Hi friends, if you're looking for the second half of the books entered into my wonderful Birthday Book Bash drawing, then you are in the right place! This event has been an exciting celebration of literature, and I am thrilled to share more fantastic titles that I invite you to explore with me in 2025. For those of you who may have stumbled upon this article by chance, let me extend a warm welcome to you! This is indeed part 2 of our exploration into the delightful selection of books featured in this drawing. I encourage you to take the time to read through this article, as it contains valuable insights and details about each book that you won't want to miss. However, I also highly recommend that you go back and check out part 1, where I introduced the first batch of captivating reads that are sure to ignite your passion for reading and perhaps even inspire your next literary adventure. Now, without further ado, let’s hop right into the exciting details of the second half of our book lineup! I am eager to delve into the unique stories, genres, and authors that make these books so special. Whether you're a fan of fiction, non-fiction, or something in between, there’s something here for everyone. So grab a cozy seat, perhaps a cup of your favorite beverage, and let's investigate these literary treasures together!
-YA Coming of age Fantasy-
A Dawn Left Behind by Mark Aeschlimann
Publication Date: September 30, 2024
Description
"The outline of white smoky light spun around him and a blinding white flash embraced him… Matthew opened his eyes as white sparks fell and faded away into nothing around him…He now knew for sure what it was… Matthew had walked into a doorway to another world."
Matthew Parlour, 18 and living his most carefree life, loves nothing more than listening to his grandfather’s stories and cruising through each day. He sees nothing but good times ahead.
When tragedy strikes, Matthew is lost. His world has fallen apart and he is left with more questions than answers.
With his obsession for answers guiding him Matthew is propelled into a world where everything he knew is meaningless and being human draws unwanted attention. Where magic and power go hand in hand. Where he serves an even more important purpose than he could possibly imagine.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, A Dawn Left Behind (The Tales of Matthew Parlour), Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/i8Oh1sC>.
-Poetry-
Ink and Reflections : Echoes of the Heart by MaryGrace Baybon
Publication Date: February 7 , 2025
Description
This collection is a journey through the intricate landscapes of love, capturing its beauty, pain, and moments of betrayal. Engage with these poems to navigate the complexities of human emotions and
relationships. Reserve your copy
by emailing the author at
Source Citation:
-Contemporary Romance-
Only Ever Mine by S. Grace
Publication Date: August 1, 2024
Description
Brother's best friend.
Second chance romance.
Sneaking behind your best friend's back and dating his little sister is normal right?
She was mine once, but I had to let her go.
I never should have touched her in the first place.
She’s my best friend's little sister; I knew she was off-limits.
But I couldn’t help myself.
When I had to leave town, I couldn’t make her put her life on hold, waiting for me.
I had no choice but to break things off, or so I thought…
Now I'm heading back home.
It's been years since I last saw her...
My only problem is, when I get there, she's moved on with someone else.
I had to let her go once and it nearly tore me apart...
I won't stop fighting until she's mine again.
But then again in my head...
She's Only Ever been Mine.
I just hope she feels the same about me.
Fall in love with Haleigh and Ryan in this sweet and angsty romance!
A sweet and spicy standalone that interconnects with the next release.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Only Ever Mine, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/0MZWR1k>.
-Mystery Ghost Thriller-
Where the Creek Runs Cold by Liddell Rayne
Publication Date: October 9 , 2024
Description
Lila Clarke has spent the last decade running from her past, burying her grief and guilt beneath the quiet isolation of her night shifts at a forgotten library. But when she begins hearing the faint, unmistakable voice of her younger sister Emily—a voice that has been silenced for ten long years—Lila’s carefully constructed world begins to unravel. Haunted by the memories of the day she lost Emily, Lila is forced to confront the dark truth she’s been avoiding for so long.
Guided by a mysterious stranger who seems to know more about her past than he should, Lila embarks on an emotional journey to face the shadows of her childhood. As she returns to the place where it all went wrong, she must finally come to terms with her guilt and make peace with the voice that won’t let her go. But the past holds secrets, and Lila soon discovers that not all is as it seems.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Where the Creek Runs Cold, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/6lcb4xw>.
-New Adult Contemporary Fantasy-
Speak the Ocean by Rebecca Enzor
Publication Date: April 2, 2024
Description
Corporate tells the public the mermaids aren’t dangerous, but that’s a lie.
When the superpredator Mer kill another trainer, Finnegan Jarvis finally sees his opportunity to become a superstar trainer. No more scrubbing tanks and cleaning blood: he’s gonna be in front of the audience showing off his brand-new, fully-trained mermaid. If only he can get her to do the tricks she’s supposed to.
That mermaid is Erie, an ocean-princess ripped from her home when she pushes another Mer out of the way of the net. She doesn’t understand why she’s there, but she’s determined to learn air-words to find out.
While Finn trains Erie, she teaches herself air-words. And when she finally speaks, Finn breaks the number one rule at Oceanica: Never Humanize The Mer.
