The shadows have retreated with Raven’s downfall, but darkness still curls
at the edges of the world. For a moment, though, Kari and Ari have a moment
of peace. There is a glimmer of light that threatens to wash away the
darkness as they finally bind their fates together in a formal
ceremony.
But Raven hasn’t given up, and there’s an older, crueler foe who hasn’t
forgotten Kari – the Lord of Demons, the very one who crafted the Catalyst
which Raven sought to control, still trapped in an ancient Tree.
Kari’s moment of joy comes to a halt as the world shakes and Taris is
ripped apart.
Velthas has risen.
About the Author
Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love
with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was
writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape
reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the
path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a
place to call home.
The Boy Upon Death: Reaper’s Last Call J. Robert Adams Publication date: April 5th 2025 Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Young Adult
My existence was as cold as my birth. I was born with both knowledge and will—an inevitability for my kind. Drawn to the final moments of mortal life, we came into being. Some of us became Reapers, tasked solely with ferrying souls to their afterlife. Others craved the power of souls, calling themselves gods of Death—Shinigami. They believed that devouring or absorbing souls granted them greater might, but found that power only deepened their coldness and emptiness. Those gods of Death became husks, bored of their own immortality yet too frightened to end themselves. But being a Reaper can yield the same chill. Though I know the souls would be lost without our guidance, my own existence seems bound to a perpetual winter, drawn to the final beat of each mortal life.
My existence is as cold as my birth. I was born with both knowledge and will—an inevitability for my kind. Drawn to the final moments of mortal life, we come into being. Some of us become Reapers, tasked solely with ferrying souls to their afterlife. Others crave the power of souls, calling themselves Gods of Death. They believe that devouring or absorbing souls grants them greater might, but such power only deepens their coldness and emptiness. The Veil—the great boundary between life and the afterlife—exists as the ultimate destination for souls. It does not judge or choose; it simply awaits those ready to cross. Souls unwilling to pass linger in the mortal world, their tether to the Veil slowly degrading. Once that connection is broken, they descend into madness, becoming fragmented and unstable, unable to find peace. For Reapers, our role is clear: guide the souls before they are lost. Yet even for us, there are choices. We are born as extensions of the Veil, tethered to it as both our origin and our end. At any time, a Reaper may choose to return to the Veil, to be reabsorbed into its vastness and find peace. But there is a second path—one far more dangerous and final. A Reaper may sever their tether to the Veil, abandoning their purpose and embracing free will. These fallen ones become what we call Gods of Death. Free from the Veil’s guidance, they face a choice: help lost souls or exploit them for power. Many succumb to the hunger, consuming souls to strengthen themselves. These beings often destroy themselves, transforming into husks—twisted, empty shells driven mad by their own excesses. I have not chosen to rejoin the Veil, though the option tempts me in moments of despair. And I have not severed my tether, though I sometimes wonder what lies beyond that severance. Instead, I remain a Reaper. But the cold emptiness of my existence grows heavier with each passing year. I guide souls to the Veil, knowing that my own tether will never allow me rest. The souls need us, but who guides the Reapers? Who saves us from the weight of eternity? Perhaps the answer lies in the unknown. In the countless eons of existence, I have never questioned my role—until now. The faint stirrings of doubt creep into my thoughts, like cracks forming in the ice. The time will come when I must choose: to remain a servant of the Veil, to seek peace within it, or to become something greater—or perhaps something worse. This is the story of how I began to question eternity. Of how I—a guide to the lost—found myself on a path to becoming something entirely new.
Author Bio:
J. Robert Adams has been building worlds in his imagination for as long as he can remember. What began as a childhood escape quickly grew into a lifelong passion for storytelling. By middle school, he was already scribbling down tales of heroes, haunted places, and fantastical realms—stories that refused to stay quiet.
Today, Adams continues that journey with The Boy Upon Death, a dark fantasy exploring the tension between duty and identity, power and purpose. His work blends introspective character arcs with immersive worldbuilding, often walking the line between light and shadow.
He writes not only to entertain, but to ask the quiet questions—about who we are, what we fear, and what we choose to fight for. Whether you’re here for the eerie mystery or the emotional depth, his stories aim to stay with you long after the final page.
This summer these two broken souls discover if your second love can make
you forget your first
Growing up, the Morelli brothers were close
Their kinship sinks deeper than the Titanic the summer they both fall for
the same girl. Zakiah always felt Iliana Kaplan’s heart belonged to him. All
along, it has been their story, until fate removed the blindfold.
