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

As a heads up, we are entering peak romantasy season. I am not a romantasy reader and don’t have much insight into which authors and new titles are worth including here. If there are releases that you are excited about and think others should support, please recommend them in the comments. 

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

I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed (Berkley) — What happens when a receptionist at an insurance company witnesses her boss performing an exorcism on Debra from accounting? A road trip to Hell that navigates “a corporate underworld of monsters and bureaucratic nightmares.”

Mantras & Minotaurs by Ashley Bennett (Berkley) — A single mom and a minotaur navigate a steamy long-distance relationship. The latest in Bennett’s Leviathan Fitness monster romance series stood out to me for featuring leads over age 40. Shouldn’t be radical, at yet!

In The Frame by Hayden Stone (indie) — I adore the cover art for this M/M fake dating romance that takes place in the UK arts scene. 

The Siren's Kiss by Leslie Vedder (Abrams / Amulet) — Where were the sapphic YA romantasy books about lady pirates and beautiful mermaids teaming up to find sea witches when I was a kid??

The Hocus Pocus Handbook by Ann Aguirre (Sourcebooks Casablanca) — This is the first time I've read "sunshine-shadow" in a blurb instead of "grumpy sunshine" and I respect innovation. Also: two hotties on a quest to free a changeling from her absent husband.

I have some events coming up in NYC:

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

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

JUST ADDED 10/5: I'm hosting another Romance Read-In to benefit Authors Against Book Bans at Book Club Bar in Manhattan on October 5th at 7:30pm! Tickets just went on sale here. We sold out last time, so don't hesitate. We'll have several featured author guests, so far including Shelly Jay Shore and Blair Fell.

September is here, which means I can finally start pretending it’s fall even if the weather has absolutely no intention of cooperating. 😂🍂

For me, this is when reading gets REALLY good. Give me darker fantasy, twisty mysteries, atmospheric horror, historical fiction I can completely disappear into, and a giant iced coffee that will remain iced regardless of the season.

And this week’s new releases understood the assignment.

🆕 NEW RELEASES

🕰️ HISTORICAL FICTION

The Survivor’s Guild
Two women from very different worlds survive the Titanic and unexpectedly find themselves caring for an unclaimed baby. But surviving the shipwreck is only the beginning...they still have 1912 New York society to contend with.

🚀 SCI-FI

Scion
John Wick meets Blade Runner in a fast-paced cyberpunk thriller from James Islington, author of The Will of the Many. Honestly, that pitch alone sold me. 👀

🐺 FANTASY + ROMANTASY

Blacktail
A wolf sets out on an epic journey of revenge in a dark fantasy from the author of The Library at Mount Char. Yes, the WOLF is the main character. 🐺

Reign
Found family, forbidden love, and a heroine who refuses to kneel in a feminist romantasy about choosing freedom over fear. Oh, and apparently setting fire to the throne. 🔥

Fire Power
Fourth Wing meets Formula One with childhood friends turned racing rivals competing in the ultimate DRAGON RACE. 🐉🏁 Enemies-to-lovers + sports romantasy is a combination I didn't know we needed.

Our Strange Duet
A Phantom of the Opera reimagining centered on Christine Daaé as she navigates fame, love, ambition, and the dark secrets of the opera house. Perfect timing for gothic reading season. 🖤

The Gods Will Sing Our Song
WWII historical romance meets magic and myth as two Japanese American teenagers fall in love against the backdrop of internment. It's inspired by the author's own family history of resilience.

🔎 THRILLER + MYSTERY

The Truth About Ruby Cooper
“If my sister hadn’t been beautiful, none of it would have happened.” 👀 An incident involving sixteen-year-old Ruby destroys her family's idyllic life, and the consequences follow two sisters across decades.

Cards on the Table
Two witchy sisters are accused of making their elderly client's substantial trust disappear after her sudden death. Witchy mystery season has officially arrived. 🔮

The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies
Post-WWII Oxford + mystery + romance + academia + undercover operatives working for the Crown. Dark academia readers, I feel like this one has your name all over it. 👀

Mother Daughter Sister Stranger
Eleven years after surviving the plane crash that killed their parents, one sister suddenly disappears on the exact anniversary of the tragedy. Now her sister must uncover what happened while protecting the daughter she left behind.