Now he’ll do whatever it takes to save her.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Speak the Ocean, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/366hCAP>.
-New Adult Clean Romance-
Star-Crossed Lover by Phelicia Valbrune
Publication Date: June 14, 2024
Description
Sarah has looked all through her life to find someone who will love her. She tries the most common way to find love but still doesn't find love in it. Until she has found someone from the other side of the world and falls in love with the guy she met. She travels to where he is to see and finally finds love with someone on the other side of the world. she spends time with him until she decides to go on a vacation with him.
Sarah goes on a vacation with the guy she's with. While there the guy sees a beautiful girl he wants to talk to. Sarah warns him to stay away from her. Despite the warnings, he still goes after her to talk to her. What will Sarah do to convince him to avoid the beautiful girl?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Star-Crossed Lover, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/bvqte47>.
-Assassination Thriller-
Summertime, Assassins, and Other Skullduggeries by J.D. Cunegan
Publication Date: November 10, 2023
Description
Summer Rhoades kills people for a living. Except the one time she didn’t.
She promised a wealthy, well-connected man she would take out his target, only to have a change of heart once she realizes the mark is not who she was told. Instead of confronting Hunter Bailey on his duplicity, though, Summer sends the target away and makes a break for it herself.
Which is fine, until Hunter Bailey finds out and comes after her. But only in the way overly rich men who never do anything for themselves can.
Now, Summer finds herself on the run, the proverbial mouse in that timeless game. Several former colleagues (if they can be called that) are after her, one after another, eager to cash in—but one assassin in particular turns up at every available opportunity. Someone who represents the best, and the worst, of Summer’s torrid life: her ex-girlfriend, and fellow assassin, Lola Haskins.
Summer has seven days to survive the price on her head. But no matter how many bullets or blades she dodges, no matter how much running she does, one thing Summer can’t outrun is her own heart.
Maybe she doesn’t want to.
J.D. Cunegan (Bounty, Notna) presents Summertime, Assassins, and Other Skullduggeries, a tale of love lost, love gained, bloodshed, and corruption begetting all such things, giving readers yet another taste of Cunegan’s comic book-inspired brand of fast-paced prose, with chapters that fly by and plot twists that will leave readers guessing and waiting for more.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Summertime, Assassins, and Other Skullduggeries, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/1gdEU47>.
-YA Contemporary Fantasy-
Touch of Kindness by R. Loomis
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Description
Dori Livingston doesn't want to be anything special. She's fine staying in the background, helping her friends, and supporting her single mom in any way she can while living in her small Texas town.
That all changes when she meets a strange girl at school who is running away. In true Dori fashion, she welcomes the girl into her home without hesitation. Little does Dori know that helping this girl will spark a chain of events that will change her life forever.
After showing Dori her ability to influence people with a single touch, Dori is left with more questions than answers. The next day, Dori is captured and taken to the Otherworld, a place full of magic and fantastical creatures. She learns the girl she helped was betrothed to a prince, and now Dori must fill the void and marry His Highness in the girl's stead. Dori's mission becomes clear: get back home no matter what. However, getting back to the Mortalworld will be harder than she could have ever expected.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Touch of Kindness, Amazon website, Accessed 17 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/2ciAABa>.
-YA Mystery, Thriller, Suspense-
The World Below by Natalie L. Morris
Publication Date: November 11, 2024
Description
One day is all it takes to change a life. During this one day, Julia's life as she knows it is completely turned upside down and nothing will remain the same.
Julia is an eighteen year old, on the brink of adulthood, who lives in an underground community. She is excited for her future and becoming a cherished member of the Society.
The Society has other plans for her and she must navigate through this perilous journey. She finds an inner strength to face her fears through life threatening challenges, risks, and dangers. She struggles through the dark passageways of the underground in hopes to escape and see a future where she is able to sit beneath a sky full of stars.
This gripping story is the first installment in author Natalie L. Morris epic, suspense THE WORLD BELOW series.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The World Below, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/0ShIrwB>.
-YA Mystery Thriller-
The Montgomery Estate by Samantha Alis
Publication Date: September 30, 2024
Description
High school freshman Claire is obsessed with the Montgomery Estate and the vicious torturing and killings of a prestigious family that happened within its walls nearly 100 years ago. When the last surviving member of the Montgomery family passes away, Claire decides to explore the house and uncover the truth behind the decades-old mystery.
After a negative and humiliating interaction with Claire’s idols, a ghost-hunting group by the name of The Specters, Claire and her best friend Lizzie infiltrate the estate with a plan to prank the ghost hunters. But the abandoned house may not be completely cleared of the Montgomery family. And they may not like intruders.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Montgomery Estate, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/ionJntB>.
-Poetry-
The Fragile Humans We Are by V. Walker
Publication Date: February 1, 2025
Description
Step into the delicate realms of emotion with The Fragile Humans We Are: Volume One, a poignant collection of poetry that navigates the intricate landscapes of love, grief, and depression. This collection invites readers on a transformative journey through the highs and lows of the human experience.
