Book picks similar to
The Lost Ancients: Books 1-3 by Marie Andreas
fantasy
tbr
action-adventure
freebies-unread
Written: A Story of Love, Secrets, Betrayal and Honour
D.A. Lee - 2019
Four-year-old Eleanor is forced to accept her mother’s religious beliefs, that her whole life has already been written, and that she has no choice but to honour and accept her parents’ plans for her. Subject to abuse by an Islamic teacher, and witness to scenes of violence inflicted by her father, Eleanor finds her only refuge at school, where she dreams of a life beyond the hills of her hometown of Ashcroft, England. A mysterious woman befriends Eleanor – showing her a world of choice and freedom. Caught between her parents’ cultural values and her own desires, Eleanor must decide whether to honour her parents’ wishes – a life locked in marriage to the hands of an abuser – or rewrite her own story. Written is the heart-wrenching story of a young girl’s struggle for freedom, and the uncovering of an intricate plan laced around forty years of secrets, betrayal and lies, in a family desperate to preserve their culture and honour.
TO FORGE A KING: The Chronicles Of Ellorhim
Thomas Adams - 2019
This is an exciting new coming of age story with detailed world building and gritty action and fight scenes. The backstory has Norse or Scandinavian cultural and spiritual influences and overtones. His past was lost, only faded dreams and echoes of happier times remained. Sometimes he had a flash, a quick fleeting glimpse of a better place with friends, warmth and cheer below a silver sun in a twilight land. Those were rare though. Now, there is only the harsh brutal present, sweat stinging the eye and blood flowing from cracked bruised knuckles, a sword in his filthy callused hand and the hoarse shouts of the Sword Masters ringing in his ears. Exhaustion paints his partner's face like cheap mask. No doubt his own face looks just as bad. It is a never ending struggle, up before the sun, running, jumping, lifting and fighting, each day full of pain and injury. Training, always training, His country, Vesfalruk, needs warriors to defend their land and homes. And, this place makes the best warriors. There are none better with sword or ax in all the world. But there is a power and a sense of belonging in this place, this ancient Guild Hall and fortress lying in the shadow of the Eastern White Mountains. Being here comforts him in ways he does not understand and the cold winter winds are somehow less chill. His sword calls and he takes it up and trots out into the yard. Vesfalruk is a besieged place, an isolated mountainous land that has struggled against numerous foes and invaders, the Erhand. It is a land with a violent and bloody history and a kingdom without a king. There has been no king for over two-hundred years and relative peace, if it can be called that, has been the norm for most of that time. So trade flourishes, peace reigns and ancient traditions are openly questioned and sometimes mocked. Vesfalruk warriors are still renowned throughout Ellorhim and the Guild Halls continue to train them, against a rising popular opinion. Old enemies are stirring again, their armies gather, swelling and massing for another round of invasion and conquest. And, that is fine with him and it if the same for those he has grown up with in this Guild Hall. Let them come again. We will be ready. He vows this, to himself and to others.
Magnolia Tree
June V. Bourgo - 2018
Aided by her grandmother who returns to the farm, Sydney must rely on her instincts to uncover the mystery.But do they have enough clues to unravel the truth about her mother’s disappearance?Praise:
★★★★★ - "Hooked me right from the start and kept me guessing throughout."
★★★★★ - "Filled with characters that you can relate to. A great mystery."
Kiera Hudson Series One: Books 1 & 2
Tim O'Rourke - 2013
Investigating a series of horrific murders, grave desecrations, and missing persons, Kiera uses her unique ability of seeing, and soon realizes her own life is in danger. When Kiera falls for police officer Luke Bishop, not only are her mind and heart opened to a terrifyingly new world, she comes to suspect that Luke might be involved in the killings. In a race against time to unearth the truth, Kiera must discover the identity of who - or what - is behind the gruesome deaths on her Vampire Shift.Vampire Wake, Book 2: Since escaping from The Ragged Cove and finding herself suspended from the force, Kiera Hudson is hired by the mysterious Lady Hunt to protect her 16-year-old daughter from a stranger she believes is lurking on the moors. But little does Kiera know that it is she who will need protecting.Arriving at the Hallowed Manor on the desolate Welsh Moors, Kiera soon realises that the vampires she has been seeing are not just the stuff of her nightmares, but are very real - and are closing in.If Kiera is to escape the vampires who hunt her, she will have to discover the true identity of the bandaged man, the secret of the children's graveyard beneath the weeping willows, and who, or what, is hiding in the "forbidden wing"
Children of the Origin Project
Asa S. Rubin - 2020
But after they find a crashed spaceship in the forest with a dying giant inside, they are faced with a choice that will decide their destinies forever.In his last moments, the giant transfers his knowledge and secrets to them. A war is being fought among the stars, and they have been tasked with completing his final mission to save his people. But it’s not an easy decision whether to stay or go. Joining the war means going up against a murderous regime and its demon-like supersoldiers. But if they do nothing, not only will they be condemning a civilization of trillions, they will be risking an invasion of Earth itself.
