[How it Works](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up Coldwire (Coldwire, 1) Chloe Gong Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/84500/9781665960137) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1665960132?tag=chronicallybookish-20) 100% of affiliate revenue supports chronicallybookish From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival. The future is loading… To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.” But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier, or risk being labelled a spy. Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason. Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong… Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision. Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from chronicallybookish [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Jun 19](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [the 5 best books I read this spring](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/DDqybLQNDNOOjQU84sTw/) I have much planned for this summer INCLUDING a very exciting announcement either tomorrow or Sunday!! The Books: - Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer - Coldwire by Chloe Gong - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - It’s All in Your Head by Sabina Nordqvist - How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang #BookTok #bookreviews #fantasybooktok #romancebooktok #romantasybooktok @Avon Books @Simon Teen @Read Forever Pub * * * 5 books [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Mar 21](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [the only way to describe coldwire: WTFFFFFFF?????](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/m9xNrWn44aBgXlIDXUDV/) If you’re looking for a cyberpunk YA dystopia taking on authoritarianism, oligarchy, nationalism…look no further #booktok #dystopianbooks #bookrec #chloegong #coldwire @Simon Teen * * * 1 book [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Sep 28 2025](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [my fall ARC tbr](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/hMbE0Pb1r25h82dF11dr/) I have overcommitted, and I’m scared of the size of this stack #booktok #advancereadercopy #arcreviewer #tbr #toberead * * * 13 books 2 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Casey the Reader\\ \\ Casey\\ \\ • Jul 27](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [I was traveling for a chunk of last week, so I only finished two books this week. They were both excellent plane reads, though, so good job with that timing, me. Books marked with an \* were gifted to me.\\ \\ **Coldwire by Chloe Gong\* -** The sequel to this book is almost here, so I figured I should probably finally get around to it! I have loved every Gong book I've read and this is no exception. I was so drawn into this cyberpunk dystopia. You know I love a prickly girl character, and this book is full of them. It's excellent and horrifying how you can see exactly the trajectory our world might take to become the world of Coldwire. I found it a little hard to follow the reveal near the end, but I think that's on me rather than the author since other reviewers didn't seem to have that problem.\\ \\ **This Princess Kills Monsters by Ry Herman\* -** I am very into fantasy comedy right now and this one is chef's kiss excellent. It reminded me a lot of The Princess Bride, if that story was more queer. It's deeply silly while also giving old fairytales a new point of view. Literally everything about this book is a delight.\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/item/44agEGHBBjoWiCrzslD3/) [Mini Review Monday - July 27, 2026](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/item/44agEGHBBjoWiCrzslD3/) * * * 2 books 2 [Casey the Reader\\ \\ Casey\\ \\ • Jul 3](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Now that I'm doing weekly reading roundups on Mondays, it doesn't really make sense to do a fave of the week on Fridays. I don't know exactly what I'm gonna do yet (I KNOW it doesn't have to be the same every week. But my brain does not! It likes routines!), but today I've got my June wrap up and a look forward at some books I hope to pick up in July. (Books marked with a \* were gifted to me and books marked with a ^ I was paid to read.)\\ \\ For June reads, it's no surprise that all my faves (starred) were books I read for Pride Reading Bingo. Queer books forever!