[How it Works](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up Embrace the Serpent Sunya Mara Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/120421/9780063386136) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063386135?tag=booksrightnow-20) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Books Right Now “An exquisite jewel of a book.” —Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of _A Study in Drowning_ In this sweeping romantic fantasy, a dangerous deal binds a young jeweler's apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of _The Wrath & the Dawn_ and _Once Upon a Broken Heart_! **The Serpent King** is the most eligible bachelor in the land: a monster with dark and terrible magic and the ruler of the last free kingdom. Riches and power await his future bride—but so does a life forever trapped in the games of court. That fate is eighteen-year-old Saphira's worst nightmare. Ever since the Empire made her an orphan, she’s found freedom in being invisible. So despite her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones, she lets an unscrupulous jewelsmith take credit for her increasingly sought-after work. But when the king sends his most clever huntsman to find the best jewelsmith of all, the spotlight lands on Saphira. Faced with choosing between falling into the Empire’s grasp or marrying a monster, she chooses the latter—even if it means getting increasingly caught between her cold, serpentine husband and his cunning, handsome huntsman. Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Books Right Now [Books Right Now\\ \\ Rashi Dembi\\ \\ • Jun 4](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/) [Read South Asian books!](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/item/aSnrPiGDjjIgWEW4SKSa/) This is your reminder to read South Asian books all year long! If you’re looking for book recs, I’ve got you! Here are two pages of my favorite South Asian books as well as two pages of the South Asian books on my TBR. * * * 47 books 1 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Books Right Now\\ \\ Rashi Dembi\\ \\ • Jun 4](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/) [Read South Asian books!](https://booksrightnow.binderybooks.com/item/aSnrPiGDjjIgWEW4SKSa/) This is your reminder to read South Asian books all year long! If you’re looking for book recs, I’ve got you! Here are two pages of my favorite South Asian books as well as two pages of the South Asian books on my TBR. * * * 47 books 1 [The Inkborne Society\\ \\ Azhangia\\ \\ • Jul 30 2025](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [I can’t believe another month has come and gone - time is really flying! Here are my thoughts on the 9 books I read in July:\\ \\ ****My Top 3 of the Month**** \\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir)\\ \\ _Project Hail Mary_ was the perfect blend of humor, warmth, and science about a man who wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of why or how he got there. I was tearing up during the final chapters and really did not expect this book to make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. This story of hope, humanity, and unlikely friendship was an absolute delight, and the dialogue truly brings it to life. I highly recommend the audiobook - it's a fantastic experience, complete with different voices and sound effects!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - Paladin’s Grace (T. Kingfisher)\\ \\ I have been looking for a good medieval romantasy, and _Paladin’s Grace_ by T. Kingfisher was everything I wanted it to be. It follows a broken paladin and a fugitive perfumer who find hope, love, and comfort in each other, and UGH my heart was so happy by the end of the story. Was it somewhat predictable? Yes, but I still enjoyed every minute of this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the series!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - To Clutch A Razor (Veronica Roth)\\ \\ _When Among Crows_ was one of my surprise hits of last year, and I was so excited when I heard that Veronica Roth had written a sequel. I’ve always been drawn to stories about redemption, and Roth’s ability to explore that theme while blending rich Slavic folklore with modern urban fantasy in both _When Among Crows_ and _To Clutch A Razor_ was so fascinating to me. I didn’t love this sequel quite as much as the first book, but I thought it was a well-paced and immersive novella overall.\\ \\ \\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - The Maid and the Crocodile (Jordan Ifueko)\\ \\ _The Maid and the Crocodile_ is an African-inspired romantic standalone fantasy about a girl who accidentally binds herself to a powerful god known only as the Crocodile. I thought this was a very solid standalone fantasy overall with great disability rep, and loved the blend of African lore with the fairytale-like quality of the story (closest fairytale comp I can think of is Beauty and the Beast!). \\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - The Last Tiger (Julia Riew and Brad Riew)\\ \\ _The Last Tiger_ was an enjoyable read, and I especially appreciated how it drew inspiration from the authors’ grandparents’ stories during one of the darkest chapters in Korean history. Given that the writing style felt more middle grade than traditional YA, I’d recommend it to younger readers who are just getting into fantasy or anyone looking for a quick and accessible read. That said, it may not meet the expectations of more seasoned fantasy readers seeking a complex, upper YA Asian fantasy.\\ \\ ⭐3.75 - The White Book (Han Kang)\\ \\ _Human Acts_ by Han Kang has been one of my favorite reads of 2025 so far, so I was eager to explore more of her work. _The White Book_ offers a meditative reflection on grief through the prism of the color white, but it didn’t quite land with the emotional weight I was hoping for. Still, I’m glad I picked it up because Han Kang’s writing was beautiful as always.\\ \\ ⭐ 3.50 - Birth of a Dynasty (Chinaza Bado)\\ \\ _Birth of a Dynasty_ had a spectacular start - the first chapter gripped me immediately, and I was so eager to see how all the political machinations would play out. However, the story soon started to drag, and I found myself struggling to stay invested in the plot. For a debut, it had some good things going for it (writing that flowed, interesting premise, etc.), but overall, this one wasn't quite the political fantasy I hoped it would be. \\ \\ ⭐3.50 - Embrace the Serpent (Sunya Mara)\\ \\ Sunya Mara makes some of the coolest videos out there (her editing skills are top tier and her book promo videos seriously feel like magic), so I went into this one really hoping to love it, but unfortunately the story didn’t leave a lasting impression. That said, I think fans of YA fantasy might still find a lot to enjoy here. If a synopsis involving a young jeweler’s apprentice caught in a perilous bargain with the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience piques your interest, I’d still suggest checking it out!\\ \\ ⭐3.00 - Tokyo Ueno Station (Yu Miri)\\ \\ The synopsis of _Tokyo Ueno Station_ reminded me of the final scene of Miyazaki’s _Grave of the Fireflies_ (one of the most heartbreaking and unforgettable films EVER) so I was eager to dive in. Unfortunately, the story wandered a bit too much for my taste, and I struggled to feel emotionally connected to the characters.\\ \\ I know I haven’t been very active on this Bindery page lately (been taking some time to sort through a few things in my personal life) but I’m hoping to post more regularly soon. I’m also planning to launch a Bindery book club focused on fantasy, dark academia and sci-fi by Asian authors, with the goal of getting it up and running by Q4 at the latest. Stay tuned, and hope you are all enjoying your summers! :) \\ \\ Join for free or login](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/qv7MW42XvRDfSQERmKZz/) [July Reading Wrap-Up: Ratings & Reviews](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/qv7MW42XvRDfSQERmKZz/) * * * 9 books 8 [4](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/qv7MW42XvRDfSQERmKZz/#comments) [R&R Reads\\ \\ Ebony\\ \\ • Jun 6 2025](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Join for free or login](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/item/RecRed2R8yXzSmHsjmDY/) [HAPPY JUNE EVERY ONE!!](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/item/RecRed2R8yXzSmHsjmDY/) BRBF, JUNE BOOKS AND WRITING STUFF OH MY! * * * 20 books 1