In the heart of the Midwest, Lead Belly's, a rowdy Toledo bar, becomes an unlikely sanctuary for a group of wayward servers, cooks, and carousers, as they grapple with their own desires for stability and purpose amidst a backdrop of hardcore revelry, secrecy, and struggle. "Where All Things Flatten" is a gripping novel-in-stories that spans twenty-six years, shedding light on the tumultuous lives of these stridently working-class individuals who, against their own will, find solace and connection in a world of raucous desperation.
The myths you thought you knew aren't quite right. There are events the gods don't speak of that happened centuries ago, long after the myths we know were written. They changed things. Some even changed the gods themselves. This story isn't about those events, it's the aftermath that holds all the intrigue. For Aphrodite has found herself lacking love in her life and has taken steps to prove herself worthy of a love she'd long denied. Unfortunately, the desire to do so has left her at the mercy of Hera, who holds little affection for her. Dite, undeterred, agrees to undergo trials to prove her worthiness and her determination. But none of it matters unless the one she wronged and refused for centuries forgives her and accepts the conditions Hera set forth. One man, one god, holds her entire future in his hands. The one that Aphrodite would face the most terrible of perils to earn forgiveness from. And the one person that could change everything she thought she knew with every passionate embrace.
In the wake of a tumultuous breakup, Hugo Atmen stumbles upon a life-altering book. Haunted by tantalizing glimpses of a dancer, a character therein, he believes the woman imaginary, and attempts to suppress his obsession-until he encounters her in reality. What he took as delusion, was a foretelling. His infatuation suddenly justified, Hugo embarks on a journey of the heart. Set on earning the love of the audacious Anna Petro, he never suspects Anna's secret motivation for giving the fate he's foreseen, a chance.
In ruthless New York City, Dane Roman, an ambitious entrepreneur, risks his very soul for success. He exploits a deceased tenant and desecrates the corpse to orchestrate a catastrophic event for wealth. His dreams of celebrating with his girlfriend, Pilar, are shattered when Café Vengeance, embodying his desires, introduces unimaginable horror.Guided by an eerie quartet and a cryptic waiter, Dane faces judgment for his tainted soul in a macabre ballet of his own creation. Café Vengeance is no ordinary place; it's a purgatory where Dane must atone for his sins before a greater darkness emerges. Can he find redemption or face eternal torment?Inspired by Dante's "Inferno", this novella delves deep into mankind's ancient fear-eternal damnation. With each page, it pulls readers into a nightmarish modern day underworld, in an unforgettable tale of horror.
John Wolfe was living a great life in the central New Mexico town of Edgewood - top of the acting club and choir, great friend group, dating the head cheerleader. But depression doesn't care about what your life looks like; it just strikes. After plenty of therapy, John came out to the whole school and told everyone what happened, gaining popularity but losing his girlfriend Diana in the process. Now, as John enters his senior year, he faces the challenge of returning to his comfortable level of recognition as the basketball coach pursues him, his ex-girlfriend tries to get him back, and a new student comes into the picture with a secret of her own. A story of love, basketball, theater, and mental health, Offensive Rebound reminds us that what matters most isn't what you do; it's about how you bounce back.
In the shadow of apparent success, Henry Hovishky's life is a constellation of achievements. Despite accolades and a loving fiancée, he battles inner demons. Depression, anger, severe anxiety, and bipolar disorder threaten to unravel his life. Behind his façade of triumph lies a chilling loneliness.In "(Not) Alone", suspense and deception merge in a heart-pounding thriller. This story delves into the mind of a young man on the edge. As secrets surface and a sinister force tightens its grip, Henry must confront a terrifying truth: even success can't banish certain shadows.
When a mysterious tunnel opens into their bedroom, the shadows of a dark underworld creep into the lives of Icelandic orphans, Petra and Emil. Their curiosity lures them into an eerie realm where humans are spellbound and stripped of free will. Unaware of the present danger, Emil makes a dire mistake. His fate hangs in the balance-damnation or death. Petra confronts the cold queen who hexed her brother, begging on his behalf. Unmoved, the queen offers terms, demanding the delivery of three perilously located treasures. Petra agrees at once, venturing into the unknown. If she triumphs, Emil will live free.
