Hi everyone! This weekend is our seasonal readathon to celebrate summer! It goes from Friday, July 10th to Tuesday, July 14th starting at midnight in your time zone and going until 11:59PM to Tuesday, July 14th (in your time zone). Join us in Discord!

The Rules: This is a laid-back readathon. Read as much or as little as possible, mood read or use the bingo card linked below. My only ask is that the books you're reading have queer rep and/or are written by a BIPOC author. I'm cultivating a space where we diversify our reading.

I'll be hosting sprints for free and paid members on Sunday, July 12th from 12pm to 3pm EST. CLICK HERE to access the stream. I'll make an official post leading up to the sprints for an extra reminder. The stream will be available to access afterward.

For anyone who wants it, I created a bingo card. CLICK HERE to access the bingo card.

BINGO CARD PROMPTS

1. Read a book set at the beach

2. Read a book where the character completes a bucket list

3. Read a novella

4. Read a book that starts with 'J'

5. Attend reading sprints

6. Read a book featuring ice cream

7. Read a book published in July

8. Read a book with disability/neurodivergent rep (It's Disability Pride Month!)

9. Read a book on your summer TBR

10. Read a book with your favorite color on the cover

11. Read a graphic novel, comic, or manga

12. Read a book set during the summer

13. Read a romance book

14. Read a middle grade book

15. Have a summer treat

16. Write a book review

RECOMMENDATIONS

Disability & Neurodivergent Rep

• Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (ADHD)

• Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White (Autism)

• How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby (anxiety & depression)

• Someone to Daydream About by Sydney Langford (deaf FMC, MMC w/ ADHD, dysgraphia & dyslexia)

Graphic Novels

• Magical Boy by The Kao

• The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A.

• Homebody by Theo Parish

• This One Summer by Mariko & Jillian Tamaki

Manga

• Blue Flag by KAITO

• Dinosaur Sanctuary by Itaru Kinoshita

• Confessions of a Shy Baker by Masaomi Ito (CW: Dieting, calorie counting)

• Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani

Summer (Beach) Reads

• Melt My Heart by Bethany Rutter

• The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill

• The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters

• If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber

• Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno

Books starting with 'J'

• Just As You Are by Cameron Kellogg

• Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

• Just Between Us by Adeline Kon

• Joy, to the World by Lisa Bunker, Kai Shappley

• Junior High by Tegan & Sara

Books Published in July

• Buried Feelings by Kit Rosewater (July 7, 2026)

• Heartstopper: Volume Six by Alice Oseman (July 2026)

• Melt My Heart by Bethany Rutter (July 23, 2020)

Middle Grade books

• The Beautiful Something Else by Alder Van Otterloo

• The House of Sunrise Lagoon series by Nicole Melleby

• Glitch Girl! by Rainie Oet

• Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

Novellas

• Finna by Nino Cipri

• Peter Darling by Austin Chant

• Read Between the Lines by Bee Medina

• Loading...The Machine Child by T.T. Wadden

Romance Books

• The Next Chapter by Cameron Kellogg

• And They Were Roommates by Page Powars

• Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

• The Broposal by Sonido Reyes

I had hoped to be able to share a recording of our first meeting for Tender is the Flesh, but I have not been able to download the recording from Zoom. I am not sure why, because we did record it, but it is not available in my zoom storage. I will reach out and see if their support team can help, but as of now, I don't have access to it.

If and when that changes, I'll share it, but for now, here is what you need to know:

Our conversation focused on a few key points. We discussed:

• Systems of oppression are designed to illicit complicity from even those who resist them

• While this specific story is a horrific display, it is meant to help us reflect on the way we, ourselves, justify the complicity our everyday lives require from us

• Tejo's history of neglect and abuse and how he uses those memories, and the relationships in his life, to justify his choices

• The contrast between the people at the bottom of this system and the people at the top

• Tejo's relationship with himself and the world around him

We also discussed specific scenes in the book and how we felt about them, but overall, we stuck to these larger conversations.

I also dropped a blog last week asking people when we would like to meet to discuss the second half of the book, and it looks like the date that worked best for everyone is Next Tuesday, July 14th, at 7pm CST

HERE is the Zoom link for that meeting. Based on our last meeting, I would expect this one to last from an hour to an hour and a half. Come ready with your questions, observations and challenges!

Also, at the end of that meeting, I would love to get some feedback from all of you on how we can do this better with our next book! I want to cultivate a really good experience for everyone and would love to know what would make that easier for you. So think on that this week too so that we can talk about it when we meet!

Thanks everyone! Look forward to speaking with you Tuesday!

So I recently dove into an oft-unmentioned book by sci-fi great C.J. Cherryh called Hammerfall. The first in a duology, I was excited to get into it and read something obscure she wrote - something new an interesting I had missed somehow.

I do, sadly, see why it was obscure and unmentioned.

The premise? Very cool. Marak has visions and after being betrayed by his father, he is sent to be taken before the immortal god-ruler called the Ila. Marak suffers from what's called "the madness" where a person is plagued by repeating visions and hallucinations, all of them suffering identical ones about a tower followed by the relentless compulsion to journey east. The Ila, strangely, decides Marak has enough of his faculties that he should just... follow them. See what happens.

So after bartering for his fellow madpersons' freedom to join him, Marak ventures across a desert as his visions intensify. During their travels, we see them weather storms, a power exchange, his budding relationships with two women who become his wives, Hati and Norit. Finally, after months, they come upon the tower. We learn about a galactic war between the Ila and these mysterious creatures and how the Ila has rebelled by creating things she wasn't supposed to and putting life on this planet. Luz and Ian, the two figures manning this tower, warn Marak that the end of the world is coming and they have to return and get as many people as they can to the tower for safety.

