Hiya friends and Happy Tuesday!

I have some very exciting news! I have been plotting behind the scenes on a few particular things, and one of the things, has come to fruition! On my very first post, I posted a poll (Still live, if you're reading this and didn't vote) what are some things you would like to see from Not A Phase Books... and the top was a Quarterly Book Club, which has been implemented, and the runner up was Author Interviews/Chats! Which, as of today, begins JUNE 16th!!!

During my last newsletter, I spoke about two books I had read this month and could not shut up about. I also mentioned I was still stewing on some things about The Rainbow Ain't Never Been Enuf by Dr. Kaila Story and I needed a physical copy to really delve into the information I was receiving via audiobook. The reasoning, you ask? (Besides the fact that I'm a nerd and love to annotated?):

I present to you all lovely people, my first Not A Phase Books interview is with the incomparable Dr. Kaila Story, author of The Rainbow Ain't Never Been Enuf. This interview will take place Tuesday, June 16th from 12-1pm CST/1-2pm EST. I will do my best to record it for those of you unable to attend.

I told y'all I could not shut up about this book, and I meant it! It's such a necessary, much needed book, especially for white people in the LGBTQIA+ community. If you haven't heard of it, now is your time to get it! It's available on libro.fm here. If you need to annotate a physical copy like me, or just like an immersive read with both formats, you can also find it on my Bookshop affiliate page here.

I am truly, so excited to be speaking with her about not only this book, but the white washing of Pride, the commercialization of Pride, and honestly, all things queer related.

If you have any questions you'd like to ask, pop on over to my discord (for free) and leave them for me to ask in our discussion.

I will be posting the Zoom information within the coming week. (Please do not share it with anyone.)

I cannot wait to talk about this book, Pride, and all the things with you. Chat soon!

With all my trans joy,

Sawyer Cole

I’m currently reading The Knight and the Moth and this might be the perfect book to deep read.

It's a gothic romantasy set in a more historical world (no phones, horse riding, all that) and HIGHLY detailed.

Earlier this year, I tried the audiobook first and had to DNF because I genuinely couldn’t follow 😭 the language is so dense that you HAVE to slow down and actually sit with it.

I honestly never 'deep read' fantasy books, but if I was, I’d be tabbing:
– foreshadowing ( I feel like she's dropping so many hints)
– little details that feel important
– imagery
– character growth

this is one of those books where everything feels very intentional. No detail is just haphazardly thrown in.

I lowkey wanna go back and tab the prologue because I just know there was a ton of important info there… it didn’t really make sense at first, but now that I’m deeper in the story, I can tell it’s one of those “it all comes together later” situations.

This book is very mysterious, you kinda just have to keep reading and let the details build until you get the full picture.

I’m reading it casually right now, but I already know I’m probably missing things that would’ve been so good to annotate 😭and I don’t think every book needs to be annotated or tabbed, but this one?? this would be SUCH a good series to do that with… especially since it’s a shorter duology.

I’m not even done yet and it’s already a 5⭐️ for me… I might even like it more than One Dark Window

This week’s new releases lineup somehow managed to give me emotional romances, chaotic fantasy politics, middle-grade adventure energy, queer campy chaos, and books that made me irrationally angry because they had so much potential and still missed the mark.

🎯 The Final Target

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 4.25 stars

This book felt like classic romantic suspense in the absolute best way.

The tension builds so gradually and effectively that there’s this constant underlying sense of dread running underneath even the quieter moments. Every interaction starts feeling slightly dangerous, and the psychological aspects of the stalking storyline become genuinely unsettling at times.

What surprised me most though was how emotionally grounded the story still felt despite the escalating suspense. The relationships never feel overshadowed by the thriller elements, which made the stakes land even harder.

Also I NEED to talk about the audiobook because January LaVoy absolutely carried this thing on her back. This was technically single narrator, but there were multiple moments where I genuinely forgot it wasn’t full cast because every voice felt so distinct and immersive.

Final thought: Tense, addictive romantic suspense with phenomenal audiobook narration and escalating danger that keeps you fully locked in.

⛵ Dolly All the Time

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 5 stars

This book felt like emotional comfort food.

It has that very specific kind of small-town warmth where everyone knows each other’s business, family dynamics are messy but loving, and even the frustrating characters still feel deeply human underneath it all.

