Showing posts with label Dark Historical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Historical. Show all posts

Saturday, November 8, 2025

SPOTLIGHT - DARK EPIC HISTORICAL FANTASY - THE WITCH'S REBIRTH SERIES by Michaela Riley

This Samhain, awaken the legend.

Confront the darkness.


The Witch’s Rebirth Series
by Michaela Riley
Genre: Dark Epic Historical Fantasy


Labyrinth of Shadows
The Witch’s Rebirth, Part I

The Empire Falls. A Witch Rises. Humanity's Last Hope.

 

What if the world’s salvation depended on the rebirth of its most feared woman?

Award-winning author Michaela Riley delivers a groundbreaking saga with The Witch's Rebirth Series, beginning with the electrifying Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch’s Rebirth Part I.

Born on Samhain, under the ominous shroud of an eclipse, Merona's destiny is a spell woven through centuries. As the mighty Western Roman Empire crumbles into dust and a new king rises amidst the ashes, an ancient prophecy demands her awakening. This is no mere historical reimagining; it is a cosmic tension, an eerie beauty where history and myth conspire to ignite a forgotten power.

Forget the villains of myth. In this epic tale, the world's salvation rests on the shoulders of its most feared woman. Merona’s rebirth isn't just a beginning; it's the genesis of humanity's last hope. Journey with her through a labyrinth of shadows, where destiny, reclamation, and the profound cost of becoming who you were always meant to be collide.

Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch’s Rebirth Part I doesn’t just sound epic—it feels like a spell cast across time. Prepare for a story that flips archetypes, raises the stakes to unimaginable heights, and will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about fate and fear.

The Witch’s Rebirth Series by Award-Winning Author Michaela Riley. Her rebirth begins. The world will never be the same.

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Cauldron of Dagda
The Witch’s Rebirth, Part II


This Samhain, the veil thins, and a legend awakens.

 

Michaela Riley, the award-winning storyteller whose words have captivated readers, invites you on a journey back to a time when magic thrummed in the very soil and darkness lurked at the edges of the known world. Step into The Witch's Rebirth Series, a saga that begins not with a whisper, but with a shattering revelation on the most sacred night of the year.

The year is 540 A.D. The air in Gaul is thick with an unspoken dread, a chilling premonition spreading like wildfire from the East. For nearly three decades, a name whispered with fear, a figure known only as The Witch, has remained a phantom, a recluse safeguarding truths too powerful to be spoken. Merona, the woman behind the myth, has lived a life of quiet vigilance, her existence a shield against a nameless terror.

But the shadows are lengthening. An ancient, lurking darkness, a force older than empires and more insidious than plague, has begun to stir. This is not a foe that wields steel; it is a corruption that feasts on despair, a creeping night threatening to extinguish the last embers of humanity. And Merona, the reclusive witch, is no longer hidden. She is drawn from her sanctuary, her slumbering power ignited by an imperative she cannot ignore.

Her mission is immense, her burden profound. Merona is the solitary guardian of the Cauldron of Dagda, an artifact of immense power, a beacon of hope in a world teetering on the precipice of eternal night. Humanity's fate rests not on armies, but on the whispered incantations and fierce determination of one woman.

Beside her, though the odds are stacked against them, stand those who have pledged their unwavering loyalty. Murdach, Morrigan, and Mairead. Their faces, etched with the weariness of countless battles against the encroaching darkness, mirror the grim resolve in Merona's own eyes. Her voice, though carrying the weight of prophecy and the echo of a fragile world, is not one of despair, but of a fierce, unwavering commitment.

The Witch's Rebirth Series is more than a story; it is an immersion into a visceral world where pagan lore collides with cataclysmic threats. It is a testament to the power of resilience, the strength of chosen family, and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to stand against the tide of oblivion.

Prepare to be spellbound. Prepare to witness the impossible. Prepare for The Witch's Rebirth Series by Michaela Riley.

