Today's Featured Books
Orphan's Quest by Terry Ironwood
I Know You by Heart by Angie Swetland
Kitten Cat-astrophe by LJ Peace
Tales from the Texas Timberlands by J. Andrew Rice
Holistic Retirement Planning by Ron Missun
FREE - The Mastery Guide of Tarot Reading by Aleena T. Grant
The HR Informant by Joseph Leebs
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
The Axe by Linda Griffin
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Decode the Deck by Daphne Wells, Karen Small, Jessica Cerato, & Beth Turner
New releases from History Through Fiction: Well-crafted fiction based on real events & people
Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on new and forthcoming releases from History Through Fiction, an independent publisher focused on high-quality historical fiction. Read on to learn more.
Bonus: Sign up to receive news from History Through Fiction and get a chance to win a print edition of HTF's newest release, The Rhino Keeper.
The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg
New release: October 2024Genre: Historical Fiction
4.6 stars, 100+ ratings on Goodreads
From $2.99
A novel based on the remarkable true story of a rhino that dazzled 18th-century Europe and the keeper who loved her.
Based on the true story of a Dutch sea captain who traveled with an Indian rhinoceros called Clara across 18th century Europe, The Rhino Keeper evokes both the thrill of discovery in the archives and the wonder felt by a world in which no European had seen a living rhinoceros.
2022 – College student Andrea Clarkson uncovers a historical mystery while studying abroad in Holland. From hidden desk drawers come unusual historical documents featuring a rhinoceros. On a lichen-covered eighteenth-century grave, the same animal is carved. When an expanding river forces exhumation, what she finds buried there is life-changing. Andrea faces her nightmares to retrieve what a grave robber steals: valuable proof of a long-forgotten history.
1740 – Ship captain Douwemout van der Meer has something not seen in two hundred years: the only rhino in Europe, called Clara. Douwemout and Clara tour Europe, enthralling peasants and queens, hoping to change popular views that rhinos are man-eating beasts. Absolute wonder follows, but when a priest sees idol worship and becomes hell-bent on destroying her, Clara, Douwe, and the lives of her bonded caretakers are at risk.
As Douwe becomes protectively dedicated to adventuring with Clara, unexpected love finds him, and his heart starts to tear. Will he choose a life with a traveling wonder-beast forever, or can love exist in many forms for the rhino keeper?
Praise for The Rhino Keeper
"Illuminates the extraordinary connection between humans and animals...a historical mystery and a tale of old-world adventure, reminding us that even the wishes we take to our grave may someday come true after all.” ~Sarah Penner, NYT Bestselling Author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society
“A charming page turner perfect for animal and history lovers alike.” ~Diana Giovinazzo, author of Antoinette’s Sister
"A masterful tale of mystery, love, and the magic of discovery.” ~Elizabeth R. Andersen, author of The Alewives
My Mother's Secret by Alina Adams
New release: November 2024Genre: Historical Fiction
4.4 stars, 119 ratings on Amazon
From $6.49
With his dying breath, Lena’s father asks his family a cryptic question: “You couldn’t tell, could you?” After his passing, Lena stumbles upon the answer that changes her life forever.
As her revolutionary neighbor mysteriously disappears during Josef Stalin's Great Terror purges, 18-year-old Regina suspects that she's the Kremlin’s next target. Under cover of the night, she flees from her parents' communal apartment in 1930s Moscow to the 20th century's first Jewish state, Birobidzhan, on the border between Russia and China. Once there, Regina has to grapple with her preconceived notions of socialism and Judaism while asking herself the eternal question: What do we owe each other? How can we best help one another? While she contends with these queries and struggles to help Birobidzhan establish itself, love and war are on the horizon.
New York Times Bestselling author Alina Adams draws on her own experiences as a Jewish refugee from Odessa, USSR, as she provides readers a rare glimpse into the world's first Jewish Autonomous Region. My Mother's Secret is rooted in detailed research about a little known chapter of Soviet and Jewish history while exploring universal themes of identity, love, loss, war, and parenthood. Readers can expect a whirlwind journey as Regina finds herself and her courage within one of the century's most tumultuous eras.
Praise for My Mother's Secret
“An eye-opening family saga...that feels both exotic and chillingly familiar." ~Kyra Davis, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the Just One Night
“A page-turner that has it all: a compelling mystery, sharp insights into Soviet history, a sense of humor, and a complicated and fascinating cast of characters.” ~Maria Kuznetsova, author of Something Unbelievable
"Smart and sumptuous, wry and thoroughly immersive. It transports you to an important moment in Soviet-Jewish history that is more relevant than ever. A triumph." ~Irina Reyn, Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction winner and author of The Imperial Wife
The Aziola’s Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys by Ezra Harker Shaw
Recent release: May 7, 2024Genre: Historical Fiction
4.5 stars, 15 ratings on Amazon
From $9.49
Love, tragedy, and the pursuit of literary greatness intertwine in a tumultuous journey that defies societal norms and tests the resilience of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
In the year 1814, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, a gifted teenager born into a family of literary brilliance, falls deeply in love with the youthful rebel, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Defying societal conventions, they embark on a daring escapade, accompanied by Mary's step-sister Claire, leaving behind their respective families and Percy's wife and children. However, their journey proves to be far from an idyllic romance, for it is fraught with tumultuous challenges.
