His Majesty Wrath has returned! God save the King! But The King, book twelve in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, isn’t the only para-rom coming out this month. There are twenty-eight other novels vying for our attention, including series additions from, among others, Jennifer Ashley (Shifters Unbound), Laura Kaye (Hearts of the Anemoi), Keri Arthur (Damask Circle), Jacquelyn Frank (The World of Nightwalkers), Kerrelyn Sparks (Love at Stake), Cynthia Eden (Phoenix Fire), Debbie Viguie (Witch Hunt), and Hanna Martine (The Elementals).
Fiction Affliction details releases in science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and “genre-benders.” Keep track of them all here.
Note: All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher.
WEEK ONE
Circle of Blood (Witch Hunt #3)—Debbie Viguie (April 1, Signet)
All her life, Samantha Ryan has been haunted by a circle of blood, which she has tried to keep at bay, ever since she escaped a vicious Salem coven of witches as a child. But now her carefully constructed life has given way to the darkness she might have embraced, had she not run away. Angry, focused, and more than willing to use her powers on anyone who gets in her way, Samantha travels to New Orleans to confront Lilith Black, the witch who has been mercilessly shaping events around her for months. But little does Samantha know that her own nightmarish past and Lilith’s are inescapably intertwined, and that what Lilith wants most of all is for Samantha to suffer until her final breath.
Circle of Desire (Damask Circle #3)—Keri Arthur (April 1, Dell)
Two children have been found dead, their souls torn from their bodies. Two more are missing, and Ethan Morgan’s niece is one of them. Ethan has every intention of bringing her back alive and catching the monster behind these kidnappings. The victims rarely stay alive for more than seven days. Four of those days have already passed. In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything that goes after kids the way this monster does. The last thing Kat needs is interference from a cop who has no idea what he’s up against. The greatest threat to Kat may come not from the forces of darkness, but from the man she is beginning to love. Ethan is a werewolf, and the full moon is rising. (U.S.)
Creators (The Lost Souls #3)—Tiffany Truitt (April 1, Entangled Teen)
Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers. As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators, the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything.
Drowning in Fire (The Elementals #3)—Hanna Martine (April 1 Berkley)
In his last audience with the Senatus, Griffin hoped to establish a connection between his water-wielding race and the other elementals. He found himself drawn into an affair with the Chimeran general Keko. When it ended, Griffin was banned from the Senatus and Keko was stripped of her status. Just as Griffin is given a second chance to prove himself worthy of a Senatus seat, he gets a call from Keko. She wants to hear his voice one last time before embarking on a suicide mission to save her people and redeem her name. Members of the Senatus want her stopped. Griffin volunteers to go after her. As he tracks Keko through the Hawaiian wilderness, she leads him to the source of all fire magic. Will the intense power they discover draw them back together or destroy them both?
Ghost Seer (Ghost Seer #1)—Robin D. Owens (April 1, Berkley)
When her eccentric aunt passes away, no-nonsense accountant Clare Cermac inherits more than just a small fortune. She receives the gift of communicating with ghosts. While Clare may not believe in spirits, it’s hard to overlook the shadowy talking dog appearing on her bed or spectral cowboys tipping their hats to her in the streets of Denver. When she locks eyes with sexy, and living, Zach Slade, there’s certainly no ignoring him either. A former deputy sheriff, Zach is leaving a painful past behind in Montana for a new life in Denver as a private investigator, a job that has him crossing paths with beautiful Clare. Not that she minds. After the restless ghost of a Wild West gunman demands her assistance, Clare finds herself needing Zach more and more, and not just for help.
Immortal Hunter (Execution Underground #2)—Kait Ballenger (April 1, Harlequin HQN)
As an exorcist, David Aronowitz grew up the target of demonic assassins. Now he’s a member of the Execution Underground, and hellspawn everywhere fear his name. But when a demon slips into the seductive body of the only woman he’s ever loved, David must confront the heartbreak of their past to save her. The piece of her heart Allsun O’Hare gave to David so long ago left her trapped between two worlds: the Fae and the human. And when David comes to her rescue, fate reunites her with her greatest temptation, and her biggest mistake. Now, as they’re swept together into a wicked game with the demon who controls her, David must decide if saving Allsun’s life is worth sacrificing his own, and the future of humanity itself. (Digital first; print in May 2014.)
