Tag: book spotlight

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Monsters They Made Us by Frank J. Camacho

It’s October! So be on the lookout for Spooky Book Spotlights all month long! Starting with THE MONSTERS THEY MADE US by Frank J. Camacho! “The Monsters They Made Us” is a haunting debut that blends dark fantasy, supernatural horror, and dark academia on the rocky coast of Massachusetts.

The Monsters They Made Us (The Heirs of Driftmoor Book 1)

Release Date: October 1, 2025

Genre: Dark Fantasy Horror/ Dark Academia

Featuring
⦁	Supernatural coming-of-age
⦁	Found family vs. bloodline
⦁	Monsters as a metaphor
⦁	Character-driven plot
⦁	Coastal decay
⦁	Generational trauma
⦁	Small-town lore
⦁	Faustian bargains


Some monsters are born. Others are made. But the worst are inherited.
Long before Driftmoor was a town, it was a threshold where the veil between the natural and supernatural ran thin. Where wicked bargains were struck in the dark. Bargains that cursed four bloodlines forever.

Dorothy arrives at Driftmoor Academy hoping to leave her past behind and become someone new. But after a car crash leaves her teetering between life and death, dark abilities awaken inside her. Whispers through the halls. Nightmares claw at her sleep. And death follows wherever she goes.

As Dorothy is pulled into the gilded world of Driftmoor’s elite, pieces of a forgotten legacy begin to surface—along with a power she doesn’t understand and a past someone tried to erase. And she’s not the only one marked by what came before.

There’s the boy touched by the sea, who’s drawn to a song no one else can hear. The socialite carved from gold and expectation, clinging to perfection before it shatters. And the son born in shadows, raised by a family that never intended to keep him.
Linked by the bargains of their ancestors, the heirs of Driftmoor must each decide: will they surrender to their curses, harness the power they’ve inherited, or let it destroy them?
AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frank J. Camacho was born and raised in New Jersey. He grew up immersed in CW shows and fantasy books, which sparked his love for emotionally tangled characters, small-town secrets, and supernatural drama. When he’s not writing, he’s making overly specific Spotify playlists or redecorating a room he swore he was done with. The Monsters They Made Us is his first novel and the first book in The Heirs of Driftmoor series.

Follow Frank at @frankjcamachobooks

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Book Spotlight Thursday: Flame In The Silver Storm by Rocio Carranza

Today I’m spotlighting the interesting FLAME IN THE SILVER STORM by Rocio Carranza. A dark fantasy gothic this is book 2 in The Eternal Curse series. How Far Would You Go To Save the Ones You Love? Let’s dive deeper to find out!

Flame in the Silver Storm (The Eternal Curse Book 2)

Release Date: September 30, 2025

Genre: Dark Fantasy/ Gothic

Tropes:
Witches & Pirates
Forced Proximity
Political Intrigue
Feminine Rage
Found Family


There is a darkness encroaching the lands of Serit. From the Givensmir kingdoms to the Blackthorn coven, bitter rivalries threaten the lives of magic and mortalkind alike.

With the truth of her mother’s demise fresh in her heart, Eve has fled her life of comfort to escape the clutches of Givensmir’s new and vengeful king. Stowing away on a pirate ship bound for destinations unknown, Eve and her familiars must place their trust in its captain. A man with a dark past and a proclivity for secrets.

But no matter how far she runs, the Blood of the Blackthorn continues to haunt her dreams, beckoning her to fulfill its fatal prophecy, and soon Eve is forced to choose her fate.

To risk the lives of those she loves or let the magic consume her.

PRE-ORDER PURCHASE LINK + SPECIAL COPIES Here

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rocio Carranza, a multi-genre writer, spent most of her youth with a book in her hand, consuming stories of fantasy and horror as if her life depended on it.

This naturally led into a love of writing stories as an excellent way to get lost in worlds of her own making—fighting epic battles, undoing curses (or casting them), and confronting the things that go bump in the night.

When she isn’t typing frivolously at her computer, you can find Rocio galivanting about Austin, TX with her husband and two kids or with her nose in at least five different books she likes to read at a time.

Curious to know more?

You can find Rocio on social media on IG/Threads/TT @rociocarranzawrites and Bluesky @rociocarranza.

