Tag: books

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Skeleton Faerie by A.P. Mobley

It’s my birthday, and I am back spotlighting THE SKELETON FAERIE by A.P. Mobley! The cover caught my eye! It’s fantastic as Faerie folklore meets a nuclear post-apocalypse in this dark mythological fantasy woven with secrets, treachery, and star-crossed lovers!

Let’s dive in deeper!

The Skeleton Faerie (Children of the Death Gods Book 1)

Release Date: November 8, 2025

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Features

⦁	star-crossed lovers
⦁	emotional scars
⦁	different worlds
⦁	hidden identity
⦁	postapocalyptic settings
⦁	magical powers
⦁	mythology and folklore
⦁	faeries and monsters
⦁	portals to the otherworld

Ninety-nine years after the Nuclear War of 1989, twenty-one-year-old Gus Brandon should only be interested in the survival of humanity and the expansion of his compound. But he’s obsessed with legends from the distant past, superstitions of an expired people.
While searching forbidden ruins for the scraps of stories lost to time, he stumbles upon a mysterious young woman covered in scars. Her name is Saoirse, and their meeting sets off a bloody chain of events—one in which Gus discovers that the folklore he loves just might be real, and that it’s tied to mankind in ways he could have never imagined.
Soon the lines between myth and reality blur, as do the lines between realms.
Gus will have to rely on his knowledge—and Saoirse—to survive the horrors awaiting him… in this world and the next.
GET IT NOW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A. P. Mobley is the Halloween-loving, rock-music-obsessed author of dark fantasy inspired by mythology. She doesn’t only write about her favorite myths, folktales, and fairy tales in books, though; she discusses them on her podcast, Myths (& Folktales & Fairy tales), as well as on her blog and newsletter. She grew up in Wyoming and Nebraska and currently lives in South Dakota, and when she’s not up to her elbows in research for her next project, she can be found consuming dangerous amounts of coffee, reading speculative fiction, or rewatching The Good Place.

To learn more about A.P. and her books, follow her on Instagram @author_apmobley

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BOOK REVIEW: The Folly of Relics by Nikki Meeks

The last book review of 2025! I got this book back in September(2025), having bought it directly from the author herself. I had promised I’d review her book, as supporting and promoting indie authors is what I do. Keeping my promise amidst the chaos that life can be, I am delighted to bring you my review for “THE FOLLY OF RELICS.”

The Folly of Relics

Published: April 1, 2023

Genre: Fantasy/ YA fantasy/ YA fantasy romance

Pages: 387

Synopsis – 

In the search for his relic, a young demon must find the courage to face the one thing he has been avoiding, but is it possible for Victor to truly love?

Victor Ledger is next in line to rule over the noble Ledger demon clan. Before he can undergo this process, he must first overcome the biggest distraction to all young demons — the human world.

Destroying his relic and any smidge of emotion is his only goal, or at least it was until he stumbled upon Leah with her beautiful green eyes and reserved demeanor. The undeniable attraction comes with a slew of questions… What is she? Why can’t he leave her alone? Does she know what he is?

No demon can prepare for the intensity of human emotions that its relic awakens. Will Victor be able to overcome this? Find out which path he will follow as he discovers what his relic truly means.

AMAZON

REVIEW

Drawn in with a lustful opening, The Folly of Relics is a fan girl’s dream. It’s like Japanese anime meets K-drama, and I was all for it. Victor and Leah are a swoon-worthy couple as the story is told through Victor’s eyes. You see, Victor is a demon here in the human world, finding and ridding himself of his relic, which will quell any desire to dwell in the human world and to take his place as heir to the Ledger demon clan. Victor finds his relic, and he also finds Leah. Drawn to her, he doesn’t know why. Demons can’t love as humans do…can they? Does it even matter when Victor finds out Leah comes from a powerful bloodline of exorcists who could banish him back to hell? Or that hell is coming to the human world to make sure he does as he is supposed to. 

