Hi friends!

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Gwenyth Reitz, author of You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker. You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker is a “swoonworthy YA supernatural romcom where two academic rivals are trapped as ghosts to haunt the same house. They'd kill each other...if they weren't already dead.” 👻

Gwenyth Reitz was born in Sri Lanka, and has lived and worked in California, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Japan, and Mongolia. When not intrepidly exploring, she writes genre-blending young adult stories with swoony romance, mystery, humor, and heart. Gwenyth now lives with her husband and two kids in New York City, where she can often be found scribbling late into the night on her rooftop like the caffeine-obsessed night owl she is. You're Dead to Me, Reed Walker is her debut novel.

Q: Where did the initial kernel of inspiration come from?

A: I was always that odd kid who would have loved to spend the night in Disney’s Haunted Mansion. In 2021, I was struck with the idea of writing about a decrepit mansion where two teen academic rivals die at their high school graduation party, but rather than follow the living, I wanted to invert the typical ghost story and follow the dead. Inspired by both the reluctant ghosts and forced proximity of Beetlejuice and the academic rivalry of Never Have I Ever, I imagined how complicated it would be to haunt a house with your nemesis. And how this would be so much more challenging if he were both super-hot and disarmingly charming, when he wasn’t being a smug, entitled twit.

Q: You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker is a bright, joyful, and hilarious romcom, but it also explores heavier topics like the weight of expectations, failure, grief, heartache, fear, anxiety, and regret. How did you approach balancing the darker and lighter themes to create an overall hopeful story?

A: As someone who has experienced grief, I wanted to explore the loss that both the living and the dead would feel in this situation. And Tessa, especially, also wrestles with her own anxiety and perfectionist tendencies. The story doesn’t shy away from the hard places, though there’s a light touch, with plenty of romance and humor to balance it out.

I think the trick is not to linger too long in any one direction. The characters feel things deeply, as they should, but they also have good senses of humor and can laugh at themselves. When thinking of the sequence of events, I tried to keep all the story threads moving between the mystery arc, the developing romance, and Tessa and Reed’s very real feelings about life moving on without them. I think this is helped by the fact that they are moving on, too. Their afterlife isn’t stasis. They’re growing, changing, finding love and each other, and ultimately feeling ready to tackle their next adventures.

Q: You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker truly put the rom in romcom. The romance, from the banter to the rivals-to-lovers tension to the delightful forced proximity, was irresistible. Would you walk us through your process for developing Tessa and Reed’s love story?

A: Writing Tessa and Reed’s enemies-to-more rivalry was so much fun. To flesh it out, it helped to give them a shared history going back to the sixth grade. Tessa has spent the past years haunted by all the ways Reed has stolen her glory by constantly snatching up the first-place trophies at spelling bees and science fairs. Rivalries also thrive on misunderstandings, and so the characters enter the story with years of assumptions about one another. However, as their walls come down, they begin to see the real person standing in front of them rather than the story they’ve told themselves.

As Tessa learns how challenging one another can be a positive force, she says, “He raises the bar, but I raise it right back.” Ultimately, they’re able to reframe their rivalry, moving from pushing each other’s buttons to pushing each other to become the best versions of themselves.

Q: You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker is told from both Tessa’s and Reed’s point of view. Would you walk us through your process for developing their distinct voices and characteristics—especially Tessa’s love of fashion and Reed’s love of guitar—and telling the story from two different perspectives?

A: When I originally conceived of and wrote You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker it was a single POV story, told from Tessa’s point of view. When Macmillan bought the book, my incredible editors hopped on a call with me and asked how I’d feel about bringing Reed’s perspective into the mix. I thought it was an inspired choice and I’m so glad we made that decision. I’ve loved writing Reed’s chapters, but it was definitely a challenge. I thought I knew him through his dialogue and presence in Tessa’s chapters, but it was much harder to get into his head and understand him from the inside out. It was also an interesting puzzle to uncover which elements of the story should be told from his point of view. Some chapters flipped from hers to his, adjusted for his voice and inner monologue, but others were written from scratch.

In the end, I truly love both Tessa and Reed. Having the opportunity to more fully explore Reed’s psyche softened me to him and helped me better understand the walls he puts up to the world and why. Plus, there’s something thrilling about writing a romance when you get to linger in both their perspectives. You can share with the reader all those moments of miscommunication and misunderstanding and how deeply they yearn for each other.