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Book Spotlight Thursday: INNISFALLEN ACCURSED by Jenny Simard LaBranche

Starring in the spotlight today is INNISFALLEN ACCURSED, a dark fantasy fae story, which is book 1 in ‘The Innisfallen Prophecies.’  Let’s read on for more!

Innisfallen Accursed (The Innisfallen Prophecies Book 1)

Release Date: September 30th, 2025 (Hard cover)

Genre: Dark Fantasy/ Fae

Features

Dark fantasy
Powerful artifacts
Magical creatures - fae, monsters, shapeshifters
Good vs evil
Heir to the throne
Strong female lead

Some powers are buried. Others refuse to be forgotten. And one wants revenge.

The land of Innisfallen is under attack, besieged by shadow beasts under control of a dark power. For four endless years, winter has gripped the fae world—crops have withered, villages stand silent, and the magic that once thrived has vanished, along with all memory of it.

Reagan, an 18-year-old fae, has spent those years trapped in an elite court training program, forbidden from returning home. When she discovers she may never be allowed to see her little sister again, Reagan makes a desperate escape. But her plan is shattered by the arrival of strangers from another kingdom carrying an ancient artifact tied to a forgotten power. The brothers, each more beautiful than the other, ignite passions in Reagan she has never before experienced.

Drawn into the brothers’ mission to break the curse over their world, Reagan faces an army of dark creatures, willing to do whatever it takes to save her sister and all the kidnapped fae. An artifact stirs something in Reagan, awakening a power she never knew she had—a power that could hold the key to Innisfallen’s salvation. Or destroy everything in her path.

Magic is calling. And it remembers.
AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenny Simard LaBranche is an award-winning author of supernatural, fantasy, horror, and paranormal thrillers. A former IT Specialist and retired Firefighter/EMT, her path to becoming a full-time writer has been anything but ordinary.

Despite a lifelong struggle with dyslexia, Jenny held onto her dream of writing fiction. On August 26, 2021, she left the IT field for good and became a writer, finally embracing her passion. Her debut novel has already earned two literary awards and marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her creative journey.

Jenny has been married to Paul LaBranche for 27 years, and together they share their home with their adorable chihuahua, Mojo. When she’s not conjuring chilling tales and fantastical worlds, she enjoys the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and getting lost in a great book.

Follow LaBranche and her books on IG: @jennysimardlabranche/ TikTok: jennysimardlabranche 

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Book Spotlight Thursday: UNRAVELED by Abbey Fox

Today, I am spotlighting this gothic Beauty and the Beast retelling in a fantasy setting. UNRAVELED is first in a new series called A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins! If you like Howl’s Moving Castle and ACOTAR, this new series may be for you!

Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1) 

Release Date: September 9, 2025

Genre: Gothic Romantasy/ Fairy Tale

Featuring

⦁	Enemies to lovers
⦁	Found family
⦁	Forced proximity
⦁	Touch her and 💀
⦁	Female friendships
⦁	A Beauty and the Beast retelling
⦁	Slow burn
⦁	Morally Gray MMC
⦁	His familiar/pet loves her more
⦁	Feisty FMC
⦁	Bookish FMC

Everyone knows to never look a fae in the eyes, yet no one warned me he would hide behind the mask of a beast.

Death awaits those who get caught in the Wild Hunt, and only a magical veil protects the people of Penumbra from the monsters coming for them. So when a beast threatens to destroy the veil, Mia Clementine must break her vows of sorcery and use her magic to fight him, or risk losing everyone she loves.

But the beast isn’t what he seems, and now the fae king owns her soul. Dragged into his mythical land, she must unravel the curse that turned him into a monster in order to regain her freedom—or die trying.

The longer she stays in his world, the more irresistible her feelings for him become. Hate turns into passion, and newly discovered truths test her loyalties, forcing her to choose to save her people or the fae world she’s grown to love.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abbey Fox loves to write action packed Fantasy Romance stories, with ass-kicking heroines, swoon-worthy heroes and a healthy dose of spice. Sometimes, when she should be crafting new worlds and putting her characters’ lives in danger, she is tending to her plants and painting her favorite characters.

To connect with Abbey, you can follow her in her Instagram account @abbeyfoxauthor or subscribe to her newsletter for all the latest info.

https://www.abbeyfox.com/newsletter-sign-up

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Beyond the Border Forest by Molly Haniszewski.

