VS: I have COVID Omicron and am feeling pretty miserable so while I’ve done the report and feel I’ve captured the new books pretty thoroughly, I was too tired to look up all the other non-Amazon links as I usually do. Sorry!
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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EMPEROR (GALACTIC KINGS BOOK 2) by Anna Hackett
VS Note: Loving Anna’s new series of course! She’s a total autobuy for me.
When an experimental starship test goes horribly wrong, a scientist from Earth finds herself fighting for her survival, and her only lifeline is a wild, powerful alien king. Waking on an alien world, wracked by pain, Dr. Poppy Ellison is confused and adrift…until his voice calls to her in the darkness. The big, wild, enthralling man reveals that she’s been infected and is turning into an alien shapeshifter. Poppy has always been smart, practical, and boring, but with her entire life turned upside down, there is no one she can trust…except for this alien wolf. Emperor Brodin Damar Sarkany is king of Damar and its shapeshifters. As wild as the forest city they call home, the Damari can be volatile, always fighting to control the wolf inside. Brodin uses his immense strength to keep his people in check and protect them from the most dangerous evil of all—his war-mongering father. He can’t afford the distraction of a small, tantalizing woman from Earth, even when everything about Poppy sings to the instincts of both man and wolf. As his father’s ruthless warlord attacks, innocent children are at risk, and Poppy knows she has to help by mastering her new, emerging abilities. She must also face the shocking passion that explodes between her and Brodin. But as Poppy and Brodin hunt down the enemy, they uncover a plot that could mean the destruction of all the Damari…if they don’t stop it in time. Amazon KU
GENMATE MISTAKEN (GENMATE DILEMMA BOOK ONE) by Cara Bristol
VS note: Very exciting that Cara is starting a new series! Love her books…
Vengeance led him to love. But will it destroy him, too? Vengeance keeps ’Topian Edwin Mysk from surrendering to the pain of the destruction of his home world and the loss of the genmate he might have had. One day the Xeno Consortium will know his wrath. Until then, he will pursue his self-imposed mission to locate and reunite the massacre survivors. When he lands on Laxiter 4, he finds the ’Topian settlement abandoned, except for a lone woman. Lala. Their immediate, intense bonding proves she’s his genmate, the one female his genetics have chosen for him—the one he’d believed lost forever. With Lala at his side, he resumes his search for the others. But Lala is not the ’Topian he thinks she is. She’s a shapeshifting Xeno, a disgraced former general in the consortium military wrongly convicted of helping ’Topian insurgents escape annihilation. Edwin Mysk offers her best chance to locate the escapees and receive a stay of execution—as long as he doesn’t discover her secret. Will the gulf between hatred and love, despair and desire, prove too wide for them to cross? Is their genmate bond a tragic mistake?
Amazon Apple Books Kobo Author’s Universal Link
SILVER SPICE: WARRIORS OF VALOSE SAGA 7 by Iona Strom and LS Anders
Wynnter –My spirit mate had eyes for another, yet her spirit called to mine. While my ancillary heart pumped andrenalyne through my veins, I warred with my instincts to pummel the male she favored, but her preference can’t be forced. She must choose me. Another battle takes precedence to mine when an unimagined conflict wages in the sky above us. The clouds burned with the battle as their ash rained down on our heads, making my role in the survival of my species paramount. It was vital that I tempered my rage, so I could work together with the male I wanted to thrash. Rose – A nerdy girl from the inside out, I had never been faced with having two males vying for my attention. Never considered a pretty girl, it’s both strange and exhilarating to feel so desired. Who should I choose? The male I’ve grown attached or the newcomer who called to my soul? There was no time to savor my novel situation. With the safety of so many resting on the success of our mission, I must set aside my personal needs until later. For now, the three of us must work together as a team to penetrate the dome so the warriors can retake the city of Huren. Amazon KU
ALIEN MOST WANTED: CAGED BEAST (FOLSOM PLANET BLUES BOOK 1) by Honey Phillips
VS Note: A re-release.
One minute Amanda is crying over a Hallmark movie and binging chocolate. The next she is being offered as a prize to the winner of a brutal contest in an alien prison. And the biggest, scariest alien of them all just won her…A cheating boyfriend is the least of Amanda’s worries when an alien appears in her living room. Discovering she has been sold to an alien prison is terrifying. Seeing two males fight to the death for her is horrifying. But the massive red male who looks at her with such hunger? He could destroy her. Left to rot with the other Undesirables, Riker’s only focus is on escape. He has no intention of fighting for anyone’s entertainment. Until he sees the soft, beautiful female being offered to the victor. A female is the last thing he needs, especially one who arouses his mating instincts, but neither can he resist her. Can he protect her from the vicious guards, the evil warden – and from himself? Please note that Alien Most Wanted: Caged Beast is the extended version of the short story originally published as part of the Alien Embrace anthology. Amazon KU
THE PURVELI (ALDEBARIAN ALLIANCE BOOK 3) by Dianne Duvall
Ava has always been different. Born with strong telepathic abilities, she lives a very isolated life until she is offered a job with an obscure network that aids powerful Immortal Guardians in their quest to protect humanity from the psychotic vampires who prey upon them. Suddenly, she doesn’t feel so different. For the first time in her life, Ava has found a place where she belongs. She’s happy. Life is good. And when her employers invite her to join a group of other gifted ones and a handful of Immortal Guardians on a journey to another planet, it becomes absolutely fantastic. In no time at all, she is speeding across the galaxy aboard a Lasaran warship manned by two amazing alien races. It’s the dream of a lifetime… until a vicious attack by a mutual enemy of Lasara and Earth lands her alone in an escape pod with no habitable planet in sight and only one ship within range: one that carries the enemy who wants to know why the bioengineered virus they released on Earth long ago didn’t exterminate humanity and leave the planet ripe for their claiming. Jak’ri doesn’t know how long he has been a prisoner aboard the Cebaun, but he fears the enemy’s twisted experiments will soon lead them to a virus that will eradicate the Purveli people. Despair grips him until a female from Earth is taken captive and reaches out to him telepathically. The gift that Ava said caused her such misery in the past soon becomes his salvation as the two of them form a fast friendship. Determined to distract each other from the horrors of their existence, they immerse themselves in telepathic communion during the day, then seek solace and adventure together in shared dreams. As their friendship deepens into love, the two hatch a daring plot to escape their captors. But the enemy will not let them go without a fight. Can Ava and Jak’ri stand against so many and emerge victorious?
ALIEN HUNTER’S FATE (FATED MATES OF THE XILAN WARRIORS BOOK 3) by Ava Ross
An alien insists I’m his fated mate. After we escape a deadly alien game called the labyrinth, he says he’s keeping me. This deal was supposed to be simple. Take a shuttle to the space station. Connect with an alien in need of Slaking—their term, not mine. One week between the furs with no hearts involved, something I’m determined to avoid after being burned. I’ll return to Earth, and nine months from now? I’ll deliver a scaly bundle of joy. Right. Instead, Krek and I are captured by big alien spiders and thrown into a deadly, underground tunnel game called the labyrinth. The spiders tell us we’re free to go if we survive the challenge. Krek insists we’ll escape the labyrinth. He says I’ll soon have a child on the way. He also says I’m his fated mate. And he’s not returning me to Earth. Amazon KU
ALIEN PRINCE VLOT (WARRIORS OF KOLIAM BOOK 6) by Eden Ember and Starr Huntress
It’s undeniable, she’s synchronized his two hearts and his life is about to change forever. VLOT – I just want to end the Ablidorian Pirates slave trade business and set Zorlox free from their clutches. I mind my own business, being the best brother and crew member for Qor. Until she does the unthinkable and I can no longer deny the attraction. EVE – I roll up my sleeves like any other member of the crew. I’m a scrapper and I’ve always taken care of myself. But this blue muscled being seems to have thrown my common sense out the window. I bite my lip to keep from admitting my budding feelings for him. Amazon KU
THE ALIEN’S DILEMMA (VIRGIN WARRIORS OF KAR’KAL BOOK 4) by Gemma Voss
A breeding mate was my worst nightmare. Now I am trapped with her. I thought I could ignore it, but my desire is proving more powerful than I ever imagined. Mori did everything he could to prevent the mating call from finding him. But even galaxies away from Earth the curse of his ancestors will not rest. Fearing that human disease known as love, he decides to put his life in the hands of a man he might otherwise call an enemy. When he boards the flight to a distant colony, Mori’s hopes of getting as far away from his fated mate as possible will be dashed when he realizes that she is along for the ride– and just as surprised as he is. Sophie has been tirelessly pursuing her journalism career, but wishing for a dose of excitement backfires when she finds herself abducted by an ambitious Kar’Kali warrior with big plans to re-populate the race. Her grumpy new mate is too focused on escape to touch her, but the longer he holds out, the more she fears for his safety. Once she is fully immersed in the struggles that the Kar’Kali are facing, Sophie will uncover a more dangerous story than she bargained for. Amazon KU
CLAIMED BY THE ALIEN SHIFTER (WARRIORS OF THE LATHAR BOOK 16) by Mina Carter
She doesn’t need love. She’s getting cats. Lots of them. She absolutely doesn’t need a sexy alien making her think of happily ever afters…Elise doesn’t need a man, she has enough with her job and ensuring her brother, the President, stays out of trouble. Or, at the very least, doesn’t get humanity into an intergalactic war it can’t win. She doesn’t have time for herself, never mind love, so when sexy alien Cade turns up in the bar she’s drowning her sorrows in, she absolutely shouldn’t take him home…Or kiss him. Because kissing him reveals he has more than a few secrets. Like he’s… what the hell is she going to do with an innocent twenty-something alien who kisses like a god? When he fights tigers bare-handed, putting his life on the line for those weaker than himself? Well, there’s only so much a girl can take…She’s the beauty to his beast and his fated mate. How does he tell her the monster inside him could get them both killed? Cade’s seen two planets in his life and his farm was nothing like Earth. It’s loud, chaotic and he’s a fish not only out of water but off-planet and sucking deep space vacuum. The scent of his mate changes everything. She’s tiny, delicate… everything he’s not. She’s his opposite, but she’s the home he never expected to find. He doesn’t care what it takes, he’ll make her see they’re perfect for each other. Until she’s taken from him and the monster inside him takes charge. He will save her, but revealing what he is to the Empire could get them both killed.