Everything falls apart when Zakiah realizes Iliana will never give him her
whole heart. This time, the middle brother, Elijah, won’t be able to repair
the damage. A rift is torn amid all of them, and nothing will ever be the
same again.
Two years later, when love comes knocking on his door, Zakiah strays from
his motto. He can’t pretend the connection he feels with Glory Glover isn’t
real. He just can’t afford to fall victim to love again—already
learned that lesson the hard way.
Life drops the other shoe. When his dad reveals who his betrothed is,
there’s no running from what fate has in store. Can your second love make
you forget your first? Zakiah must decide if love only exists in fairytales.
No matter what choice he makes, it won’t be easy to find what’s truly his to
behold.
What happened in the spring might’ve made him forget his summertime dreams,
but reality rarely has a silver lining.
About the Author
B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old. She is grateful to have accomplished this dream. B. Truly has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of suspense and sci-fi. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romance, sci-fi, dystopian, paranormal, and urban genres.
B. Truly likes to explore conflicted plots of romance with thrilling twists. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.
B. Truly has three wonderful children, and a husband who defines the person
that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.
Spies Like Me Doug Solter
(The Gems, #1)
Publication date: October 4th 2016
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
They offered Emma revenge…
When she discovers her father’s plane crash wasn’t an accident, sixteen-year-old Emma wants to punish those responsible. Even if it means becoming a spy for a mysterious organization known as The Authority. They want Emma to join the Gems…four teenage girls with unique skills…who know how to handle dangerous spy missions around the world…like storming a mountain stronghold to stop terrorists from incinerating the world’s food supply.
The Authority thinks Emma is the missing link to make this team work.
Emma thinks The Authority is her only chance for revenge.
Spies Like Me is the first novel in The Gems Young Adult spy thriller series, although all books in the Gems world can be read as standalone adventures. This is a fast-paced action story with diverse characters, cool spy gadgets, girl-power bonding, deep family secrets, ruthless villains, twists and turns, and a romance with a complex boy to figure out.
The school’s auditorium stage was bathed in colors. White for the actors. Orange for the wooden set representing the faraway pyramids of Egypt. Blue to emphasize the painted sky backdrop above it all. It was the opening night performance of The Spy Who Loathed Me.
Emma Rothchild strutted across the stage in a gorgeous floor-length silk dress, her costume for this scene. Tonight, she craved the eyes of the audience and knew this dress guaranteed their full attention.
Emma was deep into character. She was Russian spy Olga Tetrovich. Emma had studied online videos of Russians speaking candidly and mimicked their accents as best she could. Her drama teacher had complimented Emma on her dedication to the craft.
The MI6 spy George Bond followed Olga on stage, but hid behind a fake tree. The actor’s rich brown skin might be a shock to the 007 spy traditionalists in the audience, but Emma hoped that his performance would win them over. Bond was following her in this scene, thinking she would lead the English spy straight to the microfilm that was stolen from him by a Brazilian dwarf named Tatu.
From a souvenir stand, Emma picked up a clay model of the pyramids, something a tourist would buy at a market. She smashed the stage prop against the table in dramatic fashion and held up the roll of microfilm hidden inside so the audience could see it.
George Bond made his move. He crept up behind Emma without detection while she slipped the microfilm into her small hand purse. Emma’s hand came out holding a cap-gun revolver. She pivoted on her heels, making her dress swoosh around her ankles, and aimed the gun at Bond. The move looked great in rehearsals.
“I don’t think so, Mr. Bond,” Emma said, with her gentle Russian accent. “Our brief partnership is at an end. I have what my government wants. Now I will take my revenge. Do you remember that man you killed in Vienna?”
“Yes, I do,” George Bond said.
“He was my lover.”
Emma waited for Bond’s next line.
But the actor hesitated.
Emma was about to lose it. Did Lewis forget again? They’d rehearsed this scene, like, twenty times.
“What do you have to say about that, Mr. Bond?”
The line was an ad-lib, something to draw the next line out of the boy’s mouth.
Lewis’s face was a river of sweat as his eyes glazed over, the actor turning himself into just another tree on stage.
“Your silence is a good enough confession for me. Any last words before I fire?” Emma went off script, but Lewis could pick his line up there. She was trying to help him.
