. *
FABLED KINGDOMS (THE FATED WINGS SERIES BOOK 7) by C R Jane
I would never leave you. It just may take me a second to find you. No matter what life Eva has lived, she’s always done whatever it takes to save them. Her soulmates. Damon, the fallen angel who would burn the world for her.
Beckham, her golden fae, the first boy she ever loved. Mason, the incubus with a dark past and a voice that makes the heavens cry. Time and time again, Eva has put herself in the flames to save them. But what if a day comes that she can’t? Eva might not know what the future holds, But she’ll fight for who she loves until her very last breath.
KISS ACROSS CHAOS (KISS ACROSS TIME BOOK 10) by Tracy Cooper-Posey
She is an honorary daughter, he is an absent son…Jesse Hall, unsung hero of the war against terror, is entwined in Veris’, Brody’s and Taylor’s extended, informal family, but has never understood why. She isn’t a vampire and can’t time travel. Yet they seem to like her—everyone except Aran, who is never there. Aran is busy with his burgeoning career in Washington and building a life away from the confines of the family. As a time jumper, he will never be “normal”, but he lives his life as humanly as possible while milking time for everything he can. Both are content. Sort of. Yet time travel defines their lives and when Jesse’s latest house-sitting assignment sends her to Arlington, time itself ensnares them in dangerous complications and they must work together to unsnarl themselves.
CURVY AND CURSED: A COZY PARANORMAL MIDLIFE ROMANCE (ENCHANTED AT FOPRTY BOOK 1) by Rosalie Hunter
VS Note: From OCT 22
Simone Britten is cursed. Or at least, that’s what it feels like. Because she’s spent the better part of her life waiting for her best friend to realize she’s in love with him. Just when she’s worked up the courage to tell him how she feels, he returns from abroad with a hot Italian fiancé in tow. Now, after spending half her life waiting for the wrong man, she decides its time for a fresh start—at forty. And nothing says ‘fresh start’ like a change of scenery. But who knew that a simple day trip to Brewster, Massachusetts, would lead Simone directly into the magical world she’s always been destined for? Surrounded by two astonishingly hot immortals, a crazy plant lady and a gnomish bookseller, Simone finds herself at the center of supernatural mystery only she can solve. But as fun as it is being in the middle of a hot man-sandwich, Simone doesn’t know who she can really trust. Because in a world built on secrets and illusions—the true bad guys are hard to find.
FORBIDDEN MATE (SILVER MOON WOLF PACK BOOK 2) by Rae Foxx
As the Alpha’s baby sister, Emma has always been in the shadows of the Silver Moon Pack. But as Cami’s beta, she is now front and center, and finding herself in a bit of trouble after she follows an unfamiliar scent on a late night perimeter run. She knew she was in Twisted Tooth pack territory. She needed to turn around… except her feet kept moving forward. Pulling her right to a wolf that should be the last thing on her mind. Noah. Son of the Twisted Tooth Alpha. The one wolf she can’t have, and the only one she wants.
HOWL FOR THE HOLIDAYS: A TARKER’S HOLLOW CHRISTMAS SHIFTER ROMANCE COLLECTION by Tasha Black
This bundle of goodies features a sack full of cozy Christmas romances, starring a batch of hunky shifters that just might get you on the naughty list! Time to celebrate with these five fan-favorite shifter romances, each with its own magical Christmas twist. Offered here in one handy volume, to help make Santa’s job a little easier: Bake This! -Will this sexy shifter be able to resist the holiday magic? Bear This! -She shows up with a magical secret, but this fireman burns for something more.
Charm This! -This lone wolf is ready to turn on the charm. The Clockwork Dragon – -A dragon’s fire can melt the coldest heart. Ghost of Shifters Past – -A spirit from the past. A love for the future.
HEART OF THE VAMPIRE EPISODE TWO by Tasha Black
IMPORTANT NOTE: The episodes of Heart of the Vampire must be read in order: Heart of the Vampire: Episode 1 Heart of the Vampire: Episode 2 Heart of the Vampire: Episode 3 About Heart of the Vampire: Drucilla Holloway is desperate to finish writing her novel, desperate enough to take a job as a night clerk at a haunted hotel on the top of a snow-covered mountain, just to get some peace and quiet. But when she arrives at Hemlock House, Dru is immediately distracted by an unshakable sense of danger. Dead animals keep appearing in the snow, someone is sneaking around in the tunnels under the hotel, and everyone seems to have something to hide. But no one at Hemlock House is as mysterious as Viktor Striker. He’s wildly gorgeous with a disarming smile. But something is haunting him, and Dru is determined to find out what it is. At first, she thinks Viktor may be in some kind of trouble. But it’s starting to look like he is trouble.
TRUTH, TRICKS AND TRAITORS? A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (MIDLIFE MAYHEM BOOK 6) by Melinda Chase
VS Note: From OCT 28
7 months, two worlds, and a long lost grandfather who looks like he should be my brother…It’s been a wild ride.
And, knowing my life, it’s about to get wilder. After we overthrew the evil king of the fae world and put its rightful ruler back on the throne, Hunter and I discovered that we were stuck here. As in, the magical portal that was supposed to transfer us home has shut down, and not a soul knows how to kickstart it once more. At least that gives my boyfriend and I some time to work on our slightly rocky, but fully loving, relationship. But our lovely time is hijacked by some tomfoolery- the kind I thought I’d left back on Earth. What’s a girl to do but follow the lead?
