The heat wave has finally broke here in NYC (thank goodness!) so I am looking forward to fall and cozy weather. In the meantime here is a mid month update for all of you!

For All Community Members

Have you already seen my Salt Lake City Blog post? (if not check it out here!) It includes my vlog from my last trip and some of my hands down favorite spots! If you are in the world traveler tier the member exclusive google map with a ton more recommendations is now live on my website.

In the next two weeks I will be posting my 24 hours in Dublin itinerary and Las Vegas Vlog (yes, they have bookstores in Vegas!)

As always, I am swimming in content and need help deciding what city to work on next. If you want to vote in the poll I have with this post please help a girl out!

For My NYC Readers

September events are live on Discord. Two events are already over halfway full so make sure to sign up before I make them public and post about them on socials! Remember- if you are on the The New Yorker tier use your discount code for $5 off all NYC events!

Also, please fill out the google form to help me plan for October (where has the year gone??)

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4dR0bBxW9rn5CxdX8kKvwfcdxOnzxzf4Pf5700uPlzbRNGw/viewform?usp=header

As always, thank you for supporting me in this community. I am still figure out my rhythm for when I will post updates so thank you for being here since the beginning!

Happy Book Hunting!

1) a planet that narrowly escaped human colonization asks for help from mushroom people
2) a woman flees the cosmic body of a whale and stumbles into a new universe
3) an Afrofuturist love story set inside a giant space-creature
4) one bite of this mushroom and you can understand the full scope of the universe and speak with forgotten eldritch gods
5) every woman in a family tree becomes the physical embodiment of a myth
6) agents are fighting a war against self-camouflaging entities that erase themselves from human memory

I'm going to be reading one of these 6 weird books, and the Moonwalker community is deciding! Today is your LAST CHANCE to join as a Moonwalker, see which books these are, and vote on your favorite. You'll also be the first to see my unfiltered thoughts as I read!

Moonwalkers get exclusive content, special votes like this one, a private chat within the Discord, early access to my YouTube videos, and priority nominations for book club pick! Plus if the community grows large enough, we'll have the opportunity to create our own publishing imprint. You'd be involved in major decisions and see behind-the-scenes as we select and publish books.

So don't forget to place your votes!

So. I took a small break from longer-form write ups to focus on fiction writing and getting two manuscripts going at once. I've got beta readers going for my passion project Into the Dark and will be working in their feedback later this month. I'm also locked into the first book in a duology I'm hoping to really lean on called Labyrinth, the first entry in The Book of Icarus.

I actually have the first 10 chapters scheduled through September for Icarus for anyone subscribed as an Inner Circle member if anyone's interested in reading that chaos! I'm really loving it so far, though. It's a fever dream and very wild.

I promised reviews, right? I have quite a few so instead of a long-form version I'll give some rapid fire thoughts that were NOT included in my video reviews on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube.

Behooved by M. Stevenson

This premise was insane, but she pulled it off. Horse puns and all. I really enjoyed this, it was a fun little break from all of the doom and gloom I normally read and was just whimsical and fun. I love that it wasn't trying to be anything other than what it is. It's a silly romantasy about a man who turns into a horse during the day, it's not trying to change your life.

She wrote this like a fairytale and captured that essence really well in my opinion. Though the romantic arc felt very rushed for a 27 year old protagonist, I suspended my disbelief when I remembered he turns into a horse at night. It's fine. It had tiny spice in it which was inoffensive and fun to me, but I would've liked a slower evolution of them falling in love. I am, however, a romantic miser and I do tot personally fall in love easily which affects how I view romantic arcs in books. Protect your hearts more, y'all.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

I put this alongside Blood Over Bright Haven as a book everyone needs to read. The prison system is brutal and Nana depicted the horror in a digestible way without losing the reality of how awful it really is. We have such a Hammurabian take on justice in America that we don't talk about how people are conditioned not to want justice, but to want revenge.

Do we truly believe dehumanizing people and breaking them apart is the best way to reform them? The answer is, frankly, no. We do not. We don't want to reform them. We are trained by our political propaganda systems and the investment of the private prison industry to be bloodthirsty spectators hungry for the suffering of those we feel moral superiority to. Nana shoves that right in our faces and makes you as yourself when someone deserves to be stripped of their humanity.

Of all the losses in this book, I felt Randy Mac's the hardest, though. It woke me up and even typing about it makes me teary eyed again.

Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty

Mohanty took on something very ambitious for a debut - retelling a fundamental story in Hinduism and Indian culture that most westerners don't have any knowledge of. The main criticism I saw was "infodump" which I'm beginning to suspect is a substitute for "I didn't pay attention when I read". We are losing sight of what an infodump actually is, which I don't think Mohanty is guilty of at all. He parsed out this story that's unfamiliar to most Americans and drip-fed it well in a way that wasn't overwhelming in my mind.

My criticism is that it was a bit messy with genre and POVs. I expected more fantasy than I got, it was more of a war novel than a fantasy novel. It also added elements of science fiction, but didn't explore them in this one so they felt out of place. I won't speak for the second book, I'll let him tell me his story and I recognize this first book was about grounding the audience unfamiliar with the Mahabharata in its core.

There were some perspectives that felt open-ended and never received closure that I walked away finding unnecessary, but ultimately the story was a ride and very fun. I love Karna and his obsession with righteousness. I love a righteous man. I do, however, strongly dislike Krishna. Which... I think is the point.

The Hike by Drew Magary

Magary is an underrated writer. Period. He got me out of a slump with Postmortal and I've been an evangelist for him ever since. He is sharp, biting, thoughtful, and much deeper than he gets credit for. The Hike is a crazy Odyssey-style tale of a man lost in the woods who will die if he strays from the path, but it's also bigger than that. It's about not getting so complacent you lose sight of your own good fortune. It's about a man who allows routine to smother his identity and forgets to indulge in who he is as a person. It's about him and his wife discovering each other's innermost needs, how to see each other, and finally understanding what's at their cores.

I think The Hike looks ridiculous on the surface - because it is - but when you dig into what it does and what it achieves, you realize this is a story full of layers and thoughtful metaphors that can be dissected for hours. Magary makes it that deep because people are that deep.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Maia is my half goblin son and I will die for him. Seriously, though, this is a cozy political court intrigue book that packs so much heart into such a small space. It starts and immediately dives into the plot, giving you a main character whose greatest strength is hope and a belief in goodness. I loved watching him turn his trauma into his greatest tool. He knew people and could read moods, he wasn't afraid to lean on his new authority, but he always did so when it was right. He gave people a chance to save themselves and believed in redemption for everyone.

I wish I'd had more on his romantic arcs with his potential Empress, though. I liked watching their interactions and it would've been nice to see more of their personal connection, but also Maia was just a baby. I appreciated that when it called for it, Addison didn't let up and allowed the difficult scenes to stay difficult. When an execution was required, she didn't deus ex machina for the sake of a reader's sensibilities and used violence when it was appropriate.

The only other critique I have is I hoped we would get more of Maia and his grandfather interacting! I wish we could see him lean into his goblin heritage and learn more about his mother's people. Overall, though, I loved how he refused to be ashamed of his half goblin heritage and honored the mother who loved him over the father he didn't even know.

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

I was an insurance injury and claims adjuster for six years and finally feel represented in fantasy. Seriously, though, I had no idea Swan was a barrister but it absolutely makes sense in this book. What a trip. I finished it in two days. Necromancy, maritime insurance, political conspiracy... this book has something for everyone. I really don't have much in the way of criticism, which is rare for me! Helena was well written, Konrad is very crushable, and the magic is so eerie and done well. He creeped me out with necromancy in a book and I'm a glutton for horror!

I've been advised Book 2 is where it really takes off and I'm not sure how much more it could "take off", but I do know the Great Silence sequel series has oracular mermaids. So.

