[How it Works](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up The Spear Cuts Through Water: A Novel Simon Jimenez Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/84139/9780593156612) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Celestial 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.** Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Celestial [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 21](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [makeup and books tag! \| GRWM and chat about reading](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/aA5GsIodrIuC6ra86EXM/) * * * 17 books 1 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 20](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [🏳️‍🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/QYzqVZBBMGZ2z5hQKQ1U/) 🏳️‍🌈🔮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 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 6](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/mXKRzxrQS6XJqMWizTsP/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [do you like experimental books?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/j9ZEgzHlf7eCSAh41oQh/) 💭 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 . 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 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Mar 6](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/rR5LsRoaNlTJcu8LiGIr/) 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 . 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/0NzBduEsfM9pPLf71BXY/) 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 . 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/MLzccHupN43HbvT2GxaE/) 💭 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 . 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/BJiwAfMjZRC7drhK0ERe/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/CbVc5oVWl7iIrmnsT7un/) 😋 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [get to know my book taste tag \| will we vibe or FIGHT?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/sGft0BEPfZz7gN3bN92K/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/B1ohYOZmJKocqysEC13d/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [bookish brand trip?!? \| shelves and the city los angeles 2025 vlog!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/dbaGjG2xBiZWABpSgTas/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [reading road to rings (spear)](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/ARoHN2ybTxDgNLU13s5s/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [standalone fantasy recs](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/eKze3RAjxRgMtbNJJ0ws/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [book gifts for fantasy readers!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/avxuCr5YAJPPkFaWldKM/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [disability december](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/mVTrWWZJ8qLGJcBoIoUl/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [read for my birthday!!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/GKFTn2oxaaYGpSO08gyN/) happy birthday to me; read these books because i said so (or face my wrath). * * * 17 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Oct 12 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [second person POV](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/ewPVlRFwBqJdjGHpiHng/) i ADORE a second person POV book, and you all should, too!! * * * 3 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Sep 21 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) ["booktok destroyed literature!"](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/RGlhkzSfTCN48oidpTJ6/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [green flag books](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/OXgGXo3X1ANu6UbEzfuY/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [the dream](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/OqQCPgyJrhAok2EHPTi8/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [the BEST books for disability pride month](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/JLEjBECZC7EpbsVtBTeA/) we love a disability pride month roundup! * * * 10 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jul 18 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [pre-proposal required reading](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/7Zytux6RDfm2EILiQqGO/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [one star reviews of books i loved!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/ZFsCquTv2PAqthtnMWjS/) which one convinced you the most? 🙊 part eleven of one star goodreads reviews of books i enjoyed! * * * 9 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 17 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [adult standalone fantasy book recs!!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/6OgIRjD5S7TNwXjOKPwZ/) i am so pro-standalone reads. * * * 10 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 17 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [books with …. cannibalism!🩸](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/czzLb1cezhQDqc0VLHk2/) and all with vastly different tones lol. * * * 5 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 8 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [queer supernatural books](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/nRuL3G9n2FXECPBZ0iAz/) 👻 some SPECTACTULARLY spooky supernatural queer book recs for your pride (and year-round) TBR!! * * * 5 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • May 12 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [my 3 favorite queer sci fi & fantasy books](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/dlrMVJizoH8zPh7ugdOR/) * * * 3 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • May 12 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [one star reviews of books i loved!