Shots from SRG happy hour on Tuesday💕

The mistake all my Ivy-bound clients make is admitting they lovvvvve like-minded people.

Every season, when I'm editing nepobaby college essays I have to tell them: "Stop writing that you're excited to meet like-minded people. Why would you announce that? You can't wait to meet other rich kids who went to prep school? I puh-romise you the admissions team already knows that, so you should be dispelling rather than confirming it. Literally, just announce you're racist why dontcha? Do you even want to go to Yale?!" (I like to yell at my clients every now and then so they know who's in charge😇)

One of my kids had never pondered the phrase "like-minded" before, and my tirade blew his mind.

Teenage boy: Wait. Woah. I thought 'like-minded' was, like, a positive thing ... but it doesn't make any sense. Why does everyone say it like it's a good thing?

Me: ...why does anyone say anything?

Teenage Boy: You're so smart.

It's great to work with kids. They're quick to change their minds when presented with new information. They rarely double down or dig their heels in because they don't have egos about their beliefs (yet). And when I answer with an evasive rhetorical question they assume I have Confucian wisdom.

But, boy oh boy, it sure is swell to hangout with like-minded people.

As long as your clique has some racial diversity, you can be as like-minded as you want- right?

If I'm being real

While I know pro-echo-chamber sentiments aren't a wise thing to advertise in a college essay, I can't say I'm a great role model for puncture-thy-own-echo-chamber. It's comfy cozy to be in an echo chamber and what's the idea anyway-- that I'm constantly surrounding myself with people whose values disgust me?

What's the FDA recommended dose of getting out of your echo chamber? Say your hometown and family are conservative and you are not (in this scenario, you have blue hair)and for one holiday weekend you have to go "home" and stew in the juices of that place you left for a reason-- is that good enough for the year? Is that sufficient to puncture your bubble? Or do you need to seek out your political foils once a quarter? Monthly? ... Weekly? DAILY?!

These efforts are for self-betterment and self-awareness. I'm deliberately exiting my echo chamber in order that I'm reminded that my way of thinking isn't intrinsically "better" than any others (but it is-- why else would I believe in it if that weren't the case? whatever, i'll table this for now). So, in theory, I can choose to take my medicine by spending time with the "apolitical" crowd. The people who take pride in not reading the news and who keep unscripted TV in business--I definitely don't have the same world view as they do.

The apolitical crowd = people who are voluntarily learning about this ^^ completely manufactured "feud"

I am a coastal elite

Even worse, I am a coastal media elite. I live in Manhattan AND I make art.

Who is more different from me: a) an "apolitical" person or b) a right-wing bigot?

Not rhetorical. I'm trying to assign a point system so I can do my echo-chamber homework efficiently. I want to the get maximum number of points while spending the least amount of time interacting with people whose views I find objectionable--but does that defeat the point?

I think "the point" is to sincerely, earnestly be open-minded when you speak with someone outside of your echo chamber. You can't just "agree to disagree" and check the box and pat yourself on the back. But let's imagine sincerely listening to an Andrew Tate acolyte. Picture this scenario-- someone is explaining "high value man" to you. Could you listen to this dross with a straight face? This is a waste of time-- this is not the thing that's going to heal a fragmented world.

If you are familiar with The Comments Section, you will understand why I think "engaging" with (majority of) people is futile. Xavier's substack essay (which quoted my essay lol this is becoming an ouroboros) perfectly explains why the idea of having a discourse with, let's call them, "the other side" is fatuous. "Other side" is not really political -- it's the "other side" of intelligence. When people say, You should listen to what they're saying, I want to be like: Have you been on the internet lately? Have you seen the staggering stupidity?

I feel like a WWI soldier returned from the trenches: you haven't been out there like i have. you don't know how bad it really is - what it's really like. thousand yard stare

To be online is to get un-educated

Let me show you 2 examples that are not even hate-filled (no name calling. no malintent. just people feeling so free to be so dumb). This is baseline idiocy of the average person, whose viewpoint i am supposed to be entertaining and taking seriously on my beyond-the-echo-chamber adventures.