ONCE AND FUTURE DRAGONS: PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY by Marianne Morea
No Other Choice – Dmitri and Santer have no choice. As alpha and omega of the Sandrekar clan, they can either accept their fate and their mate, chosen by their elders or escape their subterranean world for the surface. Something no other dragon shifter has done in centuries. Or so they thought. Armed with a stolen map, the two make it to the surface only to be swept into a sandstorm and hurtled into an even more potent whirlwind. Her name? Leysa Soren. Her One Hope – Rather than submit to an arranged marriage, Leysa takes her chances on the desert. Her one hope, to make it to the capital and petition the King of Nova Aurora for sole rights as heir to her clan. She never expected to fall, literally, into the arms of a matched set of hot, hunky dragon shifters, and a matchmaker who claims they were fated to be mated. Coming to terms with their Triad truth was hard enough, now the three must fight to be together and reclaim both their worlds. Will they survive?
MASTER OF ONE by Jaida Jones and Dani Bennett
Rags is a thief—an excellent one. He’s stolen into nobles’ coffers, picked soldiers’ pockets, and even liberated a ring or two off the fingers of passersby. Until he’s caught by the Queensguard and forced to find an ancient fae relic for a sadistic royal sorcerer. But Rags could never have guessed this “relic” would actually be a fae himself—a distractingly handsome, annoyingly perfect, ancient fae prince called Shining Talon. Good thing Rags can think on his toes, because things just get stranger from there.
THE SILVER SHOOTER: A ROSE GALLAGHER MYSTERY by Erin Lindsey
It’s the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She’s the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she’s making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly. Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame. With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine.
MAGIC: A HISTORY FROM ALCHEMY TO WITCHCRAFT, FROM THE ICE AGE TO THE PRESENT by Chris Gosden
VS Note: Nonfiction. I one clicked this one after reading the Look Inside. Seems very scholarly, not dismissive and I’ll be interested to read the section on ancient Egyptian magic especially. I enjoy doing research! I thought opthers might find this one of interest…
An Oxford professor of archaeology explores the unique history of magic—the oldest and most neglected strand of human behavior and its resurgence today.Three great strands of belief run through human history: Religion is the relationship with one god or many gods, masters of our lives and destinies. Science distances us from the world, turning us into observers and collectors of knowledge. And magic is direct human participation in the universe: we have influence on the world around us, and the world has influence on us.
Over the last few centuries, magic has developed a bad reputation—thanks to the unsavory tactics of shady practitioners, and to a successful propaganda campaign on the part of religion and science, which denigrated magic as backward, irrational, and “primitive.” In Magic, however, the Oxford professor of archaeology Chris Gosden restores magic to its essential place in the history of the world—revealing it to be an enduring element of human behavior that plays an important role for individuals and cultures. From the curses and charms of ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish magic, to the shamanistic traditions of Eurasia, indigenous America, and Africa; from the alchemy of the Renaissance to the condemnation of magic in the colonial period and the mysteries of modern quantum physics—Gosden’s startling, fun, and colorful history supplies a missing chapter of the story of our civilization.
Drawing on decades of research around the world—touching on the first known horoscope, a statue ordered into exile, and the mystical power of tattoos—Gosden shows what magic can offer us today, and how we might use it to rethink our relationship with the world. Magic is an original, singular, and sweeping work of scholarship, and its revelations will leave a spell on the reader.
THE BRIGHT AND BREAKING SEA (A CAPTAIN BRIGHTLING NOVEL BOOK 1) by Chloe Neill
Kit Brightling, rescued as a foundling and raised in a home for talented girls, has worked hard to rise through the ranks of the Isles’ Crown Command and become one of the few female captains in Queen Charlotte’s fleet. Her ship is small, but she’s fast—in part because of Kit’s magical affinity to the sea. But the waters become perilous when the queen sends Kit on a special mission with a partner she never asked for.
Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, may be a veteran of the Continental war, but Kit doesn’t know him or his motives—and she’s dealt with one too many members of the Beau Monde. But Kit has her orders, and the queen has commanded they journey to a dangerous pirate quay and rescue a spy who’s been gathering intelligence on the exiled emperor of Gallia. Kit can lead her ship and clever crew on her own, but with the fate of queen and country at stake, Kit and Rian must learn to trust each other, or else the Isles will fall.
BREWING UP THE WRONG TREE (IVY’S BOTANY SHOP WITCH COZY MYSTERY SERIES BOOK 5) by Constance Baker
When a psychic ends up dead, people wonder why he couldn’t predict his own demise. Perhaps he didn’t have the power after all. Ivy and the biddie committee can spy charlatans from a mile away. But is something more powerful at work?
LEOPARD TAILS DUET (EYES OF THE LEOPARD BOOK 8) by Isabella Jordan
VS Note: Both novellas are re-releases per the Publisher…
They’re from the same proud line of demon leopards, the same homeland. It only makes sense they be together.
Alchemist: Katrina Wilson is out of luck and out of hope. Werewolves are hunting her, she’s a suspect in a murder, she’s out of money, she can’t go home, and she’s not holding out much hope for salvation. Yet Joey is determined to seduce her and bringing her hours of pleasure unlike anything she’s ever known in the human world…Submissive: Neva Kolenkov has lived in the shadows for years, hiding from a dark and painful past. Isaak Stahl sees Neva in his coffee shop every day and he’s determined to claim the exotic, green-eyed beauty as his mate. When a serial killer claims the life of a young human who works in his shop, the shadow of danger falls on their kind. Can Isaak protect Neva, and help her discover the powerful, desirable creature he sees when he looks at her?
THE BURNING GOD (THE POPPY WAR BOOK 3) by R F Kuang
After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead. Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation. Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?
