Large Animals


Jess Arndt - 2017
    Acerbic, ecstatic, hilarious, psychedelic, and affecting in turn, this is an electric debut.” ―Maggie Nelson, National Book Critics Circle Award–winning author of The ArgonautsJess Arndt's striking debut collection confronts what it means to have a body. Boldly straddling the line between the imagined and the real, the masculine and the feminine, the knowable and the impossible, these twelve stories are an exhilarating and profoundly original expression of voice. In “Jeff,” Lily Tomlin confuses Jess for Jeff, instigating a dark and hilarious identity crisis. In “Together,” a couple battles a mysterious STD that slowly undoes their relationship, while outside a ferocious weed colonizes their urban garden. And in “Contrails,” a character on the precipice of a seismic change goes on a tour of past lovers, confronting their own reluctance to move on.Arndt’s subjects are canny observers even while they remain dangerously blind to their own truest impulses. Often unnamed, these narrators challenge the limits of language―collectively, their voices create a transgressive new formal space that makes room for the queer, the nonconforming, the undefined. And yet, while they crave connection, love, and understanding, they are constantly at risk of destroying themselves. Large Animals pitches toward the heart, pushing at all our most tender parts―our sex organs, our geography, our words, and the tendons and nerves of our culture.

The Formerly Dark Mage


D.L. Harrison - 2014
    Unfortunately she finds herself about to be sacrificed. Someone must have told her evil master about her plans to kill him and take over. After that, things just seem to go downhill. She has no choice but to escape the kingdom of Zual, something that to her knowledge has never been done before. She will need to deal with many issues she never had to face before. Among those issues, the white mages, and her conscience. Note: This is a standalone book, not the beginning of a series.

The Bond: Dragonlinked Chronicles Volume 2


Adolfo Garza Jr. - 2014
    To do so, he and Anaya fly to House Yaot, the dragon warren that was home to her mother, but the effort fails so spectacularly that he worries he's ruined the company's chance at success. His concerns are compounded when they learn that a mysterious enemy actively works against them, and increasing tension amongst the dragonlinked trainees only adds to his problems.As their enemy continues to interfere with every move they make, the masters disclose their true plan, a much more ambitious undertaking. Then, an unknown dragonlinked is discovered, and a shocking revelation makes it even more important that the new plan succeeds.In order for that to happen, however, the group is going to have to somehow mend their differences, come together, and prove they're capable of their expanded purpose. Because their future, the future of dragons and dragonlinked, rests squarely on their shoulders.In THE BOND, sequel to DRAGONLINKED, author Adolfo Garza Jr. takes readers back to the world of Lethera, where magic and a nascent Industrial Revolution are the the backdrop for tales about dragons and the brave souls who are their bond-mates, the dragonlinked.

Indivisible


Daniel Aleman - 2021
    Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico has started to fade to the back of their minds. And why wouldn't it, when their Ma and Pa have been in the United States for so long, they have American-born children, and they're hard workers and good neighbors?When two ICE agents come asking for Pa, the Garcia family realizes that the lives they've built are about to come crumbling down. And when Mateo returns from school one day to find that his parents have been taken, he'll have to come to terms with the fact that his family's worst nightmare has become a reality.With his Ma and Pa being held in separate detention centers, Mateo must learn how to look after his sister and himself. The choices Mateo makes, and the people he turns to for help, might reunite his family… or tear them apart for good. With his parents’ fate and his own future hanging in the balance, Mateo must figure out who he is and what he is capable of, even as he’s forced to question what it means to be an American teenager in a country that rejects his own mom and dad.INDIVISIBLE is a remarkable and timely story-both powerful in its explorations of immigration in American and deeply intimate in its portrait of a teen boy driven by his fierce, protective love for his parents and his sister.

