[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 Follower of Flowers: A Flowers of Prophecy Novel Natalia Hernandez Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/87137/9798986598352) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6J5CS3T?tag=a3afb18a) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Left Unread Books As a child, the Name-Bearer had one duty; to receive and deliver the names of the future monarchy from the Flowers of Prophecy. But on the day of the Naming Ceremony, the Flowers refused. They claim another child was born more worthy of the Naming, and the Name-Bearer must find him and deliver him to them in order to restore peace to her land. Now, ten years later, the Name-Bearer and her companions are on a quest to find the Unnamed Prince and fulfill the prophecy. But with a bounty on their heads, an increase in monstro activity, and a long dangerous journey through enemy territory, they may be in for more than they bargained for. In order to survive, they will have to rely on strangers, unlikely new allies, and those they once loved—and hope that their trust in them has not been misplaced. With so much opposition, will their courage—and their friendships, survive? Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Left Unread Books [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Mar 24 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Authors: It is Pitchfest time! Bring me your books!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/GWM4G7IFhhiOKhMshevz/) There is another Pitchfest quickly approaching and I want to make sure you have all of the information you need to participate! So authors, check this out for a list of the type of manuscripts I am looking for! And good luck everyone!!! * * * 24 books 9 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jan 11 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [GIVEAWAY: The Flowers of Prophecy Series & Asiri and the Amaru](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/ybLw81Rof2VQQn4Dx1f0/) Natalia Hernandez is a rising star in the indie space and I am so excited to be able to share her work with you! If you have not already read all of her published work, here is your chance to! See below for information on how TWO of you can win copies of all four of her currently published books! AHHH!!! * * * 4 books 30 [70](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/ybLw81Rof2VQQn4Dx1f0/#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\\ \\ • Sep 23 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Here is the Ad that will hang in Time Square!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/WKCLs6wNcbuO0itamQ3n/) As you guys know, I will have an ad in Time Square next month, which I will be using to advertise for this community! Here is the finished ad! * * * 5 books 6 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Sep 17 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [**FALENCIA JEAN-FRANCOIS**\\ \\ Falencia is a hatian woman who speaks freely about her intersecting identities and fights to bring the world stories that not only represent her, but teach the world something. Her debut book, **Devil of the Deep**, follows a mermaid who is forced to flee her home in order to escape an underwater cult and ends up partnering with a notoroius pirate and an unwilling navy captain to protect an ancienty artifact from nefarious forces who want to use it to end the world.\\ \\ This book is filled with intersecting marginalized identities and big conversations about things like Blackness, trans identity, queerness, what it means to be "othered" and even the need to deconstruct colonial religion. This book was masterfully written and, in my opinion, is one of the greatest pieces of literature to be written in modern times.\\ \\ **NATALIA HERNANDEZ**\\ \\ Natalia is a rising (already risen, let's be honest) star in the indie space. Her debut, **The Namebearer**, came out late 2022, and she has already become one of the most well-known and celebrated authors in many bookish spaces. The Namebearer follows a young girl who was taken from her home and stripped of her name and identity so that she could be raised by the royal family with one specific purpose: so that when the Queen eventually gives birth to the next monarch, she can go to the flowers of prophesy and receive his name. However, when the Prince is born, she goes to the flowers and is told that he will not be king. In fact, if she wants to save the kingdom, she must rebel against the royal family and go find The Promised Prince so that he can take his throne and usher the realm into peace.\\ \\ In the Namebearer, we primarily follow this nameless girl as she hides among a group of warrior women and trains for this important mission. And throughout the rest of the series ( **Follower of Flowers, Daughter of Danray & unnamed final installment**), we follow her as she fights for her own identity in the midst of sacrificing everything to save a kingdom that considers her a traitor. This story speaks to every little girl and every brown person who has been raised to believe that they only exist in the context of a people who want to both rule them and erase them.