Celestial | The Spear Cuts Through Water: A Novel
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The Spear Cuts Through Water: A Novel
Simon Jimenez
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Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.
“A beguiling fantasy not to be missed.”—Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Crown’s Game.
WINNER OF THE IAFA CRAWFORD AWARD • SHORTLISTED FOR THE URSULA K. LE GUIN AWARD • SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD • SHORTLISTED FOR THE IGNYTE AWARD. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, Vulture, Polygon, She Reads, Gizmodo, Kirkus Reviews, The Quill to Live.
The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace. But that god cannot be contained forever.
With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.
Both a sweeping adventure story and an intimate exploration of identity, legacy, and belonging, The Spear Cuts Through Water is an ambitious and profound saga that will transport and transform you—and is like nothing you’ve ever read before.
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Posts about this title from Celestial
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 21
makeup and books tag! | GRWM and chat about reading
17 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
here are some mind reader queer book recs for pride!
📚 books mentioned: - Pet by Akwaeke Emezi - Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White - Fawn’s Blood by Hal Schrieve - The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson - Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - Station Six by S.J. Klapecki - An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin - On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - Blood Orange by Yaffa As - Bless the Blood: A Cancer Memoir by Walela Nehanda - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero - Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories by GennaRose Nethercott - Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic: An LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fantasy Anthology of Unforgettable Adventures edited by g. haron davis - Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edit by Joshua Whitehead
#pridemonth #pridemonthbookrecs #lgbtqbooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram . queer books • queer book stack • Pride Month 2026 • books to read for pride • trans books • nonbinary books • sapphic books • achillean books • memoir book recs • literary fiction books recs • fantasy book recs • fantasy book recs • horror book recs • sci fi book recs • unique books • diverse books
21 books
what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕
what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕 here are some books and looks!
📚 books mentioned: - The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo - Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo - Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - Warm-Blooded by J Greene - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - Canon by Paige Lewis - A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang
#fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @henryholtbooks @readmirabooks @htp_hive @peachtreeteen @fsgbooks @ingramsparkbooks @delreybooks @vikingbooks @williammorrowbooks
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 25
do you like experimental books?
💭 do you like experimental books?
here are some books that bop around perspectives and really zoom out to look at a full community! if you’re always hungry for something NEW like me, you’re gonna devour these.
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull - The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays by Andrea Hairston
👗💄: - eyeshadow is Ellis Atlantis Palette from Blend Bunny Cosmetics and The Spring Symphony Palette from Dandy Lion Cosmetics - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Ocean) from Pacifica Beauty - mascara is Highly Rated Lash Extensions XL from Milani - lip combo is Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil (Toasty) from Makeup by Mario and Lip Buttercream (Cinnamon Sugar) from Pacifica Beauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Tor Books for the gifted copy!
#speculativebooks #SFFbooks #uniquebooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @delreybooks @blackstonepublishing @torbooks @blendbunnycosmetics @dandylionsco @milanicosmetics @pacificabeauty
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fantasy books • horror books • science fiction books • murder mystery books • books with animal narrators • experimental fiction • unique books • diverse books • Del Rey • Blackstone Publishing
3 books
2
disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!!
disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!! i’ll never get tired of giving you all these recs.
📚 books mentioned: - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
👗💄: - eyeshadow is The Spring Symphony Palette from Dandy Lion Cosmetics and The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite - mascara is Cloud Mascara from Sweed Beauty - lip is Lip Buttercream (Strawberry Sugar) from Pacifica - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Get Underlined for the gifted copy!
#disabledbooks #fantasybooks #disabilityrepresentation #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @getunderlined @delreybooks @glamlite @dandylionsco @sweedbeauty @pacificabeauty
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fantasy books • books with disabled characters • books by disabled authors • disability representation in literature • disabled fantasy characters • disabled sci fi characters • diverse books • Del Rey
3 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Feb 24
recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews
recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews written by some miserable people
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow - Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens - The Deep by Rivers Solomon - The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
👗💄: - dress is from Free People (rented from Nuuly) - eyeshadow is The Spring Symphony Palette from Dandy Lion Cosmetics - eye shimmer is Glitterpuck (Princess Ghost) from Half Magic - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Minty) from Pacifica Beauty - mascara is Eye Enhancer Wrap from Covergirl - lip balm is Lip Buttercream (Cinnamon Sugar) from Pacifica Beauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Simon Teen and Fierce Reads for the gifted copies!
