Book picks similar to
Locked Within by Paul Anthony Shortt


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Wizard Dawning


C.M. Lance - 2011
    Chicago Post V3.1 Global warming affects life on earth in unexpected ways. Magic intensifies, spreads and goes public. GOVERNMENTS REGULATE MAGIC. LA Tribune, 9.0.2 Danger from Dark Magic swells. Politicians panic. Ten years ago the world was shaken with the discovery that White and Black magic existed. Despite the headlines, like most people, nothing magical has happened in Sig’s life. As he prepares to leave for college, mysterious Great-Grampa Thor shows up with injuries sustained in a battle with a Dark Wizard. He bestows upon Sig, his only male heir, a magical family heirloom. He’s to lead in the fight against Dark Magic. Unfortunately, Sig can only access a small portion of the talisman’s power. His only magic is the ability to change into a 9 foot tall, 700 pound warrior. It’s small benefit in the age of machinery, rockets, and computers. The Dark Wizard comes after Sig. He escapes, but Great-Grampa falls victim to a demon induced coma before he can teach Sig what he needs to know. Sig joins with a group of fellow supernaturals. His new friends help him fight off more attacks while he searches desperately for his greater magic. If he can’t stand on his own against a Dark Wizard, how can he take his place at the front of the world’s fight against black magic?

Helix


Nathan M. Farrugia - 2016
    A rogue operative.A secret war that could destroy them both.Olesya hunts the augmented operatives she was trained to become. But when a clandestine mission takes her from the illegal bio-clinics of Brazil to the icy borderlands of Kaliningrad, she encounters a rogue assassin with a dangerous secret. As operatives and hunters start vanishing, one thing becomes clear…They aren’t the only players in this deadly game.This is the first episode in the new USA Today bestselling series of cyberpunk thrillers by Australian ex-recon soldier Nathan M. Farrugia. Do you like conspiracies and genetically-enhanced operatives? You’ll love this action-packed cross between Jason Bourne and Altered Carbon. Find out why readers are calling it “the most addictive action series” they’ve read.

Venom (Vampires of Hollywood Book 2)


Madisyn Ashmore - 2017
    When Caleb Crane, a ripped and protective vampire bad boy, seduced her at his Hollywood estate, she knew he was dangerous, but she couldn't resist. Caleb fell hard for Abby, but his love came at a price. Caleb's in deep with Abby when he discovers a shocking secret. Will he fight for the woman he loves, or will their romance bite the dust?Indulge in the romantic, steamy journey of the hottest vampires in Hollywood, in the Vampires of Hollywood Series. Compulsively readable, Venom is a sexy, enthralling vampire romance novel and a must-read for paranormal fiction fans.Venom is the second book in the Vampires of Hollywood Series. This story is steamy, spicy, sexy, and hot. You've been warned...

Hope To Escape


Jack Parker - 2015
     Ess wasn't aware that a momentary encounter during her childhood had made her the object of obsession nearly twenty years later. Not just the artist’s obsession, but also the art collector’s. The artist had to kidnap her to keep her safe. The truth doesn't always set you free. How do they go on?

Gypsy Hunted


Andrea Drew - 2014
    Her heroic attempt to intervene is repaid with a collision between the attacker's van and a brick wall. She awakens in hospital, paralyzed on her left side and unable to speak. Unable to share vital information about the crime she witnessed. Fortunately, her telepathic connection with her niece helps her throw a line out, attracting the attention of a police detective: Connor Reardon, Gypsy's date the night of the attack.Stepping in to protect Gypsy, Connor even listens to her claims of psychic power. She soon senses he's concealing certain powers of his own. Nor are they all he's concealing. A part of Gypsy's new ally's mind is closed to her”"what she cannot know is that Connor suspects the kidnapper is someone close to him, and the victim holds secrets that will tear through Connor's department, putting careers and lives at risk. Including Gypsy's, as she is left recovering in hospital and vulnerable as the attacker turns his sights on her once again.Can she use her powers to track down the perpetrator in time to prevent her own murder?

Awaken His Eyes


Jason Tesar - 2010
    Worshiped as gods for their wisdom and power, they corrupted the realm of the physical and forever altered the course of history.THE PROPHECY: Amidst the chaos of a dying world, a lone voice foretold the awakening of a warrior who would bring an end to this evil perpetrated against all of creation. But with the cataclysmic destruction of earth and rebirth of humanity, the prophecy went unfulfilled and eventually faded from the memory of our kind—until now!THE AWAKENED: The physical dimension is fractured. What remain now are numerous fragmented worlds moving simultaneously through time, sharing a common history, connected only by a guarded portal. On a parallel earth, in the city of Bastul, Colonel Adair Lorus disappears while investigating the death of an informant, triggering a series of events which will tear his family apart and set in motion the resolution of an ancient struggle.Kael, sentenced to death after rising up against the cruel leadership of his new step-father, is rescued from prison and trained in the arts of war by a mystical order of clerics. Excelling in every aspect of his training, Kael inwardly struggles to give himself fully to the methods of his new family, or the god they worship.Maeryn, bitter over the disappearance of her husband and supposed execution of her son, fears for her life at the hands of her newly appointed husband. Finding comfort and purpose in her unborn child, she determines to undermine his authority by reaching out to an underground social movement known as the Resistance.After being forced from his home, Kael’s former mentor, Saba, uncovers a clue to Adair’s disappearance. Sensing a connection to his own forgotten past, Saba begins an investigation which leads to the discovery of a secret military organization operating within the Orudan Empire.In book one of his debut series, Jason Tesar delves into the heart of an ancient legend, embarking on an epic saga that will journey from earth’s mythological past to its post-apocalyptic future, blending the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, and military/political suspense.