Wild Magic by Jude Fisher

I need more people to read classic fantasy. Fisher is a mesmerizing writer. I don't know how she does it, but her writing is enchanting. She is a bit long-winded and we are slow moving in a lot of ways, but I also don't mind it or really notice while I'm reading because she draws me in so effectively. I love her diverse cast of characters, the way she frustrates me with the men in her world, and how she shows the restrictions women face while men delude themselves about how progressive they really are.

In this second installment, I actually enjoyed her focus on women's sexuality, our social constraints because of men, the deprioritization of women over the ambitions of men, and how women are the beating heart of societies. The Istrians make me furious because they have their misguided belief they're "saving" women when they're really cruel captors and the Eyrans believe they're better, but they just imprison them differently.

Katla continues to be spritely and delightful, I love her and her weird earth magic. I also LOVED her with Tam Fox, don't come for my neck. I am a Tam Fox girl and you can't stop me. Saro is so sweet and charming, I know he loves her, but Tam understands her. He's the representation of true male feminism. He loves her as she is and never expects anything from her, he doesn't want to take her wildness. I'm devastated by the boat scene, but Fisher wouldn't just let Tam vanish. She's got a plan for him and if I've learned anything it's if there's no body, they're not dead.

A Dragon of Black Glass by James Rollins

If you scroll back, you'll see I read Cradle of Ice and I didn't love it. It's true. It was very exposition heavy and I felt like he didn't trust me as a reader. The characters' voices felt melded together and flat, like we lost their individual personalities to overexplain things I thought were apparent.

Whatever happened in Book 2 was totally reversed in Book 3. I loved it. This one was fast-paced, brutal, it trusted me, and we were right back on track with our beloved characters. I thought James crushed it, this is my favorite one in the series so far. It moves the world forward and gives us our real Big Bad in a way that makes me wonder how the heck are we getting out of this.

I love the continued question of "Is Nyx actually the hero?" and Kanthe wrestling with his identity and his potential for power. Micean is the best worst character in the book, I loathe him. Shiya and Rafe continue to be complex and never all-knowing, but present and important. His mechanics for the world are exploratory and consistent, his commitment to unique fauna is one of my favorite things, and I felt like the heart that we lost in Book 2 has been revived and beats anew.

In conclusion...

I've made my way through a lot of books this August, but my emphasis has been on writing and so I've gotten a little lost in that for a bit. I'm back, though, and committed to at least a weekly update on books and thoughts because reading is fun and important.

If you're interested to see anything more about the writing I'm doing, all chapters get posted multiple times a week as I refine them for Inner Circle members who are also invited to suggest changes and provide input I will gladly take!

This Week on the Shelf: New Releases, BookTok Drama & Why We Love What We Read

Hello, book friends!

This week we have demons, magical perfume, murder suspects, dystopian angels, questionable BookTok business decisions, and the newly crowned World’s Ugliest Dog.

In other words: a completely normal week around here. Let’s get into it.

📚 NEW THIS WEEK

Here are the August 18 releases currently screaming the loudest from my TBR.

🔎 MYSTERY + THRILLER

Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols

Apparently the residents of Marigold Cottages have not learned that inviting a murder suspect to move into your cozy little community is perhaps not the best way to achieve a peaceful existence.

Mrs. B’s friend Elsa is suspected of killing her wealthy employer, so naturally Mrs. B invites her to move in and rallies everyone to prove her innocence. Then strange things start happening around the cottages…and another body turns up.

Cozy mystery + nosy neighbors + a community determined to solve a murder? Say less.

Don’t Look Close by Jaima Fixsen

Peter Simmons is recovering from polio when he learns his sister’s ex-husband has been murdered, and she’s become the prime suspect.

So Peter checks himself out of rehab, heads to the isolated mining community where she lives, and starts investigating with the help of the thing he does exceptionally well: observing people through the lens of his camera.

But the deeper he looks, the more it seems someone in town is making sure people who step out of line don’t get another chance.

A 1950s setting, small-town secrets, sibling loyalty AND a possible serial killer? This sounds extremely up my alley.

🐉 SCI-FI + FANTASY

The Vanishing by Kelsey Crane

Six teenagers from around the world receive mysterious VR headsets and enter RIZE, an incredibly realistic survival simulation where Earth still looks like the world it used to be. Then something goes wrong.

Suddenly, they have to decide whether to remain heirs to the broken world they were born into…or take the civilization they created virtually and try to build it for real.

You know dystopian sci-fi is my kryptonite, so obviously this caught my attention.

The Calamities by Chuck Wendig

Rich people secretly being demons? I’m listening.

Mourning Mayne is heir to one of the world’s most powerful families, except the Maynes aren’t just your standard morally questionable dynasty. They’re fiends: half-human, half-demon beings whose magic comes from buying human souls.

When Mourning’s terrifying father calls him home, he has to decide whether to inherit the family legacy or destroy the cycle entirely. Occult magic + horrible wealthy families + literal deals for human souls. This sounds delightfully unhinged.

Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken

This might have one of my favorite fantasy concepts I’ve seen recently: MAGICAL. PERFUME.

Viola Lockwood is the last living member of an ancient family capable of infusing fragrance with magic that can manipulate the mind, body, and emotions.

After a murder leaves the kingdom vulnerable to a coup, she’s forced to work with royal spymaster Hugh Thornton to create the legendary Immortal Rose perfume, and yes, there is also a slow-burn romance happening while people keep trying to kill her.

Political intrigue + fairy magic + magical perfume + romance? Alexandra Bracken, you have my attention.

The Shadows That Listen by Louisa Carmody

Five years ago, daemons crawled out of hell. Then angels descended from the sky. Humanity thought the angels had come to save them. They were wrong.

Now Amara works for the Angel Intelligence Agency in a world caught between two immortal forces. This is being pitched as a dystopian romantasy with angels vs. demons, slow-burn romance, and major 2010s fantasy energy.

And as someone who survived the YA dystopian/paranormal era? That last part is doing a LOT of work on me.

Siren Says by Jennifer Herrera

Dangerous inherited plant magic. Celtic spirits. Family secrets. Women trying to break a century-old cycle of sacrifice.

Raven Wynn has spent her life knowing the ancient magic in her blood causes destruction, but she may be the only person capable of stopping the sacrifices her family has been making for generations.

This sounds lush, strange, witchy and a little sinister, which is basically exactly what I want as we start creeping toward fall reading season.

💬 THE BOOKISH GROUP CHAT

Okay. We have TEA this week.

Would you ever pay someone to review your book?

If you exist anywhere near BookTok or Bookstagram, you have probably seen the PB Squamer situation by now.

PB Squamer posted a video proposing a paid-review arrangement aimed at smaller authors: essentially a deposit to read the book, followed by an additional fee if he liked it and created a review video, bringing the potential total to around $1,000.

And BookTok collectively went …excuse me?

Here’s where I think an important distinction keeps getting lost in conversations about creators getting paid.

I have absolutely no problem with book creators making money.

• Pay creators to produce promotional content.

• Pay for sponsored posts.

• Pay for UGC.

• Pay for their time, audience, creativity and ability to sell a book.

But paying specifically for a favorable review is different.

The second payment depends on whether someone likes the book, we’ve created a financial incentive around the opinion itself.

And that is where I personally draw a very firm line.

A sponsored video can still be valuable. An author can pay a creator $1,000—or $5,000, for that matter—to make promotional content if both parties think that audience is worth it.

But call it what it is: advertising.

A review should belong entirely to the reader. I’m very curious where everyone else lands on this because I suspect there are some STRONG opinions:

Is paying book creators for reviews ever okay? Or should reviews always remain completely separate from paid partnerships?

🧠 ALSO IN THE GROUP CHAT: Why do we love the genres we love?

