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There's something very satisfying about spending the summer reading horror! Here are the books that I recommend for your Summerween reading list!
1) The Blood Year Daughter by G.G. Silverman - In G.G. Silverman’s debut fairytale-horror collection The Blood Year Daughter, a woman builds husbands out of gravel and slaughterhouse feathers, two sisters eat cinnamon-scented pieces of their mother, and a charming doctor’s murdered brides whisper warnings to his newest wife.
2) Kill Your Darlings by Yuvashri Harish - A fun, fast-paced YA horror about a teen girl facing the horrors of misogyny, racism, an evil witch, and her horde of monsters.
3) We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer - A haunting debut about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.
4) Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica - Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.
5) What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne - The darkness isn’t empty. It’s hungry. At the edge of the City of the Void, a massive chasm extends miles into the earth, its treacherous terrain overrun with vicious monsters and carnivorous plants. For orphaned best friends Petra and Jade, guiding treasure-seeking tourists down into the Void is the only way to earn enough to pull themselves up out of the slums for good.
6) Come Closer by Sara Gran - The new voice in Amanda's head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. Is she possessed by a demon, or is she simply insane?
Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs!!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OVER 20 LATINE BOOKS RELEASING THIS MONTH, BUT FIRST! I HAVE TO GIVE YOU AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEAK OF SOME CHANGES COMING SOON...
BUT FIRST, TO VENEZUELA...
I wanted to send my heart out to the people of Venezuela and all they are experiencing in this moment. I can not imagine the horror and desperation. If you have the means or the ability to share, this document is a wonderful resource for assistance and donations. Please share, as recovery will be long and the people of Venezuela need all the help we can provide right now in this moment. If you have reputable links, please provide them in the comments of this post as well. I'm happy to amplify.
EXCLUSIVE NEWS FOR YOU
HOPEFULLY this will be my last email before our spreadsheet is finally up and running. WHERE will it be accessible to you 24/7? ON TOMESANDTEXTILES.COM. Here's a little peek at the landing page...CUTE RIGHT?!?!? I can't wait for it to be live and I hope it will be this month, so keep your fingers crossed...
JULY BOOK CLUB REMINDER
We're getting ready to GO BACK TO SCHOOL in July!
Our regular book club pick for the month of July is P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became The Global Voice Of Puerto Rican Resistance by Venessa Diaz and Petra R. Rivera-Rideau (Audiobook)
Our nonfiction sidequest (you get 2 months to read) is Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer (Audiobook)
Both books are linked below--I suspect discussions will start on Cuban time after July 4th weekend, so you have plenty of time to get your books.
And without further ado, July's Latine releases...
July 7th
ROMANCE
Every Verison of You by Natalie Messier Adult (Audiobook) For fans of Love of My Afterlife and The Seven Year Slip, a woman who gets to relive her college years and has a second chance for the one that got away.
FANTASY
In The Wake Of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy (Audiobook) Follow-up to In The Veins of The Drowning; a powerful siren must face the monster threatening her home, risking everything
HISTORICAL FICTION
An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton (Audiobook) Copy Moon Joy, but it's the story of a team of astronauts lost in space in 1968 and a case of possible time travel.
MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVEL
Offside by Cristina Diaz Gonzalez and Mari Costa (Audiobook) Available in both English and Spanish, this is the PERFECT graphic novel to get your middle schooler during World Cup fever!
JULY 14TH
NOIR & AUGUST BIEN LEIDOS BOOK CLUB PICK!
The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Audiobook) Taking place in 1940's Mexico, this steamy noir follows Ulises, a con man who believes himself to be at the end of his useful life, so he makes the decision for one last con. Unfortunately, his latest mark, Perla, and her niece, Ines, may be more than he bargained for. How long will small town "good manners" cover up the rot of avarice and lust? I can't wait to discuss this one with you and you may want to watch my socials for more coming up soon...
TRANSLATED LITERATURE
One Hundred Guinea Pigs Gustavo Rodriguez and translated by Daniel Hahn (Audiobook) The tagline for this book is that friendship makes life worth living and ending. The story of a death doula who makes lasting friendships with her clients--a lighthearted novel about euthanasia.
FANTASY
Ruinous Ends by I.V. Marie Young Adult (Audiobook) The highly anticipated sequel to Immortal Consequences + first edition comes with sprayed edges!
GRAPHIC NOVEL
To Dance The Moon And Stars Tasia M S & Barbara Perez Marquez (Audiobook) This is a South Asian-inspired fantasy is co-written by a queer Latine author!
LITERARY FICTION
It Will Come Back To You by Sigrid Nunez (Audiobook) First ever short story collection from award winning author!
JULY 21ST
Young Adult Ficiton
Take It To Your Grave by Louangie Bou-Montes (Audiobook) YA paranormal thriller about Joaquin who goes on a ghost hunt in an abandoned house and whose fate becomes intertwined with the ghost of Maximiliano who's been dead 30 years.
