Tag: book spotlight

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Book Spotlight Thursday: The Fae of the Fjord by Elle Thrasher

Drawing attention to my Scandinavian blood caught in my book spotlight this week is The Fae of the Fjord by Elle Thrasher. The Fae of the Fjord is a steamy fantasy romance set in modern-day Norway, with heaps of humor, magic, and Scandinavian flair. 

The Fae of the Fjord: A Fantasy Romance (The Nordic Fae Series, Book 1)

Published: August 3, 2023

Genre: Nordic myth, ledgends, fantasy, romance

Features
⦁	Grumpy/sunshine
⦁	Fae fantasy romance
⦁	Who hurt you
⦁	Why choose (MFM)
⦁	Laugh out loud funny
⦁	Spicy

It isn’t Lennie Martin’s fault her cruise ship left without her…
Okay, that’s kind of a lie.
The ship left on schedule, but Lennie is distracted photographing the stunning fjord outside the tiny Norwegian village and loses track of time.
Out of luck, Lennie finds herself stranded in the quirky town until the next boat arrives. When she accidentally punches Espen, a friendly local cop with a penchant for yoga, who turns out to be far more than meets the eye (which in itself is plenty), she propels herself head over heels into a magical mystery the likes of which she never could have imagined. Because that last photograph that cost Lennie her ride? Turns out that silver light she captured was evidence of an illegal magic transfer between fae — not a stray lens flare — that could have detrimental effects on the fjord region.
To return home, all she needs to do is survive a week in the little village, help Espen with his investigation, and avoid the local grump, Øyvin, who seems determined to make her vacation a whole lot more complicated. Or more fun, depending on how you look at it.
When friendships bloom between her and the fae and the urge to solve this mystery grows stronger, Lennie is torn between commandeering a boat to run back to her normal life, or digging in her heels to be a part of this new world and help the fae of the fjord.

Fae of the Fjord is a light romance because why have one fae when you could have two?

AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON!

Book 2 coming June 20th!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elle Thrasher is an author of romantic fantasy books.

Her books are filled with relatable heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, lots of laughs, and locations that will give you wanderlust.

Originally from the UK, she lived in Norway for seven years, too; she now lives in the US with her husband and one very fluffy dog. When she not writing, she can usually be found drinking a cup of tea, staring at her never-ending TBR, or taking a joke waaaaay too far.

Join Elle’s mailing list to keep up with her work at Elle Thrasher

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Book Spotlight 2: Tenebrium by Elanor Miller

The cover caught my eye, and the blurb was even more interesting, so happy to spotlight this baby with R&R BookTours. Enter TENEBRIUM It’s a romantic, dystopian, noir detective thriller set in a futuristic Gatsby Era by Elanor Miller. Think Peaky Blinders meets The Great Gatsby, with a dash of the game BioShock!

Tenebrium (Flappers and False Gods #1)

Publication Date: January 2023
Genre: Noir Thriller/Dystopian/Romance 

Features


🏢Dystopian 
🚬Noir
🕵️‍♀️Detective Thriller
🍸Set in a futuristic Gatsby era
🎷Jazz
👥Cults
🔫Mobsters
💔Forbidden Romance

The year is 2425, and the Jazz Age is in full swing—again.

Guys, dolls, gangsters and molls, drugs, and prohibition are just the tip of the iceberg for Detective Thea Williams and her mentor, Walt, as they struggle to solve a horrific series of murders, all the while dealing with the consequences and complications of their not-so-professional relationship.

Embroiled in the case and stymied at every turn by the corrupt District Attorney, who also happens to be her estranged father, Thea quickly discovers a much more sinister plot.

Thrown into a dark world of cults and corruption, Thea must fight for survival lest Tenebrium City eat her alive.

In Tenebrium City, even neon lights cast shadows…

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ALSO AVAILABLE CALIGO ( Flappers & False Gods Book 2)

This decopunk thriller is for lovers of The Great Gatsby, Blade Runner, and Altered Carbon will find a home in Tenebrium.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tenebrium is the debut novel from Glasgow-born Scottish author Elanor Miller. Elanor is an avid indoor climber, martial artist, and D&D player. She is also dyslexic. As well as a novelist, she is an award-winning screenwriter who has won several ‘Best Screenplay’ awards – many of which were for Tenebrium’s first iteration as a screenplay.