When developing Tessa and Reed, it was important to me to showcase their life and passions outside of school. Both are hardworking overachievers with hidden depth. Tessa grows up in a single-parent home where money gets tight after her father loses his job. Resourceful and creative, she thrifts and upcycles her clothes, though she jokes that her favorite thrift shop, Second Place, mirrors her unfortunate situation with Reed stealing the Valedictorian title. Meanwhile, Reed harbors his own secrets. Tessa knows he plays in a band, but she has no idea his true passion is learning flamenco guitar. Coming from a long line of Luthiers in Seville, Spain, Reed uses the instrument to connect with and honor the father he lost too soon.

Q: Tessa and Reed are ghosts for most of the story. How did you approach developing the mechanics of being a ghost—including what they could and could not do—and bonding Tessa and Reed through their shared ghostly experiences?

A: Figuring out the rules of the ghost world was a fascinating world-building challenge. I had to decide which tropes to embrace and which to subvert. Since the story uses a dual first-person POV, I needed the afterlife to feel visceral. After all, it’s hard to write a romance if your characters can’t touch. So, Tessa and Reed are solid to one another and able to sit on furniture. They still have the sensation of breathing or their hearts racing, even as they acknowledge this could merely be a habit that followed them into the afterlife. To feel their romantic tension as a reader, we need those physiological cues. But they don’t eat, they don’t sleep, and I just couldn’t bring myself to let them smell things because that felt too “of this world.”

Tessa and Reed also develop some classic ghostly abilities, like passing through walls, alongside a few unexpected powers I think will really surprise readers. No spoilers here, but those were quite fun to write. Ultimately, though, I didn’t want to magic them a way out of their problems. They have some abilities, but they also have some serious limitations. Learning to work within those boundaries or uncovering ways to channel their skills in unforeseen ways, is a lot of the fun of the book.

One of the things I’ve always loved about Tessa and Reed is how they attack the afterlife with the same gusto they brought to competing in school, determined to win. But as the story progresses, and they grow closer, they bond over their developing ghostly skills and ultimately team up to save their friends.

Q: In You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker, nothing goes as planned for Tessa or Reed. Throughout the story, they realize that they are more than their plans. How did you approach writing their development?

A: That has always been a core theme of the story for me, recognizing that all of us are more than our plans. Young people, especially, can easily engage in catastrophic thinking—"if I don’t achieve [X] by a certain time, I’ve failed”—but life rarely charts the course we expect. Tessa and Reed have the ultimate rug pulled out from under them; they die. But in that experience, and in the afterlife, they’re able to find themselves and find a deep love for each other. It may not have been the story they expected, but I truly believe they still get their HEA.

The book holds a lot: romance, mystery, rivalry, humor, paranormal adventures, and some big feelings. It’s my sincerest wish that readers find themselves both laughing and tearing up within these pages. And that they also learn to extend themselves the same grace that Tessa and Reed find in the end.

But I especially hope reader’s swoon over the fun, flirtatious banter between two academic rivals turned ghostly roommates who now must navigate the most inconvenient feelings ever.

Q: What has been one of your favorite moments as a debut author?

A: It is genuinely hard to pick a favorite moment as a debut author, but if I had to, I’d say one of the biggest joys of launching my book into the world is the reader interactions that follow. I’ve met the most incredible readers on my book tour or at signing events. Some have even cosplayed as Tessa, which blew me away. I’ve had teens reach out to me through my website to send me their fan art of Tessa and Reed, and strangers share messages about how much the book moved them. Writing can feel like such an isolated experience. We dream up these worlds in our little silos, but the story is no longer mine, it’s yours. I have been so touched to know that these characters, sprung from my imagination, have meant so much to people.

Q: After readers finish You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker, what books do you recommend they read?

A: I think a fantastic follow up book to You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker would be the charming and moving 72 Hours of You by my fellow 2026 debut, Darianne Schramm. The story follows Sydney, who is cursed to see pink death clocks hovering over people’s heads once they have only 72 hours left to live. But when the ever-optimistic and charming Peter comes into her life, they team up to help strangers make the best of their final days. Both books wrestle with themes of death and letting go, and both similarly manage to do so with a fun and humorous voice.

Another possible book to try next, and one that I’m also dying to read, is Jenny Howe’s How (Not) to Renovate a Haunted House. It’s a spooky young adult romance that follows a supernatural skeptic who must team up with an amateur ghost hunter to fix up a haunted house in small-town Massachusetts. It’s similarly full of swoons and spooky season vibes and is the perfect story to dive into wrapped in a cozy sweater with a big mug of apple cider.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

A: I think one of the best things you can do as an aspiring author is to read and read widely. When I started down this path nine years ago, I was already a voracious reader of YA fiction. But as I wanted to step into writing my own stories, I began to read books with fresh and curious eyes, looking closely at the craft involved. I created my own color-coded highlighting system and would make copious notes as I went. That may not be the right path for everyone, but it certainly helped me refine my skills and style.

