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SIX STARRED REVIEWS! A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her groundbreaking contemporary fantasy debut—a novel in verse based on Caribbean folklore—about the power of inherited magic and the price we must pay to live the life we yearn for.

“Our new home with its thick walls and locked doors wants me to stay trapped in my skin—but I am fury and flame.”

Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own. But Brooklyn is no place for fireball witches with all its bright lights, shut windows, and bolt-locked doors.… While Marisol hoped they would leave their old traditions behind when they emigrated from the islands, she knows this will never happen while she remains ensnared by the one person who keeps her chained to her magical past—her mother.

Seventeen-year-old Genevieve is the daughter of a college professor and a newly minted older half sister of twins. Her worsening skin condition and the babies’ constant wailing keep her up at night, when she stares at the dark sky with a deep longing to inhale it all. She hopes to quench the hunger that gnaws at her, one that seems to reach for some memory of her estranged mother. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a family secret connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn’t even thought to ask.

But the girls soon discover that the very skin keeping their flames locked beneath the surface may be more explosive to the relationships around them than any ancient magic.

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Posts about this title from Celestial

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 7

💭 what was your favorite read from June?

💭 what was your favorite read from June?

i think i read the least number of pages this month, BUT i found some really cool books!

📚 books mentioned: - Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes - Doe by Rebecca Barrow - Her Sharp Embrace by Kate Koenig - (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi - Our Wicked Gifts by Kathryn Foxfield - Redundancies and Potentials by Dominique Dickey

👗💄: - shirt is from Altar’d State - eyeshadow is The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite - eye shimmer is from Ourbella (Cosmic Siren and Midsummer) - mascara is Badi Lash from Kulfi Beauty - lip combo is Signature Lip Liner (Subconscious) from Merit and ShineOn Lip Oil Jelly (Wild) from Tower28

thank you to Bindery Books, Penguin Teen, Wednesday Books, Versify/HarperCollins, and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!

#readingwrapup #monthlyreads #bookreviews #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @bindery_books @penguinteen @wednesdaybooks @versifybooks @harpercollins @getunderlined @neonhemlock @altardstate @glamlite @ourbella.us @kulfi.beauty

6 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 5

bloodthirsty doe entities & billionaire families imploding …

my long form June reading wrap up!

6 books

1

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 19 2025

shelves and the city haul

in which i rob HarperCollins (without remorse) once again.

SHELVES AND THE CITY HAUL EEP!

📚 books mentioned: - The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson - (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi - The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill - The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley - Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

many many thanks to @harpercollins @harpervoyagerus @epicreads @avonbooks @williammorrowbooks

#shelvesandthecity #shelvesandthecityla #bookhaul #bookunboxing #harpercollins #rfkuang #katabasis #bookbrandtrip #bookishbrandtrip #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram

Posts about this book from across Bindery

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 7

💭 what was your favorite read from June?

💭 what was your favorite read from June?

i think i read the least number of pages this month, BUT i found some really cool books!

thank you to Bindery Books, Penguin Teen, Wednesday Books, Versify/HarperCollins, and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!

6 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 5

bloodthirsty doe entities & billionaire families imploding …

my long form June reading wrap up!

6 books

1

Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 8

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40+ Books to Celebrate the World Cup!

What team are you rooting for?

Thank you so much @librosmeansbooks for helping me put this list together. We’ve been gushing about the friendlies and upcoming matches and the World Cup overall since @booknetfest and I’m super excited for the real action to begin ⚽️ 🥅

Please let me know any other books from these countries that you loved in the comments, there are so many on this list that I hadn’t even heard of before that have peaked my interest

#worldcup #booklist #readingrecommendations #bookstagram #readtheworld

18 books

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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • May 18

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Happy Haitian Flag Day 🇭🇹

Happy Haitian Flag Day 🇭🇹

If you’re Haitian and understand Creole, you know that the lyrics to this song are pretty sad but that doesn’t keep us from dancing as close as possible when this comes on at the fèt 👀