Example 1:

Why reply "i don't know what [satire] is not gonna lie" when you can look up "satire"? it's not as if "satire" is a nebulous, zeitgeisty concept that you have to know to know. it's a word with a definition. But it gets worse because the explanation provided is not an accurate definition of satire [FMJ rifle gif] This is where we are: the uneducated educating the uneducated, amplifying and disseminating uneducation to the masses.

Example 2 (from this vid about Reese Witherspoon grifting for AI)

The commenter didn't watch the video but "had to" comment (FRAUD - 8th circle crime according to Alighieri). She thinks she's adding something but it's literally the main point of the video. the OP points this out. instead of just shutting up and realizing I'm stupid, the commenter has to justify her inanity by saying she was in "car line pick up" ... does one go deaf blind and dumb from being in car line pick-up? And the kicker is the self-awareness-but-zero-self-awareness of the final statement "i had to get my comment out" Had to. She had to, folks. But why? Why do so many people feel a NEED to broadcast their stupidity? It's a sickness.

I earn my points the old-fashioned way

As I'm typing this, I realize that by pursuing a career in the arts and having an Asian family, I am thrust unceremoniously out of my echo chamber every. single. time. I interact with someone I'm related to. They fundamentally believe work should be suffering and if you enjoy what you do, you are doing life wrong (more than therapy, I wish they'd read Bullshit Jobs).

In fact, if I add up all the familial browbeating I've endured over the years-- I'm confident that should put me above the Average Expected Lifetime Total of oustide-of-the-echo-chamber time. I've already paid my dues. I've frontloaded it all (not by choice but still) and, now, I can coast for the rest of my life. Thanks to the fam, I am WELL aware that some people believe "art is not a real job" and, also, some way more problematic things that I'm embarrassed to admit they espouse.

How much homogeneity is acceptable?

At what point are you being self-indulgent if all of your friends and co-workers and acquaintances agree with you on the important matters? (Is "self-indulgent" the right criticism?)

When I hosted the first Sad Rich Girl Salons (back when it was called Unemployed Girls Club and we met at the park on Tuesday afternoon) I was surprised--and thrilled--that we all had the same cultural touch points.

I loved that I didn't need to explain west village girl because everyone had read the essay. And knew who Jonathan Cheban was. And had seen The Bling Ring (which I don't recommend). These are not highbrow references or worth "learning" if you don't know them (my husband would not recognize any of these 3 things), and the world would not be a remotely better place if everyone was aware of these things -- but it allowed the conversation flow right off the bat between strangers.

As we discussed status seeking and social climbing and out-of-control destination weddings, we could reference Sofia Richie Grainge's Antibes ceremony and instantly knowing nods (also, You stole my f---ing wedding country). The shorthand is invaluable when we're talking about abstract topics like class and taste. If I have to explain Flamingo Estate to you, I'll just move on because it's not worth it. To be so on the same page when we had never met before almost felt miraculous.

The attendees at SRG Salon are diverse in many ways, but we do seem to consume the same media, as evidenced by the fact that we have tremendously overlapping cultural touch points -- does that make us homogenous? Does that make my Salon an echo chamber?

Echo chamber has a negative connotation

Echo chamber means delusional. (The meme that's like: 2 idiots telling each other 'exactly' to everything they say. Jerry sends me every single version of this)

A like-minded but open-minded group -- does that still constitute an echo chamber? (Is there a positive-connotation version of echo chamber?)

What does life look like if you're someone who spends majority of their time NOT in an echo chamber? Does the world then feel like a vicious and hostile place?

Everyone has a reason to defend their echo chamber or say it's "not as echo-y" as the worst types of echo chambers (manosphere etc). I can feel myself starting to write in that direction and I won't because it's terribly dull to hear someone defend something that is convenient for them to believe (all prejudices).

Fun

My previous essay was about friendship and how fun is an underrated metric of friendship. On Tuesday, I hosted a happy hour with 9 lovely people who've been to Salons and it was a wonderful, like-minded time. (And further proving our like-mindedness, there was a 0% no-show rate. Everyone who said they would come, came. This is how I know for certain these are my people. A+ no notes.)

I'm finding that the most like-minded thing about Salon attendees, the main thing that ties everyone together, is the desire for rigor. Even when it's a happy hour, we want a little rigor (and not pabulum). Nothing crazy (though I am reading Distinction with one of my Salon friends because we love homework), but also who else is showing up to a discussion group where the main topics (race/class/money) are things that most people are incapable of talking about maturely (if we're to go by internet intelligence), besides people who have rigorous minds?