The relationships completely carried this for me. Whether it was romance, friendship, family tension, or community dynamics, every interaction felt layered with history and familiarity in a way that made the emotional moments hit harder.

There’s also something very nostalgic about this book without feeling overly sentimental. It just understands the weird complicated feeling of trying to figure out where you belong while life keeps changing around you.

Final thought: Cozy, heartfelt, emotionally layered, and the literary equivalent of being wrapped in a blanket during a rainstorm.

🏳️‍🌈 This Must Be the Place

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 3.75 stars

I ended up loving the emotional core of this book far more than I expected to.

At first glance, this feels like a story centered around saving a queer bar, but the story becomes so much more about legacy, grief, identity, and preserving spaces that allow people to feel safe and understood.

The conversations surrounding queer history and community were honestly the strongest parts for me because they gave the story a deeper emotional weight beyond just the romance itself.

There’s also a really lovely found family element running throughout the story that made everything feel warm and hopeful even during the more emotional moments.

Final thought: A heartfelt, community-centered YA romance with a surprisingly emotional story about legacy and belonging.

⚔️ Berserkers

Read or skip: Maybe read
Rating: 3.5 stars

This feels EXACTLY like the kind of chaotic adventure story that would’ve completely consumed my personality as a kid.

The pacing is nonstop, the treasure-hunting adventure elements are genuinely fun, and the entire book feels very cinematic in a way that makes it easy to imagine as a movie adaptation.

I can absolutely see why people compare it to The Goonies because it has that same energy of kids getting pulled into increasingly ridiculous danger while trying to hold onto friendship and home.

That said, the narration style didn’t always work for me personally, and some of the humor/stereotypes became repetitive over time.

Still, underneath all the adventure chaos, there’s a surprisingly emotional story about change, growing up, and the fear of losing the people and places that define your childhood.

Final thought: A fast-paced, cinematic middle grade adventure that fully commits to its nostalgic chaos.

🕊️ The Dove and the Rogue

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 5 stars

This book knew EXACTLY what I wanted from a historical romance and delivered every single second of it.

Emotionally unavailable rake accidentally becoming pathetically obsessed with his wife almost immediately after their marriage of convenience begins? Incredible. No notes.

The chemistry between these characters was ridiculously good because it balanced emotional vulnerability, humor, longing, and tension so well throughout the story. And I especially loved that the romance never relied on tearing down the FMC’s independence to make the relationship work.

Also David being completely down horrendous for his wife while trying to pretend he’s still emotionally detached? Elite behavior honestly.

Final thought: Sweet, emotional, spicy historical romance with incredible chemistry and an MMC who falls first, fast, and HARD.

🤖 Ode to the Half-Broken

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 5 stars

This book felt like a warm hug wrapped inside an existential crisis about humanity, grief, identity, and the end of the world.

And somehow I mean that as the highest compliment possible.

If you’ve ever wished cozy post-apocalyptic sci-fi had a little more plot, emotional intensity, and political depth while still maintaining that hopeful reflective core… this absolutely delivers.

The strongest part of this book for me was the character work, especially Be as a protagonist. They carry so much loneliness, shame, anger, fear, compassion, and fragile hope all at once in a way that made them feel deeply human despite not technically being human at all.

Their journey throughout the story genuinely felt healing. Not in a neat overly optimistic way, but in a very honest “learning how to keep living after pain changes you” kind of way.

I also loved how atmospheric this world felt. The story unfolds like a long reflective road trip through the ruins of society, slowly revealing different communities, political systems, survival ideologies, and ways people adapted after collapse. There’s this constant underlying conversation about ecology, technology, grief, morality, and whether humanity is capable of building something better after destroying itself.

And despite how introspective the book is, it never feels emotionally hollow. The found family dynamics throughout this were SO good.

That said, this is definitely more of a reflective character-driven sci-fi than an action-heavy one. The pacing meanders intentionally at times, and the ending felt slightly rushed compared to how thoughtfully the rest of the story unfolds.

But honestly? I didn’t even care by the end because I was so emotionally invested in these characters and this world.

Final thought: Hopeful, thoughtful post-apocalyptic sci-fi filled with incredible character work, emotional healing, found family, and robots trying to figure out what it means to be whole.

🦴 Bone of My Bone

Read or skip: SKIP
Rating: 3 stars

This is one of those books where I can completely see why other readers are loving it even though it ultimately didn’t fully work for me personally.