My Not So Super Sweet Life—Rachel Harris (April 1, Entangled Teen)
Young Adult. Cat Crawford just wants to be normal, or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. It looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. Until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter. Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over. Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged. Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together, this time, it’s their own insecurities. Well, and the stalkerazzi. (Digital)
Prince’s Fire (Hearts and Thrones #3)—Amy Raby (April 1, Signet)
The imperial princess has been offered in marriage to the Prince of Inya as part of an alliance needed to ensure Kjall’s military prowess. Despite having been hurt in the past by men using her to gain power, Celeste finds herself falling for the fire mage. Prince Rayn has no intention of allying his country with the militaristic Kjallans. His political enemies at home may be the greater threat. The princess’s beauty and intelligence catch him off guard, throwing an unexpected and dangerous hurdle in the way of his plans. As a deadly political plot threatens Rayn’s life, the attraction between Celeste and Rayn ignites into a sizzling affair. To save her people and herself, Celeste will have to discover if Rayn’s intentions are true or risk having her love burn her yet again.
The King (Black Dagger Brotherhood #12)—J.R. Ward (April 1, NAL)
After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle, with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything, and everyone, at risk. Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response, or the distance it creates between them. The question is, will true love win out, or tortured legacy take over?
Turned (The Belladonna Agency #1)—Virna DePaul (April 1, Bantam)
Ever since he was turned, FBI special agent Ty Duncan has had one mission: bring rogue vampires to justice. As a recruiter for Belladonna, a shadow agency formed to keep vampires in check, Ty must tap Ana Martin, a troubled ex-gang member and one of the few mortals who can infiltrate places that his kind and the law cannot. Ty fights a hunger to make Ana his own. When Ty claims to have information about Ana’s missing sister, Ana has no choice but to trust this captivating stranger who awakens her deepest desires. As she and Ty climb the heights of pleasure and passion, an enemy is conspiring to destroy them both. Can Ana help Ty find his humanity in a love that could heal them both, or will their passion lead them into a darkness impossible to escape?
Unbound (The Forbidden Bond #1)—Cat Miller (April 1, Montlake Romance)
College is supposed to be a time of discovery. Danielle Vaughn never imaged it would be like this: heightened senses, supernatural powers, and a sudden craving for human blood. Dani is a demi-vamp, the daughter of a human psychic and a vampire noble. As Dani’s heritage manifests itself, her thirst for blood is matched only by her hunger for Chase Diedrick. As the son of the Vampire Council’s most powerful ruling family, Chase is already promised to another. There’s no shortage of men who are eager to satisfy her every need, including the alluring vampire Kayden. Her heightened powers of telepathy and telekinesis attract the attention of a rogue vamp who preys on gifted vampires. Dani must seek the Council’s help to quickly master her new vampire life or risk losing it.
Wild Wolf (Shifters Unbound #6)—Jennifer Ashley (April 1, Berkley)
Graham McNeil knows that his pack is unruly, but he’s not sure he can take the next step toward pack stability. After losing his first mate long ago, Graham has worked hard to keep his heart in check. Besides, even if he was inclined to choose a new mate, his girlfriend, Misty, is human, a fact that won’t sit well with Graham’s old-fashioned pack. But Misty is going through a crisis of her own, one that brings danger and death to the pack. With the wolves doubly convinced that there needs to be a shake-up, Graham must now defend his leadership and save the woman he has grown to love, before Shiftertown is pulled into an all-out war.
Twisted Miracles (The Shadowminds #1)—A.J. Larrieu (April 7, Carina Press)
Cass knows it was her telekinetic gift that killed a college classmate five years back. She’s lived in hiding from her fellow shadowminds ever since, plagued by guilt and suppressing her abilities with sedatives. Her past walks back into her life in the form of sexy Shane Tanner, the ex-boyfriend who trained her, and the one she left without saying goodbye. When Shane tells her that his twin sister, Mina, Cass’s childhood friend, is missing, Cass vows to help, which means returning to New Orleans. As Cass and Shane race to learn who is targeting shadowminds, they find themselves drawn to each other. Just as their powerful intimacy reignites, events take a terrifying turn, and Cass realizes that to save the people she loves, she must embrace the powers that ruined her life. (Digital)
WEEK TWO
Darkest Flame: Part One—Donna Grant (April 8, St. Martin’s)
Denae Lacroix is a beautiful MI5 agent on a deadly mission. Sent to the Scottish Highlands to spy on the mysterious Dreagan Industries, she discovers too late that she’s been set up, as human bait. She is an irresistible lure for a man who has not seen or touched a woman for centuries. He is a man with a destiny, and a desire, that could destroy them both. It’s been twelve hundred years since Kellan has walked among humans, and there’s no denying the erotically charged attraction he feels for Denae. But as a Dragon King, he is sworn to protect his secrets. Yet the closer he gets to this smart, ravishing woman, the more her life is in danger. All it takes is one reckless kiss to unleash a flood of desire, the fury of dragons, and the fiercest enemy of all. (Digital. Look for other installments released on April 15, April 22, and April 29.)
