Book picks similar to
Little Better than a Beast by T.A. Pratt
urban-fantasy
fantasy
magic
short-story
Bitter Sweet Love
Jennifer L. Armentrout - 2013
A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...
The First Midnight Spell
Claudia Gray - 2013
She spends her days perfecting spells with the local coven and dreaming about one day marrying Nat Porter. But Nat is the son of Widow Porter, another witch and the leader of their coven. According to the First Laws of the Craft, Elizabeth is strictly forbidden to marry him.Elizabeth never imagined dabbling in the dark arts, bringing herself close to serving the One Beneath. But as she feels Nat slipping away from her, she will do anything to secure his love. How much harm could she do with one single spell, even if it is black magic?HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.
Dragon Bones
Jasmine Walt - 2017
Her motto: the ugliest stories are the ones that deserve to be told the most.But when a mysterious woman comes forth with a two-thousand year old relic from Nia's past, Nia isn't sure if the story connected to it is one she wants told to the world. Unfortunately, Nia has no choice but to uncover the truth — fast — before a greedy land developer buries the site forever. The fact that he's also an immortal, with a millennia-old grudge against her, doesn't help. Neither do the dark assassins who have been stalking her for centuries, and who've suddenly decided to up their game to end her life.Letting her enemies have their way might be best for Nia, especially when the truth might expose a horrific crime from Nia's past. But all stories deserve to be told.Even the ugliest ones.Even if they say you might be a mass murderer.
Once Bitten
Trina M. Lee - 2009
She's drawn to him in the worst of ways. Together they create something wild, dangerous and binding. An extraordinary force greater than either of them alone. But it doesn't come without a price.Now Alexa is craving human blood and shying away from sunlight. And she doesn't know how the hell she's going to explain it to Shaz, the pack mate who's always been more than just a friend.When Alexa's ex and pack Alpha is framed for murder, he comes to her for help. She'd like to see him suffer but as the body count rises long buried secrets are revealed. Secrets that force her to face the ugly truth that not everyone is who she thinks they are.Not even her.
Stakeout at the Vampire Circus
Kevin J. Anderson - 2012
Dan Shamble and his ghost girlfriend are called to the Vampire Circus when a fortune teller’s cards go missing. Not exactly the glamorous life, but the stakes escalate when a vampire trapeze act goes dead wrong, and Shamble discovers even more skeletons in the closet than the ones that live there. As he shuffles for clues through an unnatural cast of carnies, he faces a slate of suspects that could freak out even the most daring detective—a werewolf lion tamer, a fat lady with an enormous secret, an undead ringmaster…and what could be scarier than a circus clown? The only thing certain is that the show must go on—dead or alive.
Beauty
Laurell K. Hamilton - 2012
Hamilton’s bestselling novel, Kiss the Dead. You’d think I’d get used to seeing such a beautiful man and knowing he was mine, but it never grew old, as if his beauty and the fact that he was mine, and I was his, would forever surprise me. With a vampire like Jean Claude around, it’s far too easy for Anita Blake to doubt her own appearance—and the hold it has on those who love her. But one hot tub and two incredibly sexy men—Jean Claude and Asher—will make her feel like the most lusted-after woman alive…or undead. Not bad for a mere human… “Hamilton remains one of the most inventive and exciting writers in the paranormal field.”—Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Includes an excerpt of Kiss the Dead, the new Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel
Tempted
Rebecca Zanetti - 2012
The alternate cover edition can be found here.CONSTANT DANGEROn the run from a mental institution and her vindictive half-brother, it's safe to say that Sarah Pringle's happy life as a schoolteacher is on hold. Too bad that as far as self-defense goes, "run and hide" is the best she's got. And with the monsters that started her escape hot on her heels, that's not going to cut it for long...INSTANT LUSTThat is, unless Sarah has a bigger, badder, hotter monster on her side. Max Petrovsky is right at the top of the list of alpha male ass-kickers. And he knows exactly what Sarah's up against. Good thing, because the minute he sees her something primal kicks in, turning everyday attraction into red-hot desire. As long as they're cooperating, why not mix some pleasure with business? Of course, Max should probably tell Sarah he's a vampire himself...<27,000 words
Hunted
Steve McHugh - 2019
But when he learned he had had undiscovered powers, he had no choice but to learn how to use them. After relocating to North Dakota in order to practise his new found abilities, he soon finds himself in the targets of Louis Bonne, a man who wants to understand how the curse placed on Remy worked, so that he can use the souls of innocent people to make himself immortal. Since Remy has no interest in helping, Louis Bonne sends a group of murderers intent on convincing him. But Remy isn’t some helpless bystander, and these people will soon discover that Remy isn’t the kind of fox who runs from a hunt. Hunted is a new novella set in the universe of the Hellequin and Avalon Chronicles series.