TAKEN (THE UNCAGED) by Amber Ella Monroe
Never cross the Uncaged. It was a warning. They didn’t listen. And now someone must pay. Never take from an Alpha, let alone a pack of alphas. When my family found out they were coming, my mother uttered one word: Run. She tried to protect me from them, but it was only a matter of time before fate caught up to me. And he did…Rodric Moonblood is a beast among ordinary men. When the work is dirty, they send him. I’ve been ignoring my primal instincts for so long, but when it comes to Rodric, I can’t ignore the heat…my need for him…or the power of the mate-bond. Amazon KU
THE TENTACLE PIRATE’S PRINCE by Charlotte Brice
I am Prince Ezra, the crown prince of my wealth solar system. My coming-of-age party is being held on the furthest planet in the system, where I am to find my queen. Turning 21 is looking a dismal prospect. When I begged and prayed for an alternative, being abducted by space pirates wasn’t what I had in mind. Falling for the tentacle pirate wasn’t anywhere on my list. But I’m not complaining. Amazon KU
LEKO (LUNAR UPRISING BOOK 3) by Cyndi Friberg
Hating aliens is Julia’s family business. Can Leko reach beyond a lifetime of resentment and teach her that love knows no boundaries? Leko, a powerful lunar raider, is working undercover in an anti-alien militia when he encounters Julia. Instantly he knows she is his mate, but he came to Earth to uncover a Morax plot, not succumb to bonding fever. Julia knows there is something special about Leko. She has never reacted to anyone the way she reacts to him. Still, she refuses to consider the reason. Circumstances soon throw them together and force her to face the truth. The “man” she is falling in love with is an alien, and her father is not what he seems. Amazon KU
UNRAVELING THE STARS: A STARSTRUCK NOVEL by Brenda Hiatt
You suspect your best friend has been sucked into a dangerous cult. Worse, the guy you’re hopelessly in love with is a member! Rescuing your friend will ruin your budding romance…but what choice do you have? Bri and Deb have been besties with M since elementary school, but over the past year and a half she’s changed. The more strange things they notice, the more they think whatever is going on with M has something to do with that new company that recently relocated to Jewel and all the new students whose parents work there. Their suspicions deepen when they start dating two of the hot new boys and notice more and more weird anomalies, like common phrases the boys don’t know and strength and speed that seem to go beyond the ordinary. The more they dig for clues, the more certain they are that M has been drawn into a cult that’s performing dangerous experiments on their members…including M! Confronting her will almost certainly ruin the promising new romances both Bri and Deb are enjoying, but they realize it’s a risk they’ll have to take. What they don’t expect is the incredible truth behind all the “evidence” they’ve collected—or the risk they’ll run by exposing it!
SPACE MERCENARY’S PRIZE (TALLEAN MERCENARIES) by Lynnea Lee
When a tiny form crashes into me in the alley behind my old haunt, I don’t expect to find a half-dressed human female in my arms. Jenny brings out my instinct to guard and protect. Drunk and eager for a fight, I knock out her attacker and vow to take her home to Reka 5. There’s only one problem: Jenny’s owner wants her back. We wake the next morning with an enormous bounty on our heads. New Rhea is chock full of no-questions-asked mercenaries eager for the credits, but a promise is a promise, and I will get her to freedom. Besides, Jenny is mine. And anyone who wants her will have to get through me first! Amazon KU
THE CHOSEN TWELVE by James Breakwell
VS Note: Not a romance but a scifi release of note. Sounded good.
There are 22 candidates. There are 12 seats. The last interstellar colony ship is down to its final batch of humans after the robots in charge unhelpfully deleted the rest. But rebooting a species and training them for the arduous task of colonisation isn’t easy – especially when the planet below is filled with monsters, the humans are more interested in asking questions than learning, and the robots are all programmed to kill each other. But the fate of humanity rests on creating a new civilization on the planet below, and there are twelve seats on the lander. Will manipulation or loyalty save the day?
KEEPING HIS MATE: ALIENS OF OLUURA BOOK 4 by Ivy Knox
Bruvix thought rescuing an unconscious human female from a notorious slaver was the right thing to do…but that’s when his problems begin. Stealing a med tube containing a human female outside the slaver’s brothel, Bruvix takes her back to Oluura, where he finds out the ring she wears means her heart belongs to another. How can that be when he feels the tether connecting his soul to hers? How can his eternal mate be taken? Eleanor Santos wakes for the third time since being abducted from Earth. The second time, she’d attacked the alien who touched her, thus getting herself shipped back in the white tube to her abductor. Now seeing human females, she knows she’s safe, but her heart cries out to the love of her life still on Earth. Bruvix knows the deeps scars on his body from being attacked by a vicious beast years ago make him too ugly for his mate to look at, but he’s discovering that his inara is unique. She has a love of the wild, in more ways than one. When the slaver who took Eleanor finds her on Oluura, his army comes to take her and the other females back. Bruvix comes face to face with his greatest fear—he can save either Eleanor or himself. He almost died once, but this time his luck isn’t so good. Amazon KU
ALPHA OF THE BADLANDS by Penelope Woods
I was fated for another. He took me anyway. When the badland tribes came for me our settlement’s defenses proved no match for them. I was taken captive to be given to their leader. But an even more fearsome brute carried me off…Ronan is not just an alpha. He is a feral beast, and (…more blurb on ebook seller page…) Amazon KU
CUPID’S ARROW: BOOK TWO OF THE SHAMBHALA SAGA by Susan English
When her utopian moon base is targeted by Earth’s authoritarian powers, can she stand in the face of tyranny to prove love is stronger than hate? Biologist Pavani Nampeyo is devastated to lose her soulmate. But with the world military preparing to raid their lunar science colony, the broken-hearted specialist makes the agonizing decision to stay behind while the love of her life escapes to another solar system. And when the brutal invaders fail to find the missing colonists, Pavani’s protective instincts steer her in the path of a violent assault. Bruised but undaunted, she and her team attempt to drive out the troops by broadcasting video of the illegal occupation across the planet. But with the threat of reprisal looming, Pavani’s only hope of reconnecting with her true love might lie with the colony’s all-powerful artificial intelligence…Can Pavani outwit a formidable force before all her dreams turn to cosmic dust?
THE SHANG ZHOU SHUFFLE (VIRSANA EMPIRE: SIR YADEN BOOK 5) by Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus
VS Note: Not a romance. The Queer SciFi twitter feed calls this a “queer sci-fi fantasy”…a release of note.
The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects, be they bartender or prince. Prince Ishikawa of Shang Zhou has embarked on a risky undercover adventure all on his own, and Yaden and Ivan are sent after him to make sure he comes out alive. Working as the crew of a local pub, the three of them try to figure out why the local military is training Vox Populi terrorists. But this is a Lotus Knight mission, and when Ivan’s sister finally decides to ‘rescue’ her brother, things escalate rapidly.
