BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Shadow of the Yew Tree by Kate Gateley

Teaming with R&RBookTours this week to help celebrate the release of “Shadow of the Yew Tree” by Kate Gately! You must heed our warning and check it out!

Shadow of the Yew Tree (The Mythic Bones Duology #1)

Publication Date: May 27, 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy Romance

Features
⬇️
🌙𝙳𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝙾𝚅⁠
🌿𝙶𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚢 / 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎⁠
🌙𝙼𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚢⁠
🌿𝙾𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎⁠
🌙𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍⁠
🌿𝙰𝙳𝙷𝙳 𝚛𝚎𝚙⁠
🌙𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚘𝚛 / 𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎⁠
🌿𝙰𝚍𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜-𝚝𝚘-𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜⁠
🌙𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚗⁠
🌿𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚍 / 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚢⁠
🌙𝙳𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚜 & 𝚂𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎⁠
🌿𝙵𝙼𝙲𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 30’𝚜 (& 𝙼𝙼𝙲𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 40’𝚜😉)⁠

Synopsis

It seemed a lifetime ago that Dr. Ronan Gallagher had succumbed to his obsessive need to uncover the deepest secrets of the Codex Druidicus, a grimoire of the very darkest magic. Though he’d tried to protect his closest friends from a threat that had followed them through multiple lifetimes, the choices made by the Druid doctor had been a betrayal of not only his friends but his own sacred oaths—a betrayal he would pay for with his life.
Through the intervention of the Otherworld, he was given a second chance on this earthly realm to set things right. Yet, while the curse of the evil Sorcerer Cassius, ancient Child of Rome, might have been vanquished together with the Codex, the torturous tendrils born of Ronan’s pride and obsessive weakness still thrive in the shadows, their reach extending further every day.
When his fellow Druids learn of a massive explosion that has reduced a secret experimental Wraith facility to ruins, none can understand how Phoebe Ashburn, the sole survivor of the tortured experiments, has survived the blast’s devastation … and evaded their capture. With dark and volatile Wraith magic now trapped inside her—threatening her control and sanity—Phoebe is determined to discover how to rid herself of this inner darkness … even if it means accepting the assistance of the very Druid doctor whose actions had led to her torture in the first place.

GET IT NOW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author KATE GATELEY has always been fascinated by history, Celtic Ideology, ancestral memory and generational wounding, and the “Divine Feminine,” and those personal studies continue to influence every aspect of her life, on the pages of her books and off.

When Kate published her first book, Tides of the Sovereign (FriesenPress 2022), Book One of the Lost Wells Trilogy, she knew that it was only the beginning of a story she has always wanted to write—one with heart and meaning that was actually worth sharing. In December, 2022, Tides of the Sovereign was announced as the winning title in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category of the Canadian Book Club Awards. Continuing now in Book Two, Mantle of the World Ruler, and beyond into the next volume still to come, that story has grown far beyond what she could ever have imagined … into something that she dearly hopes can one day find—and deserve—a cherished spot among those volumes of both contemporary fantasy and historical romance that so inspired her growing up.

Kate currently lives, and writes, on a small farm in the Cowichan Valley on beautiful Vancouver Island, with her amazing husband, two incredible sons, an adorable dog, several barn cats who don’t earn their keep, and some decidedly ungrateful chickens … all of whom are very dearly loved. She is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC), Federation of BC Writers (BCFW) and Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA).

To connect with the author, visit:

www.kategateley.com

Book Spotlight Thursday: Feather and Famine by Mariah L. Rosewood

Capturing the spotlight this Thursday is the beautiful epic romantasy Feather and Famine. The first in the slow burn and spicy, The Withering Saga, this series will appeal to fans who enjoy immersive romantic high fantasy in the likes of A Court of Thorns and RosesFrom Blood and AshThe Cruel Prince, and Kingdom of the Wicked. Feast your eyes below!

