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A Complement of Scoundrels

S.V. Lockwood

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There are many ways to bring down the man who betrayed you—and Myria Cadessa has thought of them all.

Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers.

But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the law on her heels, and a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted, but she failed her crew once. This time, she’ll make it right—at any cost.

A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.

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Posts about this title from vellichor ventures

vellichor ventures\ \ Shawn Berry\ \ • May 10

[Sometimes as a book reviewer, your eyes get a little bigger than your metaphorical book-digesting stomach, and you sign yourself up for an unwieldy amount of ARCs. Sometimes that person is me. I have signed up to read too many books. ALAS! I will prevail, but it does mean that my reading schedule for the next six months or so is fairly set. \ \ Some of those books I need to get to are published by the lovely people who run this website, and I am very excited for those, but it also means that there are many a book on my physical shelf that need to be on the back burner for a while. I will try to sprinkle them in between these review copies, but I imagine the big-boy fantasy books on my list are going to be late 2026 projects at best. (With that said, my wife and I are trying to figure out how we can go to Dragonsteel Nexus this year, and I would like to finish up The Stormlight Archive before/if we go). \ \ Anyway, here are some books I would love to get to sometime soon, and some that I will definitely get to before the end of the year. \ \

Books I will get to after I tackle this car crash of ARCs...

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Posts about this book from across Bindery

Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jun 12

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[Sickos! Yesterday, digital copies of A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood were delivered to Sicko+ subscribers and physical copies began shipping to Mega Sicko/Sicko Society members. If you got that email, you were among the members who joined before the 3/10/26 cutoff to receive those early copies. HUZZAH!\ \ I found this gem in a pile of manuscripts last year and since then the whole team has been working on it daily, so this is a huge moment for everyone involved. And as I've said many times and will continue to say, this book and the Kist Reads publishing imprint only exists because this community exists and I'm forever grateful to every single one of you.\ \ We're so happy to get this to you 3 months before its official release in September, which also means you have a very important role to play regarding its success!\ \ Why We Chose It...\ \ A Complement of Scoundrels is a high-stakes, female-led fantasy heist packed with elaborate schemes, betrayals, and sharp banter between its plucky crew. At its center is Myria Cadessa, a cunning thief determined to reclaim what was stolen from her. The world crackles with magic, flavored with touches of steampunk and Ancient Roman influence. The writing is remarkably polished, there's a constant sense of momentum and tension, and the whole thing is just so damn clever. Here's the back cover blurb for more on it:\ \

There are many ways to bring down the man who betrayed you—and Myria Cadessa has thought of them all.\ \ Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers.\ \ But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the law on her heels, and a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted, but she failed her crew once. This time, she’ll make it right—at any cost.\ \ A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.\ \ As we prepared the book for publication, we also reached out to established fantasy authors for their thoughts.\ \ John Gwynne said:\ \ “I loved this. Starting with a heist and morphing into a revenge story; it's a terrific debut. Well-drawn, sympathetic characters lead the way, with an ensemble of rogues and a gallery of side characters, a beautifully constructed world and a villain to loathe. This is a book I would highly recommend. A lot of fun with an emotional punch.”\ \ Nicholas Eames added:\ \ "A stunningly imaginative debut. Lockwood’s prose is smart, sharp, and relentlessly charming. The city of Carintheum, from its vibrant streets to the seedy warrens of the grayside, is as colourful and compelling as the characters who inhabit it. I was hooked from the very first page, and I seriously doubt I’ll read a better book this year."\ \ Those reactions from respected/beloved authors confirmed what I already knew; we have a certified banger on our hands. And now it's in your hands! I hope this slaps for you the same way it did for me and that you get caught up in all the impossible situations Myria and the crew keep finding themselves in. Most of all, I hope you have a great time.\ \ A Few Ways You Can Help...\ \ 1. Read it and talk about it!\ \ One of the biggest things you can do is simply share your experience. Post reading updates, share favorite characters, memorable quotes, best schemes, a twist that caught you off guard, or moments that made you laugh. If you post anything on socials feel free to tag me, S.V. Lockwood, and Bindery so we can celebrate alongside you.\ \ 2. Add it to your Goodreads / StoryGraph shelves\ \ This is an underrated signal that readers are interested in a book before release. They help recommendation algorithms surface the book to new readers, give retailers and booksellers another data point that people are paying attention, and provide publishers (us) with an early indication of audience interest (I get a report on these numbers every month, they're important!). In short, it only takes a few seconds but it's one of the easiest ways to support a forthcoming release.\ \ 3. Leave an honest review\ \ Once you've finished the book, consider leaving a rating or review on Goodreads, StoryGraph, Amazon or wherever you track your reading. And I mean it when I say "honest". I know not every book is for everyone and the goal here is to help readers decide whether this is a book they'll love. Thoughtful reviews help books find the right audience and they're one of the most valuable things you can do for an author.\ \ 4. Join the conversation\ \ I've set up a buddy read forum in our Discord where we can share reactions, first impressions, theories, updates, etc.. I'd love to chat about this one with you and witness how you experience it for the first time.\ \ 5. Recommend it to a friend\ \ If you're reading the book and think of someone who would love it, tell them about it! Word of mouth remains one of the most powerful forces in publishing and every recommendation helps the book reach readers who might otherwise never discover it.\ \ What's Next?\ \ We're continuing to build momentum toward publication day and there are even more exciting developments happening behind the scenes, including the development of the audiobook (we sold the audiobook rights to Tantor Media, one of the leading audiobook publishers in fantasy and science fiction!). We've nailed down the perfect narrator for it in Gabrielle Baker, and I can't f'n wait to hear the final product.\ \ Thank you again for helping make all this possible and I can't wait to hear what you think.](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/IMWVoq2vkWDX3I5K9r35/)

You Have the Book, Now Let's Launch It to the Moon!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jun 7