\\ \\ \\ \\ THE QUARTER QUEEN^\\ \\ WHY ARE PEOPLE INTO THAT?\\ \\ LONDON FALLING\*\\ \\ ⭐️ SEVEN DEVILS\\ \\ ESCALA'S WISH^\\ \\ ⭐️ THE MAIDENHEADS\*\\ \\ DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL (reread)\\ \\ ⭐️ SEASONS OF GLASS AND IRON\*\\ \\ DIVERGENT (reread)\\ \\ POOL HOUSE\*\\ \\ LOVE IS AN EX-COUNTRY\\ \\ RAISING ARTEMIS^\\ \\ THE FOREST ON THE EDGE OF TIME\*\\ \\ ⭐ ONE OF THE BOYS\*\\ \\ DEATH OF THE AUTHOR\*\\ \\ ⭐ SHAPES OF LOVE\*\\ \\ * * *\\ \\ Here's what's on deck for July. (Ish...you know how that mood reading life goes.)\\ \\ \\ \\ **MOSS'D IN SPACE\* - This is the July Found Family Book Club pick!**\\ \\ CHAOS\* - This space romance series is a fave of mine and I've been saving this latest installment for when I needed a treat.\\ \\ MAKE ME BETTER\* - Gailey is a fave author and normally I would have gobbled this up by now but for some reason I thought it was a fall release and therefore I didn't prioritize the ARC. Whoops!\\ \\ BLACK SALT QUEEN\* - I've been meaning to read this fantasy about royalty, romance, and betrayal for awhile and the sequel recently came out so I better get to it!\\ \\ I LOVE YOU DON'T DIE\* - I'd intended to read this for Pride Bingo and didn't get there. I adored Song's debut CHLORINE and am looking forward to more of that.\\ \\ THIS PRINCESS KILLS MONSTERS\* - Another Pride Bingo fail. I've been very into cozy, comedic fantasy lately so I'm ready to wrap myself up in this one.\\ \\ OUT OF STEP, INTO YOU\* - The last of my Pride Bingo intendeds. I thought Burch's debut YA novel a few years ago was seriously underrated, so watch out for me yelling about this one soon.\\ \\ **Books I'm carrying over from June:** My current reads are Love In A F-cked Up World by Dean Spade and Coldwire\* by Chloe Gong.\\ \\ **Other miscellaneous July reads:** I run an in-person book club that reads spicy books and I our July pick is The Pairing by Casey McQuiston, which will be a reread for me. I also read the first chapter of Murder In The Dressing Room\* by Holly Star yesterday. There will be other audiobooks because I can't commute without them, but I haven't picked any yet.\\ \\ Is that a packed enough TBR for you or what!\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/item/RjgobKuiwId4ySBsPVwi/) [June Wrap Up + July Hopefuls](https://caseythereader.binderybooks.com/item/RjgobKuiwId4ySBsPVwi/) * * * 26 books 4 [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Jun 19](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [the 5 best books I read this spring](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/DDqybLQNDNOOjQU84sTw/) * * * 5 books [ofpagesandprint\\ \\ Dahlia\\ \\ • May 20](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [With a little over a week left in May, I wanted to share some of the incredible AANHPI stories on my TBR to continue celebrating AANHPI voices all year long!\\ \*Pitches from the publishers.\\ \\ - _Strange Familiars_ by Keshe Chow - Two scholars of magical veterinary science must put aside their lust and loathing to save the world in the first installment of this whimsical, romantic, dark academia duology. ( _Strange Familiars_ is also the July pick for Musings of the Nine Book Club! Keshe will join the club to comment insight about _Strange Familiars_ and chat with the club as we read. We hope you join us!)\\ \\ - _For No Mortal Creature_ by Keshe Chow - In this romantic, gothic fantasy inspired by _Wuthering Heights_, a teen girl with the power to move between life and death must journey into the afterlife. But to survive, she’ll need the help of her two sworn enemies—both dangerously captivating, both hiding secrets that could destroy her.\\ \\ - _Unfinished Business_ by Clare Osongo - In this funny, warmly chaotic tale of love, a floundering office worker discovers her mother's ghost is trapped in the company Slack server, and must free her by resolving her own troubled love life.\\ \\ - _The Fast Track_ by Angelica Cheng - An ambitious racer who dreams of becoming the first female F1 champion finds her plans going off track when she catches feelings for her biggest competition in this dishy, delicious contemporary romance for fans of love, Lynn Painter, and Lewis Hamilton.