Young Adult

by SOD

**Two eras. One impossible choice.** A hundred thousand years ago, Kal'nor and his sons fought a losing war. Betrayed from within as Toval maneuvered to usurp the Val'dora, Commander O'nor arrogantly wielded the Void to secure their empire. His choice set off a catastrophic chain of events. To save the world from the resulting swarm of husks and Shadow Sworn, the First Dragon made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his mortal life to seal the monsters away in the dark. But the ledger of progress always demands its payment, and the ancient past is bleeding into the bitter winter of the present. Today, the descendants of the First Dragon struggle with the failures of their ancestors. Darius, Ny'all, and Mia are desperately attempting to forge a fragile trust with their ancient enemy, the Anai. However, Darius’s father, King Valerius, strictly forbids his heir from making the connection, refusing to yield the desires of a second princess he never wanted near his throne. As the royal family fractures, a nightmare awakens. The First Dragon’s soul has survived the millennia, but his light has been slowly corrupted by the very darkness he imprisoned. Twisted by ages of isolation and desperate to keep the Shadow Sworn locked away forever, the fallen savior has returned with a horrifying solution: he must claim the child of Darius and Mia to renew the seal. Hunted by a corrupted savior and stripped of their political power, the current heirs of the Dragon Line must wage a desperate war against the ghosts of their ancestors. To save their child, they must defeat the very legend who once saved the world—or watch the Void swallow everything they have left.

by S.Diels

by Marilyn Q

a collection of cherished recipes that are more than just instructions; they are a tribute to the traditions and flavors that have been passed down through generations, offering a taste of nostalgia with every bite. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner just starting out, these recipes are designed to be accessible and rewarding. With straightforward instructions and ingredients that are as familiar as they are wholesome, anyone can create these dishes in their own kitchen. The essence of Gramma’s cooking is not just in the food itself, but in the experience of making it—of slowing down, savoring the process, and sharing the results with loved ones. As you flip through these pages, we hope you’ll find more than just recipes. We hope you’ll discover a connection to the past, a sense of comfort in the present, and a culinary foundation you can build on for the future. So gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and whether you’re just putting on your first apron or you’ve been cooking for years, let the aromas of Gramma’s kitchen fill your home. There’s no need for perfection— just a willingness to cook with love and enjoy the simple pleasures of good, honest food.

by Marilyn Q

He came for Thanksgiving. He just didn't know what was on the menu! When Tucker, a plump and rather self-important turkey, arrives at a cozy little farm just before Thanksgiving, he's absolutely convinced he's the guest of honor! With his magnificent tail feathers, proud strut, and enormous opinion of himself, Tucker is certain the entire celebration is being planned in his honor. But when his new barnyard friends start acting strangely, and he discovers what Thanksgiving dinner might actually mean for a turkey, Tucker decides it's time to make a run for it! Suddenly, our brave (well, mostly brave) turkey finds himself lost in the woods, facing frightening creatures, unexpected adventures, and the realization that being on his own isn't nearly as wonderful as he imagined. Will Tucker find his way home before Thanksgiving? And will he discover that being loved is far better than being important? Filled with laughter, lovable characters, and a heartwarming surprise, The Turkey Who Came for Thanksgiving is a delightful holiday adventure about friendship, family, courage, and finding where you truly belong.

by Marilyn Q

Pip has one very important Halloween job: say “BOO!” But every time he tries, something completely different comes out. MOO! TOOT-TOOT! YEE-HAW! Even… POTATO! Pip is sure he’s the worst Halloween pumpkin ever—until he meets Lucy, a little girl who thinks Halloween is just a little too scary. Together, Pip and Lucy discover that Halloween doesn’t have to be frightening to be fun. A silly, sweet story about being yourself, finding courage, and discovering that sometimes laughter is the very best kind of Halloween magic.

by Marilyn Q

Gus is a ghost. He can float through walls, make doors groan, and even give a pretty good “WooooOOOOoooo!” There’s just one little problem… Gus is afraid of the dark. So when the Annual Midnight Haunt sends him into the darkest room in the whole house—the creepy old attic—Gus is sure he’s in for the scariest night of his life. But when a strange little noise leads him to someone who might be just as frightened as he is, Gus discovers that being brave doesn’t mean you’re never scared. Sometimes, it just means you don’t have to be scared alone. A sweet and funny Halloween story about friendship, courage, and one very lovable little ghost.

by Marilyn Q

Mikey knows there’s something under his bed. He just never expected it to be a monster who’s scared of him!   Meet Boogle—a fuzzy little monster with crooked horns, purple feet, and one very wobbly fang. He’s supposed to be terrifying, but kids, teeth, teddy bears, and even broccoli are enough to send him running.   When Halloween arrives, Mikey and Boogle discover that even kids and monsters get scared.   A silly, sweet Halloween story about bravery, friendship, and the funniest monster under the bed.

by Marilyn Q

Sometimes the greatest Christmas gift isn't found beneath the tree. It's finding someone who loves you just the way you are. Deep in the snowy wonderland of Pineberry Woods lives Pickle, an adorable little skunk with a crooked white stripe and one very big wish—to find someone who will love him despite being different. While the other animals avoid him, Pickle dreams of warm hugs, Christmas magic, and a family to call his own. So he writes a heartfelt letter to Santa, asking for just one thing: a child who won't run away. Meanwhile, a lonely little girl named Becca makes a Christmas wish of her own. She doesn't want toys or fancy presents. She wants a special friend—someone who needs her as much as she needs them. When their wishes find their way to the North Pole, Santa and his elves discover that sometimes the most magical Christmas presents come in the most unexpected packages! Filled with beautiful illustrations, holiday wonder, tender moments, and a little Christmas mischief, Pickle's Christmas Wish is a heartwarming adventure about friendship, kindness, acceptance, and the joy of belonging. Perfect for family read-alouds, bedtime stories, and creating treasured Christmas memories. This Christmas, discover how one little skunk with a very big heart learns that being different can be the most wonderful gift of all.

by Rachel E. Croxton

Simina, a poor girl in the small village of Lazera on the planet Zormonia, loves to read books. The stories in them take her to far distant lands and allow her to imagine herself in a different world, a different life. Her favorite things to read are fairy tales and romance novels. One day, she discovers an intriguing new book, titled The Dark Prince of Lazera. It tells of an evil, dark prince who possesses dark magic. She does not believe he is real, though the book says otherwise. That is, until one fateful encounter...       Certain events cause Simina's life to change in unexpected ways as the mysteries of The Dark Prince begin to unravel...

by Rachel E. Croxton

Besides having a missing father, eighteen-year-old Carol Tyson is a pretty normal teenager. This changes when she finds a poster in the attic, among her father's possessions. The man in the poster comes alive, warning her of a dangerous, apocalyptic future.   Now, Carol must travel into the dark and dismal future to seek out her father, who might be the only person with answers. But a sinister force lurks in the shadows, far more sinister than the roaming zombies and mutants that have completely over taken the world.   Will Carol and her allies be able to stop this seemingly unstoppable evil?

by Seerendip Publishing

The sky goes dark. The meteors fall. Derek’s fight to survive begins. In the year 2056, a mysterious meteor storm strikes Earth. Electronics fail, darkness spreads, and a camping trip becomes a nightmare when Derek’s family RV explodes with his parents inside. Stranded in a freezing, ash-covered wilderness, Derek discovers a strange meteorite that continues to give off warmth and light. It could be his best chance of survival. But when it responds to his touch, he begins to wonder what he is really holding. This free preview includes the prologue and first two chapters of Meteor by Robert Austin. Continue Derek’s story in the complete novel, available on Amazon:\ [https://a.co/d/0gdRpu5X](https://a.co/d/0gdRpu5X) Published by Seerendip Publishing.

by Crystal Fontanez

Elena is a vampire girl from the Academy of the Arts of the Dead, which she dreaded arriving at. She had a hunting moment. A moment of despair; she had to feed her bloodlust. So she hunted the animals that ran amok in New York City's forests. The scent of elk overpowered her instincts. Blood sounded like it was pulsing in her ears, and no matter how far the elk was, listening to the heart pulsing blood through its veins made her go blood-crazy. She charged into the motion to sink her teeth into the elk's neck. The blood was hot like fire, but tasted scrumptious. When she was done with her feast, she dashed to the academy and bumped into a wolf: gray and with emerald eyes. What surprised her was seeing a wolf all alone in the area of the vampires, not the fact that it watched her every move. She tried walking past it towards the castle on the Academy grounds, but the wolf howled. Fear rushed through her mind. A part of her wanted to run and hide--yet she couldn't move whatsoever. It blinked at her, observing every inch of her being.  "What the hell?" she said, not noticing the wolf before her was her truest enemy. Yes, vampires and shifters hated each other since the beginning of time, which was the time of the Egyptians. Poor her soul was about to scream for help, even though she had never been scared of anything, not even of an Omega like this wolf before her eyes.  When she ran into the academy through the bar doors, the howling grew louder. But it didn't stop her from rushing inside and going to her dorm. There was a party in the next-door neighbor's dorm. She knocked harshly at the door and yelled, "Enough partying; some of us have to sleep!"  A shirtless vampire, five more inches taller than her, came out. "I won't end the party, but you can come for a little bit, virgin." Oh, he crossed boundaries just now. She raised her hand fast, swung it across his annoying, crooked-smile face, and slapped hard. It didn't hurt her, but it hurt him. She was powerful against any vampire she could manage. As she rolled her eyes, she entered the vampire's, an immature teenage boy's, dorm. When you can't beat them? Join them until they tire out. He made a slow motion to his cheek, not even rosy red from the smack to the face. Vampires don't hurt as much as a wolf's bite does: the shifters. Maybe that's what I saw outside, she thought to herself as she bit her bottom lip nervously. Something she usually thought went away when she grew up her fangs. Her mother was the vampire, and her dad was an unknown species he'd not rather speak of.  Her uniform was dirty; she needed to wash it tonight before school the next morning. Ugh. She sighed, thinking of the jerk who invited her inside his own dorm. What was his plan? She thought, rolling her eyes again.  Can she survive another day with these annoying vampires partying every Sunday? And who was that shifter watching her? The more time that passed, the more she realized time flew.

by Esther Squires

It was common for veiled-born children of the Egyptian gods to die— not that Heba Badran knew that. On her 16th birthday, her divine heart matures and kills her mortal body. Now, she’s stuck at The House of the Second Measure; a half-way house for dangerous demigods caught between life and death. Surrounded by heart-eating monsters and undead teenagers, Heba must control her powers to find her way home.

by Sterling Ducker

## ***SOME RECORDS SHOULD NEVER BE FOUND.*** ##  ***SOME TRUTHS SHOULD NEVER BE UNCOVERED.***  **Beneath the streets of Ravenfall lies a world of forgotten, a vast network of tunnels, roots, and ancient passageways that connect far more than the town that could ever imagine.**  **As Soren and his friends dig deeper, they discover that the mysteries of Ravenfall are not buried- they are archived. Hidden within forgotten records, altered documents, and long-silenced history are clues that link the town to something far older than anyone suspected.**  **But the deeper they go, the more they realize the real danger isn't just what they find...it's who has been watching them find it.**  ***The Threads Of The Archive* pulls them into a web of secrets , lies, and ancient power, where the past is alive, the records move, and nothing is truly lost- only hidden.**  ***Some archives are written in ink. Others are written in roots.***

by Wren Moonveil

Branwen, a gifted healer of the Moonhaven Pack, never expected to fall for Kaelan, the powerful Alpha of their rival pack. Their forbidden attraction threatens generations of hostility, but an ancient curse binds their destinies together. As rogue attacks escalate, Branwen discovers her ancestors are responsible for the curse haunting Kaelan's bloodline. Determined to save their people, they uncover dangerous secrets and confront the dark magic threatening both packs. When breaking the curse demands a sacrifice, Branwen risks a piece of her soul to free Kaelan's people. Together, they defeat the forces behind the attacks, end the curse, and forge peace between their packs, finally allowing their forbidden love to flourish.