I Didn't Do It by Elle Gonzalez Rose (Audiobook) I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Counselors in this YA mystery
JULY 28TH
YOUNG ADULT NOVEL IN VERSE
Evamar by Margarita Engle: an enthralling and heartrending novel-in-verse about first love, hidden cultures, and ancestral connections that follows a teen’s journey to uncover her late grandmother’s roots in Cuba. Available in both English and Spanish
LITERARY FICTION
Beginning, Middle, and End by Valerie Luiselli (Audiobook) From the author of Lost Children Archive comes a story of a mother and daughter starting anew in Siciliy and a road trip about 4 generations of women.
ROMANCE
Second First Dates by Gabrielle Gamez (Audiobook) A librarian swipes right on a charming high school teacher, only to realize she'd already dated him once.
TRANSLATED FICTON
The Winds of Maracaibo by Maria Elena Moran (Audiobook) An ode to the Venezuelan women who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to a nation dismantled by the egos of men.
SCIENCE FANTASY
The Demon Star by Jesse Aragon (Audiobook) "The otherworldly religious conflict of Dune, the cosmic strangeness of Gideon the Ninth, and heart-pounding action converge in this horror-tinged epic science fantasy debut"
Hopefully our next update will be in spreadsheet form...
xo,
Carmen
Welcome back to After the Walk, where Link and I return from our Sunday morning stroll, and I attempt to organize my thoughts about everything I've been reading.
This week ended up being one of those wonderfully unexpected reading weeks where every genre somehow arrived at the same destination.
I spent time with Egyptian gods, mushroom-ravaged forests, sentient moss, hockey players pretending to date, women haunted by the past, and a serial killer trying very hard not to become one again.
On paper, these stories couldn't be more different.
But underneath every one of them was the same question: What does it actually mean to be human?
👑 Isis of Egypt
I've read plenty of mythology retellings over the past few years, but almost all of them have one thing in common: They're Greek.
That's what made Isis of Egypt feel so refreshing.
Malayna Evans introduces readers to an entirely different pantheon while making the gods feel surprisingly relatable. The divine politics, fractured relationships, jealousy, grief, and ambition all mirror very human emotions.
What I appreciated most (especially after speaking with Malayna during our Instagram Live) is how intentionally Isis is portrayed. She's powerful because she continually chooses empathy. In many mythology retellings, strength is measured by conquest. Here, strength is measured by compassion. That's a much more interesting story to tell.
The historical research is evident throughout the novel, but it never feels like you're reading a history lesson. Evans trusts readers to absorb the mythology naturally through the narrative, making the world feel immersive instead of overwhelming.
Read if you enjoy:
Mythology beyond Greece
Historical fiction grounded in real research
Strong female protagonists
Political and family drama
🍄 Eden
Every once in a while I read a horror novel that reminds me horror exists to make us care.
Eden absolutely terrified me.
The fungal-infected wildlife is vividly grotesque, and several scenes genuinely made my skin crawl.
But that's not why I'll remember this book; I'll remember the people.
Kylo Kirby understands one of horror's biggest secrets: monsters only matter if readers desperately want the characters to survive them.
I became deeply attached to this cast, which meant every dangerous encounter carried emotional weight.
The prose also deserves special recognition. The novel constantly balances beauty with decay. One paragraph paints breathtaking images of sunlight filtering through abandoned landscapes; the next forces readers to confront horrifying mutations created by the fungal outbreak.
That tension between beauty and horror perfectly mirrors the novel itself.
I also loved the inclusion of scientific papers, transcripts, and other mixed-media elements. Rather than interrupting the story, they quietly expand the world and allow readers to piece together humanity's downfall alongside the characters.
For a debut, this is remarkably confident.
🌿 Moss'd in Space
I need everyone to understand something: I became emotionally attached to moss.
Not metaphorical moss; actual sentient moss.
If that's not enough to convince you to read this book, I'm honestly not sure what else I can say.
Moss'd in Space reminded me why I love cozy science fiction so much.
This novel succeeds because every member of its found family feels distinct, lovable, and wonderfully imperfect.
Moss itself may be the emotional center of the story. After spending more than a century abandoned aboard a forgotten ship, its deepest desire is belonging. Isn't that what found family stories have always been about?
The humor is delightful, the romance is charming, and despite its cozy atmosphere, the novel never forgets to create genuine tension when it matters.
I cannot wait to reunite with this crew.
🏒 Big Stick Energy
Fake dating has become one of romance's most recognizable tropes.
The problem is that many novels stop at the trope itself, but Big Stick Energy doesn't.
Both Eric and Darcy carry different kinds of loss: One mourns someone who is gone forever; the other mourns relationships that still exist but have fundamentally changed.
Those quieter emotional threads elevate the romance because the characters don't simply fall in love.
They become witnesses to each other's pain.
The humor also lands beautifully. Darcy's inability to stand up to her family contrasted with her absolute willingness to mouth off to her boss created some of my favorite moments in the book. Sometimes romance doesn't need to reinvent the genre; sometimes it just needs to execute familiar tropes exceptionally well.
This does exactly that.
