"All that purple? The Heater? It only blooms twice a year. You just happen to be here at the right time, but in a few months all this purple will turn brown. This place ... it wont look like this forever. But maybe that's what makes this special, what gives it meaning. If we all went on forever, if this went on forever, would we even be able to understand how beautiful this is?"

GENRE: Romance
RATING: 5/5
FORMAT: eBook ARC
Tropes: Scottish Highland Roadtrip, Poet/Bagpiper MMC, Family Rekindling, Forced Proximity

Review:
This is my first book by Naina Kumar and I fell in love with her writing and the whole book! I really loved following along with Neelu and Jacob in this book, going on a road trip with them in the highlands and spending time in Aberdeen too. OH AND AN MMC who is a bagpiper AND a poet who wears glasses? What else could we want🤭

We get to see them come together, through Neelu's POV in this book. We also get to learn about Neelu and her dad's relationship plus we get to understand more about Jacob and his grief. I did love how Grief was addressed here as a theme and how we got to dive into it. I also really love how we get to see both characters address their vulnerabilities in a single POV book and how they help each other through their strengths.

Just a Highland Fling focuses on finding love between two people while also just finding your home in your person. It's about rekindling your relationship with your loved ones and finding your chosen family. It truly was a wholesome book and the only thing I could ask for (other than for more about Neelu & Jacob) is that I wish we could have learned more about Neelu and her father. We definitely get to see and understand some of what happened but it was something that I wanted to dive deeper into.

Seriously though, this book was SO fun to read and so wholesome! I can't wait to read more by Naina Kumar and go back to read her two other books.

I was provided a free advance reader copy and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

The Library is Looking So Fine Tonight - Link Roundup

Hello my loves! It's been a hot second, but I'm back with a link roundup for my library reveal! I'll add some pictures alongside the links (some of which are affiliate - your girl has to eat, after all 😊)

First:
I'm reading: an arc Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst - I've read two chapters over the past few weeks because my reading slows SO MUCH when I'm working 65+ hour weeks at the ranch. BUT I'm loving it!
On the sound system: Rose Betts' "You Never Looked Back"
What I'm dreaming of: A hot fudge sundae with cashews and a g&t

Okay! Here's a link roundup with any discounts or freebies laid out for you (I don't gatekeep)

💛 This is the newest addition to my library, a burnt orange barrel chair graciously sent to me by Wayfair for their Tried & True program: https://creatorlink.shop/3RksoAI

💛The shelves are the Billy shelves from Ikea, and the color I used to paint them is Sherwin Williams Fairfax Brown * However I would not suggest painting the white shelves from Ikea - they now add a paint-resistant coating that even with sanding/ planing I could not get the paint to adhere properly!

💛The Switchcovers and Outlet covers I got from Etsy, from a seller (StillwaterMNCNC) who graciously gave me 15% off (and they're PERFECT)

💛 The paint is Storms in Paris in Matte Ceramic Interior from Tonester Paints

💛 The star mirrors are from Amazon and at time of purchase were $9.99! They have not budged from the first day I stuck them to the ceiling in a very specific pattern 🤩

Are there any other links you'd like? Let me know in the comments and I'll get them for you! Happy Saturday 💛💛

Hello darling rebels. I just got back from two weeks in the UK and Paris, and I am still speaking in bastardized French like that "girl who makes her vacation her entire personality" meme genre. Bonjour merci tres bien!!

I saved two books to read on my trip because they are destination romances: The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn and In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson. Kate and Alicia are gorgeous, meticulous writers who fold prose like laminated buttery croissants. Their 2026 releases are career highlights that show off their dedication to craft, to knee-weakening chemistry, and to subtle progressive edge.

In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson

My travels took me to the United Kingdom first, where I visited family in West Sussex. Ireland is distinctly not the UK, but I was able to pretend I was in Dublin with the help of Alicia Thompson's new novel and many, many Irish pubs.