by Sterling Ducker

Some towns keep secrets. Ravenfall has learned how to forget them. Fifteen-year-old Soren Quinn has never thought of Ravenfall as anything special.  It's a small, aging town where everybody knows everybody, old buildings outnumber new ones, and Blackwater Lake is just another place people warn teenagers not to wander after dark. However that just provides an exciting place to gather.  Soren has ordinary problems. School. Friends. Figuring out why he suddenly notices Liv differently. Taking care of Valhalla, his tarantula, and trying to understand the strange little details most people overlook.  Then something changes.  A forgotten symbol appears where it shouldn't.  Old records don't agree with what people remember.  A photograph seems to show something that couldn't have been there.  And Blackwater Lake begins to feel less like a place and more like a question.  Soren's curiosity draws him deeper into Ravenfall's history, alongside Liv and a small group of people who each seem to know a different version of the town's past. The more they investigate, the more they discover that Ravenfall has survived things nobody remembers happening—and that some people may have spent generations making sure it stays that way.  Then Soren discovers a connection between the mystery and something that happened to him when he was seven.  Something he doesn't remember.  Something someone desperately wanted him to forget.  Now Soren has to decide how far he's willing to go for the truth—and whether uncovering the past is worth disturbing whatever has been waiting beneath Ravenfall all along.  Because some mysteries are simply too dangerous to solve.  And some are too dangerous to simply remember.    RAVENFALL: The Web Beneath Ravenfall is the beginning of a seven-book Young Adult mystery fantasy series about friendship, first love, forgotten history, and the terrifying consequences of discovering that the world you thought you knew isn't quite the world that exists.

by Jordana Faye

When Autumn encounters the enigmatic and devastatingly handsome Tristan Jordan in downtown Chicago, she quickly realizes he's no ordinary man—he’s a vampire, and he knows who she is. What begins as a chance meeting spirals into an intense and magnetic connection that neither of them can ignore. Autumn soon learns she’s been under surveillance by the vampire world due to her unique bloodline, which may carry untapped magical power. As she and Tristan grow closer, their bond deepens—literally. Through Tristan’s bite, their souls become psychically linked, giving them the ability to communicate without words and feel each other's emotions. But love doesn’t come without shadows. Tristan harbors secrets of his own: a dark past, a chaotic younger brother named Jaiden with dangerous ambitions, and a vampire world divided by ideology. As Autumn moves into a new house with her best friend Jade and begins a new college semester, her life shifts from ordinary to surreal. Vampire politics, ancient bloodlines, and supernatural threats swirl around her. Soon, she’s being stalked by Jaiden, who is obsessed with making her his vampire bride—or worse. As her mystical ancestry begins to awaken, Autumn is drawn into a deeper war: between light and dark, power and purpose, legacy and love. She must learn to control her gifts, guard her heart, and survive the pull of ancient forces that seek to claim her. In the final chapters, Autumn embraces her destiny—not just as Tristan’s beloved, but as a powerful force in her own right. She faces the Hollow, confronts her shadow self, and finds the strength to forgive, love, and transform.

by Jay Venuto

Ernie is twenty-nine, autistic, and reasonably certain that dating should come with an instruction manual. When he meets Eric on a dating app for gay autistic men, things start promisingly enough. Eric seems friendly, their conversations are easy, and nobody appears to be playing the sort of social guessing games Ernie would rather avoid. Then Eric asks to meet for coffee. Suddenly, a simple date becomes an exhausting exercise in overthinking, sensory concerns, and imagining every possible way things could go wrong. Ernie knows he wants to meet Eric. He also knows that staying home would be considerably easier. With a little help from his therapist, Ernie begins to confront a familiar pattern: wanting something, getting close to it, and retreating when it becomes real. But what if Eric really is as nice as he seems? *He Seems Nice* is a warm, gently funny story about autism, anxiety, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to step outside your comfort zone. Because sometimes the biggest adventure isn't falling in love. It's getting out the door.

by J.J. Johnson

Her story hadn’t begun with her first breath; it anchored itself, deeply, within the continuous floods from the powerful storms that brewed long before our generations were ever imagined.   My mother, Jess, inherited trauma like a personal kind of family heirloom—rooted in red clay that cracked under extreme pressure, generations before her own body met its ultimate demise.   Life came for her time and time again, tearing violently at the delicate pieces of her soul, attempting to drag her innocence into the same cold abyss that swallowed so many daughters from our bloodline before her. It didn’t matter how far down the darkness tried to drag her, nor did it matter how persistent these shadows became; she always found her way back to us, wherever that may have been.   Her four children were not just a simple part of her world—we were the entirety of her everything. Every battle she fought and won was meant to shield us from growing the same thorns and bearing the same painful scars. She sacrificed her adult life striving to be the mother she knew we deserved, nurturing a sanctuary out of pure willpower and love.   Though she never got to hold most of her grandchildren, her love reaches through the veil, across the silent stretch of emptiness, quietly shaping their lives to this very day.   Distance, time, and even the grave are powerless against what she built through sheer courage and sacrifice. Her devotion has been passed across the generations that have followed, surrounding them still—a love so fierce, so absolute, that it remains just as deafening today as it ever was.   These are the chronicles of the floods she endured, the thorns she bore, and the wild roses that grew because her fierce heart refused to let the darkness prevail.

by B. shock

Exiled and left to die on a hostile alien planet for a crime she didnt commit, alita is saved by a alien native who wants nothing to do with her... Or so he thought. \ `Xanadis...A world deemed uninhabitable by humans and made into a penal colony where deathrow convicts are sent to serve out the rest of their lives, forced to fight to survive or subcome to the harsh enviroment and fall prey to the many creatures that live there. `\ \ `After being convicted of a murder she didnt commit alita is left stranded on the hostile world filled with carnivorous plants, ruthless criminals, hostile natives, and bloodthirsty monsters. `\ \ `She comes to realize the world isnt as unforgiving and cold as it seems. She's saved by a native who dislikes humans as much as the next guy but shes intent on sticking by his side in order to survive. The only issue being is the last thing he wants is a pathetic, weak human girl following him around.`\ \ \ \ \ `(Limited time only read!) `\ \ \ ` (THIS IS THE RE-WRITTEN VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL STORY AND WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TEMPORARILY)`

by Darren Glenn

Mara Marinescu had spent most of her life trying to survive. Then she met Alaina Winslow, who showed her how to live. Everything changed the morning Alaina killed Raymond John Vixler. Something inside her began to disappear. And then she did. Reports emerged of a mysterious girl with a halo of lightning stepping through static to save people. They called her Statica. But with each life she saved, she lost a piece of herself. Refusing to let her best friend go, Mara sets out to bring Alaina home. Through the static, she discovers a hidden realm beyond reality, where impossible choices shape the fate of the living and the dead. From the author of *Earl* comes a contemporary fantasy thriller about friendship, memory, sacrifice, and the people we refuse to let go. For fans of *Shatter Me, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue*, and *All the Bright Places*.

by J. Visage

Beautiful Down is a dark fantasy about Felicity, a girl who stumbles into the Down-a world that shouldn't exist. Led by the sharp, secretive Mallory, she travels through a vast, layered underworld of valleys, roads, and ruins where every choice carves a deeper path. As Felicity searches for a way home, she discovers that the Down has plans of its own.

by Tre` Calloway

Joi had the ring, the man, and the plan. Then one night changed all three. Now she's done with love, but love, her past, and her family's secrets aren't done with her.

by Ykeme Smith-Bey

The School of Dating: Real Lessons. Real Love. A Brighter Tomorrow by Ykeme Smith-Bey is a practical, relatable guide for anyone ready to date with more confidence, intention, and discernment. Dating shouldn’t feel like walking into class without a syllabus. Through 24 easy-to-follow lessons, The School of Dating explores everything from preparing for the first date and having meaningful conversations to setting boundaries, recognizing red and green flags, understanding compatibility, protecting your peace, and knowing when it’s time to walk away. With warmth, humor, and straight-to-the-point guidance, Ykeme reminds readers that dating isn’t an audition to convince someone to choose you—you’re choosing, too. Whether you’re returning to the dating world, healing from past relationships, or simply ready to make healthier choices in love, this book gives you tools to date without losing yourself in the process. Class is in session. Bring your standards with you.

by C. L. Night

Eugene Pull is your normal bull riding, teenage boy who works on his family's farm in the small rural town of Satin, Texas. His dreams are shattered, when he discovers his mother is losing the farm. Desperate to qualify for a state program, he turns in his blood sample to a lab to prove his ancestry. Once this happens, secrets are revealed that lead to a state wide government chase with an odd Native American named Silas Crow. This longer short story is filled with adventure, revelations and a deed clause that may change everything.

by Devienne Weekes

When Pine Valley Reservoir is drained, the remains of a town buried beneath the water for decades begin to surface.   Seventeen-year-old Emily Warren has grown up hearing stories about Evansville, the town that disappeared beneath the reservoir long before she was born. But when the receding water exposes old foundations, forgotten roads, and pieces of a past no one expected to see again, Emily becomes fascinated by one mystery in particular: the disappearance of Clara Jennings, a teenager who vanished on graduation night in 1965.   The deeper Emily digs, the more tangled the story becomes. Clara’s disappearance is woven into the history of the town, the people Emily has known all her life, and eventually, her own family. Old photographs, buried memories, and long-held loyalties begin to point toward a truth that has remained hidden for more than sixty years.   But uncovering the truth is one thing. Knowing what to do with it is another.   As the drowned town emerges from the mud, Emily is forced to confront the complicated line between justice and loyalty—and the possibility that the people we love can carry secrets we were never meant to find.   What the Lake Knows is an atmospheric small-town mystery about family, memory, grief, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive the past.

by A.M Isle

Breath of Celentra expands the world of Celentra, as the group makes their way into Paesuna. Ami's desert home, as much as she wishes to enjoy this moment, is coated in grief for Kathera. Ami must learn to accept her truth, even if it is heavy to carry.  Oliver has been in a coma for thirty days, with Sahora never leaving his bedside. The cost of reviving Kathera is piling. Will they pay it?  Lyrian finds his council needs change; he decides to focus on giving the people of Celentra a voice they have never had. Ready to remake the world, so when Kathera returns, it is the Empire she deserves.  Briar and Castor travel with Mydrn in 1575, learning the secrets that keep Celentra together and the laws that threaten to tear it apart.  Giovanna insists to Carlosa that the prophecy is a half-truth and begins searching the ocean for anything that can prove it.  A story about learning to breathe together even when breathing becomes impossible. Learning that to enjoy life, you must be willing to fight for every breath.

by Justin Nead

Carter Barnes wanted a normal senior year. Instead, he discovers he can alter the density of his body—becoming nearly untouchable one moment and impossibly durable the next.\ At first, Carter wants nothing more than to understand what is happening to him and keep it hidden. But when another powered teenager begins leaving destruction across Tristan, staying out of it becomes harder to justify.\ With his best friend Miles at his side, Carter must learn to control his abilities, protect the people around him, and decide what kind of person he wants to become.\ Because having power doesn't make someone a hero. The choices they make do.

by R.M Metzgar

It is back to school time in Autumnvale for Paul Lisbon. In his cliche small town he is expecting a normal awesome senior year. Senior year is suppose to be epic. This year there are some new faces and something bad does happen at the bonfire, but hey that's not like an omen or anything right? Paul is just the normal human guy living in a town where it seems everything is becoming strange and the people around him keep getting hurt. How far will he end up in the supernatural world? And more importantly what will it cost him?

