Celeste Social anxiety has been the shaky foundation on which I’ve built my life. Never be too loud, too big, or too bold. I’ve survived like this for twenty years. But to what end? When my parents stop helping with college costs, I need to find a way to stand on my own two feet. And the songwriting mentorship of my dreams offers the perfect solution. There’s just one issue: I have to put together a musical that will most definitely put me in the spotlight. Learning how to be loud, big, and bold over the course of one summer is impossible. Teaming up with a guy who naturally knows how to be all that and more...less impossible. Lincoln Focus and responsibility have never been my strong suits. I’ve survived (and arguably thrived) long enough to prove that they don’t always matter. But, after a disappointing hockey season and a tough semester, I can’t ignore reality anymore. I’m on the precipice of academic probation and scary close to being benched in my senior year. It’s long past time for me to figure out this whole future thing. When the girl of my dreams asks for help, I join her project in a heartbeat. Not just for the volunteer credit hours or the much-needed structure it offers. But because I fell for her almost a year ago. And I ruined my chances with her a few months ago. Working together may be what I need to understand that she’s never going to fall for someone like me.

Author Taran Matharu’s debut adult fantasy series introduces a world of magic, warriors, and dragons, in which a fearless orphan and an ambitious handmaiden flee from the empire that would imprison them, with a dream to return to their homelands and a determination that’s unbreakable… Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to stand up and avenge his people? Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court—ever since his father Rohan, leader of the Steppefolk, led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves. When the emperor’s son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom, she brings with her dragons. Endemic to the northern nation, these powerful beasts come in several forms, but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage—and the alliance that forms—will change that forever. But conspirators lurk in the shadows, and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger, Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden, Frida, and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn, he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety, seizing his destiny…and seeking his revenge.

Celeste Social anxiety has been the shaky foundation on which I’ve built my life. Never be too loud, too big, or too bold. I’ve survived like this for twenty years. But to what end? When my parents stop helping with college costs, I need to find a way to stand on my own two feet. And the songwriting mentorship of my dreams offers the perfect solution. There’s just one issue: I have to put together a musical that will most definitely put me in the spotlight. Learning how to be loud, big, and bold over the course of one summer is impossible. Teaming up with a guy who naturally knows how to be all that and more...less impossible. Lincoln Focus and responsibility have never been my strong suits. I’ve survived (and arguably thrived) long enough to prove that they don’t always matter. But, after a disappointing hockey season and a tough semester, I can’t ignore reality anymore. I’m on the precipice of academic probation and scary close to being benched in my senior year. It’s long past time for me to figure out this whole future thing. When the girl of my dreams asks for help, I join her project in a heartbeat. Not just for the volunteer credit hours or the much-needed structure it offers. But because I fell for her almost a year ago. And I ruined my chances with her a few months ago. Working together may be what I need to understand that she’s never going to fall for someone like me.

Aderyn Resident playboy, Samson Morgan, thinks he can beat me at my own game. The hockey captain truly believes he can stop playing the field for longer than I can start having one-night stands. Okay, sure, historically I'm known for being an all-in, ask-to-be-your-girlfriend-on-the-first-date romantic. But being a player isn't that hard. And I came to Mendell University to win. Whether that's on the ice or off. Morgan doesn't realize it yet but he's finally met an opponent who can take him down. Sam My bet with the women's hockey team captain feels like an easy win. Three months pretending to be a one-woman kind of man? Easy...scary easy, actually. Somewhere along the line, I start taking my role too seriously. This semester isn't the time for me to get distracted from my main goal - ensuring my team gets a fair shot this season. But Aderyn Jacobs consistently makes me rethink everything I've ever wanted. I'm in danger of losing something far bigger than our bet. __ Team Players is a college hockey romance starring two cocky and competitive hockey captains. This is book two of the Mendell Hawks series. It's recommended to read the series in order.

Aderyn Resident playboy, Samson Morgan, thinks he can beat me at my own game. The hockey captain truly believes he can stop playing the field for longer than I can start having one-night stands. Okay, sure, historically I'm known for being an all-in, ask-to-be-your-girlfriend-on-the-first-date romantic. But being a player isn't that hard. And I came to Mendell University to win. Whether that's on the ice or off. Morgan doesn't realize it yet but he's finally met an opponent who can take him down. Sam My bet with the women's hockey team captain feels like an easy win. Three months pretending to be a one-woman kind of man? Easy...scary easy, actually. Somewhere along the line, I start taking my role too seriously. This semester isn't the time for me to get distracted from my main goal - ensuring my team gets a fair shot this season. But Aderyn Jacobs consistently makes me rethink everything I've ever wanted. I'm in danger of losing something far bigger than our bet. __ Team Players is a college hockey romance starring two cocky and competitive hockey captains. This is book two of the Mendell Hawks series. It's recommended to read the series in order.

Naomi I can't understand why – out of the four hockey players I'm sharing a house with this semester – Finn Howard's the one who catches my eye. The guy never smiles. He doesn't say much and disapproves plenty. But, something about him feels familiar. Something about him feels safe. I'm not falling for Finn, I'm just curious. Could I make him smile? It wouldn't hurt to try. I love a good challenge. And who knows, maybe it'll distract me from pining over a guy I meet online. Finn I don't get nervous unless I'm on the ice. So why does my chest feel tight whenever Naomi Lewis looks in my direction? She's witty, kind, and happy. How is someone that happy all the time? If her sunny disposition isn't enough to distract me, the fact that her voice sounds exactly like the streamer I anonymously moderate for will. If Naomi is her, she's in for a huge disappointment. I'm not the guy she thinks I am...not anymore, at least. And for that reason alone, I should stay away from her. I should stop trying to get closer. I should stop wanting her because she fell for someone else. Someone I will never be again.