In this beautifully crafted compilation, Walker delves into the complexities of love, loss, and being lost. The Fragile Humans We Are: Volume One serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, celebrating the capacity for healing that resides within us all.
This first edition features 13 original illustrations, beautifully crafted for The Fragile Humans We Are: Volume One.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Fragile Humans We Are, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/b0hvgG6>.
-Mythology / fantasy-
The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell
Publication Date: November 29, 2024
Description
An ancient war. A long-told prophecy. A cursed inheritance.
If you were destined to die, how would you choose to live?
Between the shadows of the human world, a war as old as time is being fought. Ageless pantheons scheme to obtain or keep control, provoked by the weight of human belief which has altered the realm of the divine.
An ancient prophecy speaks of a human woman who will alter the course of this divine war, a descendant of a Great House mired in misfortune and blood, whose history was shaped by the cruelty of the gods.
On a day as unremarkable as any other, Elena Vicens, a young woman living a seemingly ordinary life, receives a letter about a deposit box belonging to her mother, nineteen years after her mother's death. When this letter sends her on a journey halfway across the world from New Orleans to Japan, Elena unknowingly comes into possession of a cursed inheritance. She is suddenly thrust into a world of myths and legends, where the intangible and the strange are the fabric of everyday life, and deathless gods vie for victory at any cost.
As allies converge to help Elena fulfill the prophecy, one of whom is struggling with his own inheritance, Elena must choose for herself the measure of her own destiny.
Finalist in the 2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Butterfly Crest, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/8RHk1aP>.
-Psychological Thriller-
The Secret Life of Katherine Duckworth by Tammy Lockamy
Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Description
An international serial killer is at large. Countless murdered victims are being discovered throughout England, France, and Spain. Will the killer or killers ever be caught?
SO MANY HAUNTING QUESTIONS ARE LEFT UNANSWERED
SO MANY FOOLISH MISTAKES ARE MADE
SO MANY BRUTAL KILLINGS ARE LEFT UNSOLVED
The year is nineteen eighty-five, and thirty-one-year-old Katherine looks back over her life and asks herself many challenging questions. Where do I belong? Is there any hope for me left? Can I survive another day?
Sadly, no answers to her plaguing questions come to her muddled mind.
Slumping back in a worn-out leather armchair that has seen better days, she gulps back the last of the strong Irish whiskey in her glass. A fiery liquid which she had far too much of this night. Yet, to cope with her disturbing life, she believes she needs alcohol to escape an existence that is tearing her apart daily.
Soon, she reflects on a time when she was young, beautiful, and carefree. Yet more quickly, the smile she briefly wore as she embraced a lovely memory fades away, and tears of despair fall heavily from her eyes.
Again, more questions flood her tormented mind,
“How did decisions beyond my control find me in the back of a lorry to deliver me to where I am now?”
“Will the serial killer who brutally murdered Madeline’s husband ever be caught? ”
Expelling a large breath of air held tightly in her lungs, Katherine intensely stares out the window that faces the dense and ominous woods before her.
Softly she whispers,
“One foolish mistake turned everything dreadfully wrong. How can I escape the utter madness that has become my life?”
Delve into Katherine’s chaotic world as she shares her emotional and traumatizing secret life. Assuredly, the dramatic twists and turns of a life in constant upheaval will have you wondering what will come next for this young woman who is desperate to survive one more day. Then, travel the uncertain road ahead with Katherine into a tumultuous future that will undoubtedly test her survival skills as well as her sanity.***Although part of a series, this novel can be read as a stand-alone.*** Please be advised, this novel contains mature and graphic content. Not suitable for readers under eighteen.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Secret Life of Katherine Duckworth, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/4TOqbNg>.
-Myth & Legend / Fantasy-
The Basics of Fire Cultivation (The Keys of the Resurgence Book 1) by Michael Porter
Publication Date: August 3, 2024
Description
Demons aren’t supposed to be real.
Far away to the east, the giant stone Gate of Aganthor projects a boundary field that separates the world of men from the realm of demons.
When a remote town comes under attack by demons, no one is prepared. During the attack, Zuriel, a novice emberguardian in the king’s army, barely survives an encounter with a demon. Now he must learn how to repair the damage to his core—the source of his power—as well as convince the leaders of the kingdom that the threat of the demons is real.
When few believe him, Zuriel along with two arcknight companions embark on a journey to the Keeper of the Keys before the demons can reach him. With each day, Zuriel’s core grows more fragile, and the demons come ever closer to finding the keys that will unlock the gate. The race is on to find the keys before the demons, but will Zuriel be able to save his core and his powers in the process?
With nothing but the basic abilities of his powers at his command, Zuriel must start his path again. But will the basics be enough to protect him and see him safely to his destination? Or will he arrive just in time to witness the prophesied fall of his kingdom?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Margaret Leaving, Amazon website, Accessed 21 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/1UbsKnE>.
