fantasy – contemporary

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Summary: When Denny isn’t working as a photographer, they spend their time at the local coffee shop mooning over one of the regulars, the mysterious and beautiful Peri. No one’s more surprised than Denny when she asks them out on a date. What happens that night throws the couple into a world where nothing is as it appears and everyone wants to get their hands on Peri and her powers to inspire artists – especially Joolie, the controlling and egotistical leader of Denny’s art collective. If that wasn’t enough, the powerful, capricious water elementals known as Nyxen have inexplicably taken an interest in Denny. They warn that Peri’s gifts bring nothing but trouble to those around her. It’s hard to argue with them when the magic starts to go wrong; paintings greedily come alive with grasping tentacles, an obsessed ex-lover returns to threaten the couple, and Denny begins to wonder if their grip on reality is beginning to slip…  

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Summary: A distant, compelling mental summons drives Ru'ita to seek out its origin, accompanied by the other Elementals. But the source is not at the coast. It lies much further east, and the Silver Sea now lies between the Elementals and their ultimate destination. Can they persuade a shipmaster to take them, when for generations they have avoided sailing east, fearing that they would fall off the edge of the world? And if such a voyage can be taken, what other strange encounters are waiting from them, beyond the farthest point anyone has navigated in living memory? The Elementals' journey of discovery becomes a true voyage in this second book of the Second Berikatanyan Chronicles, where the natural forces they must battle with prove more sinister and terrifying than anything they have faced before!

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Summary: Elections are stressful enough, and none more than this one. With so much riding on the vote this year, Sammy needed involvement to get her candidate elected and into the Whitehouse. Now on election night she’s had a terrible day, but plans to work on the phones until the bitter end. Already late for her volunteering, Sammy rushes for the ancient building’s elevator, mercifully being held for her by an attractive stranger. More than an election is held in the balance when the elevator gets stuck between floors, and Sammy finds out that the woman stuck with her works for the enemy camp. Who will win the election, and how will these two women make it out of the elevator in one piece?

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Summary: As far as Ruby Killingsworth is concerned, life couldn't possibly get any better, She is the wealthiest and most influential she's ever been. her entertainment empire continues to grow and thrive, her personal life is uncomplicated and fulfilling, and she continues to explore the unequaled magic she's been granted access to. In Ruby's world, magic and money can solve just about any problem. But when an email from the future arrives in her inbox-- one that threatens her entire business and especially the career of one up-and-coming rock star-- she finds neither of her usual solutions adequate to the task. She'll need help getting to the bottom of this, and there's only one person she knows who's qualified to take on an adversary as esoteric as a possible time traveler. The problem? That person is Jaccob "Stardust" Stevens, Cobalt City's pre-eminent superhero, world-leading tech genius, and professional Good Guy, who also happens to be Ruby's next-door neighbor and former flame. With the help of a team of young heroes led by the legendary Kara Sparx, Jaccob and Ruby must find a way to work together to find the time travelers and stop them before they destroy everything Ruy has worked so hard to build. And maybe, in time, they might just find each other again.

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Summary: "Once upon a time, there was a girl who spoke with birds" She’d used her mage powers to build a successful detective agency, but Dhana’s impressive skills might not be enough to save her family. MIDNIGHT CROW is a standalone sequel to the WOODSPELL SERIES and one of the TALES OF ARDONNA. Content Advisory: Contains adult themes and situations, including violence and assault, plus spoilers for previous Modern Era books  

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Summary: In volume three of this widely-praised dark fantasy anthology series, the Night Bazaar, a secret marketplace of the rare, strange, occult, and dangerous, journeys to 19th century London. There, as usual, its vendors will purvey curious services, forbidden wares, and rare objects which cannot be had elsewhere, for any price. The midnight market has operated throughout history in various locales, appearing in a city for one week only, never to return. This time the Bazaar’s proprietress, the enigmatic and unflappable Madame Vera, escorts the reader on an eerie, fantastical British tour in ten linked short stories by various authors. Some tales feature such recognizable luminaries as Sherlock Holmes, occultist Madam Blavatsky, and Queen Anne Boleyn. Several take place during the Bazaar proper, while others occur earlier or later, tied to its 1880 London appearance by a curse or spell – or, by an object found, inherited, purchased, or stolen during the decades since, by the unsuspecting, foolish, or greedy (though seldom the completely innocent). Together, these ten linked stories take readers on a fantastical journey into astonishment, dread, and dark delight. The Night Bazaar still holds everything you’ve read about but thought had passed away, or perhaps never existed at all. How wrong you were! But be warned: as usual, each object or service comes with a gift, a curse, or a haunting. NOTE: THE VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES MAY BE READ IN ANY ORDER YOU LIKE!

