Book picks similar to
Spell Fade by J. Daniel Layfield
fantasy
all-the-lies-or-secrets
witch-wizard-mage
adult
A Second Chance With a Duke
Claudia Stone - 2019
Having endured a decade long marriage to a brute of a viscount, she is more than happy to live in genteel poverty, as long as she is free. When the news comes that the boy whom she had loved since childhood, would return to England as a duke, she tries not to let herself feel too hopeful. After all, Katherine had promised Michael, now Duke of Elsmore, that she would wait for him, only to marry another three months later. No man, or duke, in their right mind could still love a woman who broke their heart — a woman who was now older, poorer, and barren to boot. Michael Carville, Seventh Duke of Elsmore, had unexpectedly inherited his title, following the death of his elder brother. For a decade, Michael had fought on the peninsula for his country and tried to forget the girl who broke his heart. Now, he finds himself back in London and still as enamoured with Lady Atwood as he had been a decade before. Common sense told him that he could not hope to make Katherine his bride, not when she could not provide him with heirs, but when the pair accidentally become embroiled in scandal, Michael seizes the chance to make Katherine his bride. As the pair try to mend the hurts of their past, Michael comes to realise that he is not the only one who has spent a decade at war. Can he help Katherine heal, or is she too broken to love again?
An Assassin's Blade: The Complete Trilogy
Justin DePaoli - 2016
But sometimes death is a myth.This collection includes all three novels in An Assassin's Blade, a dark epic fantasy about an infamous assassin with a woeful reputation, a malevolent nightmare that's returned from beyond the grave, and gods who must die in order for life to prevail.Book 1: The MisbegottenAstul, assassin by day and purveyor of secrets at night, has agreed to hunt down a king slayer. Somewhat for the money, a little for the ego, and a bit for the adventure... but mostly for the money.There's just one problem. The king slayer's trail leads to a cache of disturbing secrets involving insane kings, mad queens and kingdoms suddenly poised for a war to end all wars. People seem to be losing their minds. Or rather, forfeiting them.Something harrowing lingers and lurks in the world of Mizridahl. And only an infamous assassin with a woeful reputation is aware.Conjurers have returned.Book 2: The MiscreantThere is a realm the living were never supposed to visit and the dead were never supposed to leave. The rules have changed.Astul, an infamous assassin with a woeful reputation, finds his brother's corpse curiously absent from its tomb. This amid accusations that grave robbers are terrorizing the world of Mizridahl. But Astul soon discovers the cadavers aren't being robbed. They're being gathered. Harvested.A dreadful enigma creeps into Mizridahl, with the might of an army that was never supposed to see the living realm again. Astul lost nearly everything dear to him when conjurers swept across his world four months ago. Now he stands to lose the rest.Conjurers were the beginning. This is the end.Book 3: The MisjudgmentGods are real, and it's time for them to die.Astul, an infamous assassin with a woeful reputation, never believed in gods. As luck would have it, they're quite real. And if they have their way, Astul will be quite dead.A civil war is brewing between the celestial powers. And all of life hangs in the balance. If victory falls into the wrong hands, creation will begin anew. There's only one way to guarantee that doesn't happen, and it involves the assassination of a lifetime.Gods will die. Or else life will expire.
Caped and Dangerous
Isabel Jordan - 2020
But as her city's official superhero, she really doesn't have much of a choice. It doesn't matter that she's forty-six, grumpy, and annoyed by most of the population. She'll catch whatever criminals she needs to catch because that's the gig. Next up on her to-catch list?Killian Morgan.He's stupid-hot, way too charming for her liking, a decade younger than her, potentially a supervillain...and he flirts with her mercilessly.How's a superhero supposed to do her job when she can't seem to keep her mind (and hands) off the bad guy?Caped and Dangerous (told in 3rd person, dual point of view) is book 1 in the Grumpy Superheroes series. It features a sexy, cocky billionaire, a mature, younger man/older woman romance, one seriously snarky heroine, and plenty of laughs. Also, the characters cuss a lot. Don't say I didn't warn you. For the rest of you, download today and let the binge-reading begin.