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist. Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist--yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her. Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it's like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long.

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.

Step into the House of the Beast in this stunning dark fantasy debut from The Legend of Korra graphic novel illustrator Michelle Wong, about a young woman who strikes a deal with a mysterious and alluring god to seek revenge on her aristocratic family—featuring gorgeous black-and-white illustrations throughout by the author. Born out of wedlock and shunned by society, Alma learned to make her peace with solitude, so long as she had her mother by her side. When her mother becomes gravely ill, Alma discovers a clue about her estranged father and writes a message begging for help. Little does she know that she is a bastard of House Avera, one of the four noble families that serve the gods and are imbued with their powers—and her father is a vessel of the Dread Beast, the most frightening god of all, a harbinger of death. In a desperate exchange for her mother’s medicine, Alma agrees to sacrifice her left arm to the Beast in a ceremony that will bind her forever to the House and its deity. Regardless, her mother soon passes, leaving Alma trapped inside the Avera’s grand estate, despised by her relatives and nothing but a pawn in her father’s schemes. Now vengeance is the only thing that keeps Alma going. That, and the strange connection she has with her god—a monster who is constantly by her side, an eldritch being taking the form of a beautiful prince with starlit hair that only she can see. He tells Alma that she has been chosen to bring change upon their world, and with his help, Alma plots a perilous journey to destroy the House that stole everything from her. A gripping fantasy novel marked by divine rituals, intense combat, and twisted romance, House of the Beast is a tale of revenge, resilience, and the power of love to see us through the darkness. 

Naomi I can't understand why – out of the four hockey players I'm sharing a house with this semester – Finn Howard's the one who catches my eye. The guy never smiles. He doesn't say much and disapproves plenty. But, something about him feels familiar. Something about him feels safe. I'm not falling for Finn, I'm just curious. Could I make him smile? It wouldn't hurt to try. I love a good challenge. And who knows, maybe it'll distract me from pining over a guy I meet online. Finn I don't get nervous unless I'm on the ice. So why does my chest feel tight whenever Naomi Lewis looks in my direction? She's witty, kind, and happy. How is someone that happy all the time? If her sunny disposition isn't enough to distract me, the fact that her voice sounds exactly like the streamer I anonymously moderate for will. If Naomi is her, she's in for a huge disappointment. I'm not the guy she thinks I am...not anymore, at least. And for that reason alone, I should stay away from her. I should stop trying to get closer. I should stop wanting her because she fell for someone else. Someone I will never be again.

This summer is Frankie’s. She’s an overprepared Black lesbian, and her rugby team is a few months away from doing the unthinkable: being promoted to the premiership. Somehow, she’s still happy, healthy, and at least half alive. To get here, she’s spent her entire life with structure. All she needs to do is stick to it: take her pills, coach the Titans, and sleep with a different woman each week. Follow the play, and it all works out. Jasmine is using this summer as a fresh start. She’s spent her life hiding who she is, and she’s not doing it anymore. She packs up her children and runs to the prettiest place she can find. Toulshire is cute, so starting her life over at almost thirty isn’t the worst thing she’s had to do. But making friends as an adult may be… Then she meets Frankie at a bar, and Jasmine thinks she’s finally figured it out. That is, until Frankie leaves without a word, and Jasmine attempts to forget all about her and her ridiculous arms. Jasmine’s son joining the Titans’ junior team is something neither saw coming. This summer was supposed to change their lives, but will it be for the better, or are they headed for a breakdown?

This summer is Frankie’s. She’s an overprepared Black lesbian, and her rugby team is a few months away from doing the unthinkable: being promoted to the premiership. Somehow, she’s still happy, healthy, and at least half alive. To get here, she’s spent her entire life with structure. All she needs to do is stick to it: take her pills, coach the Titans, and sleep with a different woman each week. Follow the play, and it all works out. Jasmine is using this summer as a fresh start. She’s spent her life hiding who she is, and she’s not doing it anymore. She packs up her children and runs to the prettiest place she can find. Toulshire is cute, so starting her life over at almost thirty isn’t the worst thing she’s had to do. But making friends as an adult may be… Then she meets Frankie at a bar, and Jasmine thinks she’s finally figured it out. That is, until Frankie leaves without a word, and Jasmine attempts to forget all about her and her ridiculous arms. Jasmine’s son joining the Titans’ junior team is something neither saw coming. This summer was supposed to change their lives, but will it be for the better, or are they headed for a breakdown?

Mali spent most of her life thinking her dream job didn’t exist. Now, she’s about to start working on the PR for the local rugby team she’s supported since childhood and wonders if she just got lucky. The Toulshire Titans have had a Hollywood-style rise to fame. Well, just above local-level fame, but that’s still pretty impressive for their small town. Mali knows she can get them further if she keeps her head down. Then, Mali runs into her favourite player on her first day. He’s a pretty boy that the papers say won’t settle down, and she’s a girl who wants commitment. So, why is he so determined to take over all of her thoughts? *** Zach has fought his way through hurdles to get to where he is today, and he did it alone. The Titans only made it to the National League because of him. Now, Zach has his sights set on the Premiership, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get there. He doesn’t care what he leaves behind, because Toulshire has never been home. And then he meets Mali, and everything he wanted before her ceases to exist. Everyone calls him a player, but he’s sure he just met the love of his life, and he can’t figure out how to talk to her.