I'm not praising myself for bringing together the Smartest People in NYC, nor am I saying that Salon is god's work, but it's a huge win to look at who is not coming to my discussion group. The crowd who always asks, "how do you dress old money? how do you masquerade your way into these groups?" in the comments -- mercifully, those people are not interested in interrogating😙 anything, and they stay away. Self-selection is a beautiful thing.

Rigor and a willingness to interrogate your own prejudices are the prerequisites to having any hope of existing outside of a bubble.

hey so I finished the book and haven't thought of anythign else since??? About to buy the offical Hollywood Lights merch from 831. I did also buy the matchign "Sports Romance" hat from them at BookCon heheheheheh

"Cosmic," Bronwyn said, squeezing her friend's hand. "Nothing is a coincidence."

"Our lives are full of these magical moments if we pay attention to them."

GENRE: Romance with magical realism
RATING: 5/5
FORMAT: eBook ARC
Tropes: Women in Sport, Magical Realism, Second Chance & Rekindling

Review:
Can I just say that I really enjoyed Struck Speechless so much? Yes, I know I can in this review but it's worth emphasising it because this book was funny, wholesome and filled with so much warmth and emotions that I had the best time reading it!

I read Losing Sights first and then read Struck Speechless and Tati Richardson has a way of maintaining a perfect balance between the emotional aspects that our MCs go through while adding just the right amount of humour, spice and friendship. Truly, both books would are amazing as books and would be AMAZING as tv shows/movies.

Jackie is the group's "strong" friend. She doesn't need love or anyone in her life, aside from her friends and her dog. She is an independent, strong woman we all strive to be and is not scared to say what she thinks. So the impact of her losing her voice? It's BIG and forces her to deal with a lot of emotions she spends a long time avoiding.

And Antonio? Oh, what a perfect man for Jackie. I loved how we got to see his life outside of Jackie, seeing him interact with his family and the people in his life as well. We get a perfect balance of both of our MCs in my opinion. AND (x2) the way Antonio treats Jackie? So well deserved AHHH!

Essentially, Struck Speechless is a story that allows us to watch both characters explore who they are and be more vulnerable with each other in a fun, humour filled story while focusing on the same concept we had in Losing Sight: That things are destined for us and nothing is a coincidence!

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

"That's always the problem with watercolor, of course. You have to know when to stop. The temptation to add just one more wash is so strong sometimes..."

GENRE: Horror (Botanical x Parasitic Horror)
RATING: 4.75/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc

Overall Impression: Honestly? Just read it and enjoy this creepier version of T.Kingfisher's work that has the same humour and wittiness we have come to expect and enjoy

Review:
T.Kingfisher has done it again and this time it's a parasitic x botanical horror and guys? This one is CREEPY in the best of ways with the typical humour that we get in all of the author's book and the wittiness we have come to expect from all of T.Kingfisher's books

Let me start by saying the description of bugs, plants and colours is done so beautifully and lyrically in here. I think this makes it so much more imaginative, even for someone like me who has hypo-aphantasia and could still very much imagine the bugs as well as I could

The story itself is a combination of historical horror with us following Sonia, a scientific illustrator and getting to know her setting, employer and the people she works with. We slowly have the story unravel, as we go through the adventure with Sonia to find out what is happening? And the ending, where we understand what's been happening, was in a lot of ways UNEXPECTED

This is definitely one of my favourite T.Kingfisher books and I love how it slowly builds up over time and delivers an amazing tale for us to enjoy throughout. I think if you enjoyed What moves the Dead, then this one is perfect for you (AND its creepier).

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

"What good was having a heart if you didn't give it away to every other person you met?"

GENRE: Cozy Romantasy
RATING: 4.25/5
FORMAT: eBook/physical Arc

Review:
I always enjoy cozy fantasy and historical fantasy and when you combine them? I am always down for that, especially when its funny and filled with whimsy. We get introduced to Hilde, Elmwood and a lot of other characters that just make the whole story so fun!