Elanor did NOT write the Fairfield Amish Romances, she just shares a name with the author!

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Book Spotlight Thursday: Veiled Scars by Emily Vanderbent

Caught in our spotlight today is Veiled Scars, the second volume in The Timewalker Archives (see my spotlight on the first book), a young adult historical fantasy series perfect for fans of NBC’s Timeless and Alyson Noël’s Stealing Infinity. Let’s read on!

Veiled Scars (The Timewalker Archives)

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Features

⦁	Time Travel
⦁	Hidden Abilities
⦁	Secret Societies
⦁	Deadly Competition
⦁	Historical Descendants
⦁	Slow Burn
⦁	Trauma & Anxiety Rep
⦁	Rivals to Lovers
⦁	Women in History
⦁	Hidden Clues

History was not a block of clay to be molded. It was a story to be preserved.
After a failed escape leaves her trapped in the past with a broken time machine, Adelaide Anson realizes the depth of the Red Rose Society's deceit. Lost, injured, and on the run, she and her companions must navigate early 1940s Asheville, NC to find a way back home. As Adelaide's connection to the past grows stronger, blurring the lines of reality, insidious secrets come to light, forcing her into a race against time to solve the clues her mother left behind.
The deeper she delves, the harder it becomes to discern the sleight of hand from the truth. Every secret casts a shadow, and as old phantoms recall to life, she is faced with a vault of answers demanding a steep price. When Adelaide's search entwines with threads from Teo's past, she'll have to lean on those around her in order to confront the broken pieces of herself. Can she reconcile her scars to uncover what her mother died to protect, or will the cost of the truth shatter her?

Available on Amazon, B&N, & Signed Copies on Emily VanderBent’s site!

Catch Book 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily VanderBent is a natural-born storyteller. As a writer and historian, she desires to celebrate women in history. Through the Crimson Time series, VanderBent uses elements of history to creatively engage readers with the past. She hopes her writing will encourage young women to fearlessly pursue their passions and own the narrative of their individual story.

With a degree in history, Emily uses her talents for writing, research, and design to create blog posts, online content and design for Girl Museum. She also guides authors through the publishing process as an Author Coach for New Degree Press. While living in the real world, Emily dreams of days long past and stories yet to be told.

Follow Emily and her Timewalker Archives at emilyvanderbent.og

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Book Spotlight Special: Non-Serviam: The Hypostasis of Dissent Book 1 by Sfarda L. Gül

In a special book spotlight, ALL ROYALTIES earned from the title are donated to Doctors Without Borders, the Kurdish Red Crescent, and All For Armenia. Let’s dive in!

V FOR VENDETTA and BLOODBORNE mix in NON SERVIAM by Sfarda L. Gül. Written in the spirit of poetry and art cinema—suffused with visceral symbolism, its vividly complex worldbuilding is inspired by Venice, Sardinia, and Etruscan Civilisation, among many more. A dark and deadly web of intrigue.

The paperback edition features 25 illustrations by the author, Sfarda L. Gül, as well as one illustration each by Ayşe-Mira Yaşın, Nadia Sampellegrini, and Sophia Arnaout.

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Genre: Gridmark Political Mystery/ Gaslamp/ Gothic Fantasy

Features

❤️‍🔥Revolution & revenge
🫀Female hysteria, dark femininity, complex womanhood
🦷Found family
🥀Slow burn yearning enemies to lovers
🕯️“Whimsical grimdark”
🏛️Philosophy
🩸Bløød & gûts
🧠Mad scïence
💐Fully LGBT cast~
🎭Baroque/Venetian setting
❤️‍🩹Tragedy & navigating tråuma

Expressing emotion is prohibited by law in the city state of Vencenza.

Beneath its tyrannical shadow, Giorgianna, a deranged former playwright turned political fugitive, flees a brothel to seek justice for the murder of a beloved friend.

When the last remnants of her bloodline are reaped by the incorrigible Minister of Dominion, Giorgianna’s crooked path to retribution crosses with Vencenza’s Machiavellian revolutionary hellbent on regime overturn.

All the while, the weight of unending tragedy erodes Giorgianna’s psyche into a vengeful bloodlust plagued by cabbalistic visions hinting at an ever-darker face of the violent Powers That Be.