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[Sickos! I'll be filming a Q&A on YouTube this week and y'all are, hopefully, going to be the ones providing me with questions, which I will then, in turn, answer (I think that's how Q&A's go). So. Yeah. Hit me with any questions you have in the comments here, I'll pull the best ones (or ones I can answer best), and include them in the video. It can be about anything (within reason, obv). Fire away!\ \ MONTHLY WRAP YAP...\ \ Also for those that aren't in the Discord, we're having our Monthly Wrap live video/voice call tonight around 8pm EST. These usually go for an hour or more and we'd love to have you hang out! Be subscribed at the Sicko tier or above to unlock that Discord channel.\ \ OTHER STUFF...\ \

Submit your questions for a YouTube Q&A + Monthly Wrap Call & Other Stuff

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 31

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[Sickos! The June votes have finished and we are ready to rock on our June picks for the Fiction & History Sickos Book Clubs.\ \ After two rounds of voting and twelve books to choose from, the Fiction Sickos will be reading:\ \ The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez\ \ This is an ambitious and unique standalone, adult fantasy story that ranks among my all-time favorites regardless of genre. This is very much an all-or-nothing type book, but I've found that the people who are able to find their footing early on typically consider it top tier stuff. The reason it can be difficult to get into at first comes down to the 2nd person POV and the storytelling device it uses to make it a story within a story. It's f'n brilliant but it does take getting used to. My advice: don't do this as audio only, at least at first. The best way is to immersion read it (physical + audio) or go straight eyeball reading.\ \

The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace.\ \ But that god cannot be contained forever.\ \ With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.\ \ \ \ This will be a re-read for me but I haven't read it in a few years so I'm pretty jazzed up to give it another go and discuss it with y'all!\ \ The History Sickos will be reading:\ \ And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts\ \ This barely edged out Carthage Must Be Destroyed (which I'll probably be re-reading later in the month anyway), and was a suggestion from our comrade Whimsical Judge Theo. I know nothing about it other than the subtitle so here's what's labeled on the tin:\ \ An international bestseller, a nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and made into a critically acclaimed movie, Shilts' expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked during the early 80's while the most trusted institutions ignored or denied the threat. One of the few true modern classics, it changed and framed how AIDS was discussed in the following years.\ \ As always, the discussion forums for these are in our Discord and to unlock those channels you'll need to be at the Sicko plus tiers.\ \ OTHER STUFF...\ \

June Fiction/History Sickos Book Club Picks! + Other Stuff

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 23

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Sickos we got a few quickies to cover in this one and lots of pictures that have the words I am lacking as I write this (my morning White Monster is still kicking in).\ \ DA SALE\ \ First, you're not gonna get a better deal than the $3.99 Kindle sale on A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood.\ \ \ \ That's unless of course you signed up for the Sicko tier in time and are going to get the free, early digital copy, or if you did the same thing but as a Mega Sicko and will have a physical copy in your hands soon. Barring that, if you still haven't pre-ordered it and you read books with your eyeballs on a Kindle screen, wtf are you waiting for?! All the Fall 2026 Bindery titles are on this sale so go nutso.\ \ ISA BUNDLE\ \ We're also doing a bundle campaign thingy for A Complement of Scoundrels to reward the folk that have pre-ordered it. Again, me write bad, pictures good:\ \ \ \ Here's the form you can submit that pre-order/TBR adding proof to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVh-GIdB26YXOY-jzxGXJR1dh7GEzTJFRKNx4A5feUlQxZZg/viewform\ \ BOOK CLUB FOR JUNE STUFF\ \ The lovable crazies in our the Discord put me under a queer siege and the only way they'd lift it is if I had one of the clubs be super gay for Pride Month. I've got 12 books to vote on for the Fiction Sickos based on all their amazing recommendations. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to do that but it's probably going to be a multi-phased vote.\ \ The History Sickos will be voting between the following:\ \ Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization by Richard Miles\ \ America, América: A New History of the New World by Greg Grandin\ \ And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts\ \ A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa\ \ Those votes will be up later today, and to be in all that join the Discord and be a Sicko plus subscriber.\ \ DICTATOR MODE\ \ As per usual, when I concede something to the proletariat it usually means I'm atoning for or scheming up a dictatorial power play. In this case it's picking the History Sickos book for July ahead of time, which is going to be Not Built in a Day: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire by Emma Southon. So, go ahead and pre-order that, or, get it if you're in the UK because it's out already as "Servus".

Book Club Updates + Scoundrels Kindle Sale & Pre-Order Bundle Campaign

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 18

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Sickos! I'm back from BookNet Fest in Orlando and ready to give y'all the goods with this Monday Reading Update. Let me know what you've been reading and plan on reading this week in the comments and let's boogie!\ \ READING\ \ REVIEW\ \ LONDON FALLING: A MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN A GILDED CITY & A FAMILY'S SEARCH FOR TRUTH by PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE (narrative historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ My opinion from last week still applies here as the second half didn't alter my view of it much. I still prefer the stakes/subject matter of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing, I still found the mystery bit to be a bit gimmicky but engaging (big true crime fans may feel differently), and it was still a solid, superbly researched and woven together read that I quite enjoyed. I did love the quote "three bullshit artists, selling air" and felt that could've been part of a great subtitle.\ \ The History Sickos loved this once based on the reviews I see in the Discord, and while I'm a touch lower than their consensus at 4.0 stars, PRK remains an auto-buy author.\ \ WE DO NOT PART by HAN KANG (historical fiction)\ \ Progress: 237/256\ \ I went back and re-read the first two chapters of this one as I was surprised by how lyrical Kang went with the prose here. Maybe that's because I haven't read The White Book, which is supposed to be her most poetic. I'd wager We Do Not Part sits between The White Book and Human Acts re: lyrical prose and emotional, historical devastation, but instead of feeling like a mash-up, it's still very much doing its own thing. This really started to click for me in the second half and I feel much more connected to it all so I'm glad I stuck with it. So close to the end so you'll hear more about my experience with this next update!\ \ CARTHAGE'S OTHER WARS: CARTHAGINIAN WARFARE OUTSIDE THE 'PUNIC WARS' AGAINST ROME by DEXTER HOYOS (academic historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: 115/192\ \ Didn't make much progress on this but I am enjoying intentionally slowing things down for this academic style of book. It will likely be my priority while I'm lounging on the coach again now that I'm home from Orlando. While out of town though my go to earball listen was the Fall of Civilizations episode on Carthage. I'm getting re-obsessed with this topic and may make a YouTube video out of all the stuff floating around my brain ball about it.\ \ PREVIEW\ \ Haven't budged much on the next reads since last week, so Parable of the Talents will definitely be up next, The Roman Empire in Crisis will be the next academic historical nonfiction, and I'm feeling the urge to re-read the excellent Carthage Must Be Destroyed but I may throw that in the next History Sickos vote to see if y'all wanna do that with me.\ \ PUBLISHING IMPRINT NEWS\ \ Any minute now I'm hoping that an email hits that gives me the final green light on our second acquisition. I'll have some cool stuff for A Complement of Scoundrels posted here and on social media on Thursday, but also we are currently doing bundle giveaways for ACoS, those details are here.\ \ EVERYTHING ELSE\ \ Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for The Devils by Joe Abercrombie!\ \ Beaking Bad is still my go to re-watch right now because old dog new tricks and all, we're up to S4E6. I've also been catching up on Daredevil with the eldest. Last night we watched a couple episodes that we're pretty damn good plus the Punisher special which was insanely bonkers.\ \ As I mentioned, I was in Orlando this past Friday/Saturday for BookNet Fest, which was an absolutely blast. I felt I did well on my three panels, game night was a hoot, and the send-off party was all good vibes. Can't wait to go back next year.\ \ While I was in Orlando I snuck off for a quick climbing session and lemme tell ya, I feel good about the grading at my home gym because this one felt much more commercial and soft. I was flashing V4's no problem followed by fighting for my life on V4's this morning at my local (sent 'em tho!).\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Weekly Review/Preview - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 11