I'm a big fan of Alicia's work. Her romances are full of heart, cleverness and aching sexual tension. In Every Possible Way is more tender and magical than her other titles — it's a multi-day, wandering adventure through Ireland following a birthday wish gone wrong. The conversations between Jess and Eamonn channel the soul-baring unlikeliness of the Before trilogy. I recommend it for folks who enjoy a soft, thoughtful dose of magical realism and folklore in their contemporary fiction.

The book is told from the first person POV of Jess, who wakes up in a field in Ireland without a phone, passport, or any clue how she got there from a parking lot in Florida. Luckily for her, she is adopted by a calm and generous love interest, car mechanic Eamonn. Our hero has been alone for a long time, still processing the death of his mother during his incarceration for car theft and arson. This is the first time I've read a contemporary romance about a formerly incarcerated hero where his criminality wasn't eroticized or trope-ified; Thompson writes about Eamonn's past with care and intention.

In Every Possible Way is also one of very few contemporary romance novels published post-Dobbs that discusses abortion. Jess shares her story of terminating a pregnancy during college with Eamonn as they get to know each other. It is not a traumatic memory, and she talks about it as a sliding-doors moment where her life could have been completely different. It is a good example of abortion-positive storytelling that avoids shame or stereotype.

I am interviewing Thompson soon for Rebel Ever After and I look forward to asking her how she approached including abortion as a small part of Jess's backstory. If you have any questions for her about In Every Possible Way, or her other romance novels Love in the Time of Serial Killers, With Love, from Cold World, The Art of Catching Feelings, and Never Been Shipped, drop them in the comments.

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn

I'd only read one book by Kate Clayborn before now: her 2019 romance Love Lettering. It's a beautiful story about a hand-lettering artist who loves old signs that other people fail to notice in New York City. Clayborn has a gift for enriching familiar settings with fresh texture and life. Her newest romance, The Paris Match, fully embodies that strength.

Up until now I've avoided reading romances set in Paris because, to be honest, it always felt like an on-the-nose cliché to me. The American idea of Paris has been commodified and packaged, from Eiffel tower pajama sets to Carrie Bradshaw weeping on the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge. Don't get me started on Emily In Paris.

But! Thanks to my public school education (shoutout Madame Thomas, you scared the bejesus out of me), I speak passable French, at least enough to ask if I can get some more milk in my coffee. I always wanted to visit Paris, less for the Paris! of it all, more because France is the only non-English speaking country I had a shot at navigating.

After a week in the UK, I took the Eurostar from London directly to Paris, where I met up with my boyfriend. The Paris Match was the perfect read to prepare me for my first experience of the city. With deep affection, Clayborn illustrates the uninterrupted beauty, history, and joy of Paris.

Our heroine Layla flies in for her former sister-in-law's wedding two years after her own divorce. She has been dreading the trip, and her unease increases when the bride has second thoughts. Layla is forced to work with the best man, Griffin, to get the wedding back on track, but Griffin wants to be there even less than she does. He lives with intense nerve damage and trauma from a tragic house fire, and his constant physical pain is misread by those around him as rude unkindness. Layla and Griffin connect over their outsider status and explore Paris on their own terms, getting to know one another at street cafes and in art museums, over delicious food and delicate perfume.

As for its themes, content warning for a backstory spoiler! We learn over the course of the novel that a key reason Layla's first marriage ended is that she never wanted children, and her ex-husband changed his mind about parenthood. After years of subtle pressure to give in to his desire to have kids, Layla opted for divorce (good for you, girl). Layla does not regret her decision, but she is still hurt by the lack of respect shown for her deeply held conviction not to become a mother.

Heroines who do not want children are slowly becoming more common in contemporary romance, but it is rare for their choice to be explored in depth. The Paris Match affirms Layla's desire to remain childfree while depicting the impact it has on relationships and how society treats her. As a woman in my thirties who does not want children, I saw myself in Layla and her breakup with Jamie, as well as her anxiety that Griffin will be disappointed in her if they build a life together without becoming parents.

