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Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Women’s Fiction, LGBTQ
Date Published: April 19, 2024
Youltan lives a life of obligation and service, a slave to the desires of others, harnessing the strange and powerful chaotic energies known as Ice Magic. After a final betrayal by the people he protects, he finds himself transported to the one being who holds the key to his freedom.
The wards tattooed across Garyn's back ensure his total compliance, trapping him in his own form of slavery, until one of the traitorous Mages, the kind that devised this tortuous penance, is placed in his prison. Now manipulating his way to freedom rules the sex-shifting dragon's mind.
Garyn never expects Youltan to willingly sacrifice so much for a person he barely knows. Nor does he expect to find the a core of passionate heat that exists deep within Youltan's soul. The fight for survival takes on new dimensions and strains the very threads of their honor and morality.
But what would you expect....when you prod a Sleeping Dragon?
Set in the fictional California town of San Encanto--a place where suburban angst coexists with the astonishing--a lonely wife finds her oppressive husband has become a dirigible who follows her from the sky, a neglected boy spends his summer unwinding a parasitic Guinea worm from his little sister's belly, and an aspiring life coach attends a self-actualization seminar that goes wildly off the rails. In THINGS I WANT BACK FROM YOU, Elizabeth Stix's hilarious and poignant debut of 20 linked stories, hopelessly flawed characters flail against their own insecurities, seeking one true moment of connection, and if they're lucky, winning that rarest of gifts--a second chance.
"Funny and poignant, this collection will resonate with any reader who has felt trapped by something inexplicable, what Stix calls 'the fishbowl of our circumstance.' She takes on love, alienation, betrayal, and recriminations with wit and wisdom, and a generosity of spirit. Her tight cast of characters is frequently smothered by longing, doubt, and sometimes each other in a California landscape that shimmers with possibilities just out of reach. Elizabeth Stix is a true bard of modern life."--Elizabeth Gonzalez James, author of The Bullet Swallower and Mona at Sea
"Elizabeth Stix's THINGS I WANT BACK FROM YOU is charming and inventive. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, the interlinked collection of stories--set in and around the Bay Area suburb of San Encanto--features achingly alive characters who yearn for connection. An enchanting debut."--Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City
"With sharpness and ease, Elizabeth Stix shows us how the short story, above all literary forms, can deliver an explosion of meaning and feeling. Neighbors, co-workers, families and friends mess up and carry on in stories of poignancy and humor that disturb and delight. An affirmation of the absurdity of life and the steadying power of love."--Kathryn Ma, author of The Chinese Groove
Fantasy
Date Published: 08-10-2022
Publisher: Ocean Reeve Publishing
Ramulas' peaceful world as a farmer is shattered when he is pulled into the midst of a magical civil war between two worlds. With the appearance of a mysterious young woman, Ramulas starts to unravel some of the mysteries of his forgotten childhood and secret ability to communicate with animals.
He starts to fear for the safety of his family when his daughters reveal that they too, have unexplained abilities, and the intrigue only deepens when he discovers that the very existence of their world is under threat and that he may be the key to avert impending doom.
5 Stars - Exceptional Read
It was an exceptional book. We couldn't get the book out of our heads and couldn't put it down. I want to marry this book!
4 Stars -Enjoyable Read
This book was amazing, enjoyable and we loved it. But something didnt work out. We'll let you know in the review.
3 Stars-Acceptable Read
The book was meh. Story had issues with it. Would not read the book again if given the chance.
2 Stars- Unpleasant Read
Very unpleasant book. Issues that ruined the story/plot etc. We will let you know our thoughts in the review.
1 Star - Failed Read
1 star is still our go to for anything we DNF. These ratings mean that the book was just horrible and we could not finish it at all. Well let you know why in the review.