International To Bargain With Mortals Day! is a thing I have just made up, but we’re going with it. 

Bargain has been out for almost a MONTH, which feels crazy. It’s out in the world. I’m seeing the pictures you guys send me of it from all over the place and people are reading it! It’s such a fun process to see this book that went from a tiny circle of people to a small publishing team to a little pool of early readers now be out in the world to everyone, but the work is not done! My work, anyway, but I’m gonna ask for your help on this one.

I’d love to ask for your help and support in making next Monday, December 1st, a big day for Bargain by doing any (or all!) of the following…

• Buy the book! For yourself if you haven’t picked it up yet, or if you’re planning on gifting it to a reader friend, it’s the perfect time

  • And there may or may not be an e-book sale coming up this week ;) 

• If you’ve finished the book, post your review!

  • On review sites like Goodreads (where we’re inching closer to 500 ratings!) or Storygraph, but even if you already have, it’s a great day to cross-share that review to retail sites like Amazon (this is extremely helpful), Barnes & Noble, Indigo, etc. wherever it is that you buy!
    

• Post about it on social media!

  • Whether you have 10 followers or 10,000, visibility is so incredibly important for a book. Post about Bargain to your feeds and/or in your stories, share it on your personal pages to let friends and family know what you’re reading, I’d love to see my mentions flooded with people sharing Bargain! 

The holidays are both an extremely important and extremely difficult promotional time for books, and I want to close out 2025 with as strong a finish as possible by giving Bargain as much of a leg up as we possibly can in its first months.

And on my end of our little celebration, I’ll be doing a giveaway of (possibly the last?) one of our VIP ARC boxes that we sent out to influencers to promote the book ^_^ So keep an eye out for that on Monday as well as whatever else I'm cooking up over here.

More to come, but I wanted to get this out of my brain and into your hands <3 Thank you all for being here. More than ever, I'm feeling so dedicated and motivated to create a space in publishing that is equitable and supportive of our authors and the work that we love so much, that refuses to overlook stories and writers based on the choices of executive boards and social media trends, and the way that we can continue to do that is by giving as much love and support to our books as possible.

- Emma

📚The Book: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

📽️The Movie: Directed by Derek Cianfrance 2016, starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander

The novel The Light Between Oceans is a quiet masterpiece, a story that starts with isolation and ends with devastation. As readers, we become privy to the innermost torment of Tom and Isabel Sherbourne on Janus Rock, forcing us to ask: If fate offered you a second chance at happiness at the cost of another's grief, would you take it?

❓️But did the film adaptation manage to capture the same moral storm that left us hollow and teary?

▫️Where the Movie Shines: Visual Beauty and Raw Grief: The 2016 film, directed by Derek Cianfrance, excels where cinema is naturally superior: visual atmosphere.

▫️The Setting as a Character: The movie beautifully captures the isolation of Janus Rock and the brutal, luminous beauty of the Australian coast. You can visually feel the salt spray and the overwhelming loneliness that makes Isabel's desperation believable.

▫️The Acting: The casting of Michael Fassbender, Tom and Alicia Vikander, Isabel was powerful. Vikander expertly conveyed Isabel's fragile, aching grief after the miscarriages, making her immediate, visceral connection to baby Lucy completely understandable. Fassbender, meanwhile, nailed Tom’s rigid moral principles struggling against his boundless love for his wife. Their performances anchor the tragedy.

📚Where the Book Holds the Light: Moral Nuance and Internal Torment: While the movie is beautiful, the book is necessary to truly grasp the depth of the couple's moral decline.

▫️The Weight of Silence: The novel spends significant time inside Tom’s conscience. His meticulous record-keeping and his background as a war survivor give immense weight to his decision to keep Lucy a secret. The book lets us experience the slow erosion of his certainty; in the film, this shift often feels faster, fueled more by passion than by the gradual weight of the lie.

▫️Isabel’s Justification: In the book, we fully inhabit Isabel's grief, which helps us understand not necessarily forgive why she feels entitled to this gift from the sea. Her desperation is the driver of the tragedy, and the book allows us more space to feel her profound loss before the baby arrives.

▫️The Blurry Spaces: As I noted in my review, the novel excels in the blurry spaces the moments where good people genuinely believe they are doing the least harmful thing. The movie, by necessity, has to simplify these internal dilemmas into spoken dialogue or expressions, sometimes lessening the terrible, aching inevitability that Stedman crafted on the page.