Clayborn weaves interior reflection with exterior beauty to create a lush reading experience. The Paris Match is almost as good as visiting Paris. Considering the city's current heatwave, I might recommend the book over the city itself.

OMG, when I talk about a lawless country, I am talking about BookTok Threads.

I had no idea people got down like that over there! 😂

There is drama daily, and sometimes it genuinely feels...manufactured. Like controversy is no longer just something that happens; it almost feels like it's part of the system.

And honestly, I think this says a lot about how book communities have changed.

Readers don't just consume books anymore. We consume personalities, discourse, and drama around books.

Books have become more than just stories. They're attached to authors, influencers, opinions, identities, and communities. And when fandom becomes a public social ecosystem where attention is rewarded, things start to get interesting.

Because being controversial sells.

It gets engagement.

It pulls you down a rabbit hole you didn't even know was in your walking path.

One second you're scrolling past someone's fantasy recommendations, and the next you're getting tea on which author is sleeping with who. An author got caught using AI. An author is getting bullied, and people are defending said author.

It's very wild.

And I think that's also why I've stepped back from sharing my opinions as much as I used to.

Not because I don't have thoughts, but because I've realized nuance is often lost online. A lot of people aren't necessarily looking to understand, they're looking to respond. They're looking to debate, argue, or prove why someone else is wrong.

And sometimes I just don't think every conversation needs to become a battlefield.

I tend to think in a more nuanced way. I believe people's feelings can be valid while also recognizing that someone's actions can still be harmful. Two things can exist at the same time.

Now, if you ever want a place to share your unhinged opinions, Threads is definitely the place. But tread lightly because people get dragged there often. 😂

And honestly, while I'm trying to build my Threads presence, I'm realizing I'm just not a super controversial person. Being on Threads can absolutely be a dopamine hit for the inner gossip girl in me, but I'm not sure if it's a place where I can build long-term traction.

And tbh, reading has changed and the way we talk about books has changed.

And I'm still figuring out where I fit into that.

So I'm curious...

What are your thoughts on Threads? Do you think book communities have changed?

Hello Cozy Family!!

Help me pick my next audiobook to listen to whilst training!

I have so many audiobooks in my Audible library and I need to decide which one to start next. I've selected just a few of the many many titles that I have available currently to put in a poll below. But if you have a suggestion you think I should consider instead, please do let me know!!

I've been putting off finishing Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid for a little while now because I just love it so much, but I know I will for sure finish it on my next training session and so need another audiobook lined up to start.

Apart from The Martian, of which I've seen the film and it was my favourite film of all time until I saw Project Hail Mary and that took first place, I haven't actually heard much about any of these books. They just caught my eye whilst browsing Audible and ended up in my library over time. (I have read Project Hail Mary and it is on my top ten books list, so I'm surprised I haven't gotten to The Martian yet honestly).

Vote away!! And please do leave audiobook suggestions too! I have a lot of training for my 10k ahead of me (updates on that coming soon!) and so a lot of audiobook listening time.

Until next time,

Charlotte xx

Hi book buddies,

Here's a few things that have been on my mind lately. Let me know what you think. :)

Black Stories

Earlier this week I attended the Kathryn Stockett book event in Santa Monica, and my wheels are turning.

I’ll be honest: I didn't have high hopes about her book event. I certainly didn't expect to leave feeling reinvigorated. But that's exactly what happened. It's fair to say, Mrs. Stockett's event far exceeded my expectations.

What makes me say that? 1) Hearing her talk about why she writes the way that she writes, i.e., her characters, her very in-depth character studies, her layered and lengthy books, and what's at the heart of those stories. 2) Hearing what motivates her: the people in her life and the history she wants to preserve, even though it's complicated.