by J. Rose Beckwith

She's hiding a limp. He's been hiding something a lot longer. Sloane Deshazo is the twin who never needs help and the outside hitter who plays through everything. So when the ache in her leg gets worse, she hides it. She forges an elevator pass, ices her thigh at 2 a.m., and keeps landing kills like nothing is wrong. Until the night she can't get up off the hallway floor. Chandler has been her brother's best friend since kindergarten, and he's the only one who noticed the limp. He's also the only person besides Sloane that Dashiell, a terrified rescue terrier, will walk up to. If Dashiell is going to pass his evaluation in March, Sloane needs Chandler on the training room floor every Saturday. He's been in love with her since they were five. She has no idea. And the promise he made her in the ER could cost him his best friend. Then chemo takes her hair and her season, and every kind thing Chandler does starts to look like pity. So she pushes him away. He shows up at 7:29 every morning anyway. The girl across the hall gave her a list of things sick girls don't get to do. Number seven is him.

by Rebecca

***My daughter you are my angel , and I love you, I know it's true. My heart is empty and blue, because I lost you . My angel you are my shining light but you sure put a up a fight . You're not in pain but when you cry in heaven it sends down to me it's just rain. So the rain is your tears . But wishing your voice is what I hear. You are my angel. I wish I didn't have to say goodbye but I miss you day by day but me having trouble grieving is when hard I try.***

by Nellie James

Every year, the Settlement chooses three people from the Foundry for the Ascent. For those born beneath the humming pipes, crowded corridors, and failing machinery of the lower district, being chosen means everything. The Ascended are promised a new life in the Reserve, where artificial sunlight warms immaculate gardens, food is plentiful, and the machinery keeping humanity alive is hidden behind polished walls. Eight years ago, Sera Dain’s older sister, Veda, was chosen. Before she disappeared into the Reserve, Veda screamed one warning at Sera: Don’t let them choose you. Now twenty-year-old Sera’s name has been called. Determined to discover what happened to her sister, Sera enters the Reserve and quickly realizes that the beautiful world above the Foundry is built on secrets. Medical examinations reveal information she was never meant to see. Ascendants are tracked by numbers no one will explain. A hidden designation keeps appearing in records connected to Veda: Ward Nine. And when another newly Ascended citizen vanishes shortly after arriving in the Reserve, Sera knows her sister’s disappearance was never an isolated event. Her only unexpected ally is Transition Officer Shaw, a young Reserve official raised to believe the Preservation Authority saved humanity and that the Ascent offers Foundry citizens a better future. At first, Shaw sees Sera as difficult, suspicious, and unwilling to trust a system designed to protect her. Sera sees him as another polished face of the Authority. The deeper they search, the harder it becomes for either of them to ignore what is happening, or the growing attraction between them. Behind the Settlement’s promise of order lies a brutal truth about the Ascended, the privileged families of the Reserve, and the world beyond the walls. And somewhere beneath it all, Sera’s sister may still be alive. **The Settlement** is a fast-paced dystopian fantasy romance novella for readers who love dangerous secrets, forbidden attraction, class divides, hidden facilities, and immersive speculative worlds, but don’t necessarily want to commit to a 900-page fantasy novel. Designed as a shorter fantasy reading experience, it delivers the mystery, worldbuilding, romance, and high stakes of a larger dystopian story in a compact novella.

by Sissilia01

She thinks he's an arrogant asshole. He immediately thinks she's a stalker. At Weststar Elite Academy, everything is measured by status, power, and reputation. Everyone looks up to the Four Heirs...the richest, most powerful and untouchable guys in school. Sophia Miller is completely unaware of the world she has just stepped into. On her second week at Weststar, she somehow manages to walk into the boys' locker room and finds Lorenzo Calloway half-naked.... She wants nothing to do with him, and he wants her gone. But when the girl who was never supposed to belong in his world becomes the one person he can't seem to ignore... things start to get complicated.

by Paul Blakemore

**During a severe thunderstorm, twelve-year-old Lila Santiago and four other middle-schoolers—tough Marcus Rivera, anxious overachiever Emma Li, class clown Jack Mercer, and quiet outsider Tyler—are trapped overnight in their school gym under a tornado warning. When the lights die and a strange green lightning erupts inside the building, the five kids are ripped from their ordinary lives and flung through time.** **They land first in a sterile white laboratory of the future, where a frantic scientist warns them they are the “five watchers” and begs them not to break the hour. Before he can explain, the tether snaps and they return—only for the jumps to continue. One moment they are scrambling through the mud and artillery fire of a World War I trench; the next they are racing down sand dunes toward the pristine pyramids of ancient Egypt as bronze-tipped spears close in.** **Each jump lasts only minutes in their own time, but the danger is real, the injuries linger, and objects carried back refuse to vanish when reality resets. Adults remember nothing. The storm ends. The gym returns to normal. Yet the five kids retain every terrifying second—and a new countdown timer appears on Tyler’s wrist: seventy-two hours until the next displacement.** **Bound together by a glowing shard from the future and a wooden horse carved by a dying soldier, Lila and her unlikely allies form the Clock Watchers Club. With only three days to prepare, they stockpile supplies, map possible destinations, and race to understand the rules of the broken hour before the green light claims them again. One wrong move could strand them forever in history’s deadliest moments. One right move might finally let them go home.** **The Broken Hour is a pulse-pounding middle-grade adventure about friendship forged under impossible pressure, the weight of seconds that refuse to stay still, and five ordinary kids who discover that watching time is only the beginning—surviving it is the real test.**

by A.M Isle

Kathera always thought she was destined to be a warrior. Trained from a young age to serve the throne, she poured everything into her swordplay until her parents returned from a journey with a quiet girl in a Seer's cloak. That was the day the truth was revealed: Kathera wasn't meant to fight on the front lines. Her father’s vision foretold she would be Celentra’s next Empress, the very ruler her people would fight for.  Amiranthia loved her home in Paesuna, where she spent her days under the desert sun. Everything changed when two powerful strangers arrived at her door and demanded her service as a royal Seer. Bound by the Pact of Hithis, sealed by the God of Agreements himself, she was torn from her family and whisked away to the cold, distant mountains of Arynthia.  Cyrus is a scholar at heart and, unfortunately, telekinetic. He has spent years ignoring the strange ability to move objects with his mind, preferring the safety of ancient books and forgotten lore. But when he is thrust into the Academy of Mages for a placement test, his past becomes impossible to hide, and his powers far too dangerous to ignore.  Three souls, Three distinct paths, one intertwined fate. Together, they hold the pieces of an ancient puzzle, and an empire’s future hangs in the balance.

by Octavious Rayne

A teenage boy who is so average that he feels inadequate in every aspect of his life wants nothing but to be seen as equal to his peers and the people in his town, but more especially by his love interest, Allison. But he soon realizes that he was already just a little bit above average.

by Octavious Rayne

Four 15-year-old boys in a small town dream of heavy metal stardom and all that comes with it. But they discover the journey is long, and the path is rougher than they ever could have imagined. But the rewards, if achieved, are bigger than their wildest dreams; they just have to get there first. Will they make it, or will their dreams crash, burn, and die like so many before them?

by Octavious Rayne

Four 15 year old boys have heavy metal dreams only to have them shattered, or do they. Fighting to the top is not a strait or easy path, the pain severe, the rewards are bigger then they ever dreamed, but they have to get there first.

by K Henderson

Theresa Walsh lives a peaceful life in a quiet mountain town, working alongside her loving adoptive mother Rachel McCarthy at their antiquarian bookshop. Her tranquil existence shatters when a violent squad of supernatural warriors invades her town, revealing that Theresa is the long-lost daughter and sole heir of Arthur Miller, the brutal alpha of the Silverpine pack. Arthur has spent twenty years waging a merciless war of attrition against his sworn rivals, the Blackthorn pack. While fleeing an ambush orchestrated by Arthur's treacherous enforcer Carl Whitfield, Theresa is captured by Blackthorn's ruthless alpha, Victor Powell. The moment their eyes meet in the prison cells, an undeniable fated mate bond ignites between them, shattering Victor's cold resolve and igniting a fierce, forbidden desire. Victor refuses to use Theresa as a pawn, provoking suspicion from his battle-hardened beta Donna Peterson. As Carl Whitfield schemes to overthrow Arthur and annihilate both territories, Theresa must navigate the violent awakening of her dormant wolf instincts. When Arthur captures Rachel to force Theresa's submission, Theresa and Victor form a dangerous alliance that blurs the lines between sworn enemies and destined lovers. Together, they must dismantle ancient blood feuds, expose Carl's deadly conspiracy, and claim their shared destiny before the supernatural war consumes everything they cherish.

by Nani Benz

Melanie Moreno has spent her entire life cleaning up other people's messes, never expecting one job to change everything. Melanie finds herself drawn into a world of secrets, obsession, and dangerous attraction.What begins as a simple cleaning job soon becomes something far more intimate, and escaping may not be as easy as walking out the front door.... **𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞.**

by Brady Densley

Kael Veyr has spent his life protecting his younger brother. Now, he may be the only person who still remembers him. Lucen is sick—but no healer can explain what is happening to him. He is growing weaker, parts of his body are beginning to fade, and something about his illness feels fundamentally wrong. Kael refuses to accept that his brother is simply dying. If there is an answer somewhere in Elyrion, he intends to find it. His search leads him to Marrowgate, the Ashen Wing guild, and a world far larger and more dangerous than he ever imagined. Monsters stalk forgotten places. Ancient ruins hide secrets better left buried. Powerful guilds measure warriors from Iron to Heavenmarked. And beneath everything lies something most people don't even know exists. Then a stranger with silver eyes looks directly at Kael and calls him “the boy with the hollow brother.” His next words are worse. “Heaven has noticed you.” Kael only wanted to save Lucen. But the deeper he searches for a cure, the clearer it becomes that his brother's illness is connected to something ancient—and that whatever is watching them may have been waiting for Kael all along. To save the person he loves most, Kael will have to uncover the truth behind a world that was never meant to be seen.

by Taylor Michelé

<u>No AI was used in the writing of this work of purely human imagination.</u> In Dominion, you don’t know whether you are pretty or ugly until you are fifteen. Not officially, anyway. It comes as no surprise to Rissa Marlow when she rated AP—Aesthetically Prohibited. She’s ugly, after all. Not stupid. The surprise comes when she arrives at ARC Three—Ugly Camp—to begin training for either a life of labor in the Corporations or a much shorter life in her nation’s endless war with the Enemies. Everything changes though when Rissa finds herself the unwilling leader of a group of fellow Aps ordered on a mission to find a madman operating without official sanction deep in the Forbidden Zone. But one more surprise awaits: Cannen Ramsey, a beautiful Aesthetically Optimal boy will be joining this impossible mission. Their journey down the Desert Sea is fraught with peril. Violent weather, dangerous animals and even more dangerous people greet them around every bend. But for the first time in her life, Rissa finds friendship. With cheerful Birdie, stoic Tree, and even with the arrogant Ettie and the unpredictable Shora. And as the reluctant adventurers are drawn deeper into the desert something even stronger seems to be growing between Cannen and her Only when Rissa finally comes face-to-face with the man whose command she has been ordered to terminate does she begin to learn the terrible truth. About him. About her country. About herself. While virtually everything Rissa thought she knew turns out to be lies perpetrated by the government, the corporations and even by her own parents, now she learns that the madman has found something here in the wasteland. Something ancient. Something horrific. Something deadly. On this journey into the very heart of darkness Rissa may have to sacrifice everything including those she has come to trust, respect—and love.