Haitian Flag Day also marks the start of our annual tradition: @the_haitian_readathon with my wonderful fellow Haitian cohosts @bestiebethsy, @chptrshakedown, @bookin.good, @bookishgirlmagic, @mer.ce.des_g

This year we’re reading Devil of the Deep by @falenciatheestoryteller and I can’t wait to talk about it with all of you on June 1st (the start of Caribbean Heritage Month) 🇭🇹

#booklist #bookstagram #haiti #readathon #thehaitianreadathon

13 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Dec 30 2025

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Hi folks! \ \ The year is almost up, here’s my last bookish roundup! All books by BIPOC authors with BIPOC MCs.\ \ A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna\ \ Cosy, cute, found family, zombie rooster. My top BIPOC read of the year, and I blurbed the proof!\ \ \ \ Red City by Marie Lu\ \ Rival alchemists, one Chinese, one Indian. An incredible fantasy world with high stakes and a heart wrenching romance.\ \ (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ A verse novel about Caribbean fire witches, family secrets, and two teenage girls trying to survive their inner nature.\ \ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones\ \ An incredible indigenous historical vampire book, the writing is dense but impeccable.\ \ Wicked Flavors by Azalea Crowley\ \ An autistic doll collector strikes a  supernatural deal a mysterious antique dealer with a cane (both are also mixed heritage). Absolute carnage ensues.\ \ Dulhaniyaa by Talia Bhatt.\ \ A Desi lesbian romance with a transfemme love interest. Dancing, romance and bonkers Bollywood vibes.\ \ Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai.\ \ A queer Japanese boy finds a century old diary of a woman who sings for ghosts. Beautiful Madam Butterfly retelling. \ \ Katabasis by R.F. Kuang\ \ Two PHD students, one Chinese, travel to academic hell to find their supervisor. It’s basically one long in-joke/nod to academia, which I enjoyed, but definitely not for everyone!\ \ Here to Slay by Radhika Sanghani\ \ Buffy but with sapphic British-Indian demon slayers. SO fun.\ \ Marigold Mind Laundry by Junguen Yun\ \ A bittersweet, melancholy Korean fantasy about a lonely immortal woman opening a laundry to wash away people’s bad memories, finding a new family along the way.\ \ Happy New Year everyone!\ \ Disco x\ \ Join for free or login