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/10fPBeDcifQyxCRWZN7v/) which one convinced you the most? 🤯 part ten of one star goodreads reviews of books i enjoyed! * * * 7 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Apr 5 2024](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [book recs based on musical theatre songs](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/BD2FOPsYSlulikHPJaIB/) 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](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Sickos! I'm back from my birthday week staycation and we got a lot of catching up to do. Let me know what you plan on reading this week in the comments and here's what I've been working on...\\ \\ **READING**\\ \\ **REVIEW**\\ \\ **THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER by SIMON JIMENEZ** **(fantasy)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** Finished\\ \\ Somehow I loved this even more on a re-read and even held off on the last little chunk for a while because I didn't want it to end. I feel bad for people that don't click with this early on because it's so doggone elite. Read it read it read it (but be in the right headspace for it when you do).\\ \\ **MALIBU RISING by TAYLOR JENKINS REID** **(historical celebrity fiction)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** Finished\\ \\ A strong second half saved a first half that felt too slow and melodramatic (although I get the contrast she was setting up). While this is at the bottom of my TJR rankings regarding the three books I've read (Daisy Jones > Atmosphere > Malibu), I still found it just as addicting as her other works and there were a ton of eyebrow popping reveals and moments. Think I'll tackle The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo from her when I feel like getting back to her work.\\ \\ **THE HORDE: HOW THE MONGOLS CHANGED THE WORLD by MARIE FAVEREAU** **(scholarly historical nonfiction)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 206/309\\ \\ Though often treated as a book about the Mongols broadly, The Horde is primarily a history of the Jochids and the Golden Horde.\\ \\ I have mixed feelings on this one. When Favereau sticks to history, it's quite informative and excellent. When she moves into broader theorizing, I find it less convincing. An increasing number of modern scholars are attempting to "rehabilitate" the Mongol image and while they are undoubtably more complex than their old caricatures, it does no good to completely breeze past the atrocities they committed for the sake of making a point.\\ \\ For example, I do agree with Favereau's central argument that the Jochids left a lasting imprint on Russia and were remarkably savvy operators. But to simply say that they "sacked Kiev" without engaging with the sources that claim roughly 48k of the city's 50k inhabitants were massacred is an intentional omission. Acknowledging the administrative and political achievements of the Horde doesn't require glossing over the scale of the violence that accompanied its rise and can even be used as a counterweight to further an argument that they largely transitioned from conquerors to rulers.\\ \\ The writing is also dry af, but I expect that from a more scholarly work even though I'm sure the marketing will tell you it's accessible for a general audience. Making the Mongols this boring is an achievement on its own, though it does have just enough juicy chunks.\\ \\ **WE WILL BE JAGUARS: A MEMOIR OF MY PEOPLE by NEMONTE NENQUIMO****(Indigenous environmental memoir)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 249/353\\ \\ Nenquimo is a Waorani Indigenous leader and environmental activist from the Ecuadorian Amazon who become internationally known after helping lead the fight against oil drilling on about 500,000 acres of her people's territory. This is her story about growing up under siege by missionaries who cleared the way for oil companies to ravage the Amazon she calls home. There are some profoundly disturbing moments and its no wonder those events shaped her into being one of the most prominent Indigenous voices advocating for rainforest protection and Indigenous rights.\\ \\ From page 220...\\ \\ \\ \\ TL;DR, yes, I'd recommend this!\\ \\ **AND THE BAND PLAYED ON: POLITICS, PEOPLE AND THE AIDS EPIDEMIC by RANDY SHILTS** **(historical nonfiction)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 115/605\\ \\ Early doors with this chonker that I'm reading with the History Sickos Book Club and I'll mostly be sharing my thoughts in the Discord, gonna try to take down a big chunk and finish it by the end of the week. This is super detailed (too much so?) and filled with personal zoom-ins; it won't be everyone's favorite style but definitely well worth it for the information.\\ \\ **PREVIEW**\\ \\ I'm gonna see if the Sicko Society is wanting to read **The Lies of the Locke Lamora** with me since they've all received their first quarterly book box, but if not I'm thinking I'm gonna take a stab at my first Discworld with **Guards! Guards!** ... For nonfiction, \\ \\ **EVERYTHING ELSE**\\ \\ Almost wrapped up with the last season of **Better Call Saul** (justice for Howard) and I'm currently binging all of **Outlast** and **Outlast: The Jungle** for my survival show fix, even though it's getting even more gimmicky with each new season. Of course the new season of **House of the Dragon** will be on very week. Plus, **World Cup** bb!