by Ryan Strock

The Witch Who Read the Story Every Halloween   Every Halloween night, when the moon rose above the blood-stained land, the witch returned.   She was no longer the witch who had once walked the earth.   She was a ghost now.   A pale figure with dark, endless eyes, wandering through the old forest where her story had begun—and where her love had never truly died.   But she was not alone.   Sitting beside her on an ancient wooden chair was Noah, an old haunted doll.   Noah had belonged to the witch for longer than anyone could remember. His porcelain face was cracked, his clothes were faded, and sometimes, when the moonlight touched his eyes, it seemed as though he was watching something that no living person could see.   Every Halloween, the witch opened an ancient book.   Inside was the story of Ryan and the Witch.   The story of a man who had loved a witch.   The story of a terrible night.   The fire.   The curse.   The blood-stained land.   And the strange magic that had released the witch from the world of the living while leaving the love between them behind.   The witch would read the story aloud to Noah.   And every year, she reached the same words:   "The curse disappeared... but the love remained."   Noah would slowly turn his porcelain head toward her.   "Why do you read it every year?" he would whisper.   The witch would stare toward the dark forest.   "Because I am afraid that one day, I will forget him."   But she never did.   Somewhere beyond the trees, Ryan's ghost wandered too.   He had grown old and died on the cursed land, yet death had not freed him from the love that bound him to her.   Every Halloween night, he searched for her.   And every Halloween night, the witch searched for him.   They were always close.   But the curse had one final cruelty.   They could hear each other.   They could feel each other's presence.   But they could never see one another.   Until one Halloween, Noah closed the book.   The witch looked at him.   "You've never done that before."   Noah's cracked porcelain face smiled.   "Because this isn't the ending."   The candle beside them suddenly went out.   The forest became completely silent.   Then the witch heard something behind her.   A voice she hadn't heard for hundreds of years.   "You never forgot me."   She slowly turned around.   For the first time, Ryan's ghost stood beneath the Halloween moon.   The curse had finally broken.   Not because the land was cleansed.   Not because the fire was forgotten.   Not because the past had disappeared.   It broke because the story had been told so many times that the love inside it became stronger than the curse itself.   The witch dropped the book.   Ryan stepped toward her.   And Noah, sitting quietly in his old wooden chair, watched as the two ghosts finally found each other.   The witch picked up the book one last time.   She looked at Noah.   "Perhaps we don't need to read it anymore."   Noah's glassy eyes blinked.   "Perhaps not."   The witch smiled.   "But every Halloween..."   She looked toward Ryan.   "...we will remember."   And from that night forward, the old haunted house was never empty again.   Every Halloween, candles appeared in the windows.   A woman's voice could be heard reading an old story.   A man's laughter sometimes echoed through the forest.   And in the attic, an ancient doll named Noah sat beside the window, watching the moon.   Because some stories are written in ink.   Some are written in blood.   But the oldest stories of all...   are written in love.   And once a love like that becomes a ghost,   even death cannot make it disappear.

by Nicholas Scott

If you listen to Aiden Pike all he wanted to do was try kissing a guy. Cody Beaumont is dubious, though certainly not hesitant. After that first kiss, all he wants is more. Then there's Ashton Prince, the perfect guy, some might say too perfect. Putting their hearts on the line is the last thing they expected.

by C. Matthew McCall

**POSTAL** What begins as an ordinary day at a local post office quickly becomes a nightmare when a tragic accident claims the life of Mike’s sister, Kristen. Grieving and struggling to understand how something so terrible could have happened, Mike begins noticing details that don’t make sense. Strange occurrences, unsettling encounters, and clues surrounding Kristen’s death slowly pull him into a mystery far darker than he could have imagined. As Mike searches for answers, he discovers that some things are better left unexplained—and some mysteries refuse to stay buried. With the help of those around him, Mike must piece together the clues before something else is taken from him. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous the search becomes. **Some mysteries are meant to be solved.** **Others are meant to be survived.**

by Stories by Irish

Syrena Lakewood and Warren Clarke are literally polar opposites. She from the aristocratic Spellcasters, the Lakewood Family and he from the nomadic tribes of the Tear'ani. She is meant to be a bargaining chip to obtain some beneficial marriage. He is the next Cavino of his tribe, specifically chosen by his predecessor and the Shevaros. Even their magic is considered incompatible... she being the strongest water elementalist and he the strongest fire elementalist in their respective families and academy houses. They are both in their final year of classes, too.  And this year will be their most difficult yet as they discover they are expected to get married, even while still in school. Where they will be watched like vultures by enemies that want to see them fail.

by Gina Murdock

## SHE WASN'T LOOKING FOR A BREAK. SHE WAS RUNNING FROM A STALKER.  Sloane Mitchell has everything. Wealth, success, a picture-perfect life. But beneath the surface, she's suffocating. When she meets Harper Grey, a woman who looks uncannily like her, Harper makes an irresistible offer: swap lives for three weeks. No strings attached. Just a chance to escape.  What begins as a thrilling adventure becomes a descent into terror. Because Harper didn't tell Sloane the truth. She wasn't looing for a break from her boring life - she' was running from a stalker who has been watching her every move for almost a year. A man named Jared Mills who doesn't just follow his victims. He owns them. ###  She's The Stranger She Became.

by Devin D. Taylor

The war that began beneath the Twin Moons has become a struggle for the fate of the world. As Zharu’un’s darkness spreads across the realms, the fragile alliance forged against him is tested by old wounds, ancient rivalries, and ambitions that cannot be contained. While armies gather for the final confrontation, the darkness finds new champions of its own, turning pride, grief, and hunger for power against those who once stood together. Far from the battlefields, Ornasi undertakes a perilous journey across the deepest reaches of creation. To oppose Zharu’un, he must gather the Twelve Primal Orbs, each bound to a fundamental power of the world. The path will carry him through lands where even the laws of creation have begun to fail, and every step draws him closer to a burden no mortal should bear. Meanwhile, the peoples of the world fight not merely to win, but to survive long enough for Ornasi to return. Amara Silversong stands at the heart of a gathering whose strength may yet be undone by fear and misunderstanding. Velorian faces a darkness that reaches closer to home than he ever imagined. The orcs of Gor-Durath are divided by a struggle between the wisdom of their ancestors and the hunger of a new generation. And across the world, sacrifices are made in the hope that something worthy of the dawn might survive. At the end of the road waits Zharu’un. And when Ornasi finally returns, the last battle will demand more than victory. It will demand a sacrifice that changes the world forever.

by Melissa Rovelli

When the death of her father causes her family to move out of state, Fee feels as if she has lost everything. To ease her loneliness and to face her growing fears in this unwelcoming place to strangers, she attempts to make friends with cave enthusiasts, who are willing to show this newcomer the ropes. While visiting a cavern on her own, she meets a mysterious boy named Faron Rothschild, who seems to recognize her struggle and takes her under his wing; however, at the same time, he is hiding a very dark and dangerous secret which puts her life at risk. Unknown to her, Faron has the task of keeping humans safe in the caves as well as acting as an emissary between three competing groups who are warring over how to contain the disclosure of an ancient race living below, of whom he is a descendant of, and also has the ability to shape-shift. In a world where no one trusts anyone, can one girl, who is afraid of most things, find it in her heart to rise up and bring peace between darkness and light before it is too late? Or will the opposing sides seek to silence her once she discovers what no one is allowed to discover?

by Kiara Guzman

So I feel like what inspired me to write this as someone who has been through really bad relationships, addiction issues, self-harm, loss, attempts, being locked up, losing myself trying to save other people, homelessness, bad self-image, loss of children terrible abuse that should happen to no one ever. I want my books to give people of all ages. that just because you have been broke doesn't mean you're broken. Just because you were given battles does not mean you give up because everything gets better and it doesn't always stay bad forever. I want people to connect not just on a mental level but to actually feel everything I have said and to know that all the emotions of hate, love , guilt ,shame ,peace ,fear ,distress , and hopefulness does not mean that their story hasn't ended and that it's just starting to take off. Because I remember thinking multiple times I will never get through this or I am not strong enough then I have to remember if I never went through the stuff I went through, I would have never become the person I am today. but yes, i have lost people along the way but that just means they weren't met to stay for the long run. They were met to be there for a lesson and to grow and that perfectly fine. Cause you're going to look at your and say that was worth it cause look at me now.

by Rosalie Lovejoy

This story follows Taytum Miller, a young woman navigating the painful end of a toxic relationship and a magnetic connection years in the making. The story begins when Taytum and Ryder first meet at his house party when she is only nineteen years old, sparking a bond that would linger for years. Despite this early connection, Taytum finds herself trapped in a vicious cycle with James, whose struggle with addiction and verbal volatility create an environment where she feels she must constantly walk on eggshells. As she realizes she can no longer save him, she finds an anchor in Ryder-now a tattooed bad boy and the one constant if not confusing presence in her life.

by Babetta

Amara & the Locked Door is a short story set in the world of the Moon Shadow Pack — a sweet, magical tale about a curious four-year-old, a tiny door, and a pixie named Pinx. Perfect for readers who love found family, gentle magic, and the wonder of discovering something hidden.

by Mighty Wayne

This story was inspired

by Brie Love

At nineteen, faith is no longer something she can simply inherit--it must become something she chooses, questions, and wrestles for herself.  *Nineteen* is a poetic short novel told through nineteen poems, written by a nineteen year old girl. Woven with Scripture, honest reflection, and the tension between herself and becoming, this intimate collection explores the questions that surface when growing up means confronting pain, identity, purpose, and God all at once.  Raw, vulnerable, and deeply personal, *Nineteen* is for anyone who is willing to face the truth.

by Levi Perry

Seventeen-year-old Luna has never wanted to be anyone’s savior. She would rather understand the world around her than be placed at the center of it. But when long-buried secrets surrounding her family begin to surface, Luna discovers that the strange power awakening within her is tied to something far older—and far more dangerous—than she ever imagined. Drawn into a hidden world shaped by lunar magic, ancient enemies, fractured loyalties, and a history no one seems willing to tell her completely, Luna is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her father, her past, and the role others believe she is destined to play. As the darkness closes in, the people around her carry secrets of their own. Some want to protect her. Some need what she can become. And some may already know how her story is supposed to end. Luna must decide who to trust while learning to control a power she barely understands—one that could protect the people she loves or make her the very thing their enemies have been waiting for. Dark, atmospheric, and character-driven, *Luna Lumina* is the first book in a planned young adult fantasy trilogy about family, identity, sacrifice, and a reluctant heroine caught between the life she wants and the destiny others have chosen for her. For readers who enjoy mysterious magic, hidden histories, dangerous fantasy worlds, strong family bonds, and heroines who refuse to accept easy answers.

by Kimball Eakle

Centuries after the Ashfall shattered an ancient alliance, Kael, a stubborn Valcrestian scholar, uncovers evidence that the accepted history of the catastrophe may not be complete. His search draws him east, where he crosses paths with Rhane, a disgraced Khel warrior condemned not for losing a battle, but for surviving one. Their journey carries them through ruined strongholds, ancient mysteries, forgotten magic, and the remains of a world still divided by old wounds. As the Dominion expands its influence, Kael and Rhane begin to uncover truths that challenge what their peoples have been taught about the past—and about one another. *The Song of Ash and Root* is a character-driven epic fantasy about memory, survival, loyalty, identity, and the dangerous difference between unity and control. It follows people forced to decide what they are willing to preserve, what they are willing to question, and whether belonging can survive disagreement.