Top 10 BIPOC books of 2025

9 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Nov 7 2025

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\ \ The fact that October is over already has me feeling discombobulated, but the fact that I read 9 books last month is next level! It's been another rough year and I've noticed that my reading pace has consistently been up to 6 books a month until now. My guess is that I got my hands on a lot of amazing new reads, felt the spirit of my fave season take hold, and my mood was cooperating with me (for once).\ \ Anyway, let's get into my reviews:\ \ (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi \ \ YA Contemporary Fantasy • Novel-In-Verse\ \ (S)kin is a vulnerable yet powerful story that blends Caribbean folklore w/ themes of colorism, self-image, & more.\ \ This story has 2 POVs: 15-year-old Marisol & 17-year-old Genevieve. Marisol moved to Brooklyn w/ her mom who is a soucouyant, a creature who sheds their human skin & flies into the sky as a fireball to seek out a victim to drink blood from. Her mom is stern & controlling which adds to the isolating experience of being a newly arrived immigrant. When her mom suddenly gets a job as a nanny to Genevieve’s twin half-siblings, her behavior becomes stranger. Genevieve’s skin condition had been worsening until the nanny arrived which triggers suspicions too strong to ignore.\ \ This story was short but punched me in the feels! As someone raised by Caribbean folks, I recognized the pain & confusion that can come from seeing an elder show more affection towards one child over another due to colorism.\ \ I feel like (S)kin allows the reader to work through & release these emotions just as much as the characters do.\ \ Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado \ \ Queer YA Horror/Thriller\ \ I didn’t want to put this book down! Burn Down, Rise Up is an ode to the Bronx & the people who made it home.\ \ No one can explain the string of mysterious disappearances in the Bronx over the past year which isn’t surprising since Black & Brown folks going missing doesn’t seem to be concerning to the police. When a mold-like disease takes hold of Raquel’s mom & her crush Charlize’s cousin vanishes shortly after, she begins to think they are linked. As the teens question what is really behind it all, they learn that the folks who disappeared didn’t follow the rules of the Echo Game, an urban legend tied to subway systems. Terrifyingly, the friends have to play the game in order to save their community from an evil lurking in a twisted version of their home.\ \ This story is spellbinding, in part because the characters feel so real. Raquel’s parents are divorced, she’s questioning her feelings, & trying to juggle a lot on top of school. I especially love the way Tirado brought the complicated feelings a lot of Caribbean folks have about Christianity vs. religions like Santería & Vudú into the story. There’s so much to explore here, so y’all should get your hands on this novel ASAP!\ \ Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo \ \ Queer Adult Dark Romantasy\ \ Hot Hot Hot! Blood & Brujas is an amazing example of Romantasy done well! It took me a minute to start reading it because the text was a bit small, but the audiobook helped me get immersed in this world & I quickly became addicted.\ \ Dayanara is a badass warrior woman but when an enemy army suddenly decimates the Caldera army of brujas & knocks her unconscious, her mother & Acna offers her hand in marriage to the vampire king to secure peace. Daya wakes to find out that she is bound by a spell that keeps her & the king from harming each other, as much as she would like to knock his head off. Now, they have to convince their kingdoms that this is the best way to preserve the peace.\ \ This all sounds a bit like the typical marriage of convenience trope, but Hornedo is clear that this is a "why choose" story. Daya is headstrong, so she's not the type to just do what she's told, which makes for a really fun & twisted tale.\ \ Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland \ \ Contemporary Adult Romantasy\ \ This follow-up to The Witch of Wild Things, delivers a spicy romance w/ depth & humor, & compassion.\ \ Teal Flores reaches out to estranged bestie Carter in desperation because she needs a date to her ex’s wedding. The thing is, they are estranged because Teal hopped into a relationship w/ said ex almost immediately after making out w/ Carter a little while back. Of course, She’s incredibly stressed about this situation & hasn’t been able to control her gift for a while. Her emotions keep triggering volitile weather. Carter is aware of it all & decides to make a deal. Teal will become his (fake) wife so that he can receive his inheritance. What could possibly go wrong between 2 people w/ unresolved romantic tension?!\ \ I think that Gilliland handles Teal’s bipolar disorder w/ care & I’m glad it is never seen as something to fix. The focus of this story is on her relationships w/ Carter, her sisters, her mother, & herself. Despite how heavy that is, the author injects a lot of charm & perfectly timed (dirty) humor throughout the story, which I love! If this sounds like your vibe, I encourage you to read both of the books in this series!\ \ Lucha of The Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia \ \ Queer YA Dark Fantasy\ \ Lucha of the Night Forest was darker than I expected it to be but I loved it! Mejia writes characters with depth & never talks down to readers despite the themes of neglect, poverty, and drug abuse which I appreciated. Kids experience these things everyday & I hope they might feel seen/draw strength from books like this one.