That's about where the interesting stuff stops.

After our journey through the desert, we then have to... journey back through the desert. Where we argue with the Ila, but then she rallies the tribes to go across the desert. Then... we go back across the desert. Again. Racing time as the "hammerfall" or apocalypse arrives.

I can only read so many passages about getting off and on a pack animal, resting in midday tents, and walking before I am skipping pages begging something to happen. To and fro. That is all the journey was. Just... coming and going.

It's a shame because Cherryh is a beautiful writer, her prose is fantastic and remains so strong in this. It was just so ceaseless in its monotony that I couldn't bring myself to be anything but annoyed. I skipped and skimmed so much hunting for when things would happen only to annoyingly discover they never did. We never got clarity on the ondats and what they are, very little came out about the nanotechnology other than it lets them live forever if they're infected with it, and Marak got closure by killing his dad after his dad killed his mom.

This all sounds extremely exciting, I know, but let me tell you that it was not. Somehow, we made it bland and tasteless and boring. I love weird sci fi, but there's a line between weird sci fi and pointless sci fi and Hammerfall was unfortunately the latter.

This got me thinking about a bigger picture item, mostly because I just finished Throne of Glass and there's a lot about the weakness or "bad writing" in the series' early installments. Even the greatest writers stumble. That's the nature of writing. Some big, colossal, genre-defining names have had bad or weak or forgettable books. Not every book is going to be a masterpiece and that's just fine.

We put so much pressure on authors to always produce masterworks, always getting better and better. Typically, they do! This is the nature of repeatedly flexing a talent! But sometimes, even masters of their craft slide. The true test of greatness is what they do with that slide, that reminder of the kind of author or talent or creator they used to be and how far they have come. Cherryh is a powerhouse in sci fi. She will always be. It's because of this folding-in of a less than ideal series that she continues to be known as a great writer. It didn't stop or deter her, she just folded it in and went back to her desk.

We have to let our favorites fail sometimes. They're humans. The beauty of human-made art is in the occasional failure of that art to connect. There is something painfully real about pushing through a book I should've put down and getting to the end, to seeing it through. It reminds me of fallibility, of how much we can change and still fall back a few steps, of how everyone including these colossi of their craft can miss sometimes.

So Hammerfall was not what I wanted it to be, but it was also a reminder that it doesn't make Cherryh any less of a great. That, alone, was worth finishing for the reminder.

Hey hey gonna make this intro super quick because World Cup is on. Let me know what you're reading this week in the comments and I'll fill ya in on what I'm planning on reading with my eyeballs. There's a buncha updates at the bottom on other stuff. Let's boogie!

READING

REVIEW

GUARDS! GUARDS! by TERRY PRATCHETT [City Watch #1, Discworld #8] (satirical fantasy)

Progress: Finished

Everybody that said I would love this was correct and I stand by what I said last week about it. I started #2 of City Watch, Men at Arms, today! The plan is to read that and maybe #3 of City Watch, Feet of Clay, before inserting a standalone into the rotation. Fantasy worlds with massive catalogs can be intimidating but there's nothing like vibing with the first book you pick up in one of those because it means you have so much goodness to get to.

JURASSIC PARK by MICHAEL CRICHTON

Progress: Finished

The Fiction Sickos Book Club "Jurassic July" has been a huge hit for me thanks to this book. Just finished it this morning and holy hell balls I loved it. It's been a while since I'd read Crichton (the last one was maybe Next over a decade ago) and I'd forgotten how smooth and bingeable his writing is. Over the past few days I've been watching the movies as well and I'm all the way through Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. My stepson is a massive JP fan and he recently read this book and it's been great connecting with him about the differences between the book and movie and our preferences for each.

I can't believe it took me this long to read it, get the hell in the Discord and chat with us about it if you're reading it!

Progress: Finished

NOT BUILT IN A DAY: HOW SLAVERY MADE THE ROMAN EMPIRE by EMMA SOUTHON

Progress: 227/357

I could share a billion highlights in the Discord forum for our History Sickos Book Club pick this month and I've been enjoying the discussion in there. Everyone should know by now that Southon is my favorite Roman historian in the book game so all the usual praise I heap on her for being brilliant and witty apply here.

DEFIANCE: A MEMOIR OF AWAKENING, REBELLION, AND SURVIVAL IN SYRIA by LOUBNA MRIE (nonfiction memoir)

Progress: 102/417

No progress as I didn't even mean to get this far into it and have pivoted to the book club book. Nothing at all against this book as I will pick it back up immediately after I'm done with the current read.

EVERYTHING ELSE

• Monthly Wrap Discord Video Call is tonight at 8pm EST! These are always packed and wild so come hang for the shenanigans.

• We have a winner for the Heated Rivalry giveaway! S/O Cat4141! (check your email if you haven't yet)

• I'm fed up with TikTok and am going to be taking a break from posting there until late in the month, and even then it will be in a limited capacity. TL;DR their support team continues to be entirely useless and incompetent. That won't impact other content on YT/IG/FB so if you don't watch me on TikTok you probably won't notice different.

• We're so very close to announcing the second book acquisition for Kist Reads. Hoping everything is all signed, sealed and delivered today and then we can map out an announcement plan to share with y'all.

• I started ADHD meds today which is either going to make me crazy locked in on productive work stuff or Civilization VI, who can say?!

• The current TV watches are House of the Dragon, Narcos and The Boys. I'll need something new to binge when there are no sports I care about happening.

• World Cup fever is still dominating my watch schedule. Bummer about the US stinking it up last night, currently watching Egypt 1-0 up on Argentina which is a shocker. Less shocking is VAR being Slow-Mo Big Brother bullshit and ruining a part of sports that I love (chaotic injustice perpetrated by a human). OH MAKE THAT 2-0 EGYPT?!