-Poetry-
Alive by Kara Dobias
Publication Date: October 20, 2024
Description
In this poetry collection, the author invites readers on an intimate journey of self-discovery, posing the question, “What does it mean to be alive?” Through exploring themes of grief, love, and self-identity, she reflects on personal experiences to encourage finding grace within oneself, especially during challenging moments. Alive is a testament to the enduring human spirit, illustrating that on the other side of hardship lies a version of ourselves that has grown stronger and more authentic. This book offers a poignant reminder that to be alive is achingly, terribly, beautiful.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Alive, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/hHFImur>.
-Survival Memoir-
Like A Redwood Seed- Stronger Than The Flames by Fia Sylvan
Publication Date: October 7, 2024
Description
A deeply honest look at a true American family. Poor, dysfunctional, blended, biracial, and mentally ill. This story is different from other memoirs in this genre in that I did not go on to be highly successful, famous, or even educated. A story at times ugly, raw, emotional and messy, in the truths I share and the wild extremes to which my family swung. It is also quirky, imaginative, and unusual, taking readers from the dark depths of my childhood experiences to the unique and exciting adventures of my young adulthood. A transition made possible by the chaos from whence I came.
From the cold and lonely streets of Buffalo, New York, to the wilderness of Montana and Alaska. Training Iditarod sled dogs, living among Latino immigrants, working construction in Texas summer, wildfire fighting in Idaho, and working my way across Scotland.
My life has been anything but predictable, even less what people expect from surface appearances. My experience is that most people exist in shades of grey—not a black-and-white system of absolutes where right and wrong, love and hate, are simple, uncomplicated, and self-evident. A middle-class, educated woman is not automatically a good mother.
Biracial relationships are not always free of racial conflict and deep-seated bias, and all mothers are not necessarily fit to raise children. Parental mental illness leaves a lasting legacy on isolated children, and the systems intended to protect vulnerable populations fail, time and again.
A story for anyone who appreciates journeys about personal transformation and the triumph of the human spirit, that stubborn, unexplainable spark that refuses to be quenched.
Fia Sylvan is not a professional writer, simply a survivor with a minimal homeschool education and a lifelong love of reading and writing, sharing a story of one ordinary individual’s survival of, and adaptation to, extraordinary circumstances.
The hope is that this book will help change the narrative—that rising from difficult circumstances is noteworthy only when one achieves fame and power. How many of us are unsung everyday survivors, who managed to put lives and hearts back together and carry on, to live and die with our songs of strength unsung? This book is for all of you.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Like A Redwood Seed - Stronger Than The Flames, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/cLeE0ly>.
-Fantasy / Paranormal Romance-
Dancing, Disasters & Demon Spawn by C.L. Callaghan
Publication Date: January 24, 2024
Description
Chloe has had a crappy few years, but she finally has her life back on track. When a new guy makes an impression in her first class of the semester, she wonders if she is finally being rewarded for her efforts. When it turns out he is the youngest of 3 half demon brothers whose mother is set on turning them evil, will her love be enough to fight the darkness?
Brynn hates her job. Her boss is a chauvinistic ass and they can’t keep their kitchen staffed. She’s not stupid enough to think the new hot as fire chef is going to solve any of her problems. He may very well cause a few of his own. When his family heritage comes to light , she starts to wonder if this is the change she was looking for?
Fallons 1st day as an independent teacher was off to a rocky start. She didn't know whether to blame the fact her TA and room mate slammed a door into her mentors face during lunch or just her nerves. When he turns out to be the brother of her room mates eye candy she starts to wonder if fate had intervened? Not that she believed in things like that.
Are Declan, Zayne and Ronan everything they need? Or are they the destruction of all they hold dear?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Dancing, Disasters & Demon Spawn (Dancing with Demons Book 1), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/dSdFqEn>.
-Self-Help-
Forced To Be Here by MGV Sumerall
Publication Date: February 14, 2023
Description
If you've ever felt like your life is out of control, if you've ever felt like no matter what you do, it's just not enough, then this book is for you. Forced To Be Here is an intimate look at the life of a rock star and his wife, Jenny who struggled with depression. The book describes the couple's journey through depression, and isolation. In this story, Jenny finds herself struggling to live in a world she never wanted to be a part of – and never agreed to be a part of. She feels alienated as she tries to go on with her daily life, forced to live in a place she never wanted to be in.
Mental health awareness is a recurring theme for this book and the truth is it is something that is needed now more than ever before! There are so many stories out there right now of people who have gone through mental health issues or suicide attempts or thoughts - it's up to us as their friends and family members to be there for them by listening when they need us most. You will find yourself feeling connected to the characters. You will see yourself in the situations they are in and feel why Jenny felt like she was forced to be here.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Forced To Be Here, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/gFYh2IA>.