In their quest for freedom and expression, Mary and Percy immerse themselves in experimental notions of free love and join forces with the enigmatic and infamous Lord Byron. Amidst these thrilling encounters and adventures, the young lovers are confronted by heart-wrenching tragedies that test their resilience and resolve.
Driven to elude the strict laws of England, which threaten to separate them from their own children, Mary and Shelley embark on a nomadic existence, wandering through the captivating landscapes of Italy while constantly evading their haunting past. As their circumstances become increasingly dire, their shared passion for writing emerges as the sole lifeline that binds them together. Through their literary endeavors, they become each other's guiding force, ultimately crafting timeless masterpieces that will etch their names into the annals of literary history.
Praise for The Aziola's Cry
"Eloquent narrative driven storytelling...truly memorable and deftly crafted." ~Midwest Book Review
"Shows us the terrible joy of life lived on the very precipice of love and art's volcano." ~Jonathan Gibbs, author of The Large Door and Randal: Or the Painted Grape
About the Publisher
History Through Fiction seeks to provide readers with compelling narratives that also act as valuable historical resources. HTF, though fictionalized, include important primary and secondary source materials that are disclosed to readers through a variety of traditionally nonfiction elements such as footnotes, endnotes, or a bibliography. This way, readers may enjoy a fictional narrative while also examining the historical foundation upon which that narrative is based. By combining elements of fiction and nonfiction, HTF authors provide readers with an immersive experience that is both entertaining and educational.Learn more at HistoryThroughFiction.com. Also, be sure to sign up for HTF's newsletter and to follow History Through Fiction online:
LitNuts Fall Giveaway: Last call!
It's the last call for the LitNuts Fall Giveaway. Enter by October 31 for a chance to win a stained glass book lamp or a $75 Amazon.com gift card (winner's choice!). Already entered? You can earn additional entry points by visiting the LitNuts Facebook page or website via the entry form.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ~Albert Camus
Christmastime 1939 by Linda Mahkovec
Set in Brooklyn, young widow Lillian Hapsey and her two sons, Tommy and Gabriel, are alone, unhappy, and plagued by financial concerns. Overshadowing everything is the war in Europe. Despite the setbacks, Lillian is determined to give her sons a happy Christmas. Can Lillian rekindle her girlhood love for the holiday season? "A nostalgic and hopeful holiday tale." ~Kirkus Reviews. 4.4 stars, 879 ratings. From $1.99 - SHOP NOW /
Reawakened Flames by Lindsay McCafferty
The Red Flock by Bruce Lewis
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Jed and Lexi Miller, renowned birders and socialites, have extravagant birthday wishes: Lexi wants the nearly extinct Cherry-Throated Tanager, while Jed seeks the rare Birds of America paintings by Audubon, valued at $12 million. To fulfill their desires, they hatch a dangerous plan to smuggle endangered birds into private aviaries. As the body count rises, the FBI and local police launch a high-stakes chase, with help from a veterinarian with a dark past, determined to stop the Millers' deadly scheme before more lives—and species—are lost. From $0.99. Free via KU. SHOP NOW /
Wedding Bandits by Oswald Black
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
The Munich Girl by Phyllis Edgerly Ring
I, Brax: A Battle Divine by Arthur Slade
New Release: The Field of Plenty from Luke Beling & Vine Leaves Press
Congratulations to Luke Beling and Vine Leaves Press on the release of Beling's new novel, The Field of Plenty, in which a star kicker uncovers dark family secrets after losing a crucial football game and after the death of his father.
★★★★★ “A winner on the football gridiron and beyond.” ~Paul Volponi, author of The Final Four
The Field of Plenty
NEW RELEASE: October 22, 2024Genre: Literary Fiction
4.9 stars, 8 ratings on Goodreads
Paperback: $17.99
Ebook: From $5.99
Mitchell Baker’s meteoric rise as a star punter and field-goal kicker stunned everyone—except his father, Ken, who had meticulously groomed Mitch into an athletic sensation. But just as Mitch’s career peaks, tragedy strikes: Mitch loses the most crucial game of his high school career, and shortly after his father dies. Struggling to cope, Mitch falls into a pill addiction and reconnects with Uncle Paul, a mysterious family friend and self-proclaimed miracle worker.