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Sickos! Monday's are for updates so let me know what book cheeks you're spreading this week (or what you finished last week) in the comments and let's get to what I've been up to..\ \ READING\ \ REVIEW\ \ PARABLE OF THE SOWER - [Parable #1] by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER (dystopian speculative fiction)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ I picked up Parable of the Talents last week while finishing this, so that should tell you how much I loved our Fiction Sickos pick for this month. This is a grimdark, dystopian fan's dream, and the Discord forum was full of people commenting on how it just continues to get more dark and bleak. It's unrelenting; at no point does anything feel safe. I gotta write up my full review (I may do it w/Talents included) but yeah, this was exactly what I'd hoped it would be and I'm jazzed for Talents (which I heard is, somehow, darker).\ \ LONDON FALLING: A MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN A GILDED CITY & A FAMILY'S SEARCH FOR TRUTH by PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE (narrative historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: 168/331\ \ PRK just has a knack for weaving together multiple angles of a story and making it all work and flow. While I think I prefer stakes and subject matter of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing at this point (I'm not sure I care yet why a narcissistic, pathological liar ate it in the Thames), it's still fun watching PRK lay out this web of deception and everything around it. I do feel like PRK is leaning into the mystery bit of it with the way he's slow dripping info that could've been revealed earlier. Either way it's still a very solid read at this point and the final half may change my mind on the stated issues.\ \ CARTHAGE'S OTHER WARS: CARTHAGINIAN WARFARE OUTSIDE THE 'PUNIC WARS' AGAINST ROME by DEXTER HOYOS (academic historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: 93/192\ \ The Punic Wars are an obsession of mine but how Carthage became a superpower in the Western Mediterranean leading up to that often gets breezed through. Just finished their near 40 years of jockeying and warfare in Sicily with the tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse (what a scamp). Despite several dramatic swings, it amounted to not much changing in re: territory. Ultimately though Carthage achieved its main goal of maintaining the east/west divide in Sicily, preventing Dionysius from dominating it. The next section covers their conflict with the fratricidal, tyrant-slayer Timoleon of Corinth who, IIRC, hail mary ass pounds all of Sicily.\ \ I shared a snippet with in the history/nonfic Discord channel yesterday as I thought this Nicomo Cosca-coded moment was humorous:\ \ \ \ WE DO NOT PART by HAN KANG (historical fiction)\ \ Progress: 43/256\ \ Super early doors but I'm not surprised to already feel like I'm in a fever dream with a Kang book (see: The Vegetarian). This ties into the Jeju Massacre where the South Korean government, along with support from the U.S. military, violently suppressed an uprising. So I expect it to also feel somewhat like Human Acts (which was about the later Gwangju Uprising) too as we get further in while still having this eerie, poetic quality to it.\ \ PREVIEW\ \ I haven't given much thought to what's next other than Butler's Talents but I have sampled some of The Roman Empire in Crisis and may make that my next nonfiction read. I'm curious how Mike Duncan will be able to mold this same period into something for a general audience because there's so many challenges around writing a complete narrative around it. I trust 'em though.\ \ PUBLISHING IMPRINT NEWS\ \ Getting close to knowing more about a second potential book acquisition, should know how it's trending sometime this week.\ \ UPDATE: As soon as I published this, I checked my email, and OUR SECOND BOOK IS A GO! Final terms are agreed upon but the contract is still being finalized so I have to keep all the details confidential, but still, HUZZAH! Can't wait to share everything about this one with y'all!\ \ Also, have you pre-ordered A Complement of Scoundrels yet?! And if you missed it, yes, the audiobook is in development!\ \ EVERYTHING ELSE\ \ I put on Breaking Bad in the background as I started reading the Carthage book and now I'm already at S3E3. So, I guess we're doing a second re-watch. It's one of those shows, like Mad Men or Game of Thrones, that I can randomly put on and gobble through it. Game of Thrones is kind of on hold as I usually watch it at night (don't need the wee emperor seeing all the floppy dong and breasts flapping about every 5 minutes) and despite my Flyers predictably getting bounced by the Hurricanes, I'm still all in on hockey playoffs.\ \ Hope all the moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day! Me and the boys got a Switch 2 for my wife so she's now hooked on that, and I may sneak in some game time on it this week.\ \ Got my ass kicked two sessions in a row at the climbing gym but my finger tendons are recovered and I'll hopefully be back to projecting more V4/V5 later this week.\ \ FINAL REMINDER that I'll be at BookNet Fest in Orlando, May 15-16! Get your tickets and swing through!\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Weekly Review/Preview - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!

