Listen I have to tell someone since I can't really talk about it, and tbh I don't even know who reads these! But I am starting a sapphic book box. I'm starting it with a local author here in Raleigh. I spent all weekend putting together documents with concepts, lists of artists, logo ideas and color pallets and we plan to meet up again this weekend to sign documents. This is like god tier level secret so don't say anything y'all, but it will be a branch of The Tenth Muse, a sapphic book box, featuring NSFW artwork, I'm going to make a channel in the discord for paid tier folks soon where we can chat and people can suggest books, but as it's me, and the tenth muse, a percentage of all boxes will be going to QTBIPOC focused charities. I can't wait to share more with you!

I started the year one way and somehow ended up somewhere else. This stack tells a story. A strange one. A good one.

Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn
This started my year. A gothic YA, Mina offers herself up as the Witch's latest companion. The town is under an ancient curse and a far up in the forest lives a witch who comes to town once a generation to take a companion who is never seen again. Mina, the daughter of the duke offers herself as a sacrifice. While in the castle she attempts to solve the mystery of what happened to the previous companions. This one has longing in the hallways and emotional tension pressed into every page. You got yearning and slow burn and mood. This is actually my least favorite of all her books because there is so much of the book that drags - No.

To the Bone by Kylie Cross
Book one of a why choose (f/f/f/x) killer sorority sisters trilogy. I enjoyed it, it could have been shorter. Our main MC, whose name alludes me, gets invited to a sorority of women who kill the men on campus who are violent and rapists. The concept works for me but the commitment feels a bit to large right now because all three books are chonky - Yes to the concept, maybe to the series.

Parrhesia by Ren Rousseau
Portal fantasy meets court politics. The heir to the Unseelie Court quits her throne and builds a utopian society in St. Louis called The Pax. A cursed succubus enters the story. Someone wants to destroy the peace. I read this as a sensitivity reader and still got pulled into the world and the stakes - Yes

A Hunger Soft and Wild by Moira Darling
An escaped vampire. A mercenary in the woods. A court hunting her. You get danger and closeness and tension. The book moved fast and hit hard. I have been told the editing sucks but I listened to it - Maybe to yes

Architecti by Ruby Roe
A demon cursed to serve her father. A reaper whose life belongs to the same man. One year left to live. A magic academy with secrets. I signed up for high stakes and the hot lesbian sex and got them - Yes

Spellfire by Agatha Willow
This one slowed everything down. Cozy. Soft. Second chance romance in an arcane academic setting. It felt gentle and safe while still being sapphic and romantic. Also the cover is deliciously adorable. - Maybe

Need by Lily Hardt
Set in a sex club and full of potential. I saw the spark. YoIu also noticed internalized transphobia in one of the main characters and that broke the flow. A mixed experience. - No

In the Roses of Pieria by Anna Burke
If An Education in Malice worked for you, this one hit in a similar way. An adjunct professor whose are of expertise is ancient poetry. A dream archival job. A mysterious collection of ancient sapphic poems and stodgy assistant. Sparks fly but the assistant and the collection owner are keeping secrets. Something is off under the surface. I stayed hooked. - Yes

Party Favors by Erin McLellan
Online best friends take a girls trip and the chat goes offline. The book leaned hard into heat and chemistry. I knew the tone going in and I got exactly what I wanted. Fisting, toys, clamps galore. - Yes

The Witches Grave by E.L. Eldridge
This one I finished last night. A buttoned up college student takes trip to a witch’s grave with her roommate, her roommates boyfriend and a third. The third attempts to assault her. Enter the real witch who intervenes. Revenge. Desire. Justice. All in forty four pages.

My 2026 sapphic reading list already includes witches, vampires, demons, reapers, cursed courts, haunted academics, killer sororities, cozy magic, sex clubs, and messy love. My shelf looks unhinged in the best way.

I tried to start a sapphic contemporary tonight and I think my brain still needs like dark academia or romantasy. Any suggestions?

Some long-form videos coming soon:

• Why You Should Read Red Rising

• 2026 Anticipated Releases

• Favourite 2025 Publications

• Fantasy Recommendations for Every Type of Reader

• Reading Priorities 2026

• 26 Books for 2026

• Modern Books That Must Become Classics

• Top 10 Books of the 2010s

• Top 10 Trilogies

What videos would you like to see?

