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A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

Sangu Mandanna

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An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.

When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and definitely had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

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Posts about this title from Discotopia | Diverse Books

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

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

Top 10 BIPOC books of 2025

9 books

Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Jul 24 2025

Trigger warnings for mentions of grief and loss.\ \ Hi party people and disco dancers,\ \ A slightly different newsletter today. I lost my dear friend Piotr recently and I’ve been delving into all the things he loved, to celebrate his life and honour his memory.\ \ One of the things he loved was medieval history, reenactment, tournaments and chivalry. He was a huge fantasy and LOTR fan too.\ \ So it got me thinking, who are my favourite chivalrous, knightly characters in diverse books?\ \ Here are 3 that sprang to mind:\ \ Nicholas in A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna.\ \ \ \ In this gorgeous found family cosy fantasy, a witch who has lost her magic lives with a rag tag group of diverse misfits, including a young man who works at the local medieval fair, goes everywhere in full plate armour, and is incredibly honourable and protective of his chosen family.\ \ When I read this book initially I immediately thought of Piotr. A true knight who finds his people, who is not just accepted, but appreciated and loved for who he is and what he enjoys.\ \ Garad in Blackheart Knights by Laure Eve.\ \ \ \ In this futuristic Arthurian retelling, knights ride on motorbikes and fight in cages to settle disputes. Once such knight is King Arthur’s champion Garad, a non-binary fighter and the best in the land. Though they are only a side character, they totally captivated me. Their loyalty to the king and their little friend group was so well written.\ \ Nick in the Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn\ \ \ \ MILD SPOILERS FOR LEGENDBORN, BLOODMARKED AND OATHBOUND\ \ -\ \ -\ \ -\ \ -\ \ -\ \ -\ \ Look, I love both Nick AND Sel, okay? I’m team throuple all the way. What I love most about Nick is his sense of justice, his willingness to stand up for Bree, to recognise all the patriarchal bullshit and refuse to go along with things just because they’re tradition. He’s noble, and he honestly gets better as the books go on.\ \ And yes, Nick and Bree are a bit insta love and Sel is more fun in a way with his ‘whole dark brooding ocean of meloncholy, can pull off a long dark swishy coat without looking ridiculous’ thing, but I don’t care, they’re both great. Sometimes, the good guys really are good.\ \ My friend is all of these things and more, and I’m lucky to have known him.\ \ Be good to yourselves, and stand up for others. Chivalry is beautiful.\ \ Much love,\ \ Disco xxx

Noble Warriors and Non-Binary Knights

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

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

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

11 books

Discotopia | Diverse Books\ \ Disco (he/they)\ \ • Jun 8 2025

Happy Pride Month party people and disco dancers!\ \ I’m having an amazing reading month so far, I’ve read 2 new favourites and my current read is shaping up to be top 10 of this year too. Here’s what I’ve been reading:\ \ Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose\ \ \ \ This is a queer anti-establishment fantasy about a young butcher who becomes a rebel figurehead in an unequal world full of food-based magic.\ \ It’s action packed, brutal and emotional, and I stayed up way too late finishing it! The food descriptions are incredible and made me so hungry (even though I don’t eat meat). It’s book 1 in a series but I felt satisfied at the end, you could totally stop there. I have rave review on TikTok. This is out in July.\ \ A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna\ \ \ \ The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches is one of my absolute favourite books, and this follow up is, I think, even better.\ \ It follows an Indian-Icelandic innkeeper witch who’s lost her magic, who lives with a hectic, brilliant found family in Lancashire with her disabled Indian great-aunt, a zombie chicken, her magical Icelandic cousin, a chivalrous knight, and a hilarious Black gardener/goat enthusiast. If that’s not enough, then a quiet, handsome Scottish magical scholar and his autistic little sister come to stay.\ \ This book felt like a tender, understanding hug, I loved it. Out in July!\ \ Current reads\ \ \ \ Right now I’m loving When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelly, an mm merman romance based in 1910s New York. The human MMC is a Puerto Rican asthmatic blacksmith, and there’s a beautiful found family (you can tell it’s my favourite trope) of carnival performers. It’s also illustrated and stunning! Out now.\ \ I’ve also started a sapphic horror, Feast While You Can by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta. I’m only a few pages in but the writing is already luscious and creepy, I can’t wait to see where it goes.\ \ \ \ On my radar\ \ I just got the proof for Human Rites by Juno Dawson! This is book 3 in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series, and I feel so grateful to get it. I’ll be reading it ASAP.\ \ \ \ Do share what you’re reading in the comments and on the Discord!\ \ Be excellent to each other,\ \ Love,\ \ Disco

