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

BOOK REVIEW: Red Demon by Sill Bihagia

RED DEMON is a Sci-Fi Romantasy Blend debut author by Sill Bihagia. It is phenomnal!


Published: September 16th, 2025

Genre: Science Fantasy / LGBTQ+

Features
Spicy romantic subplot

Morally gray characters

Emotional depth

    SYNOPSIS

    A century ago, two human lines nearly wiped each other out rather than acknowledge their shared humanity. But when Jesse’s mining town is slaughtered under mysterious circumstances, it’s clear ancient bigotries are still alive, and rebels have access to some magic or tech capable of wide-scale genocide.

    The Red Demon bloodied her swords in that massacre   , a bioengineered immortal left over from that century old war. Jesse expected her to be upholding his empire’s fragile peace, not killing her own. But Jesse is too optimistic and stubborn to break. Better days are coming-and he’s willing to take on an immortal to protect the life he’s rebuilt among the ashes. 

    Faruhar, the so-called Red Demon, is not the mastermind Jesse expects. Her fragmented mind is ravaged by guilt over crimes she cannot remember committing, and a code impressed on her by a few kind people she cannot forget.

    REVIEW                                                                                                                                                     

    Debut author Sill Bihagia knows what she is doing in her powerful debut, RED DEMON. I don’t get moved by books at all, but this book tore at my soul. Red Demon is epic and viscerally written with deep, integrated world-building with fleshed-out, rounded characters. It gave me “Game of Thrones” with a dash of “Fifth Element” vibes. However, some have compared it to Red Rising, The Poppy War, or Gideon the Ninth .  We are introduced to Jesse, who was out with his brother hunting. Upon returning to their quaint mining town, he finds everyone is dead. Hope, though, shines when he sees that one of his older brothers is alive. The hope does not last for long as a figure appears with bright red hair. She murders his brothers right before him, leaving Jesse alive. Why?    

    Orphaned Jesses comes upon another town where he states his tragedy. Other towns have been wiped out, too. There is a rumor, talk of a disease used by rebels and a mysterious figure with red hair. “The Red Demon.”  A blacksmith and his family take Jesse in, adopting him, teaching Jesse the way of the sword as Jesse vows to find The Red Demon and kill her.  When the Red Demon strikes again in his new home with his new family and friends, Jesse is prepared, but only discovers that she actually saved his life. He learns that Red Demon is more than she seems.

    That is only the gist of it. Red Demon has so many delicious layers that do not disappoint you as a reader. As a writer, it brings joy that the craft of wordsmithing is not dead. There are writers and then there are storytellers. Bihagia is a storyteller, fitting in nicely with the other sci-fi fantasy writing greats. Bihagia says about her book:

    “It reads like fantasy, “but it’s grounded in science—CRISPR, neuroscience of memory, and mycological bionetworks. That’s there under the surface for the hard SFF readers, and those who are here for the emotional stakes find a villain who remembers who she loves… even if she forgets why she kills.”    

     Like I said, this book has layers. I also loved the action fight scenes. Best cleanly written fight scenes with sharp, precise cuts, making the words visualize and dance like a ballet in my head. I usually skim fight scenes in books. Bihagia kept me reading blow for blow. 

    While I like Sci-fi, I have quite lost interest in the genre and have been more into mystery thrillers. Red Demon brought me back, making me remember how good sci-fi fantasy can be when written well.

    RED DEMON gets 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5 stars.

    GET YOUR COPY TODAY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND ONLINE BOOK SELLERS EVERYWHERE.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Sill Bihagia is a data analyst, sword collector, and suburban chicken farmer with a background in evolutionary and behavioral neuroscience. They live in Severna Park, Maryland with their husband and two children. Sill writes speculative fiction with mature, approachable prose, emotional wreckage, and sharp wit. Red Demon is their debut novel and second published title. Their new imprint, Oria Press, champions inclusive, human-written speculative fiction with traditional-quality polish, seeking to lift up other indie writers with similar values.

    Follow Sill at @sillauthor on Instagram. Get signed, sprayed-edge editions available at Sillauthor.com

    ARC Book Review: I’m Not Sorry by Rissa Blakeley

    What could strengthen friendships better than a murder, a funeral, and digging up a body?

    I’m Not Sorry

    Publish Date: October 14th, 2025

    Genre: Mystery/ Supernatural/ LGBTQ+ Mystery/Mystery Thriller/ Mystery Suspense

    Pages: 430

    Eighteen-year-old Billie-Ashley arrived at Thornes University with a secret and an envelope, containing a promise of a life-changing amount of money and to learn more about her past once she completes a task.

