🔥🐉The Bloodsinger Book Club Kit Is HERE!

If you’ve been waiting to fully dive into a dark, dragon-filled romantasy experience this is your sign 👀

The official book club kit for Bloodsinger is now LIVE and trust me you do NOT want to miss this one.

Inspired by the brutal, magical world of Bloodsinger, this kit is designed to turn your next book club meeting into an unforgettable, fully immersive experience. Think dragons circling the skies, Roman political drama, morally gray characters, and just the right amount of chaos to keep everyone debating all night long 🔥

✨ Inside the Bloodsinger Book Club Kit, you’ll get:

• 🩸 A deep-dive discussion guide to spark all the debates

• 🍷 A themed menu with recipes to bring the world to life

• 🐉 Interactive activities like the Dragon Loyalty Test

• 👑 Roman Senate roleplay scenarios yes, it’s as fun as it sounds

• ❓ A Trust Trajan? voting board to track your group’s opinions

• 🎁 Themed extras to level up your entire book club night

Whether you’re here for the vengeance, the romance, or the dragons this kit has everything you need to make your discussion feel like you’ve stepped right into the world of the book.

👉 Tap the link to join The First Editions and get instant access to the full Bloodsinger book club kit! https://tinyurl.com/mr2wz2de 

Trust me your book club is about to get a serious upgrade 🐲✨

🔥Dragons Ruling Rome? Say Less I Was Already Obsessed!🔥

If your ideal read includes fierce heroines, dangerous magic, and morally gray love interests you definitely shouldn’t trust but absolutely do anyway, then let me introduce you to our latest book club obsession: Bloodsinger. And let me tell you this one had us spiraling in the best way.

🐉The Vibes

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. Lela’s story starts off brutal, her village destroyed, her life ripped apart and it immediately sets the tone for this dark, high-stakes romantasy. Reading this as a group made it even better because we were all collectively like: “okay we’re not emotionally prepared for this 😅”

⚔️What I Loved

Lela is the kind of FMC I live for, fierce, resilient, and fueled by vengeance. Her bloodsinger magic? SO unique and honestly a little terrifying in the coolest way. Watching her grow into her power while navigating trauma, survival, and trust had me completely invested.

And then there’s Trajan 👀 A Roman dragon shifter with secrets?? Say no more. The tension between him and Lela was EVERYTHING. It’s that slow-burn, enemies-to-allies-to-maybe more energy that had our book club constantly debating his motives and yes opinions were STRONG!

🐲 Book Club Thoughts

This world? Dark, dangerous, and insanely immersive. Dragons circling the skies over Rome, political tension in the senate, and magic that comes at a cost it gave us so much to talk about. Trust issues, moral gray areas, and that constant question of who’s really on your side made this such a fun and chaotic discussion pick.

✨ Overall: This was a gripping, emotional, and action-packed read that perfectly blends fantasy, romance, and revenge. If you love intense heroines, dragon-filled worlds, and morally complex love interests add this to your TBR ASAP.

🩸Want the Full Book Club Experience?

If you loved this review and want to take your book club to the next level, you NEED to join The First Editions 📚✨

Inside, you’ll get access to the full Bloodsinger book club kit, including:

• In-depth discussion guides

• A themed menu with recipes 🍷

• Interactive activities hello Dragon Loyalty Test 👀

• Roleplay scenarios + printable materials

• Exclusive extras to make your meeting unforgettable

👉 Join The First Editions and transform your book club into an immersive reading experience!

💬 Bookish Question: Do you trust the morally gray love interest right away or are you side-eyeing them until the very last page?

SICKOS! Let me know what you're reading this week in the comments, here's what I got done last week and what my plans are for this week. Also, if you entered the giveaway for Between Two Fires, keep an eye on your email inbox as I'll be reaching out to the winner today.

READING

REVIEW

THE RED WINTER by CAMERON SULLIVAN (historical fantasy)

Progress: Finished

I finished the Fiction Sickos Book Club April pick, huzzah! Overall this was worth the price of admission and a very impressive debut. I agree with the other Sickos that the end did feel rushed, and I had some minor issues with the pacing and lack of depth for certain elements, but I'd still put it in the 3.75 star range with a "yes" recommendation that escalates to "very much yes" for fans of Christopher Buehlman and the like.

TOKYO UENO STATION by YU MIRI (contemporary literature, fiction)

Progress: Finished

A flat 3-star rating for me is typically something that I finished that I somewhat enjoyed and will probably never think of again. I also rate short novels/novellas on a slightly tougher scale unless they blow me away, then I'll give credit where credit is due for accomplishing so much in so little words.

