Book Spotlight: Queen of Shadows by Anna Belfrage

 

She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun

Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.

When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor.

Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.

Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?

Based on the true story of Alfonso XI and his complicated relationships to wife and life-long mistress 

 

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://myBook.to/QofS

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as two equally acclaimed medieval series; The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel Times of Turmoil, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .

 All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

 “A master storyteller” “This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com where you will also find her post about Alfonso and Leonor:

Author Links:

Website: www.annabelfrage.com

X: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abelfrageauthor.bsky.social

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage

Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG      

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage

  

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

 

Book Spotlight: The Magician by W Somerset Maugham / G.G. MacLeod

Only that which is forbidden may be permitted.

In Edwardian Paris, brilliant surgeon Arthur Burdon is engaged to beautiful Margaret Dauncey, accompanied by her loyal friend, artist Susie Boyd. They encounter enigmatic Oliver Haddo—a wealthy, obese occultist claiming alchemical mastery. Haddo, inspired by Aleister Crowley, seduces and marries Margaret, drawing her into depravity.

While Arthur remains blind, Susie spies Haddo’s true nature: tentacled astral projections, ritual abuse, and experiments creating daemonic homunculi fed on virgin blood. Margaret descends into addiction and submission. Susie, contemptuous of weakness, murders to steal Haddo’s forbidden texts, performs blood rituals, and binds young Oswald Pendleton as lover and disciple through explicit sex magick.

This modern revision of this classic pot-boiler is a more hardcore, horrifying, and twisted take on this tale.

 Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/47K6j7

 

G.G. MacLeod is a 59-year-old Canadian male based in Calgary. The author has always had a tendency of combining genres like horror and action along with drama, psychological thrillers, giallo, and sometimes even comedy.

It really depends on how the author feels from moment to moment as they write because the author likes to entertain themselves first and then hope that a smattering of other people out there in the world will like it as well.

 Author Links:

 Twitter / X: https://x.com/GGMacLeod1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ggmacleod1/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ggmacleod1

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/G.-G.-MacLeod/author/B098Z2Z35R

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22624912.G_G_MacLeod

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Book Spotlight: Rise of the Pale Moon by Patricia Brandon

 

Forced to navigate complex relationships with each other and the master’s family in colonial South Carolina, three young women (an indentured servant, a chattel slave, and a Catawba Indian) must choose between remaining in servitude or risk a dangerous escape that could change their lives – and the course of the Revolution.

Unlikely Allies: Three Diverse Women Navigate Tumultuous Times, Risking All Amidst Revolutionary Woes. A Tale of Hope, Love, and Triumph Over Adversity.

In the heart of coastal South Carolina, during the Revolutionary War era, a profound narrative unfolds in Rise of the Pale Moon. This captivating tale is set on a plantation, where three young women of strikingly different backgrounds are held captive - a humble indentured servant from London, a resilient chattel slave, and a resourceful Catawba Indian. Their lives are intertwined, bound by the chains of their circumstances, and deeply impacted by the Master and his family.

These women, each bearing a unique perspective, must learn to navigate their relationships with each other and their captors. As they grapple with their brutal reality, their courage is put to the ultimate test. Will they risk a daring escape, knowing full well that it could result in their demise? Or will they remain, hoping to influence their fate and possibly alter the course of the war in the American South?

Rise of the Pale Moon explores the intricacies of loyalty, sacrifice, and love amidst harsh adversity. The characters' relentless pursuit of hope is a testament to their determination and resilience, offering an inspiring portrayal of human spirit. As the birth of a new nation unfolds around them, their journey reveals the transformative power of unity and friendship.

This riveting narrative is more than just a historical fiction; it is a timeless exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of shared struggles, shared dreams, and the shared determination to survive. The characters' journey serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times.

Rise of the Pale Moon is a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons.

 

 Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3197yD

  

Patricia Brandon is a winner of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award (South Carolina Writers’ Association).

Her first novel, THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, earned a Coffee Pot Book Club (UK) “Highly Recommended” 5-Star Award. It recently was awarded a bronze medal (fiction-mystery-historical category) in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

Her second novel, A RULE OF LIFE, was selected as a gold medal (YA, Historical Fiction category) 2021 Book of the Year by The Coffee Pot Book Club. It also was recently selected as a bronze medal (YA Mystery category) winner in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

RISE OF THE PALE MOON was selected as a finalist for the American Writing Awards 2025.

All novels have gleaned several excellent editorial reviews.

Check out Patricia’s interview at Meet The Author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7wk0myvCk0

Author Links:

Website:  https://patriciabrandon.com/

Twitter / X:  https://x.com/pgaddisbrandon

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/patriciabrandonauthor/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pbrandonauthor/

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patricia-Brandon/author/B07DLGBJV4 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/17558288.Patricia_Brandon

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

Book Spotlight: Daughter of Mercia by Julia Ibbotson

 

Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again. When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6^th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6^th century and the other modern?

 

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past. Tensions rise and sparks fly between Anna and Matt. But how is 6^th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

 

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Elena Collins, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley and Christina Courtenay.

 

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://myBook.to/DOMercia

 This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries.

 Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

 She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

 Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

 Author Links:

 Website: https://juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/@juliaibbotson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/juliaibbotson.bsky.social

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1

Amazon Author Page: https://Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/juliaibbotson

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY

 

Audiobook Spotlight: The Agincourt King by Mercedes Rochelle. Narrated by Kevin E. Green.

 

From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house.

His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France. Better yet, why not go for the crown?

Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur.

But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him. By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought.

Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.

 Buy Links:

 Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mq70Ze

 Audiobook Buy Links:

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/0Cg66ye2wFqfteVEYMZXUE

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-agincourt-king-by-mercedes-rochelle

 This series is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

 

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing.

Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.

Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ, with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

Author Links:

Website: https://mercedesrochelle.com/

Twitter / X:  https://x.com/authorrochelle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mercedesrochelle.net

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/authorrochelle.bsky.social

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mercedes-rochelle

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mercedes-Rochelle/author/B001KMG5P6

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1696491.Mercedes_Rochelle

 

 If you enjoy discovering new stories, you may also like The AnaRose Chronicles—a trilogy of award‑winning adventure novellas. https://books2read.com/u/4jzKAY