Hey Sickos! I've got a couple updates to hit up here with the December book club polls, a separate poll about the future of the Fantasy Sickos, and a new update for the publishing imprint. Let's pitter patter, get at 'er!

(NOT FINAL) COVER ART REVEAL!

Super exciting news on the publishing front, our first book "A Complement of Scoundrels" by S.V. Lockwood is cruising along in its development with line edits and blurbs just about completed 100%. We're also very close on our cover art, so close that I'm going to drop the most recent (again, not final) iteration.

Just seeing this makes it feel so much more real and I know y'all are gonna love fantasy heist. It's still on track for for a Fall 2026, and in the beginning of the year I'll be on the hunt for the next book to acquire!

BOOK CLUB POLL + FUTURE CHANGES?

The votes take place in our Discord server and run for 3 days. If you're not in the server yet you can join by going to "Account Settings" and linking Discord from there.

For this month, I'm switching the Fantasy Sickos to the Asian Fiction Sickos for a couple reasons. First, having recently read Tawny Man I need a bit of a breather or I feel a slump will hit because that was so f'n elite. Second, we've started so many series in this club and there's a dearth of standalones to pick from. We also have pop-up buddy read channels for big releases anyway (like The Strength of the Few).

In 2026, I'm considering making the switch from Fantasy to Fiction a permanent thing (see the poll). This would include all genres so you might see 4 different fiction sub-genres all in the same vote. I don't want to make any big changes without consulting the group, hence the poll. If you have any questions remaining before you vote please hit me with 'em in the comments or in the Discord.

Speaking of polls, here's the options for the book club reads in December.

HISTORY VOTE
The Wager by David Grann
Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer
The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins
Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson

FICTION VOTE
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Out by Natsuo Kirino
Seven Years of Darkness by You-Jeong Jeong
Strange Pictures by Uketsu

See you gremlins in the Disco. Sicko, out!

I wanted more from this story, but I am not the intended audience…

Thank you to Simon Teen #SimonTeenInfluencer #SimonTeen (#GirlsWhoPlayDead) specifically for sending me a physical and digital copy to read. Here's my genuine review:

Overall, I believe this book is well-suited for Young Adult audiences. I love how Joelle makes every detail intentional and relevant throughout the story. Despite having many characters to get to know, Wellington does it effortlessly and makes it clear and easy to understand who each character is and their relevance to the overall story.

I was surprised by how deeply we follow through Mikky's perspective, but it's nice to see through his lens. I also appreciate the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout some of the supporting characters.

The U.S. cover is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely perfect for this book.

I like how it gave me a teen movie nostalgic feel (reminds me of Jawbreaker or Meangirls given Kyla and Erin's relationship)
I think the storytelling was well executed.

However, while the plot twist was in fact a twist, I don't think enough time was used in the book to really drop little seeds of the end. It did, but not really. We didn't really get enough of the mother/daughter dynamic for either girl in this book.

I think the story, as is, could've been shorter. I appreciate learning about relationships through Mikky's lens, but that wasn't the point of the book. Naism got my nerves lol

I think the repetitiveness of stating "Erin is dead" was overkill. Like, we get it, she's dead. SO WHO DID IT?? What was the motive? I appreciate having no idea who it could've been until the end, but I think it could've been shorter to get there.

Around 60% I became less interested; however, I'm an adult (who reads YA frequently), so I think this would be great for YA readers, but I don't think I would recommend it for other adults to read YA, especially if they like mystery/thriller, as nothing is thrilling really in this book, in my opinion.

Personal rating, more of a solid 3. I rated it higher because I think for its intended audiences, it does what it needs to do :)

Here is the winning logo, voted for by you awesome people!

Welcome back to another Author Q & A! Last week we talked with Ghost Mother Author Kelly Dwyer. She shed some light on her amazing debut novel and gave us an idea of what her future book is about. I had an amazing time talking with Kelly!

Today I want to extend a warm welcome to author Teagan Olivia King. I recently read Teagan's debut work Spit Back The Bones which was an absolutely beautiful read. It deals with a small town, a bog, religious trauma, and has some romance as well. Not to mention that stunning cover!

1. Use this first question to introduce yourself. 

Hi! I’m Teagan. I am a gothic horror and dark fantasy author from Michigan. Last year I bought a 100 year old farmhouse and now spend most of my days typing away at my desk tucked beneath the attic eaves. When I’m not writing, I’m usually curled up with my dog and a good book, or out adventuring with my partner, Hunter! I drink too much black coffee, despise anything cooked with bay leaf, and am particularly fond of power-naps. 