Then I came across this Reader’s Digest piece about the psychology behind why we gravitate toward certain book genres, and immediately wanted to send it to everyone.

Because WHY can one reader spend 700 pages learning the political structure of a fictional kingdom and have the time of their life, while another person would rather throw that book directly into the sea?

Why do some of us want murder mysteries? Why do other readers want cozy fantasy where the greatest threat is whether the magical bakery runs out of cinnamon rolls?

And why do I apparently require fictional governments to be collapsing on a semi-regular basis?

There’s something fascinating about the idea that our genre preferences aren’t completely random...that the stories we seek out can connect to the emotions and experiences we want from reading.

So here’s this week’s question: What genre feels the most like YOU and what do you think you’re actually looking for when you read it?

Read the Reader’s Digest article

🎥 WANT TO UNDERSTAND FANTASY BETTER?

One of my favorite things about fantasy is also the thing that makes it completely overwhelming: Fantasy is HUGE.

Saying you like “fantasy” can mean you want magical cities hiding inside our world…or muskets and magic…or angels and demons…or sprawling heroic adventures.

So over on YouTube, I broke down four fantasy subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Flintlock Fantasy and Heroic Fantasy.

We talk about what actually defines each one, how to tell them apart, the vibes you can expect, and (most importantly) where I think you should start reading.

If you've ever looked at the fantasy section and thought, Okay, but what kind of fantasy do I actually like? this is for you.

Watch “Fantasy Genres Explained” on my YouTube channel.

🐾 LINK’S CORNER

Link has reviewed this week’s important literary and cultural news and would like everyone to know that we have a new World’s Ugliest Dog.

Her name is Jinny Lu. She is a six-year-old rescue pug, and I would die for her.

Jinny Lu took home the crown at the 2026 World’s Ugliest Dog Contest after competing multiple times before finally winning this year. The competition might have an unfortunate name, but it actually celebrates the wonderfully weird appearances of rescue dogs and promotes adoption.

Which means Link would like to clarify that this is actually a World’s Most Interesting-Looking Very Good Dog Contest. She also believes she could win. I do not have the heart to explain why that would technically be an insult.

Meet the 2026 World’s Ugliest Dog winner

That’s it for this week!

Now I need to know: Which new release are you adding to your TBR, where do you land on paying for book reviews, AND what genre has an absolute chokehold on you?

Reply and tell me. This newsletter is basically one giant bookish group chat anyway.

Until next week,

Brittany + Link 🐾

Here's your weekly roundup of romances hitting shelves this week that have a Rebel Ever After vibe. Reminder that I haven't read any of these titles yet, so this isn't an official endorsement unless noted. If there are other books out today that you think folks will enjoy, feel free to recommend them in the comments.

[This isn't an exhaustive list of every romance novel published this week. If you are an author with a progressive romance coming out soon, please email brosandprose@gmail.com to get it on my radar!]

Ship Happens by Mason Deaver (Avon) — Queer second chance romance with trans rep on an Alaskan cruise! Mason is a great opinion haver and poster, and you should support this book.

Mutual Discord by Liana De la Rosa (Berkley) — The contemporary romance debut of one of my favorite historical romance authors. I interviewed Liana on the podcast back in Feb 2025, she's a gem.

The Best I Never Had by Amy Buchanan (St. Martin's Griffin) — What happens when you find out the guy you faked a relationship and a breakup with is now the older brother of your sister's fiancé? Fake-get-back-together, I guess!

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberley Lemming (Berkley) — Lemming's books are bonkers (complimentary).

Old Flames by Nadine Gonzalez (MIRA) — Haunted Key West hotel and writers falling in love by the author of Only Lovers In The Building.

The Way We Used To Be by Amarie Wheeler (indie) — From the author's instagram: "A fashion designer, struggling to renovate her new plus-sized boutique, reluctantly enlists the help of the ex childhood best friend who ghosted her 8 years ago."

The Divine Gardener's Handbook Or What To Do If Your Girlfriend Accidentally Turns Off the Sun by Eli Snow (Saturday Books) — Gosh, what a title. Sapphic romantasy!

The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium by Lexie Sharabianlou (Dell) — The second sapphic romantasy of the week, this one by a debut Iranian-American author.

I have some events coming up virtually and in the NY area!

8/26: Rebel Ever After Bindery virtual launch party with special guests Adib Khorram, Laura Piper Lee, and Erin Baldwin. Join for free on Bindery to attend.

9/3: Launching Love Me Like a Rock Song with Shelly Jay Shore at the Ripped Bodice BK. Tickets here.

9/30: Launching Happily Ever Afterlife with Emma R. Alban at the Ripped Bodice BK. Tickets here.

Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!

We're entering the month before Latinx Heritage Month which means a typhoon of books are coming your way via recommendations AND release. I'm so excited for the content I am planning and working on for you.

SUPPORT THE WORK I DO BEYOND LATINX HERITAGE MONTH

As you know, Latinx Heritage Month is just another 30 days in my continuous Latine book coverage 365 days of the year. This is in light of Latinx books only being represented in about 6% of traditionally published books and more than likely, a significant portion less of marketing budgets that help these books get more visibility. This fact makes Bien Leidos like an unpaid marketing arm of Latine books.

Although Latinx books are my passion, as a full-time creator, I must face the reality that I also have to pay my bills on an on-going basis. One of the ways I do so is through Bindery. Through your monthly membership, you not only tell me that you appreciate my work, but you tell Bindery that you'd like to see me publish my first Latine book under the Bien Leidos imprint!

There are so many things I'd like to do...with your support, I'd love to get there.

And with that ask, I'll leave you to this week's INCREDIBLE Latine release list! Let me know in the comments which one you're most looking forward to...

Romance

Mutual Discord by Liana De La Rosa (Audiobook)

Old Flames by Nadine Gonzalez (Audiobook)

Mystery

Sleeping Sisters by Jennifer Givhan (Audiobook)

The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes (Audiobook)

Pop! by Angel Luis Colon Adult (Audiobook)

Translated fiction

The Loneliest Tree In The World by Mariana Salomao Carrara

Nonfiction

The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War On Democracy by Gil Duran (Audiobook) CHECK OUT YESTERDAY'S REVIEW HERE

What Will They Say: A Liberating Guide for Latinas by Denise Soler Cox (Audiobook)

Chancla: Healing Our Families, Ourselves, and Our Culture Through Nonviolent Parenting by Leslie Priscilla (Audiobook)

Picture Book

Please Pass the Tamales by Silvia Lopez (Audiobook)

Middle Grade

The Hungry Forest by Kaela Rivera (Audiobook)

xo,

Carmen

tw: suicide, depression, trauma, loss

Below is the Instagram post I shared last night. I was working on making it a blog post too so I figured I'd share it. It's been a rough week but I'm hanging in there. The death of Hayden Panettiere has hit me hard. I'm mourning by continuing to push myself to create and by having a movie marathon on and off this whole week of her work.

As of right now the only thing confirmed is cardiac arrest and a "possible overdose." As someone who struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts when something like this happens it can be a trigger. The Clancy case is another thing I am trying to keep up with but only in small doses. Living with depression and disabilities can be crushing some days. Today is one of them. Hope you all find some joy in something or someone today. <3

***

I had such an incredible day celebrating with my love. It made me realize the more time I spend being whimsical and nostalgic the happier I am.

I slipped into a few days of severe feelings of agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression but this trip really helped me feel hopeful instead of helpless. I took an inventory of how I spend my time, and this won't happen overnight, but I'll definitely be making some changes. I've already started by muting a lot of people so they're not in my feed.

More nostalgic and low energy posts and less posting overall.

Easy videos with voiceovers or captions or music.
Treating Instagram like MySpace (until it comes back!)