Okay, I really enjoyed this book. The overall tone and voice drew me into the story the deeper I went. I started reading on December 21st, and I finished on December 27th. Meeks drew me in with the most horney exposition I have ever read. Victor burst onto the scene with a hankering, if you know what I mean. To avoid being misleading on the spice scale, I’d give The Folly of Relics a spice rating of maybe 1 to 2 🌶️🌶️ on a scale of 1 to 5, with one being low and five being high. Meeks starts with spicy moments, but then closes the curtain on us, which was a bit of a bummer. I kind of wanted a bit more. There was also a bit of overall vagueness throughout, for example, what is with the demons and their relics? I wish it were fleshed out more. Also, why are demons in the human world to begin with? Who are these exorcist people?  Maybe it will get answered in a second book? It did end open-ended, so fingers crossed. Nikki Meeks, if you are reading, I need a second book with these characters! 

Therefore, my rating is 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Find your copy of The Folly with Relics at:

Original Cover Art:  Amazon 

Original or Revised Cover Art  Powell’s Books and ESTY

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: I Played My Best for Him! By Olapeju Simoyan

It’s a ho, ho, ho-liday book spotlight this Thursday as I am spotlighting the holiday historical, I Played My Best For Him!: The Inspiring Stories Behind The Little Drummer Boy and Other Christmas Favorites. It welcomes readers to learn the fascinating true stories behind how their favorite holiday classics came to be. Ideal for that history or musical history lover in your life, I Played My Best for Him delves into how such classic holiday songs like “O Holy Night”, “Joy to the World,” and “Silent Night” were birthed by each composer and lyricist. Including the “Little Drummer Boy” when the title is inspired by.

 Olapeju said, “The stories behind these songs are as moving as the music itself. In 2023, I recorded an album featuring 13 popular Christmas songs, and this book is a collection of essays that tell the inspiring stories behind those songs.”

I Played My Best for Him (The Inspiring Stories Behind The Little Drummer Boy and Other Christmas Favorites

Published: October 30, 2025

Genre: Books, Music, Musical genre, Sacred hymns

Pages: 100

This second edition has a new foreword by Dr. Mary Rorro, Chair of the American Medical Women’s Association’s Music and Medicine Committee, as well as a new postscript.

This collection of essays complements the album “Peju Sings! The Little Drummer Boy and Other Christmas Favorites,” which features thirteen Christmas songs recorded by the author and was first released in 2023. In this book, the author explores the stories behind each song, delving into the lives of the lyricists and composers, the context in which the songs were written, and other intriguing details. Readers will gain a fresh perspective on beloved carols like “O Holy Night” and “Silent Night” as they uncover their rich history. The themes of hope and peace that resonate through these timeless songs are also reflected in newer classics like “Feliz Navidad,” which transcended cultural barriers to become a bilingual favorite.

This book’s educational content will appeal to a broad audience, including those who may not celebrate Christmas. For those who do, it offers surprising insights into the origins of some of their favorite carols. No matter your background, this book invites you to be inspired by its stories and enjoy its message of celebration and reflection year-round.

GET IT BY CHRISTMAS! AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Olapeju Simoyan (a.k.a. The Doctor Writer and The Doctor Singer) is an addiction medicine physician, professor and longtime advocate for the intersection of art and science. She helped establish medical humanities programs at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and Reading Hospital, and has served as editor of several literary journals.

She combines her writing and photography in The Amazing World of Butterflies and Giraffes are Amazing. Her other books include the devotional Living Foolproof! Wisdom for Daily Living and the academic memoir Girls Become Doctors and Much More. Along with Dr. William Santoro, she co-authored Navigating the Methadone Maze: A Guide for Patients and Professionals.

Follow Olapeju www.thedoctorwriter.com and on Instagram @drsimo1, or LinkedIn at Olapeju SImoyan, MD, MPH

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Book Review: A Very Pagan Christmas by JC Brown and Lena Lane

Feeling festive? Instead of a Book Spotlight yesterday, I bring you today a holiday book review! Join me as we check out A Very Pagen Christmas by JC Brown and Lena Lane!