\ \ Our MC is determined to keep her family afloat by taking some dangerous jobs. Just when she thinks she can finally walk away from it all, Lucha must make a decision that could lead to her own freedom or begin another fight for her and her little sister’s survival.\ \ This book was addictive & I think there are a ton of things that made it great. I’m a big fan of plant magic in Fantasy, so that was super cool to see, but the lore of their goddess & world-building kept me locked in. The romance between Lucha & the mysterious acolyte was also really tender. I excited to read book 2!\ \ BAIT by Adriana Herrera* \ \ Queer Adult Dystopian Romance Novella\ \ I’m obsessed w/ the novellas from After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection! As a huge fan of Adriana Herrera’s books, I decided to start with her story BAIT & was not disappointed.\ \ In this post-apocolypse story, a huge natural disaster sent people into bunkers for 3 decades.The bunker life is all 29-year-old Alma knows since she & her community have been told that the land & air outside are still lethal. Her world is flipped upside down when an act of defiance gets her pushed outside only to find that they had been lied to. Some of Alma’s loved ones rescue her & her libido goes into overdrive as they travel to their homestead through a once desolate landscape.\ \ While there were a few problems w/ typos & the 2nd half of the plot could have been fleshed out more, I really enjoyed BAIT & would absolutely read a full-length novel version of it. Life in the bunker was vivid & I loved exploring the different versions of life “after the end.” This is a great short read for folks who want a super horny mash-up of Silo, Mad Max, & The Last of Us.\ \ Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond \ \ Adult Supernatural Horror & Alternate Hist. Fiction\ \ Did you feel joy when you heard that the Nottoway Plantation burned down? Did you enjoy Sinners? If so, this is the book for you!\ \ In the 1st novel of Markus Redmond’s Blood Saga, we follow the story of enslaved people on a Carolina plantation in 1710. After Willie’s failed attempt to run away, he finds out that his beloved Gertie is pregnant. Although the couple are excited to create their own family after being taken from theirs in West Africa, they are sobered by their reality; this baby will be born into slavery. Gertie believes that running is futile but Willie refuses to accept their circumstances after meeting Rafazi, a Ramangan (African vampire), who has a plan to revolt.\ \ This novel is brutal but extremely satisfying! There’s so many themes thoughtfully woven throughout the story: We have folks who hope that “good behavior” will some day lead them to better lives while others can no longer submit. There’s discussions of colorism, what love should look like, & solidarity w/ a local Indigenous tribe.\ \ Blood Slaves is a fantastic book that I hope y’all will pick up very soon!\ \ Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De La Rosa \ \ Adult Historical Romance\ \ Gabriela And His Grace is a great conclusion to the Luna Sisters Series! I promise, I’m not just writing this because the MC & I share a name\ \ The youngest Luna sister books a trip back to Mexico when a British suitor threatens to ruin her. Unbeknownst to Gabby, the infuriating Duke of Whitfield is heading to her homeland on the same ship. In a desperate attempt to save his family’s estate & regain financial security, Whitfield is visiting a mining project in Mexico that his good friend Sirius (Gabby’s BIL) invited him to join. Despite their years of contention, Gabby & Whitfield find themselves hating each other less & less as their journey goes on.\ \ The tension between these MCs is palpable but their banter & barbs entertained me the most! I loved seeing them put down their verbal weapons and get to know one another. The intrigue surrounding Mexico’s fight against French control grounds the story in facinating history, as well.\ \ I highly recommend this series to readers who love enemies to lovers, period dramas, & revolutionary women.\ \ All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens ( Out Nov 25, 2025) \ \ Adult Contemporary Monster Romantasy\ \ I got an ARC of All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens & I just wanna start this review by saying...hot damn!!!\ \ Book 2 in the Supers in the City series focuses on Monika, the badass photographer from book 1, & Taranis, the superhero who used to be everyone’s favorite. Taranis hires Monika after seeing her popular photos of the Wyvern but his image becomes the least of her worries when an accidental recording implies that Taranis isn’t actually a “good guy.” Despite this, she is drawn to him. The former golden boy hates humans, but Monika is the 1 person who stirs something inside him that isn’t loathing.\ \ Y’all, this couple is spicy on a whole other level! They’ve got that love-hate relationship w/ undeniable chemistry, mutual respect, & matching kinks. Their dynamic isn’t really my vibe, but I know folks who would eat this up. I enjoyed the action sequences a lot & it was cool getting to know Monika through her interests & family. I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes next!\ \ Here's to another month of good reading!!\ *BAIT is a part of the After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection.](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/LsvkFYSnCM8MD0LCDqOt/)