🩸 HORROR

As the Snow Gathers
A remote Canadian town, a vanished settlement, a forbidden love—and creatures in the forest that drain the blood from the dead. The Fanteur have never touched the living…yet. 🌲🩸

🌳 LITERARY FICTION

The Birthing Tree
From the author of The Berry Pickers comes a story of family, legacy, buried truths, young love, and the fragile future one woman must protect. This is one of my most anticipated September releases.

💬 BOOKISH GROUP CHAT

A couple of things worth sending to your favorite bookish friend this week:

🔎 How Agatha Christie Helped Create the Modern Thriller

There’s a reason we’re still talking about Agatha Christie.

Robert Gold takes a closer look at the way Christie planted clues, hid killers in plain sight, and created mysteries that become almost MORE impressive when you reread them and realize the answers were sitting in front of you the entire time.

As someone who gets annoyed when a thriller’s big reveal feels like it came out of absolutely nowhere, I loved this discussion of Christie’s philosophy: the clues should be there. The reader just shouldn’t necessarily realize they’re clues yet. 👀

Read “Planting the Seed: How Agatha Christie’s Techniques Shaped the Modern Thriller” on CrimeReads

☀️ What Do Authors Actually Read During Summer?

Reader’s Digest asked authors to share the books they recommend for summer reading, and I am always fascinated by what writers recommend when THEY get to be the reader.

Consider this one last little summer-reading list before we officially replace everything with witches, haunted houses, murder mysteries, and pumpkin spice. 😂

See the authors’ summer reading recommendations from Reader’s Digest

🎥 WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT ON YOUTUBE

I have a confession:

I have started 36 book series that I have not finished. THIRTY. SIX.

Some of them I absolutely want to continue. Some have been sitting untouched for so long that I barely remember what happened. And a few made me wonder why I ever thought I was going to pick up the next book. 😂

So I finally sat down and went through them. For every unfinished series, I’m deciding:

✅ CONTINUE
❌ DNF
🤔 MAYBE

And yes, there were definitely a few decisions that hurt.

If you also have a graveyard of unfinished book series silently judging you from your shelves, come hang out with me on YouTube, and then tell me which series YOU desperately need to finish.

🎥 Watch: 36 Book Series I Started...But Never Finished

🐾 LINK’S CORNER

Link would like everyone to know that fall is almost here, and frankly, she has been waiting very patiently.

Cooler weather means longer walks, more outside time, and (most importantly) pumpkin doggie ice cream. 🎃🐶 She does not understand why humans insist on making summer last this long, but there is also some VERY important dog-related entertainment news this week.

Netflix is releasing A Dog’s Perfect Christmas on November 4, and obviously Link felt this deserved newsletter coverage.

The movie follows a family trying to hold things together over the holidays with some assistance from a basset hound named Winstead. Even better? It’s based on W. Bruce Cameron’s 2020 novel of the same name, so technically this is BOTH dog news and book news.

Which means it absolutely belongs here. 😂

Read more about A Dog’s Perfect Christmas via The Pioneer Woman

Link has not yet confirmed whether she’ll be watching.

She has, however, confirmed that she would like the pumpkin ice cream now.

That’s it for this week’s shelf! 🍂

September reading is officially underway, spooky season is creeping closer, and my TBR has once again reached completely unreasonable proportions.

What book are you most excited to read this month? Hit reply and tell me...I’m always looking for an excuse to add another book to my list.

Until next week,
Brittany + Link 🐾

Happy Monday, mis internet amigxs!

September snuck up on me and Latine Heritage Month is almost here! Be prepared to have your TBR toppled by an incredible month of releases.

SUPPORT MY WORK

If you've been considering supporting my work here on Bindery, Latine Heritage Month is the perfect time to do so. It's the not only the one time of the year I feel a spotlight is being shone on my work, but it's also the time I feel the most pressure--receive the most requests for content. It's stressful and beautiful and I'd love for you to be a part of it. I will be updating my tiers, but just some of the things paid members get is advanced newsletter of all the month's releases, including my blurbs of each book, frequent surprises and exclusive giveaways, the ability to ask me for recommendations, ALL the chisme before it's announced anywhere else, plus more things I am planning. Join and support me and the work I do to boost Latine literature!

SEPTEMBER BOOK CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT

Today, we begin reading our September book club pick, The Grand Paloma Resort Hotel by Cleyvis Natera, on Discord! This is a fast paced literary thriller taking place on an exclusive resort on Dominican Republic and told exclusively from the perspective of the staff.

We also begin reading our nonfiction sidequest (that we'll complete in October): The Latinx Guide to Liberation by Vanessa Pezo.

