Fiction

A murdered mentor. A contested inheritance. And secrets powerful enough to kill for. It’s a new semester at Grantabridge University. Along with the beautiful flowers of spring comes the hope of no more dead bodies, the possibility of none of Lady Corinne’s machinations, and a new professor! Wilhelmina Schultz, Willa to her friends, has settled comfortably in her apprenticeship routine with the apothecary and mentor, Rupert Benson. That is, until she meets her new professor and begins to doubt her place in her chosen career. Her professor is just the beginning of her problems. The apothecary shop is broken into more than once, someone’s watching the shop … and then she finds the body. Every clue the Ladies of WACK uncover leads to more secrets to unravel. Mysterious medications. An apothecary who lost his license. Coded records to difficult to decipher. Can the Ladies of WACK solve yet another murder? Only time will tell . . .

When a violent storm rips through Wisteria Creek, Madison Cole loses more than her home. She also loses the fragile stability she’s spent years building for her and her daughter. Forced to stay in the guest house of her best friend’s infuriating, undeniably attractive older brother, she finds herself confronting memories she thought she’d outgrown. Seth Cunningham has always been the man she could never quite figure out. The boy who teased her, the teenager who kept his distance, and the adult who now watches her with a quiet intensity she doesn’t understand. Living steps apart was supposed to be temporary. However, beneath long summer evenings and soft moments they never meant to share, their friction begins to shift into something neither of them is ready for. Under a sky broken open by storms, Madison and Seth learn that sometimes the pieces left behind create something stronger, deeper, and worth fighting for. Frenemies-to-lovers tension, found family warmth, and the tender pull of a love written in the quiet moments: Beneath the Broken Sky is a heart-stirring small-town romance about healing, hope, and home. “Emily’s writing evokes emotions I’m drawn to. It’s inherently familiar in a way that allows you to step into her world and truly live there. I’m obsessed and in love and can't wait for more!” - Willow Winters, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling Author

In a world where extraordinary powers have become a commodity, young adults with Power must attend summer camps where they can hone their abilities in order to become more valuable to the Normal population. Peter is in his tenth year at Camp Oaktree and heading into his third year of Battles. He has been working hard to build a reputation that will fix his family's damaged honor, but when he is partnered with the mysterious and rebellious Violet, his future seems not so certain. Violet has been Normal all her life. At least, that is what she has convinced everyone. But when tragedy strikes her first year of college, and she is Discovered, she is thrust into the limited world of limitless Power. Will she survive the summer and stay true to her promise to shield her dangerous Power, or will she succumb to the pressures of Camp Oaktree?

A faerie without magic. A prisoner with everything. A monster that devours the moon. For the fae, magic is everything: status, power, wealth, and honor. For Vera Reite, a faerie born without magic, it is a shameful reminder that she will never amount to anything. But the moon is shrinking. Soon, the source of power for the Moon Court will be lost, and the fae will cease without it. When Vera learns the culprit is a monster that feeds off the magic of fae, she finds a glimmer of hope. Should she succeed in killing it, she may be able to steal its great power for herself and become a true faerie. The ancient beast is not so easily slayed, and Vera’s arrogance threatens to destroy her. The woods where the monster lurks abound in secrets and, at the core, they hide an even deadlier weapon: a long forgotten project and its prisoner. If Vera wishes to survive, she and the mysterious prisoner must work together to kill the monster before the Moon Court is devoured. Print versions of CRESCENT include 30+ original illustrations by the author.

The world didn't end all at once. It bled out. Enter the Rotwind universe with Dead Drops , a visceral, post-apocalyptic sci-fi anthology set before the events of the main series. Before Morgan Reed’s mission... Before the conspiracy was exposed... There were the people who kept humanity alive, one impossible choice at a time. THE LAST RUN Jenkins, a legendary courier, prepares for a 300-mile delivery carrying medical supplies and letters from home. With a storm rising over the mountains, he leads with duty, not fear. But on a crumbling pass, Jenkins makes a sacrifice that will echo through the future of the Pit Stop itself. THE SKY ABOVE THE ROT Pat Thorne, a fierce pilot, loses her aircraft to the New American Republic—until she decides to steal it back. Stranded over the wastelands, her only lifeline is a mysterious voice on the radio guiding her toward a hidden stronghold. Her new future begins with a single, illegal flight... and a debt she can never repay. THE GATEKEEPER Lieutenant Silas Vance is the perfect NAR officer on paper, but in the shadows, he’s smuggling persecuted families out of his own city. When a sick child is marked for "biological remediation," Vance risks everything under the eyes of the ruthless Director Langford. One mistake means execution.