COLD SEDUCTION (ICE PLANET RENDU BOOK 3) by Zoe Ashwood
She escaped Earth and ran across galaxies…into his arms. Hanne won’t return to Earth. Ever. No matter that the rest of the human delegation is flying back from Rendu and she is one of the few humans to remain on this strange, frozen planet. What awaits her back home is way worse than any ice storm…or the brooding alien general she can’t stop thinking about. Lhett knows he’s far from being anyone’s idea of a happy ending. His scars are enough to send people running, and his moods scare away the rest. But he can at least make sure that the stubborn human scientist doesn’t die on his watch, even if she drives him crazy with her visits to the planet’s steamiest appliance store. When the heat between them rises to battle even the brutally cold nights, Hanne and Lhett discover that some scars don’t show up on skin. And opening old wounds is more painful than they ever imagined. Can love between a human woman and a hulking alien male beat the odds? Amazon KU
RETURNING HEROES (THE GALACTIC CAPTAINS BOOK 6) by Harry F Rey
Captain Ales has returned to the galaxy, forever changed as the powers have prepared for war. He’ll accept help from anyone if it leads to the mysterious Turo from whose cage Ales must free himself if he ever wants to return to the Red Moon. Meanwhile Daeron has been offered the deal of a lifetime by the ruler of the Seven Suns. Marry Osvai, the Kyleri prince, and become heir to the richest star-state in the galaxy while raising an army to restore the prince to his rightful place as Emperor of the Million Suns. But Viscamon’s grip on Jiwani has only tightened as the nobles imprisoned in the Royal Baths still refuse to bow to the immortal’s cataclysmic theology of destroying the Galactic Balance. It seems the only way for Imperial Guard Captain Antari to avoid a massacre is outright treachery. While dynasties play galactic politics, the Outer Verge is being torn apart. From a prison cell, Mahnoor watches The Rip destroying Targuline, until the Kyleri rebels offer him the chance to save himself by flying into the heart of danger. He might even become Jansen’s most unlikely hero. Heroes and villains run riot around the galaxy, unleashing destructive forces and sliding the great powers toward a war from which no one will be safe.
PASSIONATE PRISONERS by Angela Knight
VS Note: Re-releases.
Roarke’s Prisoner: Starship captain Elise Morrell remembers the eager animal submission she once knew at Captain Michael Roarke’s ruthless hands. She’s determined not to become his toy again…Stranded:Hawke’s been alone in the alien “Goldfish Bowl” for far too long. When Alex lands in his arms, they both realize they can fulfill each other’s every need — if they survive…Chain of Kisses: For years, Prince Admiral Arles of Tor has been obsessed with the woman who jilted him at the altar. Gisel is now a mercenary space captain, and he’s determined to get her out of his system. Too bad she’s also a political liability he can’t afford…Armored Hearts: Interstellar mercenary Captain Nick Rand is a vampire on the verge of starvation. Lieutenant Zara Tahir is willing to exchange blood for blood — and maybe kinky games — but Rand’s still her enemy. Right? Blood and Steel: Elyn Castel spent decades as the slave of a sociopathic vampire. Cyborg Jarl “Blade” Bladin has killed the vampire, and now he’s is after Elyn. She’s finished if he gets his hands on her. But escaping is easier said than done.
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VS: Special Item of Interest: GAME ON: 15 STORIES OF WINS, LOSSES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN by Various
Not romance but sounded like a fun anthology and scifi adjacent…and I know many readers are also gamers…
From the slightly fantastical to the utterly real, light and sweet romance to tales tinged with horror and thrills, Game On is an anthology that spans genre and style. But beneath each story is a loving ode to competition and games perfect for anyone who has ever played a sport or a board game, picked up a video game controller, or rolled a twenty-sided die. A manhunt game is interrupted by a town disappearing beneath the players’ eyes. A puzzle-filled scavenger hunt emboldens one college freshman to be brave with the boy she’s crushing on. A series of summer nights full of card games leads a boy to fall for a boy who he knows is taken. And a spin the bottle game could end a life-long friendship. Fifteen stories, and fifteen unforgettable experiences that may inspire readers to start up that Settlers of Catan game again.
PIRATE’S PARADOX (SENTINELS OF SAVANNAH BOOK 6) by Lisa Kessler
Pirate Caleb Graves may be an immortal, but he’s also a navigator and a man of science. And yet he can’t explain the erratic tides threatening Savannah. Nor the terrible dreams of sailing through a vicious, supernatural storm that he keeps having. But when fascinating, petite dynamo Diana Williams marches up to his ship and demands to speak to the captain, Caleb is caught up in a wave of unexpected fear…and an electric frisson of longing for this captivating woman. Diana wouldn’t be a true psychic if she didn’t listen to her spirit guide. So when dream after dream compels her to visit specific coordinates in the Atlantic, she can’t ignore it. Now, she just needs a ship. Good thing she knows about a particular pirate ship that’s in tip-top shape. Complete with a surly, albeit hot, navigator who doesn’t immediately believe in her visions. But no matter how much Caleb objects, she’ll risk sending the entire crew—including herself—to the uncharted ocean. But both their dreams could be the key to saving Savannah and may even be a clue about the fabled lost city of Atlantis. Or it could damn them all to an unforgiving, watery grave.
MIDLIFE PRELUDE: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (PACKLESS IN SEATTLE BOOK 1) by Lia Davis
Omega wolf shifter, Matilda Carol, is about change her life forever. Starting over at forty-five isn’t the scariest thing she’ll have to face in her new life. But she’ll pay any price to gain her independence. Even if it means she has to die in the process. Faking her own death and moving away from the only home she’s ever known is intimidating, to say the least. Especially when Mattie has been sheltered and controlled by her uncle all her life. It’s a good thing that her BFF, Julie, is a powerful fae with connections to several paranormal factions that have all sworn to keep Mattie hidden from her uncle. When Julie goes missing, Mattie will not rest until she’s brought home. But she’s never investigated a missing persons case before—or any other case. When the police can’t find any trace of Julie, Mattie does her own detective work with the help of a vampire king, a witch, and a mysterious hottie who stirs her inner wolf’s mating urge. Wow. She didn’t see that one coming. Mattie may be packless in Seattle, but she’s in control of her own destiny for the first time in her life. She’s not about to waste this opportunity. Amazon KU
TRUSTING THE DRAGON (STONEFIRE BRITISH DRAGONS BOOK 14) by Jessie Donovan
Finally divorced and free of her bastard ex-husband, Sarah MacKintosh Carter looks forward to living with the Scottish dragon clan and attempting a normal life. However, a letter arrives and says she has thirty days to mate a dragon-shifter, or she has to return to a human city. If she leaves, she knows her former in-laws will be determined to take custody of her sons. So the countdown begins on finding a dragonman to mate her. There’s just one rule: no falling in love so she can protect her heart.
Hudson Wells hasn’t stopped thinking about the female he met by chance two years ago—she’s the only one he’s wanted in his life and his bed since the loss of his late mate. When the chance comes to claim Sarah as his own, Hudson puts his name forth to be her mate. Now he just needs to convince her to pick him. Despite the fact she’s divorced, Hudson soon discovers that Sarah was neglected, so he makes it his job to prove how desirable she really is. As Hudson does his best to persuade Sarah of how they’re combustible together in bed and a good team as parents out of it, her past comes back to haunt her. Not only does it threaten one of her sons, but it could also end up destroying the future she now yearns for with Hudson. Will she find a way to seize a happy ending for once? Or will Sarah end up losing everything she cares about?
HIS OMEGA’S KEEPER by Evangeline Anderson
They took us in the middle of the night and forced us to do things together…things I don’t dare admit.
They came and took us in the middle of the night—kidnapped us and locked us in an attic—me and my stepbrother Jake. They’re some kind of cult—the Worshipers of the Moon—and they say that Jake and I are the last of the Royal Weres. We’re the last two with the blood of the First Wolf and because of that, we’re their only hope. But now they want me to do things with Jake—things I know I shouldn’t do. Things that could get me in a lot of trouble nine months down the line. It’s frightening, but Jake is protective and gentle—he understands what we need to do in order to get free. The only trouble is, our plan might prove disastrous in more than one way. The cult members keep telling me that Jake is my Alpha and I am his Omega—his to claim, his to take. But when we finally get away from them, we don’t dare to tell anyone what they made us do together. For the penalty for our sins in the Were world…is death.