Nocturnal Academy Complete Series Boxset [A New Adult Prison Academy Series]
Margo Ryerkerk - 2020
If I get lucky, the academy will mold me into a servant for rich vampires. If I’m not, I’ll become a courtesan.But if the vamps think I’ll take this lying down like a good little bitch, they’re wrong. I don’t have the means to escape Nocturnal Academy, but I have my eyes set on someone who does.Prince Preston Kallan, a handsome, pureblood fae teacher from the Summer Court, doesn’t know who I am yet, but he will soon. At least that was the plan. Because as it turns out, nothing goes the way I expect.Titles include:Wicked NoblesCruel ElitesVicious RoyalsSavage MonarchsFeaturing a kickass heroine, forbidden love, and dangerous magic, fans of The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Diaries, and A Shade of Vampire, will love Nocturnal Academy!
The Return of Raven
Martha Carr - 2021
The young witch and the fierce red dragon, Leander are heading out into the wide open world.Raven is taking on the responsibilities of a WarMage – just like her mother - and has joined the corps.Time to get ready for whatever the world throws at her and the kingdom of Lomberdoon.Something is affecting the dragons, wild and tame. A few have turned up crazed, spitting fire and ice, right before they die. Did the creepy crawly monsters of her childhood leave one last poisonous gift behind?Can Dr. Welby find out what’s causing it and create a cure before it’s too late?And Raven’s grandfather, Connor, is still missing. Can the frenemy, Bella and her private company track him down for Raven – in exchange for a favor, of course.Things are changing in the land of Lomberdoon and battles may be on the horizon. Who will stand with Raven and Leander?
Ghost Exile Omnibus One
Jonathan Moeller - 2015
Caina Amalas was a nightfighter of the Ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through her boldness and cunning saved the Empire and the world from sorcerous annihilation. But the victory cost her everything. Now she is exiled and alone in the city of Istarinmul, far from her home and friends. Yet a centuries-old darkness now stirs in Istarinmul, eager to devour the city and the world itself. And Caina is the only one that stands in its way...
Chosen
O.M. Faure - 2019
Unprepared and unqualified, will they rise up to the challenge? Olivia is a British lawyer trying to start a family with her less than enthusiastic boyfriend. But when her happily-ever-after fails to materialize, hoping for a change, she tries for a job with the mysterious Cassandra Programme. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pond, DeAnn has everything a woman could want: a prestigious career as a geneticist, a spotless, childless, successful life. Yet it all feels hollow somehow. Perhaps a new career in Cambridge could be the answer? As soon as the two women set eyes on each other, it’s instant dislike. As they vie for the top spots in the increasingly strange competition, it becomes clear that this is not your run-of the-mill organization. Some of The Cassandra Programme’s secrets are worth killing for and some secrets… could get them killed. Their lives at stake, will Olivia and DeAnn find a way to survive? And what if the Cassandra Programme’s secrets were beyond anything they’d ever imagined? Chosen is the first book in The Beautiful Ones trilogy, a series of adventure thrillers that feature surprising plot twists, rival secret organizations and two kick-ass yet relatable heroines. If you like fast-paced thrillers with a hint of adventure then you’ll love the first installment in this brand new series. Pick-up Chosen to start your exciting adventure today!
