Book picks similar to
Cross Keys by Ally Shields


urban-fantasy
fantasy
magic
romance

Supernatural Academy: Year One


Jaymin Eve - 2019
    WTF?Secondly … she is one, even though no one seems to know exactly what kind. Double WTF.Thirdly … she’s about to go back to school. Well, things just got a little more interesting.The Supernatural Academy is where shifters, vampires, magic users, and fey are educated. Where they are taught about their abilities, and how to function in the human world. Maddison already has the human part down, but this supernatural thing is an entirely new dangerous game.Example one: mean girls who can actually turn you into a frog.Example two: Asher Lock, a god at the Academy. Not literally … well, who knows for sure. He certainly acts the part, as do all of his minions who worship him.Asher drives her crazy, because apparently snarly, gorgeous, and arrogant is her thing, and despite their mutual dislike, sparks fly between them. The more they’re thrown together, the more Asher is determined to figure out what’s been blocking her abilities.Until the moment the truth is revealed, and they find out nothing in this supernatural world is what they thought.

Vortex Visions


Elise Kova - 2019
    Her parents sacrificed a life with her to quell a rebellion and secure peace with a political alliance. Now, three years past when her wardship should’ve ended, Vi will do anything to be reunited with her family.The Empire is faltering beneath the burden of political infighting and a deadly plague. Yet, Vi can’t help but wonder if her inability to control her magic is the true reason her parents haven’t brought her home. Suspicion becomes reality when she unleashes powers she’s not supposed to have. Powers that might well cost her the throne.As Vi fights to get her magic under control, a mysterious stranger appears from across the world. He holds the keys to unlocking her full potential, but the knowledge has an unspeakable price — some truths, once seen, cannot be ignored.All eyes are on her and Vi must make the hardest choice of her life: Play by the rules and claim her throne. Or, break them and save the world.

The Blacksmith Queen


G.A. Aiken - 2019
    Aiken.  The Old King Is Dead With the demise of the Old King, there’s a prophesy that a queen will ascend to the throne of the Black Hills. Bad news for the king’s sons, who are prepared to defend their birthright against all comers. But for blacksmith Keeley Smythe, war is great for business. Until it looks like the chosen queen will be Beatrix, her younger sister. Now it’s all Keeley can do to protect her family from the enraged royals.  Luckily, Keeley doesn’t have to fight alone. Because thundering to her aid comes a clan of kilt-wearing mountain warriors called the Amichai. Not the most socially adept group, but soldiers have never bothered Keeley, and rough, gruff Caid, actually seems to respect her. A good thing because the fierce warrior will be by her side for a much longer ride than any prophesy ever envisioned …

The Princess Must Die


Everly Frost - 2018
    DESTINED TO BE TORN APART.In an Elven city beneath the streets of Chicago, the perfect storm rages, kept under control only by Marbella Mercy, the Storm Princess. Now she is of age, champions from each of the elven houses will play a game of wit and strength to fight for her hand – and for the chance to control the forces of nature.Baelen Rath, a warrior and leader of the feared House of Rath, is the only male Marbella has ever trusted. He'll risk everything to be her champion. But what he and the others don't know? The princess is fighting too.Because she's discovered that the winner is cursed to kill her, not marry her, and the only way to save herself is to win.But Marbella is fighting a power greater than herself, because someone believes that the perfect storm should be unleashed and for that to happen – the princess must die.

Guardians of Stone


Anita Clenney - 2012
    Spending her childhood hunting relics with her ambitious archeologist father, she knew the two of them shared a sixth sense for the history and location of objects—sometimes even people. What she didn’t know was that their paranormal gift could ultimately be their undoing.After the tragic plane crash that killed her father as well as her childhood best friend, Kendall dedicated her life to finding and protecting relics. When mysterious, sexy billionaire Nathan Larraby hires her for his latest expedition—the search for four powerful relics —she’s thrown into a world of high-octane danger. He sends brooding mercenary Jake Stone to watch Kendall’s back, but he may have created danger of a different kind.As the team chases down clues, a man called the Reaper makes a play for the artifacts and will stop at nothing to put them to his own sinister use. What’s worse is that Nathan hasn’t told the whole story, and the dark secrets he’s keeping could cost them the mission…and their lives.

Hell Bent


Devon Monk - 2013
    But not for Shame Flynn and Terric Conley, “breakers” who have the gift for reverting magic back to its full-throttle power. In the magic-dense city of Portland, Oregon, keeping a low profile means keeping their gifts quiet. After three years of dealing with disgruntled magic users, Shame and Terric have had enough of politics, petty magic, and, frankly, each other. It’s time to call it quits.When the government discovers the breakers’ secret—and its potential as a weapon—Shame and Terric suddenly become wanted men, the only ones who can stop the deadly gift from landing in the wrong hands. If only a pair of those wrong hands didn’t belong to a drop-dead-gorgeous assassin Shame is falling for as if it were the end of the world. And if he gets too close to her, it very well could be....