Less time online. More time reading and writing.
Less computer time. More movie marathons.
Turning my smartphone into a flip phone (deleting almost all apps).

That means not returning emails the same or even next day.

It means the BER months through the end of Yule EVERY YEAR moving forward I'll be on a semi sabbatical to enjoy the time of year I live for.

I appreciate all of you so much. I'll still be sharing book announcements and other necessary marketing. I'm just being intentional about it.

Less trying to figure out algorithms and more time just saying what's on my mind without trying to insert a keyword or hashtag.

I feel a lot like Peter in Office Space and damn it feels good to be a gangsta!

Hey wow congrats you got this far. 🤓 I'm Stephanie Rose. Horror author. House goblin, cat lady, Halloween queen and horror maven. I love watching movies especially horror. I'm currently living mostly like it's late 90s early 00s. 🖤🔪👻

Life is too short especially to someone that battles disabilities. 🖤🖤🖤

Hello FBC Bindery members!

One of the benefits of Tier 4 is that members can choose books for us to read and review, so in honor of the LibroFM Romance sale happening from August 12th to 19th, we're asking Tier 4 members to choose a book from the sale for me (Nox) to read and review on either the blog or the podcast. I'll also set up a buddy read in our Discord if anyone would like to join me in reading the book.

To best help you all with this decision, I'm sharing which books from the sale that I have already read, and which ones I am really hoping for (although you do not have to stick with those books!).

Books I Have Already Read:

Color Outside the Lines edited by Sangu Mandanna

Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson

Cafe con Lychee by Emery Lee

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Books I Want to Read:

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

Love Spells Trouble by Nia Davenport

The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk (This is the book I want to read the most!)

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Kiss Me. Maybe by Gabriella Gamez

Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau

Single Player by Tara Tai

I highly encourage everyone to check out the Libro.fm Romance sale before it ends Wednesday night! From looking at the extensive list of audiobooks on sale, it seems like there is truly something for everyone. If you'd like to continue to support Feminist Book Club, you can click here for our affiliate link. Purchases made through this link help us a lot. Tier 4 members, I look forward to seeing what you pick for me to read!

Yall! I posted my first YouTube in a year. Please clap (and watch!) I really want to get into YouTube long form. It is not easy. I’m going to try to aim for one video a week. Let me know below if there are any topics you’d like me to cover.

https://youtu.be/39LouFlAq0E?is=soa5UPgglNNP4-0h

All of these books and more Indigenous releases from this year can be found here:

https://bookshop.org/lists/indigenous-book-releases-2026

Hey Sickos, a lot is happening so let's get into everything I'm gettin' into, and as always I wanna know what you're reading/watching/playing this week in the comments. Let's boogie!

READING

REVIEW

FIRE & BLOOD by GEORGE RR MARTIN (fantasy)

Progress: 458/706

Slowed down on reading this over the past week to make room for the book club picks but I legit can't stay away as I'm also halfway through House of the Dragon S3. I'm almost at the exact same spots in both and I'll likely outpace the show this week.

One notable absence from the show is Mushroom, the dwarf court jester, whose memoirs (The Testimony of Mushroom) is used as one of three primary sources for the "Dance of Dragons" period. I can see why they left him out but I find his account delightful as he seems to function as the Westerosi equivalent to Procopius' Secret History or to a lesser extent Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars in that his account so cartoonishly outlandish that it's likely to be severely embellished. However our narrator can't disregard him because his proximity to events is much closer than Septon Eustace and Grand Maester Munkun, he can only attempt to balance Mushroom against those other sources. You see this all the time in history books and I love how GRRM has include this dilemma into the work.

THE ODYSSEY by HOMER [Emily Wilson translation] (epic poetry)

Progress: 332/582 (Book 14 of 24)

We're officially entering the "Odysseus is home, and that's about to be a problem" portion of the book. Poseidon is still, like, really pissed off and the Phaeacians are catching strays because of it. I need to bop in the Discord forum for this Fiction Sickos Book Club read and dump some more thoughts later but I do think this is a wonderful translation that is honestly a gift to high school teachers trying to get reluctant kids to trudge through it. I'm not trying to diminish it by saying that, just saying that I'm basically a grown ass 10th grader so I appreciate her ability to get to business and keep the language lean and direct without making it feel dumbed down.

BLACK FLAGS, BLUE WATERS by ERIC JAY DOLIN (narrative history)

Progress: 120/379

Comrade Jordan can stop bullying me because I've finally started the History Sickos Book Club pick for this month. My current thoughts are in those forums but overall after a bit of a sloggy start it's starting to find its way. I'll add here that the massive chapter 4 goes into Henry Avery a bunch and a really solid book on him is Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson.

PREVIEW

My next reads depend on if Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett gets here before I have the urge to start The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb. Have absolutely no idea for nonfiction.

I GOT A CAT

This past weekend I went to First Ladies Farm & Sanctuary with a very specific cat in mind. I wanted one that was a little older so their personality was well established. And I was hoping for a chill buddy that would hang out around me while I read and just generally be a great companion and good with kids. After hearing the requirements, they said I should meet Bob Gibson, an orange tabby male that just turned 2 years old. Bob must've heard or sensed this because he strolled on over and picked me. He's been with us for three days now and I couldn't have been picked by a better cat. I'm legitimately so damn happy! Here's Bob the Brave in all his glory:

OUR READATHON CHAMPION

Another thing that happened over the weekend was the Readathon put together in our Discord by comrade Bench. Our first champion is Emily, aka Ems the Breaks, who inhaled a whopping 900+ pages on Saturday. Em read two full books in that span, including our imprint's first release, A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood.

She gave it the highest compliment with a five-star rating and this lamentation: "I deeply regret not saving ACoS for my last book of the day cuz I think I'm going to have to stop, I don't want to read anything else now."

Shout out to the incomparable Bench for putting this together and always doin' cool stuff like this for the community, and congratulations to Em who is a beacon of light in an otherwise dreary world.

A SICKO DEADLINE APPROACHES

The next Sicko Society quarterly book box is set to be shipped in December, but the deadline to make sure you qualify for it is fast approaching. Upgrade your tier to be a Sicko Society member by 9/1 and update your mailing address to make sure you get in on the action! The next book box to ship is A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab!

That there is over 40 of you who have upgraded since we started this mere months ago is mind-blowing to me and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the support and how much it benefits our publishing imprint, thank you!

NIC CAGE BUSSY WATCH NIGHT

After I wouldn't shut up about Face/Off last night, it was decided that we need to do a community watch-along of Face/Off and Con-Air. That'll happen this Thursday night (time tbd) in the Best Bussies voice/video chat channel in our Discord and everybody is invited! I know way too much about both of these movies so it should be an insane time.

EVERYTHING ELSE

• Publishing News: You can now pre-order the audiobook for A Complement of Scoundrels!

• Game of the Week: My total hours in Assassin's Creed Odyssey has hit over 450 hours. Safe to say this is my favorite AC.

• Show of the Week: House of the Dragon S3E6 is up next!

• Movie of the Week: See above, it's obv Face/Off and Con-Air!

Sorry my July reflection is late. I’ve been SO busy lately and as I sit here outlining this post, I’m realizing I was just as busy in July LMFAO. I actually can’t believe I did as many things as I did. Between movies, concerts, bookish events, and a NYC trip, I’ve been booked and busy, and I’m not mad about it! Anyways… let the show begin!!

Noah Kahan Concert

I started the month on a high note by seeing Noah Kahan in concert! I got SO lucky because Noah played two days at Citi Field and one of the nights was cancelled because of the weather… BUT NOT MINE LOL. Noah Kahan is so good live. I don’t care that I was in the literal last row of the stadium, that experience changed my life for the better. Also, he played my favorite song, “Staying Still,” so what else could I ask for?

