Book picks similar to
Axbridge by Sasha L. Miller
fantasy
mm
m-m
magic
Recipe for Magic
Agatha Bird - 2015
He's powerful, popular, and he has a plan. But his plan for fame and glory is disrupted when the Oracle sticks him with Landyn Glendower for Senior Trial. This is an act unprecedented in their school's history. Landyn is a water mage, and everyone knows mages with opposing elements can’t work magic together.Connor is left with a choice: work alone and fail or swallow his pride and work with Landyn to find a way to combine their magic in a display the Archmages will never forget—if they don't get kicked out of school in the process.
Jack of Thorns
Amelia Faulkner - 2016
Psychic. Addict.
Laurence Riley coasts by on good looks and natural charm, but underneath lies a dark chasm that neither heroin nor lovers can fill. Sobriety is a pipe dream which his stalker ex-boyfriend is pushing him away from. Luckily, Laurence has powers most can only dream of. If only he could control them.
Aristocrat. Psychic. Survivor.
Quentin d'Arcy is the product of centuries of wealth, privilege, and breeding, and is on the run from all three. A chance encounter with an arresting young florist with a winning smile could make him stop. Laurence is kind, warm, and oddly intriguing but Quentin's wild telekinesis and his fear of sex make dating a dangerous game.
When opposites attract, they collide.
Desperate to fix his rotting life, Laurence prays for aid and accidentally summons a fertility god who prefers to be called Jack. Jack is willing to help out for a price, and it's one Laurence just can't pay: he must keep Jack fed with regular offerings of sex, and the florist has fallen for the one man in San Diego who doesn't want any. If they're to survive Jack's wrath, Laurence and Quentin must master their blossoming feelings and gifts, but even then the cost of Laurence's mistake could well overwhelm them both. How exactly are mere mortals supposed to defeat a god? Jack of Thorns is the first book in the award winning Inheritance series and contains mature themes and events which may be distressing to some readers.
The Dream of a Thousand Nights
Shira Anthony - 2011
Knowing that the other Jinn would find and punish him for falling in love with a human, Tamir takes Neriah’s memories of their brief time together and leaves him with only a jade pendant as a token of his love. Tamir is then stripped of his powers and imprisoned for his crime.Ten years later, Neriah is still on the run from the King’s assassins, but each night he dreams of a lover whose face he cannot see and whose name he does not know, but who fills his heart with peace. Tamir, freed at last from his prison cell, poses as a pleasure slave and offers to serve the prince. Although Neriah does not recognize Tamir, he falls in love with the powerless Jinn. But just when Tamir has earned Neriah’s trust, he is forced to betray it. There may be no hope of mending their broken relationship, but Tamir is determined to see Neriah on his rightful throne—even if it costs the Jinn his life.
Kei's Gift
Ann Somerville - 2007
Kuprij is made up of a thousand crowded islands – thrusting, ambitious, war-like, driven by a booming population and a desire to bring its religion and its laws to the whole world. Twenty years ago, it conquered south Darshian, now it has greedy eyes on the north. The war brings Kei, a gentle, fun-loving healer from an isolated village, into collision with Arman, an embittered, honourable general, a man trapped in a loveless marriage and joylessly wedded to duty. The fate of two nations will rest on these two men–and somehow they must not only learn to overcome their own personal difficulties but bring peace with honour to their countries. If they fail...many innocents will die.