Unraveling a web of deceit spun by Uncle Paul and his late father, Mitch confronts the painful truths about his past. He’s thrust into a dilemma—questioning the very foundation of his upbringing. In this turbulent journey, Mitch faces off against his rival Teddy Jones and finds an unlikely ally in the troubled yet captivating Bianca Black.
Confronted with the raw realities of his own broken self-identity, Mitch navigates the chaos of loss both on and off the field, and he must determine what’s real…and what’s worth fighting for.
Praise for The Field of Plenty
★★★★★ “A gritty, character-led sports novel packed full of hard-hitting drama. Highly recommended!” ~The Wishing Shelf
★★★★★ “A deep meditation on loss, grief, family legacy, and the ways in which human beings heal.” ~Geoff Herbach, author of Cracking the Bell
★★★★★ “A poignant debut from an author to watch. Heartfelt prose threaded with hope about lessons learned—for better or worse—about the power of identity.” ~T.L. Simpson, Strong Like You
★★★★★ “Immersive and intelligent.” ~Craig Leener, There’s No Basketball on Mars
About the Author
Luke Beling is a South African-born author and singer-songwriter who grew up listening to music from the ’60s and ’70s, influenced by records his father played and the surrounding struggle of his native country. As a twenty-something, Beling developed a fond taste for subversive literature, fiction defending the outcast, stories highlighting the grit of the human spirit. Beling believes art should embody both the miracle and labor of life. Everyday tales borne from world wandering, Beling’s songs and stories hope to impart deep pockets of truth.
Luke lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with his wife and four daughters, is the director of tennis for a private club, and is an author and alternative/folk singer-songwriter. Learn more at LukeBeling.com.
About the Publisher
Vine Leaves Press likes to blur the line between commercial and experimental works. They publish book-length vignette collections, writing reference books, short story collections, memoir/autobiography, and character-driven novels with a literary bent. Subscribe to the Vine Leaves Press newsletter to receive FREE advanced review copies of upcoming new releases, news about their authors and subscribers, and/or to read the monthly opinion column, SPILL IT! or a daily dose of 50-word stories. Learn more at VineLeavesPress.com.
Free online: Readings from the Writers Room of Boston
Free online: Readings from the Room. Join host Spencer Johnson of the Writers Room of Boston for an event featuring the work of authors Lesley Wheeler and Beth Armstrong. Tuesday, October 22, 6-7 PM CDT.
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” ~Louisa May Alcott
A Mutiny of Dreams by J M Unrue
The 7 Pillars Of Habit Building by Thinknetic
Driftwood by Martha Craig
Nightmares and Copyrights by Scott Kinkade
Mystery Thriller Crime and Horror
Scions and Shadows: A world of magic & intrigue spanning centuries
Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on books of the Scions and Shadows fantasy series from author Dax Murray, a world of magic and intrigue, spanning centuries of political conspiracies, divine machinations and conflicts of ethics, morality, and conscience. There is an overarching plot to the series, but each book can be read as a stand-alone and in any order.
Bonus: Earn rewards by participating in The Shades and Silver Audiobook Kickstarter campaign.
Stars and Soil
Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Epic Fantasy4.6 stars, 7 ratings
From $4.99
The land is dying, commoners are protesting, and workers are revolting. The king is ailing, but the prince is not stepping in to quell the unrest.
Lady Caitlin doesn't care—she hasn't cared about anything since the day her world shattered and she lost everything. But fate intervenes, giving her the influence and power to rule the realm as queen or tear it all down from the inside.
Caught in a web of deception and conspiracies, Caitlin must unravel the truth of a long-hidden magical prophecy or she will become yet another pawn of an enemy that has its sights set on making Caitlin into its weapon.
Stars and Soil is the first novel in the Scions and Shadows series and is perfect for those who like their fantasy full of court gossip, political intrigue, shifting alliances, deep worldbuilding, backstabbing, betrayal, and sapphic and disability representation. Fans of Seth Dickinson's The Traitor Baru Cormorant and Tessa Gratton's The Queens of Innis Lear will feel right at home in this magical, queer-normative world.
Praise for Stars and Soil
"A complex story about grief and trying to find both agency in one's life and what one wants out of it." ~Liz Sauco, author of Lost Blades
"A very emotionally convincing main character, making her journey through her fantastical world all the more engaging." ~Ka'ua Lara, author of A New World For You
Nominated in the Queer Indie Awards 2023 for: Best Overall Fantasy, Best Epic Fantasy, Best Dark Fantasy, and Best Supporting Character
Smoke and Steel
Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Epic FantasyFrom $4.99
Being one of the youngest of the Sua royals never stopped Saritrah from scheming to take the throne. But violent insurrectionists shattered those plans when they stormed the palace and decimated her family.
In the years since, she has amassed an army and will return to claim her crown. However, Ashur, her one remaining sibling, has done the same, and Saritrah must act soon if she's to secure her prize.