#onestarreviews #negativebookreviews #bookrecommendations #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @fiercereads @simonteen @delreybooks @sagapressbooks @freepeople @dandylionsco @pacificabeauty @covergirl @halfmagicbeauty
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one star reviews • reading one star book reviews • one star goodreads reviews of my favorite books • queer book recommendations • negative book reviews • fantasy books • diverse books • Del Rey • Saga Press
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 19
💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?
💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?
when it’s done well, I think second person POV is one of the most powerful ways to tell a story! and all of these gutted me in their own way.
📚 books mentioned: - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin - Metal from Heaven by August Clarke - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
👗💄: - dress is from Spell, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is Ellis Atlantis Palette from Blend Bunny Cosmetics - eyeshadow shimmer is Mirage from Ourbella Cosmetics - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Ocean) from Pacifica Beauty - lip combo is Lippie Pencil (Twisted) from Colourpop and PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze (Fig) from Haus Labs - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Saga Press for the gifted copy!
#secondpersonpov #fantasybooks #scifibooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @sagapressbooks @orbitbooks_us @erewhonbooks @delreybooks @randomhouse @spell @nuuly @blendbunnycosmetics @ourbella.us @pacificabeauty @colourpopcosmetics @hauslabs
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book recs • second person POV books • books written with a second person narrator • fantasy books • unique fantasy book recs • science fiction books • sci fi book recs • diverse books • Saga Press • Orbit • Erewhon Books • Del Rey
4 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 30 2025
fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin - The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova - Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
👗💄: - eyeshadow is multiple @halfmagicbeauty sparklestiks - glitter is from @lemonhead.la - jumpsuit is from @shopcider - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Vintage/Anchor, Tordotcom, William Morrow, and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #fantasyfall #fantasybookrecs #fantasyrecommendations #bestfantasybooks #WilliamMorrow #TorPartner #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays#starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @delreybooks @peachtreeteen @abramskids @abramsbooks @orbitbooks_us @atriabooks @quilltreebooks @harpercollins @ireadvintage @tordotcompub @williammorrowbooks @sagapressbooks
11 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 16 2025
😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.
😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.
📚 books mentioned: - Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Devourers by Indra Das - Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton - How Long ‘til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin
👗: - dress is from @celiabdesigner and rented from @nuuly
#horrorbooks #fantasybooks #scifibooks #cannibalismbooks #disturbingbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @zandoprojects @delreybooks @grandcentralpub @orbitbooks_us
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 22 2025
get to know my book taste tag | will we vibe or FIGHT?
get to know my reading taste and see how closely it matches yours! i feel like this could become the new booktube newbie tag, no?! definitely make your own video versions of this tag, but also feel free to sound off in the comment section and share anything you want to about your own reading taste!
12 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 13 2025
FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!
FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi
thank you to Tordotcom, Penguin Random House, and Get Underlined for the free copies!
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #fantasybookreviews #diversefantasy #GetUnderlinedPartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @delreybooks @tordotcompub @abramsbooks @ireadvintage @penguinrandomhouse @getunderlined
6 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 18 2025
bookish brand trip?!? | shelves and the city los angeles 2025 vlog!
Shelves and the City (the sequel) was just as special as the first. and truly much more exciting for me because I got to hop across coasts!
disclosure things: Shelves and the City a bookish brand trip (centered around BookTok, but most of us are on Bookstagram and BookTube as well) created by HarperCollins, specifically Avon Books, Harper Voyager, William Morrow, and Epic Reads. Our flights, meals, hotel, and group activities were paid for. We were not required to post or do anything in exchange (though of course we all are, haha) - this was a gifted appreciation trip.
