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If you love enemies-to-lovers with sharp banter, emotional damage, and a man who is allergic to his own feelings, welcome to your next book club obsession. 🔥📚
Lucian Rollins is cold, controlled, and convinced love is a liability, while Sloane Walton is all fire, truth, and backbone. Their history is messy, their chemistry is explosive, and every scene between them crackles with tension whether they’re arguing, unraveling secrets, or fighting feelings they absolutely do not want.
What really made this book shine for our book club was the emotional depth. Beneath the billionaire swagger and steamy sparks, this is a story about trauma, trust, and choosing vulnerability when it feels safer to walk away. Watching Lucian confront his fear of becoming the man he hates while Sloane refuses to settle for half-love? Chef’s kiss. 💔➡️❤️
This one gave us feelings, heated discussions, and more than a few “but WHY would he do that?!” moments and honestly, that’s exactly what we want from a Lucy Score read!
❓️Are you team protect her by leaving or team fight your demons and stay, and did Lucian earn that third chance? 🤔📖
❗️For the full book club kit with a discussion guide, recipes, themed activities and more come join The First Editions!
If you’ve been holding onto every ounce of tension between Sloane and Lucian and you’re not quite ready to leave Knockemout behind… this is your moment. 🔥💙📚
We’re diving deep into **Things We Left Behind** by Lucy Score — and this kit is built for all the angst, grudges, power moves, and groveling we love.
✨ Tap the link for instant access to:
📚 A fully themed *Things We Left Behind* book club kit
📖 A fun, thoughtful discussion guide covering enemies-to-lovers tension, childhood trauma, second chances, emotional walls, big grovel energy, and the marriage-and-babies standoff
🍷 Lucian-inspired luxe food ideas, small-town cozy activities, and themed door prize suggestions done for you
Whether your group is ready to unpack Lucian’s “broken men break women” mindset, defend Sloane’s boundaries, or debate whether that grand gesture was enough… this kit is designed to make your meeting feel immersive, dramatic, and just the right amount of chaotic (very on brand for Knockemout).
👉 Tap the link to access the kit now and turn your next book club into a high-stakes, small-town romance experience worth talking about:
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❗️Don’t forget to come back and tell us how your meeting went — I need to know where everyone lands on the grovel scale.
💥 Happy reading! 📚💙
Happy (very belated) February, friends!
My apologies on the delay in content this month. I had midterms from the first week of February through last Wednesday, which coincided with a POTS flare and just left me... paralyzingly brain fogged, BUT I am doing better now, catching up on (non-midterm) schoolwork and everything for Bindery. January Release Round up (and February releases too!) will be coming next week, and that will get us all caught up for March.
HERE is your link to request book recs for February--the form will remain open through the end of the month, and I will do my best to get those recs sent out by the end of the month as well (unless you submit requests on the last day or two of the month... in that case you're recs will come in the first week of March.
Here is the link once again: https://forms.gle/4koDeNx6njL5yKHJ6
I hope February has treated you well so far and that you had a lovely Valentine's Day, Lunar New Year, first night of Ramadan, and/or Mardi Gras depending on what you celebrate!
Last chance to get in on the QSR book club! I'm having the best time re-reading Wake Up, Nat & Darcy (kinda spicier than I remember) and would love some people to chat about it with :) Remember to join the discord (linked in the header of my page) to chat, but I also wanted to offer a meeting time for us!
I'm about 30% of the way through The Ascended and am loving it so far! I don't want to give away any spoilers but I'm intrigued by the world (and its rules), the characters (the ones we've met, at least), and the overall writing style! I'm planning on making a large dent in pages read this week on my Kindle, so wish me luck 🍀 I'd love to hear how it's going for you and what you think so far!
At the beginning of the year, my only goal was to get through my physical TBR. That’s still part of the plan. I really do want these books read and off my shelves. But as February went on, I realized something. I genuinely love Black romance, and I want to read more of it on purpose, not just whenever it happens to land in my lap.
So I’m tweaking my reading challenge.
Instead of focusing on how many books I can get through, I’m going to read three intentional books per month. I know three doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’m deeply annotating at least two of them, maybe all three, depending on what I choose. This year I want depth, not speed.
The structure is simple.
One nonfiction book, because I want to think more critically and learn something new.
One Black fiction book, because I’m really interested in exploring love, softness, embodiment, and Black femininity through story.