\\ \\ You know what's crazy? I've never played the newest **God of War**. Might fix that before the new **AC: Black Flag** comes out next month.\\ \\ Went climbing a butt-ton last week and this morning. Started working the Kilter Board, which holy hell that thang is tough but I can tell how it gets ya strong, especially with fingers and tension.\\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/KxoghcKXhRAtISk9aDIk/) [Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/KxoghcKXhRAtISk9aDIk/) * * * 7 books 4 [6](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/KxoghcKXhRAtISk9aDIk/#comments) [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 21](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [makeup and books tag! \| GRWM and chat about reading](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/aA5GsIodrIuC6ra86EXM/) * * * 17 books 1 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 20](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [🏳️‍🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/QYzqVZBBMGZ2z5hQKQ1U/) 🏳️‍🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read. here are some mind reader queer book recs for pride! * * * 21 books [Kist Reads\\ \\ Kist\\ \\ • Jun 8](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Sickooooooos! Monday's = Weekly Checkpoint, tell me what you've been reading and plan to read in the comments and I'll let ya know what I got goin' on!\\ \\ **READING**\\ \\ **REVIEW**\\ \\ **AUGUSTUS by JOHN WILLIAMS** **(historical fiction)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** Finished\\ \\ Who could've possibly known I would've loved this?! Seriously though, I mentioned last week that I was loving, and I ended up still loving it. I can't think of any good reason to deduct any star points. I especially appreciated the way the story of Julia (Augustus' scandalized daughter) was tweaked and how we got to poke around inside her head. The final letter was so brilliantly executed so it stuck the landing perfectly as well. John Williams is 2 for 2 with me so I'll just have to keep trying him until he misses.\\ \\ **EMPIRES OF THE STEPPES: A HISTORY OF THE NOMADIC TRIBES WHO SHAPED CIVILIZATION by KENNETH W. HARL** (historical nonfiction)\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 198/410\\ \\ Still having a love/hate relationship with this one for all the previous reasons plus CAN A BROTHER GET A MAP?! I'm not the best with geography so having to constantly look up places like Transoxiana or Mount Beideng is a pain in the ass. Still, when HAAAARL eventually gets on a roll and into the meat and potatoes of the story of one of these steppe empires or confederations, it's excellent for those stretches. I just finished Attila's portion so I'm going to guess the next chapter is about the power vacuum that created, the conflict among his sons, and how the Germanic vassals were like alright y'all are cooked we're outta here.\\ \\ **THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER by SIMON JIMENEZ** **(fantasy)**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 95/518\\ \\ The Fiction Sickos Book Club pick for this month is a re-read of one of my all-timers and the confusion in the early portions the first time around is now just pure admiration for how skillfully Jimenez sets up this super odd and ambitious world/story. I understand if some of y'all bow out early as it's very much an all-or-nothing book (as we discussed during the Monthly Wrap call last night that went on for hours), but I feel bad for those that do because if this hits you when you're in the right headspace there's really nothing like it.\\ \\ **PREVIEW**\\ \\ I didn't make as much process as I thought I would with my nonfiction read so I'm hoping to finish that this week and get to the History Sickos pick for June: **And the Band Played On**.\\ \\ After Spear Cuts, I'll likely be doing another re-read of a favorite, **The Lies of Locke Lamora**, as this is the first **Year of the Scoundrel Book Box** for the **Sicko Society members** and it seems most of those have been delivered (huzzah!).\\ \\ Might be time to get back into **Berserk**?!\\ \\ **EVERYTHING ELSE**\\ \\ **Better Call Saul** is still my background show, I think I'm halfway through S3. I loved **Killing Eve S1** so I'll be continuing on with that. I've been re-watching the hilarious **Jury Duty** with my wife, who hasn't seen it yet, and will be finishing S1 tonight. We also finished S2 of **Four Seasons**, which we loved.\\ \\ I'm almost done beating all the missions again in **Tropico 6** so I think I'll finish my **Disco Elysium** playthrough after.\\ \\ Speaking of games, it's a few months out but I've linked up with another book content creator who is going full-time and we have made a handshake deal to start livestreaming some party games (think **REPO**, **Peak**, etc.) with a group of folk we've played with before. Will keep you updated there.\\ \\ I got my second V5 at the climbing gym today! Progress!\\ \\ And a reminder that I'll be filming a YouTube Q&A this week, and I'm giving y'all first crack and submitting your questions, **which you can do here**.\\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/vdnKjnh5FZGwrI7exCZ0/) [Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/vdnKjnh5FZGwrI7exCZ0/) * * * 6 books 7 [2](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/vdnKjnh5FZGwrI7exCZ0/#comments) [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 6](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/mXKRzxrQS6XJqMWizTsP/) what could be more fun than pairing some book covers with outfits? 