Her mentor and his family saved her. Now he’s dead and she must save those he left behind from the secrets he took to his grave. After her beloved mentor, Ed Heschen, dies in a car crash, Sierra Bauer, aircraft mechanic, returns to her alma mater to eulogize him. Ed and his family were her lifeline six years ago after she survived a violent attack. Though local law enforcement assures her that Ed's death was an accident, Sierra is certain it was something more when she finds a warning hacked onto his plane and learns someone threatened him before he died. When Ed's widow receives a package Ed sent to himself after his death, more questions arise. What was he hiding from everyone? Did those secrets cost him his life? As Sierra and her boyfriend Quinn Moore, a detective out of his jurisdiction, get closer to the truth, the more someone tries to keep those secrets buried, putting Ed's family in jeopardy. Sierra and Quinn must protect Ed's family and uncover the truth before his deadly secrets silence them forever.

Hitman. Thief. Prison Break. Tennyson Stone, Marine sniper-turned-hitman, has broken from his long-time employer, Bastian Harlow. In retaliation, Harlow has targeted Tennyson’s childhood best friend, Lindsey, along with two other Marines. Accused of murdering a Romanian diplomat, the Marines are being held in a prison in Bucharest, Romania, awaiting a trial they may never see. Thankfully, Tennyson has a secret weapon: Louna Despereaux, master thief, who claims she can break Lindsey and the other Marines out of prison. But as she and Tennyson prepare for the trial, Tennyson begins to suspect that Louna may have ulterior motives in following him to Romania. When an old rival of Tennyson’s shows up and Lindsey goes missing, Louna and Tennyson find themselves planning a Gothic masquerade at a Transylvanian castle as they race to secure the Marines’ freedom. As the trial and the masquerade loom closer, Tennyson and Louna must decide how far their trust—and their feelings—will take them.

When the clock is ticking, what do you have to lose? By day, Odelia Voss works as an apothecarist, crafting remedies for the people of Swan Haven. But time is running out to find a cure of her own as night after night, she is cursed to live a nightmare. Westley Darrington, former soldier, is called upon as a ‘Knight’ of the Realm to visit the quaint town of Swan Haven in order to track down and dispose of a rumored beast living there. Their paths cross and a bond is formed between their shared interest in legends and magic. But the challenges they face will threaten not only their friendship, but their lives.

It’s Ivy O’Connor’s last day alive, and for Hugo Wright it’s just another Thursday. But the Hicks-Cooper Comet is about to pass the earth for the first time in over a decade. And nothing will be the same ever again. Among the wreckage of the fallen Hicks-Cooper comet, Ivy wakes from a suicide attempt and discovers that her body will rapidly heal any wound inflicted upon it. Hugo is able to move things with his mind, fulfilling his childhood dream of wielding superpowers. Far from solving their problems, however, these abilities bring new challenges. Ivy is plagued by guilt over this miracle she does not feel she deserves, and haunted by ghosts from her past. Hugo is burdened with the need to save everyone he can, from the best friend he’s been fighting with for months to the niece haunted by nightmares. As the teens and their city of Cottonwood Rapids reckon with the fallout of the Hicks-Cooper, one question remains. Will they be able to bring light to the darkness within the city and themselves?

National Magic: Hikes and Hexes is a charity anthology that takes you on a guided tour of eight US National Parks and the magic that is to be found there. Each author has crafted a story that truly embodies the idea that nature is imagination's first playground, and there is no better place to experience the magic of the outdoors than a National Park. Inside the book, you'll have a front row seat to witness the grandeur of Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon, Great Basin, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Arches, Death Valley, and Zion National Parks. And every penny of profit earned from the sale of these volumes will be donated to support of the US National Parks Service. Included are the following short stories: Tilly Lane Goes to Zion written by Christine Kannapel Hippie Hippie Hocus Pocus written by Maddi Wander Not Just a Walk in the Park written by Jen Selinsky Death Valley Dragons written by R. M. Wood When You Give a Tatzelwurm a Pretzel written by R. A. Ferre The Ghost Boy of Cliff Palace written by Jen Selinsky Mother Moon written by Rain Sullivan Touched by Time written by MaKenya Garnet