2. Spit Back The Bones was such a powerful debut horror-romance novel. Can you tell us a little about it? What inspired you to write it?

Ah, thank you, that is so sweet to say! Spit Back the Bones is my debut horror novel that I wrote in a month back in 2022. It’s a bit of a fever dream, to be honest. I had a very bare outline and a very rough idea, and just kind of went for it. I knew that I wanted to write something to honor the memory of my brother, Jed, who I lost a long time ago. I was also dealing with a lot of religious trauma at the time and the two ideas kind of molded together to create what is now SBTB! I specifically remember standing in front of my bathroom mirror one night, thinking about this story, and who the characters were, and all the names hit me out of nowhere! Like, picture me, ratty old pajamas, sprinting to my desk to jot down all these names. 

3. Which character did you relate to the most? 

Definitely Mila. People ask me all the time, “So, is Mila in the story you?” And I always go, “No! She’s just a character I wrote.” But yeah, I definitely inserted some personal feelings, moods, vibes, FOR SURE. Like Mila, I hold a lot of anger. Unlike Mila, I don’t deal with it by punching people in the throat. I go to therapy and take long walks with my dog instead. But all jokes aside, 100% Mila. She has a lot to be angry about. I have a lot to be angry about. I think we all do. I think we all can relate to feelings of injustice, anger, pain, trauma. And Mila was a way for me to explore those feelings without, you know, getting slapped with assault charges. 

4. What was the hardest scene to write? The easiest? 

The hardest scene to write was a scene at the end. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but I will say this: every time I read it, I still cry. Like full-on sobs. I don’t think it makes a lot of readers cry and I think that’s because it’s very personal to me, but I hope it does at least pull at the heartstrings. In terms of the easiest scene to write, probably Mila coming home in that first chapter. I don’t know how many times I have bumped along the dirt track to my childhood home and wanted to vomit just a little bit. 

5. You captured the bog so beautifully. What inspired the bog as the main setting? 

Growing up where I did, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I grew up around bogs like other kids grow up around trees. They’re everywhere. And you’ve got to be careful because one wrong step and that’s it, you’re sucked in and gone. I always found that fascinating and terrifying as a kid and whenever my parents would let me go to a bog—never alone, mind you—I always asked my mom to make up stories about all the dead people floating in the darkness beneath us.  

6. Were there any songs, books, movies, etc... that helped you when writing Spit Back The Bones?

Midnight Mass was a huge inspiration, as was the music of Ethel Cain, and the book Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand. 

1. You just announced your next novel Bitterbloom releasing in March. I absolutely LOVE the cover. Can you tell us a little about Bitterbloom?

Yes! Bitterbloom is a gothic fantasy about a young, chronically ill woman who finds a bell that opens up a doorway to another world. Think of this world kind of like the Upside Down, except, it’s populated by not-dead people. Also, there are hot ghosts and adorable hell hounds and creatures that I hope will terrify you. It’s got religious trauma and mental health rep and lots of kissing. 

8. What have been some of your favorite reads so far this year? Of all time?

This year I have read so many fantastic books. My favorites have probably been The Rotting Room by Viggy Par Hampton, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker, and Babylonia by Costanza Casati. Of all time, my favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Other favorites include A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft, Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig, and Lady MacBethad by Isabelle Schuler. 

9. What do you hope readers take away from each of your books?

I hope people see themselves in my books. I want people to feel a sense of hope at the end of my books and a sense that whatever they are facing, they can do something about it. That they have the power inside of themselves to do the thing. Whatever that thing is. 

10.What has been the hardest part of publishing your book? Your favorite part?

Oof, the hardest part has definitely been the imposter syndrome. I am constantly asking myself if I am actually good enough, if I actually deserve to be here, is it okay for me to take up space? Somedays I dream about writing books in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere behind a pen name so no one knows it’s me. But that would directly contradict my favorite part about publishing, which is connecting with readers. So I will keep writing and connecting with so many cool people and just repeat I deserve to be here, I deserve to be here, I deserve to be here. 

Thank you again for taking the time to answer all of these questions, Teagan!

Please remember to follow Teagan on Instagram and to check out her fantastic debut!

If your book club is looking for a historical mystery that grips from the first page and begs to be discussed over tea or maybe mulled wine, The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is the one!

Set in the brutal winter of 1789 Maine, the story follows Martha Ballard, a real historical figure and a fiercely dedicated midwife. Martha keeps meticulous diary entries about life, death, and justice in her icy, isolated town. When a man is found frozen in the Kennebec River, Martha’s notes become the key to unraveling what really happened in a community where secrets are buried as deep as the snow.