Diverse Discoveries: new favourite books, and my Pride reads

4 books

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

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

Diverse Discoveries: AAPI month special

11 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

Ink & Ether\ \ Michelle, The Keeper\ \ • Jul 9

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Welcome to the Ink & Ether July '26 Dispatch \ \ Hi Book Friends!\ \ I know it's been a minute since you heard from me. I admit I haven't exactly been staying on top of keeping you updated. But that's about to change so expect monthly updates with all the details of what's happening at I&E. Let's go!\ \ What's been on my mind \ \ There’s been a lot happening for Ink & Ether in recent months. Doing consistent weekly pop-up events has been amazing and exhausting (in the best way of course). It’s definitely shown me that there are people who like this thing that I’m creating and for that, I am extremely grateful. I had to take a small break to reset and enjoy time with my family, but I’m back and I have some great plans for the future of Ink & Ether.\ \ What's new on the shelves \ \ The bindery books section has exploded! I’ve added some new titles and restocked some old ones so please be sure to find the new Bindery collection on my website. Catch a glimpse of some of these titles below.\ \ Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes: If Beloved and Get Out had a baby in 1920’s Mississippi and gave her a coven.\ \ The Devil Of The Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois: If Pirates of the Caribbean was Haitian, queer, and had something to say about blind faith in corrupt gods.\ \ Black Salt Queen by Samantha Bansil: If Game of Thrones was set in precolonial Philippines, centered women entirely, and actually made you root for the villain.\ \ From the grimoire \ \ Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy dabbling in the mystic arts. Since Ink & Ether began, I have wanted to find a way to incorporate my esoteric knowledge in some way and I think I've come up with something.\ \ Every month I will draw a tarot card to select a title to spotlight. \ \ This month's card pull is drawn from The Good Tarot by Colette Baron-Reid. \ \ The card pull: 8 of Earth (8 of Pentacles) - the card of the devoted craftsperson\ \ This card reminds us Rome wasn't built in a day. Sometimes success is built from daily acts of devotion. Incrementally. By showing up day after day, doing the work, putting in the time, and mastering your craft. Every small act of devotion compounds. The work is the magic.\ \ For your reading life this month I'm pairing this card with You Were Born For This by Chani Nichols. This read is a reminder that your purpose isn't found in a single moment but excavated slowly, through honest self-study and the willingness to keep going.\ \ And for fiction, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna. After Sera Swann loses her power, she tends the Inn and keeps working to reclaim her magic. \ \ This month the card is asking, what are you building quietly that deserves more of your attention?\ \ Find Ink & Ether this month \ \ I am making a concerted effort to have more events outside of pop ups. After all, how else is one supposed to build community? This month you can expect the first meeting of our Silent Reading Group. And soon we’ll be adding a Sunday Letter Writers group too! More on that to come.\ \ July 17 - Summer Night Market @ Communitea Coffee\ \ July 19 - Pages & Pour: Silent Reading Group @ Communitea Coffee\ \ July 25 - Bagels and Boutiques @ Rekindle Coffee\ \ July 25 - Mystic Night Market @ Lunam Love\ \ You read that right I have 2 pop ups on July 25! What can I say, I felt bad for taking a few weeks off. I figured this was a good way to appease the bookselling gods LOL\ \ Beyond this month there are already some big book events in Ink & Ether's future. Look out for us at Dragons & Dreamers and The OC Book Fair: Vol. 3!\ \ For more events, visit the Ink & Ether website.\ \ The Letter Corner \ \ The Sunday Letter Project is something I discovered on Instagram. Started in 2025 by a couple in the UK with a stationery shop, The Sunday Letter Project is an analog path to connection with our neighbors in a digital world. I started writing letters on Sunday’s and have come to really enjoy the ritual of recounting my week to no one in particular.\ \ Soon, Ink & Ether will become a full fledged “Letter Keeper” as they’re called, and will act as a poste restante for letter writers seeking a pen-pal. Write to friends and family, or your future self, or find a pen-pal on the other side of the world, the point is to find connection and slow down.\ \ You can learn more about The Sunday Letter Project here and I’ll keep you posted on what’s next. It's my deepest hope that in the coming months we can create gatherings around letter writing and build network outside of this part of the country and world.\ \ Before you go \ \ Whew! That was a lot but thanks for getting through that with me. I’m manifesting magic for you this month.\ \ With gratitude,\ \ The Keeper

✦ THE INK & ETHER JULY DISPATCH✦

magic, feminism, and rebellion — delivered monthly

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Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Jun 24

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Letters And Literature

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Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Jun 5

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12 Cozy Fantasy books about Belonging & Finding your place in the world 🤎

What are some of your favourite books that centre found family and finding your place in a community?

While this is a theme that you can find in so many different type of genres/sub-genres, I feel that Cozy Fantasy is the perfect place to explore themes of being othered, not fitting in and finding a place where you do!

A quote that I love from one of the books in here (The Moonsingers by Robyn J Pritzker) that focuses on this theme says: “In fact, what she most wanted, and could never before articulate, was to find the place where she made sense and help others do the same.” and I think every single book in here helps you see how the MCs find their place in their own community and feel accepted🥺🤎

Here’s to the people who accept us just the way we are and become a part of our community just as much as we are a part of theirs 🤎🤎

12 books

Cozy Quill\ \ Meg\ \ • Apr 6

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5-star books you KEEP recommending to me 🤔

Today I'm sharing 5-star reads I've seen mentioned more than once in our Cozy Quill community. It's an amazing list, honestly, and I can't wait to dive in to a few of these! I'd love to hear, do you have any others to add to this list?

xx, Meg

7 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Mar 21

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3 best books I've read so far this year

Trust that I’ll be screaming about these all year long 🙂‍↕️ #booktok #bookrecommendations #fantasybooktok #fantasybookrecs #darkacademiabooks

3 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Mar 5

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february reading wrap up!

Did you have any 5 star reads in February? #booktok #readingwrapup #fantasybooktok #romancebooktok #bookreviews

13 books

Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Feb 5

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Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge 🧠 Month 1 January Reading Update 📚

how did your first month go? let me know in the comments!

