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HAPPY FIRST SUNDAY OF 2026, MIS INTERNET AMIGXS!
I have missed you and apologize for no newsletters in December. I had a busy month with holidays, hospitals and planning so many new things here for 2026. I hope you've had a chance to catch me on social media, particularly the newest place I'm focusing on in 2026, YOUTUBE. I'm challenging myself to post one video there every single day in January and on this fourth day of the year, I'm happy to report that, so far, I'm succeeding. I'm also giving myself the grace to fail, brush myself off and continue as well.
My last 2 videos have been recommendations for the Bien Leidos Latine Book Bingo Challenge I posted about yesterday. The videos contain 50 Latine recommendations and I'll probably focus on making more videos after this posting challenge is over.
You may recall one of your perks as paying subscribers is to have your name read either at the beginning of the video, for Lectores members, or at the end credits, for Libritos members. I'm using the name you used to subscribe to Bindery, so if you'd like me to acknowledge a different name, please make sure to update your Bindery username name!
Speaking of new content, I'll be doing my FIRST interview for the podcast next week and it's...MIA SOSA! If you have a question for her, please drop it in the comments! The podcast won't premier until February, so let's keep this between us!
Reminder that we're reading Orange Wine by Esperanza Hope Snyder this month! I hope you'll consider joining the chat on Discord...and keep this chisme between us, but I think we'll be chatting with Esperanza in early February, so keep your eyes peeled!!!
I know last year I posted month recommendations, but I'm back to weekly posts, at least for now. There's a lot going on this January and it helps me to break up the posts into little pieces. If you have a preference, either way, then please let me know in the comments.
It looks like publishing is easing into 2026, because we only have a paperback release, but let's celebrate it all the same because it's a book I read a few years back and absolutely adored!
First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery, and the American Dream by Jessica Hoppe (Audiobook) This is an incredible memoir of recovery, particularly how BIPOC people are erased from the structures of recovery creating untenable spaces for us. Jessica is a lyrical and powerful writer who gives us a brutally honest reflection on her personal recovery efforts as well as breaking generational cycles.
I'm very much looking forward to sharing with you the MANY more 2026 Latine releases to come! I'll see you next week.
xoxo,
Carmen
Happy New Year folks!
Here’s what I read over the festive period, an eclectic mix of genres, with some real gems.
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
This was our December book club book, over on the Discord!
A Native American rom com about a Chickasaw woman who lies on her CV to get a corporate job, with a very hot Native coworker, but then her lies spiral out of control.
I loved this book. I wasn’t expecting it to be so political (of course I expected a bit), but I loved the discussions around racism, poverty, financial insecurity and so on. And the romance is super sweet.
A Rather Vengeful Accord by Danielle Knight
A YA dark academia / action fantasy about a grumpy necromancer who has to collaborate with her rival and compete in magical sword fights against eldritch horrors to enter a prestigious university. Fun banter, horrible monsters! Really enjoyed this, though the ending felt a bit too much like it was artificially setting up for a sequel.
The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin
A martial arts sci fi fantasy about a world where warriors are trained to fight deadly one on one MMA battles instead of countries going to war. It follows a young fighter riding through the ranks, trying to survive against a punishing regime.
I’ve nearly finished this and I love it!! It’s wild and very very violent and brutal, but so fun and action packed.
Love,
Disco
Scroll down for the Aug-Dec Picks & a recap of the Jan-July picks, and how they each fulfill prompts of the challenge!
Ever since I announced the Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge, I’ve been wanting to make sure that you all have a way of fulfilling the ridiculous amount of prompts in an easy way. Naturally, I decided to make all of the picks for my book club, The Boundless Book Club, fulfill all of the prompts for the Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge.
If you would like to join the club:
head to boundless.binderybooks.com
click “Join for Free” in the top right corner, click “sign in” with your preferred method, create an account
head to boundless.binderybooks.com/account — connect your discord account
navigate back to boundless.binderybooks.com — click the discord icon under my profile pic
You should now have access to all the book club channels in the discord to chat about the books in-depth
Head to the #roles channel to react to messages to get access to more channels
Grab the full list of picks here: https://bookshop.org/lists/boundless-book-club-picks-2026
Book Club Picks for August-Dec
Since I announced the Jan-July picks before in this post, I’m starting here with the August-December picks, but you can scroll down for the rest of them.
