Tag: dark fantasy

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Book Review: Carved From Obsidian by Addie Grey

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A wayward witch. A billionaire vampire. Dark family secrets and steamy, steamy romance.

Carved From Obsidian: An Urban Paranormal Romance (The Founders Duology Book 1)

*NOTE: This book is intended for adults and may have themes that some readers prefer to avoid. Visit www.addiegreybooks.com for the content guidelines.*

Genre: Dark paranormal romance, Dark Fantasy
Release Date: May 1st, 2024

Tropes:
x Dark paranormal romance
x Modern setting
x Vampire x witch
x Forbidden romance
x Powerful/controlling family
x Dark secrets unraveling.
x Love triangle
x Hidden powers
x Steamy/Spicy

Story Plot

Soph’s life takes an unexpected turn when she is rescued from imminent death by a mysterious vampire. Fuelled with a need to find this day-walking supernatural, She embarks on a relentless quest to locate her saviour.

Soph soon discovers that her elusive vampire is none other than Eli Damiani, billionaire and business titan. Though she only wanted to thank him, Eli quickly becomes intertwined with Soph’s life in unexpected ways. Their chance encounters explode into a web of inexplicable connections, drawing them closer in more ways than one.

Though her obsession with her vampire grows, she knows nothing can become of their secret romance. Her grandmother, a powerful witch and the family matriarch, has another man in mind for her granddaughter, and always desperate for Nona’s approval, Soph finds it difficult to say no.

And while her heart is being pulled in more ways than one, dark and insidious secrets are unraveling in the supernatural world. Soph discovers the hard way that both she, her family, and Eli Daniani are all ensnared and cannot escape.

Review

Newly titled ‘Obsidian Crack’ by me, I was not expecting to become so engrossed in this book and its characters. The character of Soph is a hot mess of a young witch. She is always late for work. She can’t stick to a coven for her life; as you see, commitment is not her thing. When a mysterious vampire stranger saves her life from getting hit by a truck, Soph becomes obsessed with finding him, even though vampires and witches don’t mix. 

When Soph discovers he is a daywalker vampire, and the well know sexy billionaire Eli Daniani of the prominent corporation called SinCorp. She’s got to thank him, right?  No harm, no foul, then why can she not stop thinking of him?

When Eli shows up out of nowhere asking for Soph’s help. The allure of her hero grows even more when he picks her design for his new project of night clubs, but when Soph gets tricked into joining a black witch coven, Soph’s world tears apart, finding Eli her savior once again. Family secrets, though, threaten to ruin it all.

Again I did not expect to get so swallowed up in this book. The character of Soph seems A- typical female character to me, but gosh darn it, Grey made my obsidian heart feel. There is a bit of a powerful subplot Grey slips in that was mind-blowing and shocking, and I loved the way Grey handled it with brutal beauty and grace. Then, the moment when Eli comes back, realizing he shouldn’t have left her alone, Soph officially cracks apart… I don’t want to give away too much, but Soph became real, and I empathize for her.

Overall, Grey writes with a clean, smooth, modern flare that is enjoyable. She gives us readers just the right amount of detail, letting our brains imagine in sultry detail. The only downside is the book ends not on an oh my gosh; I can’t wait till book two cliffhanger but instead on a somber note with a lot of unanswered questions, which I hope to get answered in the next book.

My rating is 41/2 out of 5

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Carved From Obsidian is available May 1st, 2024 Pre-order your copy HERE

ARC courtesy of RR BookTours and Author Addie Grey

About The Author

Addie Grey, a luminary in the world of dark fantasy romance, hails from rural Australia. A day dreamer and adventure-chaser, Addie intricately weaves tales that traverse the realms of dark fantasy, urban fantasy, and romantic fantasy, ensnaring readers within the tendrils of her enchanting narratives.

Addie’s storytelling prowess extends across a spectrum of genres that encompasses dark fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. Her stories are intricate tapestries woven with threads of desire, seamlessly entwining elements of otherworldly magic with gritty realities. Readers find themselves ensnared within the pages of her captivating books, drawn into worlds where love and darkness collide in a mesmerising dance.