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vellichor ventures\ \ Shawn Berry\ \ • May 10

Books I will get to after I tackle this car crash of ARCs...

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • May 4

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Hey hey Sickos, it's Monday update time! Let me know what you plan on reading this week (or what you just finished) in the comments and let's boogie.\ \ READING\ \ REVIEW\ \ WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS by NELSON A. DENIS (narrative historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ Ripped through this entire puppy over the weekend and it was damn good! It's about a 1950 event where a nationalist uprising was brutally suppressed, marking the first time the US bombed its own citizens. Especially chilling was the details of what prisoners went through at La Princesa, including all manner of torture, squalid conditions, and possibly even human radiation experiments (on top of other confirmed, nefarious experiments). It also gives a brisk overview of the events leading up to this and an examination of how things like "Operation Bootstrap" only succeeded in transferring wealth and infrastructure to US corporations. Would recommend at 4.5 stars.\ \ WE ARE LEGION (WE ARE BOB) - [Bobiverse #1] - by DENNIS E. TAYLOR (space science fiction)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ Will stick with my previous sentiment that this is perfect for Project Hail Mary fans. The next time I need a lighthearted chaser I'll continue the series. 4 stars, solid!\ \ PARABLE OF THE SOWER - [Parable #1] by OCTAVIA E. BUTLER (dystopian speculative fiction)\ \ Progress: 196/329\ \ I find it so easy to get hooked early in Butler's books. In the Discord Monthly Wrap video call we were discussing how wild it was that in 1993 Butler featured man-made climate change as a major factor in this. Her depiction of 21st century politics is also unsettling in its accuracy. We were talking about potential comparisons and while I was reading it today I think I landed on The Road by Cormac McCarthy, especially with the desolate, dog-eat-dog setting and vibe. The Road is my favorite book of all time and Butler is, so far, doing just as much to capture my attention.\ \ PREVIEW\ \ It's time for me to spread the book cheeks of the History Sickos book club winner for May, London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Pretty sure I'll be picking up We Do Not Part by Han Kang for my next fiction read after having it on deck for a while. I'm also itching to continue on with Berserk, where I'll be onto volume 22 (or volume 8 of the Deluxe edition).\ \ PUBLISHING IMPRINT NEWS\ \ We have a contract/offer out for our second acquisition! There's the usual negotiating to do and they have time to mull it over but I believe it's looking strong. Will update when there is more news there.\ \ I'm pleased to announce that our audiobook deal for A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood is signed, sealed, and delivered. We put the details of that up on Instagram today. Tantor Media is legit as hell and I'm hyped to have them producing the audiobook!\ \ EVERYTHING ELSE\ \ I finished the Hulk Hogan: Real American documentary on Netflix. It's more surface-level nostalgia than anything and it does get into some of the controversies in the later episodes, but it left a good amount of meat on the bone there (which is to be expected as this was co-produced by WWE). Not the best wrestling documentary but I've seen worse.\ \ If you want a cuckoo bonkers documentary, check out Should I Marry a Murderer? on Netflix, where "a fiancée becomes a key witness after staying engaged to a man accused of murder to gather evidence against him..."\ \ I'll probably pick back up the Game of Thrones re-watch with season five and I may start the second season of Your Friends & Neighbors.\ \ I climbed my third V4 last week and I’m projecting a V5 now. I’m starting to feel more stable and technically sound on the wall, but my finger tendons are definitely catching up to the increased difficulty, as those adapt significantly slower than muscles. So I'll be icing the hell out of my fingies this week while hoping it doesn't limit me to light sessions of high volume V3's. On the plus side I stopped skipping leg days and that has translated tremendously to bouldering since so much of it is about utilizing your lower body.\ \ Speaking of climbing, the last episode of The Dark Wizard on HBO drops Tuesday, which is about legendary/controversial climber, base jumper and highline walker Dean Potter. It's been excellent so far!\ \ I've come to peace with the fact that I'll have to be content with the Flyers knocking out the Penguins as the Hurricanes look scary as hell. But I'll still be watching NHL Playoffs every night. At least I know some good Gritty content will come of it.\ \ I don't think I'll have time to play any video games this week. Womp womp.\ \ Yet another reminder that I'll be at BookNet Fest in Orlando, May 15-16!\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Weekly Review/Preview - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Apr 27

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SICKOS, it's Monday, and that means I wanna know what you're reading this week in the comments while I update you on what I got done last week and plan on working on this week!\ \ READING\ \ REVIEW\ \ DAISY JONES & THE SIX by TAYLOR JENKINS REID (oral history fiction)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ After very much enjoying Atmosphere, this makes TJR 2-for-2. I dug the interview style that bopped around multiple POVs, highlighting how the same interactions and stories can be told so many different ways, and the overall vibe of the music industry and the personal struggles that come with it. Only took a small tick off the rating for the ending, which mostly boils down to my personal preference, but ultimately this falls in the 4.5-plus star range and I've already got The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising on the way via Pango.\ \ WE ARE LEGION (WE ARE BOB) - [Bobiverse #1] - by DENNIS E. TAYLOR (space science fiction)\ \ Progress: 208/302\ \ I took this on as a lighter read and while it has a reputation for being humorous, that's more so in the way that Project Hail Mary has elements of lightheartedness, which I prefer because it's not desperately trying to land joke after joke. I started this on audiobook (also, like PHM, narrated by Ray Porter) on the way to a book festival and independent bookstore hopping on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to get into despite some early hard science. It's not totally mind blowing or emotional yet but it's still a damn good time so far.\ \ PREVIEW\ \ I got zero nonfiction done last week but I do still plan on taking down War Against All Puerto Ricans this week before transitioning to the History Sickos book club winner for May, London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Speaking of book clubs, the Fiction Sickos book club will be reading Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler which I'll probably get to after my current read.\ \ PUBLISHING IMPRINT NEWS\ \ Still working on acquiring our second title for Kist Reads and we should have an official audiobook announcement for A Complement of Scoundrels by SV Lockwood up this week.\ \ EVERYTHING ELSE\ \ Getting reacclimated to climbing and hockey playoffs took up the majority of my free time last week, so I didn't make much progress into an series.\ \ I did start the adaptation for Daisy Jones & the Six to see how it stacked up against the book. Early doors but the book felt much more confident in the quiet moments and leaving things left unsaid whereas the show is amping up the drama a touch in every scenario. That's more of an observation than a criticism as that's probably a better fit for the medium and I'm still invested enough to throw that in the rotation.\ \ I'm pumped for the recently announced Assassins Creed: Black Flag Resynced, which will release on July 9th of this year so that may put a nail in my Valhalla playthrough.\ \ Another reminder that I'll be at BookNet Fest in Orlando, May 15-16 as a panelist and hotel bar fly. Get your tickets and swing through!

