In the dark, mystical heart of London, Valyrian Jacyn, a fourth-generation sorcerer, stumbles upon an ancient grimoire known as the Enchiridion Greco Daemons. This dusty tome, discovered in the cryptic basement of the Bloodfluke Manor, once belonging to his enigmatic Great Grandmother, the Witch Wilhelmina Bloodfluke, holds the key to a world of arcane secrets and forbidden rituals. As Valyrian delves deeper into the grimoire's pages, he unravels a tapestry of eerie and enchanting history surrounding the Bloodfluke Manor. The manor's legacy is steeped in darkness, rife with stories of malevolent spirits, hidden chambers, and a lineage of powerful witches and sorcerers. Among the grimoire's chilling incantations and ominous instructions, one particular ritual stands out—the capture of a muse. Valyrian, drawn by the allure of this forbidden act, decides to partake in the ritual, ensnaring the muse Euterpe in a web of magic and desire. With Euterpe as his captive muse, Valyrian's dreams of rock and roll stardom begin to take shape. His band, "Valyrian and the Misfits," rises to fame with the enchanting compositions Euterpe provides, compositions infused with otherworldly power that captivates audiences far and wide. Yet, beneath the surface, Euterpe's growing resentment simmers. Her once-enchanting music becomes tainted with a dark undertone as she yearns for her freedom. Amidst Valyrian's success, his inner struggle with newfound power and the consequences of his actions deepen. Paranoia creeps into his life, and a rival sorcerer, Geoffrey Fitzaidan, learns of Valyrian's secret, setting the stage for a dangerous confrontation. Euterpe, determined to turn the tables, hatches a plan to break free from her captor's grasp. Valyrian's life takes a sinister turn as the muse's powers begin to manifest in ways he never anticipated. Throughout this twisted tale, Valyrian maintains a conversant tone, sometimes breaking the fourth wall with dark humor. As he navigates the treacherous waters of fame, power, and magic, he grapples with his own demons while facing external threats from rival sorcerers and the captive muse herself. In a climactic showdown between Valyrian and Euterpe, the consequences of their actions unravel, and the true price of power becomes evident. Dark humor weaves through the narrative, providing a unique perspective on a tale of redemption and transformation. The story takes an unexpected turn in the epilogue when the mysterious narrator is unmasked as none other than Wilhelmina Bloodfluke, Valyrian's great-grandmother. Her enigmatic presence throughout the tale leaves room for interpretation, adding a cryptic twist to the narrative's conclusion. "Sorcerer's Serenade: A Muse’s Captive Descent" is a dark fantasy novel that explores the intricate interplay of music, magic, and the human psyche. With its conversational tone, dark humor, and enigmatic twists, it invites readers to ponder the depths of redemption and the enduring power of the arcane.

Elsa Morante is one of the titans of twentieth-century literature—Natalia Ginzburg said she was the writer of her own generation that she most admired—and yet her work remains little known in the United States. Written during World War II, Morante’s celebrated first novel, Lies and Sorcery, is in the grand tradition of Stendhal, Tolstoy, and Proust, spanning the lives of three generations of wildly eccentric women. The story is set in Sicily and told by Elisa, orphaned young and raised by a “fallen woman.” For years Elisa has lived in an imaginary world of her own; now, however, her guardian has died, and the young woman feels that she must abandon her fantasy life to confront the truth of her family’s tortured and dramatic history. Elisa is a seductive, if less than reliable, spinner of stories, and the reader is drawn into a tale of secrets, intrigue, and treachery, which, as it proceeds, is increasingly revealed to be an exploration of a legacy of political and social injustice. Throughout, Morante’s elegant writing—and her drive to get at the heart of her characters’ complex relationships and all-too self-destructive behavior—holds us spellbound.

