Book picks similar to
of the lilin by Paulette Hampton
paranormal
fantasy
demons
young-adult
Necromancer Academy
Lindsey R. Loucks - 2019
Last spring, Dawn found her older brother dead in a pool of his blood. His killer stood over him, wearing a smile as sharp and ghastly as his knife.Last summer, she tracked the killer down. He’s a student at Necromancer Academy and part of a secret fraternity known as the Diabolicals. This fall, Dawn will scrap her admission to the prestigious White Magic Academy. She’ll trade sparkly healing charms and bright dresses for death charms and black cloaks. She’ll melt into the shadowy halls of Necromancer Academy. And she will have her revenge.
Necromancer Academy is the first book in a four-book series. Each book ends in a cliffhanger.
One-click now for your acceptance into Necromancer Academy!
Book 2 – Releases November 21
Book 3 – Releases January 2
Book 4 – Releases February13
Winter Loon
Susan Bernhard - 2018
As the wait for his father stretches unforgivably into months, a local girl, whose own mother died a brutal death, captures his heart and imagination, reminding Wes that hope always floats to the surface.When buried truths come to light in the spring thaw, wounds are exposed and violence erupts, forcing Wes to embark on a search for his missing father, the truth about his mother, and a future he must claim for himself—a quest that begins back at that frozen lake.A powerful, page-turning coming-of-age story, Winter Loon captures the resilience of a boy determined to become a worthy man by confronting family demons, clawing his way out of the darkness, and forging a life from the shambles of a broken past.
Mother, Mother
Koren Zailckas - 2013
With two beautiful daughters, a brilliantly intelligent son, a tech-guru of a husband and a historical landmark home, her life is picture perfect. She has everything she wants; all she has to do is keep it that way. But living in this matriarch’s determinedly cheerful, yet subtly controlling domain hasn’t been easy for her family, and when her oldest daughter, Rose, runs off with a mysterious boyfriend, Josephine tightens her grip, gradually turning her flawless home into a darker sort of prison. Resentful of her sister’s newfound freedom, Violet turns to eastern philosophy, hallucinogenic drugs, and extreme fasting, eventually landing herself in the psych ward. Meanwhile, her brother Will shrinks further into a world of self-doubt. Recently diagnosed with Aspergers and epilepsy, he’s separated from the other kids around town and is homeschooled to ensure his safety. Their father, Douglas, finds resolve in the bottom of the bottle—an addict craving his own chance to escape. Josephine struggles to maintain the family’s impeccable façade, but when a violent incident leads to a visit from child protective services, the truth about the Hursts might finally be revealed.
Dead Radiance
T.G. Ayer - 2012
And she knows all too well what psychiatrists do to people who claim impossible powers. She's always stayed below the radar, but when she discovers the meaning of the beautiful auras, she's not sure why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead and be unable to do anything about it. But Bryn is on the brink of the unbelievable truth - she is a creature from myth. Valkyrie- a warrior maiden of the God Odin. And a Collector of Souls. Aidan Lee just can't do what he's told. Visiting Craven was not supposed to be a time to fall in love. He's just helpless when faced with the beautiful Brynhildr, but there is more to the biker dude that either Bryn or Aidan himself knows. Can their fledgling love survive the secrets and intrigue, the reality of Odin's realm of Asgard, the pressures of being a warrior of the gods, But Bryn lucks out when the Trickster god Loki sets his sights on her. Can Bryn hold her own against the charmingly manipulative god long enough to discover what Loki is really planning?
All the Breaking Waves
Kerry Lonsdale - 2016
The art history professor crafts jewelry as unique and weathered as the surf-tumbled sea glass she collects, while raising her daughter in a safe and loving environment—something Molly never had. But when Cassie is plagued by horrific visions and debilitating nightmares, Molly is forced to return to the one place she swore she’d never move back to—home to Pacific Grove.A riveting exploration of love, secrets, and motherhood, All the Breaking Waves is the poignant story of a woman who discovers she must confront her past, let go of her guilt, and summon everything in her power to save her daughter.
Branded
Abi Ketner - 2013
In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home. Constant darkness. Brutal and savage violence. Excruciating pain. Every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole. I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.
In an Instant
Suzanne Redfearn - 2020
Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on…even when it seems impossible.