by L J Temple

To those who have felt the crushing weight of societal expectations, the seductive whisper of digital validation, and the gnawing ache for a life that feels undeniably *real*. This story is for the dreamers caught in the gilded cage, for the navigators of blurred lines and curated realities, and for anyone who has ever questioned the actual cost of chasing a dream that glitters but may not satisfy. May you find your own truth beyond the screen, your own voice in the silence, and your own irreplaceable worth in the quiet spaces between the curated moments. May this narrative serve as a mirror, a cautionary tale, and ultimately, a beacon of hope for those seeking genuine connection and a life lived with authenticity and courage. To the unwritten chapters of your own story, may they be filled with purpose, peace, and the undeniable beauty of simply being.  Curated Self: The idealized, often selective, presentation of an individual's life,\ particularly on social media platforms, designed to elicit positive external validation.\ Digital Footprint: The trail of data left behind by a user's online activity, encompassing\ everything from browsing history to social media posts and digital transactions.\ Fulfillment: A state of deep satisfaction and contentment derived from living a life\ aligned with one's values and authentic self, rather than the pursuit of external validation\ or idealized outcomes.\ Societal Pressures: The external expectations and norms imposed by society regarding\ success, appearance, behavior, and lifestyle, often amplified by digital platforms.\ Vulnerability: The quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of attack or harm,\ either physical or emotional; in the context of relationships, it refers to the willingness to\ share one's true thoughts and feelings, even those that are imperfect or uncertain.

by L J Temple

To the seekers of wisdom, the tireless questioners of existence, and the diligent builders of a more enlightened world. This work is a testament to the enduring power of foundational principles, gleaned from the echoes of antiquity and offered as a compass for our contemporary journey. May these Articles of Life illuminate your path, sharpen your discernment, and inspire you to contribute your unique verse to the grand, unfolding narrative of human civilization. May your inner kingdom be well-governed, your community bonds strengthened by unwavering morals, and your understanding of the cosmos deepened by the profound mysteries that lie both within and beyond. To those who tirelessly strive to balance the scales of justice, to preserve the sanctity of knowledge, and to learn from the grand tapestry of history, this book is humbly offered. It is for the scholars who humbly begin their quest, the masters who grapple with the complexities of ethical living, and the seekers who gaze into the infinite possibilities of existence, daring to understand our place within the celestial dance. May you find within these pages not mere information, but illumination; not simply knowledge, but wisdom; and not just guidance, but the courage to embody the timeless truths that have guided humanity towards meaning, order, and enduring prosperity since the dawn of time. This is a tribute to the enduring spirit of inquiry, the profound capacity for growth, and the unyielding human desire to live a life of purpose, integrity, and transcendence. This book is for the following: Readers interested in philosophy and ethics. Those who enjoy exploring foundational moral and societal principles, the nature of good governance, and the pursuit of a meaningful life will find the in-depth exploration of the Articles of Life compelling. Students of comparative religion and mythology. Individuals fascinated by the blend of biblical narratives (Enoch), ancient legal codes (Hammurabi), and mythological references will appreciate the synthesis of these elements. Readers seeking a structured and wisdom-driven narrative. The book's organized structure of articles and progression levels will appeal to readers who enjoy clear frameworks for understanding complex concepts and a journey towards self-improvement and transcendence. Academics and researchers of ancient law and governance. The detailed inclusion and analysis of Hammurabi's Code, alongside other historical and philosophical underpinnings of civilization, make it valuable for scholarly exploration.

by Author_Nilz

Mira Thakur has spent most of her life learning how to make herself small. Orphaned young and raised in her uncle’s home in the hill town of Shimla, she divides her days between college, family obligations, and the tiny bookshop she loves. Her parents left her an inheritance—but an old-fashioned condition keeps it beyond her control: **She cannot take charge of it until she marries.** Then a violent storm sends Kian Dutt through the bookshop door. Kian is heir to one of India’s most powerful industrial families—brilliant, charming, wealthy, and dangerously accustomed to solving problems his own way. Mira doesn’t recognize him. For once, Kian likes it that way. One rain-soaked evening becomes walks through Shimla, cups of tea, private jokes, long conversations, and a slow-growing intimacy neither of them expected. Then Kian discovers something Mira doesn’t know. The land his development project desperately needs belongs to her. And marriage is the one condition that would finally give her control over it. **He wants Mira.\ She wants her freedom.\ His project needs her land.** To Kian, one impossible idea begins to look almost elegant: marry the woman he already wants, give her the freedom she has been denied, and negotiate for the land afterward. The problem is not that his feelings are false. The problem is that the secret is real. What begins as an intimate slow-burn romance in the mountains becomes a story about love, ambition, betrayal, separation, growth, and whether two people can ever find their way back to each other after the truth changes everything they thought they knew.

by Rachel von der Ehe

It was a normal life for Starlene and her little sister Sierra when they learned that their estranged sister had disappeared. It was then that they uncovered a letter from their late great-grandfather that revealed a dangerous legend surrounding a magical artifact known as the Starstone. Determined to complete their great-grandfather's unfinished quest, the sisters embark on a perilous journey filled with unexpected challenges. As they search for their missing sister and her kidnapped friend, they must confront the shadows of betrayal and loss. Will they find the truth behind their sister's disappearance? Who are the mysterious hooded figures following them? And can they recover the Starstone before it falls into the wrong hands?

by Devin D. Taylor

In the wake of Aelaria’s fall, its surviving people stand beneath unfamiliar skies, scattered far from the world they once called home. But exile has not placed them beyond the reach of Zharu’un. As signs of his corruption begin to surface across the mortal world, Amara Silversong, Ornasi, Darkhan, Nerun, and the remaining Aelari realize that survival alone will not be enough. Their numbers are too few, their strength too diminished, and the darkness before them too vast to face alone. Their only hope lies among peoples who have no reason to trust them. Across ancient forests, mountain halls, northern clans, and proud orcish lands, the Aelari must seek alliances with civilizations divided by old rivalries and shaped by traditions wholly unlike their own. Among them rise champions whose choices may determine whether those scattered peoples stand together—or fall separately. For Amara, the journey is also one of grief, change, and the difficult discovery that preserving the light of Aelaria does not mean rebuilding the world exactly as it was. **The Gathering of Scattered Light**, Book Two of *The War of First Light*, is a story of unlikely alliances, ancient cultures, friendship, sacrifice, and the gathering of hope against a darkness no single people can overcome alone.

by L J Temple

Darkside of the Moon is a testament to the future of human aspirations. Donald J. Trump's vision was a slow, steadily growing force. Within a decade, the vision became reality, with next-generation platforms and behemoths that carried humanity's dreams to the stars. Yet the future is much nearer than was believed. A secret is to be found, and a hope for the future of humanity is to be revealed, but the survival of humanity is to be determined by the willpower of a few brave souls and the ambitions of the newly envisioned United Galactic Space Force and the might of Sol's Vanguard

by Dan Dooley

It was just a plain package wrapped in plain brown paper and tied together with twine. There was no forwarding address, nor was there a return address. There was only, printed on one side, a name. “Miss Penny.”\ \ Almost a century before, a woman named Penny was murdered on the eve of her wedding, by the man who had promised to take her as his wife. The story was revealed in an old, yellowed newspaper. Was that Penny the one who’s name was on the package containing the wedding dress?\ \ Now, two friends, both co-workers in the dead letter department of the Post Office, find a mysterious package left on the front step of the Post Office building. Opening the package, they find an aged and faded wedding dress. But something came along with the dress. Something sinister, and frightening. Something to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.\ \ Was it just in his head? Or was it a real haunting? Was the wailing, and the sound of a woman's voice in his room at night really linked in any way to the faded old wedding dress? Was she searching for the dress, and what did it really mean to her? Assuming the voice was actually that of a woman. Dead or otherwise. Or was he simply going crazy and imagining it all? The best of gaslight fiction. Is it a ghost story, or rather a psychological thriller? Read it and come to your own conclusion.

by Karma Thorne

**A witch marked by moonlight. A Guardian bound by fate. A queen who feeds on broken bonds.** Aurora Luna has always taken the shortcut home — until the fog moves against the wind and molten-gold eyes emerge from the Hollow. One heartbeat later, a crescent mark blooms over her heart, binding her to Kael, a wolf-shifter Guardian forged by centuries of secrets. Their ancient tether is more than fate — it helps hold the veil between worlds together. And something on the other side wants it broken. The Bone Queen shattered her own bond long ago, and now she hungers for the power buried inside Aurora’s. As shadow-rot spreads, old family secrets unravel, and the Hollow itself begins to wake, Aurora’s magic grows from an uncontrollable spark into something powerful enough to save everyone she loves — or destroy them. Kael is supposed to protect her, but training quickly becomes temptation. Every touch strengthens the connection between them, every kiss becomes another vulnerability, and Aurora refuses to become a replacement for the woman Kael once lost. With ley lines blazing beneath her feet, a best friend who refuses to run, and darkness closing in, Aurora must decide what her bond truly makes her: a weapon, a doorway…or something entirely her own. The Hollow is watching.\ The Queen is waiting.\ And love may be the strongest magic of all. *Moonlight and Magic*, the first book in **The Hollow Bond Series**, is an adult paranormal romantasy filled with dangerous magic, wolf shifters, fated bonds, found family, fierce friendship, dark secrets, and a romance powerful enough to challenge fate itself.

by Karma Thorne

**The Hollow Bond Series** is a dark, seductive romantasy series where ancient magic, supernatural bonds, and dangerous love collide. Deep within the mysterious Hollow, the forest is more than trees and shadows—it is alive, powerful, and it remembers. Witches, wolf shifters, ancient guardians, forbidden magic, and forces that should have remained buried become tangled in bonds shaped by fate but tested by choice. As old secrets surface and the boundary between worlds begins to fracture, love may prove to be either the greatest weapon of all—or the most dangerous weakness. Filled with fierce heroines, protective and powerful heroes, found family, fated mates, dark secrets, supernatural danger, passion, and plenty of magic, **The Hollow Bond Series** explores what happens when destiny chooses you before you're ready to choose it. *The Hollow is watching.* *The bonds are awakening.* *And some magic refuses to be denied.*

by Draego Fyre

Alex Carter has always understood games better than people. At Ridgewood High, he’s the quiet kid with his head down, his best friend at his side, and an RPG waiting for him when he gets home. But when a mysterious interface suddenly appears before his eyes—complete with stats, quests, skills, and experience points—Alex discovers that reality has rules he was never supposed to see. And he isn’t the only one playing. Beneath the ordinary world exists the Nexus, a hidden realm of magic, monsters, secret factions, and ancient powers struggling to maintain a fragile balance. The Guardians want to protect that balance. The Rogues want to break free from it. And something buried far deeper has begun to notice Alex. As his abilities grow, Alex is forced to confront enemies who were once classmates, secrets hidden within his own power, and a corruption capable of turning fear, anger, and ambition into weapons. Every new level makes him stronger—but every choice threatens to pull the people he loves deeper into a world they were never meant to see. Because Alex is beginning to realize that his strange new power isn’t simply turning reality into a game. **It may be preparing him for one.** *Nexus: Balance of Shadows* is a LitRPG urban fantasy about friendship, identity, family, hidden worlds, and discovering that true strength isn’t choosing between light and darkness—it’s learning how to carry both without losing yourself.

by Mary Ellen Humphrey

Leah Rigley disguised herself as a cabin boy in order to accompany her father, the captain of three trading ships, to the New World. She did not anticipate the turn of events that would happen during the voyage from Falmouth England to the coast of Mayne, and after the ships arrival at their destination.  Travel with this extraordinary girl across the Atlantic Ocean in a 16th century sailing vessel and experience her adventures in the strange new world as she tried to find her way home.