Librarian Rebecca Jones has always found solace in books. The death of her grandmother leaves her alone in the world. An inherited old Welsh scroll renews her desire to find the father she never knew. She hopes fairytale Wiccan Haus will yield the answers she needs. Descendant of the inspiration for the Merlin legend… Ian Branson lives with the responsibility of protecting humans and paranormal beings. He takes an impromptu vacation with the Rowans of Wiccan Haus, seeking healing for his out of control psychic abilities. As soon as Ian meets Becca, he feels the pull of his soul mate. Love has no place in his life, but he cannot deny the peace only she can provide. Becca finds her Welsh knight in shining armor to translate her scroll, but passion tempts her from her quest to find her father. As their relationship blooms, Ian fears putting another loved one in jeopardy. A tryst isn’t enough but Ian’s charmed solution goes awry. With his emotions into a tailspin, he is forced to sacrifice his pride and ask the formidable eldest Rowan for help. Will Sarka’s magic reverse the sorcerer’s spell and will Becca accept Ian’s legacy and her own?

The Yorre Chronicles is a fantasy-humor series of novels. Presented in the form of episodes and various tales and legends, they form an entertaining ensemble while being a true work of fantasy that will please all fans of the genre. Sorcerer of Yorre is the first volume of the collection and exposes the general geography as well as the social structures and magic system. The novel begins in a world without witchcraft, but which will eventually return in The Scepter of Time, the cycle’s pivotal chapter. The adventure continues in Rush to Mount Regal, then in The Silent Kingdom where we will meet the Unspeakables. Finally, much is revealed about the nature of the Levandi Modo in the last episode, The Forges of Valdor. Meanwhile, amid tales, legends, and scrolls of the dead seal, we learn more about The Guilds of Yorre, Concerning Trolls, and the founding of New Sinisteros.

Often regarded as an artistic movement of interwar Paris, Surrealism comprised an international community of artists, writers, and intellectuals who have aspired to change the conditions of life itself over the course of the past century. Consisting of a wide range of dedicated case studies from the 1920s to the 1970s, this book highlights the international dimensions of the Surrealist Movement, and the radical chains of thought that linked its followers across the globe: from France to Romania, and from Canada to the former Czechoslovakia. From very early on, the surrealists approached magic as a means of bypassing, discrediting, and combatting rationalism, capitalism, and other institutionalized systems and values that they saw to be constraining influences upon modern life. Surrealist Sorcery maps out how this interest in magic developed into a major area of surrealist research that led not only to theoretical but also practical explorations of the subject. Taking an international perspective, Atkin surveys this important quality of the movement and how it's remained an important element in the surrealist project and its ongoing legacy.

The obstacles in their way, including an evangelical missionary who wants to westernize the tribe and a hostile, mysteriously powerful tribal shaman who holds his secret knowledge in a perilously tight grip, make their mission difficult and dangerous. What they learn in the rainforest changes David forever."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes 2019 RITA® Award Novella Finalist THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER! Now on sale for $2.99 WINTER'S WEB BY JENNIFER ESTEP An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re Gin Blanco. This Spider is trapped in someone else’s icy web—and it seems like they don’t want her to leave the faire alive . . . A WILDERNESS OF GLASS BY GRACE DRAVEN The stretch of sea known as the Gray rules the lives of those in the village of Ancilar, including widow Brida Gazi. In the aftermath of an autumn storm, Brida discovers one of the sea's secrets cast onto the shore—a discovery that will change her world, mend her soul, and put her in the greatest danger she's ever faced. A CURSE FOR SPRING BY AMANDA BOUCHET A malevolent spell strangles the kingdom of Leathen in catastrophic drought. Prince Daric must break the curse before his people starve. A once-mighty goddess trapped in a human body might be the key—but saving his kingdom could mean losing all that he loves. THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER BY JEFFE KENNEDY As unofficial consort to the High Queen, former mercenary Harlan Konyngrr faces a challenge worse than looming war and fearsome dragons. His long-held secrets threaten what he loves most—and he must make a choice between vows to two women.