Title: A Very Pagan Christmas

Author(s): JC Brown and Lena Lane

Genre: Holiday Romance, paranormal romance

Release Date: June 27th, 2025

Format: Kindle

Pages: 105

Nicholas is a veterinarian and a man of science. He has no patience for the nonsense of natural remedies and herbal fix-it-alls. So when he meets Dahlia, an employee of The Blueberry Apothecary, he’s disappointed that she’s a believer of magical nonsense. But their worlds keep colliding.

As a born witch, magic is everywhere in Dahlia’s world, even in her blood. But considering the history between humans and witches, she hides it from everyone. And the sexy vet who’s taking care of her familiar is no different. It’s too bad, though, since he’s so cute.

Can their words come together? Or will their differences tear them apart?

Available on AMAZON

REVIEW

A Very Pagan Christmas is not my normal read. I usually run away from holiday romances like the black plague. I must say, though, A Very Pagan Christmas was surprisingly charming. We meet Dahlia and her feisty familiar calico, Theo. When Dalia thinks Theo is sick, she takes her to the vet, where she meets the hunky vet Nicolas. Nick is drawn to Dahlia, but when he learns she works at the Blueberry Apothecary, which sells herbal remedies, he becomes hesitant about his feelings cause she really can’t believe in that witch stuff, can she? Oh, but she does.

Nick and Dahlia keep crossing paths, though, and their banter is quite hilarious because Nick doesn’t believe in magic and Dahlia does. When Nick’s brother, a priest, asks the Apothecary to help in a fundraiser, Nick flips out because how can a Pagan go into a church? Dahlia mifed attend decked all out in witchy attire. I just love Dahlia, by the way!

 I did, though, have an issue with it ending flatly. The book led me through the exposition, rising action, and climax so well, but then faltered in the resolution. Still, A Very Pagan Christmas is a great Sunday-afternoon quick read that will delight your holiday romance fancy. 

My Rating: ⭐ ⭐⭐1/2 out of /5 stars

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Sage Haven by Paige Alexandra

I like Sage, so seeing the recent release of SAGE HAVEN by Paige Alexandra, it got picked to be in the spotlight this Thursday! It is book one in what is The Black Sigil of Naphal. Let’s dive in!

Sage Haven (The Black Sigil of Naphal) 

Release Date: November 19, 2025

Genre: Dark Romance

Feartures

• Dual-POV
• First in a Series
• Forced Proximity
• Forbidden Love
• Secret Pasts/Secret Society
• Trauma Recovery/Mental Health Rep
• Morally Gray MMC
• Captor/Captive Dynamic/Kidnapping
• Dark Romance
• Slow Burn
• BDSM
• Music as a Healing Element
• Redemption Arc
• He Calls Her "Wildflower"

SAGE
I ran to disappear. Providence was supposed to be a quiet and untouched place. A fresh start. But then I met Reich Davidian. Nothing escapes his gaze. Every word from his lips is a blade. And even as instinct begs me to turn away, something in me keeps finding its way back to him. But I know that every storm hides a calm at its core. And I think I’ve found his.
The only question is if it will be the end of me.

REICH
I was made to destroy monsters. But she isn’t one of them. Instead, she’s the complication that could ruin everything.Sage Holquinn is untamed, broken, and reckless enough to trespass on my property without realizing whose territory she’s stepped into. I should’ve turned her away. But distance is no longer an option.
She thinks she’s escaping the darkness.
She doesn’t realize she’s running straight into mine.
GET TODAY ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My stories are an exploration of the human psyche, where trauma leaves permanent marks, love is both salvation and ruin, and survival often means surrendering to the darkness before clawing your way back to the light. I write for those who have lived through silence, for those who understand that healing is messy, brutal, and sometimes beautiful in its destruction.

In my worlds, nothing is black and white. Love coexists with obsession. Safety comes at a cost. And the past never stays buried. I believe in stories that haunt you long after the last page, where psychological horror bleeds into reality, and the line between devotion and destruction is razor-thin.

If you’ve ever felt broken and kept going anyway, these stories are for you.

