Book picks similar to
Defiant Guardians by Jacob Peppers


fantasy
anthologies
ebooks
short-stories

The Witch Sisters


Alma Katsu - 2013
    In the magical fens wood, Adair meets a pair of sister witches who turn out to be more—much more—than he bargained for in this short story, a prequel to the third book in The Taker Trilogy, THE DESCENT.

Dragonlands: Volume 1-3


Megg Jensen - 2014
     Includes: Hidden: The mystery enshrouding Hutton’s Bridge is as impenetrable as the fog that descended at its borders eighty years ago. Each year, three villagers enter the mist searching for answers. No one ever returns. Then a dragon falls from the sky to the town square, dead—the first glimpse of an outside world that has become nothing more than a fairy tale to Hutton’s Bridge. Except to Tressa. Tressa grew up with Granna’s stories of the days before the fog fell. When Granna dies, leaving Tressa without any family, Tressa ventures into the fog herself, vowing to unravel the foul magic holding Hutton’s Bridge captive. What she discovers beyond the fog endangers the lives of everyone she loves. Hunted: The fog that trapped the people of Hutton's Bridge for eighty years has disappeared, but now so have the villagers. Fearing the worst, Tressa and Bastian must navigate a new and dangerous world in search of their people. Among their allies are a healer, a warrior, and even a dragon--but their enemies are far greater. Hutton's Bridge has long protected a powerful secret, one the dragonlords will kill to control. As the realms rise, Tressa and Bastian risk everything to save their people, until one must make the ultimate sacrifice. Retribution: Tensions are mounting in the Dragonlands. The dragon hordes are mustering, each with its own agenda. But Tressa must conquer her personal demons before answering the call to war. Gravely ill, her body undergoing mysterious and frightening changes, she travels to a distant land for the answers crucial to her survival. What she discovers rocks her to the core. As the battle begins, a long-slumbering magic--dark, powerful, and brutal--awakens. And Tressa learns the ones you love most can become your greatest enemies of all. Books 4 & 5 - Desolation and Reckoning - sold separately

Murder at the Kinnen Hotel


Brian McClellan - 2014
    He's sharp, thoughtful, and his particular sorcery gives him a flawless memory. A transfer to the First Precinct seems like the perfect opportunity to showcase his abilities and advance his career. But things work differently in the First Precinct. The murder of a businessman's mistress quickly pulls Adamat into an unexpected world of conspiracy and politics where he's forced to use all his wits to stay one step ahead of unseen enemies and keep his friends—and himself—from the guillotine. Occurs twenty-two years before the events in Promise of Blood.

Once Upon A Curse


Yasmine GalenornC. Gockel - 2016
    More Grimm than Disney, in this collection you’ll find twists on Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, Rumplestilstskin, The Snow Queen, Cinderella, The Pied Piper, Alice in Wonderland, and Red Riding Hood, plus new tales paying homage to the old traditions. Shadows cannot exist without light, however, and you’ll find enough happily-ever-afters to lift your spirits in this anthology full of adventure, dark powers, and ultimately the enduring power of true love.   YARROW, STURDY AND BRIGHT by Devon Monk – Sweet music cannot hide a wicked heart… FAE HORSE by Anthea Sharp – Faerie bargains can grant any desire, but be careful what you wish for. THE QUEEN OF FROST AND DARKNESS by Christine Pope - Her heart is the only thing colder than a Russian winter…. BONES by Yasmine Galenorn - Sometimes, your most cherished dream can turn out to be a nightmare. MAGIC AFTER MIDNIGHT by C. Gockel – The Wicked Stepmother is about to meet her match… DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Donna Augustine - When the devil makes a deal with a dancer, he gets more than he bargained for. NO GIFT OF WORDS by Annie Bellet - Never steal from a witch... THE GRIM BROTHER by Audrey Faye – Not all walks in the wood end well… BEAUTY INSIDE BEAST by Danielle Monsch - Happily Ever After ain't guaranteed when Once Upon a Time is here. FAESCORNED by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - The Morrigan, Celtic goddess of war and strife, must relive a painful memory that reminds her of what she can never have. DRAWN TO THE BRINK by Tara Maya - Sajiana's job is to hunt down monsters brought alive from paintings. She never expected to meet one so handsome... or to need his help. THE VARIANCE COURT by Alexia Purdy - Anna, a struggling college student, discovers a mysterious ring that turns her quiet life chaotic when the ring's magic doesn't do what it's told. THE MORRIGAN by Phaedra Weldon – A young man discovers he has leprechaun blood – and is wanted by dark faerie forces. ALICE by Julia Crane - A twisted tale of Alice and Wonderland. Facing madness and an ominous prophecy, Alice chooses to follow her heart despite knowing her world is about to change forever. STILL RED by Sabrina Locke – When the Hunters come, can there be any escape? THE FINAL STRAW by Jennifer Blackstream - To banish a gold-spinning demon, first you must guess his name... THE UNICORN HUNTER by Alethea Kontis – Only Snow White knows what really happened in the forest…

