Book picks similar to
Magic Required by H.S. Paisley
fantasy
urban-fantasy
straight-novels-rated-4-0-or-more
fiction
The Unwrapping of Theodora Quirke
Caroline Smailes - 2020
It's bad enough that she has to work on Christmas Eve but now there's a drunk bloke dressed as Santa and claiming to be St Nick hanging around outside her flat. Given he's professing to be the giver of Christmas miracles and nearly 2000 years old, she's wary.Things get even more weird when St Nick insists he's there to save Theo. And with the next St Nicholas Day somehow fast approaching, he's even got a plan that'll change her life forever.It all seems pretty straightforward, apart for one awkward fact:Theodora Quirke doesn't actually need saving.
Moonlight Equilibrium
Hunter Blain - 2020
It can also be a sweet, delectable treat for those that are already engrossed in the "Preternatural Chronicles" as it fills in some backstory between books 3 and 4. Either way, I do so hope you enjoy the ride *insert evil laugh while twirling ends of mustache*We are all beasts that hunger from inside, trapped within a prison of flesh, just waiting to escape.Jose had made the unfortunate decision to work with the cartel under the guise of providing a better life for his loving wife, five-year-old son, and newborn daughter. All too late, Jose learns that we are free to make any decision in life that we want, but it’s the consequences we cannot avoid.An eerie howl reminiscent of a haunted train pierces the night, signifying that the hunt has begun . . .Feel the pull of the Moonlight Equilibrium and get lost in a visceral world of unrelenting terror, exquisitely detailed gore, and the existential sorrow of regret.
Out of the Shadows
Ashlee Nicole Bye - 2017
Tensions are rising within the hidden world of The Shadowlands and if this threat is not contained war will be inevitable. And the destruction of the human world is bound to follow in its wake. Amidst this tension, eighteen year-old Sachi Manning is struggling to cope with the grief and guilt that has plagued her ever since her best friend was murdered six months earlier—that is, until she spots him seemingly alive and well and being held at scythe point by a hooded figure who looks more like a GQ model than the Grim Reaper. Sachi shouldn’t be able to see through the glamours that shield Shadowlanders from the human world, so the reaper in question wants some answers. And so begins the craziest couple of weeks of Sachi’s life as she is drawn into a world of mysteries, magic, monsters, and mayhem, encountering dragons, faeries, soul-sucking demons, not-so-grim reapers, and even the Horseman of Death. With a mix of heart, humour and hair-raising action, Out of the Shadows is the adventure of an afterlifetime, perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Paula Weston.
Urban Magic: Hungry, Young & Clever: An Urban Fantasy Anthology
Martha CarrRamy Vance - 2019
Featuring eleven brand new, never before seen urban fantasy stories from bestselling, award-winning authors, Urban Magic will take you on a series of exciting adventures in worlds full of magic. All proceeds from sales of this anthology will go to the American Library Association Disaster Relief Fund, which helps libraries recover after natural disasters.
Lore and Order
Steve K. Peacock - 2014
The fire brigade have been doing their best, as have the other emergency services, but whoever is behind the fires has been systematically running them ragged. Whitehall is worried. Something doesn’t add up, so they’ve dispatched a warlock – a former illegal mage, pressed into service of the government to deal with matters of the arcane – to look things over. Jameson Parker is that warlock, and he’s pretty okay with that. His freedoms might be heavily restricted, and any unauthorised use of magic means he’ll be struck down dead instantly, but it could be worse. He gets more or less free rein to swan around Humberside like the big I am, and it gives him a way to atone for his less than stellar past. He’s better off without magic, and he knows it. But is magic better off without him? The warlocks of Humberside don’t seem to think so, and there are rumblings that, as well as the fires, something big is about to go down. Jameson is not best pleased.
Midnite's Daughter
Rick Gualtieri - 2017
All Kisaki really wants is to belong *somewhere*, but there are few places half demons can safely call home. Raised in isolation within the celestial palace, she longs to escape and explore the strange planet below - Earth. So when an opportunity presents itself, she takes it, inadvertently stealing her mother’s greatest treasure in the process – the Blade of Heaven. Exploring a whole new world is terrifying enough, but hot on her heels is her so-called guardian, the tiger-spirit Shitoro. If he catches her, he'll drag her straight back home. She thinks it’s to punish her. But in actuality it’s to save her. She doesn’t know it yet, but there’s a very good reason Kisaki has been kept hidden away. Half-breeds such as her are not tolerated by the demon lords. If they find her, they’ll stop at nothing to take the blade and use it to erase Kisaki, her mother, and everyone she cares about from existence.