What makes this book such a standout for discussion is Lawhon’s ability to balance fact and fiction with heart. Martha's voice feels authentic and fierce; she's a woman who carries both the weight of her work and the quiet power of knowing truths others ignore. The themes of female resilience, moral courage, and the pursuit of justice hit hard and feel timeless. It’s a slow-burn mystery, but also a tribute to the strength of women who document, endure, and refuse to look away.

❓️A thought for you: If you could read the secret diary of any woman from history, whose would you choose and what do you hope she wrote about?

🚨Unlock the Full Frozen River Book Club Kit!

❓️Ready for those lively & occasionally loud debates your club enjoys?

Our full, exclusive discussion kit is waiting for you inside The FirstEditions!

The First Editions get instant access to:

📜The Full Discussion Guide: Over a dozen in-depth questions about Martha’s identity, the justice system in 1789, the symbolism of the Kennebec River, and the real historical legacy!

🍷Themed Menu: Recipes to set the perfect New England atmosphere!

🎨 Fun and Creative Activities: Including the Hallowell Justice Debate roleplay and the Forensic Flat Lay creative exercise!

Welcome to your exclusive book club kit, Page Ladies! Everything you need for a deep, memorable discussion of The Frozen River is below.

❄️The Page Ladies Discuss: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

📚 Book Club Discussion Guide

These questions are designed to move from plot details to broader themes, sparking those lively & occasionally loud debates your club enjoys!

Part 1: Martha & Identity

▫️Martha Ballard is an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice. Discuss how her roles as a midwife and a healer uniquely qualified her to be a forensic investigator and a truth-seeker in Hallowell.

▫️The diary is essentially Martha's superpower the one place she can record unvarnished truth. How did the fact that she was the only one in town keeping such a detailed record affect the power dynamics between her and the town's male leaders?

▫️The term "Grave Keeper" is used to describe Martha. How does this job title embody the way she defies traditional 18th-century gender roles?

▫️Martha constantly grapples with where her loyalties lie to her family, her community, her friends, or to the absolute truth. Where did you feel her loyalties were most tested, and what ultimate decision defined her character for you?

Part 2: Justice, Power, & Community

▫️The story is set right after the American Revolution, a period obsessed with liberty and justice. How does the town's response to the rape allegations and the murder investigation expose the hypocrisy and limitations of the justice system for women in this era?

▫️Discuss the symbolism of the Kennebec River. It brings life and trade, but when it freezes, it reveals secrets and holds danger. What does the frozen river represent in the context of the town's hidden truths?

▫️Ariel Lawhon stated that she tried to make her readers feel the cold and the isolation of that Maine winter. How did the setting contribute to the novel’s atmosphere and the rising tension of the mystery?

Part 3: Wrapping Up the Story

▫️Were you surprised by the identity of the murderer? What clues did the author successfully lay out, and what clues did you miss?

▫️The novel is inspired by a real historical figure. Does knowing this affect how you view the fictionalized story and its themes? What legacy do you think Martha Ballard truly left?

❓️The Page Ladies Question: If you were Martha, knowing the danger, would you have still allowed your diary to be used as evidence, risking the safety and reputation of those you love?

🍽️Themed Menu: A Hearth & Home Spread

Channel the cozy, practical, and slightly rugged atmosphere of 18th-century New England with these simple recipes.

▫️The Drink: The Midwife's Mulled Wine

▫️The Snack: Martha's Gingerbread Snaps

▫️The Main: The Cheese Board & Hard Tack (a rustic cheese and charcuterie board with hard cheeses, grapes, and crackers).

🍷The Midwife's Mulled Wine

Ingredients

1 750 ml bottle of dry red wine. Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon work well

¼ cup brandy or orange liqueur optional, for fortification

1 large orange, sliced into rounds

2-4 tablespoons of sweetener sugar, honey, or maple syrup, to taste

2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

4 whole cloves

2 whole star anise pods

Optional: other spices like whole allspice berries, a piece of fresh ginger, or cardamom pods

Instructions

▫️Combine Ingredients: In a large, non-aluminum saucepan or pot, combine the red wine, brandy if using, orange slices, sweetener, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. Stir briefly to combine.

▫️Heat Gently: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until it just barely reaches a simmer small bubbles forming at the edges. Do not let it boil.

Infuse Flavors: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the wine simmer gently for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. You can keep it on low heat for up to an hour or more if needed.

▫️Taste and Adjust: Taste the mulled wine and stir in extra sweetener if desired.

Strain and Serve: Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices and whole spices. Ladle the warm mulled wine into heatproof mugs or glasses.