One of my goals this year is to help you spend less time wondering what to read next and more time actually reading.

This week's releases took me from a haunting island that shouldn't exist, to the forests of Denmark hunting a serial killer, to the pages of a Victorian gothic vampire novel. It was a week full of lush atmosphere, slow-building dread, and stories that couldn't have been more different from one another.

As always, these are simply my personal reactions. A book that didn't work for me may become your next five-star read, and one I couldn't stop recommending might not be the right fit for someone else.

Let's get into it.

🌊 Habits of the Sea

Read or Skip: READ

Rating: 5 stars

This was one of those rare books that I almost didn't want to finish because I wasn't ready to leave its world.

I've loved Shea Ernshaw's previous novels, but this felt like stepping into a dream I never wanted to wake from. It's lush, gothic, fairy-tale-like, and quietly devastating all at once.

At its heart, Habits of the Sea is about home, identity, grief, and the people who leave marks on our lives across impossible distances. Ernshaw blends magical realism with ecological anxiety, folklore, and an almost dreamlike melancholy so effortlessly that the impossible begins to feel completely believable.

The imagery is stunning. Every scene carries equal amounts of beauty and dread, and I found myself constantly slowing down just to appreciate the writing. Beneath all of the magic is an incredibly human story about loneliness, belonging, and finding your way back to yourself.

Final thought: Beautiful, haunting, and utterly immersive. This is easily one of my favorite books of the year and a must-read for anyone who loves lyrical speculative fiction.

🩸 Hide and Seek

Read or Skip: READ

Rating: 4.75 stars

Scandinavian crime fiction has always approached suspense differently than many American thrillers.

Rather than relying on constant twists, Hide and Seek builds tension through meticulous police work, creeping dread, and the feeling that every answer only opens the door to another question.

On paper, this is a 500-plus-page police procedural; in reality, it flies.

Every interview, every clue, and every conversation between Hess and Thulin moves something forward, whether it's the investigation itself or the unresolved tension between the two detectives. Their relationship continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series, and there were multiple moments where I wanted to force them to simply have an honest conversation already.

I also appreciated how much care Sveistrup gives to the victims and the families left behind. The investigation never becomes just a puzzle. It remains grounded in the people whose lives have been permanently changed.

Final thought: If The Chestnut Man hooked you, this is an easy recommendation. I somehow loved it even more than the first book.

🧛 The Brides

Read or Skip: SKIP

Rating: 3 stars

This was probably my most complicated read of the week because I don't actually think it failed at what it was trying to do.

I simply expected a different book.

Rather than modernizing vampire fiction, The Brides is deeply committed to recreating the experience of reading classic Victorian gothic novels. The epistolary structure, fragmented perspectives, and slow accumulation of dread all feel like an intentional homage to Dracula.

The atmosphere is genuinely phenomenal. Dark, eerie, unsettling, and beautifully written.

The problem was that I never emotionally connected with the story. I admired the craftsmanship from beginning to end, but I always felt like I was observing the novel rather than living inside it.

Final thought: If you're looking for an authentic gothic reading experience, this may absolutely work for you. If you're hoping for a faster-paced vampire novel, your expectations may need adjusting.

Also Hitting Shelves This Week

Didn't see your next read above? Here are a few other releases arriving this week that caught my attention.

🔍 Get Lost

A missing mother. A deadbeat dad who's suddenly the prime suspect. Add Russian mobsters, family dysfunction, and sharp humor, and this sounds like a mystery that's just as emotional as it is entertaining.

Pick this up if you enjoy: Carl Hiaasen, dysfunctional family stories, and fast-paced mysteries.

💍 The Wedding Week

An eight-day destination wedding in the Everglades quickly turns into a nightmare as buried family secrets resurface and someone begins sabotaging the celebration.

Pick this up if you enjoy: family drama, destination thrillers, and suspense with messy relationships.

🩸 We Will See You Bleed

A literary crime thriller set during a devastating paper mill strike in 1984 Maine, where the women of a struggling town decide they've had enough.

Pick this up if you enjoy: gritty crime fiction, morally gray characters, and atmospheric literary thrillers.

🏡 The MASH Up

A woman wakes up inside the M.A.S.H. game she played as a kid and discovers that her destined soulmate is... her brother's best friend.

Pick this up if you enjoy: magical realism, nostalgic rom-coms, and brother's best friend romance.

✨ An Education in Longing

A haunted magical university, a dangerous rival, and a magic system fueled by desire make this one of the week's most intriguing dark fantasy releases.

Pick this up if you enjoy: dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, and gothic fantasy.

🎭 Our Wicked Gifts

Succession meets House of Hollow. A cursed magical family, a deal with the devil, a masquerade murder, and a romance where love and betrayal are never far apart.

Pick this up if you enjoy: gothic fantasy, family intrigue, and dark romantic fantasy.

⚡ Ungodly Rich

The Greek gods are reimagined as a billionaire dynasty where divine powers, family rivalries, and ancient grudges collide.

Pick this up if you enjoy: mythology retellings, wealthy dysfunctional families, and high-stakes drama.

🏕️ The Roommate Rule

Two complete opposites share a cabin in Wales with one simple agreement: they're roommates, nothing more.

We all know how well that usually works.

Pick this up if you enjoy: forced proximity, opposites attract, and cozy vacation romances.

🕵️ The Spy and the Snake

A veteran MI5 agent returns to fieldwork for one last mission involving a fake marriage, Cold War espionage, and unexpected sparks in Budapest.

Pick this up if you enjoy: spy thrillers, capable heroines, historical espionage, and slow-burn romance.

Which of these is heading straight to your TBR?