💕 here are some books and looks! * * * 8 books [Kist Reads\\ \\ Kist\\ \\ • Jun 1](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Hey hey Sickos, the Monday Update/Weekly Checkpoint is back after a brief hiatus due to day drinking all Memorial Day weekend. Tell me what you've been reading and plan to read and let's boogie!\\ \\ **READING**\\ \\ **REVIEW**\\ \\ **THE ROMAN EMNPIRE IN CRISIS, 248-260: WHEN THE GODS ABANDONED ROME by PAUL N. PEARSON** (historical nonfiction)\\ \\ **_Progress:_** Finished\\ \\ This attempted to be a mix of academic and popular history and it pulled that off pretty well. I was concerned how interesting Pearson could make this as most historians just blitz through this run. The first half was super strong when working through Philip the Arab and Decius, and the rest wasn't too shabby either. Was not as bored as I thought I'd be and I become obsessed with that scamp Decius, so that's worth somethin'. Falls in the 3.5 - 3.75 range with a yes recommendation for Roman nuts.\\ \\ **PARABLE OF THE TALENTS \[EARTHSEED #2\] by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER** (speculative fiction)\\ \\ **_Progress:_** Finished\\ \\ I was promised this was bleaker than **Parable of the Sower** and damn did it deliver on that. I did a **full review of those two books on YouTube** so I'll keep it brief. Loved it. 5 stars.\\ \\ **EMPIRES OF THE STEPPES: A HISTORY OF THE NOMADIC TRIBES WHO SHAPED CIVILIZATION by KENNETH W. HARL** (historical nonfiction)\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 117/410\\ \\ For the early portions of this, I've been using **The Horse, the Wheel, and Language** as a supplementary reference because it goes into much greater detail on the archaeological evidence and the development of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) languages. Not that this one isn't packed with detail, it's just much more brisk and sweeping.\\ \\ I've been irritated by the formatting (which is just massive paragraphs with no subheadings) and how _Rick from Walking Dead voice_ HAAAARL will jump around the timelines within the same topic, but the information is excellent. I loved the section on the Scythians and Xiongnu and as I mentioned yesterday, will be doing some Scythian content regarding their conflicts with the Persians. So basically it's flawed in execution, but great with insight so far.\\ \\ **AUGUSTUS by JOHN WILLIAMS**\\ \\ **_Progress:_** 121/305\\ \\ The only thing that could make this better is if it were a little sluttier, because the Romans, especially the men, were nothing if not enormous, messy sluts. By that I mean I'd love a bit more raunchiness and humanity in these communications between characters. That said, I understand why that's not a realistic ask. This is, after all, a novel assembled from letters, diary entries, and official decrees ("epistolary" is the fancy term), so there's only so much room for that sort of thing. A man can dream though.\\ \\ Anyway I'm a meme of a man because the least predictable thing has happened; I'm loving it. I wouldn't jump into this without any previous knowledge of the period but if you fw ancient Rome you'll probably love it too.\\ \\ **PREVIEW**\\ \\ Once I finish these I'll likely go right to the Fiction/History Sickos Book Club picks, which will be a re-read of **The Spear Cuts Through Water** and And AND **And the Band Played On**.\\ \\ **EVERYTHING ELSE**\\ \\ I finished my **Breaking Bad** re-watch, and I'm gonna rank the seasons 5 > 4 > 2 > 3 > 1. There's a stretch in those last two seasons that's just f'n elite. I watched **El Camino** to cap it off and I've been using **Better Call Saul** as my background show while I rotate between games like **Disco Elysium**, **Old World**, and **Tropico 6.**\\ \\ My build for Disco Elysium this time around is a communist, druggie, Disco superstar. Old World I'm only just learning as I'm hoping it takes away some of the pain of Civilization VII bombing. Tropico 6 is yet another run through the core missions and DLC as we await a Tropico 7 release date. If you've ever wanted to be a dictator of a small island (and whomst amongst us hasn't?), Tropico is your game.\\ \\ It's officially Aggressive Cut Szn so if I'm miserable in the Discord just blame it on the 1500 calories a day during the week. K bai\\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/2q8o6RJHE7Jx0sqxLM9w/) [Weekly Checkpoint - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/2q8o6RJHE7Jx0sqxLM9w/) * * * 6 books 9 [1](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/2q8o6RJHE7Jx0sqxLM9w/#comments) [Kist Reads\\ \\ Kist\\ \\ • May 31](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [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](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/lCv1ubxlCAn6nCL0qegG/) * * * 7 books 12 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Apr 25](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [do you like experimental books?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/j9ZEgzHlf7eCSAh41oQh/) 💭 do you like experimental books? thank you to Tor Books for the gifted copy! . * * * 3 books 2 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Mar 6](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [disabled characters in fantasy books: here we go again!!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/rR5LsRoaNlTJcu8LiGIr/) 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! . * * * 3 books 2 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Feb 24](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [recommending you books i loved … using their one-star reviews](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/0NzBduEsfM9pPLf71BXY/) 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](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [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/) [April - June Book Club Poll!](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/ZggjvUiU7bgEZfrELz1f/) * * * 9 books 2 [4](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/ZggjvUiU7bgEZfrELz1f/#comments) [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jan 19](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [💭 have you read any books with a second-person narrative?