🌲 Heather
The marketing calls this a thriller, but I'd argue literary suspense is a much more accurate description.
The disappearance of two sisters may launch the story, but the mystery is simply the thread connecting a much larger exploration of motherhood, sisterhood, trauma, identity, memory, and forgiveness.
This is a novel that unfolds patiently.
It trusts readers. It doesn't rush emotional moments for the sake of faster pacing or bigger twists.
The audiobook deserves special recognition as well.
Three narrators guide readers through multiple timelines with remarkable clarity, and Bailey Carr's portrayal of Annabelle adds heartbreaking vulnerability to an already emotionally rich story.
Some books ask, "Who committed the crime?" Heather asks something far more difficult: "Can we ever truly know another person's life?"
That's the mystery that lingered with me.
🖤 Songbird in the Gallows
This was probably my most mixed read of the week, mainly because I wanted even more from what was already there.
The setting completely captivated me.
Grimlock feels like somewhere between a gothic fairy tale and a dark romance novel. Every page suggested secrets waiting beneath the surface, and I found myself wishing the story leaned even further into that eerie atmosphere.
Blue was easily my favorite part of the novel. Morally gray without losing his humanity, protective without becoming overbearing, he anchored the story whenever he appeared.
Saylor didn't resonate with me quite as strongly, though the supporting cast added warmth and humor that kept the story engaging throughout.
Final Thoughts
When I finished this week's stack, I realized every one of these books was wrestling with the same question: Who chooses compassion when life gives them every reason not to?
A goddess.
A survivor.
A lonely piece of moss.
A hockey player.
A police chief.
Even a former killer.
This week's books reminded me that no matter the genre, the books I remember most are never really about the plot. They're about people. Or, occasionally...Moss.
It’s time to vote on our July book! For some reason, picking three books to vote on was really hard 🫣 After lots of deliberation, these are the options I came up with! I’ve heard great things about these from reviewers I trust, so I’m sure that we’ll love any of them.
The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden
In a desperate gamble to save her throne, a young monarch conceals a secret marriage in the shadows of an enchanted forest—and unknowingly alters the fate of her world. In this rich and epic novel, the author turns the real history of a remarkable woman into an unforgettable tale of mystery, enchantment, and the price of power.
Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill
Born in fire. Tempered in blood.
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the south squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North.
In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving—a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries. There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold. He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will.
Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom. Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires?
The Sunday Prescription
One reading topic, one week of plans, and plenty of books administered weekly for chronic readers.
Symptoms: Tribalism in Bookish Spaces
I have been thinking a lot recently about how we, as people, have a natural tendency towards tribalism. From an evolutionary sense, it is a highly logical reaction - often in our ancient history, finding a group of people and sticking with them meant safety and access to resources. It's a fascinating phenomenon from a neuroscience standpoint as well. Research has shown that feeling like you are part of a group activates circuits in our brains that have to do with rewards and positive associations, and even activates empathy (at least within our tribe). And of course, as with all things, there are positive and negative aspects of tribalism.
Over the last year in the online book space, I have seen a lot of the positive aspects of this - the support that people who feel some sort of connection with the content I put out there has been overwhelming and amazing. But of course, there are downsides as well, and one of the times where I see this the most is anytime I talk about where I get my books.
I love books in all forms - I love a good special edition of a book that I adore. I love buying used, and I like buying new. I consume stories in all forms, including hardbacks, paperbacks, e-books, and audiobooks, and use a library when possible. And inevitably, when I post about a specific kind of purchase, I hear from the opposite tribe. If I post about being a Broken Binding rep, I can count on a comment about special editions ruining books and gatekeeping reading. If I talk about a used purchase, I will get someone telling me I should support the author and buy new. Team Kindle is always lurking, and of course, team library is always there as well.
I personally think that having a plethora of options is good for reading. As more and more studies come out showing how, all around the world, the percentage of people who read for pleasure is declining, and literacy rates are dropping, giving people options is a good thing. If you have disposable income and love buying a big fancy expensive special edition, that's awesome - you're supporting a publishing company, the author, and the artists involved. If you have a great library near you and you never buy books, that's awesome - you're supporting a great thing, and supporting the author with your rentals. Used books support other book buyers and allow stories to perpetuate, and I've encouraged a lot of people to buy a new book because of my review of a used one. E books are accessible for lots of folks, and audiobooks have made reading stories easier and more accessible for a myriad of people (busy parents, people with reading disorders, folks with long commutes and busy lives, etc.). And while I am always a big supporter of shopping local, and using resources like Libro.fm for audiobooks and Bookshop.org for purchasing online and supporting independent booksellers, I understand that for some folks, financial and logistical pressures make Amazon the best route for purchasing. It's easy to judge, but reality is messy, and we all have different and unknown circumstances.
The same can be said for toxic fandoms - as a Lord of the Rings fan, I would never criticize someone for mispronouncing a word (I do it all the time), but it happens everywhere. If someone doesn't like my favorite books, why would I criticize them? It wasn't their thing, and I can't force you to like something. However, we see it all the time in the book world. At all levels, tribalism can turn into gatekeeping, and put people off from reading.