▫️Garnish: Garnish each mug with a fresh orange slice and/or a new cinnamon stick before serving.

🍪Martha's Gingerbread Snaps Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups All-purpose flour

2 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

1 tsp Ground cloves

2 tspGround ginger or 3 tsp for extra snap!

½ tsp Salt

½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter, softened

½ cupPacked dark brown sugar

¼ cup Blackstrap molasses or dark molasses

1 large Egg

Coating

¼ cup Granulated sugar

Instructions

▫️Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

▫️Combine Dry: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

▫️Cream Wet: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

▫️Add Wet: Beat in the molasses and then the egg until well combined.

▫️Mix Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a stiff, dark dough forms.

▫️Roll and Coat: Scoop the dough into small, 1-inch balls. Roll each ball lightly in the granulated sugar coating.

▫️Bake Prep: Place the sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.

▫️Flatten, The Snap Secret!: Use the bottom of a glass to gently press the top of each ball until it's slightly flattened.

▫️Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers will still look soft. Do not overbake!

▫️Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp up as they cool.

🎨 Fun and Creative Activities: These activities bring a hands-on, playful element to your discussion, honoring Martha’s work and the historical setting!

▫️Activity: The Hallowell Justice Debate! Role Play!

▫️The Game: Divide your group into three teams or assign roles.

▫️Team A: Counsel for Truth & Martha Focus on the diary, evidence, and the victim's testimony.

▫️Team B: Counsel for Public Order & Reputation Focus on the accused's reputation and the social structure.

▫️Team C: The Jury/Judge Render a verdict.

▫️Purpose: Directly engages with the book's central conflict the flawed justice system and encourages lively debate.

▫️Activity: The Midwife's Satchel! Creative/Show & Tell!

▫️Setup: Before the meeting, ask each Page Lady to bring one small, everyday item that they believe Martha Ballard would have considered her most valuable possession or an item that symbolizes her life's work, a candle, a piece of worn leather, a specific herb.

▫️The Game: Go around the circle. Each person displays their item and explains why it would be essential to Martha's survival, work, or spirit in 1789 Maine.

▫️Purpose: Forces members to think practically about Martha's difficult life and tools, grounding the historical aspects of the story.

▫️Activity: Who Knew Martha? Guessing Game!

▫️Setup: Before the meeting, have each member write down one true, non-obvious historical fact about Martha Ballard's life.

▫️The Game: The host reads the facts one by one. The rest of the Page Ladies must guess if it's: True it's in the historical record or Ariel Lawhon Fictionalized It.

▫️Purpose: Celebrates the real woman and highlights the line between fact and fiction in historical novels.

🎁Themed Door Prizes: These prize ideas blend the practical, cozy, and historical elements of Martha Ballard's story and the harsh Maine winter setting!

🥶The New England Winter Comfort Set: These prizes focus on the setting and the need for warmth and comfort during the harsh winter.

▫️A Fine Spice Set: Since Martha's Gingerbread Snaps are on the menu and spices were valuable commodities, a small tin of high-quality Ground Cinnamon, Cloves, and Ginger labelled Martha's Baking Spices!

▫️A Cozy Cabin Candle: A small, scented candle with notes of pine, spruce, or woodsmoke to evoke the isolated Maine woods and cabin atmosphere!

▫️Mulled Wine Kit: A cute bundle containing a small bottle of non-alcoholic spiced cider or a packet of mulling spices with instructions!

📜 The Midwife's Toolkit & Truth: These prizes reflect Martha's work as a healer and her dedication to documentation.

▫️A Healer's Salve or Balm: A small, natural tin of lip balm or a herbal hand salve such as rosemary or lavender that Martha herself might have used for chapped hands.

▫️A Sturdy Journal and Pen: A small, hardcover, plain-paged notebook with a ribbon bookmark, along with a nice pen, encouraging the recipient to record their own unvarnished truths like Martha's diary.

▫️Herbal Tea Set: A small tin of loose-leaf herbal tea known for healing or comfort, such as chamomile, peppermint, or nettle.

⚖️Justice & Legacy Tokens: These focus on the themes of truth, justice, and the book's title!

▫️River Stone Keyring: A smooth, engraved river stone or sea glass token attached to a keyring or necklace, symbolizing the secrets revealed by the frozen Kennebec River.

▫️The Hallowell Justice Mug: A simple, sturdy mug perhaps a stoneware look perfect for hot drinks, maybe with a small tag that reads: Truth is a stubborn thing.

🎉Happy reading and discussing!

❗️Don't forget to come back and tell us all about your book club meeting!!