Anyway, this story about a ghost who is looking back on his invisible life did some things well, some others not so well, and lands at a 3.00 for me. I don't regret throwing it in the mix, and the promise of "devastation" may hit you better than it did me, but I wouldn't recommend it with my whole ass.

GAMES WITHOUT RULES: THE OFTEN INTERRUPTED HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN by TAMIM ANSARY (narrative historical nonfiction)

Progress: 219/350

The last chapter covers Gorbachev's attempt to copy Nixon's Vietnam exit strategy of "peace with honor", resulting in the bloodiest year of The Soviet-Afghan War with zero benefit to anybody, expect the Mujahideen who were receiving a billion dollars a year from the United States.

Ansary either confuses the timeline re: the development of the Stinger or is alluding to the improved FIM-92B but I this a typical drawback of sweeping, popular history books. Either way, Stingers that cost ~$40,000 for the United States to make were regularly knocking out ~$10M helicopter gunships with crazy efficiency in the hands of the Afghans. And then yada yada yada the Soviet Union pulls out and collapses.

Trying to finish this by tomorrow and, noted issues aside, it's still super solid.

The rest...

I'm not far enough in to comment on either but I did start two others, Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee. I was looking for shorter books to keep me going while I mostly stayed glued on reading manuscripts (more on that below).

PREVIEW

Once I finish my nonfiction read I believe I'm going to pick up Puerto Rico: A National History by Jorell A. Meléndez-Badillo, but that could change a dozen times between now and then. I think I'm set on fiction but if I finish what I'm working on by the weekend I'm thinking of picking up We Do Not Part by Han Kang. Kang's The Vegetarian and Human Acts are both remarkable, and while Greek Lessons didn't hit for me, I trust Kang to deliver.

PUBLISHING IMPRINT NEWS

I have to coordinate with the Bindery team but I do believe I've found a manuscript that I would love to acquire. Can't really say anything yet but I'm stoked as hell and will update you with more when I can. In the meantime I'll still be poking around pitches and other manuscripts, just not as aggressively as I have been for the past month.

WATCHING

REVIEW

I made zero progress on Frieren and Peaky Blinders because I've been all about...

GAME OF THRONES - HBO

Progress: S4E4

It's still peak as pigeon pie. And again we've got a forum set up for the books and show in the Discord if you want to join us in the analysis and memes.

EUPHORIA - HBO

Progress: S2E4

Been slow rolling the hell out of this one, but now that S3 is here I might speed-run the rest of S2. IIRC we're getting close to "wait, is this fucking play about us?!"

GAMING
Did zero gaming last week, but Assassin's Creed: Valhalla will be the one if I do game this week.

OTHER RANDOM STUFF
The hand tattoo has entered the ugly-as-hell-fat-scab phase so still no climbing gym trips, probably not until at least Wednesday. I'm gnawing at the bars of my enclosure.

Hey y’all,

Reminder that we’re having a reading sprint on Discord tonight. It’s the perfect time to read our April pick: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang. But you can also read anything you’re in the mood for tonight.

I already finished our April pick so I’m going to be crocheting and reading Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Can’t wait to read with y’all!

XoXo,

Rae

Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs!

We're in the midst of Bien Leidos Readathon, so I will make this introduction VERY short today! I'm a bit tired, but it's been so fun to participate and get to know even more of you on Discord this weekend so far.

I'll start by saying I missed a Latine release last week!

Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois: First of all, you should support Left Unread Books here on Bindery, if you aren't already. I'm not always perfect, and this was a HUGE oversight, so I'm giving away a swag box I received for Readathon Bingo on Discord this weekend!

And now on to...

THIS WEEK'S RELEASES!

BRING MOON JOY TO YOUR LITTLES

If Your Abuelo Is An Astronauta by Ana Siquiera and illustrated by Irena Frietas: Bilingual picture book captures the love between grandchildren and long-distance grandparents, the complicated relationship between siblings, and the power of imagination

SPACE POETRY?!

These Spaceships Weren't Built for Us: Poems by Alan Chazaro: speculative poetry exploring latinx identity, memory and diaspora.

GRAPHIC NOVEL

Death to Pachuco by Henry Barajas and Art by Rachel Merrill & Lee Loughridge

Forgive-Me-Not by Mari Costa: A queer "enemies to lovers" journey of a lost princess and a changeling who was made to take the heir's place as part of a fey scheme.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Axl the Axolotl Is Not a Frog by John Paul Brammer and Illustrated by Vanessa Morales: author of Hola, Papi is here with his debut picture book!

