Selina’s Indie Book Holiday Gift Guide 2021

Second Prince Liam of Wilderose never wanted to be a king. He is happy to support his older sister’s queenship as he tries to discover the leaders of a band of raiders threatening her rule, the same raiders who killed Queen Ravenna’s parents. When his sister asks him to represent Wilderose at the Alliance Treaty held in Lyra, he accepts. While there, he comes into contact with one of the most powerful beings in the realm, the fairy godmother of Lyra. She tells Liam that if he were to break the curse over Ravenna, her powers would benefit his sister’s queendom as well. All he has to do is win Ravenna’s heart while slowly losing his humanity and turning into a dog.

The Cursed Queen is inspired by Beauty and the Beast.

But the city has secrets and so does the dancer.

In a time as dark and silent as the death it fears, these secrets will save or they will damn.

Dawnsong is a standalone novelette perfect for fans of Michael J. Sullivan & Hafsah Faizal and contains four original character illustrations by acclaimed artist Irina Plachkova

So the two turn to Meta-Match, a nemesis pairing site for heroes and villains, where they match right away. But not everything in the superhero world is as it seems. Who are the real heroes and villains? And just how fine of a line is there between love and hate? When darkness from the past threatens them both, Cortex and V may need to work together to make it out alive.

Meanwhile, the villainous Vortex has once again gotten a little overeager and taken out a hero prematurely. Will any young hero be able to keep up with her? Maybe she should work on finding a steady relationship with an enemy she won’t kill in the first round.

Told entirely through texts, transcriptions, and direct messages, this darkly humorous chat fiction novel goes behind the scenes of the superworld.

Years ago, Rhys MacDuffy was brutally cut off from his clan, stripped of his name and inheritance, and banished to the remote Dragon Keep. Perched high above the Shang Pass in the land of Alsaya, he assumed the mantle of the Mountain Baron, serving out his sentence as the overseer of the worst outlaws and outcasts.

But one day he receives a desperate message from the clan who disowned him: MacDuffy’s Seer–his beloved brother–has been taken by their enemies.

With his band of Mountain Brigands and an unwelcome sidekick, Rhys leaves his mountain stronghold to find and rescue his brother. The tide of war is rising amongst the Clans of Alsaya, fueled by the magic-wielding sect of Druids who seek to unleash a dark force the world has long forgotten.

Can the bond of blood run deeper than banishment?

When a diplomatic meeting goes horribly wrong, Essie, a human princess, finds herself married to the elf prince and warrior Laesornysh. Fitting in to the serene, quiet elf culture might be a little difficult for this talkative princess, but she’s determined to make it work.

With impending war and tenuous alliances, it will be up to Essie to unite her two peoples. And maybe get her hands on elven conditioner while she’s at it.

For fans of K.M. Shea and Kenley Davidson comes a romantic fantasy tale of elves, romance, and epic magic.

Yeah, that’s so not happening. Unfortunately.

When Brenna learns her mother is missing in an alternate reality called Linneah, she travels through a portal to find her. Against her will. Who knew portals even existed? But Brenna’s arrival in Linneah begins the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, including a royal murder and the theft of Linneah’s most powerful relic: the Sacred Veil.

Hold up. Can everything just slow down for a sec?

Unwilling yet left with no other choice, Brenna and her new friend Baldwin (Um, hello, Hottie!) pursue the thief into the dangerous woods of Silvastamen and beyond. Exactly what Brenna wanted to do for her sixteenth birthday. Exactly. When they spy an army marching toward Linneah, Brenna is horrified. Can she find the veil, save her mother, and warn Linneah in time?

And more importantly, why on earth doesn’t this alternity have Belgian waffles?

When sixteen-year-old debutante Amarante Flora finds out she’s half witch, all she wants is to get rid of her magic. After all, zapping Prince Ash in the midst of high society’s Season certainly won’t help her troublemaking reputation. But the more her powers grow, the more she realizes magic—and the witches who possess it—are not as dangerous as she was led to believe. When the queen falls mysteriously ill, Amarante knows there are far more dangers lurking in the palace than in Witch Village.

Among potion-brewing and glittering receptions, Amarante joins Prince Ash in an investigation before innocent witches are condemned. However, uncovering the culprit’s schemes could mean exposing her magic. And exposing her magic would mean her very life—and the contempt of the prince she is trying to help.

This Regency-inspired fantasy is perfect for fans of Jessica Day George and Melanie Cellier!

But all of that changes when her king demands that she use her unique abilities to spy on the rival kingdom of Garimore.

Alone, far from home, and living a lie that grows more perilous by the day, Leisa’s task is complicated by her most dangerous enemy yet—the masked assassin known only as the Raven.

Everyone in the Five Thrones knows to fear him, but the Raven is not what Leisa expected. As silent as he is lethal, he provokes her curiosity as much as her fear, and hides secrets she’s determined to learn.

When her already precarious mission takes a deadly turn, Leisa must evade the Raven himself if she is to succeed. It’s never been done before, but Leisa is nothing if not stubborn. And if she doesn’t become the first to escape his blade, her entire kingdom will pay the price—in blood.