Wilde Creek Volume One
R.E. Butler - 2017
Bucking tradition, she chooses to go through her first heat alone instead of choosing an unmated male from her pack. There is only one male that she wants in her bed and her life: her best friend, Luke Elrich. But Luke is human and doesn’t understand the consequences of her heat-cycle, so she hides out in a safehouse, planning to ride out the cycle alone and then ask Luke to be her mate. Luke has loved Eveny forever, but something is going on between them. He’s afraid he’s losing her forever, until she promises to talk to him after her heat-cycle is over. He overhears her brother, the pack alpha, ask another wolf to go to Eveny and take her through the heat-cycle. What her brother doesn’t know is that the male plans to invite some of his friends along. And Eveny is alone in a remote cabin, unprotected. Luke will do anything to keep her safe, even if it means going up against four wolves. This story contains a meddling brother, a human fighting a pack of male wolves for the only woman he’s ever loved, a female who thought she had a good plan, and bone-melting, skin-tingling hot sex between a male and a female who have loved each other forever. * * * * * The Alpha's Heart (Wilde Creek Two) Alpha wolf Acksel wakes up one morning in the bed of a woman he’s had a crush on since high school. Brynn Mara was the one human who had been friendly to him in school and now, ten years later, she is snuggled up at his side, smelling like passion and sweet dreams. Even though Acksel has declared that his pack members can mate with humans from now on, he knows that any woman he takes as his mate will have a target on her back. Especially if she’s a fragile human. Deciding it’s better to cut things off than string her along when there is no hope for a relationship, he leaves without a word and ignores her. But it doesn’t matter if Acksel acknowledges her or not, because their one night of passion has left a permanent reminder of what happens when one drunk wolf forgets protection. Angry, banished wolves from his pack discover Brynn’s secret and decide to use her against Acksel. His worst fears have come true and the only woman that ever touched his heart is now suffering because of his mistake. Can he save her in time? This book contains one pissed-off, emotionally damaged alpha, the human woman who can tame him, and a sweet little surprise that no one expected. **This book contains the first two books in the Wilde Creek Series. If you already own those books, please do not purchase this book.**
Seven Daughters: A Catalain Book of Secrets Novella
Jess Lourey - 2014
Her black currant truffle with the deep purple center removes all symptoms of menopause. Her Bittersweet Money bar lights the path to riches. But when a mysterious pain appears in her left breast, Helena doesn't want to trouble anyone about it, not even herself. So ashamed is she by the secret she's keeping that she can't see the true love Artemis Hartshorn Buckley offers her.When the quarter-century revelation of snakes descends upon Faith Falls, they bring with them an abundance of unwanted clarity, as they always do. Realizing she's about to lose everything, Helena must face the possibility that love is the only magic strong enough to save her.If you enjoyed Seven Daughters, you'll love The Catalain Book of Secrets, a full-length novel featuring the beloved Catalain family and never-before-seen spells from their secret book.
The Devotee: Magic Academy
Oksana Grinberga - 2017
But instead, I entered a world of magic that saw me fighting for my life.” Layne Vayris has lost the two most dearest people to her. Her mentor and her Uncle Niklas. Each have tasked her with delivering their last requests. Layne’s mentor requires three letters to be delivered on specific dates and specific times. Whereas her Uncle Niklas has asked that she deliver an unusual book of his, to an unworthy previous student called Goter. To complete their dying wishes she must leave her peaceful and tranquil village of Wolverdell to enter a bustling city of magic and depravity. There she meets a young homeless boy called Remi, who guides her through the city. Their friendship spurs her on to find the first addressee of the three letters, a Master Sharrez. But Master Sharrez is aloof and spends his time in whore houses, making an audience with him near on impossible. Layne realizes that the only way to fulfill her promise to her dead mentor is to join the Academy of Magic, where the warlock Sharrez teaches the Faculty of Dark Magic. Except this decision comes with its own demons and Layne finds herself setting off on a path she never envisaged. A path that leads her to discover her own dormant magic, which becomes all consuming and more powerful than anyone has ever seen before. But with power comes enemies. And in trying to deliver her second letter, she finds that not all ‘old’ friends are friends, and things take a turn for the worst. Layne finds herself having to fight for her life with some unlikely friends to boot. Will Layne be able to deliver the third letter in time? Will she pass on her Uncle’s book to the unworthy Goter? Or will the power of magic end her before she's even begun?