Happy new year friends & lovers! We made it, and I'm personally using reading a coping mechanism a lot more than usual in these first few weeks of January. I think I've already read 11 books...so let's talk about books some more!

In January we're reading Miss Major Speaks, February is going to be Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin, and in March we're reading This is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Diaz. I'm working on securing interviews with Emily and Jaquira, so stay tuned!

When chatting with some Bindery Babes on Discord, y'all pointed out that we haven't read any poetry in a long while! April is National Poetry Month too! One of you even suggested we read a book by the late Andrea Gibson, an incredible queer poet. I've chosen some of their books for this longlist, along with other standout queer poetry titles. Let me know what interests you most and if you have any other suggestions!

Thanks for your support Bindery Babes! xx Nina

• You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson

• Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson

• Take Me With You by Andrea Gibson

• The Natural Order of Things by Donika Kelly

• Fragments of Wasted Devotion by Mia Arias Tsang

• Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry by Daniel Zomparelli

• Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo

• Inferno by Eileen Myles

• Not Me by Eileen Myles

• The New Fuck You: Adventures In Lesbian Reading by Eileen Myles

• The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions by Larry Mitchell

• Devotions by Mary Oliver

• Upstream by Mary Oliver

• Blue Horses by Mary Oliver

• A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

• Couplets by Maggie Millner

• Falling Back in Love with Being Human by Kai Cheng Thom

• Super Gay Poems: LGBTQIA+ Poetry After Stonewall by Stephanie Burt

• We Want It All: An Anthology of Radical Trans Poetics by Aeon Ginsberg

Now that you know about our next book - The Archaeology of Falling Worlds by Megan Chee - I'm delighted to introduce you to Megan's other published works! She has more than a dozen short stories published in various magazines, and here I've collected the ones you can access free online.

Megan's earliest credited publication was in 2015 and she's been publishing with regularity since 2021. This sampling is a really fantastic look at the things she excels at in her writing: the vibrancy of her worlds, her humor, her ability to balance the fantastical and mundane, and just how much she's able to pack into such a small space. In Spring 2027 you'll find all these skills and more in Archaeology. But for now...

First, I’ll link her website here where she has everything linked by publication year, and below you'll find specifically the ones you can read for free on the publication sites and which ones have audio versions.
(audio versions link to spotify but should be available wherever you listen to podcasts)

Fantasy:

The God of Minor Troubles

(this is also available to listen to on Wil Wheaton’s podcast, It's Storytime with Wil Wheaton)

The Cat of Lin Villa

(audio version available in link)

Incense

Our Exquisite Delights

Sci-Fi:

Everyone Hates the Auditor

(audio version available on Lightspeed Magazine's podcast)

The Worms that Ate the Universe

An Otherworldly Cat Tells You the Secrets of the Universe

(audio version available on Lightspeed Magazine's podcast)

The Giants Among Us

(audio version available on Clarkesworld Magazine podcast)

Horror:

The Museum of Cosmic Retribution

(audio version available on Nightmare Magazine podcast)

USE THIS LINK WITH DISCOUNT CODE (code: TINATMEMBER)

USE THIS LINK FOR DISCOUNT CODE

Behind every bookish post is a whole world of opportunities📚✨

If you’re a reader, reviewer, or content creator looking to work more closely with the publishing world, this list is for you. I’ve rounded up publishers with influencer programs, where to send individual book requests, and book tour companies that connect readers with ARCs, campaigns, and exciting collaborations.

Whether you’re just getting started or ready to level up your bookish partnerships, this guide breaks down where to look, who to contact, and how to get your name on the right listsBecause your love for books deserves a seat at the table preferably with a stack of new reads waiting for you.📖💫

🔗Tap the link to see the ultimate list! https://tinyurl.com/yc57ymr3

❗️Don't forget to come back and check from time to time for new additions!

📍If there's a program we missed please let us know and we can add it to the list!

Hi friends!