Blood Lite III: Aftertaste
Kevin J. AndersonHeather Graham - 2012
Banks, Kelley Armstrong, and many more! Horror fiction explores the dark side of human nature, often pushing the limits of violence, graphic gore, and extreme emotions. But with the popularity of shows and movies, such as "The Walking Dead," "True Blood," "Twilight," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," audiences have demonstrated their love for the genre--especially accompanied with a dose of humor to tone down the terror."Blood Lite III: Aftertaste" continues to put the fun back into dark fiction, featuring a wide range of humorous and highly entertaining horror-filled tales. Edited by Horror Writers Association founding member and award-winning author Kevin J. Anderson, the stories vary in tone from wry to downright laugh-out-loud funny. Featuring such well-known horror writers as Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christopher Golden, and many others, this collection of tales is perfect for anyone who enjoys being entertained as much as they love a good scare.Contents:I was a teenage Bigfoot / Jim Butcher --Blood-red greens / Joel A. Sutherland --V plates / Kelley Armstong --Put on a happy face / Christopher Golden --Devil's contract / E.S. Magill --Nine-tenths of the law / Eric James Stone --Scrumptious bone bread / Jeff Strand --Let that be a lesson to you / Mark Onspaugh --Mint in box / Mike Baron --Great zombie invasion of 1979 / J.G. Faherty --Dating after the apocalypse / Stephen Dorato --Typecast / Jeff Ryan --Making the cut / Mike Resnick, Lezli Robyn --Acknowledgments / Will Ludwigsen --Mannequin / Heather Graham --Short term / Daniel Pyle --Distressed travelers / Nina Kiriki Hoffman --Bayou brawl / L.A. Banks --Steeple people / John Alfred Taylor --For sale / David Sakmyster --Man who could not be bothered to die / Norman Prentiss --Last demon / Don D'Ammassa --Misadventure to call your own / Adrian Ludens --Smoke and mirrorballs / Chris Abbey --Brians!!! / D.L. Snell --Still life / Ken Lilli-Paetz --Day in the life / Sherrilyn
The Spook's Tale and Other Horrors
Joseph Delaney - 2009
But Tom's is only one story. There are others. . . .The Spook himself was once an apprentice. How did he begin his training?And what of Alice, the young witch who is Tom's closest ally? How did she overcome her dark past?What did the witch assassin Grimalkin do to become the most deadly and feared witch in the county?And, collected in a gallery of horrors, discover the rest of the county's menacing villains and relive the vicious battles waged against them.Enter a land where creatures of the dark creep out of the shadows. Do you dare?
Balance
M.R. Forbes - 2013
Once upon a time I was a twenty-three year old security guard, trying to regain my life after spending a year in prison for stealing people's credit card numbers. Now, I'm dead.Okay, I was supposed to be dead. I got killed after all; but a funny thing happened after I had turned the mortal coil...I met Dante Alighieri - yeah, that Dante. He told me I was special, a diuscrucis. That's what they call a perfect balance of human, demon, and angel. Apparently, I'm the only one of my kind. I also learned that there was a war raging on Earth between Heaven and Hell, and that I was the only one who could save the human race from annihilation. Dante asked me to help, and I was naive enough to agree.Sounds crazy, I know, but he wished me luck and sent me back to the mortal world. Oh yeah, he also gave me instructions on how to use my Divine 'magic' to bend the universe to my will. The problem is, a sexy vampire crushed them while I was crushing on her.Now I have to somehow find my own way to stay alive in a world of angels, vampires, werewolves, demons and humans that all want to kill me before I can mess up their plans for humanity's future. If that isn't enough, I also have to find the queen of all demons and recover the Holy Grail.It's not like it's the end of the world if I fail.Wait. It is.
Guilty by Association
E.A. Copen - 2016
When a young werewolf is murdered on the Paint Rock Supernatural Reservation, the local cops think it’s a drug deal gone bad. BSI agent Judah Black knows better. An occult expert, she knows magick is at work from the beginning. Using only her wits, knowledge of the supernatural and her limited magickal abilities, she must untangle a web of cover-ups and lies before the killer finds his next victim.
New England Witch Chronicles
Chelsea Luna - 2011
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were an embarrassing stain on America’s revered past. Innocent people were persecuted at the hands of a few overzealous Puritans, but what if real witches existed during those colonial hunts? What if there are witches in present day New England? That’s what Alexandria Ramsey’s crazy grandmother believes. Grandma Claudia claims Alex descends from a long line of New England witches. Modern day witches in Hazel Cove, Massachusetts? Unlikely, but strange things are occurring in the weeks preceding Alex’s seventeenth birthday. Alex is haunted by bizarre recurring nightmares of a man chasing her through the Hazel Cove Cemetery. On a few occasions, when her emotions have spiraled out of control, inanimate objects have shattered around her. But that’s just a coincidence, right? Alex isn’t so sure, especially after a local girl, who supposedly dabbled in witchcraft, was killed in the nearby forest. Alex knows something strange is happening. With the arrival of a new boy in town, James Van Curen, who is causing problems between Alex and her best friend, Peter, Alex feels like her entire world is on the verge of chaos. Could Alex really be a witch? Is it possible Hazel Cove will become a battleground for modern-day witches and witch hunters?
Chained by Darkness
Susan Illene - 2013
When that man is an immortal nephilim, the misdeeds can really pile up. Lucas has paid for the crimes of his past for centuries, resisting any close relationship that might make his life even more difficult. Until Melena. Only she could begin to melt the ice shielding his heart, but then he was captured by his greatest enemies—angels.Now imprisoned in Purgatory, he’s awaiting trial for his latest crime and knows the verdict will not be in his favor. Lucas is resigned to the fact his life might be over, but fears without his protection Melena may not survive for long. She’s got her own enemies back in Alaska and her mortality makes her easy prey. Whatever happens to him, he must find a way to keep her safe. No matter the cost.
Hidden Magic
Linsey Hall - 2016
Cass Clereaux is a FireSoul—one of the unlucky few to inherit a piece of the dragon’s soul. It gives her a deadly, forbidden magic, but at least it helps her find treasure. The only people she can trust are her fellow FireSouls, Del and Nix. They hunt treasure to pay the bills and keep their FireSoul secret to save their lives.When Cass is blackmailed by a criminal overlord who holds their lives in his hands, things get rough. He wants a pair of rare daggers hidden inside a deadly temple. If Cass and her friends don’t get him the daggers, they’re dead. But when they get into the temple, they realize that things are even worse than they’d imagined. What was supposed to be a normal job is decidedly…not. And surviving it might be impossible.Hidden Magic features kick butt heroines, a hot hero, and otherworldly adventure.