Follow Alexandria at: @authorpaigealexandria on instagram or www.paigealexandria.com

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Shadowless by R.J. Garcia

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! In the spotlight on this special Thursday is a book you might want on your holiday wish list! The Shadowless (At the Corner of Eden and Darkness Book One) by R.J. Garcia. Let’s check it out!

The Shadowless (At the corner of Eden and Darkness Book One)

Release Date: November 26, 2025

Genre: Dark Romantasy

Features
🥀 Modern faery tale vs real-life suspense
🥀 White and black magic
🥀 Family dysfunction
🥀 Hidden realms
🥀 He falls first
🥀 Twists and turns

Mae Dawson returns to her family’s cabin to look for her missing sister. One night, she goes to sleep only to awaken in the depths of the woods surrounded by eerie and indiscernible voices, which lead her to her sister’s grave.

Trying to piece her life back together, Mae juggles college and a romance with her best friend-turned-boyfriend, Benji. Yet, everything unravels when strange late-night calls come from beyond, and a malevolent force begins to invade her friends.

Adding to her unease is the presence of a mysterious stranger, Brandon Sills, who seems to lurk in the shadows, watching her every move. Despite the warning bells ringing in her mind, Mae feels an inexplicable attraction to him.

As mortal and magical forces conspire against her, Mae must trust Brandon to uncover the secrets of the fae—secrets that could change her life forever, if she is able to survive.

Get it now on AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R.J. Garcia is a wife and proud mom of two smart kids. She earned her MSW and worked with foster children and as a school social worker. Writing has been her other great love. She has been writing short stories for as long as she can remember. To her amazement, those short stories became novels!

Follow R.J. and her books at @writer_rjgarcia

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Of The Stars And Sea by Brianna Remus

Touring all week, I joined in on the blog tour for OF THE STARS AND SEA by Brianna Remus, spotlighting it in my infamous Thursday book spotlight! Let’s check out what is told to be a Romantasy with sharp-witted banter, page-turning adventure, and delectable spicy romance.

Of the Stars and Sea (A Divine Trinity Book 1)

Published: July 10th. 2025

Genre: Action Adventure Romance/Romantasy/ Spicy

Features
⬇
🏴‍☠️Rivals to lovers
🏴‍☠️Morally grey MMC
🏴‍☠️Stäbby FMC
🏴‍☠️Slow burn
🏴‍☠️“I’ll be your villain”
🏴‍☠️Touch her and dïe
🏴‍☠️All the banter
🏴‍☠️He’s her awakening
🏴‍☠️“She’s mine”
🏴‍☠️”Who did this to you?”
🏴‍☠️Allies forged in darkness
🏴‍☠️Haunted pasts
🏴‍☠️Gothic world
🏴‍☠️Found family
🏴‍☠️Race to escape enemies


A traitorous pirate lord. A bounty hunter with a score to settle. And an epic treasure that will grant them both the freedom they desire…unless they destroy each other first.
Rowenya Stone is captain of the once fearsome pirate ship, the Trinity. Bound to her father’s old debts, Rowenya has been forced to break the Pirates’ Code by capturing her own kind in exchange for money. Tired of being shackled to her father’s past, Rowenya hatches a plan to steal an ancient artifact, said to unveil a map to the greatest treasure ever known to man.

But the plan goes awry when Grayson Tyde, the most ruthless and feared pirate lord in the Southern Realm, intercepts them. When Grayson discovers Rowenya has one thing he does not—knowledge of the old gods’ language inscribed upon the artifact—he forces her onto his ship.

However, they are not the only ones in search of the artifact, and as the threat of their enemies looms, Rowenya must trust the one person she’s always feared. But what terrifies her more is her perilous attraction to Grayson.
In a world where love is a traitorous thing and danger lurks around every corner, Rowenya must decide if finding the treasure is worth losing her heart.
.

CW:
This book contains content only suitable for adults. Such content includes explicit depictions of violence and sexual encounters. Additional content includes mentions of sex trafficking, child abuse and loss of parents.

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brianna Remus is a Florida-based author who lives with her husband, three pups, and terrorizing cat. A true romantic at heart, you can find her walking the sandy beaches of Florida, getting lost in a forest, gazing at the stars, or reading a smutty book.