The first in a grimdark political mystery duology with gothic fantasy undertones, NON SERVIAM is written with a unique, experimental style with heavy world building, several POV types with some parts in poetic prose which some readers may find detracts from the immersion experience.


Content Warnings: The book does feature sensitive topics dealing with government oppression, death, graphic gore, self-injury, mental illness, sex trafficking, sexual harassment, police brutality, violence against women and trans-identifying peoples, birth-related trauma, gun violence, religion, classism, discussions of sexual violence (humans, minors, corpses), child abuse, workplace violence, divorce, smoking (tobacco and opium), alcohol, mention of intravenous drug abuse, surgical procedures and needles (singular instance), fires and burns, strong language.

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An artist and writer since her early childhood brought up in a police state, Sfarda L. Gül’s (alias) creative focus hones in on the macabre and introspective, the grotesque and juxtaposing—a deconstruction of social ideology and human suffering influenced by her upbringing, queerness, historically persecuted mixed ethnicity and dark-sided emotional disposition. Every story strives to be unapologetically anti-authoritarian, decolonial, anti-cop, anarchist, and pro-humanity.

When not engaging in art, Sfarda is enthralled in ethnography, linguistics, filmmaking, and social activism, aiding to uplift ethnic and queer minorities of her native Eastern Europe, SWANA, and Central Asia. She is the curator of independent publication Lacrimosity and Righteous Rage which hosts a Substack newsletter, and a YouTube video essayist at Anarchy on Page.

Sfarda is the May 2024 debut author of NON-SERVIAM, the first of THE HYPOSTASIS OF DISSENT duology.

EARTH HAGIOGRAPHY, a poetry collection exploring indigeneity and colonial pain, will be published in November of 2024.

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Book Spotlight Thursday: A Cure for Magic by Tala Greer

Recently released (May 28th), A Cure for Magic is starring in our spotlight today. It is the first book in a New Adult romantic fantasy trilogy featuring dark elemental magic, hidden royals, and a medium-heat romance that is secondary to the plot. Perfect for fans of dark academia and the Netflix adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow & Bone. READ ON!

A Cure for Magic (The Ardor Magic Cycle Book 1)

Publication Date: May 28, 2024

Genre: NA Fantasy Romance

Features

💜 A Messy Bisexual Princess
👑 Black Royals
📕 Dark Academia
🔥Elemental Magic
💖 OT3/Throuple
🔮 Magic Training
🏕️ Only One Tent
🙊 Hidden Identity

Marika Cyran is destined to rule, if she survives her own power first.
When rebels attack the royal compound, Marika learns the true price of her family’s legacy. The same deadly magic her ancestors outlawed now runs in her veins, and her royal blood paints a target on her back.
Desperate to learn her powers before they destroy her, she takes shelter at Nella University, hiding her true identity. But it’s not quite the sanctuary she’s hoping for. Argent, the roommate she’s paired with, is a prickly woman who seems to despise her. The same rebels who want her family dead flourish here under the guise of a student society, and their most popular member, Harland, seems a little too interested in her dangerous power…and Marika herself.
When a spark ignites between all three of them, it complicates Marika’s quest for control. To stay is to spit upon her family’s memory. To leave is to forfeit her once chance to corral the unruly magic. And to do nothing is to risk being consumed by the very forces she seeks to understand.

A CURE FOR MAGIC IS AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Talia lives in the mountains with her gamer husband and two chaotic cat children. When she’s not writing, she’s drinking iced coffee or watching truly terrible horror movies.

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Book Spotlight Thursday: The Shadows of Wren by Jen Bliton

It’s Thursday! Today, caught in the spotlight, is The Shadows of Wren by Jen Bliton! The cover is stunning, and this is book one(#1) in what is to be “The Light in the Shadow series.“

Let’s read more!

The Shadows of Wren (The Light in the Shadows)

Publication Date: August 30, 2023

Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Features

⦁	Ancient Magic
⦁	Mythical Creatures
⦁	Friends to Lovers/ Insta Love
⦁	Large Scale Battles
⦁	Trauma Healing
⦁	Mental Health Rep

May the Valiant Prevail.