If you've already picked one up this week, I'd love to hear what you're reading in the comments. And if you're looking for even more recommendations, be sure to follow along: I share new release roundups every Tuesday to help you find your next great read.

Welcome to your exclusive, unrestricted look into the creative world of debut romance author Ellis Darnell! While the public preview gives readers a taste of her charming coastal setting, we saved the full, raw, and delightfully honest 30-question chat for our First Editions members.

Grab a Diet Pepsi and some Taco Bell (Ellis’s ultimate writing fuel), and dive into this deep conversation about battling imposter syndrome, drafting an entire novel on an iPhone, and what the future holds for the cozy town of Driftbay.

1. The Debut Milestone

Q: Congratulations on your debut release! What has been the most exciting part of preparing for the launch of What The Heart Wants?

Ellis Darnell: "Thank you so much! Honestly, the most exciting and special part before launch was getting my first proof copy. Getting to physically hold the story in my hands was such a monumental moment, a culmination of so much hard work. I cried when I unboxed the first copy!"

2. Describe the Vibe

Q: For readers discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe What The Heart Wants in three words?

Ellis Darnell: "Cozy, sweet, and heartfelt."

3. A Long-Awaited Spark

Q: What inspired you to write a story centered around love, grief, family, and fresh starts?

Ellis Darnell: "I got the basic idea when I was seventeen, of a young girl reeling from the loss of her mom and going to live with her aunt. I wrote a (very rough) story around that time. Then life happened and so many years went by and I stopped writing for a long time. I got inspired again about two years ago for the diner aspect, and just stuck a note in my phone about it.

Then last fall, the story hit me like a ton of bricks and I knew I had to tell it. I had always wanted to tell stories from different perspectives but didn’t know how to structure it when I was younger. It wasn’t until I started reading Freida McFadden books that I realized I could write different perspectives and how I could structure it. I knew I wanted to write from Thea’s perspective, and adding her aunt’s in changed so much with what I could do for the draft."

4. Dreaming of Driftbay

Q: Driftbay sounds like a charming coastal town. What drew you to that setting, and is there anything readers should know about it before diving in?

Ellis Darnell: "The beach always relaxes me. I actually vacationed at the beach while I was working on the book and getting to spend a few days beachside while delving into these characters really helped me create the setting. I’m also from a small town in the Midwest, so combining both aspects created a perfect slice of heaven for me. I wanted somewhere peaceful where Thea could heal and discover that sometimes the smallest places take up the biggest room in our hearts."

5. The Ultimate Comfort Food

Q: Baking plays a role in the story. If you could choose one baked good that perfectly represents What The Heart Wants, what would it be and why?

Ellis Darnell: "While there’s many recipes mentioned in the book, I think Thea’s lemon-blueberry scones would represent the book the best. They’re sweet and a little tart, just like Thea’s and Beth’s journeys with grief and love."

6. The Swiftie Soundtrack

Q: Your author bio mentions that you're a huge Taylor Swift fan. If What The Heart Wants had an unofficial Taylor Swift soundtrack, what songs would make the playlist?

Ellis Darnell: "OH MAN - this is a tough one! Guilty as Sin? is included in the book playlist, but if I had to make just a Taylor playlist, it would be…

• Guilty as Sin?

• Ruin the Friendship

• Opalite

• You Are In Love

• State of Grace

• Treacherous

• Everything Has Changed

• Enchanted

• Fearless

• Labyrinth

• Midnight Rain

• evermore

• Daylight

• Lover

• Gorgeous

• Tied Together With a Smile"

7. A Note for Readers

Q: If readers could only know one thing before picking up your book, what would you want them to know?

Ellis Darnell: "Just like grief, love isn’t linear but it’s never too late for true love."

8. The Ultimate Comfort Read

Q: The Comfort Read: What is the one book you can re-read over and over again and never get tired of?

Ellis Darnell: "Dr. Franklin’s Island by Ann Halam - I discovered it in junior high and it’s still one of my favorite books to this day!"

9. Resting on the Nightstand

Q: The To-Be-Read Pile: What books are currently sitting on your nightstand waiting to be read next?

Ellis Darnell:

• A Kingdom of Salt and Stone – Liv Webster

• Comeback Season – Sarah Adkins

• Beneath The Broken Sky – Emily Scotto

• Everything’s Coming Up Rosie – Courtney Walsh

10. The Gateway Book

Q: The Gateway Book: What was the first book you remember reading that made you absolutely fall in love with reading?

Ellis Darnell: "Oh, gosh, there’s so many! But definitely the American Girls series - I remember devouring all of the girls’ stories. I had the Felicity doll, and was also a huge fan of Molly, Addy, and Samantha!"

11. Early Creative Sparks

Q: You've been creating stories since you were young. Do you remember the very first story you wrote that made you think, "I want to be an author"?

Ellis Darnell: "I wrote a Harry Potter-inspired story about mind readers when I was eleven. Fantasy is so much harder to write with all of the world-building. I’d like to dive into that genre one day."

12. Advice to My Younger Self

Q: Looking back, what advice would present-day Ellis give to eleven-year-old Ellis who was busy building fictional worlds?

Ellis Darnell: "Keep going, even on the hard days. Just like shows, it will always come together in the end."

13. The Self-Publishing Eye-Opener

Q: What surprised you most about the publishing process that readers might not realize?

Ellis Darnell: "Being a self-published author, I am responsible for every aspect. I’m surprised at how much time I spend on marketing - that is currently my main priority as I approach launch. I am surrounded by incredible people in my personal life that have helped me along the journey - I could NOT have done it without their help."

14. Facing the Inner Critic

Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing What The Heart Wants?

Ellis Darnell: "Imposter syndrome. I still struggle with it, to be honest. I have days where I think I’m not good enough and that no one will want to read my story. But I love my characters and story and I think others will, too."