📍Locations and things mentioned: - Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons hotel - Reparations Club - https://rep.club/ - Erewhon lol - Fox Studios - LouLou Santa Monica - Playland Arcade on the Santa Monica Pier
☆ featured links ☆ 💫 join me on bindery (celestial - exclusive content, discord, book club, and more): https://celestial.binderybooks.com/ 👗 $30 off of your first nuuly rental (nuuly doesn't sponsor me in any way - this is just a referral link - but boy am i open to it): https://share.nuuly.com/steph4962
↓ find me in more places ↓ 🎵 tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starrysteph 📸 insta: https://www.instagram.com/starry.steph 📚 storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/starrysteph 🦋 bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/starrysteph.bsky.social 📖 goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/147956803-steph-starrysteph 💌 email: starrystephbooks@gmail.com more (news articles, discount codes, etc.): https://beacons.ai/starrysteph
☆ resources ☆ 🇵🇸 learn more about the history of Palestine: https://decolonizepalestine.com/ 🇨🇩 learn more about what's happening in the DRC: https://friendsofthecongo.org/ 🇸🇩 Sudan Solidarity Collective: https://sudansolidarity.com/
los angeles book tour | booktok booktube bookstagram | brand trip vlog | harpercollins | shelves and the city | reparations club | bookfluencer trip | book influencer brand trip | beverly wilshire four seasons hotel | erewhon | fox studios lot | lou lou santa monica | playland arcade on the santa monica pier
4 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 12 2025
this might have been Kyle’s favorite book yet?!? (now he can join me on my mission to force everyone to read it!!)
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
#readingroadtorings #bookproposal #bookengagement #delrey #thespearcutsthroughwater #simonjimenez #fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #fantasybookreviews #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #starrysteph @delreybooks @kylewatkinsphotography
1 book
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 21 2024
sometimes you just want a good ole standalone story!!
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - Blackheart Man by Nalo Hopkinson
#fantasybooks #standalonebooks #standalonefantasy #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #IGShareYourPassion @delreybooks @williammorrowbooks @vintageanchorbooks @sagapressbooks
4 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 5 2024
book gifts for fantasy readers!
book recs to gift your fantasy loving reader friends!
📚 books mentioned: - To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - We Are the Origin by C. M. Lockhart - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness - Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger - Death’s Country by R. M. Romero - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
9 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 23 2024
let’s get ready for #DisabilityDecember! i hope you’ll participate and pick up some books with disability representation next month (and beyond).
thank you so much to the Disability December team for including me!
reading about disabled main characters has meant a lot to me, and I tried to include a couple books that I haven’t recommended as frequently on this list. don’t worry though, i’m sure I’ll make some sort of post begging everyone to read Sick Kids in Love before the month is up. 😉
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 16 2024
happy birthday to me; read these books because i said so (or face my wrath).
17 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 12 2024
i ADORE a second person POV book, and you all should, too!!
3 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Sep 21 2024
"booktok destroyed literature!"
i know that it sometimes feels like you’re struggling against the tide, but your feed is what you make it! here’s a little reset for you all the same.
20 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 21 2024
omg how many books did i even pull for this?? i would have more if i owned physical copies of more of my faves! 🟩 green flag books!
20 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 31 2024
full list of books below ⬇️ honestly never want to take off this selkie dress. someday i’ll own one (or 500), but i’ve been renting from nuuly! 📚 books mentioned: - Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse - The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin - The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas - The Deep by Rivers Solomon - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 18 2024
the BEST books for disability pride month
we love a disability pride month roundup!
10 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 18 2024
i got a lot of questions across platforms about the reading list i put together, so here you go! (ps. he’s already read & loved the fifth season - if you know me and you’re wondering why it’s not on here haha.)
7 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 4 2024
one star reviews of books i loved!
which one convinced you the most? 🙊 part eleven of one star goodreads reviews of books i enjoyed!
9 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
adult standalone fantasy book recs!!
i am so pro-standalone reads.