Weekly Review/Preview - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Mar 30

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SICKOS! What book cheeks you’re spreading this week? I've got a stack of books and a buncha media that I plan on working through, plus a look back at what I got done last week.\ \ READING\ \ REVIEW\ \ A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS by GEORGE RR MARTIN (fantasy)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ Our March Fiction Sickos Book Club pick did not disappoint! This is a rare case where I enjoyed watching the show first as it helped my brain movies for the first short story that S1 was based on. I also think the show made solid choices with what it altered or expanded upon (looking at you, Lyonel Baratheon, you minx). Will probably fall somewhere around 3.75-4 stars with the first short story being the strongest.\ \ HOW TO HOLD SOMEONE IN YOUR HEART by MIZUKU TSUJIMURA (contemporary fantasy/magical realism)\ \ #2 in “The Lost Souls Series”\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ A bit underwhelming after Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon and I'll stick to the opinion that it might not have been necessary. Still had some high points but there were a couple chapters that either didn't live up to the potential of their premise or were somewhat uninteresting.\ \ THE EYES OF GAZA: A DIARY OF RESILIENCE by PLESTIA ALAQAD (nonfiction memoir)\ \ Progress: Finished\ \ Phew! I'll talk more about this one soon because it's a harrowing read. The “Diary” in the subtitle isn't a metaphor or a stylistic label, it’s literal. It's a quick but powerful book taking real entries that's devoid of any flowery language and full of thought-provoking, raw sentiments.\ \ GAMES WITHOUT RULES: THE OFTEN INTERRUPTED HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN by TAMIM ANSARY (narrative historical nonfiction)\ \ Progress: 101/350\ \ Didn't make much of a dent in this but am now transitioning into the 20th century after Abdu'Rahman "set the parameters of a struggle in Afghanistan" between forward and backward-looking elements, which had "profound consequences not just for Afghanistan itself but for attempts by foreign powers to intervene in the affairs of the country over the next century".\ \ PREVIEW\ \ THE RED WINTER by CAMERON SULLIVAN (historical fantasy)\ \ Next up on the fiction side is the Fiction Sickos April selection. I've already detailed what it's about so let's keep it movin'.\ \ For nonfiction, I'm not entirely sure as I need to finish Games Without Rules by I may rock something like We Are Not Numbers or One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This if there's time.\ \ WATCHING\ \ REVIEW\ \ SUCCESSION - HBO MAX\ \ Progress: S4E3\ \ Watching these goblin ah money junkies consistently step on their own junk has been a delight, I'm churning through it, and the episode I left off on was a biggie and so well done. Will finish the re-watch this week fo' sho.\ \ FRIEREN - CRUNCHYROLL\ \ Progress: S1E12\ \ Slowly working through this and only watched two more episodes but I'm still just as invested.\ \ PEAKY BLINDERS - NETFLIX\ \ Progress: S2E5\ \ Another one I had to sideline a bit because Succession and other stuff but will continue working through it when the mood strikes. And no, I will not be getting a flat cap.\ \ GAME OF THRONES - HBO\ \ Progress: S1E9\ \ A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms got me back in a Westeros mood, and today I'll be setting up the Red Wedding After Party forum in the Discord for those of us that are going to be re-watching and/or re-reading GOT/ASOIAF.\ \ GAMING\ \ Still working on the free solo difficulty climb on Cairn, and night time gaming has been Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. I just got through the opening missions and have landed in Ledecestrescire. If it hooks me from here, I'll see it through. If not, I'm thinking about trying Cyberpunk 2077 (which was also included in PS Plus).\ \ A COMPLEMENT OF SCOUNDRELS UPDATE\ \ We have final approval on the blurbs from John Gwynne and Nicholas Eames for the front/back covers (huge!). Another reminder that if you’re a Mega Sicko or above, go to your account settings and verify the name to be included in the “Thank You” page. I'll also stress again that pre-orders are massively important at this stage and you'd be really cool if you marked it as "Want to Read" on Goodreads.\ \ OTHER RANDOM STUFF\ \ Still rocking 3x days a week at the climbing gym and am posting some sends from today on IG/TikTok stories. I sent six "V3" problems today which is a personal best and am looking to project a V4 later this week. This is my happy place where I don't think about anything except scaling fake rocks. Oh, and I was successful in convincing my wife I needed new climbing shoes, HUZZAH!\ \ \ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Weekly Review/Preview - What I'm Reading/Watching/Playing/Doing!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Mar 25

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Good afternoon, Sickos! Got a couple things for ya today. First up, the April polls for the Fiction and History Sickos Book Clubs are closed and we have our winners.\ \ FICTION SICKOS\ \ The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan\ \ From my understanding, this is a dark historical fantasy and horror novel that reimagines the Beast of Gévaudan in 18th-century France. The story follows an immortal magician and monster hunter who shares his body with a heart-eating demon.\ \ Just based on the summary, this is the type of book I'd love to publish through Kist Reads so I'm excited about this one.\ \ HISTORY SICKOS\ \ All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer\ \ "...brings to life the 1953 CIA coup in Iran that ousted the country’s elected prime minister and features a brand new preface by the author on the folly of attacking Iran."\ \ I've read this a couple times now and included it because it's quite timely for obvious reasons. It's not a THICC BOI, it's very accessible, and it's a great introduction to why relations between the United States and Iran are the way they are in modern times.\ \ To participate in the book discussions, your membership needs to be at the Sicko or above tier and you'll need to be connected to the Sickos Discord server, which is where the forums live. Once you have Discord you can go to your Account Settings here and sync up. I'll have the forums posted on 4/1!\ \ The Importance of Pre-Orders...\ \ If you want to support the Kist Reads imprint and our amazing debut author S.V. Lockwood so we can continue to publish books in the future, one of the most important thing you can do is pre-order. Buying A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood before it comes out sends a major signal to bookstores that they should stock it on their shelves. It comes down to basic supply and demand, and the pre-order numbers provide book chains with an idea of what the demand will be like. This doesn't just apply to our book, but all books, so keep that in mind when it comes to authors you love in the future!\ \ Until tomorrow (3/26), Barnes & Noble is running a 25% discount for pre-orders with code: PREORDER25(available to their Premium & Rewards Members*). So if you haven't locked in your copy of A Complement of Scoundrels yet, this is the perfect opportunity to save a little dough and support the imprint and our author. Either way, your subscription fees helped get this thing off the ground to begin with so I appreciate you! And for those asking, yes, I should be able to share news about the audiobook format of this soon!\ \ Join for free or login