\\ \\ She is also the author of **Asiri and the Amaru**, which follows a woman who has the rare gift of being able to talk to animals. She has spent her entire life being exploited by her father to build his own reputation. But when she runs away, she decides that she isn't going to tell anyone about her gift. She wants to live a normal life. But when a mythical Amaru gets hurt and a very attractive vet needs her help to save it... well... you know where the story goes from there. This story is a beautiful peak into Peruvian mythology with a cozy, warm setting.\\ \\ Natalia writes unapologetically Latine storys filled with beautiful imagery, fantastical magic and beautifully orchestrated plots. Couldn't recommend her work more!!!\\ \\ **AMANDA WEAVER**\\ \\ Amanda is one of the best writers I know. Her first book I came across was In the House of Transcendence, which follows a Black woman who can see and interact with ghosts. As a child, her father exploited her gifts and denied her community with people who could help her understand and grow in her gifts. She lived her life in isolation and seperated from her community. But when she stumbles accross another witch and is invited to be a part of a real community, she jumps at the opportunity. Even when it comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties. Including a murder that only she can solve. Working closely with one of the communities elders, our main character must investigate the death of the elder's lover, while building community with her new found-family and working at a local burlesque club. Yes, you read that right. This book is about a burlesque dancing necromancer. Need I say more?\\ \\ I also read her most recent novel, **No One's Gonna Take Her Soul Away**, which follows a Black woman who is brutally murdered and unjustly sent to the seventh level of Pandemonium (hell). But she knows she doesn't deserve to be there, so with the help of a vampire and a werewolf, she must battle her way through seven levels of hell so that she can confront the god who banished her there and find justice for herself. This book has strong conversations about the plight of Black women who are forced to fight for, and to save, themselves. It is an incredible story filled with gore, big conversations, and a dash of spice.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/sF6R6Sjxu5kTUBdgMVWo/) [Sapphic September!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/sF6R6Sjxu5kTUBdgMVWo/) Here is a short list of a few of my favorite sapphic indies to read this September! * * * 7 books 3 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Sep 1 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [I would be shocked if you haven't heard of Natalia Hernandez. Despite her Debut releasing only two years ago, she has become one of the most accomplished and well known Indie Authors on BookTok. Especially on the side of BookTok WE frequent! lol! Her work is phenomenal, and I know very few people who don't agree with that statement!\\ \\ She started out with a dream. She woke up one morning and told TikTok about the ridiculous dream she had had...and you all said GIVE US A BOOK. And well...she did. The Name Bearer was born, and it has only grown from there.\\ \\ Now the third installement is about to release this October and Natalia has been kind enough to give us an early copy! Unfortunately, I cannot attach documents to this post, but I have posted an e-pub (that you can send directly to your e-readers) in my discord under the #bindery-community room. So if you have not synced your Bindery account to my discord, please go do so so that you can download the file and enjoy the book!!!\\ \\ You can do that by going into "my account" right here on Bindery (top right corner of the screen). There will be a discord button available. If you need help figuring that out, don't hesitate to let me know!\\ \\ Also... let's remember that this is an incredible gift. On Natalia's part, this was an act of Love to this community and everything we are fighting for. She believes in this vision and wanted to support us in whatever way she could. There were no expectations for this gift. But IIIIII am asking you all to make sure that, if you read the book, you go and leave her a review. Reviews make a massive difference in the success of a book. Especially early reviews. I am not asking you to give a positive review. I'm asking you to give an honest one. Even if you don't like the book, please go leave a review. They make a difference! (And for the first two books, of course!)\\ \\ Anyway, thank you all for being here. And this will not be the last early peak you get at an indie's book! I have many indie friends who have told me they will be sharing future projects with us. So stick around and help me celebrate authors!!!!\\ \\ ​](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/8JMeG5RhLjzZXGAF7uK8/) [E-copy of Natalia Hernandez's Daughter of Danray!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/8JMeG5RhLjzZXGAF7uK8/) I promised you all a free e-copy of Natalia Hernandez's newest novel: Daughter of Danray--the third installment of The Flowers of Prophecy! And well...I'm here to deliver!! AHHH! * * * 3 books 13 [6](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/8JMeG5RhLjzZXGAF7uK8/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Aug 16 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [As you know, I have been searching for the perfect manuscript to be our first Left Unread book! And I have been STRUGGLING. Over the last month, I have read SO many incredible books. I read a chapter from each of the 30+ books submitted to us through the Pitchfest and the 10+ agented books that I found interesting. And out of all of those books, I've come across 13 total that I thought had potential to be the kind of story I am looking for.