Saritrah must retrieve a magical artifact from the hidden city before Ashur does, all while making sure none betray her. If she fails, Sua is lost not just to her, but also forfeited to the insurrectionists and stripped of its pride as a warrior nation.
Shades and Silver
Genres: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Fantasy Anthologies4.5 stars, 7 ratings
From $0.99
The birthright of every Ástfríður is to know each metal in the earth, command it, bend it to their desires. Each Ástfríður must choose which metal they would wear upon their heads, denoting the path they would walk.
But Britt does not know if they can choose the path they want...if they can overcome a past which has stolen their identity. And Astrid has never felt the pull of the metal at all while trying to navigate a world that they feel has rejected them. The Veil of the Ástfríður has kept them hidden from the world and safe from intruders. Yet Britt and Astrid feel they are imposters in their own homes. Each must decide who they are and what they want to be, or risk losing their place in the Veil.
Shades and Silver is a duology about identity, doubt, disability, and acceptance set in the universe of Scions and Shadows.
Praise for Shades and Silver
"Lyrical writing, detailed characters, and exquisite world-building/" ~Amazon Review
2023 Indie Ink Awards Finalist; Writing the Future We Need: Disability Representation by a Disabled Author
About the Kickstarter Campaign (ends October 25!)
The Kickstarter Campaign for Shades and Silver: The Audiobook aims to bring to life this anthology of fantasy stories about disability, unicorn-people, and belonging via narrator Kyle Rocco East, a finalist for the Indie Ink Award for their narration of Chameleon Moon.
You can become a backer of this project for as little as $1 and earn rewards ranging from an e-book edition of the book to a package that includes audiobook, e-book, and paperback editions of book from the Scions and Shadows Series, including Shades and Silver (all formats), Stars and Soil (e-book and paperback), and Smoke and Steel (e-book and paperback). All print copies will be signed by the author!
Visit the Shades and Silver: The Audiobook Kickstarter campaign now to learn more.
About the Author
Dax Murray is an award-winning author of revolutionary fantasy that focuses on trauma, healing, and leftist political advancement. After realizing their dream of being a curmudgeonly hedgewitch in the woods of Western Pennsylvania was not possible due to the construction of an outlet mall, Dax took up a new form of sorcery, where they whispered to rocks in arcane languages and taught them how to spy on you, colloquially known as software engineering.
But this new career lead to an epic battle between the valiant forces of Ethics and all-powerful legion of Student Loan Payments, and Dax left that behind to join the magical order of word-placing. Today, they can be found waiting on the god (ie: cat) who has allowed them to live in their abode and use their word-magic to make others cry.
Learn more at DaxMurray.com, and be sure to sign up for Dax's Diatribes (via website pop-up or sign-up form at bottom of left column on the website) to get exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes looks, and exclusive updates from Dax Murray, including a free copy of Scorched Scars, a novella set in the world of Scions and Shadows, and Shrouded Sight, a short story anthology set in the world of Scions and Shadows.
Victory Island: Small-town romances from author Jennie Atkins
- Moonlight Cowboy - Book 1 in the Series
- The Warrior's B & B - Book 2 in the Series
Moonlight Cowboy
Book 1 of the Victory Island SeriesGenre: Small Town Romance
5.0 stars, 9 ratings
From $1.99
I’m Daniel Gallagher, an art teacher by day and a world-famous artist by night. I’d do anything to reboot my life after the death of my wife. So when my private investigator friend asks me to do him a favor, I jump at the chance to escape to the small island town of Victory. Big mistake.
The woman I’m to monitor works at the island’s art gallery and has island residents wondering where she’s getting the money for her extravagant shopping sprees.
As I get to know her, I discover two things. One, falling for the gallery assistant is not in my job description. And two, there is a reason I should have left my gumshoes at home—especially when the secrets I discover have nothing to do with the secret missions of mercy she carries out for her employer but have the ability to yank the moorings out from under her.
Praise for Moonlight Cowboy
★★★★★ "A beautiful story with threads of romance and mystery." ~Goodreads Review
★★★★★ "An excellent choice for a feel-good love story with memorable characters and a charming setting." ~Amazon Review
The Warrior's B & B
Book 2 of the Victory Island SeriesGenre: Small Town Romance
New release: October 14, 2024
From $1.99
Sage Johnson decided whom she intended to marry at the ripe old age of eight years old. Too bad the groom-to-be, her dearest childhood friend Derick Rogers, didn’t have a clue.
Twenty years later, Derick is halfway around the world fighting for his country, and Sage is a physical therapist and the new owner of her grandparent’s bed-and-breakfast—not the life she’d envisioned. Especially when Derick appears at her B & B blinded and bruised by an IED explosion and needing her help. In a panic, she lies about who she is and introduces herself as Abbi Johnson.
She could get away with it, right? What could go wrong? Everything!