MATING MONSTERS (I.S.S.) by M Sinclair
My monsters had found me… and they weren’t letting me go. The institute, also known as ISS, housed the most terrifying nightmares that existed in this world…but the true monster was the one that tortured me day in and day out. The one that made me feel worthless and question if I could even call myself a monster. My mother. I knew I would never escape her. She was everywhere, and two nights before my planned escape, she threatened everything. Somehow she found out my secret. Somehow she found out about them. My monsters. The only nightmares I could call my own. And when she threatened their very lives? I decided to run, leaving with a severed heart, realizing that they would wake the next morning to find that I was long gone. They would hate me for it… Or so I thought. But what happens when they hunt me down? What happens when they show up right when I truly need them? What happens when I realize that the men who chased me halfway across the globe…are actually my mates? Amazon KU
ORACLE (THE PACK PROPHECY BOOK 3) by R L Caulder
VS Note: No blurb. Here was some of the basic info from book one’s blurb:
“The arrival of the Prophetess will bring both hope and destruction for the wolves of the world. She alone will be able to save them–or damn them.” The dark prophecy that has been passed down since the first pack of shifters is coming to fruition– and I am at the center of it. An orphaned human taken in by a pack of wolves. The fate of their existence in my hands. I’ve been treated as the dirt beneath the pack’s paws for years. Will they be able to accept my new role when my powers surface? Will I be able to forgive them enough to help them? Amazon KU
A GATHERING OF CRONES (THE CRONE WARS BOOK 2) by Lydia M Hawke
She’s running out of time. And so is the world. After learning on her sixtieth birthday that she’s one of five Crones destined to save the world, Claire Emerson has been desperately trying to acquire the lifetime of magic she missed out on. But the mages who are out to destroy everything she loves aren’t waiting, and when one of the other Crones ends up on Claire’s doorstep—wounded and unconscious—Claire knows she’s out of time. Leaving the safety of her warded house, she goes in search of the remaining Crones… only to find them under siege by the mages and their nearly indestructible monster. And without control over her powerful elemental magic, she has no idea how to rescue them. Can Claire harness her powers in time to help her fellow Crones defeat the mages—or will her efforts bring even greater disaster?
PINK MOON RISING (A WITCH’S COVE MYSTERY BOOK 18) by Vella Day
A movie production in Witch’s Cove, a talking bad boy raccoon, and a dead leading lady. Just your typical day in paradise. I am so excited that I am going to be in a movie! So what if it’s not much of a speaking part. Just being around celebrities will be awesome. Or at least it was until one of the leading ladies turned up dead. It’s not that my partner and fiancé in The Pink Iguana Sleuths aren’t used to dead bodies, but this case also included a raccoon, who happened to be the leading lady’s familiar. It wouldn’t be so bad if he hadn’t recruited Iggy for his nocturnal misadventures. Since we suspected magic had something to do with the woman’s death, the sheriff actually welcomed our interference (his word, not mine). With a large cast, the suspect list was endless. As daunting as that sounds, between the gossip queens in town and several powerful beings, I’m confident we’ll find the killer. If you want to check up on Iggy and this miscreant raccoon, check the alley behind our strip mall, and you might catch a glimpse of them. They would be happy to fill you in on the latest news. Amazon KU
ELECTRIC IDOL: A DELICIOUSLY FORBIDDEN MODERN RETELLING OF PSYCHE AND EROS (DARK OLYMPUS BOOK 2) by Katee Robert
In the ultra-modern city of Olympus, there’s always a price to pay. Psyche Dimitriou knew she’d have to face Aphrodite’s jealous rage eventually, but she never expected her literal heart to be at stake…or for Aphrodite’s gorgeous son to be the one ordered to strike the killing blow. Eros has no problem shedding blood. Raised to be his mother’s knife in the dark, he’s been conditioned to accept that he’s more monster than man. But when it comes time to take out his latest target…he can’t do it. Confused by his reaction to Psyche’s unexpected kindness, he does the only thing he can think of to keep her safe: he binds her to him, body and soul. Psyche didn’t expect to find herself married to the glittering city’s most dangerous killer, but something about Eros wakens a fire inside her she’s never felt before. As lines blur and loyalties shift, Psyche realizes Eros might take her heart after all…and she’s not sure she can survive the loss.
GARNET FIRE (GEMSTONE WITCH SERIES BOOK 1) by Ana Michele
McKenna Pomengale has spent her entire life within the safety of her Coven’s Farm in Texas. There she not only learned live off the land but how to walk the Astral Plains, keeping the universe balanced. When her and every member of her coven is pulled from the plains and unable to gain entrance to them again McKenna must leave the only home she has ever known. She has to travel to the site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Upon her arrival she must search out the Guardians and learn the secrets they have protected for all these years. Learning to trust others outside of her coven while insuring her of her coven’s survival is paramount.
BATTLE OF THE HEIRS (THE EURA CHRONICLES BOOK 5) by K N Lee
For years, Lilae has been desperate to return to her home–to her true family line. But, instead of a harmonious reunion, Lilae now faces a fight against her brother that can divide the last remaining humans who haven’t been enslaved by the Empire. Liam discovers the truth of his fate alongside Sona, and threatens his bond with the woman he loves. On the other side of the world, the young Tryan boy from an ancient line of royalty is groomed to lead an army of dragons against the biggest foe the world of Ellowen has ever seen.
LORD OF EMBERS (THE DEMON QUEEN TRIAL BOOK 2) by C N Crawford
Once, I was a broke college student. Now, it seems I’m destined to rule as the Lightbringer–queen of the demon realm. Except I have competition in the form of Orion, the Lord of Chaos. Like me, he has been marked as a leader. We can’t keep our hands off each other, even if he swore an oath to kill me.
It seems we both want the same thing–the crown. And in this battle of wills, only one of us will be left standing. Amazon KU
YULE LOG: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (REMARKABLE REMEDIES) (HAVEN HOLLOW BOOK 12) by H P Mallory and J R Rain
VS Note: From DEC 21
It’s December 21 and the first night of the celebration of Yule! Much to Lorcan’s feigned irritation, Wanda is in the midst of throwing a Yule celebratory party at one of his numerous residences within Haven Hollow. But, yuletide exaltation is hardly on his mind. The only thing Lorcan can think about, other than the long and smooth line of Wanda’s delicate neck, is his Yule gift still awaiting her. But, as with most things involving the vampire and the Blood Witch, not everything goes to plan. When Lorcan imbibes one too many blood-chatas (ten, to be exact), memories of his unfortunate childhood revisit him and before he can stop himself, he’s waxing… well, not exactly poetic. Faced with a ruined holiday party and feeling sorry for himself, Lorcan turns his anger on the Yule log, something which will prove to be quite the big mistake. Amazon KU
HAUNTINGLY HAPPY: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION NOVEL (MIDLIFE SPIRITS BOOK 10) by H P Mallory and J R Rain
VS Note: From DEC 31
When Luke Montague was hit by a truck, courtesy of Angharad’s witch magic, I was in shock. But, when he opened his eyes and looked up at me, saying “ma minette,” I knew my life would never be the same again. And I was right. But, even with Drake alive again, everything isn’t daisies and roses. No, far from it. I’m still playing puppet on a string to Guarda (ahem, zombie puppet on a string) and important artifacts are still going missing throughout New Orleans, stolen at the hands of ghostly children. As if that weren’t enough, there’s a witch terrorizing the city with wands of licorice that turn into deadly snakes. And my sudden onslaught of dreams of the Colonial 17th century are somehow related, I’m sure. In my dreams, I’m in a garrison under attack from ghostly invaders and they’re searching for someone—someone who, in turn, is searching for me. Yep, just another day in the life of Peyton Clark, spiritualist, medium and perpetual mess up. Amazon KU
NEW WOLF (ARCTIC WOLF BOOK 2) by H P Mallory and J R Rain
A break-in at the local bar seems at first glance a routine case of vandalism, likely the result of high schoolers looking to score some free booze. Except no alcohol was stolen, there’s no evidence of an actual break-in, and the thief was clearly looking for something. But what? Chief Elodie Matthews wants to know. Meanwhile, as a new werewolf, her first official turning is rapidly approaching―and she’s not looking forward to it. By all accounts, it’s going to be painful and super weird, and she just doesn’t have time for it. Not when it turns out someone is hunting all the werewolves in town. No one is safe, least of all the new chief of police and the town’s newest werewolf resident. With the full moon fast approaching and a killer about to unleash unholy hell upon the citizens of Hope, Alaska, it’s up to Elodie Matthews to save the day. The only problem is… she barely knows who she is anymore. Or what she’s about to become. Amazon KU
EMBER (HAPPILY NEVER AFTER BOOK 7) by Plum Pascal and H P Mallory
Ember relies on two things in her life: Cleanliness and order. Owing to a traumatic childhood, she’s got OCD and clings to control, doing her best to avoid people and men, in particular. When a handsome stranger named Aimes Padmoore comes to her cartography office in Sweetland, claiming he needs her help deciphering a map that belonged to the Blue Faerie, Ember wants nothing more than to assist him and send him on his way. What she’s not counting on is another meeting with the young man who, this time, brings a friend—the prince of Sweetland—Blake Nonpereil. And Blake is just as handsome as Aimes, which causes Ember quite a bit of angst because both men are nothing but trouble as far as she’s concerned. When Aimes and Blake declare their wish for Ember to travel with them while they attempt to recover yet another map, she staunchly refuses. But when a third man gets involved, Vaughn, he forces Ember’s hand by targeting her where she’s most vulnerable—her family. Forced into traveling with all three men into the Anoka desert and beyond, Ember finds she might end up needing them just as much as they need her. Amazon KU
EMPRESS OF THE DARK (FORGOTTEN GODS BOOK 6) by Laura Greenwood
Trapped in the compound of a man who doesn’t love her, Nephthys knows it’s time to get out. But escaping is only part of the problem. Somehow, she has to convince the other gods she isn’t a spy for Seth. Can Nephthys reclaim her place with the other gods, or is she doomed to the same fate as the man she’s trying to leave behind?
