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The River Has Roots
Amal El-Mohtar
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The River Has Roots is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar.
Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death. The hardcover edition features beautiful interior illustrations.
“Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story.” —Holly Black
“An absolute must-read.” —T. Kingfisher
“Every sentence sings!” —Sarah Beth Durst
“Utterly enchanting.” —Fonda Lee
“A story that outlasts itself.” —Alix E. Harrow
“Truly exquisite.” —Zoraida Córdova
“A beautiful, musical, and loving story.” —Emma Törzs.
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family. There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic.
None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees. But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…
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Posts about this title from Not So Well Read
Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Apr 12 2025
10 New Fantasy Books to Add to Your TBR
There are so many books out there that it’s impossible to keep up with them all. So, here are 5 fantasy books that I have been super excited about, but haven’t seen as frequently on here.
📚 The River Has Roots – Haunting fairytale novella from the co-author of This Is How You Lose the Time War 📚Greenteeth – Cozy folklore fantasy that feels similar to Someone You Can Build a Nest In 📚 Nightweaver – YA romantasy where Bridgerton meets Pirates of the Caribbean 📚 The Prince Without Sorrow – Epic political fantasy inspired by the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India 📚 The Serpent Called Mercy – High-stakes Malaysian Chinese fantasy where Squid Game meets The Witcher
#bookrecommendations #fantasybookseries #fantasybookstagram #fantasybookrecs #fantasybookstagrammer
10 books
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Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Mar 16 2025
[Weekly Wrap Up – 3.10-3.16 This week in the book world: \ \ Oooooohhhh I am SO excited to talk about ARCs this week. There has been SO much that happened and I have been stewing on this all week.\ \ Okay, so first, this thread started a very intense debate about whether or not it's okay to put ARCs in Little Free Libraries. The general consensus from readers is, yes, absolutely. What else are we supposed to do with them? Hoard them until death? Throw them away?\ \ Authors, however, did NOT agree. The major criticism was that they would be upset that an unfinished copy was "in circulation". I'm sorry, but one reader potentially finding an unfinished copy from the small number of LFLs visited by book reviewers does not qualify as "in circulation". On top of that, ARCs are clearly labeled as unfinished copies is many places, and while people are dumb, they're not that dumb.\ \ Now, the one thing we all seem to agree with is that you should NOT sell your ARCs for $100+ on sketchy resale accounts (like this woman), but I am absolutely loving the trend of publisher's using this as a marketing material. Please don't do this, also, please don't buy ARCs for $100+ just to read things a few months early. The stakes are NOT that high.\ \ This Week's Publishing News: \ \ There honestly wasn't anything exciting that I saw... I'm just as disappointed as you are.\ \ This Week's New Releases: \ \ Much slower week than last week, but still some good ones:\ \
- Stag Dance by Torrey Peters (Adult, literary)\ \
- Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna (Middle grade, fantasy\ \
- Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian (Adult, horror)\ \
- What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch (YA, fantasy)\ \
- Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch (Adult, romance)\ \ \ What I Read This Week: \ \ One for my Enemy (Finished)\ \ This wasn't my favorite Olivie Blake, but it was still really, really good. I do think it started off a bit stronger than it ended, but it was still gorgeous and some of the quotes killed me. She definitely did "Romeo and Juliet" in a way more unique way than others and it also incorporated some other Shakespeare easter eggs that had my inner Shakespeare nerd smiling. Also, if you have never read Olivie Blake and want to get into her works, I think this is an excellent place to start. Her prose and the way she structures her stories is so unique. This one is a great introduction to her style, while feeling more accessible for readers.\ \ Oathbound (70%)\ \ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THINGS ARE GETTING SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!\ \ Soulgazer (66%)\ \ Wow wow wow. I started this yesterday at the end of my shift at the bookstore–things were SLOW–and I read over half of it last night. This is EXACTLY what I want in a romantasy. Plus, it's pirates, which you know is a soft-spot for me. Obsessed and I cannot wait to finish.\ \ Kill Creatures (44%)\ \ New Rory Power! This one has been a fun brain break. I don't like adult thrillers, but I love teen thrillers. This one is super short, so I plan on finishing it tonight. I'll update you all when I finish it. \ \ Brother Bronte (DNF)\ \ I just couldn't do it anymore. I hated Part 1. Really loved Part 2. Then Part 3 picked up and skipped right over all the actual plot. Honestly, I got so mad about that I gave up. I felt like the blurb sold me Scary Movie and then the book gave me Scream.\ \ What I bought/shelved: \ \ No purchases this week, but I did set two aside to buy next time I'm at the bookstore:\ \