My October Reading Wrap-Up

8 books

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Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Sep 22 2025

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It’s day 8 of the #LHMBookstaChallenge and the prompt is Mi TBR, Tu TBR. Here’s some of my Latine TBR:\ \ \ \ • Rise of a Dark Throne: The Mōsa Chronicles by Ligia N. Cushman\ \ • Malinalli by Veronica Chapa\ \ • Too Soon for Adiós by Annette Chavez Macias\ \ • The Palace of Eros by Caro De Robertis\ \ • Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham\ \ • The Chainbreakers by Julian Randall\ \ • Heat and Run by Adriana Herrera\ \ • The Little Deaths: Poems by Mercy Tullis-Bukhari\ \ • Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado\ \ • The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez\ \ • Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories edited by Yamile Saied Méndez & Amparo Ortiz\ \ • Lady of Istok by Isabelle Olmo\ \ • Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De La Rosa\ \ • Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland\ \ • House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias\ \ • (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ • We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado\ \ • You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue\ \ • Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez\ \ • Bochica by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro\ \ • Everything She Never Knew by Annette Chavez Macias\ \ • The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar by Sonora Reyes\ \ • Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo\ \ • The Book of Lost Saints by Daniel José Older

Day 8 LHM Challenge: Mi TBR, Tu TBR

24 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Sep 16 2025

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Hi Disco Dancers!\ \ I've recently discovered a love of novels written in verse. When I was at uni I read epic poetry like Ovid and Homer, but never anything modern. It's such a fresh way to tell a story, and some of these books have fast become favourites. Here are 3:\ \ Dark Star by Oliver Langmead\ \ \ \ A drug addict detective living on an almost completely dark planet, where fire burns black and there's no sun, sets out to investigate the theft of one of three 'hearts', the only sources of light in the world. \ \ This is a brilliant, and brilliantly bleak, sci fi concept, taking place in a murky, dark world where the poor become almost like ghosts, starved of light, using drugs to deal with the madness, while the rich live in illuminated palaces. It's very well realised and a facsinating read, though not exactly the happiest! I loved it though.\ \ (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ \ \ Two teenage girls living in Brooklyn find they are connected by a dark secret. One of them is a soucouyant, a Caribbean fire witch, trying to escape her oppressive mother. The other is mixed heritage, dealing with an intense, burning skin condition, and secrets at home. \ \ This is a fantastic take on Caribbean folklore, and a truly emotional read.\ \ Rapunzella, or Don't Touch my Hair by Ella McLeod\ \ \ \ A Black South London girl visits a fantasy land in her dreams, and a myserious girl with magical hair, part of a community of women using song to push back against an encroaching evil. A gorgeous love letter to London, womanhood and community.\ \ All the best!\ \ Disco\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Diverse Discoveries: Novels in Verse

3 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Jun 29 2025

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Hi there Disco Dancers!\ \ I hope you’re surviving the heat. I’ve just realised we’re halfway through the year, madness! To mark the occasion I’ll be doing a TikTok about my top 10 reads so far this year. That’ll come out later this week, but wanted to give you folks first look and a handy list.\ \ Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose\ \ \ \ Food magic, queer normative, angry revolution, eat the rich!!\ \ A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna\ \ \ \ Cosy, cute, found family, zombie rooster!\ \ Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove\ \ \ \ Monsters in space, queer AI, more found family.\ \ Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai\ \ \ \ Queer teenage angst, Madam Butterfly retelling, beautiful prose, family secrets\ \ The Saint of Heartbreak by Morgan Dante\ \ \ \ Judas x Lucifer love story, very sad bois, slowest of slow burns, literally thousands of years\ \ Self Made Boys by Anne-Marie McLemore\ \ \ \ The Great Gatsby but they’re both transmasc, the romance, oh the romance\ \ (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ \ \ Poetry novel, Caribbean folklore, fire witches, I just want to be a normal girl\ \ The Chromatic Fantasy by H.A.\ \ \ \ Runaway nun becomes a transmasc highwayman, meets another transmasc highwayman, shenanigans\ \ A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander\ \ \ \ A transmasc Earl who doesn’t want a valet but gets a handsome valet and regrets everything (but not really)\ \ Tradwife by TC Parker\ \ \ \ Queer investigator looks into unsolved murders in a Tradwife community, everyone’s a suspect, fictional true crime\ \ Special mention - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. I’m only halfway through this but it’s SO good so far.\ \ \ \ All the best,\ \ Disco\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