In the celestial high courts, the Seraphic Council has spoken: it's time for a new era. The Arcadian Laws have been decreed, a cryptic code of control clamping down on the Alium-the clandestine community of the supernatural.When Lilith, the formidable Queen of Hell, shrouded in demonic legacy, amasses a formidable army, ready to rebel against the celestial shackles led by her four dangerous children: Astaroth, the ruthless; Estrie, the cunning; Loukas, the darkly charming; and Mania, the unpredictable As the shadow of war looms, ancient entities grapple with contemporary chaos, and layers of secrets peel away with every tick of time. One earth-shaking question lingers in the smoky air: would you sell your soul to save your people?
Nestled in the foreboding backwoods of Virginia, Madame Eldridge's behavior program promotes only three official rules:Firstly, what happens here stays here.Secondly, all eight steps must be completed, no ifs, ands, or buts.Thirdly, each boy is referred to by his problem, not his name.There is one unspoken rule: don't enter the forbidden third floor bedroom which belonged to a boy who disappeared from the house eons ago.The warning didn't stop Vandalize from breaking into the room, or Stealer from taking something. As the unruly boys discover bewitched artifacts with unusual abilities, they discreetly use them to complete Madame Eldridge's whimsical challenges. But magic always insists on a price to pay.When Fibbsy happens upon an object that thrusts him back in time, he uncovers a long-buried secret about Madame Eldridge and the missing boy. But who would ever believe a liar? Bound by the house's enigmatic objects, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret forge a friendship as they venture to unveil the truth behind the the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys; discovering along the way that the problems they were sent to the program to overcome are shrouded in a dark magic all their own.Second PlaceTeensSecond PlaceYA Boys & MenSecond PlaceJuvenile Boys & MenSecond PlaceLGBTQ+ YA
Deceit. Desire. Betrayal. Power. Dubious alliances and intoxicating temptation. For forbidden knowledge, for the truth, is it worth it? Shrouded in anonymity, Saiyah's existence remained hidden, nurtured in the shadows since her demon mother spirited her away to the mortal world. On the precipice of her 18th birthday, an ominous choice looms before her-embrace the concealment of her half-demon heritage or unmask herself in a realm suffused with dread and suspicion. However, when she receives a letter from her mother from beyond the grave, Saiyah risks everything. To uncover the truth, she becomes immersed in a hedonistic, reckless lifestyle of lavish parties, occult practices, and secret libraries hidden between worlds. A mystifying half-demon society beckons, its secrets whispering in forbidden tongues. With the help of Bezbiel, a charismatic half-demon, and an unlikely saviour - a demon-slaying deity named Idris, she discovers there is something more to her demonic powers. Something unnatural in her blood. Together they unravel the mysteries of her power, her mother's murder, and an unsettling Elizabethan occultist. But in a world still trembling from the echoes of ancient battles, trust hangs by a fragile thread and the truth they unfold only serves to divide.Third PlaceCover Design
Many know the age-old take of Oberon and Titania, a familiar story that has been shared throughout the ages. But are you aware of the genuine essence behind their story? Oberon, now known as Obe, is an enigmatic billionaire cryptocurrency tycoon. Tati Hastings, better known as Titania, is a renowned actress and charismatic figure who has charmed millions of fans' hearts. The duo, separated for centuries, unexpectedly reunite when a troublesome piece of their past emerges. The flower once used to hypnotize Titania is being incorporated into a new cosmetics line. This forces the two together once more to protect the mortal world in this modern take on A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Half-demon, Corman Ryan's got it rough: he's haunted by violent nightmares, his only friend is his sentient left hand, and the federal government wants his head on a platter for almost causing the apocalypse. The only thing bigger than the price on his head is the chip on his shoulder. In the ruins of a near-future Minneapolis, armed street gangs, devil-worshipping cults, and bloodthirsty, corrupt officers of the law all vie for control. Smack dab in the middle of it all is Corman, who's found himself on just about everyone's bad side, including the Federal Knight Bureau, an elite group of peacekeepers who just happen to be his former employers.When Corman accidentally rescues a young woman from being sacrificed by cultists, he finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy to resurrect a long dormant evil. As unhappy as he and everyone around him is about it, Corman might be the only one who can save them. With as many enemies as emotional trauma, Corman's going to have to tussle with not only the monsters around him, but his own inner demons, if he wants to find redemption.Armed with only a scythe and his right-hand-hand, Edgar, can Corman escape capture and prevent the resurgence of an evil that would lead to a cataclysmic disaster?