*If you purchase the books through the Bookshop links, I will earn affiliate income at no extra cost to you! I appreciate your support <3
AUGUST
FICTION: One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Thriller, and Black author who is Alive prompts
NONFICTION: Women Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the History/Politics, and Black author who is Alive prompts
SEPTEMBER
FICTION: Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen| Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Literary fiction, and East Asian/Southeast Asian prompt
NONFICTION: What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Memoir/Biography prompt
OCTOBER
FICTION: The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Horror, and Latinx prompts
NONFICTION: The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Latinx, and History/Politics prompts
NOVEMBER
FICTION: And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Horror, Literary fiction, and Indigenous prompts
NONFICTION: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Indigenous, and Science prompts
DECEMBER
FICTION: Tall Water by S. J. Sindu | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Queer, South Asian, and Graphic Novel prompts
FICTION: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Classics, and Play prompts
NONFICTION: Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-Reum | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Translated prompt
Book Club Picks for January-July
JANUARY
FICTION: Capitalists Must Starve by Park Seolhyun, translated by Anton Hur | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Literary Fiction, Translated, and Not in America prompts
NONFICTION: Capitalism: A Ghost Story by Arundhati Roy | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the History/Politics, and Not in America prompts
FEBRUARY
FICTION: The Blueprint by Rae Giana Rashad | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the Black author who is ALIVE, Science Fiction, and Historical Fiction prompts
NONFICTION: Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills the History/Politics prompt
MARCH
FICTION: Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills Horror, Science Fiction, Literary Fiction prompts
NONFICTION: Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills Nonfiction Science, and Politics prompts
APRIL
FICTION: The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills SWANA, Science Fiction, Literary Fiction prompts
NONFICTION: Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills SWANA, and Essay Collection prompts
MAY
FICTION: Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills Fantasy prompt
Reminder of the PREORDER CAMPAIGN. You can submit your receipts here to enter to win one of the prize bundles!!
@boundless_press
Boundless Press on Instagram: "EXCITING BURN THE SEA NEWS! Pre-…
NONFICTION: Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism by Harsha Walia | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills History/Politics prompt
JUNE
FICTION: The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills SWANA, LGBTQIAP+, and Fantasy prompt
NONFICTION: This Queer Arab Family: An Anthology by LGBTQ+ Arab Writers Edited by Elias Jahshan | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills SWANA, LGBTQIAP+, and Anthology prompt
JULY
FICTION: Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills Translated, Disability Rep, and Not in America prompts
NONFICTION: Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century Edited by Alice Wong | Goodreads | Storygraph | Bookshop
Fulfills Anthology, and Disability Rep prompts
So excited to read with all of you in 2026!
love,
jananie ♡
I am so happy to announce our first three months of books for book club, which gives you plenty of time to get access to and read them!
January book is The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar meeting January 18th at 7pmEST
February book is When Blood Meets Earth by E.A. Noble meeting February 22nd at 7pm EST
March book is The Flowers I Deserve by Tamara Jeree meeting March 29th at 7pm EST
If you have any recommendations for the summer suggestions I'd love to hear them!
Let me know if you'll be joining us this month?!
My December reads were a mash-up of books I've been meaning to read for a while and some holiday treats! I read 10 books, all by and about South Asian, Latine, and Black folks, this past month. Let's get into my mini reviews:
M.A.Y.A was an entertaining dystopian novella! With a unique take on the multiverse and inclusion of shapeshifters, the story had plenty of visuals to transport the reader.
I found the plot pretty cool but wasn’t a fan of M.A.Y.A constantly thinking she’s not worthy or deserving of love. It didn’t really make sense to me but I suppose love isn’t usually logical. Although this is a fated mates story, I didn’t feel much chemistry between the MCs outside of the sex scenes. It seemed like a lot of their time together was focused on Isaiah talking about protecting her and cherishing her while she thought about what freedom meant to her and whether she was worthy of this life with Isaiah. I also didn’t like his nickname for her, “tiny warrior.” Im not sure why, so take that with a grain of salt!