10 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
and all with vastly different tones lol.
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 8 2024
👻 some SPECTACTULARLY spooky supernatural queer book recs for your pride (and year-round) TBR!!
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • May 12 2024
my 3 favorite queer sci fi & fantasy books
3 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • May 12 2024
one star reviews of books i loved!
which one convinced you the most? 🤯 part ten of one star goodreads reviews of books i enjoyed!
7 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 5 2024
book recs based on musical theatre songs
if you like this musical theatre song … read this book! yeah, i’ll never run out of ways to recommend books based on musicals.
6 books
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jun 22
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Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!
7 books
4
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 21
makeup and books tag! | GRWM and chat about reading
17 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
here are some mind reader queer book recs for pride!
21 books
Join for free
Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!
6 books
7
what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕
what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕 here are some books and looks!
8 books
Join for free
Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!
6 books
9
Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 31
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[Sickos! The June votes have finished and we are ready to rock on our June picks for the Fiction & History Sickos Book Clubs.\ \ After two rounds of voting and twelve books to choose from, the Fiction Sickos will be reading:\ \ The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez\ \ This is an ambitious and unique standalone, adult fantasy story that ranks among my all-time favorites regardless of genre. This is very much an all-or-nothing type book, but I've found that the people who are able to find their footing early on typically consider it top tier stuff. The reason it can be difficult to get into at first comes down to the 2nd person POV and the storytelling device it uses to make it a story within a story. It's f'n brilliant but it does take getting used to. My advice: don't do this as audio only, at least at first. The best way is to immersion read it (physical + audio) or go straight eyeball reading.\ \
The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace.\ \ But that god cannot be contained forever.\ \ With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.\ \ \ \ This will be a re-read for me but I haven't read it in a few years so I'm pretty jazzed up to give it another go and discuss it with y'all!\ \ The History Sickos will be reading:\ \ And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts\ \ This barely edged out Carthage Must Be Destroyed (which I'll probably be re-reading later in the month anyway), and was a suggestion from our comrade Whimsical Judge Theo. I know nothing about it other than the subtitle so here's what's labeled on the tin:\ \ An international bestseller, a nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and made into a critically acclaimed movie, Shilts' expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked during the early 80's while the most trusted institutions ignored or denied the threat. One of the few true modern classics, it changed and framed how AIDS was discussed in the following years.\ \ As always, the discussion forums for these are in our Discord and to unlock those channels you'll need to be at the Sicko plus tiers.\ \ OTHER STUFF...\ \
- I recently reviewed Parable of the Sower/Parable of the Talents on YouTube\ \
- A Complement of Scoundrels' Kindle version is on sale for $3.99\ \
- We believe we've found the perfect audiobook narrator for A Complement of Scoundrels, will update when I can there\ \
- Hoping this is the week I can announce the second acquisition for our Kist Reads publishing imprint\ \
- Monday Updates will be back tomorrow\ \
- Expect some history content regarding my read of Empire of the Steppes soon](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/lCv1ubxlCAn6nCL0qegG/)
June Fiction/History Sickos Book Club Picks! + Other Stuff
7 books
12
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 25
do you like experimental books?
💭 do you like experimental books?
thank you to Tor Books for the gifted copy!
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3 books
2
disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!!
disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!! i’ll never get tired of giving you all these recs.
📚 books mentioned: - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
thank you to Get Underlined for the gifted copy!
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3 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Feb 24
recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews
recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews written by some miserable people
thank you to Simon Teen and Fierce Reads for the gifted copies!
.