April Book Club Winners + Pre-Order Discount!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Mar 9

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[Updates! Deadline! More things happening around A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood as we move towards release day. Let's talk about 'em!\ \ We reached out to authors in the hopes that they would provide "blurbs", which are important to converting browsers into buyers and establishing credibility, and received some tremendous quotes about their reaching experience that we can use in promotion. Here's what we got back:\ \

“I loved this. Starting with a heist and morphing into a revenge story; it's a terrific debut. Well-drawn, sympathetic characters lead the way, with an ensemble of rouges and a gallery of side characters, a beautifully constructed world and a villain to loathe. This is a book I would highly recommend. A lot of fun with an emotional punch.” - John Gwynne (The Faithful & The Fallen/Of Blood & Bone/Bloodsworn Saga)\ \ For instance, if you're anything like me, and love you some Papa Gwynne, a trimmed down version of that quote on the cover is a helluva sell.\ \ "A stunningly imaginative debut. Lockwood’s prose is smart, sharp, and relentlessly charming. The city of Carintheum, from its vibrant streets to the seedy warrens of the grayside, is as colourful and compelling as the characters who inhabit it. I was hooked from the very first page, and I seriously doubt I’ll read a better book this year." - Nicholas Eames (Kings of the Wild/Bloody Rose)\ \ “A swift heist packed with a cast of charming miscreants and vibrant, inventive worldbuilding, A Complement of Scoundrels is an accomplished debut and tremendous fun!”- Sam Hawke (City of Lies)\ \ "Fantasy for the tech generation. A spellcracking debut." - Thomas Weaver (Artificial Wisdom)\ \ Another independent author, Andy Peloquin, ended up getting approved on NetGalley for the digital ARC and enjoyed it so much that he also provided a choice quote.\ \ “Breathtakingly audacious and compelling—gritty underworld fantasy has a new dark queen!” - Andy Peloquin\ \ I'm super grateful that these fine folk took the time to read A Complement of Scoundrels and wrote up some great words about it, and hopefully they've helped convince you if you're on the fence.\ \ Now as you probably know by now this comes out in September, pre-orders are open, you can also still request it on NetGalley, and another way to read it early is to subscribe at the Sicko tier by March 10th (today!) and you’ll get the digital ARC around June, at the Mega Sicko tier and above you get a finished physical copy in your hands around June. It's the final day to get in on that so pitter patter, get at 'er!\ \ The next big thing on the agenda is to review the offers we have for the audiobook, because yes, there will be an audiobook!](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/zFE5CK1DSdvbTKKL4W2G/)

FINAL DAY to secure an early copy + Author blurbs for A Complement of Scoundrels!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Feb 20

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[Some have you have already seen it but I'm super hyped to announce that we have a new development to announce. 2026 is the year A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood releases and to celebrate, Bindery is launching our own Kist Reads, Sickos Society book box!\ \ This is my highest-tier membership, built for readers who love morally gray chaos, have impeccable taste, and want to support the future of the kinds of books we actually want to exist.\ \ Sicko Society is for readers who want to go deeper than recommendations and become part of the inner circle supporting my creative work and the Kist Reads publishing mission.\ \ It combines everything from my previous tiers with a quarterly book box, exclusive extras, and a deeper way to back bold, tastemaker-led publishing.\ \ This year’s theme is Year of the Scoundrel: a curated journey through fantasy’s most iconic liars, thieves, con artists, criminals, and criminally charming masterminds.\ \ Across four quarterly shipments, you’ll receive handpicked heist and/or scoundrel-centric novels, plus my personal commentary, additional online discussion, and a community-driven reading experience.\ \ By joining Sicko Society , you:\ \

Announcing the Sicko Society Book Box!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Feb 11

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[Sickos! I've been raving about A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood for almost a year now and FINALLY we're going to be getting into the hands of reviewers (and I'll also tell you other ways to get your hands on it early).\ \ ACoS has officially gone live on NetGalley as a digital ARC(advance reader copy), that means if you're approved, you can read it as soon as you're approved.\ \ \ \ NetGalley link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/796666\ \ A couple notes: they're currently prioritizing active reviewers with strong review stats and I'm not personally involved with the decision making process there.\ \ If you're not approved there, don't fret, there are other ways to read ACoS before the release date. This is all noted on the Membership page but I'll spell it out here. At the Sicko tier, you will receive advance digital copies and at the Mega Sicko tier you will receive advance print copies. I'll have more communication around this soon but for the early physical copies make sure you're locked in as a Mega Sicko before March.\ \ I desperately want to share my love of this revenge/heist fantasy with you so get in there before the deadline. Half of the subscription revenue gets pumped into my publishing imprint, Kist Reads, so by subscribing you're not only getting those perks but you're helping fund future book acquisitions (I'm on the hunt for our second book now!) and everything else that comes with that like finding professional editors, artists and so on (because we refuse to use AI here at Bindery for any part of the publishing process).\ \ THE BINDERY APP COMES TO ANDROID!\ \ Back in October, the Bindery app launched on iOS, and now our Android users (myself included) can get in on that action. Download it for Android by clicking on this bold blue text thingy right here, do it. On it you can keep up with your favorite "tastemakers", access notifications, and do everything else you can do on the web version.\ \