Me and My Ghoulfriends
Rose Pressey Betancourt - 2008
By day, Larue Donavan is a down-to-earth bookstore owner. But by night, she's a world-renowned psychic investigator dedicated to helping lost spirits find peace. Dead people won't leave her alone and Abraham Lincoln thinks he's in charge of her lovelife. Larue can handle ghosts and undead presidents. It's the living that drive her crazy. When Callahan Weiss moves to town, the handsome newcomer opens a coffee shop right next door. She's smitten from the start, but she's not the only one -- The boutique owner across the street has her eye on Callahan too, and uses witchcraft to fight dirty. When Callahan gets hit by a love spell, Larue will need more than a little help from her ghoul-friends to save the day...
Sisera's Gift
Robyn Wideman - 2016
Dragons have returned! Kai is the town drunk. His life is simple, he works every day to pay for the drinks that help drown his sorrow, until one day when a beautiful warrior enters his favorite watering hole and changes his life forever. Raven is a proud warrior sworn to defend Princess Isabella. Her task to take child away from a devious stepfather is interrupted by an ambush that leaves her in desperate need of a tracker. When she goes looking for help she has an altercation with the one man who can help her! Princess Isabella flees one bad situation only to find herself in a much worse one. However, an unlikely character comes to her rescue. One that she had only dreamed about... Author's note: Book two of the Dragonblood Sagas continues the story of the return of dragons. This time on the Isle of Seron.
Anderson Investigations
Katharine Belle - 2018
Book 1 With his focus fully on work at Anderson Investigations, wolf-shifter Joel Halbrook has no room for romance. Or so he thinks. When he delves into solving mysterious paranormal occurrences, he meets feisty redhead, Kylie Brannigan, and everything changes. Having a temper to match her hair, Kylie is a sassy young human woman, or so she thinks. As more and more odd things happen, like emitting fire from her fingers and healing an injured bird with her bare hands, her life is turned upside-down. With this mind-boggling discovery as well as a rogue dragon-shifter trying to capture her, adding the fact that she’s falling for the over-bearing Joel Halbrook is almost too much to handle. Will Joel and Kylie be able to put their stubborn ways aside, and find romance, all while a rogue versus council paranormal war is starting? Book 2 Beauty, brains and perky personality sum up Claudia Ruiz,the fox-shifter at Anderson Investigations. As the resident computer genius, Claudia is all about hacking into rogue systems and inventing gadgets during the rogue vs. council war. Enter Aiden McKenzie, stage left, the newbie in her tabletop RPG group, and she’s thrown off her usual, geek-girl game. This fellow fox-shifter is intensely handsome, moody…and seems to hate Claudia at first sight. But when he asks her out and they begin to date, it’s clear that Aiden actually likes her. Yet there’s more to him than meets the eye. Being on on several top-secret, war-related missions,Aiden is instructed to not get truly close to anyone. The problem is, he’s truly falling for Claudia Ruiz, and has to pull a triple-charade. Will Claudia and Aiden be able to follow their hearts with so many lies and the increasingly dangerouswar? Book 3 Having run away from her rogue background, Sasha Dostoyevsky is a self-sufficient, commanding Wiccan woman who specializes in council-side rogue investigations. So, when dragon-shifter Keith Anderson, of Anderson Investigations, is having difficulty in solving a war-related mystery with rogues controlling some humans like puppets, Sasha is flown over from Moscow to help. But the usually even-tempered Keith bristles at the prospect of needing help, and even more at the cold and controlling but beautiful consultant. With her traumatic rogue past, Keith’s resistance to help and an increasingly terrifying situation where the rogues begin to control paranormals like pawns too, will romance have a chance? Or will the rogues take ultimate control and claim worldwide victory?
Bonus series: Moonrise Security included.
Interlude: A Short Story of Andar
Kenley Davidson - 2019
Who is really running the kingdom?Revisit the royal family of Andar in this short story, as the impending birth of the heir to Andar’s throne leads to a tense standoff, an accusation of theft, and the discovery of just who is really in charge at Evenburg Castle.Enjoy a brief glimpse into the lives of Trystan, Ramsey, Kyril, Ilani and their families three years after the events of Traitor’s Masque.Interlude takes place after the events in Daughter of Lies, and contains spoilers for Books 1-5 of The Andari Chronicles, a series of interconnected but stand-alone fairy tale retellings that feature strong heroines, romance, mystery, and deeply satisfying happily ever afters.