For a Mississippi woman, she's far more liberal than I expected her to be, even after reading both her books. She is openly supportive of women’s reproductive rights, and she was very adamant that everyone knew where she stands with regard to issues on race and human rights. She was very open about her feelings and her experience after writing The Help and the criticism that she received, and I respected that very much. I'm sure living in New York (she splits her time between Mississippi and Manhattan) opened her heart and mind the same way that Los Angeles opened mine. That shared connection was very impactful for me.

I was talking to a friend about The Help recently and shared that the world of social media feels very much like a landmine when it comes to certain books. And The Help is one of the books many people feel VERY strongly about (both for and against). Regardless of how you feel about a white woman writing Black characters (it's not my favorite thing, I'll be honest), it's important to recognize that the book was really impactful. It spent 103 weeks on the best seller list and motivated many women to pick up a book for the first time probably in a very long time.

As a result, many (albeit white) women have very sentimental views of that book. And while white authors have written books (some rather important books might I add) portraying people of color for many years, the social climate has changed considerably. For that reason, it's hard to defend any white author writing from the perspective of Black characters today. There are far too many GREAT Black authors writing amazing books (stay tuned for tomorrow's post) that it's just not necessary. But to not mention it feels disingenuous.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I feel conflicted about it, even after hearing Stockett share her thoughts about The Help controversy. She freely acknowledged understanding why it was controversial, but she rather than apologizing about it, she doubled down saying that she felt it was important to tell the stories of her home state to ensure they weren't lost to time. While she was being her authentic self, it felt like a missed opportunity to challenge the crowd to read books by Black authors for a more authentic account of those stories.

Bindery = My Favorite Thing Now

Shifting gears a bit here, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately about what role I want She’s Becoming Bookish to be in my life. How do I want show up in my spaces? What is this all for? Am I doing too much? Am I not doing enough? Why am I always hungry? You know, the normal questions everyone asks themselves.

To be honest, I’m starting to feel a big shift happening in my relationship with my online life and with the books that I read. Whether it's grief or burnout, I've been feeling frayed on the edges lately. I feel a bit like I'm on a racetrack with no clear exit. There is always something to edit, write, reply, etc. As much as I love the community I've created, I have to be honest: She's Becoming Bookish is a lot of work.

So, I think it's time I assign a value to my various platforms. I need learn how to spend my time wisely. It's clear after just a few weeks that TikTok is not like it used to be, so I don't know how much exclusive content I will share there. Youtube is a LOT of work, but it's been very rewarding for me, so maybe a bit more time there. Instagram comes and goes in terms of value add, but it's my first love, so I struggle to abandon it altogether. Because I've been in the mood to write, write, write, Bindery has quickly become my FAVORITE place to spend time, so it's fair to say you can expect a lot more content here in the coming weeks (sorry, not sorry). I've got big plans for this place, so I hope you stay tuned and upgrade (if it's within your means).

Social Media A-Ha Moment

This goes out to any of my book buddies that create book content online. I had an epiphany on the ride home the other night that I need to share.

While at the book event, the host shared that Stockett is No.1 on Audible right now and No.2 on the New York Times bestseller list. So, what I'm hearing you say, Mr. Host, is that the audiobook is more popular than the book? That opened my eyes: I am not creating enough content about audiobooks.

Seriously, you guys, if you are creating content right now, you need to be talking about audiobooks. There seems to have been a shift at some point the past few years, and now audiobooks are the norm instead of being frowned upon.

I think we need to embrace audiobook content and STAT. So start thinking about ways you can showcase audiobooks more often. Things like "Top 10 Audiobooks," "LAST/NOW/NEXT Audiobook Edition," "If You Like This Audiobook, Try This One," etc. Let me know if you'd like a list of ideas to help you get started.

Ok, so that's enough rambling for today. What did you think about my musings? Did anything resonate with you? Thoughts you want to share? Let me know below.

I'm debuting something really fun tomorrow for my Book Besties tier, so stay tuned! And, of course, I'll be back on Sunday for a little reading update.