-YA Science-
Platirius Infiltration by D. L. Hannah
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Description
The King of Platirius is dead. Now, a thirst for vengeance has been unleashed upon two planets. Lies, murder, and a treacherous sibling rivalry threaten to topple the greatest royal empire in the galaxy. As menacing forces seek to thwart an ancient prophecy, who will be left to defend Platirius's honor?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Platirius Infiltration, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/etM1T4K>.
-Fantasy-
Wings of Deception by Jessica De Graaf
Publication Date: February 1, 2025
Description
Before.
Adira, a girl who lived on the streets became one of the emperors favorites. She bled, fought and killed for him. Until she finally escapes him.. But a power hungry emperor will not let such a useful powerful tool go that easily.
Did she really escape him?
After.
Adira met West, a man who would do anything for her. But will he still love her if he finds out what she is? What she has done?
Eventually evading her past will not be an option anymore and she will have to face it and destroy it if she can. If only to protect everything she holds dear.
Now.
Adira needs to sharpen her daggers and her mind once again to face her past. When West finds out her secrets, will he be with her? Or against her?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Wings of Deception, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/6gdc79o>.
-Epic Fantasy-
Song of Mirth and Mayhem (Wyld Harmony Book 1) by Kathy Hurley
Publication Date: December 9, 2024
Description
A destitute bard. A forbidden faery bargain. When there's wyld magic in the music, what could possibly go wrong?
Nymariel Morren yearns for acceptance. Rejected by her elven kin for her dubious parentage, the aspiring entertainer is determined to make her own way doing what she loves most. It's no wonder that when a mysterious fae offers her a secret magical contract with access to faery music, she jumps at the chance despite the danger.
Using the wyld to enhance her performances brings her closer to the success she's been craving. But as an elusive and terrifying new enemy seeks to claim her magic and her life, Nym quickly realizes that her beloved music will bring either her salvation or her doom.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Song of Mirth and Mayhem (Wyld Harmony Book 1), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/4wfyeRU>.
-Fantasy Romance-
1001 Nights with the Lycan King by Ruby K.
Publication Date: February 20, 2025
Description
The bloodthirsty King demands a sacrifice: one bride per year, found lifeless in her marital bed by morning's light. Amidst the undulating waves of golden sand dunes, the kingdom of Elamaria has been haunted by this sinister tradition for the last decade. One young woman, Amara, dares to defy fate.
Stepping into her sister's role as the king's chosen bride, she enters a world of treachery and deceit. But as the night unfolds, Amara discovers a chilling truth—there is a danger lurking within the castle walls, more deadly than the Crimson King himself.
With time slipping away and where every sunrise might be her last, Amara must unravel the secrets shrouded in darkness. Will she survive to see another dawn and expose the true face of evil that haunts the realm?
In this captivating tale of love, courage, and betrayal, Amara finds herself falling for the one man she swore to kill—her husband, the murderous king who would sooner see her dead than let her live to see another day. Or...would he?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, 1001 Nights with the Lycan King, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/3Lf6u4f>.
-Poetry-
Timelines: A Collection of Poems by Evalyn Wanjiru Githina
Publication Date: 2025
Description
A Collection of poems.
Source Citation:
-Fantasy Action-
The Maker of Spells by Jenny O'Kell
Publication Date: December 2, 2024
Description
“In a dragon's gaze, you are only your actions past and your intentions for actions to come.”
Juno didn’t ask to be an ambassador. She’s a spellwright, skilled in balancing the elements and healing the sick with magic. But a year ago, when a crisis of magic struck the Six Realms, she proved her diplomatic skill.
Now, the king has been assassinated, and his newly crowned daughter receives an ultimatum: her hand in marriage to a hated rival king, or war. To negotiate on her behalf, Queen Artemis appoints Juno, who has healed enough wartime injuries to understand the stakes. There’s just one problem: they were betrothed until the queen broke it off, and Juno is still in love with Artemis.
Juno accepts the diplomatic mission and even finds connections among her new acquaintances that might heal her broken heart. But King Amorgo is not the only one with a hidden agenda, and war is not the only looming threat. A web of intrigue and sorcery ensnares the Six Realms, and the more Juno untangles it, the more she struggles to reconcile her many roles: subject, lover, diplomat, healer. Can she save her world? And will she lose herself?
Romantic fantasy meets psychological realism in this uplifting story of sacrifice and resilience.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Maker of Spells, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/bQRD9Xy>.
-Science Fiction Erotica-
Soulmark by Blake M. Isles
Publication Date: January 3, 2025
Description
Everybody wants what they can’t have. Lacey is an emergency room nurse doing her best to save lives while blending into the crowd, but her life is on the line with her darkest secret: her soulmark. Marked ones have been hunted down and used for experiments for centuries. People are desperate to know how soulmates can be marked and connected. One fateful day, Lacey is taken, and it’s not just her life on the line but her mates as well.