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Spear of Lugh

The Witch’s Rebirth Part III


Prepare for the Rebirth. Prepare for War.

 

She was reborn on Samhain. And that was only the beginning.

From the award-winning imagination of Michaela Riley comes a sweeping saga where ancient myth bleeds into brutal history, and humanity's fate rests on the shoulders of one formidable woman. Welcome to THE WITCH'S REBIRTH SERIES.

In the shadowed year of 544 AD, the ancient Gaul town of Septimania lies scarred, but not broken. A devastating plague had gripped its very soul, until the Witch, through powerful, arcane deeds, began to loosen its deadly hold. Now, as the sacred eve of Samhain approaches, the air hums with the promise of roaring bonfires, desperate festivity, and a fragile new dawn.

But beneath the surface of celebration, an unsettling truth stirs: an ancient darkness, long thought defeated, is awakening once more. This menacing, primeval force threatens to extinguish the fragile light of renewal, to plunge Septimania, and indeed all humanity, into an eternal night.

With the raven's call echoing through the labyrinth's core, the Witch emerges, reborn and wielding the legendary Cauldron of Dagda and the mighty Spear of Lugh. She is poised for one final, desperate battle. To preserve humanity, she must summon the enigmatic, divine strength of the Gods – the awe-inspiring might of the Tuatha De Danann. For in this coming conflict, so cataclysmic are the stakes, there will be no victor left standing unless the ancient powers heed her plea.

Will the Witch's rebirth be humanity's salvation, or its final, desperate gasp?

Dive into THE WITCH'S REBIRTH SERIES by Award-Winning Author Michaela Riley and witness the epic struggle for survival where myth is made, and legends are forged in fire and blood.

 

Your journey into ancient magic and desperate heroism begins on Samhain.

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Michaela Riley: Where Virginia Trails Meet Ancestral Magic

From the front lines of critical care to the enchanting worlds of fiction, Michaela Riley, a retired Army Critical Care Nurse with a Masters in Nursing Education, is the award-winning author behind "The Witch's Rebirth" series.

​Nestled in Virginia, Michaela shares her life with her husband and a distinctive duo of canine muses: Morrigan, a majestic red German Shepherd, and Carlos, a spirited Chihuahua-terrier. Her inspiration roots deep in the local mountains and forests, where each hike is a pilgrimage that connects her to ancestral whispers. These profound journeys directly fuel her captivating stories, weaving together magic, history, and the transformative power of self-discovery.

​Through evocative prose, Michaela invites readers to explore their own heritage and embrace the extraordinary magic found in uncovering one's deepest truths.

Website * Website * Facebook * X * Instagram

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Saturday, April 19, 2025

SPOTLIGHT w/EXCERPT - DARK TIME TRAVEL - A CODE OF KNIGHTS AND DECEPTION (Swords of Time, #1) by Eliza Hampstead

Outlander meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance!


A Code of Knights and Deception
Swords of Time, #1
by Eliza Hampstead
Genre: Dark Time Travel Historical Romantasy

Outlander meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance!


Sophia

I thought I was trapped in history. Turns out, it’s far worse than I imagined.

I woke up in 15th-century England, a brutal world where women are silenced, superstition rules, and survival depends on obedience. Trapped far from my husband and son, nothing makes sense. I’m a scientist, not a damsel in distress, so I did what I had to—I disguised myself as a man and trained with Henry, the castle’s master-at-arms, learning to wield a sword to defend myself.

But as I carve my place in this world, my forbidden love for Henry shakes everything I believed in. Do I fight to return home—or surrender to a future I never imagined?

Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that Henry is hiding something—something that could shatter everything I’ve fought for.


Ethan

What if the woman you’re supposed to observe becomes the one you can’t live without?
I never meant to fall for her. She’s fearless, brilliant, captivating. Every lesson, every stolen moment deepens the lie—and my guilt. I’m not the man she thinks I am. That my name is Ethan, not Henry, is the least of the lies I tell her.

