[How it Works](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up The Blood Gift More books from this author Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/87137/9780008521646) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0008521646?tag=a3afb18a) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Left Unread Books Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Left Unread Books [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Feb 17 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Black Authors Who I Think History Will Remember](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/BNJS4ONf1A0G0SAyXrwf/) I started this post as a Bluesky thread a few days ago, but I realized I needed more space than a social media post would allow. So here are some of my favorite Black authors! Enjoy!!! * * * 27 books 16 [2](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/BNJS4ONf1A0G0SAyXrwf/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Nov 30 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [The Secret Power of Literature... and spoiler alert, it's not escapism.](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/IeclSp13Rzw32YDolGOB/) Escapism is lovely, but that is not what reading does for me. So I thought I would share a little bit about one of the biggest things I get out of reading. \*\*\*Trigger warnings: grief, slavery, trauma, parentlessness, broken family, racism\*\*\* * * * 20 books 8 [1](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/IeclSp13Rzw32YDolGOB/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jun 24 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [When you think about the best fantasy/sci-fi you have ever read, I can almost guarantee you that one of the things they all have in common is that they introduced you to characters who refused to compromise their voice. And that doesn't just go for feel-good stories or books that work to highlight systemic issues. It's also true for the stories that introduced you to your favorite villains!\\ \\ Think about characters like Almira (Queen and Conquerer), Rin (Poppy War Trilogy), Anequs (To Shape A Dragon's Breath) or Kiera (The Halfling Saga). One of the most endearing things about those stories is that they gave us main characters who are so firmly rooted in their own will that we almost lose sight of the fact that there is an author pulling their strings. And that is not to say that a character must have a fully fleshed out sense of self in order to hold this kind of impact. Nova (The Name Bearer) spends the first two books of this Quala having to wrestle with the fact that she has been denied any sense of identity. But that doesn't stop her from holding the kind of determination and resolve that leave us, the readers, wondering if Natalia Hernandez had any say in who Nova became.\\ \\ When I am reading a book, and preparing to talk about it publically, I always ask myself how consistently the character's speak for themselves. Do they make their own decisions or are they constantly compromising for the sake of the story arc? Do they stick to their guns, even when the readers will struggle with their choices (Such as the iconic moment where Ikenna kills...ok fine, i won't spoil it. But go read Blood Gifts Duology!!!)? Do their mistakes and victories make sense for who they have shown themselves to be? Do they push back when people challenge them?\\ \\ I don't need characters to be fully fleshed out from the beginning, but I do need them to always be consistent with however much of their identity they have come to terms with at any point in the story.\\ \\ Let me know some stories that do this for you!!!\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/0IzZcbLRYusZHvNMT1WR/) [Writing Tip: Never Betray Your Character's Voice](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/0IzZcbLRYusZHvNMT1WR/) Writers, as a reviewer, I can tell you. that nothing draws me into a story faster than a main character who has owned their own voice. Read more about that down below! * * * 11 books 1 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Feb 17 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Black Authors Who I Think History Will Remember](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/BNJS4ONf1A0G0SAyXrwf/) * * * 27 books 16 [2](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/BNJS4ONf1A0G0SAyXrwf/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Nov 30 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [The Secret Power of Literature... and spoiler alert, it's not escapism.](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/IeclSp13Rzw32YDolGOB/) Escapism is lovely, but that is not what reading does for me. So I thought I would share a little bit about one of the biggest things I get out of reading. \*\*\*Trigger warnings: grief, slavery, trauma, parentlessness, broken family, racism\*\*\* * * * 20 books 8 [1](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/IeclSp13Rzw32YDolGOB/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jun 24 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Writing Tip: Never Betray Your Character's Voice](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/0IzZcbLRYusZHvNMT1WR/) * * * 11 books 1 [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • Jun 30 2023](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [HOW IS JULY TOMORROW????? #junewrapup #monthlyreads #redrisingseries #zorannereads](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/t2rDqTo7vUgAZAksYdJa/) HOW IS JULY TOMORROW????? #junewrapup #monthlyreads #redrisingseries #zorannereads * * * 5 books [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • Jun 7 2023](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [i’m a little late with my reading update but it’s not my fault that star wars rebels has me in a chokehold 🥵 #weeklyreading #fantasyseries #thebloodgiftduology #fantasybooktok](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/sWNjtfBqpQzJUgyVA802/) i’m a little late with my reading update but it’s not my fault that star wars rebels has me in a chokehold 🥵 #weeklyreading #fantasyseries #thebloodgiftduology #fantasybooktok * * * 4 books [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • May 30 2023](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [lots to talk about this week!! 🥳 i can’t believe its almost june! thank you @berkleypub and @PRH Audio for providing me with an ARC of love, theoretucally! #berkleyromancepartner #weeklyreadingupdate #zorannereads #fantasyseries](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/WJYV8f4bqC6IMOI6qSpk/) lots to talk about this week!! 🥳 i can’t believe its almost june! thank you @berkleypub and @PRH Audio for providing me with an ARC of love, theoretucally! #berkleyromancepartner #weeklyreadingupdate #zorannereads #fantasyseries * * * 5 books [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • Apr 25 2023](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [a HUGE april book haul! things are getting out of hand over here 😅🤣 thank you publishers for the gifted books! #bookhaul #fantasybooktok #romancebooktok](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/K5wsUg5ozc4IQClsLgh1/) a HUGE april book haul! things are getting out of hand over here 😅🤣 thank you publishers for the gifted books! #bookhaul #fantasybooktok #romancebooktok * * * 14 books [Fantasy & Frens\\ \\ Zoranne\\ \\ • Jan 25 2023](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [all of the books i preordered for the barnes & noble preorder sale! what did you get?!? #fantasybooks #preorderbooks #barnesandnoble #bookhaul #scififantasy](https://fantasyandfrens.binderybooks.com/item/HxLWWtHw0FBxO0dxqmP0/) all of the books i preordered for the barnes & noble preorder sale! what did you get?!? #fantasybooks #preorderbooks #barnesandnoble #bookhaul #scififantasy * * * 9 books