Hi there besties ❤️

Happy Sunday & Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

I wanted to share a few thoughts about my most recent reads and give you a sneak peek at what's coming this week in the world of SBB.

First, let me just say that Yesteryear has TAKEN over my life. I binged it last Sunday and Monday and haven't stopped compulsively thinking about it since. I've written the equivalent of a 10-page paper that I will be publishing exclusively to Bindery this week, and I'm putting the finishing touches on a long-form video review for Youtube (my first ever video dedicated solely to one book) and a short-form Instagram post. I'm sure I'll edit that thesis down to a few paragraphs for a blog post at some point, but there's too many thoughts floating around in my head right now to condense it much further. For now, I'll just say that I plan to give it four starts, but I'm not convinced everyone should read it. More to come...

As you requested in last week's poll, I started Mrs. Benedict Arnold, and, boy, what a treat! It's a combination of Jane Austen, Diana Gabaldon, and various Regency Romance authors I've read and enjoyed (Sophie Irwin, Manda Collins, India Holton, etc). It's packed with history but is very much a character-driven book, so the history seems more palatable. I think it will be perfect for folks who enjoy a little romance with their historical fiction. Plus, it's perfect for the upcoming 250th anniversary of America this summer.

I'm back on the Go As a River bandwagon and glad that I am. I told myself to give it another shot, and surprisingly I'm enjoying it again. The surprise pregnancy trope put me off for a bit, but the character arc shifted back to an empowerment story so it's more my jam. The prose is really lovely, reminding me of some of the things I loved about Where the Lost Wander and In the Great Quiet. I should finish today, but it's looking like a solid 4⭐️ read for me.

The Woman and Her Stars is my go-to-bed read, so I'm slowly plugging away (I've been so tired lately that my eyes start drooping as soon as my head hits the pillow). I'm really enjoying it and am hopeful to finish soon. Haw is a masterful storyteller, so I have a feeling it will be another 4⭐️+ for me.

We've been spending a lot of time watching sports (both in person and on t.v.), having dinners with friends, and Spring cleaning. When life gets busy like this it's hard to balance it all, and naturally my content creation becomes less of a priority. I'm thinking next month will be a catch-up month for me since we have no trips and only one Dodger game. As for the rest of May, it's jam packed with trips and games. I'm headed home to Louisiana later this week, so look for a few alligator pics next week!

ICYMI:

• May new releases Youtube video

• Monday book mail

• 4 AAPI historical fiction recommendations

• Tudor non-fiction recommendation

• Yesteryear conversation starter

• Don't forget about our Discord server!

Hear It Here First:

Again, LOTS of Yesteryear content coming very soon, as well as a sneak peek at my new historical fiction TBR jar prompts!

Until next week, happy reading!

xoxo

C

It's time to wrap up Deep Trouble and Kick off The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight!

WRAP UP

This is one that I remember reading back in sixth grade. I obviously forgot most of the details but remembered some things here and there! I definitely enjoyed this one.

Questions:

1. What was your favorite part?

2. Would you ever swim with any kind of sea creature?

KICK OFF

Now it's time to kick off THE SCARECROW WALKS AT MIDNIGHT

Synopsis:

Jodie loves visiting her grandparents' farm. Okay, so it's not the most exciting place in the world. Still, Grandpa tells great scary stories. And Grandma's chocolate chip cookies are the best.But this summer the farm has really changed. The cornfields are sparse. Grandma and Grandpa seem worn out. And the single scarecrow has been replaced by twelve evil-looking ones.Then one night Jodie sees something really odd. The scarecrows seem to be moving. Twitching on their stakes. Coming alive . .

Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs,

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! 💐

Today we hold space for celebration, but also for the complicated feelings of love, grief, estrangement, or loss that may accompany this day.

No matter how today finds you, sending you all extra love and a hug today. xo

Please note there's a poll included with this roundup...I'm very interested in your response and thoughts.

And now, here are the remainder of May releases...

