Forthright .

He had one job. Becoming a family pet wasn’t it. For the sake of his people, Daroo-fen has lived among humans, working as a lawyer in a little mountain town. He’s vowed to protect the surrounding woodlands, no matter the cost. But in the course of duty, he meets a man who needs help … and a friend. Too long a loner, Daroo cannot keep away, but there’s a fine line between getting close and getting too close. If the Cooper family finds out his secret, two worlds might brand the wolf a traitor.

One sister, a pure light that beckons, the other, a fierce light that burns. Fira and her sister are chased out of another village. Fleeing on foot across the empty moors, they’re caught by a storm that roars like the monsters ever in pursuit. But the wind changes and the thundering brings a stampede of defenders who carry them off to a secret place. Where mares dance and rabbits mine. Where the lost clans hid a lasting treasure. Where the girls’ curse is considered a blessing.

She could make a mess of everything. Especially him. The Junzi—also known as the Four Gentlemen—are a set of ancient weapons fashioned from remnants. Dragons refer to them as the Four Storms, and Hisoka Twineshaft believes they will make a difference in the hunt for the rogue. But someone else is interested in gathering up these crystal masterpieces. The so-called Gentleman Bandit is responsible for two thefts already, and Hisoka is concerned for the Bamboo Stave. So he deploys an elite taskforce to guard the treasure. And to catch a thief. Juuyu Farroost and his teammates regroup at a safehouse tucked under the boughs of one of the oldest—and most heavily fortified—orphan trees in the Americas. Fumiko and her tree twin have enough rooms for all of them. If they can shift enough of the woman’s clutter to set up their equipment. Juuyu’s expertise is essential to the success of their mission, but he can barely focus thanks to Fumiko, her messes, and Akira, who apparently owes Boon a favor.

She wasn't aware of her gift's significance, yet he expects to be courted. Kimiko enrolls at the In-between's prestigious new high school, which is designed to promote the integration of the human and inhuman races. As a reaver, she's supposed to act as peacemaker, bridging a formidable cultural gap, but the other two members of her triad don't need any help in that department. Akira and Suuzu have been friends since middle school. Instead, the boys must rally behind Kimiko when she inadvertently initiates a courtship with Eloquence Starmark.

A wolf without a pack and a boy in need of roots become founders. After a heavenly visitation, one young wolf turns his back on his pack and on the moon in order to tread a lonesome path. A blaze of stars. A brand of copper. A burden of trust. First of Dogs, he takes a new name, makes peace with group of weary humans, and helps to found the In-between. This is a tale of the Kindred. This is the lore of the Starmark clan. Songs of the Amaranthine is a collection of short stories set in Forthright’s Amaranthine universe. Before the Emergence, the clans were nothing more than whispers and mysteries and legends and lore. But every so often—in out-of-the-way places or shockingly close to home—an unsuspecting person stumbled into a fateful encounter with someone who was decidedly other. An eclectic collection, spanning continents and centuries. Tales of adventure, discovery, friendship, rescue, belonging, and love. Each short story stands alone and can be read in any order.

This summer is his last chance to win his first love. Wardenclave has always been a place of secrets and sway. For most of the year, the remote mountain village is closed off from the rest of the world, but each spring, they issue invitations to the most promising young reavers all over the world. Summer skill camps provide opportunities for the elite to train with the best. And by longstanding tradition, for teens of the In-between to evaluate the compatibility of their peers. Glint Starmark’s reputation as a matchmaker has been holding true for millennia. At seventeen, Mikoto Reaver is the youngest headman in Wardenclave’s history. He’s had very little time to adjust to his new role before their close-knit community opens its doors to children of pedigree, the specialists who will mentor them, an allotment of battlers, and a celebrity or two. Glint means well, but Mikoto won’t commit until he can speak to the only girl he’s ever loved. There’s just something about her.

He leads an elite taskforce. She did, too. On television. After the finale of her dazzlingly successful television drama, Pim Moonprowl packs her bags and books passage to a secretive resort that makes alluring claims. She’ll pay anything, promise anything, do anything to find out if they’re true. On an island that’s not on maps, Pim encounters a silver-tongued doctor, a kindred soul, a caged star, and a clever monkey. This is her big chance to put into practice the skills she gained from eight seasons on an elite taskforce. Boon can almost taste his prey, he’s that close. If only he hadn’t run up against a barrier in the middle of the ocean. He puts out a call and calls in a favor. There’s a plan in place, and reinforcements are en route, but Boon is restless to run the Rogue to ground. Taking a risk—definitely his style—lands him with a couple of responsibilities he really didn’t need, and both of them are female.