7 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Jan 20

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\ \ I'm finally ready to share my pics for my 2025 bookish awards! These are some of the books I was most entertained by last year and I hope y'all will give them a try.\ \ The award for "Book I Couldn't Put Down" goes to You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado!\ \ \ \ The drama was delicious and I felt so seen by the storytelling. For those who have read my previous reviews, this probably isn't surprising to you!\ \ ......\ \ The award for "Book I'm Still Thinking About" goes to A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera! \ \ \ \ Some folks may be surprised by the fact that I chose a Romance novel for this award, but IYKYK. This Historical Romance uses the context surrounding our MC's stories in such a powerful way that you might have to sit with yourself for a little while when you finish reading it.\ \ ......\ \ I've got a three-way tie for the "Spiciest Romances" of 2025:\ \ I Accidentally Hooked Up With A Vampire by Jessica Cage, Blood & Brujas by Mikayla D. Hornedo, and All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens. \ \ \ \ This was a hard decision to make and I almost threw in I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming for good measure. These novels had me speechless (many times)!! If you haven't read anything by these authors (and Kimberly Lemming), I suggest you add their backlogs, babes.\ \ .......\ \ My indecision plagued me for my "Most Fun To Read" books of 2025, too. I ultimately went with A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, and The Princess and The P.I. by Nikki Payne.\ \ \ \ These authors had me kicking my feet, giggling, and getting butterflies all story long! They gave me mystery, yearning, and safe spaces.\ \ .........\ \ Despite that, I have to say that my choice for "Coziest Novel" of the year goes to Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez.\ \ \ \ I'm a sucker for found family, but add in the location, the romance, and the beautiful writing and I'm sold. This Afro-Latina represented us so well!\ \ ......\ \ Last but definitely not least, my award for "Most Surprising Stories" of 2025 goes to:\ \ Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond, When The Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley, Lucha of the Forgotten Spring by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo.\ \ \ \ These were the stories I didn't know I wanted! They were original, vivid, and kept me hooked. They may not be everyone's cup of tea but they hit just right for me.\ \ ..........\ \ Thank you to all of the authors who worked so hard to write these books and get them out in the world. They've brought readers (and librarians) like me outlets to rage, feel safe, and find ourselves. Keep doing what you're doing because it matters!](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/LrOsz1CACPDfE6bhjcc3/)

2025 Bookish Awards (Bookish AfroLatina's Version)

13 books

Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Jan 15

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#AntiBrainRotChallenge Week 2 🧠😤 not a bad second week 😌

#readingchallenge #whatireadthisweek #booklover

5 books

Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Jan 14

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A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping In Depth Review

Let me know what you thought of the book!

1 book

Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Jan 8

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#AntiBrainRotReadingChallenge week 1 update 🧠

#AntiBrainRotReadingChallenge week 1 update 🧠 We are switching to carousel updates instead so hopefully this will be motivating to see if you’re joining the challenge! 🫶🏾💖