- The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar\ \
- Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/YVHQj0VpoOOmOCOy76zr/)
12 books
Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Mar 9 2025
[I'm back with my scheduled weekly updates after a few-week-long brain break. Sorry for not keeping up with things, but sometimes I just don't really want to be on the internet. You can read this short post if you want to know more.\ \ This week in the book world: \ \ Oh, no! People are surprised that Barnes & Noble didn't treat the Oathbound release in the same way it treated Onyx Storm. It's almost like they're a giant corporation that chooses profits over people. If only there was a pattern of previous behaviors that they could have predicted this. If only they could choose better places to spend their money, you know, like indie bookstores that threw parties and had signed stock and special swag and everything for this release.\ \ Can't wait til the next time this exact thing happens.\ \ This week's publishing news: \ \
- Excited for Luke Larkin's debut, House of Hands, which was pitched as an "atmospheric Western with a paranormal twist, in which a girl in the Montana Territory sets out to find her father after he is carried off by an otherworldly creature".\ \
- Kelly Andrews, author of Your Blood, My Bones, announced a new duology. The Gravewood, was described as "supernatural romance with dystopian elements, about a Deaf girl living in post-climate collapse New England who offers up her blood to the cunning young leader of a local vampire cartel in exchange for desperately needed supplies". Sign me up.\ \
- New John Wiswell's!!! The Dragon Has Some Complaints, which is about "a dragon whose three heads bear three mismatched personalities and the dragon rider trying to befriend all three heads in time for them to save the world together"\ \
- Queer romantasy alert! Sarah Glenn Marsh's We Could Be (Anti)Heroes, "pitched as gay Lord of the Rings, a m/m romantasy in which ex-best friends, the descendants of heroes, must team up to find treasure in a haunted swamp"\ \ \ This week's new releases: \ \
- Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (YA, Fantasy)\ \
- Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid (YA, Dystopian)\ \
- The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Adult, Fantasy)\ \
- They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran (YA, Horror)\ \
- Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Adult, Literary)\ \
- The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Adult, Dystopian)\ \
- The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica (Adult, Horror)\ \ \ What I read this week: \ \ The Devils (Finished):\ \ THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. The characters, the comedic timing, the storytelling. This book goes up there with Shades of Magic and The Scholomance as one of my favorite adult fantasy series. It made me laugh out loud in an embarrassing fashion and also made me cry. I'm not over it. \ \ The Scorpion Queen (Finished):\ \ This was... fine. I really liked the premise, but the pacing was so weird. It's not a long read, but it felt like it was dragging on for forever. I was also so disappointed when I got to the end and realized it was being set up a series. I will probably not be reading the next one. \ \ Fable for the End of the World (Finished):\ \ Fable for the End of the World has burrowed its way into my soul in ways I cannot even begin to describe. It has all of my favorite things... sapphic longing, enemies-to-lovers arc, dystopian setting... you know, the works. It’s a quick, easy-to-fall in love with read that will have you going back to the nostalgia of 2010s teen fiction.\ \ One For My Enemy (75%):\ \ If you're looking to get into Olivie Blake's writing THIS is where you should start. I love her books, but as I've said many, many times–she's not for everyone. One for My Enemy gives you a good look at her usual tone/storytelling approach, but with a much more traditional narrative approach. Also, it's endlessly quotable. Like, some seriously gorgeous moments. Join my Fable book club if you want to read a few I've pinned.\ \ Brother Brontë (50%):\ \ Lol, I'm supposed to have this finished by Book Club tomorrow. It's not very long, but I'm kind of hating it. The descriptions of the setting and the prose style is hard to describe, but it spends so much time describing things without actually telling you anything. Does that make any sense? Probably not. It's also structured in "4 Books," and they each have a different narrative style, which is kind of chaotic.\ \ Oathbound (10%):\ \ I swear to god if any of you spoil this book for me I will throw my phone/laptop/ipad into the nearest ocean and then I will drive to your home and throw yours in the next nearest ocean.\ \ What I bought/shelved: \ \ I went a little wild at the bookstore this week. Whoops.\ \
- A Song for You and I by K. O'Neill\ \
- The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao\ \
- Nightweaver by R.M. Gray\ \
- Oathbound by Tracy Deonn\ \
- Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft\ \
- Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid\ \ \ Not being on the internet as much has caused a severe decline in books I've shelved, so nothing to report there.\ \ Other Musings: \ \ Sorry for being a "bad" creator last month. I'm feeling much better and will get back to my old habits. Thanks friends. Appreciate you.](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/SvQlRwA3kD2ZlCmdfs9J/)
15 books
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 30
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your friend really, really needs to read these books …
your friend really, really needs to read these books …
📚 books mentioned: - Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes - Her Body and Other Parties: Stories by Carmen Maria Machado - Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine - Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington - Canon by Paige Lewis - You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado - Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Open Throat by Henry Hoke - Singer Distance by Ethan Chatagnier - Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow - Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - Fury by Shirley Marr
👗💄: - shirt is from Hill House Home - eyeshadow is The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite and In A Trance from Colourpop - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Ocean) from Pacifica Beauty - shimmer is a single (Enchanted) from Adriana Nichole Cosmetics - mascara is Clean Volume from Merit - lip combo is Suede Matte Lip Liner (Moonwalk) from NYX Cosmetics and Wonder Blading Top Gloss (Holographic) from Wonderskin
thank you to Bindery Books, Sourcebooks Landmark, Simon Teen, Viking Books, William Morrow, Tordotcom, and Tin House for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @bindery_books @graywolfpress @sourcebooks @bookmarked @simonteen @vikingbooks @williammorrowbooks @entangledteen @tordotcompub @mcdbooks @tin_house @fiercereads @groveatlantic @fsgbooks @orbitbooks_us @hillhouse @glamlite @adriananicholecosmetics @merit @wonderskin @colourpopcosmetics @nyxcosmetics
15 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 21
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makeup and books tag! | GRWM and chat about reading
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The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Apr 14
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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/item/oBti5QfdmxXjDD9odCha/)
In which I discuss the books I've read recently..
♡ 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
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Fairly Queer Books\ \ Fareeha\ \ • Apr 13
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I made a thing!
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Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Mar 22
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Weirdo Book Club 2026 Selections
A little look at the books we've selected to read together this year!
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Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Mar 14
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\ \ To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose \ \ I waited two years for the second book in the Nampeshiweisit series and To Ride a Rising Storm did not disappoint!\ \ Anequs, Theod, and their dragons are reconnecting with their communities on Masquapaug during their summer break after a taxing first year at Kuiper’s Academy. Their hopes for some relaxing time with family & space to define their relationship are dashed when the Anglish begin encroaching more and more on the island.\ \ I love that we got a chance to get to know Anequs, her family, and her culture more in this book. Through Theod, we get to unpack European conditioning and think about what love and family could look like outside of those standards. Although I continued to enjoy the ways that Anequs pushes back against the status quo, I like that Liberty keep her grounded by explaining the ways that bucking the system in such a way can cause harm, too.\ \ We also get a bit more of a peak into Liberty’s world, which I’d hoped would be fleshed out more. Although we learn more about her concerns and community, I would like to see a lot more of them integrated into the storyline of the third book. The Black community in New England (IRL) were no strangers to the struggles of the Indigenous tribes around them, so it would be cool to read that in the Nampeshiweisit series, too. Do they have dragon-culture? Are there other creatures they are bonded with? I hope we find out!\ \ Pacing-wise, I think this book picks up a bit sooner than the first one with Anglish political conflict pushing the plot forward. It was really thrilling to see the way it all comes to a point and the plot definitely left me excited to get into book 3.\ \ I think this series is on par with my love of N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy and The Greenbone Saga by Fonda Lee.