In all, it was an interesting concept but not my fave execution.
*Note: This is a story from the After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection. They are all sold out right now and I'm not sure when/if they will open the e-books up to folks who want to purchase it outside of the Kickstarter page.
Puerto Rico Strong is a fantastic graphic novel anthology that I wish I read sooner.
The stories are heartfelt and I felt emotional reading them, at times. The artwork is also incredibly moving. I highly recommend this book to everyone!
Once again, I am in love with a Jessica Cage book. I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire is hilarious and superrrrrr steam, so I had a blast reading it. The audiobook is wonderful, too!
Whitney, an art dealer, is primed for a promotion when her boss ends up letting her go instead. The firm benefitted from her expertise until one of Whitney's most recent clients goes AWOL. Our girl tries to keep it together during her friend's party but ends up meeting a hot hot hottie named Domingo who happens to be the gallery owner...and a vampire.
If Black vampires and Monster Romance sounds enticing to you, I think you NEED this book!!
Lucha of the Forgotten Spring is an amazing ending to its duology! It picks up where book 1 left off, Lucha is still set on destroying the extremely addictive olvida to protect the people of Robado from self-destruction.
Addiction is a heavy topic to include in YA but I think Mejia did it well. Lucha started reevaluating her understanding of this condition and developed empathy for those suffering from this addiction in the Night Forest, but now she's faced with actively being in community with them. I loved the battles, romance, and reflection in this book.
If I were a bookseller, I'd probably put this duology on display next to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi.
Her Night With Santa is the whirlwind sapphic romance I didn't know I needed! The alternate universe of Santa, magi, toymakers, and runners is clever and I had a lot of fun living in it ever so briefly.
Farnaz Castillo is stuck in the Caribbean after finding out that her flight to join her family on a ski trip was cancelled due to bad weather. Thanks to her uncle, one of the kings of the magi, Farnaz gets to stay in a luxurious beach villa owned by Santa.
In this universe, Santa is a role passed down through the Kringle family, so the current Santa is Kristina Kringle. Kristina arrives at her getaway earlier than usual & discovers Farnaz having quite the time in her extra large bed! Cue the steam!!!!
If you haven't already, you better add this delicious novella to your TBR.
The Toy King is my favorite book in the Toy Runner series! I loved learning more about this world through Valente and Kessina.
It helps that Valente Correa is probably one of THE HOTTEST male MCs I've read!! Yes, he's "proper fit" but Valente is also incredibly understanding, caring, & sweet. He usually leads the toy run for the House of Correa so he's a bit grumpy when he's instructed to go & fetch his brother's future bride from her family's castle in the Andes. The "future bride" Kessina isn't particularly interested in marrying anyone but is willing to take the leap just to find her freedom after a sheltered life. Naturally, these two get stranded in a snowstorm for a couple of days, giving them some time to think about their options...
What are you still reading this review for? Go read this book!!
If you're looking for a book that feels like a hug & makes you giggle, look no further! Like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna's latest book, A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping, is about a young woman who is isolated from the magical community.
Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain until she lost most of her magic in an effort to resurrect her Aunt Jasmine when she was a teen. After breaking this taboo, Sera is basically shunned by her community. As an adult, she helps Jasmine run a magical inn where misfits end up when they really need it. She's been trying to find ways to restore her power w/ no luck yet until a person from her past Luke Larsen, a handsome magic historian, ends up at her inn with his little sister in tow.
With a cast of whimsical characters AND a talking fox, this novel is perfect for relaxation as well as filling your cup.
A Novel Christmas is a cozy Black Romance for folks who want something w/ that Hallmark movie vibe. It’s got the small town feel on lock. The only difference is this novel has some explicit content 😏
Although I thought the story was cute, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for because of the pacing & a few scenes.