#readingchallenge #whatireadthisweek #booklover

3 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Jan 4

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\ \ My December reads were a mash-up of books I've been meaning to read for a while and some holiday treats! I read 10 books, all by and about South Asian, Latine, and Black folks, this past month. Let's get into my mini reviews:\ \ \ \ M.A.Y.A was an entertaining dystopian novella! With a unique take on the multiverse and inclusion of shapeshifters, the story had plenty of visuals to transport the reader.\ \ I found the plot pretty cool but wasn’t a fan of M.A.Y.A constantly thinking she’s not worthy or deserving of love. It didn’t really make sense to me but I suppose love isn’t usually logical. Although this is a fated mates story, I didn’t feel much chemistry between the MCs outside of the sex scenes. It seemed like a lot of their time together was focused on Isaiah talking about protecting her and cherishing her while she thought about what freedom meant to her and whether she was worthy of this life with Isaiah. I also didn’t like his nickname for her, “tiny warrior.” Im not sure why, so take that with a grain of salt!\ \ In all, it was an interesting concept but not my fave execution.\ *Note: This is a story from the After the End: A Dystopian Romance Collection. They are all sold out right now and I'm not sure when/if they will open the e-books up to folks who want to purchase it outside of the Kickstarter page.\ \ \ \ Puerto Rico Strong is a fantastic graphic novel anthology that I wish I read sooner.\ \ The stories are heartfelt and I felt emotional reading them, at times. The artwork is also incredibly moving. I highly recommend this book to everyone!\ \ \ \ Once again, I am in love with a Jessica Cage book. I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire is hilarious and superrrrrr steam, so I had a blast reading it. The audiobook is wonderful, too!\ \ Whitney, an art dealer, is primed for a promotion when her boss ends up letting her go instead. The firm benefitted from her expertise until one of Whitney's most recent clients goes AWOL. Our girl tries to keep it together during her friend's party but ends up meeting a hot hot hottie named Domingo who happens to be the gallery owner...and a vampire.\ \ If Black vampires and Monster Romance sounds enticing to you, I think you NEED this book!!\ \ \ \ Lucha of the Forgotten Spring is an amazing ending to its duology! It picks up where book 1 left off, Lucha is still set on destroying the extremely addictive olvida to protect the people of Robado from self-destruction. \ \ Addiction is a heavy topic to include in YA but I think Mejia did it well. Lucha started reevaluating her understanding of this condition and developed empathy for those suffering from this addiction in the Night Forest, but now she's faced with actively being in community with them. I loved the battles, romance, and reflection in this book. \ \ If I were a bookseller, I'd probably put this duology on display next to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi.\ \ \ \ Her Night With Santa is the whirlwind sapphic romance I didn't know I needed! The alternate universe of Santa, magi, toymakers, and runners is clever and I had a lot of fun living in it ever so briefly.\ \ Farnaz Castillo is stuck in the Caribbean after finding out that her flight to join her family on a ski trip was cancelled due to bad weather. Thanks to her uncle, one of the kings of the magi, Farnaz gets to stay in a luxurious beach villa owned by Santa.\ \ In this universe, Santa is a role passed down through the Kringle family, so the current Santa is Kristina Kringle. Kristina arrives at her getaway earlier than usual & discovers Farnaz having quite the time in her extra large bed! Cue the steam!!!!\ \ If you haven't already, you better add this delicious novella to your TBR.\ \ \ \ The Toy King is my favorite book in the Toy Runner series! I loved learning more about this world through Valente and Kessina.\ \ It helps that Valente Correa is probably one of THE HOTTEST male MCs I've read!! Yes, he's "proper fit" but Valente is also incredibly understanding, caring, & sweet. He usually leads the toy run for the House of Correa so he's a bit grumpy when he's instructed to go & fetch his brother's future bride from her family's castle in the Andes. The "future bride" Kessina isn't particularly interested in marrying anyone but is willing to take the leap just to find her freedom after a sheltered life. Naturally, these two get stranded in a snowstorm for a couple of days, giving them some time to think about their options...\ \ What are you still reading this review for? Go read this book!!\ \ \ \ If you're looking for a book that feels like a hug & makes you giggle, look no further! Like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna's latest book, A Witch's Guide to Magical Inkeeping, is about a young woman who is isolated from the magical community.\ \ Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain until she lost most of her magic in an effort to resurrect her Aunt Jasmine when she was a teen. After breaking this taboo, Sera is basically shunned by her community. As an adult, she helps Jasmine run a magical inn where misfits end up when they really need it. She's been trying to find ways to restore her power w/ no luck yet until a person from her past Luke Larsen, a handsome magic historian, ends up at her inn with his little sister in tow.\ \ With a cast of whimsical characters AND a talking fox, this novel is perfect for relaxation as well as filling your cup.\ \ \ \ A Novel Christmas is a cozy Black Romance for folks who want something w/ that Hallmark movie vibe. It’s got the small town feel on lock. The only difference is this novel has some explicit content 😏\ \ Although I thought the story was cute, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for because of the pacing & a few scenes.\ \ \ \ If you’re looking for a super smutty Christmas treat, Run Darling is the perfect novella for you. In fact, this is probably the kinkiest of the Toy Runner series! Arabella & Rhine are freaks & they don’t care who knows it. Yes, there a little bit of plot, but this book is mainly about them satisfying the desires they’ve had building up for a while. \ \ \ \ A Man for Mrs. Claus has the perfect mixture of whimsy, romance, & smut!\ \ In this novel, Tiffany Saint-Nicholas aka Mrs. Claus runs just about everything in the North Pole. She is the constant in this realm but she must pick a new Mr. Claus every time her current one decides to move on (to heaven). While each Mr. Claus she’d paired with had been pleasantwork with & good friends to her, Tiffany craves a partner who loves her. Luckily, she's got five men in the running.\ \ Dominic, a former firefighter who recently died in a car accident, is chosen as a possible Santa in the afterlife. As soon as he sees Mrs. Claus, the man is down bad! Tiffany also feels some kind of way about this hunk of a man but knows that she must choose a partner who is right for everyone in the North Pole, not just her.\ \ These two are adorable & I loved almost all of the side characters. Once again, Rebekah Weatherspoon hit me in the heart w/ her heartfelt & funny storytelling. Don't wait to pick this book up!\ \ I hope these reviews give you some reading inspiration. Let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them in the comment below.](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/EyJrffGQneBP3dsRcgP7/)