\ \ Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow \ \ Read the full review here: https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/4uuLHyJmLqIWL060tu5F/\\ \ The People's Library by Veronica G. Henry \ \ This book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions! Veronica G. Henry blends speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery in The People’s Library.\ \ Our main character is a Black woman librarian named Echo London. At the start, she’s the head of a public library in near-future Cleveland until her boss informs her that it will no longer receive funding from the cit but she’s a top contender for the position of curator at the brand-new People’s Library. A place where patrons can check out a virtual historical figure/thinker and learn directly from them. To many, this seems like a pretty cool place to learn, but Echo is skeptical. With no other viable options, that she could see, Echo takes the job and begins to see its appeal. That is, until mysterious woman attacks her on behalf of the anti-tech rebellion. This rouses her suspicions and sends the librarian on a journey of dark discoveries.\ \ As a Black librarian, I vacillated between despair, suspicion, annoyance, and sadness as I read The People’s Library. In Echo’s world, AI is embedded in just about everything, which is a big fear of mine as I know how detrimental that will likely be. While I related a lot with her natural curiosity, I kept thinking that my girl was not being skeptical enough!! I was writing comments to her in my book like she could read it somehow. Despite my feelings, I found that this book was clever and engrossing. I felt like I could not put it down because I needed to know what would happen next! \ \ If you’re interested in discussions of the future of AI, utopias, privacy, surveillance, knowledge preservation, and what it means to be alive, this is a fantastic book to read.\ \ * Note: I chatted with the author about her book on IG Live thanks to Sistah SciFi, so if you want to hear more of our thoughts on it, you can head over to their social media or watch our panel discussion on Saturday, April 25th, 2026.\ \ The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar \ \ The audiobook of The River Has Roots is incredible! The story is entrancing but the music elevates the experience and gave me the feeling of being transported into it. \ \ It’s about two sisters with an unbreakable bond and powerful magic they were gifted by the ancient trees that they care for. This includes a queer main character and a suitor who refuses to take, “no” for an answer.\ \ I love that their magic system is literary and musical. It’s beautifully unique! I hope y’all listen to it when you get the chance.\ \ I Accidentally Hired a Shadow Walker( Accidents Happen #3) by Jessica Cage \ \ I love that each of the books in the Accidents Happen series has a Black woman main character who is a badass at her job and is guaranteed to be pampered by her loved ones.\ \ Jericha Brown owns her own security firm and is dedicated to all of its inner workings. When a lead agent leaves the firm, taking some of her other employees with him just as she's landed her dream contract, she's put in a precarious situation. All Jericha can think of to save her ass is reaching out to the backstabbing ex-bestie who stole her ideas in college for a temporary partnership. Turns out, Miss Klepto up and sold her company to an annoyingly gorgeous man named Raymond Statton. What Jericha doesn't know is that this man is a Shadow Walker.\ \ This is a super entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of spice, hilarious banter, and found family. The book is a bit too long for my liking but it's worth it.\ \ If you haven't already, get your hands on the Accidents Happen series so you can kick your feet and cackle to your heart's content!](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/vxsGypY2I7dYLYL0wL20/)
5 books
Skies Press\ \ Emma\ \ • Mar 10
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WINNERS of our 2025 Best of Books
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Littrilly Reads & Chats Club\ \ Tasj\ \ • Mar 6
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March TBR! 💐
💬 What book are you most excited to read this month ? And also are we feeling the spring vibes yet? ✨☀️
If you wanna join the bookclub to read “Seven Days in June” with us! Go ahead and follow @littrillyreadsandchatsclub Then go to the link in the bio to subscribe for free and gain access to the online bookclub!
#marchtbr #monthlytbr #womenauthors #bookishchallenge #readersofinsta readers, tbr of the month, women’s history month, diverse reading, books by female authors, booksta, bookclub
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here are some of my favorite fantasy & science fiction books that I read in 2025!
here are some of my favorite fantasy & science fiction books that I read in 2025!
honestly, it was very hard to narrow down because I had SO many incredible speculative reads.
📚 books mentioned: - Fate’s Bane by C.L. Clark - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez
👗💄: - dress is from Free People, rented from Nuuly - eyeliners are Vegan Longwear Liners (Lilac and Ocean) from Pacifica Beauty - shimmer is Eyeshadow Single (Sparklepuff) from Half Magic - lip combo is Lip Lingerie Liner Stain (Up To No Good) from NYX Cosmetics and Bisou Jelly (Aissa) from Violette FR - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thanks to Tor and Tordotcom for the gifted copies!