Cash & Cary


Sam E. Kraemer - 2021
    He told me the first day of our minicamp that he’d make my life a living hell. Oh, he achieved that goal in spades, but I doubt in the way he intended.Tragedy never takes a holiday, and having suffered one, I’m not ready for another. When it happens, Cary is there to support me. I have a guardian angel who’s been looking out for me, and I never knew it.Now, I wonder what the cost will be for both of us—since I’ve already fallen for him.••◆◆◆••★Cary Brewer★Skip Mitchell told me that his nephew is a hell of a pitcher. Seeing the kid in action proves the man right. But when I lay eyes on Cash Mitchell, my gut ties itself in knots. Ask anyone—I’m not that guy.The attraction I’m fighting tooth and claw will only be detrimental to both of our careers. I need to get away from him, but how do I do that?The kid has me completely under his spell, and the blue in my uniform will match the blue in my pants if something doesn’t give.This work of fiction is approximately 55,000 words in length, ends in an HEA, and can be read as a standalone novel.

And They Lived . . .


Steven Salvatore - 2022
    I loved it from once upon a time all the way to its joyfully complex ever after." - New York Times bestselling author Becky AlbertalliChase Arthur is a budding animator and hopeless romantic obsessed with Disney films and finding his true love, but he's plagued with the belief that he's not enough for anyone: he's recovering from an eating disorder and suffers from body dysmorphia fueled by his father, and can't quite figure out his gender identity. When Chase starts his freshman year of college, he has to navigate being away from home and missing his sister, finding his squad, and contending with his ex-best friend Leila who is gunning for the same exclusive mentorship. If only he can pull together a short for the freshman animation showcase at the end of the semester.Then Chase meets Jack Reid, a pragmatic poet who worships words and longs to experience life outside of his sheltered world. But Chase throws everything into question for Jack, who is still discovering his sexual identity, having grown up in close-knit conservative family. Jack internalized a lot of homophobia from his parents and childhood best friend, who unexpectedly visit campus, which threatens to destroy their relationship. Chase will have to learn to love--and be enough for--himself, while discovering what it means to truly live.

Style


Chelsea M. Cameron - 2016
    So far, they’re pretty simple: Finish her senior year of high school, head off to a good college, find a cute boyfriend, graduate, get a good job, get married, the whole heterosexual shebang. Nothing is going to stand in the way of that plan. Not even Stella Lewis. Stella Lewis also has a plan: Finish her senior year as cheer captain, go to college, finally let herself flirt with (and maybe even date) a girl for the first time and go from there. Fate has other plans for Kyle and Stella when they’re paired up in their AP English class and something between them ignites. It’s confusing and overwhelming and neither of them know what to do about it. One thing they do know is that their connection can’t be ignored. The timing just isn’t right. But is there ever a good time for falling in love?

I Kissed Alice


Anna Birch - 2020
    The Homo Sapiens Agenda and Fangirl, I Kissed Alice is a romantic comedy about enemies, lovers, and everything in between.Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other.Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?An Imprint Book

The Hideaway Inn


Philip William Stover - 2020
    He needs to make his last remaining investment turn a profit…even if that means temporarily relocating to the quirky small town where he endured growing up. He’s spent years reinventing himself and won’t let his past dictate his future.But on his way to New Hope, Vince gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and his past might be the only thing that can get him to his future. Specifically Tack O’Leary, the gorgeous, easygoing farm boy who broke his heart and who picks Vince up in his dilapidated truck.Tack comes to the rescue not only with a ride but also by signing on to be the chef at The Hideaway for the summer. As Vince and Tack open their hearts to each other again, Vince learns that being true to himself doesn’t mean shutting down a second chance with Tack—it means starting over and letting love in.In The Hideaway Inn, Philip William Stover begins the story of a diverse group of characters finding love without boundaries and across the Seasons of New Hope.

The [Un]Popular Vote


Jasper Sanchez - 2021
    It’s a cheap stunt, but Mark Adams knows it’s optics that can win or ruin an election.Everything Mark learned about politics, he learned from his father, the congressman who still pretends he has a daughter and not a son. To protect his father’s image, Mark promises to keep his past hidden and pretend to be the cis guy everyone assumes he is. But when he sees a manipulatively charming candidate for student body president inflame dangerous rhetoric, Mark decides to risk the low profile he assured his father and insert himself as a political challenger.One big problem? No one really knows Mark. He didn’t grow up in this town, and he has few friends; plus, the ones he does have aren’t exactly with the in-crowd. Still, thanks to countless seasons of Scandal and The West Wing, these nerds know where to start: from campaign stops to voter polling to a fashion makeover. Soon Mark feels emboldened to get in front of and engage with voters—and even start a new romance. But with an investigative journalist digging into his past, a father trying to silence him, and a bully front-runner who stands in his way, Mark will have to decide which matters most: perception or truth, when both are just as dangerous.