A Forsaken Prophecy Event

A Forsaken Prophecy, the sequel to A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan, came out and I celebrated its release at The Ripped Bodice in NYC. Fun fact, this was my first time ever at TRB and y’all, it’s just as cute as it looks in photos. I was lucky and was able to ARC read book two a couple of months before its release, and I’m so happy it’s finally out in the world. I loved listening to Stacey talk about her writing process; you can tell she really cares about this series and puts in so much work to make sure she’s giving us the best stories she possibly can. She also recognized and remembered me, which was awesome. I low key forgot that we’re mutuals on TikTok lol.

Tempest Event

Harper Voyager invited me to one of the coolest events I’ve ever attended. They rented a real pirate ship and took us on a voyage around NYC to celebrate Tempest by Victoria Aveyard coming out in September. I’ve already read Tempest, and I absolutely adored it. It’s giving Pirates of the Caribbean in the best possible way. They flew Victoria out for this event and I was so starstruck to meet her. I’ve been a fan of Victoria since she put out Red Queen; like, I ride hard for her. Seeing the Statue of Liberty and other iconic NYC landmarks from the water was iconic. We got a special ARC edition of Tempest and she signed my books! It was a night to remember.

NYC Trip

I somehow also squeezed in a NYC trip with friends into an already packed month, and I had the best time. Some highlights include bookshop hopping, going to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which I highly recommend, seeing Heathers the musical (life changing), and seeing Hilary Duff in concert! It was a busy and yet very peaceful trip, and thinking back on it makes me smile.

Movies

I saw a lot of movies this month, so let’s talk about them!

The Odyssey - 4 stars

I saw The Odyssey twice, once in IMAX and once in IMAX 70mm. I really enjoyed the movie; it was visually stunning. It had pacing issues for sure, but those 3 hours flew by FAST.

Heartstopper Forever - 4 stars

I’m so emo that Heartstopper is over. The decision to make a movie instead of a final season was interesting, but I wasn’t mad about it. I really enjoyed the movie and I loved how they tackled the situations they placed Charlie and Nick in. My one critique is that I wish the rest of the cast didn’t get axed. There were so many side plots that were either never finished or hastily concluded.

Hadestown Pro Shot - 4.5 stars

Hadestown is one of my favorite musicals of all time and when they announced a pro shot with the original cast, I was locked in. Seeing this story told on the big screen reminded me just how great this musical truly is. I had full-body shivers for “Wait for Me (Reprise),” and you bet your last dollar that I raised my root beer to Orpheus at the end.

Avatar Aang - 4 stars

I’m going to be so real with y’all, I watched this back when it leaked in March or April lol. However, getting to see it on the big screen made it feel like I was seeing it for the first time. Everyone should have been able to experience this movie on the big screen, and it’s a shame Paramount didn’t give it a nationwide release.

Spider-Man Brand New Day - 4 stars

I really enjoyed BND because of its commentary on mental health, and it was interesting to see a world where no one knows who Peter Parker is. I liked seeing Peter get more comfortable with people throughout the film, and it was so exciting to see Sadie Sink and how she contributed to the plot. However, the Samsung promo was insane work. Diva, this is a Marvel movie—did we really need all of that product placement?

Voicemails to Isabelle - 2 stars

This movie was trash and all over the place, but I did enjoy some parts of it. The pacing was odd, some of the humor worked, some didn’t, and watching it with friends is the only reason why I was able to finish it.

TV Shows

I’m in my TV rewatching era and I’m here for it.

I just finished rewatching The Good Place and I forgot what a masterpiece this show is. I love its commentary on empathy and what it means to be a good or bad person, which I think is very relevant in the current political landscape. The fact that this show didn’t win a single Emmy is crazy work. While on the rewatching train, I also started watching Schitt’s Creek. This show is also so funny and I’ll forever miss Catherine O’Hara. Shockingly, I started something new as well! I’m roughly four episodes into Star Wars Visions: The Ninth Jedi and I’m really enjoying it. The smartest thing Star Wars ever did was create stories using anime-style animation.

If you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you! When I said I was booked and busy in July, I wasn’t kidding. Half of me is exhausted, but the other half is so fulfilled. I can’t wait to see what August brings me! Yes, I realize I’m typing this halfway through the month.

August is shaping up to be a writing heavy month, which is so interesting to me. I go through bursts of creativity where I just unglue and love chasing feedback and getting a manuscript done. I'm so close with Icarus Book 1, I can feel it.

However!

That doesn't mean we aren't also locked into our reading. Here's what I've got left to consume for the rest of August according to my TBR. Subject to change as the mood strikes, of course, because we don't box ourselves in around here.

The Engines of Reason by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This is an ARC read for the second novella in his Elder Race series. I loved the first one. It was so inventive and beautifully done, very sci-fantasy in a way that was emotional and thoughtful. I like Tchaikovsky's writing so, so much.

Halfheart by Linden A. Lewis

Another ARC, this is a fantasy standalone about a woman seeking revenge against the God of War. Lewis asked if I'd like an ARC and who says NO when an author asks you directly? I'm so excited for this premise.

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

A dying world, a robot monkey brother, and an artefact that can turn the tides. This looks like such a ride. I'm a big mech book sucker and apparently this is one I will delight in as a unique, weird sci-fi lover.

Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle

Emiko has no magic, but she's great at killing people. Until she retires. Or... at least tries to, until a shinigami calls in a debt she's obliged to repay. I love this concept for an urban modern fantasy in San Francisco. I've had it on my shelf forever and I'm finally going to stop putting it off.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The amount of grief I have endured for not yet reading this gem should qualify me for sainthood at this point. I love a cozy sci fi and as someone with a complex and difficult definition of family, found family is my favorite thing in books. I love knowing that possibility exists for family to come together outside of blood bondage.

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

Already The Burning Kingdoms doesn't get enough love and apparently Book 2 is even better than the first. This world is dangerous, lush, unforgiving, and entirely unique in fantasy. I never see south Indian settings, but Suri leaned in and painted this incredible picture with a unique magic system and an overbearing misogynist emperor who actually makes me afraid.

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Book 2 in Empire of the Vampire sees the aftermath of sad French goth Gabriel failing to undo the apocalypse. I love this morose, grouchy man and his hallucinations. I'm very concerned for the fate of all the horses Kristoff will inevitably hurl off a cliff, but what can you to expect hope.

John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin

This is an unexpected add because, well, my Libby hold came up. I've had it on my radar for years and it looks like Fate has decided its time. One thing I enjoy about Libby holds being frightfully random is how they force me to pick up books I would have put off.

In the end, the August TBR is still alive, well, flush, and suffering from my crippling focus on writing. However, it doesn't stop me from devouring book after book after book after...

Alright. I had a hiatus moment because I LOCKED IN and went wild with writing a book versus OpEd pieces, but I'm returning to continue posting and sharing pieces of Icarus. My current obsession is Icarus and thus I will share what I'm working on here in its rawest form!

Chapter 2

An elbow jammed into his ribs and ripped him out of a rather pleasant whiskey-induced coma. Icarus rubbed at his eyes, muttering against the pain. They had stopped moving, Maren was staring at him with the slightly shifted expression he knew as irritation. He sat up, running a hand through sleep-tousled hair. They dressed and made their way off the train. Clouds obscured the midday sun, but it made his head crackle anyway. He shielded himself against the light and blinked, trying to get his bearings.

There was no station directly in Baldongan, they had taken a few hours to reach Rush instead. Maren wanted to plead with the Franciscans to borrow their horses, but he hated the Franciscans and immediately squashed that plan. Instead, he overpaid to borrow a pair from a small stable nearby. The clerical gear always did garner him more goodwill than he deserved. 