If you love adventure, mystery, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, discover the Legends of Abreia, a new romantic fantasy series for fans of Sylvia Mercedes, Miranda Honfleur and Shari L. Tapscott!

Between making her laugh in a way she forgot how and the banter he shares with her sister when he comes for waffles each morning, Cori lets herself get caught up in the normalcy he brings back into her life. She shouldn’t feel safe with him, shouldn’t want him to kiss her, and yet…

Bender only got mixed up with the gangs to keep a roof over his family’s head. But now he’s in too deep. As an enforcer for the Bears, he’s got blood on his hands and he knows as long as he continues as he is, those hands don’t also get to hold a girl like Cori. And no one leaves the Bears. Not alive, anyway.

A Snow White Rose Red Retelling set in the Evraft Galaxy.

The events that unfold after her appearance transform Dain’s world. Now, hunted by empty-faced demons, he finds himself thrown into a dangerous web of intrigue and magic. As the crisis grows, the young sailor discovers powerful gifts buried deep within, talents that might shift the tide of a centuries-old war. Whether or not he’s ready, Dain will have to risk it all for the salvation and freedom of those he loves.

Micheline Ryckman’s debut YA fantasy novel is the first book in an upcoming series. If you enjoy epic sea faring adventures full of fantastical magic and intrigue then this is the right book for you.

Learn more about Regulus’ suave and loyal best friend, Dresden Jakobs, in his prequel and companion novellas, and enjoy a cozy winter holiday story from the perspective of Regulus’ earnest squire, Harold. All books also available separately.

Prince of Shadow and Ash (The Mercenary and the Mage book 1):
Bastard and former mercenary Lord Regulus Hargreaves’ resolve is crumbling. He’s desperate to pay off his debt to the sorcerer who enslaved him, but after two years, he fears he’ll never be free of the cursed mark that won’t even let him die. Then Lady Adelaide sees past his scar and shadowed past, and Regulus’ dying hope rekindles.

But will loving Adelaide while serving the Prince of Shadow and Ash put her in danger?

Adelaide Belanger yearns to use the magical energy within her, but revealing her power could get her killed–like every other mage in the kingdom. When she meets kind and rugged Regulus, she wonders if she has finally found someone to trust with her secret—and her heart. Regulus and Adelaide struggle to protect their romance and keep their secrets from predatory nobles and the devious sorcerer.

By the time their secrets are revealed, it may be too late for them both…and possibly for the entire kingdom.

(Warning for possible triggers: Series is equivalent to mid to upper PG-13-level; contains violence, torture, depression, reference to SH and a su*c*de attempt, & SA in book two.)

As she guards her true identity, Nadja must master the flute, make friends, and stave off the romantic advances of a rugged classmate. With each new lesson, Nadja feels a secret growing within her that not even she understands. One wrong note could forfeit the very fabric of magic… and her only hope of survival. Inharmonic is the spellbinding first book in The Music Maker series of fantasy novels.

If you like tenacious heroines, ancient mysteries, and new twists on fantasy magic, then you’ll love A.K.R. Scott’s lyrical tale.

Buy Inharmonic today to start a refreshing fantasy series that hits all the right notes.

These two lives merge when her father unexpectedly announces that he is stepping down from the Obsidian Throne and that his daughters will have to compete for the right to reign in his stead. Ember would be more than happy to let her twin sister have the throne—if not for the fact that her sister wants her dead. Once the competition for the throne begins, Ember quickly realizes she’s in over her head. The first two Tasks go horribly awry, and Ember suspects foul play. How else could she accidentally bind herself to a charismatic djinn in the first Task and nearly have her face eaten by a psychotic werewolf in the second?

In the midst of the competition, a sickness begins infecting Underworlders that turns even the most docile creatures into murderous monsters. Ember realizes that not only must she defeat her sister, she must also discover what—or who—is infecting the Underworlders before her family’s secret is exposed to the world on the Surface.

They are 304 years apart, until a magical leather-bound book transports the sea captain from his ship to the library basement.

Can Charles find the lost magical book and return to his crew?

Can Tress help him without risking the heart she’s painstakingly protected for years?

And what happens when they find the mysterious book and are both thrown back into the past?

Can they overcome their fears and choose love, or will the book that brought them together tear them apart—this time forever?

State mage Ariana struggles as a prisoner of war in a world of deadly magic and unfamiliar customs. Her only ally is her former servant, once again a renowned warrior caught up in political machinations. To survive, he’ll have to renew the fight against Ariana’s world.

As their people’s wasted armies brace for fresh battle, bastard, mage, and monster must set aside prejudices and rivalries to find an end to centuries of conflict, before they die as traitors.

Reviews say:

“Shard & Shield is one of the most character-driven fantasy novels I’ve ever read, and I mean that in the best way.”

“…a gripping fantasy tale and characters that I’ve come to care for who face complex situations that don’t have easy answers. A great read!”

This new epic fantasy series by an award-winning author is recommended for fans of Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, and Brent Weeks.