\\ \\ So I have been BUSY for the last month, reading through manuscripts, searching for the PERFECT manuscript. And honestly, a lot of these books really spoke to me, for various reasons. Some of them for the incredible writing, some of them for the ambitious storylines or the dynamic characters, etc. I feel so privileged because I've been able to spend the last five weeks reading some truly incredible authors. But I was struggling, because while many of them were really good books, they just weren't the very specific thing I am looking for. And honestly, I was getting a little discouraged over the last week, wondering if I was even going to find one! Because while many of them interest me, and I think would do well in my hands, I really really wanted our FIRST publication to have some really big conversations. That has been the mark of my content. Books that say something challenging about the world. And I wanted that for our first one! Something dystopian or a fantasy that was heavy on the dismantling of systemic oppression.\\ \\ And don't get me wrong, that's not ALL I want to publish. I am very open to publishing a wide variety of stories. But I wanted the first one to really dive into some of the themes I built this community talking about! (And some of these books did that on a smaller scale, which is fine! I am not diminishing those stories or saying they don't say important things.).\\ \\ I found one during pitchfest that really did what I was looking for, but after speaking to the author, it seemed a better fit to pursue for a later publication! (Which, no promises there, but at this point, I am very eager to figure out a timetable with that author so that we can stamp the Left Unread seal on it--meaning Snow White Burns the Patriarchy, of course). But that left me without a sure manuscript for the 2025 Fall season.\\ \\ Well...the one I just read is a strong contender. So let's talk about it:\\ \\ This is a dual POV fantasy, following three women in a small nation that has spent the better part of a century fighting for it's independence from a larger aggressor:\\ \\ - One of them is a warrior who was taken as a child from a neighboring nation and raised to be a soldier in the Queen's war for independence. She is a ruthless warrior who is not only accomplished in battle, but has built her entire identity around her ability to kill for a Queen who robbed her of her own family, home and culture. She has no public name of her own, no identity outside of her service, and is forced to wear a mask at all times to ensure anonymity and conformity.\\ - The second POV is a more senior member of that warrior sect who, despite being a second-class servant as well, has somehow risen to one of the highest positions in the nation as advisor to the Queen. She is fighting between advocating for her people and fighting to distance herself from the shame of being one of them. Her entire life is about nudging the Queen in the right direction while helping her to oppress her own people for a kingdom none of them are quite allowed to exist in.\\ - And the third POV is a small child who is rescued from their larger oppressor because of her potential for supernatural power. She knows there is a chance that, if her power ends up being unhelpful, she will be left for dead. But if it ends up being helpful...she will be turned into a weapon just like everyone else under the Queen's rule. Because at the end of the day, her only value is as an asset in a war that has nothing to do with her.\\ \\ This story follows these women as they pursue their own aims, while their stories interconnect and weave together a tale about colonization, oppression, and the perpetual victimhood of the people under empire, regardless of empire's aims. While reading this story, I found myself wrestling with questions about freedom, oppression, and the concept of empire. Because in the hands of empire, even liberation is a weapon against the oppressed. This book had me unsure who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and what it means to truly be free.\\ \\ I took plenty of notes on areas where I thought the story could expand, grow and develop, but overall, this story was masterfully told. And my brain is already churning out all of the incredible conversations that I could have with this story!\\ \\ Here are some of the comparisons I drew as I read:\\ \\ - Watching our characters be reduced to their service to empire reminded me a lot of the primary conversation happening in The Name Bearer by Natalia Hernandez. Throughout that series, we are following a young woman who was taken by her family and stripped of everything that made her her own person. She has no family, no home, no posessions...not even her own name. She exists only to fulfill her role to empire. And that is a major theme in this story. No one--not even the Queen--has real atonomy. Everyone exists as a pawn in the all-consuming fire of empire.