For the Winter season, we are reading Fantasy, Horror and Poetry for our Ifrits and Ink book club and you can see the spotlight titles above. You can choose to read any book in the other genres or these genres but we provide a spotlight to help with decision fatigue as there are a lot of options with each genre!

You guys as our paid tier member can help us choose the genres for the upcoming season: Spring! Vote below in the poll and if you have any preference with titles, let us know in the comments and I know it's super early but starting it early enough so we can have a chosen genre by mid of February and you guys can request books from your libraries or order them🥰

We're so excited to see what you all pick!

It’s finally here and it’s exclusive to The First Edition members! If you’ve been waiting to dive deeper into Laura Dave’s world of secrets, survival, and second chances, this is your moment.

✨Tap the link for instant access to:

📚The combined duology book club kit for The Last Thing He Told Me and The First Time I Saw Him

📖Individual book club kits for each book if your group is reading them separately

🍋 Thoughtful discussion guides, themed food menus, activities, and door prize ideas done for you

Whether you’re planning your next meeting or building out your future book club calendar, these kits are designed to make hosting effortless and unforgettable.

👉Tap the link to access the kits now and let’s turn your next book club into an experience.

📖The Last Thing He Told Me https://tinyurl.com/muazhatm

📖The First Time I Saw Him

https://tinyurl.com/hyry4jcn

📚The Last Thing He Told Me & The First Time I Saw Him Book Club Kit!

https://tinyurl.com/y7cm5bea 

❗️Don't forget to come back and tell us how your meeting!

💥Happy reading!

If The Last Thing He Told Me and The First Time I Saw Him is your next book club read, you’re going to want in on this!

We’ve created exclusive, The First Editions members only book club kits designed to deepen the discussion, elevate your meetings, and fully immerse you in Laura Dave’s world of secrets, survival, and second chances.

The First Editions will get access to:

📚 A combined book club kit for discussing both books together

📖Individual book club kits for each title if you’re reading them separately

🍋Themed discussion questions, easy food menus, activities, and door prize ideas

Whether your group is just meeting Hannah and Bailey for the first time or you’re ready to unpack the entire journey from Protect her to second chances these kits are made to do the heavy lifting for you.

👉Join The First Editions to unlock the kits and turn your next book club into an experience you’ll still be talking about long after the last page.

Reading The Last Thing He Told Me and its follow-up, The First Time I Saw Him, as a book club turned out to be a total game-changer. We realized quickly that these aren't just mysteries, they are deep dives into the messy, complicated ways we protect the people we love. Every single one of us latched onto something different, and the debate in the group chat was electric.

Here is the Roundtable breakdown from our meeting:

✨Kaci: I was hooked immediately by the high-stakes premise of book one. A missing husband and a cryptic note that simply says Protect her? I was in from page one. But what really stayed with me was the evolution of Hannah and Bailey’s relationship. Watching two people who don’t trust each other slowly forge a bond out of necessity and then love felt incredibly real and emotionally satisfying.

✨Stacey: For me, the tension was the star. I loved how quiet and controlled the suspense was. There were no over-the-top explosions, just a mounting sense of dread as the layers of Owen’s life were peeled back. Every new piece of information made me question who he really was, and honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about him. He’s the ultimate enigma.

✨Lisa: I connected most with Bailey. Her anger, her grief, and her initial mistrust of Hannah made total sense for a teenager whose world just blew up. I appreciated that she wasn’t written as instantly warm or forgiving; she had to earn her way there. By the time we reached the end of the first book, I felt fiercely protective of her.

✨Ashley: Then we hit the sequel, and that’s where my jaw dropped. I did not expect the shift in perspective or for Owen to resurface the way he did. I loved how much faster-paced the second book felt it was high-octane and stressful in the best way. I tore through the chapters because I desperately needed to know if they would actually get out safely.

✨Alisha: I was definitely the emotional one in the group! Seeing how Hannah and Bailey had managed to build a quiet life together after everything they went through really got to me. This part of the story felt less like a traditional mystery and more like an exploration of the cost of love and whether people truly deserve second chances when the past comes knocking.