Because honestly? The atmosphere here is fantastic.

A nun and a peasant girl traveling through a war-torn Bavarian forest carrying the skull of a saint while encountering supernatural horrors along the way is objectively an incredible setup. And the folklore horror elements throughout the story were genuinely some of my favorite parts.

The historical atmosphere feels grim, immersive, and emotionally heavy in a way that really worked for me. The body horror imagery, religious themes, feminine rage, and wartime desperation all create a very strong tone throughout the story.

I also actually enjoyed a lot of the secondary storylines, especially Otto’s descent throughout the book, which honestly ended up being one of the more emotionally compelling arcs for me.

But where the book lost me was the central romance itself.

I just never fully understood why BOTH FMCs needed to romantically fall for each other because their relationship honestly felt more emotionally powerful to me as two deeply traumatized women trying to survive unimaginable circumstances together.

The insta-love elements also made it harder for me to fully connect emotionally because I wanted more development both individually and within their relationship dynamic.

That said, Elsebeth absolutely carried parts of this book for me because she somehow manages to be funny, emotionally resilient, and surprisingly charismatic despite the horrors happening around her.

Final thought: Atmospheric folklore horror with incredible historical vibes and body horror imagery, but the central romance and emotional development didn’t fully come together for me.

🐉 A Curse of Beasts and Magic

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 4.25 stars

This ended up being such an addictive fantasy romance read.

The strongest part for me was how balanced everything felt. The story manages to juggle supernatural politics, romance tension, monsters, hidden magical worlds, and action without ever becoming confusing or overly dense.

And the central concept here absolutely worked on me because “Beauty and the Beast but Beauty is the terrifying monster” is objectively a fantastic setup.

The emotional conflict also landed really well because the story spends a lot of time exploring fear, control, identity, and what it means to feel monstrous even before the external danger escalates.

Final thought: A highly bingeable fantasy romance with strong worldbuilding, addictive tension, and monster-girl emotional damage.

🤵 The Tuxedo Society

Read or skip: Skip if you don't like camp humor; read if Naked Gun is your thing
Rating: 3 stars

This book is genuinely ridiculous and I mean that both positively and negatively.

The entire story operates on camp logic, which means your enjoyment is going to depend entirely on whether you’re willing to fully surrender yourself to the absurdity of what’s happening.

Once I stopped trying to take anything seriously, I definitely had more fun with it. The humor is chaotic, over-the-top, self-aware, and constantly escalating into increasingly bizarre situations.

Not every joke landed for me consistently, and there were moments where the story felt a little too committed to the bit, but overall this was still entertaining in a very “what on earth am I reading” kind of way.

Final thought: Campy, chaotic spy nonsense that will either really work for you or absolutely exhaust you depending on your humor tolerance.

🌿 Behind Five Willows

Read or skip: READ
Rating: 4.5 stars

June Hur continues to emotionally ruin me with alarming consistency.

This Pride & Prejudice retelling is filled with so much restrained emotional tension that even the smallest interactions somehow feel devastating. Every conversation feels layered with things left unsaid, which made the romance incredibly compelling for me.

But beyond the yearning, the themes surrounding censorship, storytelling, and preserving knowledge are what really elevated this story emotionally.

There’s something incredibly powerful about characters risking their safety because they believe stories matter and that people deserve access to them.

Also this absolutely reads like a historical K-drama in the best possible way.

Final thought: Atmospheric, yearning-filled historical fiction with beautiful emotional tension and powerful themes surrounding stories and censorship.

🔥 A Kiss of Crimson Ash

Read or skip: SKIP
Rating: 3 stars

This honestly feels like a book that had several strong ideas but never figured out how to execute them in a compelling way.

The premise itself had so much potential, especially because Indian-inspired fantasy romance still feels relatively underrepresented within the genre right now. Unfortunately, the actual storytelling constantly undercuts that potential.

The pacing drags despite the shorter length because the writing spends so much time overexplaining instead of allowing scenes, relationships, or worldbuilding to naturally unfold. Almost everything feels told to the reader instead of experienced alongside the characters.

I also struggled heavily with the political intrigue because none of it feels remotely subtle. The book clearly wants certain reveals and alliances to feel surprising, but most readers are going to see everything coming extremely early on.

The characterization also felt inconsistent throughout, particularly surrounding Taara. The story establishes her as the queen of a matriarchal society, yet she spends most of the book allowing everyone around her to control her decisions without much resistance, which made her characterization feel disconnected from the worldbuilding itself.