5 books
DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Feb 14
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[Poll:\ \ April - June 2026 Book Club Picks\ \ Hi everyone, very excited to do our poll for the next quarter of our book club! While I'm sure most of you are aware, I thought I'd run through what we did differently this time:\ \
- Proposals in a forum format where you provided the synopsis and rational with content warnings\ \
- Reactions/comments were provided\ \
- I went with less books for the poll this time so the vote would be less diluted (had 13 books last time, picked 9 this time. We can decrease next round if needed).\ \ \ You all had some amazing selections. Here's how I picked them out (for full transparency):\ \
- I looked at all the reactions, comments, and the tally of each. I then went through the comments to see what were "substantial" comments. For example, people saying it was really good, sounded great, versus comments about how to post in the forum. I also looked at how many people said they had read versus had not.\
\
- From this, there were three standouts\
- I then look at the next tier of aggregated reactions/comments (books in the teens). I did all of the above again, I tried to make sure we had a variety of authors (don't want two of the same author), book sizes (I'm ok with one really big book per cycle, but also want them to be reasonable and not have all chokers), and a variety of people who made suggestions.\
\
- There were three that made it in here.\
- Everything else was pretty close in terms of objective stuff, so for the last three selections I looked at all of the above and then I picked out books that I was really interested in -(sorry, there should be some perks here) as well as positive comments.\ \ \ So, see below. Vote for your top three choices. Voting will close on February 28, selections announced March 1!\ \ Join for free or login](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/ZggjvUiU7bgEZfrELz1f/)
9 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 19
💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?
💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?
when it’s done well, I think second person POV is one of the most powerful ways to tell a story! and all of these gutted me in their own way.
thank you to Saga Press for the gifted copy!
.
4 books
Fairly Queer Books\ \ Fareeha\ \ • Jan 7
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new feature !
5 books
3
chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Nov 29 2025
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Buried under the weight of my TBR but I couldn’t be happier #booktok #bookhaul #indiebookstore #romancebooktok #fantasybooktok
22 books
chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Nov 6 2025
Join for free
We are very cool I promise 😎 #booktokfyp #bookclub #fantasybookclub #romancebookclub #disabilitybooks
5 books
1
Ezeekat Press\ \ Jaysen\ \ • Oct 7 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/swTjYLFE8iqQeFqBGAFN/)
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Grimdark? Noblebright?, aka Let Me Cook by U.M. Agoawike
9 books
10
Ladybug Books\ \ Samantha\ \ • Sep 23 2025
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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://ladybug-books.binderybooks.com/item/9B7fagsGBxKBCdEulaoN/)
Bindery Intro and What I Would Choose if I Could Only Recommend 10 Books
9 books
Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Aug 31 2025
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Now that I am DONE with MA chaos (send happy vibes that my thesis is well-received! 🤞🏻), I can afford to be a little more ambitious with my monthly reads…
8 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 30 2025
fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
thank you to Vintage/Anchor, Tordotcom, William Morrow, and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
11 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 16 2025
😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.
😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.
👗: - dress is from @celiabdesigner and rented from @nuuly
5 books
The Coterie\ \ Mikah Mia Reads\ \ • Jul 28 2025
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some of my tried and true favs🫡
some of my tried and true favs🫡
22 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 22 2025
get to know my book taste tag | will we vibe or FIGHT?
12 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 13 2025
FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!
FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!
thank you to Tordotcom, Penguin Random House, and Get Underlined for the free copies!
6 books
1
Written Reveries\ \ Krystal\ \ • Jun 1 2025
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Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈💕
Here are some favorites that I highly recommend, let's celebrate by adding LGBTQIA+ representation to your TBR and bookshelves.
Look out for another post for books I plan to read this month.