#bestfantasybooks #readingwrapup #bestbooksof2025 #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @tordotcompub @abramsbooks @abramskids @flatiron_books @torbooks @freepeople @nuuly @halfmagicbeauty @nyxcosmetics @violette_fr @pacificabeauty
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top books of 2025 • favorite yearly reads • annual reading wrap up • favorite SFF books • SFF book recs • favorite books of the year • best books of 2025 • best reads of the year • fantasy books • science fiction books • fantasy book recommendations • science fiction book recommendations • diverse books • Tordotcom • Amulet Books • Flatiron Books • Tor Books
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top 10 books of 2025 | my favorite reads from the year
it’s time …. let me tell you all about my favorite books from 2025!
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Wanderland Reads\ \ Sayer\ \ • Jan 4
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💭 what were your favorite reads from 2025?
💭 what were your favorite reads from 2025?
TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2025!! the first of my wrap up posts has ARRIVED! be on the lookout for a long form video where I go into each of these reads in depth, plus some favorites broken out into genres.
📚 books mentioned: - You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko - One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - Model Home by Rivers Solomon - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - The Children by Melissa Albert
👗💄: - dress is from Aqua (thrifted) - eyeshadow is: In A Trance Palette from Colourpop, The Lord of the Rings Middle-Earth Palette from Glamlite, and You Make Me Happy Palette from KimChi Chic Beauty - eyeliner is Epiphany Glow Melt-On Eyeliner (Sea Sparkle) from Kaleidos - shimimers are duochrome singles from Ourbella - lip combo is Lip Lingerie Liner Stain (Send Nudes) from NYX Cosmetics and Jelly Job High Shine Gloss (Honey, It’s Jelly) from NYX Cosmetics - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thanks to Saga Press, Tordotcom, Tor Books, Amulet Books, Knopf, Flatiron, MCD, Get Underlined, and William Morrow for the gifted copies!
#favoritebooks #readingwrapup #bestbooksof2025 #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @sagapressbooks @tordotcompub @torbooks @abramsbooks @abramskids @aaknopf @flatiron_books @mcdbooks @getunderlined @williammorrowbooks @colourpopcosmetics @glamlite @kimchichicbeauty @kaleidosmakeup @ourbella.us @nyxcosmetics
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top 10 books of 2025 • favorite yearly reads • annual reading wrap up • favorite books of the year • best books of 2025 • best reads of the year • fantasy books • science fiction books • horror books • nonfiction books • diverse books
10 books
Wanderland Reads\ \ Sayer\ \ • Jan 1
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What to expect (I hope) in 2026
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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
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Basement Books\ \ Kaitlyn\ \ • Dec 9 2025
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Short books to read before the end of the year
If you want to finish your reading goal this year (although in my mind, if you read a single book this year, you already won), pick up some of these incredible short reads! #bookrecommendations #shortbooks #nonfiction #poetry
17 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 8 2025
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💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
drum roll please … welcome to the THIRD annual StarrySteph Book Awards! no questions at this time!
📚 books mentioned: - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Fate’s Bane by C.L. Clark - Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto - Magic in the Melanin by C.M. Lockhart - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Love Be Damned by Briana Garrett - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta
👗💄: - dress is from Free People, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is In Trance palette from Colourpop - lip combo is Lingerie Lip Liner Stain (Send Nudes) and Jelly Job Gloss (Honey, It’s Jelly) from NYX Cosmetics - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Saga Press, Tordotcom, William Morrow, Flatiron, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Harper Voyager, Ingram, Get Underlined, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
#goodreadschoiceawards #starrystephbookawards #bestbooksof2025 #bestbooksoftheyear #2025books #fantasybooks #scifibooks #horrorbooks #bookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #TorPartner #WilliamMorrowPartner #atriapartner #FlatironPartner #HarperVoyagerPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #ingram @sagapressbooks @tordotcompub @williammorrowbooks @flatiron_books @haymarketbooks @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @harpervoyagerus @writtennmelanin @ingramsparkbooks @getunderlined @disneybooks @freepeople @nuuly @colourpopcosmetics @nyxcosmetics
12 books
1
Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Dec 4 2025
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Sleep Token Book Recs | Weirdo Vlogmas Day 4
Let's explore the Even in Arcadia & chat about books that gave me the same vibes.
14 books
8
chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Nov 29 2025
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Buried under the weight of my TBR but I couldn’t be happier #booktok #bookhaul #indiebookstore #romancebooktok #fantasybooktok
22 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 21 2025
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it’s Wicked: For Good day!!! watch out world, I’m about to be super annoying!
here’s a little treat for the theatre kids.