And unfortunately, the book includes an on-page sexual assault involving one of the MMCs that feels deeply mishandled and largely exists for shock value rather than meaningful character exploration.

Final thought: An interesting fantasy romance premise ultimately weakened by shallow worldbuilding, weak intrigue, and frustrating execution.

And that’s the wrap-up for this week’s new releases. As always, let me know which of these you’re picking up first!

Our newest immersive reading experience has officially arrived and we are so excited to share it with you.

If The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards completely swept you away with its emotional storytelling, Irish rebellion backdrop, wartime romance, and unforgettable atmosphere, we created these kits to help you dive even deeper into the story.

📖 The Moonlight Runner Book Club Kit

Perfect for full book clubs and group discussions featuring:

• Deep-dive discussion questions

• Themed activities

• Irish-inspired menus and recipes

• Printable activity materials

• Door prize ideas

• Atmosphere and décor inspiration

✨ Individual Book Club Member Reader Guide

Designed for individual members to use while reading and preparing for discussion with:

• Reflection prompts

• Character tracking pages

• Favorite quote sections

• Predictions and emotional reactions

• Historical context prompts

🌙 Deep Dive Solo Reader Kit

For readers who love immersive solo reading experiences:

• Emotional reflection pages

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🤝 Deep Dive Buddy Reader Kit

Perfect for buddy reads and reading partnerships featuring:

• Buddy discussion prompts

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Whether you’re hosting a full book club night, annotating every emotional scene solo, or screaming about plot twists with your reading buddy, these kits were designed to make your reading experience even more unforgettable.

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There are some historical fiction novels that quietly unfold across the page, and then there are the ones that completely pull you into the chaos, heartbreak, and danger of another era. The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards was absolutely the second kind for our book club.

From the very first chapters, our group found ourselves immersed in post-World War I Ireland, a country still reeling from war, disease, political unrest, and unimaginable loss. The atmosphere in this novel felt heavy in the best possible way. You can practically feel the cold sea air of Donegal Bay, the fear simmering beneath everyday conversations, and the desperation of people fighting for freedom while trying to survive grief and uncertainty.

A Heroine Who Carried the Story

One of the biggest discussion points in our group was Rynn Carmichael herself. At only twenty-two years old, Rynn is forced into impossible circumstances, yet she never feels unrealistically fearless or invincible. Instead, she feels human. That vulnerability made her journey even more compelling.

As a nurse caring for wounded soldiers after the Great War, Rynn already carries emotional scars before the story truly begins. When she overhears the British officers discussing the ambush planned for Irish gunrunners, her decision to act launches her into a dangerous political world she never expected to enter.

Our club especially appreciated that Rynn’s bravery wasn’t written as glamorous. Every decision came with consequences, fear, sacrifice, and emotional weight. Watching her navigate loyalty, survival, and love while Ireland itself stood on the edge of transformation created a deeply emotional reading experience.

The Historical Setting Was the Real Star

If your book club loves richly detailed historical fiction, this novel offers so much to discuss.

Karen Robards paints an incredibly vivid picture of Ireland in 1918. The aftermath of World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, and the growing Irish rebellion all collide in ways that make the story feel urgent and immersive. Our group spent a long time discussing how effectively the novel captured the uncertainty of the time period.

The settings themselves almost felt cinematic. One moment readers are in a quiet coastal village, and the next they are navigating glittering London ballrooms or tense Dublin alleyways filled with danger. The constant shifts in atmosphere kept the pacing engaging while reinforcing the instability of the era.

Several members of our club mentioned that the political conflict added a level of emotional intensity that elevated the romance and suspense elements. Even readers who typically avoid war-centered historical fiction found themselves invested because the story stayed so grounded in personal relationships and emotional survival.

Romance, Loyalty, and Impossible Choices

The romance between Rynn and Donal sparked some of the liveliest conversations in our discussion.

Their relationship carries years of history, longing, and unresolved emotion, but the political turmoil surrounding them constantly threatens to tear them apart. Some members of our group loved the sweeping emotional devotion between them, while others found themselves frustrated by the difficult choices both characters made throughout the novel.

What made the romance work for most of us was that it never overshadowed the larger themes of sacrifice, identity, and freedom. Instead, the relationship became another layer of emotional risk in an already dangerous world.