15. The Mobile Writing Studio

Q: The Writing Setup: Are you a desk-and-computer writer, a couch-and-laptop writer, or a hand-written notebook writer? What does your ideal writing space look like?

Ellis Darnell: "My laptop at the kitchen table. Fun fact, I didn’t have a working laptop for the majority of the time I wrote this book! My mom got me a new one for Christmas, which is amazing! I wrote about 85% on Google Docs on my iPhone!"

16. Literary Fuel

Q: The Fuel: What is your ultimate writing snack or beverage? Are you powered by coffee, tea, or something completely different?

Ellis Darnell: "Diet Pepsi, through and through. Also, Taco Bell - specifically, Doritos Locos Tacos."

17. Midnight Inspiration

Q: The Routine: Are you a morning bird who writes before the world wakes up, or a night owl who gets creative after dark?

Ellis Darnell: "A night owl! I cannot count how many good ideas that have come to me when I’m falling asleep or wake me up in the middle of the night. Thank God for my phone and the notes app!"

18. Transforming the Process

Q: Plotter vs. Pantser: When starting a new project, do you outline absolutely everything beforehand, or do some surprises reveal themselves while you're writing?

Ellis Darnell: "I used to be a pantser, but this was the first project I worked off of an outline. For my next project, I have an 11-page outline already!"

19. The Background Brain

Q: The Hardest Part: What comes easiest to you when writing—creating the world, drafting dialogue, or developing plot twists? Which part is the most challenging?

Ellis Darnell: "I’ve always said that my brain is like an old 90’s computer - always running something in the background. I can be at work, in a rehearsal, or even trying to fall asleep and the best ideas will hit me!"

20. Surprising Characters

Q: Without giving away spoilers, which character in What The Heart Wants surprised you the most while writing?

Ellis Darnell: "Judith."

21. A Day in Driftbay

Q: The Cast: If you could spend one day hanging out with any character from your books, who would it be and what would you do together?

Ellis Darnell: "Probably a tie between Thea and Beth. I’d love to spend a day in Driftbay eating their baked goods, reading a good book, visiting the diner, and relaxing at the beach."

22. Feline Feedback

Q: Your bio mentions two cats. If your cats could review your books, what do you think they'd say?

Ellis Darnell: "More fish."

23. From the Stage to the Page

Q: You also work in theatre. Has anything you've learned from stage management influenced the way you tell stories on the page?

Ellis Darnell: "Being in theatre has introduced me to a variety of personalities. I am always observing and constantly inspired by the most random, mundane things. I always tell actors that they are always auditioning for their next role and sometimes, my next book!"

24. Ready for the Screen

Q: If What The Heart Wants became a movie or TV series, what scene would you be most excited to see brought to life?

Ellis Darnell: "Either the scones scene between Thea and Graham or Charlie and Beth’s date night!"

25. The Island Provisions

Q: You're stranded on a beach with only three books, one album, and one fictional character. What are you bringing?

Ellis Darnell: "Books - Dr. Franklin’s Island by Ann Halam, The Teacher by Freida McFadden, and Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak.

One album - Gone Now by Bleachers.

One fictional character - Louise Belcher from Bob’s Burgers."

26. Vacation Destinations

Q: What fictional world would you most like to visit for a week?

Ellis Darnell: "Velaris!"

27. The Literary Confection

Q: If your writing style were a dessert, what dessert would it be and why?

(Ellis left us with a sweet cliffhanger on this one—but based on her book, we’re betting it tastes like a warm lemon-blueberry scone with a side of heartfelt comfort!)

28. Return to the Coast

Q: Can readers expect more stories set in the world of Driftbay?

Ellis Darnell: "Oh, yes. I’m excited to expand the collection."

29. Sneak Peeks & Signings

Q: Are there any upcoming projects or future releases that you're especially excited to share with readers?

Ellis Darnell: "While I can’t say too much, I am planning book two for these characters, focusing on early-reader fan favorites, Beth and Judith. I also will be having some signings this summer and fall! You can check the schedule on my Instagram, @authorellisdarnell."

30. The Lasting Impression

Q: Finally, what do you hope readers take away from What The Heart Wants after turning the final page?

Ellis Darnell: "Grief and love are messy, but what’s meant to be will always work out in the end."

Support the Author & Secure Your Copy!

What The Heart Wants is available for pre-order right now! Support Ellis's incredible self-published debut journey by ordering through these fantastic book boutiques:

• Signed & Special Pre-orders: The Enchanted Heart Booktique

• Sweet & Spicy Romance Picks: Coastal Cowboy Romance Bookstore

• Local Indie Support: Wallflower Book Co.

Connect with Ellis Darnell online:

• Official Website: Author Ellis Darnell

• Instagram/Threads: @authorellisdarnell

• Goodreads: Ellis Darnell Page

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📱 Instagram & TikTok Caption

Caption:

Pack your bags, we’re heading to Driftbay! 

🌊 Custom-designed for our favorite comfort romance lovers, we’re sitting down with debut novelist Ellis Darnell to chat all things healing, small-town charm, and the ultimate Taylor Swift bookish playlist. 🎧✨

From crying over her very first physical proof copy to drafting 85% of her entire manuscript directly on an iPhone notes app, Ellis’s journey is just as inspiring as her sweet, heartfelt storytelling.

Here’s a little taste of our interview:

📖 In three words, what is What The Heart Wants?

"Cozy, sweet, and heartfelt."

🧁 If your book were a baked good, what would it be?

"Thea’s lemon-blueberry scones... They’re sweet and a little tart, just like the journeys with grief and love."

💡 What's one thing readers should know before picking it up?

"Just like grief, love isn’t linear but it’s never too late for true love."