Learn more about Addie and her books at addiegreybook.com

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Book Spotlight Thursday: A Sword of Shadow and Deceit by Lucinda Dark

This Thursday’s Book Spotlight is the enticing A Sword of Shadow and Deceit by Lucinda Dark. If you enjoy dark fantasy romance, enemies-to-lovers, and a good anti-hero, this book is a must-read!

A Sword of Shadow and Deceit (Mortal Gods #1)

Publication Date: March 21, 2024

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance/ Why Choose

Features
🖤Dark Fantasy Romance
🗡️Assassin FMC
☠️Anti-Hero
🚫Forbidden Existence
❤️Enemies-to-Lovers
🔥Why Choose

Desperation makes warriors of captives. The Gods split the skies and rained down tyranny upon the mortal realm long ago. Ever since then, the only thing worse than being human is being of Divine Blood.For someone like me—an undocumented God child, indebted to the Underworld Assassination Guild—that means only one thing: A life in the shadows. Or so it should have been … until Mortal Gods Academy. Until them. 
The Darkhaven Brothers are truly the worst of all the Gods’ spawn. Arrogant. Wicked. Violent. To them, I’m nothing more than a human plaything meant for torment. For me … they’re the path and the key to my freedom.  But if any of them find out who I am, what I am … even the shadows won’t be able to save me. 

*Contains dark with themes of a dark nature that may be triggering. Please check trigger warnings and read responsibly*

GET YOUR COPY HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucy Smoke, also known as Lucinda Dark for her fantasy works, has a master’s degree in English and is a self-proclaimed creative chihuahua. She enjoys feeding her wanderlust, cover addiction, as well as her face, and truly hopes people will stop giving her bath bombs as gifts. Bath’s get cold too fast and it’s just not as wonderful as the commercials make it out to be when the tub isn’t a jacuzzi.
When she’s not on a never-ending quest to find the perfect milkshake, she lives and works in the southern United States with her beloved fur-baby, Hiro, and her family and friends.

Follow Lucy/Lucinda at Lucy Smoke/ Lucinda Dark

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Book Release Special: The Curse of the Fallen (The Wicked Kingdom Book 3) by Abby Fox

After featuring Book 1, Curse of the Crow, last Thursday, since it is now April 8th, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to join the celebration showcasing the release of the last book in The Wicked Kingdom Series. Behold The Curse of the Fallen by Abby Fox.

The Curse of the Fallen: A Soulmate Romance (The Wicked Kingdom Book 3)

Publication Date: April 7, 2024

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Features

Hidden Identities
Slow Burn
Delicious Angst
Morally Gray Fae MMC
Burn the World for Each Other
One Bed
Powerful but Awkward FMC
Denied Soul Mates

A lost prince. A powerful heiress. A destructive secret.
Fleeing the castle’s gilded prison and on the run from the king, Nava and Arkimedes are confronted by a sinister shadow-figure, who looks like Arkimedes and who wants Nava dead. He vows to end the Beekeepers and bring destruction into the world.
Forced into hiding in the only place their enemies can’t reach them, the Society of Crows Safehouse, Nava and Arkimedes must find a way to prevent their enemy from unleashing demons into this realm.
But stopping him seems impossible, and with the king’s guards on their tail, will they manage it? Or will their love, their lives, and even the entire world be destroyed?

Curse of the Fallen is a dark, action-packed, sexy, fated mates fantasy romance for fans of ACOTAR.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

GET THE WHOLE WICKED KINGDOM TRILOGY

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Book Spotlight Thursday: An Incarnation of Shadow and Light by S.A. Christianson

Eye catchingly lured in by this stunning book cover, and caught in my Thursday Book Spotlight is An Incarnation of Shadow and Light by S.A. Christianson. Let’s read on for more details.

An Incarnation of Shadow and Light

Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Genre: NA Dark Fantasy/ Gaslamp Fantasy

Featuring

✨Magic
✨LGBTQ+ Rep
✨Morally Grey Characters
✨Betrayals
✨An Exiled Prince
✨Assassins
✨High-Stakes Fantasy
✨Multiple POVs
✨Political intrigue

Four magicians abuse their magic to gain power in a corrupt Victorian inspired world.