⚖️The Verdict: A Luminous, Yet Less Layered, Reflection: The film is a luminous, heart-wrenching visual tribute to a tragic story. If you loved the novel, you will appreciate seeing the world of Janus Rock brought to life.

However, the book remains the definitive, complex experience. It is the source of the profound moral questioning of the beautiful, aching torment that makes the story one that truly stays with you.

▫️Your Thoughts: In the book, Tom’s principles clash directly with Isabel’s maternal desperation. If you were the one who found the boat, and you were completely isolated, which object would you hide away with the baby to make your lie feel justifiable: the deceased man’s wedding ring symbolizing loss or the lighthouse logbook symbolizing Tom’s conscience?

Hi all!

I'd love to send you all a little something for the holidays, so if you'd like to receive it, please make sure to have your address added into your account profile. Thanks for being awesome!

Instagram Post Wrap-Up

Book Info
Titles: Spin of Fate (#1) and Wheel of Wrath (#2)
Author: A.A. Vora
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Release Dates: 05/07/2024 (#1) and TOMORROW 11/18/2025 (#2)
Synopses:
In an anime-inspired world ruled by a hard magic system based loosely off of karma / Indian philosophy, three teens encounter magnificent beasts, unforgiving magic, and epic battles. A wholly original YA fantasy trilogy with intricate worldbuilding; perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson’s work and shounen anime like Naruto.

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N • Ninth House
O • Otherworldly
V • A Vow So Bold and Deadly
E • Empire of the Dawn
M • The Mirror of Beasts
B • Black Sun
E • An Echo of Things to Come
R • Ruthless Vows

Have you read any of these? I’ve read 5 of the 8 💛

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Book Info
Title: Innamorata
Author: Ava Reid | @avasreid
Publisher: DelRey | @delreybooks
Release Date: March 17th 2026
Genre: Necromantic, Gothic Fantasy
Synopsis:
Once there was an island where the dead walked the earth, and seven noble houses ruled by the arcane secrets of necromancy.
A conqueror’s blade brought them low, burning their libraries, killing their lords, and extinguishing their eldritch magic.
But defiant against the new order stands the House of Teeth and its last living members: beautiful Marozia, the heiress to the House, and her cousin, the uncanny Lady Agnes... [read more]

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What are you reading tonight?

Hello my loves! I’m buddy reading another @veschwab book- Bury Our Bones In the Midnight Soil and loving it. I think Addie Larue retains top spot so far for my faves from V though 💛

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Book Info
Title: Agnes Aubert's Mysical Cat Shelter
Author: Heather Fawcett
Release Date: February 17th 2026
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Synopsis: Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life—and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a much-needed cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for lost cats.
But after she is forced to move the cat shelter, Agnes learns that her new landlord is using her charity as a front—for an internationally renowned and thoroughly disreputable magic shop. Owned by the disorganized—not to mention self-absorbed, irritating, but also decidedly handsome—Havelock Renard, magician and failed Dark Lord, the shop draws magical clientele from around the world... [read more]

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Book Info
Title- Break Wide the Sea
Author- Sara Holland | @sarahollandwrites
Publisher- Wednesday Books | @wednesdaybooks
Release Date- November 11th, 2025
Synopsis- In the treacherous waters surrounding Kirkrell, sailors hunting magic whales live in fear of the finfolk—bloodthirsty sea fae who sink ships and curse bloodlines. Nineteen-year-old Annie, as heir to the city’s preeminent whaling company, is determined to carry on her parents’ life’s work. But she keeps a secret from everyone: she’s cursed to transform into a monster, with scales spreading up her arms and claws growing from her fingertips. [read more]

Hi Disco Dancers,

Today I want to talk about one of my favourite authors, Margaret Killjoy. She’s a transfem author who writes the most brilliant fantasy / alternative world prose, each book demonstrating a different way to live, a leftist point of view that encourages, not blames.

I started with A Country of Ghosts, which is still my favourite.

This is set in a fictional land at war, and follows a journalist from a capitalist society as he strays from the front line and immerses himself in a foreign country run on anarchist principles. He’s sceptical at first, and the society is not 100% perfect, but he slowly falls in love with their self-governing way of life.