One curiosity or popular read, just because sometimes I want to see what everyone’s talking about.
While I’m reading, I’ll be annotating directly in the book with pen and tabs. If you need annotation supplies, they’re in my Amazon storefront. I’ll also keep bigger thematic notes in my phone when my thoughts are too long for the margins.
When I finish a book, I’ll share my notes and takeaways here. There’s no timeline and no pressure. This isn’t a formal book club. It’s just us reading with a little more intention and actually talking about what the books are doing to us.
If you’ve already read something I’m reading, comment your thoughts. If you want to read one with me, do it. And please revive the Discord because it’s way too quiet in there.
Three books a month. Deep reading. More intention. That’s the tweak.
Also, I added my current reads for the month of February so check them out! I will be discussing them later this month!
Going back 15 years, I’ve been obsessed with climbing. Not the actual doing it, although I am now 5 sessions into my new climbing gym venture, but the history, the groundbreaking sends, the culture, and unfortunately, the risk and tragedy. Twice a year I tend to re-watch old documentaries, find new ones, scour YouTube for niche videos and so on. With that in mind, I have a stack of must-have books and documentaries if you’re obsessed like I am, or even if you’re just curious after watching Alex Honnold’s Netflix special Skyscraper Live. Let’s boogie!
Notes: I’m keeping this to rock climbing, so books about mountaineering like Into Thin Air didn’t make it but you should still read it anyway... also "free climb" means ascending a rock face using only your body and having safety gear to catch falls, while "free solo" means the same but without any safety equipment... and I don't think I explain it anywhere so I'll add that "El Capitan" at Yosemite National Park is the world's most iconic climbing destination.
BOOKS
The Push: A Climber’s Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond Limits by Tommy Caldwell
I finished this on Monday and sweet Christmas this was a doggone banger! Caldwell has a wild backstory, including being held hostage by rebels in Kyrgyzstan and severing his left index finger with a table saw (and getting better as a climber after?!). He’s on the shortlist of the best big wall climbers of all time and is best known for his first ascent of the Dawn Wall in 2015. There’s so much material to work with and Caldwell is brutally honest and open about all of it. I don’t believe you have to be into climbing to enjoy this memoir, as it’s about so much more than that. It has love, heartbreak, triumph, failure, grief, obsession, and the messy feelings about how the one superpower he’s been gifted is also dangerous as f-. Caldwell could've made this a heroic highlight reel but I love that he lets you see the bad choices, emotional blind spots, and the way climbing is both his salvation and his coping mechanism.
Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold (with David Roberts)
He’s the most famous climber in the world, known for his daring and controversial “free solo” ascents, and it’s just cool to get a glimpse into how his brain works. While I do think Honnold was a touch young to write this, he was still incredibly accomplished and clearly on the rise, and a newer extended edition includes chapters about him sending the Freerider route on El Capitan. It’s fascinating how he processes risk, explains away past falls (including a 400 foot fall down an icy mountainside that required a helicopter rescue) and compartmentalizes the loss of his friends. While he hasn’t quite convinced me to free solo anything taller than a 15 climbing gym wall, he has convinced me that he’s not just an adrenaline junkie seeking the next thrill.
The Impossible Climb: Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and the Climbing Life by Mark Synnott
What I like about this one is that it places Honnold’s El Cap send in the broader historical context of climbing while also digging into the strange, obsessive culture around it. Plus the messy feuds that have sprung up over the decades between climbers are extremely fun to slop around in.
DOCUMENTARIES
Free Solo (2018)
Even though I know he makes it and I’ve seen it dozens of times, my palms still sweat every time I watch this. It’s a sheer 3,000 foot climb that Honnold prepared for over a ten-year period. One foot slip, one broken hold, and he’s a goner. I’d argue his Skyscraper Live send of Taipei 101 was a cakewalk (for him) compared to the Freerider route up El Cap. Both of those are available on Netflix.
The Dawn Wall (2017)
Follows Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s historic first free ascent of the Dawn Wall route on El Capitan. Inspirational and technically jaw-dropping. If I sold you on reading The Push by Caldwell, you gotta watch this too. It also gets into his kidnapping, divorce, cutting his finger off and adventurous childhood.