So my hope for the book world, and something I encourage highly, is to make our tribe the tribe of people who love books and stories, and who encourage and support people who read, no matter what that looks like (as long as you're not stealing of course)! Offer people options, but don't criticize their choices in how they interact with or consume books. Talk about the books you love, but don't get mad when they don't like your favorite book - talk to them about the why! Let's encourage more reading, even if that reading doesn't look like your reading.
What do you think about tribalism in the book space, and have you encountered it in any way? Let's chat down below!
The Rx: What I'm Reading and Doing
My new Fable Book Club starts this Wednesday, July 1 with Our Sister's Keeper by Jasmine Holmes. The book club is called Dr. Bob's Literary Apothecary, and our goal is to read diverse authors, diverse genres, and try to find diverse books that aren't popping up on your algorithm! I'd love to have you join, we'll do a book a month, and no changes to our usual book club. I'm really excited to kick this off, and would love to see you there!
In terms of reading, I was on vacation last week and, being at the beach, had loads of great reading time! I finished our Dark Travelers June book, Stoner by John Williams, Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian, The Dungeon Crawler Carl Graphic Novel, and The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen. Be on the lookout for my reviews on IG and TikTok, as well as some here, in the coming weeks!
I am currently all over the place with reading! I should be finishing up What Blood Remembers by C William Phillips this weekend, and am loving the Audiobook of Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove. I started our July Doc of the Dark Arts Book Club pick Jade City by Fonda Lee, and am enjoying it so far - if you want to be part of that book club, make sure to join us on Discord! And I also started a deep dive reread of the Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien with the Celebreabird read along. A second read there has been amazing so far!
Given I was off, I didn't;t do a weekly reading update or a YouTube video last week, but I will be back this week. One of the YouTube videos I'm working on is a Q&A Video, so if you have any bookish/book content/personal questions you'd like to ask, let me know!
July is going to be a great month - as I said we are doing Jade City for the main bookclub, Our Sister's Keeper for the Fable book club, and the Dark Travelers book for July is going to be Headlights by CJ Leede.
It is also time for our July reading challenge! Participants are eligible for a $25 bookshop.org gift card. To be eligible, you have to either complete the challenge on StoryGraph, or share what you read on the challenge channel in our Discord server. If you are outside of the US, we can figure out a website/gift card/prize for you if Bookshop is not available to you. The theme for July is "Choose a book by its cover." The goal here it to pick a book just based on whatever is on the cover (so the cover, the description on the back/inside the dust jacket). No looking up reviews, no advanced information, just finding something that looks and sounds cool. I am going to be reading A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang.
Want More In-Depth Access?
If you enjoy getting into the details with me about reading, then consider upgrading to The Dark Travelers tier! My Dark Travelers get an exclusive Discord role and channels, a weekly deep dive reading update video, early access to YouTube videos, and each month they get to pick a book for me to read. This can be a book they want to read with me, or something they want me to try for them. It's super fun and a great tight knit group that I really enjoy talking books with, and I'd love to have you part of it!
Thank you as always for being here, and I hope you all have a great week of reading!
"Are you scared, Keiran?" she taunted. "Terrified, actually." And not for the reasons she believed. Because you're everything that I want and can't have."
GENRE: Romance
RATING: 4/5
FORMAT: eBook
Tropes: Wedding related fun, enemies to lovers, Baker x Music Producer
Review:
What a fun story that shares two people finally coming together after years of being on opposing ends and hating each other!
Cherisse and Keiran have that dynamic of being in the same childhood friends group but not liking each other and that all changes with their current situation, being the maid/man of honour for the bride and groom
One of my favourite part is the character development or more accurately, how we watch Cherissa learn to accept her qualities, especially those that others have put down throughout the story. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between the two of them as they get to know each other properly and learn to be okay with displaying their vulnerabilities! I would have liked to dive a bit deeper into some of the things that were brought up but overall the book was super sweet and cute, with baking and tasty food mentioned! It's also a perfect book to read during summer too
I'm really excited to continue the series and find out more about everyone else 👀
Hi friends!
I hope June treated you well--welcome to this month's Disability Release Round-Up! This month, I was able to track down 23 different books ft. disabled main characters.