\\ - Engaging with our FMC's reminded me a lot of the way NK Jemisin navigated The Broken Earth series. We know early on what players hold power in this kingdom, what their aims are, and just how hopeless its people are. We are watching as they suffer, hoping with them as they fight against the system...while knowing just how little chance they have of actual escape. It reminded me of the absolute hopelessness of Jemisin's characters, and just how desperate they had to get to actually get freedom within reach.\\ - One of the things that impacted me most about The Poppy War series by RF Kuang was just how willing Kuang was to confront us with the horror of war. She never asked us to focus solely on the powerful. She let us see as the common folk suffered under the weight of war. This book does that as well. We are not just watching our main characters fight in a war. We are seeing the effect their war has on the people who have no power to fight for themselves. And i find that so powerful. Because that is the position our readers are in in the real world.\\ \\ One of the things that makes me hesitate is that it is a duology. The book had a very strong conclusion to this story, but it opened the door to a massive development that I am VERY CURIOUS ABOUT. But I would want to know where the second half of the story is going before I could really commit to it. Because colonization and oppression are massive conversations. I would hate to commit to a story this ambitious and then find out later its heading in a direction that I couldn't co-sign. But based on THIS story, I'm not too concerned about that. (I have asked our team to reach out for some clarity there so we can make an informed decision).\\ \\ Let me know what you think about what I've shared in the comments below, and over on discord!\\ \\ I am very interested in both of the stories mentioned here, and if our stars are aligned, we could absolutely release this story in Fall of 2025, and then have just as strong of a follow up with Snow White Burns Down the Patriarchy in Sping of 2026. (Don't quote me on that, because obviously neither author has actually signed on. I am dreaming here, not announcing how things will go.)\\ \\ But yeah...I am pretty interested in that thought. Putting out two very strong female driven stories back to back, written by women of color who have a lot to say about challening empire? Kinda a good vibe, right?\\ \\ Let me know what you think. Like I said, there are some others I would be interested in the future I think. Some, as is. Some, contingent on some redirection. But here is where I am looking for our debut and second launch...assuming both authors are interested.\\ \\ I am not SOLD yet. But I could be. How do y'all feel about these two stories? Would you be in for helping me chamption two strong FMC stories in a row? Or should we keep looking? It's really not the end of the world if we don't find something immediately. Agents will continue submitting manuscripts, and there will be future pitchfests as well! We can take our time if the stories we have in front of us aren't speaking to us!\\ \\ Share your thoughts and ask your questions! Let's talk this out for real! I meant it when I said I want to do this together. I don't want to make a decision without considering your thoughts and ideas!!!\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/) [Publishing Update: Finger's Crossed... we might have something here!!!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/) I am feeling really really good about the manuscript I just finished reading this morning and I wanna talk about it! Click down below to read about this manuscript and what next steps may look like...because this might be it, y'all!!! So make sure you engage. I want us to talk this out as a community!!! * * * 10 books 12 [8](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jul 28 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [\*\*Amanda Weaver: \*\*Amanda writes a range of Fantasy and Horror. I have read two of her books:\\ \\ - \_In The House of Transcendence, \_which follows a necromancer who works as a burlesque dancer and helps her new boss solve the murder of her dead lover while cproving herself to the community of witches her boss oversees. This book has strong conversations about identity, found family, Blackness and belonging, and has plenty of Black and queer representation. Low spice, but plenty of romantic themes.\\ - \_No One's Gonna Take Her Soul Away, \_a book about a Black woman who is murdered and unjustly sent to the seventh level of Pandemonia (hell). Unwilling to spend eternity suffering, she partners with a werewolf and a vamp, who help her fight her way through all seven levels of Pandemonia so she can confront the pretentious goddess who condemned her in the first place. This story has moderate spice, an enemy to lovers storyline, and PLENTY of violence, gore and hard-to-stomach torture. It also has conversations about found family, redemption, Blackness and the Black woman's worth.\\ \\ **Natalia Hernandez:** Natalia is in the middle of a high fantasy series and a series of interconnected cozy fantasy stand-alones. I have read all four of her books, including her most recent, which releases in two months.