If you’re looking for a super smutty Christmas treat, Run Darling is the perfect novella for you. In fact, this is probably the kinkiest of the Toy Runner series! Arabella & Rhine are freaks & they don’t care who knows it. Yes, there a little bit of plot, but this book is mainly about them satisfying the desires they’ve had building up for a while.
A Man for Mrs. Claus has the perfect mixture of whimsy, romance, & smut!
In this novel, Tiffany Saint-Nicholas aka Mrs. Claus runs just about everything in the North Pole. She is the constant in this realm but she must pick a new Mr. Claus every time her current one decides to move on (to heaven). While each Mr. Claus she’d paired with had been pleasantwork with & good friends to her, Tiffany craves a partner who loves her. Luckily, she's got five men in the running.
Dominic, a former firefighter who recently died in a car accident, is chosen as a possible Santa in the afterlife. As soon as he sees Mrs. Claus, the man is down bad! Tiffany also feels some kind of way about this hunk of a man but knows that she must choose a partner who is right for everyone in the North Pole, not just her.
These two are adorable & I loved almost all of the side characters. Once again, Rebekah Weatherspoon hit me in the heart w/ her heartfelt & funny storytelling. Don't wait to pick this book up!
I hope these reviews give you some reading inspiration. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them in the comment below.
Happy Sunday everyone! Hope everybody had some time off in the last two weeks to read and relax.
Just a reminder that we begin our January Reading Challenge tomorrow, January 5. As a reminder, the theme for this month is "Find the Time," and the focus is on figuring out where we're spending our time during the day and where we might be able to fit reading in. For our first two weeks, we are going to be working on time audits. During this time, just read as you have been, or however you want to. The most important part of a time audit is to just be your normal self - if you perform for this, you won't get an accurate idea of what you're doing!
Resources
Discord Server: we have a great group of active readers over on Discord, and there is a specific forum channel (like Reddit) where you can ask questions, talk about your struggles, and get advice. We've already had some folks starting the conversations there.
Bindery: I will actively monitor comments and respond here, although Discord is much more “real time.” For the first two weeks, use this post for your comments and questions!
Time audit form (download and use/manipulate as you see fit). Print it out, put it on your phone, or whoever you want to keep it with you so you can keep an accurate track of time.
January Overview
Time Audit Guidelines
Track your activities. Whether you print the form out or download it to your phone or a device, keep it handy through the day. I have broken the day up into 30 minute chunks as I have found this ideal in my own prior time audits, but adjust as you see fit (get as granular or big picture as you want). But be HONEST!
At the end of the two weeks you can calculate average time and percentages spent in each category each day.
For your time audit, I would suggest the following categories as labels for what you are doing during your days. This will help you at the end see what proportion of your time is spent in different areas. Of course, feel free to make your own.
Sleep: This is obvious I hope 🙂
Personal: Activities that we all have to do: eating, grooming, exercise, personal maintenance
Family time: Time spent with significant others, kids
Work: Again, hopefully obvious
Hobbies: Non-reading hobbies
Screen time: Time spent on your phone, watching TV, on a tablet
ReadingThe time audit form is provided in a suggested format, but make it what you want and what works for you.
For the screen time audit, use whatever phone tracking system you have available to you.
We can analyze your time audits, and come up with a plan
If you have questions, please let me know. I'm happy to answer whatever I can, and hope to see a bunch of you getting into reading more in your day to day lives!
~Bob
Thank you Harper Collins / Harper Alley for the eARC.
Now here are my thoughts & review:
Overall I still love the illustrations — they really bring the story to life and then some. I enjoy following the characters on their journey to discover the truth about Younwity institute. I did like the first in the series more than the second, but I also wouldn’t mind if this series continued (maybe focusing on other secrets not necessarily tied to the institute or maybe what happens if they don’t make it thru their senior year).
It reminded me much of the first (“Over My Dead Body”) bc the Younwity students are somewhat at odds with the Coven. I do think the first one was a little more surprising/shocking/intriguing.
Definitely was excited to read and enjoyed it! I do believe this one has more spells involved which is nice to see. I would love to watch an animated series of this as well.