When Dara is asked to train with Prince Siv, the heir to the throne, she faces her most difficult opponent yet. Handsome, charismatic, and utterly infuriating, he refuses to take the sport—or her—seriously.

But someone wants Prince Siv dead, and Dara might be the only one who can protect him. With assassins lurking in the shadows and tensions brewing between the kingdom’s magic wielders, Dara and Siv need each other’s help with more than just dueling. Skill with a blade might not be enough to save them.

Throne of Glass meets A Knight’s Tale in this swashbuckling epic fantasy full of sword fights, assassins, magic, and betrayal.

In my defense, the damn grizzly was threatening civilians and might have been a vampire as well. Pittsburgh is safer without him. Only the Fae court doesn’t believe my story, and the shifters are out for blood.

Now I’ve lost my job as a romantic investigator, and I’m on death row. My only hope is an oddly outgoing vegetarian vampire lawyer who seems strangely familiar. Too familiar. Almost like we’ve met before, and this whole thing was a set-up to take us both down.

Wishing won’t get us out of this mess. But my forbidden wish magic just might.

Buy now and enjoy a snarky urban fantasy that’s Angel meets I Dream of Jeannie and features a blue-collar genie in over her head, a romantic subplot (nothing graphic), and gleeful send ups of many romantic fantasy tropes, plus a fantastic otter-shifter.

This book collects the mindset issues that writers experience, that I have been through myself over the last decade, and that perhaps you will experience at different times on the creative journey.

Each small chapter tackles a possible issue and then offers an antidote, so that you can dip in and out over time. It includes excerpts from my own personal journals as well as quotes from well-known writers. I hope it helps you on the road to becoming a successful author. The book includes three parts broken down into even more specific issues:

Part 1: Mindset Aspects of Creativity and Writing
Part 2: Mindset Aspects After Publishing
Part 3: Tips for Success on the Author Journey

Optimistic and idealistic superhero Prism is determined to redeem her father’s legacy by rebooting his supervillain rehabilitation program. To do so, she sets her sights on Fade, the relapsed supervillain who was the reason the government canceled the original program in the first place. However, when she petitions for Fade to be released into her custody, she finds out things might not be as simple as she thought.

Convicted of an unforgivable crime, Fade received a choice: surrender to trial and possible execution or endure a memory erasure so he could start fresh. Now with no recollection of his time before incarceration, Fade doubts he has the ability to be anything but the villain the public believes him to be.

A series of attacks by a mysterious power-swapping villain points back to Fade’s past and the crime that cost him his freedom and memory. With her father’s legacy and her own reputation on the line, even Prism has to wonder: can a villain truly be reformed?

After a threat made against her Father’s life, Marion is forced to play a part in the Sheriff’s scheme to go undercover, find Robin Hood, and get rid of him. But the thief and his companions are not what she expects, and she begins to doubt her mission.

In the first story in the Tales of Nottingham, Marion finds herself trapped between duty and love, where one false move could end her Father’s life or destroy the people she cares about most.

When Raelyn gets separated from her family on the way to her arranged marriage to the crown prince of the neighboring kingdom, she is saved by a beast…

But now he won’t let her leave.

Not only does the monster claim to be Alexander, the rightful crown prince living in hiding, but he refuses to escort her back to her family. Trapped in dangerous mountains with an infuriating, fire-breathing dragon-man, Raelyn fears for the future of her kingdom and the safety of her family.

And yet…

The kindness of the cursed prince’s human friends surprises her. When Alexander reveals the shocking truth of his curse, she begins to see past the monstrous exterior to the prince’s human heart. But will Raelyn have the courage to admit her growing love for a cursed man? And will her family manage to salvage the treaty when they think her dead?

Curl up today with this Beauty and the Beast retelling with surprising twists!

This standalone is the first in an upcoming series of connected fairy tale retellings with fade-to-black, clean-ish romance.

But we don’t have to live that way! The peace God promises is real and available to every believer.

This book tackles many of the obstacles we let come between us and God—things like fear, failure, insufficiency, and expectations. The biblical examples and truths explored will bolster your faith, calm your spirit, renew your strength, and shift your focus from the earthly to the eternal, freeing you to embrace God’s rest in all circumstances.

Thrust into a world of controlling advisors, scheming pirates, and calculating dignitaries, Shara fumbles through his royal duties. His next mistake could spell disaster for the entire kingdom, but he may also be the only person capable of seeing beyond old prejudices to the truth of the prince’s disappearance.

But if he’s going to stop a war, find the prince, and return to his life of invisibility, he’ll have to rely on the one person he knows for sure he can’t trust—himself.

Amya Cole knows better than to set her sights too high— a merchant’s son is all she needs to be provided for and still be useful. But the Royal Advisor quickly becomes an unexpected development in those plans.

When a mysterious man offers Rinity the opportunity to become the girl the Prince thinks she is, she must decide how far she’s willing to go for the answers she wants. Will the girls find their happy ending or bring Liosa down with them as they try to find it?

It’s Aladdin meets Pride and Prejudice in this romantic comedy about finding the love you deserve in the most unexpected places.