Despite moving back home to be near family, Jeremiah Langfield tends to shut out any offers for help when it comes to his daughter, Charlie. He’s the only parent she has left and he’s determined to always be there for her, even if that means making sacrifices. Retiring early from the NHL had been an easy decision, but when he meets Charlie’s new hockey coach, he’s struggling to remember why relationships are off the table. Add on that Charlie adores her and Jeremiah finds himself on thin ice. Zoe Daniels has been hiding from her past ever since one tragic event turned her life on its head and destroyed her hockey career. Stepping back into the world that hurt her is terrifying, but she can’t deny that hockey is, and always will be, the love of her life. The trick is allowing herself to lean on others for strength and to let them in as she finally faces off against her demons.

Undercover Officer Katrina Malloy’s mission is to enter the world of drug and weapons trafficking and extract information. Her relationship with a Twin Cities ringleader spirals out of control, and she finds herself doing things undercover cops should never do. By the time Katrina realizes her situation, she is In Too Deep . The Minneapolis police chief summons rookie Officer Wes Phillips. Someone requested Wes be pulled from duty and participate in a task force. The chief is not happy about it and gives Wes one bit of advice: try not to get killed. The task force is invested in cleaning up crime and making the Cities and their surrounding communities safe. But it has a leak and has lost members to mysterious deaths. Katrina requested Wes. They had been friends at the Police Academy, and she knows she can trust him with her life. But the stakes rise, and her life is no longer the only one in danger. She needs Wes to come in, help shut down the illegal activities, and get her out. Will the leak claim Wes next? Or can he help the task force and get Katrina out alive?

Kat thought she was living the life she wanted. She has a successful career, great friends, and loves her family fiercely. But when her brother dies in a tragic accident, Kat must embrace her brother’s best friend—the man who broke her heart and she’s been avoiding for several years. Kat and Sam realize they can only overcome their grief if they do it together. As they navigate their shared loss, they must face fragments of their past they thought long buried and rethink the life they thought they wanted. As Kat picks up the pieces of her broken heart, she finds herself at a crossroads. Either she stays frozen in place, always dreaming of what could be. Or she takes a leap and hopes Sam is there to catch her… this time. In the end, they’ll either find their way back to each other, or say goodbye forever.

Juliette has mastered the art of pretending she's fine. Fine with the family that suffocates her. Fine with the ex who left her broken. Fine with a life that feels smaller every day. Then a chance encounter with quiet, handsome Conner sparks something new and frightening—because when he looks at her, it feels like he sees every crack she's trying to hide. But Conner isn't just fighting for her heart. He's battling the nightmares of a childhood he never really escaped. Loving him means confronting the past Juliette swore she'd never face again. Maybe the real risk isn't the trauma. Maybe it's discovering that love might be the only place they're truly safe.

Elijah is the Leader Elect, the face of the Resistance. With it comes chaos, a chaos he must embrace. Elijah is kidnapped into a secluded society in Egypt containing the world’s most abundant source of Throngorian. Its history connects to Leon Abel, who has his sights on its Throngorian. Because of Elijah’s newfound notoriety, he is entrusted to set an alliance with Egypt to protect the Throngorian. However, Leon Abel is not the only threat. OWA, an international peace organization with unprecedented global power, sets its will against him and the Resistance. But Elijah learns their influence stems from puppet masters manipulating every government in the war. With a deeper understanding of the game of war, Elijah welcomes the challenge. But he is tormented and distracted by his childhood trauma of his brother and nightmares of the war. Elijah can embrace the chaos, if only he becomes the monster he swore to never return to.

One dropped pen. One bold text. And suddenly, everything changes. Carter Reynolds has spent most of college trying not to draw attention to himself—quiet in class, busy at work, and always a little unsure of where he fits. Dakota Owens is everything he isn’t: confident, creative, and effortlessly warm. They’ve shared a classroom all semester, but one dropped pen and one bold text message change everything. When casual classmates are destined to become something more, coffee turns into dinner, awkward smiles turn into soft kisses, and the man who thought no one noticed him finds himself seen in ways he never expected. Together, they discover that the best kind of love isn’t loud or dramatic—it’s steady, surprising, and built one ordinary moment at a time. Sometimes the best love stories start with one brave hello. Not So Casually Classmates is a new adult meet‑cute about quiet strength, fierce loyalty, and learning that love works best as a partnership. This stand‑alone book is set in the Then Came Love world from Ellen Wilder and Amber Root.