9 books
The Inkborne Society\ \ Azhangia\ \ • May 7 2025
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[Welcome to the Inkborne Society ✨- I'm so glad you're here! To kick things off, I’ve put together a few Q&As to share a bit more about me, what this space is for, and what you can expect around here. Can't wait to build this community together!\ \ Why are you excited to join Bindery?\ \ The best stories are the ones we experience together, and I’m thrilled to join Bindery to connect and build community in a new way, share a broader range of content, and uplift diverse voices across all genres, especially fantasy, sci-fi, and dark academia.\ \ What can members expect?\ \ Expect a space to connect, share, and celebrate the books we love, access to a community Discord, buddy reads, and exclusive Bindery content including editing tutorials, long-form reviews, monthly lists of new SFF releases, book recommendation articles, thoughts on book-to-screen adaptations, and more!\ \ What are some of your favorite books and series?\ \
- Piranesi (Susanna Clarke)\ \
- Blood Over Bright Haven (M.L. Wang)\ \
- The Broken Earth Trilogy (N.K. Jemisin)\ \
- The Poppy War Trilogy (R.F. Kuang)\ \
- Circe (Madeline Miller)\ \
- The Sword of Kaigen (M.L. Wang)\ \
- The Paper Menagerie (Ken Liu)\ \
- Best Served Cold (Joe Abercrombie)\ \
- This is How You Lose the Time War (Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone)\ \
- A Song of Ice and Fire (George R.R. Martin)\ \
- The Spear Cuts Through Water (Simon Jimenez)\ \
- The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)\ \ \ What’s in the Discord, and how do I access it?\ \ The Inkborne Society Discord is linked at the top of my site and features channels to discuss books, film/tv, content creator tips and tricks (including ARC requests and influencer programs), and much more! To make sure your Bindery subscriber tier transfers over to Discord, please integrate your account.\ \ Update: As of September 2025, our newly launched community book club will also be holding discussions on Discord!\ \ What is Bindery?\ \ Bindery is a community-powered book publisher - think of it as part publishing house, part Substack, part Patreon, and part content hub all rolled into one. It gives creators a place to bring everything together: they can link content from across social platforms, share exclusive Bindery content (like articles, rec lists, videos, and polls), and connect with their audience more directly. There are also perks like Discord communities, book clubs, and whatever else creators dream up!\ \ One of the coolest parts of The Bindery is that Tastemakers (that’s what content creators are called on the platform) who grow strong, engaged communities have the chance to launch their very own imprint, and the community gets to be part of the entire journey - from acquisition all the way to publication!\ \ A Little More About Me\ \ Hi! My name is Amanda - I’m in my mid-twenties and based in New York City. I started creating book content about two years ago using the moniker "azhangia" and it’s been such a joy to connect with others who love stories as much as I do.\ \ Fantasy, mythology, sci-fi, dark academia, and literary fiction are some of my favorite genres, and I often find myself gravitating towards sad books (the more devastating, the better). When I am not reading, I can be found listening to film scores, attending dance classes, or lurking around in dessert spots around the city!\ \ Thank you so much for being here, and once again, welcome to The Inkborne Society.](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/9FIRo8zNLlDddLHPu3jy/)
Welcome to The Inkborne Society ✨
12 books
8
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 18 2025
bookish brand trip?!? | shelves and the city los angeles 2025 vlog!
Shelves and the City (the sequel) was just as special as the first. and truly much more exciting for me because I got to hop across coasts!
4 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 12 2025
this might have been Kyle’s favorite book yet?!? (now he can join me on my mission to force everyone to read it!!)
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
1 book
1
Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Mar 27 2025
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A mini family day trip (and a few giveaway reminders!)
For a chance to win what ELSE I picked up from those bookshops, be sure to subscribe to my Bindery… 😘
3 books
5
Daph's Reads 📚✨\ \ Daphne\ \ • Mar 25 2025
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My entire fantasy physical TBR!
My entire fantasy physical TBR! 📚🔮⚔️
#booktok #fantasybooks #tbr #toberead #bookhaul #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #fantasy
17 books
Fantasy & Frens\ \ Zoranne\ \ • Mar 25 2025
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standalone fantasy book recommendations i think are worth reading!
standalone fantasy book recommendations i think are worth reading! if you have read any of these books, let me know your thoughts! books mentioned: - the sword of kaigen by m. l. wang - tress of the emerald sea by brandon sanderson - crueler mercies by maren chase - and the sky bled by s. hati - the spear cuts through water by simon jimenez - piranesi by susanna clarke - swordheart by t. kingfisher - babel by r. f. kuang - this is how you lose the time war by amal el-mohtar and max gladstone #fantasybooktok #standalonefantasybooks #zorannereads
9 books
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