I hope you'll consider joining us to discuss one or both books!

And finally on to today's releases!

Gothic Horror

An Immaculate Deception by Isabel Livino (Audiobook)

Middle Grade Fantasy

Quetzal’s Labyrinth by Karla Arenas Valenti (Audiobook)

Picture Book

Mami's Heart by Ana Siquiera and illustrated by Nomar Perez

The Singing Tamales Present: 'Tis The Season for Tamales by Andrea Campos

Poetry

Witness: Poems to Address the Past, Present, and Future of Policing Edited by Ari Tyson and Ty Chapman and illustrated by Damon Davis

Middle Grade Graphic Memoir

Mexikid Dreams by Pedro Martin (Audiobook)

Translated Literary Horror

Asmodeus by Rita Indiana and translated by Achy Obejas

Graphic Novel Adaptation of a Classic

In The Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and illustrated by Krystal Quiles (Audiobook)

Short Stories

The Patron Saint of White Menageries by Lauren T. Davila (Audiobook)

xoxo,

Carmen

Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!

September snuck up on me and while you aren't receiving this week's releases early, you are about to have an avalanche of September Latine Reads on your TBR for Latine Heritage Month and beyond! I think this is the most books I've ever tagged in a Bindery post.

As a thank you for your patience, not only is there a giveaway in this post, but if you scroll all the way down the bottom, I have a little sneak preview of something that'll be released officially in a few weeks...

But first, a quick reminder about September book club!

Today, we begin reading our September book club pick, The Grand Paloma Resort Hotel by Cleyvis Natera, on Discord! This is a fast paced literary thriller taking place on an exclusive resort on Dominican Republic and told exclusively from the perspective of the staff.

We also begin reading our nonfiction sidequest (that we'll complete in October): The Latinx Guide to Liberation by Vanessa Pezo.

I hope you'll consider joining us to discuss one or both books!

As a mea culpa for not getting your newsletter our earlier, you can enter to win this beautiful pr box for today's release of Julia Alvarez's classic In The Time of Butterflies graphic novel adaptation! The box is beautifully illustrated and includes a beautiful print of one of the panels. All you have to do is comment with a butterfly emoji below and you'll be entered the win.

You must have a US mailing address to enter. Winner will be emailed on Saturday, September 5th to their email they signed up to Bindery. You must reply with your full name and mailing address within 24 hours to claim your prize.

And without further ado, all the September Latine releases on my radar!!

September 1st

Gothic Horror

An Immaculate Deception by Isabel Livino (Audiobook) Taking place in Brazil in 1877, this story follows Madalena conceives a child out of wedlock. She's convinced she can get her dashing beau, Leandro Neves, to propose, but at the moment she goes to tell him, the carriage overturns and she awakes in his family home. He's basically mute and things only get weirder from there as she convalesces...

Middle Grade Fantasy

Quetzal’s Labyrinth by Karla Arenas Valenti (Audiobook) Twelve-year old Diego discovers the Aztec gods are real, and he must journey into a deadly labyrinth to stop a vengeful power from destroying the world

Picture Book

Mami's Heart by Ana Siquiera and illustrated by Nomar Perez

The Singing Tamales Present: 'Tis The Season for Tamales by Andrea Campos

Poetry

Witness: Poems to Address the Past, Present, and Future of Policing Edited by Ari Tyson and Ty Chapman and illustrated by Damon Davis (Audiobook)

Middle Grade Graphic Memoir

Mexikid Dreams by Pedro Martin (Audiobook) Companion novel to Martin's first graphic novel memoir, Mexikid, addressing migrant farm workers, la migra, family, love, and trying to find what you want to do in the world.

Translated Literary Horror

Asmodeus by Rita Indiana and translated by Achy Obejas: A hallucinatory thriller about a failing demon’s search for a new host in post-dictatorship Santo Domingo

Graphic Novel Adaptation of a Classic

In The Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and illustrated by Krystal Quiles (Audiobook) graphic novel adaptation of the classic about the Mirabal sisters who fought against the Trujillo dictatorship

Short Stories

The Patron Saint of White Menageries by Lauren T. Davila (Audiobook) debut magical-realism collection cracks Los Angeles open to reveal a kaleidoscope of unlikely heroines, talents, and dreams

September 8th

Young Adult Fantasy

Espiritu by Aiden Thomas (Audiobook) Julian, our favorite chaos <former> ghost, and Yadriel are back this time fighting restless spirits and ghosts from their past.