He swung himself into the saddle and kept pace behind Maren. Civilization thinned the farther away they got, fog took its place along the road, cobblestones vanished into packed dirt that turned muddy with the weight of moisture in the air. The quiet took on a life of its own around them. Obscured, cattle grazed and huffed invisible alongside them. Rare roofs peered at them in the mist, but no lights sparkled in their windows. 

His grip tightened on the reins and he frowned, “I don’t have a good feeling about this, Mare.”

She shook her head, “I don’t either. You said Reed told you it blew the gas mane and cut the town’s power, yes?”

“Aye,” he recalled, “tossed Father Simon like a loaf of stale bread when it did.”

Their silence became tactical. Listening for anything off, any odd pacing, strange cries. Gulls punctuated far overhead. The town emerged from the mist slowly, lethargically. At the first strike of a hoof on stone, a shutter slammed closed. One door opened enough to see, but not be seen. A figure in the fog hurried across their path before either of them could call out. 

“Whole town’s spooked by a Bánánach?” He wondered aloud and reined the horse towards the cathedral marking the center of town. 

It loomed over them, watchful in its vigil of the people of Baldongan. The doors were shut, Icarus noted when he tethered the reins. They stood shoulder to shoulder and assessed the building as if that were their possession victim now. Unease always built in both of them before entering a church. Enough poor experiences had that effect.

He broke first, a never-discussed impulse to take the lead and let Maren have her thoughts in peace. The door opened with a light push of his fingers and he dipped inside. It was a clean, pleasant, warm place with all the classical trappings a country church could expect. 

And it was packed entirely too full of people. 

Heads turned by the dozens to stare at the intruders. When Maren was behind him, the heads lifted higher in surprise. Neither of them moved, but he felt her fingers twitch against his leg. A silent planning session for how they were to escape if this was a congregation full of demon-puppeted bodies. It was an absurd thought, but the tension was so high it felt reasonable in the moment.

Footsteps on the long, red velvet runner snagged his attention. A man jogged towards them in full Sunday liturgical garb. On a Tuesday. His face was strained, but alight with relief. He motioned to the congregants to return to whatever they were doing before their visitors had arrived. 

They were reading passages from the Pale Doctrine, Icarus noted. The text that governed the religion and magic in the world, typically reserved for clergy and exorcists. Whatever spooked this town had done a tidy job of increasing Mass attendance for the foreseeable future. 

“Please, come,” the bishop instructed and waved them through the narthex into the office tucked away beside the stairs. He sighed heavily the moment the heavy door closed, “Lord, protect us. I am so glad to see the two of you.”

“You were expecting us?” Mare probed.

He nodded with enthusiasm, “Oh yes. When Father Simon was unable to help Margaret, he said Father Reed would likely send you to finish the job. Said you’re the best at… untraditional work.”

“Netherism, Bishop Franklin,” Icarus named it, knowing the flinch he would evoke from the man. “We’re Netherists. You know that, yes?” The bishop nodded, “Then say it. Call us what we are properly. Mincing words is for cowards and liars.”

Franklin paled at the fire in his tone, “O-of course, my apologies. Netherists, yes.” He cleared his throat, “Do you know where to go? Who she is? What it could possibly be?”

Icarus kept his cold, stormy stare on the bishop without the polite break society typically required, “Margaret Donaghue. She lives some ways up the road with her father, husband, and two sisters. Mother died a few years back. Signs started showing after she vanished for several hours longer than expected.”

“Yes, signs. Speaking in Latin she has no education in,” he cleared his throat, “propensity to cause pain to herself and others, nightmares, waking in strange places with no memories. Objects started moving around her without explanation. Then the second stage began. Her violent behavior and abhorrent words were out of character. The threats and fear became too much so the family restrained her. They reached out to me, I sent for Father Simon, and… now I suppose you’re here to finish the job.”

“Mm,” Maren hummed. She was walking a slow perimeter around the office, pausing at a painting of Saint Brigid, “What else?”

“Pardon?”

She turned and set her studious eyes on him. He squirmed, “It’s not a typical possession, otherwise Father Simon would have been successful and moved on. He wasn’t. So what else?”

A long, secretive breath lingered between them. She never flinched when someone tried to play chicken with her. Hoping she would back down or social conditioning would make her too polite to press. Not Maren. Not ever. It was something Icarus loved about her. 

“She… skitters. Under the bed. Contorting herself in a way she shouldn’t be able to,” Franklin swallowed, “and her fingers leave scorchmarks on the wood.”

Icarus whistled, Maren remained steady. Annoyance ticked at the muscle beside her eye, “And did you share this with Father Simon prior to his visitation?”

Another long silence. Franklin shook his head and let it hang, “We… we didn’t want him to-”

“Send someone like us?” She supplemented without needing him to confirm, “We’ll settle into the dorm and visit the Donaghues in the morning. I hope your lesson from this is not to feed small minded biases that could end up getting people killed.”

Icarus followed, spreading his hands theatrically as if he could do nothing about her. The bishop did not look at them when they left. Icarus followed with a new straightness in his spine, going so far as to dare the sets of eyes stealing glances from pews to speak. They unloaded their gear from the horses and used the rear entrance to the clergy quarters. Spartan, but comfortable and amply lit which was a surprising rarity in places like this. 

He claimed one bed, she claimed the other, and he clapped his hands together, “Right. Let’s find the local pub and get proper housed while the night is young.”

“You need to be alert tomorrow,” she rolled her eyes at him, but he knew she would come anyway. 

“I will, I will!” He backed towards the door, she followed as if she wholly intended not to. 

Houses lit with candles and fires lined the road. Streetlamps burned with oil fire instead of gas. The village pub was no exception. Quiet, but not the kind that settled in with familiar faces and friendly banter. The kind that ate away at the thin social fabric holding everyone together in a small town like this. Paranoia laced with fear of things they did not understand. Icarus resented the mindset, but it was not his to change. That was Franklin’s problem.

He flagged the barman and returned with two double shots of the worst whiskey he had ever tasted and two pints of watery beer. Maren grimaced, shuddering at the taste, “Did they give us this pisswater on purpose or do you think this is just what they drink?”

He smirked and threw back his whiskey in a single gulp, “I’m pretty sure they’re sending a message.”

“Hate us until they need us then hate that they need us,” she raised the pint glass and toasted him. They faced the patrons to make it clear that bad beer was not going to scare them off so easy.

Wood scraping wood signaled the true beginning of their evening. Maren returned to her impassible calm, but Icarus grinned wolfishly into his glass. Priest or not, he was itching under the tension in the room to trade blows. He drained his beer and the second whiskey. She kicked him under the table. 

The man who dared to approach them was a classic local. Big, bearded, on the wrong side of old, and full of the hatred superstition brought with it. He stood a pace or two away from them while he weighed how badly he wanted to say his piece. Icarus held his stare in defiance, tapping a steady beat on the table while he waited for the man to decide how the evening would go. 

“If you know what’s good,” his voice was low, meant to be a threat, “you’ll go soon as it’s done. We don’t want your kind ‘round here.”

“What kind’s that exactly?” Icarus leaned back in his chair until it hit the wall.

The man eyed him, “The kind that deals with occult corruption. You… Pyrrhists.”

He spat on the floor, wiping the curse from his mouth. Icarus scowled then, tipping forward and standing in a fluid motion. He had always been tall, but compared to this squat old man he towered. He rolled his sleeves up to the elbow, slow and deliberate. The man glanced at the lattice of old and new scars cut straight and perfect into his skin. He blanched just a little. 

“Pyrrhists,” Icarus nodded slow and considering. “That’s what we’re calling the people here to save your neighbor from damnation. Your priest failed. Your bishop failed. We’re here because we do not fail. And this is your reception? Bigotry founded on fiction because of something you don’t understand?”

The man shrank back, but retained his wary front, “You bring faerie magic and corrupt the holy Doctrine with it. You rot from the inside in divine retribution from the Lord. We were not meant to pollute His Doctrine with unholy abuse.”