POST-OP AND POTIONS: A WITCH COZY MYSTERY (MIDLIFE MEDICINE BOOK 1) by Amorette Anderson
VS Note: From OCT 26
On her fiftieth birthday, Grace uttered a plea to the universe. As the saying goes, ‘be careful what you wish for’…For the first time in years, traveling nurse Grace Littleton is out of work. Her on-again off-again boyfriend is with a younger woman, and her only son has just jetted off to Europe. Alone, unemployed, and unsatisfied, Grace is on a search for something more. A magical village in the Vermont countryside seems to hold some answers…and a few major problems to boot. Hypnotized squirrels attacked an elderly gentleman in town. Who brainwashed the critters?
Then there’s the devilishly handsome bookstore owner who won’t give Grace the time of day. With her pit bull Lucky at her side, Grace tackles the problems one by one –not because she wants to, but because she really has no other options. For Grace, the end of the line is in Covenstead, Vermont.
DAUGHTER OF THE SERPENTINE (A DRAGONEER ACADEMY NOVEL BOOK 2) by E E Knight
Sixteen-year-old Ileth is now an Apprentice Dragoneer, with all of the benefits and pitfalls that her elevation in rank entails. But her advancement becomes less certain after she’s attacked by an unknown enemy, and Ileth begins to suspect that someone deadly may be hiding within the walls of the academy. Outside of the walls there is a different challenge. The Rari Pirates are strangling the Vale Republic. What they lack in dragon firepower, they make up for in the brutality of their ever-expanding raids, making hostages or slaves of the Republic’s citizens. Surrounded by enemies, Ileth will need to learn what kind of dragoneer she wants to be. And as she makes decisions about her future, Ileth will have the chance to uncover the secrets of her past. Both will irrevocably change the course of her life.
A COURT OF SHADOWS AND LIES: GENERAL ERROLOF THE RAVEN COURT ROYAL GUARD (SON OF A FAE BOOK 7) by Sarina Dorie
General Errol, the commanding officer of the royal guard, has survived a near death experience that drains his magic, robbing him of his wings, and depleting his sight. He doesn’t know how he will be able to keep his oath to his king to protect Princess Imani. Errol must thwart unsuitable suitors who use muse magic to drive artists mad and romantic rivals who illegally smuggle electricity and Internet in the Faerie Realm despite the dangers this poses to all. As King Viridios grows more demanding that Princess Imani must marry one of his heirs, Errol must authenticate his lineage to prove he is an eligible suitor—if she will still have him. What Errol doesn’t realize, is that love is the least of his worries. A dark and dangerous creature lurks in the shadows with Princess Imani as its target. The only ability Errol has left is his wits, and he must use this skill to stop a monster before time runs out for Princess Imani.
GINGER BREAD SPICED DADDY: A WINTER ELF MM ROMANCE (ELVES AFTER DARK BOOK 1) by Leona Windwalker
Bauble – I should have seen this coming. I’ve screwed up in every single department they put me to work in back at the Pole. Assigned to the general labor pool to do whatever grunt work of the day that’s needed, I was just handed the joy of going into the human world to serve as a candy cane patrol monitor at a shopping mall Santa’s grotto for the whole of this holiday season. It’s depressing as all get out, seeing all of those loved up couples and happy families enjoying the festive atmosphere while I go back to the crappy motel room I share with another failure of an elf. Is it too much to ask to have someone of my own to cuddle up with in front of a roaring fire and have sexy times with next to the Christmas tree? That’s when I see him, a breathcatchingly handsome man standing there in line, holding his kid’s hand, naturally. Still, I can dream, right? He looks just like my ideal notion of the perfect Daddy. Cliff – I don’t know how I let myself get talked into taking my niece Laurette to go see Santa. Okay, yes, I do. I made the mistake of telling my sister that I was going out to do some personal Christmas shopping, pick up the gift baskets my boss ordered for our department heads, and to order the decorated giant cookie for the staff Christmas party. As soon as she realized I would be stopping at the mall, that was all she wrote. So, here I am, standing in line wearing the Santa hat Laurette insisted I wear, wondering just what the hell that guy in the elf costume handing out candy canes to the kids as they leave is staring at. He better not be some weirdo thinking about trying to get Laurette alone later or snatching her from the parking lot or something. No, wait, it’s me he’s looking at. I know I look ridiculous in this hat and it doesn’t go with my leather jeans and bike jacket but he looks pretty stupid too in those small shorts, striped tights, and let’s not forget his elf hat which has bells on it. Bells!
ARROW’S WIND (THE HEALING TOUCH): ELEMENTAL REALMS by Gina Manis
Jenna – The king’s new law says I must marry two men by my twenty-first birthday, but I am not sticking around for that. I am leaving Star Kingdom and my family behind, heading for the mountains to live a life in solitude for a change. No more dodging the brushes of men in the crowded streets of busy city life. That is what I want until Arrow shows up and follows me. He knows what I’ve been through and unlike others, he has always kept his distance. The more I am with Arrow, the safer I feel, but the nightmares from my past never go away. They continuously feed my fears of getting close to a man.
Arrow – I never intended to stay in Star Kingdom as long as I did. That is until one night my friend welcomes me into his home, and I meet Jenna. Instantly my soul takes to her, but Jenna will have nothing to do with me. When I find out why, I vow nothing like that will happen again. The new law pushes Jenna to leave. My home village is where she seeks to start over, and it is time for me to return as well. Along the way, I hope I can show her how to let go of her fears. That I will stand by her, protect her, and if she can let me in, love her.
