Set in a charming, rural Japanese village, Hana and The Dragon follows Hana, a curious and spirited young girl living a peaceful life surrounded by familial warmth and deep culture. As her village prepares for the annual summer festival, Hana becomes fascinated by local legends about a mysterious dragon rumored to dwell in the nearby Shimizu-gawa river, a guardian figure who hasn't been seen for many years. Driven by her curiosity, Hana uncovers subtle yet puzzling clues suggesting that the dragon might soon return. Unusual occurrences in nature further heighten her suspicions, signaling significant changes in the mortal and supernatural worlds. Determined to unravel the mystery, Hana embarks on an adventurous journey into the heart of her village's history. Along the way, she learns of deep connections linking her family and her community, to the legendary dragon itself. With a thoughtful blend of fantasy, Japanese local folk religion, Japanese Chūbu region cultural traditions, and coming-of-age themes, Hana and The Dragon beautifully captures the essence of family bonds, the importance of bravery, and the richness of cultural legacy through the eyes of an adventurous young protagonist.

[Wattys Shortlist 2025] 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆? Sereia Reuben. Top of her class. Renowned overachiever. Everything she touched turned to gold-until one tragic moment shattered it all. The accident left her in a wheelchair. In its wake came stares, pitying glances, and a haunting question: What good is a girl with dreams, if she can't even stand? She withdrew from everything that once defined her. Frustrated. Bitter. Humiliated. Her pride dragged through the mud, her spark snuffed out by pain and silence. Until one afternoon at the mall. Dragged out by a friend for the first time since the accident, Sereia finds herself suddenly wheeled to a table-his table. Theodore Prescott. Her academic rival, her constant annoyance, the boy she'd sworn to despise. And yet, he doesn't flinch. Doesn't hesitate. Doesn't treat her any differently. And that's where it begins About the girl who couldn't walk, but who learned to stand tall again-even while seated. And the boy who, against all odds, saw her before she could even look in the mirror. This is a story not about sudden miracles, but slow rebuilding. About pain, rage, and fragile hope. Of breaking down, healing slowly, and finding strength-and love-in the most unexpected of places. Highest Ranking: #1 in crippled- July 25th 2025 #1 in wheelchair- August 4th 2025 #6 in clean- September 27th 2025 #5 in resilience - September 29th 2025

When the spirit of a comatose man shows up in front of her, Alexis Howard is determined to help him find his identity. Little does she know, she's about to get sucked into a world of secrets, lies, and murder. *** Alexis Howard can see the dead. A gift that has done her more harm than good. Having been forced to move into a strange small town because of it, Alexis vows to cut all contact with the world of the dead. It's easy at first, especially since there don't seem to be any ghosts in Casa Nova. That is until a comatose patient of hers shows up as one. No, he's not dead. He's just semi-dead. And he has no idea who he is. Oh, and the police think he's a cold-blooded criminal who's involved in the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl. Believing otherwise, Alexis decides to help the spirit find his identity and becomes embroiled in the search for the missing girl. Her investigation also leads to a meeting with a peculiar cat, who seems to be much older than she looks. Just what exactly is the connection between the three? What kind of a cat gets shot and shows up without so much as a scratch a few days later? More importantly, who is John Doe?

For years, Madelyn's worst fears have only resided in her head, feeding off her heightened sense of her surroundings and unfortunate experiences and accidents in her past. That's why her schooling is more than just assignments, tests, and high school drama. The Eralyn Academy of Secondary Education provides her with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to develop her special ability. It's her safe haven, a place where she can strive to one day control her ability and anxiety - at least, it is until things take a deadly turn. When Madelyn is dared to sign up for the school's joke of a dating app, she reluctantly complies. But when she arrives on the first date, she realizes that she's been matched with a dead man. Caught up in an investigation and ruminations running wild, Madelyn seeks to uncover who the real murderer is in a desperate attempt to outrun one increasingly deafening thought: Is she a killer? *Open Door Awards 2024 - Honorable Mention for Mystery/ Thriller 3x Featured: @Fright @Mystery & @Action Trigger Warnings: Themes of death, anxiety/ ocd, and ptsd.

In a war over the food court, an eager barista battles the confident competitor--and her own heart. *** Young barista Cora Chun takes pride in being a Cool Bean, even after years without a promotion. So when Farron Kam, the younger assistant manager of the competing smoothie shop, flaunts her hatred for her job, Cora is determined to crush her to a pulp. What she doesn't expect is for Farron to take her up on the challenge. With that declaration of war, the two begin a battle over the food court: who can serve the most customers, who can close up the fastest, who can grab the last loaf of bread at the supermarket... But as the rivalry begins to blend with romance, Cora has to decide if she is fighting a battle over beverages, or one over her own heart. *** Cover by the great @JustAWannabeWriter30! NOW SERVING: ✓ Sapphic workplace rivals-to-lovers ✓ Genderfluid love interest (with a cool tattoo) (and a motorcycle) ✓ First love and found family ✓ Opposites attract with a height difference ✓ PUNS GALORE FEATURED: ★ @Wattpad Community Pride Recs, Love Games ★ @FreeTheLGBT Pride Awards 2024 - Second Place ★ @Ambassadors Ambassador Reads, @ChickLit Serialized Spotlight, @ContemporaryLit, @lgbtq Word Count: +90k Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romcom, Comedy, New Adult ☆ This story is only available on Wattpad by @laurendoubleu