STORM WARRIOR (THE WEAVERS CIRCLE BOOK 5) by Jocelyn Drake and Rinda Elliott
Hale Anderson – The Air Weaver. He was the freaking Air Weaver. Not exactly what he expected when he got kidnapped by the pestilents, but Hale’s good rolling with the punches. He can take a little time away from his pursuit of a doctorate in astrophysics to save the world. Except that the final spell is poised to kill all the Weavers and their last hope lies with him finding his soul mate. Hale doesn’t want a soul mate. He just wants Harrison. Harrison William Davenport III – As the Keeper of the Heart of the Earth, Harrison must bring the final key to the Weavers if they’re to stop the pestilents. He’s trained for this task his entire life. And he’s prepared to die just like his father did with the last generation of the Weavers. But what if saving the world isn’t enough anymore? What if the only thing that matters is saving Hale? Amazon KU
HEART SHAPED CONFECTION DECEPTION (MURDER IN THE MIX BOOK 41) by Addison Moore
My name is Lottie Lemon, and I see dead people. Okay, so I rarely see dead people, mostly I see furry creatures of the dearly departed variety, who have come back from the other side to warn me of their previous owner’s impending doom. It’s Valentine’s Day in Honey Hollow and cupid isn’t the only one looking to strike someone. Miranda and Wiley have special plans for the heart-shaped day but a killer is set to derail their plans and take down Lottie as well. A supernatural white lab shows up on the scene and things go from celebratory to deadly when love takes a back seat to murder. Lottie Lemon has a brand new bakery to tend to, a budding romance with perhaps one too many suitors, and she has the supernatural ability to see the dead—which are always harbingers for ominous things to come. Throw in a string of murders, and her insatiable thirst for justice, and you’ll have more chaos than you know what to do with. Living in Honey Hollow can be murder. Amazon KU
HEARTS AT WAR by K N Banet
Two broken hearts. Jabari and Aisha had a wild romance once, a beautiful year of bliss. She thought she had found her forever, and he felt his dead heart being pulled on in a way he thought was impossible. However, Jabari had already lost the love of his life and there was nothing that could repair that damage. So he walked away. He was the General, as many called him, and he knew just how to strike. He broke Aisha’s heart so perfectly that he was certain she would never try to pull at his dead heart again. One innocent life. Aisha didn’t know she was pregnant until after he was gone. So many things ran through her mind when she found out. Jabari, son of Hasan, was the oldest son of the most powerful werecat family in the world. It was fear, not anger or heartbreak, that kept her from reaching out sooner…(more blurb on ebook seller page…) Amazon KU
LOST KINGDOM: THE DARKFELL VAMPIRE CLAN BOOK 3 by L A McGinnis
I might be a queen, but this isn’t a fairytale. A ruthless king dragged me into the vampire world kicking and screaming, intending to kill me, like he had so many before. Then I took everything away from him. His throne is mine. His kingdom is mine. I wear the crown of the vampire queen, and to some, it seems all my dreams came true. But victory came at a terrible cost. My mate is far beyond my reach, and trying to save him would risk a bloody battle and the lives too many innocents. But when an ancient evil rises, the only way to survive is with Deston by my side, which means I’ll fight to get him back. If war is coming, it might as well be on my terms. Amazon KU
AKATA WOMAN (THE NSIBIDI SCRIPTS) by Nnedi Okorafor
From the moment Sunny Nwazue discovered she had mystical energy flowing in her blood, she sought to understand and control her powers. Throughout her adventures in Akata Witch and Akata Warrior, she had to navigate the balance between nearly everything in her life—America and Nigeria, the “normal” world and the one infused with juju, human and spirit, good daughter and powerful Leopard Person. Now, those hard lessons and abilities are put to the test in a quest so dangerous and fantastical, it would be madness to go…but may destroy the world if she does not. With the help of her friends, Sunny embarks on a mission to find a precious object hidden deep in an otherworldly realm. Defeating the guardians of the prize will take more from Sunny than she has to give, and triumph will mean she will be forever changed.
ANATOMY: A LOVE STORY by Dana Schwartz
VS Note: This one is classified as a gothic and/or an alternative history. Seems to have fantastical elements…
Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry. Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die. When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books—she’ll need corpses to study. Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living. But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares—until Hazel. Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.
THE BEHOLDEN by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Orphaned as young women, Celestia and Izara De Malena find themselves land rich but destitute, with only a failing rainforest acreage, Celestia’s perfect manners, and Izara’s nascent magic to their aristocratic names. With the last of their money running out, they enact a dangerous plan—using a spell she doesn’t fully understand, Izara summons the Lady of the Seraphine and demands a favor: a husband for Celestia, one rich enough to enable the De Malena sisters to keep their land. But a favor from the river goddess always comes at a cost . . . Now, five years later, rumors of war and disease are spreading, Celestia’s husband has been called away on a secret mission for the Emperor, and the Lady of the Seraphine is back to collect her due. Izara will be forced to leave the academy where she has been studying to become a mage; Celestia will be pulled from her now-flourishing farm while newly pregnant with her first child. Together, they must repay their debt to the Lady—embarking on a mission that will put them on a collision course with Celestia’s husband, the Emperor, and a god even more powerful than the Lady of the Seraphine.
LIGHTNING IN A MIRROR (FOGG LAKE BOOK 3) by Jane Ann Krentz
VS Note: Psychic ability…
Olivia LeClair’s experiment with speed dating is not going well. First there was the nasty encounter with the date from hell who tried to murder her and now the mysterious Harlan Rancourt—long believed dead—sits down at her table and tells her she’s the only one who can help him locate the legendary Vortex lab. This is not what Olivia had in mind when she signed up for the Four Event Success Guaranteed package offered by the dating agency. She doesn’t have much choice, though, because her psychic investigation firm works for the mysterious Foundation and Victor Arganbright, the director, is adamant that she assist Harlan. There’s just one problem—no one knows Harlan’s real agenda. His father once ran the Foundation like a mob organization, and Harlan was destined to be his heir. There’s a real possibility Harlan has returned to claim his inheritance. For now, however, it’s a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend because others are after the secrets of the long-lost lab. Unfortunately for Olivia, the one thing friend and foe have in common is that everyone is convinced she is the key. Her unique psychic talent is required to defuse the ticking time bomb that is Vortex. Neither trusts the other but Olivia and Harlan soon realize they must work together to survive and unlock the Bluestone Project’s most dangerous secrets before more innocent people die.
BOUND BY FIRELIGHT (WICKERY BOOK 2) by Dana Swift
After a magical eruption devastates the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused of masterminding the destruction and forced to stand trial in front of her people, who see her as a monster. Adraa’s punishment? Imprisonment in the Dome, an impenetrable, magic-infused fortress filled with Belwar’s nastiest criminals—many of whom Adraa put there herself. And they want her to pay. Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, has been Adraa’s betrothed, nemesis, and fellow masked vigilante . . . but now he’s just a boy waiting to ask her the biggest question of their lives. First, though, he’s going to have to do the impossible: break Adraa out of the Dome. And he won’t be able to do it without help from the unlikeliest of sources—a girl from his past with a secret that could put them all at risk. Time is running out, and the horrors Adraa faces in the Dome are second only to the plot to destabilize and destroy their kingdoms. But Adraa and Jatin have saved the world once already. . . . Now, can they save themselves?
SERVANT MAGE by Kate Elliott
They choose their laws to secure their power. Fellian is a Lamplighter, able to provide illumination through magic. A group of rebel Monarchists free her from indentured servitude and take her on a journey to rescue trapped compatriots from an underground complex of mines. Along the way they get caught up in a conspiracy to kill the latest royal child and wipe out the Monarchist movement for good. But Fellian has more than just her Lamplighting skills up her sleeve.
THE LOCK-EATER by Zack Loren Clark
VS Note: This is a children’s book but sounded fun!
Melanie Gate is a foundling with a peculiar talent for opening the unopenable—any lock releases at the touch of her hand. One night, her orphanage is visited by Traveler, a gearling automaton there on behalf of his magical mistress, who needs an apprentice pronto. When Melanie is selected because of her gift, her life changes in a flash, and in more ways than she knows—because Traveler is not at all what he seems. But then, neither is Melanie Gate. So begins an epic adventure sparkling with magic, wit, secret identities, stinky cats, fierce orphan girls, impostor boys, and a foundling and gearling hotly pursued by the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the land.