Bran – I grew up deaf but when I came into my powers of wind and fire, they merged to form my gifts. The cries of the broken haunted me until I learned I could help them. With just a whisper of my new voice, they are enchanted and flock to my healing abilities. Jenna is no different at first, but the more time I spend with her in our dreams, I can’t help but fall in love with her. The problem is, as she heals, I fade away. She will forget me, and I wonder who will heal me once I no longer can enter her dreams.
Warning: This book deals with the serious brutality of rape and the challenges a woman can face after an attack. There is a brief reflection of the act that is shown in a dream state. It may trigger unwanted reactions from people who have suffered vicious acts of violence. I wrote this book from the perspective of overcoming emotional fears, self-doubt, and having the support of loved ones to help see you through.
THE HOLIDAY SLAY (A HOPE HERRING MYSTERY BOOK 3) by J A Whiting and Nell McCarthy
It is a chilly winter season in North Carolina with Hope and her daughter, Cori, getting ready for the holidays.
As she faces her first Christmas without her husband, Hope continues to search for the person responsible for her resident ghost’s century-old murder. After interviewing a descendant of one of the suspects, trouble begins to brew with a false accusation, an unusual gift, and an unpleasant surprise. Will Hope be able to figure out what’s going on without putting her own life in danger?
ENCHANTED SCARS by A L Williams
VS Note: Cover a little too racy for my Pg-13+ blog…
Riley hates Christmas, but if he has to be head elf then he will be a damn good one. It’s the least he can do for the man who makes his heart flutter—if only the feeling was mutual. I can’t fail them. Nick has one job each year and it’s to give every single child the Christmas he never had. He can’t fail them. It’s the only thing that matters—at least that’s what he thought. Don’t let what’s right in front of you slip away. When both men are thrown in the middle of the desert, they struggle to save Christmas. Secrets and emotions surface that rock their friendship. Can they find their way home and accept they’re more than friends or are the Scars too deep?
FACELESS MAGE (LEGENDS OF ABREIA BOOK 1) by Kenley Davidson
He’ll protect her with his last breath…Until she becomes his next target. Leisa’s ambitions used to be simple. Guard the princess. Hide her magic. Wait for her family to return. But all of that changes when her king demands that she use her unique abilities to spy on the rival kingdom of Garimore. Alone, far from home, and living a lie that grows more perilous by the day, Leisa’s task is complicated by her most dangerous enemy yet—the masked assassin known only as the Raven. Everyone in the Five Thrones knows to fear him, but the Raven is not what Leisa expected. As silent as he is lethal, he provokes her curiosity as much as her fear, and hides secrets she’s determined to learn. When her already precarious mission takes a deadly turn, Leisa must evade the Raven himself if she is to succeed. It’s never been done before, but Leisa is nothing if not stubborn. And if she doesn’t become the first to escape his blade, her entire kingdom will pay the price—in blood.
SHIFTING CHAOS (SLEEPING CITY BOOK 4) by Elizabeth Noble
VS Note: A re-release. Author says: “This book was originally published in 2015. It has been rewritten with new chapters and scenes and re-edited.”
We aren’t a we without all of us. Chaos reigns in The Sleepless City and it’s really beginning to piss Detective Jonas Forge off. He’s separated from his soulmate, Blair Turner. A separation he fears might be permanent. Nothing is going right. It’s as if the universe is conspiring against him. A long closed off door buried deep within his psyche cracks open when a turn of events flips his world upside down. There’s a monster behind that door and he’s not sure where the monster leaves off and he begins. Hallucinations grip the town and demons lurk around every corner, causing havoc and threatening to tear the family in Boggs’s Castle to shreds. The only way forward is to bare all to each other. While Forge and Declan confront horrors from their shared past, they all learn a terrible truth about vampires—one not even imagined in their worst nightmare. Can they control a monster in order to defeat a demon?
RISE OF THE RAVEN: RAVEN COVEN (WITCHES OF THE WEST RAVEN HILLS BOOK 1) by Joci Grace Morgan
VS Note: From OCT 20
For centuries, the Raven Coven has awaited a time when the prophesied children would arrive, heralding in the rise of the raven. As each of the four sisters who were born with the mark reaches their maturity, they ascend into their full powers. Alyza, the oldest sister, has eagerly awaited this time, confident that she has what it takes to embrace her new reality. She never expects her destined mate to show up, nor does she anticipate that it will be a demon from Hell. What in the goddesses name was Mother Nature thinking? As the second in command to the dark lord of the underworld, Christian knows his purpose is to ensure that new demons become terrifying so they can handle the jobs they’re assigned. When he wakes up in a completely different dimension where people laugh, joke and smile, he reaches out to his lord only to hear nothing back in response. When the couple realize that they’re intended mates, they must navigate not only that minefield, but try to figure out why they were paired with each other.
HEARTS ON FIRE: A CHARITY ANTHOLOGY by Various incl Beth Caudill and Ann Gimpel
Fall in love with this fiery collection of 15 urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and fantasy tales! Over $35 worth of outstanding fiction for just 3.99. All profits will be donated to the Wildlife Disaster Network, a collaborative effort between the UC Davis Veterinary School and the California State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Wildlife Disaster Network was formed specifically to rehabilitate animals injured in California wildfires that decimated four million acres during the fall of 2020. The authors, cover artist, and photographer who donated books and artwork to the Hearts of Fire collection hope to make a real difference in the lives of these animals. Heartfelt thanks for your support.