Georgette and the Unrequited Love
Alicia Cameron - 2020
He hopes that young Lord Paxton, who has shown interest in his daughter Jocasta will finally offer for her. And while he is at it, he will introduce his other daughters to the company as well. It falls to Georgette to make all the arrangements, but she was not expecting to deal with her unrequited love, Onslow.Georgette is largely ignored by her family, treated almost as a poor relation, but will Onlsow finally see her?To add to her torture, the beautiful Miss Julia White has appeared, the woman Georgette was sure Onlsow loved. Another guest is Onslow's friend, Sir Justin Faulkes, who had once offered for Georgette himself and still shows his admiration.With a full house of guests to see to, plus her wayward sisters to keep in line, Georgette will be busy. But as she and Onslow become closer, is this a torture or a delight?
The Bishop Witches
Ruby Knight - 2013
Recommended for readers 18+. It is based in the college stage of life.***Savannah meets a guy that shows her that the world as she knows it, isn't the world she knew at all. Stephen introduces her to a world of sorcery and magic. Savannah is a Witch. A vengeful sorcerer takes Savannah's roommate as leverage, in an attempt to stop Savannah from accepting the power that is rightfully hers. If she accepts her magic, her roommate dies. Will she choose to become a light witch? If she doesn't, she will go back to living a completely normal mortal life and in the process save her roommate. But could she live a normal life after tasting a bit of magic? Savannah has to find a way to accept her magic and save her roommate. With a witches kiss, is she killing her friend? The Martin Family's sorcery line dates back to the Salem Witch Trials. Savannah is thrown into the world of magic, bringing danger laced in persecution that has lasted decades. This just so happens to be wrapped in a nice man candy package. Can Savannah find a way to accept her power and save her roommate, accepting her magic in the final hour? Savannah can't deny her fate. She will become a witch, bound by the craft.
Silver Moon: The Complete Saga
Rebecca A. Rogers - 2013
A powerful witch, who practices black magic, won’t hesitate to place a curse upon them—one that will have them howling at the silvery moon.In SILVER MOON, Candra Lowell is sent to live with her aunt and uncle in present-day Connecticut. She thinks it’s because she’s a troublemaker, but Candra’s parents only shipped her off for one reason: to learn how to become a werewolf. She’ll learn there’s more to the story, though, when a rival pack has their hearts set on making her visit a living hell.The past and the present merge into one in BLACK MOON as Candra falls even harder for her star-crossed lover, Benjamin Conway, who also happens to be her enemy, and wrestles with the fact that she has awakened an ancient soul inside her body. Can she stretch her newfound claws in peace, or will she wish she had never become a werewolf?In the final installment of the saga, BLOOD MOON, Candra and Ben travel back to the sixteenth century, where they’ll embark on their toughest journey yet—stopping Alaric and breaking the curse which started it all. But if ending the werewolf curse, and the powers that come with it, means Candra and Ben will be stuck in the sixteenth century, can they live with the fact that they’ll never return home and see their families again?
Wicked Appetite
Janet Evanovich - 2009
The list is long — Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, to name a few. Now the Stones have found their way to Salem, Massachusetts, and so has Gerwulf Grimoire, adding himself to this rogues’ gallery of power seekers. He’s an uncommonly dangerous man, with a hunger for the forbidden, and a set of abilities that are way beyond ordinary. Abilities that he feels entitle him to possess anything he might desire.That would include Elizabeth Tucker, the woman he needs to find the Stones. She’s freshly transplanted from New York City to Boston’s North Shore. With a new job as pastry chef at Dazzle’s bakery and an old house inherited from her Aunt Ophelia, her life is pretty much on track …until it’s suddenly derailed by a guy named Diesel, a rude monkey, and a ninja cat.Lizzy can handle the monkey and the cat. She’s not sure about Diesel. He’s offering up his own set of unusual talents, promising to protect her from Grimoire. The kind of protection that Lizzy suspects might involve guarding her body day and night.The Seven Deadly Sins are pride, greed, lust, envy wrath, sloth and gluttony. That pretty much covers everything that is wicked. Diesel thinks it also pretty much covers everything that’s fun. And Lizzy thinks Diesel and the Seven Deadly Sins cover everything her mother warned her about.
Of Sun & Moon
Bryna Butler - 2011
Kidnappings aside, her worries mount as she crushes on an older guy, her best friend starts dating a spoiled cheerleader, and the parents that abandoned her at birth arrive at her doorstep. And, oh yeah, she’s a tooth fairy destined to kick some butt and bring about the end of a royal line of vicious, blood-sucking tyrants.Over the years, humans have pieced together sightings and assumptions to create the myth of the tooth fairy. As it turns out, they were pretty much wrong.