The darkness that surrounds us shrouds the world. Whether we see it or feel it, we know it is in the depths of our minds. Our experiences don't lie and neither do our scars. It begs the question: how do you heal what you can't see? For too long, we've hidden from our demons and been told it was all in our heads. Now it is time to face them. How do you survive living with demons?
A star is born...Kristina, a well-respected astronomer, and Buddhist, creates a new element: Hyperion. With the anticipation of launching a satellite made of this element to further orbit and exploration of the planetary system, she has to make a huge decision. Being selected as a potential host for Cosmic Yarr, she is faced with a new set of challenges when an Olympian crosses her path.Will she become the star she is born to be, or will someone take it from her?
If the entire civilized world suddenly disappeared, how would you survive? Evelyn Morrison, a social outcast, is thrown into this same scenario when a quake changes the way things were Before. Evelyn must learn to survive as our earliest ancestors did: with cunning, strength, ingenuity, and - most difficult of all for Evelyn - complete faith in oneself and one's group.With the coming of winter, increased tensions and a sense that the wild earth is about to swallow them. In this harsh new world, will Evelyn find the strength to believe in herself? Or will her long-time rival, Taylor, be able to bully her into submission? She has to learn quickly because mother nature doesn't provide do-overs
Elena Austen is struggling. It's been three months since her first serious partner broke up with her, and Elena is still spending days in a fog of depression and nights crying in her restless sleep. Fed up, Elena's best friend Sherie encourages her to seek out a therapist to help her get over David. Elena has an appointment with the distinguished Dr. Carpenter, who prescribes her a revolutionary new drug that dampens human emotions to the point of total indifference. How will this new wonder of science help Elena? And how will it do her more harm?
Jasmine Dilan-Jaz to her friends and family-lives a relatively average New York Life, despite its less than normal or positive start. As a tattoo artist, Jaz is perfectly content to work, go out with her best friend, Garrett, and care for her rebellious niece, Rosamie.Until one day, Jaz's world is turned upside down. An unexpected death changes everything, and her average life becomes anything but. The cause: a brand-new tattoo of a symbol from Jaz's past that haunts her nightmares.Has a Seattle serial killer come back to haunt Jaz? Is it a copycat? Or is there someone else in town with the heartless ability to commit such a crime? Jaz won't find a peaceful night of sleep until she can uncover the killer's identity. But what will it cost her?CW: Manslaughter, murder, past references to rape/child molestation/kidnapping, implied child pornography, implied pedophilia, past and current references to alcohol abuse, light homophobic language, depictions of PTSD and its symptoms, and adult language.
The story readers are calling "hard-hitting and meaningful" and "touching and realistic", The Seeds of Love: Sunflower Kisses Book 1 is the story of two lost souls who find each other at the right time in life.Clay Dabrowski is a recent college graduate who has his life planned out. He knows what he wants to do in life and embarks on those goals with the support of his family and friends. But when he meets the fiery red-haired Bailey Childe, she suddenly shifts all of his priorities. She gives him the strength and courage to do and be more. While he battles his insecurities and mental illness, Clay and Bailey forge a path through life's ebbs and flows as a new, young couple. Their journey seems to be all but perfect.But is everything as it seems?
Alva and her wife Lise are on a mission to lead the sassy Princess Kaitlyn to a new land to combine her clan and a new clan by way of marriage to their chief's son. Standoffish, the two quickly draw a disdain for one another unmatched by Thor and Loki's. However, when a storm rocks their world and capsizes their boat, Alva and Kaitlyn are tasked with exploring not only a new world, but also their newfound desires for one another.When the pair comes across a village hidden in the cold Canadian arctic, they embark upon creating a new life with these native people. As they become one with the Inuit, how will these shield maidens prepare for their biggest threat yet?Will Alva be able to find Lise in their new village? Or will she seek comfort in the arms of Kaitlyn? Will the shield maidens be enough to protect the village from frost giants? Find out in The Lost Maidens! 2022 Romance of the Year from Scribble's Worth Book Reviews
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