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THE ENVOY’S HONOR (CHRONICLES OF TOURNAI BOOK 8) by Antonia Aquilante
Second son of an earl and cousin to the Crown Prince, Griffen has worked hard to forge a career in diplomacy for the principality of Tournai, but he never expected his diplomatic skills would be necessary for a problem so personal to him and his family. A delegation from the mysterious kingdom of Ivria has come to Tournai to make sure the secret of their people—the magical Talent allowing them to change into dragons—and therefore their kingdom itself remain safe. The delegation is concerned for Corentin, an Ivrian, and the man Griffen’s older brother is soon to marry. The Ivrians seem to want to drag Corentin back to Ivria for the offense of revealing their secret, but Griffen refuses to let it happen. His determination puts him into contact—and conflict—with Kirill, a negotiator for the king of Ivria who possesses the dragon Talent himself. The two clash and connect, getting closer and pulling away as they try to negotiate the needs of their people and an unwanted attraction between themselves. However, just as trust might be growing between them, a plot is uncovered and a member of the Ivrian delegation murdered. Griffen and Kirill must discover who is behind both for the safety of their countries and the people they love…and for a chance to be together.
WEREWOLF’S CHOICE: PARA SCHOOLED BOOK 1 by Emily Carrington
Werewolf society has little tolerance for a lone wolf like Don, a man with a complicated past. Denied safe haven everywhere except SearchLight, it’s hard for him to learn to trust, yet pack life calls to his wolf nature. When two basilisks offer a chance at romance, Don refuses to accept anything more than a physical relationship. Will his stubbornness get him and his new partners killed?
THE HUNTER’S MUMMY (DUSK AND DAWN 4) by Alexa Piper
Ravelle is looking forward to being back in France. All she wants is to have wine with her daughter-in-law, catch up with an old vampire acquaintance, and get closer to Yanis, who is a breath of fresh air to Ravelle. She is not looking forward to working, and a seasoned vampire hunter like Ravelle should be granted a simple, quiet vacation. Yet the hunter soon smells murder on the air, and where there’s murder, there is a corpse, and where there’s a tenderly wrapped corpse, there tends to be a crime, in Ravelle’s experience. So rather than pursuing wine, Ravelle will have to solve all the mummy’s mysteries.
SMOKE AND FLAME: MEN OF MAGIC BOOK 1 by Addison Arrowdell
VS Note: I was intigued by the Look Inside and put this on my TBR List…
What if magic was real? When Elba intercepts a mugging, she finds herself pinned against a wall by men wielding black smoke and white flames. After a glimpse at a world she’s not supposed to know exists, Elba manages to convince the mysterious men not to carry out their threat to erase her memory. As Elba is drawn deeper into their world, her normal life comes under threat when she discovers that just knowing about magic puts a target on your back. Perhaps she should have let them erase her memory after all. But can she forget the two gorgeous men who have changed her life forever? Things are getting dangerous; and that’s just her feelings.
CHRISTMAS CLOCHES AND CORPSES: A GHOSTLY FASHIONISTA MYSTERY by Gayle Leeson
Max’s nephew, Dwight, is in a nursing home; but instead of the holiday season being a time of goodwill, several of Dwight’s friends have died under mysterious circumstances. Is the facility merely suffering a run of bad luck, or is there something sinister going on? Either way, Max, the Ghostly Fashionista, is determined not to let her beloved nephew be the next victim and enlists Amanda to help keep an eye on him. But someone drugs the cake that Amanda gives Dwight, and Amanda is banned from visiting him again. It’s going to take a Christmas miracle for Amanda to clear her name and stay out of the killer’s line of fire.
ENCHANTED NO MORE: AUTHOR’S PREFERRED EDITION by Robin D Owens
VS Note: A re-release with additional material and apparently a revised ending…
AUTHOR’S PREFERRED EDITION, RECENTLY REVISED AND INCLUDING NEW MATERIAL (AND ENDING) A dwarf at the door, brownies in the garden, and a merman near the koi pond…welcome to Mystic Circle in Denver, Colorado
As one of the last surviving Mistweavers, half-blood Jenni knows what it’s like to be caught between two worlds: the faery and the human. But the time has come to choose. The Lightfolk require her unique talent for balancing the elements to fend off a dangerous enemy—and rescue her missing brother. Only for Rothly will Jenni deal with those who destroyed her life. Only for him will she agree to work with her ex-lover, Aric, and revisit the darkest corners of her soul. For a reckoning is at hand, and she alone has the power to hold back the forces of dark.
A PECULIAR PROM NIGHT: A MINDED STORY by R L Merrill
VS Note: From mid OCT
Four sexually frustrated chaperones
– Three hapless kids caught vaping in the bathrooms
– Two heated kisses
One ghost ship on the San Francisco Bay turns this joyous celebration into one helluva creepy night…
Meet siblings Ramona and Ruben, veteran teachers at Baymont High School. They’ve been chaperoning proms for years, but tonight they’ll need all of their faculties to protect their students from beings who may or may not have evil intentions. Oh, and manage to keep their family’s secret while attempting to get closer to their respective love interests. No problem, right?
BEAST’S CLAIM (ALPHA BEASTS BOOK 2) by Piper Stone
She can run, but a beast claims what is his. Raven Youngblood doesn’t know she belongs to me, but it doesn’t matter. She is my mate. When I take her, it will be rough and savage…(more blurb on ebook seller page…)
BROKEN (FORGOTTEN PRISON BOOK 2) by Jarica James and Suki Williams
If Lumen was teeming with secrets, Eden was full of answers. Or at least that’s what I thought. But as I learn even more about the mysterious demigods and their pasts, there only seem to be more obstacles in our way. From collapsing tunnels to flooding sectors, Eden is falling apart around us, forcing us to work even faster to unravel the mysteries surrounding our underwater prison. As if my life wasn’t already full of chaos, a mysterious voice haunts my comm at the worst possible times, interrupting my time with the demigods and Wade, warning me of things to come. I’d have thought he was crazy if his words didn’t keep coming true. But through all of it, I can’t quite figure out why I seem to be at the center of all of the mysteries. I was just a poor, orphaned girl from the Mids… right?