I don’t like books that feel like they’re preaching at the expense of the narrative, and this does a masterful job of demonstrating how an alternative society could work, with a real emotional story along the way.

Next was The Sapling Cage, a fantasy with a YA protagonist.

A trans teenage girl pretends to be her friend and joins a coven of witches that only takes women, just as the coven is battling a deadly threat affecting the forests. A lot of the narrative is about the girl making friends and worrying that she’ll be found out to not be cis, and the witches’ reactions. It’s very honest about the growing pains of a young trans person. I loved the way the coven worked and the coven vs. evil storyline was complex and compelling.

And lastly, The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice.

This is a brilliant novella about a group of leftists who are waiting at night to do something important, and tell each other stories. The three stories focus on leftists they have known and experiences they have had in alternative communities and protest movements. They range from horror, to fantasy, to the last one, which is all too real and raw. It made me cry, and also inspired me to do more, to not give up.

I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Much love,

Disco

Hello Friends,

Happy Sunday! Today I went for a walk (2 days in a row!) after a month of inactivity due to illness, laziness and winterness. I called Michael and said GUESS WHY IM GOING FOR A WALK! And he said, TO UNBIG YOUR BACK? And I said YES, BUT FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON..... you see, during the winter months I clean, I organize and I want to move around my bookshelves, which got me thinking, I'd like to buy a nice reading chair! And I found many Ikea chairs I liked, but before investing, I had to check out the specs (As a BIG BACK!) and most of them said they can hold up to 242 lbs. That seems like a very precise number. Like they did the math and 242.5 lbs was gonna break that summabitch, so I'd like to get down to 230 lbs and as a reward buy a cute reading chair. UNBIG MY BACK is now in progress.

Which brings me to my next topic: 75 BOOKED. I created a channel in our community Discord if anyone wants to participate! This is a trend, a version of 75 Hard for bookies, started by @emilypaigebooks and the rules are as follows:

• Complete two 45 minute reading sessions daily (one of them NOT being in bed)

• Finish a water bottle during each session. (STAY HYDRATED)

• Log all reading in a physical journal

• NO PURCHASING BOOKS- all books must be owned, bought second hand or checked out from the library.

I am started 75 booked this coming Weds! But you can start anytime and join in the convo in the Discord. You also can add your own little rules. One of my will be 3 of my weekly sessions have to be audiobook walks. (One of my goals for 2026 is to start a local audiobook walking club)

Speaking of Discord - We just finished our first SOUP READATHON! And it was such a wild success that we are doing it again (You make soup, read all weekend and chat) Join us 12/19-12/21

We also have been sharing soup recipes. Here are a few:

Garlicky Chickpea Soup

Slow Cooker Pesto Minestrone

Potato Leek Soup

Vegan Lentil Soup

Curry Lentil Soup

Black Bean Soup

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Mexican Quinoa Stew

Creamy Zucchini Chickpea Soup with Spinach

Simple Sweet Potato Soup

Vegetable Coconut Curry Soup

Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup

Indian Spiced Lentil Soup

Crack Chicken Noodle Soup

I am getting ready to plot out next year's bookclub. This year we are going to go in four month increments! Expect some voting polls coming your way soon. (Like today or tomorrow soon!)

Who is going to join?

PS Publishing news coming soon! A cover is near for What Feeds Below and dare I say....another announcement is on the way?????????

🍞🍺💘Book Series Review Emerald Creek Series, Never Let You Go, The Promise of You, Return to You by Bella Rivers

I went into Emerald Creek for the pastries and stayed for the emotional rescue missions. Reading these three felt like spending a blissfully chaotic summer in a town that’s equal parts cozy bakery, rowdy pub, and very effective matchmaking committee. Consider me converted.

In Never Let You Go, Christopher Wright broody single-dad, master baker, and apparently allergic to casual conversation had me swooning and grimacing in equal measure. I came for the inheritance plot and stayed for the late-night dinners, the too-close bedrooms, and the tiny human who stole my heart on page two. The slow melt of distrust into domestic warmth? Pure comfort-food romance!

The Promise of You serves up sturdy, stubborn Chloe and a pub owner with emotional armor thicker than his bar stools. That one-night-stand-turned-business-rivalry had me audibly gasping, then laughing, then cheering when both of them realized that pride is a lousy business plan for love. The grit and the grief give the romance stakes real weight and the banter makes the fall inevitable.