The Alpinist (2021)
Marc-André Leclerc is one of the most gifted and least famous climbers on the planet, quietly soloing some of the hardest alpine routes in the world with no sponsors, no phone, and zero interest in becoming a brand. He’s a true throwback. The doc follows him as he disappears for weeks at a time, finds love, free solos ice-covered mountains that most elite climbers won’t touch with ropes, and shares his passion for the game.
Valley Uprising (2014)
This one dives deep into the rebellious history of Yosemite climbing, tracking the generations of climbers who turned the valley into a proving ground. You get epic feats, explosive feuds, and a deep look at the counterculture that made Yosemite’s golden age of climbing so weird and special. It also takes you through the evolution of climbing at Yosemite, including the Stonemasters and the modern-day Stone Monkeys.
Girl Climber (2025)
Over multiple attempts and a serious fall that required hospitalization, Emily Harrington is trying to become the first woman to free climb the Golden Gate route on El Capitan in under 24 hours. You get cameos from Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold and the best female climber of all time, Lynn Hill (the first to free climb The Nose of El Cap, “it goes, boys”) as Harrington battles with imposter syndrome, injuries and her own expectations in her quest to make history.
I could go deeper with this list but those are the main essentials. Let me know if I missed any that you’d include in the comments. Appreciate y’all!
Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!
Before I get to today's releases, I wanted to update you on a few things.
I posted my #MeltIceBookStack this week and I encourage you to do the same to help raise funds for Minneapolis. While the news has been lauding ICE pulling back, news on the ground is dire. Your stack can help raise necessary funds for mutual aid to assist those in need.
Thank you all so much for your support with the announcement last week that I was accepted into the News Creator Corps Trusted Creators Spring Fellowship! Classes begin next week. I can't wait to share more with you.
DEADLINE TO VOTE FOR APRIL BOOK CLUB SELECTION IS TONIGHT!
As a reminder, you have until TONIGHT to get your vote in for our April book club selection. Our genre is FANTASY for April. You can vote on Bindery and on Discord. So far, the results are slightly different on both platforms, so if you feel strongly about a particular choice, then get your votes in on both platforms before the deadline!
ESPERANZA HOPE SNYDER AUTHOR CHAT REPLAY IS LIVE
For those that missed the author chat last week with Esperanza Hope Snyder, here the link to the unlisted YouTube recording of our chat in case you want to check it out.
GIVEAWAY FOR MARCH BOOK CLUB SELECTION: NOW I SURRENDER BY ALVARO ENRIGUE
NOW I SURRENDER GIVEAWAY! I have 10 physical copies and 4 audiobooks of April Bien Leidos book club pick, Now I Surrender by Alvaro Enrigue, up for grabs for ALL BINDERY SUBSCRIBERS. (Lectores and Libritos members, you have an additional chance to win 1 audiobook and 5 copies in this post where the pool of entrants is significantly smaller). This giveaway is US only.
TO ENTER: Just like this post and let me know in the comments whether you prefer a physical or audiobook copy. I'll pick a winner on Thursday, February 19th.
Quick note on a February 10th release I forgot to mention: Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas released on paperback last week!
And, finally, on to this week's releases...
ROMANCE
The Ex-Perimento by Marla J. Morillo (Audiobook)
NONFICTION
Citizenship: Notes on An American Myth by Daisy Hernandez (Audiobook)
Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself by David Archuleta (Audiobook)
xo,
Carmen
Starting THIS MONTH, all FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY get one personalized book recommendation every month.
Looking for a super specific trope?
Want a book that feels like your favorite movie, game, or album?
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On February 18th at 10am, a request form will open exclusively for FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
Upgrade to paid TODAY to be first in line when submissions open.
Ronnica Reads
Ronnica fatt
Committed to celebrating books from marginalized authors, with an emphasis on diverse books that lean literary.
Littrilly Reads & Chats Club
Tasj
Hello & welcome to Littrilly Read & Chats Club (LRCC)! <3 I’m Tasj! Here to help you find reads that enlighten, comfort, and excite! Expect: book recs, Book reviews, bookish diaries, reading vlogs, book club, and literary exploration
Reading Fools
Marston Quinn
I’m a fool, and so are you, but maybe we'll be a little less foolish if we read great books together?
Collectible Science Fiction
Adam
Welcome to CSF! Home of the coolest books and covers.
The Threaded Library
Carlos osuna
The Threaded Library isn’t just a book club — it’s a creative, cozy, and wonderfully queer corner of the internet where stories and art intertwine.
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