My December Reading Wrap-Up

10 books

Cozy Quill\ \ Meg\ \ • Dec 31 2025

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\ \ \ \ JANUARY: THE MAID & THE CROCODILE\ \ In the magic-soaked capital city of Oluwan, Small Sade needs a job - preferably as a maid, with employers who don't mind her unique appearance and unlucky foot. But before she can be hired, she accidentally binds herself to a powerful being known only as the Crocodile, a god rumoured to devour pretty girls. Small Sade entrances the Crocodile with her she is a Curse Eater, gifted with the ability to alter people's fates by cleaning their houses.\ \ The handsome god warns that their fates are bound, but Small Sade evades him, launching herself into a new career as the Curse Eater of a swanky inn. She is determined to impress the wealthy inhabitants and earn her place in Oluwan City . . . assuming her secret-filled past - and the revolutionary ambitions of the Crocodile - don't catch up with her.\ \ But maybe there is more to Small Sade. And maybe everyone in Oluwan City deserves more too - from the maids all the way to the Anointed Ones.\ \ \ \ FEBRUARY: THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE\ \ Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.\ \ Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon.\ \ For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals.\ \ When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.\ \ \ \ MARCH: SWORDHEART\ \ Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.\ \ While locked in her bedroom, Halla inspects the ancient sword that's been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. Out of desperation, she unsheathes it—and suddenly a man appears. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.\ \ Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla—a most unusual wielder—he finds himself fending off not grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all—the sword itself.\ \ \ \ APRIL: I GOT ABDUCTED BY AN ALIEN AND NOW I'M TRAPPED IN A ROM-COM\ \ Dorothy Valentine is close to getting her PhD in wildlife biology when she’s attacked by a lion. On the bright side, she’s saved! On the not-so-bright side, it’s because they’re abducted by aliens. In her scramble to escape, Dory and the lion commandeer an escape pod and crash-land on an alien planet that has...dinosaurs?\ \ Dory and her new lion bestie, Toto, are saved in the nick of time by a mysterious and sexy alien, Sol. On their new adventure, they team up with the equally hot, equally dangerous Lok, who may or may not be a war criminal. Whether it be trauma, fate, or intrigue, Dory can’t resist the attraction that’s developing in their trio....\ \ As this ragtag group of misfits explore their new planet, Dory learns more about how and why they’ve all ended up together, battles more prehistoric creatures than she imagined (she imagined...zero), and questions if she even wants to go back home to Earth in this hilarious and steamy alien romance adventure comedy romp.\ \ \ \ MAY: THE HALFLING'S HARVEST\ \ For most halflings, the annual harvest festival is a time to revel in life's simple pleasures—hearty feasts, flowing wine, and warm hospitality. But for Marigold Bramblefoot, owner of the Dew Drop Inn and Vineyard, it’s the busiest—and most stressful—time of the year.\ \ Juggling an inn full of quirky guests, preparing for the bustling festivities, and managing her vineyard would be enough to overwhelm anyone. But Marigold has her sights set on something bigger: winning first place in the annual wine competition and finally stepping out of her father’s shadow.\ \ The only problem? Her rival, Darkroot Cellars, has dominated the competition for a decade thanks to the druidic magic behind their wines.\ \ With her hands full and her heart set on success, Marigold must balance the chaos of the festival, a budding romance, and unraveling the vineyard's hidden mysteries, all while discovering what it truly means to craft her own legacy. Because in Willowbrook, the harvest festival is more than a celebration—it’s a season for transformation, and Marigold’s is long overdue.\ \ \ \ JUNE: SCORCERY & SMALL MAGICS\ \ Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.\ \ He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.\ \ That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.\ \ Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.\ \ Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.\ \ \ \ JULY: FOR WHOM THE BELLE TOLLS\ \ Lily isn’t exactly thrilled with her arrival in the Afterlife, but what awaits her there is more fantastical than she ever could have imagined: Deities wait in line at the coffee shop. Fae flit between realms. Souls find ways to make death a beginning.\ \ As she explores the many corners of the Afterlife, Lily finds herself surprisingly drawn to a place most people would avoid at all costs: Hell. Armed with years of customer service experience and pent-up sarcasm, Lily carves a job out for herself amongst Hell’s demons, sending souls to their rightful circles with more than a hint of sass.\ \ Lily’s expectations are subverted every day in Hell—especially by Bel, a demon general with a distractingly sexy voice. The two meet by chance and form an immediate, deeply healing friendship, but the undeniable heat between them threatens to combust.\ \ Meanwhile, something stirs beyond the boundaries of their world, threatening to destroy everything they’ve known and everything that could be…unless they fight like Hell to stop it.\ \ This debut novel from BookTok sensation Jaysea Lynn invites you to lose yourself in a world where love ignites in the unlikeliest of places, magic defies the rules, and the Afterlife proves more thrilling than anyone could imagine.\ \ \ \ AUGUST: A WITCH'S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING\ \ An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches .\ \ Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.\ \ When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and certainly had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing .\ \ Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.\ \ \ \ SEPTEMBER: THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE\ \ Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.\ \ This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.\ \ But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.\ \ This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.\ \ \ \ OCTOBER: THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL\ \ Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.\ \ When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.\ \ But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.\ \ A love letter to Latin American and Jewish diasporas, based on the author's experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a tender and empowering read that you will devour in one sitting. Steeped in history and the experiences of immigrant families, especially Jewish families, each carefully-chosen word of this magical verse novel casts a spell.\ \ \ \ NOVEMBER: RECIPES FOR AN UNEXPECTED AFTERLIFE\ \ Rottgor is worn out. Literally. Barely held together by dark magic, he has protected the Necropolis for centuries. When he’s forced into retirement, he’s faced with a new to forge a future guided not by obligation, but by passion.\ \ Following his heart (and stomach), he decides to open a restaurant where the city’s undead and living residents can share food and community. He’s helped in his quest by an unlikely assortment of neighbors, including elves, skeletons, vampires—and a young orphan girl named Astra, whose ancestry, if discovered, could put her and the entire Necropolis in danger. To protect Astra and the life he’s building, Rottgor must face his past and form new alliances built on friendship, loyalty, and love. As comforting as warm pumpkin bread, this gentle fantasy traces how even a dark history can rise into a bright future.\ \ \ \ DECEMBER: BRIGANDS & BREADKNIVES\ \ Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!\ \ If only things were so simple…\ \ It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.\ \ A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.\ \ As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/item/SXvI8XIDHVBUeXDjIGUn/)

2025 Book Club List 📚

12 books

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

Top 10 BIPOC books of 2025

9 books

The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Dec 23 2025

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favorite books of 2025

In which I discuss my favorite books of 2025...

♡ Join THE BIBLIOTHECARY: patreon.com/thoughtsontomes or https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/ ►► Bibliothecary members get perks such as early access to videos, written posts, podcast-like ramblings, witchcraft book reviews and sharing about my personal craft, a year long interactive reading challenge, seasonal readalongs, and more!

★ Reading spreadsheet I use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twhrdlRfnRs&t=626s ► End screen song: Magic Forest - Kevin MacLeod

★ FREELANCE EDITING SERVICES: https://tinyurl.com/editing-services -- I'm currently accepting clients for developmental editing and manuscript evaluation (I'm full for 2025 - booking now for 2026). I'm interested in working with adult fantasy and scifi, especially Hades and Persephone retellings, stories involving polyamory, and mental health rep. I offer free editing samples of your first 1,000 words to make sure we are a good fit.