The novel also raises difficult questions that made for excellent book club discussion:

• How far should someone go for their country?

• Is personal happiness possible during political conflict?

• Can love survive when survival itself becomes uncertain?

• What sacrifices are justified in the pursuit of freedom?

These morally gray questions kept our conversation going long after we finished the book.

What Our Book Club Loved Most

Our group especially enjoyed:

• The immersive Irish historical setting

• The balance of romance, suspense, and political drama

• Rynn’s emotional character arc

• The cinematic pacing and atmosphere

• The morally complicated decisions throughout the story

• The exploration of resilience during devastating times

A Few Mixed Opinions

Not every reader connected with the story in the same way, which actually made for better discussion.

A few members felt certain side characters could have used more development, particularly given the large emotional and political scope of the novel. Others occasionally wished the pacing slowed down enough to explore some emotional moments more deeply before moving into the next dramatic event.

Still, even readers with critiques admitted they remained emotionally invested throughout the story, which says a lot about the novel’s ability to keep readers engaged.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Moonlight Runner delivered exactly the kind of sweeping, emotional historical fiction experience that creates memorable book club discussions. It combines political rebellion, romance, grief, danger, and hope into a story that feels both intimate and epic in scale.

For readers who love immersive historical fiction with strong emotional stakes, morally complex characters, and richly layered settings, this is a compelling choice for a group read.

If your book club enjoys novels that blend history, romance, and survival while asking difficult emotional questions, The Moonlight Runner is definitely worth adding to your reading list.

Want to Dive Even Deeper Into The Moonlight Runner?

We created an entire collection of reader resources inspired by The Moonlight Runner to help readers fully immerse themselves in the story, characters, history, and emotional themes of the novel.

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Want the full experience? Join The First Editions for access to our complete expanded kits featuring:

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Whether you’re reading solo, buddy reading, or hosting a full book club night, there’s a kit designed to make your reading experience even more immersive.

Hello, everyone!

Happy New Release Tuesday! Here are some new releases we are excited about this week!

• Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir

• Bone of My Bone by Johanna van Veen

• Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer

• The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro

Ryn has read Bone of My Bone and recommends it if you like historical horror that feels very Canterbury Tales-esque!

Happy Tuesday, till next time!

Another week of a strong slate of new releases! Here are books that are on my radar (and I think should. be on yours, too):

Babylon, South Dakota by Tom Lin

Why it interests me: I especially appreciate stories with Chinese immigrants in the American West. I think this may also have a speculative nature.

House of Margins by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Why it interests me: a haunted house story set in Africa. A missing author after being invited to a writing retreat. Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy books set at author/artist retreats?

Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir

Why it interests me: Hildur's previous work, The Night Guest, was one of the first horror books I read and was at the beginning of my realization that horror often has the theme work that I love. This one is translated from Icelandic and described as "gruesomely cathartic."

Pretend You're Dead and I Carry You by Julián Delgado Lopera

Why it interests me: a literary fiction book with queer characters by a Colombian American author.

The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays by Andrea Hairston

Why it interests me: this looks like science fiction in horror skin.

No God but Us by Bobuq Sayed

Why it interests me: our main character participates in Istanbul Pride, and appears to explore Turkiye's growing authoritarianism and queer freedom.

Hi everyone! Hard to believe, but it is time to vote for our Q3 Book Club picks! For those of you who are new around here, we pick our books out quarterly to give people time to find the books and prepare their reading plans. We are now selecting our books for July -September 2026.

If you are just here on Bindery and not on our Discord server, we take proposals on Discord. Everyone has a week to post suggestions, react, and comment. I then whittle them down based on the following:

• Popularity: How many emojis/comments did a book get.

• Content of comments - does it seem like the group is interested, have a large number read or not, etc.

• Ensuring a diversity of reads, authors, book/story types, and sizes.

• Last but not least, my interest is the tiebreaker when things are close.

We had 31 submissions for this quarter, and so many amazing books to choose from! We had 5 clear top choices, 3 that were pretty clearly next in line, and then one that I picked amongst a few that were all pretty close.

This poll will close in one week, and the final choices will be announced June 1. You may select up to 3 choices! And don't forget, if you are looking for more beyond the book club, consider upgrading to the paid tier where paid member's get to choose a book to read with me each month, or check out our many buddy reads we have going at all times over on Discord!