May 12th Latine Releases

NONFICITON

Migrant Heart: Reyna Grande (Audiobook) Memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival

ROMANCE

The Last Page by Katie Holt (Audiobook) Bookish contemporary romance for fans of Emily Henry

Burnout Summer Jenna Ramirez (Audiobook) Beachy friends-to-lovers romance taking place post-grad summer

MIDDLE GRADE

Our Fair Share by Sarah Marie Jette (Audiobook) Follows friends as they reunite at a county fair in Maine to overcome both their personal troubles and take care of their community in need

POETRY

Canícula / Dog Days by William Archila and Translated by Mario Zetino: Bilingual poetry collection El Salvadoran poet, Archila

WOMEN'S FICTION

Please Don't Go by E. Salvador (Audiobook) From the cover, I thought this might be a romance (I usually will just pick up books without reading the synopsis), but don't be like me...I began listening to this audiobook thanks to an advanced listening copy from LibroFM and I had to put it down. It was too sad and grief-stricken for me to continue. I got about 20% of the way into it and had to put it down.

TRANSLATED FICTION

Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun by Monica Ojeda (Audiobook) Ecuadorian author, Ojeda, is back with a psychadelic novel of girlhood, violence and the loss of innocence.

May 19th

MEMOIR

The Keeper of My Kin by Ada Ferrer (Audiobook) Cuban historian, Ferrer's, memoir of migration, separation and love.

ROMANCE

I'm Gonna Get You Back by Eva Des Lauriers (Audiobook) Second chance contemporary romance

Running Home To You by Samantha Saldivar (Audiobook) Sapphic sports romance from the author of Play You For It.

TRANSLATED LITERARY FICTION

Tarantula by Eduardo Halfon and Translated by Daniel Hahn: Lessons for childhood sleepaway camp return in this dark historical fiction.

NONFICTION

What Science Says about Astrology by Carlos Orsi: 2026 has been my metaphysical and astrology year, so this one has my interest quite piqued.

May 26th

PICTURE BOOK

Finding My Wave by Alexandra Katona and illustrated by Sara Palacios Children's picture book A girl who goes surfing with her Lita and finally makes friends with her fears and catches her first wave!

MIDDLE GRADE

Five Days at the Hotel Adams by Hailey Alcaraz (Audiobook) Clue x The Room Where It Happens about 2 Mexican girls uncovering a mystery in a famous hotel in territorial Arizona

The Chismosas Only Book Club by Laekan Zea Kemp and Illustrated by Heidi Moreno (Audiobook) Is this about Bien Leidos book club? NO....this is The Sisterhood of the Travellling Pants meets Mexikid about 4 friends and the magical bookstore that holds them together.

YOUNG ADULT

How to Love You When You’re Gone by Gabriela Gonzales (Audiobook) Falling in love for the first time while grieving in this complex, hysterical and heartbreaking YA.

We Could Be Anyone by Anna-Marie McLemore (Audiobook) White Lotus meets Mexican Gothic--2 teen con artists must execute an impossible scam

LITERARY FICTION

Pretend You're Dead, I'll Carry You by Julián Delgado Lopera (Audiobook) Set in Colombia's queer underground scene--I'm listening to this right now and it's a chaotic and vibrant queer explosion. Can't wait to review it.

xo,

Carmen

Some books entertain you while you’re reading them. Others quietly settle somewhere deeper and follow you around for days after you finish.

This week felt very much like the second kind.

There were ghosts and reality dating shows and corporate AI nightmares and dungeon chaos, yes, but underneath all of that, I kept finding myself circling back to stories about identity. About the roles people are pushed into. The systems that shape them. The expectations they carry. The versions of themselves they’re allowed to become.

And apparently, I processed all of that while walking Link this week.

The Supper Club Saints

This is one of those books that hurts because it understands something too well.

On the surface, it’s about motherhood. But underneath that, it’s about expectation. About guilt. About the impossible balancing act women are expected to perform while simultaneously being told they’re failing no matter what choice they make.

And what struck me most is that the book never simplifies any of it.