Let me give first start by giving my love to Rollo, who is an adorable dog in the the book and I wish we could have gotten a way to pet him! And now about the book, I really enjoyed the plot in this one and the humour in it. The fact that we get so much excitement and it's more of a adventurous type of cozy romantasy was a fun read! I think the writing and the type of characters we have in here fit so well for the type of plot they are going through.

Elmwood is very much done with life and about to call it quits. He essentially decides he has had enough with life and that it's not worth it anymore. Hilde, on the other hand, is determined to solve the entire world and decides that only she can do so.

Both of our MCs also have Charm, which is our magic bit in here! I really enjoyed learning more about Charm, how it fits into the historical elements of the world and the world building overall. I think I would have liked to have a bit more details into the Charm as it played such a big role in both Hilde and Elmwood's lives but that's just me wanting more of the book really!

I also really enjoyed the interaction between our MCs and how it allows them to look back and to see that they both deserved better overall, whether from themselves or from others around them. I think the book does a good job of diving into how people in the position of power abuse it, whether its with their own family members or for a relationship and this is something we tend to see more in historical fantasy.

In summary, A Widow's Charm is a fun, witty story that shows us we dont have to carry the whole world in our own shoulder alone and we can rely on others to help and support us along the way and who knows? You might fall in love with the necromancer along the way!

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

Hi Lisa,

I love bully romances and I certainly have some reccomendations for you!

Zodiac Academy Series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
One of my all-time favorite bully fantasy romances. It’s a long series that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions, and if you’re a vibe reader, I highly recommend it. Plus, the series is on KU and audio, your library, or Hoopla may also have it, so it’s a win-win.

Amid Clouds and Bones: A Romantasy Standalone by Ella Fields
If you’d like a standalone bully fantasy romance, I highly recommend this one. Sometimes we don’t have time for a long series, and this is perfect to satisfy a bully romance craving. It’s also available on audio if you love audiobooks.

Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Another favorite, this is a high school why choose bully romance series that I really loved. And there is a hint of paranormal woven in the story. (I hear you like Romantasy)

Loving the Liar (Silver Falls University Book 1) by Lola King
This is my favorite Lola King series, but check your triggers because this one is dark, in true Lola King fashion, and very steamy.

The Devils They Are (Boys of Willowbrook Book 1) by Steph Macca
Last but not least, I recently listened to the audio for this one. It’s a why choose romance with forced proximity at a rival school, cage fights, and an FMC who is a total baddie. The audio has a fabulous cast, narrated by Maxine Mitchell, J.F. Harding, Aaron Shedlock, and Anthony Palmini.

I hope you find something you like here, I’m always happy to recommend more.

Thank you for your trust and support, and happy reading!

A few weeks ago, while my partner and I were waiting for our gluten free pizza place of choice to open for the day, we decided to spend the arcade tokens he found in his jacket pocket that he’d had for over a year. We walked over to the local arcade, and zeroed in on the pinball machines. After a few games on the Jurassic Park and Addam’s Family machines, the tokens were spent and we left for dinner.

Little did we know that was the spark for a new hyperfixation for us both.

A week later, my partner told me he’d gone on a pinball deep dive and had been playing virtually at home (a thing I didn’t know was even possible before now). He’d also done some research and found that the largest video arcade and pinball arcade was located in the Chicago suburbs. A great thing about this venue is that there is an entry fee but then it’s unlimited free-to-play. We made plans to go.

Those plans came to fruition this weekend. We drove the hour (with traffic) to Brookfield, IL for The Galloping Ghost Arcade. This place has not only 1, but 4 total buildings in a few block radius. One is the video arcade that has over 800 games, including retro arcade games and more modern ones. Then about a block away is the Pinball Arcade featuring over 45 pinball machines. The Galloping Ghost franchise also has their own game production studio and, weirdly enough, a gym and martial arts studio (they are not the first arcade game business to branch out into wellness - Bally of Bally’s Total Fitness is also a arcade video game and pinball manufacturer. I don’t understand the correlation but if I find out, I’ll make a follow up!)

Image from r/gaming

The video arcade is $25 for unlimited free to play and the pinball arcade is $20. We decided to buy tickets to both to try out everything.

