AmyMcNulty's Reading List
13 stories
Tresses & Erubescence by AmyMcNulty
AmyMcNulty
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A Blood, Bloom, & Water Prequel Story After a fire took her family from her, Zelda had no one to turn to-no one but Leopold, the sweetheart whose father never approved of her impoverished family. The two teens run away together, only to find the world on the brink of World War II a cold and unforgiving place. Ensnared by promises of immortality, they move into the attic of an opulent home owned by a charismatic vampire. One by one, the teens they meet there join the undead until at last there's only Zelda left, a girl with long, long hair trapped in an attic, the radio her only companion. Loosely inspired by Rapunzel.
Josie's Coat by AmyMcNulty
AmyMcNulty
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A woman with shoulder bones as sharp as an eagle's talons-bones almost protruding from her skin-opens her mouth as wide as it'll go, impossibly wide, consuming the pill that takes both of her arms to cradle. The nourishment makes her thin stomach pop out like she's pregnant with a child so large it'll burst through her stomach. She swallows slowly and licks her lips. Her eyes search around hungrily for more. That dream again. Josie is skilled at her job as an "unfortunate" who inhabits the bodies of her clients to perform their work while they sleep, but her coworkers' cruel jealousy over her success leads to her enslavement and the loss of her dream-worker status. A YA sci-fi reimagining of the tale of Jacob's favorite son Joseph, his dreams, and his famous coat. A novelette by the author of The Blood, Bloom, & Water Series, The Never Veil Series, and Fall Far from the Tree.
Fangs & Fins Chapter One Sampler by AmyMcNulty
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A dapper vampire. A sullen merman. Two heirs to a great conflict-and each needs to claim a beloved to become his kindred's champion. High school senior Ember Goodwin never had a sister, but after her mom's remarriage, she now has two. The eldest is no stranger to her-Ivy is a witty girl in her grade who's almost never spoken to the shy bookworm before-but she's surprised to find the popular girl quite amiable. Their burgeoning friendship is tested, however, when Dean Horne, a pale, besuited charmer, shows interest in them both and plans to reveal his appetite for blood to the one who'll stand by his side. Seventeen-year-old Ivy Sheppard is tired of splitting her time between her dad's and her mom's, particularly when her dad uproots their lives to move them in with his new wife and step-daughter. Used to rolling with her parents' whims, she tries to make the best of it and befriend her nerdy new step-sister. Her hectic life grows more unwieldy when she catches the eye of junior Calder Poole, whom she swears she sees swap well-toned legs for a pair of fins during a dip in a lake. Now she's fending off suitors left and right, all while trying to get to the bottom of the strange happenings in her town. The first book in the Blood, Bloom, & Water series sets family against family and friend against friend as an epic, ancient war comes to a head in a supposedly sleepy suburb. Get your e-book exclusively on Kindle (free on Kindle Unlimited!). Paperbacks available widely. Just ask your favorite retailer to order it if you can't find a copy.
Ballad of the Beanstalk Chapter One Preview by AmyMcNulty
AmyMcNulty
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As her fingers move across the strings of her family's heirloom harp, sixteen-year-old Clarion can forget. She doesn't dwell on the recent passing of her beloved father or the fact that her mother has just sold everything they owned, including that very same instrument that gives Clarion life. She doesn't think about how her friends treat her like a feeble, brittle thing to be protected. She doesn't worry about how to tell the elegant Elena, her best friend and first love, that she doesn't want to be her sweetheart anymore. She becomes the melody and loses herself in the song. When Mack, a lord's dashing young son, rides into town so his father and Elena's can arrange a marriage between the two youth, Clarion finds herself falling in love with a boy for the first time. Drawn to Clarion's music, Mack puts Clarion and Elena's relationship to the test, but he soon vanishes by climbing up a giant beanstalk that only Clarion has seen. When even the town witch won't help, Clarion is determined to rescue Mack herself and prove once and for all that she doesn't need protecting. But while she fancied herself a savior, she couldn't have imagined the enormous world of danger that awaits her in the kingdom of the clouds. A prequel to the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk that reveals the true story behind the magical singing harp. Available widely: https://books2read.com/balladofthebeanstalk
Nobody's Pawn (Never Veil #3) Preview by AmyMcNulty
AmyMcNulty