Feather and Famine (The Withering Saga #1)

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

Genre: Epic Romantasy

Features

🌿Plant girlie
🌿Shadow daddy
🌿Dual POV
🌿Elves AND Fey
🌿Slow burn AND whirlwind/fast burn romance
🌿“Who did this”
🌿Touch her and die
🌿Dark secrets
🌿Wound tending
🌿Diverse/LGBTQ+ cast
🌿Multiple magic systems
🌿Mental health rep

Only she can sense the tree’s magic. Unfortunately, the tree’s not hers. It's his.
In the famine-stricken kingdom of Ittora, Ayse discovers a magical birch that might hold the power to save everyone. If only Aiden, the tree’s grumpy, annoyingly hot guardian would get over himself and let her investigate it.
Despite dark secrets and growing desire, Ayse is determined to see if the tree can reverse the Withering.
Meanwhile, Prince Seok is pushing for war against the Fey in a last ditch attempt to quell the famine, while also uncovering something amiss with the rations keeping everyone alive.
With the Withering closing in and time running out, they must hurry to save Ittora—before hunger consumes them all.

AVAILABLE at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mariah L. Rosewood is a creative soul from the Midwest with a love for family, reading, art, music, and the intricacies of human emotion.

As an author, she loves characters that are multifaceted, imperfect, and relatable. The kind you root for, swoon over, and sometimes want to smack upside the head. Characters you’re on the journey with.

So step into the world of Rosewood—where magic meets the heart, and every story leaves a mark.

Book Spotlight Thursday: Kingdom of Briars and Roses by Heather Hildenbrand

I love fairy tale retelling, so it is no surprise that the Kingdom of Briars and Roses by Heather Hildenbrand is featured in my spotlight today! Kingdom of Briars & Roses is a slow-burn, royal fae romantasy that includes morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers, political intrigue, who did this to you, and touch her and unalive. It’s ACOTAR meets Reign with a Sleeping Beauty twist.

Kingdom of Briars and Roses (Cursed Fae Courts Book 1)

Publication Date: March 12, 2025

Genre: Fae Fantasy Romance/ Adult Romantasy

FEATURES
Slow Burn
Touch Her & Die
Who Did This?
Fae Royalty
Forbidden Romance
Secret Crush on his Brother
Chosen One
Dark Prince
Enemies to Lovers
Possessive
Growly Alpha Male

Synopsis
Two powerful fae princes. One will be her salvation. The other, her ruin.
Cursed and alone in her own castle, Aurelia has spent years watching her kingdom wither. When trespassers finally break the silence, it’s both a dream and a nightmare.
Prince Callan is the first outsider she has seen in an age—golden, arrogant, and her only hope. He alone can shatter the curse, but his help comes at a cost: her freedom.
Then there’s Rydian.


Cold where Callan burns hot, lethal where he is charming, the second fae prince is an enigma—and an attraction she can’t ignore. Too bad he despises her on sight.
In a realm where deception reigns, Aurelia must trust one prince to save her. The other will destroy her.
If only she knew which.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Hildenbrand writes paranormal and fantasy romance with strong heroines and dark, grumpy heroes who’ll do anything for their mate. Her most frequent hobbies are cuddling with her 100-pound goldendoodle, riding country roads on the back of her husband’s motorcycle, and avoiding killer slugs. You can find out more about Heather and her books at heatherhildenbrand.com

Book Spotlight Thursday: Between the Moon and Her Night by Jaclyn Kot

In the spotlight today is the beautiful Between the Moon and Her Night.” It’s a prequel to the Between Life and Death series, but it is intended to be read as the third book. This dark fantasy romance series is great for readers who enjoy Raven Kennedy, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas. Let’s read on!

Between the Moon and Her Night (Between Life and Death Series Book 3)

Publication Date: October 23, 2024

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

FEATURES

🖤 Stalker Spirit Realm King
🤍 Traumatized, lonely FMC
🖤 Take your rival’s wife
🤍 Non-Con Forced bond
🖤 REAL enemies to lovers
🤍 He stole me = he saved me
🖤 DV Rep - Mental Health Rep
🥞 Spice that will fold you like a pancake

Synopsis

Centuries before the events of Between Life and Death and Between Sun
and Moon . . . Centuries before she was Sage . . . She was Aurelia, the Goddess of Life.

The decades-long Immortal War has ended and a new deal has been struck
between the two warring sides. In exchange for the freedom of others, Aurelia reluctantly
agrees to live in the Spirit Realm where she will give her hand in marriage to
the God of Death—Von.