\\ \\ - _Flowers of Prophesy Series_ is a high fantasy series about a young woman who is on a quest to find the rightful prince of her nation so that she can stop a war that has been raging for centuries and stop the bloodshed. The first book, \_The Name Bearer, \_introduces us to the Name Bearer, who was taken from her family as a baby and raised in the royal castle with no name or identity of her own. Her only purpose was to wait for the Queen to have a son and to then go to the flowers of prophesy to receive his name. Only, when the Queen finally has a son, she goes to the flowers...and they tell her that the Queen's son will not be the next King. Armed with that knowledge, she must go on a quest to find the Prince that was Promised and to bring him back for his naming ceremony. Which leads the Name Bearer on a decade long quest, where she is raised and trained in combat by a society of reveered warrior women. The following books follow her quest to discover her identity, carve out space for herself, and...well...FIND THE PRINCE. The third book in this series (of four planned books) comes out October 17th! This series is filled with magic, self-discovery, fighting, bloodshed, political intrigue, and a very slow burn romance.\\ - \_Asiri and the Amaru \_is the first in a five-book interconnected series of stand-alone romantasy stories. This one follows Asiri, a young Peruvian woman who has the rare ability to speak with animals. After a lifetime of her father exploiting her abilities to amplify his prestige in their community, she runs away from home and resettles in a beautiful seaside village, where she is determined not to tell anyone about her gift...until she runs into a Veterinarian who needs her help to nurse a mythical Amaru back to health. This one has a bit of spice, but only one scene.\\ \\ **Falencia Jean Francois** writes high fantasy better than almost anyone I know! I have read her debut, which was one of the best books I've ever written!!\\ \\ - \_Devil of the Deep \_is a high fantasy following a pirate, a mermaid and an officer as their stories converge at the end of the world. When our main character realizes she is a part of an underwater cult, she must swim to the surface world to escape their clutches, only to find her path crossing with a notorious pirate who is at war with a navy that is secretly working toward the same aim as the cult she has just escaped from. This story has massive conversations about identity, found family, colonization and resisting colonial religion. It has plenty of Black, queer, trans and neurodivergent representation. And it is by far, one of the best books I have EVER read in my life. Couldn't recommend this story more highly! Very mild spice.\\ \\ **Deston Munden** writes high fantasy with the intention of representing Black people and challenging the racist notions that often exist in fantasy circles. I have read several of Deston's books and I loved them so much that I am currently working with him to republish them and hopefully push them to a wider market!\\ \\ - \_Dusk Mountain Blues \_is a sci-fi story about a Black family that are the descendants of humans who were experiemented on by the government before developing powers and escaping to a mostly abandoned planet, where they now battle against the invading forces of the intergallactic government that captured them to begin with. This is a story that speaks to making space for Black people in every space, drawing inspiration from a lot of stories that often speak primarily to white audiences. Our main characters are deniably country, poor, uneducated and rough around the edges. But also...they are undeniably BLACK. We watch them navigate hard relationships, family fueds, tension with the native inhabitants of the planet they were forced onto, and incredible displays of power, love and solidarity against oppression. This is the first of a series. I honestly don't remember if there was any spice, but I don't believe there was.\\ - _Tavern_ is also the first book in a series. It follows an Orc who owns a tavern and leads a group of mercenaries. When he helps heal the wrong people, he ends up on the wrong side of a group of assassins, who are determined to make him pay. This story sees him fight for his freedom, and fight to protect his home and city from an insurmountable threat. This book fights to combat many of the racist tropes that are often written into Orc characters in fantasy stories. And despite having no humans, this book reads as undeniably BLACK.\\ \\ **Michael Tinsley** put out his debut last year, which I read and LOVED.\\ \\ - \_May a Divine Awaken \_is about a young Black boy who has been ostracized from his community because of a skin condition (vitiligo). His world takes the divisions that exist in our world to the extreme. So far that their eight nations are not only split by ethnic identity, but also by gender. Men and women are seperated as dramatically as possible, as are the rich from the poor and the powerful from the powerless. Our main character has always thought himself to be weak, not having supernatural power of his own, but when his town is attacked by assassins, and he ends up on a journey in search of help, he finds out that the power he SHOULD have has been locked away and if he wants to save the world from an attempted coup from two of their world's highest leaders, he will have to awaken his power and fight for everyone's lives. This book was one of my favorite reads of 2023, and I recently received a package from the author with a copy of the second edition, which has been released with an all new (and incredible) cover!