\\ \\ - _The Revenant of Surolifia_ by Florence Chien - In the vein of The Traitor Baru Cormorant and The Unbroken, The Revenant of Surolifia is a gripping political fantasy of empire, identity, and impossible choices, where rebellion blazes in the streets, loyalty is a double-edged sword, and the price of peace may be too steep to pay.\\ \\ - _The Game of Oaths_ by S.C. Bandreddi - In this heart-pounding, richly imagined fantasy set in the Belle Époque, a trapeze artist fights to win a deadly tournament amid the glamour and illusions of a magical circus. But survival isn’t her only goal—she wants revenge.\\ \\ - _Witch Daughter_ by Tanaz Bhathena - In her adult debut, award-winning author Tanaz Bhathena expertly weaves a tale of love and loss in ancient Persia with her take on the timeless tragedy of Tahmineh, a temptress, a witch, a victim, or, perhaps, a woman trying her hardest to protect her loved ones.\\ \\ - _Burn the Sea_ by Mona Tewari - A fierce Indian queen must defend her country against both the colonizing monsters attacking from the sea and the cowardly manipulations of a neighboring king…who happens to be her husband.\\ \\ - _The Secret World of Briar Rose_ by Cindy Pham - A lush and immersive queer “Sleeping Beauty” retelling about escapism, grief, and dreaming of a better world.\\ \\ - _A Kiss of Crimson Ash_ by Anuja Varghese - Inspired by medieval India’s most epic love stories, this debut Romantasy blends rich storytelling, lush worldbuilding, and spice of every variety. Perfect for fans of Nisha J. Tuli and Tasha Suri.\\ \\ - _The Book of Fallen Leaves_ by A.S. Tamaki - _Shogun_ meets _Game of Thrones_ in this epic fantasy debut of ambition, vengeance, and sacrifice.\\ \\ - _Coldwire_ by Chloe Gong - The start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.\\ \\ - _The God and the Gumiho_ by Sophie Kim - In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.\\ \\ - _Blood Over Bright Haven_ by M.L. Wang - The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of _The Sword of Kaigen_.\\ \\ - _Double Happiness_ by Heather Eng - Caught between a relentless tech job, her adoring fiancé, and an unexpected new flame, Mei must learn what it means to choose herself.\\ \\ - _Brighter Than Nine_ (sequel to _Darker By Four_) by June C.L. Tan - The Shadowhunter Chronicles meets the Chinese underworld, drawing inspiration from diaspora folklore, in this epic, sweeping contemporary fantasy duology.\\ \\ - _Checking You Out_ by Jennifer Chen - _XO, Kitty_ meets _Dash & Lily_ in this rom com about two teens falling in love via letters left in their favorite library books—even if in real life they think they have nothing in common.\\ \\ - _Roar_ by Varsha Bajaj - The gripping story of a boy whose eye-opening trip to a tiger sanctuary ignites his desire to join those who are roaring to protect the animals.\\ \\ - _Babel_ by R.F. Kuang - A historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire.\\ \\ - _Fishbone Cinderella_ by Elizabeth Lim - A mother and daughter must break their family’s curse through trials of war and immigration, love, loss, and redemption in this riveting multi-generational saga with a shimmer of magic.\\ \\ - _The Killing Spell_ by Shay Kauwe - In this spellbinding fantasy debut set in a future where language magic reigns, a young Hawaiian woman must solve a murder to clear her name.\\ \\ - _Japanese Gothic_ by Kylie Lee Baker - In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.\\ \\ \\ Happy AANHPI Heritage Month!](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/w8ybreAz4RMi6uF1KFu5/) [AANHPI Books on My TBR!](https://ofpagesandprint.binderybooks.com/item/w8ybreAz4RMi6uF1KFu5/) * * * 22 books 4 [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Mar 21](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [the only way to describe coldwire: WTFFFFFFF?????](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/m9xNrWn44aBgXlIDXUDV/) * * * 1 book [The Inkborne Society\\ \\ Azhangia\\ \\ • Nov 4 2025](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Join for free or login](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/5DUWzcWJET3oUA9TfaL7/) [November 2025 Book Releases (Fantasy & Sci-Fi)](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/5DUWzcWJET3oUA9TfaL7/) * * * 8 books 5 [The Inky Phoenix\\ \\ Kathryn Budig\\ \\ • Oct 11 2025](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Local Heavens Pre release chat with Chloe Gong! 🥂](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/qoxO8zx5EZwPelRdGRnj/) Local Heavens Pre release chat with Chloe Gong! 