And Return to You brings the ache of second chances. Ten years away, one pulled muscle, and a town that refuses to let two stubborn people bury their past. The reunion scenes were deliciously awkward and achingly sincere, the kind of chapter that makes you reach for a tissue and a celebratory cupcake at once.

Together they’re equal parts swoon, snark, and small-town shenanigans. Bella Rivers writes about people who feel lived-in: flawed, fierce, and ultimately impossible to resist. I closed the last book with a smile, a slight book-hangover, and an odd craving for both bread pudding and a town square full of nosy neighbors!

❔️If you could move into a fictional small town for a month, what job would you take at the bakery or pub and which resident would you secretly hope to run into while on shift?

I was in high school when I first read “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. Growing up in a conservative Christian household, my political and world beliefs at that point in my life, like most teens, was mostly shaped by my family. I had a very limited view of the world and while I cared about other people, I had no idea about people’s life experiences outside of my little bubble.

Until I read “The Kite Runner.” It’s the first book I ever remember reading that truly dismantled what I thought I knew about the world. And once I had that knowledge, I couldn’t turn away. I started to read any and all books I could get my hands on about geo-political events which then led to me consuming every book about genocide at my library (I was very popular in high school). And, although it was a slow process that took about five years, this knowledge helped me critically look at and dismantle beliefs I held simply because I was told to believe them.

Books literally helped open me up to the rest of the world and helped me understand and empathize with people and circumstances which were entirely different from mine. I so strongly believe that education is the pathway towards collecitve liberation. It’s the reason why I was a teacher for so long and the reason why we see our educational resources being attacked right now.

Reading the world

It’s always been important for me to read books from other cultures and one way I conciously do this is by tracking my reading by the countries I read from. It’s a personal goal of mine to read a book from every single country in the world.

Right now, I’m tracking my reading on an app meant for travel, Skratch. It’s a fun way for me to track my progress and see my current gaps:

But I also wanted to help others read from every country in the world too, so I spent the last couple of months working on something I’m truly excited about: a Reading the world spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet

Inside the spreadsheet, you'll find a tab to every country in the world and books from that country.

How are the books chosen?

In order to be listed under a country, the book either has to take place in that country, discuss the country (if it's non-fiction), or the author needs to be from that country. Sometimes it's all of the above.

This is a living document

I don't want this to be something that I just send out. The comments are open. So if you have a book recommendation or if you have a review of any book mentioned, please leave a comment with a link and I will be sure to add it. As you'll notice, some countries have a LOT of books listed and a few have little or none, so I need your help finding gems to add.

Some things to note:

🌎 You'll notice that there are some additional tabs for places not officially recognized as "countries". I wanted to recognize them as such due to their current occupation or colonization. If there are any such places that you think I missed, please let me know.

🇺🇸For the United States, I only put books written by indigenous authors or books that critique systemic issues in the country. The majority of books people read are from the US, so I wanted to highlight voices that need to be read more.

✍️ Most of the descriptions were taken from other websites such as Goodreads, StoryGraph, and publisher websites.

Want to support this project?

Like I said, please add any and all comments to this document. If you want to support me and my work, please subscribe to my Substack (there are both free and paid options). Your support means the world to me.

There's nothing more powerful than learning about the world around us and exposing ourselves to history and culture that we may not be familiar with. I truly believe that educating yourself through reading brings powerful change to not only yourself, but the rest of the world. Let’s help each other out, hold ourselves accountable, and learn about each other, together.

🌍Go to the spreadsheet

Other creators to follow who are also reading the world:

• Tonje from @reading.all.the.world

• Lydia from @lydloves

• Hanna from @theworldtoread

Welcome to my new Syllabus Series. I was a high school English teacher for over five years (before I burned out and changed careers) and nothing gives me more joy than to help others learn something new. As someone who also reads a large amount of non-fiction, I wanted to create a new series where I pick a singular topic that you might want to learn more about. The first edition will be all about Palestine.

First, I’ll take you through books to read through various genres and the order you should read them in to scaffold and layer your learning. But learning isn’t all about reading, so I’ll also share video resources, shorter articles, and give you a list of people to follow on social media in order to stay up to date well beyond today. Finally, learning means nothing without action, so I will also provide you ways that you can do something with what you’re learning.