But the boy shook his head. Lewis wasn’t taking the hint.
Emma pulled the trigger and the gun hammer snapped forward. She squeezed the trigger numerous times in a series of loud snaps. Emma dropped the weapon. “You planted that empty gun in my handbag, didn’t you?”
Lewis nodded. Okay, he’d reacted to that ad-lib.
It was a sliver of hope, so Emma went with it. “Then I’ll have to kill you with my bare hands.” Emma approached Lewis with her arms raised in a karate-looking stance. The boy blinked, still trapped inside his scary place. What could Emma do now? Physically attack him? Bond was supposed to seduce the Russian agent, not have her attack him.
Then a breath of inspiration hit her.
Emma grabbed Lewis’s shoulders. She guided him over to a bench on the set and made him lie down. Emma plopped her body on top of Lewis and pretended to struggle with him. Emma whispered into his ear, “Now get up and glare at me, Lewis.”
His eyes blinked again. Lewis rolled out from under her and stood on stage. Emma pressed her back against the seat of the bench and stayed there while Lewis glared.
Emma labored her breathing, as if she were being seduced. “Oh, why can I not kill you, Mr. Bond? What power do you hold over me?”
Lewis didn’t move, his glare frozen on his petrified face.
Emma knew this would work better if Lewis helped sell it, but…she lifted herself from the bench like a graceful ballerina, trying to act seduced by Bond’s man-powers. “Why can I not kill you, Mr. Bond?” she repeated.
Emma went for his lips, kissing Lewis with passion, as if the male spy had successfully messed with her brain. As Emma eased her lips away from his…life came back into Lewis’s eyes. He gripped Emma and pulled her towards him and they kissed again.
Finally, the boy was acting.
Author Bio:
Doug Solter has worked behind the scenes in television for over twenty-five years. He began writing screenplays, then made the switch to young adult fiction. Doug respects cats, loves the mountains, and one time walked the streets of Barcelona with a smile. Doug is a member of SCBWI, IBPA, and Pennwriters.
If you would like to know when his next book will come out, please follow him on Amazon or visit his website at dougsolter.com and sign up to receive emails about new releases and special giveaways.
Grace Fortune leads the rebellion against the United Earth, devastated by the belief that her husband, Jared Lorn, has joined the dark side as the son of the ruthless Supreme Lord Grigori Zazel.
But Jared, now known as the gladiator and demigod Baldyr, is locked in a desperate battle with his fallen angel father. His father’s plan? To annihilate not just Israel but the entire world.
As the apocalypse looms, will Grace and Jared find a way to reunite before the world is destroyed? Can they survive the coming devastation? And what happens when a new, even more terrifying enemy emerges—one who will exploit their love and humanity to bring about their downfall?
All these questions and more will be answered in the thrilling conclusion of The Forlorn series.
About the Author
Gina Detwiler is the author of the award-winning YA Supernatural series Forlorn and is co-author with Priscilla Shirer of the bestselling middle-grade fantasy series, The Prince Warriors. Her non-fiction books include The Ultimate Bible Character Guide and The Ultimate Bible Character Devotional.
She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, her dog, several imaginary friends, and all of the characters from her books, even the dead ones. She is also the author of three beautiful daughters, for whom she shares credit with her husband, Steve.
Forever We Dream Mark Workman Publication date: March 19th 2025 Genres: Coming of Age, Young Adult
Three voices, one dream, and a chance to uncover the truth.
It’s 1978, and the glittering disco craze is sweeping across America. Identical conjoined triplets Elliana, Bellamona, and Gabriella have one shared dream: finding their mother, who vanished without a trace years ago. Singing is their only solace, and now they have a chance to take that passion to the national stage.
When they’re invited to compete in Your Shooting Star, a famous music competition, the teenage sisters see it as their chance to reunite with the woman they can’t remember but long to know. But stepping into the spotlight means facing their greatest fears. As the underdogs fight to stay in the contest, they must brave ruthless rival Twyla-Violet, a former child model determined to claim the coveted title at any cost.
While the four-round competition heats up, secrets, lies, and conspiracies threaten to tear their world apart. Can the triplets stand strong and use the power of television to reconnect with their past? Or will their dream shatter under the pressure of fame?
Carla gawked at the triplets, shocked by their wrecked makeup. “What have you done?”