Rhi Edgerly has never been one for long-term relationships—occasional flings and on-again, off-again boyfriends more than enough for her. But with her twenty-fifth birthday on the horizon, she finds the thrill wearing off and is toying with the idea of something more serious. But the only one she can imagine spending her life with is her roommate and lifelong best friend, Levi. Between his demanding tech job, a never-ending string of one-night stands, and regular party host duties, confirmed bachelor Levi Morris is getting tired. His job feels like a chore and he finds himself just going through the motions with everyone but Rhi. When a killer job opportunity lands in his lap, he has to decide whether he wants to stay with Rhi in Indianapolis or move back home to Bryton. Rhi and Levi know they’ll be friends for the rest of their lives. But after a few bad dates, an almost kiss, and a new job two hours away, will they risk their almost twenty year friendship to see what kind of soulmates they truly are? Not So Suddenly Soulmates is a friends-to-lovers new adult rom-com with a lot of laughs, plenty of eye rolls, and a little bit of island vacation heat. This stand-alone book is set in the And Then Came Love world from Ellen Wilder and Amber Root.

THE COVENANT OF VENTAURI IS CRUMBLING. Adira has waited nearly a century to Change. Desperate to inherit the supernatural aptitude that should be her birthright, she calls in a favor. But accepting a Keeper's help gives Adi a front row seat to the downfall of their Order. All she can do is watch as friends fall and peace inches further out of reach. Five hundred years later, Garen tries to unravel the tangled history of the Keepers--and suddenly finds himself in the middle of the story. As the truth of the past becomes clear, and Garen realizes just what his people stand to lose, he must make a decision. What is he willing to sacrifice? And how far will he go to save the people he loves? Of Keepers and Prophets is a Biblically-inspired, epic fantasy perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings who want something written in a contemporary prose style. A "fascinating debut" (Emma Hill, author of the Mage and Melody Quartet ) with positive deaf character representation, it promises to keep you "turning the page long into the night." (Kayla Ann, author of The Runic Saga )

What if you could experience the love of a lifetime twice? Esme Jenkins has a story to tell. After being left at the altar, she sets off for her honeymoon in Bora Bora alone, on a mission to find a certain spark to hoist her from the dregs of her insipid life. That spark blazes into her world in the form of a shirtless, giant of a man rescuing her from an attempted kidnapping. When the offender escapes, Esme’s savior vows to stay by her side until the creep is caught. As the days tick by, the pair fall into a whirlwind romance Esme never expected to experience. But that’s just fiction. Because when Esme Jenkins was in Bora Bora, she lost three years of her memory in a freak accident, including ones made during that week on the island. One year later, she’s seeking to publish the story that won’t vacate her brain. The serendipity? The agent seeking to represent her looks identical to her male main character. Reverie is a chick-lit romance novel teeming with heart, hope, healing, and humor with a hard-fought happily-ever-after that will occupy your daydreams for weeks to come.

The world didn’t die in a single stroke. It withered, spore by spore, until the new order rose from the decay—built on a lie. Morgan Reed has survived the Rotwind plague, the collapse of civilization, and the brutal regime rising from its ashes. As a courier, he crosses fungal wastelands no one else dares to enter. He follows a simple code: deliver the package, protect the truth, stay alive. But when the New American Republic orders him to transport a sealed capsule across a fractured America, the code breaks. The secrecy is suffocating. The sender, Director Langford, leaves only destruction in his wake. When a murdered scientist’s final message reveals the truth, Morgan realizes the capsule isn’t just classified. It’s catastrophic . It contains a weapon engineered to reignite the plague—a system designed to wipe out an entire settlement under the guise of humanitarian aid. Betrayed. Hunted. Marked for execution. Morgan has only one option: Run. Alongside Vivian "Vex" Song, a guarded tech with her own scars, and Ghost, a pre-collapse war machine with absolute loyalty, Morgan races across a landscape twisted by fungal storms and lawless zones ruled by corporate kill teams. Every safehouse could be a trap. Every step brings them closer to the conspiracy at the rotten core of the new world. From the neon shadows of the Free City of Dulles to the fortified Monolith garrison in Pittsburgh, or the snow-capped peaks of Colorado, they uncover a chilling truth: the Rotwind was never an accident. And the next phase will be global.