BEGINNINGS (BEGINNINGS END SERIES BOOK 1) by W J May
Centuries before the creation of the five kingdoms, when the great houses were still forming and the realm was ruled by fae, a small band of companions set out on a journey. Kiera had never left her village. It was a stroke of luck that she wasn’t there when the dragon attacked. Without any friends or family, without a shred of hope that anyone might believe her, she strikes off alone into the forest, looking for people that can help. The world is new and untamed. The people are leaderless and wild. There has never been an alliance to unite them, but an alliance is exactly what the realm needs. Because a darkness is coming. One that threatens to consume them all…Be careful who you trust. Even the devil was once an angel.
COMING BACK (A GRAPHGIC NOVEL) by Jessi Zabarsky
Preet is magic. Valissa is not. Everyone in their village has magic in their bones, and Preet is the strongest of them all. Without any power of her own, how can Valissa ever be worthy of Preet’s love? When their home is attacked, Valissa has a chance to prove herself, but that means leaving Preet behind. On her own for the first time, Preet breaks the village’s most sacred laws and is rejected from the only home she’s ever known and sent into a new world. Divided by different paths, insecurities, and distance, will Valissa and Preet be able to find their way back to each other? A beautiful story of two young women who are so focused on proving they’re meant to be together that they end up hurting each other in the process. This gorgeous graphic novel is an LGTBQ+ romance about young love and how it can grow into something strong no matter what obstacles get in the way.
THE STORM’S WHISPER (THE BROKEN LANDS BOOK 5) by T A White
The path to peace is never easy. As the first Caller in living memory, Eva struggles to find her footing as the bridge between her chosen people and the mythological race known as the Kyren. When unexpected arrivals threaten to test the newly formed alliance, Eva and her protector, Caden, fight to hold together the fast-fraying bonds before peace unravels and war once again returns. Should she fail, bloodshed the likes the Broken Lands haven’t seen since the cataclysm will stain the ground red.
The mysterious abilities that lie at the heart of Eva’s power will be her salvation or lead to her becoming an evil far worse than anything seen before. Will this land fall or be reborn into a new age?
POISED IN EITHER EYE by B Pigeon and Fell A Marsh
Five years have passed since Mateo chose to live among humans, and he had not yet encountered another dragon in his city—until now. Mateo is content with his choice to leave the austere, artless world of dragons for Earth’s subcultures—but he’s running out of money, and worried that the presence of a clueless newcomer, Zephyr, will attract hunters who traffic in magical creatures. To protect them both, Mateo agrees to teach Zephyr how to blend in among humans, secretly hoping to take advantage of Zephyr’s powers in the process. Dragons’ magic is, after all, tailored to the art of stealing, and Mateo needs money he no longer has the powers to acquire. But, despite his best efforts, Zephyr’s arrival still throws the stability of his human life into question. Zephyr left the dragon realm, Velzexus, to prove himself. His goal is to acquire an impressive hoard of gold to bring back to his family—though he finds that he must learn the rules of humans before he’s ready to steal.But humans are smarter and more dangerous than he assumes, and his plans may be further out of reach than he hopes.
PACK DARLING PART TWO by Lola Rock
After a disaster of a first heat, I’m ready to swear off alphas and escape to a cabin in the woods. My body has other plans. Now that I’m awakened, I can’t survive another heat alone. Problem is, I hate alphas, hate packs, and really super hate the so-called mates I can’t forgive and can’t forget. Now my biological clock’s ticking too fast to handle, and I can’t wait on Wyvern Pack to figure out their damage. I’ll take care of my own needs. And if you can’t give me what I want, then get out of my way. Because this omega bites back.
SLEEPWALK (ALPHA COMPOUND SERIES BOOK 4) by Anna Fury
My name is Jude, and like everyone, I’ve got secrets. Unfortunately, mine involves my family’s part in the creation of the Awaken virus, which turned normal men into violent, ruthless alphas three years ago. It was an accident, but now we’re on the run while I try to right my wrongs. I’ve spent three years hiding from the government, trying to find a cure for the alpha wildling phase, those volatile initial days after the transition. If I can do this, it will change everything. There’s just one problem–Griz. He’s the New York alpha pack’s strategist. Brilliant, kind, possessive. Perfect. I’m his mate, although I have to keep him at arm’s length. He loves me because he doesn’t know me–not really. What’s worse is I can’t tell him, because I need his pack to keep me safe until I find a cure. But the blazing, simmering need between us is undeniable, making it hard not to reveal my truth to him. If almost ending the world and having a doomed romance with a hot alpha wasn’t enough, my father’s been acting increasingly strange. His behavior leads me to believe he’s up to something sketchy with our research. I can’t let Griz and the pack be at further risk because of my work, but I’m terrified of what will happen when the truth gets out. When we’re forced to flee the Compound, and I’m in close proximity with Griz every day, it all comes to a head.. I’ve got to tell him the truth, but what he’ll do with it is anybody’s guess. Possibly kill me, definitely kick me out of the pack. There’s no way he could ever still love me, though…right? Amazon KU
THE UNHOLY (KREWE OF HUNTERS BOOK 6) by Heather Graham
VS Note: From DEC 20. Re-release.
The remake of a classic horror film awakens something violent from the past, and only the Krewe of Hunters can stop it, in book 6 of the fan-favorite suspense series, only from New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham. At Hollywood’s Black Box Cinema, a young starlet dies a terrifying death.
When a movie mogul’s son is charged with the grisly murder, he calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in irregular investigations. As part of the FBI’s paranormal team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren’t limited to the silver screen. Working with special-effects artist Madison Darvil—who has her own otherworldly gifts—Cameron delves into the malevolent force animating more than one movie monster. But will they be in time to stop the next noir scenario come to life?
NEVER ON A NEW YEAR’S EVE
by Heather Graham
VS Note: From DEC 29
Angela is waiting for Jackson Crow to come home—he’d just run into the office for a bit of last-minute work. Her dream was for a quiet night with just her kids, her husband and a cup of hot cocoa enjoyed together on the couch. It’s getting closer to midnight when she suddenly receives a call. She is warned—there will be a murder at midnight. Immediately after she hears Corby scream for help. While on their front porch, Corby had witnessed a kidnapping, and tells her the man is taking his victim to the cemetery. There is one just down the street, one that is as old as the country itself.
She’s not a fool—Corby calls in other agents while Angela rushes out to discover what she can while waiting for back-up. Strange conversations with the would-be killer keep her moving closer through gravestones and mausoleums, and when she knows others have arrived, she also sees that she must act and act quickly if she is to save a life. She tackles the kidnapper before he can act, but the act brings them both crashing through the door of one of the old cemetery’s mausoleums—and into a strange encounter that will change her perception of every new year to come. Amazon KU
THE UNSPOKEN (KREWE OF HUNTERS BOOK 7) by Heather Graham
VS Note: A re-release.
It is 1898. Bound for Chicago, the freighter Jerry McGuen goes down in Lake Michigan, taking with it every man aboard. But what other fate could befall a vessel carrying the ill-gotten sarcophagus of an Egyptian sorcerer? Now: A veteran diver and “ghost ship” expert is exploring the legendary wreck for a documentary. He dies inexplicably inside the freighter’s main saloon. Then another diver is killed, and panicked rumors rise like bubbles from the lake: ancient demons have awakened below! The expedition’s beleaguered financier calls paranormal investigator Katya Sokolov to Chicago to save the film – and perhaps some innocent lives. Along with media forensics guru Will Chan, Kat plumbs the depths of an evil that may date back to the time of the Pharaohs. But some secrets are best drowned in the seas of the past.