Back Roads
Tawni O'Dell - 1999
He should be freed from his closed-minded, stricken coal town, with its lack of jobs and no sense of humor. Instead, he's constantly reminded of just how messed up his life is.With his mother in jail for killing his abusive father, Harley is an orphan with the responsibilities of an adult and the fiery, aggressive libido of a teenager. Just nineteen years old, he's marooned in the Pennsylvania backwoods caring for his three younger sisters, whose feelings about him range from stifling dependence to loathing. And once he develops an obsession with the sexy, melancholic mother of two living down the road, those Victoria's Secret catalogs just won't do the trick anymore. He wants Callie Mercer so badly he fears he will explode. But it's the family secrets, the lies, and the unspoken truths that light the fuse and erupt into a series of staggering surprises, leaving what's left of his family in tatters. Through every ordeal, the unforgettable Harley could never know that his endearing humor, his love for his sisters, and his bumbling heroics would redeem them all.Funny and heartbreaking, Tawni O'Dell's pitch-perfect characters capture the maddening confusion of adolescence and the prickly nature of family with irony and unerring honesty. Back Roads is a riveting novel by a formidable new talent."One day you're that guy who's happy he managed to survive high school and get that almighty piece of paper, and you're thinking you might try to get a job at Redi-Mix concrete where your dad's worked since the beginning of time. And at least you've got a family you can stand even if they are all sisters.
Breaking Twig
Deborah Epperson - 2011
Not even Twig’s vivid imagination, keen wit, and dark sense of humor is enough to help her survive the escalating assaults of Helen and a new stepbrother, but help comes from an unexpected source—Frank, her stepfather. Sometimes, having one person who loves and believes in you is all a girl needs to keep hope alive. Often raw and irreverent and sprinkled with all the Southern flavoring found in a good bowl of chicken and dumplings, BREAKING TWIG, is about finding love where we least expect it, destroying lives with easy lies, and realizing each of us determine our own truth. (Taken from author's website.)
Locke & Key
Joe Hill - 2015
A brutal and tragic event drives the Locke family from their home in California to the relative safety of their ancestral estate in Lovecraft, Massachusetts, an old house with powerful keys and fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them. As siblings Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke discover the secrets of the old house, they also find that it's home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all.... Featuring performances by Haley Joel Osment (Entourage, The Sixth Sense), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Kate Mulgrew (Orange Is the New Black, Star Trek: Voyager), Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Stephen King (The Stand, 11-22-63), as well as a cast of more than 50 voice actors, this audio production preserves the heart-stopping impact of the graphic novel's astounding artwork through the use of richly imagined sound design and a powerful original score.
Pale Queen Rising
A.R. Kahler - 2015
When the queen commands her to kill, Claire does the job and doesn’t ask questions. Her deadly skills and loyalty are soon tested when Claire is sent to the Immortal Circus, one of the many places where “Dream” is harvested from the imaginings of mortals. There she must find the culprit who is causing Dream to mysteriously disappear before the Winter Kingdom’s supply is depleted enough to threaten its very survival. But when she meets Roxie, a beautiful mortal singer with a strange link to the Dream thieves, Claire quickly recognizes an odd and unexplained connection that may cloud her judgment. As each new clue unveils another secret, Claire finds herself confronting the riddle of her own buried past—and a dangerous illusion that, as part of the Immortal Circus, is just another act in the show.
To Crave Darkly
Bailey Grayson - 2020
Well, at least not a good one. The moment the vampire with the killer jaw line stepped into my bar, my life changed forever.A dark prophecy and a destroyer of worlds.After being attacked, kidnapped, and hidden in the Conclave, a safe haven for supernatural creatures, I must find out whether I’m the destroyer in a prophecy that predicts the apocalyptic end of the world, or if this whole thing is just the worst case of mistaken identity ever. I’d like to think it’s the latter, but after discovering the demon hidden in my proverbial closet, I’m not so sure I’m the person I thought I was.I need to control my new powers. And Fast.If I am going to survive long enough to discover the truth, I’m going to have to learn to control the demon buried deep within me. It’s not going to be easy, but with the help of an overly grumpy vampire, an almost always shirtless Hell Hound, a powerful mage and even the dragon shifter who hates my guts, I might just survive long enough to figure out why a powerful demon wants to claim me as their own and if Lucifer is really hellbent on using me to destroy the world.So, bring it on Lucifer. I’m ready. I think…This is a kickass paranormal fantasy with a why choose romance. Vampires, demons, shifters and witches all make an appearance and this book is perfect for those who like fated mates, forbidden romance, enemies to lovers or friends to lovers. Recommended for 18+ due to steamy scenes and characters who like to swear from time to time.