Hi all! It is time for a new reading challenge for 2026! In past years, we've had bingo board, character creations, and choose your own adventures. This year is going to be a little different. We're going to slow down a bit and do things more seasonally. As such, I'm going to be using the Wheel of the Year to be the guide for our prompts for the year. The Wheel of the Year is broken into seasons, each one lasting about 6 weeks. And don't worry southern hemisphere friends - I will also be including the seasons for both the northern and southern hemisphere :)
But it won't just be about reading either! Each season will include ways to be more aligned with the themes of that season in multiple ways. I'll include prompts for both fiction and non-fiction ideas, as well as other ways that you can live more seasonally.
Because this is seasonal, we actually won't be starting right here at the beginning of January because that's not when the beginning of the year starts from a seasonal perspective. Per the Wheel of the Year, we are right now in the middle of the Yule/Winter Solstice season for the northern hemisphere and Litha/Summer Solstice season for the southern hemisphere. So instead of starting you with a prompt now, what I will be asking you to do is planning - likely things that you are already doing around this time of year anyway. What are your intentions for this year, reading and otherwise? What are you going to be doing now to set yourself up for success once those other seasons come around? How can you harvest the energy of each season? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments or come chat over on Discord!
Our first official prompt will be February 1st :) I'm very excited for this slower, more intentional way of doing the reading challenge this year and hope you all are too!
P.S. If you are a free member, you can upgrade your membership for access to the prompts throughout the year as well as access to the Discord for chatting about the prompts.
I don't know about y'all, but I've been screenshotting new releases every time I see them on Instagram! Between those and the books I've seen popping up on Netgalley, I was able to figure out which new books I'm excited to check out this year. Here's what I've got my eyes on:
The Starseekers by Nicole Glover
According to the publisher, this is "a stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic...if not murder." This makes sense since the magic system is directly tied to the constellations. The cover and description also connect the story to Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, which was a fascinating book to me. I'm currently finishing up The Undertakers (Murder and Magic #2)!
Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez
The cover of this novel caught my eye right away! The description says this is "a vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process." I've been loving Latine Gothic novels, thanks to authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Isabel Cañas. Hopefully, this one will be another gripping read.
Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb
The cover of this book says, "Love, lies, and legacy–all tangled in a trickster's web," which makes me excited because it makes me think of Anansi, the West African trickster of lore. So I was pleased when I read the description, "When 17-year-old Akoma Addo stumbles into a world of ancient gods and modern magic, she’ll have to choose between saving her father… or staying true to everything she’s ever believed." I love that! Also, this novel takes place in San Francisco’s AfricaTown, which I've haven't read about before.
Score by Kennedy Ryan
Let's be real, Kennedy Ryan is an autobuy author for me. I love the Skyland Series and Reel was amazing. I'm pumped to read another book in the world of Reel! After I read the blurb below, I was completely sold. We've got a second-chance romance between a world-class musician and an award-winning screenwriter as they are forced to reconnect over an epic Harlem Renaissance biopic. swoon
Bound by Fury by Noelle Monét
This cover is gorgeous and one thing I'm loving in BIPOC fiction lately is the emphasis on ancestral magic and southern folklore! Read this description: "Legendborn meets The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in this captivating contemporary fantasy debut about a teen whose newly awakened magical abilities send her searching for answers at an elite boarding school that has a mysterious connection to her family’s history." HELLO!?! That sounds amazing.
Before We Burn (Born from the Ashes, #1) by Ophelia Reign
I saw some exciting promos on the author's IG and decided to add this mysterious book to my list. Before We Burn follows ex-assassin Marzana, who teaches young vamps how to control their hunger, power, and rage, until her academy is raided by humans and her pupils are taken. Intriguing!
To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose
This pick was inevitable! I read To Shape a Dragon's Breath twice and loved it, so I've been waiting for news of book 2 for a while. Anequs has passed her first year at Kuiper’s Academy with flying colors and is ready for a break back on Masquapaug with her dragon Kasaqua and close friend Theod. Unfortunately, her notoriety brings an Anglish presence pressing to control her people. As if Anequs would let them have the chance! If you have a hard time with language in Fantasy books or even just want to make sure you have the pronunciation correct, I highly recommend the audiobooks for this series.
Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana
I loved Sbrana's Lore of the Wilds duology so it's no surprise that I wanted this book as soon as I saw it on her IG. The cover is amazing and the description has me floored. Audra, the female MC, is kidnapped by Fae to be trained as a soldier by the Priestesses at their cult-like school. They are looking for the Heir of Prophecy but Audra isn't going to just accept her fate as their prisoner while they search.
The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest
A fake summer fling?! Fake dating romances give me life and I don't care who knows it. I loved the Greene sister series, so I think this will be right up my alley.
Blood Rising (Volume 2 of The Blood Saga) by Markus Redmond
Blood Slaves was one of the best books I read in 2025 and the ending was the perfect set-up for book 2. I can't wait to read it!
Honey by Imani Thompson
I feel like this book is gonna be a bit cathartic for many WOC in academia. Our MC is bored with her PhD program, work, and the crappy men in her life. Then, she accidentally kills one of them, a problematic professor, and feels a little more alive. She's been researching, writing, and teaching about feminism and racial solidarity for a while, but now it feels extremely useful. Of course, her stint of righteous murders can't continue forever...
The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang
"A marine biologist makes the discovery of a lifetime when called to rescue the inhabitants of a small Maine island being menaced by a giant, glowing jellyfish in this richly imagined, wholly original debut." That sounds hella whimsical and like it might be weirdly scary which is intriguing!
Until The Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow
Listennnnnnn, I enjoy Alechia Dows books but the promos for this one have me locked in. "The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow." Yes, please!
Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui
I was scrolling on IG minding everyone's business when I saw this queenly book cover and internally gasped. They say not to judge a book by it's cover so here's the description: "Aicha is the story of Morocco's warrior goddess, her strange magic, fierce rebellion, and devastating romance."
The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura
I've loved Jo Segura's first two books, Raiders of the Lost Heart and Temple of Swoon, so I know The Lust Crusade will give me that wonderful mix of archaeology, romance, and intrigue. On top of that, the female MC is a librarian (like me)!
Burn Down Master's House by Clay Cane
Since the plantation fire last year, I've felt inspired more and more by stories of resistance on those plots of Hell on Earth. I think this novel will be perfect for that. "Sparked by individual acts of resistance among those enslaved across the American South, their seemingly disparate rebellions fuel a singular inferno of justice, connecting them in ways quiet at times, explosive at others." I love that it follows multiple people seeking justice!
Fire Sword and Sea by Vanessa Riley
This novel is a new take on the "life of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate Jacquotte Delehaye." You might remember that I read The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron last year, which was very entertaining, so I'm looking forward to reading another about this fascinating figure.
The Art of Loving You (The Forever Falling Series) by Natasha Bishop
A beautiful cover and some of my fave Romance tropes: friends to lovers, he falls first, second-chance romance, Black joy, forced proximity, right person, wrong time. I'm in!
Witch Queen Rising by Savannah Stephens
Look at that baddie on the cover! This novel is about an outcast witch in New Orleans named Seraphine Barreau who can "feed on magic and make it her own." After her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, Barreau becomes the ruler of the same people who misunderstood her. I love stories like this!
Devil of the Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois
"Lu watched the love of his life walk the plank and sink into the inky-black depths of the sea. Nnenna was dead . . . or so he thought." Ooop! We've got another Black pirate adventure on our hands and I'm so down. In Devil of the Deep, a pirate, a fleet officer, and a mermaid who "must choose their loyalties, find their courage, and race to protect the island from false gods and forces of evil--or risk unleashing an ancient curse that could destroy them all."
The Missed Connection by Tia Williams
This Romance is about a boss casting agent named Sasha, who, despite her typical thorniness around men, believes she might have found her soulmate on a flight to Paris. They miss their chance to exchange contact info but Sasha isn't going to give up that easily. As she enlists her work friend to help her search, Sasha realizes that she accidentally sent the email to the entire company and now they are also on the lookout. This sounds hilarious and wholesome!
Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page
"A teen mystic will do anything to solve a series of love-related magical mishaps plaguing her high school, including fake dating her boss's daughter, in this charming sapphic romance." Sounds adorable!!!
The Case of Elmwood Ranch by Deanna Grey
Romance and a haunted house? I'll take that!"A legacy paranormal investigator, loner horse rancher, and a haunted house."
The Bridge Back To You by Riss M. Neilson
"Exes discover they’ve both inherited the restaurant they love..." Tis' the year for second-chance romance, it seems! I'm looking forward to this one because I love a good foodie Romance, especially with a deep emotional connection.
Death Card by Jasmine Smith
The cover drew me in but this description made me wanna pre-order it: "A dark contemporary fantasy featuring witchcraft, tarot, death, and a bit of romance that's perfect for fans of Immortal Dark and Cinderella Is Dead."
The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa
Mia Sosa is an autobuy author for me because she always knows how to mix the perfect amount of hilariousness with tender and sexy romance. I know The Starter Ex won't let me down because the description has me hooked already. Vanessa Cordero had a side gig where she'd date your crush and annoy/scare the hell out them so they'd see how much of a catch you really are. Now, Vanessa's sister is asking her to do the same to Jason Torres, a "certified commitment-phobe" she has her eye on. The problem is, Jason actually wants a temporary ridiculous girlfriend so his mom will stop trying to get him to the altar. Uh oh!
The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda
"In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire." Sounds like a fascinating novel!
The Rhythm of Raine at Dawn (Perfect Muse, # 1) by Aricka Alexander
This looks like a cute sapphic romance. Raine Williams, a choreographer, posts a video to R&B artist Dawn Anderson's newest hit and it goes viral. So viral that the musician herself reaches out. Then, she realizes that Dawn isn't only interested in her choreo...
Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
"Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife." As someone who used to be obsessed with Ancient Egypt, I think this will be a really cool take on the story of Cleopatra VII.
The Re-Do List by Denise Williams
I feel like this book will be a great palette-cleanser after reading Fantasy or Horror."Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”
As you can see, I'm really hype about Fantasy, Historical, Romance, and Horror this year. I only realized after compiling this post that I don't have many men on the list and that was totally unintentional! If you know of any books by men of color and/or queer men you think I'd enjoy based on this list, please share!
Did any of these books catch your eye? What are you excited to read this year?
Hey family, sorry this is late, I've been slacking. I have seen a lot of sapphic new releases of 2026 and tbh those are great but I hate them because I want to know what's coming out in the current month. I did this last year and then things got out of control in the ber months and I stopped the calendar. Hopefully I'll stay on top of it this year.
What are you most looking forward to???
Tell me in the comments.
In Your Dreams (When in Rome #4)
by Sarah Adams
genre: contemporary romance
representation: anxiety and panic attacks (lived experience)
rating: 3.75 stars
Madison Walker is the family wild child–and the town disaster. After barely scraping her way through culinary school, she’s in desperate need of a fresh start with nowhere to turn, when an unexpected job opportunity is dropped into her lap: Return to her hometown of Rome, Kentucky to open a restaurant with her brother’s best friend, and her childhood crush, James. But everything is riding on this restaurant’s success, and Madison isn’t sure she’s up to the task.
Sarah Adams’s books are undeniably bingeable, and In Your Dreams is no exception. It was light, easy to read, and tooth-achingly saccharine. Madison is my favorite protagonist of the series, but unfortunately, I felt rather apathetic towards James, and was unmoved by the dynamic between the two of them. It seemed like a solid 75% of James’s personality was that he was in love with Maddie and had been forever, and it was so unconvincing to me. We are not led to believe that he and Maddie interacted much beyond a passing interaction before the start of the book, and he hadn’t seen or spoken to her in over two years. And yet he is completely in love with her and knows everything about her? He’s never had a meaningful interaction with her in his life, and yet he knows her better than her own siblings, with whom she is incredibly close? The story was told entirely in the present day, and there were no flashbacks or even references to touchstone interactions between the two of them from which his emotions could stem, and that left the whole dynamic shallow. Maddie’s feelings–a schoolgirl crush she outgrew, that was resparked when he re-entered her life–were solid, but since James’s feelings were the lynchpin of their dynamic and the foundation that their relationship was built on, the whole thing didn’t work for me.