Creative Nonfiction Collection

Bodega Stories by Amaris Castillo featuring narratives and vignettes about the employees and customers who orbit my Dominican parents' bodega in St. Pete, FL. A good portion of stories center the Dominican and Cuban diasporas, with themes of immigration, love, community, history, identity, food and cultural traditions

Translated

Bury Your Dead by Ana Paula Maia and translated by Padma Viswanathan: We follow a man who cleans up road kill in Brazil deep into the woods in a story about friendship and all the small ways we shape the world

Children's Book

In Case of Las Moscas by Jackie Morera and illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson

Horror

Daughter of Rot by Rios de la Luz: horror blends magical realism with dreamlike botanical horror

Memoir

East of the River: A Memoir of Los Angeles Girlhood by Guadalupe Rosales (Audiobook) Memoir

September 15th

Translated

Terrestrial by Cristina Rivera Garza and translated by Christina MacSweeney (Audiobook) Short story collection of a fiercely poetic, tenderly observed portrait of young women’s travels on the fringes of Mexico and the United States

Silencio by Clyo Mendoza and translated by Christina McSweeney: A lyrically haunting and powerful account of women surviving femicide and destruction in Mexico, using fantasy to relate atrocities that exist beyond language.

Fantasy

Daughter of the Dark by R.J. Valdeperas (Audiobook) Enemies-to-lovers romance fantasy about a demon slayer in a world torn between destruction and revolution

Horror

Rooted by Leopoldo Gout (Audiobook) "a blood reckoning" where one woman's return to Mexico City digs away the layers of her forgotten past and the Aztec gods she awakened

Middle Grade

Julieta and the Cryptic Rose by Luisana Duarte Armendariz (Audiobook) Middle Grade Mystery where Julieta travels to Guanajuato, Mexico, where she is drawn into a new, head-scratching mystery involving a secret society, mischievous cousins, and the ever-inspiring art of Diego Rivera.

Memoir

The Flowers Along The Way by Claudia Castro Luna: Speaking in the language of flowers—mango, chirimoyas, jocotes, sprawling oregano, reedy pomegranate, and leggy chilipines—amidst state-sanctioned brutality, The Flowers Along the Way is a memoir both lush and taut.

Young Adult Novel In Verse

Anger is Only A Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo (Audiobook--Elizabeth narrates the audiobook) My gushing review. I don't know how Elizabeth Acevedo keeps writing better and better books, but we are so lucky to have her.

Bilingual Picture Book

Antonio's New Tacos by Veronica Benavides and Andres Acosta and illustrated by Addy Sonda

Cookbook

Comemos: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Contemporary Mexican Cuisine by Alejandra Graf

Young Adult Fantasy

Wolves of No World: Lobizona and Casadora Romina Garber (Audiobook Lobizona and Cazadora) 2 books in 1 paperback release for this iconic young adult fantasy series

September 22nd

Dystopian

Buzzard by Inez Ray (Audiobook) SO excited this release is from Bindery's very own @Michael LaBorn! In 2086, corporations are monitoring fertility. Abortion is illegal. And the last woman alive who can perform the procedure is in hiding.

Young Adult Dystopian

To Our Untamed Core by Sonido Reyes (Audiobook) This was comped as the Mexican Hunger games: a trans boy keeps a secret from his boyfriend until he's sent to El Torneado (prison) and must fight to death to save him

Nonfiction

Racist by Design: Two Centuries of U.S. Immigration Control by Kelly Lytle Hernández (Audiobook) Our nonfiction author from earlier this year has a NEW book tracing how law enforcement has spent 200 years targeting non-shite immigrants as part of immigrant enforcement

Middle Grade

Mischief and Monsters by Adrianna Cuevas (Audiobook) Jordi and his friends must save their town from an evil oil company moving in and blaming newly found creatures for what they're doing.

Young Adult

Perfect Liars: Lies and Secrets by Alex Mirez (Audiobook) 1st book in the Perfecto Mentirosas series and soon to be an Amazon Prime movie

September 29th

Young Adult Gothic

The House Of Gardenias by Isabel Canas (Audiobook) Coming of rage YA about Minerva who retreats to the countryside of the lady she serves only to find forces more ancient and sinister than in the city they have left.

Young Adult

When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Audiobook) Benjamin's loss earlier this year affected me tremendously, but I'm glad we have his final book: a heartrending but uplifting tale of twins and their group of friends who are forced to navigate life, relationships, and grief after their world is turned upside down

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez (Audiobook) Reissue of classic novel about three teen boys navigating through the intolerant world of the early aughts and their own insecurities, finding each other and the confidence to come out of the closet in this seminal queer coming-of-age novel.