The lethal, sexy, immortal claims he will make her his queen, but she
knows full well that she will not be wearing a gilded crown upon her head, but
rather a tight collar around her neck. Having no intentions of becoming his
prisoner, on the day she is supposed to go with him, she makes a swift decision
and runs from him instead.

Thunderclouds and swords are not the only things that collide when Von
tracks her down in the dark, foreboding woods. There, steamy passions and
shadow chains lure Aurelia into making another deal with him—a deal that she
won’t be able to run away from this time. A deal that will forever lock her to
his side.


. . . Right where Death wants her to be.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaclyn Kot is a prairie girl, an avid reader, occasional Netflix binger and a total foodie. She is a proud mama of many chickens, two fabulous kitties and a good doggo. She lives on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada with her husband.

She writes high fantasy fiction and likes her fantasy served with plot twists, a side of spice, and morally grey males with a palate for strong-willed females.

It is her hopes that readers will fall in love with Sage and Von’s story just as much as she has.

Looking for the latest information on the Between Life and Death Series, or wanting to connect with Jaclyn? You can here:

www.instagram.com/jaclyn.kot/

http://www.tiktok.com/@jaclyn.kot

www.jaclynkotbooks.com

Book Spotlight Thursday II: Descended by Ingrid J. Adams

Nominated for Victorian Premier’s Literary Award 2024, Aurealis Award 2023, and State Library of Queensland Literary Award 2023. Caught in our Triple Book Spotlight this week ponder whether love can endure, life after life in Descended by Ingrid J. Adams.

Descended
Publication Date: March 15, 2024 (Second Edition)
Genre: Coming-Of-Age Fantasy Romance/ Takes Place in the 90s

1990s SYDNEY.
A LOVE THAT SPANS LIFETIMES.
FOR SOME, THE VEIL BETWEEN REALMS IS STRETCHED THIN...

An imaginative tour-de-force debut about the big and small decisions we make every day and the ripple effect they have on the rest of time – even if they’re celestially pre-determined.

Indigo Wolfe, the mysterious high school heart throb everyone wants to be or be with, is barely holding on by a thread. Because he isn't what he seems. He has secrets – secrets that consume him. Pain. Emptiness. The unending noise of all that he sees, and feels and hears that no one else can.

Why is he cursed by abilities others are not?

When he meets the ethereal Cordelia Carlisle, he's hit with a sense of recognition that traverses lifetimes. Only she can make his world silent. He’s welcomed into her family, and as they grow closer he lets her see the parts of him he keeps hidden.

The only thing he can't show her is that she's everything to him.

When they're torn apart, Indigo descends into darkness and is left standing on the precipice. He must search the depths of his soul – and his powers – and choose, whether to give up, or to fight: for himself, for answers, and for Cordelia, the one he seems destined to love and to lose over and over, life after life after life…

Descended is the award-nominated debut in the first gripping four-book series that melds paranormal romance with magical realism.

Buy Now

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

To learn more, visit ingridjadams.com

Book Spotlight Thursday: Beauty and the Blade and Little Red Shadow by S.C. Grayson

I love fairy tales and spotlighting today are two talented fairy tale fantasies. Think Bridgerton meets Peaky Blinders in Beauty and the Blade and Little Red Shadow by S.C. Grayson. Now available!

Beauty and the Blade (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 1)

Publication Date: January 5, 2024

Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy/ Fairy Tale Fantasy

Most London socialites dream of marrying for love or status, but Contessa’s wedding is about justice—and revenge.
Nathanial Woodrow is known on the streets of London as the Beast, leader of the fearsome Lion gang who mark their victims with three slashes on their face. Since her mother was found dead with the signature slashes years ago, Contessa has wanted nothing more than to see her murderer brought to justice. However, the Beast has been impeccable at maintaining his façade as the high society Mr. Nathanial Woodrow, and nobody has been able to gather enough evidence to convict him. When the Beast unexpectedly asks Contessa’s father, the Chief of the Royal Police, for her hand in marriage, Contessa and her father hatch a plan to bring him down from the inside.
As Contessa enters the lion’s den in search of evidence to convict the Beast, she finds that not everything is as she once thought. Her father’s work, hunting down Talented that use their magic to rule the criminal underworld, is thrown into question with each glimpse of the kind-hearted man beneath the mask of a hardened gang leader. As Contessa navigates her search for justice, she finds herself questioning what side she’s really on, and why she finds herself drawn to a man she’s supposed to hate.