Every woman here feels fully realized in her own fears and contradictions. Cass returning home after living in a cult-like “Mommune.” Erin navigating pregnancy anxiety. Hilary struggling with the slow erosion of identity that can happen when your entire life revolves around caring for everyone else first.

There’s no singular “good mother” presented here. No easy answer. Just women trying, failing, surviving, grieving, loving.

And honestly? That’s what made it so emotionally devastating.

The miscarriage discussion especially wrecked me. Not in a manipulative, tearjerker kind of way, but in that quiet, deeply honest way that suddenly makes you realize how rarely certain experiences are written about with this level of vulnerability.

It’s the kind of passage that makes you stop reading for a minute because you need to sit with it.

The Girl with a Thousand Faces

This book unfolded slowly for me…and then completely consumed me.

At first, I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going. The pacing is deliberate, almost hazy in places, like the story is pulling you underwater inch by inch before you fully realize it.

Then suddenly I was obsessed.

What starts as a ghost story gradually reveals itself to be about inherited trauma, war, memory, abandonment, occupation, loneliness, and the things grief turns people into when they’re left to carry it alone for too long.

And what I loved most is that the ghosts never feel metaphorical in a detached literary sense. They feel earned.

The horrors inflicted on these characters linger physically within the city itself. The dead remain because history refuses to let them leave peacefully. There’s something deeply cathartic and heartbreaking about the way vengeance and grief intertwine here.

The historical backdrop especially adds weight to everything. The book doesn’t sensationalize the brutality of war or occupation, but it also doesn’t soften it. Some scenes are genuinely harrowing, particularly in how they explore the vulnerability of women and lower-class civilians trapped within systems they cannot escape.

But despite all of that darkness, there’s still humanity woven throughout the story. Mercy’s arc slowly becomes less about surviving the past and more about whether healing is even possible after unimaginable harm.

Also: Bao the ghost cat deserves his own book immediately.

Abyss

You know that creeping feeling when technology stops feeling helpful and starts feeling… hungry?

That’s this book.

What worked so well for me here is how disorienting everything feels from the beginning. Joe enters this office already emotionally detached from himself, and then the environment around him starts amplifying that disconnect until reality itself feels unstable.

The office is empty. The productivity culture borders on religious fanaticism. Nobody explains anything clearly. The AI system is omnipresent in this suffocating, quietly invasive way.

And the longer the story goes on, the more it starts feeling less like horror fiction and more like an exaggerated version of things we already normalize every day.

That’s what made the book unsettling for me.

Not the Lovecraftian elements.
Not even the surveillance.

The recognition.

The idea that people willingly hand pieces of themselves over to systems that reward convenience, efficiency, and constant optimization without fully questioning what’s being taken in return.

There’s also this dark absurdist humor running through the novella that balances the dread surprisingly well. The endless swearing. The bizarre office dynamics. The redacted signs. It all feels just grounded enough to be funny before it loops back around into deeply uncomfortable territory.

I do think the novella length limits how fully the story can explore some of its strongest ideas, because honestly? I could have spent another 150 pages descending into this nightmare.

The Gate of the Feral Gods

At this point, Dungeon Crawler Carl has fully crossed the line from “fun series” into “I am emotionally invested in this ridiculous chaos.”

And this installment felt different in a really good way.

The structure immediately worked better for me than book three. Splitting the floor into distinct castles and challenges gave the story momentum without losing the insanity that makes the series work.

But more importantly: Carl finally feels less lucky and more genuinely terrifying.

There’s something satisfying about watching him evolve from reactive survivor into someone actively manipulating the systems around him. His solutions are still completely unhinged, but now they feel earned instead of accidental.

And honestly? That evolution matters because this series has always been smarter than people give it credit for.

Underneath the explosions and absurdity and AI game show chaos, there’s a very real thread about exploitation, performance, audience consumption, and survival under systems designed to commodify suffering.

Also the audiobook continues to be one of the best audiobook experiences I’ve ever had.