One of the other things that has really helped me over the years when I’ve gotten stuck or felt like my inner critic was becoming too loud, is to step away from the draft I’m working on and try the chapter again in an entirely new document. I give myself full permission to play and to fail. Somehow, when I take away the stakes of something having to be good enough to include in the novel, I find that I can approach the story with just the spirit of freedom it needs to shine.

Q: What’s up next?

A: My next book is a YA speculative romcom called Prom Anomaly. It’s for fans of The Do-Over by Lynn Painter and See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon with some of the revenge energy of John Tucker Must Die mixed in.

Here’s the pitch: A prom queen wannabe and a loner outcast are forced to relive their same disastrous prom on repeat until they do the improbable—fall in love—in this slow-burn, speculative romcom about prom, probability theory, and the last person you’d ever expect to fall for.

Thank you so much to Gwen for joining me in discussing her incredible debut here on Bindery, as well as at Annabelle’s Book Club LA in May! 💕

Good afternoon, mis internet amigxs!

I need your help! I'm working on my caption for tomorrow's Latinx Heritage Month kick-off and am having a tiny dilemma.

If you're not familiar, I have been doing these flatlays for the kick-off of Latinx Heritage Month for years. If you want to take a look, here are the past 6 years:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

And what I'm wondering is, this year, with everything going on, do I give: defiant eyebrow (A.) or joy as resistance (B.)? Let me know in the poll below.

I think I know which one I am going to choose, but would love your insight and thoughts in the comments if you have them.

You'll get the final photo and caption delivered first to your inbox tomorrow morning along with all the day's Latine releases.

Nos vemos mañana,

Carmen

Mini reviews from our contributors' recent reads

The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo 

From Mhairie

Aside from the (deliberately) reductive title I found this non-fiction enthralling. The Sea Captain's Wife was Mary Ann Patten who, at the age of 19 and in the circumstances she was given, sailed a clipper ship around Cape Horn and safely to harbour, in Winter. And put down a mutiny while doing it. The tale is dramatic enough you'd be hard-pressed selling it to TV. Captain Mrs. Patten laid some strong groundwork for the 19th Amendment while "just doing [her] duty to [her] husband" and yet we don't hear her story anymore. This reads like a novel despite being completely true and well researched. I read it in a couple of sittings. For fans of Maritime settings, Dashka Slater and feminist history.

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: confinement, misogyny, death, terminal illness

Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri

From Nox

Kiki is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie, so I was incredibly excited to read the book that inspired it! There are a lot of differences between the book and movie, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing. The book is told in a series of vignettes, with the majority of them being different deliveries or tasks that Kiki completes over the course of a year living in the seaside town of Koriko (which, side note, I was so excited to hear the town is called Koriko, as I love a solo TTRPG called Koriko: A Magical Year that is inspired by the book!). You see the town’s attitude about Kiki change, as well as the friends that she makes. I also loved the worldbuilding that was explored more in the book. I highly recommend Kiki’s Delivery Service: the book and the movie!

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: bullying, body shaming, pregnancy, misogyny

Chase Me if You Can By Heather Frances

From Shoshana

I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this book. The fast-paced, engaging storyline will delight meteorology enthusiasts with the lush descriptions of clouds, tornados, and summer storms. The funny yet emotionally charged moments between Sloane and Wes are balanced by difficult family dynamics that add to the complex relationships. Great for fans of the 2025 Twister movie, Chelsea Curto, and Mason Deaver.

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: sexual content, sexism, chronic illness, car accident, emotional abuse

Hello my friends!!

The secret is out! We are publishing a cozy horror!

The votes are in and this October we will be reading:

What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher.

This is a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher and while the cover looks pretty freaky, the horror elements are light, I promise. It's much more gothic with creepy stuffy thrown in (cause its T Kingfisher!) but for those who are scared of the horror genre, please don't run away! This is also a novella so if you are a fast reader you can absolutely continue on in the series and chat about those books as well!

Hoping this earlier announcement helps you get your hands on a copy in time. Can't wait to discuss it with you on our Discord!

Happy Monday, friends!

I am so happy that nearly 40 of you have joined me here on Bindery! I know adding another platform when there are already so many to keep up with is a big ask, so I want to make sure that my Bindery page is worth it!

There are many features and perks that I am considering for different tiers of membership, but I want to offer the ones that are most meaningful to you!

In order to do this, I have created a short and super easy survey that will help me tailor the path of this page going forward. Please click here to submit your answers!

As a "thank you" for providing me with this data, I will be awarding one lucky winner, chosen from those who complete the survey, with a $25 gift card to either Bookshop.org or LibroFM.