Horror Anthology

Something Followed Us Home Edited by Cynthia Pelayo (Audiobook) Anthology of Tales of Latinx horror anthology with foreward by Brenda Lozano

Literary Fiction

Ply by Hernan Diaz (Audiobook) Combining Dickensian odyssey, family drama, and scientific thriller, Ply poignantly charts the tenuous boundaries of selfhood and the distance that inevitably stands between us and those we love, Ply turns to the future and examines the future of technology and humanity.

King of Aloe Vera by Tomas Moniz Adult (Audiobook) An elderly man has just a month to leave his home. A young woman from his neighborhood is soon to be unhoused. Slowly but surely, the two form an unlikely yet transformational friendship in this warm and funny novel about love and community.

Young Adult Graphic Novel

Second Generation Blues by Julio Anto and illustrated by Red Dryer: Almost American Girl meets Brownstone in Second Generation Blues, a poignant coming-of-age young adult graphic novel about a Cuban American teen as he struggles to choose between being the son his parents need him to be and living the life he wants.

Memoir

Work In Progress by Devon Rodriguez (Audiobook) This inspiring, raw memoir traces the path Devon Rodriguez took from an abusive childhood to becoming the most followed artist on social media worldwide, as he discovered the transformative power of seeing and being seen—featuring new graphite illustrations of the people and places that shaped him.

xoxo,

Carmen

PS--Here's a little sneak peak of something I've been working on...more details, including how to get your hands on one, coming VERY SOON to your inbox!

What a month, y'all, and unfortunately not my best reading month quality-wise. (Notice how several of my favorites of the month are rereads. Hmph.) Here's what I read in August, and what I'm hoping to get to in September. My favorites are starred. Books marked with a * were gifted to me and books marked with a ^ I was paid to read.

Where There's Room For Us by Hayley Kiyoko*

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston* (reread)

Together We See by Ari Tison*

Out Of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch*

The Price of Mercy by Tristen Hannah^

Fair Market Value by Hailey Edwards*

Chaos by Constance Fay*

⭐ This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (reread)

⭐ Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel*

⭐ Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman (reread)

Acts Of Service by Lillian Fishman*

The Missed Connection by Tia Williams*

Black Salt Queen by Samantha Bansil*

⭐ Catch The Devil by Pamela Colloff*

⭐ The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong (reread)

Stories Of A Devoted Mother: From The Kovno Ghetto to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn by Diane Cypkin^

The theme of September's TBR is "holy shit I am years behind on ARCs but also look at everything publishing in the next few weeks!"

The Four Wives And Five Deaths of Richard Milford by Nafissa Thompson-Spires* - I've been recommending Thompson-Spires' short story collection HEADS OF THE COLORED PEOPLE since it came out in 2018, and I'm so pumped to get to read a full novel (novella?) from her. I know it's gonna be smart, funny, and dramatic.

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram* - I'll admit I've been putting this one off because it sounds so heavy. It has great reviews, though, and I love how Khorram writes the emotional inner lives of young men.

She's A Doll by Barbara Truelove* - Truelove's debut novel, OF MONSTERS AND MAINFRAMES, was unexpectedly delightful, and this book sounds even more unhinged. Bonus: It's published by Bindery Books' @Jaysen Headley !

There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm* - Okay, maybe the theme for September reading is actually going to be "what is the most unhinged thing I can read" because this sounds like it's gonna be up there.

Punished by Ann-Helen Laestadius* - TBH I don't know if I'm going to be in the mood for a long, heavy book like this, but I have been kind of back on my true crime shit lately. A historical fiction novel inspired by crimes of the government sounds like a good replacement for so much of the pro-cop stuff out there.

Coffeeshop In An Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee* - Been meaning to read this sapphic cozy fantasy since it came out last year, and the start of fall seems like a good time to finally do it.

One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford* - Speaking of fall arriving, let's get into the spirit with a horror read. Yeah, I wanna read about this lady secretly trying to keep her undead husband alive after the zombie apocalypse!

Carried over from last month's TBR: Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, and Long Division by Kiese Laymon. Currently reading carryovers: Redshirts by John Scalzi.

Hey gang,

Anyone fancy a physical arc of THE WOLVES OF WAR? 👀

Write below!

Head and Heart,

Ed and Will