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi - Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
👗💄: - dress is from For Love & Lemons, rented from Nuuly - eyeliner is from Kaleidos - eyeshadow is the Wicked: For Good Ozian Forest Palette from r.e.m. beauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Tordotcom, Avon, and Berkley for the gifted copies!
#bookrecsfrommusicals #ifyoulikethismusicalreadthisbook #wicked #wickedforgood #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #romancebooks #scifibooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #TorPartner #AvonPartner #BerkleyPartner @wickedmovie @wicked_musical @tordotcompub @avonbooks @harpercollins @berkleypub @fsgbooks @abramsbooks @forloveandlemons @nuuly @kaleidosmakeup @r.e.m.beauty
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 11 2025
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11/11 is 👹STEPH DAY 👹!!
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta - Model Home by Rivers Solomon - Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa
👗💄: - dress is from Chelsea Reece - eyeshadow is Mírame Eyeshadow Palette from Aora - duochrome eyeshadow is from Ourbella - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Tordotcom, MIRA Books/HTP Hive, Get Underlined, Flatiron, Tor Books, Saga Press, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #bookrecs #birthdaybooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #FlatironPartner #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #TorPartner #FlatironPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #HTPHivePartner @tordotcompub @readmirabooks @htp_hive @getunderlined @flatiron_books @torbooks @sagapressbooks @abramsbooks @aaknopf @disneybooks @mcdbooks @groveatlantic @bychelseareece @aoramakeup @ourbella_cosmetics
14 books
5
Reads with Rachel\ \ Rachel\ \ • Oct 29 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://readswithrachel.binderybooks.com/item/2R2gwwTUZFtKrSFnNutc/)
ARE ANY FAE FANTASY BOOKS GOOD?
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3 books
5
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 29 2025
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scents and memories go hand in hand, so let’s create some immersive & memorable reading experiences together!!
📚 books mentioned: - Fate’s Bane by C.L. Clark (Sacred Santal from Cyklar) - The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (Only Human from NOYZ) - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez (Vanilla Blackberry from PHLUR) - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Blond Musk from Ellis Brooklyn) - The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée (Kama Noir from Embarouge / Bellavita)
👗💄: - eyeshadow is Sparklestiks and single shadows from Half Magic - sweater was from a vintage street fair in Italy so I can’t help ya there! - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Tor Books and Tordotcom for the gifted books!
#booksandscents #fantasybooks #perfumereviews #fragrancerecs #romancebooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #TorPartner #torbooks #cyklar #noyz #phlur #ellisbrooklyn #bellavita @torbooks @tordotcompub @delreybooks @cyklarofficial @noyz_official @phlur @ellisbrooklyn @bellavita.official @halfmagicbeauty
5 books
4
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 30 2025
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fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
fantasy books that i NEED YOU TO READ!!! hurry up.
📚 books mentioned: - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin - The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova - Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
👗💄: - eyeshadow is multiple @halfmagicbeauty sparklestiks - glitter is from @lemonhead.la - jumpsuit is from @shopcider - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Vintage/Anchor, Tordotcom, William Morrow, and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #fantasyfall #fantasybookrecs #fantasyrecommendations #bestfantasybooks #WilliamMorrow #TorPartner #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays#starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @delreybooks @peachtreeteen @abramskids @abramsbooks @orbitbooks_us @atriabooks @quilltreebooks @harpercollins @ireadvintage @tordotcompub @williammorrowbooks @sagapressbooks
11 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 2 2025
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be quiet and listen!! kyle is reviewing his first book since the reading road to rings
be quiet and listen!! kyle is reviewing his first book since the reading road to rings and he really loved it (phew)!
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
we’ve all got to be nice and encouraging so that he keeps reading & chatting about books. 🥹 please?
i tried to look vaguely threatening in the background, but i fear my excitement about kyle loving this book leaked in lmao.
thank you to Tordotcom for the gifted copy!