After decades of peace within the lands of Caldumn ruled by the Red Kingdom, the southern towns have come under attack. Their libraries burned and ancient texts stolen by an ominous force.
An unlikely alliance between two magic kinds is formed when Wren, a nineteen-year-old Mage, finds herself in the middle of a conflict that will take her outside of the peaceful life she's known. Along her journey, she meets Tyran, whose Necromancer magic is not widely trusted, and learns they share a deeper ancient magic that has long since disappeared.
Together with the help of all magic kinds, they must unite the towns to save their lands, and themselves, while the threat of the Red Kingdom looms.

Get it on >>>>> Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer lives in Southern California with her husband, a tiny human, and five cats.

Coming from a background in Content Creation, she and her husband livestream gaming content on Twitch and gaming content on YouTube, where you can find her playing World of Warcraft and Diablo IV. She loves being out in her garden and tries her best to grow various fruits and veggies throughout the year among any flowers, bulbs, or roots she can get her hands on.

Learn more about Jen at jenniferbliton.com

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Book Spotlight Thursday III: The Crystalline Crucible by Adam Rowan

The third in our triple book spotlight (yeah, I overbooked myself again, but these books are so pretty!) is The Crystalline Crucible by Adam Rowan. If you are a lover of treasure-hunting action adventure, read on!

The Crystalline Crucible

Publication Date: May 14, 2024
Genre: New Adult/ Action Adventure

Synopsis
Maxwell Jacobs, a neurodivergent 21-year-old with a passion for knights, Tetris and cheese sandwiches, harbours an audacious dream-to become the greatest treasure hunter in England. His chance comes with The Crystalline Crucible, a treasure-hunting contest promising untold wealth and answers to the world’s biggest secrets. However, Max’s mission gets off to a rocky start when he’s arrested for breaking into a museum in search of a clue. His fear of leaving his hometown, Stapleford, his cynical best friend, Rosie Shaw, and his clumsy, awkward nature only serve to complicate things further. Overall, his prospects seem dim. That is, until Max crosses paths with Khalil Ahmed, a former criminal seeking redemption and quick cash. Despite their differences, their shared desperation draws them into The Crystalline Crucible. Together, they’ll decipher cryptic clues and embark on an epic nationwide adventure, with high stakes and a singular goal: to find treasure!

Buy Now!!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Adam Rowan’s passion for writing began in childhood, although he admits his early attempts were far from perfect. After a hiatus during his teenage years, Adam rediscovered his love for writing in his early twenties and has been dedicated to improving his craft ever since. In 2022, MotherButterfly Books published Adam’s first novel. His second book, The Crystalline Crucible, is published by Spinning Monkey Press and is inspired by his experiences growing up in England.

When he’s not immersed in the world of writing, Adam is an electronic musician and avid film fan. With the support of his family, Adam continues to pursue his writing dreams, understanding that patience is key in the journey of creating a book.

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Book Spotlight Thursday II: Descended by Ingrid J. Adams

Nominated for Victorian Premier’s Literary Award 2024, Aurealis Award 2023, and State Library of Queensland Literary Award 2023. Caught in our Triple Book Spotlight this week ponder whether love can endure, life after life in Descended by Ingrid J. Adams.

Descended
Publication Date: March 15, 2024 (Second Edition)
Genre: Coming-Of-Age Fantasy Romance/ Takes Place in the 90s

1990s SYDNEY.
A LOVE THAT SPANS LIFETIMES.
FOR SOME, THE VEIL BETWEEN REALMS IS STRETCHED THIN...

An imaginative tour-de-force debut about the big and small decisions we make every day and the ripple effect they have on the rest of time – even if they’re celestially pre-determined.

Indigo Wolfe, the mysterious high school heart throb everyone wants to be or be with, is barely holding on by a thread. Because he isn't what he seems. He has secrets – secrets that consume him. Pain. Emptiness. The unending noise of all that he sees, and feels and hears that no one else can.

Why is he cursed by abilities others are not?

When he meets the ethereal Cordelia Carlisle, he's hit with a sense of recognition that traverses lifetimes. Only she can make his world silent. He’s welcomed into her family, and as they grow closer he lets her see the parts of him he keeps hidden.

The only thing he can't show her is that she's everything to him.

When they're torn apart, Indigo descends into darkness and is left standing on the precipice. He must search the depths of his soul – and his powers – and choose, whether to give up, or to fight: for himself, for answers, and for Cordelia, the one he seems destined to love and to lose over and over, life after life after life…

Descended is the award-nominated debut in the first gripping four-book series that melds paranormal romance with magical realism.