Inherited Magic
Andrew Gordinier - 2014
The things that are hidden inside change his life forever. He is suddenly heir to a barbaric and bloody history of brutal glory as magic slowly dies from the world. Now John is stalked by powerful and petty mages as he struggles to learn the rules of the game, endangering himself and those around him. Then there is the half naked Tribesman, that only John can see, following him around. Confronting his own failings and struggling with the world he has found himself in, John still has to find a way to pay his rent on time. He would also like to not lose the girl of his dreams in the process. This book is NOT Young Adult it contains some language inappropriate for children under 15.
Fallible Justice
Laura Laakso - 2018
After a man is declared guilty of murder and sentenced to death, his daughter turns to private investigator Yannia Wilde to do the impossible and prove the Heralds wrong.Yannia has escaped a restrictive life in the Wild Folk conclave where she was raised, but her origins mark her as an outsider in the city. These origins lend her the sensory abilities of all of nature. Yet Yannia is lonely, and struggling to adapt to life in the city. The case could be the break she needs. She enlists the help of her only friend, a Bird Shaman named Karrion, and together they accept the challenge of proving a guilty man innocent. So begins a breathless race against time and against all conceivable odds. Can Yannia and Karrion save a man who has been judged infallibly guilty?
I Adopted My Mom at the Bus Station
Savannah Hendricks - 2020
Having a fear of germs is inconvenient when you’re on a road-trip adventure. However, needing to know what it’s like to have a mom, and to finally see the beach means more than anything to an eleven-year-old.Some twenty years later, a man Sandy never wanted to see again shows up at her doorstep. When Sandy’s best friend places an ultimate life-changing decision in her hands, Sandy must venture back down the road, this time with the father she hates.Making these decisions will be much easier with Justin, a long-time friend, by Sandy’s side. Yet, Justin’s help only leads to continued mixed emotions Sandy has been fighting for some time.Sandy is searching for what she lost, but will she accept what she finds? A journey rich in history, the truth, and determining forgiveness with a touch of humor is the portrait of life.
Djinn
Sang Kromah - 2018
Truth is, there are certain people, special people, born of this world and of the other, who need that extra protection. They go their entire lives, unaware of the other world, and unaware of the existence of their own personal watcher, watching from afar. But what happens when fate takes a turn for the worse, and The One who needs the aid of a watcher most can’t be found to be protected?Bijou Fitzroy is strange. With the unwanted gift of being an empath, she has spent her entire life as a sheltered recluse, homeschooled by her secretive and overprotective grandmother, who never allows them to stay in one place long enough for Bijou to settle and make friends. When Bijou and her grandmother move to Sykesville and she starts to attend the local high school, Bijou’s world begins to crumble. Town locals begin to disappear and the creatures from her nightmares begin to take shape in her reality. She finds herself at the center of a war she never knew was being fought all around her.
The Blood Race
K.A. Emmons - 2017
But when you’re capable of killing with your very thoughts, it’s hard to blend in with the crowd.
Running from his past and living in fear of being discovered, Ion knows he will never be an average college student. But when Hawk, the beautiful, mysterious girl next door unearths his darkest secret, Ion’s life is flipped upside-down. He’s shocked to discover a whole world of people just like him -- a world in another dimension, where things like levitation, shape-shifting, and immortality are not only possible… they’re normal.Forced to keep more secrets than ever before, Ion struggles to control his powers in the real world while commuting between realms -- until his arch enemy starts a fight he can’t escape. Now he has sealed the fate of the Dimension, severing their connection to the real world, and locking himself inside forever. But a deadly threat hidden in plain sight may cost Ion more than just his freedom -- it may cost him his life.The Blood Race is the first book in K.A. Emmons' riveting new sci-fi/fantasy thriller series. If you like epic urban fantasy, fresh takes on super powers, deep allegories, raw emotions and intricate plots that surprise you at every turn, you'll love the first novel in Emmons' page-turning series. Grab your copy of The Blood Race and delve into a new dimension today!
