Ladybug Books | Ladybug.books newsletter (10/26/25 - 11...

Ladybug Books Newsletter (10/26/25 - 11/1/25)

Bindery refers to a studio, workshop or factory where sheets of (usually) paper are fastened together to make books, but also where gold and other decorative elements are added to the exterior of books, where boxes or slipcases for books are made and where the restoration of books is carried out.

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Audiobook | Finished: To Bargain with Mortals

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Thoughts: To Bargain with Mortals is an excellent start to a new fantasy series! Basu delivers a compelling twist on familiar fantasy story elements. I really loved the depth and complexity given to each of the characters. Poppy, in particular, was really forced to confront her biases and privilege. This book has so much to say about identity, family, culture, and community. I am incredibly excited to see where the story goes in the sequel. The characters are in a very precarious position and I am sure the next book will be filled with tension, betrayal, and scheming.

Audiobook | Finished: Ancillary Justice

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
Thoughts: I absolutely see why this is such a beloved SciFi series. Ancillary Justice captures a lot of the things that I love to read about in SciFi. Interesting depth to unique characters, large scale politics, scheming, and fascinating world building. There is definitely a lot of setup in this first book, but I found myself so interested in all of the details. I particularly loved the attention to linguistic features. This is a surprisingly excellent audiobook read as well! The narrators performance is exceptional and I think it really helped compensate for some of the slower moments in the book.

Audiobook | Finished: Ancillary Sword

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thoughts: Look at me actually reading a series back to back! I haven't been this obsessed with an audiobook series since Murderbot. This second book features a shift to a seemingly random station that serves as a marked example of flaws and weaknesses that have been plaguing the Radch empire. I really enjoyed watching Breq maneuver through the complex politics of this situation. You can really feel both her grief and her simmering rage in her narration and actions. I am obsessed with both Breq and Seivardan. I also loved the occasional moments of humor and banter in this one. I cannot wait to finish up the trilogy and then explore the other books in the Imperial Radch world.

Ebook | Currently Reading: The Sacred Space Between

Progress: 10%
Thoughts: I got a little distracted by the Imperial Radch trilogy this week so I'm still at the very beginning of The Sacred Space Between. I am incredibly intrigued by the mysterious magic that has been hinted at so far as well as the dark truths of the church. I have heard nothing but glowing praise for the romance in this book and I cannot wait to continue!

Future Reading Plans

To be honest, nothing has really changed with my future reading plans. The Everlasting, Kill The Beast, and The Isle in the Silver Sea remain at the top of my TBR. Of course Ancillary Mercy will be the next book I pick up.

Book Recommendations

I read a lot of audiobooks and there are definitely some types of books that I prefer to read via audio. Sometimes the audiobook performance really enhances the reading experience. Here are a few books that I think are even better to read via audiobook:

The Murderbot Diaries

This is absolutely the shining example of a series that is even better via audiobook. This series follows Murderbot, a SecUnit that has hacked itself into sentience and now has anxiety. It just wants to be left alone, but when one of the groups of humans it is in charge of protecting finds themselves in unexpected danger, Murderbot gets wrapped up in galactic plots and conspiracies. Kevin R Free's performance adds so much to the reading experience.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep

This enchanting epistolary story explores a range of emotional character relationships. The full cast audiobook adds vivid personality to the characters whose letters make up the book.

Book Lovers

Romance is one of those genres that I love to read via audiobook. As someone who cannot stand when high-powered city women in Hallmark movies give it all up to be someone's wife, this book spoke to my soul.

Books for the Spooky Season

With Halloween approaching, I thought I would share some books with magic systems or atmospheres that are perfect for the spooky season:

Asunder

A dark, gritty fantasy with horror Studio Ghibli elements, it tells the story of a girl who bonds with an eldritch god, confronting themes of existence and alliance.

House of Salt and Sorrows

A YA gothic horror retelling, this book's rich atmosphere will captivate and leave readers deeply invested.

Silver Under Nightfall

Follows disgraced vampire hunter Remy, combining gothic elements with a romance that adds tension to the storyline.

Happy reading! Samantha (ladybug.books)