Ladybug Books | Ladybug.books Newsletter (10/12/25 - 10...

Ladybug.books Newsletter (10/12/25 - 10/18/25)

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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Reading Updates:

Audiobook | Finished: Goddess of the River Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thoughts: Goddess of the River is a beautiful and emotional story. This is my first book by Vaishnavi Patel, and I was absolutely swept away by her writing. Ganga's journey of godhood was incredibly interesting. I loved seeing her growth as she learned to accept and care for the humans that depended on her waters. I really struggled with Bhisma's chapters at times. There were a lot of interesting ideas about responsibility, goodness, and justice. But it was really difficult to follow all of the different characters and plot lines, especially with the timeline jumping around. I will definitely need to check out Kaikeyi soon.

Hardcover | Finished: Moonbound Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thoughts: Moonbound is a charmingly strange story that pulls together elements of far future SciFi with some classic fantasy vibes to create a truly unique and intriguing story. I LOVE a story that plays with perspective and unique narrators. This story is told from the perspective of a sentient AI that is woken when a young boy stumbles across the remnants of a civilization that has been dead for 11,000 years. I was immediately intrigued by the narrator and its role as a chronicler and witness to the young boy's great destiny. Humanity has fallen and come back as something both completely new and oddly familiar. The world is a blend of quirky classical fantasy elements—wizards, talking animals, dragons on the moon—and extremely advanced technologies. The story lost me a bit in the middle, as it focused too much on exploring the quirky nature of the world.

Currently reading | Paperback (ARC): To Bargain with Mortals Progress: 35%
Thoughts: I am finally reading To Bargain with Mortals!!! I already know that I am going to eat this up. The writing is engaging, the world-building is strong, and I am so invested in the characters' lives. One thing I'm really appreciating is how realistically complex the two main characters have been so far. Poppy, in particular, manages to walk the very fine line of being realistically naive for her situation without being insufferable to read about. She feels real and I can't help but root for her growth as a character.

Future Reading Plans:

Once I finish To Bargain with Mortals, I will start The Sacred Space Between, a story about an exiled saint and the devout iconographer sent to paint him. I just know the gothic atmosphere and romance are going to be perfect.

I also recently found myself excited to read The Everlasting. After being disappointed by The Second Death of Locke, I think I have transferred all of my hopes onto The Everlasting instead.

The most recent addition to my TBR is Kill the Beast by Serra Swift.

Fantasy Books Perfect for the Spooky Season:

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

**Asunder*: This dark, gritty fantasy has a world that I think is best described as "horror Studio Ghibli." In this book, we follow a girl who has made a bond with an eldritch god that left her with the ability to see the dead.

**House of Salt and Sorrows*: This YA gothic horror retelling of the twelve dancing princesses contains some of the most unsettling scenes I have ever read.

**Silver Under Nightfall*: Follows disgraced vampire hunter Remy who is recruited to help two mysterious vampires uncover a mystery threatening the kingdom.

Have you been saving any particular books for the spooky season? See you next week with more reading updates and book recommendations.

Happy reading!
Samantha (ladybug.books)