Buy Now

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

To learn more, visit ingridjadams.com

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Thursday Book Spotlight: A Chain Of Pearls by Raemi A. Ray

Caught in the spotlight this Thursday is A Chain Of Pearls by Raemi A. Ray. A Chain of Pearls is the first book in the Martha’s Vineyard Murders series. The second novel, The Wraith’s Return, will be available later this summer, followed by Widow’s Walk in the fall. 

A Chain of Pearls

Genre: Murder Mystery/Suspense/ Thriller

Published: April 9, 2024


The last thing she wants is to dig up the past…

When the body of a celebrated journalist is fished from the Edgartown Harbor, the official report rules his death accidental. But why was he alone on a senator’s yacht during a nor’easter? That’s only the first question London-based lawyer Kyra Gibson has when she arrives on the idyllic island of Martha’s Vineyard to settle her estranged father’s affairs.

She’s not looking for closure. She’s not seen him in decades since he left her with her aunt following her mother’s death. But as Kyra delves deeper into her father’s life, she learns he had many regrets and wasn’t as retired as she believed. The more Kyra discovers, the more questions she has. With the help of world-weary detective, Tarek Collins, they uncover a web of intrigue and corruption involving a powerful senator, a dubious energy company, and brutal murder.

As they chase down clues, Kyra and Tarek flirt with danger and race against time to solve the murders and uncover the dark secrets lurking beneath Martha’s Vineyard’s picturesque façade of old money wealth and privilege.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Raemi A Ray’stravels to Martha’s Vineyard and around the world inspire her stories. She lives outside Boston. When not writing or traveling, she earns her keep as the personal assistant to the resident house demons, Otto and Dolph Lundgren.

Follow Raemi at raemi.com. Visit her on Instagram @miss_raemi

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Book Spotlight Thursday: A Moonrise in the Fire by Tessia Ives

Drawn in by the beauty of this cover caught in the spotlight today is A Moonrise in the Fire by Tessia Ives. Dive into a steamy romantic fantasy adventure that sweeps you into an enchanting world of vast fjords, wild forests, elemental powers, and one woman searching for her destiny. 

A Moonrise in the Fire: A New Adult Romantasy (An Element of Fire, Book 1) 

Publication Date: February 2024

Genre: NA Romantasy/ Spicy

Features
✨ Star-crossed lovers
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Hidden identity, Secrets
✨ Witty banter
✨ Reluctant (& hilarious) companions on a quest
✨ Fated soulmates
✨Relatable FMC

How many realms would you cross to save your true love? 
All humans possess an element – except for Talvi. Born without magic and dedicated to being the keeper of Starstone Temple, an ancient monastery in her small forest town, she’s plunged into a world-changing struggle when a mysterious and powerful guest arrives on her doorstep.
Caelan ignites a dangerous fire in her heart... but he guards a secret that could destroy them both. After Talvi’s childhood love is abducted by a terrifying threat from a doomed world, Caelan is the only one who can help her. Alongside her two best friends, Talvi must unravel the long-lost secrets of Starstone – and embark on a dangerous quest that will transport her to unknown realms.
Four elements. Three realms. Two lovers. And one impossible choice.
Hunted by deadly enemies and unable to contain the desire burning between them, Talvi struggles not to fall for the enigmatic fire elemental. His wickedly beautiful smile. His courageous passion. The seductive amber flames of his eyes. Can she decide where her loyalty – and her heart – truly lie? Or will embracing her destiny force her to pay a devastating price?
She was born powerless. Now the fate of the realms rests in her hands.

A Moonrise in the Fire is a stunning love story that spans multiple realms, While book one in the “An Element of Fire Series,” Monrise in the Fire, can be read as a standalone. A gripping read perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Holly Black.

Available Now on Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

On Saturdays, award-winning novelist Tessia is often found daydreaming about the plot of her next book, eating mint malt balls, riding horses, and wishing she had a pet owl. She’s less whimsical the rest of the week, when she is hard at work writing heart-stopping adventures that blend accessible fantasy with burn-the-world-down-for-you romance—stories she would want to read, and hopes you will too!

Tessia lives in California with her husband and various furred and feathered beasts. She holds two degrees from Stanford University not at all related to writing.