books by own voices or otherwise disabled authors
Bad at Love by Shannon O'Connor
Representation: borderline personality disorder
Genre: romance
Burnt into Memory by Sydney Blondell
Representation: chronic migraines
Genre: YA mystery/thriller
Seven Summers Ago by Starla Dekruyf
Representation: endometriosis, anxiety
Genre: romance
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham
Representation: depression
Genre: YA fantasy
Fake Out Make Out by Kate Williams
Representation: eosinophilic fasciitis
Genre: romance
Of the Beautiful and Haunted by Hazie Walker
Representation: schizophrenia
Genre: fantasy romance
You Won't Forget Me by Mazey Eddings
Representation: depression
Genre: romance
American Love Song by Britt Middleton
Representation: anxiety
Genre: romance
The Missed Connection by Tia Williams
Representation: anxiety, panic attacks
Genre: romance
Echoes from Madness by Mak Makenzie
Representation: neurodivergence
Genre: romance
The Dawn Throne by Tara Sim
Representation: autism
Genre: fantasy
Sparks Will Fly by Laurel Holl
Representation: hEDS, cane user
Genre: romance
Hold Me Like a Grudge by Celine Ong
Representation: chronic pain
Genre: romance
books by non-disabled* authors
*or authors of unknown ability
This Blade of Ours by Shalini Abeysekara
Representation: PTSD, scarring, tremors
Genre: fantasy romance
The Open Era by Edward Schmidt
Representation: anxiety
Genre: romance
He's Not for Me by Sadie Hepworth
Representation: neurodivergence
Genre: romance
Not a Strong Enough Word by Allie Samberts
Representation: anxiety, depression
Genre: romance
Here Forever by Amy Mara
Representation: PTSD
Genre: romance
Tangled Roots and Wild Dreams by Angela Velez
Representation: anxiety, depression
Genre: YA romance
Lovingly, we are all at one point victims of the worst, most insidious little worm known to human cognition.
Recency bias.
What does that mean, though? What is recency bias? I'm so glad you asked. Recency bias is a type of cognitive bias or "logical shortcut" our very lazy brains used to make it seem like the newest thing is the best thing. We do this with everything. History, books, house styles, clothing... we place a disproportionate emphasis on the newer thing and out brains convince us it's the best thing.
We also do this with, funny enough, people! When we evaluate another person, we put more weight on the most recent interaction we had with them than we do on our relationship as a whole. It can affect our positive or negative perception of a person! Isn't that crazy?!
Here's the thing about a cognitive bias: to fight back against it, you have to know what it is and be able to ask yourself questions about your own thoughts and feelings. Investigating your own opinions and perspectives is critical when you are combating any cognitive bias--and why I am always rolling my opinions over in my head again and again.
When we don't confront our recency bias, we ignore historical patterns and fail to learn. Our brains are lazy. They want to do the least amount of work for the most amount of reward. The problem, unfortunately, arises when our shortcut-taking leads to worse outcomes that we have a disproportionate experience with so we don't actually learn anything from the events leading to those worse outcomes.
In other words, history majors get mad because nothing is new and we are always repeating a cycle we never learn from.
That's all well and good, but what does that have to do with books?
Easy. In the book space, we tend to misguidedly feel like whatever books are recently out or new to the market are the "best book", forgetting all of the other historically "best books" we have read. We start to crave newness--new titles, new authors, new installments, new series--more than we crave high quality. Our recency bias in books means the zeitgeist is so rapid-moving that if a new author wants to capture the conversation, there is a large amount of pressure for them to write and produce a book or series too fast in order to stay relevant to the conversation.
Our addiction to newness can be fine when talking about things like clothing, hairstyles, movies, etc., but books are different. Books require time. Slowness. Consideration. Deliberation. Authors aren't SHEIN factories. To manifest their stories and ideas on a page requires time, the nemesis of recency bias.
There are complaints in the book space about book quality significantly dropping off in books 2/3 of a series and many theories about why--I think all of them are correct, kind of like how there was no singular Fall of Rome event--but not many people are discussing the impact of recency bias on this conversation. When an author writes their first book, nobody knows who they are. They have as much time as they need to tell the story they want, so the first installment is strong and well rounded and well told.
Once it gets "discovered" and published, publishers want to keep that series or author in the zeitgeist as long as possible to make sales. Thus, the pressure is on to produce, produce, produce. Write, write, write. So a book that took 5 years to write now has to catapult a sequel into existence in a year--20% of the time it took to get the first part right. Without the other 80% of that time, we see a steep drop in quality, world building, consistency, etc. that ends up on social media with people very upset and annoyed that the second or third in a series isn't as good as the first.
So how do we fight back against this as readers?
Push back against publication timelines. Encourage authors to take their time. Be clear and adamant that we'd rather wait 4 years for the book an author deserves to write than 6 months for a slapdash story we are upset by. Be mindful of how you consume books. Dip into older series. Support authors who speak out against crunch timelines for books they're working on. Just be vocal about the fact that books, of all things, are patient and an author can and should take their time.
The book zeitgeist is going to swallow a new Robin Hobb or Margaret Atwood novel in just as many gulps in 7 years as they would in 7 months. That's the beauty of the book space people are forgetting--beloved authors don't fade into obscurity if they're not constantly churning out a new novel. Writing isn't content creation, it's storytelling. The oldest form of art and communication humanity has. Trying to push writers into treating their stories like content is going to erode the quality and sanctity of that craft, leading to weaker books and worse stories. Weaker books and worse stories will make people put down more books and eventually step away from reading altogether. That's bad for... well, everyone.