Learn more about Brianna Remus and her books by following her on Instagram @authorbriannaremus

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: To Love a Grimm by Christina Farley

It’s November! Where did October go? In my book spotlight this week, we have “To Love A Grimm,” a forbidden fantasy romance wrapped in curses, courtly glamour, and dangerous fairy-tale magic, where only love can rewrite the story. Let’s read on!

To Love a Grimm (Fairy Tale Hearts Book 1)

Expected Release Date: November 11, 2025

Genre: Adult Romantasy/ Standalone

Features

🥀 Fated mates
⚔️ Forbidden romance
🥀 Broody hunter
⚔️ Hidden magical powers
🥀 Castle ruins kiss
⚔️ Stays true to the Grimms’ Cinderella
🥀 Happily ever after
⚔️ Slow-burn romance
🥀 Dual POV
⚔️ Secret identity
🥀 Based on the lives of the Grimm Brothers

When Jacob Grimm’s beloved brother, Wilhelm, falls gravely ill, Jacob will do anything to save him—even strike a blood bargain with a cunning Enchantress. In exchange, the brothers become her Hunters, cursed to serve her dark will. Their task sends them on a quest to a kingdom where villagers whisper of men turning to wolves, nixies lurking in ponds, and the young disappearing into the Black Forest, trailing after the tune of a piper.
But upon arrival, Jacob realizes there are evil forces at work, more powerful than the brothers have encountered. Seeking help, Jacob joins an alliance with a nobleman’s daughter, the smart and beautiful Ella von Maier. Yet, she too holds dark secrets, and she’ll do anything to keep them hidden.
Swept into a world of court glamor and alluring magic, Jacob and Ella’s lives are inextricably intertwined as they work to save the kingdom and break his curse. But as truths begin to unfold, Ella wonders if she can trust this handsome stranger, or if he’s, in fact, her enemy.
As friendship blooms into love, their cursed fates force them to make impossible choices where fairy tales and love come at a treacherous cost.

To Love a Grimm acts as a standalone, Cinderella romantasy. If you crave forbidden swoony romance, star-crossed lovers, protective heroes with hidden scars, and a heroine who must choose between duty and her heart, you’ll be enchanted by this thrilling tale that ends in a happily ever after.

PRE-ORDER HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHRISTINA FARLEY is the author of the bestselling Gilded series, The Princess and the Page, The Dreamscape Series, The Immortal Bound series, and the Library of Alexandria series. Prior to that, she worked as an international teacher and at a top secret job for Disney where she was known to scatter pixie dust before the sun rose. When not traveling the world or creating imaginary ones, she spends time with her family in Clermont, Florida with her husband and two sons where they are busy preparing for the next World Cup, baking cheesecakes, and raising a pet dragon that’s in disguise as a cat. Visit her at ChristinaFarley. com.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA

Instagram: @ChristinaLFarley

Facebook: @ChristinaFarleyAuthor

YouTube: @ChristinaFarley

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Book Spook-light Thursday: Death Comes Slow in the Bayou by Nick Mendoza

Ending our month-long Spooky Spotlight Thursday, we have “Death Comes Slow in the Bayou”, dripping with dread and steeped in Southern mystery — a chilling journey through whispered legends, buried guilt, and inevitable fates.

Death Comes Slow in the Bayou: The Witch, The Bookseller, and The Bride

Release Date: June 2025

Genre: Southern Gothic Horror/ Short Stories
                                                                                                                                                   
Features
⦁	Southern Gothic Horror
⦁	Witches
⦁	Folklore Curses
⦁	Haunted Brides
⦁	Psychological Unraveling
⦁	Vampires with a Folkloric Edge

Something lingers in the Louisiana night—watching, waiting. Vengeance seeps through the swamps, and the past refuses to stay buried.
In this chilling Southern Gothic horror anthology, author and screenwriter Nick Mendoza weaves three haunting tales of supernatural terror, psychological dread, and creeping folklore. These are stories of the cursed and the desperate—of those who seek answers in the dark, only to find something staring back.