Down a Lost Road


J. Leigh Bralick - 2011
    Summer was supposed to mean sun, family, and fun……not undead warriors, mythical creatures, and trees that glow.But that’s exactly what 16-year-old Merelin gets.Merelin’s family has always been a little odd, but ever since her father disappeared four years ago, life has been pretty boring.Then her world gets yanked out from under her.Literally.As if waking up in the desert of an alien world wasn’t bad enough, the only person who sees her arrive is a fascinating — and infuriating — boy who calls himself Yatol……and tells her she carries the key that could save or destroy his world.Can she trust his promise to help her survive, or should she walk away from his world—and the danger that threatens it—forever?And if she fights……what price will she have to pay?You’ll love this fast-paced YA fantasy, because nothing is ever what it seems.Alternate cover edition for ASIN B004ZUIZ62

Moon Magic


Aimee Easterling - 2016
     Scratch the surface of the real world to find alchemy, were-creatures, and witches waiting! Prepare to fall in love with sexy alphas and the kickass heroines they live to chase. But be sure to keep your hands inside the ride at all times – because when it comes to these urban fantasy tales, love just might bite… From USA Today Bestselling Author Aimee Easterling - Shiftless: After years of suppressing her inner wolf, Terra struggles to forget her old pack. But when her past finally comes calling, she has no choice but to reclaim the predator within. From USA Today Bestselling Author Sylvia Frost - Moonbound: Seven years ago, werebeasts murdered Artemis's family and marked her as the mate of a monster. Now that monstrous mate has tracked her down and threatens to make her his own. From Bestselling Author L. M. Hawke - Black Moon Sing: A dark force is targeting a secret enclave of shapeshifters in the desert southwest, delivering them to grisly fates. Suspected of witchery and cast out of her human society, it's up to Ellery Chee, a lone coyote shifter, to stop this dangerous magician before her world disappears into thin air. From USA Today Bestselling Author Tasha Black - Curse of the Alpha: Episodes 1 & 2: As she struggles to come to terms with her werewolf nature, Ainsley Connor is thrust into the center of a steamy web of shifters, ghosts, witches and warlocks, caught up in a life-or-death struggle for control of the pack she tried to leave behind. From Bestselling Author Marina Finlayson - Moonborn: Since childhood, Garth has lived on the edges of the pack, the human stepson of the pack leader and an eternal outsider. He always dreamed of becoming a werewolf—until one day he got his wish. From Bestselling Author Val St. Crowe: The Toil & Trouble Trilogy: Book 1: Born into an underground ruling class of witches, eighteen-year-old Olivia has always tried to steer clear of both magic and monsters. But a struggle for power and a handsome face combine to turn her life upside-down until suddenly she's knee deep in both.