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What Early Readers Are Saying: "Unique and brilliant. Everyone needs this book in their lives!" "This novel blew me away." "By the end of the book you will feel like you just been on a great adventure that just got started." "This book is very fast paced and filled to the brim with beautifully written descriptions and great characters. Think X-Men meets Miss Peregrine, but in a fresh and exciting new twist. It reminded me of a modern, sci-fi, teenage Narnia." "If you like thrilling adventure stories with some super powered characters this is for you!!!!" "This is far beyond a good book; this is the best book I’ve ever read!" "THE WRITING STYLE WAS GORGEOUS. I was in awe of the beautiful prose that pulled me into the story and was SO PROFOUND." "Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will be blown away with how K.A. Emmons takes sci-fi/fantasy to the next level!" "It is rare to find YA sci-fi with anything deeper than the surface as far as themes go (at least not good ones) and The Blood Race packed full of meaning and deeper layers while maintaining its integrity as a story." "After that cliff hanger I'm dying for more!"
The Hanged Maiden
Cara Wylde - 2019
Thank Goddess there's a solid protocol in place! All she needs to do is find the Major Arcana, and Keepers who are more powerful and experienced than her will take over from there and protect the Mysteries of the Tarot.Or not.What happens when half of the Major Arcana is destroyed? Valentina doesn't know. There are no protocols. No precedent. She's lost, but the good news is she's not alone. She can count of her best friend, Piper, a hobgoblin who decided to follow them, and now on this handsome, hot as sin guy who claims he's Loki himself, the God of Mischief.It could have been worse.Oh, wait! It's going to be. Because in order to save the Tarot, Valentina will soon have to deal with even more gods. And, it is known, gods are impossible to work with! Mainly, because they hate each other. One witch to convince nine powerful gods to play nice?Unlikely.Note from the author: This is a slow-burn reverse harem book. Although the next books in the series will be steamy and 18+, this one is quite tame. Hang in there! The steam is coming! Also, make sure to check out the Prequel - The Test, to meet Valentina's nine gods before she meets them for real in the series.
Beezley and the Witch: Books 1-3
Willow Mason - 2019
After the coven excommunicates me, I need to find a new job. So when I see a sign asking for an assistant - only witches need apply - I feel my fortunes might be trending up. Sure, there's a murder to solve, a killer on my tail, and my new boss is a French Bulldog, but at least it's not working checkout in a supermarket. Beezley and I soon form a private investigation service to help with the weird and wonderful cases Fernwood Gully has to offer. Join us as we chase leads into danger and back out again, with the help of some black magic and an occasional chewy dog treat.
This boxed set contains the following titles:
Selective Spells Vexatious Voodoo Muddled Mutt
Untethered
Katie Hayoz - 2013
In fact, there are times she can’t even manage to stay inside it. Junior year is off to a less than stellar start for Sylvie: Her parents are splitting up, her little brother is sitting at her lunch table, and she’s the target of the school bully. Plus, she accidentally astral projects, slipping out of her body again and again at all the worst times. Sylvie is cast as the class freak and a medical misfit. She wishes she were somewhere else. Someone else. But it's only when her best friend catches the attention of the boy Sylvie's loved in secret since the fifth grade that Sylvie makes up her mind to do something drastic. Sylvie intends to get Kevin by any means possible -- even if it involves treachery, deceit, and the dark side of the paranormal. After years of trying to ignore her ability to astral project, Sylvie finally decides to embrace it. But she also decides to embrace the shadows that accompany her on her out-of-body experiences. Opening herself up to the shadows and their evil, Sylvie comes up with a malicious plan. She is positive her scheme will give her what she wants, but she doesn’t count on it all spiraling out of control.Untethered by Katie Hayoz explores the intoxicating and dangerous world of jealousy and obsession when coupled with paranormal ability. It is a touching, sometimes funny, sometimes heart-breaking novel that speaks to the self-doubt lurking in us all. ****Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion ***Runner up in the Mslexia Children's and YA Novel Competition.
The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales
Angela Slatter - 2010
These are the stories told to warn children, entertain adults and beguile all. Contents:BluebeardThe Living BookThe Jacaranda WifeRed SkeinThe Chrysanthemum BrideFrozenThe Hummingbird HeartWordsThe Little Match GirlThe Juniper TreeSkinThe Bone MotherThe Dead Ones Don’t Hurt YouLight As Mist, Heavy As HopeDresses, ThreeThe Girl With No HandsCover design by Lisa L. Hannett