🥂 * * * 2 books 6 [The Inky Phoenix\\ \\ Kathryn Budig\\ \\ • Oct 7 2025](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Two Cyberpunk Queens](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/EPhYUtMehXtIm02ghlCH/) K.M. Fajardo x Chloe Gong 😍 * * * 2 books 5 [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Sep 28 2025](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) [my fall ARC tbr](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/hMbE0Pb1r25h82dF11dr/) I have overcommitted, and I’m scared of the size of this stack #booktok #advancereadercopy #arcreviewer #tbr #toberead * * * 13 books 2 [R&R Reads\\ \\ Ebony\\ \\ • Jul 2 2025](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [96 BOOK RELEASES 💫](https://randrreads.binderybooks.com/item/kXALfKLI1qfbTyuDkfjf/) ✨🍃UPDATE! 2025 Releases for the Back Half of 2025 There are definitely books I forgot and to them I say I’m so sorry Pookie😖 We Are Already Halfway Through 2025… anyway if you find any fault in this post get mad at Goodreads and Amazon not me …🥰 #books #bookreleases #romancebooks #fantasybooks #bookstagram * * * 92 books 1 [The Inkborne Society\\ \\ Azhangia\\ \\ • May 29 2025](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [**My Top 5 of the Month** \\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - The Grace of Kings (Ken Liu)\\ \\ I finally picked up _The Grace of Kings_ this month after years of having it on my TBR and was NOT disappointed. The first book of the Dandelion Dynasty series, TGoK is a silkpunk fantasy tale of rebellion, treachery, sacrifice, and dynamic politics. One of my favorite things about this book was the minor characters - even though you don’t necessarily spend that much time with them, they all feel so three-dimensional, with rich lives of their own that piece together into the greater tapestry of the story. The book also featured exciting action sequences, fascinating biomimetic technology, and complex relationships that really brought the tale to life. I think this series will likely become one of my all-time favs, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!!!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - House of the Beast (Michelle Wong)\\ \\ I’m always on the hunt for a good standalone fantasy, and _House of the Beast_ is the latest gem I wanted to share. Full of morally complex characters and set in an Asian-inspired world with an anime vibe that I really enjoyed, this was a captivating dark fantasy tale of revenge, codependency, and obsession that I could not put it down. The book also features illustrations done by the author herself (she was the illustrator of _The Legend of Korra_ graphic novels!), and they were such a delight to look at throughout the course of the story. \\ \\ ⭐ 4.50 - The Devils (Joe Abercrombie)\\ \\ _The Devils_ by Joe Abercrombie is now what I would consider the best starting point for readers new to Abercrombie’s works, and is a delightful story of found family and adventure that somehow managed to be tragic, hilarious, and thought-provoking all at once. It’s grimdark fantasy, so yes, there is the violence, the brutality, the futility, but Abercrombie does a fantastic job amping up the humor and wit without losing the core of the story, which in _The Devils_, is about finding self, belonging, purpose in a cruel and chaotic world. Additionally, the book delves into the hypocrisy of the Church, the blurred lines of good and evil, and concepts of damnation and redemption. One chapter in particular, “A War in Miniature,” stood out to me as especially well-written, and it’s one of the most memorable chapters I’ve read in recent years. \\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - Coldwire (Chloe Gong)\\ \\ I grew up during the peak era of YA dystopia (YA books in the early 2010’s just hit different), and _Coldwire_ was a book that felt conceptually fresh, but also nostalgic of that time. Given the rise of AI, this book felt particularly fascinating and relevant, and my favorite thing about it was the premise of the world being separated into “upcountry” and “downcountry” - those with financial resources can escape the economic and environmental catastrophes of “downcountry” by living almost entirely in a virtual reality known as “upcountry”. I am eagerly awaiting book 2 of this series, because man, there were so many twists and turns in the last 30% of the book and I need to see how the full story plays out!!