In the Kingdom of Verchiél only a handful of people known as Incarnate can use magic. Equally feared and respected, they are revered as saints and indulged like gods. But the sudden deaths of Verchiél’s rulers unleashes a power struggle between four Incarnate, each seeking power to fulfil their own desires. Gabriel, a charismatic socialite who takes darker paths to avoid slipping back into powerlessness. Zoe, the daughter of a disgraced merchant, determined to carve a new path for her life. Niklas, an exiled prince trying to escape the ghosts of his past. Silje, an assassin who will stop at nothing until she’s seized the adoration she has always been denied. Infighting and betrayal run rampant as each becomes worse than their problems in order to solve them.

.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON AND KU

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S.A. Christianson is a Canadian author. When she’s not writing about her many fictional characters, she works full-time as a game developer.

Learn more about S.A. at S.A. Christianson

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Book Spotlight Thursday: A House of Fangs and Deceit by Alex Frost

Currently, on a book tour with RR Book Tours, this book deserves a spotlight, just by the title alone. Let’s sink our teeth into A House of Fangs and Deceit by Alex Frost.

A House of Fangs & Deceit: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Lunaria Realms Book 1)

Publication Date: January 23, 2024

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance/ Why Choose

The fae are gone and the monsters reign.

Lunaria was always a land full of nightmares. But when the fae vanished without a trace, we had to make sacrifices to survive.

From the ashes, the Moroi Houses rose.

As the Heir to one of the most influential Houses, I’ve always known that an arranged marriage would be part of my future. One where I ruled alongside my husband as we fought to strengthen the crumbling alliances of our people.

When I’m betrayed by my husband and his House, however, I return home to an uncertain future—and to both my childhood crush and my arch-nemesis. Kieran is even more gorgeous and clever-tongued than I remember, while Alaric is frustrating... and hotter than he has any right to be. And then there’s the taciturn librarian and their magical ropes…

Navigating politics has always come easily to me, but I don’t know how to deal with my complicated desires or whom I can trust. Because the blood wards that have kept our realm safe for over a century are failing. The monsters are drawing closer, and someone is aiding them.



A unique take on Vampires, Shifters, Fae, & Other Magical Creatures. This is a spicy fantasy romance with love interests who don’t mind sharing. You can expect different types of relationships ranging from sweet and playful to enemies to lovers; set in a world full of monsters with a dark history.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Frost is… actually Maddox Grey. Dun dun duuuuun!
Okay probably not that dramatic of a reveal since it isn’t exactly a closely guarded secret. The pen name Alex Frost was created to publish the spicier fantasy series that fall under the “Why Choose” genre.
Why Alex Frost? Because Maddox is a freaking nerd. After being trained by local baristas to respond to the name “Alex” instead of Maddox, it seemed like the perfect pen name. Half of it anyway.
Since Maddox already shares their last name with Jean Grey of the X-Men, it seemed fitting to borrow Emma Frost’s last name for their other persona.
If you know, you know.


Learn more about Alex at Alex Frost

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Book Spotlight Thursday: The Devil’s Waltz by Jessi Elliot

SPOTLIGHT! A sinfully alluring cover The Devil’s Waltz by Jessi Elliot looks AMAZING! Be on the lookout for this beauty coming this February 27th, 2024!

Discover what happens when a young woman from a family of demon hunters falls in love with the prince of hell in this spicy paranormal romance.

The Devil’s Waltz (Love in Hell #1)


Expected Publication Date: February 27, 2024


Genre: Spicy Paranormal Romance


Features: 

❤️‍🔥 Lovers to Enemies…to Lovers?

❤️‍🔥 Forbidden Romance

❤️‍🔥 Snarky Banter

❤️‍🔥 Mental Health Rep

❤️‍🔥 Angst

❤️‍🔥 Spiceeeee

It’s been five years since her sister was killed by a demon and Camille Morgan swore off the family business of demon hunting. Now a college sophomore, Cami is determined to get her degree and move far away from Seattle—and all things paranormal.

But when Cami becomes the target of a demon attack she’s convinced is a ploy by her parents to drag her back into training, the wildly charming and attractive Xander Kane comes to her rescue. Except her savior isn’t a hunter. Or even human.

Xander is a demon, the alluring prince of hell, whose magnetic presence leaves Cami both captivated and conflicted, especially when she finds out he plans on using her to destroy the demon hunters once and for all.