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/QUSvW8OLyzenCMlxHfFl/) [Five Black/brown Authors You Should Know](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/QUSvW8OLyzenCMlxHfFl/) If you like reading Black and brown books (which, if you don't...why are you here?), here are a list of five authors you should be intimately familiar with! * * * 11 books 7 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jul 10 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez\\ \\ Natalia is the author of The Name Bearer, Follower of Flowers, Asiri and the Amaru, and the upcoming release Daughter of Danray. She is an Indigneous, Latine indie author and her debut novel, The Name Bearer is our July bookclub pick!\\ \\ * * *\\ \\ **Event Details:**\\ \\ Date: July 23rd\\ \\ Time: 6:30 PM\\ \\ Location: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82274460416?pwd=iWZ3QRbobyyPuF2NJEeCXLjFUIOMUK.1\\ \\ Meeting ID: 822 7446 0416\\ \\ Passcode: 605610\\ \\ _**This will be a joint event with Boozhoo Books**_](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/t9aLnaFqFkvm6gAqRmzs/) [Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/t9aLnaFqFkvm6gAqRmzs/) We are currently reading The Name Bearer by Natalia Hernandez for bookclub! A booktok favorite! And for those of you that are interested, Natalia has agreed to come spend some time with us on the 23rd! It will be a zoom event at 6:30 CST and the zoom info is in the post! I hope to see you all there! * * * 3 books 5 [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 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Apr 17 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Q&A With author Natalia Hernandez TODAY at 1pm CST](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/5jev4ehJ9jqHi7Ba906E/) If you are a fan of the Flowers of Prophecy series or an indie author looking for advice on how to navigate the publishing industry, join us for a candid chat with Natalia Herndandez. * * * 3 books 6 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Feb 29 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Earlier this week, I made a post on Tiktok promoting Devil of the Deep, which I will link below, and I asked my following to help me sell the author out of her tiktok shop. And a few hours later, she was completely sold out. And loving the reaction, I put more books in front of my audience (books by Natalia Hernandez and Michael Tinsley), and they continued to show up and buy Black and brown books and help me in my goal of making Black and brown indie's famous.... and I am feeling so encouraged.\\ \\ This journey... content creation... has never been just about building an audience or monetization or anything like that. It has always been about making CHANGE... and I cannot tell you how exciting it has been to me over the last year to watch as my audience shows up time and time again to join me in that mission.\\ \\ And I am especially grateful for each and every one of you because you are here because you share that visison with me. You care about making change. And I appreciate you more than you will ever know.\\ \\ ​\\ \\ ​](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/s5PCnRyPIAg8W67noUyt/) [A week of selling Black books.](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/s5PCnRyPIAg8W67noUyt/) I spent the last few days working toward selling Black books on Tiktok and I wanna talk about! * * * 5 books 2 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Wanderland Reads\\ \\ Sayer\\ \\ • Apr 5 2025](https://wanderlandreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Sapphic Books anyone?](https://wanderlandreads.binderybooks.com/item/7po4oOFRQwDdutRSjrdM/) Happy Sapphic Sunday fam, I heard someone say “sapphic books” and I was summoned. (Do I need my own version of a bat signal?) Also just fyi sapphic is inclusive of trans women, genderqueer, genderfluid and nonbinary individuals. So like yeah, do you need a recommendation bc I’ve got you!!! #sapphicsunday #queerbookstagrammer #sapphicbookstagram #sapphicromance #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #bookishlove * * * 35 books [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Mar 24 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Authors: It is Pitchfest time! Bring me your books!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/GWM4G7IFhhiOKhMshevz/) * * * 24 books 9 [Bookish AfroLatina's Library\\ \\ Gabby\\ \\ • Feb 20 2025](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [My Top 12 Books of 2024](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/HCuCjKmAU86HewPqdvuU/) I feel like I can confidently share my top 12 books (in no particular order) of 2024 with y’all. I tried to get it down to 10 but I refuse to leave any of these out! Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne The Follower of Flowers by Natalia Hernandez I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend by Jessica Cage Puerto Rico: A National History by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo (who worked w/ Bad Bunny on his new short film) How To Read Now: Essays by Elaine Castillo Marriage & Masti by Nisha Sharma Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney The Taste of Sugar by Marisel Vera I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (out in February 2025) The Last Cuentista by Donna Barber Higuera The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson What were some of your favorite reads of 2024? \[ID: slide 1-Gabby smiles while sitting in front of her black bookshelf filled with colorful books. She has black and purple box braids, medium brown skin, and a black shirt with light yellow letters. On the top right, the text reads: MY TOP 12 BOOKS OF 2024. Slide 2 - Twelve book covers are displayed in 4 columns and 3 rows.\] #Books #BestBooksof2024 #Bookstagram #BlackBooks #QueerBooks #SapphicBooks #BlackRomance #InterracialRomance #History #MonsterRomance #Essays #DesiRomance #HistoricalFiction #FantasyRomance #YASciFi #Fantasy #SpeculativeFiction #LiteraryFiction #LatinxRomance #LatinxBooks * * * 12 books [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jan 11 2025](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [GIVEAWAY: The Flowers of Prophecy Series & Asiri and the Amaru](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/ybLw81Rof2VQQn4Dx1f0/) * * * 4 books 30 [70](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/ybLw81Rof2VQQn4Dx1f0/#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) [Queer as Books\\ \\ José\\ \\ • Nov 21 2024](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Queer Latine Authors](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/item/UJznkD1Hw3jerEWLSrhC/) Here are some queer latine authors to check out! * * * 17 books [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Sep 23 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Here is the Ad that will hang in Time Square!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/WKCLs6wNcbuO0itamQ3n/) As you guys know, I will have an ad in Time Square next month, which I will be using to advertise for this community! Here is the finished ad! * * * 5 books 6 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Sep 17 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Sapphic September!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/sF6R6Sjxu5kTUBdgMVWo/) Here is a short list of a few of my favorite sapphic indies to read this September! * * * 7 books 3 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Sep 1 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [E-copy of Natalia Hernandez's Daughter of Danray!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/8JMeG5RhLjzZXGAF7uK8/) * * * 3 books 13 [6](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/8JMeG5RhLjzZXGAF7uK8/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Aug 16 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Publishing Update: Finger's Crossed... we might have something here!!!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/) * * * 10 books 12 [8](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/#comments) [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jul 28 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Five Black/brown Authors You Should Know](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/QUSvW8OLyzenCMlxHfFl/) If you like reading Black and brown books (which, if you don't...why are you here?), here are a list of five authors you should be intimately familiar with! * * * 11 books 7 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Jul 10 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/t9aLnaFqFkvm6gAqRmzs/) * * * 3 books 5 [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 [Paws, Pages and Brews\\ \\ Sammie\\ \\ • Apr 22 2024](https://pawspagesandbrews.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $12 or login](https://pawspagesandbrews.binderybooks.com/item/kDSLTrNaXeMbanehTK2P/) [Interview with Author Natalia Hernandez](https://pawspagesandbrews.binderybooks.com/item/kDSLTrNaXeMbanehTK2P/) Interviewing Author Natalia Hernandez and talking about her latest book Asiri and the Amaru! * * * 3 books 1 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Apr 17 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [Q&A With author Natalia Hernandez TODAY at 1pm CST](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/5jev4ehJ9jqHi7Ba906E/) * * * 3 books 6 [Cozy Quill\\ \\ Meg\\ \\ • Mar 26 2024](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $12 or login](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/item/KUzlIQgFIAKTGCpfpB5Z/) [Cozy Cooking Class feat. Natalia Hernandez](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/item/KUzlIQgFIAKTGCpfpB5Z/) Join me and Natalia Hernandez as we make a delicious Arroz Con Leche and chat all things cozy! * * * 3 books 2 [Left Unread Books\\ \\ Michael LaBorn\\ \\ • Feb 29 2024](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/) [A week of selling Black books.](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/s5PCnRyPIAg8W67noUyt/) I spent the last few days working toward selling Black books on Tiktok and I wanna talk about! * * * 5 books 2 [Ezeekat Press\\ \\ Jaysen\\ \\ • Jun 18 2023](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [All of these were stunning!! #booktok #indiebooks #unboxing #books](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/L2cC9cqVdIkPbewEFX0e/) All of these were stunning!! #booktok #indiebooks #unboxing #books * * * 3 books