Spotlighting today is the upcoming beautiful  Snow White & Rose Red retelling, Beyond the Border Forest: Into the Prawdziwy Las Series: The Immortal Seasons Cycle Book 1 by Molly Haniszewski. Let us now step beyond the border.

Beyond the Border Forest: Into the Prawdziwy Las
Series: The Immortal Seasons Cycle Book 1


Expected Release Date: September 30, 2025


Genre: LGBTQIA+  Snow White & Rose Red Retelling

Features


🍄 Fairytale retelling
🌈 Queer Rep
❤ Plus Size Heroine
🌲 Enchanted Forest
💙 Trans Love Interest
😂 Hilarious Banter
🦌 Slavic Folklore
☕ Studio Ghibli Vibes
💪🏻 Unlikely Heroes
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🌟 Riddles
❄ Seasonal/Elemental Magic


Two kings rule the ancient woods—the Oak King in summer, the Holly King in winter—and no mortal may cross into their realm without leave. But when eighteen-year-old Rowan Gwózdek’s sister vanishes, Rowan defies the old laws and enters the forbidden forest, desperate to find her. She isn’t alone for long. Keziah, a trans (and very handsome) hunter with a shadowy tie to the Oak King, offers his help—and a perilous path to the Bear Maiden, a creature said to grant wishes. Together, Rowan and Keziah face mossmen, a wood dragon, and other servants of the forest kings.


But danger lurks deeper still. Caught between the warring Oak and Holly Kings, Rowan is forced to take sides in a battle far older and fiercer than she ever imagined. Saving her sister could cost her everything—including her way home.

Join the Kickstarter! It is the only place you can buy a hardback of Beyond the Border Forest! And you’ll also be able to get discounted paperbacks, ebooks, and other fun book-related goodies.

KICKSTARTER

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Book Spotlight Thursday: NEMESIS by Shania Scichilone

In our spotlight today is the first book in ‘The Wrath of Chaos series’, NEMESIS.

Nemesis (The Wrath of Chaos Book 1)

Release Date: August 1, 2025

Genre: Dark Romantasy

Features

• Morally Grey Shadow Mommy
• A Fae King who Yearns
• One Horse Trope — But it’s a Dragon
• Delicious Banter and Tension
• Dragons x Dragon Riders


The Asherian War has ushered Earth and its population into a new age. Humankind has gone, giving rise to a tenuous society of other races once confined largely to shadows and stories. The new paradigm is overseen by the Celestials, whose terrestrial ambassadors, the Legacies, wield a potent and manifold elemental magic—one ruled by the astrological sign one is born under. They were instrumental in banishing the dragons—ravenous and mindless beasts—to the gloomier land of a place known as the Outer Edge.

Astraea, the powerful general of the Legacy Legion, cannot stand by when two massive dragons descend on the Legacy Compound and abduct her younger sisters. Leaping on one of their great scaly backs, becoming a willing captive to the darker margins of their world, she and her siblings undertake a shocking and revealing journey, one where prior deceptions are lifted, where alliances fall and former enemies become allies and where new, unexpected dangers are born.

Dragons, Astraea learns, are hardly the mindless creatures she knew them to be—they are, as one named Nemesis tells her, thoughtful seekers of peace, with a wholly different perspective on the Asherian War, and their banishment to the Outer Edge.
As Astraea and her sisters reconcile themselves to this new reality, the fae king, Asher—so named for the war, and who is very much in love with Astraea—pursues them to the Outer Edge. Though he can be pompous and presumptuous, there is no doubt Astraea herself is drawn to him. Now, as she cautiously opens her heart, and arms herself with new understanding, she and the others must also prepare to confront those who stand in the way of peace.

* Content Warning*

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Known to many as “Shania Fillmore” of YTV’s THE NEXT STAR SEASON 4 and THE NEXT STAR: SUPERGROUP, this small-town girl from New Brunswick, Canada, has taken a turn from singing on television to pursuing her writing dreams.

Music, visual arts, reading, and writing are what she lives and breathes. The art world is her truest passion.

Settled back in her hometown, Shania Scichilone has spent her time as Musical Director during show season, and the rest of her time has been filled with writing and learning digital arts.