A battle of wills transpires as Lacey fights to keep her mate safe and her secrets buried. Memories of her mate keep her sane as she withstands everything her captors throw at her. Time is ticking as it becomes clear she won’t be able to save herself. Her mate will come for her, but will there be anything left for him to save?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Soulmark (A Soulmark Duet Book 1), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/1O4e2bn>.
-Billionaire Romance-
Under Control: A Billionaire BDSM Romance by Lyla Andrews
Publication Date: November 4, 2024
Description
As someone who’s been burdened all her life with responsibility and control, the vulnerability he allows me to have feels a lot like freedom.
And that’s f**king terrifying.
Dani
I’ve always been the “responsible one,” the woman who takes care of everyone else. So when my recently divorced sister asks me to spend my summer in the city babysitting her son, I happily accept. What I don’t expect is to meet a handsome, charismatic stranger who makes me question everything about who I thought I was. He sees right through my mask in a way no one else ever has.
I know I need a change in my life, so when Shane asks me to be his submissive, it’s equally as alluring as it is worrisome. Accepting his offer means doing the one thing I’m not sure I’m capable of–giving up control.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Under Control: A Billionaire BDSM Romance, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/b8DsuYI>.
-Supernatural Political Thriller-
Pawn of the Gods by Andrea Franco-Cook
Publication Date: May 24, 2018
Description
Everybody wants what they can’t have. Lacey is an emergency room nurse doing her best to save lives while blending into the crowd, but her life is on the line with her darkest secret: her soulmark. Marked ones have been hunted down and used for experiments for centuries. People are desperate to know how soulmates can be marked and connected. One fateful day, Lacey is taken, and it’s not just her life on the line but her mates as well.
A battle of wills transpires as Lacey fights to keep her mate safe and her secrets buried. Memories of her mate keep her sane as she withstands everything her captors throw at her. Time is ticking as it becomes clear she won’t be able to save herself. Her mate will come for her, but will there be anything left for him to save?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Pawn of the Gods, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/ey5uMQ9>.
-Coming-of-Age Fantasy-
A Sigil of Darkness: The Immortal Seals by Dex Harker
Publication Date: September 20, 2024
Description
What if we had it all wrong? What if the forces of Heaven and Hell were not enemies, but allies?
Long ago, the constant war between Heaven and Hell led their armies to imminent obliteration.
Fighting over dominion of the dead, both angels and demons were inevitably vanquished from their realm of existence. In hopes to replenish their armies and not be vanquished themselves, the Divine—God and Satan—signed a treaty and created Overworld, a new realm where the dead may thrive in peace. With that, the Divine conjured a new government of Ancients to enforce their will… One that they would most certainly regret…
Betrayal… the Ancients which governed Overworld had turned on their creators. Summoning an army so vast, the Divine formed a reluctant, yet necessary alliance and were forced to retreat to their homes. But before the gates of Heaven and Hell were locked by The Immortal Seals,
Satan placed an eternal curse on the Ancients fabled to never be broken.
The Ancients, however, are cunning. And what was once eternal, may not be so… Centuries later, Isaiah Cayde met his unfortunate demise when he was murdered in cold blood… but just because he is dead, does not mean his life is over. Cayde awakens as a soul and bares a sigil with unknown but incredible essence and for that reason he is hunted by malevolent entities known as Lost Revenants. Limited on those he trusts, he must not only find out who marked him, but why?
Time is ticking and the path before him will alter the existence of every human, every soul, and Heaven and Hell themselves. The wheel of fate is in motion as a more deviant and sinister plan is about to unfold…
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, A Sigil of Darkness: The Immortal Seals, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/90BcwEz>.
-Folklore / Occult Horror-
Blood in the Snow by Luke Geldmacher
Publication Date: October 26, 2024
Description
Five hunters venture into forbidden territory in the frozen wilds of Alaska's Katmai National Park, seeking game but finding something far more dangerous. A creature out of ancient folklore lurks just beyond the trees, stalking their every move. As they realize they are now the hunted, survival becomes a desperate game. Will they find an escape, or will nature’s relentless predator claim them as his trophies?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Bloodin the Snow, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/dEf6DR8>.
-New Adult Superhero Fantasy-
Search and Rescue (Just Cause Universe Book 16) by Ian Thomas Healy
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
Description
ON TOP OF THE WORLD As the world warms, civilian and commercial traffic through the Arctic increases. More people means a greater need for help, and Just Cause Arctic Circle is the superhero team assigned to find those who are lost and endangered due to accidents, environmental hazards, or their own foolhardiness. A RESCUE GONE AWRY Rookie hero Maia, known as Devilfish, joins the team and barely has a chance to get to know her teammates before a powerful Arctic hurricane sends them out on an urgent rescue mission. They expect to find civilians trapped on a foundering ship. Instead, with the storm assaulting them like a juggernaut, they find something much, much worse.They're not well-equipped. They're not scientists. They're not warriors.But they're humanity's only hope.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Search and Rescue (Just Cause Universe Book 16), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/ea3ZVGk>.