Nature's Partners: How Plants, Animals and Insects Team Up by Eugenia Perrella and Illustrated by Lucilla Tubaro

The Froggy Library by Julie Fiveash

NONFICTION

The Violence: My Family's Colombian War Adriana E. Ramirez (audiobook): powerful chronicle of Colombia’s descent into decades of civil war through the lens of an intimate, multi-generational tale of upheaval and betrayal.

SELF-HELP

Light Work Journal by Keila Shaheen (audiobook) Empowering, guided journey to discover and charge up your most precious inner resources, your energy

xoxo,

Carmen

It’s time to wrap up Why I’m Afraid Of Bees and kick off Monster Blood II.

Why I’m Afraid of Bees was definitely a buzz worthy addition to Goosebumps. Bees are terrifying ! 🐝

Wrap Up

1. Did you enjoy this one?

2. If you could become any insect what would you become?

Kick off

Next up is Monster Blood II, the sequel to Monster Blood—which featured a blob that wouldn’t stop growing!

Synopsis:It's Baaack . . . .
Evan Ross can't stop thinking about Monster Blood and what happened last summer. It was so horrible. So terrifying. Too bad Evan's science teacher doesn't believe him. Now he's stuck cleaning out the hamster's cage as punishment for making up stories.
Then Evan's friend Andy comes to town, and things go from bad to worse. Because Andy's got a present for Evan. It's green and slimy and it's starting to grow . . . .

Okay so this week was very much a “I almost loved you” reading week.

Like… multiple books that were this close to being five stars and then just didn’t quite stick it.

Let’s start with The Ending Writes Itself because I cannot stop thinking about it and not in a clean, satisfying way. The premise? Elite. Six authors, private island, finish a dead author’s manuscript in 72 hours. I was immediately in. It gave me You Are Fatally Invited vibes (which was a five star for me), and I loved how it handled writers. The egos, the insecurity, the way they all viewed success differently… so well done.

But the ending?? Why did we rush it like that. This is literally a book about endings and that’s what we did?? I just… I wanted more time. More weight. It could’ve been so good.

Morsel though??

This one wasted zero time.

Four hour audiobook. Rural Ohio. Something in the woods. Immediately no. Immediately stress. It’s giving Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual and it does not ease you in at all. It’s graphic, it’s gory, and it just keeps escalating.

What I liked is that it actually had something to say too, like the whole generational poverty / capitalism angle was very much there without feeling forced. But yeah… this one is not for the squeamish.

The Concrete Alibi was exactly what I expected, in a good way.

Very procedural, very straightforward legal thriller. If you’re going in expecting humor or personality like Eddie Flynn, it’s not that. But if you want a case you can follow and short chapters that make you keep saying “one more,” this works. I listened on audio and it flew.

Tusks, Tails, and Teacakes was my emotional support read this week.

I read it in one sitting and I swear I spent the entire time craving baked goods. It’s cozy fantasy in the truest sense: low stakes, light magic, found family, shy awkward romance (just kissing!!)

Nothing stressful happens. No one is saving the world. People are just… baking, rebuilding a tavern, and caring about each other. And honestly? That’s exactly what I needed. Also it’s on Kindle Unlimited which feels dangerous for me personally.

Smoke and Scar…I fear I’m locked into this series now.

Shadow mommy. Cinnamon roll knight. Deadly trials. Found family. Like it just works. The magic is easy to follow, the stakes feel real, and I actually care about these characters. Also the reverse age gap?? I was smiling.

West of Wicked is one of those books where I was like “oh this is doing something interesting.”

Dorothy with no memory, Tin Man as an assassin, witches fighting for power… I loved the direction of this. The world felt darker, a little twisted, and I was into it.

My only warning: the spice goes from zero to one thousand with zero transition. Like we just… arrive there. So just know that going in.

And then Love & Other Side Effects, I had high expectations because I loved Love Sick and this one delivered.

Asher as a main character?? Perfect choice. He’s funny but clearly using humor as a shield, and watching that slowly crack was so good. Jocelyn is emotionally closed off in a way that made the tension even better.

You get best friends to more, he falls first, workplace chaos, and such good banter. Like the banter is what makes this series for me. It feels natural, not forced, and I was actually laughing.

So yeah… a very “almost five stars, but I’m still thinking about you” kind of week.

And honestly? Those are sometimes the most interesting ones.

Hey y'all,

May is coming upon us quite soon so what better time to vote on our May book club pick!