by T. Barnes

### **The Drowned World and the Lifeline** **In a flooded wasteland, a young engineer must protect her brother and floating home from a ruthless warlord targeting their resources.** When catastrophic sea level rise turns the Bay of Bengal into an endless grey expanse, nineteen-year-old Anja and her younger brother, Sami, are left clinging to the crumbling rooftop of their submerged home. Armed only with her late father’s engineering wisdom and a desperate drive to keep Sami alive, Anja navigates a sea of rot and false hope until a floating sanctuary—the **Lifeline Cooperative**—offers them a second chance at life. But peace on the water is short-lived. When a toxic red tide poisons the flotilla's water supply and power systems fail, Anja uncovers a terrifying truth: the disaster isn't natural. A militarized empire operating out of a rusted northern refinery is waging a covert war of attrition. Led by the calculating warlord Voss, the refinery seeks to starve the Cooperative, breach its defenses, and seize its most precious asset—a pristine pre-Collapse seed bank. To save her new home and her brother’s future, Anja must evolve from a quiet mender into a key operative. Navigating traitors inside the gates, covert infiltration missions, and high-stakes tactical warfare, she learns that surviving the drowned world requires more than sharp tools—it requires the courage to stand against the tide. ### **Why You'll Love This Story** - **Gritty Atmospheric Post-Apocalyptic Fiction:** A grounded, realistic look at technical survival, resource scarcity, and community resilience in a flooded world. - **Smart, Engineering-Minded Protagonist:** Anja relies on logic, salvage mechanics, and strategic thinking rather than superhuman combat skills. - **High-Stakes Conflict:** Featuring espionage, sabotage, complex moral choices, and an immersive cat-and-mouse game between two surviving factions.

by Brittney Paige

Some mysteries are too big for one generation to solve.

by Brittney Paige

Pearl Frost moved to Hearthglen hoping for a fresh start. She just wanted to paint, restore her grandmother’s old farm, and build a life of her own. Instead, she finds a family she chooses, love, and a town full of secrets- including the mysterious theft of several of her paintings. For now, though, she’s content to paint, fall in love, make friends, and build a life in the little town she’s come to call home.  But secrets have a way of lingering. And some mysteries are bigger than one generation can solve.   **Welcome to the Berry Universe.** This isn’t quite the world you know. Here, people are called Berries—ordinary people living ordinary lives in a world filled with extraordinary color. Their skin, hair, and eyes can be shades of lavender, blue, orange, pink, green, purple, or white, passed down through generations in ways that can reveal secrets about where a family came from. It’s an alternate universe where colorful people aren’t unusual. They’re simply people. And this is one family’s story.

by Dionna Robinson

CROWNED IN ASH   The Goddess of Embers — Book One   Persephone was never meant to be a goddess.   At twenty-two, she has spent her life believing she understands her place in a world ruled by ancient gods, ruthless courts, and divine bloodlines. But beneath the surface of her mortal life lies a power she cannot explain—and a destiny someone has gone to great lengths to keep buried.   Then comes Hades.   Lord of the Underworld. King of the dead. A god feared by those who have never dared to look closely enough to understand him.   Their meeting should have been impossible. Their attraction, unforgivable.   Drawn into the Underworld, Persephone discovers a kingdom far different from the monstrous realm she was taught to fear—and a god who sees something inside her that even she cannot recognize. But the deeper she descends into his world, the more the carefully constructed truths of her life begin to crumble.   Ancient rivalries awaken. Divine alliances fracture. And the forces surrounding her are beginning to realize that Persephone is not simply a pawn in a game played by gods.   She is the game.   As forbidden power burns beneath her skin and enemies close in from every side, Persephone must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to claim the truth about who she is—and what she is becoming.   Because some crowns are inherited.   Others are forged in ash.   And when Persephone finally rises, the gods may discover they should have been afraid of her all along.

by Marion A. Yost

A brother/sister duo in the Navy set off to avenge there father's death only to realize that he'd been training them for a much greater purpose. The book tracks their adventures while finding more chaos to stop..

by Lura Mckinnon

A girl born in the early 60s learns that in life, there's not always going to be someone to save you. The story captures the resilience, strength, courage as well as ways to get even against people who have hurt her, or her friends, in comical actions. Her father George became her silent hero, and with his silent actions, taught her the ups and down in life. *Life taught me to be strong.* *The men who cheated on me...* *Well, they taught me to be creative.*   People have asked me about the title of this book. Some assume it's about anger. Others think it's about revenge. It isn't. Wrath isn't always loud. Sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's walking away. Sometimes it's refusing to let someone else's betrayal define your worth. And sometimes... It's a harmless prank that reminds a person they should have treated you better in the first place. I never believed in cruelty. Life had already shown me enough of that. But I did believe in consequences. Especially the kind that could make you laugh years later. If that's wrath... Then I suppose I'm guilty.

by Gina Murdock

Jake Miller is living the best morning of his life. Pancakes, laughter, his wife's hand in his, his daughter buckled safely in the back seat. He has no idea it's about to become the worst.  When tragedy strikes on an ordinary Wednesday, Jake wakes up the next morning to find it's the same Wednesday again — 6:12 a.m., the same golden light, the same choices waiting to be made differently. He's the only one who remembers. And no matter what he changes, the day seems determined to take something from him before it lets him go.  The truth, when it finally surfaces, is worse than anything supernatural: someone built this. Someone patient, brilliant, and devastated — a woman whose life's work Jake's own hands helped destroy, and whose grief has spent years hardening into something with a plan.  As the walls close in — a stranger's car parked down the street, a note left in the dark, a friend who pays a price for helping — Jake has to face not just what's coming for his family, but what he's already done to deserve it.  Some debts don't get canceled. They just wait for the right Wednesday.

by Gemma Therese

Sixteen-year-old Melanie Howard's world is fractured on her birthday when she discovers her magical angelic bloodline and processing her brother, Eli, gets dragged into the shadows of danger. Thrust into Bloodbound Academy, a pre-Civil War institution for the descendants of the Angelic Realm, Melanie discovers that she possesses the rare talent of psychometry, a gift that allows her to catch glimpses of her kidnapped brother. Desperate and struggling against time, Melanie has only one priority: to bring her brother home safely.

by Misery Walker

In a future society, every citizen must choose a single color upon turning eighteen. From that day forward, nearly everything they own, wear, eat, drive, and decorate with must be that color. The only exception is that citizens earn the right to use additional colors by performing verified acts of kindness, sacrifice, or service to others. Over time, a person's color palette becomes a public record of their character. A person who reaches middle age with only one color is widely suspected of being selfish, narcissistic, or unwilling to help others.

by Adam Mullis

by Toxiktweet

In the magical world of Tropius, gods, goddesses, and demi-beings possess extraordinary powers and experience every emotion imaginable—except for one goddess. Flora, the most beautiful goddess in existence, has never understood happiness, sadness, anger, or love. When she accidentally unleashes a mysterious power while trying to help a young demi girl, Flora is exiled from her home and sent to the mysterious world of Mirrorland.\ There, enchanted mirrors reveal the lives of people across countless worlds. Flora becomes fascinated by Nyla, a twelve-year-old girl struggling to survive in the dangerous streets of Oaktown. Through an extraordinary twist of fate, Flora's journey becomes intertwined with Nyla's, forcing her into a world filled with violence, friendship, heartbreak, and sacrifice.\ Alongside her loyal companion Grillo and her courageous new friend Jordan, Flora begins to experience emotions for the very first time. As a ruthless killer named Silas hunts her down, Flora discovers that the mysterious power hidden within her is tied to an ancient destiny that could change both the human world and the world of the gods forever.\ Flora is a captivating fantasy adventure about friendship, courage, self-discovery, and the transformative power of emotions. It is the story of a goddess who must learn what it truly means to be human before she can become the hero both worlds desperately need.

by A.M Isle

A century of stillness does not end quietly. The empire is waking hungry and afraid, and the people who survived the freeze are discovering that survival was only the beginning. Kathera is returning, and the world is moving again. It should feel like enough.\ \ It isn't.\ \ Sahora never asked to be the one who carried Kathera's soul across realms. She never asked to crawl to the bottom of a waterfall and trade her breath for a world she barely knew. She never asked to stand trial before a village that wants her dead, or to fall for the man who broke every oath he had ever kept just to pull her back from the dark. She never asked for any of it.\ \ The world didn't ask either. It just needed her anyway.\ \ While Oliver faces the cost of choosing love over law, and Lyrian holds together an empire built on grief and rose gardens, a darkness older than the freeze is moving in the east. Carlosa of the Dark Court does not doubt. She does not stumble. She has spent a lifetime being certain. But something is pulling her toward the cliffs of Sinthia, something her shadow recognized long before she did, and Carlosa is beginning to understand that certainty is only as strong as what you refuse to look at.\ \ Ten shards. One stone. A world still remembering how to breathe.\ \ And the people brave enough, or broken enough, or desperate enough, to believe it can.

by Nikki Rollingwood

**A luxury campus. Perfect smiles. And a lens that sees the monsters hiding behind them.** For seventeen-year-old Jazlynn, Horizon Academy isn’t a prestigious reform school—it’s a prison. Shipped off to the sun-drenched Florida coast by well-meaning relatives after her parents’ sudden, unexplained car crash, she is instantly suffocated by the school’s eerie perfection. The students are robotic. The rules are absolute. The smiles are empty. But on her birthday, Jazlynn receives a final, smuggled gift from her parents: a high-end digital camera. When she looks through the viewfinder, the perfect facade shatters. On the playback screen, her flawless roommate is missing her eyes—replaced by light-absorbing, hollow black voids. To the naked eye, she looks normal. But the camera reveals a terrifying truth: the student body, the local police, and the entire town have been hollowed out from the inside. Desperate to survive and find answers, Jazlynn joins the school yearbook committee to carry her camera in plain sight. But as she digs deeper into her parents' final, encrypted files, she uncovers a horrifying legacy. Her parents didn't die in an accident. They were murdered to drag her here, directly into the jaws of a parasitic cult led by the elegant, shadow-eyed Dean Lamia Maras. Scheduled as the next harvest, Jazlynn has only one play left. She must expose the horror to the entire school—or lose her soul to the dark.

by Rory North

Sixteen-year-old Felix Carver carries the ghosts of magicians in his blood. He can communicate with them and use the magical abilities they wielded against monsters when they were alive. His newfound power would be pretty cool, if the ghosts in question weren't his family and the man who killed them. Death doesn't stop Felix's siblings from finding new ways to annoy him from beyond the grave, nor his parents from doing their best to protect him from the dangerous side of his new life. Felix learns that his family belonged to an organization of magicians called the Bright Guardians, while their killer was a part of the Guardian Uprising that tried to overthrow the organization eight years earlier. The Bright Guardians take Felix in, hoping they can train him to fight monsters and control the ghosts living inside of him. Felix barely understands the magical world his family kept secret from him, but he does make friends with other odd cases at the Bright Academy. Troublemaker Arisa Tamura is struggling to control her ability to animate objects while under the influence of cursed bracelets, while the smart but reserved Mason Briggs is a witch who was transformed into a demon as a last resort to save his life. Together, the three of them realize that Uprising spies are still hiding among the Guardians. They have no idea who they can trust, but they do know who they can't: a Guardian named Ernest Abernathy, who stole a powerful wand from Mason's parents before killing them. Felix, Mason, and Arisa must construct a plan to steal back the wand without any help. If their plan fails, Ernest will turn the Guardians against them and have them locked up, or executed. If they succeed, they'll have one more weapon in the fight against the Uprising's army. Either way, the approaching war is inevitable. PLEASE NOTE: Only the first book in this series is available for free here on Readerful. All books in the series are or will be available in ebook and paperback format. Learn more at my website [rorynorth.com](http://rorynorth.com). Thanks for checking out Haunted Blood!

