Thalassic Series by Liz Shipton

"I'd rather be a savage with you...than be civilized on my own."Jameson Briggs grew up in a savage world.A survivor of the pandemic. An orphan at twelve. A brilliant poet, bullied for his words. A cutthroat pirate, ruthlessly hunted.But when a disastrous shipwreck leaves him stranded in a foreign city, Jameson finds himself starting over in a world that is savage in a whole new way. Political maneuvering. Deception. Wealth. Beautiful women.Beautiful dangerous women... more"I'd rather be a savage with you...than be civilized on my own."Jameson Briggs grew up in a savage world.A survivor of the pandemic. An orphan at twelve. A brilliant poet, bullied for his words. A cutthroat pirate, ruthlessly hunted.But when a disastrous shipwreck leaves him stranded in a foreign city, Jameson finds himself starting over in a world that is savage in a whole new way. Political maneuvering. Deception. Wealth. Beautiful women.Beautiful dangerous women.Like Zahara and Petra - daughters of the city's most powerful CEO and heirs to a tech fortune. As Jameson grows closer to their family, his world spirals and he is drawn into a tangled web of lies and corruption. Jameson must will he rise above it?Or will he become a savage?This is a standalone origin story for the villain in the Thalassic Series. You DO NOT need to have read the series before you read it! In fact, this makes a nice entry point to the series. It is a spicy, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-love romance between a morally-gray pirate and rich man's daughter. In it, you'll find the following - Touch her and die- Villain gets the girl- Fish-out-of-water- Found family- Badass women- Love triangle- Pirates- Dystopian world- Plot twists- Fast-paced, high-stakes adventure- More snarky banter than you ever thought possible.TRIGGER This book contains cheating. This guy is a villain. He is morally gray (and it is a pretty dark shade of gray.) less

What do you do with a drunken sailor when the world is underwater? In a brutal dystopian water world, where survival depends on sailing, skill, and smarts, Bird Howsley is a beautiful disaster. A drunken sailor, a sharp-tongued back-talker, and a magnet for chaos, Bird is one bad decision away from watching her life go completely down the drain. Her only lifeline? Level-headed sailing teacher, Sargo Paz... moreWhat do you do with a drunken sailor when the world is underwater? In a brutal dystopian water world, where survival depends on sailing, skill, and smarts, Bird Howsley is a beautiful disaster. A drunken sailor, a sharp-tongued back-talker, and a magnet for chaos, Bird is one bad decision away from watching her life go completely down the drain. Her only lifeline? Level-headed sailing teacher, Sargo Paz. Sargo is a second-generation immigrant striving to prove himself in a city where no one looks like him, and despite Bird's salty demeanor, he seems determined not to give up on her. But when a cryptic message from her dead brother sets Bird on a quest to find answers about her past, one reckless act puts her and Sargo in the crosshairs of a dangerous underground organization hell-bent on their demise. Forced to flee their hometown, they embark on a treacherous voyage across the Salt, where pirates, perilous seas and close quarters stir up emotions neither of them expected—and they discover that the organization they're running from holds darker secrets than they ever imagined... THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT AND SCENES DEPICTING EXPLICIT ACTIVITY. If you would prefer an edition of this book without explicit scenes, look for the Young Adult (YA) edition on my website at shop dot lizshipton dot com. Editorial reviews: "There is so much to love about this book! The characters are beautiful and broken. The setting is unique, dangerous, and fun...Seriously, if you haven't read this book, read it now! It's so good!" Starr Z. Davies, award-winning dystopian author From the author: For fans of the Hunger Games, ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, Gideon the Ninth, and Waterworld, this series is a spicy, (very) slow burn adventure romance with the following tropes: - forced proximity - opposites attract - friends-to-lovers - first love - trainwreck FMC - cinnamon roll MMC with crispy edges - one bed (in book two) - who did this - found family - animal companion - fast-paced, high-stakes adventure - mental health rep (and addiction) - LGBTQ+ rep less

It is not the Salt we conquer. It is ourselves.Bird's life takes a heart-wrenching turn when she learns that Sargo has been abducted to a city eight thousand miles across the Salt. She faces a daunting realization – if she ever wants to see him again, she must embark on a treacherous voyage to get him back......alone.Fueled by desperate determination, Bird sets out to rescue the friend she is falling in love with... moreIt is not the Salt we conquer. It is ourselves.Bird's life takes a heart-wrenching turn when she learns that Sargo has been abducted to a city eight thousand miles across the Salt. She faces a daunting realization – if she ever wants to see him again, she must embark on a treacherous voyage to get him back......alone.Fueled by desperate determination, Bird sets out to rescue the friend she is falling in love with. But every step closer to Sargo unravels more unsettling revelations about his captors...and forces Bird to confront difficult truths about herself that could reshape her destiny forever. less