The Foursome

This is one of those historical fiction novels that immediately sends you spiraling into research afterward because your brain refuses to accept that these were real people.

And what fascinated me most is that despite the premise revolving around Eng and Chang Bunker, the emotional center of the novel becomes Sallie.

Through her perspective, the story slowly shifts away from the public spectacle surrounding the twins and into something much more intimate: marriage, motherhood, identity, resentment, obligation, public scrutiny, and the exhausting emotional labor women are expected to absorb quietly.

What I appreciated is that the novel never tries to flatten anyone into easy heroes or villains.

The Bunker brothers are sympathetic in some ways and deeply troubling in others. Their experiences with discrimination exist alongside their support of slavery and the Confederacy. And the novel doesn’t try to resolve those contradictions neatly because history rarely allows for that kind of simplicity.

That discomfort becomes part of the point.

It’s a story about fame and spectacle, yes, but also about the people forced to build ordinary lives inside extraordinary circumstances.

And honestly? Some of the logistics of this family dynamic were so emotionally complicated that I kept having to pause and think, “How did anyone navigate this in real life?”

The Franchise

This one is frustrating because I can see the better version of this book so clearly in my head.

The premise is phenomenal: a fully immersive fantasy production where actors lose themselves so completely inside their roles that their identities essentially cease to exist outside the narrative.

That should be incredible.

And occasionally, it is.

There are moments where the story brushes against genuinely fascinating ideas surrounding performance, media consumption, AI, autonomy, exploitation, and the ethics of entertainment.

But the deeper the book went, the more it became buried beneath its own structure.

Timelines overlap. Scenes repeat from different perspectives. Lore piles onto lore. Meta commentary stacks endlessly on top of itself. And instead of deepening the story, it slowly started smothering it.

What frustrated me most is that the novel continuously introduces morally horrifying concepts…and then moves on before fully interrogating them.

The implications surrounding consent, bodily autonomy, identity erasure, labor exploitation, and race are all there. The book sees them. It gestures toward them repeatedly.

But it rarely sits with them long enough to say anything meaningful.

And that left me feeling oddly detached from a story that should have absolutely consumed me.

Still, I can’t deny the ambition here. I’d almost rather read a messy, overly ambitious book than something completely forgettable.

Hart’s Landing

After several emotionally heavy reads, this felt like exhaling.

Not because the story avoids difficult things; there’s grief and guilt and fractured friendships woven throughout the book, but because it approaches those emotions with softness instead of devastation.

And honestly? Sometimes that’s exactly what I need.

Mila and Everett’s relationship works because it’s built on history. There’s tension there, yes, but also familiarity. Longing. The ache of unfinished feelings that never really disappeared.

The small-town setting also feels genuinely lived in rather than idealized. Family dynamics are messy. Friendships drift and reconnect imperfectly. Home is comforting and painful at the same time.

And I loved that the story allowed Mila to slowly rediscover pieces of herself instead of framing romance as the sole solution to her unhappiness.

It’s tender in a way that feels earned.

Reality Bites

This was just fun to read.

But underneath all the chaos and flirting and reality dating show nonsense, there’s actually a pretty sharp commentary running through the entire thing about performance and manufactured identity.

Grace entering this influencer-heavy environment as someone completely disconnected from social media makes her feel constantly out of sync with everyone around her, and that discomfort becomes one of the book’s funniest and smartest elements.

Because while the story absolutely leans into the absurdity of reality TV, it also understands how emotionally manipulative those spaces can become.

The producers shaping narratives. The contestants performing versions of themselves. The pressure to remain marketable at all times. It’s exaggerated, but not by that much.

And the romance itself is genuinely adorable. This feels like the kind of rom-com specifically designed for reading poolside in one sitting.

A Very Vexing Murder

I love when retellings understand that the goal isn’t to replace the original story; it’s to play inside it.

And this one does that well.

Shifting Harriet Smith into the role of detective immediately changes the energy of the story because it forces her into a level of agency she never fully gets in Emma itself.