In the meantime, happy reading!

xoxo

c

After weeks of gray, a heat wave has finally hit us in SoCal and all I want to do is curl up with a good book (in front of a strong fan). I am doing just that with an audiobook, listening to Wisdom Corner as I put together another book nook: this detective agency one I featured in a previous Cluesletter holiday catalogue.

ICYMI, I am running a giveaway for The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie McMahon over on Instagram! Look for my interview with Jackie in next week’s Cluesletter. 😊

This week’s reads:

• Scary Movie Night by Miranda Smith (read): A horror-themed birthday party turns deadly! This was such a fun, murdery romp and an excellent example of a well-written isolated thriller, thanks to its balanced cast of characters.

• Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (currently listening): Virgil Wounded Horse is trying to escape his vigilante past on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. I’m halfway through this and really enjoying the plot and narration.

• The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (currently reading): I am alternating between biting my nails and looking through my fingers as I read this psychological thriller about con man-killer Tom Ripley! I love the midcentury Italy vibes and even though Ripley’s narration is dark, he fascinates me. This is the Read Herring Book Club’s July pick.

This week’s book mail:

• We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (out September 15): EVERYBODY STAY CALM!!!!!

• Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano and Hannah Morrissey (out October 13): I know, it’s early! But I’m already looking forward to the holiday season thanks to this romcom mystery set in an idyllic town named Christmas.

• You Let Me In by Lucy Clarke (out October 13): Returning home after renting out her Cornish home on Airbnb, Elle Fielding feels like something has changed . . . eerie!!!!

• All the Crime in the World: Locked Room Mysteries and Impossible Puzzles from Across the Globe ed. by Gigi Pandian and Tom Mead (out soon): You know me and locked rooms! Very excited to dig into this short story anthology with works by S.A. Cosby, Martin Edwards, Sulari Gentill, and more.

Thank you to my friends at Viking/Pamela Dorman Books, Minotaur Books, Atlantic Crime, and Crippen & Landru for these gifted books.

Yours mysteriously,

Manon

I'm having a very bug girl summer, I think. First The Demon Star with its worm exorcists, and now this book. Anyway. Andrew Joseph White, what on earth did you dream up here?

I was shocked and blown away by this book. I know AJW from his YA book, so this was a sharp and cutting left turn into adult horror and I think this is exactly the place he is meant to be. What a mess of a book in the best way. White gave us such a visceral, nuanced, and confrontational experience in the head of a mute, autistic, trans man named Crane.

Crane is self destructive in a way I understood in my early 20s and it hurt my heart to read about a character in that same place. Crane indulges in risky, dangerous behavior including sex that blurs the line between consensual and not, emotional and not. All of it is meant to contend with mental health issues run amok, a struggle in his own skin, and him not giving himself permission to live and be someone worthy of healing. He doesn't deem himself worthy of care and thus takes off down a path of demolition that I never could have expected.

Crane turns up pregnant one day. The Hive, the mass of bugs and viscera that brought a bunch of people in their worst days together in a violent patchwork found family they never chose, won't allow him to abort it. It threatens his friends, it sends a guard to keep watch on him, and it tasks his not-quite-boyfriend Levi with keeping him in line until the birth. It is just... horrific.

Claustrophobic, frantic, and disgusting. Crane loses control over his body even more after already not feeling as if he has control over his body. He considers the dark side of parenthood and maternity and all of the things he's supposed to feel never coming to the surface. He tries to set other women free from this curse and protect them at the expense of himself, not sure why he even does it. He experiences resentment and hatred at the women in his life who support it, even tacitly, and lashes out.

This book was about the complexity of the trans experience and the experience of a woman transitioning into a man. It was also about the betrayal of sisterhood and how our fellow women are sometimes the architects of our suffering. Women who discredit each other's identities, try and push their agendas on other women, refuse to acknowledge trans men, obsess over each other's bodies... we hurt each other and ourselves when we deny our sisters the ability to choose their own path for their body and their lives.