Recency bias also has this horrible habit of skewing how it is we "rate" books. This means it's impacting reviewers and content creators negatively with our audiences if we don't watch out for it. It's insidious and frustrating. Every single book pops up on creators' pages as "the best book they've ever read". If every book is the best book, then none of them are the best book. It creates mistrust between reviewers and our audiences when we continually say everything we just read is the best thing we just read.
As reviewers, it's important for us to use discernment. We have platforms, therefore we have a responsibility to those platforms. This means being mindful of our cognitive biases, how we speak about the books we read, and how honestly we engage with the material we are reading. I, personally, can find something to love about everything I read--even if I didn't love it. It's important to note the good parts of something, but also the parts that didn't land. I have to remind myself that though I've found something important to love about a book everyone else disliked, I need to keep in mind the parts that were weak as well and speak to those against my strong desire to be enthusiastic and supportive.
It's a hard line to walk. Especially when we read and ARC or new release and want to be so excited and joyful about that with people. We still have that obligation to our audiences to go inward and as ourselves: did I love this new book or is it just... new. Or my personal favorite: is this the best book in the series or just the one that I recently read?
If you step into the content creation sphere, specifically around books, there's an obligation that is unspoken to be mindful, honest, direct, nonjudgmental, and discerning. It is on us to ensure we are not letting recency bias affect our experiences with a book and calling everything we read our "favorite book". How do we fight that? I'm so glad you asked.
Be mindful, be stingy, be self-honest, and be inquisitive about our own opinions! Read across timelines. Older books, newer books, recent books, less recent books. Reading across decades and being intentional about rotating in older books and things that aren't brand new and shiny helps us remember how much is out there and what it means for a book to truly be a favorite. Question yourself every time you finish a book and feel an immediate urge to gush about it. Why did you love it? What stuck out the most? How has that book affected you? Why is it 5-stars? Why is it your favorite?
For anyone just reading for love of the game and not doing any kind of reviews or creation or anything so grave and serious as recording BookTok videos, do whatever you want and love whatever you want! But if you're going to choose to step seriously into an arena where people will look to you for recommendations, ideas, things to bury their heads in, it changes the calculus on how we read and how we speak about the books we get through. A platform where we will be listened to requires a different degree of responsibility. It requires us to engage actively with our own thoughts and opinions so we can articulate and justify them in a way that lets people make decisions that are informed and honest.
If we want to save the creator space from just labeling every new book as "6 stars" and prevent our books we love from becoming a content creation pit of disappointment, we have to face down our silent enemy slithering around in the battlefield of our brains:
Recency bias.
Ready to dive deeper into These Empty Places? Whether you're hosting a book club, reading with a friend, or enjoying a quiet solo reading experience, we've created resources to make your journey through Lake Toxaway even more meaningful.
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Whether you're discussing the novel with your book club, sharing it with your favorite reading buddy, or savoring every chapter on your own, these guides are filled with thoughtful prompts, cozy activities, and bookish extras to help you get even more out of Sarah Loudin Thomas's beautiful story of hope, friendship, and second chances.
Happy reading! 📚💙
Some stories don't need dramatic twists or nonstop action to leave a lasting impression. Instead, they quietly settle into your heart, reminding you that healing often happens one small step at a time. These Empty Places by Sarah Loudin Thomas is exactly that kind of novel, a heartfelt historical fiction that blends real history with unforgettable characters and powerful themes of forgiveness, friendship, and finding hope after unimaginable loss.
If your book club enjoys character-driven historical fiction filled with meaningful conversations, this one deserves a spot on your reading list.
A Story Rooted in History
Set against the fascinating backdrop of North Carolina's Lake Toxaway, the novel begins after one of the area's most devastating real-life events, the collapse of the lake's dam. Fourteen years later, America stands on the edge of the Great Depression, and the once-thriving resort community is struggling to rediscover itself.
Sarah Loudin Thomas does an incredible job weaving historical facts into the fictional lives of her characters. Rather than simply telling readers about history, she allows us to experience how ordinary people lived through extraordinary circumstances.
The setting almost becomes a character itself, full of beauty, memories, and the lingering question of whether broken things can truly be restored.
Two Women, Two Different Paths
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the relationship between Claire Roth and Lena Hawkins.
Claire has spent years convincing herself she made the right choices, sacrificing love in exchange for security and status. Yet beneath her comfortable life lies regret that refuses to disappear.
Lena, on the other hand, has experienced the opposite journey. After marrying for love, everything falls apart when financial ruin leaves her and her husband with almost nothing. Watching her rebuild her life from the ground up makes her incredibly easy to root for.
Although these women come from completely different backgrounds, their friendship grows naturally and becomes the emotional heart of the story. Their conversations, support for one another, and shared desire for a better future create some of the novel's most memorable moments.
Books, Libraries, and New Beginnings
As a book lover, one storyline especially stood out to me.
Claire's dream of building a personal library that provides both employment and education gives the novel an extra layer of warmth. Any reader who believes books can change lives will likely appreciate this part of the story.
The library represents far more than shelves filled with books; it becomes a symbol of hope, opportunity, and investing in a struggling community.