Forever Road


Catie Rhodes - 2013
    A reluctant psychic medium. Destiny only knocks once—then it kicks down the door. Peri Jean Mace thinks seeing ghosts is a curse, but her murdered trailer trash cousin doesn’t care. She wants Peri Jean to expose her killer.Peri Jean figures out everyone in her one-stoplight East Texas town has something to hide. And one of them will kill to hide the truth. In over her head, Peri Jean has to face her curse or end up the next victim.Forever Road is the first book in the Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thriller series. If you like your urban fantasy served up with a heavy dose of goose bumps, a side of gut-busting laughs, and a fist-swinging heroine who will steal your heart, you’ll love Forever Road.

Blood Skies


Steven Montano - 2011
    Earth as we know it has been forever damaged by an arcane storm that fused our world with distant realms of madness and terror. Things that once existed only in our nightmares stalk the earth.Now, humanity is threatened by one of its own.Eric Cross, an enlisted warlock in the Southern Claw military, is part of an elite team of soldiers and mages in pursuit of a woman known as Red -- a witch whose stolen knowledge threatens the future of the human race. The members of Viper Squad will traverse haunted forests and blighted tundra in their search for the traitor, a journey that ultimately leads them to the necropolis of Koth.There, in that haven of renegade undead, Cross will discover the dark origins of magic, and the true meaning of sacrifice...Experience a dark and deadly new world in the debut novel of the "Blood Skies" series from author Steven Montano.

Dawning


M.S. Verish - 2012
    He is a Demon, surrounded by the chaos inherent in his own shadowy nature, and it is the magic of Shadow that is killing him. Unwilling to accept his imminent demise, the nameless Demon embarks on a mission to find the witches who may hold his cure. He discovers the alternative to his death may be a greater price than he is willing to accept, and what is acceptance in a world full of Humans?In the company of the immortal prisoner he has liberated, the Demon struggles to survive, understand who he is, and shape a future that once seemed impossible. It is, for better or worse, a new beginning, a Dawning in this foreign world.

Flesh and Blood


Willow Rose - 2018
    As if their constant bickering and embarrassing behavior wasn’t bad enough, they’ve forbidden her from hanging out with her crush just when a flirty new girl moves to their block. Strangely enough, Robyn’s parents look the other way when her big brother breaks curfew… even after a local girl's violent murder.With the neighborhood on high alert, strange sightings are on the rise and the accusations begin to fly. Between her brother’s nighttime excursions and her parents’ odd behavior, Robyn starts to worry that the killer may be living under her own roof. In a town where neighbor has turned against neighbor, deciding whom to trust with her dark fears could be a matter of life and death…Flesh and Blood is the first book in a fun and frightening series of romantic paranormal mysteries. If you like terrifying thrills, flesh and blood characters, and vampires without the sparkle, then you’ll love Willow Rose’s tale of suburban terror. Buy Flesh and Blood to discover a dynamic series that puts the bite back into vampire lore today.

Demon Rogue


D.N. Erikson - 2016
    I've been around for longer than you could know - and most people don't want to know me, being half-demon, and all - but right now I've got a big f'in problem. A woman just came into my office, and I gotta say, from the photo she slipped me, someone's got a serious issue with the supernatural. Life expectancy is looking kinda low if I don't figure out who's kidnapping magical creatures, selling their blood and trying to reveal magic's existence to the mortal world. Last time that happened it didn't end well. I'm not optimistic about this time, either. Joke's on me, anyway, for setting up a magical salvage and retrieval business. 50% of an item's magical essence and a per diem can't cover the damages this job is gonna inflict. Money and magic aren't of much use to a dead man. And If I didn't have a code (yes, I'm a demon with a code), then I would jet out of Texas faster than a vamp at a sorority party (you don't want to know). But I agreed to the gig, she paid the cash, so I gotta see it through. Did I mention the super-powerful wiccan - who I used to have, ahem, relations with - just returned from a long hiatus in a place worse than hell? And she's still obsessed with finding a certain god's spear that I may or may not have. Seriously. This situation is code red. I'm almost willing to accept help from wizards. On second thought, no wizards. I hate you guys. I'd rather die. So um, if I don't make it through the next three days, anyone want a talking dog that's read too much for his own good? Because the way things are going, Argos is gonna need a new home after the spells stop flying...* *His only request is that you suck less than Odysseus. Apparently the epic poems got that all wrong, and that guy was a major asshole. Or my dog might just be bitter. Tends to rub off when you live with a demon.