She lived her whole life enslaved to the dragons. But now she's one of them. Seventeen-year-old Kaida, a human, has spent her entire life enslaved to the dragons who slaughtered half the human population a thousand years ago. She is forced to serve her ruthless Master, Eklos, until one deadly summer day when the Prince of Elysia saves her life. Prince Tarrin steals her away to the Royal Palace, shocking Kaida when he reveals that she is mutator formarum. He promises her safety, but when they uncover a dangerous conspiracy to rid Elysia of the Royal Family, she begins to question how safe she truly is. And when desire blooms between Kaida and Tarrin, in the midst of fighting for their lives, she must choose whether to save the very creature she swore to hate, or allow him to perish... And destroy her own heart.

They say love conquers all...but what about an army of ruthless dragons? Kaida and Prince Tarrin barely escaped the dungeon of Belharnt with their lives. Now, the Remnant is hunting them while the Royal Palace is under the claw of the Council. They're forced to flee in search of a place of safety, but mercenary dragons continue to track them at every turn, revealing evidence that confirms their greatest fear... Eklos is alive and wants revenge. Eklos's army is sweeping across the country, slaughtering every human in sight, and Kaida and Tarrin are left with no other choice but to ally with a band of untrustworthy dragons in order to evade them. And while they try to muster an army to rival Eklos, hope grows thin as village after village refuses to fight. Their last, desperate, chance at resisting the growing threat lies in the rumored safety of Shegora. But Eklos is determined not to let them reach it. Betrayal and heartbreak are hidden around every corner, and with the enemy on their heels, will Kaida and Tarrin be able to raise an army to defeat them? Or will the fears of the past consume them all?

I will bow to nothing and no one. Not even the fear in my own mind. Defeated and exhausted after an attack that almost claimed her life, Kaida's world has been turned upside down. Now, Eklos's army is advancing in the wake of the Remnant, forcing her deeper into hiding. When Kaida and her allies are attacked and separated, each of them must resort to desperate measures in order to survive. Meanwhile, Kaida's magic begins to manifest in strange ways, giving her a glimpse into a future she must race to avert. With the total destruction of Elysia looming over their heads, the greatest enemy may not be the one they can see, but the battle within their minds as they face down every fear and piece of darkness inside themselves. Can Kaida and Prince Tarrin finally overcome Eklos's tyranny in the war for Elysia's future? Or will their inner demons defeat them before the war has even begun? Don't miss the thrilling final installment of the best-selling Ash & Smoke trilogy!

Secrets divide the Resistance. The Watchdogs grow in power. California is ready to collapse. Worst of all: Elijah let Trevor die. Devastated by his failure to protect Trevor, Elijah resigns himself to the safe haven while the three gang leaders establish the United Front to secure California. Yet life in the safe haven is not peaceful. Elijah relives Trevor’s death in his nightmares. The United Front calls him back to the war but never explains why. Elijah believes the United Front is concealing the truth about the Resistance’s impact on the war. His suspicions come to a head when five super-charged Watchdogs trap him in the mysterious city of Arcadia. With no food, water, or chance of contacting the United Front, Elijah has to find a way out, only to discover the uncomfortable reality of his place in the war. But Arcadia offers revenge and redemption for Trevor, and Elijah is willing to sacrifice his morals to achieve it, even if he breaks the team’s oath to never kill.

A WAR FOR THE PIRATE WAY OF LIFE In the ancient kingdom of Allium, amidst a ceasefire in their war with the Shadow Realm, the queen will do anything to keep her throne, including banishing her stepson into the middle of a pirate war. Prince Augustine must get back home to reclaim his throne, if he can survive as the prisoner of a barbarous pirate crew and their alluring first mate. A DRAGON GUARDED ISLAND WITH A SINISTER SECRET With the prince missing, a knight travels to a distant island to free the princess from the fierce dragon said to be holding her prisoner. But upon arrival, Sir George finds an unexpected young sorcerer, and that the tale the world has been told does not match reality. Like others that have come to the princess’s aid, he may never leave alive. AN UNDERGROUND CITY OF THIEVES FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM Meanwhile, in the capital city, three thieves dream of escaping Allium. But their plans for the future are put into doubt when brothers Avocet and Guillemot are arrested for their crimes. While Avocet’s partner, Roseate, attempts to rescue them from the infamous captain of the guard, a secret threatens to tear the brothers apart before help can come.