Ready for the full 30-question deep dive? 💎

Ellis gets completely candid about overcoming imposter syndrome, the theater management background that inspires her characters, and a sneak peek into Book 2! Tap the link in our bio to visit our Bindery page and read the full exclusive interview.

Link in Bio to Read More!

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#BookTok #CozyRomance #SmallTownRomance #DebutAuthor #WhatTheHeartWants #Bookstagram #SwiftieBookish

Welcome back to new Book Club Conversations, book lovers! If your favorite kind of read involves a charming coastal town, a cozy diner, a dash of mouthwatering baking recipes, and a deeply moving story of healing and love, you are going to fall head over heels for today’s featured author.

We are sitting down with debut novelist Ellis Darnell to celebrate the upcoming release of her book, What The Heart Wants! Ellis shares the emotional milestone of unboxing her very first proof copy, the exact Taylor Swift tracks that capture the vibe of her book, and how dual perspectives helped bring this sweet, comforting world to life.

Enjoy part one of our interview below!

1. The Debut Milestone

Q: Congratulations on your debut release! What has been the most exciting part of preparing for the launch of What The Heart Wants?

Ellis Darnell: "Thank you so much! Honestly, the most exciting and special part before launch was getting my first proof copy. Getting to physically hold the story in my hands was such a monumental moment, a culmination of so much hard work. I cried when I unboxed the first copy!"

2. Describe the Vibe

Q: For readers discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe What The Heart Wants in three words?

Ellis Darnell: "Cozy, sweet, and heartfelt."

3. A Long-Awaited Spark

Q: What inspired you to write a story centered around love, grief, family, and fresh starts?

Ellis Darnell: "I got the basic idea when I was seventeen, of a young girl reeling from the loss of her mom and going to live with her aunt. I wrote a (very rough) story around that time. Then life happened and so many years went by and I stopped writing for a long time. I got inspired again about two years ago for the diner aspect, and just stuck a note in my phone about it.

Then last fall, the story hit me like a ton of bricks and I knew I had to tell it. I had always wanted to tell stories from different perspectives but didn’t know how to structure it when I was younger. It wasn’t until I started reading Freida McFadden books that I realized I could write different perspectives and how I could structure it. I knew I wanted to write from Thea’s perspective, and adding her aunt’s in changed so much with what I could do for the draft."

4. Dreaming of Driftbay

Q: Driftbay sounds like a charming coastal town. What drew you to that setting, and is there anything readers should know about it before diving in?

Ellis Darnell: "The beach always relaxes me. I actually vacationed at the beach while I was working on the book and getting to spend a few days beachside while delving into these characters really helped me create the setting. I’m also from a small town in the Midwest, so combining both aspects created a perfect slice of heaven for me. I wanted somewhere peaceful where Thea could heal and discover that sometimes the smallest places take up the biggest room in our hearts."

5. The Ultimate Comfort Food

Q: Baking plays a role in the story. If you could choose one baked good that perfectly represents What The Heart Wants, what would it be and why?

Ellis Darnell: "While there’s many recipes mentioned in the book, I think Thea’s lemon-blueberry scones would represent the book the best. They’re sweet and a little tart, just like Thea’s and Beth’s journeys with grief and love."

6. The Swiftie Soundtrack

Q: Your author bio mentions that you're a huge Taylor Swift fan. If What The Heart Wants had an unofficial Taylor Swift soundtrack, what songs would make the playlist?

Ellis Darnell: "OH MAN - this is a tough one! Guilty as Sin? is included in the book playlist, but if I had to make just a Taylor playlist, it would be…

• Guilty as Sin?

• Ruin the Friendship

• Opalite

• You Are In Love

• State of Grace

• Treacherous

• Everything Has Changed

• Enchanted

• Fearless

• Labyrinth

• Midnight Rain

• evermore

• Daylight

• Lover

• Gorgeous

• Tied Together With a Smile"

7. A Note for Readers

Q: If readers could only know one thing before picking up your book, what would you want them to know?

Ellis Darnell: "Just like grief, love isn’t linear but it’s never too late for true love."

8. The Ultimate Comfort Read

Q: The Comfort Read: What is the one book you can re-read over and over again and never get tired of?

Ellis Darnell: "Dr. Franklin’s Island by Ann Halam - I discovered it in junior high and it’s still one of my favorite books to this day!"

9. Resting on the Nightstand

Q: The To-Be-Read Pile: What books are currently sitting on your nightstand waiting to be read next?

Ellis Darnell:

• A Kingdom of Salt and Stone – Liv Webster

• Comeback Season – Sarah Adkins

• Beneath The Broken Sky – Emily Scotto

• Everything’s Coming Up Rosie – Courtney Walsh

10. The Gateway Book

Q: The Gateway Book: What was the first book you remember reading that made you absolutely fall in love with reading?

Ellis Darnell: "Oh, gosh, there’s so many! But definitely the American Girls series - I remember devouring all of the girls’ stories. I had the Felicity doll, and was also a huge fan of Molly, Addy, and Samantha!"

Join The First Editions for the Full Interview! 💎

Want to dive even deeper into Ellis Darnell’s writing journey? This free preview is just the beginning! By upgrading to our premium membership, The First Editions, you can unlock the complete, unedited Q&A right now.

What you'll unlock as a premium member:

• The Full Interview: Exclusive bonus questions where Ellis dishes out her absolute best advice for aspiring debut authors, behind-the-scenes secrets of writing What The Heart Wants, and what she is working on next.

• Behind-the-Scenes Access: Early reveals of upcoming author spotlights, cover reveals, and community features before anyone else sees them.

• Exclusive Community Perks: Join dedicated discussion threads with fellow romance lovers, participate in member-only book giveaways, and get direct access to our premium literary events.