Haywire Witch
Ren Stjerne - 2015
Watching Mitchell when he comes in for ice cream awakens his powers in unexpected ways. A threat from the past draws them together to find unexpected allies and new friends. Angels has to learn to control his powers without scaring Mitchell away. Mitchell finds the courage to let go and embrace the chaos that Angels bringss to his life.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. Dear Author,This is me, causing trouble again. I don’t know what happened. One moment I was having a conversation with my roomie and the next thing I knew, the fountain exploded and I’m drenched in stink water. Ugh. Thanks to the hot summer day nobody seemed to mind that I had no idea how to get the water back under control.The thing is, I’m a witch and I suck at magic.I stopped using the little magic I knew since moving into the city about a year ago. Completely. It’s “fun” enough being gay, I didn’t want to be a witch too. I hate keeping secrets and the witchery thing was definitely supposed to be one. Not using my powers had me thinking I could be normal for a change. Tough luck. Since meeting “him” a few weeks ago, all shit went to hell. Every time he comes into the ice-cream shop I work at my magic goes crazy, doing the most embarrassing things!Nothing was meant to happen today! But then I saw him. My pistachio guy–tall, dark, and gorgeous. Always wearing a suit, always ordering pistachio ice-cream. And always giving me those secret smiles. His being around today definitely triggered my sucky magic to go haywire, and causing the fountain to put on a show. Thanks!My lack of witchery knowledge was starting to get me into deeper trouble than I’d ever expected was possible. But I had to find him and… then what?Photo Description: A young man stands in a pool of water in soaking red shorts and pink fluffy earmuffs. Behind him, water splashes out of a broken fountain. His expression shows concern, possibly guilt.This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
Lacuna
N.R. Walker - 2020
A girlchild enveloped in red, marked with the three lines of the desert winds. A boy bundled in white, the koi mark on his wrist as defined as his shock of red hair. And a boychild wrapped in black, a raven his mark to serve his fate.~ ~ ~Twenty-five years ago, the hand of fate marked four newborns and sent them to the four corners of the Great Kingdoms. They were schooled and trained as rulers of their lands in preparation for the Golden Eclipse ceremony: a festival to celebrate a thousand years of peace and prosperity since the Great War.Crow, ruler of Northlands, a skilled swordsman and expert tactician, is as reclusive and stoic as the mountains that surround him.Tancho has spent his life in strict discipline, governing the Westlands with a fair mind and gentle hand. Quiet and unassuming, yet lethal in combat, he is the embodiment of the waters he lives by.Yet the same hand of fate unknowingly linked Tancho to Crow in ways they cannot comprehend. Ruled by the stars, the brother sun and the two sister moons above them, and marked by an alchemical sorcery as old as time, their destinies were never their own.As the eclipse draws near and the festival begins, word comes of another threat. Invaders from unknown lands bring a war no one was prepared for, and Crow and Tancho must decide on which side of the battle line they stand.In life or death, their destinies will see them joined either way.
Lord Mouse
Mason Thomas - 2015
Sure, his methods may not make him many friends, but he works best alone anyway. And he has never failed a job.But that could change.When a stranger with a hefty bag of gold seduces him to take on a task, Mouse knows he’ll regret it. The job? Free Lord Garron, the son of a powerful duke arrested on trumped up charges in a rival duchy. Mouse doesn’t do rescue missions. He’s no altruistic hero, and something about the job reeks. But he cannot turn his back on that much coin—enough to buy a king’s pardon for the murder charge hanging over his head. Getting Garron out of his tower prison is the easy part. Now, they must escape an army of guardsmen, a walled keep and a city on lockdown, and a ruthless mage using her power to track them. Making matters worse, Mouse is distracted by Garron’s charm and unyielding integrity. Falling for a client can lead to mistakes. Falling for a nobleman can lead to disaster. But Mouse is unprepared for the dangers behind the plot to make Lord Garron disappear.A Lords of Davenia Novel
The Fifth Son
Blaine D. Arden - 2012
He can’t command spells, he has never been taught to fight, and as the fifth son of the King, he will never rule. Everyone believes he’s a weakling, most of all himself.Powerlessness is Llyskel’s problem—and his pleasure. In his secret fantasies, the prince dreams of nothing more than finding himself helpless at another man's hands… particularly the hands of Captain Ariv of the Guards.Then Ariv makes Llyskel’s dream a reality, and as the powerless prince surrenders to the soldier’s desire, he finds his own true strength at last. But a web of royal politics is closing around Llyskel, threatening to tear him from his lover, and it will take all his newfound courage to escape…___________________________contains five shaded black-and-white illustrations by Yana GoyaNOTE: This is the second revised/re-edited edition of The Fifth Son. It was previously published by Storm Moon Press.
Putting the Romance in Necromancy
A.H. Lee - 2020
He needs to get to the capital for a conference that may change his life. But he’s never ridden a horse before. At least not a live one.Fortunately, the local knacker is a gentle soul who has helped Sairis in the past. In addition, Sairis suspects the knacker may know things about the world of romance between men. Necromancers don’t have social lives, and Sairis doesn’t dare ask questions. But after an evening of thunderstorms, ghosts, and a narrow escape, he decides to take a risk.