Tap here to download the book club kit! https://tinyurl.com/ms8vddvb

Bookworms, if you're looking for a historical mystery that grips from the first page and begs for discussion, look no further!

We just reviewed The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, a powerful story set in the brutal winter of 1789 Maine. It follows Martha Ballard, a fierce midwife whose meticulous diary entries are the key to solving a murder mystery in an isolated, secretive town.

This book is a deep dive into:

📜Female Resilience & Moral Courage

🕵️‍♀️A Slow-Burn Mystery

⚖️Justice vs. Law in 18th-Century America

Martha's voice is authentic and unforgettable, making this a standout for discussion!

Want the Full Review & Exclusive Book Club Kit?

📖Get the Full Review: Join The Prequels Prequel for instant access to the complete, in-depth Frozen River review!

🎁Get the Full Kit: Recipes, Activities, Guides & More: Upgrade to the First Editions Membership for the complete Book Club Kit, including:

📜 The Full Discussion Guide

🍷 Themed Menu & Recipes

🎨 Creative Activities

❓A Thought for You: If you could read the secret diary of any woman from history, whose would you choose and what do you hope she wrote about? Let us know below! 👇

Holding space on this TDoR with love, gentleness, and stillness.

Sending strength and tenderness to those mourning, to those carrying weight.

You are held and loved beyond measure.

You matter

You belong

Your survival is revolution.

Those in your orbit are changed by your existence. May we meet that gift with protection, with solidarity, with care that breaks systems open. Our liberation is tied to one another, our paths woven together. I will always show up for those who are fighting to stay whole.

Today, I am out on the land with my furry pal, connecting with the old growth trees while honouring our grief, our memories, our love in action 🫂🫀

Hi folks,

I’ve been doing a series on TikTok this week, recommending trans books in various genres. Here’s the collated list! Let me know if you’ve read any of these, and let me know your recommendations!

3 Transfem book recs:

Shadows Over Ravenkirk by Vivian Moira Valentine

The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy

Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders

3 Transmasc book recs:

A Hex for Hunger by Alistair Reeves

Silver Blood by TL Morgan

The Prospects by K.T. Hoffman

Queer trans BIPOC book recs:

- Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt

- Confetti Realms by Nadia Shammas

- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

- The Tensorate Series by Neon Yang

Genderfluid book recs:

- Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou

- Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland (side character)

- Orlando by Virginia Woolf

Books with more than one trans main character:

- Self Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

- In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu

- The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

Sci-fi books with non-binary main characters:

- Key Lime Sky by Al Hess

- Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto

- Terms of Service by Ciel Pierlot

3 historical romance books with trans main characters:

- A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander

- The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A.

- A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell (this is the only one on the list I haven’t read yet)

Much love

Disco

Sunny's Holiday Hotline

I'm here with a holiday offering. Got a bookish loved one who’s impossible to shop for? Welcome to Sunny’s Holiday Hotline, where you send us all the details about the reader in your life and we hand you a perfect, weirdly spot-on book to gift. I'll do my best to get to as many as possible.

Last year this brought us such bounty as:

• "A rec for my best friend who loves drama but says she ‘hates conflict'."

• “A book for my mom who texts ‘call me’ with zero context.”

• "I want a book that feels like watching the sunset from a parking garage."

• "A book that feels like the last song at a middle school dance." 

• “For my dad who reads books about World War II and absolutely nothing else.”

I'm hoping to up the ante this year with specificity, hit me with your worst.

Store news

• The Saved tee is coming back in a new colorway!!! Do you love?

• I have a big ol' merch restock coming in addition to the above, should be done next week in time for gifting season. 😇

• We're doing a bookish cookie decorating party that is sold out already, will let you know if any cancellations come up on our Instagram to grab a ticket.

• Our angel tree is up and we're partnering with Border Kindness to get some deserving kids books once again. If you make it into the store before the end of the year, consider adding this on to your purchase.

• There is still time to sign up for the December book club, The House of Beauty. An essay collection on the terror that is the beauty industry.
  

That's it for me today! Thank you for your continued support of Sunny's. I know you don't need the reminder but a gentle nudge to shop small this holiday season on behalf of allllll the booksellers I know in this economic downturn is greatly appreciated. Love ya!

Love what we do? Become a paid subscriber for less than a cup of coffee a month. Your ongoing support helps us plan ahead, fund causes we care about, and create meaningful programming for our community.

At the moment, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones is winning the vote for our first bookclub pick for our First Swords and Bright Stars. But, there are still a few days left for our Bright Stars to vote on here AND on our Discord....