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/MLzccHupN43HbvT2GxaE/) 💭 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](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Hello and happy new year,\\ \\ I hope you’re all doing well! This isn’t a long post but I was too excited not to make this. \\ \\ \\ \\ Bindery has a new feature where you can request a specific title and it comes straight to me with a cute little postcard. I had no idea this feature came out (i was very much on vacation and not looking at my email for most of December, keep an eye out for my next newsletter for more there) or I would have already answered them. If you sent in a request, the recs are below !\\ \\ As a former bookseller, I genuinely miss recommending randomly specific titles and it’s quite fun racking my brain for book knowledge, especially great when we find the right one. This is a beta feature so I’m not sure yet the best way to answer these. I can either do it as a post here on Bindery, or on ig stories, let me know which way you prefer!\\ \\ Now onto the recs:\\ \\ The first request was from Ezra who asked for: **a banger that is also a book club crowd pleaser.**\\ \\ \\ \\ A social media account was not tagged so hopefully you see this one. I have a scifi and fantasy recommendation:\\ \\ _Project Hail Mary: A Novel by Andy Weir_\\ \\ This one is going to be adapted later this year and from everything I hear it’s a very good pick for a book club. It follows Ryland Grace, the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. While I haven’t personally read this, my sister’s book club (that heavily reads scifi and fantasy) said this one was a great pick! \\ \\ _A Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez:_\\ \\ My pick is definitely this standalone fantasy which follows Jun, a guard that is full of regret of his past decisions, and Keema, an outcast that is fighting for identity and self-value. The pair end up aiding and abetting the escape of a god that has been locked under a palace for centuries and used for her abilities and magic by her own family. The ruling family consists of an emperor and his three murderous sons who have used the god’s abilities to rule with cruelty for centuries and bleed the land of resources as they oppress their citizenry. Jun and Keema end up on an adventure with this god that changes the course of power in the land and those who wield it. It’s written with such stunning prose and imagery, the descriptions alone are enough to make this a great discussion book. This was my favorite read of 2024 and genuinely the most talked about book that my club and I chose to read. There is so much action and heart packed into it, I think it definitely fits the criteria. \\ \\ The second request was from Kaith. ig: (@kaithisms)\\ \\ \\ \\ First of all, thank you for watching! I have quite a few recs I hope one of these stand out. I would be remiss not to mention the one that inspired the video to begin with which was of course:\\ \\ _Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New York Commune, 2052–2072_\\ \\ This is one of the most unique scifi books I’ve read, as it imagines a word beyond the apocalyptic style, dystopian narrative we have been fed for decades. Written from the perspective of two activists that come from labor organizing, activist work, and trans rights organizing we are getting the perspective of two powerful voices in M.E. O’Brien and Eman Abdelhadi. The novel is done in an oral history style as the title suggests, interviewing young and old people who all belong to different communes across the post-capitalist version of the U.S. This book offers a glimpse into a possibility after violence. A future that has gone through war and famine and the breaking down of systems, and asks, okay so what do we build up from the rubble? What skills can we offer each other tangibly? How do we see our relationships, our living structures, and our society as a whole and where do we need improvement? All of that and more is explored in this book and in my opinion, it feels like a novel that is in direct conversation with us, people experiencing the mid 2020s and all the horrors that have gotten us to this point. Can we imagine a future that doesn’t constantly beget violence? Are there sustainable systems we can start building the framework for now? What kind of life do we want and what are willing to do to get it? I can not recommend this book enough. It remains one of my favorite scifi novels I’ve ever read. \\ \\ _Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction by Joshua Whitehead_\\ \\ This anthology collection showcases a number of new 2SQ (2 spirit and queer indigenous) writers that each come up with their own utopian narratives that detail the strength of indigiqueer stories through their plight in the maw of settler colonialism’s histories. It has been at the top of my tbr for a while, I definitely think this collection will hold a few gems. \\ \\ _Thyme Travelers edited by Sonia Sulaiman_\\ \\ This anthology is completely unique, coming from the perspective of Palestinian diaspora writers and artists that image a future beyond occupation and the devastating effects of imperialism and zionism. Each story in this collection explores different aspects of the future from analyzing