One bachelor is love-shy. One is unrequited. One is much-loved. One is blindsided. Argent Mettlebright knows how to keep a secret safe, but it’s only a matter of time before someone notices that Hisoka Twineshaft has disappeared from the political arena. With tensions on the rise, the world needs his leadership more than ever. Nobody wants to help Sensei more than Isla Ward, but his door is barred against her. Right, then. She has a plan, and she has a co-writer. Maybe with their next book, her hopes will finally reach her mentor. With spring’s arrival, Stately House’s enclave stands ready to welcome a Scattering. The estate has never been more secure, but Tsumiko wouldn’t call the resulting sanctuary peaceful. Too many battered souls. Too many wistful glances. But with the help of a dragon bard’s lullabies and an impish crosser’s confidence, she leads her ever-growing family. Seeds to plant. Imps to hatch. Winds to change. Rogues to lure. Hearts to win. Vows to keep. Lives to share.

In doing her part for world peace, she puts one crosser’s whole world at risk. Conspiracy theories, werewolf scares, and protest rallies have hampered the peace process in America, where social and political unrest keep most Amaranthine from declaring themselves. Those not in seclusion rely heavily on illusion to mask their true nature. As the newly appointed principal of a small elementary school, Tamiko Reaverson is doing her part for world peace. She rallies her community’s support and applies for Hisoka Twineshaft’s school revitalization project, which will bring Amaranthine to her hometown. Little does Tami realize that Fletching was founded by one of the oldest and largest urban enclaves in the United States. And two of her staunchest supporters—janitors at her school—share a secret neither wants exposed.

Tsumiko inherits an ancestral home, a vast fortune, and a butler who isn't exactly human. Humanity is rocked by the Emergence of a people who call themselves the Amaranthine. They are our myths and legends come to life. Neither human nor animal, yet embracing qualities of both, the inhuman races inspire both awe and fear. Every newsfeed is clogged with updates about the peace process, but some places don't concern themselves with worldly affairs. Like the girls' school run by Saint Midori's of the Heavenly Lights, where Tsumiko Hajime grew up. A letter from a long-lost aunt names Tsumiko heiress to an ancestral estate and its accompanying fortune. Only the legacy comes with an aloof heirloom: an inhuman butler. Argent has served the Hajime family for centuries, and Tsumiko must renew the generational bond or he'll die. Argent hates her for the hold she has over him, but he craves her soul almost as much as he craves his freedom. Amazon Editors' Picks for the Top 20 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2018

צומיקו הג'ימה היא יתומה שהתחנכה בבית הספר לבנות של "מסדר מידורי הקדושה של האורות השמימיים". זהו מקום מנותק מהעולם, שדואג כי הדרות בו יעסקו בלימודים ולא בענייני השעה, גם כשאותם עניינים נוגעים להופעתו של גזע חדש: האמראנתים. הם אינם בני אדם ולא חיות אך יש להם מאפיינים של אלה וגם של אלה, והם המיתוסים והאגדות שלנו שקרמו עור וגידים. הופעתם משנה את האנושות, והנסיונות לכונן שלום עם גזע חזק ולא לגמרי מובן מעוררים קונפליקטים רבים ופחד. כשצומיקו מקבלת לפתע ירושה גדולה מקרובה רחוקה שלא הכירה, היא מגלה שביחד עם האחוזה וההון נמסר לה גם נכס משפחתי עוין ומסויג: רב־משרתים. והוא לא בן אדם. ארג'נט האמראנתי שירת את משפחת הג'ימה במשך מאות שנים. אם צומיקו לא תחדש את הקשר הרב־דורי איתו הוא ימות. והוא שונא אותה. לארג'נט ולצומיקו יש מטרה משותפת: שניהם רוצים בשחרורו של ארג'נט מהשיעבוד הארוך. אבל זו מתגלה כמשימה סבוכה במיוחד, וככל שחולפים הימים, והשניים מתוודעים זה לזה ומתמודדים עם עולם מורכב וקסום של בני אדם, אמראנתים ובני כלאיים שלא תמיד פניהם לשלום, הם מתחילים לתהות עד כמה הם באמת רוצים שדרכיהם יפרדו.