“Then tell me, old man,” Icarus leaned down to make a point, issue a challenge, “how do you expect to fight the Devil if you can’t even get into the arena?”

“Enough.” Maren’s arm cut the space between them. Her gaze on Icarus made him ease back, shoulders relaxing. She turned her cold attention to the stranger, “Thank you for your town’s hospitality, we will pray for your safe journey home.”

The man stepped away, uneasy, and tipped the brim of his hat to them both. Politeness, not kindness. Never kindness. Men like that might respect the collar, but they did not respect the work. Icarus unclenched his hands and waited until the pub door shut before rounding on her. They stared at one another until he released the furious breath from his lungs. She was right. It was not worth the trouble. 

He took his anger out on the local whiskey instead. Night had long since fallen when he slumped against Maren’s shoulder on the slow walk back to the dormitory. Streetlamps fought the rolling small town fog in vain that seeped from grassy fields. His gait uneven, staggering, loudly singing a sour rendition of The Wild Rover missing half the words. She grimaced against his unpredictable weight. 

“You promised you wouldn’t drink this much,” she scolded.

He thrust a finger into the air, “No! I said I would be alert tomorrow. These are not the same thing, my friend!”

“Keep it down,” she buoyed him through the low iron gate, “you’ll wake the whole bloody town. And Lord knows they like us so much already.”

“Let the simpletons hate!” He shouted over his shoulder, rewarded with a jab to his ribcage. She dropped him without ceremony onto his bed and lifted his feet. Distantly, he knew she was tugging off his boots and tried to remember to thank her in the morning. The comforting, dreamless nothing swallowed him up before he could finish forming the thought. 

A phantom of sunlight knifed across his eyelids and speared his brain. Everything ached -- and not in a slow, gradual way. All at once. His headache was punishing. He groaned against the pain and ran a hand down his face. Time forced him to sit up and the room bowed in response. 

“Serves you right,” Maren chided. She was folding her things on her crisply made bed, arranging her rites kit while she kept an eye on him. On the time, really, but he liked to think it was him. 

He did not argue. No point to it. She was -- as so often the case may be -- correct. He got up and fell into the familiar routine of preparation. Hair washed, rinsed with blessed basin water he took a moment to splash on his face and under his arms. The cold startled the sharpest parts of the hangover out of him. He stared at his reflection in the mirror longer than was customary. Stubble lined his chin after a few days of ignoring it, toying with the idea of growing a full beard he would probably hate. Dark circles blotched his skin that would not fade until he slept a full, unencumbered night. Which he would not. His skin was paler than usual thanks to the early winter blocking out the sun. Eyes the color of captive stormlight stared back at him -- alert, bright, more aware than the fading ache of alcohol implied. He was more ready than outside observers would assume.

He dressed methodically. Black full collared cassock, black pants, worn leather cinched around narrow hips, and unpolished black boots. He tied the wide, black cloth belt around his waist in a left girth hitch and tucked the ritual knife into the tightest part. His shoulder slipped into the belt of his fitted shortsword sheath, which he adjusted out of habit anyway. Empty vials clinked in the creased leather Dopp kit, mixing haphazardly with the handful of ampules full of pale iridescent liquid. A copy of the Pale Doctrine nestled among the glass, replaced in silence by his colleague. 

She snapped her kit shut and turned to him. He envied her in her clerical shirt and pants, white tab collar neat as a pin against the black fabric. She kept two pouches heavy with salt slouching against her hip, attached to a wide leather belt studded with empty vials at the ready. She lifted the purple stole to her lips, kissing it before arranging it over his shoulders. 

“Shall we?” He gestured to the door.

She nodded and they left the silent dormitory behind, stepping out into a world that did not want them nor admit to needing them in it. 

Let's publish some progressive romance novels!! Come celebrate the launch of the Rebel Ever After community on Bindery with me and some of my favorite guests, Erin Baldwin, Adib Khorram and Laura Piper Lee. This event is VIRTUAL and FREE for all REA Bindery members! Here is the link to register for the Zoom.

WHEN: Aug 26, 2026 at 8:00 PM eastern

WHERE: This Zoom meeting

WHAT: A rowdy, after-dark conversation between contemporary romance authors about their new releases, the genre, maybe some discourse, definitely some games. Think a Rebel Ever After panel episode but unhinged.

WHO: Erin Baldwin, the author of Good Luck Babe and Wish You Weren't Here; Adib Khorram, the author of I'll Have What He's Having, It Had to Be Him, and Isn't He Romantic?; and Laura Piper Lee, the author of Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair; Zoe Brennan, First Crush; Pot Shot and Doomsdate. And your favorite podcast host (and the author of But How Are You, Really), Ella Dawson!

WHY: Because we are 41% of the way toward our goal of 100 paid subscribers by the end of September and that's rad as hell!

SEE YOU THERE!

What happens when understanding your family’s past becomes the key to understanding your own life?

In this Book Club Conversation, we’re sitting down with an author whose memoir explores grief, family legacy, complicated relationships, history, and the ways our parents’ stories can shape our own.

From losing her mother while an ocean separated them to uncovering her mother’s experiences in Latvia during WWII, this author’s journey into the past became an exploration of both family history and personal identity.

💬 What inspired this memoir?

After her mother’s death, the author realized that the distance between them went far beyond geography. Exploring the origins of that emotional distance and her mother’s past became the foundation for the memoir.

✍️ What’s one of her biggest challenges as a writer?

Learning to sit with uncertainty. She admits that she sometimes wants to reach conclusions too quickly rather than allowing the story to surprise her. For her, the writing process means learning to trust the material and let it unfold.

🕯️ What does she need to write?

Uninterrupted time, solitude, and quiet. Honestly? Relatable.

❤️ Who is her favorite character?

Her husband, Tom. Although he only makes rare appearances, writing about him brought an element of joy to the memoir and allowed her to explore how she and Tom avoided repeating some of the destructive patterns of their parents’ marriage.

📖 Why should we read this book?

Because, as she explains, your family’s story is your story whether you want it to be or not. Understanding where we come from can give us a clearer understanding of who we are and how we want to live.

🌍 A fascinating piece of history

Her mother’s native Latvia was occupied first by Soviet Russia and then Nazi Germany. Through her mother’s experiences, the memoir offers a personal perspective on what life was like for civilians living under two totalitarian regimes during WWII.

✨ And what’s next?

She’s in the early stages of a new book about her and Tom’s misadventures with the United States Peace Corps in Kenya and we are VERY curious about those stories!

One thing that really stayed with us was her hope that readers will use her story as encouragement to explore their own family histories.

💭 BOOK CLUB QUESTION:
Have you ever uncovered something from your family’s past that changed the way you understood yourself or your relationships?

#BookClubConversation #AuthorInterview #MemoirBooks #BookClubReads #ThePageLadiesBookClub

Hello and happy Monday! TBH last week was a bit of a meh reading week. These books were fine. But I am nothing if not committed to these mini reviews (and I know you wait on the edge of your seat every Monday morning for them, hehe). Books marked with a * were gifted to me, and books marked with a ^ I was paid to read.

Out Of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch* - I was really excited for this book since I was a huge fan of Burch's debut novel. Unfortunately, though, the plot was sort of like one conversation stretched out to book length. I did enjoy the main characters' complicated history with each other, and the exploration of class difference. There was a lot of depth to the story, just not in the main relationship.

The Price of Mercy by Tristen Hannah^ - I've been into survival stories lately (I blew through all available episodes of Blair Braverman's "What To Carry, What To Burn" podcast in about a week) so this story was welcome right now. The central relationship was so toxic, though. I'm not sure I would have finished it if I wasn't paid to read it. However, I did appreciate that the ending was kind of vague and not a happily ever after.