the effects of what dehumanization does over the years, to using robotics to imagine uses for disabled Palestinians, to exploring gender identity and queerness. I highly recommend it to everyone interested in post colonialism as a subject and as a broad topic of study. \\ \\ I hope these were fun (I had a great time putting them together) and you found something new to read. If you have any more requests, please send them in! \\ \\ Join for free or login](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/YIHGeb1lwMtaUDYSZtTb/) [You Recent Requests](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/YIHGeb1lwMtaUDYSZtTb/) new feature ! * * * 5 books 3 [1](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/YIHGeb1lwMtaUDYSZtTb/#comments) [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Nov 29 2025](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [23 book birthday book haul!](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/V1CFFL6r1MqlN4htbSaA/) 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](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [november book club pick!](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/ZnNMA0M5gx28juDnA0ye/) We are very cool I promise 😎 #booktokfyp #bookclub #fantasybookclub #romancebookclub #disabilitybooks * * * 5 books 1 [Ezeekat Press\\ \\ Jaysen\\ \\ • Oct 7 2025](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Join for free or login](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/swTjYLFE8iqQeFqBGAFN/) [AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Grimdark? Noblebright?, aka Let Me Cook by U.M. Agoawike](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/swTjYLFE8iqQeFqBGAFN/) * * * 9 books 10 [8](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/swTjYLFE8iqQeFqBGAFN/#comments) [Ladybug Books\\ \\ Samantha\\ \\ • Sep 23 2025](https://ladybug-books.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ 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](https://ladybug-books.binderybooks.com/item/9B7fagsGBxKBCdEulaoN/) * * * 9 books [1](https://ladybug-books.binderybooks.com/item/9B7fagsGBxKBCdEulaoN/#comments) [Peppered Ink\\ \\ Mary\\ \\ • Aug 31 2025](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [September TBR!](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/YV49eJW0PHqylOTDBAJl/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/BJiwAfMjZRC7drhK0ERe/) 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](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [😋 the dress matches the vibe, right? books with CANNIBALISM.](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/CbVc5oVWl7iIrmnsT7un/) 😋 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](https://thecoterie.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [some of my tried and true favs🫡](https://thecoterie.binderybooks.com/item/niyMamfBQg1OITx6ShxP/) some of my tried and true favs🫡 * * * 22 books [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 22 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [get to know my book taste tag \| will we vibe or FIGHT?](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/sGft0BEPfZz7gN3bN92K/) * * * 12 books 1 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Jun 13 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [FANTASY BOOKS I LOVE AND THAT I WANT YOU TO LOVE (PLS)!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/B1ohYOZmJKocqysEC13d/) 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](https://writtenreveries.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈💕](https://writtenreveries.binderybooks.com/item/CqziinSZjYCFixNiDgZJ/) 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](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [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 ✨](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/9FIRo8zNLlDddLHPu3jy/) * * * 12 books 8 [4](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/9FIRo8zNLlDddLHPu3jy/#comments) [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Apr 18 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [bookish brand trip?!? \| shelves and the city los angeles 2025 vlog!](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/dbaGjG2xBiZWABpSgTas/) 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 2 [Celestial\\ \\ Steph\\ \\ • Apr 12 2025](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/) [reading road to rings (spear)](https://celestial.binderybooks.com/item/ARoHN2ybTxDgNLU13s5s/) 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](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [A mini family day trip (and a few giveaway reminders!)](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/Y6FOdd50YBtmit6Ksrb5/) For a chance to win what ELSE I picked up from those bookshops, be sure to subscribe to my Bindery… 😘 * * * 3 books 5 [4](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/Y6FOdd50YBtmit6Ksrb5/#comments) [Daph's Reads 📚✨\\ \\ Daphne\\ \\ • Mar 25 2025](https://daphsreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [My entire fantasy physical TBR!](https://daphsreads.binderybooks.com/item/LyRdZFm7TfI9AQ1DnzSX/) My entire fantasy physical TBR! 📚🔮⚔️ #booktok #fantasybooks #tbr #toberead #bookhaul #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #fantasy * * * 17 books [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • Mar 25 2025](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [standalone fantasy book recommendations i think are worth reading!](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/k1Bx28QA2YCFj4pu4Gvr/) 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 3 [1](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/k1Bx28QA2YCFj4pu4Gvr/#comments)