Tag: dark fantasy

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Witch’s Third by Kymberli Roberson

Today in the spotlight is the upcoming release THE WITCH’S THIRD: Nyctophilia by Kymberli Roberson. Preparing to release on October 1st, 2026, this dark fantasy horror will be the perfect pick-up for spooky month reading. Let’s dive in!

The Witch's Third: Nyctophilia

Expected Release Date: October 1, 2026

Genre: Dark Fantasy/ Fantasy Horror

Featuring
⦁	Magic
⦁	Creatures
⦁	Plot twists
⦁	Morally gray characters
⦁	Race against the clock
⦁	Action

This is the tale of one night…
When the mutilated corpse of an animal appears in Ronadel Fortress and black feathers rain down from the heavens on the day of the peculiar Entertainment Night festival, the inhabitants begin whispering of witches. Except, neither they nor warlocks have existed in the land for fifty years. That’s what the twenty-year-old servant Aubree is told; even one of the guards, Tams, confirms that it’s true. But as the day wears on and night descends, they begin to realize there’s more to the events than meets the eye.
In this land that has exterminated all witches and warlocks, something has crept in with the night. Something intent on slaying the inhabitants by any means necessary.
Now in a race against time, Aubree and Tams find themselves fighting not only for their lives, but also those of the fortress’s inhabitants. And they must hurry, for they only have until dawn.

PRE-ORDER NOW AVAILABLE

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kymberli Roberson has published speculative flash fiction pieces in Nailpolish Stories and Theme of Absence. She has contributed to Heavy Feather Review. Kymberli is currently working on her next book.

#supportingindieauthors

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Immortality Island by Nikki Jefford

From the creators of Spellcaster comes a thrilling new reality competition where the stakes are higher than ever. Welcome to Immortality Island, where contestants are literally thrown to the sharks.

Immortality Island

Release Date: July 21, 2026

Genre: Dark Romantasy

Featuring:

⦁	Enemies to lovers
⦁	Forced proximity
⦁	Slow Burn
⦁	Banter
⦁	Magic
⦁	Reality Competition
⦁	Forbidden romance
⦁	Dual POV
⦁	Action and Adventure


Hunting her was meant to be easy . . . until desire got in the way.

Twenty human spellcasters. One deadly island. Four cutthroat vampire masters. Only one caster can make it to the end . . . and win a place in a vampire clan for eternity.
After her doctor discovers a brain tumor and gives her months to live, Joni Mullins sees winning the show as her last chance at survival.

Sterling Alder is a vampire master with a personal vendetta and a mission: destroy her. But on Immortality Island, survival isn’t just about magic—it’s about temptation, betrayal, and falling for the one person he should never want.

Twenty human spellcasters. One deadly island. Four cutthroat vampire masters. Only one caster can make it to the end . . . and win a place in a vampire clan for eternity.
After her doctor discovers a brain tumor and gives her months to live, Joni Mullins sees winning the show as her last chance at survival.

Sterling Alder is a vampire master with a personal vendetta and a mission: destroy her. But on Immortality Island, survival isn’t just about magic—it’s about temptation, betrayal, and falling for the one person he should never want.
https://nikkijefford.com/immortalityisland/ or AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan nomad married to an amazing Frenchman. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt! Books, travel, TV series, hiking, writing, and motorcycle riding are her favorite escapes. The dark side of human nature fascinates her, so long as it’s balanced by humor and romance.

To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://nikkijefford.com/newsletter/

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Bounty of Blood and Nails by N.K. Brown

Shining out spotlight this week, we have the thrilling dark fantasy BOUNTY OF BLOOD AND NAILS by N.K. Brown. A tale of magic, betrayal, and forbidden love… Is being the bad guy worth losing everything?

