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!

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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

Hello Cozy Family!!

Back in 2023, I posted what turned out to be a rather controversial list of books that I thought should be studied on the school curriculum to help inspire and create readers from an earlier age. Here’s my updated list of recommendations. 

I will post a deep dive into each age group and the books I’ve chosen in separate posts (to come soon). I have used the English (UK) classification of school groups, as that is what I am familiar with, and then added the age ranges in brackets so everyone, wherever you may be based in the world, will be able to understand and apply to your own school age group classification systems. 

So without further ado, here is a list of what I think should be on schools' English Literature curriculums:

Primary School (8 - 10 years old)

• Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

• A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

• Best Friends Forever by Lisa Williamson

I would also recommend a graphic novel at this age too, though I am still searching for what I think my ultimate recommendation for one would be. So stay tuned for that update, hopefully soon. Please share any recs you may have!!

Lower Secondary School (11 - 13 years old)

• Narnia (The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe) by C S Lewis

• The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien

• A Good Girls Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

• A Language of Dragons by S F Williamson

Upper Secondary School (14 - 15 years old) 

• The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

• Herc by Phoenica Rogerson

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

A-Level / College (16 - 18 years old)

• Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch

• The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

• The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

• Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Until next time,

Charlotte xx

Science fiction doesn't have to be filled with pages of physics, complicated technology, or scientifically accurate space travel. Sometimes, the future is simply the backdrop, and the real story is about the people living in it.

That's what soft sci-fi does so well. Rather than asking, Could this happen?, these books ask, What would happen to us if it did?

These books are emotional, philosophical, political, and deeply character-driven, which is why they're often my recommendation for readers who think they "don't like science fiction."

What Makes a Book Soft Sci-Fi?

Soft sci-fi uses speculative technology or futuristic settings to explore human experiences. Instead of focusing on scientific realism, these stories ask questions about identity, relationships, morality, society, and what it means to be human.

The science supports the story, not the other way around.

The Core Themes of Soft Sci-Fi

1. Humanity in Extraordinary Circumstances

At its heart, soft sci-fi is about people.

The futuristic setting simply creates new ways to examine timeless questions about identity, love, grief, family, morality, and belonging.

Whether the story takes place on another planet or centuries in the future, the emotional journey is what stays with you.

2. Society, Politics, and Power

Many soft sci-fi novels use imagined futures to explore the world we're living in today.

They ask questions like:

• Who deserves power?

• What happens when technology outpaces ethics?

• How much freedom are we willing to sacrifice for security?

• What makes someone human?

The science is there to challenge the way you think.

3. Relationships Come First

While hard sci-fi often spends time explaining how a world works, soft sci-fi spends that time developing the people living inside it.

• Friendships.

• Found family.

• Romance.

• Rivalries.

• Moral dilemmas.

If you're someone who needs to emotionally connect with characters before you care about the plot, this genre is probably going to work for you.

4. Big Ideas Without the Homework

One of the biggest misconceptions about science fiction is that you need to understand science to enjoy it. You don't.

Soft sci-fi is usually much more interested in the consequences of technology than the mechanics behind it. That's what makes it such an approachable entry point into the genre.

📖 If You Usually Read Other Genres...

Soft sci-fi is one of my favorite science fiction subgenres to recommend because it meets readers where they already are. Instead of asking you to memorize scientific concepts, these books focus on characters, relationships, philosophy, politics, and the emotional impact of new technology.

If you've ever thought science fiction "wasn't for you," this is probably where I'd tell you to start.

⚔️ Fantasy Readers

Start with: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

If you love epic worlds, political intrigue, unforgettable characters, and impossible odds, Red Rising is an easy transition into science fiction. It has all the emotional highs of fantasy, just with planets instead of kingdoms.

❤️ Literary Fiction Readers

Start with: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

This is science fiction at its quietest and most devastating. The speculative premise is subtle, but it raises profound questions about memory, mortality, and what it truly means to be human.

👨‍👩‍👧 Found Family Readers

Start with: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

If your favorite part of a story is watching characters become a family, this one is for you. It's warm, hopeful, character-driven, and one of the coziest science fiction novels you'll ever read.

📚 Beginner Pick

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

If you've always been curious about science fiction but aren't sure where to start, this is one of my favorite gateway books.

Why it works:

• incredibly fast-paced and addictive

• easy-to-understand science fiction concepts

• a high-stakes treasure hunt that keeps the pages turning

• nostalgic pop culture references woven throughout

• balances action, humor, and heart

It's the kind of book that's easy to pick up and even harder to put down.

📚 Advanced Pick

Dune by Frank Herbert

Once you're comfortable with the genre, Dune is one of the most rewarding science fiction novels you'll ever read.

Why it works:

• masterclass in political intrigue and worldbuilding

• explores religion, ecology, power, and destiny

• richly layered cultures and histories that reward close reading

• complex characters whose choices shape entire civilizations

• one of the most influential science fiction novels ever written

This isn't a book you rush through...it's one you sink into. The deeper you go, the more you'll discover, and it's easy to see why it continues to inspire science fiction decades after it was first published.