✨Jess: I’ll be honest I had the most mixed feelings about Owen. While I appreciated getting the answers and the closure the sequel provided, I loved how much these books asked us to sit with moral gray areas. There is no easy right or wrong answer here, and that’s exactly what made our book club discussion so incredible.

Together, this duology gave us everything: suspense, deep emotional stakes, and a redefining of what family really looks like. Laura Dave has a gift for making the extraordinary feel personal.🏠🖤

✨️Thank you to our secret Santa from the Book Lovers Secret Santa Gift Exchange for sharing the Last Thing He Told Me and Scribner for sharing The First Time I Saw Him with us!

❔️If your book club were split on whether a character deserved forgiveness, would you be the one to passionately defend them or would you grab the snacks and just watch the debate unfold? 🍿📚💬

Hi there book club friends!

We are a week in to our first book of the year, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and the conversation over on Discord has been so much fun! It has been really interesting to me to see how differently we all read, to what level of detail we examine our books, and what we like and don't like. There have been some perfect examples where what bothers one person is exactly what another person likes, and I think this is one of those really fun things about reading. Most importantly, the discussions have been very insightful and respectful, and it seems like everyone is comfortable expressing their opinions (both positive and negative), which is the main goal for me!

For those of you who are not on Discord, each week I'll put up a post covering a section of the book, and a few prompt questions. You can feel free to chat about whatever, or respond to the questions.

One warning : I will clearly label each post with the section of the book, but know if you go to the comments or read past the spoiler line, there will be spoilers for those chapters. Please do not spoil future chapters in this section.

For this week, this post covers the Prologue, and Section I: Ambition (Up through Chapter 3 and Interulde: The Last Mistake). So if you read on: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Questions:

How do you feel about the split timeline structure? Which timeline (Present or Past with Chains) do you find more engaging?

How did you feel about the world building so far - too much, too little, like/dislike the way it is presented?

Who or what do you think is following Locke?

What is your biggest question at this point in the book?

What did you think about the festival at The Shifting Revel, and what does it reveal about the world of Camoor?

Remember, there is always chat going on in the Discord, and be on the lookout next week for a poll about an online chat wrap up!

The new year means a new crop of books being published. Which means you have the opportunity to try out a new genre or author. You have the chance to get recommendations from friends, near and far.

I actually posted on my substack, so check out the list of my most anticipated books to learn more!

Kristian's Most Anticipated Books of 2026

Anyone else claustrophobic? Did the Descent give you nightmares? Yeah…me too.

Caves terrify me. It’s super easy to get lost in them. Not to mention that people will go into narrow tunnels (that CAN COLLAPSE ON YOU) to get to other areas of the cave. Some of these tunnels can only be accessed by going under water.

See…that’s a whole lotta nope for me.

The below novels are either on my tbr or I have read (I’ll specify beside each one). They all center on or feature a cave at some point.

Please let me know if I’ve missed your favorite! I’m always looking for more cave horror.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger (tbr)

The Sleeping Land by Ella Alexander (tbr)

The Maw by Taylor Zajonc (tbr)

Into The Sublime by Kate A Boorman (read)

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling (read)

The Enigma of Amigara Fault (featured in Gyo) by Junji Ito (read)

Ararat by Christopher Golden (tbr)

The Reddening by Adam Nevill (tbr)

The Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower (read)

It’s time for another DIRECTOR’S CUT REVIEW. Today I’m talking about The Caretaker!

Book: The Caretaker

Author: Marcus Kliewer

Page Count: 320

Genre: Horror

Subgenre: Grief, Rituals, Anomalies, End of the world

Series: No

Setting: Michigan

Other Works by This Author: We Used To Live Here

Comps: Observation Duty (game) meets Lock Every Door

My Rating: ✨✨✨✨✨

Release Date: 4/21/26

Quick Summary: A woman strapped for money takes a house sitting job that promises to pay well. However, the duties she must perform have a lot riding on them. If she does not follow the rites correctly, something sinister may be unleashed.

My Thoughts: Kliewer does it again 🙌🏻 This author truly knows how suck a reader in and get them to stay until the very last page. The tension in this book had me on the edge of my seat. There were so many scenes where I wanted to jump in and make Macy focus on the task at hand.