Dragon Dreams


Dusty Lynn Holloway - 2011
    But he does. Every night he dreams of an elf running through flames, trying in vain to outrun the Rebel Dragon Obsidian. Every night he sees her fall. Sees her eyes close. Feels her heart as it slows, and then stops. Every night, through the connection of the dream, he dies with her. It's a spiral that he can't control, and it's slowly driving him insane.Auri is an elf raised by a powerful human king not of her own blood. Left behind by the mother who perished far from the elven isle El`dell, she seeks to forge her life among the humans. Her journey takes her to the land of her heritage. To a place that holds both a haunting betrayal, and a miracle that just might save her life.Together, they become embroiled in a conspiracy where destinies are intertwined, love is born in the fallout of ultimate sacrifice, and the only path to victory lies through the searing flames of dragon fire.

Alphabet Soup: Horror Stories for the Tormented Soul


Tobias Wade - 2018
    Each author chose a letter of the alphabet and was given complete artistic freedom to make something horrible happen. Some stories will be mysterious, others creepy or even profound, but all are crafted to thrill and terrify you to the last page. This is what happens when dozens of uncensored creative people are allowed to mine the depths of the human psyche for the most depraved, twisted, horrible things imaginable.    Special edition with intricate full-page illustrations bring the stories to life!  Excerpt: What it really meant was she was rotting away in a cage of her own flesh. The weight of her own body had crushed the flesh on her backside so that it had stopped circulating blood, had started to die. It meant that, after only twenty-six days of freedom, I had to go home and take care of her again. I came back to a familiar smell of piss and sweat and mold; but that was all mixed with a new taint, the sour and yet sickeningly-sweet smell of rotting flesh. She wasn’t in her usual chair. Instead, I found her collapsed on a mattress in a bedroom she hadn’t used for as long as I could remember, the springs creaking under her weight. She was dressed in a simple blue shirt, almost like a hospital gown, and lifting up the bottom edge, my eyes came level to where she was rotting.- N is for Necrosis About Haunted House Publishing: We're passionate about publishing horror stories for adults, scary books for teens, and all sorts of dark fiction. We've got new horror kindle books every month, specializing in supernatural stories, supernatural book collections, and paranormal books for adults. We've got zombie books, demonic horror, ghosts and specters, angels and demons, gothic novels, and haunted houses and ghosts novels. We promise some of the top horror books 2018.

Bayou Noël


Alexandra Ivy - 2013
    After waiting five years for Garrick to notice her as more than his mother’s caregiver. The aggravating male might always have a place in her heart, but she’s determined to find someone who wants to build a family with her. She had no idea that writing a letter of resignation would bring Garrick back to the Wildlands. It will take a Christmas miracle to bring them together:Garrick can’t believe that Molly is willing to walk away. She’d not only become irreplaceable to his mother, but he’d become addicted to her letters when he was far away from home. He’d be damned if he was going to let her slip away. But once back in the Wildlands, Garrick is forced to choose between opening his heart to the female he loves or risk losing her forever.

Sacrifice


K.A. Last - 2013
    In Heaven, physical love is forbidden, and to break the rules is to defy everything he has ever known. Grace is oblivious to Seth’s turmoil. She loves him unconditionally, but not in the way he wants.When Seth and Grace are sent on a mission together, Seth will have to decide how far he will go for the one he loves. He must find the courage to make the ultimate decision—save his heart, or save his soul.For lovers of young adult, angels, and vampires, this prequel novella to Fall For Me will leave you breathless and heartbroken.