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Summary: My name is Ben, and I died last year. Almost. I’d hoped I would wake up from my near-death experience as a medium just in time for high school. Turns out it just wrecked my legs. No medium talent, either. I’m something else. A summoner. Join Ben as he finds his feet at the Academy and learns what it takes to be a summoner in this complete 9-book series boxed set! --- I know next to nothing about my talent besides it involves portals and pledge bonds. It’s okay, they teach it at school. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong. Mateo, the other summoner in my class, hates me. The class clairvoyant thinks destiny has got it out for me, too. Makes sense. As if I don’t already feel like a square peg, getting around on crutches, my portals break stuff and go to the wrong realm. It’s a good thing I’ve got help from my family, friends, and a celestial called Arie. It takes constant rehab just to keep my busted body working. But how do I fix my broken talent?

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Summary: Once upon a time, Ruby and Vivienne were rivals and enemies. Now? Theirs is a happiness neither one of them saw coming, and things between them are almost perfect. Almost. There's still the matter of The Raven. Ruby intends to make Vivienne's on-again lover, off-again nemesis pay for the harm he's done to both of them. Too bad Vivienne insists on leaving him alive. But Ruby has other ways of dealing with the men who have wronged her. A web of lies, a tangle of magic, and one dark and dirty secret threaten to destroy everything they've built together. Love is messy, especially when all involved have BAD INTENTIONS.

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Summary: RISE (noun / verb) Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) An upward slope or movement 2) A beginning or origin 3) An increase in amount or number 4) An angry reaction 5) To take up arms 6) To return from death 7) To become heartened or elated 8) To exert oneself to meet a challenge Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

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Summary: Dr. Eavan Delaney is frustrated. It is her destiny to reunite her people and work hard to protect the rivers and waters of the world, but she has no help whatsoever. So she has lived among humans for decades, undiscovered and in peace, but she knows this is wrong: she should be taking action. Then comes the fateful day she calls for support one last, desperate time -- and is heard. With the support of ‘The Council of Twelve’, Eavan continues to work for the safety of Nature. But no one has foreseen that the ‘Other Side’ has been sabotaging her efforts. The challenge before her is suddenly much greater, and the consequences of failure even more dire than she ever imagined. Will Eavan be strong enough to save the waters from the fire?

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Summary: Dark, quirky, urban fantasy heaped with magic, mystery, and all the feels. Protecting her secret and hunting demons is a matter of survival for possessed-practitioner Mira Fuentes. She's spent years learning to work with the snarky demon housed in her body, and it hasn't always gone smoothly. Nor has her recent partnership with an agent of the Paranatural Task Force. Ty Williams—uncomfortably-attractive and overly-protective—may never fully accept that his partner has a literal inner demon. But work-life-demon balance is the least of Mira's problems when a figure from her past drags her back to the hometown she's avoided for nearly a decade to investigate a string of potentially-magical disappearances. Someone or something is snatching teens from the local high school. Emotionally off-balance in a city full of old ghosts and new dangers, Mira will have to confront her past to discover what is hunting the innocent. Winner of the Colorado Author's League Award for Writing Excellence, Fantasy & Paranormal Killer Nashville Silver Falcion Award Top Pick and Finalist in Supernatural Chanticleer International Book Awards Finalist, Paranormal

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Summary: In the aftermath of Ahnak’s Doom, the Elementals have fled to the North. Have they escaped one peril only to encounter another even more terrifying? Fallout from the Doom threatens the survivors with starvation. Aftershocks set the simple dwellings of Tenfir Abarad quaking, sending townspeople screaming into the streets in renewed fear. And in the near-total darkness, the Elementals find their powers dwindling. Can the refugees resolve their differences with the northern people and work together to survive the Impact Winter? Is the planet still resonating from the gargantuan impact, or are more sinister forces at work? And will the Elementals discover the reasons for their limited powers in time to face their latest, most devastating enemy? Continue your journey of discovery with this first book in the Second Chronicles, and follow our heroes as they battle once more with nature, dread foes, and their own internal demons!

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Summary: Fourth of the Vyrdigaan Prophecies, telling the back-story of Andreas Cesario. As the illegitimate child of a Carpathian Lord and his favourite housemaid, Andreas has to contend with his violent and hateful half-siblings and various power-plays within the household. He is a product of two different worlds — the privileged upbringing of a Carpathian son and the freedom of the streets where his mother was born. As he grows up, he discovers that he is far more important than he ever imagined, being part of a two-stage prophecy which dates back to the origins of the Founding Families of the Inner Circle. Set up for a fall by his scheming half-siblings, he has to rely on his natural intelligence in order to stay ahead in the game. This novel follows the story of his life from birth to his mid thirties.