MORTAL CURSE (SHADOW SHIFTERS BOOK 1) by Tia Didmon
A shadow. A shifter. A curse. When a reaper attack thrusts Dannika into the shadow shifter world and her transition results in her imprisonment, she turns to Raine, the sexy shadow who saved her. As her attraction to Raine mounts, and dissension in the shadow shifter clan increases, she learns that being the only woman to survive the transition isn’t her only secret. Her new abilities come with a price, and if she doesn’t curb her killer instincts, she will end up as loathsome as the creature who attacker her. Amazon KU
HIS DETERMINED BEAR (BEARS OF ASHEVILLE BOOK 3) by Skye R Richmond
Graham’s biggest passion is baking delicious treats. So when his favorite teacher asks him to bake a wedding cake, he can’t turn it down! However, he isn’t prepared to meet Cooper, the son of the bride who looks good enough to lick. One sniff and he knows Cooper’s his mate. But what does the man do? He criticizes Graham’s brownie recipe! Now Graham is determined to show his mate who’s boss… of the kitchen. Cooper takes his first vacation in years to attend his mother’s wedding. He thought his world would be turned upside down when he learns about shifters, but a neurotic baker has him in a full tailspin! Forget the brownies, Cooper could eat Graham. Too bad his visit to Asheville is only temporary. In a few weeks, he’ll be back to work and Graham will be a very warm and fuzzy memory. Or so he thinks. What happens when a cranky, opinionated omega meets a sweet yet determined bear? Amazon KU
UNITED: MAGIFORD SUPERNATURAL CITY (PACK OF DAWN AND DESTINY BOOK 2) by K M Shea
A wolf is attacking the humans of Timber Ridge and changing them into werewolves—against their will. The change process is extremely dangerous and involves bloodshed. It isn’t something that happens by accident, which can only mean one thing. Someone is doing this on purpose. I’m going to find the rampaging sicko responsible for this outbreak, even if it means I have to master my new magic to stop them. Thankfully, Greyson—the Pack Alpha and the most powerful wolf in the Midwest—is always down for a hunt. The only problem is that I’m starting to find him attractive—which is the worst thing I could do. He’s got an incomplete mate bond, and since I’m a hunter, I could never be a wolf’s mate. That’s okay. I’m used to being alone. I’m a werewolf hunter, not part of the Pack. But that’s an awfully dangerous place to be when there is a rogue wolf on the loose. Amazon KU
THE FEY FAVOR (FAIRYTALE MATES BOOK 6) by Hawke Oakley
Can a tiny persnickety fey and a gentle giant human truly be fated? Gingersnap is a busy man. As the Fey King’s trusty underling, he’s constantly running errands and fulfilling important tasks. He doesn’t have a minute to spare for love, even if his heart secretly yearns for it. But Gingersnap’s life is thrown into chaos when a human baby appears out of nowhere on the Fey King’s doorstep—the same King notorious for hating humans and infants. Desperate to keep his new charge safe, Gingersnap turns to the only person he can think of: the human whose house the Fey Kingdom resides in. Single omega Edmund runs an in-home daycare. He loves children despite not having any of his own. His efforts at finding true love haven’t worked so far, but he’s positive good things will happen… someday. And that someday happens when a small man with a funny name appears in his house with a baby in hand. Amazon KU
MAGIC SOURCE: AN ORICERAN URBAN COZY (THE EVERMORES CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by Martha Carr and Michael Anderle
What does a young witch do when someone dangerous is after her, but their identity remains hidden? Fran Berryman strikes back and calls on her newly found powers. Super-sized. What are the Evermores up against? It’s nothing good…The Darkness Between Dreams is trying to track down the stolen book containing the prophecy of Tess. What will the Darkness do when he discovers the prophecy points straight at Fran? Everything Fran has built could come tumbling down – especially since there’s a traitor in their midst…Can Fran and her new company keep creating and testing new prototypes, seeking out investors, and keeping the Source contained – while fighting off attacks from the Darkness Between Dreams? Will they be able to achieve their dreams of Mana Wave? AmazonKU
MAXIMUS (LORDS OF OTHERWORLD BOOK 1) by Stella Rainbow
Maximus – The first time I went looking for Kym, it was because he was a relative of a murder victim I was investigating. Every time after that? It was because I realized he was my mate. For the first time in my long existence, I’d found something more important than my work. But with evil brewing in the shadows, my realm and my king needed me more than ever. Could I really make a choice between my family and my mate? Kym – I knew my uncle’s death was a murder, but no one believed me except my best friend. That is, until I met Maximus. After spotting the huge, intimidating man lurking around my shop, I’d had no option but to face him. He didn’t scare me, but what he told me turned my life upside down. Could I really make a choice between the only home I’d ever known, and the man who promised me the world? Amazon KU
TRUE NORTH by Corey Kerr
Misha doesn’t remember what it’s like to have a home. He left Russia in search of a better life, but when he didn’t find it, he left the human world behind. Now he lives in the woods and eats garbage out of trash cans. At least he’s safe here as long as he stays a bear. But he keeps going back to one particular house, to one particular guy. He can’t seem to stay away. JT feeds him breakfast and says he wants to help, and Misha slowly, begrudgingly begins to trust him. Before long, Misha’s living in his spare room and learning how to be human again… and lusting over his new roommate. JT is everything Misha’s always told himself he can’t have. He plays hockey, he’s rich, he looks amazing in a swimsuit, and he turns out to be much less straight than Misha assumed. As their summer idyll takes a thrilling, steamy turn, Misha begins to tentatively put down roots in JT’s hometown of Sault Ste. Marie and think about what might happen when the summer ends. But Misha’s past hasn’t left him behind, and when his secrets abruptly come to light, he risks losing everything about his new life that he’s come to cherish… especially JT. Amazon KU
FATE HOLLOW ACADEMY: TERM ONE by Lyra Winters
Fate Hollow is the academy of the elite, where supernatural beings with special magic train for war against humans. A big-hearted, naïve arctic fox shifter like me couldn’t have prepared for the treachery lurking within the walls of the academy. Students were going missing or turning up dead on campus and rumors circulated about humans infiltrating academy grounds. Seeds of fear bloomed within the student body. To make matters worse, the mate that rejected me was hellbent on painting a bright red target on my back with the help of his new girlfriend. Against all odds, I found refuge with seven irresistible supernatural men, each one more different from the last. Would the bond of my mates be enough to manifest my hidden power? Without it, I was vulnerable. And with a dragon cult attempting to wage war on humans, I had no choice but to fight. Amazon KU
MAFIA DRAGON’S REJECVTED MATE (IRISH DRAGON SHIFTER BROTHERS BOOK 19) by Brittany White
The Island Witch – My home is cursed. Not a single one of us can leave. I’ve spent my entire life trapped on this island, with only my coven for company. The only visitors are a group of rough males – dragon shifters who run a supernatural mafia. They’re called Excido, which means ‘destroy.’ They trade in dark magic, in an underground market. As a potion maker, I’ve made the brews they sell. But my father forbids me from meeting them. He says they are ruthless and cruel. His warnings have only made me more curious. The mafia leader is a sexy male named Kane. He isn’t cruel to me. He takes me on picnics and sunset sails. He says he’s my mate. But Kane’s got a dark side. I see it firsthand when he rejects me.
Will I ever recover from losing the love of my life? The Mafia Dragon Shifter – I was born into a life of crime. My father treated my mother like dirt. He raised me to be just like him. But I never want a mate.
After my father’s murder, I focused on running my mafia crew and selling dark artifacts. My business leads me to a hidden island, one kept secret from the world. The coven sells me their weapons and their potions, all enchanted with dark magic. Any item they create is a hit with my clients. Then I meet the potion maker, the one whose magic enchants. She’s a gorgeous witch. One who’s been coddled and protected by her father. She has me captivated. I’m under her spell, ready to give up everything for her.
Until I realize that our lives are too different. I’m a changed male, but I can’t live in her world.
I reject her promises and break her heart. Can a powerful witch forgive her dragon shifter mate for rejecting her love? Amazon KU
VAMPIRE KING by Van Cole
VS Note: A re-release.
Willis Vaughn is a king with a problem. He has fallen deeply in love with another man and now desperately wants him to be his mate. But he is a vampire and the man he loves is a werewolf – and both species are sworn enemies. And then there is the not so small issue of his fiancée, Luna.
A formidable woman intent on getting her own way! With his kingdom in disarray and open war breaking out, Willis realizes he needs to bring unity to the land. Might that way be to lead by example and bring equality between the vampires and werewolves – starting with him? Can Will’s love for a werewolf transcend his people’s long feud with them? Or is his crown – and his romance – doomed to failure? Because unless he can do something, there will be no hope for him and the vampires of ever living in peace. Amazon KU
KINGS OF SHADOW AND STONE: WORLD OF AUREUM SERIES BOOK 2 by Anastasia King
Servant to the God of Death, now a prisoner of war. Keres’ chains are in the hands of her enemy and he’s bringing her to heel. As twists of fate entangle her, she must learn to play the strings or become the spell-bound puppet. The bargain for freedom, a bond forged in darkness. The deadly game between Gods and mortals has only just begun. Amazon KU
IGNITE THE FIRE: INFERNO by Karen Chance
Cassie Palmer, once a down on her luck clairvoyant and now the chief seer of the supernatural world, is in the fight of her life. While on a rescue mission in Faerie, she is kidnapped by a king of the fey named Aeslinn. He is her sworn enemy and has every reason to want to kill her, yet instead he offers a trade: her life for that of her lover, John Pritkin. Cassie doesn’t know what the king’s game is, only that it involves his alliance with Zeus, the head of the ancient pantheon who used to rule all of Earth and who is determined to do so again. In order to save her lover, and the world, she has to figure out what Zeus and his royal puppet are up to. She also has to stop them, even if it means taking on the king of the gods himself.