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - Royal Assassin (Robin Hobb)\\ \\ Robin Hobb sure knows how to write a compelling character-driven story, and I enjoyed this second leg of Fitz’s journey. This series has such a classic fantasy feel to it, and while I’m slightly terrified to see where this story is going (must protect Fitz at all costs), I am excited to see how this trilogy concludes in the next book!\\ \\ **Other May Reads & Ratings** \\ \\ ⭐ 4.25 - A Treachery of Swans (A.B. Poranek) \\ \\ I grew up doing ballet and am a sucker for Swan Lake retellings, so I was super excited to pick up this book. The writing was so lyrical and lush, and the gothic atmosphere was perfect for the story. I loved this sapphic twist on the Swan Lake tale, and thought the writing was engaging throughout. I do wish this had been a duology rather than a standalone, because there was a lot of potential at the end to expand the story, rather than force a conclusion, but overall, I enjoyed my time with this one!\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - A Forgery of Fate (Elizabeth Lim) \\ \\ YA books are a hit or miss for me these days, but this was a hit! I loved how Asian folklore was woven into this undersea Beauty and the Beast retelling, and really enjoyed the enchanted, aquatic vibes. This is a super-digestible, action-packed book and is very suitable for those looking to get more into the fantasy genre.\\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - The Incandescent (Emily Tesh)\\ \\ The Incandescent features an older FMC (late 30’s), a highly detailed and well-developed magic system, and sapphic relationships all tied together in a story of self-discovery, belonging, and power. I have never read a dark academia fantasy book told from the perspective of the faculty, rather than the students, and I really appreciated this fresh perspective - if you're a teacher, I think you will especially like this one! \\ \\ ⭐ 4.00 - My Friends (Fredrik Backman)\\ \\ This was a beautiful story about how special childhood friendships are, and the beauty and power of art. I particularly loved the dedication of the book, so I wanted to share it below:\\ \\ _"To anyone who is young and wants to create something. Do it."_\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - Behooved (M. Stevenson)\\ \\ I was devastated when _My Lady Jane_ was canceled on Prime Video after one season, but this book slightly eased the pain (yes, there is somehow another fantasy in which the MMC turns into a horse after sunset). Wish there was a little more depth to the story, but overall, this was a delightful romp of a story, and I had a lot of fun reading it!\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman)\\ \\ Stories about the elderly always wreck me, and this was no exception. That said, I didn’t find this one quite as moving as _And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer_, another one of Backman’s books about an elderly man, but thought it was still beautifully written overall.\\ \\ ⭐ 3.75 - The Summer Palace and Other Stories (C.S. Pacat)\\ \\ This was a collection of short stories set in the same universe as the _Captive Prince_ series, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about some of the side characters from the original trilogy, as well as glimpse the lives of Laurent and Damen following _Kings Rising_.\\ \\ ⭐ 3.25 - A Song of Legends Lost (M.H. Ayinde)\\ \\ This book had a really intriguing magic system centered around ancestral summoning and featured a cool sci-fi element called techwork, but I had a difficult time getting emotionally invested in the story because of how flat the characters felt. That said, if you’re more of a plot-driven reader, you may still really enjoy this one!\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/z6vOIAPNDo39CHpCfTr4/) [May Reading Wrap-Up (Reviews & Favorites)](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/z6vOIAPNDo39CHpCfTr4/) Reviews and ratings of the 13 books I read in May - quite a few that I enjoyed this month! * * * 12 books 4 [The Inky Phoenix\\ \\ Kathryn Budig\\ \\ • May 12 2025](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/mWmVbQrLcS6HrTsKQN9a/) [THE MANOR OF DREAMS Launch in NYC](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/mWmVbQrLcS6HrTsKQN9a/) With Christina Li + Chloe Gong at Yu & Me Books * * * 2 books 5