The Echoes of Sol: Books 1-3
Charissa Dufour - 2017
Jack Macleef is the captain of the ship in a world where space travel has only recently become the norm and space piracy abounds. Painful memories of prior abuse surface for Bit as she finds herself on a freighter full of rowdy, ungentlemanly merchant marines. Jack works to find a safe place for frightened Bit amongst the ungentlemanly crew, but good looks and innocent ways continually charm the men. With tension and danger running high, each begins to wonder: will they survive the pirates... and each other?Broken and Hunted Mars: a beacon of safety and refuge, unless you’re transporting the disputed embryos of genetically modified animals intended for auction to the Martian elite. Jack Macleef and his small crew of interstellar merchant marines—including “Bit,” an unexpected indentured servant—think they're on a simple cargo drop when things suddenly go awry. Dodging paint-hurling protestors and mercenaries bent on terrorizing the crew’s families, Jack and Bit have their hands full as they try to keep the crew from falling apart while still delivering the cargo on time.Profit and PerilAfter the delivery from hell, the crew of the Lenore is ready for a well-deserved rest. But just as they reach their ship, they receive an offer they can’t refuse. Desperately needing money to repair the limping Lenore, Jack Macleef takes the job, even though it toes the line of legality.To his astonishment, the crew agrees to the illegal job.Just when Bit thinks she has her male crewmates under control, a fresh wave of romantic inclinations wash through them, and Bit is forced to deal with it the only way she knows how—with a swift fist to the eye.With half the crew tripping over itself to get to Bit, Jack flies the Lenore to Nye space station with the intention of secretly installing a nuclear reactor, freeing the station from the planetary government’s control. If he can succeed, he will have the money to repair the Lenore. If he fails, more than one life will be ruined.
Broken: Macy's Story
Janice Broyles - 2020
Macy Elmsworth has found herself in a mess. The 18 year old pastor’s daughter got in trouble with the law, nearly died, and in the process, damaged her relationship with her family. She now needs to fulfill community service hours. As a last resort, she moves in with her grandparents, where they need a housekeeper at the small motel they own. Feeling broken and defeated, Macy counts down the days her community service hours are over. Until she meets others at the motel. People a lot like her. People with questionable pasts and bleak futures. As friendships are forged, Macy begins to come out of her shell and help her new friends. It is through these new relationships that she begins to repair the broken relationship with her family. But her past isn’t about to go away, and Macy is going to have to turn to God for the complete restoration she needs.
Inside the Hollow Tree
Laurel Veil - 2018
Her one glimmer of light in her gloomy existence is a wise beyond his years, fiver-year-old foster named Jackson, who also lives with them. Falon longs for the day her mom wakes from her coma, so she can leave, take Jackson with her and begin a new life. Whenever Ty, the smart and brave new foster shows up, Falon realizes that the three of them just might get their chance. Little do they know, a better life awaits them, just inside the hollow tree...
Vampire Shifter Academy
Lilly Wilder - 2019
Nothing Would Ever Be The Same. Following the death of my parents, I found myself attending Ridgeview Academy, a secret education facility reserved only for vampires and Halflings, those with only one vampire parent. The school bully caught up with me on the very first day, as if she could smell fear on me. Then three guys sparked up some possible romance! But I wondered, what are they really after? More importantly, could I trust any of them? On the surface, it all looked nice, just like their manicured lawns and polite ways, but I could feel the darkness within the campus. There was an unspeakable, blood-curdling evil present in Ridgeview Academy, and it was up to me to force it out into the light.
Born in a Treacherous time
Jacqui Murray - 2018
It is a time in history when they are relentlessly annihilated by predators, nature, their own people, and the next iteration of man. To make it worse, Lucy’s band hates her. She is their leader’s new mate and they don’t understand her odd actions, don’t like her strange looks, and don’t trust her past. To survive, she cobbles together an unusual alliance with an orphaned child, a beleaguered protodog who’s lost his pack, and a man who was supposed to be dead.Born in a Treacherous Time is prehistoric fiction written in the spirit of Jean Auel. Lucy is tenacious and inventive no matter the danger, unrelenting in her stubbornness to provide a future for her child, with a foresight you wouldn’t think existed in earliest man. You’ll close this book understanding why man not only survived our wild beginnings but thrived, ultimately to become who we are today.This is a spin-off of To Hunt a Sub’s Lucy (the ancient female who mentored the female protagonist)
Better Demons: The Complete Boxed Set
Ramy Vance - 2021
Banished demigods really do hold grudges.Now Theo must fight in an underground arena where mythical creatures battle to the death.First rule of mythical Fight Club: everyone dies.More is at stake than just the her life and the lives of her friends. If this arena is not destroyed, the world will wake to a dark new day… and an even darker new god.Theo has a decision to make: Run to protect those she loves, or fight with the slim hope she can stop the apocalypse.