-Historical Low Fantasy-
The Lady of Teansong: The Light of Shadows by Angie O'Reilly
Publication Date: December 17, 2024
Description
One lie. Two destinies. Forever entangled.
After losing her family in a tragic accident, Kallessa is destitute and lives under the cruel thumb of her uncle, her dreams of independence in tatters.
But when her spoiled cousin drags her to the Axan Moon Festival in a distant kingdom, everything changes in one desperate moment.
To escape an obnoxious suitor, Kallessa claims she’s betrothed to a rugged stranger, unaware of the secrets he hides. Little does she know her impulsive lie will alter the course of her life forever.
Prince Nevander knew he should have ignored that letter from Prince Castien.
All he wants is to quietly battle his war-torn nightmares, but Kallessa shatters his resolve and ignites a longing he thought was lost. Now entangled in her reckless lie, he plays a dangerous game between deceit and duty.
Yet, he craves the warmth she brings into his frigid existence, so he takes every precious moment she offers. But when the masks fall, will she ever forgive him?
Or will the ghosts of his past destroy a future he never realized he wanted?
In a realm where truth is a dangerous game, Kallessa and Nevander must defy fate to forge their own destinies—or risk losing everything.
And true love may be the greatest risk of all.
If you love:
Hidden identities
Fish-out-of-water adventures
Royalty and court intrigue
Fairy tale retellings with a twist
Slow-burn, clean romance
A dash of fake engagement drama
...then The Lady of Teansong is the perfect read to whisk you away to a world of enchantment and love.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Lady of Teansong, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/3VgRSmd>.
-Time Travel Romance-
A Spare Key by Line Langager
Publication Date: March 10, 2025
Description
When Glen moves into a quaint Danish countryside house, he inherits more than just a cozy home. A mysterious attic door, bound by a heavy chain and cryptic warnings, leads him to a whimsical café where time bends and reality blurs. As Glen navigates this surreal world, he encounters Emilia, a captivating woman with secrets of her own.
Together, they unravel the enigma of the door, discovering that every second og their time together comes at a cost—but are they ready to pay the ultimate price? A Spare Key is a spell-binding tale that asks the question. How far would you go for a person you were never meant to meet?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, A Spare Key, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/davgkdU>.
-Saga Fiction-
Studio City by Michael Byrne
Publication Date: February 14, 2018
Description
Jim Cruise is a rising executive in the film and television establishment. Naturally, he has enemies; an ex-brother-in-law, who holds him responsible for his lack of success in business and personal life, and a ex-wife, whom he left for a young starlet. They'll stop at nothing to destroy him. While they prepare, their adversary, with dreams far beyond Hollywood, is plotting behind the scenes, events that will forever change the face of Southern California, the nation and the World. Set against the backdrop of modern celebrity culture, an inevitable confrontation for supremacy will decide, once and for all, the direction of an industry plagued by lust and greed.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Studio City (The Don Hollywood Saga Book 1), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/a1HyXJt>.
-Historical Mystery-
The Weary Carry On by Bowman Wilker
Publication Date: January 15, 2025
Description
In 1923, a ghostly form of a young woman keeps materializing at the forest's edge near the dying mining town of Chambers, British Columbia. In the light of a full moon, the town's sole Mountie, Constable Gus Albright, is compelled to investigate, but instead of a rescue mission, he finds himself caught in an unrelenting storm that threatens to destroy him and all the people he cares about.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Weary Carry On, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/gmA66Fh>.
-Fiction-
Your Own Fate by Amos Keppler
Publication Date: August 31, 2010
Description
In boca al loco - in the mouth of the wolf. Italian salutation From The Book of Fate: In the Book of Fate there is everything. Every incident, all times, everything that has been, that is, that will ever be, everything that might be, everything that could have been. But who is writing it? Who is penning it? Who is turning page by page, too many to be counted, blowing in the wind? Does it perhaps write itself, with a pen moving across the yellow sheets? Or is it a hand moving the pen, one unseen, one stretching back into the past, back to the time before everything was created, creating itself from nothing? Timothy Joyce is an enigma, a man without a past, appearing from nowhere, to go on a rampage in an astonished world. Jeremy Zahn is hunting Timothy Joyce. It seems like he has always been hunting him, from old London, from the island of angels, where it is said they met for the first time, to the city of angels, California, the new world. Here, on this shaky ground, following confrontations spanning the globe, its time and space the two will fight for the last time. And the world is watching, its people shivering in their frozen hearts.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Your Own Fate, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/ioH1GNW>.
-Action Fantasy-
The Night of Shadows (The Secrets of Silence) by Markus Bitner
Publication Date: April 17, 2024
Description
Jacob woke up running.
It didn’t take long for memories from the past few hours to flood back. His sister’s latest disappearance, the foreign soldiers in the woods, his surge of magic that rivalled the greatest Sirathim legends.