Caught between her growing affection for Xander and her loyalty to her family, Cami struggles to make a decision that could shatter her and endanger the lives of those she loves.

Add it to your Goodreads

PRE-ORDER TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Elliott is a paranormal and fantasy romance author who lives in Ontario, Canada with her adorable calico cat, Phoebe.

When she’s not working on her next book, she likes to hang out with friends and family, get lost in a steamy romance novel, watch Friends, and drink coffee.

You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com and on social media @authorjessielliott. Join her newsletter to stay up to date on book news!

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Birthday Book Spotlight: The House of Whispers by C. Herbert

It’s my birthday! So, to celebrate I am celebrating fellow author C. Herbert and their recent publication of The House of Whispers( Living Nightmare Book 1) which looks wickedly delicious to read. A twisted retelling of Jack the Ripper mixed with Jekyll and Hyde. Enter the living nightmare!

The House of Whispers (Living Nightmares #1)


Publication Date: October 2023


Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance/ Retelling


🥀Dark Fantasy Horror/Romance

🥀Psychological Thriller

🥀Love/Hate

🥀Dark Secrets

🥀Knife Play + Blud Play

🥀Blud & Gore

🥀 Love Triangle

A notorious murderer haunting the streets of Bedeville stumbles upon a mysterious woman, becoming obsessed as he spends his nights endlessly toying with her and turning her world into a living nightmare.

This dark and twisted retelling of Jack the Ripper mixed with Jekyll and Hyde takes place in a fantasy world filled with magic, mischief, and murder.

**This book may contain some trigger warnings. Please view the author’s website for the full list.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

C. Hebert is an author of dark romance, fantasy, and horror. Her debut, The Pairing of Beasts, is the first book in her 6-book fantasy series, The Pairing. She is also the author of The House of Whispers, a psychological, dark romance thriller. It is the first book in her seasonal Living Nightmares series. Her most recent release, Her Secret Santa, is the first in The Saints series which consists of holiday inspired novellas written by C. Hebert and her friends.

C. Herbert

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Book Spotlight Thursday: Scars of Sacrifice and Seduction by J. Ember Hintz

Catching my reader’s eye this Thursday is Scars of Sacrifice and Seduction by J. Ember Hintz. Book two in the Dark Eden sci-fantasy series, where the lines between enemies, allies, loyalty, and love blur beyond recognition.

Birth made her a slave. Love made her a martyr. He’ll make her his queen...

SCARS OF SACRIFICE AND SEDUCTION 

Publication Date: October 28, 2023

Genre: Sci-fi Fantasy with Spice/ Enemies to Lovers

🖤Enemies to Lovers

💘Fated Mates

📜 Ancient Prophecy

🌶️ Cult Rituals

💕 Multiple Couples

🪦Touch Her and 😵 Vibes

🫶🏻 Found Family

💀Afterlife Mythology

🤐 Forbidden Knowledge

👽 With with x2 🍆

💥 Supernatural Powers

😈 Villain’s POV

➕Addiction & Recovery Rep


Birth made her a slave. Love made her a martyr. He’ll make her his queen.

Welcome to Eden. Born without magic into a brutal world where mage abilities determine survival, Vaza didn’t think her life as a breeder-queen could get any worse.

Not until a cult leader declares her identical twin must be sacrificed to resurrect a dead god. Vaza plans to destroy the prophet’s credibility by seducing him into breaking his sacred vows. To get close enough to ruin him, however, she’ll need to infiltrate The Order and do the one thing she fears most-open her heart and allow Brex to claim more than just her pleasure.

Meanwhile, in the prison world of the dead…

All his life, Liam Riley has been told he’s an abomination. Turns out it’s true. He never asked to be cursed with the powers of a living god, but now that he has them, he’ll use every one of his new gifts to protect his soul-bonded mate. Even if it means locking her up to keep her from discovering the truth about the entity holding them hostage.

Too bad Renae has no intention of being kept in a cage. Not when she sacrificed everything to save him. The version of Liam she finds in the Void isn’t the same man she fell in love with. A decade of solitary confinement in the Void has turned him into something more. Something inhuman.

Okay, put this one under my Christmas tree! Told in two colliding and scorchingly hot timelines that will leave readers questioning who the real monsters are.