This isn’t meant to be overwhelming and is laid out in a way that it’s learning you have time for. Therefore, the list isn’t extensive and manageable. Of course, there’s always more learning to be done.

Books to read

A collection of books read to read. For the best learning experience, try to read the books in this order.
(*note: this section contains affiliate links)

• Non-fiction
  “Palestine: A Socialist Introduction” edited by Sumaya Award and brian bean
  This is a great place to start if you don’t know or understand the history of Palestine. The book is a collection of essays from all different authors exploring various parts of Palestinian history and present. Of course, this book is also written from a socialist lens, but from that it pulls in calls for action as well. Overall, this is a really helpful and easy to understand text that helps you understand historical context.

• Fiction
  “Minor Detail” by Adania Shibli
  Sticking with understanding Palestinian history as well as how that history carries into the present, I recommend reading this incredible piece of fiction next. This is a super short book (144 pages) that is impressive and haunting. It starts in the summer of 1949 during the Nakba (the mass displacement of Palestinians from Palestine) and follows a young girl who is captured by Israeli soldiers. Years later in the present, we follow a young woman who finds the girl’s story that is considered a “minor detail” in this history. She becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. Check content warnings before reading this book.

• Poetry
  "Rifqa” by Mohammed El-Kurd
  This is a collection of poetry that looks at Palestinian history, but also addresses the present. It’s both a deeply emotional eulogy and a call to action for the liberation of Palestine.

• Poetry

  “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear” by Mosab Abu Toha

  This is a really accessible collection of poetry where the author talks about his life living under siege in Gaza. This was published in 2022 and helps paint a picture of what every day life was like for Palestinians. In 2023, Abu Toha was captured and imprisoned by Israeli forces. His newest collection which comes out this November will look at the horror of the last year.

• Non-fiction
  “The Palestine Laboratory” by Antony Loewenstein
  This is definitely the most dense book on this which is why it’s at the end of the list. This is an incredible piece of journalism that looks at Israel’s development of occupation-enforcing technologies that they test out in Palestine and then sell to other Western countries to help them enforce their own occupations. It helps showcase the danger of these technologies well beyond Palestine and the dangerous (and deadly) effects it’s had on the rest of the world.
  
  Other media to consume

  • Mixed media
    “Not That Complicated” by US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
    An incredible resource that plainly lays out history and common misconceptions about Israel’s occupation of Palestine. This provides a general overview of specific topics that makes everything easy to understand while also providing links and videos to learn more about each subject.

  • Infographics
    Visualising Palestine

    If you’re more of a visual learner, this is the resource for you. Again, this project breaks down various subjects into interactive infographics that are constantly updated to not only talk about historical facts, but up-to-date information.

  • Article
    “We Volunteered at a Gaza Hospital. What We Saw Was Unspeakable.” by Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa
    The deliberate targeting and destruction of hospitals over the past year has been a well-documented war crime through first-hand accounts and videos. This is an example. Written by two doctors from the U.S., this is a primary account on what they witnessed in Gaza.

  • Documentary
    "Investigating war crimes in Gaza” by Al Jazeera
    Just published on October 3, Al Jazeera has done an extensive investigation into the war crimes perpetrated by Israel in the last year as well as exposing the individuals behind them. Content warning: graphic images of death and violence.

  Extra credit

  Since I first wrote this syllabus back in 2024, there have been many new incredible pieces of media published on Palestine and the fight for liberation has continued. If you want to continue learning about Palestine, here are some futher texts for you to read.

  • Non-fiction book
    "One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” by Omar El Akkad
    If you or someone you know is new to learning about Palestine or is still not understanding the weight of what is happening, I think this is a great book to read. This book grapples with what it means to live in the West and our role in watching a genocide occur before our eyes.

  • Non-fiction book
    "Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal” by Mohammed El-Kurd
    After you read El-Kurd’s poetry collection above, pick up his newest book, a denser exploration as to why it is that Palestinians need to prove their humanity to the Western world and who holds the power to shape narratives.

  • Report

    Latest UNRWA report on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and West Bank

    A detailed report that outlines the latest data since Israel broke the ceasefire and the effects this has had on health, food scarcity, civilian protection, and aid.