Winner will be chosen on Sunday, September 20, so don't hit snooze!

Thank you for being here and I can't wait to make this site even more fun!

Giveaway is not affiliated with Bindery Books or any other publisher or retailer. Void where prohibited

Is it just me or is September flying by? This month is a huge month for me Arc wise and so far I'm keeping up! I know it's not a must to review before release date, but I try my best---especially with indie authors and publishers.

I just finished the AMAZING A Thousand Monstrous Forms by Saratoga Schaefer, which is a sapphic bluebeard retelling. I gave this one five stars. An absolute delight.

I'm finishing up Hollow Folk by Andrew K. Clark and will be reviewing this week for my featured review on Wednesday.

I'm reading the second book in the The Boogeyman Series, Becoming The Boogeyman in preperation for both the release of book three releasing October 6th, and my interview with the author coming soon. If you have any questions you would love to ask Richard Chizmar, comment down below or in our discord.

I also plan to pick up The Need by Megan Mostyn-Brown which involves "special meat" and sound super interesting.

What are you reading this week?

Here are some new releases coming out Tuesday that I have had the chance to read and want to make sure are on your radar.

Sleep Well, Mommy by Mi-ae Seo 4/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy a creepy psychological thriller translated from Korean. We're exploring what makes a serial killer, up close and personal.

Fallow by Sarah Anderson 4.25/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy absurd workplace situations and discussions of reproductive justice.

Winterveil by Ava Reid 3.5/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoyed The Naturals and Ender's Game (before you recognized the author of the latter was queerphobic). Bright teens are selected to serve their country in an alternate timeline where the Cold War didn’t end. Even better, it’s queer (take that, Orson Scott Card).

Formosa Exchange by Chong-Kai Huang (9/18 release in UK) 4/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you enjoy speculative fiction that explores other cultures. In this one, the populations of Taiwan and Cuba swap places.

And I want to include a non-fiction book that felt like it was written for me:

Damned if She Does by Sarah Stankorb 4.5/5 stars

Put this on your TBR if you have deconstructed from evangelicalism or love those who have. This is the first book that most clearly lined out why I left the church.

Hello and happy Monday! I was on a reading tear last week. Turns out that can happen when you put the video games down for a minute, ha. Books marked with a * were gifted to me, and books marked with a ^ I was paid to read.

A Few Rules For Predicting The Future by Octavia E. Butler - I'm not sure this really counts as reading a book, since it's essentially a fancy reprint of a magazine essay. But it's still quite thought provoking, with Butler writing about how no one solution will "fix" the future. The artwork in this edition is beautiful, too.

Long Division by Kiese Laymon - I REGRET PUTTING THIS BOOK OFF FOR SO LONG. It's so good. Laymon's writing is so smart, cutting, funny, devastating. This book is kind of two stories nested inside each other, and as soon as I finished part 2 I was ready to go back and reread part 1, and maybe just read the book forever in an endless loop. I can't believe this only has a 3.8 rating on Storygraph. That is INCORRECT. I am never going to stop thinking about City and his friends.

The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy by Gil Durán* - I've read a couple of Silicon Valley "tell-alls" in the last few years, so there wasn't a ton of new information for me in this book, but Durán does a great job of putting together a larger timeline rather than just following one person or company like the other books do. Previously I did not understand why there was a sudden focus on end times/the antichrist in the tech world, but after reading this I can now easily see how it was there all along. If I had a time machine, it would be a real toss up between Hitler and Peter Thiel, is all I'm saying.

She's A Doll by Barbara Truelove* - This book is bananas in the best way. It's heavy, but has the right black humor to balance that out. Basically, a woman is murdered and her ghost attaches to a porcelain doll, and she vows revenge. I found it a bit frustrating how physically limited the doll was. I expected the book to be more of a rampage, but that didn't happen until near the end. The strange relationship between Lucy and Nicola was a treat for those of us who love weird girls, though. Bonus: surprise ace rep! Double bonus: this is a Bindery publication!

Wisdom on the Rocks by Michael Penn^ - This one started out pretty interesting, setting up a satirical megacorp and a man trying to climb the ranks. He gets assigned a project that seems doomed to fail, plus partnered with a strange old man he's never even seen around the office before. However, the life lessons Morty (the old man) tries to impart are so muddled they're hard to follow. Also, the character of Morty isn't like, outright antisemitic, but he's basically three Jewish stereotypes in a trenchcoat.

Hi nerds,

We now have a functioning bookselling e-commerce solution!!! I don't know if you know this, but the bookselling software options have historically been both extremely expensive AND look like they're from the 1980's. The most popular one with indies is called Bookmanager, and not only does it have a year waitlist, it also has a 10k price tag. Not happening.