Happy voting!

On this episode of Rebel Ever After, my guest is romance cover illustrator Leni Kauffman. She is the creator of iconic covers like Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker, as well as covers for books by Olivia Dade, Ashley Herring Blake, Emma R. Alban, and many more. I guarantee that you have some of Leni’s work on your bookshelf or Kindle. 

We talked about how she started working in the romance genre, what the process of cover design looks like, whether or not she reads the books she illustrates, and many more questions you've always wanted to ask a cover designer. We also talked about our mutual loathing of AI and how it is impacting visual artists. 

Follow Leni on Instagram @lenikauffman or go to her website www.lenikauffman.com

Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• Castbox

• Libsyn

Format: Audiobook (graphic audio via Hoopla)
Rating: 5 🌟

What I've loved:
Shout out to my local bookclub for this pick. I've seen this book so much but never picked it up and I am glad I listened via graphic audio. I never listened to a mystery/horror with graphic audio but it was chef's kiss. I absolutely loveeeed it.
There are discussions and references to domestic life through the "typical" women's lens, centered in the 90s. It felt real because it referred to things in a realistic way. This is a twist on your typical vampire story and in this, I actually feel like they aren't the only monsters at play here. This was a bookclub hit and so many readers enjoyed this.
If you so happen to read the physical, there are questions in the back that really make you rethink about the story you read. This isn't a typical "who dunnit" type of mystery, it's more about the power and downfalls of friendships and the power in standing in your truth.

What I wanted more of: 
I actually don't have any complaints. I do wonder, the special interests that Patricia's son is invested in, I wonder what was the point of highlighting that so frequently?

Patricia's husband get's on my ever last nerve. I wish I had more from his consequences towards the end of the book. 


Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I wish I didn't wait so long to read it but if you have the option to listen via graphic audio, I HIGHLY recommend it.  

Hi everyone! It’s time to vote for the books we will be reading in June :) as always we will have three fantasy and three thriller/horror reads to choose from. Everyone will get two votes, one for each category. Voting will end on May 31st!

Hey y'all,

The Children of Diaspora Book Club will be discussing One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad on Saturday, May 30th at 1 PM EST on the Discord. There will be a voice channel for it.

We'll be discussing Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen the following week on Sunday, June 7th at 3 PM EST on Discord, as well. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

XoXo,

Rae

Welcome to the first ever Must Read Monday! Every Monday, I'm going to spotlight a backlist book that I think didn't get the love it deserved.

Today's book is SOMETHING KINDRED by Ciera Burch.  

If you are a fan of authors like Jas Hammond or Courtney Gould, this book needs to go on your TBR right now. SOMETHING KINDRED is, at its core, about relationships between women and how generational trauma can affect them.

I loved all the women in this book, and watching them grapple with the choices they had made in their lives. These relationships dovetailed so beautifully with the exploration of small town life; how something can feel like home and be stifling at the same time. The imagery and feelings it evoked will stay with me for a long time. 

Amid all of this emotional plot, there is also a supernatural story happening at the same time. The grief is both real and unreal in this book, and I loved the way they interweaved.

Also, I haven't even gotten to the part where the main character is bisexual! This book truly has everything.

I started reading this one and have laughed, giggled and screamed at the book characters 🫶

If you liked the movie Miss Congeniality, then you would enjoy this one!

#harperperennialpartner

💕 Grace is a biologist who is passionately working on saving frogs 🐸. With her family, she feels isolated because they all these extroverted influencers who do not understand her at all. But what happens when her mom puts her in a dating show 💘 and suddenly she is surrounded by hot models and is expected to find love. AND did I tell you she has made a nemisis - the shows HOT AND HANDSOME lawyer 🔥?

The book is chaos in the best possible way!

💕 What I liked-
Grumpy meets sunshine ☀️
The funny challenges 🍌
The friendships 🩷
Andrew and Grace's email and dates ;) 🔥
Her change of perspective - I took some notes for my personal life too.
Animals 🐸 🦊

💕 What I would have liked more -
More about Andrew and how he gets the know Grace.

✨ 3/5 ✨

Publisher - @harperperennial

Author - @amymasswriter

Thank you so much for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

#datingshow #womeninstem #funny #romcoms

Hi friends! Happy Sunday!

I'm still undecided on if I will be sending out one or two newsletters per week, but for now, I'm bursting at the seams to share what I've been reading and my thoughts on those books. (I currently hadn't read any books for the month of May, and then BAM two books in two days - that were absolute bangers.)