First Look: my top ten books of the year so far

11 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Jun 22 2025

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Hi there party people and disco dancers!\ \ June is Caribbean Heritage Month, which is recent news to me (the UK only started celebrating it last year).\ \ Since I’m half Trinidadian and lived there as a kid, I’m super happy to have a month dedicated to our beautiful islands and culture.\ \ Here are 3 Caribbean books in 3 different genres that I really enjoyed:\ \ The Haunting of Tyrese Walker by J.P. Rose\ \ \ \ This is a YA horror book about a Jamaican-British boy who goes to spend the summer in Jamaica after his father passes away. His grandmother warns him to take care to avoid evil spirits, called duppies, on the island. At first he refuses to believe, but then sinister things begin to go bump in the night…\ \ I’m a scaredy cat, and the creepy crawleys in this were terrifying! But I loved the sinister atmosphere, it’s a great book for horror fans. I also loved learning about Jamaican folklore, which is slightly different to Trinidad.\ \ (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ \ \ In this beautiful poetry novel, two teenage girls in Brooklyn live two very different lives. One is a soucouyant, a Caribbean fire witch, seeking freedom from her controlling mother. The other is a mixed heritage girl with a hidden past. But their destinies soon entwine.\ \ This was stunning! I felt like it was made just for me. And the Trinidadian folklore aspects were great.\ \ Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass\ \ \ \ In this Persuasion retelling, a teenage girl in Tobago working in her family’s resort is horrified when her now-famous ex comes to stay. She’s even more horrified when she’s asked to show him and his friends around the island.\ \ This was super cute, and feels like a love letter to soca, Tobago and island life. \ \ That’s all for now!\ \ Much love,\ \ Disco\ \ Join for free or login

Diverse Discoveries: Caribbean Heritage Month book recs

3 books

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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 11 2025

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Happy Haitian American Heritage Month to all who clebrate (and to those who don’t, go pick up a book!)

Happy Haitian American Heritage Month to all who clebrate (and to those who don’t, go pick up a book by a Haitian author 🇭🇹)

6 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • May 11 2025

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Hey there party people and disco dancers!\ \ May is ESEA heritage month in the UK, AAPI month in the US, and Asian heritage month in Canada, so this month’s updates will have a lot of Asian and Pacific Islander content…\ \ First up, some niche AAPI recs- books I don’t see others talking about nearly enough!\ \ The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho\ \ \ \ A fun, queer novella about a nun who joins up with a group of bandits. This was the first Zen Cho I ever read and I became an instant fan.\ \ The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong\ \ \ \ A cosy fantasy novella about a retired mage who runs the best restaurant in the world, hidden in Toronto, catering to humans and magical folk alike. As he prepares amazing food and customers eat the best food of their lives, a plot begins to brew among the patrons. Very light on plot but great for foodies!\ \ Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min\ \ \ \ A YA romance between a Korean-Japanese trans boy and a Filipino-Latino boy who connect over anime and music. Both deal with their painful pasts as their friendship blossoms into something more. I love this tender book.\ \ Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu\ \ \ \ A children’s picture book and short animated film telling the story of four Mahu, with both male and female spirits, who bring healing arts to Hawaiʻi from Kahiki\ \ Stitched to Skin Like Family Is by Nghi Vo ( short story in Uncanny magazine)\ \ https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/stitched-to-skin-like-family-is/\ \ An incredible, emotional spec fic story about a seamstress with the ability to see visions through clothing, looking for her lost brother\ \ Current reads:\ \ I’m halfway through Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier and loving it. Lucier is an author from the Pacific Island of Guam, and wrote Year of the Reaper, which I adored.\ \ \ \ This is a lush, vibrant fantasy about a young dragon hunter unhappily allied with a pirate to chase down a magical dragon egg.\ \ I’m also trying to make my way through all the Murderbot books before the new TV show comes out. I’ve nearly finished book 2: Artificial Condition. \ \ \ \ I love the way the Murderbot books discuss gender, identity and human connection (often unwanted). So fun. I loved the trailer and I’m excited for the show.\ \ And I’m halfway through Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, a fantasy about a queer Malaysian-American woman who moves to Malaysia and is haunted by her snarky Grandmother.\ \ \ \ Her grandmother is hilarious I love her.\ \ Just finished\ \ I finished Augmented by Kenechi Udogu. This was a fun dystopian / climate sci fi book with a Black British-Nigerian lead.\ \ \ \ The plot was fun and the climate spec fiction elements were fantastic, and I loved the London setting. It did fall down a bit for me towards the end though, a plot point felt shoehorned in and didn’t feel like it quite fit. But overall I had a lot of fun. This is out in July.\ \ I also want to mention that Wicked Flavors by Azalea Crowley, one of my favourite authors, just came out this week.\ \ \ \ This is a brilliant horror romance about a Filipino-Hawaiian doll maker with autism, who makes a deal with a creepy-yet-alluring antiques dealer (who’s also mixed heritage). This couple were fantastic, they really made each other worse and I loved it. It’s hot and gory and creepy and I was thoroughly entertained.\ \ Azalea is also Kanaka Maoli, so this is potentially one for AAPI tbrs.\ \ \ \ And I LOVED Caribbean folklore poetry novel (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ A Black girl wishes for freedom, from her soucouyant mother, from their fireball powers. A mixed heritage girl hates the burning beneath her skin, the secrets, the lies... Felt like it was written just for me\ \ Here are some books I’m hoping to read this month:\ \ Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu (lit fic novella by a Zainichi Korean author)\ \ \ \ Song of Silver Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao (fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology)\ \ \ \ A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (cosy fantasy follow up to The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches). I blurbed the advance proof copy!\ \ \ \ Thanks all folks!\ \ Be excellent to each other,\ \ Disco\ \ Join for free or login