It's difficult not to smile while reading these scenes.
Themes Worth Discussing
This is the kind of novel that naturally sparks meaningful book club conversations.
Some discussion topics include:
Can we ever truly let go of our past decisions?
Is security worth sacrificing happiness?
How much should we allow regret to shape our future?
Can friendship bridge social and economic differences?
What role do books and education play in rebuilding communities?
How do people find hope after financial or personal devastation?
There are plenty of emotional moments throughout the novel, but they're balanced with optimism and grace rather than overwhelming sadness.
Sarah Loudin Thomas's Writing Style
Sarah Loudin Thomas writes with quiet confidence.
Her prose isn't flashy or overly dramatic. Instead, she focuses on rich descriptions, believable dialogue, and emotional authenticity. The pacing is gentle, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the characters and setting.
Readers who enjoy thoughtful historical fiction rather than fast-paced suspense will likely appreciate her storytelling style.
Final Thoughts
I found These Empty Places to be a thoughtful, comforting read that reminds us life rarely follows the path we expect but that doesn't mean hope is lost.
Between its richly researched historical setting, memorable female friendships, themes of forgiveness and second chances, and love of books, this novel offers plenty for readers to enjoy and even more for book clubs to discuss long after the final chapter.
If your book club loves historical fiction with heart, memorable characters, and conversations that continue well after the meeting ends, this is one worth picking up.
⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5
Bring This Book to Your Next Book Club Meeting
Ready to dive even deeper into These Empty Places?
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Whether you're reading with your favorite book club, one reading buddy, or enjoying a cozy solo reading weekend, there's a kit designed to make your reading experience even more engaging and memorable.
Now I'd love to hear from you!
If you could revisit one place from your past just once would you go back, or would you leave those memories where they are?
It’s been another long, weird, exciting week over here, which seems to be the theme of my entire life at this point.
Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night: Another Halloween Horror Anthology is officially out now, and I’m still in that strange post release fog where I’m excited, exhausted, grateful, and also wondering why my brain thinks we should immediately move on to the next thirteen things. A very normal and healthy system, clearly.
Thank you so much to everyone who preordered, ordered, shared, posted, reviewed, or said anything kind about the anthology. Small press releases are a lot of work, and every single bit of support really does matter. I know I say that all the time, but it’s true. Books do not magically find readers. They need people screaming about them in the woods, or, more realistically, posting them online and leaving reviews.
If you’ve read Twisted Tales 2 already, reviews are incredibly helpful. Even one sentence helps the book reach more readers, especially on places like Goodreads, Amazon, and StoryGraph.
This week I’ve also been deep in I Wish I Was a Vampire, my upcoming middle grade Halloween horror book. This is my middle grade debut, which feels surreal in a different way than my adult horror books. It’s spooky and funny and full of plastic chompers, school costume drama, late 90s Halloween energy, and a girl who really does not want to be cute when she could be scary instead.
I’m also sharing a sneak peek at the cover here first. 🖤
I’m so excited about this cover because it feels exactly like the kind of book younger me would have grabbed immediately. Autumn Parker only wants one thing for Halloween: to be scary instead of cute. Unfortunately, once the vampire teeth come out, pretending starts to feel a little too real. I've spent 30+ hours and counting on the cover!
This book has been really freeing to write, but also more emotional than I expected. Autumn is not me, haha just kidding, most of me is in there. I even base the school on the cover and layout in the book like my own elementary school. The kid who wanted to be understood. The kid who felt too weird, too much, too intense, too different. The kid who would have loved a spooky book that said one good best friend, one person who really sees you, can be enough.
I’m also getting ready for Small Town Slasher, which releases August 4th. Woods Bay is my cursed little town full of slashers, local legends, old secrets, and supernatural problems no one should be solving after dark. Naturally, Jenna is going to try anyway. I'm doing my last round of edits.
I also have my Village Books event coming up on July 9th at 6pm in Bellingham, so I’m trying to prepare for that. Nervous but excited.
Behind the scenes, I’m still working on the Yuletide Horror anthology too. It is very weird to be editing holiday horror while it’s hot outside, but honestly, terrible weather, forced cheer, family tension, and people pretending everything is fine is always in season.
The next Death by TBR Books open call for a novella is coming this summer, along with the summer slasher anthology open call for the 4th (4th?!) of Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night. I’m very excited and already a little scared of my inbox.
BOOKS
Slasher Summer by E. L. Chen
Moonflow by Bitter Karella
The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
Currently reading: Witch Season by Julia Bianco and The Secret Lives of Zombie Wives by Barbara Truelove
SHOWS
NEW
MasterChef
Widows Bay
Something Bad is Going to Happen
FILMS - I'm on LetterBoxd - horrormaven13
Sleepover
Hungry
Unknown Visitor
Rewatches that I'm enjoying as I pretend to live in the late 90s/early 00s.
