Award-Winning Author Michaela Riley's "Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch's Rebirth Part I" Named Winner in Horror Category at the 22nd Annual Best Book Awards

LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 2025 – American Book Fest™ is proud to announce the winners and finalists of its prestigious 22nd Annual Best Book Awards (BBA), one of the world's largest international book award programs celebrating mainstream, independent, and self-published titles. Among the distinguished recipients, award-winning author Michaela Riley has secured a win in the highly competitive Horror category for her captivating novel, "Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch's Rebirth Part I."

This year's Best Book Awards saw American Book Fest receive thousands of entries from authors and publishers across the globe, with over 400 winners and finalists ultimately selected across more than 100 categories for titles published between 2020 and 2025.

"Over our 23-year history, thousands of self-published and indie authors have leveraged the promotional power of their Best Book Award to increase online recognition, enhance their title’s credibility, and garner more attention in the crowded book buying marketplace," said Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest.

Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch's Rebirth Part I

"Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch's Rebirth Part I" has demonstrated remarkable acclaim, with this honor marking its eighth major award. The novel previously received top accolades including:

• BookFest Fall 2025 – First Place, Historical Fiction

• NYC Big Book Award – First Place, Historical Fiction

• Literary Titan Gold Book Award – Fiction

• International Impact Book Award – Fantasy (August 2025)

• Readers’ Choice Book Award – Silver, Fantasy

• StoryTrade Book Award – Gold Winner, Fantasy

• Longlisted for The 2025 Chaucer Award (Early Historical Fiction – Pre-1750)

"Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch's Rebirth Part I" is available for purchase at https://www.amazon.com/Labyrinth-Shadows-Witchs-Rebirth-Part-ebook/dp/B0DTBLDNCX.

The 22nd Annual Best Book Awards celebrate a diverse range of literary talent, with participation from major publishing houses such as Penguin Random House, HCI / Simon & Schuster, Hachette UK, Wiley, Rowman & Littlefield, Routledge, Princeton University Press, Oxford University Press, Stanford University Press, The White House Historical Association, Inner Traditions, De Gruyter, She Writes Press, Ideapress Publishing, and Post Hill Press, alongside numerous national and international independent publishers.

The full results for the 22nd Annual Best Book Awards can be found on the American Book Fest website. Winners and finalists of this year's contest join a distinguished legacy of past laureates, including Pope Francis, George Saunders, Vanessa Williams, Kitty Kelley, Anne Geddes, Daymond John, and Mark Nepo.

American Book Fest champions books from all sectors of the publishing industry and maintains a robust online presence with over 131,000 Facebook fans.

About American Book Fest™: American Book Fest™ is dedicated to recognizing and promoting outstanding literary achievements across all publishing formats. Through its various award programs, it aims to provide a platform for authors and publishers to gain visibility and credibility in the global literary market. With a 23-year history, American Book Fest offers a comprehensive archive of past award winners.

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