The mystery remains relatively light and cozy, but the real fun comes from watching familiar Austen dynamics filtered through an entirely different perspective.

Harriet becomes sharper here. More observant. More capable. And giving her a slightly devious streak ended up being one of the more entertaining choices the book makes.

Did it redefine Austen adaptations for me? No.

But it absolutely felt like spending time in a familiar literary world from a fresh angle, and sometimes that’s exactly the kind of reading experience I want.

Some weeks leave me with clear favorites. This week mostly left me with questions.

About identity.
About performance.
About motherhood.
About systems.
About grief.
About the roles people willingly step into versus the ones forced onto them.

And somehow all of these wildly different books ended up circling those same ideas in completely different ways. Funny how that happens sometimes.

April was full of strange women, unraveling minds, body horror, caves, literary magic, and at least one scene that permanently altered my brain chemistry.

📖 LOVED

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer is easily in my top three books of 2026 so far. I related to the main character so much and the anxiety running through this book felt painfully real at times. The tension never lets up. It just slowly tightens around you until every interaction feels wrong in the best possible way. One of those books where you start questioning everyone and everything alongside the protagonist.

Decomposition Book by Sara Van Os completely caught me off guard. Weird, sexy, feral, uncomfortable. Exactly the kind of book I love stumbling into without really knowing what I’m about to experience. It felt messy and human and emotionally raw in a way that really worked for me.

Headlights by C.J. Leede proves once again that C.J. Leede apparently refuses to let readers know peace. There is at least one scene in this book that is going to live in my brain forever like a cursed VHS tape. I loved this more than American Rapture, though Maeve Fly still owns a permanent section of my soul.

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer had me from the first few pages. A blend of whodunnit, fantasy, and literary love letter with the kind of cozy magic that makes you want to disappear into a rainy bookstore for a weekend. I already know this is a reread for me.

Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams was our book club pick and Taylor Adams really knows how to create panic-inducing situations. The cave imagery especially got under my skin in a very claustrophobic way.

Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir... that ending. Absolute chef’s kiss. Quietly unsettling in a way that sneaks up on you.

📖 LIKED

The Cove by Claire Rose had a really strong atmosphere, but the plot became a little confusing for me by the end.

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Part 2 by Emil Ferris is still visually incredible, but I just wasn’t as emotionally pulled in as I hoped to be.

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer had a fascinating concept, though the pacing felt a little repetitive for me at times.

📖 NOT FOR ME

Odessa by Gabrielle Sher just never fully grabbed my attention.

Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth leaned way too heavily into world building for my personal taste.

Body Count by Codie Crowley unfortunately just didn’t work for me. The dialogue and character voices felt a little too cringy and whiny.

Abyss by Nicholas Binge sounded like something I should have loved on paper, but it never fully hooked me emotionally.

Shoot Me in the Face on a Beautiful Day by Emma E. Murray wasn’t bad at all, it was just a little too emotionally heavy for me personally without enough light breaking through by the end.

❓What was your favorite read of April?

💍 Till Finals do they part...

✨ Clover got admitted to her dream school, but now needs a way to get into their special housing program. Only one person can help - her current enemy and ex-bestfriend, Bennett. They both get MARRIED, but only for a semester. Of course, things are going to brew with the closes proximity 😉

✨ What I liked -
Bennett is so possessive and angsty🔥
ONLY ONE BED 🛏️
Body positivity 💕
Black market grilled cheese 🧀 😂
Their mum's friendship (reminds me of tsitp)

✨ 8/10 ✨

💍 BOOK PUBLISHED! Go read now 😄🤌🫶

✨ Author - @andimjulie

✨ Thank you so much @macmillanusa for this gifted copy in exchange of an honest review

#bookstagram

My 2026 has been rich in both book and audiobook consumption.

And since we are almost halfway through the year, I thought I’d share some of my favorite audiobooks of 2026 that you can find on Libro.fm. Why Libro.fm, you say?
Simple, because Libro.fm actually compensates your local indie bookstore, the audiobooks purchased on Libro.fm are yours forever, and you can listen to them on any device. How perfect is that?