➝ DISCLAIMER: This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

WHERE TO FIND ME ► BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtsontomes.bsky.social ► Storygraph (alternative to goodreads): https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/thoughtsontomes ► Instagram: @thoughtsontomes ► Tiktok: @thoughtsontomes_

MORE THAN BOOKS? ★ Check out The Bibliothecary! I used to discuss witchcraft and other topics on my other channel but that content has all moved to The Bibliothecary: https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/

REVIEW/BUSINESS INQUIRES ➝ Email: thoughtsontomes@gmail.com ➝ Review Policy: https://thoughtsontomes.tumblr.com/reviewpolicy -- due to the volume of email requests I get, I do not accept review requests from indie or self-published authors at this time

13 books

Babes in Bookland\ \ by Alex Frnka\ \ • Dec 22 2025

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This week on the podcast, we have our last bonus episode of the year! And our last movie deep dive bonus episode... forever? I enjoy doing them so much, but I'm changing up the Bonus Episode format next year so yes... maybe forever.\ \ We're diving into The Holiday! The 2006 cozy rom com starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. And I truly loooooove me a good romcom, but I do tend to be a bit picky. I hate romances that overutilize the miscommunication trope. The writing needs to be witty and the story have some unpredictable or at least, fun, moments to break out the monotony of the formula we all know. \ \ Here are my star reviews (on a scale of 1-5) for the romances I read this year!\ \ A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna - 5 stars\ - is this one technically a romance, as much as it's also a coming of age story? I don't care, I LOVED it and wanted to share it lol\ \ Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane - 5 stars\ - Mhairi can do no wrong. Her characters are smart, the writing is sharp. Love love love\ \ It's a Love Story - Annabel Monaghan - 5 stars\ - simply adored, plus I'm a sucker for anything set in the entertainment industry\ \ The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - 5 stars\ - LOVED! A fun, sexy read\ \ An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating - 4.5 stars\ - this was soooo close to a 5 star read and actually surprised me with how much I adored it, but a few cheesy lines kept it from being perfect\ \ Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan - 4 stars\ - cute story, super likeable FMC, but wasn't quite a five star read\ \ If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia - 4 stars\ - a little too "Hallmarky", but still really enjoyable and I loved the cozy fall vibe\ \ Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez - 4 stars\ - I love Abby Jiminez, I do, but I read romances to escape a little bit, and I think she went too far with the sad on this one\ \ When in Rome by Sarah Adams - 4 stars\ - This story was lovely and I liked both MCs\ \ Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams - 4 stars\ - This Sarah Adams was a bit better, but some of her lines make me roll my eyes. Do people really think/talk/behave like that?\ \ The Rule Book by Sarah Adams - 3 stars\ - Parts were cute, parts were not my jam\ \ The Off Limits Rule by Sarah Adams - 3 stars\ - the FMC was... okay, a little immature\ \ Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams - 3 stars\ - the FMC's self doubt got super old real quick\ \ The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore - 3 stars\ - this book series is super cheesy, but still enjoyable. The MMC wasn't my favorite\ \ The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods - 3 stars\ - this book was simultaneously lovely and disappointing. The writing was mostly meh but, little lines of genius shone through\ \ Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren - 3 stars\ - I liked the chemistry of the main characters, but the story dragged for me and I found myself skimming pages to get through it\ \ What was your favorite romance read this year? I'm always looking for a new author with a loooong backlist ;)

For the Love of the Rom Com

7 books

Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Dec 19 2025

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Get a Rec from me & What my Taste in books look like

What are some books that represent your taste overall and do we have any in common? 👀

Before we dive into this, Bindery now has an option to request recs and you can go to the 🔗 in my bio and click “Get a Rec” and ask for details of what you’d like from the books I’ve read! I’m also making lists of 2026 releases in fantasy, romance and horror so far so happy to share some of these early on with you guys (these will be recs of what I’m looking forward to rather than what I’ve read) so GO GO GO 🤎

As for my taste in books, I’m never going to be the type that picks only 5 top books for the year guys and I’ve learned to accept it because honestly, what do you mean my top 5 books in one year? I would have to host a meeting with myself for a whole month to decide that 😭 So instead, you guys get my taste in books throughout various sub-genres that I yap about all the time!

Here is a list of the books (if you prefer to read through it or for accessibility needs)🤎: Cottagecore: 🍄 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 🍄 After the Forest by Kell Woods 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton 🍄 The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar 🍄 An Arrow to the Heart by K.R. Bacher

Cozy Fantasy: 🍄 The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 Legend & Lattes by Travis 🍄 The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong 🍄 The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong 🍄 Watermoon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 🍄 The Spellshop by Sangu Mandanna

Witchycore: 🍄 The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright 🍄 House of Frank by Kay Synclaire 🍄 The Lone Wolf Cafe by Sydney Wilder 🍄 The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 🍄 Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi

Retellings, Fairy Tale & Historical Fantasy: 🍄A Sorceress comes to Call by T.Kingfisher 🍄 What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez 🍄 Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 🍄 We Shall be Monsters by Tara Sim 🍄 The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G Slatter

The rest is in my pinned comment!

#fantasybooks #topbooksof2025 #favoritebooks

74 books

Inkspoken Books\ \ amanda.the.bookish\ \ • Nov 30 2025

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Poll:\ \ How many books did you read in November?\ \ Q: How are you spending your first day of December? \ \ Happy December, my darlings! I've had a lazy day trying to recover from the holiday (and of course doing about a million dishes). I updated my bullet journal with all the details from the books I read last month, which was a RECORD for me. I've never managed to get through so many books in one month, it definitely helps that two of them were graphic novels I finished in one evening. \ \ November Wrap-Up (17 books ✨)\ \ A Fate So Cold - 4⭐\ \ I Love You S'more - 3.5⭐\ \ A Drop of Corruption - 4⭐\ \ Everything She Does Is Magic - 3.5⭐\ \ Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter - 5⭐\ \ An Academy for Liars - 3.5⭐\ \ Savage Blooms - 3⭐\ \ Gay the Pray Away - NR\ \ The Things Gods Break - 3⭐\ \ A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping - 4.5⭐\ \ Until the World Falls Down - DNF @ 10%\ \ Suitor Armor Vol. 2 - 3⭐\ \ Quicksilver - 3⭐\ \ Amelia, If Only - 4⭐\ \ Of Swamp & Sea, Vol. 1 - 4⭐\ \ Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore -4⭐\ \ Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - 4⭐\ \ \ \ Join for free or login

November Reading Round-Up

15 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Nov 29 2025

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23 book birthday book haul!