The Bounty of Blood and Nails (The Devil’s Huntress Book 1)

Release Date: March 2026

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Features

🩸Feminine Rage
🌙Morally Grey Characters
🩸Dark magic
🌙Forbidden magic
🩸Grumpy x Sunshine
🌙Love Triangles
🩸Spicy Romance
🌙Hidden Villains

Tam is a heartless, ruthless bounty hunter—or so her handler would have you believe.
With her ability to use forbidden blood magic, Tam tracks and captures her prey. The same blood magic that curses her to a life of servitude under a cruel handler—one wrong move and not only her life, but her family’s will be at stake. But when she’s sent to a remote, superstitious northern town where even a glimmer of magic will send you to the gallows, she’s forced to confront the darker consequences of her work.

After the murder of her bounty, innocent townspeople are blamed—and Tam’s conscience begins to stir. But there’s no turning back. Her handler raises the stakes, and her next mission is even more dangerous: infiltrate the royal castle and capture the enigmatic Prince Bellinor. Disguised as a maid, Tam is drawn into a world of deadly secrets, where her words are whispered into the prince’s ears through an ancient magic she’s never faced before.

To get close to the prince, she befriends his loyal bodyguard, Clement, but the deeper she digs, the more she realizes that Clement’s destiny is tied to the prince. With time running out and the castle tightening, Tam is forced to watch the trial of the people blamed for her own prior actions. But will she complete the mission—or risk it all as she falls in love with the person whose life she must destroy?
AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

N. K. is a veterinarian and a proud mother of three. Originally from Stratford-Upon-Avon, she now lives outside of Boston.

Finally ready for the career change she has always wanted, she joined Jericho Writers and is an alumnus of their Ultimate Novel Writing Course 2023/24. She loves to write in the SFF genre, usually with a dark and speculative twist. An animal or two will usually pop up somewhere in her writing!

When not reading or writing or reading about writing, you can find her out on a long run, lost in her imagination (or in a good audiobook) as she plans her next novel.

Learn more about N.K. and her books on Instagram @nkbrownauthor

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Curse of the Moonflower by Sam Dorsett

Cursed. Hunted. Coveted… Caught in the spotlight this week is the dark fantasy CURSE OF THE MOONFLOWER by Sam Dorsett. Let’s read on!

Curse of the Moonflower (Scars of Somnium #1)

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Featuring
⬇
⦁	Werewolves, Witches, Vampires & Demons
⦁	Multiple POVs
⦁	Traumatized FMC & MMC
⦁	Fated Mates (Multiple perhaps?)
⦁	Found Family
⦁	Reluctant Allies to Lovers
⦁	Touch her and d!e

An ancient curse runs through Vessa Lemaire's veins—the gods have destined her to wed the banished vampire ruler of the Underworld, who will stop at nothing to seize his betrothed. She discovers this only days after the horrific death of her mother, forcing her to leave her shattered life behind. 

For three years, she lives under the protection of a werewolf and his mate, an oracle. Until one day, a vision befalls the seer—a chance for her to find permanent asylum, right alongside the man who despises vampires most.

Axe Skornokovy is a soldier of vengeance, hell-bent on eliminating vampires and the powerful demigod from which they were sired. As Vessa tries to find her place among his pack of feuding wolves, she must keep her secrets close. She must come to terms with the fact that Axe is more than capable of turning on her, even as it grows difficult to ignore the tantalizing force which conspires to bring them together. For if they give into it, they will spark a war destined to bleed into the realm below.
AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sam has been obsessed with wolves since she was eight. Growing up in Missouri, when she wasn’t sketching them in her notebooks, she was weaving stories in her mind where bold heroines would run alongside them. Nowadays, when she isn’t writing, listening to metal music, or picking flowers, she devotes herself to a menagerie of ten animals (and counting).

Follow Sam and her books on IG: @authorsamdorsett, and TIKTOK @sam_dorsett

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: The Girl Who Dreamed in Thorns by Rebecca L. Garcia and Dawn Darling

Releasing today, THE GIRL WHO DREAMED IN THORNS by Rebecca L. Garcia and Dawn Darling is in the spotlight! A lovers-to-enemies Peter-Pan-inspired bully romance, set against the grim, death-filled backdrop of Never, where wickedness lurks beneath every fairy-dusted leaf, innocence demands sacrifice, and a broken heart can kill you.