I've been stumbling along and making due with having no real way outside of Bookshop.org to sell books online for the last 3 years, but the bookselling heavens have smiled down on me and our gorgeous POS providers (Omnibus! If you're a bookseller and want me to talk your ear off about the benefits of Omnibus, hmu!) are now offering an e-comm solution as well. I feel like we're a real bookstore now.

What does this mean for you? Well, there are new and improved ways to shop and support Sunny's online now.

How do I shop online?

• Clicking the "Buy Books" button in the header on our website (sunnysbooktruck.com) will now take you to our new book shopping section.

What books can I buy online?

• All of our current, in-store book inventory is reflected on the website (!!!) AND literally any book you search for is orderable as well. Browsing the shelves you see on the left sidebar takes you to what we have in stock for each section, but you can search for any title in the searchbar in the header.

Do you offer local pickup?

• Yes! Choose local pickup at checkout, no shipping fees. We'll email you as soon as your order is ready.

How long will my order take?

• In-stock titles: Ready for pickup or shipped within 1–2 business days.

• Special orders: Typically ship or are ready for pickup within 5–7 business days. The books have to get to us before they can get to you!

When do I need to pick up my order and how do I pay?

• You're welcome to prepay online or pay when you pick up in person. We just ask that you pick up within 2 weeks of your ready notification, it helps us keep our shelves and back stock organized!

Where do I buy merch?

• All of our merch and book club orders are routed through our other main website. If you are looking to buy merch AND books, you'll have to check out twice. It's annoying, we know! We're sorry.

Wait so should we not use Bookshop.org anymore?

• We still love Bookshop.org, and they have some great seasonal sales and free shipping offers, but the truth is we get 30% of the revenue from a Bookshop sale vs 46-50% if you buy from us directly and use this new part of our site. It's up to you of course, but more of your purchase stays with us when you buy direct.

I think that's it! This is still a fairly new platform, so PLEASE let me know if you run into any kinks, but we've had a handful of orders come through already that have worked perfectly.

If you're a local custie who is used to DMing/emailing me when you put in a special order, feel free to self serve now. All of it gets fed in the backend to my publisher orders. No more "oops CJ actually forgot to put that in because shes doing 134667255 things" apology emails from me!

Alright, more to come I'm sure, but explore the site and peep some of the shoppable lists while you're at it:

Love you!!!

CJ

Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs,

It's Latinx Heritage Month Eve Eve and I'm getting so excited (and nervous) for the start of Latinx Heritage Month on Tuesday. You'll be receiving your usual newsletter from me on Tuesday. I'll be honest, much of my content won't change during Heritage Month itself, because here at Bien Leidos, everyday is Latinx Heritage Month.

But that doesn't mean there won't be exciting surprises, starting with...BIEN LEIDOS MERCH IS LIVE EARLY JUST FOR YOU!

While we're only launching t-shirts right now, I made sure to get them in a wide array of styles AND colors, including sweatshirts and hoodies for all style tastes.

My goal isn't just to release merch, but to raise as much as I can for the Immigration Legal Resource Center, who is doing tremendous work with provided resources for immigrants all over the US during this time of crisis. 10% of proceeds of every shirt sold will go to the ILRC.

This initial merch launch is limited and ends on September 30th, so place your shirt order SOON!

I also wanted to remind you that September 14th is designated as Support Latino Business Day! This is a community-driven initiative to support Latino businesses every September 14th to celebrate and support Latino businesses. Although it seems like they have abandoned their socials and website, I feel like it's more important than ever to shout about your favorite local Latine-owned businesses.

I'll be posting on socials tomorrow, but I wanted to share my ShopMY collection featuring some of my favorite Latiness businesses (including our Bien Leidos t-shirt at the beginning). This link is shareable, so please feel free to share far and wide.

While my ShopMy links are commission-based, none of these links provide me any commission. I just want so share the love of Latine businesses I love. I'll be adding to this collection throughout the year, so be sure to save it and check back as I build a little database of my favorites for you to shop and support Latinx businesses.

Happy Latinx Heritage Month week, mis amores,

Carmen

Hello my friends, and a very happy (first full day of NFL season) Sunday to you all!