Don't miss out on the full story—join The First Editions family today!

Support the Author & Secure Your Copy!

What The Heart Wants is available for pre-order right now! Support Ellis and these wonderful indie bookstores by grabbing your copy via the links below:

• Signed Copies: The Enchanted Heart Booktique

• Coastal Cowboy Romance Bookstore: Shop Romance Books & Literature

• Wallflower Book Co.: Pre-Order Online

Connect with Ellis Darnell:

• Official Website: Author Ellis Darnell

• Instagram/Threads: @authorellisdarnell

• Goodreads: Ellis Darnell Author Page

Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs,

I read this thread from Silvia Moreno-Garcia last week and was surprised our August book club selection, The Intrigue, only has 700 pre-orders! She writes banger after banger and I was absolutely dumbfounded by how low this number seems. Publishing is so random, but I'd love to see her make it to 1,000 before publication. If you're considering picking it up with us next month, maybe pre-order so we can boost that number up?!? I love a group project, especially one that boosts my favorite author, so if you happen to pre-order, let me know in the comments! Also if you want to pick it up on audio, here's a link to the LibroFM audiobook.

JULY BOOK CLUB REMINDER

We're reading DOUBLE nonfiction picks this month and there's still time to join.

Our regular book club pick for the month of July is P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became The Global Voice Of Puerto Rican Resistance by Venessa Diaz and Petra R. Rivera-Rideau (Audiobook)

Our nonfiction sidequest (you get through the end of August to read) is Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer (Audiobook)

And without further ado, July's Latine releases...

July 7th

ROMANCE

Every Verison of You by Natalie Messier Adult (Audiobook)

FANTASY

In The Wake Of the Ruined by Kalie Cassidy (Audiobook)

HISTORICAL FICTION

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton (Audiobook)

MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVEL

Offside by Cristina Diaz Gonzalez and Mari Costa (Audiobook)

xo,

Carmen

Folks, I’m coming in with a major What Feeds Below Update.

We are currently 3 months out from publication!

We earned a Kirkus STAR, which is so rare for genre and especially horror!

600 Netgalley reviews!

8,000 adds on Goodreads!

And… 648 preorders! That’s right friends, we are 2 ORDERS away from unlocking the pen and month sticker!

I am so excited! Thank you all so much for supporting this book and spreading the word! I really feel like we can hit 1,000 preorders!

Since I posted the update in the Discord, I got a couple of DMs asking for the best place to purchase. There is no one great place. We appreciate all preorders! We have partnered with 3 indie bookstores and our goal is to get 100 preorders at each! (You get a free poster of the book cover with purchase!)

Praire Lights

mysterious galaxy

twisted spine bookstore

Again, thank you to everyone who has preordered, reviewed and shared the first book from our imprint ! We are really doing something special 💗💗

Hello Bindery Babes!! Summer is upon us and while I'm deliciously engrossed in delightful romance novels and beach reads (including our July pick, Flirting Lessons, which I finished yesterday) we MUST look ahead to figure out what we're reading in August.

This is our last non-fiction read of 2026, and I'm so curious what you're wanting to pick up. I feel as thought our best non-fiction reads in the past have been memoirs, or hybrid memoirs (which I would argue are the gayest kind of book to write)

I've shared a selection of titles that have piqued my interest or haven't won Sapph-Lit polls in the past, but I've always been rooting for. Scroll through the covers to see what stands out to you and click into them to learn more about them.

As always, if you want to pitch a new title, drop it in the comments below, and let me know ALL your thoughts!! Appreciate you all <3 xoxo Nina

"Find the mask that fits best, never perfectly. The acceptable version. It will make it easier on them and eventually it will become your second foreign skin."

GENRE: YA Contemp/Coming of Age with Romance
RATING: 5/5
FORMAT: eBook ARC

Overall Impression: What a book! Everything Comes back to You is a book I wish I had read like when I was a teenager, lost in this world. Reading it as an adult feels like healing a part of me that was so lost when I was young and for that, I know I'm going to remember this book for a long time to come.

Review:
Okay this was my first book by Jackie Khalilieh and I'm not going to need to read everything she writes because WHAT A BOOK!!!!

Reading this and following the book through Lennon's perspective was very emotional for me and struck close to home a lot of times. I related a lot to so many aspects of it, to Lennon and how she views herself, how she faces the world as an autistic individual and I related so much to Georgie too.

And in so many ways, Everything Comes Back to You is about learning to love yourself and learning to deal with generational trauma. Now, in my late 20s, I can read this and remember how it was growing up and dealing with a lot of things that Lennon deals with. As an eldest daughter though, I did want to tell her to follow Georgie's advice of putting herself first.

Truly, this book took me on an emotional journey. I felt sad, happy and just so emotional for Lennon and her sister. I related SO much to learning to mask and trying to be the perfect daughter, sister, person...etc. to everyone around you that you forget who you truly are. To me, the teenage years were HARD and I think this book represented why it was hard. It's like trying to fit in a world that isn't meant for you and you dont understand WHY you can't fit in.

Jackie's writing was so captivating, I read through this so QUICKLY and I couldnt sleep as I really wanted to finish it. I loved that we get to follow Lennon's journey from the beginning of high school till the end of it as well. She changes so much through the seasons and so does everyone around her.

And finally, as an Arab, reading this and seeing how the generational trauma carries on and the gaps between Georgie & Lennon with their parents was sad and healing in many ways. A lot of our culture is set in its ways, in not talking about the taboo topics and avoiding the painful things.

I was provided a free advance reader copy and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

Heyyyy

I really cannot believe it is already July!!! My mom used to tell me that time would fly faster as I got older and I never believed her... until I turned 30. Half of the year is gone, so here are some of my personal milestones:

• Became an agent (well, apprentice)

• bought a house and moved (crazy, I know!!!)