BAD HAND (ACES HIGH JOKERS WILD:HALLOWEEN) A QUEER CYBERPUNK SHORT FOR HALLOWEEN by O E Tearmann
VS Note: From early OCT
Tweak gets a nickname. Naomi gets to lend a hand. The Wildcards get a little more than they signed up for. Maybe they’ll think before they pull pranks next time. …or maybe not.
COCOA CURSES by Erin Johnson
Hardworking witch, Rudie Hollybrook, adores her quaint town of Holiday Haven, located near Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, but can’t help feeling like an outsider. Not only does she have the unique ability to see ghosts, but she also runs the Hollybrook Funeral Home with her sisters. In a town where the holiday cheer is turned up to eleven all year round, Rudie’s slightly eerie abilities make her feel like a misfit. While volunteering at the Christmas Market days before the big celebration, Rudie witnesses a tragedy. One of the volunteer club’s chairwomen is murdered by poisonous hot cocoa, sending the charming town reeling. When Rudie’s tasked by the dead woman’s ghost to find her killer, she teams up with her crush at the local paper to do some sleuthing. Together, they uncover embezzlement, bribery and an illegal potions ring, all with ties to the murdered woman. Could it be the rebellious teenage granddaughter with a less-than-stellar taste in men? Or maybe the town doctor with a mysterious past? Rudie’s investigation even leads her to suspect her nemesis, the bully with a history of getting what she wants–no matter the cost. With the countdown to Christmas nearly at an end, and the restless spirit threatening to haunt her holiday, Rudie races to catch the cocoa killer and make her beloved town safe again. Will Rudie unmask the culprit and prove she’s a vital member of this charming Christmas town? Or will a murderer roam free and ruin Christmas for all of Holiday Haven?
REINDEER RUNES (WINTER WITCHES OF HOLIDAY HAVEN BOOK 2) by Danielle Garrett
Lumi Northrop is a powerful guardian of the north—the North Star Reindeer Sanctuary, that is. When Rudolph vanishes the week before Christmas, Lumi is thrust from the peace and quiet of her family’s farm, into the magical town of Holiday Haven to help find him. Lumi quickly discovers that Rudolph isn’t the only local celebrity who’s gone missing. Jack Frost is also MIA, just days before his coronation as the next Frost King. Teaming up with Corbin Frost, Jack’s reclusive brother, Lumi finds more questions than answers. What she thinks is an odd coincidence quickly turns into something more sinister. With time running out for Rudolph and Jack, can Lumi use her powers to save the North Pole?
SLEIGH SPELLS by Bella Falls
Aurora Hart hates everything Christmas, but how could she turn down the opportunity to serve one year of probation in Holiday Haven versus a full sentence for her crimes? Saddled with a talking squirrel roommate, Aurora is doing her best to keep a low profile as she bides her time. Everything is going fine…until Santa’s sleigh gets stolen.
Now, all eyes are on her and the other town Humbugs, and it’s up to Aurora to keep her behind from ending up back in jail. With the help of a very important person from the North Pole, she finds herself hot on the trail of the real culprit. But it will take her having to do something she’s never done before—accepting new friends and their assistance. Only then will Aurora be able to turn not only her own life around but also Christmas for the entire world! Will Aurora be able to solve the mystery of who stole Santa’s sleigh in time? Or will the culprit get the final sleigh?
HOLIDAY HEXES by J L Collins
Top toy designer Star Clearwater is convinced that Christmas is cursed. What’s supposed to be her hard-earned vacation turns into chaos when her mother lures her to the North Pole only for all spell to break loose at her arrival.
A heinous hex threatens the entire toy production inside Santa’s Toy Workshop, putting millions of children’s wishes in jeopardy. If her mother—who reports directly to Mrs. Claus—can’t get things under control, Christmas won’t be the only thing getting canned. Star has no choice but to crash at her mother’s cottage in the charming magical town of Holiday Haven. The sooner she can find the Scrooge responsible for the crime, the faster she can get back to her normal life. Armed with her witchy wits, Star accepts help from a talking husky and the cute guy running the town bookstore as she follows the trail while the countdown to Christmas Day ticks away. Will Star find a way to catch the criminal and reverse the hex? Or will Christmas be canceled this year?
WINTER WISHES (WINTER WITCHES OF HOLIDAY HAVEN BOOK 4) by Elle Adams
After five years of running the Holiday Haven Inn, Carolyn Highcrest thinks she can handle anything. She and her best friend Mercy are determined to make their festive weekend celebrations the best they can possibly be, despite being surrounded by scheming rivals, melodramatic theatre group members and overenthusiastic carollers. What Carol didn’t anticipate was a visit from her eccentric family, whose knack for trouble and attachment to their cringeworthy custom-made hats threaten to derail her focus. To make things worse, a magical wishing box intended for the weekend’s event disappears, and soon after, a string of inexplicable pranks hits the inn, seemingly a result of the box’s powerful magic. Carol is inclined to blame both the theft and the pranks on her long-term business rival, Janice, but all too soon, events are spiralling out of control. Can Carol fix the trouble before the holiday cheer is ruined?