Request "A Complement of Scoundrels" on NetGalley + Other Ways to Read it Early + Bindery App Launches on Android!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jan 21

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[Hey, hey you, the book club options for February are here! I was going to shoot a video for this but I figured I'd switch it up give you first peek and put up the votes in the Discord serverright away.\ \ As some of the folk in the Discord know, I've gone full dictator for the History Sickos Book Club for next month. I was reading Fear & Fury by Heather Ann Thompson, loving it, and stopped a little over halfway through so we could discuss it next month. I'm also setting up an interview with the author for sometime in February so you can submit questions. Mine was an advanced reader copy and the official release date is January 27. In return for being a dictator on this round I'll figure something out for another month where we do something community-based for selecting options like we've done in the past.\ \ For the Fiction Sickos Book Club, here are the options with quick blurbs on what they're about.\ \ THE BLUEST EYE by TONI MORRISON\ \

In Morrison’s acclaimed first novel, Pecola Breedlove—an 11-year-old Black girl in an America whose love for its blond, blue-eyed children can devastate all others—prays for her eyes to turn blue: so that she will be beautiful, so that people will look at her, so that her world will be different. This is the story of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment.\ \ THE NICKEL BOYS by COLSON WHITEHEAD\ \ When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.\ \ ALLEGEDLY by TIFFANY D. JACKSON\ \ Mary B. Addison killed a baby.\ \ Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: A white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it?\ \ There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary’s fate now lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But does anyone know the real Mary?\ \ CROOKED PLOW by ITAMAR VIEIRA JUNIOR\ \ Deep in Brazil's neglected Bahia hinterland, two sisters find an ancient knife beneath their grandmother's bed and, momentarily mystified by its power, decide to taste its metal. The shuddering violence that follows marks their lives and binds them together forever.\ \ I'm putting this vote up in the Discord right now! Also, if you're struggling to find access to these on Spotify/Libby or whatever you use, Audible has a deal going on right now for new/lapsed members (super full flag waving disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate and I do earn commissions).\ \ Also a reminder that our imprints first book release, A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood is available for pre-order! A lot of people have asked what if there's a Best Place to pre-order it from, and while it's available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and others, I know a good deal of people prefer pre-ordering it from Bookshop dot org because it supports independent bookstores. but ultimately you do you boo. And marking it as "Want to Read" (and maybe leaving a sneaky 5 star rating/review re: your excitement level if you so choose to do so) on Goodreads is a great signal for retailers.\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/DTYUu78paDaDippBORyA/)

February Book Club Options + Stuff!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jan 12

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Cover Reveal Day! A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood (PRE-ORDER IS LIVE!)

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jan 9

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[It's a lovely day to share some news about our publishing imprint's first book, A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood! I've got a final cover reveal for you, plus the back-cover copy that we've been sending out to authors as we attempt to get some quotes from them (we've got some HITTERS reading it right now!). The cover will go public on 1/12 but I wanted to give y'all early access. We've got other stuff planned for the Sickos/Mega Sickos so stay tuned for all that.\ \ Anyway, let's not stand on ceremony, here she is:\ \ \ \ Shout out to the folks in the Discord who got to weigh in on different versions of this and helping us land on this beauty! And as promised, this is the back-cover copy we've been working on and tweaking over these past months:\ \

There are many ways to bring down the man who betrayed you—and Myria Cadessa has thought of them all.\ \ Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been theirs.\ \ But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters with the law on her heels—not to mention a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted. But she failed her crew once and now she’ll make it right at any cost.\ \ A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.\ \ We will start to see all this populate in places like Goodreads, StoryGraph etc. in the coming days and our pre-order push is right around the corner. We're aiming for a publication date in early September, which is of course subject to change. It's all coming together and it's thanks to all of you!\ \ Let me know what you think of the cover and I appreciate y'all!\ \ UPDATE: Pre-orders are live!\ \ Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qcJkFm\\ \ Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/book/9781967967209\\ \ Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-complement-of-scoundrels-s-v-lockwood/1148799147?ean=9781967967209\\ \ Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Complement-Scoundrels/S-V-Lockwood/9781967967209\\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/JvjrjAEijmlcxB46cMxE/)

(UPDATE: Pre-Order is Live!) A Complement of Scoundrels - Final Cover Reveal + Synopsis!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jan 6

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2025 Reading Recap 📚 Best Books in Fiction, Nonfiction & Manga! (PLUS 2026 GOALS!)

Recapping my 2025 reading year with a look back on my reading and publishing goals, my best books from various genres, and my plans for 2026!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Nov 21 2025

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Poll:\ \ Should the Fantasy Sickos be the Fiction Sickos in 2026?\ \ Hey Sickos! I've got a couple updates to hit up here with the December book club polls, a separate poll about the future of the Fantasy Sickos, and a new update for the publishing imprint. Let's pitter patter, get at 'er!\ \ (NOT FINAL) COVER ART REVEAL! \ \ Super exciting news on the publishing front, our first book "A Complement of Scoundrels" by S.V. Lockwood is cruising along in its development with line edits and blurbs just about completed 100%. We're also very close on our cover art, so close that I'm going to drop the most recent (again, not final) iteration.\ \ \ \ Just seeing this makes it feel so much more real and I know y'all are gonna love fantasy heist. It's still on track for for a Fall 2026, and in the beginning of the year I'll be on the hunt for the next book to acquire!\ \ BOOK CLUB POLL + FUTURE CHANGES? \ \ The votes take place in our Discord server and run for 3 days. If you're not in the server yet you can join by going to "Account Settings" and linking Discord from there.\ \ For this month, I'm switching the Fantasy Sickos to the Asian Fiction Sickos for a couple reasons. First, having recently read Tawny Man I need a bit of a breather or I feel a slump will hit because that was so f'n elite. Second, we've started so many series in this club and there's a dearth of standalones to pick from. We also have pop-up buddy read channels for big releases anyway (like The Strength of the Few).\ \ In 2026, I'm considering making the switch from Fantasy to Fiction a permanent thing (see the poll). This would include all genres so you might see 4 different fiction sub-genres all in the same vote. I don't want to make any big changes without consulting the group, hence the poll. If you have any questions remaining before you vote please hit me with 'em in the comments or in the Discord.\ \ Speaking of polls, here's the options for the book club reads in December.\ \ HISTORY VOTE\ \ The Wager by David Grann\ \ Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer\ \ The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins\ \ Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson\ \ FICTION VOTE\ \ Pachinko by Min Jin Lee\ \ Out by Natsuo Kirino\ \ Seven Years of Darkness by You-Jeong Jeong\ \ Strange Pictures by Uketsu\ \ See you gremlins in the Disco. Sicko, out!\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login