The video arcade is largely overwhelming and gives the vibes of a casino with how many machines there are, the flashing lights, and the noises coming from the various games. We both agreed if we decided to go back and get the arcade pass, we would mostly camp out at our favorite games. For me, that’s Tapper. A game sponsored by Budweiser when it was released (although you can also find the non-alcoholic Root Beer Tapper) where you play as a bartender pouring drinks. The two controls are a joystick and a tap handle. It is wildly fun and addictive, so having to pay to play can get expensive. But in a free-to-play environment? Perfect.

Anyway, back to the point of this, which is pinball.

I’ve never played pinball with any interest in the rules, the setups of the different machines, etc. I’ve always played with a button masher mentality, which is also how I play a lot of older video games; I push buttons and hope for the best. No memorizing combos or any of that. But playing pinball this time with a very baseline understanding of how these machines are built, the various mini-games and objectives within the different game cabinets (which is the name for a pinball machine), and how you can actually get good at playing - it now feels more like pool to me. But with lower risk and barrier to entry! Pool can feel intimidating if you play in an area with a lot of pool leagues. There’s a lot of people wanting to get on the pool tables and if you aren’t good, it can feel like you are wasting time while someone more serious could be playing. While I know there are competitive pinball players and leagues, your average arcade isn’t going to have anyone hovering over you waiting for your pinball game to end.

We ended up playing multiple rounds of Addam’s Family (little did we know when we first played it at the local arcade that that is one of the most popular and beloved pinball games), Godzilla, Monster Bash, Medieval Mayhem, and multiple Elvira machines. Our favorite was the Elvira’s House of Horrors machine, which my partner actually got the 3rd highest score on and added his name to the leaderboard. It is a newer cabinet featuring Elvira making witty puns and showing clips from old B horror movies, and has a number of additions that are really fun. This cabinet has a lot of interactive areas on it, which I’ve found in my short time getting into the game is one of my favorite features.

Image from Stern Pinball website

Ok… but why am I telling you about pinball?

This newfound interest in pinball feels very aligned with the current pull many of us are having towards analog hobbies and getting offline. Although my partner did find a way to play virtual pinball, the real joy is in going to an arcade and experiencing these machines. Pinball is a very tactile experience. Pushing the buttons on the side that get the flippers to work is part of the fun. There’s also different opinions about how to launch the ball. I, for example, prefer the mechanical “plunger” type of launch that many of you are probably familiar with on older pinball machines, since it is a more tactile experience. But many of the newer machines have a launch button that automatically launches the ball for you. Some of them have a cool mechanism (like Jurassic Park for example is a trigger on a rifle which is on theme for the movies), but I still prefer the mechanical style. This reminds me of the move towards more analog media devices, such as older gaming consoles, record players and Walkmans, etc.

I was recently reading a substack article on the analog trend and this quote stuck out to me:

Analog has become shorthand for containment. The relief isn't aesthetic, it's structural. It offers an experience that begins and ends in the same place, in a culture where almost nothing does.

Pinball is a contained experience. On that cabinet, there is only one game. There’s not an endless amount of games to choose from. Even at a pinball arcade, there are a limited amount, and most arcades have only a small selection of pinball machines. There is no room for distraction on your phone. It’s a fun experience that reminds many of us of a simpler time, even if we grew up far after the pinball heyday. It makes me feel similar to how I felt when I was getting back into roller skating a few years ago.

I’m not saying you have to get into pinball. But I would recommend trying out a game if you haven’t in a while. Playing it as an adult has been pleasantly entertaining and it’s nice to add another offline hobby to my list of interests. Plus an arcade is a wonderful third space, even if you do have to pay for tokens since tokens are much less expensive than things at most other venues where you have to pay for entertainment.

Consider trying something out you haven’t done since childhood, whether that’s pinball or another more analog hobby. And if you have recently, tell me about it in the comments!

xo Sam

I've had this page for a couple of months and I'm still finding my rhythm. I'd love to know what interests you and what more you may want to see from me!

Hello hello and apologies on the delay, but it's official: this week is National Library Week here in the US, and to celebrate our community's Spring Readathon is library-themed!

Library-A-Thon goes from April 19th (I know this post is late) through April 30th, and the goal is to read as many books from your local library as possible. Ebooks, audiobooks, physical books--whatever works best for you!

Join the readathon chat over on our community Discord.

And track your reading with our official tracker spreadsheet!

You can use the spreadsheet to track how many books you've read for the readathon as well as how much money you saved by using the library instead of purchasing books!