Her debut series, FATES DIVINE, begins her new career as an author.

Follow Shania @shaniascichilone

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: To Kiss the Sea by C.H. Carter

This cover is so serene! Which is why it got caught in my spotlight! To Kiss the Sea by C.H. Carter is a sapphic fantasy fairy tale. Let’s dive deeper.

To Kiss the Sea


Publication Date: October 31, 2023


Genre: Sapphic Fantasy/ Fairy Tale Fantasy

Features


🌊 Fairytale retelling
🌊 Mermaids, pirates, and spies – Oh my!
🌊 Force proximity
🌊 Enemies-to-friends
🌊 LGBTQ/Queer normative society
🌊 Found family
🌊 Mental health rep
🌊 Multi-POV

In the Birde Isles, there’s a saying: You cannot take what the sea is not willing to give.
Ally Kingfisher never gave it much thought until she experienced the sea’s wrath firsthand. But after a near-drowning leaves her with a deeply ingrained fear of the water, Ally still finds herself inexplicably drawn to its depths. As if something is calling to her from beneath the waves, and it only grows louder each year.
Pasha is being punished for something she didn’t do, sentenced to a life of solitude until her kin return. But mermaids aren’t meant to live alone. Desperate for companionship, Pasha makes a deal that goes spectacularly awry, affecting the lives of everyone on the Isles for years to come.
When a pirate captain kidnaps Ally’s mother and demands Ally deliver the ransom personally, she is forced to leave land for the first time. Turning to Pasha, the one creature whose help she doesn’t want but whose power over the water she needs, Ally strikes a new bargain to get her to her mother. But she’ll have to confront more than her fears along the way…
Because even those in favor are still at the mercy of the sea.


AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

C.H. Carter is a fantasy author with a lifelong love of the genre in all its forms. In middle school, she wrote a fan letter to Tamora Pierce and received the most encouraging reply! That experience cemented her desire to become an author. (She also still holds out the hope they can meet in person one day!)

When not writing, you can find her working on a number of rotating projects (Crochet, anyone?) and obsessing over her two rescue dogs.

TO KISS THE SEA is C.H. Carter’s debut novel.

ALSO DON’T FORGET

Book 2 and Book 2 in the KINGSPORT CHRONICALS

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Legacy of Ophelia by Nicole Platania

Caught in my spotlight this Thursday is THE LEGACY OF OPHELIA. The fifth and final book in the epic romantic fantasy series, The Curse of Ophelia. Luckily, you can now read this entire series on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited!

The Legacy of Ophelia

Publication Day: August 7, 2025

Genre:  Epic Romantic Fantasy

Features

🪽 Meddling angels
🏛️ Curses & quests
🪽 Warrior clans
🏛️ Found family
🪽 Multiple slow-burn romances
🏛️ High stakes fantasy

Ophelia and Malakai have been ripped from their loved ones and are at the mercy of a vengeful god.
But they quickly discover that in order to uncover secrets buried among realms, that may be precisely where they need to be. Even if it jeopardizes all they have fought to become.
Meanwhile, their friends receive a surprise visit from a potential ally that spurs them to rekindle partnerships, deny the bounds of power, and push love to the brink of destruction.
With myths resurrected and the very fabric of Ambrisk at risk, can the warriors survive their final battle against the deities? Or are they fated to become the legends stories are written of?

Everything culminates in this high-stakes, realm-shattering conclusion to the ‘Curse of Ophelia’ series.’ With a lovable found family, scorching slow-burn romances, and inspiration from Greek mythology, this series introduces a universe full of twisted lore and ancient battles that is perfect for fans of Chloe C. Penaranda, Sarah J. Maas, and Melissa K. Roehrich.

“Legacy of Ophelia” Is Available Now On AMAZON

The Series Is Now Complete

Available on AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole Platania was born and raised in Los Angeles and completed her B.A. in Communications at the University of California, Santa Barbara. After two years of working in social media marketing, she traded Santa Barbara beaches for the rainy magic of London, where she completed her Masters in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. Nicole harbors a love for broken and twisty characters, stories that feel like puzzles, and all things romance. She can always be found with a cup of coffee or glass of wine in hand, ready to discuss everything from celebrity gossip to your latest book theories.