Let's Talk

What's your favorite kind of science fiction?

• 🚀 Character-driven stories that explore humanity?

• ⚙️ Or science-heavy stories where the technology is the star?

"The dead collect in low places."

GENRE: Sporror
RATING: 4/5
FORMAT: eBook ARC

Review:
If there's a Sporror book, I have to have it and The Midnight Muse was a fun clash of Mushroomcore with Metal Horror and a focus on who we are.

The Midnight Muse starts with a search of well, a muse, by the lead singer (Brynn) who eventually vanishes. Her band continues to exist and the story takes place a year after she vanishes. We follow along with the band members and see all of their lives unfolding. We see how and what motivates them and really, we see how far some of them would go to get what they want.

My favourite parts are that The Midnight Muse is set in an isolated forest/wood area and how on the edge this has us as we are reading it. There are the sporror part, which I loved and there is the exploration of who we are as humans and what is worth giving up some part of us to get what we want.

This is a great sporror book to read, one that leaves you wondering if everything that you are reading has really happened or not!

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

"...the one thing that makes me smile now, laugh even, is the notion that the Spaniards conquered us. Oh, they say, it only took five hundred men to conquer the Mexica, as if their thousands of Indigenous allies had been as useful as clouds of dust. It only took a year, they say. And I laugh, even now, I laugh at their bold-faced stupidity. For it was not those men who conquered us."

GENRE: Historical Fiction
RATING: 5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc

Overall Impression: Easily became one of my favourite Historical Fiction & reads!

Review:
What a book! I loved everything about The Other Moctezuma Girls, from the historical aspect of it, to the characters and the story telling/writing style. It is descriptive and so emotionally powerful that it breaks your heart a little in the best of ways.

We follow Isabel's POV mainly but we get journal entries from her mother, Tecuichpoch and follow the journey of her life and how everything came to be. It genuinely was such a captivating story that broke my heart, reading about how everyone was harmed with colonialism. It also dives into how colonialism can happen with the help of people living in the area and we get to read about why people make the decisions they do.

I also loved reading about Catina, who is deaf after getting sick (coming from someone who is deaf too) and how they developed a way to communicate with her. All the characters in this book were written so well that you couldnt help feel an emotional connection to them or dislike them. We get to explore the family dynamic and watch Isabel find her footing and who she is in the world as someone who doesn't appear "ladylike".

I am so excited to read more from the author and to continue reading books set in the same time period. I was provided a free advance reader copy and I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

"I tried not to think about my body most of the time, or even about being in a body. I'd often thought I would have preferred not to have one at all if I'd had the choice. To be able to just exist, floating around the world, quietly, observing, never being perceived."

GENRE: Psychological Horror with Scottish Folklore
RATING: 3.5/5
FORMAT: eBook & physical ARC

Overall Impression: Overall, I did like Home Sick as the writing was atmospherical and descriptive while the story left me wanting to know more. I think I just went into it expecting something different and it's definitely because I didnt realise it was heavily a psychological Horror. I'm not a huge thriller reader but I will say that the book felt more of a mesh between Psychological Thriller with some horror and folklore in it. We also have a little bit of an unreliable narrator, which was very fitting for the story too, but I dont usually read a lot of Psychological Horror OR books with unreliable narrators so this was an interesting experience for me in wondering what the point of the book was (and getting the answers in the end, which tied everything up to make it a good read).

Review:
I picked up Home Sick as it was folk horror with a cottage setting (cottagecore), which I love in most genres. After reading this, I can definitely say it had some folklore and it definitely played a role in the story but to me, Home Sick is definitely much more heavier on the Psychological Horror/Thriller than the Folk Horror.

All in all, the story was very atmospherical in the first half, which I loved and it gave us that whole Cottagecore vibes and added to the folklore aspect of it. The author does descriptions really well, whether it's nature based on of the cottage. We also get to know Tamsin and there's a lot of conflicting feelings about who she is and we, as the readers, feel that with her. You go back and forth with Tamsin, wondering if she is a good person, what the violent incident was at work and why did she need to escape to a remote cottage. You almost get to feel what she is feeling, her fear, paranoia, anger and have to question why she's feeling this way.

At the core of it, Home Sick is about not fitting in anywhere and the effect of it on Tamsin after a whole life time of trying to fit in and it never working out. The book takes you on a Tamsin's journey to discovering who she is, why she is the way she is and most importantly, maybe learning to accept herself. I think in the first half of the story, I did wonder if Tamsin was Autistic and reading the reviews, I can see that I wasn't the only one who picked up on this.

The horror elements were quite fun to read. It was scary in the way that is very realistic kind of scary, where our fears and insecurities come to life, with a little of folklore to help it. I think I would have loved a deeper dive into the folklore aspect as I am a huge fan of adding folklore in horror and learning more about it. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy both psychological horror and thriller generally as it might be a great book to expand into folk horror as a sub-genre as well. It's also a good book for people who want a mesh of both thriller and horror, as there are some external horrors in here but Home Sick is mainly about Tamsin and her internal fears with it manifesting externally.

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