    

    (photo by Adam Rouhana)
    Who to follow

    When learning about a subject where up-to-date information is key, it’s important to find people who are experts and on the ground to help keep you informed. Here are a few people and organisations I encourage you to follow:

    • Lets Talk Palestine broadcast channel on Instagram shares news every single day about what is happening in Palestine (as well as Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen). This is what I use to stay the most up-to-date.

    • Bisan Owda: One of the few freelance journalists still in Gaza (Israel has murdered and targeted 175 journalists in the past year). Bisan reports and posts from the ground every single day.

    • Hind Khoudary: Another journalist who has been reporting from Gaza.

    • Adam Rouhana: a photographer currently living in Gaza.

    • Mosab Abu Toha: The same poet mentioned above is also consistently active on Instagram, often posting breaking news stories before news publications.

    • Leen (@vivafalastinleen) : This Palestinian-American content creator is consistently posting about what is happening in Palestine and encouraging calls to action.

    • Naz (@bdsbabe): Naz is consistently posting updates on the BDS movement and creating guides to BDS-friendly brands (learn more about the BDS movement below)

      Take action

      Mutual aid
      Mutual aid is an incredibly effective way to utilize community in order to directly impact those who need our help. One way that we can do this is by donating to families currently in Palestine where food, shelter, hygiene, and access to healthcare are hard to come by (and in some cases impossible). Our help can make these things more accessible.
      
      Here are some families that I have been in contact with that I would encourage you to donate to:

      • Mahmoud, Tamer, and Tala who lost their mother and wife earlier this year. Tamer has Autism and navigating this cruel world is especially hard for him.

      • The Tareq family including Amani who is suffering from multiple medical conditions and needs urgent care

      • Mohammed’s family including his wife and three kids as they struggle to survive in Khan Younis

      • Rozana’s family including her husband and three-year-old son (Ziad) who used to live in Gaza City and now have no home or clean food and water which is making Ziad’s health deteriorate.

      Here are organizations on the ground to donate to:

      • The Sameer Project: Led by Palestinians, the project hosts multiple campaigns to help families across gaza with medical supplies, food, tents, and other necessities. You can also support their Medical Campaign specifically as they work directly with hospitals.

      • North Water Aid: Salah Shabat is raising funds to provide displaced families in the north of Gaza with clean drinking water.

      • Amal for Palestine: Organization thats been providing meals in the north of Gaza since 2021.

      • Gaza Soup Kitchen: Family-run organization that helps provide meals to displaced families.

      • Sulala Animal Rescue: Father and son team who help rescue and rehabilitate stray animals.

      

      
      Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
      If you’re not financially able to support, here’s a great way to make a huge impact (in my opinion, this is what will make the most impact systemically). The BDS movement is a movement to pressure companies, organisations, and governments that support Israel by withholding money. The ask is that you do not spend money at these organisations and/or pressure organisations. This type of organizing has been proven to be effective in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. To double-check that you’re not supporting companies who support genocide, I highly recommend downloading the Boycat app.

      Pressure politicians
      If you live in a country that is currently funding Israel and/or supporting them through complicity or silence, it’s pertinent that we continue to pressure them. If you live in the United States, you can use 5calls.org to get started (note: not all the information in the script is up-to-date), but could be a good template.

      Protest
      If you are able, protesting helps make our voices louder. It’s a tool meant to disrupt and force those in charge to take action. Here’s the most up-to-date list of world-wide protests that I was able to find.
      
      
      Educate
      Use whatever platform you have (whether that be on social media or in-person) to speak up about Palestine and continue to educate others. Share resources, share stories, share news. The more we can make people not turn away from Palestine, the more we can collectively come together to enact change. We need to make sure that everyone in the world doesn’t have the excuse that they didn’t know. We are all complicit.

      ---

      As I mentioned earlier, learning is an ongoing practice. If you would like more resources, don’t hesitate to reach out. And if you have any resources to add to this list, please add them to the comments below.
      

Hi everyone! It is time to vote for which thriller and fantasy book we will be reading in December!There will be six books in total to choose from, 3 thriller and 3 fantasy. You are allowed to vote once in each category! Voting will end on the 27th. Make sure to join my discord where we can discuss the book picks!