Fair Market Value by Hailey Edwards* - This is a supernatural mystery with a little bit of romance thrown in, and I did quite enjoy it. The world reminded me of The Undertaking Of Hart and Mercy. The one thing that brought me down on it was that one of the potential love interests was not only a cop but a weirdly possessive one, given that he hadn't seen or spoken to the FMC in several years. I think I will continue the series, though, assuming they don't get together.

The beginning of August was a whirlwind. 2/3 humans in my household had birthdays, so we did quite a bit of partying, all while I was attempting to complete the last few assignments of my grad school class and keep my sanity - not an easy feat. I'm still unsure as to whether or not I achieved that last part.

Despite all this, I'm doing well on my TBR for the month. I'm currently reading A Summer of Stars as part of BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge. It was a surprise add-on, so I didn't account for it as far as reviews go for August, but I'm rolling with it. I'm not quite 20% of the way in and I'm hoping it becomes un-put-downable very soon. Have you ever heard of "melted like provolone on French bread" used as an analogy for something delectable? At least, I think that's how it's meant? I'm really hung up on it.

I'm listening to The Deathless One. I'm 62% of the way into this one and again, I don't feel like much is happening. I do have an ARC of the third book in the series, so 1) maybe it's a very slow burn and 2) I hope I end up liking it.

I've read My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney for my book club with my co-workers and A Tangled Magic by Andrea Eames for my Bindery book club. I'll be sharing my review of A Tangled Magic as well as recording a podcast episode with the author later this week.

Speaking of Endpapers, I still can't believe I started a podcast! I have my next three guests lined up as well as a few messages out to authors of potential book club picks for September and October. My plan is to alternate between fantasy and contemporary romance, so September will be a contemporary romance pick.

In addition to interviews and book club meetings this week, I'm also heading to a super exciting bookish event that I can't wait to share!

What have you been up to? Any exciting plans this week?

Mark your calendars because tomorrow (or tonight! depending on when you're reading this!) I'll be going live over on YouTube with reading sprints! You can think of it as a fun, casual way to get some reading productivity in, or like a twist on a silent book club!

We'll read for 45 minutes, chat for 15-20, rinse and repeat for a total of 2 (or 3 depending on how everyone's feeling) sprints. You can read any book you like, and you can even use it as a productivity-sprint/body doubling to get some work or household chores done instead of reading (or while listening to an audiobook).

I'm hoping this will be the first of weekly reading sprints, because I've really enjoyed tagging in on others' reading sprints and I think it's a fun way to help you lock in and get some reading done, while also chatting and building community!

Feel free to pop in at any time during the live which should run from 7pm-9:30 (or potentially later)--if you're hoping to join us, you can also hop over to this link to "RSVP" and get a reminder through YouTube when the livestream starts!

I hope you'll join me--happy reading!

Hello Friends and a belated happy Sunday!

In our second installment of Trans History Month, I wanted to bring a book that is fairly well-known to the forefront - a book that has been revised 3 times, the last revision being this year! A book that is, by most, praised to be modern classic, chronicling American trans movements, the trans culture, and important social changes from the mid-20th century onward. This book propels trans history forward while insisting we as trans people have such a deep history. Any guesses? The book we'll take a dive into today is none other than Susan Stryker's Transgender History: A Resource For Today's Struggle - And Tomorrow's, originally published on May 6, 2008; with a second revision on November 7, 2011 and the third, and most recent, revision on February 3, 2026. If you are a nerd like me, and like the different covers of books, here's what they look like:

I have not seen the first edition floating around, but I would love to own a copy. (This is me making a mental note to head to Thrift Books after I write this, lol.)

This book begins with an introduction that states while it is entitled Transgender History, it mainly focuses on the United States, and begins approximately after World War II. The introduction also discusses why the second revised edition in 2017, is called Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution and why, in addition to why the third revised edition is entitled what it is and why, as well.

After the introduction, it begins with key terms and concepts - the foundational language, clear definitions of those key terms and concepts, and helps us as readers navigate the complex gender identities that make up the trans community. (It also has a Reader's Guide AND Additional Reading And Viewing in the back of the book, right before you get to the Sources and Index.) To say it is packed with vital information is an understatement. It does seem a little dense at times with the history aspect, but I'm a history loving feign so it doesn't seem a sluggish to me as it may to some. I say that to say: maybe audiobook would be better for some rather than a physical book?

This book, which may be important to some it is to note, is also in chronological order (let's recall the utter disbelief that was Elliot Page's unchronological memoir Pageboy) in it's accounts of trans history. In addition to it being chronological, each chapter also includes sidebars, speeches, short biographies of key trans individuals, and some memoir excerpts.

Sitting at 345 pages, aside from the Introduction and epilogue, it is only 7 chapters - which means each chapter is pretty lengthy. (Acknowledgements start on page 293, with the rest being informational.) Sometimes longer chapters deter people (it honestly makes me scream to not have short chapters, but I digress.)

Stryker truly does such a phenomenal job with this book, especially considering she's a prominent trans historian! While it does get a little "academic" at times, there is also such an emotional clarity that comes with her writing, too.

Overall, in my very humble opinion, I agree that this book is a modern classic, both in United States history and trans history. I could see it being used in college courses or for us as bookworms looking for a history lesson on the trans community. I for sure know I learned so much reading this book.

I hope you learned something new through this newsletter today, and it has encourage you to buy this book/request it from your local library - or both!

I hope the incoming week is gentle for you and you find pockets of joy to immerse yourselves in. I'll see you on Thursday for this week's Trans Joy Thursday!

Until then, with all my trans joy,

Sawyer Cole

Happy Sunday book buddies!

Pausing my audiobook + housekeeping to send you a quick update. I don’t have a ton to share on the reading front this week, but I did want to tell you a little about the books I managed to finish.

Between two baseball games, a short work week, and conducting 13 job interviews, let’s just say this past week was a blur. 😵‍💫 I still managed to finish two audiobooks and make it about 30% of the way through my library read, but I’m definitely a little further behind than I hoped I’d be by mid-month.

First, let me share that Henry Tudor Must Die was TERRIFIC! I absolutely loved this debut and cannot wait to see what the author does next. It's a fun reimagining of Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon teaming up to take down the wretched King Henry VIII. I loved the world-building and witchcraft, perfect for summerween reading! 4.5⭐️s

I also finished Mob Queen on audio this week, and it was interesting. I read this one as part of some research for an upcoming Classic Film + Book pairing (more one that later), and I did enjoy it overall. It's a unique style of historical fiction writing; it's very open door with lots of cursing and lewd, violent acts. Y'all know I love a good morally grey character, so none of that really bothered me. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but the pacing felt a bit off at times. It's the type of book I would recommend to anyone looking for a bad girl FMC who isn't afraid to go after what she wants. 3.75⭐️s

Slowly but surely I am working through the nearly 500 pg behemoth that I checked out from the library as part of my Let's Go to the Library series. I am eager to finish, not because I'm not enjoying it; I need to start the BBFL book club book, which I'm hoping to read in physical format. I'm seeing lots of mixed reviews in the chat on Fable, so naturally I'm curious to see what I think of The Shadow of the Wind.

ICYMI

• My thoughts on the perfect historical fantasy, aka The Unicorn Hunters

• I narrowed it down to my top 3 books of the first half of 2026

• Paid subscribers got the secret password to access the October Historical Fiction Look Ahead

• I will NEVER stop recommending this author to anyone who loves WWII fiction

Hear It Here First

My monster ARC giveaway is now live over on Facebook! I'm trying to grow my following there, so I would appreciate if you can spread the word about the giveaway. Here's a photo of the books included in the giveaway. 👇🏻

My July reading wrap-up is in the works and should be ready to share sometime this week, so stay tuned.

Hope you have a great week & happy reading!

xoxo

c