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The third and final book in THE NEVER VEIL SERIES begins immediately after the second book, NOBODY'S LADY, ends. As such, there are HUGE SPOILERS in this first chapter. Choose to read with caution if you haven't yet read the first and second books. Men can love, but they can also hate. Noll knows too well that the men in her village have adjusted poorly to the freedom of their hearts, but she hopes to bring peace back to her community. With the lord's return, Noll feels confident that together, they can work to settle down the villagers, but in his rebirth, he remembers only one thing about her: that she caused the curse that tortured him for a millennium in the first place. Determined to start anew, Noll must accept that, romantically, she and the lord are better without one another, but she'll need his help to uncover what's really behind all of the suffering in her village. Escorted to a land beyond the mountains, Noll uncovers the truth about her village and the strange occurrences in which she's had a hand. When someone who loves her discovers the same things and betrays her, Noll feels powerless to stop her village's fate. By learning to forgive and seek forgiveness, Noll finally understands true love of a free heart-along with true sacrifice. Nobody's Pawn, Book Three in The Never Veil Series, releases October 25th, 2016 from Patchwork Press. Enjoy a free sample on Wattpad! Praise for Nobody's Goddess, Book One: "There are many terrestrial qualities to this 16th-century village, such as mountains, meadows, forests, and lakes. But there are also hints of magic throughout . . . the story is fun and engaging, featuring a female protagonist who will resonate with young teens." -School Library Journal
By the Morning Light by MelissaGiorgio
MelissaGiorgio
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For Claudette and Emile Borde, living in the city of Ayres and working on their parents' farm has never been enough. Influenced by stories of the past, in which magic was real and the dragons still lived, the siblings have always dreamed of leaving their city behind and embarking on their own adventures. But as squires training to become full-fledged knights, they must renounce magic, for it was magic that nearly tore the world apart during the old wars. When the carnival comes to the city, Claudette meets Aeonia, and the two become fast friends. But Aeonia is no simple girl playing at fortune telling-she can wield magic, and it's both breathtaking and volatile. Torn between upholding her duty as a squire and keeping a secret for her friend, Claudette must decide where her loyalties lie. Is this the adventure she's always craved, or is she dooming her city and her loved ones by remaining silent? Set in the same world as The Fading Dusk, By the Morning Light is a brand new adventure by author Melissa Giorgio that sets up the third book in the Smoke and Mirrors series.
Fall Far from the Tree Preview by AmyMcNulty
AmyMcNulty
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Terror. Callousness. Denial. Rebellion. How the four teenage children of leaders in the duchy and the neighboring empire of Hanaobi choose to adapt to their nefarious parents' whims is a matter of survival. Rohesia, daughter of the duke, spends her days hunting "outsiders," fugitives who've snuck onto her father's island duchy. That she lives when even children who resemble her are subject to death hardens her heart to tackle the task. Fastello is the son of the "king" of the raiders who steal from the rich and share with the poor. When aristocrats die in the raids, Fastello questions what his peoples' increasingly wicked methods of survival have cost them. An orphan raised by a convent of mothers, Cateline can think of no higher aim in life than to serve her religion, even if it means turning a blind eye to the suffering of other orphans under the mothers' care. Kojiro, new heir to the Hanaobi empire, must avenge his people against the "barbarians" who live in the duchy, terrified the empress, his own mother, might rather see him die than succeed. When the paths of these four young adults cross, they must rely on one another for survival--but the love of even a malevolent guardian is hard to leave behind. FALL FAR FROM THE TREE is now available in paperback and e-book from Patchwork Press: https://books2read.com/fallfarfromthetree
Foregone Task of a Shinto Priestess by AmyMcNulty
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A kami (Japanese god) watches a modern miko (Shinto priestess) and yearns for the days in which the miko truly believed they were his brides. "Gliding on the breath of spring, Crimson petals of the sakura cascade around her." A poem by the author of Nobody's Goddess (Never Veil Series Book One), written while in college.
The Fading Dusk (Smoke and Mirrors #1) Preview by MelissaGiorgio
MelissaGiorgio
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In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic. Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars. Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side? Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
The Sight Seer (Silver Moon Saga #1) Preview by MelissaGiorgio
MelissaGiorgio
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Gabi Harkins likes to think she's a pretty normal sixteen-year-old. She goes to school, suffers though an awful part-time job, and deals with a bratty younger sister. But when a potential shoplifter morphs into a monster right in front of her, Gabi realizes her life is far from normal-especially when that monster follows her home and ends up battling a boy wielding a sword in her backyard. The boy, Rafe Fitzgerald, is a member of Silver Moon, an organization devoted to eradicating demons before they kill humans. If this little bit of news isn't earth-shattering enough, Rafe reveals that he needs Gabi's help. As strong as Rafe is, he does not possess the Sight-a rare ability that allows a hunter to See through a demon's glamour, enabling them to strike before the demon does. But guess who does? While Gabi is reluctant to face another demon, she knows she owes Rafe big time for saving her. Together, they're thrown headfirst into heart-stopping situations as they battle newer and more frightening demons. When she starts to fall for Rafe, Gabi knows her normal life is gone forever.