Rock bottom is just a pit stop. In the aftermath of a devastating showdown thousands of miles from home, Bird sinks into an abyss of despair. Powerless, abandoned by hope, and plagued by defeat, she faces a moment of reckoning. But when a shocking revelation exposes a sinister plot that jeopardizes the very future of humanity, Bird realizes she can no longer wallow in defeat... moreRock bottom is just a pit stop. In the aftermath of a devastating showdown thousands of miles from home, Bird sinks into an abyss of despair. Powerless, abandoned by hope, and plagued by defeat, she faces a moment of reckoning. But when a shocking revelation exposes a sinister plot that jeopardizes the very future of humanity, Bird realizes she can no longer wallow in defeat. The lives of those she loves hang in the balance, and in order to save them she must confront the darkest corners of her soul. Bird is forced to make a pivotal choice. Will she start down a path of redemption and transform her deepest vulnerabilities into extraordinary strengths? Or will she succumb to the engulfing darkness that threatens to swallow her whole? This series is a spicy, (very) slow burn, forced proximity, opposites attract, friends-to-lovers, first-love romance between a badass/trainwreck FMC and a cinnamon roll MMC with crispy edges. You'll find one bed, who did this, found family, and animal companion tropes, plus fast-paced, high-stakes adventure, mental health rep, LGBTQ+ rep, disability rep, and tons of well-drawn characters from all over the world. This book was previously published under the title "Soul and Flame." THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. YOU CAN BUY A VERSION WITHOUT EXPLICIT CONTENT DIRECT FROM ME AT SHOP DOT LIZSHIPTON DOT COM less

IN THE DREAM, THERE IS A WALL.It’s been a year since Sargo carried Bird out of Brume headquarters on Z-Day, soaked in her blood.Since then, life has been the way he likes it. Stable. Orderly. Everything in its place.But the cracks are beginning to show. Living with Bird is not easy. And political tension crackles just below the surface of the city, ready to ignite... moreIN THE DREAM, THERE IS A WALL.It’s been a year since Sargo carried Bird out of Brume headquarters on Z-Day, soaked in her blood.Since then, life has been the way he likes it. Stable. Orderly. Everything in its place.But the cracks are beginning to show. Living with Bird is not easy. And political tension crackles just below the surface of the city, ready to ignite.When Bird goes missing after a chilling attack, Sargo finds himself at the center of a deadly plot that makes him question everything he thought he knew about her, his friends, and the city he calls home.Can he find Bird before the Exiters drag the world into inter-dimensional war? Does he even want to find her?And what is with this wall he can’t stop dreaming about?There is something behind that wall…he has no doubt about that.Told from Sargo's POV, this is a slightly darker, faster burn, enemies-to-lovers romance featuring your favorite cinnamon roll with crispy edges. In it, you'll find the following tropes:- love triangle- animal companion- found family- sexual awakening- light kink exploration- high-stakes adventure- LGBTQ+ rep less

Paso a Paso. Step by step.On the surface, Sargo’s path seems get to Bird. Infiltrate the Exiters. Bring them to justice.But the way forward could not be more confusing.Navigating his feelings for Bird, his feelings for Johnny, and his newly discovered identity while simultaneously fooling the Exiters seems like an impossible task.And the deeper he gets into the organization, the more their rhetoric starts to make sense... morePaso a Paso. Step by step.On the surface, Sargo’s path seems get to Bird. Infiltrate the Exiters. Bring them to justice.But the way forward could not be more confusing.Navigating his feelings for Bird, his feelings for Johnny, and his newly discovered identity while simultaneously fooling the Exiters seems like an impossible task.And the deeper he gets into the organization, the more their rhetoric starts to make sense. Is he falling for their propaganda? Or is Bird right? Are the Exiters humanity’s only hope?Sargo has never felt so lost. All he can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other.“Paso a paso. Un paso a la vez.”Step by step. One step at a time. less

Scourge (Book Zero)THEY SAILED A THOUSAND MILES...AND WERE FORBIDDEN TO COME ASHORE.The year is 2172. The world is mostly water. Marlin Paz and her pregnant girlfriend arrive in the harbor city of Brume after forty-two harrowing days at sea only to find themselves forbidden to go ashore.Meanwhile, Axioma Nation, CEO of the world's leading corporation, struggles to solve the climate refugee crisis... moreScourge (Book Zero)THEY SAILED A THOUSAND MILES...AND WERE FORBIDDEN TO COME ASHORE.The year is 2172. The world is mostly water. Marlin Paz and her pregnant girlfriend arrive in the harbor city of Brume after forty-two harrowing days at sea only to find themselves forbidden to go ashore.Meanwhile, Axioma Nation, CEO of the world's leading corporation, struggles to solve the climate refugee crisis. But when an urgent message from a colleague overseas comes through, Axioma realizes that the climate is the least of her worries.And thousands of miles away, in the ravaged heartland of the State, Heron Howsley must reckon with her family's legacy and her own demons while facing down tornados and discovering that her love for her hometown runs deeper than she knew...Seed (Book 0.5)DON'T MAKE FRIENDS. DON'T GET MURDEREDThe world is over. The virus took everything. Heron Howsley and her cat Zig Zag flee the tornado-ravaged Alley for a climate refugee camp on the West Coast.Heron has a hole in her heart the size and shape of the love she just lost, and she has only two rules: don't make friends, don't get murdered.But when she spots a lonely hitchhiker on the side of the road, she breaks Rule One and stops to pick him up.That act sparks a chain of events that forces Heron to reconcile with demons both old and new: the past she thought she'd left behind, the sister she thought was dead, and the future she may not be a part of.----------------This is a spicy, new adult prequel to the dystopian Thalassic Series. You'll find slow burn romance, snarky banter, friends-to-lovers and animal companion tropes, LGBTQ+ rep (including a WFW scene) and a diverse cast of well-drawn characters.IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER, LOOK ELSEWHERE.THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. less