by Rory North

by Rory North

by Jennifer Kay Trijntje Boermaan

**Aluna Lee Stormveil is born in a thunderstorm in a house called Nightfire, under a sky that will not leave her alone. The first time a moth lands on her, she’s minutes old. Sixteen years later, the storms and the moths are back and this time, they’re following her. When a freak storm hits her nowhere Minnesota town, Aluna’s quiet life blows apart. A mysterious train appears where no track should be. And a strange key crackling with stormlight seems to wake something inside her that has been waiting since the night she was born. As the sky grows stranger and the town edges toward disaster, Aluna has to figure out what she is to the storm and what the storm wants from her. Nowhere Sky: A Tale of A Storm Key is a small‑town storm fantasy about a girl marked by the sky, a family full of secrets, and the night a train arrives that shouldn’t exist.”** Long Book Description **In a world where storms hold ancient magic and secrets run deeper than the clouds, one girl's journey is about to begin.\ When sixteen-year-old Aluna discovers a mysterious key during a summer storm, she is thrust into a realm of forgotten legends, hidden truths, and a power she never knew she possessed. As dark forces rise and the boundaries between worlds blur, Aluna must decide where her loyalty lies—and how far she's willing to go to protect what she loves.\ Some doors are never meant to be opened.\ But once unlocked, they can change everything.**

by Rory North

No one knows the real identity of the hospital's Plague Saint is sixteen-year-old Winter Pierce. No one knows she's a fraud. And no one knows she's a killer. While floods and heat waves devastate the southern lands, the northern cities face blizzards and plagues. Up until two weeks ago, the Plague Saint of Devil's Pass was a real doctor. But when Winter learned he was only saving the rich and planned to let her mother die, she confronted him. And killed him. The death was an accident, but taking his place to save lives was a choice. Then, Winter's forced to kill again to save her brother. Her double life, already doomed to fail, is complicated further when her assistant insists on tracking down the murderer. Attempting to cover her tracks leaves Winter tangled in a political web. All the while, people are getting sicker, and trying to find the cure leads her to an enemy far smarter and more dangerous than she is. Powerful people want to see Winter fail. There's more to the plagues than meets the eye. Winter is rapidly running out of time, but she's determined to save her brother from death and her city from corruption. And she'll kill anyone who gets in her way. PLEASE NOTE: Only the first book in this series is available for free here on Readerful. All books in the series are or will be available in ebook and paperback format. Check out my website [rorynorth.com](http://rorynorth.com) for more details.

by Jesse penman

### [**Obey, or Fade Away** **You were always meant for more**](https://open.substack.com/pub/obeyfadeaway/p/3-for-the-ones-who-stayed-and-the?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=73fanv) \ The Arc So Far\ #1 — You Were Never Meant to Disappear opens the series with a confrontation: the reader has spent years learning to shrink, stay quiet, and erase their own edges in the name of safety. It names that erasure for what it is — not peace, but a slow kind of dying — and insists the reader was built with weight and voice, not built to fade into the background of their own life. \ #2 — The Four Possibilities Beyond the Light pushes past the initial awakening into the terrain that opens once someone stops hiding. It maps out the different paths available once the light (the signal, the recognition) has been seen — suggesting that awareness alone isn't the end point, but a fork with several possible directions, each with its own cost and its own truth. \ #3 — For the Ones That Stayed and the Witness Never Blinks shifts focus to endurance. It's written for the people who didn't leave, didn't disappear, didn't fade — the ones who stayed present through the discomfort. It introduces "the witness," an inner presence that tracks everything without judgment, watching to see whether the person will keep showing up for their own life even when nothing dramatic is happening. \ #4 — When the Silence Answers deals with the strange phase where nothing external responds, yet something still communicates. Silence itself becomes the message. This piece explores the discipline of sitting with unanswered questions long enough that the absence of an answer becomes its own kind of confirmation — training the reader to stop needing loud signs and start trusting the quiet ones. \ #5 — The Assignment names the responsibility that follows all that listening. Once someone has stayed, once they've heard the witness, once the silence has answered — they're handed something specific to do. This piece frames spiritual growth not as a feeling to chase but a task to complete: an assignment that requires real-world action, not just internal shifts. \ #6 — The Shape of a Real Response (Time and Time Again) ties the whole arc together. It explicitly revisits the earlier stages — staying present, hearing the silence answer, acting on what's known — and argues that all of those were prelude. The real test is whether the change can survive ordinary life: everyday , errands, people who don't know your mythology. It introduces the phrase "obey or fade away" as the central law of the series — not obedience as submission, but obedience as full listening that produces movement. Coherence, this piece argues, isn't a comfortable alignment; it has teeth. It costs relationships, unmasks false loyalties, and forces the inside and outside of a person to finally tell the same story. The piece closes on the idea that the witness from piece #3 becomes an internal architect, and that the ultimate demand isn't belief — it's response. \ Together, pieces #1–6 trace a single throughline: recognition, endurance, silence, duty, and finally, the demand for coherent action. Each piece raises the stakes on the one before it, moving the reader from "you matter" to "prove it with your life." \ #7 #8 & #9 coming soon !!!!  Obey Your Reasons to Refuse !!!!

by A.S Thomas

YellowJackets meets S.T.A.G.S. The Alpha Society has been an elite presence in YoungBlood, TX for over 100 years. There are two ways you live in this town either be at the top of the food chain and live a life of luxury as an Alpha. Or serve an Alpha at the bottom of the food chain as an Omega. One woman's ambition will leave a whole town on it's knees.

by Amber Faith Robbins

​This poem captures the brutal reality of loving someone through a timed jail call. It turns the phone itself into a cage, trapping the person on the outside in the exact same sentence. The narrative looks back at a chaotic street past, showing how their fierce loyalty was forged in the trenches. Everything builds to that ruthless 60-second countdown where love, regret, and survival are forced into a mad dash. When the line drops, it leaves a cold, heavy silence where the entire world is put on hold.

by A.S Thomas

White Rabbit was raised to be a killer. Underland is where she was raised. She was literally made for one thing: to kill. But after a brief encounter with an agent from S.A.T Secret Agent TECS, she begins to question her purpose.

by A.S Thomas

In The Battle Angels, faith, fire, and family collide in a thrilling saga of celestial warriors and human struggle.   Emelie, a former Battle Angel, has built a quiet life—until dark forces reawaken and her twin daughters, Sofine and Delphine, discover powers they can’t control. As ancient enemies rise, Emelie must train her children to face a war between light and darkness while confronting the secrets she swore to hide.   Blending supernatural adventure and emotional depth, The Battle Angels is a story of courage, destiny, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her warrior daughters.

by Shelbye Karr

*“First rule of being a Storm Chaser, don’t walk; stride. Second rule of being a Storm Chaser, don’t stride; **fly**.”*   Corbingiin Peregrine from Rook has always had her heart set on something bigger than the pastoral life surrounded by goats and horses she was born into. With her powers over the wind, water and electricity, Peri is determined to become a Storm Warden, masters of the three elements and the right hands of the Storm Warden General who rules over their large sprawling kingdom. To do so, she'll have to leave everything behind and start out as a Storm Novice, a student of the Storm Guard Academy in the Capital City. When she's told that she'll only be allowed to master wind, her natural element, due to her lack of nobility, Peri is determined to go around the rules being imposed upon her and keep her three skills sharp without the powers that be at the Academy knowing. The Academy's Instructor of Wind, Anirgiin Taymour from Ilhan, not only ignores Peri's drive to accomplish what only the nobility have been allowed to achieve, but actively encourages it - until she's taken away by the Watchers, the Storm Warden General's guard dogs, for interrogation. Left without a teacher she can trust, she seeks out one of the last of the Noble Houses from her own region at Taymours insistence, a reclusive healer named Narengiin Batu of Salhi, to aid her in her small rebellion and after wearing him down she acquires a grumpy yet effective teacher who, like Taymour, encourages her to not only hone her skills but to question everything around her for the betterment of her follow citizens. Between her training, her noble classmates looking down on her and a system that wants to keep her in her place, Peri is finding it hard to breathe, but if there's one thing a Storm Warden never runs out of it's wind. Fueled by her passion to become the first so called 'peasant Storm Warden', Corbingiin Peregrine from Rook is determined to not only succeed but soar higher than anyone ever has before.

by A.S Thomas

Welcome to the Dome of Dreams aka the Dollhouse In a world where reality has become a twisted form of entertainment, Gia, an orphaned girl, finds solace in the escapist allure of Doll TV. This highly popular program offers a tantalizing glimpse into the lavish lives of the beautiful inhabitants of the Dollhouse – a domed utopian city where perfection reigns supreme. Gia's obsession with the show stems from a deep longing to escape the harsh realities of her own existence. Little does she know, her fervent wish is about to be granted in the most perverse way imaginable.

by Don Wilbert

[ ](https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/ce736aae-7f24-44d6-8e7c-f7b42131d442/artifact/d695ab19-7099-4308-b6ce-42d01e2b5c2d?utm_source=nlmm_share)<https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/ce736aae-7f24-44d6-8e7c-f7b42131d442/artifact/d695ab19-7099-4308-b6ce-42d01e2b5c2d?utm_source>=nlmm_share

by M. leFevre

Twenty-five kids hold the genetic blueprint for immortality, and the government will do anything to get it. Trapped on an island in a neon cage on Sebaceous Island, they face deadly external threats and a vicious internal power struggle. Marco, the leader, fights desperately to lead them, but the greatest danger is Johar, jealous of power, a threat lurking from within. Yet, the ultimate prize is Hibis—the youngest, whose cells possess the most sought-after power of all. If the government captures even one of them, they will mass-produce a weapon capable of wiping out the rest of the underground.

by Nicole Price

by Elwyne Verahs

Maylene never asked to be dragged into another world where trees walk and objects have souls. She's just the clumsy friend tagging along while her bestie discovers that she's some fated princess with purification powers. Guiding them is a young prince thrust into leadership after his father's death, determined to help the princess save a world that is falling apart. But while everyone is focused on prophecies and duty, May can't stop hearing things. Whispers on the wind. Grumbles in the dirt. And an unidentified voice that won't stop complaining. The princess's older brother is drawn to a weapon that whispers temptations in his ear. A corrupted sorcerer keeps sending his soldiers to destroy or enslave any people they find. And the safe zone keeps shrinking. Will they return home safely, will they be discovered by the enemy, or will they be destroyed by their own powers before they can safely master them?

by Fred Koehler

To whoever finds this notebook… This is what really happened to Jim Hobbins, the boy lost out of Cedar Key. I’m drifting somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Out of food. Only a couple sips left of water. And, well… I don't write a lot of stories so I might get my order mixed up.  Still, don’t let nobody tell it different. I just hope that whoever finds this notebook also finds the *Montauk* and figures out how to get it back to my family.  It's a good boat.