White also shows the complex duality of living in a transmasc body. The struggle between appearing feminine and feeling masculine, the comfort of hearing your pronouns used correctly, and the personal struggle in the mirror to reconcile your body with your mind. I don't have gender dysphoria, I don't fully understand that struggle and I count myself very fortunate I feel like I am in the right body. White showed me this vulnerable, brutal window into what it's like to endure through those conflicting identities all converging on each other. How hard it is to look at yourself and not know you. I had no idea what that felt like, but damn did White really help me understand.

There's a certain level of control women and trans folks do not have over their bodies. YWMTBH dives into how suffocating and frustrating that is in a real, intense way. The other thing he does, though, is he captures how no matter the restrictions - alien or government - nothing changes. Nothing. Not one thing. Crane is still trans. Crane is still autistic. Crane still doesn't want to be pregnant. Crane is still Crane, no matter how the Hive or Levi or the government try to stamp that out of him.

Crane also dealt with the fear all young folks deal with and I think I would've like to see that explored a little more - the fear of telling his family because he had seen so many awful, awful endings to people who told their truth. Society and exposure to so much made him fear telling his parents anything and instead he fled and started over with the Hive. He never gave his parents a chance because we have highlighted how much hatred there is that trans people experience every day.

When laws aren't working, when restrictions aren't working, we try force instead. We force trans people to be something they aren't, we force them to stay in the closet, we force them to suffer and when they die for it we consider that a job well done that they died in a body they do not want and did not fit them. Seeing this in action made Crane too afraid to go to two people who clearly loved him so much they recognized him at a gas station as a fully different version of himself.

We have tried so hard to batter trans people down with hate, but we have never tried love. Of course Crane descended to the point he did. We did that to him.

Another theme in this book I want to talk about is how White handled the complexity of an abusive relationship. I was in one, once. Seeing someone take that situation and portray it how White did was actually liberating and refreshing. He got it right. All of the statistics and plans and maps for how to deal with a friend in one? Correct. I got out because my friends never stopped being there for me and never let me be isolated until I was ready.

He also was so good about showing how abuse isn't what you think. It's not always black eyes and bruises. It's a lack of control over your psyche, it's self doubt to the point of making decisions you'd never make in your right mind. It's about manipulation and when that doesn't work it turns into force. White showed Crane experiencing abuse in a very different way than we think of it and I thank him for that. It's not always what we think, but it's still abuse even if it doesn't leave a physical mark every time.

We also got to be in the head of one of the rarest character types - a nonverbal autistic person. I don't think I've read another book that has a main character that's nonverbal and autistic. What a unique experience. The struggle of communication, not knowing how to get past his autistic meltdowns, what they look like, how they feel. This was such a book about feelings it's hard to explain. It should twist your gut and make you nauseous because some of the things we do and the ways we treat people are, actually, nauseating.

Stagger, his guard, becomes a staple of the story and the effect of what it feels like to have someone with your best interests at heart after being surrounded by people who don't. It's hard for Crane at first to accept Stagger actually cares about him, but by the end he is so connected to Stagger that being without him is painful. Stagger is the bridge of well-meaning that tries so hard to do its best while still not doing enough to allow Crane to have control over his body. Wanting more and caring about him, but not interfering to protect him until the damage is done. It's all of us who have never marched, spoken out, intervened, etc. until it's already over. It isn't enough to be well meaning, even if it does help in the long term. We have to be brave and willing to put ourselves in the way to protect each other's rights to our bodies and our lives. We can't exempt ourselves because we aren't part of their group - whatever happens to one community affects us all eventually. That's what the scene with the bathtub was showing you: eventually, we are all affected by the same attacks on our neighbors.

There is no escape, there is no exemption. That's why we have to stand for each other.