Our first book club begins December 1st! Join me in reading Joe Hill's KING SORROW! dark academia, fantasy, horror, this book has it all. I can't wait to discuss it with you all and I'll open up a Book Club discord soon! Stay tuned and check out the Brothers Gwynne's interview with Joe Hill to prep for next month!

Brothers Gwynne: Joe Hill interview

Join my discord!

🥂 Members Exclusive: Heir of Illusion Book Club Guide: Welcome, Page Ladies! Grab your ingredients and your notes. It's time to plot our discussion for Heir of Illusion. This is a book that demands moral debate and a good, strong drink!

⚡️The Page Ladies Book Club Discussion Guide: Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor

These questions focus on the high-stakes relationships and the complex moral journey of the main characters.

Part 1: Deception, Power, & Identity

▫️Ivy is forced to adopt the persona of the king's obedient pet, while secretly plotting his downfall. Discuss the different masks Ivy wears throughout the book. Which illusion was the most dangerous for her to maintain, and which was the most effective?

▫️Ivy constantly wrestles with the question of how far she is willing to go for freedom. Did her actions ever cross a moral line that made you question her status as a protagonist?

▫️The narrative emphasizes that Ivy is the beast they let inside. How does her journey reflect the idea that suppressed power or rage often becomes more dangerous than power that is openly wielded?

▫️Beyond the enchanted collar, what emotional or psychological chains keep Ivy bound? How does her relationship with the mysterious reaper influence her path toward true liberation?

Part 2: Alliances, Secrets, & Desire

▫️The alliance between Ivy and the reaper is tenuous at best. Discuss the foundation of their bond. Was it built more on mutual need, shared secrets, or genuine connection?

▫️Every major character harbors secrets. Which character's revelation or secret impacted the plot most significantly, and which one surprised you the most?

▫️The book features a strong romantic element with dangerous desires. Do you believe the romantic tension elevates the stakes of the plot, or does it ever distract from Ivy's main goal of freedom?

▫️Discuss the weapon of untold power. What does this weapon symbolize in the world of the book, and how does its pursuit define the actions of the king versus the actions of Ivy and the reaper?

Part 3: Wrapping Up the Chaos

▫️What were your immediate thoughts on that ending? Do you predict the secrets they harbor will ultimately destroy their alliance, or do you believe their connection will lead them to triumph in the next book?

The Page Ladies Question: If you possessed Ivy's power of illusion, what is the first thing you would change about your current life, and what is the last thing you would do to seek revenge?

🍸Themed Menu: A Taste of Illusion & Shadow: This menu captures the dark, dramatic, and slightly dangerous atmosphere of the novel.

🍷The Drink: The Shadow Reaper Cocktail A dark, potent cocktail or mocktail using blackberries/pomegranate juice and a splash of prosecco or dry gin. Use dark sugar around the rim for a dramatic look.

🍋Ingredients

▫️Dark Base

2 oz Dry Gin or Vodka, for a cleaner taste

1 oz Pomegranate or Blackberry Juice unsweetened

1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice

▫️Sweetener

½ oz, Simple Syrup equal parts sugar and water

▫️Sparkle/Topping

2-3 oz,Dry Prosecco or Sparkling Wine

Garnish, Optional, Black sugar for rim, a few fresh blackberries

📝Instructions

▫️Optional Prep the Glass: If desired, wet the rim of a coupe or wine glass with a lime wedge, then dip the rim into a shallow dish of black sanding sugar.

▫️Combine Ingredients: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the Gin, Pomegranate/Blackberry Juice, Lime Juice, and Simple Syrup.

▫️Shake & Strain: Shake well until the shaker is thoroughly chilled. Strain the mixture into the prepared glass.

▫️Top: Top the drink with a splash of Prosecco or Sparkling Wine for extra fizz.

▫️Garnish: Drop 2-3 blackberries into the drink to represent forbidden fruit.

🍮The Snack: The Pet's Illusionary Tarts Small, delicate, and deceptively simple savory tarts. They look innocent but hold a powerful flavor!

🍯Ingredients

▫️Base

1 package Frozen mini phyllo shells 15 count

▫️Filling

3 oz,Softened goat cheese or cream cheese if preferred

1 tsp,Honey plus extra for drizzling

Pinch,Fresh thyme optional

▫️Topping

Dried figs, sliced thin or sun-dried tomatoes, diced

¼ cup Toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped

📝Instructions

▫️Pre-bake Shells: Follow the package directions to briefly bake the phyllo shells until lightly golden and crisp. Let them cool completely.