This week we'll be highlighting and celebrating Latinx Heritage Month (It begins September 15 and goes through October 15.) Let's get into it, shall we? There's so many people, creators, authors and businesses I want to highlight and celebrate:

Let's get into it, shall we? We'll kick it off with important dates to know throughout the month long celebration:

• Sep. 14: Support Latinx Business Day

• Sep. 15: Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

• Sep. 16: Independence Day for Mexico

• Sep. 18: Independence Day for Chile

• Sep. 21: Independence Day for Belize

• Oct. 12: Dia de la Raza (Indigenous Peoples' Day)

I wanted to shout out a few Latinx Businesses to support tomorrow (Sep. 14) for Support Latinx Business Day. This is by no means an exhaustive list - just a few I have spoken with, are friends with and/or have purchased directly from:

1. Kevin A. Creates (Website Here)

2. Midnight Koala Creates (Website Here)

3. The Bookish B (Website Here)

These Latinx businesses are not only Latinx, but are also either LGBTQIA+ or are LGBTQIA+ affirming, which is important to me, as well.

And while I also know there are so many Latinx content creators, I will always stand ten does down to support my friend, @Carmen. She has been championing the Latinx community in all ways - books, businesses, creators, clothing brands - the list goes on. If you aren't already following her, do yourself a favor and go now. She also just launched a Bien Leidos Book Club clothing line, too! I, of course, smashed the pre-order button on a hoodie. 10% of sales also go to the National Immigration Law Center, in case you needed yet another reason to support her and her work. I also am a paid subscriber on her Bien Leidos Bindery - now is the time to uplift, support, and if able, put your money where your mouth is.

Speaking of Carmen, she shared a reel on social media earlier this week or last week about how "allies" (I loathe that word) post performative book stacks about their "TBRs" but never actually read them. So today, I'm only discussing and recommending Latinx books/authors I have read to hold myself, and you as a reader, accountable. Are we all doing our due diligence? Let's tap into the authors and books, alright?

• We'll start with one of my auto-buys, one of my favorite authors that just honestly never misses. I've read everything she's written but one book: Elizabeth Acevedo. (The only book I haven't read is Family Lore, I own it, but haven't read it yet.)

• Another auto-buy for me? Aiden Thomas. Cemetery Boys will always be close to my heart, and I am currently reading Cemetery Boys: Espiritu. I have yet to read the Sunbearer Trials duology, but I also own those, as well.

• Benjamin Alire Saenz: Aristotle and Dante duology.. While I have read the first one, I haven't read the second one, but I own it. I also have the e-pub of his posthumously published book, When The World Was Happy.

• Adam Silvera. I waited and waited and waited for the Deathcast series to be completed so I could immerse myself into that story.

• Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez: Conversion Therapy Dropout. Please. Read this book.

• David Archuleta: Devout. If you can do audio, I recommend it on audio. Such a tender story.

• Sonido Reyes: To Our Untamed Core is a book I'm currently reading (This is also our Quarter 4 book club pick.)

These are just the authors/books that come to my mind off the top of my head without really thinking too much into it. But to stick with books I've read/currently reading, we'll stop there. I would highly encourage you all to support Latinx content creators already doing the work, but also to spend time researching some books to read on your own accord. I've give you a small variety of fiction and nonfiction above. Amplify these authors, books, content creators you read and follow. Share their work and stories. Buy them a treat, if able. Become part of their paid subscribers list. Support them in all ways.

As we wrap up today, please know that each week I spend time highlighting month events. I would encourage you to also research how you can learn about each week's topic more thoroughly.

I hope you all have an amazing week, my friends. Collaborators - I'll see you on Tuesday for an exclusive newsletter. If not, I will see everyone for Trans Joy Thursday, and also on Discord.

Be well, my friends.

With all my trans joy,

Sawyer Cole

Morning book buddies,

I'm headed out the door to go to IRL book club for the first time in a few months (took some time off after my dad passed), and I must say that I'm excited to see my bookish friends (even if I DNF'd the book 😜).

There's been A LOT happening in the SBB space this week, including some reading! Let's get into it.

First, I finished my re-read of The Story Keeper and definitely enjoyed it more the second go-round. As I said last week, I think I sped through it last time and missed some key points/Easter eggs. It was a solid 4⭐️ and perfect for anyone who enjoys mysteries/domestic suspense. I did really enjoy the story-within-the-story both times I read the book; it was a clever way to structure the book and heighten the suspense. Beware: it does have an intimate partner violence storyline which may be triggering for some.

I also finished Tenderness, the new Rowan Beaird. It was strange. Not bad strange. Just strange. The book is all about a wedding weekend following the brother of the bride and the best friend/former lover of the bride; the bride in question has just escaped the famous 70s cult Synanon, so everyone is on edge to say the least. I wanted more from the book, specifically I wanted to spend more time in the head of/story of the bride. It was a solid weird girl lit fic. 3⭐️s

I've since moved on to one of my most anticipated reads of the Fall, Stations by Louise Kennedy. I LOVE it so far! It's definitely more of a character-driven literary fiction, with very little happening outside of the heads/hearts of the characters. But, boy, is it tender and absolutely everything I want from a Louise Kennedy love story.

