What a week, y'all! Baseball is back, so I've been a bit distracted around here. If you follow me on Instagram then you know we've been ALL about the Dodgers the past few days. Opening weekend did not disappoint, but it did cut into my reading and writing time. Not much new content, but a few books worth noting.

This week I binged Rebecca Serle's latest, Once and Again. I won't lie, I enjoyed it. But that's no surprise given how much I've enjoyed all her other work. Her writing is somewhere between Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid, with a splash of Alice Hoffman. I love how she weaves magical realism into all of her books, but I'm a bit partial to magic. 😜 This felt a little familiar, meaning I recognized some of the same themes and plot points, so it didn't feel as fresh. Regardless, the idea of a little silver ticket that allows you to turn back time was pretty appealing. Triggers: infertility and infidelity. 3.75⭐️

I finally finished Before We Were Yours, the March BBFL book club pick. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as mind blowing as I'd been lead to believe it would be. Sure, the story of Rill and the rest of the Foss children was super moving, but the contemporary storyline felt like a distraction, particularly when the romance subplot took off. I didn't care at ALL about Avery's lovelife. I did enjoy the setting and the writing though! I will definitely read more of Windgate's work. 4⭐️

I've officially started In the Great Quiet, Laura Vogt's debut novel, and, y'all, I'm so swept up in this historical adventure that I don't want to put it down. I was lucky enough to get access to the audiobook, so I'm switching back and forth between the print and audio just to keep the story going. Some people have a gift; Laura is one of those people! Don't forget, I'm giving away a physical copy (link below), but you can get a free ebook copy through the end of the month if you're an Amazon Prime sub!

Lastly, I wrapped up The Secret Lives of Murderer's Wives this morning and really enjoyed it. I think it's the perfect summer read, ideal for vacation or lounging around on a hot day. There's strong female friendship and plenty of mystery, and the 1960s Los Angeles setting was the icing on the cake for me. A satisfying ending + sweltering summer setting + a string of murders = ideal summer reading! 4.25⭐️

This Week in SBB:

• New Historical Fantasy Bookmail

• New Giveaway: In the Great Quiet Promo Box

• Five Year Bookstaversary

Hear it Here First:

I've got some fun things planned for next week's April newsletter, so be sure to subscribe asap!

It's official, Go as a River is the BBFL's April book selection. Join the club and read along if that one's still on your TBR!

xoxo

C

It's time to wrap up One Day At Horrorland and kick off Why I'm Afraid of Bees.

I absolutely loved revisiting One Day At Horrorland. It makes me wish there was a horror themed amusement park by me! Maybe one day I'll make it to the Horror Nights at Universal!

You can watch the two part episode here if you haven't already watched it.

WRAP UP

1. What was your favorite ride in Horrorland?

2. Would you visit Horrorland?

KICK OFF

Next up is Why I'm Afraid Of Bees which is one I don't remember reading as a kid. But I can sure say I don't like bees!

Synopsis: Gary Lutz needs a vacation . . . from himself. Bullies are constantly beating him up. His only friend is his computer. Even his little sister doesn't like him.But now Gary's dream is about to come true. He's going to exchange bodies with another kid for a whole week.Gary can't wait to get a new body. Until something horrible happens. And Gary finds out his new body isn't exactly human...

No episode for this one!

Nothing seems to get under my skin as much as bugs. They're gross and get into everything. The below books will be sure to stir up some buzz.

Nestlings by Nat Cassidy--This book made me feel itchy. I felt like I needed to take a Raid bomb and bomb out my house!

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher-- SO MUCH BUG body horror. Brace yourself near the end!

The Troop by Nick Cutter-- I cannot think about this book without thinking of WORMS.

ITCH! by Gemma Amor-- The ants go crawling one by one hurrah!

Shockwaves by Matt Kurtz--Amusement Parks and giant man-eating bugs! Nuff said.

Cicada by Tanya Pell-- A movie festival, small town ritual, and giant cicadas? HECK YEAH.

So excited to announce that I will be moderating a panel at Bay Area Book Festival this year! And it’s on Indigenous romance!

Eeeeeeeek!

The panel is From Colleagues to Courtship: Indigenous Romance and features Tashia Hart, Pamela Sanderson and Dani Trujillo. I’ve linked their books below!

Will I see you there?

Hey y'all,

Today at 1 PM, we'll be discussing The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold on Discord. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

XoXo,

Rae

Super excited to meet folks at Bookcon this year!

And I’ve been keeping a huge secret (which as a gossip has been so hard!)

I will be moderating 2 THRILLER Panels

Saturday: Murder She Wrote: Thriller Writing and the Art of Suspense

Sunday: The Perfect Spot for Murder

I’ll also be giving away What Feeds Below arcs!

Check out the books below from the authors on the panels (+ What Feeds Below!)

My goal is to read 10 thrillers in 20 days! I’m almost done Nothing Ever Happens Here and I have NO IDEA how this one is going to end? Which one should I pick up next? How many bodies will drop across 10 books?! (From the attending authors I read The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark and The Scammer by Tiffany D Jackson last year- and they were two of my faves!)

Will I be seeing you at Bookcon?

Happy Friday, Bindery Besties ❤️

Surprise!!! I've got a new giveaway to share, and it's a fun one, too.

Laura Vogt, author of In the Great Quiet, was kind enough to send me a second copy of her debut novel to share with my community. I have an unopened promo box for one lucky winner, hopefully someone that loves immersive Western historical fiction.

I'm reading this right now and really enjoying it! The FMC is spunky and full of grit (bonus points that she's based on Laura's own ancestor), and the writing is really transportive. I have a feeling you'll love it, too.

Anyone who prefers ebooks can snag a FREE copy of this one as part of Amazon First Reads. Let's face it, free is always good!

It’s time to vote on our April book club pick! Each of these are robust fantasies that come highly rated and recommended by the online book community. Can’t wait to dive into one of these with you this month! Voting will close on Monday, March 30th 🗳️

The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay

Hauntingly evocative of medieval Spain, this is both a brilliant adventure and a deeply compelling story of love, divided loyalties, and what happens to men and women when hardening beliefs begin to remake — or destroy — a world.

Theft of Swords by Michael 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.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.