WOLF’S FAKE MARRIAGE MATEDATE: SHIFTER MATEDATE AGENCY by Serena Meadows
I’m a wolf shifter…. An alpha male who doesn’t take no for an answer. But Samantha Keaton softens my heart. She’s successful in her own right. Owner of a dating agency. She’s smart, sassy, and gorgeous. Her and I have the same enemy – my blackmailer and her ex boyfriend. He has a strong hold on her. The only way to break it is by bonding with her. So when tragedy strikes and we’re stranded in the wilderness, I’m forced to fight danger that surrounds us.
I need to free Samantha and protect her, but she has kept a secret from me. A secret about our relationship. And our enemy has returned to try and ruin us. Could the lies and the danger hurt us? Or will our love pass this ultimate test?
AWAKENED (THE SHADOW GUILD: HADES AND PERSEPHONE BOOK 2) by Linsey Hall
I’m going back to hell, and Hades awaits..Two weeks ago, I escaped Hades fortress. He might not admit it, but we’re on opposite sides of a war. He wants to spread eternal darkness; I want to stop him. To succeed, I must master my magic before it destroys me. But Hades still thinks he can seduce me to the dark side. I let him think he’s right, because he’s the only one who can teach me how to use my magic. But this practice requires that we touch, and once we do, our connection is impossible to resist. Soon, I’m torn between my goals and Hades. If I can’t resist his darkness that calls so sweetly, we’re all doomed.
RANCH-HAND WOLF’S AFFAIR (PARANORMAL TRUE MATE DATING AGENCY BOOK 2) by Amelia Wilson
I was always a good mate. Until my husband had an affair and disappeared. I would’ve let my heart lead me to another member of my pack…… the sexy blond who helps run our ranch……but he refuses to be with a married woman. So I called the Paranormal True Mate Dating Agency. They sent me the perfect wolf. But my heart was still with my husband… and the wolf in my pack. I thought love was my biggest problem. Until a terrifying phone call revealed where my husband was…… and put my whole family at risk. Will the wolves who love me help me save my family? Or are they slaves to their own lust, who will stop at nothing to have me?
DODGING CALAMITIES (ARTEMIS UNIVERSITY BOOK 7) by Erin R Flynn
VS Note: From OCT 30
My name is Tamsin Vale and I’m the last known fairy… And I think I’m out of time. The walls are closing in from all sides and we’re quickly running out of options. But I don’t think help is coming. Making up with Darby and Lucca—having them at my side—has helped my soul, but I’m still missing pieces of it. I want to let Hudson back in, though I don’t know how. And I really wish I could move on from Craftsman. Why can I not let go of the man who nearly destroyed me? There are too many other things I should be focused on. McGrath is circling and must be handled. The warlock elders are stepping up their attempts to get me. Others are getting too desperate and that makes people dangerous, but trying to make friends with the wrong people will get me killed. I really wish help was coming because I don’t think I’ll survive without it.
HOPELESS RIVER (GRIZZLY BEAR LAKE BOOK 4) by Ruby Shae
Grizzly bear shifter, Lacey, is the youngest and only female sibling of the Rivers family—or, at least she was until all three of her brothers recently mated. After over thirty years of being the only one, the women in the family finally outnumber the men, and she knows those odds aren’t going to change anytime soon. Not when her chances of finding a mate are basically zero. Even if she was looking—which she isn’t—she’s tall, curvy, and she stopped wasting her time with guests from the resort a long time ago. Having her heart broken once was enough to change her way of thinking when it came to a mate, and she no longer hoped for something that would never happen. Really. Of course, that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun sometimes. After all, women have needs, too, and the big, sexy, nomad biker passing through town was the perfect man to help bury her ongoing loneliness for just one night. Too bad he forgot to mention that only sticking around for one night was never part of his plan.
Two years ago, Grant Hawkins left his corporate life behind, bought a motorcycle, and set out on the open road. After serving time in the military, and then trying to do the right thing for the woman he thought he loved, he was determined to live his life the way he wanted, and that meant working outside and getting as close to nature as possible. Living his life on the road left no room for a permanent relationship, and that was fine with him. More than fine, actually. He’d already tried giving up his dreams and doing the responsible thing once, and when that period of time ended—badly—he’d vowed to never make those sacrifices again. That vow had been easy to keep because he’d never wanted another woman by his side. Until now. Lacey Rivers was the only woman he’d ever met who had the power to change his whole life, and luckily, he was more than ready for the change. Now all he had to do was convince the stubborn, curvy beauty to accept his promise of forever.
TAIL ‘EM (JAILBREAK BOOK 1) by Sam Hall
VS Note: From OCT 24
Never tell them what we are, Shannon’s grandmother had always said. Working as a faux-Reiki healer in her local veterinary clinic, Shannon uses her psychic abilities to help sick or anxious animals, worried that one day people were going to see past the New Age façade she’d constructed. With good cause. Men from the newly created Capricorn Institute bring her to the newly renovated prison on the hill to work her wiles on their beasts, creatures she’d thought she’d only ever seen in a zoo, but they don’t respond to her psychic overtures like a normal animal would.
Because they aren’t. Beautiful, wild, Shannon’s about to find out the truth about the Big Bad Wolf and all of his apex predator friends. These sexy shifters track her every movement, memorise her scent, because even from behind bars, they’re hunting her. Physically, psychically, these men will use whatever tactics they can to get what they want: her.