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Summary: Third of the Vyrdigaan Prophecies, telling the back-story of Edeeshah Modjian. Born into Varagan society where females are prohibited from learning and practising sorcery, Edeeshah faces two tough choices — keep her nascent powers a secret or go to mainland Varathusia and find someone to teach her. Neither of these appeals to her and she chafes against the restrictions imposed upon her. When a third option is presented to her, she embarks on a path which will bring about a dramatic transformation. Follow her journey as she learns important lessons and deals with many challenging situations. Read less

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Summary: 32 Stories 8 Authors All Genres Something for everyone · Abandoned at the abbey as a boy, Brother Silas holds a smoldering resentment of his fate. · Sailors often tell frightening tales of what they find at sea. No one warns you about the ships in the harbor. · A young man, tired of office-place bullying, is arrested for a murder that he didn’t commit -- but not for lack of trying. · Old buildings come with ghosts, and ghosts come with stories. Ghost stories are Emily’s favorite part of her job at Monmouth-Whitman Girls Academy. · A teen couple sneaks out into the woods at night, only to find they’re not alone. · A man struggles to find peace in a quantum world; where people are entangled; events are in superposition; and the uncertainty principle reigns. Welcome to Shelf 804! Under the Dewey Decimal System, Shelf 804 currently holds a designation of “not assigned, or no longer used” - naturally, we were only too happy to lay claim to this rare niche of unoccupied library real estate. Step into a literary treasure trove that brings together the creative prowess of eight authors, spanning genre and style, as we populate our very own Shelf 804 with the thirty-two short stories collected in this anthology. Each writer has engaged, in their own style, with four original prompts to inspire their writing. The result is an anthology as diverse as our imaginations. Join us on a journey that will transport you from a dueling piano bar in Denver, Colorado to the deck of a sailing ship worthy of Edgar Allan Poe; from the startling and unexpected world of ‘the innerverse’ to the gleaming, strangely quiet corridors of a moon colony. We are grateful for the support you’ve provided in purchasing a copy. Have fun discovering the hidden gems of Shelf 804.

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Summary: A magical bookshop holds the keys. When Mason Chynoweth inherits an old house in small-town New Zealand, he hopes to discover what happened to his great-great uncle Lewis after he returned from the war in 1945. Mason’s first encounter with the property is thankfully reassuring—his sensitive psychic powers aren’t triggered and he has a calm sense of coming home. Elijah Whitaker arrives in Kedgetown for an extended visit with his aunts. He’s quickly drawn to Mason and offers to help him try to find some answers in the dusty old house. It soon becomes clear that Mason is keeping secrets, but Elijah has a few secrets of his own. Like his closely guarded knowledge of the hidden supernatural world, and the fact that many of the townspeople are psi and supernaturals. What is the connection between the house and Postscript, the town’s enigmatic bookshop? Mason’s glimpses of the past give some clues, but not enough to make sense of the puzzle. When a hidden journal comes to light, the true story of Lewis’s journey is revealed, and his path and Mason and Elijah’s begin to intertwine.

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Summary: Tales to warm your imagination during the cold winter months Featuring stories by Christina Ardizzone, Matt Bliss, Gustavo Bondoni, Micah Castle, Nestor Delfino, C. M. Fields, Andrew Giffin, Emma Kathryn, Michelle Ann King, Jason Lairamore, Eve Morton, Lena Ng, S. Park, Arlo Sharp, Mar Vincent, and Richard Zwicker

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Summary: Free bird? Don't make me laugh. Mom tossed me out of the nest with five dollars and the clothes on my back. Why? I visited my snitch brother in Danvers Sanitarium. Pariah or not, I refuse to abandon my favorite sibling. Did I forget to mention mom made me homeless on the night before my first day of high school? The principal took pity, but she stuck me in the boarding house with a nosy roommate. I refuse to flunk out of high school like the rest of my family. Breaking the cycle is a tall order. Three of my classmates decide to grief me because of my shady family. The others are part of an exclusive and mysterious clique. My only friend is Ed, a scrawny medium I rescued from a gang of psychic bullies. At least he doesn’t mind my obsession with ghosts. How will I get through the first month at this rowdy school, let alone three whole years?

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Summary: It's not easy being the child of legends When her brother goes missing, the first hint of a larger plot against her famous family, Beau must find her inner hero--if she & her friends can avoid getting killed first. CHASING SUNSET is a stand-alone sequel to the WOODSPELL SERIES and one of the TALES OF ARDONNA.

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Summary: The pandemic came and the world changed. Lives have changed; work has changed. The boundaries between reality and fantasy have become as blurred as those between life and work. Corporate Catharsis: The Work From Home Edition explores the impact of the COVID pandemic on everyone's personal and professional lives through speculative fiction. Featuring stories by Alicia Adams, Antaeus, Pauline Barmby, Steven D. Brewer, Dominick Cancilla, Adrienne Canino, Graham J. Darling, Derek Des Anges, Manny Frishberg, Alex Grehy, Jon Hansen, Alexa Kellow, Jack Nash, Helen Obermeier, Frank Sawielijew, William Shaw, Steve Soult, N.L. Sweeney, Kimberley Wall, and Richard Zaric.