mcnelliswrites's Reading List
3 stories
The Plague Doctor's Daughter by rskovach
rskovach
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[2021 WATTYS Winner] Giovanna joins a handsome nobleman to save a friend from an arranged marriage, but they discover a plot that may have victims of Venice's Black Death rising from their graves. * * * As a child, Giovanna Visconti learned the arts of bloodletting and elixir brewing from her father with an intent to simply support his work, not take it over. But when he falls ill from the pestilence that's been ravaging Venice for months, she reluctantly dons the beaked mask of the plague doctor. Vowing to protect her father however she can, Giovanna hides him away and sees her first patient--the handsome, but alarmingly feverish Matteo Barozzi. Although she successfully treats this son of a high-ranking official, in a careless moment Giovanna fails to properly conceal her identity. The only reason she isn't tossed into a dank jail cell is thanks to the young man's honor and feelings of indebtedness. The association between the charming aristocrat and the clever commoner should end there, but when Giovanna's dearest friend goes missing right after her betrothal to the Doge's son and amid strange reports of nighttime attacks, violent commotions, and inexplicable behaviors in the community, the only person Giovanna can turn to for help is Matteo. Together, they must carefully navigate Venice's increasingly deadly canals to uncover a sect peddling false cures and a smuggling plot involving the highest levels of government or risk the entire Republic falling victim to something even worse than the plague: the risen dead. Historical Fiction with Fantasy Elements THE BORGIAS X FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH * * * WATTYS 2021 winner for Historical Fiction and special HQ prize for "Catchiest Hook" AMBYS 2022 winner for Best Zombie story Content Warning for adult situations including assault and death.
Anonymous by CayleighKennedy
CayleighKennedy
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Chloe wants to show the kingdom of Sarias, where music is everything, that song should be filled with emotion and passion. But living in the shadow of her popstar step-sister, she has no choice but to hide who she is, even when her voice captures Prince Ethan Alexander's heart... ***** In the kingdom of Sarias, popularity and worth are defined by a ranking on Musetunes. Music is how every Ace in the land discovers their mate. Only when two Aces sing to each other can they find their true love. Chloe Leighton has decided to give singing a try - as long as no one finds out who she is. There is no profile picture. No age. No name. Just Anonymous. That's how she must stay. But can she hide her identity when she gets to the top of the charts? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]] Cover designed by April Alforque
The Lady Pursues by AbbyWheelerRomance
AbbyWheelerRomance
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2019 WATTY WINNER FOR HISTORICAL FICTION. Charity loves Ian. Ian thinks Charity is an incorrigible flirt and he is certainly not tempted. Not one bit! Or at least that's what he tells himself... Bright, optimistic, and a bit naïve, Charity Crewe has always been in love with Ian Douglass. And it would certainly help if he loved her back... just a little bit! Though Ian was raised on the estate and generously given lessons with the Crewe siblings, no one, especially Ian, has ever forgotten he is the housekeeper's son. Charity might not care what anyone thinks of her, but Ian certainly does, so he is determined to protect her reputation as well as his own. He's worked too hard to secure his position to risk his livelihood, not to mention his mother's. He has discouraged her affections at every turn... with only a few moments of weakness. However, while Charity is away gaining some polish, circumstances drastically change and Charity must decide if she is willing to risk everything, even complete and utter ruin, in pursuit of the man she loves. Authors notes: This is Book One of The Crewe Legacy, a four-book series in progress, involving the Crewe siblings and other characters you'll meet along the way. I hope you enjoy Ian and Charity's story and that everyone else intrigues you! CONTENT WARNING: this story contains some mature sexual content, descriptions of spousal abuse, child abuse, murder, and suicide.