Katherine stepped over to them. “Carla, I’ll take care of the girls.” She took in their disturbed faces. “Did Twyla-Violet do something to you again?”
Mona sniffed back her tears. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Sixty seconds,” Carla announced behind them.
Katherine pulled the girls around her. “Don’t let that bully beat you. There’s no time to fix your makeup. You must turn this crisis into a tactical advantage. I want you to think of the one thing you want more than anything else and imagine how you’d feel if you couldn’t have it.”
Papilio stared up at her, six amber irises adrift in the pain-stained red sclera of their eyes.
“That’s how we feel now,” Mona muttered as another black tear dripped from her chin and soiled more of their white blouse.
“So put those painful emotions into every word you sing and note you play. Understand, Papilio?”
Appearing almost catatonic, the triplets nodded slowly.
Carla pointed at the stage. “Ten seconds!”
Gently, Katherine brushed a black tear from Mona’s soft jawline with the back of her fingers. “And don’t forget to sing the lyrics from a girl’s perspective. Make them personal.” She stepped back and gestured for Papilio to go.
“Thanks for everything,” Mona said as if it would be the last time they ever saw the coach they had come to admire.
An aching feeling in the pit of Mona’s stomach told her something awful was about to happen. She sensed the judges sharpening their axes, anticipating the metallic taste of blood, ready to exact their punishment on Papilio for being naive enough to think three homely zeros were good enough to become America’s Teen Shooting Star. Their wacko mother didn’t even want them—why would anyone else?
As the dimmed lights increased in intensity, Papilio joined hands, put their right feet forward, and marched onstage while being careful not to trip in their tall platform heels. Halfway there, Gabby lost her concentration. Her ankle twisted sideways, and she nearly fell before Mona, anchored by Ellie, pulled Gabby’s arm and helped her recover, preventing an embarrassing human avalanche.
Despite the triplets’ messy state, the crowd behind Twyla-Violet’s cheering section applauded loudly. The Empress fan club, still decked out in violet band T-shirts, filled the front row as if they were permanently cemented to the seats. Their jaws dropped when they saw Papilio’s sloppy makeup and ruined costume. The hecklers were so shocked by their disheveled appearance, they forgot to snicker.
Papilio’s die-hard fan from their school’s math club stood in the middle of the row behind the jeerers. She held a sign that read Go Papilio! Her metal braces glinted as she jumped up and down, black pigtails bouncing, cheering for the band. Two other calculators with her screamed even louder.
Papiliomania was becoming contagious.
Author Bio:
Mark Workman toured the world as a road manager and lighting designer with many famous rock bands for 33 years. After leaving the music business in 2015, he worked at a major drug and alcohol treatment center in Malibu, California, for four years, where he earned his certification as a drug and alcohol counselor. Mark now spends his time reading, writing, and traveling. He grew up in Petersburg, Virginia, has lived in Greater Los Angeles for most of his adult life, and currently resides in the Las Vegas area. His estrangement from his late father since the age of six, along with his love for the music of the Bee Gees and 70s nostalgia, greatly inspired his debut novel, Forever We Dream.
Brimstone & Blades Maria Alexander Publication date: June 3rd 2025 Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult
It’s 1689. Sixteen-year-old Julie de Maupin is on the run with her boyfriend, a young swordmaster named Sérannes. They perform sword fights and songs in taverns to survive. But when a diabolical creature kills Sérannes, it also injures Julie in the attack. Plunged into the dangerous world of French magic, Julie needs to return to Paris to find the great magician that can heal her devastating wound so she can avenge Sérannes’s death. On the way, she finds the creature is controlled by a necromantic coven called the Shadow Holders. Defeated during the Affair of the Poisons, they’ve returned but this time with traitors in the royal court to crush Louis XIV and terrorize France. With her found family of magical and moggie misfits, Julie must use her sword, wits, and gender-bending wiles to send the threat back to Hell. But will they be enough? Magic is illegal, and so is dueling. But that won’t stop La Maupin.
Maria Alexander is an Amazon #1 Bestseller of Young Adult Horror. Her short stories and nonfiction essays have appeared in numerous publications and acclaimed anthologies alongside living legends such as David Morrell and Heather Graham.
Her debut novel, MR. WICKER, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. Her first YA novel, SNOWED, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel, and was nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Children’s/YA Novel.
She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats, a Jewish Christmas caroler, and a purse called Trog.