Library-A-Thon Reading Prompts

Don't have access to a library but still want to join into the readathon fun? Don't worry, there's a second arm of the reading challenge focused on reading library-themed books that can be books you already own or books you buy!

1. Read a Book Set At or About a Library

2. Read a Banned Book (see here for the ALA resource on banned books!)

3. Read a Non-Fiction Book Recommended by a Librarian

4. Read a Fiction Book Recommended by a Librarian

5. Read a Book Outside Your Comfort Zone Book Recommended by a Librarian

If you don't have access to a library to get a librarian rec, you can use any online librarian-curated booklist. Almost any library has access to these and you can find them on the Libby App as well, but here is the Seattle Public Library's Staff Picks lists (scroll down)!

I hope you will join us and happy reading!

~ Kaley

There is a moment happening in literature right now that feels small on the surface, but is actually foundational.

Not because AI is writing books.

But because we can no longer reliably prove when it is or isn’t.

And once that certainty disappears, everything built on it (authorship, credibility, trust) starts to fracture.

The Case Study: Shy Girl and the First Major Publishing Breakdown

When Shy Girl by Mia Ballard was pulled by Hachette, it marked a turning point. Not because AI was involved. But because no one could definitively prove how it was involved.

• Readers flagged the prose as “AI-like” across Reddit and Goodreads

• A viral YouTube breakdown amplified the claims

• AI detection tools reportedly identified patterns consistent with generated text

• Hachette Book Group conducted a review and pulled the book anyway

The author denied using AI directly, instead attributing possible AI-generated edits to a freelance editor.

So what we’re left with is this: A book was effectively erased from the market… without definitive proof of wrongdoing. That’s not a scandal. That’s a systems failure.

The Deeper Problem: AI Detection Is Not Truth

The Shy Girl controversy depends on a fragile premise: AI detection tools can tell us what is real. But they can’t.

• Many detection systems are statistical guesswork, not verification

• Studies show accuracy often falls below 80% and degrades with editing

• Even widely used tools produce false positives, flagging human writing as AI

And the most telling example? An AI detector once flagged passages from Frankenstein as AI-generated. Let that sit for a second.

One of the most foundational works of human literature…mistaken for machine output.

The Futurism / NYT Insight: The Line Is Already Blurred

The deeper you go, the more unsettling it gets.

A recent analysis highlighted something quietly alarming:

• Around 9% of published news articles may already contain AI-generated content

• Opinion pieces in major outlets like The New York Times are over six times more likely to include AI-influenced writing

And crucially: Much of this use is undisclosed.

Even when writers insist they’re not “using AI to write,” they often admit to:

• Using it for structure

• Editing

• Idea generation

• Language refinement

Which raises a question that feels uncomfortably familiar: At what point does “assistance” become authorship? Because if AI shapes the voice, is it still entirely human?

The Quiet Reality: AI Is Already Inside the System

The Shy Girl case feels like an anomaly. It’s not. It’s just the first time the system reacted publicly.

Because elsewhere:

• Journalists have been fired for unknowingly publishing AI-influenced writing

• Newsrooms are integrating AI into workflows: headlines, summaries, drafting

• Entire sections (like opinion columns) operate with looser oversight

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: AI isn’t “coming” for literature. It’s already embedded in it. Quietly. Invisibly.

Back to Frankenstein: We’ve Always Feared This

Long before AI, Mary Shelley was already writing about this exact anxiety. Frankenstein isn’t just about creating life.

It’s about:

• Creating something from existing parts

• Losing control of authorship

• Facing a creation that is both familiar and alien

Victor Frankenstein doesn’t invent something new. He assembles something from what already exists.

Just like AI:

• Trained on human language

• Built from collective authorship

• Producing something that feels original, but isn’t singular

The horror isn’t the creation. It’s the ambiguity.

The Collapse of “Proof” in the Literary World

What Shy Girl reveals (and what the NYT analysis confirms) is this:

We are entering a post-proof era of authorship.

Where:

• AI detection is unreliable

• AI usage is often undisclosed

• Human writing can resemble AI

• AI writing can pass as human

And most importantly: There is no neutral authority left to decide. Not publishers. Not platforms. Not even technology itself.