Spell Cat
Tara Lain - 2012
But sadly, Killian walks away. He doesn't do physics professors. In fact, he doesn't do humans, because Killian is the most powerful male witch in 10 generations and, though gay, he's expected to save his declining race by reproducing.He can't even have sex with Blaine, because he's been taught that sex with humans depletes his power. But if that's true, why can young human, Jimmy Janx, dissolve spoons with a thought? Somebody's a lying witch.With his powerful cat familiar, Aloysius, on his shoulder, Killian brings the lightning against deceit and greed to save Blaine from danger and prove love is the greatest power of them all.
The Ronin and The Fox
Cornelia Grey - 2012
As he spends the night at a village's inn, the innkeeper begs him to help stop a mischievous kitsune, a fox spirit, plaguing their village. But when he captures the spirit—in the form of a hauntingly beautiful man—Hajime learns that the kitsune has troubles of his own. The pearl that contains the fox's soul has been stolen, leaving him a slave to the new owner, who is forcing him to attack the village. Hajime agrees to help the fox retrieve the jewel, but living with a fox spirit isn't easy, and the budding trust between them is constantly tested. Kitsune are tricksters above all, and Hajime must decide how much of the story the fox tells him is truth. What's worse, an old comrade of Hajime's is in town, bringing with him the sour memories of Hajime's time as a samurai. Hajime must find a way to locate the thief and steal back the jewel before the thief turns the kitsune's considerable power against him. Novella. Mature content.
Myths and Magic: Legends of Love
Anne ReganDamon Shaw - 2010
Will the tale—and the storyteller—be enough to win the Sultan’s approbation at last? A Fairy in His Bed – Corinna Silver & Aundrea SingerWhen Daniel Tibbits, recently single, unhappy, and in the grip of terminal writer’s block, inherits a teapot from his great aunt, the last thing he expects is for it to contain a fairy named Quinn. After Daniel saves Quinn’s life, Quinn grants him a wish and stays with him as Daniel decides exactly what that wish will be. The problem is that despite Quinn’s best efforts, Daniel doesn’t believe in fairy tales or happy endings. Kissing the Dragon – Heidi CullinanBao Fischer, born Korean but raised in middle America, can only see his “heritage” as an excuse for people to treat him differently and wants to leave it behind. So why is he dreaming of a dragon every night? The day his dreams start to overlap into the real lives of his overbearing boss and the hot barista at the office coffee stand, Bao needs to figure out what the dragon is trying to tell him before it’s too late to set things right. Something Pipeth Like a Bird – David CheaterBored with tending sheep, young Judean shepherd boy Yosef follows the music coming from a nearby ruin, never expecting to encounter a Djinn. But Masul is nothing like the demons described in Scripture… and Masul finds himself surprised by the Human as well.Greenleaf’s Blessing – M. KingRhynn, orphaned as a child and apprenticed to his village’s Herb Mage, is a man whose trade—a potent mix of herbalism and magic—creates distrust even among those who ask for aid. After an unexpected encounter drives away the one person Rhynn considered a friend, he flees into the old forest… only to meet the wood’s guardian spirit, who awakens the dormant power within him.On Wild Wings – Connie BaileyChuneh is a dragon rider, partnered on border patrol with She Who Is Sister to the Sun. Though older, wiser, and mightier than mankind, even the she-dragon cannot explain how a young male has reached Ascension without being sensed by any other dragons. Sadorey is not a typical dragon, as Chuneh is about to learn—to his cost and his delight.The Sower and the Reaper – Helen MaddenHosa, from the Red Sky clan, came looking for a God when a meteor storm wiped out his tribe’s crops. Ozzie doesn’t look like any God Hosa has ever heard of, but the only chance to redeem himself and save his tribe from starvation will be if Hosa can convince Ozzie to perform a miracle.The One – Ariel TachnaTrapped in human form when an injury prevents him from shifting, Rylan is befriended by Thorin, a man with a dangerous secret. Rylan has a secret of his own—in his other form, as a unicorn, he’s as hunted as Thorin. While Rylan knows he should leave before Thorin discovers the truth, Thorin has an allure that’s almost impossible for Rylan to resist.Of Genies and Sea Monsters – Scarlet BlackwellA buyer and seller of gems, Ephram