Buried under the weight of my TBR but I couldn’t be happier #booktok #bookhaul #indiebookstore #romancebooktok #fantasybooktok

22 books

Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Nov 8 2025

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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://boundless.binderybooks.com/item/r8TYAyvhkpQdKDzmz6P8/)

Interview with Mona Tewari, author of BURN THE SEA 🌊

open to watch this exclusive interview that we filmed back in April!

10 books

Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Oct 31 2025

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[Poll:\ \ What are your halloween plans?\ \ November Updates: \ \ Ahhh its almost November guys but till tomorrow, I hope you all have the best Halloween! This month has been a hectic time and things have been quieter but I am hoping we are all excited for the remaining two -ber months and all the remaining time the cozy season has to offer us! \ \ If you're new here, don't forget we also have a discord server! To join, follow these instructions: \ \

Click on the membership tab in the main bindery page or click here \ \
Whatever subscriber level you're at, it should say in a blue button that says "Go to Discord" as shown below in the photo! Just click on it and go to there\ \ \ Book Club Updates: \ \ As usual, both of our book clubs have two books and while we are changing things (I hope to be able to update you guys about the changes on having a more flexible and non-traditional book club), here is what we have on the list as a plan: \ \

Cottagecore Book Club: We're continuing on A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna till November 15th!\ \
Ifrits & Ink (SWANA book club): We're reading A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark this month \ \ \ Gaming Club: \ \ A lot of the times, gaming clubs take the time off during December to catch up, rest and play through our back logs! I've decided we will do that for November and December so come and join us while you play through your back logs (or new releases, we wont tell anyone🤭) and let's yap about cottagecore and cozy games! \ \ And that's it! I cant wait to share what we ahve planned for the book club with you guys! \ \

Don't forget to subscribe to Chanterelle Solace to join in on the fun! And if you can, join my paid subscribers (or upgrade if you're already a subscriber) for $5 or £3.5 (its the cost of a cup of coffee or if you live in a city in this crazy economy, less than that) or the higher tier for $12 or £9! All the fundings go towards your favourite Cottagecore Witch (me), the community with giveaways and to hopefully one day help us start up our Book Publishing Imprint](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/item/RtA54ocLUXX6NsQZC24f/)

November's Book Club, Gaming Club & Updates

2 books

Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Oct 1 2025

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Happy October AND Our Book Club Picks & Game of the month🍄‍🟫🍄

Do you enjoy reading Fantasy books based on Middle Eastern & North African folklores?

Mona and I started this book club earlier this year and this month we are reading A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal and we are super excited to read it 🤭

We also have our next few months read up until beginning of 2026 and our past reads too, which I’ll be listing here now (keep in mind you can join discord anytime to discuss any of them, the chats are all ongoing): 🍄 Sept: The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P Djeli Clark 🍄 Oct: A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal 🍄 Nov: A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark 🍄 Dec: Thron by Instisar Khanani 🍄 Jan: Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana 🍄 Feb: The Theft of Sunlight by Instisar Khanani

Previous reads: 🍄 Aug: The Gryphon King by Sara Omer 🍄 July: The Angel of Khan El-Khalili by P. Djeli 🍄 June: A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P Djeli 🍄 May: The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah 🍄 April: The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah 🍄 March: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

Have you read any of them? Let us know what you think

#fantasybooks #fantasyfolklore #atempestoftea

2 books

Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Sep 26 2025

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[Poll:\ \ Have you ever read a Cottagecore Book that is inspired by a non-western Folklore?\ \ \ \ Here is the fourth roundup of Cottagecore Newsletter: \ \ Table of Content:\ \

A Cottagecore Fantasy Book that is based on Moroccan Folklore\ \
Palestinian Reading Fundraisers\ \
Dragon Bone Publishing Subscribers for all new releases monthly\ \
October Book Club Picks and Gaming Club Pick\ \ \ Before we dive in, just a reminder that we are hosting our Bookshop.Org Giftcard giveaway and we have reached the first milestone so it is now £60 or $85! It can go up to £100 or $125 for one winner and the best way to do this is to invite your friends or spread the news in the community about who we are and our mission so that we can reach our final milestone with the giveaway so check it out here!\ \

- *\ \ A Cottagecore Fantasy Book that is based on Moroccan Folklore: \ \ Yesterday, I stumbled upon a book coming out in 2026 that’s North African (Moroccan Folklore) Epic Fantasy with Dark Fairy Tale retelling. If you guys have been here for a while, you'll know that I run two book clubs: Cottagecore Witchy Book Club & Ifrits and Ink (MENA or SWANA Fantasy inspired books).\ \ This is like both of my book clubs combined together and is legit a Cottagecore Fantasy that’s based on Moroccan folklore🥹🥹🥹It’s called The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni and it comes out in May 1, 2026 (I am going to count down the day sot read this book guys like this is amazing)\ \ This is the first book that I see combining Cottagecore Fantasy with Horror and Folklore in North African Mythology, while discussing injustice against women and rallying us readers against the patriarchy and oppressive regimes worldwide. This is ONE type of book I'd LOVE to publish through Cottagecore Imprints in the future and seeing something that is a beautiful combination of things that I am passionate about is just so lovely.\ \ Some of the tropes mentioned in here are:\ \