Stone Cold Magic


Jayne Faith - 2016
    . .Demon patrol officer Ella Grey was pronounced dead after an accident on the job. Eighteen minutes later she woke up on a gurney bound for the morgue. But she didn’t return to the living alone. The soul of a reaper followed her back from the grave, and it’s not just along for the ride. The reaper gives her glimpses of the brother she feared was dead, but it's also trying to use her for its morbid work. The reaper could be her biggest ally in her battle for her brother, if it doesn't eat her soul first.Perfect for fans of Kim Harrison, Seanan McGuire, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, and Jim Butcher!Ella Grey Series (series is complete):Stone Cold MagicDark Harvest MagicDemon Born MagicBlood Storm Magic

Wraith


Phaedra Weldon - 2007
     Zoe Martinique has turned her unusual ability into a career. When she's traveling, she can't be seen which makes her an ideal professional snoop. Industrial espionage, surveillance, whatever. But one night things get out of hand while she's out of body. She witnesses a murder and a soul stealing, and discovers she has unwelcome company: Trench- Coat, a ghostly killer who can see and hurt her. Teaming up with a blue-eyed police detective, she tries to solve the case and improve her love life. She also enlists the support of her psychic mother and the ghostly couple who haunt her house. And with murderers, kidnappers, and a desperate ex-porn star involved, Zoe needs all the help she can get.

Touch


Jus Accardo - 2011
    He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.A secret Kale will kill to protect.

The Fallen and Leviathan


Thomas E. Sniegoski - 2010
    But having moved from foster home to foster home, Aaron doesn't know whom he can trust. He wants to confide in the cute girl from class, but fears she'll confirm he's crazy. Then a mysterious man begins following Aaron. He knows about Aaron's troubled past and his new powers. And he has a message for Aaron: As the son of a mortal and an angel, Aaron has been chosen to redeem the Fallen. Aaron tries to dismiss the news and resists his supernatural abilities. But he must accept his newfound heritage — and quickly. For the dark powers are gaining strength, and are hell-bent on destroying him....

The Cursed


Alyssa Day - 2013
    But now a secret from his past—the League of the Black Swan—has surfaced. Because Luke isn’t any ordinary P.I. He’s the Dark Wizard of Bordertown, and he never backs down from a fight.But this time the fight threatens his life and his heart. Rio Jones, the only woman he loved, needs his help against a deadly menace. Luke pushed her away once before, so she’d never fall prey to the curse that threatens to destroy him. He swore he’d never let her go again.Luke and Rio, with the help of the newly reformed League, must keep evil forces from taking over Bordertown—all the while battling a passion on the razor’s edge between danger and desire. And going to take everything they have just to stay alive.

Death Most Definite


Trent Jamieson - 2010
    Bright lights, loud noise, and lots of exercise are the last thing he wants. But that's exactly what he gets when someone starts shooting at him.Steven is no stranger to death-Mr. D's his boss after all-but when a dead girl saves him from sharing her fate, he finds himself on the wrong end of the barrel. His job is to guide the restless dead to the underworld but now his clients are his own colleagues, friends, and family.Mr. D's gone missing and with no one in charge, the dead start to rise, the living are hunted, and the whole city teeters on the brink of a regional apocalypse-unless Steven can shake his hangover, not fall for the dead girl, and find out what happened to his boss- that is, Death himself.

Winter's Shadow


M.J. Hearle - 2011
    Ever since their fateful meeting at Pilgrim's Lament. Ever since he looked at her with those emerald eyes. Ever since he saved her life.But Blake isn't all that he seems. There is a strangeness about him, something dark and otherworldly. Something dangerous. In his attic is a secret he would kill to defend, but Winter seems to have a special ability to make him forget his duty. And he is her only protection against the gathering darkness.The only problem is, to protect Winter, Blake must risk exposing her to an even greater danger. Himself.

A Torn Paige


L. Rose - 2019
    A scary but faithful sidekick, and of course, her crazy family.The bad....Everything else.*This is the first in a reverse harem romance trilogy. There's adult themes, course language, humor, and mm scenes, for 18+ only.*Sorry about the cliffhanger, but the second book will be released in early December 2019.*Bestselling author, Lila Rose, writing as L. Rose to bring you a brand-spanking-new reverse harem paranormal romance series. You'll laugh, maybe cry, and hopefully enjoy feisty Paige and her annoyingly hot men.

Onyx Dragon


Terry Bolryder - 2016
    Once an immortal, nearly-invincible dragon, he's been awakened only to have his powers and his treasure locked away until he can prove himself to be a trustworthy protector of humans. Since Zach has never liked humans, he's pretty sure he's going to end up back on ice. That is, until he meets sweet, curvy Erin, a human hairdresser who might just turn his world upside down.Erin has a pretty routine life, but that ends when a tall, gorgeous man appears out of nowhere, claiming to be an ancient dragon with immeasurable power who wants her as his mate. She doesn't know whether to laugh or run for the hills. But when the mysterious stranger saves her life and needs her help she can't just turn away.  Still, the closer she gets to Zach, the more she realizes there may just be something truly magical about him.But as the forces around them close in, Zach is quickly realizing that the darkness lurking inside him may be greater than he anticipated. And the beast within may not be the only thing they have need to fear. Warning: contains ferocious dragons, fearsome fights, fiery love scenes and a fiercely cute three-legged kitten that will steal your heart. The first in a brand new series with dragons unlike anything Terry has written!