TV
Gravity Falls
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The X-Files
Law and Order: SVU
Owl House
FILMS
Midsommar
Disturbia
The Stepfather
That's all for this week! Please share what you've been reading and watching! Next week is a double post week since there will be an exclusive post the paid tier. The poll is closed and I can share that I'll be discussing how I choose which books to promote!
xoxo
Spooky Girl
To continue the Pride Month celebration all year long, I wanted to share some of the amazing queer books on my TBR! Some have already released, and others are available for preorder. 🫶
* Pitches from the publishers.
Mirrorwoven by Bori Cser - A lush YA fantasy debut novel full of masquerade ball scheming and sapphic love-triangle angst.
Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe - Jennifer's Body meets Ninth House in Taylor Grothe's adult sapphic horror/romance debut that's as grotesque and blood-soaked as it is beautiful.
Right Beside You by Tucker Shaw - In this fresh, speculative blend of queer romance and coming-of-age, Eddie meets Theo in present-day New York and Francis in a New York of the past...torn between eras and his heart, he must make a decision that will change his life forever.
I Can't Even Think Straight by Dean Atta - Big decisions and messy relationships. It's all part of life for Kai. A must-read queer coming of age story for fans of Sarah Crossan and Sex Education, written in verse.
All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse - Booksmart meets Today, Tonight, Tomorrow in this page-turning romp about two archnemeses—the valedictorian and the class slacker—who band together for a whirlwind night after discovering that they need each other to achieve their very different sunrise goals.
Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch - A sapphic contemporary romance following childhood friends turned cross-country team rivals who are forced to work together to win the state championship—for fans of She Gets the Girl.
Homeward for a Spell by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos - In this cozy queer romantic fantasy, two members in a motley crew of adventurers must confront monsters, hostile landscapes—and their growing attraction for each other.
Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion - After a group of teens visit a dangerous island where three are left behind, the surviving girls realize they must return to confront the sinister force hunting them. This dark YA thriller is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham - A lush and immersive queer “Sleeping Beauty” retelling about escapism, grief, and dreaming of a better world.
Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli - A sapphic YA romance about friendship, unexpected love, and self-discovery.
When You're Brave Enough by Rebecca Bendheim - A heartfelt, gorgeously written debut middle grade novel about best friends, first crushes, and coming out—perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Jake Maia Arlow.
The Unruly Heart of Miss Darcy by Erin Edwards - Mr. Darcy got his happily ever after in Pride and Prejudice, and now it’s his sister’s turn in this swoony queer romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches by Katie Ortiz - In this spellbinding Southern Gothic novel, three women weave together old Southern folklore and magic to fight sexism and educational discrimination in post-Civil War Alabama, perfect for fans of Hester Fox and Louisa Morgan.
A Prince Among Pirates by Katie Abdou - A charming nobleman accidentally joins a pirate ship and falls for its debonair captain in this swashbuckling queer debut that’s perfect for fans of F.T. Lukens and Our Flag Means Death.
Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris - In this fresh-yet-familiar gothic tale―part historical fantasy, part puzzle-box mystery―the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes collide in a thrilling exploration of feminine power.
Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove - The queer love child of pulp horror and classic sci-fi, Of Monsters and Mainframes is a dazzling, heartfelt odyssey that probes what it means to be one of society’s monsters—and explores the many types of friendship that make us human.
Happy Pride Month!
✨ 8/10 ✨
Becca Seymour does it again. This is my second MM Romance of hers and I was not disappointed.
A rift takes away Pax from Earth to a different dystopian planet where an evil Queen uses humans as slaves. He becomes a freedom fighter but along the way meets this other general, a purple alien, who is also against the queen and apparently, his mate.
The plot is verywepo written. Despite it being a third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I was able to pick up the themes very quickly. I liked the lead as well as the side characters - they are well planned, with back stories, humanizing them.
What I would have liked more is scenes between Pax and Varek - more of them bonding and being together.
But definitely go for it if you like MM, Alien dystopian romance with a slow burn.
I literally screamed NO at the book at the climax scene - I was that immersed into it 😂
Thank you @authorbeccaseymour and @hottreepublishing for this copy!
#mmromance #alienabduction #dystopian
Unabridged Bodies
Katrina @flirtingwithfiction
Welcome to Unabridged Bodies— a community focused on stories celebrating fat bodies & other marginalized identities in fiction.
Bee's Books
Bailee Russo
Speculative fiction reader, writer, and reviewer | Anthropology & history scholar | Lover of delightfully weird books
Allen Not Ellen Reads
Ellen (allennotellen)
welcome y'all!! join me as we chat about westerns, romance, horror, and literally anything else that strikes my fancy
Tattooed Library
Emily
Welcome to the Tattooed Library! I'm Emily (ems.book.shelff), a bookish content creator on Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok who quite literally lives, laughs, loves the library
Sarah Does Bookish Stuff
Sarah
Welcome! I'm Sarah and I do a lot of bookish stuff. Mostly, reading them. Sometimes, rebinding them (badly!). Always, talking about them. I love sharing off the beaten path recommendations and stuffing people's TBR shelves as much as possible with things they might have missed without me!
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