Aria has always been in love with Rehansh secretly, even when their relationship has merely been friendship in his eyes. So, when she receives an invitation to his wedding, she can't pretend that it doesn't almost kill her to return to her hometown to attend it. But fate, it seems, has other plans. In a twist of cosmic cruelty, Aria met with an accident on the day of Rehansh's wedding falling into the depths of darkness. Yet, Aria wakes up to find herself in a world that defies all logic - a perfect replica of her own, down to the last detail. Is this a cruel trick of fate, or a second chance to live the life she has always yearned for? The cost, however, is a heavy one: to embrace this new reality, she must sever all ties to her former existence, never to return. *** This story is part of ONC2025. Prompt #15: A mysterious tea shop suddenly appears, and you can't help but wonder: what's its true purpose, and why does it seem so important? Prompt #54: One part of the galaxy claims that you and your soulmate aren't compatible, but another part says you're perfect for each other. Which will you believe? *** Disclaimer: This story is exclusively published on Wattpad. If you see it somewhere else, please do inform me.

TweetyWolf (n): someone who pretends to be someone else on TweetyGram to scam others out of their money. *** When 22-year-old aspiring crime journalist Lindsey Darling signs up for the popular social media app TweetyGram, she has only one goal in mind: find a fresh, crime-related story to report. An unexpected reunion with her childhood friends leads her to the hunt for the mysterious Malibu Wolf, who has been scamming die-hard fans of the hit TV show Malibu, 90265. But what begins as a routine investigation quickly turns into a wild-goose chase for perfection, and the more time Lindsey spends on TweetyGram, the more chaotic her life becomes. Soon, she finds herself posing as her annoyingly handsome neighbor's fake girlfriend, pretending to be a member of the Maccheronian royal family, and babysitting an influencer cat. Oh, and then there's that green-eyed monster in her head. With the stakes getting higher and higher, can Lindsey catch the Malibu Wolf and survive the cutthroat world of social media? *** ❤ The Ambys 2024 Favorite - Humor

At the height of the Roaring Twenties, where jazz and danger intertwine, a stunning, mixed-parentage woman named Vivian Mantia finds herself entangled in a world of crime. Working as a barmaid at a glamorous speakeasy, her life takes a dangerous turn when she witnesses a brutal crime committed by one of the city's most notorious mobsters, Antonio Cipriani. Instead of silencing her, the ruthless mobster is strangely captivated by her. As their love blossoms, she finds herself torn between passion and peril. Can she resist the allure of the dark side, or will she succumb to the intoxicating embrace of a man who could destroy her? This is the first book in the series. While you can enjoy it as a standalone, it kicks off a continuous, unfolding journey. To get the full story and see where everything goes, definitely check out the next books in order: 2. Speakeasy 3. Blackout

[Wattys Shortlist - 2025] Hiral Kashyap is a homemaker - conventional and burning, fragile yet unflinching, just another woman smiling through the burns and life. Riddhan Nanda is a dangerous man, a widower - the prime suspect in his wife's murder. A lawyer by profession, he has always straddled the blurred line between power and lies. Bitter by nature and trapped in the chains of patriarchy, he speaks louder than his beliefs. When destiny strikes, secrets unfold, hope shatters, and hearts wither. Twisted and unhinged, Riddhan desires her for a motive, and he won't stop until she gives in. Timid and scared, Hiral picks up the battle, for she is done being treated as dirt and a burden. Passion sparks while enmity intensifies, as they are forced to wrestle for control over their lives, future, past, and present. Join Hiral as she embarks on her journey to find peace and discovers that courage is beyond defeat and love is beyond heart. Flowers are beyond fragrance while life is nothing without a start.

Who said you need a partner to have a family? With the big 35 coming up in a few years, Autumn's "biological" clock is running out and her family doesn't hesitate to remind her. And with each romantic failure, she founds herself dreading the idea of starting one with the wrong man. So when Autumn stumbles across the Western Sperm Bank, her problems are basically solved. Ready to embraced the title of mother full force, the last thing she expects is for her baby daddy walks through the doors of her sister's engagement party. Determined to keep the baby a secret, Autumn knows she needs to keeps him at arm length which ends up being harder then she ever thought possible. With the countdown till their baby's arrival, Autumn needs to decided if she's willing to take one of the biggest risk of her life or tuck tails and run.