Diverse Discoveries: AAPI month special

11 books

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Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • May 1 2025

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Welcome to Discotopia! \ \ Hey there party people and disco dancers. Thank you so so much for subscribing to Discotopia. I’m thrilled you want to hang out with me.\ \ First things first - the Discotopia Discord is now live. If you haven’t already, follow this link to access it.\ \ The Discord is open to all my social followers, but certain channels are only open to Bindery folk, like you!\ \ One of those channels is ‘Suggestions’. Please leave any ideas or requests for Discotopia content or channels in there. Do you want a book club? Hang outs? A music channel? A channel for trans biker nuns from space? Let me know. This community is for YOU and I’m open to ideas.\ \ Weekly diverse book discoveries \ \ I won’t be sending email updates for every TikTok/short review I upload to Bindery (unless you want that, let me know). Instead I’m thinking a weekly email update for all subscribers, plus any other exciting things I really want to share, and more exclusive content for Disco Dancers.\ \ Here are this week’s discoveries...\ \ Just finished: \ \ Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove\ \ \ \ Queer sci fi. AI spaceship Demeter realises her passengers have been wiped out by Dracula. When more monsters threaten her people, she seeks revenge, creating surprising emotional connections along the way.\ \ I’m obsessed with this!! Brilliantly executed. Out on 3rd June, from Ezeekat Press x Bindery.\ \ Girl Squad Volta by Maya Lin Wang (aka M.L. Wang)\ \ \ \ Queer BIPOC YA fantasy. Asian American Wren draws comics and does karate with her talented best friend (and secret crush) Laura, dreading high school. She’s not surprised when Laura turns out to be a magical being. Now she has to save her…\ \ Cute, fun and action packed! Love how different this was from M.L. Wang’s later works, like Blood Over Bright Haven. \ \ Current reads: \ \ Augmented by Kenechi Udogu\ \ \ \ A YA climate dystopian novel about a Black girl with the rare ability to grow plants with her voice.\ \ I’m loving this! It’s giving me all the nostalgic mid-2000s YA dystopian vibes, but set in London, my city, which I always enjoy.\ \ Next up (possibly, I’m a notorious mood reader)\ \ (S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi\ \ \ \ YA fantasy with Caribbean folklore, written in verse. This looks incredible. \ \ A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde.\ \ \ \ An epic BIPOC fantasy about revenge, rebellion, and ancestral spirits.\ \ I’m so excited about this one. Epic fantasy used to be my thing, but I haven’t read as much as I’d like in the last year. Hoping this week get me back in the groove.\ \ If you've read any of these, or want to, let me know in the comments or on Discord!\ \ That’s all for now, party on dudes!\ \ Disco x

Welcome, Discord link, and diverse book discoveries!