▫️Make the Filling: In a small bowl, gently stir together the softened goat cheese, 1 teaspoon of honey, and thyme (if using) until combined. Do not overmix.

▫️Assemble Tarts: Spoon or pipe a small amount of the cheese mixture into the bottom of each cooled phyllo shell.

▫️Top: Place one thin slice of fig (or a few pieces of sun-dried tomato) on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts/pecans.

▫️Final Illusion: Just before serving, drizzle a tiny bit of extra honey over the top of the tarts for a touch of sweetness.

🥮The Meal/Dessert: Forbidden Forest Chocolate Cake: A rich, dark, and decadent flourless chocolate cake dusted with powdered sugar and maybe garnished with deep red raspberries. Intense, satisfying, and a little dangerous!

🍫Ingredients

▫️Cake: 8 oz,Good quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate

½ cup 1 stick,Unsalted butter

1 cup,Granulated sugar

1 tsp,Vanilla extract

Pinch,Salt

4 large,Eggs

▫️Garnish: As needed powdered sugar, deep red raspberries for The Forbidden Fruit!

📚Instructions

▫️Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

▫️Melt Chocolate: Chop the chocolate and place it with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water or microwave in 30-second intervals. Stir until completely smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt.

▫️Add Eggs: Beat the eggs lightly in a separate bowl. Gradually whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture until everything is just combined and the batter is smooth.

▫️Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The edges should look set, but the center will still look soft and slightly wobbly.

▫️Cool: Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. It will settle and slightly sink; this is normal for a flourless cake!

▫️Garnish, The Forest Effect: Dust the cooled cake heavily with powdered sugar. Garnish with deep red raspberries or blackberries around the edge to create the Forbidden Forest look.

🎨 Fun and Creative Activities

Activity: The Truth & The Lie

▫️Setup: This classic game reflects the novel's theme of deception. Have each Page Lady write down three statements about herself: two truths and one convincing lie.

▫️The Game: Go around the circle. Each person reads their three statements, and the rest of the club debates and votes on which statement they think is the lie.

Purpose: A fun, quick way to connect and practice deciphering "illusions" among friends!

Activity: The Alliance Scale

▫️Setup: Draw a simple line on a whiteboard or piece of paper and label one end Absolute Loyalty and the other Pure Self-Interest.

▫️The Task: As a group, discuss and place key character relationships e.g., Ivy and the King, Ivy and the Reaper, Secondary characters onto the scale based on where their motives fall.

▫️Purpose: Visually maps the complexity of the alliances and forces the group to debate the core motivations behind each character's actions.

🎁Themed Door Prizes

▫️For the Truth Seeker: A beautiful, high-quality journal or notebook for recording unvarnished truths and secrets.

▫️For the Illusionist: A highly pigmented eyeshadow palette or cosmetic product something that helps create a mask.

▫️For the Rebel: A sleek, dark fantasy book featuring a morally gray heroine.

🎉Happy reading and discussing!

❗️Don't forget to come back and tell us all about your book club meeting!!

Okay can we talk about how I’m supposed to recover from this book? Because the Heir of Illusion chewed me up, spat me out, and somehow made me want more. Madeline Taylor really said: “let’s mix rebellion, magic, and sexual tension so thick it might count as its own plotline” and I ate it up!

Ivy Pomeroy is that girl fierce, furious, and done letting men or kings control her fate. The whole “illusion magic meets political rebellion” setup? Delicious! And then a mysterious reaper walks in, brooding and dangerous with secrets of his own, and suddenly I’m like: yes, enemies to allies to oh no they’re touching hands, my favorite!

The banter? Electric! The world building? Enchanting! The tension? I had to physically set my book down more than once to collect myself. And that ending? Let’s just say I’m side-eyeing my TBR for not magically containing book two already.

Ivy may be bound by a collar, but this story had me on a leash the entire time.

❓️If you could master one magical power to help overthrow a corrupt ruler, would you choose illusion, persuasion, or straight-up chaos?

Join The Discussion! We are diving deep into Ivy's moral choices, the complex alliances, and that shocking ending!

✨Full Discussion Guide & Themed Menu available now in our members only section!