So, here we go, see below my list and I will also link paperbacks to this post because... shelf trophies of course lol

https://libro.fm/playlists/laura-de-francesco-2026

Welcome back to another Author Interview! Today I am joined by Haley Newlin, author of Take Your Turn Teddy, Not Another Sarah Halls , and The Film You Are About To See.

1. I always use this first question as an introduction. Tell us as much or as little about yourself as you would like!

I grew up on the theatrical terror of William Castle's gimmicks and Vincent Price films — both of which have heavily influenced my work. I have published three novels, including Take Your Turn, Teddy, and my latest release, The Film You Are About To See which was featured on the 2025 Bram Stoker Reading List. I have written several short stories, including "The Butcher on Blue Jay Way," featured in Kandisha Press's SLASH-HER: An Anthology of Women in Horror, and a story in Nick Roberts’s forthcoming Haunted Minds: Tales of Possession anthology. 

I am the managing editor for Cemetery Dance Magazine. When I’m not writing, I’m watching black-and-white horror films or reading horror books. I live in Indiana with my boyfriend and three dogs.  

2. I just saw the amazing news that you are the new Managing Editor for Cemetery Dance Magazine. That is so exciting. Care to tell us a little about what all that will entail?

Thank you! I’m really excited about this new role. I’ve written for Cemetery Dance Magazine for about five years, mostly book reviews and author interviews. The managing editor curates this content, edits it, and publishes it. 

I’m excited to work on the next print magazine release. 

3. You currently have three books out. Do you have a favorite that you have written? Was there one that was harder to write than the others? One you have more of a personal connection to?

The Film You Are About To See is definitely my favorite. When I treat myself to some me time, I’m always watching an old horror flick like The Tingler (1959), House On Haunted Hill (1959), or Cat People (1942). 

I’ve always really loved Vincent Price and William Castle and have dreamed of seeing one of their films at the drive-in, my favorite place to watch horror movies. Then, I got to thinking about if I could host my own dusk til dawn night at the drive-in, what kind of movies would I show? How could I bring William Castle’s theatrical gimmicks to the drive-in setting? And the result -- The Film You Are About To See. 

I still can’t believe I got to write a book like The Film You Are About To See. It was just a blast. And the best part has been readers going and watching some of the films included on the marquee. I love nothing more than a tag on Instagram and someone shares that they read The Film You Are About To See and are watching Shock (1946), Vincent Price’s first starring role, or The Tingler, for the very first time. 

Take Your Turn, Teddy was the most difficult book to write, and maybe that’s because it is the most personal. 

For a while, I said that Take Your Turn, Teddy broke my brain. This story came together about a young boy who lives in an abusive home situation, and when he and his mother flee to a house in Indiana, he befriends a dark entity.

In my childhood and teen years, most days just felt like survival. I didn’t feel that there was a lot of consistency in my life aside from abandonment, disappointment, and isolation. This is the type of narrative the shadow feeds to Teddy. He comes to believe the bad is his only constant. 

So, basically, I’d written some personal elements into what this road looks like for Teddy. Which, eventually, was cathartic. At first, it was grueling. Like pulling teeth. I’d leave the writing desk just feeling gutted and utterly exposed. But for some reason, I pushed through and kept writing. 

I’m glad I did. 

4. Are you working on any new projects at the moment?

Too many! I am a firm believer in working on one project at a time. I want all of my creativity and ideas to channel into one project. But, my current project calendar has me working on a screenplay and two short stories, simultaneously, so it’s been an adjustment for sure. 

I begin drafting my next novel in June. I won’t say too much but it sort of feels like a sister novel to Take Your Turn, Teddy. It’s bleak and set in rural Indiana during the 1940s.  

5. I know you are a HUGE Vincent Price fan. What are your top three Vincent Price movies?

I never get tired of answering questions like this!