However, I adored Madison’s journey outside of the romantic arc as she grew to believe in herself and learn who she is and who she can be in this town where everyone already has all of these set (and rather negative) expectations of her. I connected so deeply to her fears and self-doubt and her desire to be known, and her character arc of coming to trust herself was compelling, and I did appreciate how James encouraged and supported her in this growth. Some of the plot was rather ridiculous (namely, everything with Tommy–who, by the way, sucked way more than the story gave him credit for), but it worked in a silly goofy kind of way. I do love the town and family dynamic Sarah Adams constructed in this series, and I’m sad to say goodbye to Rome, Kentucky, and the Walker siblings. I wish the series had ended on a stronger note, but I’m looking forward to see what Sarah Adams has in store next.
Happy January, lovelies! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. This month's round-up is rather sparse--publishing goes on a bit of a hiatus in December, so not much was released. January's list is already longer than December and I have barely started looking! Though there aren't many, there are a few that I'm excited about in here, so I hope you still find something that piques your interest, and if not--next month!
JANUARY DISABILITY RELEASES:
Kissed by Frost and Moonlight
by E.J. Lindell
genre: romantasy
representation: hard of hearing
~
Shutout (Rules of the Game #2)
by Avery Keelan
genre: sports romance
representation: ADHD
~
An Archive of Romance (A Study in Drowning #2.5)
by Ava Reid
genre: young adult fantasy romance
representation: PTSD, psychosis, depression (all lived experience)
~
The Many Mistakes of Zoey Andrews (Many Mistakes #2)
by R.A. Hunter
genre: ADHD
representation: romance
~
Downpour (The Griffith Brothers #2)
by Maggie Gates
genre: cowboy romance
representation: wheelchair user, paraplegia
~
Scandalous (The Missarali Storks #2)
by Lottie Moore
genre: sports romance
representation: diabetes
~
In Your Dreams (Rome, Kentucky #4)
by Sarah Adams
genre: contemporary romance
representation: anxiety, panic attacks (lived experience)
Hi everyone,
A few days ago, I informed on my YouTube community page, Instagram Story, and posted a message in Discord letting my audience know that I had a death in my family and will be stepping away to grieve and be with my family during this hard time.
I'm posting here as well in case the message got lost.
I'll be pausing my content plans until further notice. I'm hoping by the end of January I'll feel up to posting again and sharing my 2026 content plans for YouTube, Patreon/Bindery.
I appreciate all of the kind messages and love I've received over the past few days. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
This is such an unfathomable loss and I'm truly so heartbroken.
---Alex
Hi Disco Dancers,
Happy New Year! I hope you’re all doing well.
Something different to start the year off, my top movies and TV shows of 2025. Don’t worry, this is a one off! Things will stay book focused going forward, but I wanted to share because there were some real diverse gems in there.
Not all of these came out last year, but that’s when I discovered them…
Top 10 queer movies and TV shows
Lesbian Space Princess
I Hear the Sunspot
Femme
Interview with the Vampire
Cinderella Closet
Pillion
10 Dance
I Cannot Reach You
Medusa Deluxe
My Stubborn
Top 10 movies with BIPOC MCs
Exit (Korean film)
Femme
First Love
10 Dance
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
IP Man
The Raid 2
Nope
Kpop Demon Hunters
Sinners
Top 10 TV shows (overall)
Crash Landing on You
Shogun
Supacell
Physical Asia
Andor Season 2
Rome
The Artful Dodger
Rivals
I Hear the Sunspot
My Stubborn
Top 10 movies (overall)
Sinners
Klaus
Exit
Kpop Demon Hunters
Conclave
Beyond the Infinte Two Minutes
The Wild Robot
Ip Man
First Love
The Lair of the White Worm
Let me know your favourites in the comments!
Disco xx
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