The Witch of Acadiana
When his young son falls gravely ill under unexplainable circumstances, a skeptical father dismisses the whispers of an old woman’s curse. But as the sickness deepens and reason unravels, he’s forced to confront the terrifying possibility that folklore isn’t just legend.

Mirrored Opposition
A distraught young man scours the French Quarter for his missing girlfriend, only to discover her last known whereabouts tied to a reclusive bookseller—rumored to have made a deal with the devil. As he searches for answers, he begins to wonder: what if the rumors are true?

Valeria
In the heart of the South, where secrets fester and grudges never die, a charismatic bachelor offers his quiet coworker advice on how to take control in his relationship. But when the bride-to-be finds out—and a series of catastrophic, almost unnatural events unfold—he begins to wonder if she’s coming for revenge… and if anything can stop her.

Perfect for fans of:

Gothic horror
Psychological thrillers
Supernatural folklore
Dark folklore

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Mendoza is a writer and Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Semifinalist who blends a background in software development and technical writing with a deep love for storytelling. After earning his B.S. in Computer Science from California State University, Fullerton, he authored a comprehensive book on PHP development and an in-depth video series on WordPress website management.

His creative journey led him to screenwriting and filmmaking, where he wrote and directed the indie horror feature “Video Tape Terror.” His screenplays have earned over 20 domestic and international accolades, including recognition from Cinequest, Vail Film Festival, ScreenCraft, and the Manchester Film Festival. His feature “Operation Wandering Soul” has also been recognized by Stage 32, the Dallas International Film Festival, and the Page Turner Awards.

His debut horror collection, “Death Comes Slow in the Bayou”, adapts several of his award-recognized scripts into chilling Southern Gothic short stories.

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Book Spotlight Thursday: The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me

Today I am teamed with OWI. for a paranormal romance to star in my BOO-K Spotlight this month. “The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me” by Timoteo Tong.

The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me

Release Date: Tuesday, September 16 2025

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Features:
Friends to lovers
 Love triangle,
Pining,
Slow burn, 
First love, 
Magical destiny intertwined with love, 
Jealousy and rivalry
 Romance, Comfort after trauma, "I’ll protect you" moments
Found family connection

Magic, monsters, and a boy who never asked to be chosen.

Sixteen-year-old Santangelo Lo Geffo is drowning in grief. After his mother’s sudden death and his father’s emotional disappearance, he’s convinced the world has forgotten him—until his childhood best friend, Joshua “Neeky” Tang, shows up out of nowhere, charming, bold, and full of secrets. Their reunion reignites buried feelings and a bond stronger than fate.

But something darker stirs in the magical underworld known as the Gloom. A cursed sword has chosen Santangelo, and with it, the wrath of the ancient queen Máu Rabetica, who will stop at nothing to reclaim her power. With monsters closing in and war looming, Santangelo must train under the brutal God of War, survive attacks from rival covens, and navigate a tangled web of family secrets.

Worse, his heart’s a mess. He’s caught between his feelings for Neeky—the boy who’s always been there—and Daccio Scala, a flirtatious magical fighter who makes his pulse race. As the walls close in, a glam-pop sorceress with a hidden agenda sets her sights on Santangelo and the blade, forcing him to choose between destiny and desire… or risk losing both.

The Spellbinding Magic of You and Me is the third book in the The Magicals Alliance series. Is it necessary to read the previous books? No, but it doesn’t hurt.

GET THEM TODAY! AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Timoteo Tong grew up in Burbank, CA, imagining epic battles against vampires and witches inside creaky old mansions—and hasn’t stopped dreaming since. He wrote his first book at age eight (a chaotic romance between a stuffed cocker spaniel and a duck) and never looked back. Inspired by the magic of L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, Timoteo now lives in San Francisco with his husband, where he writes stories full of queer magic, found family, and monsters that don’t play fair. When he’s not reading, writing, or daydreaming about flying, you can find him surrounded by houseplants, doing pushups between chapters, and always down for donuts.

Follow Tong and his books at magicalsalliance.com and on Instagram at @timoteoktong