Showing results by narrator "Rachel LeBlang" in All Categories

The Middle Kingdom of Talheim has enjoyed peace for decades. But with the threat of war rising from the ruthless South, the dream of a quiet life is fading. And for the noble but naïve Princess Cistine, that means embarking on a dangerous quest to the Northern Kingdom, where she hopes to forge an alliance against their southern foes and save her people.

Ren is adapting fast to the strange new world he finds himself in, and in his quest to find out the truth, Ren may have found the next important step on his journey. He just has to take care of one small little errand first in a nearby kingdom.

When Ren figures out the key to a puzzle that has stumped Earth’s best and brightest for eons, he will suddenly find himself on a world where the refinement of your soul and the dedication to your craft can unlock ultimate power. Too bad everyone here seems to want to kill him before he gets the chance. But if Ren can discover the secret of his own spiritual strength, he might not only find his way in this strange new universe. Not only will he become the strongest person on this world, but every other world, too.

In the final installment of A Year in Paradise, we fly through town and catch up with every couple to grace the series so far. But while Christmas shopping and holiday parties light up the windows, one lonely resident comes to the unfortunate conclusion that Paradise Valley might not be for her.

Frankie Delacour has everything she could possibly want in life: a steady business, a supportive family, and townsfolk who don't give her too much flack. All right, so she doesn’t have a girlfriend, let alone a wife. But one of her online friends is talking more and more about finally meeting. In fact, Z, aka Elaine Hadley of the teashop Tea & Thyme has been wanting to meet for years. She hasn’t told Elaine a few things. Such as who she actually is. Some things are left best on the internet. Like the endless possibilities of a girlfriend maybe, someday.

The Wild King’s reign continues as his army of stolen fae grows larger and fiercer. His magic invades their bodies and minds, and the Wild fae follow his every command with a slavish devotion. Except for Feya, the only one who seems immune to the king’s transformative powers. Though she resists, she doesn’t have the heart to defy him or leave her home in the Dead City. Until it becomes too dangerous.

Life as a small-town housewife in Paradise Valley is usually what Sally Greenhill needs. With four kids and a busy wife to keep her preoccupied, she’s got more than enough to do from sunrise to sunset - at all times of year. But as Deputy Candace Greenhill becomes bogged down in an arsonist investigation, Sally begins to suspect that the ring of flaming rebels might be closer than any of them had foreseen. With Halloween right around the corner, both Sally and Candace are too busy to keep an eye on the precocious son with an eye for adventure...and trouble.

On the first day of senior year in a new school, Alabaman transplant Carrie Sage meets the girl of her lesbian dreams. Too bad the mayor’s daughter is a bit too straight to go for a troublemaking Southerner like Carrie. Enter Leigh-Ann Hardy, the only girl in Clark High School who knows a thing or two about the girl Carrie crushes after like it’s Valentine’s Day.

Lilya, Dima's third daughter, may be a hippy and a Natural Witch who dabbles in plants, but Liliya is trouble. She has an unhealthy obsession with the weather, forcing the Romanovs to flee once again. The women finally move into a home that reflects their royal blood, a rundown mansion at the bottom of Witch Hill. Liliya has given birth to a daughter.

Hunted by an ancient predator. Freedom will demand the ultimate price. Tatya is falling in love with the local master vampire and has a new business venture. But her plans go awry when someone starts killing young women who look like her. With the help of old friends, she forms an unlikely alliance with an alpha werewolf to expose the murderer. But when the killer is revealed, will this formidable challenge make or break her?

Due to her mother's curse, Medea turns into a cat at night. Her mother, Dima, has a shape-shifting stone. She is 130-years-old but appears to be 18, the same age as her two daughters. Nikki works as a maid, rather than in the family witchcraft business of fortune-telling, seances, and other witchery-for-hire. She was born a Marilyn Monroe lookalike. Despite her beauty, jealousy eats away at Nikki because her mother and sister have magic. Nor is Nikki allowed near the books of spells, enchantments, and potions Dima stole from Russian monks.

Dima, the illegitimate granddaughter of Catherine the Great, is doomed to live in poverty until she steals the four Starostavne books of magical spells, potions, and enchantments. Years later in Los Angeles, Dima's wild, teenage daughter resents a 112-year-old mother who can shape-shift into the same age as she. Medea loathes Dima, who loves her 17 cats more than she does her rebellious daughter. Medea despises a mother who claims all witchcraft as her magic and treats her daughter like a slave. In secret, Medea develops her own sorcery.

Astrid, a young woman living in the small, cozy town of Crimson Barrow, has always been different. Phenomena she cannot explain plague her every day of her life. One day, after a wretched morning in the square, she finds herself the unlikely target of a mysterious faction desperate to capture her.

Nobody loves Paradise Valley more than Mayor Karen Rath, a woman who works tirelessly to keep the town’s cogs turning and the people content. This doesn’t leave much time for love and dating, but the single mom of two grown kids has better things to do. Until a stranger comes to town. Dahlia Granger of Hibiscus Films is on a mission. Ever since Paradise Valley hit the national news, Dahlia is compelled to create a documentary exploring the history and culture of a town founded by lesbians. She may have an agenda. Just a tiny one.

C’artha is a teenage Elf with a secret. She can talk to dragons. It’s an unusual talent, hinting at her emerging magical abilities. With her older sister destined for the throne, C’artha carefully avoids doing anything to spoil the wedding. Little does she know that war is coming, along with palace intrigues that will shake her world to the core. Can she overcome the expectations of those around her? C’artha’s journey is one of self-discovery against the wishes of those who would have her be subservient to the Elvish monarchy and its interests.

War is brewing in the Faery Realm as the Solitary fae become bolder and more powerful. Despite new alliances, it feels like Sirius and his elves are fighting alone. Trouble spills into the Mortal Realm as the Solitary hunt new prey, swelling their numbers with stolen children. The elves struggle to find the Halflings before the Solitary can, but it’s difficult to hunt what they can’t see. But someone else can.

The Roswell Chronicles tells the story of Samantha Haut and her cousins as they find themselves caught between a group of greedy Wall Street bankers and some pissed off aliens from outer space. Ever since the Roswell crash in 1947, the Haut family has secretly held onto a series of journals that contain details of advanced alien technology. Whenever the family has needed money, they quietly sold one of the inventions in those pages. This is fine until an investment banking executive learns about these journals and steals them.

Plum's thrilled about her arranged marriage. Becoming the daughter-in-law of a great chef will let her take her magical cooking skills to new heights. Then her little sister Dami dresses up as a boy and joins the army-a crime punishable by death. To keep her sister safe, Plum abandons her wedding, assumes Dami's identity, and reports for her sister's duties scrubbing dishes at the palace.

Dylan Hatfield is the outcast in her new town. It isn’t just that her “crazy” grandmother scares people away, but the real problem lies with her best friends: They’re imaginary. Dylan’s bullied by her classmates to the point of physical abuse, and there’s no point in reporting it anymore. She knows it’s crazy to still believe in imaginary friends when she’s about to graduate from high school, but they’re her only solace. Then, they ask Dylan to help them possess the bullies. That’s crazy, right? It will never work.

Forty-seven stories - from flash fiction to full-length works to deeply felt and autobiographical fiction - unfold across the decades from the 1960s to present day and reveal hopes and fears, truth and grief, and love. This award-winning, debut short story collection will break your heart and carry you home.