All Jacob wanted was to become a librarian, but between his illegal connection to magic and the phantom voice in his head, his life had never been as simple as that. Now, as he searches for his lost sister through enchanting woods and morbid wastelands, it’s not enough to fight his curses anymore. Unless he utilizes both his magic and the Voice, his sister will die . . . if she’s lucky.
As he battles ancient monsters, raids terrifying dungeons, and wrestles with the Voice, he faces a heart-wrenching decision: will he protect his sister, or will he sacrifice her safety for the greater good of a city ruled by an irredeemable tyrant?
The Night of Shadows approaches.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, The Night of Shadows (The Secrets of Silence), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/2lQSxDL>.
-Crime Mystery Action-
Come Back Home by Teddie Peacock
Publication Date: September 30, 2024
Description
Delaney and Olivia, Best Friends Forever- until they weren't.
Delaney left Pleasantville the week after her high school graduation and swore she was never going back.
Until now, after her bossy mom and high end therapist convince her to return and try to make peace with the past. But her past includes Olivia and Ethan Barlowe, her worst enemies and the leading stars in her nightmares.
On Homecoming weekend, little Jake Barlowe goes missing. The whole town is out looking for him, and rumors spread like wildfire. Did Delaney Quinn come home to forgive the past or get revenge on the two people who made high school a living hell?
To save herself, Delaney may have to tell her deepest darkest secrets in a town that hates her. Secrets that would shock Pleasantville and out a murderer. Will she do it?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Come Back Home, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/eBG5bDt>.
-Regency Romance Adaptation-
Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship by Kelly Miller
Publication Date: November 14, 2024
Description
Would Mr. Darcy sacrifice his legacy for love?
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s marriage proposal comes as a shock to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Despite the temptation to rail at him for his past injustices, she restrains herself and declines his offer with civility.
Following a heartfelt and enlightening discussion with the perplexing gentleman, Elizabeth is persuaded to judge him anew and allows him to call upon her in London. As her understanding of Darcy’s nature improves, so does her regard for him.
But Darcy’s aunt Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth with a startling declaration: her ladyship maintains she has the means to take Pemberley away from Darcy. Could this outrageous assertion be true?
In this Regency variation of Pride & Prejudice, shocking developments and unforeseen obstacles combine to drive Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy apart. Will they manage to overcome these impediments and find their happily ever after?
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship: A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/0Tm96qr>.
-Cozy Mystery-
Murder So Sinful: A Merry March Mystery by Eileen Curley Hammond
Publication Date: August 6, 2018
Description
A murder at the church rocks the small town of Hopeful and sets tongues wagging.
Single mom and successful insurance agent Merry March steps in to figure out who the killer is.
Merry’s had a tough week. Her daughter went off the rails and her best friend became an annoying matchmaker. Finding solace in food, wine, and two demanding cats, her comfortable life changes when her best friend’s daughter is suspected of murder. As Merry investigates, she begins to open her heart.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Murder So Sinful: A Merry March Cozy Mystery (Merry March Mysteries Book 1), Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/48pzwe6>.
-Fantasy Humor-
Ogres, Elves, & Insufferable Dad Jokes by Zeb Granger
Publication Date: January 25, 2025
Description
A mildly amusing story of fatherhood, mental health, found family, and begrudgingly saving the day.
Jock is not a hero. He’s a magicless human who gets a cramp in his back each time he wipes his arse. But who wants to be magical and ride around on condescending pegasi anyway? They don’t have seat belts, you get a mouth full of flies, the turbulence sucks, and the death toll is horrendous. Poor Norris died last week; fell off on his way home from bingo.
Instead, Jock is simply epic at being a father to two young daughters, married to a much-loved witch, and working nine to five as a receptionist for an incompetent detective in Hart, a city of magic and adventure, where all races come together to celebrate their brilliance… when they’re not stuck in traffic thanks to herds of jackalopes.
Jock’s fine. Totally fine.
But then he snaps and finds himself almost stepping in front of a bubblepede to end his life.
No longer able to hide his dismal mental health, his wife encourages him to go camping with their four-year-old daughter, Raia, who’s also struggling with the reality of being magicless in a magical world. Collecting an array of fellow outcasts across Harmonia, Jock, Raia and their new friends head out on a journey that won’t just help them find their place in a world that pushes them aside, but a journey that’ll change Harmonia forever.
Source Citation:
Amazon.com 2025, Ogres, Elves & Insufferable dad Jokes, Amazon website, Accessed 24 February 2025, <https://a.co/d/c8fEI5o>.
There you have it friends, the second half of the Birthday Book Bash Drawing entries. Did you see anything that sparked an interest? I have already begun buying some of these wonderful books and I can't wait to go through all of them and explore more literary greatness. Let me know what you decide on grabbing and what you think in the comments below. Once again, thank you to everyone who participated in not only celebrating my 38th year around the sun but also for helping me support all of these really wonderful authors.
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