leaves to seek his fortune, only to find riches a poor substitute for his lover, Eber. Desperate to return home despite the sea monster that blocks the way, Ephram enlists the help of a boisterous genie, a mysterious magician, and even his landlord. Only by completing a series of seemingly impossible tasks will Ephram have any chance of being reunited with the man he loves.The Wild Hunt – Cari Z.David Evans was five years old when he first witnessed the wild hunt on Halloween night. Fascinated by its magnificent leader, David returns to the same spot year after year, hoping to prove worthy to be chosen by the hunter. But can a mortal ride with the Tylwyth Teg and survive?The Light of Foreign Places – Rodello Santos & Damon ShawJai is a seducer, winning converts for the Snake Goddess, Striyn. At the holy carnival outside the desert city of Ramsha’hla, Jai meets Duphal, one of the few city dwellers to respond to the carnival’s attractions. Duphal is attracted to Jai, too, even though in his culture, to act on that attraction is punishable by death….Night and Day – Rowan SpeedwellNate Pederowski is about as far down as he can go when he’s tipped to a job as a singer in a speakeasy. A veteran of WWI dishonorably discharged for being “queer,” Nate is embittered and lonely. The club’s handsome owner, Rick Bellevue, is wowed by Nate’s voice and offers him the job, and Nate’s life is about to change in ways he can scarcely imagine, let alone believe.The Flower Boy – Belinda McBrideStarving student Philip Yeoh can barely make ends meet while he attends art school in San Francisco. With his rent coming due, he spends the last of his money on flowers to sell on a busy street corner—a plan that seems to be a failure until an odd, androgynous young man approaches him, also selling flowers. Since Lan looks even more destitute than Philip, the young student buys a handful of flowers from the stranger. Within minutes, Philip’s luck changes, but when he offers to buy the rest of the stranger's flowers, Lan will only accept a kiss in payment—a kiss that literally transports Philip to another world.
Truth in the Dark
Amy Lane - 2010
The only thing beautiful in his life is his sister. When Gwennie is obliged to turn a suitor down because she fears to leave her brother to the brutality of their village, Knife is desperate for anything to ensure her happiness.Her suitor's cousin offers him a way out, but it won't be easy. Aerie-Smith has been cursed to walk upright in the form of a beast, and his beloved village suffers from the same spell. Aerie-Smith offers Gwen a trousseau and some hope, if only Knife will keep him company on his island for the span of a year and perform one "regrettable task" at year's end.Knife is unprepared for the form the island's curse takes on his own misshapen body. In one moment of magic, he is given the body of his dreams—and he discovers that where flesh meets spirit and appearance meet reality, sometimes the only place to find truth is in the darkness of a lover's arms.
Snowmancer
Olivia Helling - 2015
That’s what Prince Heir Ilyas wanted most in the world. Instead, he spent his days alone defending his future throne from his younger brothers and reaping the rewards of their estates. But when he receives his latest conquest, a slave named Jem, he’s abducted to the far reaches of a frozen wasteland to be sacrificed to Jem’s backwater god. Someone who would see him. The one thing Jem knows he can never have. Instead, Jem walks the world searching for the sacrifice that will save the people who fear and shun him — the beautiful and proud Ilyas. Capturing Ilyas might have been simple, but keeping him safe for his god is another matter. Trapped in their struggle and tight quarters, they’re both haunted by the whisper in each other of the warmth they dared not dream for. But nothing can stop the Dark God from coming. Nothing short of death. Can one kill the other? Or will they both be destroyed?
Briarley
Aster Glenn Gray - 2018
During a chance summer shower, an English country parson takes refuge in a country house. The house seems deserted, yet the table is laid with a sumptuous banquet such as the parson has not seen since before war rationing. Unnerved by the uncanny house, he flees, but stops to pluck a single perfect rose from the garden for his daughter - only for the master of the house to appear, breathing fire with rage. Literally. At first, the parson can't stand this dragon-man. But slowly, he begins to feel the injustice of the curse that holds the dragon captive. What can break this vengeful curse?