by A.M Isle

Sahora is a survivor; steel-tempered and scar-taught in the brutal streets of Serlane. For years she has belonged to no one but herself, living by grit, instinct, and the edge of her blade… until strangers begin to hunt her with a single, ice-cold command: Celentra must remain frozen. Dragged through a portal by a Seer named Amiranthia into a realm stalled in silence, Sahora is confronted with an impossible truth; Kathera’s soul burns inside her, and fate has crowned her the Empress’s Soulbearer. To revive Kathera and coax the land awake, Sahora must help recover the shattered Stone of Ilina: ten god-forged shards lost across a world that resists its own sunrise. Each fragment they claim lets Celentra draw breath again… and each one awakens ancient, starving powers determined to keep time locked shut. At Sahora’s side gather uneasy allies; Cyrus, a brilliant, reckless mapmaker; Briar, earth-bound and guarded with secrets; and Castor, the Empress’s legendary guard. But the cruelest twist of all may be Oliver: once sworn to stop her, now bound to her as Soulfated, hearing her thoughts, steadying the storm-magic rising in her blood. And as the kingdom trembles toward waking, a dark Seer named Carlosa sharpens prophecy in the shadows, gathering power for a night foretold; ready to destroy Kathera the instant she returns. Hunted by zealots, haunted by the life she tried to outrun, and forced to carry an empress’s heartbeat beside her own, Sahora must decide what she is willing to become: the weapon she was forged into… or the warrior who brings a world back to life.

by Joshua (J. E.) Dyer

Being sixteen can be Hell. For Sarah, every day is the same. Keep up with the grades. Stay on top of the cleaning and laundry around their cramped apartment. Friends? Boys? If her mom found out, her rage would follow. For as long as Sarah could remember, it’s always been her and her mom. Stories of her dad’s untimely death hold their own questions.\ \ So long as her chores get done and she stays close to home, everything’s sunny. Otherwise, she might feel the wrath of her mom’s love.\ \ That all changes when Sarah’s great aunt leaves her a mysterious journal in her will. Its pages tell tales of a missing brother’s adventures, riding the rails in the 1930s. The further Sarah delves into the events surrounding him, the closer she gets to uncovering her own past. As the truths of her great uncle’s disappearance come to light, she unearths the skeletons hidden in her mom’s closet.\ \ Then, there’s Collin. The boy she’s had a crush on for years picks now of all times to ask her out. Juggling a boyfriend and a relationship on top of everything else could push her and her mother to their breaking point.\ \ Sparks will fly on Sarah’s journey to independence and healing. One boy’s journey across Great Depression America could hold the key to setting her free. Sarah needs to find him in time to get to the truth before time takes another relative and his secrets to the grave.

by joshua gibson

Caleb Monroe survived the war, but he did not come home whole. After an ambush near Ghazni costs him his right leg and takes the life of his closest friend, Caleb returns to Texas carrying wounds no surgeon can repair. His marriage is broken, his faith is buried under anger, and his relationship with his young son is slipping away. When a failed attempt to end his pain leaves him alive, Caleb is forced to face the wreckage he has spent years trying to outrun. Through his twin sister Riley, a wounded nurse named Leah, and an old veteran named Jenkins, Caleb is drawn into Rally Point—a Christ-centered refuge for veterans, families, and the brokenhearted. Inside the retired walls of Station 9, Caleb begins to learn that redemption does not erase the fire. It teaches a man how to rise from the ashes.

by S. J. Malave

Felicity Ponce grew up thinking that she was a clone just like everyone else. However, after a random genetic code test was conducted, she begins to realize that nothing is what it seems and her world changes drastically. Now tasked with keeping this secret, she must find a way to avoid getting caught by government officials, find reliable allies, and understand what it means to be a unique individual. But, hey, what else could go wrong?

by Sarah Bantu

**A breathtaking true story of unimaginable loss, survival, and the fierce resilience of a child's heart.** **In the gritty, contrasting streets of post-Soviet St. Petersburg, nine-year-old girl lived as a "Little Shadow" always running to keep pace with her older brother and undisputed hero, Yuri. To her, the city was a sun-drenched playground of fortresses and boundless adventure.** **Until the fateful morning a catastrophic explosion shattered her world in a single second.** **Left holding nothing but Yuri’s scuffed rubber shoe, she was thrust into a downward spiral of adult tragedy. As grief mutated into fatal addiction and suicide, she lost both of her parents, survived the cold cruelty of an abusive relative, and was violently torn away from her sister by state authorities. Stranded in a sterile Russian orphanage, she had to build a calloused armor just to survive the freezing institutional gray.** **But from clouds of flour in the kitchen to the hot spotlights of the orphanage stage, her spirit refused to bleed out. Clutching her brother's shoe beneath her iron cot, she used her memories as a weapon against the dark.** **UNBROKEN is a profoundly moving, cinematic memoir of a young girl’s journey through the deepest shadows of trauma to the brilliant, twinkling Christmas lights of a new beginning in America. It is a raw, heart wrenching testament to the unbreakable bond of siblings, the cost of survival, and the beautiful, enduring light that can never be extinguished.**

by D. K. Dowdy

*The Awkward Formula for Growing Up* is an honest portrait of early adolescence. It captures the moment when childhood ends in a slow, inevitable bend toward adulthood. The novel stands alone while also opening a multi‑volume cycle that traces Chris’s life. Sometimes funny, exciting, emotional, or tragic.

by D. K. Dowdy

The Awkward Formula follows Chris through the messy, tender years between childhood and adulthood. He stumbles through first crushes, shifting friendships, family tensions, and the quiet moments that end up mattering more than he ever expected. Set in early‑1990s Florida, the series captures adolescence in all its contradictions. This is growing up the way it really happens: slowly, awkwardly, and in pieces.

by Gregory Wolfcrow

When twelve-year-old Howlvin Stein moves into a creaking old Victorian house on the edge of town, he expects a fresh start—not secrets lurking beneath the floorboards. But deep in the cellar, he discovers an ancient book marked with a strange symbol: a whale surrounded by stars. The moment he opens it, something awakens. Strange things begin to follow Howlvin—whispers in the walls, shadows that move on their own, and a forest that seems to be watching him. With the help of his only friend, Samantha Elm, and his loyal dog Frankie, Howlvin is drawn into a mystery older than Maplewood itself—a story of a vanished founder, a vengeful witch, and a curse that refuses to die. But the deeper they go, the more the forest changes… twisting paths, trapping memories, and pulling them toward something waiting in the dark. Because this isn’t just a story hidden in a book. It’s a story that remembers. And it’s not finished with them yet.

by Gina Murdock

Investigative journalist Mara Reynolds has spent her career uncovering the truth. However, she never expected the biggest lie to be her own life. \ After interviewing billionaire tech entrepreneur Elijah Williams about his groundbreaking project, the Prometheus Initiative, Mara finds herself drawn to his intelligence, charm, and influence. At first, everything seems normal. But soon, disturbing fragments of memory begin to surface—visions of blood, fear, and a childhood event she cannot fully remember. \ As the nightmares grow stronger, Mara turns to therapy for answers. Instead, she uncovers something far more terrifying. The gaps in her memory are not accidents—they are erasures. \ Someone has been rewriting her past. \ As a result, Mara is forced to question everything: her childhood, her relationships, and even the man she is falling for. The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes. Because someone has been controlling her memories for over a decade. \ And the man she trusts most may be the one behind it all. Perfect for readers who love: - Psychological thrillers with shocking twists - Stories about memory manipulation and identity - Suspenseful books like The Silent Patient and Gone Girl - Fast-paced thrillers with unreliable truths - Dark secrets, conspiracies, and emotional suspense

by Elwyne Verahs

A young girl who wishes for peace in a nation built around warfare is sent into exile with her once celebrated war hero father and their loyal steward. When her father mysteriously falls catatonic, the burden of survival shifts. Forcing the steward to decide whether to tend to the broken man he considers family or protect and provide for the man’s young daughter in a land that’s alive with hostility toward humankind—a hatred born of war.   Choosing to take matters into her own hands, Fiora looks back on memories of her deceased mother’s flower garden and struggles to coax life out of tainted soil. She gains an unlikely ally in a curious tree spirit who teaches her to look deeper into the growing things around her. But the land remembers more than it reveals. As Fiora digs into its roots—and into her father’s silence- she senses that exile is only the beginning. Some truths lie buried in the soil, while others are guarded by the people she trusted the most.

by Melanie Kallai

Beyond the walls, nothing is as they told her.  More than a century after global eruptions plunged the climate-fragile world into chaos, seventeen-year-old Barrett is destined for a Noble life in the coastal stronghold of Nuevo Leben, until Ronan, a dangerously perceptive rogue, shows her evidence that her mother is alive and captive in Old North America. Barrett's perfect future shatters. She must cross a deadly wasteland to find her, guided by the last person she should trust. As they face a forgotten world of hostile tribes, vicious predators, and unexpected allies, Barrett questions everything, including her growing feelings for Ronan and her place in this fractured world. But the further she travels from Nuevo Leben, the more she wonders whether its walls kept the world out, or kept her in.

by T Rolan

TOO FAR TO WALK.TOO SMART TO QUIT. Siul just wanted to egg an old lady in Brooklyn. Instead, he ends up on a starship 2.5 million light-years from Earth. Chazlyn just wanted to avoid people. Now, she's the second-in-command of an Earth-based international crew of twenty. Twenty children with three things in common: They are all eleven years old. They are all on the Autism Spectrum. They are the only ones who can see the broken pattern. Recruited by an Al named Protocol, Team Twenty (T-20) has been brought to the Andromeda Galaxy for a mission that shouldn't exist: navigate the Möbius Loop while avoiding the Vessel Protection and Interception Force. But the police aren't the only threat. Orbiting the massive planet Big Papa, the crew must survive static-charged aliens, sentient floating turnips, Mr. Jiggles, enemies that won't die, and a glitch in reality that suggests their whole mission might be a lie. Armed with gravitic nanites, hyper-focused genius, and a penchant for chaos, T-20 must master the Pattern to survive. Because out here in the void, being different isn't a disability-it's a superpower.Welcome to the Cutlass. Don't forget to feed the cat.

by David G McDaniel

Action heroes are too nice. Saviors, too lame. The girl in the orange beret is neither action hero nor savior. She may, however, be a better version of both. And that may be exactly what we need.

by Arin Lee Kambitsis

by Judah Ray

INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY! Madison thought she was the only sane one in the house.\ \ Fourteen and isolated in a remote farmhouse ruled by her mother Faith’s rigid devotion, Madison is convinced the madness belongs to the adults around her. Aunt Hope urges patience. Aunt Grace sees demons in everything. Faith stands between doubt and doctrine.\ \ Certain she is being suffocated by religious extremism, Madison secretly launches a livestream channel to expose her mother to the world. The followers grow. The comments validate her. And no one in the house knows they are being broadcast live.\ \ When Grace convinces Faith that Madison’s rebellion is something darker, prayer turns to accusation. Accusation turns to restraint. An exorcism unknowingly unfolds live as viewers watch religious fanaticism spiral out of control.\ \ This may seem like just another story about a rebellious teenager and her controlling mother.  Another story about faith gone too far.\ \ But the footage tells a different story.\ \ UNORTHODOX is a claustrophobic psychological horror about faith, rebellion, and a mother who refuses to abandon her child, even when the world calls her crazy.

by Judah Ray

In 1955, a secret experiment at the Large Hadron Collider tore open a doorway to another realm.\ \ Extradimensional beings came through, possessed the top scientists and military officials in the room, and kept the portal open.\ \ One of the first crossed over and took a human infant as its host. That infant was Christina.\ \ The only issue is that Christina forgot what she was,  and the others could not enter or control her, but she could see them. So they declared her unstable and institutionalized her.\ \ Years later, world leaders, billionaires, media figures, and political dynasties are all possessed. The New World Order is not a conspiracy theory. It is literal possession.\ \ A decade later, Christina escapes and resurfaces in Berlin. The forces that have tracked her since childhood want her reclaimed or eliminated.\ \ With the help of Jory, who has been able to see the entities inside people since surviving a near-death experience as a child, Christina uncovers a power structure that has ruled humanity from within for generations.\ \ When she learns she is one of them, she must choose between her own kind or the man she loves and the humanity she chose to protect.\ \ They have ruled the world from inside us.\ Now one of their own stands against them.