The Meaning of Birds


Jaye Robin Brown - 2019
    As their relationship blossoms, Vivi not only helps Jess deal with her pain, she also encourages her to embrace her talent as an artist. And for the first time, it feels like the future is filled with possibilities. After In the midst of senior year, Jess’s perfect world is erased when Vivi suddenly passes away. Reeling from the devastating loss, Jess pushes everyone away, and throws out her plans to go to art school. Because art is Vivi and Vivi is gone forever.Desperate for an escape, Jess gets consumed in her work-study program, letting all of her dreams die. Until she makes an unexpected new friend who shows her a new way to channel her anger, passion, and creativity. Although Jess may never draw again, if she can find a way to heal and room in her heart, she just might be able to forge a new path for herself without Vivi.

Home Field Advantage


Dahlia Adler
    For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose.The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she's only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down.Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can't stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart.Dahlia Adler's Home Field Advantage is a sparkling romance about fighting for what - or who - you truly want.

True


Timothy Warren - 2020
    But within a single night, things change…His best friend, Demarco, supports Alec’s bold decision of seeking a new perspective… a change that begins across the country, in a cabin atop Beulah Mountain.Alec was not looking for a man… wanted nothing of the sort. But a strong-willed cowboy named Tyler enters his life as spontaneous as the snow of Montana’s winter.Unpredictable as a mountain storm, Alec and Tyler soon find themselves entwined in a fierce love affair… raw, real, and unlike any other Alec has ever had.But Tyler belongs to Montana.Will their passion be enough to keep them together? Will Alec learn to forgive his past missteps and accept that he deserves the happiness that can only come from a man so genuine… so giving… and so TRUE?This book contains mature content.

Flawed Justice


Tibby Armstrong - 2019
    Raising his kid brother alone is already an uphill battle, nevermind when an ugly gang initiation lands the teen in lockup. Again. Only, this time for a hate crime against a local fight club, where settling debts isn’t taken lightly. When the club offers to let Matt risk everything in a long-shot match with a man who’s as brutally handsome as he is tough, he jumps at the chance.If Matt wins, all will be forgiven. If not? Well, he might as well move in, because ‘The Law’ will own his ass...for a very long time.There are no limits to what Lawson ‘The Law’ Gaumond will do to protect the club he and his former lovers built. An inner-city sanctuary where Anniston Falls’ gay leather culture thrives, The Asylum Fight Club isn’t an easy place, but it’s home. Taking on a local hothead whose younger brother vandalized the space isn’t high on his priority list, but there’s something about Matt that cries out for a firm hand.Lawson’s never backed down from a fight, and he’s not about to start when there’s no way he can lose.When renewed gang violence erupts, spilling blood over The Asylum, Lawson and Matt must confront their pasts to find a way forward. Gunshots and knives should be harder to survive than this rough love, but coming to the ring armed with nothing but the truth is their greatest challenge of all.

To Love a Ghost


Annabella Stone - 2020
    Recruited by Rock and Grif to join their elite team of Black Ops Operators, The Ghost Protectors, he has built a new life for himself as the team’s top intel analyst. A spur of the moment decision to spend his down time in Brazil lands him in the middle of a cartel revenge war. Cade has lived and died by the gun before, he’s not afraid of war. But the man he rescues, that man, makes him wish for the one thing he swore he would never have again—love.Dragged into his father’s cartel world of drugs, blood, and money, for most of his life, Felipe *Rio* Oseguera González has been looking for a way out. He had it beaten into him to never trust a cop—even if you are paying him. But with his life on the line, the only one he can trust is the badass blond commando with the big ass guns. Rio knows better than anyone that freedom isn’t free, it always demands it’s price in blood. Even so, he’s grabbing this opportunity with both hands and if he has his way, he might just persuade this ghost that sometimes the dead can have a happy ever after too.Death and vengeance may make them run… but can love get them out of this war alive?