DRAGON PRINCE (CITY OF DRAGONS BOOK 3) by Kayla Wolf
She’s a wolf in a city of dragons. She’s an enemy of the royal family. My family. But when I look into her silver eyes, all I can hear is my beast roaring. My dragon burns for her with a vengeance. What absolute abysmal timing this is.
And don’t even get me started on the place. She’s in an interrogation room. And I’m the one who has to interrogate her. If she’s guilty of what she’s accused of, she can never be mine. And still I find myself leaning in. Leaning in to touch her, leaning in to kiss her. Leaning in, because I know it with every fiber of my being. That I’ve just found my mate.
VAMPIRE’S CAPTIVE by Kay Elle Parker
Vienna – In the space of one night, my world is thrown into the air and dropkicked into a new dimension. Sounds dramatic, right? Probably because it is. I’m no stranger to drama, but this… this takes the award for Best Dramatic Bombshell. It all starts with a carjacking on a dusty highway twenty miles outside Tucson, Arizona. That’s the normal part of that night, I guess. What happens after that…well, let’s just say I’ll never be the same again. Colt – The moment I sense her spying on me, I know I can’t let her go. She isn’t what I was expecting to find. She isn’t like the rest of the mortals. So I steal her and make her my captive. No one knows she’s been taken. No one knows where she’s gone. No one knows what her future holds, except that she belongs to me…Until death do us part.
BOUND BY FOREVER (TRUE IMMORTALITY BOOK 3) by Samantha Young
Niamh Farren has been burdened by knowledge for most of her life. As one of seven fae children born into the human world with the ability to open the gate to Faerie, Niamh’s mission is to guide her fae brethren to do what’s right. Because Niamh has seen what will happen to the human world if she does not protect the gate. Throughout the years, she’s traveled the world with her brother Ronan, using her psychic visions to find the fae-borne and convince them to stay on the path that will keep the gate from opening. She has sacrificed much … but when she loses her brother to the mission, Niamh begins to lose herself.
For nearly one hundred and fifty years, werewolf Kiyo has wandered the planet as a lost soul. Cursed with immortality, he spends his awful eternity as a mercenary for hire. When the powerful Fionn Mór confides the truth about the existence of Faerie and hires Kiyo to protect one of the fae-borne, he accepts the challenge out of boredom, not heroism. Yet Niamh is unexpected in every way the werewolf can possibly imagine.
Guarding Niamh from her enemies is nowhere near as challenging as protecting the fae woman from herself. If Kiyo is to succeed, he must help Niamh find herself again, and not just for her sake. Ignoring the fierce connection between them may no longer be an option. A new enemy is rising and threatening to rip open the gate between worlds. To remind Niamh of who she really is, Kiyo must make the choice to lower his defenses and give into their bond. Or safeguard his own heart … and in doing so lead the human world to the brink of war.
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VS: For my backlist feature over the next few weeks I’m going to hilite my Badari Warriors series, one book at a time, because I’m still working away on JAMOKAN, the next book in the 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. Some overarching issues do remain unresolved in each book since this is an ongoing series but romance always wins the day in my novels!
When it came time to write book two, MATEER, I realized I had to be very careful not to fall into basically telling the same story over again, so I worked hard to give Mateer and Megan their own unique story. I’ve continued to make each book’s adventure as different from the others as I can, given they all take place in the same framework!
Each Badari book typically features one couple but as the series goes on, previous characters are involved. The books can be read as standalones.
MATEER’s story: Megan Garrison, a doctor at the Sectors Amarcae 7 colony, goes to sleep one night as usual only to wake up in her nightgown, strapped to a table in an alien lab, destined to be the subject of terrifying experiments. Granted a brief reprieve, Megan and the other kidnapped humans are released in the middle of a forestlike enclosure on this unknown world and told to survive as best they can for now.
Her only hope is Mateer, the genetically engineered alien warrior imprisoned with the humans. He knows more than he’s sharing about this planet, their captors and the fate of other humans, including perhaps her own sisters. Turns out everyone from her colony has been kidnapped by the Khagrish, a ruthless race of alien scientists. Working for enemies of the human-led Sectors, the Khagrish have created the Badari to be super soldiers.
Mateer, a tough Badari enforcer, now a rebel, is captured while infiltrating the lab to help his pack bring it down. He’s also been ordered by his leaders to search for Megan and save her life at all costs. Tortured by the enemy, he’s offered one chance at survival – convince Megan to become his mate and assist the Khagrish with further experiments.
As the situation at the lab grows worse, Megan struggles against her deep attraction to Mateer, while she does her best to shield the other humans from the terrible Khagrish experiments. For his part, Mateer knows she really is his fated mate and despairs of being able to keep her safe, as the rebel attack is delayed and she fights the truth of their bond.
Will they be able to work together to defeat Khagrish plans and preserve human lives until the promised rescue happens? And what of their future together – will Megan accept Mateer as her true mate, or walk away if she’s freed?
Buy Links: Amazon Apple B&N Kobo Google
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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:
“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…
Some authors aren’t in KU but still don’t list books with Apple or other platforms. This report is very time consuming to prepare so I’ve always had to limit myself and cannot go and look up every book on all the platforms. If an author gives me their other buy links, I include them here but generally I develop the post on my own, not from author-supplied information. I curate and prepare this post individually every week to help connect readers/books/authors and I have to be very careful not to give it so much time as an activity that I don’t write my own novels! Thanks for the feedback and happy reading!
I check and verify all the buy links at the time I create the post but after that I’m not responsible.
Required Statement: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifiying purchases.
Required Statement: As an Apple Books Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Happy release week, everyone!
Thank you for crafting these posts, Veronica!
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