Plus One—Elizabeth Fama (April 8, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Young Adult. Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge, a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece, a day dweller, or Ray, she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray. Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.
Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born #1)—Angela Dennis (April 8, Samhain)
After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. There’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash. Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. He begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman. An attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets. (Digital)
The Here and Now—Ann Brashares (April 8, Delacorte)
Young Adult. This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time, a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.
Toxic Heart (Mystic City #2)—Theo Lawrence (April 8, Delacorte)
Young Adult. A city in flames. A trust betrayed. A perfect love destroyed. Has Aria lost Hunter, her one true love? Ever since rebellion broke out in Mystic City, pitting the ruling elite against the magic-wielding mystics, Aria has barely seen her boyfriend. Not surprising, since Hunter is the leader of the mystic uprising, and he’ll do whatever it takes to win freedom for his people, even if that means using Aria. But Aria is no one’s pawn. She believes she can bring the two warring sides together, save the city, and win back the Hunter she fell in love with. Before she can play peacemaker, though, Aria will need to find the missing heart of a dead mystic. The heart gives untold powers to whoever possesses it, but finding it means seeking out a fierce enemy whose deepest desire is for Aria to be gone, forever.
WEEK THREE
Forbidden (The Soulkeepers #1)—Lori Adams (April 15, Flirt)
When Sophia St. James learns that she’ll be moving from Los Angeles to a podunk town somewhere in Connecticut for her senior year of high school, she isn’t expecting an otherworldly encounter. Haven Hurst is home to a family of Guardian Angels, and she is the only one who can see them in spirit form. Sophia realizes she wants to see much more of Michael, an irresistible Guardian who seems drawn to her too. As Michael battles his forbidden desire for the young newcomer, one of Hell’s most notorious Demon Knights arrives. Dante has come to claim the reincarnated soul of his lost lover trapped in Sophia. Cursed with the demon of Persuasion living inside him, Dante will use his seductive charms to lure Sophia into a dangerous game that ends with the kiss of death, unless Michael, who has captured Sophia’s heart, can now capture her soul. (Digital)
WEEK FOUR
East of Ecstasy (Hearts of the Anemoi #4)—Laura Kaye (April 22, Entangled Select)
Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her painting dispels. The colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future. Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. He never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal. Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm. In the Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever.
The Curse of the Brimstone Contract—Corrina Lawson (April 22, Samhain)
Magic existed at the fringes until Prince Albert discovered he was a mage. He and others like him are leading a revolution in steam technology that’s held tight in the grip of the upper classes. Gregor Sherringford lives in working-class London, investigating cases involving magic among the lower classes. He’s never met a client quite like Joan Krieger. Joan s dream was to lead a fashion revolution designing women s clothing. Her richest client mysteriously dies outside her shop, it deals a mortal blow to her dreams. She hopes the handsome, enigmatic detective can prove the death a magical murder. She never expected a dark plot would be woven right into the fabric of her family. Cracking the case will mean merging gifts, minds and hearts with the one man who could be her partner in every way. (Digital)
Torn From the Shadows (Sierra Fox #4)—Yolanda Sfetsos (April 22, Samhain)
Sierra Fox knows better than to believe the demon-obsessed freakshow has given up on her. She s settled into a nice routine of living with her sister, enjoying her relationship with a sexy werewolf. Things start falling apart as she’s suddenly swamped with surprise visits and unwanted advances, and someone she despises wants her help. She encounters a man who s not quite as dead as she’d hoped. Mace is now more than human and still determined to get his hands on her. Not if Sierra accepts the strengthening gifts her grandmother bestowed at her birth. Sierra refuses to give up or give in. Even if it means exercising the last option on earth she wants. Claiming the ultimate power may not be enough to save the man she loves before his werewolf past destroys him. (Digital)