The Hacienda is EVERYTHING I wanted it to be and SO much more. I'm immersively reading this book with the BBFL, and it's delivering on the spook and the Latine culture. I cannot wait to see where this book is going and am eager to dive back in after book club.

I've also started MY LAST NETGALLEY read. That's right. It's going to be my last NetGalley read for a while. And luckily, it just so happens to be by one of my favorite authors. Jenny Bayliss' brand new holiday fiction, The Little Shop of Merry and Bright, is off to a great start, with a fun, modern twist on the ghost of Christmas present story (aka Dickens). I love her work and have a feeling this will be a winner.

As I said, I am phasing out NetGalley so that I can focus more on slowing down and savoring books. I will continue to read new releases, but I also want to incorporate more backlist books. I am eager to share more about the reasons behind this move in an upcoming Youtube video, so stay tuned!

ICYMI

• 80+ newly published holiday books perfect for your Christmas reading list

• paid subscribers now have access to the November historical fiction look ahead

• spend the weekend with me getting stuff done: Weekend Productivity Vlog

• the battle of the 5⭐️ books: aka the August Reading Wrapup

• I shared a Sunday 5 things for the first time in ages last weekend

• Ariel Lawhon backlist unboxing: aka the best bookmail EVER

• a fun pub-day celebration for The Pirate Queen

Hear It Here First

I'm planning another fun giveaway this week over on Facebook, so be sure you're following me there!

Stay tuned for some fun Booktube videos including my 2026 Q2 Wrapup and my 10-Before-the-End!

I went to the library yesterday to pick up books for Episode 3 of Let's Go to the Library, and I am SO EXCITED to start this book/vlog. Watch past episodes here.

Ok friends, gotta run!

Happy reading 😘

xoxo

c

I do keep vanishing and returning, but alas. I am finding balance. It's hard! Between writing my own projects - plural, I'm insane - and working on a paid freelance opportunity, it's been hard to find time to read, write a blog update daily, make video content, create reels, and do podcast and YouTube longform content.

Perhaps I have bitten off more than I can chew. So. I've been restructuring how I deliver information to people and how I maintain this space more responsibly and less erratically. Sundays are usually my big creation and writing days, so I'm going to focus on a reading recap every week and at LEAST get that out. I also plan to do my book club book posts here, too, for my classic sci fi and fantasy book club.

That will help feel less overwhelming, I think!

Anyway. To the books!

The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

I can't say enough about this series. It's amazing. So well done and thoughtful with strong political thematics and crazy plot and characters. Swan is such a strong voice, I'm shocked he isn't more popular and on more lists. I am making it my mission to change that. Trials of Empire was a fantastically weird and thoughtful conclusion that wrapped up a story I couldn't put down. What began as a court intrigue book turned into a grand, epic-scale battle between the forces of good and evil. He worked in mystery and war and religion and political turmoil so well in this book that really worked for the story. The ending was perfect, but gutting in a specific way only Richard seemed to pull off perfectly. He created complex characters that were flawed, but earnest and begged the question of what it means to be good and just. The complexity of righteousness is a fantastic thing not enough authors explore.

Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle

This was amazing. I don't usually gravitate to urban fantasy, but they made something so cool and fun I couldn't put it down. I described it as east Asian-inspired fantasy John Wick and that's a hill I'll die on. Emiko Soong is a fantastic FMC who is thoughtful and troubled and flawed. She's aloof by nature and trying to be better, she also is trying to find her place in the world without having to put herself back into the one full of violence. They kept so much mysterious stuff from the reader in the best way because we only know what Emiko knows, even if we suspect more. The pacing was fast and breathless without being overwhelming and it was so refreshing to see so many cool creatures and tools from other east Asian cultures we don't get to very often. This book made me lock in and I wanted to immediately pick up Pearl City, but alas... I had indies to read.

The Tethered God by Noah Brisk

Full disclosure - Noah is a close, personal friend of mine and one of the best hype dudes out there. He's really thoughtful and encouraging and pushes his friends to succeed. I wouldn't be publishing TWO books in the next few months if it wasn't for Noah's persistence. I went into TTG trying to ignore our friendship as best I could. I liked it, I thought it was a fun indie debut and a really strong one by comparison to some trad pubs I've read. When I review indies, I take a different perspective and remember the resource constraints and limitations they face that trad books don't which makes me softer on them than a trad version so keep that in mind. This was Brisk's first formal push to tell a story and I think there's only better things to come from here. He's got a tale that, while not genre redefining, is solid and well deployed. I got lost in the magic system a bit and I felt like there were times we could've pushed more emotional language to let me sit with the sense of threat in the story in places, but overall this was fun and weird and I will be reading Book 2!