Scars of Seduction and Sacrifice is currently available on Amazon

Amazon ( Link may earn author commission)

But.. Before it all began there was.

Available on Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. Ember Hintz writes sci-fi and fantasy romance. She loves building dark contemporary worlds and lush alternate realities ripe with mythology and magic.

You’ll meet ghosts, gods, and monsters in her stories, but never a damsel in distress.
Her debut novel was a 2022 Book Life Prize by Publisher’s Weekly Quarter Finalist and 2021 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence Finalist.

Fun Facts: J. Ember is her real first initial and middle name. She goes absolutely feral from enemies to lovers, grumpy protector/bodyguard romance tropes, and whatever the opposite of a meet-cute is. A meet-disaster? She also believes the villain or antagonist is the most important character in every story.

She lives near the ocean with her husband, two rescue poodles, and the occasional ghost. Her alter ego enjoys a successful career in the wedding industry. Job perks include an unlimited supply of cake, champagne, and IRL HEAs. When she’s not making dreams come true, or breathing life into fictional characters, you can find her in the studio throwing paint at a canvas and hoping for the best.
To learn more about her upcoming releases, visit https://jemberhintz.com/ or follow her author life shenanigans on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Find all her social links at

J. Ember Hintz

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Book Spotlight Thursday: Song of Dark Tides by Beka Westrup

In today’s spotlight is a twisted take on the Little Mermaid tale, with a delicious cover to boot. Let us now fall under the Song of Dark Tides by Beka Westrup.

SONG OF DARK TIDES

Publication Date: November 28, 2023
Genre: Very Dark Fantasy Romance / Fairy Tale Retelling

Viola is a sea witch cursed by Triton. Cast aside from the glittering city of Atlantis, she starves for power and a real life above the surface-two hungers her curse will never allow her to satiate. She patrols the sea she’s claimed for her own and the nearby human city, feeding on unjust men and oceanfolk alike.
When she meets Aric, Triton’s firstborn son and heir to the throne, she decides to forge her own future from his suffering. She could finally be free of her curse… if she can only manage to trick the heartless siren out of his soul.

Available NOW on click my affiliate link below

Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beka Westrup is a genre-hopping author of fantasy and romance. The Seldom Wings is her second full-length novel. She lives in the PNW with her husband and two children, collecting more books than she’ll ever be able to read and drinking copious amounts of iced coffee.

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Book Spotlight Special: The Crow Lord by J.M. Failde

TRICK OR TREAT! Well, I’ve got a TREAT for you in this Book Spotlight Special: Halloween Edition with The Crow Lord by J.M. Failde! Behold this book beauty!

The Crow Lord (The Vampires of Malvania Book 1)

Publication Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Vampire Romantasy

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

🖤 Enemies-to-Lovers
🩸 Who Did this to You?!
🖤 Vampire/ Human
🩸 Forced Proximity
🖤 One Bed
🩸 Good Girl
🖤 Touch Her and I’ll Unalive You!

“What will you give me?” His voice again was like melted gold. Like a whisper in the bedroom. “Anything.”
Malvania is broken into four manors ruled by vampire: the Viper Morada, the Arachnid Estate, the Maggot Mansion, and the Crow Court. After escaping the cruel and malicious Viper siblings in search of her brother, Lila Bran finds herself caught in the gaze of the Crow Lord himself, Ambrose Draven.
Beyond her better judgment, Lila strikes a bargain with Ambrose, five favors in exchange for safety. But when she ends up back in the hands of the Vipers, can she trust the Crow Lord to save her despite her desire to hate him?
Now, Lila must discover more to Ambrose Draven than his title as the Monster of Malvania in order to save her brother and fulfill her half of the bargain. As she fights to survive, she uncovers the truth behind her lineage, ancient vampire secrets, and the heart of a monster.

(Note: This book contains mature language, themes, and content that may not be suitable for all readers. Reader discretion is advised.)

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND FREE FOR KU

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. M. Failde spent just over one hundred fortnights rigorously studying the complexities of the English language at Florida International University. While she is not conjuring up stories, she can be found searching for el chupacabra, befriending the ghost in her house, or dying her hair a new shade of blue. Failde currently resides in her gothic manor on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, with her partner, Mike, and her familiar—the round but feisty calico cat, Maki.

Learn more at J.M. Failde