Because AI is now both:

• The thing being detected

• And the thing doing the detecting

The Cultural Shift: Readers as Investigators

In the absence of proof, something else fills the gap: suspicion. Readers are no longer just readers.

They are:

• Pattern analyzers

• Style critics

• Authenticity judges

We’re already seeing it:

• “This feels like AI” becomes a legitimate critique

• Writing quality becomes conflated with authorship legitimacy

• Communities form consensus before facts exist

And sometimes that consensus becomes reality.

What This Means for Readers (And Why It Actually Matters)

For most readers, this conversation can feel distant, like an industry problem. Publishing drama. Internet discourse. Something happening around books, not inside the reading experience. But the truth is: This changes how we read. Even if we don’t realize it yet.

1. You May Start Reading With Suspicion

The Shy Girl situation introduced something new into reader culture: Not just “Do I like this book?” But “Does this feel real?” And that’s a subtle but powerful shift. Because once that question exists, it doesn’t stay contained to one book. It spreads.

• A sentence feels repetitive → is that AI?

• The pacing feels off → was this generated?

• The prose feels too polished → is this human voice?

We move from immersion to analysis. From feeling the story to questioning its origin.

2. “Good Writing” Is No Longer the Only Metric

For years, the standard was simple:

• Is it compelling?

• Is it well-written?

• Did it make you feel something?

But now there’s a new, unspoken layer: Was it written the “right” way? And that complicates everything.

Because you might:

• Love a book… and then feel conflicted if AI was involved

• Dismiss a book… and wonder if bias played a role

• Question your own taste based on how something was created

The reading experience doesn’t end at the final page anymore. It extends into how the book came to exist at all.

3. Trust Between Reader and Author Becomes the Core Currency

At its heart, reading has always been a relationship.

You trust that:

• The voice is intentional

• The perspective is lived or thoughtfully imagined

• The story is coming from someone

AI complicates that relationship. Not because it replaces authors, but because it introduces uncertainty into that connection. And when trust becomes uncertain, readers start to:

• Seek transparency

• Value authenticity more explicitly

• Gravitate toward creators they feel connected to

Which is why communities like ours matter more than ever. Because readers aren’t just looking for books. They’re looking for people they trust to guide them through this shift.

4. The Way You Discover Books Is About to Matter More Than Ever

In a world where authorship is harder to verify, curation becomes power.

Readers will increasingly rely on:

• Reviewers

• Bookstagrammers

• BookTok creators

• Communities

Not just for what to read, but for what feels safe to invest in. And this is where the role of these bookish content creators evolve: they're not just recommending books.

They're:

• Filtering noise

• Providing context

• Offering a layer of human trust in a space that’s losing clarity

5. You Get to Decide What Matters

Here’s the part no one can answer for you: if you read a book and love it, does it matter if AI was involved? For some readers, the answer will be: Yes. Absolutely. It changes everything.

For others: No. The story is what matters.

And for many, it will fall somewhere in between. That tension? That uncertainty? That’s not something to resolve. It’s something we’re all going to navigate in real time.

Final Takeaway

You are not just consuming books anymore. You are participating in a moment where:

• Authorship is shifting

• Trust is being renegotiated

• And the definition of “storytelling” is expanding

And maybe the most important thing to hold onto is this: Your reading experience is still yours.

The emotions you feel, the connections you make, the stories that stay with you, those are real. Even if the systems around them are changing.

"She had me for as long as she wanted, and I don't think she even realized it."

GENRE: Romance
RATING: 4.5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc
Tropes: Strangers to friends to lovers, Latine Leads, One bed, College Romance, Dual POV

Overall Impression: What a wholesome, beautiful love story between Ita & Jake!

Review:
Okay what a lovely Romance book! I really enjoyed reading from both our FMC and MMC's perspectives and the letters from Jake to his dad? That is SO wholesome and healed a little of my own grief in reading them🥺

There are so many beautiful things about Craving You and it truly is a book about two people getting to know each other in the best of ways and carving space for each other in their lives without trying to force the other person to change. We meet Ita (Margarita) and see her experience in life, what shaped her and how she comes out of her stressful experiences in her past and builds her own future. Jake, on the other hand, has just had a loss in his life and we get to go through his journey of grief and how he copes with it.