Have you ever listened to an audiobook and just wished you had a physical copy to annotate and highlight important sentences? These two books were that way for me. I had to break out my Notes app and hit that rewind button quite a few times to ensure I got them down correctly. The two books I'm referencing?:

The first book I read (in one day) was The Rainbow Ain't Never Been Enuf: On The Myth Of LGBTQ+ Solidary by Kaila Adia Story. There were several, several important pieces to capture in this book. Namely about how critical it is for white queer people to show up for the ENTIRE community and how racism, misogyny, and transphobia run rampant and go unchecked throughout the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole. In addition to the white washing and capitalistic approach Pride has become in general now.

What stood out to me was in the Epilogue, though - when Story spoke about being an "Ally" v. being an "Accomplice." One would argue that being an Ally is important, but now we see it in every Instagram bio., and to me, it makes me pause and question the validity and sincerity of the intent behind the word. Story goes on to discuss how being an Ally is now viewed as performative and takes over marginalized spaces meant for others. Being an Accomplice, however, is a call to action. In my own words, it's Ally (talking) v. Accomplice (doing.) The first time I heard the term Accomplice was in The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person by Frederick Joseph, and that altered my mind and how I show up for my neighbors, community members and friends. Am I talking, or am I doing? And that's an important question to ask yourself daily. Interested in reading it before I circle back to the more in-depth discussion? You can order it here.

I could dive deeper into this book, but I'll save it for later, because, honestly, there's some things I'm still stewing on and need the physical book to put more words into what I'm feeling/thinking. So, stay tuned for that. Or join the Discord community for further discussions/questions you have.

The SECOND book I finished last week was A Committee Of One: How Faith + Action = A Purposefull Life by Opal Lee. Y'all. This book is absolute FIRE. It releases June 2nd. You can pre-order the book here. Dr. Opal Lee delivers such an important book. The Grandmother of Juneteenth. An elder who speaks truth into the future generations who dare to read her words and then put them into action. Yes, there is some religious talk, but (and I don't remember who, I deeply apologize. If I find it, I will credit them) a Black content creator on Threads stated it was like sitting with your grandma, and truly, it is. It's sitting at the feet of someone with lived experience, showing you the way. There's no many nuggets of wisdom I wrote down, but this one in particular just propelled me forward:

"What have you started that you haven't finished?... Stop counting yourself out before you get halfway through the journey... Honor what's in you."

And going back to The Rainbow Ain't Never Been Enuf discussion from above, Dr. Opal Lee also stated this zinger that made me do a double and triple listen: "You can't just talk about change, you have to be change... talk is easy, change is work." Damn, Okay, Ma'am!

Y'all. Some books just go in one ear and out the other... and some just stick with you and alter your brain chemistry. These two altered my brain in the best way.

So, as I leave you for the day, tell me in the comments, what book(s) have altered YOUR brain?

To continue this conversation, Friends, join my Discord community for free.

With all my trans joy,

Sawyer Cole

Hey Besties!

Coming to you live from Joshua Tree where no reading is happening! We’re here for a show (Afghan Whigs) tonight at Pappy and Harriet’s and definitely enjoying all the desert things. We went for a brief hike this morning and then had late brunch, which is why this is a little late today. Alas, let’s catch up on books!

I finished Cleopatra this week and LOVED IT so much. In fact, I think it’s surpassed When We Were Brilliant as my favorite book of the year. It was masterful and exactly what I hoped it would be! I’ll be back soon with a video dedicated specifically to Cleopatra, likely for paid subscribers only. 5⭐️s

I also finished The Woman and Her Stars, which finally motivated me to finish my Women in STEM blog post. I really enjoy Haw’s character development. She has a knack for crafting a compelling character and story arc without frills. It’s clean with no romance and very period-driven. 4.25⭐️

I finally picked up Lonesome Dove again and was surprised at how easy it was to dive back into the story after having last read it months ago. My goal is to finish this behemoth by the end of summer!

Lastly, I started A Far Flung Life on audio, and to be honest I’m not sure about it yet. It’s well written, but I can already tell it’s going to be SLOW and very character-driven, which is not what I’m in the mood for right now. I owe the publisher a review, but I’m not sure it’s the right time for me to read this. We shall see if I continue it vs return to it later. 