SHE’S THE ONE WHO CAN’T KEEP QUIET (THE WAR STORIES OF THE SEVEN TROUBLESOME SISTERS BOOK 5) by S R Cronin
VS Note: The Queer SciFi twitter feed says “queer fantasy (lesbian, poly, demi/bi, ace)”
Do you know what your problem is? Celestine, the fifth of seven sisters, is tired of hearing about hers. Father thinks she’s frivolous because she likes pretty clothes and caters to the crowds in the taverns who adore her music. Mother thinks that because she’s the most social daughter in the family, she can’t keep quiet about anything. They’re both wrong. Celestine hides a secret she has kept for most of her life. As the family beauty and a talented musician with a lyrical voice, she has the best prospects for marriage to a prince. When such a liaison never happens, people assume Celestine is too choosy. But even in somewhat tolerant Ilari, a daughter hates to disappoint her family. How can she tell them she’s in love with a princess instead? Lucky for Celestine, all her sisters are obsessed with an invading army headed to their realm. Celestine would rather ignore the threat and enjoy the freedom their lack of attention gives her. But, her voice can unlock a power that may help save Ilari. And the woman she loves is determined to fight these invaders. And her family, for all their talents, seems clueless about how to motivate the masses. Celestine knows she can inspire the citizens of Ilari to do what needs to be done. Is it time to put her inhibitions aside and use her voice to save those she cares about?
LOVE AND CURSE MAKING (MAGICAL DATING AGENCY BOOK 1) by Kelly St Clare
What do jazz pixies, siren celebrities, and three hundred disastrous dates with supernatural men have in common? Me. I’m Cerys. And at twenty-two years old, running a paranormal dating agency with my bestie and living in the magical society of Nepos is an amazing life. Not gonna lie though, it’d be better with a little action. Kissing, maybe? A one-armed hug? Heck, after three years, I’ll take a man touching my bedsheets. Or would if this curse didn’t 100 percent block me from romance. When my ‘extinct’ brand of magic explodes in the presence of true love, the off-the-charts sexy but infuriatingly bored Detective Devereaux gets involved. And let me tell you, ladies, there are m-u-s-c-l-e-s under his long coat! So I’m cursed and dodging the law and trying to put more love in the world each day. And now some creep is digging up heart elemental bodies. Seriously. How is it only Monday?
HOLD MY BEAR (VIRTUE SHIFTERS BOOK 5) by Zoe Chant
If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen…Chef Charlee has spent a lifetime trying to outrun her difficult past. A head chef job in a small town might be the start of something new—but she never expected the boss to be more sizzling hot than anything she’s ever cooked! But Charlee has been burned before, so keeping her mind on the job is the only safe choice. If only she would stop imagining the kitchen counter as a great place for a steamy rendezvous… (No, Charlee! No! You prepare food on that! Stop thinking that way! But he’s so handsome…!) His new restaurant is his fresh start. But the head chef is the tastiest thing on the menu…Bear shifter Steven has big plans to break away from his family’s brewhouse tradition. All he needs is a new town, a new restaurant, and a new…incredibly sexy, curvy chef who just happens to be his fated mate?! Now it’s not ambitions for the bistro that get him all fired up—it’s Charlee, and finding a way to coax her out of her shell. Charlee doesn’t know about shifters, and Steven doesn’t know if this restaurant is really what he wants after all—but the more they work together, the more they become certain that above all else, what they want is…each other. Amazon KU
COLLEGE DAYS (REAGALOS PREQUEL) by Rebecca Cohen
Lornyc is good at keeping secrets, because secrets can get you kicked out of College. Lornyc considers the undergraduate course, and most of the people on it, beneath him. He just needs to get through this year and then he can start his doctorate. Methian might be attractive enough, but he’s an annoying, fat-headed, sloth toad, and Lornyc doesn’t want him as a lab partner. In fact, Lornyc doesn’t want anything to do with him. Prequel to the Reagalos novels: enemies to lovers, new adult, gay romance fantasy. A stand-alone novel in the Reagalos universe that charts how Lornyc and Methian got together, despite their best efforts not to. Amazon KU
BOUND TO THE DARK (CLAIMED BY MONSTERS BOOK 1) by Sadie Moss
Monstrous. Dangerous. Broken. And completely devoted to me. In a world where fae are hunted by vampires, disguising my true nature is a matter of survival. That’s why I’ve spent the past several years pretending to be human, even dating a human guy. But after finding out that Mr. Jerkwad is cheating on me, I do the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I go to a bar and leave with three stunning, mysterious men. We spend one wild night together, and the chemistry between us is like an electric storm. Maybe that’s because to them, this isn’t just a one-night stand. All of these men are part fae, and they claim I’m their fated mate. That should terrify me, especially since I can tell they’re each harboring dark secrets behind their gorgeous features. They’re part fae, but they’re part something else, too. Something wild, feral, and untamed. But when a vampire mobster sets his sights on me, it may be that the only ones who can protect me…Are my three monstrous mates. Amazon KU
THE NORTH WIND by Alexandria Warwick
Long before civilization, there were the gods. And before the gods, there was the earth, the celestial bodies, and air given flesh. They are the Anemoi—the Four Winds—and they have been banished to the four corners of the world. Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. Her parents are gone. Survival is all she knows. For three hundred years, the land known as the Gray has been encased in ice, surrounded by a great barrier called the Shade, which protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond. But day by day, the Shade weakens. Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: a mortal woman taken captive across the barrier, bound in wedlock to the dark god who reigns over the Deadlands. He is the North Wind, the Frost King, an immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules. And the time has come for the Frost King to choose his bride. Amazon KU
MECHANIC WOLF (SHIFTER MATING AGENCY BOOK 2) by Layla Silver
I got matched with a mechanic wolf. I came to this paranormal small town because I’m on the run from my stalker ex. Once here, the dating agency set me up with the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.
The chemistry is there, but I know how risky it would be to date him. It’s not easy to be a human living among supernaturals. Some would say I’m dancing with the enemy. That I would betray my kind by dating one of them. But I can’t deny the feelings that he brings out in me. He says he could protect me, and I know he’s strong enough. But am I willing to put him in that sort of danger?
Can I give love a chance when the stakes are so high? When suddenly it’s not just me that has to be protected…But the baby inside of me too? Amazon KU
NINE: THE ETERNALS BOOK THREE by J Marie (Jordan Marie
The only memories I have are of being studied and tortured. My captors were slowly killing me.
When I got the chance to escape, I took it—even though doing so left my brothers alone in that prison. Yet, I’m not truly free. The guilt and pain eat away at me daily. I stumbled into a place called the Badlands by accident. It’s a sanctuary for people like me—but then, I’m not like them. Not at all.
I stay, simply because I have nowhere else to go. I have nothing, definitely not a purpose to continue existing–Until her. Welcome to the world of the Eternals. Supernatural beings finding their way in a world they don’t belong to, yet have no choice but to live in. Amazon KU
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VS: The next book in my STAR CRUISE backlist is STAR CRUISE: RETURN VOYAGE, which takes a look at one of the youngest survivors from the WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM (“Titanic in space…”) grown up and still dealing with PTSD issues from surviving the wreck. I did a lot of research for this one, including into how the youngest survivors of the actual Titanic sinking coped as adults. It was nice to (briefly) bring some of the other major characters from WRECK back for a glimpse at the end. And I enjoyed Verlaine, the heroine’s service animal.
This book is a re-release of STAR CRUISE RETURN VOYAGE, which was in the Pets in Space® 5 anthology. No new material has been added.
Gianna Nadenoft is a reclusive survivor of one of the worst interstellar cruise ship disasters in the history of the Sectors. Now a renowned artist, she hasn’t left her home planet in decades, not since returning there after the wreck as a traumatized three year old. With her service animal at her side, she’s going to make the effort to travel across the star systems to attend her brother’s wedding and reunite with her fellow survivors. Trevor Hanson is a security officer aboard the cruise liner Nebula Zephyr with his own traumatic past as a former Special Forces soldier and prisoner of war. He’s assigned to provide personal protection to Gianna during her time aboard the ship but soon finds his interest turning from professional to romantic. The two share more in common than either of them realizes and their attraction grows as the voyage continues. But powerful enemies including a conspiracy theory-obsessed fellow passenger and sinister individuals with hostile intentions are watching Gianna and making plans to seize this rare opportunity to gain access to her and the secrets they believe she’s still keeping about the wreck. Can Trevor overcome his personal demons and rise to the occasion to save Gianna from the danger waiting on his ship? Or will she slip through his fingers and suffer a terrible fate deferred from the day her last voyage came to a disastrous end?
Amazon Apple Books Kobo Nook Google Play
Also available wide in the NEBULA DREAM TRILOGY BOX SET at all major ebook sellers.
Artist’s rendition of Verlaine
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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.
Oh no, get well soon. X
Gill
Thanks! Taking it a day at a time…
Oh no, get well soon.
Gill
Hope you feel better soon!
Pingback: New Releases in Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance for JAN 19 - Amazing Stories
I, for one, am really grateful for your weekly release posts. I used to run my own book review blog, so I have a good idea of how time consuming this must be. I really look forward to seeing it every week.
Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it and it was a morale booster for sure. I have a process for how I do this every week but yes, a LOT of work. I’m always happy to hear people do enjoy it and find it useful!