This month's choices are:

A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang (Magical Realism, Chinese-American Author)

Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen (YA Fantasy, Nigerian-Welsh Author)

Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman (YA Fantasy, Autism Rep, Puerto-Rican American Author)

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa (Sci-Fi, Author of Nigerian, Caribbean, and Chinese descent)

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen (Contemporary, Vietnamese-Canadian Author)

Can't wait to see what y'all pick! There's also a surprise in store for May's book club that I'll reveal at the end of this week after the votes are tallied.

If you use the links I've included for purchasing, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you (while supporting indie bookstores).

XoXo,

Rae

Join The First Editions Today! 📖✨

Hello, fellow bibliophiles! Can you believe we’re already diving deep into April? Whether your TBR pile is a leaning tower of paperbacks or your Kindle is working overtime, it’s time to share those reading vibes with the world without spending hours behind an editing screen.

We know you’d rather be tucked into a chapter than fussing over font sizes. That’s why we’ve curated a stunning collection of Canva templates designed specifically for Bookstagram, BookTok, and your bookish stories.

But if you want to move beyond the basics and unlock our entire library there’s only one place to be: The First Editions.

🎨 Your Bookish Starter Pack: 8 Free Templates to get your feed looking polished and professional today. No gatekeeping here these are yours to keep!

👉 Tap the Link to Download Your 8 Free Templates! https://tinyurl.com/rf9wrvds

💌 We’re Here to Help!

We want your feed to look exactly how you imagined. If you’re looking for a specific style or a type of template you’re dreaming of that we haven’t built yet, let us know! We love creating new ways for you to share your passion for books.

Ready to take your bookish content to the next level? Don't miss out on the full experience. Join The First Editions today and get every tool you need to make your feed as beautiful as the stories you read.

Happy reading and posting! 📚✨

Hello Besties!

It's been a few weeks since I shared an update, so let me dust off the cobwebs...

To be honest, not much reading has been happening here. We just got back from a 7-day epic California road trip when NO books were read AT ALL! It was kinda refreshing honestly. We saw all the sights, ate all the things, and shopped at all the bookstores...well, maybe not all. 😜

I have some great content planned around our trip, including a haul from what I'm calling the Great Bookstore Tour. Ten books, eleven bookstores, and 975 miles = a smashing success. Much recording and editing were done yesterday, so stay tuned for fun Youtube and Instagram releases coming very soon.

The only books I'm actively reading right now are The Astral Library (which you all voted should be my next read) and The Art of the Lie. The Astral Library is VERY different from any other Kate Quinn book I've ever read, but it's still VERY much her voice and style. Her FMC is snarky and witty, and the magical world building is strong. I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy it, but not sure if it will be a 5⭐️ read for me.

The Art of the Lie on the other hand has A LOT of potential. It's nothing like what I expected; it's reading much more like a historical thriller/mystery which I am enjoying very much. There is a twist in Chapter 7 that I didn't see coming, and a character storyline that is giving me morally grey vibes (which is my jam).

I plan to start a few new books this week, and I'm really itching to get back to Lonesome Dove, which I abandoned at 25%. Those characters are calling to me. I started a vlog when I first began reading the book...should I pick it back up? (vote below)

Some Roadtrip Highlights You Won't Find Anywhere Else for Now:

• EATING THE BEST BURRITO I'VE EVER EATEN at La Taqueria in San Francisco's Mission District

• seeing sea otters in the wild at Morro Bay

• enjoying a perfect meal at Loquita in Santa Barbara

• spotting a whale at sea while taking in the views at The Lone Tree (pictured above) in Big Sur

• epic clam chowder at Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach

• finding the most amazing piece of vintage Navajo jewelry in Carmel by the Sea

• enjoying a perfect bottle of Sicilian white wine in Monterrey

• dumplings and more dumplings at Dumpling Story in San Francisco

• a massive amount of seagulls loitering over Oracle Park in San Francisco

• standout bookstores: Godmothers in Summerland, Monarch Books in Arroyo Grande, River House Books in Carmel by the Sea and Browser Books in San Francisco

ICYMI:

• a love letter to strong women = In the Great Quiet

• come with us on an urban hike in Los Feliz

• March reading wrapup

• April Historical Fiction Heads Up

• sneak peek at May's new Historical Fiction releases

• massive California independent bookstore map

• Go as a River is the BBFL's book club book for April

Hear it here first:

I'm starting a Discord community for us to talk all things books! Stay tuned for more about that VERY soon!