    The problem? The task wasn’t stated.

    She planned to be a wallflower. But within minutes that plan becomes a tangled mess. She is placed in the room once occupied by the girl who disappeared a couple of weeks prior.

    Thanks to a handsome stranger, who is now wearing her iced mocha, Billie-Ashley learns the value of friendships. She intertwines herself within a group of guys while secretly gathering tidbits of information even when a warning turns deadly.

    With the threat breathing down her neck, can Billie-Ashley keep her secret and complete the task?

    GET IT HERE

    REVIEW

    When fellow author Rissa Blakeley came asking if I’d do an ARC review of her new book, “I’m Not Sorry,”  I was more than happy to. My kindness almost killed me, though, as I piled too much on my work plate. By some miraculous grace, I did manage to finish the book just in time for its release day tomorrow (October 14th), and oh my gosh, what a book! Blakely writes with a nice contemporary realism that carries you through this suspense thriller mystery. We met a college-age Billy- Ashley. Someone gave her a ton of money to attend the specific Thorne University. It could hold the secrets to her twin sister’s disappearance. Billy-Ashley was just going to be a wallflower while she searched for the truth, but when she was greeted and welcomed by the welcoming Rex and his crew, Billy-Ashley could not help but feel accepted for the first time in a long time. 

    Billy-Ashley wasn’t there to make friends, though. When Billy-Ashley investigates the school’s recent mystery of a former student whose room she now occupies, she uncovers a connection to the cold case of her missing sister. Danger ensues for Billy-Ashley and her friends.

    “I’m Not Sorry” is beautifully written. A haunting story that will linger in your soul long after you have read it. It’s a mix of a stealth murder mystery thriller with a dash of supernatural, which hooked me instantly. Every character is essential and written to be well-rounded and believable. 

    It also made me think. If you read Blakeley’s introduction before reading, you will discover how this story was personal and a struggle for her to write. Keeping this in mind, while reading, I thought I’d see the revelation, but I didn’t. It was not until I read the acknowledgment that I understood why this story was personal to Blakely. Which made me wonder what this means about myself? All I saw was a beautiful story with beautiful characters and an engrossing murder mystery. I did not see this as an LGBTQ themed story. It was just a story, and a darn good one. It’s also a story about friendship and feeling accepted, which I think everyone on earth can relate to, yet we exclude so much in this world.

    Therefore, I give “I’m Not Sorry” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  5/5 stars. 

    Like this review? Feel free to support and buy me a coffee, and read other book goodie stuff at

    Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com
    
    

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Rissa Blakeley is the author of a fantasy paranormal series, Corvidae Guard, a post-apocalyptic series, Shattered Lives, and a horror short, Grammy’s Supper.

    As a native New Yorker, Rissa is now a Georgia transplant, who is completely addicted to black coffee and La Croix. When Rissa isn’t writing, she can be found procrastinating on social media.

    Follow Blakeley and her books at https://www.rissablakeley.com/ and on Instagram @rissa_blakeley

    Spooky Book Spotlight Thursday: The Haunting of Gillespie House by Darcy Coates

    Continuing our spooky theme this month, in the spotlight today is this little gem my husband rescued. “The Haunting of Gillespie House.”  I think the people were going to throw it away! The Horror I know! Now remember…”Just because he’s dead doesn’t mean he’s gone.”

    The Haunting of Gillespie House

    Published: August 15th, 2015

    Publisher: Black Owl Books

    Genre: Ghost suspense/paranormal fiction/ Occult horror

    Features

    👻Gothic vibes

    👻🏠Haunted house

    🤫Dark secrets

    🧠 Psychological

    🗝Locked rooms

    🏝Isolated setting

    Elle is thrilled to spend a month minding the beautiful Gillespie property. Over an hour’s drive from the nearest town, the aging mansion is ideal for someone seeking solitude. But as she explores her new home, Elle makes a startling discovery: there’s a graveyard nestled deep in the woods, containing a generation of the house’s residents…all who died the same year.

    Then things start to go very wrong, very quickly.

    There are skittering noises inside the walls…slamming doors…whispers in the night…a locked room…and a horrifying mystery that wants to be solved. As she investigates further, Elle begins to unravel the property’s dark and dangerous history. At its center is Jonathan Gillespie, a tyrannical cult leader and the house’s original owner. And as Elle soon learns…

    Just because he’s dead, doesn’t mean he’s gone.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.

    She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

    You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: http://www.darcycoates.com/updates

    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?

    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

    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.

    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!

    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

    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

    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

    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