Connect with her on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter as @bynicoleplatania or at www.nicoleplatania.com.

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Ransomed and Ravished by Sologne Schumacher

We have a spicy spotlight today with the newly released Ransomed and Ravished by Sologne Schumacher! Perfect for mafia romance lovers. Schumacher got you!

Ransomed and Ravished: A Forbidden Love Mafia

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Features
💋 Steamy mafia romance
🖤 Morally gray characters
🔥 Raw, forbidden, and intoxicating passion
🗡️ Ruthless, slow-burning tension that cuts deep

Agustín “The Enforcer” Guzman is ruthless and loyal. For years, he’s been the blade the O’Cleary Clan drives into the backs of their enemies. But now, he’s been given a different kind of order: protect, not destroy. Guard, not break. And the girl he’s meant to protect? A mafia princess with fire in her eyes and rebellion on her tongue.
He should be indifferent.
But Serafina De Luca is temptation wrapped in chaos. The way she looks at him, defiant and hungry, shakes the foundation of everything he’s built to keep the monster inside contained. She’s forbidden. Untouchable. And far too dangerous to want.
Serafina has spent her life behind gilded bars, watched, polished, and paraded like a prize. As her father’s only child, she was never meant to inherit the throne. She was meant to sing sweetly and smile while men carved up her future.
Until she ran into the arms of a devil with blood on his hands and demons in his eyes.
Now the Irish mob has her. But it isn’t her captors that haunt her dreams. It’s the enforcer who watches her with quiet violence and barely restrained need. The man who touches her like she’s something rare. The man who might ruin her completely... and leave her craving every broken piece of him.

Content Warning 18+

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sologne Schumacher is an author, teacher, playwright, and screenwriter. When she is not spending time with her husband and their twins, you can find her decolonizing Shakespeare or writing sexy romance novels. Sologne creates the worlds she would like to live in, filled with people of color finding love.

Follow Sologne on Instagram @sologneschumacher

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Book Spotlight Thursday: NEVERMORE by Monique Shepherd

Caught in my book spotlight today is the best-selling spicy forbidden age-gap college romance, NEVERMORE by Monique Shepherd. Intrigued? Let’s take a look!

Nevermore: A Forbidden Age-Gap College Romance

Release Date: May 20, 2025

Genre: Dark Romance

Features
🐦‍⬛ Forbidden age-gap M/F
💜 Broody Professor X College student
🐦‍⬛ Edgar Allan Poe Vibes
💜 He falls FIRST
🐦‍⬛ Touch her and 💀
💜 BDSM Exploration
🐦‍⬛ Impact play
💜 S/X in a library 📚🥵

“Sometimes the most forbidden fruit is the sweetest.”

Kieran McKnight: Ten years ago, my world crumbled around me. Losing my wife turned me into a shell of a man, stuck teaching entitled Ivy League brats by day and drowning my pain in meaningless sex by night. The club has saved me countless times, until she walks into my classroom. There’s something behind the pain in her eyes that pulls me in, and even though I know she’s forbidden, I can’t stay away, no matter how hard I try.

Deirdre Ravencroft: For the last year, I’ve been running from my tortured past, hiding amongst the shadows in hopes that he won’t find me. When I end up in a small town in Connecticut, I’m determined to take control of my life—so I fill my time as a cocktail waitress by night, and a student by day. I stick out like a sore thumb among these snooty frat boys and sorority girls, but one thing draws me in: the broody professor teaching my literature class.

I know I shouldn’t cross the lines of temptation. But when an embarrassing incident forces us together, we find ourselves caught in a whirlwind of heated moments, and I start to wonder if I can really stay away… or if I even want to.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Monique Shepherd is an author from Texas who has been an avid reader and writer since she was sixteen years old. Monique is very much a mood reader and mood writer.

When not writing, Monique is a nurse and a mother of four kids who keep her on her toes, and has four fur babies running around.

Monique enjoys exploring different worlds of romance whether it is writing about steamy cowboys in her small town contemporary romances, to obsessive vigilante and Mafia kings, to her Gothic academia romantic suspense duet.

Her favorite hobbies include writing, of course, traveling, attending concerts, improv comedy shows, and spending time by the water with her children.

Follow Monique on IG @moniqueshepherd_author & TIKTOK: @monique.shepherd6