Fantasy Blended with Horror\ \
Feminist Magic\ \
Bone Chilling Monsters\ \
Sleeping Gods(ess)\ \ \ Here is the author's instagram, please do go and support her! Add the book on your TBR and let's uplift this author's book so that it just shows how many of us are excited about Cottagecore as a sub-genre\ \

- *\ \ Palestininan Reading Fundraisers: \ \ There are currently TWO campaigns happening for raising money to Palestine for readers (the gaming one just ended) and there is a book club that is reading books by palestinian authors and raising funds that way! Here are all their details:\ \

Read for Palestine: Donating £2 or $2 to go to Dignity for Palestinians with every book you read in September\ \
Unbound for Gaza: This is an Auction that is happening today, tomorrow and the 28th to raise money and there are a TON of amazing fantasy books, special edition books and other items (Art, binded books...etc.)! I made a list for all the 57 fantasy and horror books that have been donated in here and you can check out their website in here\ \
Read for Gaza: This is a Virtual Book club that stands in solidarity with Palestinians by centering writers from there! For every book you read, you can pledge a donation to the charities and/or review and share about the work\ \ \ As always, these are initiatives that bring attention to Palestine, Gaza and the genocide that is happening. You are always free to donate to charities and campaigns happening that contribute to families directly outside of these fundraisers but this is a way to share the word and spread about what is happening worldwide\ \

- *\ \ Dragon Bone Publishing Subscribers for all new releases monthly: \ \ As some of you may have heard, I've joined an Indie Press as their marketing/content creator! This same press, Dragon Bone Publishing, is doing a monthly subscription, where you join and get monthly new releases as an eBook for free (part of the perks)\ \ As a new Indie Press, this is a LOVELY idea that makes books more accessible and allows you to join, support the company and get the eBooks too! (I know I'm biased because I'm part of DBP staff but I wouldnt be if I didnt believe in the company AND they published their Mushroomcore Sci-Fi Horror book, so you know I'm 100% here for that)\ \ Check it out in here! It is $3 a month or $9 a quarter and you can choose to donate this to the community, in which your books are given to individuals and this helps fund DBP as an Indie Press too!\ \
- *\ \ October's Book Clubs Pick and Gaming Club Pick: \ \

Cottagecore Witchy Book Club: We are reading A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna\ \
Ifrits & Ink: We are reading A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal\ \
Cottagecore Gaming Club: We are playing Out and About! (We still have the gaming key giveaway that is happening in our discord if you want to join)\ \ \ And that's it for this week! Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter if you are new here! Every voice matters and we are trying to grow our community to reach out dreams!\ \

Don't forget to subscribe to Chanterelle Solace to join in on the fun! And if you can, join my paid subscribers (or upgrade if you're already a subscriber) for $5 or £3.5 (its the cost of a cup of coffee or if you live in a city in this crazy economy, less than that)! All the fundings go towards your favourite Cottagecore Witch (me), the community with giveaways and to hopefully one day help us start up our Book Publishing Imprint](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/item/4QV2ItieMICv7ujkVmm7/)

Cottagecore Newsletter 5: I FOUND a North African Cottagecore Fantasy BOOK, Reading Fundraisers for Palestine and Dragon Book Delivery Service

4 books

The Biblio(files)\ \ Brooke \ \ • Sep 25 2025

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For those up you who were interested in the surprise buddy read, we will be starting a witches guide to magical inn keeping on Monday September 29th! Make sure you have access to the discord because that’s were we will be holding the discussion. If you need help getting access let me know! \ \ Join for free or login

Surprise buddy read update

1 book

Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Sep 22 2025

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[Poll:\ \ How has this month been going Hobby-wise?\ \ Here is our October Books & Gaming Club Picks and all the fun details below! Join us in discord to interact with the community and let us know in the comments what you're looking forward to. All the links to storygraph and fable will come soon next week, this is to primarily let you know of our picks! \ \ Before we dive in, don't forget that we have this Bookshop.Org Giftcard Raffle Style Giveaway going! To help us hit £100 or $125, don't forget to invite your friends to subscribe to Chanterelle Solace too, if you think they'd enjoy it here! \ \ Cottagecore Witchy Book: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping: \ \ In keeping up with the guides, we are going to be reading A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping in Discord this October!\ \ Cottagecore Gaming Club: \ \ We are playing Out and About and living our foraging life in October! Join us in Discord to participate in the giveaway for the game \ \

Don't forget so subscribe for free to Chanterelle Solace or if you can, join my paid subscribers (or upgrade if you're already a subscriber) for $5 or £3.5 (its the cost of a cup of coffee or if you live in a city in this crazy economy, less than that)!](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/item/XEzeQrmpkbJPKyLbn8qV/)

October's Clubs Details: Cozy Witchy Book (A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping) & Out and About

1 book

The Biblio(files)\ \ Brooke \ \ • Sep 15 2025

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\ \ Join for free or login](https://onthebrookeshelves.binderybooks.com/item/OYe4RwyYkPO1dMzWIn1Q/)

Surprise buddy read!

super quick synopsis on my thoughts on this week section!

2 books

Ezeekat Press\ \ Jaysen\ \ • Aug 16 2025

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\ \ Join for free or login](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/Jmxw5sURiAF0KlS9SKyA/)

Ezeekat's Book Club September Book Announcement!