Speaking of Macy, let’s talk about her character. She’s had a hard time ever since her dad’s accident. She’s been taking care of her sister who has some issues but is a good kid overall. I really liked Macy. Don’t get me wrong, she drove me crazy sometimes. Like I needed her to finish the darn rites. But she had a very strong voice and I loved how much she cared for her sister.

Just like We Used To Live Here, this book delivers on scares. There were several scenes that had me spooked. You can’t trust anyone in this book. I loved that this book reminded me of Observation Duty. It actually has a similar premise to a short story I’m writing for an anthology this year, and was a great inspiration! My story will also focus on a woman getting trapped in a dangerous job while caring for a loved one. But that’s where the similarities will end!

If this one was not on your radar I highly recommend adding it! It relaxes 4/21/26. You all get an early access to my thoughts on this book! My goodreads and insta thoughts will come closer to the pub date per request of the publisher!

Happy (?) Saturday, mis internet amigxs,

This has been a heavy week and I hope all of you are taking good care of yourselves.

Please make sure to mark Wednesday, February 4th at 8:00 PM EST for our chat with Esperanza Hope Snyder, author of our January book club selection, Orange Wine. I'm really looking forward to speaking with her. If you're new here, we usually chat with the author for 30-40 minutes then we open up Q&A to book club members, so please start thinking of your questions for Esperanza now! Of course, we're chatting all month on Discord, so please join us there if you already haven't.

Also, in case you missed it, I've been running a challenge for myself on YouTube this month, challenging myself to post every single day in January. I'm not certain I'm going to make today's deadline, but I have some reviews and other content I'll be posting soon. If you're participating in 2026 Latine Book Bingo, then I recommend this 2-part series (video 1, video 2) detailing 50 books you can read for different parts of the bingo card. In addition, I posted 15 Latine books releasing in 2026 I'm looking forward to. Beginning in February, I'll slow down production. My goal is to post at least 2 YouTube videos a month.

Finally, before I bring you this week's Latine releases, I'm contemplating some changes to your benefits and wanted to run something by you--I was thinking that instead of a weekly newsletter of Latine releases for Lectores and Libritos members, I'd instead make available to you my spreadsheet of Latine releases, both past and future. That way, you'd have something to reference when you're looking for your next Latine read. You'd still get the Tuesday New Latine Releases spreadsheet, but wouldn't receive the duplicate exclusive newsletter like this one. Let me know what you think. I'm still ruminating on this change, but if you have any feedback on your benefits as members...

And now, on to this week's releases...

ROMANCE

The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura (Audiobook) Contemporary romance following a plucky librarian and an archaeologist on the run who fake an engagement to save their lives all while catching feelings for one another.

The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Guililand (Audiobook) Paranormal romance that centers the third Flores sister, Sage, who was trapped in an oak by the gods for 8 years. It's been 2 years since she was released and she's trying to find her way in life, dealing with a town that disparages her circumstances and her relationship with animals. Enter Adam Noemi, grandson of her elderly neighbor she cares for William, who's down on his luck, but also beloved by the town. In a scheme to reveal to the town what happened to her, Sage agrees to have Adam, a reporter, interview her. But her revelations also brings wall crashing down between them and something more grows between them. I'm almost done with this one and it's my favorite of the series so far. Full review to come soon...

TRANSLATED FICTION

Pedro the Vast by Simon Lopez Trujillo and translated by Robin Myers (Audiobook) A translated work of literary fiction that beckons Jeff Vandermeer where in a fire-prone landscape, humanity has encroached on nature enough and a deadly fungus mounts resistance.

DARK ROMANTASY

A Vow In Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez (Audiobook) A Latine release with a limited edition first print run? WHAT A RARITY! The first book in the Immortal Desires series, this dark fantasy features enemies to lovers, dark academia, fake fated mates, forced proximity, touch her and die, and tarot tropes.

PICTURE BOOK

Apapacho Love: A Story About Hugs From The Heart by Cynthia Harmony and illustrated by Erika Meza

xoxo,

Carmen

PS--this is a reminder that this list is CURATED by me and not intended to be a comprehensive list of ALL Latine releases. Part of that curation is not promoting problematic Latine authors.