Have a great Sunday, y'all.

xoxo

C

I've read almost 50 books this year so far. A few on my list I had been looking forward to since early 2025. Some left me disappointed and others just weren't very memorable or were challenging for me to follow. As an author I know now how challenging it is to write a book and put a piece of yourself into the world. And with that I won't negatively review any book. I am just not the reader for certain books.

So let's break down my top 5 reads of 2026 (so far) in no particular order. Headlights by CJ Leede was a recent read and really shows how much Leede cares about the environment and animals. I love how she focuses on a part of the country with every book. Maeve Fly will always be my favorite of hers. American Rapture wasn't my favorite so I was a bit nervous about reading Headlights. It broke my heart and while CJ did put it back together it was done so in a messy way. It was haunting, heartbreaking, and sad. I'm not sure if I'll reread it as right now I am enjoying reading lighter horror or cozy horror.

Now some may not consider Morsel, Nothing Tastes as Good, and Trad Wife lighter but I do because they have parts in them that are so off the wall. Parts I did not see coming AT ALL and I loved that. I laughed at parts and thought "good for them" numerous times. This is my new favorite genre of horror. Not sure what to call it but for me all of these are in it.

The Caretaker grabbed me from the beginning and I was led through a wild ride. I'd say most of the decisions the MC make are ones I would have made too because money troubles are very relatable. I'm definitely going to read more fantasy and sci-fi this year too. I'm not sure where to start but I'm excited to dive into other genres.

What are your favorite reads of 2026 (so far)?

Reminder that our Count of Monte Cristo chat is scheduled on Discord for 8pm GMT tomorrow!

See you then, Booksworn.

Y'all, I've been distracted.

I have four new parasocial besties, and if NASA does not come out with merch featuring that adorable freaking moon plushie, I may actually cry.

I will go ahead and tag a handful of my favorite space-related reads below (and a couple on my immediate TBR), but just know that precious little reading has happened amidst all of the cuteness.

That said, I DID make a sticker, and if ANYONE wants one, please comment below! I'll email you separately for details of where to send it.

More Bindery love to come this week as I recover from the return to gravity — including a STACK of ARCs I'm offloading that subscribers can nab here first!

To the moon and (safely) back,
Mary

Welcome back to my Director's Cut Reviews! Today we're slicing into the stunning novel Japanese Gothic.

Book: Japanese Gothic

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Setting: Rural Japan

Genre: Horror

Subgenre/Themes: Samurai, Historical, Dual Timelines, Escaping Fate, Japanese Mythology, Gothic, Liminal

Release Date: 4-14-26

Brief Summary: October 2026: Lee Turner flees New York to his father's house in Japan after killing his roommate. He doesn't remember killing him. The house seems great at first, but something strange is going on. A window is sometimes there. Something strange is happening in his closet. He keeps seeing a woman. Could she be a ghost? Is there life after death?

October 1877: Sen's family lives on edge. Food is scarce. Money is tight. And Samurai's are in exile. Sen lives in fear that soldiers will appear and kill her family. But when she sees a young man outside her window, everything changes.

How will their stories intertwine?

My Thoughts: This story is beautiful. Baker did such an excellent job crafting such a unique story involving Japanese mythology. The way these two characters became intertwined with one another absolutely wowed me. And I loved the house! It felt very liminal with the house changing and the worlds connecting through the closet.

My heart hurt for Sen. The way she desperately wanted to please her father and prove her strength all while her father dismissed her left and right truly hurt. And the way he twists her desperation to hurt those around her was sick. This reminded me a bit of Silent Hill f. Lee's family also has some skeletons in the closet. His mother is missing and presumed dead.

The last 20% got a bit confusing for me. Characters died but then they really did not. I wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't. It felt like a bit of a fever dream for me. I left the novel having many questions that I wanted answers to.

But I loved this book. It's beautiful and gory and heartfelt all in one.

Hello, friends!

So we're going to be doing a Libro.fm Golden Ticket giveaway to honor Indie Bookstore Day on April 25! The Golden Ticket is good for 12 audiobook credits on Libro.fm!

Rules:

1. Follow us on Instagram

2. Follow us on TikTok

3. Share our post about our Bindery account on your story on either platform (tag Ryn or the bookstore account!)

Each share earns you one entry into the giveaway! It runs until April 25 at 11:59pm! I'll draw the winner on April 26. I have posted this giveaway on both Instagram and TikTok, so there will be a large pool of people who can win!

**If you do not have social media, all I ask is that you consider ordering a book through our Bookshop.org shelves, perhaps the upcoming release The Killing Spell by Shay Kauwe? I LOVED IT.

Thanks!

Ryn