As voted on by YOU, the BBFL, my Fable Book Club, is currently deciding between several East Coast summer reads. I’m really eager to see what they select. It’s neck-and-neck between the Beatriz Williams and Elin Hilderbrand books. I was in the mood for a popcorn read, something low stakes that will get the book club chatting. 

I also posted my first-ever paid subscriber-only content this week, and it's the first of MANY new things I'll be sharing exclusively to paid subs. This week was a review of the film Nuremberg along with a few reading suggestions to accompany the film. While I know times are hard, if you've ever wanted to support me and my content this is the perfect way to do that! I appreciate you!

ICYMI

• 55 Women in STEM Historical Fiction Books

• Women in STEM IG Infographic

• The Hired Man book review

• Unveiling the latest in my Portland Leather Goods collection

Hear It Hear First:

There are SO many things coming soon, so be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and Youtube. I'll be sharing my first ever paid product: over 300 TBR Jar Prompts perfect for historical fiction lovers. I'm also finalizing a reading vlog/review of Yesteryear. Lastly, the June newsletter is already in the works, full of great finds and a look ahead at July historical fiction releases.

Thanks for all your support, my friends! Until next time, happy reading!

xoxo

c

I've been diving deep into some urban legends for research on something special. Most times, urban legends start from a truth before embellishment and fabrication make the tale more sinister than it originated. But let's be real, as horror fans, we live for the scary details that are added in. We chase that thrill of possibly summoning Bloody Mary in front of a mirror, or exploring a supposedly haunted house.

Below, you can find some urban legend horror books that will hopefully scratch that urban legend itch you have. Next week I will feature some Cryptic/Creature Feature Urban Legends :D

The graphic novels Bad Dreams In The Night and Let Me In Your Window by Adam Ellis both feature beautiful artwork with amazing, scary stories. Many of these stories feature urban legends and tales of folklore.

Jack O' Dander by Priya Sharma

This short story follows a family are not only impacted by their choices, but also by a mysterious urban legend.

Killer on The Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones

Both of these novels play on common urban legends. Killer on The Road deals with the legend of a serial killer on the road picking up hitchhikers. The Babysitter Lives centers around the babysitter receives a call/knock on the door urban legend. Both are great books and I love that they are featured together.

Daphne by Josh Malerman

Did you ever play "The Game" back in school. Oops... sorry just made you lose it. This book is very similar to The Game. The urban legend named Daphne comes to life when you think of her. The more you think of her, the higher chance she will come and kill you...better stop thinking of her or else...you may be next.

Schrader's Chord by Scott Leeds

Ahh the good ole cursed object. Schrader's Chord follows a man who inherits a supposed cursed record from his recently deceased father. Legend has it that all four records are played at the same time, the listener will open a gate to the land of the dead...

Narcissus by Adam Godfrey

After hearing about a subterranean pool that's rumored to be the one by which Narcissus once wasted away by, a group of college kids learn the hard way that legends can be true.

A few on my tbr

Books Of Blood by Clive Barker

Scanlines by Todd Keisling

Maggie's Grave by David Sodergren

The House On Abigail Lane by Kealan Patrick Burke

What are some of your favorite Urban Legends?

It's time to wrap up The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight and kick off Go Eat Worms.

WRAP UP

The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight had some creepy scarecrows that came to life. I loved the building dread showcased in this one. I actually don't remember this one as a kid and don't think I read it, so getting to read it now was a pure delight.

In case you missed it, here are some readalikes that feature some farms and creepy scarecrows.

1. Do scarecrows scare you?

2. What part of farm life would you love? Hate?

KICK OFF

And now on to book #21 Go Eat Worms

My fourth grade class went and saw How To Eat Fried Worms in theater, so I'm surprised I never read this one! Worms are gross. They're slimy and squirmy. I'm sure this book grossed out a ton of kids back in the day.

Synopsis:

Obsessed with worms? That's putting it mildly. Todd is so fascinated with worms, he keeps a worm farm in his basement! Most of all, Todd loves torturing his sister and her best friend with worms. Dropping them in their hair. Down their backs.
Until one day, after cutting a worm in half, Todd notices something strange. The rest of the worms seems to be staring at him! Suddenly worms start showing up in the worst places for Todd. In his bed. In his homework. Even in his spaghetti!
What's a worm lover to do when his own worms are starting to gross him out?