The Girl Who Dreamed in Thorns: And So She Withers (The Never After Duet Book 1)

Release Date: May 21, 2026

Genre: Dark Romance/ Bully Romance/ Dark Fairytale

Featuring
⦁ Bully Romance
⦁ Dark Fairytale
⦁ Lovers to Enemies
⦁ Peter Pan Reimagining
⦁ Villain gets the Girl
⦁ Unhinged MMC
⦁ Found Family to Enemies


One year ago, Holly returned home with no memories, a bloody scar, and a torrent of nightmares.
On the night of her debut into society, a mysterious stranger offers her the answer to the question that has haunted her since her return: What happened to Wendy Darling?
Desperate to find her sister, she goes with him to the thorny island from her dreams. Except, Never has changed. The forest is rotting. The faeries are dying. And Kit, the handsome, brutal Wyard who she once loved, hasn’t forgotten her betrayal.

Caught between the boy who wants to punish her and the pirate begging to save her, Holly begins to suspect that the most dangerous thing on the island was never the magic or the one who controlled it. It was the moment she allowed him to feel anything at all. Because very few lived long enough to break the heart of a Wyard, and none survived it.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

CW: This book contains dark themes and is intended for adults 18 and over, including murder, death of a character, kidnapping, bullying, degradation, torture, death of a child (off-page, mentioned), graphic violence, orgasm denial, profanity, breath play via drowning, and sexual content.

Follow on Instagram: @dawndarlingauthor @rebeccagarciabooks

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Chasm Of Dreams by Dakoda Mazzii

I am back with another Book Spotlight Thursday! Shining this Thursday is Chasm of Dreams, a dark fantasy romance by Dakoda Mazzii! Chasm of Dreams takes place in a primitive world where only brute strength, cunning, and cruelty have enabled its humans to survive. Let’s read on!

Chasm Of Dreams (The Fate of Astaran Series Book 1)

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

Release Date: March 3, 2026

Features

✨Touch her and die
✨One horse
✨” Who did this to you?”
✨ FMC goes from reluctant hero to BAMF
✨Hurt/Comfort/Consent
✨Mysterious mind link between MCs
✨ Strangers to lovers
✨Yearningggg


More than a thousand years ago, the humans of Astaranwere conquered by a vengeful Fallen Angel named Chemosh a.k.a “The Sovereign”. Through the deception of Hel’s general---the mighty black wolf and demi-God, SkÖll---she betrays the Gods of Lyrath to declare war on a race of humans with powerful psychic abilities. The Gods then exile her to Astaran and sever her black wings. With the help of her acolytes, The Anakaii, she takes control of Astaran.

AIDA is an orphan and nomad whose parents vanished when she was seven. Her gift of Dream Walking allows her to project into anyone’s mind and plant a suggestion that will compel them to comply. When her power leads to deadly consequences, she vows to never use the gift on anyone again. During her time in the wilderness, Aida’s relationships are sparce, except for the mysterious presence that has been linked to her consciousness for as long as she can remember…

When an Astaran Guard and tracker named TYRAN is tasked with finding an escaped prisoner, he finds Aida after she has been captured by four vicious servants of The Sovereign. Upon saving her from a brutal assault, the pair flee into the dangerous depths of The Furian wood, far from the reach of The Sovereign’s stronghold in Opeth city.
As they travel to the bounds of their known world and approach the towering Vazaketh mountain range, they encounter ancient beasts, discover a hidden race of exiles, learn the answers to the secrets of their past and future, and a solidify a soul-bond that may be the key to the liberation of their entire realm.


AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dakoda Mazzii is an author-in-bloom from the great state of Texas. Always a lover of creative writing and fiction novels, she received her Arts degree from Florida Keys Community College in 2014. Her debut Romantasy novel, CHASM OF DREAMS, was crafted to satisfy her craving for a gut-wrenching, bone-crunching, and swoon-worthy story with a supernatural twist. When not reading or writing, you can find her enjoying a coffee at the park with her daughter and husband.

Follow Mazzi on INSTAGRAM @dakodamazziiauthor TIKTOK: @dakodamazziiauthor

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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 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: 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.