I liked this book so much more than I expected for a book about bugs and viscera. It was haunting and gross and stark and very raw. If you're looking for a horror book that will challenge you in ways horror tends to shy away from in a serious way, this is a great place to plunge your hands into the worms and get grimy.

DNF’d.

I really loved Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy - it’s a 10/10 acc to me and I definitely recommend it - but Lost and Stolen Gods just wasn’t the right fit for me.

I read almost 50% of the book, and there were some things I did enjoy. The fantasy world draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, and even if you’re unfamiliar with the mythological beings, the story does a good job explaining their powers. It also has a strong opening, and the physical copy is beautiful - especially the page edges.

What didn’t work for me was the romance between the leads. This romantasy includes a “binding,” which is similar to a mate bond, as well as a forced proximity setup, since the bound characters are required to stay in the same room and share a bed. For me, these elements felt a bit artificial and uncomfortable.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if the relationship had developed more naturally, or if the binding had felt more organic rather than being tied to the game.

I have just finished up the Salt Lake City Guide now I need help decided what city to work on next! Please vote in the poll what city you want to see a bookish guide from!

Reminder- all member content can be found on my website!

https://www.bookmoretravels.com/member-content

September Events Poll is live! Please fill out the following form to help me decide details and dates that best work for the group in September!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2zHS-4s2FT8v4fuh445hhlcbdBO3Eh1mpi__wnbQbJsR2eQ/viewform?usp=dialog

We are officially half way through Disability Pride Month, and to celebrate I’m giving away one of my FAVORITE YA fantasies with own voices disability representation! When I saw my local indie had a copy of To a Darker Shore on display, I knew I had to snag it to for a giveaway for yall—and Leanne is the sweetest person ever and was kind enough to send me a signed bookplate, art print, and bookmark for you guys!

About the Book

To a Darker Shore is a Dantean-inspired journey through hell starring not one but TWO autistic main characters. It’s an interrogation of monstrosity, religion, and belonging.

When her best friend is sacrificed to the devil, she'll go to hell and back for him. Plain, poor, plus-size, and autistic, Alesta grew up trying to convince her beauty-obsessed kingdom that she's too useful to be sacrificed. Their god blessed their island Soladisa as a haven for his followers, but to keep the devil at bay, the church sends a child sacrifice to hell's entrance every season—often poor or plain girls just like Alesta. With a head full of ideas for inventions, Alesta knows her best shot at making it to adulthood is to design something impressive for the festival exhibition so she might win a spot in the university—acceptance could guarantee her safety.

But Alesta's flying machine demonstration goes awry, a failure that will surely mean death. What happens is worse: Her best friend and heir to the throne, Kyrian, takes the blame expecting leniency but ends up sacrificed in her place. To stop the sacrifices forever, Alesta plans to kill the monster that killed her friend. Prepared to save her kingdom or die trying, she travels to the depths of hell only to find Kyrian—alive, but monstrously transformed.

There is no escaping hell or their growing feelings for one another, and the deeper they descend into hell, the closer they come to uncovering a truth about the sacrifices that threatens to invoke the wrath of not only monsters but the gods as well.

The Giveaway

This giveaway is open to all members of my Bindery community, and it will run from July 16th through 11:59pm pacific on Sunday, July 19th.

To enter:

• Leave a comment on this post!

• Must have a US shipping address

• As always, Follower tier members get 1 entry, Inner Circle members get 5

I will announce the winner on Monday here on Bindery, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

I've got giveaways planned for the next couple of months--mostly contemporary romance, but I'm hoping to pick up some fantasy and books with disability rep for future giveaways as well! Best of luck to all who enter, and even if you don't win, I highly recommend picking up TADS!

Hello Cozy Family!!

I'm officially 'I-don't-even-know-how-long' into my training to run a 10k but it's going super well!!

What am I listening to?

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid on audiobook.