If she learns the truth, I’ll lose her forever.

And time is running out.


*Warning: strong language, steamy scenes, and graphic violence inside. Mention/Description of, but not limited to, abduction, blood, death, amputation, childbirth, death, sexual assault, suicide, violence against children, rape, and torture.*

The book is the first in a duology and ends with a cliffhanger. 

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Sophia and Henry meet for the first time

Then, with a sudden crash, I was yanked back into reality. My eyes blinked open to find myself lying on beaten earth, small stones scattered around me like the remnants of some forgotten battle. I attempted to reach for them, but my fingers refused to obey my command. Were those dark pellets in the corner rat droppings? The thought made me want to retch, but I had no air to spare.

Before me appeared the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They fixed intently on my face, twin beacons of azure that seemed to anchor me against the encroaching tide of despair. I stared into them, unable to pull my gaze away from their hypnotic depths. They were like the water in the Mediterranean—inviting, warm, and mysterious all at once. Just as I longed to dive into those azure waves and sink into them on a hot summer day, I wanted to immerse myself in the comforting embrace of those mesmerising eyes.

Strong hands grasped my shoulders, shaking me back into reality with a jolt. I tore my gaze from those captivating eyes and looked downward, my vision fixing on sensually shaped lips surrounded by a dark beard. The man's mouth moved vigorously, but I couldn't make out the words he was saying. My ears were filled with a persistent ringing, drowning out the world around me.

"…breathe," I finally heard him say, his voice taking on an urgent tone. "Can you hear me? You must draw breath!" He shook me again, his grip firm yet gentle, grounding me in the present moment. "Breathe! Quickly now, do not falter!"



Eliza Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she's not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of medieval history are only a few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always planning her next adventure.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads



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Sunday, October 20, 2024

SPOTLIGHT - DARK LGBTQ+ - ASHES ON THE WIND: The Love Story Behind the Crime of the Century by Brandy Purdy

The love story behind the Crime of the Century


Ashes on the Wind:
The Love Story Behind the Crime of the Century
by Brandy Purdy
Genre: Dark Historical LGBTQ Romantic Suspense, True Crime

Nathan "Babe" Leopold was a socially awkward genius who used arrogance as a shield. He cultivated a philosophy of absolute selfishness cherry-picked from his reading of Nietzsche and indulged himself with vivid sexual fantasies about kings and slaves.

Richard "Dickie" Loeb was the brightest of the bright young things, a social butterfly as fragile as glass inside, hiding his insecurities behind a dazzling smile and a mouthful of lies. He found escape in thrilling tales and fantasies of crime.

They were two brilliant and privileged boys, each harboring secrets it would have been social suicide to reveal in their 1920s world.

When Babe met Dickie, it was like his favorite fantasy had stepped out of his dreams into real life.

When Dickie met Babe, he thought he had found the accomplice who would help make his criminal dreams come true.

Dickie was willing to give Babe what he wanted, if Babe would give him what he wanted. Quid pro quo. Until Dickie wanted something more, leaving Babe desperate and willing to do anything to hold onto his dream. Even if it led down a dark path to the Crime of the Century and infamy as the thrill killers Leopold and Loeb.

  

I have read all but one of Brandy Purdy’s novels, since 2010 and I have enjoyed them all including Ashes on the Wind. Brandy spends extensive time doing research and has the knack for telling a great story.

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Brandy Purdy is the author of several historical novels including The Ripper's Wife, The Secrets of Lizzie Borden, The Boleyn Wife, and The Tudor Throne.

Website * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


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Tuesday, October 26, 2021

BOOK BLITZ w/EXCERPT - DARK HISTORICAL - AND HELL FOLLOWED by Beckett Riley

And Hell Followed
by Beckett Riley
Publication date: October 26th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Historical, Romance, Western



BLURB

We all have our demons

My parents thought emigrating from Germany to the American frontier was going to be a good thing for everyone. But it seems that a darkness is doomed to follow us wherever we go.