Lichgates


S.M. Boyce - 2011
     When Kara Magari uncovers an ancient book of dark and deadly magic, she realizes she’s the only one who can read its enchanted pages… and overnight, she becomes the most coveted magical creature in not just one, but two worlds. Now hunted by every living creature under the sun, she discovers a new world full of beautiful and terrifying things: Ourea. Out here, everyone wants something from her, and there’s no one she can trust. Kings and queens are drawn to her, assassins and demons seek her out, but it’s the charming soldier with a protective streak and a dark secret that may just be her undoing. Before this is over, Kara will have to make the ultimate choice… either she surrenders to this dangerous book of magic, heart and soul, or it will be the death of her. Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive. Buckle in & experience the beginning of a timeless epic fantasy adventure with this first installment of the Grimoire Saga. If you enjoy Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, or Eragon, you’ll love this breathtaking epic fantasy adventure with a modern twist and a slow burn romance. NEW 5th EDITION with never-before-read scenes and chapters from your favorite bad guys. Completely re-edited and revised for a smoother, more vivid reading experience. Want more? Read the full series… Book 1: Lichgates Book 2: Treason Book 3: Heritage Book 4: Illusion Book 5: The First Vagabond: Rise of a Hero Book 6: The Misanthrope Warning: this story contains adventure, action, and mild cussing.

Of Sand and Malice Made


Bradley P. Beaulieu - 2016
    In this prequel, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf; none but her closest friends and allies know her true identity.But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, an ehrekh, a sadistic creature forged long ago by the god of chaos. The ehrekh are usually desert dwellers, but this one lurks in the dark corners of Sharakhai, toying with and preying on humans. As Rümayesh works to unmask the White Wolf and claim Çeda for her own, Çeda’s struggle becomes a battle for her very soul.

Madhouse


Miguel Estrada - 2017
     Faced with his parents’s divorce, eleven-year-old Lucas runs away from his house with the hope that his family will get back together to find him. On his way walking through the empty streets, he is picked up by a mysterious woman who offers to take care of him and provide him with a loving family. The boy then wakes up in shackles, confined to a bed in a decrepit house in the middle of nowhere and will have to face his deepest fears in order to survive in his new home. Join Lucas in a desperate attempt to get back to his family in Madhouse, the first published book from horror-thriller author Miguel Estrada.

The Moonlit Mind


Dean Koontz - 2011
    . . both human and otherwise.Twelve-year-old Crispin has lived on the streets since he was nine—with only his wits and his daring to sustain him, and only his silent dog, Harley, to call his friend. He is always on the move, never lingering in any one place long enough to risk being discovered. Still, there are certain places he returns to. In the midst of the tumultuous city, they are havens of solitude: like the hushed environs of St. Mary Salome Cemetery, a place where Crispin can feel at peace—safe, at least for a while, from the fearsome memories that plague him . . . and seep into his darkest nightmares. But not only his dreams are haunted. The city he roams with Harley has secrets and mysteries, things unexplainable and maybe unimaginable. Crispin has seen ghosts in the dead of night, and sensed dimensions beyond reason in broad daylight. Hints of things disturbing and strange nibble at the edges of his existence, even as dangers wholly natural and earthbound cast their shadows across his path. Alone, drifting, and scavenging to survive is no life for a boy. But the life Crispin has left behind, and is still running scared from, is an unspeakable alternative . . . that may yet catch up with him.There is more to this world, and its darkest corners yet to be encountered, in this eBook’s special bonus: a spine-tingling excerpt from Dean Koontz’s forthcoming novel, 77 Shadow Street.

The Prince


Jillian Dodd - 2016
    Fans of The Selection and The Hunger Games will discover a heart-pounding thrill ride of espionage and suspense set in glittering high society.An eighteen-year-old covert agent is pulled out of training before graduation by Black X, a espionage group so secret even the President of the United States doesn't know it exists.For her first mission, she must go undercover as the long-lost daughter of a recently deceased billionaire, infiltrate high society, and protect the Prince of Montrovia from assassination. But Prince Lorenzo is known as the Playboy Prince for a reason and his sensuality and charisma add a whole other level of complication to her mission. She knows that her every move is being watched, but what she doesn’t know is that the Prince is just a chess piece in a bigger game that will have world-wide ramifications. And that Blackwood Academy, the place she has called home for the past six years has secrets of its own.