I'm loving it!!! This book will 10000% be taking over one of the top spots on my top 10 ranking when I've finished it. Just wow!! I have about 45 mins to go and I don't think I'm ready, but I also cannot wait to be emotionally destroyed or incredibly happy depending on the ending. I have been so motivated to go out each day just because I want to keep listening to the audiobook and put a rule in place that I can only listen to it whilst training. That rule is definitely working so far!!

Or, I should say, it was working... ahaha. At the start, I was going out and training more often because I just NEEDED to keep listening, but now I'm at the end, I've been procrastinating training because I don't want the audiobook to end. So it was working super well!! Until it wasn't.... oops I guess.

But I am still training and will (sadly) finish the audiobook on my next training session.

Physical update:

At the start of my training, I started to get shin splints. Not ideal at all. Especially as, when I spoke to my brother who runs a lot and has for years, he told me that I should stop running for a couple of weeks once shin splints start, otherwise if it gets worse it could have me out for months. He was speaking from experience and I remember him going through it before. So yeah, not ideal.

But I knew I couldn't just stop running or training for a few weeks, seeing as though I only had about 12-13 weeks total from the time I started training to the 10k race on 6th September. So, being the nerd I am, I did what I do best: I researched.

I found that compression socks can make a lot of difference with shin splints, especially the early onset of them, and so I immediately ordered some. And let me tell you... they are amazing!!!! I use them every time I go running now and almost immediately upon wearing them the first time, I went from shin splint pain to no pain at all! Just incredible! So I have been able to continue training and have done super well over the last week.

I have gone further and done more than I thought I could! I am so proud of myself!

Weather struggles update:

Because the UK is known for having overcast weather, rainy days, and only the occasional day that we see the sun, I really didn't even consider that the weather would have any impact on my training. Other than the occasional rainy day preventing me from going out on my runs.

Well.... that has not been the case!

We have been in a heatwave. Like one of the worst heatwaves the UK has ever experienced, with record highs in heat and humidity!! And just as one heatwave ended, another started!! We have barely had a couple of days of low humidity and basically no days of rain. And it's been WEEKS!!

I started getting up at 5am to go for my runs so I could avoid as much of the heat as possible. One day I was so tired from work the day before, I went for a run at 8am instead of 5am, and wow I barely survived! Those 3 hours difference in the morning made all the difference with heat.

I did invest in a runners vest jacket thing that holds water in essentially the breast pockets (honestly not sure what these jacket things are called lol, sorry). It has been a life saver! Taking water filled with electrolytes with me on my runs has made all the difference in this crazy weather!

Wrap up:

So, it's been a wild few weeks with horrid weather and narrowly avoiding shin splints, but despite it all I am loving training. Loving it so much more than I expected to. The Atmosphere audiobook is definitely partially to blame for how much I'm enjoying my training sessions! I have a list of audiobooks lined up to choose from after I finish Atmosphere, but I have no clue what I'll choose yet. I'm going to put up a poll this weekend so you all can help me decide.

Thank you for spending time with me today, Cozy Family!

Until next time,

Charlotte xxx

The sky is on fire, shit is in our produce, and the country seems to be going down the toilet, but you know what's not? My hopes and dreams, lol.

So, an update! We have a new LOGO courtesy of Tim, our wonderful designer.

This means that new stickers and new bookmarks are coming!

We are going to be looking into doing pop-ups in the new year, so please keep an eye on our Instagram (which I will be utilizing more, I promise).

Our website will (fingers crossed) be back up and running by the end of October! I will be placing orders for new stock with the publishers so we can host our own shipping and such. We will not be hosting remainder/used stock at this time unless it's carefully curated. With shifting to a niche focus on horror, I have to be more selective about what we will be carrying.

I have secured our business EIN which was much easier than expected, lol. So that's done!

We will be trying to attend the ABA Winter Institute, so keep me in your thoughts as I try to plan that!

Thank you all for reading my lil newsletters. Two Stories is going to happen, I promise, and it's with your support that it can!

Till next time!

-Ryn