I really prefer Vincent Price’s films prior to the 1960s, but there is one exception and it’s first on my list. 

1. Diary of a Madman (1963) 

2. The Tingler (1959) 

3. House of Wax (1953) 

6. Do you have any writing rituals or routines that help you get in the writing zone?

I like to start each writing session by listing out a few things I’m most excited about within the project. Maybe it’s the setting, like 1959 at a dusk til dawn Spooktacular, hosted by the local drive-in (as in The Film You Are About To See), or a new piece of research I stumbled upon. Sometimes just being reminded of the passion and taking a moment to reconnect to it, makes a blank page less intimidating. 

7. What have been your top 2026 horror book releases?

I can’t stop recommending The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson and I’ll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel. 

The Curse of Hester Gardens should be studied on college campuses. It’s a story about poverty, gun violence, familial bonds, curses and ghosts. It’s an unshakable and incredibly emotional read. 

I’ll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel (May 26, 2026) is inspired by Linda Taylor, known as the original Welfare Queen, who Ronald Reagan caricatured as the ultimate cheat of the system and by extension, the American people. I recommend going into this somewhat blind. The supernatural element and secondary POV come together so powerfully. 

It’s about generational and historical trauma, oppression, and the power of friendship. 

It’s quite visceral, terrifying, and unforgettable. 

8. Some of your favorite backlist titles?

My favorite read of 2025 was Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory. I think everyone should read this book. It’s just brilliant. I’m actually currently reading a book recommended to fans of The Reformatory, called Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane. It will absolutely make it on my list of top reads of the year. I can’t put it down. 

I also really enjoyed The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Canas. It has one of the most memorable endings I’ve ever read. I wanted to leap from my seat and yell “GOOD FOR HER!” 

A favorite nonfiction read that I can’t recommend enough is Scream With Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism by Eleanor Johnson. It totally changed how I see adaptations of horror books like The Shining and The Exorcist.

9. Being an indie author yourself, who are some of your favorite indie horror authors/books?

I love the Paisley Mott series by Kalvin Ellis, Squirming All The Way Up by Joey Powell, The Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower (my scariest read of 2025), and you can’t go wrong with anything from Viggy Parr Hampton, Spencer Hamilton, Briana Morgan, or RJ Joseph. 

10. What horror movies have you been watching lately/are on your radar?

After reading Your Favorite Scary Movie: by Ashley Cullins, I am looking forward to seeing Scream 7 once it hits streaming. I had no idea that the original screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, directed it. He’s been through so much with this franchise and the woes of Hollywood, that I was really excited to hear that he’s back. He always wanted Scream to have a queer director, he said he just never would’ve thought that it would be himself. 

I’m rewatching the whole franchise. I’m currently on the second film, which I’m realizing is a lot better than people give it credit for. 

Use the space below to add anything else you want to say in! Such as website, social media handles, etc…

I love connecting with horror fans! I’m most active on Instagram and TikTok - @haleynewlin_author 

You can also find me on my website - haleynewlinauthor.com 

Hey y'all,

This upcoming week we'll have reading sprints on both Monday and Tuesday. Double the books and double the sprints!

Both will begin at 7 PM EST on Discord. I'm so excited to read with you!

XoXo,

Rae

Here are some of my thoughts on Chapters 5-9 (p. 73-164) of The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan.

This section made me angry, rightfully so. A continued look on the themes identified last week:

Us vs. Them

We continue to see the mothers compare themselves to one another, which is understandable. It's easier to consider your own faults "not that bad" or excusable, while others' aren't.

The Expectations on Mothers

This really comes to light in this section, with the mothers at the school required to parent their dolls in a particular way (down to the number of seconds a hug should be??!!). There's no doubt that these mothers made mistakes that harmed their children, but it doesn't seem like the formulaic parenting they're forced to do is the answer.

Additionally, it seems like these expectations are one-sided, given how many mothers have been sentenced to this education compared to how many fathers.