Not -So-Final Cover Art Reveal + Book Club Options + Fantasy Sickos Poll!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Sep 24 2025

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[Publishing a book is hard! And I'm not even writing the darn thing. So much thought and work goes into the process and I'm so thankful to have a supportive community, a supremely gifted author, and the incredible team at Bindery to help me through all this.\ \ All of that behind-the-scenes work from so many folk is why I'm confident that the first Kist Reads book release will be gangbusters. The amount of work required is also why these updates can be so spread out over time, but I'm thrilled to announce several new developments today!\ \ A quick note before we get into that... When I say I'm thankful for the community, I really REALLY mean it. First, the conversations in the Discord server have been hilarious and insightful. It's been so nice getting to know so many of you and watch y'all interact with each other on a daily basis. We have some truly wonderful people in there!\ \ Second, this publishing imprint quite literally does not happen without your support. A significant chunk of the subscription revenue is poured into the making of a book to ensure we have all the resources and staff required to make it as polished and successful as possible. I'm not exaggerating when I this community is the backbone of this entire venture. You're helping us build this and I'm hyped to share the updates with you today and throughout the entire process.\ \ With all that said, here's some news:\ \

Major News About Our First Book: New Title Reveal, Imprint Logo, and Much More!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Jun 12 2025

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[Today I'm thrilled to announce that Kist Reads, my publishing imprint with Bindery, has officially acquired its first book: THE DEVIL'S RULES by Shona Moyse!\ \ This banger was submitted to my imprint during Bindery's PitchFest (when unagented authors can submit their work to us) in April and of all the wonderful manuscripts I sampled, this is The One that hooked me from beginning to end. I read it on my phone over the course of three days, and I hate reading on my phone! It had a magnetism that wouldn't let me stay away for long.\ \ THE DEVIL'S RULES is a high-stakes, female-led, adult fantasy heist. To give you a sample of what you're in for, here's how Moyse described it in her pitch:\ \

Myria Cadessa is a confidence trickster, thief, and favoured protegee of the lord of Carintheum’s criminal underworld. After the biggest score of her career, she and her crew are on the way up – until their master steals the treasure from their hands and the magic from their bones, and turns them over to the law.\ \ Years later, Myria is free and ready to settle the score. Break her friends out of jail? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She'll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the prefecture on her heels and not a spark of magic to her name. It’s the most audacious crime she’s ever attempted, but she led her crew to ruin once. She’ll make it right at any cost.\ \ Felix Aurelias should have died a hero. Instead, his final battle shatters his powers and ends the privileged life he's always known. His new post in the prefecture might just bore him to death. Then, a routine job takes an unexpected turn, and leaves him working with the very woman he should be arresting – the infamous Myria Cadessa. It’s a taste of the thrill he thought he’d never have again. Only problem is, he needs to claim for Carintheum the very treasure he’s helping her steal… and the empire doesn’t accept split loyalties.\ \ To the victor, the spoils. To the loser, a coffin; and if they're lucky, they'll be dead before they go inside it. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way.\ \ Moyse also included that THE DEVIL'S RULES would be "appealing to readers who enjoyed M.J. Kuhn's Among Thieves or M.A. Carrick's The Mask of Mirrors. And more generally she compared it to "a female-led Lies of Locke Lamora, or Six of Crows for an adult audience".\ \ There's still plenty to do over the next year plus before this sees publication and I'll be including this community as much as I can, including providing chapter samples, advanced reader copies, participation in publishing decisions and interviews with Moyse. You will see everything before everyone else, which makes you better than them obviously :D\ \ I want to thank every single one of you for being here as this quite literally would not be possible without you. A significant chunk of the subscription revenue is being poured into the imprint, ensuring we can make fair acquisition offers and provide all the resources necessary to go from the manuscript to the bookstore shelf.\ \ We're not going to be one-and-done either; I'm continuing to pour through manuscript submissions to find the next gem. Again, thank you for being here and making all of this possible, I can't wait to share more with you in the coming days!\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://kistreadsbooks.binderybooks.com/item/s8bs9Z7O2JYYfD1cU0XW/)

We've acquired our first book to publish!!

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Kist Reads\ \ Kist\ \ • Mar 18 2025

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[I’m so thrilled to announce the exciting news that today is the official launch of my new publishing imprint, Kist Reads!\ \ \ \ Kist Reads is hosted by Bindery, which is the platform you’re on right now that houses the Sickos community. If you don’t know what an imprint is, think of it like this: Penguin Random House is a publisher and their various imprints publish certain types of books. Penguin Classics, for example, is one of their imprints. This is one of the most exciting projects I’ve undertaken as a content creator. When I first joined Bindery, launching my own imprint was a major goal, and thanks to the incredible support of our Sickos community, it’s now a reality.\ \ Along with the existing benefits, subscribers will now become part of the publishing journey! You’ll get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the entire process—from manuscript to marketing, from cover design to launch. You can even get your name in the book!\ \ By subscribing, you’re not just supporting me; you’re helping to publish a book by an up-and-coming author. A healthy portion of every subscription is being set aside for the Kist Reads imprint to provide a talented author with all the resources they need to bring their book to life and make it a success.\ \ I have not chosen a book yet but that process will begin soon. If you’re an agented author with a manuscript that fits the bill, you can SUBMIT HERE ! If you’re an indie author, follow Bindery on their various social platforms and keep an eye out because they regularly host “Pitch Fests” for this purpose.\ \ Here’s what I’m looking for in our first book:\ \

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT - "KIST READS" PUBLISHING IMPRINT!

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