I think the thing that captured my attention the most is the way both of the characters fitted SO well together and their relationship grew alongside their lives. Both of the MCs were so lovely and wanted the best for the other. It's the kind of love we spend a lifetime looking for and a few of us are lucky enough to find it.

Also, the food that Jake makes for Ita? The way Ita gives Jake space and time to process things? The way they take care of each other in the small and big things? May this love find us all and for those of us who have found it, may we experience a lifetime of it

Also, I loved how we get to see both MC's families, how they grew up in different cultures and how it shaped them. I love when we get books that have multiple languages as usually any mixed culture families will have that happening in reality (or if you're from so many, you'll have more than 2 languages that you grow up around but never fully speak) and it's a beautiful thing to read in Craving You! I think Kaila did this in a way that is a needed representation for a lot of us and I loved exploring it in the book

Thank you to the author and Amor En Paginas for the Arc copy in the exchange for my honest opinion.

Hi there!

I thought I’d introduce myself, I’m Laura, the reader behind @laura.boo.kish.

I’m a romance and fantasy lover who’s always chasing stories that pull you in, make you feel everything, and stay with you long after the final page.

I read across the full spectrum of romance, from dark and taboo to soft and fluffy, and I’m especially drawn to stories that blur the lines between fantasy and romance.

Give me morally gray characters, high-stakes tension, slow burns that hurt in the best way, and a touch (or a lot) of spice 🌶️. Whether it’s an intense dark romance or an immersive fantasy world with a sweeping love story, I’m here for it.

Audiobooks are a big part of my reading life too, love all types of narration, especially duet and multicast, there’s nothing like a performance that brings the story and chemistry to life.

Fun facts:
• I’m a trope-first reader, tropes always win me over
• “Who did this to you?” is an instant favorite
• I love a little chaos, especially when it comes to forbidden or morally complex stories
• My TBR is always growing, and I fully embrace it
• If I love a book, I will absolutely convince you to read it too

If you enjoy honest reviews, trope talk, and discovering your next favorite read, you’ll feel right at home here. Come hang out, build your TBR, and let’s obsess over books together 📚

I've been working on the outline for Book 2 in the Woods Bay series. I'm not used to outlining but after spending so much time on editing and rewriting Small Town Slasher I know it's needed. It's just not something that comes natural to me. I love brainstorming ideas and tucking certain ones away for future books. It's challenging. I hope to not put too many things in one book, subplots, locations, characters, etc. With the shit show that is America right now it's challenging to want to write.

Part of me just wants to consume media. Books. Shows. Movies. Games. Old. New. Mostly filled with nostalgia and comfort. So I meet in the middle. I have been working on my outline a few hours every day. Tinkering with it. It's challenging to focus but I'm doing my best. I definitely feel like I'm dragging my depression around some days like a piece of tiny piece of tape you can't get off of your finger. Or like Clark in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where he can't get the sap off of his fingers when he's reading a magazine in bed.

See I can't even write a post without referencing something. Some authors I know don't read or watch much while others do and I find it fascinating. As a child of the 80s I didn't have a lot of money so we would rent movies and watch tv between riding around on our bikes or going to the mall. Now that I'm disabled I enjoy media because it's the one way I can travel in our world or fictional ones.

What media have you found comfort in recently?

It’s time to dive into what I’m reading this week!

And for some fun, I wanted to give one sentence reviews of what I read last week!

Starting with last week…

🎣Hooked by Asako Yuzuki— ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5– A fantastic, if slightly long, tale of obsession and loneliness in Japan.

🧈Butter by Asako Yuzuki—⭐️⭐️⭐️.5– A delectable tale of the pleasures of food.

🌳 The Butcher Of The Forest by Premee Mohamad—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️—A stunning dark fantasy perfect for fans of Alice In Wonderland and lovers of dark woods.

This Week…

😈 Dark Is Where The Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce—Carrying this one over into this week! Absolutely loving it. Giving me Malevolent vibes.

🌺 Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier— doing this one as a buddy read with a friend! A classic I’ve wanted to read for awhile now!

🪦Odessa by Gabrielle Sher— A historical fiction tale of Jewish Folklore, dark magic, and resurrection. Will be buddy reading this one with @mother.horror either this week or next week!

👿 Fiend by Alma Katsu—A rich family holds a devilish secret.