Available Now on AMAZON

Little Red Shadow (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 2)

Publication Date:  January 5, 2024

Genre:  Fairy Tale Fantasy Romance/ Gaslamp

The Wolves are out for blood, but Scarlett doesn’t intend to let them catch their prey.
When Scarlett’s friend Georgette starts receiving death threats from the Wolves, a powerful street gang, she sets out uncover why they want a prominent socialite dead. As a Talented gangster herself, Scarlett goes undercover. Instead of a hardened murderer, she discovers the charming younger son of a Duke, Benedict Pearce, is the would-be assassin. Clearly not a killer at heart, Scarlett decides to trust the handsome rogue, and they join forces to put a stop to the Wolves mysterious machinations and save her friend.
As the pair begin their investigations, as well as a fictitious courtship to throw the Wolves off their trail, Scarlett must reckon with a past she prefers to keep hidden. Benedict, constantly jovial and flirtatious, slowly chips away at the shadows Scarlett has built around her heart.
Still, as the search uncovers deeper levels of deception, their ruse becomes increasingly dangerous. When facing down the Wolves, Scarlett is forced to confront how far into the shadows she is willing to go to protect the ones who have her heart.

AVAILABLE NOW ON Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S.C. Grayson has been reading fantasy novels since she was a little girl stealing books from her older sister’s shelves, and that has developed into a love of writing and storytelling. Her writing is currently focused on fantasy and paranormal romance. When she is not sitting in a local coffee shop writing and consuming an iced americano, Grayson is a nurse working towards a Ph.D. in nursing with a focus on breast cancer genetics. She lives in Pittsburgh with her loving husband and their two cats, who enjoy contributing to her work by walking across her keyboard at inopportune moments (the cats, not the husband).

Learn more about Grayson and her books. Follow her on Instagram @s.c.grayson

Book Spotlight Thursday: The Audient and the Phantom Night by Sadie Hewitt

Caught in Today’s spotlight is the recently released pirate fantasy The Audient and the Phantom Night by Sadie Hewitt. Let’s read on me harties!

The Audient and the Phantom Night (The Aeglecian Seas #1)
Publication Date: November 21, 2023
Genre: Romantic Fantasy/ Pirate Fantasy
☠️ Grumpy/ Sunshine
☠️ Touch Her and D$%
☠️ Forced Proximity
☠️ Cursed Ships
☠️ Outlawed Magic
☠️ Spicy
The Legend of the Flying Dutchman meets Beauty and the Beast in this action-packed fantasy filled with searing romance, outlawed magic, and seafaring danger.

Fenna Terrigan never expected to leave her seaside village. She was too quiet, too gentle, and far too kind to take on life outside of the bookshop she works at. But when her brother shows up on her doorstep begging for aid, with a pirate lord hot on his tail, Fenna will do anything to protect him.
Devlin Cato is the captain of a cursed ship and can step foot on land for one day every seven years. Once again, he’s found himself using it to chase a deserter across the continent. His hunt is short-lived when Fenna agrees to take on her brother’s twenty-five-year debt in exchange for leaving her smoldering city to heal.
As Fenna spends more time aboard The Phantom Night with the ship’s mysterious and seductive captain, she soon finds herself caught between loyalty to her brother and her fiery passion for Devlin Cato. But the path to ending the curse isn’t as easy as it seems when Fenna’s dark secret is discovered– a secret that threatens the very foundation of the continent’s stability and one that anyone would be willing to kill for.
Add to Goodreads

Available now on Amazon

About The Author

Sadie Hewitt is the author of stunning, fantastical mysteries that keep readers on their toes. She is an avid fantasy and thriller reader. Sadie is especially passionate about diverse representation and mental health recovery in fiction, allowing her to create wonderfully vivid and relatable characters who jump off the page.

When she’s not writing or working as a full-time respiratory therapist, she travels the world, spends time with her two dogs and husband, and scarfs pizza like it’s going out of style.

Learn more about Sadie at Sadie Hewitt