And a new theme to consider:

Misogyny in a Patriarchal Society

The misogyny has been there since the beginning: Gust cheating on and leaving Frida, how Frida is talked about. But the scene that stood out to me the most was how the mothers had to keep asking for pads on their period, instead of being provided more than 2 at a time. This seems designed (or at least implying) that their feminine need is a defect that shouldn't be coddled (as if hygiene supplies can coddle someone).

Additional Questions for Discussion

What do you think about Frida's interactions/thoughts of Susanna?

What do you make of Lucretia's experiences?

What role does race play in the school?

Back in 2015, I helped launch the Blerd Book Club. It was a refreshing corner of the internet where self-declared Black nerds like myself (blerds) could come together, form community and wrap our minds around reading books. During that time, we selected a book each month and held public discussions on what was then called Twitter, now known as X. We also invited authors to join us in conversations around our monthly selections, ranging from indie voices to well-known names. For example, Issa Rae stopped by to chat about her book The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.

I’d love to create something similar in this space. With the connections and rapport I’ve built over the past decade with the BGN brand, I’ve developed strong relationships with a range of publishers and authors. My goal is to turn this into a space where book lovers can truly connect over what they love most: reading.

I also want to serve as a conduit for marginalized authors who are not always afforded the same opportunities to get their names out there, creating a space where they can be seen and heard. I admire what Bindery is doing for authors, and I’d love to be part of that ecosystem. I also want to amplify authors more intentionally in my work as a content creator.

We welcome everyone to be part of this community. You don’t have to be a BGN member or a blerd per se, but you do need to come with allyship and a genuine support for what this book club represents. More to come soon as we're just getting started here on Bindery and look forward to the beginning of something really groundbreaking here.

-J

I just want to tag @pxw1 here.

Hello Galaxy folks!

As mentioned as part of your perks, all Galaxy tier members get access to my "unhaul" list where they can claim 1 book/ARC to be sent to them. These are books that I have bought or that have been sent to me that I no longer need as part of my collection. I have not read all of these books so I cannot make a judgement on their content, and in most cases they are books that were sent to me without my express knowledge or permission. However—I would love for them to go to good homes with all of you <3

Please consult the sheet HERE for the full list of books and then head to THIS FORM where you will be asked to provide your top 3 choices and your address, and I will try my best to send you 1 of your picks.  THE FORM CLOSES ON MAY 10th at 11:59PM!

THIS PERK IS LIMITED TO U.S. AND CANADA MEMBERS ONLY due to shipping costs.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

This is for the those who feel a little… disconnected from themselves lately. Not fully lost. But not fully you either.

These books helped me reconnect in different ways 🤍

Only for the Week — Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop
Janelle is a BIG people pleaser who never puts herself first. But with the help of Rome, she starts learning how to center herself and prioritize her own needs. Rome is gentle but still authoritative… literally exactly what she needs.

Sweet Heat — Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola
This is book two, and we find Kiki in a completely different headspace than she was in college. Life has happened. She’s more unsure, a little lost, trying to figure out her path. Kiki feels like a fully realized, complex person here, and Malakai reminds her that she’s Kiki Banjo… she can do anything she puts her mind to. This book lives in my rent free.

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store — The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore
Our girl is the manager of a cozy bookstore and a complete bookaholic… but she’s not really living her life. That changes when she meets fisherman Noah, who shows her that life is bigger than books, and a little spicier too. I really enjoyed this one.

Restore Me — Restore Me by L. J. Segars
Our main character has been touch-deprived for years after losing her husband.
She hasn’t allowed herself to open up to love again. But her late husband’s best friend helps her remember what it feels like to be touched… and eventually, to be loved again.(This book is super messy, but healing.)

If You Stayed — If You Stayed by Brittainy Cherry
Kierra is someone who has accepted that life doesn't have to be amazing. Just good enough. On the outside, her life looks perfect. But inside, her marriage lacks warmth, and she’s weighed down by guilt from her past. Then someone she thought wanted nothing to do with her comes back into her life… and helps her realize she deserves the world, not just what she’s been settling for.