Sea of Gold


Nick Elliott - 2014
    The first-person narrative, complete with ironic asides, is the perfect vehicle for a thoughtful and witty style that draws us swiftly into the shoes of its protagonist, a credible and consistent character." "The sense of place is utterly authentic. We are taken to far-flung locations - some exotic, some seedy - by an author who has not just visited them but has lived and worked in these places. Nick Elliott has an effortless elegance in his writing, and an ability to create characters who feel real. The story zips along at a fine pace, and the result is a gripping and immersive thriller." "Angus is good company as he unravels a very twisty plot and discovers an unexpected level of determination (stubbornness?) in getting to the bottom of the mystery and catching the villains, all the while trying to be loyal to his fiery Greek girlfriend while fighting his attraction to a woman from his past." DESCRIPTION ‘Whoever did this wanted to make very sure no one lived to tell the tale.’ Money, murder and love on the high seas In the world of international shipping, the rules are blurred and the oceans lawless When instinct tells maritime claims investigator Angus McKinnon that a wave of frauds must be connected, he thinks it’s just business as usual. Instead, he uncovers a ruthless conspiracy born of greed and the lust for power. As he starts to unravel a trail leading from the post-Soviet drabness of a Black Sea port to a sweltering anchorage in the Gulf of Thailand, a devastating explosion in the Indian Ocean changes everything. Facing down terrifying childhood memories, torn between two very different women and doubting old friends, McKinnon must navigate a precarious path between secretive government agencies, shady syndicates and avaricious crime lords towards an unpredictable endgame. Gambling everything on his faith in one man, can McKinnon beat the odds and come out on top? A gripping page-turner, Sea of Gold draws the reader into a world of extremes, the casual affluence of the super-rich contrasting with the dignified poverty of the desperate. Meanwhile, McKinnon’s two loves – the enigmatic Claire and his devoted, long-term lover, Eleni, vie for his attention. This debut thriller from Nick Elliott is packed with intrigue – if you love your action spiced with suspense, make Sea of Gold your next read.

The Forest Bull


Terry Maggert - 2013
    Two immortals. One mystery.When Ring Hardigan isn’t making sandwiches for, and with, his two partners, Waleska and Risa (they’re cool like that), he’s got a busy schedule doing the dirty work of sending immortals to the ever after. Wally and Risa provide linguistics, logistics, and finding the right place for him and his knife.A reclusive Baron from the timelost forests of Europe asks for their help—find a stolen collection of jewelry, and find the thief—his daughter Elizabeth, an immortal of purest evil who wants nothing less than control of Hell itself. With the help of a 2400 year old succubus hooker named Delphine, they might just live long enough to what is evil, who is human, and exactly who wants to reign in hell.

The Island: Part One


Michael Stark - 2012
    At first, reports trickled across the wire in small segments relegated to the final seconds of the broadcast news. Lost among stories of failing economies and political bickering, few noticed what proved to be the birth pangs of a monster. Within months, the disease dominated the news as thousands died and infection rates soared.William Hill knew his chances of avoiding the virus sat squarely between slim and none. With experts predicting a global pandemic, his choices boiled down to not if, but where he would die. While the rest of the world built barricades and set up distribution points for food, he chose a simpler end. The island had been one of the last and best times with his father. He couldn’t think of a better place to spend his final days.He wanted sun and sand, fresh fish on the grill and cool nights by the campfire. He wanted feel-good days filled with oldies on the radio, days when he could hoist the sails and run before the wind. He didn’t set out to make enemies, but he did. He didn’t plan on becoming humanity’s last hope for survival, or watching over an old woman and an eerie little boy either.To William Hill, the island seemed as good a place as any to die.He just didn’t realize how good.

The Lunar Effect


C.J. Pinard - 2018
    Thankful for the help of her two older brothers, Ayla St. John learns to accept the wolf inside of her. Then she meets Ryder, the swoon-worthy high school football star who is impossible to resist. Despite being thrust into a supernatural world she didn’t know existed, she maintains her resolve to go to college and try to keep up a normal life, in spite of her monthly full moon disruption. As she begins to accept and thrive in her new life, a devastating tragedy rocks Ayla and her family. Now too restless and distraught to finish college, she moves into the big city of Denver to try to figure out how she’s going to go on after her shattering heartbreak. She decides seeking revenge is a good way to spend her time, until she finds herself on the wrong end of a vampire’s fangs. The psychic visions that begin to plague her after her attack are crippling. Her quest for vengeance has just doubled. As she hunts for two vampires, she meets Kellan, an infuriatingly sexy vampire himself—a natural enemy she is supposed to hate—and feels an instant pull to him. And he’s not going away anytime soon. He wants Ayla, but she’s got no time for the silly vampire, no matter how drawn she feels to him. She’s also still got Ryder wanting to build a life with her. Once Kellan finds out she’s become a hunter, will he still continue to pursue her? The Lunar Effect is book one in The Ayla St. John Chronicles, and is a paranormal romance for readers 18 and older.