Life can be harsh and unforgiving in this world, especially for a woman. Luckily, I have my brother, Thomas, to watch out for me and protect me. He can only do so much, though, and after that vile attack, I find myself in need of his protection more than ever. It was then I realized that festering darkness came from within.

Although society won’t take kindly to it, we have forsaken God and embarked on an unholy life, but just as things finally began to calm down, the past reared its ugly head and came back to tear us apart and destroy and everything we’ve built.

But as Thomas once told me, I would ride my steed through the fires of hell to salvage the only thing worth living for, and if the devil gets in my way, he will beg to God for mercy.

We will be free.

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EXCERPT:

Thomas released her face and stood up, ordering Ma to go down to the root cellar and get the gunny sack. He watched her descend the ladder, her sniffling turning to quiet sobs when she cradled the direct result of her actions. The leaves crunched under their feet as they made their way through the apple orchard in the dark, with nothing but a lantern to guide the way. She ironically felt safer holding the sack against her chest as she was ahead. They stopped near one of the trees and Thomas broke ground. Ma cradled the sack and stared into the black void enveloping them. An animal must’ve fallen prey to something not far in the distance as it’s desperate wails echoed across the land. The horrible sound made Ma focus on the shovel hitting the earth mixed with Thomas’ heavy breathing and grunts. After what felt like hours, the grave was dug and he looked up at her.

“Give me my child.”

Overcome with the most emotion he had ever witnessed his mother show, she fell to her knees and held the sack against her chest, sobbing. Thomas took the sack and placed it at the bottom of the hole and climbed out, sitting on the ground with Ma next to him, her head buried in her hands. He thought of what could’ve been for a moment before getting up.

“You did this, you finish it.” He pointed to the shovel and looked in the cabin’s direction. As he walked into the darkness, led by the dim light coming from Kate’s room, tears stained his cheeks.




 

Author Info 

Beckett Riley resides in the sunshine state where she writes in between taking care of a four-year-old daughter, three dogs, six chickens, a grumpy barn cat, and a husband (sometimes in that order according to him). She loves writing erotic stories as much as she enjoys reading them. Dark romance and happily ever afters with hot, possessive, guys bring tears of joy to her eyes so please excuse the alpha males roaming her pages, they know not what they do.

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Tuesday, October 5, 2021

COVER REVEAL - DARK HISTORICAL ROMANCE - AND HELL FOLLOWED by Beckett Riley

And Hell Followed
by Beckett Riley
Publication date: October 26th 2021
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Historical, Romance, Western



BLURB

We all have our demons

My parents thought emigrating from Germany to the American frontier was going to be a good thing for everyone. But it seems that a darkness is doomed to follow us wherever we go.

Life can be harsh and unforgiving in this world, especially for a woman. Luckily, I have my brother, Thomas, to watch out for me and protect me. He can only do so much, though, and after that vile attack, I find myself in need of his protection more than ever. It was then I realized that festering darkness came from within.

Although society won’t take kindly to it, we have forsaken God and embarked on an unholy life, but just as things finally began to calm down, the past reared its ugly head and came back to tear us apart and destroy and everything we’ve built.

But as Thomas once told me, I would ride my steed through the fires of hell to salvage the only thing worth living for, and if the devil gets in my way, he will beg to God for mercy.

We will be free.

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Author Info

Beckett Riley resides in the sunshine state where she writes in between taking care of a four-year-old daughter, three dogs, six chickens, a grumpy barn cat, and a husband (sometimes in that order according to him). She loves writing erotic stories as much as she enjoys reading them. Dark romance and happily ever afters with hot, possessive, guys bring tears of joy to her eyes so please excuse the alpha males roaming her pages, they know not what they do.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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