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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 19 2025

shelves and the city haul

in which i rob HarperCollins (without remorse) once again.

SHELVES AND THE CITY HAUL EEP!

many many thanks to @harpercollins @harpervoyagerus @epicreads @avonbooks @williammorrowbooks

R&R Reads\ \ Ebony\ \ • Apr 14 2025

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\ \ Join for free or login](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/item/YhwzeBQbntr0SvaHZce8/)

🍃✨Shelves and the City Book Haul🏙️📚🤩

🍃✨Shelves and the City Book Haul🏙️📚

🤩I think I got the best haul! what do you guys think?

🍃bought Through the Storm by Beverly Jenkins at The Ripped Bodice 🍃the rest were gifted

#bookstagram #books #booklover #fantasybooks #romancebooks #bookhaul #book #wickedthemusical #wicked

12 books

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R&R Reads\ \ Ebony\ \ • Feb 20 2025

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✨🍃2025 Anticipated Releases Post

✨🍃2025 Anticipated Releases Post

thank goodness they extended this to have 20+ pictures

I missed some because covers have not been released yet so there will probably be a part two to this post

i am for sure going to get back to posting monthly anticipated releases on here rather than the clock app if the clock app gets deleted

#bookstagram #books #romancebooks #fantasybooks #blackauthors #diverseauthors #diversebooks #2025bookreleases

67 books

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Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Feb 20 2025

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2025 Highly Anticipated Reads

Here are 24 books I’m extremely excited about in 2025:

🌟 The Summer I Ate The Rich by Maika and Maritza Moulite That title, though!! 🌟 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Inkeeping by Sangu Mandanna I loved her 1st book & need more coziness. 🌟 The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas The drama of this cover is drawing me in! 🌟 The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley I’m fascinated by the concept of this book. 🌟 Ms. V’s Hot Girl Summer by A.H. Cunningham I don’t even know the plot, but yesss 🌟 Malinalli by Veronica Chapa I love retellings of misunderstood historical figures! 🌟 A Tropical Rebel gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera Currently reading this & it is worth the hype. 🌟 (S)kin by Ibi Zoboi Contemporary Fantasy. Novel in verse. Caribbean Folklore. Nuff said. 🌟 If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal It looks so freaking cute! 🌟 Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez I love this author’s work & this sounds intriguing. 🌟 Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi Emezi is often an auto-read for me. 🌟 I Accidentally Hooked Up With A Vampire by Jessica Cage The 1st book in this series was amazing so count me in. 🌟 Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi My youthful obsession with Ancient Egypt is calling to me. 🌟 The Wind On Her Tongue by Anita Kopacz I love the idea of a Yoruban deity studying in New Orleans! 🌟 Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana Looking forward to continuing the adventure! 🌟 Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria Wrapping up the series 🌟 Out of Step, Into You by Ciera Burch A Black sapphic romance w/ friends to rivals to lovers vibes? Yes. 🌟 Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan I’ve been waiting so long for this! 🌟 Bones at the Crossroads by LaDarrion Williams The ending of book 1 had me ready to see where this goes. 🌟 Meet Me At The Crossroads by Megan Giddings I like this author’s writing. 🌟 I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming You already know. 🌟 Bemused by Farrah Rochon The Muses origin story?! *gasp* 🌟 These Vengeful Wishes by Vanessa Montalban “A vengeful female spirit w/ a thirst for justice” sounds fantastic! 🌟 The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno I’ve loved almost everything by her.

What new releases are y'all excited for?

23 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Feb 19 2025

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\ \ A few folks have asked me for book recommendations by and about AfroLatine folks so here are some amazing authors I want to introduce y'all to:\ \ Romance Adriana Herrera (Dominican) \ \ She's one of my favorite authors of all time! Herrera writes both Contemporary and Historical Romances with nuanced, fun, and tender characters and plenty of heat. Some of her titles include:\ \

AfroLatine Authors

54 books

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