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

This was the first book for the Classics Club where we read SFF classics every quarter! It's a foundational book, the cornerstone of so much fantasy it's unreal. I couldn't stop finding ways it inspired future books and it was throwing me through a loop. The Name of the Wind draws so much from this book it was actually alarming sometimes! I loved how different 1970s young adult books were to today, the genre has changed and fluctuated and moved so much that it's almost hard to see this book as a YA piece. It was dark, full of complex language, thoughtful, intense, and kind of scary. I could absolutely see this as a terrifying animated movie if Ghibli hadn't picked it up and turned it into something uniquely whimsical. There are two more in the series to read and I'm very excited to start book 2 to see where on earth she's going to take us next.

Titan's Nest by TD Orel

This book was delightful. A romp. A YA dragon book for young adults. I think there's this tendency to read YA books from an adult lens and be critical as a fully formed adult reader that's actively hurting young adult books. We are pushing young adults out of their own genre because we, adult readers, aren't growing out of YA books or are continuing to read YA books AND put adult demands on them. Read YA if you want! I fully support that! But recognize that those books aren't for you, an adult. They're for young people. Orel refused to cow to adult readers and kept this story for young people. The teenage version of him was excited about this book and you can sense it. There's lots of areas I could point to where the writing could be stronger and needed another editing pass or two, but overall this book is for young folks. Would younger Sarah love this? Yes. Would've eaten it tf up. It's no less strong than Throne of Glass. He's ambitious with the plot, creates a good magic system, is very cinematic in his style, and his teenagers behave like teenagers.

What Blood Remembers by C. William Phillips

I DM'd Will after I finished this and said "Will what the f*** was that." This was so good. I never read indies in the thriller genre, nor do I ever see them, but this was such a crazy surprise I'm floored. I loved it. This was wild and intense and emotional and thoughtful. I think this could sit next to SA Cosby on my shelf and I would argue for it. He's got such a good voice for thrillers it's crazy, I hope he does even more of them. This was about family, complex relationships, loss, and all circling drug cartels and dangerous men in a way that was realistic and jarring at the same time. He crushed it with this one.

Menilmonea by David Catuhe

This was so cute I want to die. Another indie YA fantasy story that was so much more than I expected. Catuhe crafted this unique, mysterious world with such good visuals and a fun, lyrical way of telling his story that was so effervescent and charming. I'd categorize this for 10-14 year olds, but as an adult I was enchanted by it. His mystery was good and he never sacrificed grown up themes for a young audience. He challenges folks' lexicons and puts bigger words in context in a way I loved while maintaining a whimsical adventure story around it. I thought his twist was so good and the way he fleshed out the world was creative and thoughtful! I'm surprised I don't see this in more places, honestly.

Now I'm currently reading He Who Ate the Wild and listening to Child of the Night Guild as I continue my September Indie Sprint through a bunch of indies I've had on my list and not been able to get to yet! Anything I fail to hit this month, though, WILL carry into October.

I'm still writing and still posting chapters on here for premium members - you get to participate and tell me what to change AND I have a few characters that will need names soon... just saying. My contracted project is halfway done so I should be done with that in a few weeks which will liberate me to complete my spine-building for Book 2 of The Book of Icarus! I also am posting podcast episodes with authors on my YouTube channel you can and should check out as well as recordings of all my IG live sessions for anyone who missed theirs.

I solemnly swear I will be better about weekly reading updates from here on out.

Maybe.

Probably.

I have a new set schedule going into spooky season! This will start this week. I look forward to all the recommendations and interviews!

Also follow along for more writing updates and book release info!

BIEN LEIDOS LIMITED EDITION MERCH IS LIVE!

Not only do you as Lectores and Libritos get the exclusive FIRST LOOK to shop Bien Leidos t-shirts, but you also get an exclusive 15% off coupon code.

While we're only launching t-shirts right now, I made sure to get them in an array of styles AND colors, including sweatshirts and hoodies!

Your official discount code is:

LECTORLIBRITO15

There are only as many discount codes as there are members at this level, so please don't share this code with anyone, as you'll be taking away a discount from another Lector or Librito member.

My goal isn't just to release merch, but to raise as much as I can for the Immigration Legal Resource Center, who is doing tremendous work with provided resources for immigrants all over the US during this time of crisis.

This initial merch launch is limited and ends on September 30th, so get your shirt SOON!

Finally, I've heard your call for washi tape of stickers. Requests have been noted for future merch launch!

xoxo,

Carmen