Ladder to the Red Star (Once Upon a Red World #2)—Jael Wye (April 28, Carina Press)
Jacques Tallinn, biotech smuggler and thief, is after the cure for a brain disorder he’s suffered since childhood. Jacques will need to climb the space elevator to the new Zenith space station hovering above Earth and go undercover in the lab where it’s produced. Martian head tech Devi Chandra is immediately intrigued by her sexy new lab assistant. She finds herself charmed by Jacques. Until he betrays her trust, kidnapping her and spiriting her off to Earth. All Jacques needed to do was steal the biotech and get back home. When things go wrong, he can’t bring himself to leave Devi behind. She’s injured and a simple caper has become an intergalactic cause, endangering his life and the lives of millions of others. The hardest part? Winning back Devi’s trust. (Digital)
Vengeance of the Hunter (Rebels of Adalonia #2)—Angela Highland (April 28, Carina Press)
After nearly being destroyed by a conspiracy within his Order, Kestar faces a crisis. The Knights of the Hawk have always stood against elven magic, but how can he proceed after discovering his own elven heritage? Free of the shackles of the Duke of Shalridan, Faanshi sets out to pursue her destiny with the elves, and finds herself at the head of an open rebellion. Her goddess isn’t done with her yet, and controlling her magic turns into the fight of her life. One she cannot win without both Kestar and Julian by her side. Rattled to his core after Faanshi healed his eye and hand, and haunted by guilt and a growing love for the elven healer, Julian flees. He’ll need all of Faanshi’s faith to turn him from the path of vengeance to help save Kestar, and the whole of Adalonia. (Digital)
Dreams of Lilacs—Lynn Kurland (April 29, Jove)
Isabelle de Piaget is determined to elude her overprotective family by means of a hasty escape to France. She winds up shipwrecked on the French coast with no memory of who she is or how she came to awaken in the castle of an equally brooding lord. Gervase de Seger rescues the girl he finds on the road and puts her to work. He soon realizes that her brother is an intimidating lord who is going to be furious when he learns that his sister has been laboring as a scullery maid. Isabelle may be the one who holds the key to solving Gervase’s most pressing problem: that someone has been trying to finish the task of separating him from his title and his lands. Finding the truth propels Gervase and Isabelle to the realization that love can blossom in the most perilous circumstances, and in the most unexpected places of the heart.
Forged (The World of Nightwalkers #4)—Jacquelyn Frank (April 29, Ballantine)
When Katrina Haynes discovers a large man lying wounded in the snow, she fears he is at death’s door. With an irresistible Scottish brogue and a strange ability to harden his chiseled body like a statue, the stranger awakens a desire she is unable to resist, and a fascination about the world he exists in. As a proud Gargoyle, Ahnvil must safeguard the Nightwalker to whom he’s sworn fealty. As this woman nurses him back to health, arousing an almost uncontrollable hunger within him, he is possessed with the fierce impulse to protect her as well. Kat has placed herself in the middle of a supernatural war, and exposed herself to dark, powerful magic. Kat will discover that despite his intimidating strength and size, one thing Ahnvil does not possess is a heart of stone.
How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying) (Love at Stake #15)—Kerrelyn Sparks (April 29, Avon)
Vampire Zoltan Czakvar is on the hunt for the truth about his father’s death. He’s been searching for a very long time, since 1241, in fact. And he is not about to give up, even when he’s attacked by a woman with striking blue eyes and a hell of a right hook. Neona is also on the hunt. She’s looking for a mate, and she thinks muscled Zoltan will work just fine. After all, men are good for only one thing. Soon, though, she realizes there’s more to this handsome vampire than just sexual prowess. But she’s keeping a secret from Zoltan, something so big that it will rock the vampire world. Can their newfound love survive… even if their passion means the destruction of her world?
Once Bitten, Twice Burned (Phoenix Fire #2)—Cynthia Eden (April 29, Brava)
Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 x 12 cell, it’s not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival, and revenge, are worth waiting for. Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine. Sabine Acadia didn’t volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power, but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she’s fighting an urge to set all her desires free.
Suzanne Johnson is the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series. You can find Suzanne on Facebook and on her daily blog, Preternatura.