• read hundreds of queries addressed to me

• chopped off my hair

• made this Bindery community (!!)

• started posting regular-ish content again

• signed my first author

• pitched to editors for the first time

• read an abysmally low number of books in 6 months... I don't even want to admit the number.

I can't wait to see what the next six months bring. This week, just for my followers, I'm going to do a summerween highlight of my favorite horror books, so stay tuned for that! I probably won't have anything to post next Monday as I'll be jetsetting off to Peru! Thanks again for being here and taking the time to read my ramblings.

xx ellen

Not June flying by in five seconds!! This month wasn’t as busy for me, thank God. Still, I had a great month, so let’s talk about it!

I attended one bookish event this month: a happy hour with Lisa Jewell and Jessica Knoll to celebrate the release of their newest books. Despite being DRENCHED, I had an amazing time. Lisa and Jessica were so nice and personable, and they even signed my books! They really sold me on them. As someone who's trying to immerse myself in more thriller novels, these sound like a great place to start. There was great food, great cocktails, and I got to meet so many bookish creators I'd never met before. I’m so excited to read It Could Have Been Her and Helpless!

I watched two new movies this month. The Toy Story series is such a staple of my childhood. Many people said we didn’t need a fifth Toy Story, but those people would be wrong! This movie was so good—I cried (lol). I liked how this one focused on Jessie and her trauma, and how she unpacked that trauma throughout the movie. Also, we got a new Taylor Swift song, which is also a banger, so no complaints from me. I also saw Supergirl, which was SO much better than people were saying. It wasn’t, by any means, the best movie I’ve ever seen, but it was fun, the story had some important messaging, and Milly Alcock was the perfect Supergirl.

Toy Story 5 - 4.5⭐

Supergirl - 3.5⭐

I’ve been locked into House of the Dragon season 3, and I won’t say anything spoilery, but I’m enjoying the direction the story is going. GO TEAM BLACK! I’m also rewatching Modern Family, one of the best shows ever made. It’s so funny and was so ahead of its time. Child Lily is peak humor—if you know, you know.

I read 13 books this month, the same number I read in May, and I’m really hitting my stride. I didn’t rate a single book under 3 stars, and even though I didn’t have any 5-star reads, I had several 4.5-star reads, so I’ll count that as a win. Now that it’s pool weather, I’ve been reading so much outside and listening to audiobooks in the pool. I’m truly living my best life.

Here are the books I read and my ratings:

• Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim — 4.25⭐

• The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin — 3⭐

• A Forsaken Prophecy by Stacey McEwan — 4.25⭐

• Fallen City by Adrienne Young — 3⭐

• Funny Story by Emily Henry — 4.5⭐

• Death’s Daughter by S.A. Barnes — 4⭐

• Destiny’s Edge by M.L. Wang — 4.5⭐

• Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer — 4⭐

• A Dance of Burning Blades by M.H. Ayinde — 4.5⭐

• When Dealing with Dragons by Dana Swift — 4⭐

• The Score by Elle Kennedy — 3.5⭐

• Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe — 4.25⭐

That’s all I’ve got! My July is action-packed, which I’m both excited and worried about. I love nothing more than staying home and reading, but I also love going out and doing fun, exciting things. See you next time!

Heyo, welcome back to Mini Review Monday! Here's what I read in the last week. Come on over to Discord and share what you read, too! Books marked with a * were gifted to me and books marked with a ^ I was paid to read.

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City, and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe* - All of PRK's books have totally engrossed me, but this one was a little different. While I was intrigued by the mystery, I found myself tuning out a bit when it came to the gangsters' backstories. Not that they weren't interesting people, but who was working with/for who kind of began to run together a bit after awhile.

Why Are People Into That?: A Cultural Investigation of Kink by Tina Horn - This was my Spicy Book Club's June pick. I probably wouldn't have read it if not for the club so shout out to book clubs for broadening horizons. As an ace person who is not Into That, I found this fascinating. Ultimately, the "why" often boiled down to "lots of reasons," but it was still cool to get a glimpse into a world I'm not part of and to be reminded that life is a rich tapestry.

The Quarter Queen by Kayla Hardy^ - What a darkly beautiful book. The setting of pre-Civil War New Orleans was immersive, and using Voodoo vs alchemy vs the Catholic church to work through how Black folks opted to fight against enslavement was so good. I did get a little confused about who was working for who and toward what goals, but I think that's a me thing since I haven't seen any other reviews mentioning that.

I also had one DNF this week, and that was Love In A F*cked Up World by Dean Spade. Not because I hated it or anything, but because it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be about building relationships within activist groups (both platonic and romantic) and it was really more of a dating guide from a leftist queer perspective. It did have a lot of good stuff to say, but it's not what I was looking for. I DNF'd at about 50% when I found myself tuning out for long periods because there wasn't anything relevant to me.

It's Monday which means its time for another glimpse of what I'm reading this week!

I'm listening to the audiobook of Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera, which is a cutthroat novella about the dark side of the fashion industry.

I've read 3/5 of my Summerween books with the two below being the two I lack.

A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young which is a translated, Korean apocalyptic novel with sea monsters and other lovecraftian creatures.

We Had To Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets which follows a woman recounting her time at a content monitoring company, detailing the dark content she's seen.

Beyond my Summerween reading list, I hope to finish uo The United States of Cryptids by J.W. Ocker which is a dive into Cryptids around the USA.

I also have a few physical arcs I want to dive into as well, so help me choose which one to start by voting in the poll down below!

An Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino

Nightjars Michael by Michael Wehunt

The Calamaties by Chuck Wendig

Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latine Horror