Welcome to the tour for The Bloodgrove Apprentice by Nathan C. Ashford! From now through January 12th, e-Books are on sale for only $0.99 and paperbacks are $9.99!
The Bloodgrove Apprentice
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Genre: YA Fantasy
Found Family
Friendships
Furry Friend (Cat)
Cozy Village Life
Violence & Revenge
Elemental and Mind-based Magic
Mentorship
YA Fantasy Coming-of-Age
In a shattered world where magic is forbidden, a war is brewing and only one thing is certain: Blood. Will. Rain.
Brynna has lived her whole life in relative peace and isolation— until the Revenants, a malevolent cult wielding forbidden magic, annihilate everything she holds dear. Her life now burned to ash and her parents slain, Brynna narrowly evades the slaughter, fleeing into Bloodgrove Forest.
Friendly faces emerge within the village of Bloodgrove, including the local blacksmith, who gives Brynna an opportunity to make a new life as his apprentice.
But she can’t escape her fate so easily. Haunted by nightmares and tormented by the local ruffian, Brynna is growing increasingly restless and finding it difficult to cope with her need for revenge.
Brynna can’t run from evil forever. Will she and her newfound friends survive, or become victims of the Revenant’s bloody reign of terror?
Just when thirteen-year-old Selena Flowers thought she was safe, strange
events plunge her seaside town into peril once more. She must dive back into
the dangerous underwater world she narrowly escaped last year to find
answers about the chaotic happenings in town.
Beneath the waves, the undead mermaid queen Faustina desperately searches
for a powerful ruby necklace while corrupting sea creatures into her zombie
army. A sinister dark force is unleashed, spreading its dark magic and
corrupting the merkingdom.
To have any hope of stopping this evil and restoring balance above and
below the waves, Selena must join forces with unlikely allies, including
Faustina herself, and embrace her connection to the underwater world.
With the fate of two realms at stake, Selena must defeat the darkness
before it consumes everything and everyone she loves.
About the Author
Ella English grew up in the heart of London, where the hustle and bustle of
city life met summer adventures at her grandma’s house on the Kent
coast. Exploring tide pools and collecting seashells, she developed a love
for the ocean and a knack for creating imaginative worlds that she now
brings to life through her writing.
Now living in Baltimore, Maryland, Ella is the author of The Merblood Saga,
a dark fantasy YA series that plunges readers into a haunting underwater
realm filled with cursed mermaids, ancient magic, and buried secrets. The
first book, Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby, has been a hit with young
readers, drawing them into its mysterious and dangerous world.
Ella also writes and illustrates Kitty in the City, a whimsical series
about a singing cat named Katy who takes New York City by storm. The latest
installment, Katy in Central Park, will be released in June 2025.
When she’s not weaving dark magic or drawing cats, Ella is kept busy
by her two mischievous felines who make sure she stays entertained and
grounded. Follow her adventures (and plenty of cat cameos) on Instagram
@EllaEnglishAuthor or visit http://www.ellaenglish.com for more.
When a Witch-in-Training falls for a Demon-Possessed Soul…
#LGBTQ
The Northern Witch Series
The Complete Box Set
by K.S. Marsden
Genre: YA LGBTQ Urban Fantasy
The quirky, best-selling Urban Fantasy Series.
When Mark decides to follow in his Nanna’s footsteps, and train in witchcraft,
he takes on more than he could ever have imagined. Up until now, he has been
ignorant of the magical dangers, demons and monsters that his coven defend
against.
Everything changes when Damian moves to Tealford. He is everything Mark has
ever wanted, but he comes with his own cursed life.
Luckily, Mark has the support of his friends and family… as well as the
handsome newcomer.
Containing the full 6-part series:
Winter Trials (Northern Witch #1)
Awaken (Northern Witch #2)
The Breaking (Northern Witch #3)
Summer Sin (Northern Witch #4)
A Dark Fate (Northern Witch #5)
All Things End (Northern Witch #6)
**On Sale for Only .99cents for
December – Get it Now!!**
Kelly S. Marsden grew up in Yorkshire, and there were two
constants in her life – books and horses.
Graduating with an equine degree from Aberystwyth
University, she has spent most of her life since trying to experience
everything the horse world has to offer. She is currently settled into a
Nutritionist role for a horse feed company in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Her first book, The Shadow Rises, was published in January
2013, and she now has several successful series under her belt.