#fantasybooks #fantasybook #fantasybookreview #fantasybookrec #theriverhasroots #amalelmohtar #torbooks #torpublishing #tordotcom #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @torbooks @tordotcompub @kylewatkinsphotography
1 book
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 2 2025
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fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
but i know people will still ask if there’s spice every darn time. 😭
📚 books mentioned: - To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings - May a Divine Awaken by Michael Tinsley - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson - When Among Crows by Veronica Roth - Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger - The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #favoritefantasybooks #noromancebooks #nospicebooks #isitspicy #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram
14 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 26 2025
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it’s a midyear best list!! here are my favorite books that i’ve read in 2025 so far.
it’s a midyear best list!! here are my favorite books that i’ve read in 2025 so far.
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
thank you to Tordotcom, Get Underlined, and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
#favoritebooks #bestbooks #midyearreading #bestbooksof2025 #favoritebooksof2025 #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram #sagasays #sagapressbooks #sagasayscrew #getunderlinedpartner @tordotcompub @delreybooks @getunderlined @sagapressbooks @abramsbooks @hotkeybooks @abramskids @piquebeyond
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 12 2025
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here’s a mid-year reading tag for you
here’s a mid-year reading tag for you: personal growth edition!
you can use the sound or share your own answers to these prompts in the comments. :)
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata - Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs - Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Model Home by Rivers Solomon - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi
thank you to Tordotcom, Grove Press, Flatiron Books, Little, Brown Books, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Saga Press, and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!!
#readingtag #readingcheckin #readingchallenge #midyearreadingtag #midyearreadingcheckin #fantasybooks #scifibooks #horrorbooks #nonfictionbooks #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #atriapartner #grovereader #FlatironPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @tordotcompub @groveatlantic @flatiron_books @littlebrownyoungreaders @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @mcdbooks @sagapressbooks @getunderlined
8 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 5 2025
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what book recs do YOU have for persephone? 🐇
what book recs do YOU have for persephone? 🐇 (also, do I need to do this for artemis next???)
📚 books mentioned: - Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier - Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
thank you to Little, Brown Books and Tordotcom for the free copies!
#fantasybooks #fantasybookreviews #fantasybookrecs #bestfantasybooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @clarionbooks @theshelfstuff @harpercollins @littlebrownyoungreaders @tordotcompub @tordotcom
3 books
Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Jun 27 2025
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Pride Month ain’t over yet! I’ve got 9 Queer BIPOC Books for y’all to enjoy.
Pride Month ain’t over yet! I’ve got 9 Queer BIPOC Books for y’all to enjoy.
These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa (Queer YA Fantasy) In a world bound by violence, a teen descended from the god of Death must keep their true identity a secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition towards victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family.
The Broposal by Sonora Reyes (Gay NA Romance) A queer romance about lifelong best friends entering a marriage of convenience to avoid the looming shadow of deportation. I really enjoyed this book! It’s got depth, sweetness, drama, & spice.
Heat and Run by Adriana Herrera (Sapphic Romance Novella) Heat and Run is a steamy sapphic omegaverse novella where insatiable lust meets the magic of the holiday season. Omega Melina thought she’d spend the chaos of her 1st heat cycle on an Tribarian island retreat, until she crashes, literally, into the mountain lodge of an irresistible alpha the broody & mysterious Dhanyaris.
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Queer Romantasy Novella) Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.
Loving Safoa by Liza Wemakor (Sapphic Paranormal Romance) When schoolteacher Cynthia gets a tattoo at a block party in 1991 Flatbush, she doesn’t realize she’s embarking on a life-changing romance w/ an immortal Ghanaian vampire. This tale spans time & defies the utopian/dystopian binary.
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron (Sapphic Historical Fiction) In the tumultuous town of Yáquimo, Jacquotte Delahaye is a shipwright, but her ambitions are bound by the confines of her self-seeking father. When her way of life is threatened, she is forced to flee her home & become a pirate w/ a motley crew of refugees, including the mysterious Teresa.
Continued in the comments! #PrideMonth #LGBTQBooks #QueerBooks #BIPOC #Bookstagram #BookRecommendations
[ID: Text - 9 Queer BIPOC Books. 9 books in rows of 3 lay over an ombre rainbow background. Each slide displays one of these books, the genre, and a short description listed in the caption.]
9 books
1
Skies Press\ \ Emma\ \ • Jun 25 2025
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BOOK CLUB RESULTS: The River Has Roots by Amal el-Mohtar (May 2025)
1 book
6