Pam of Babylon
Suzanne Jenkins - 2011
Pam and his two lovers discover secrets and lies, and each other. The first book in the series. Book #10 available for preorder.
Hidden Wings Box Set
Cameo Renae - 2016
As her family's sole survivor in a car crash, she is left with a broken arm, and a few scrapes and bruises. But these are only outward marks; inside, her heart is broken and the pieces scattered. Whisked away to Alaska, to an aunt she’s never met, Emma starts over. Secrets unveil themselves and now…she doesn't even know who or what she is. A centuries old prophecy places Emma in the heart of danger. Creatures of horrifying and evil proportions are after her, and it will take Emma, her aunt, and six, gorgeously, captivating Guardians to keep her safe. But, if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday... things will change. Bonus Material: Hidden Wings Inspired Poem by Amber McCallister. ***BONUS MATERIAL*** Descent, A Hidden Wings Novella is included: In the beginning...the start of it all. Deceit. Betrayal. The Fall. Take a journey back in time, to a place where Emma's lineage begins, and where answers lie in unraveling secrets of the past. This is a story of forbidden love, an unbreakable bond, and the start of a dark adventure that will fill your heart with many emotions. Broken Wings: Emma’s world is falling apart, and Kade, the only one who seems to hold her together, is missing. With death lingering right outside their door, decisions must be made before it’s too late. The Midway has refused to send help, so they are left to seek out the only other who can stop Lucian. A perilous quest sends Emma and a few Guardians into the Underworld, where the unimaginable abide, to beseech the Prince of Darkness himself. Lucifer. Now, they must endure the deadly levels of Hell, which not one …mortal or immortal… has ever survived. Prepare for love, loss, and the unexpected. Tethered Wings: Back from their quest into the Underworld, with the threat of Lucian hanging over head, Emma is faced with yet another problem—the Immortal Bond. The bond surpasses any reason and is something so complex, not much is known about it. Once an Immortal Bond is made, it is forever. A conjoining of two fated hearts, destined to be perfect companions. Emma’s heart, already bonded with her Guardian, Kade, has unexpectedly and inconveniently bonded with Ethon, the son of Lucifer. Now she is faced with a decision she doesn't want to make. Both want nothing more than to love and protect her. With the arrival of new company and old friends, things are bound to get heated. Gilded Wings: As the final battle draws near, Emma finds herself bound under an unbreakable oath. She must seal the bond with Ethon before her transformation, or risk her life and the lives of those she truly loves. Who she wants is no longer an option. Lucian has unleashed troops of evil beasts from the Underworld, making it impossible for Emma to leave the protective barrier of Alaine's home. War is inevitable. The Guardians will need to stay and fight their ground, hoping Lucifer keeps his end of the deal and comes to their aid. In this epic series conclusion, burning questions will be answered, lives will be lost, and sacrifices will be made. But who will survive, and at what cost?
The Gilly Salt Sisters
Tiffany Baker - 2012
In the isolated Cape Cod village of Prospect, the Gilly sisters are as different as can be. Jo, a fierce and quiet loner, is devoted to the mysteries of her family's salt farm, while Claire is popular, pretty, and yearns to flee the salt at any cost. But the Gilly land hides a dark legacy that proves impossible to escape. Although the community half-suspects the Gilly sisters might be witches, it doesn't stop Whit Turner, the town's wealthiest bachelor, from forcing his way into their lives. It's Jo who first steals Whit's heart, but it is Claire--heartbroken over her high school sweetheart--who marries him. Years later, estranged from her family, Claire finds herself thrust back onto the farm with the last person she would have chosen: her husband's pregnant mistress. Suddenly, alliances change, old loves return, and new battle lines are drawn. What the Gilly sisters learn about each other, the land around them, and the power of the salt, will not only change each of their lives forever, it will also alter Gilly history for good.