I finished Queen of Shadows and I have thoughts and feelings.

First, this is absolutely the strongest book in the series so far. I really enjoyed it. Despite every criticism I have for it, I think this was such a fun read and a good time. The reason I loved it so much, however, was because of the side characters. Yes, the rumors are true. People love Throne of Glass because of the side characters and they are... correct.

I'm not a fan of Aelin as a character for a lot of reasons I'll get into later. Let's start with the fun stuff.

This was much more action-heavy and things actually happened! The writing was snappy and kept my attention the whole time. I really resonated with the new POVs and had such a good time in the other stories, especially Manon's who I think had the best arc in QoS. I love Asterin so much, too. She is fantastic. And Elide! Elide was such a sweet, soft, wonderful character to add into this book. She really softened Manon's edges in a way that I loved.

Throne of Glass is a very character-driven story, not as much plot-driven. This is NOT a bad thing or a dig. There's a reason we have both types of stories! That said, I do have some issues with the shakiness of the larger plot premise. It definitely feels like it started half-baked and now it's finally formed, but it does suffer from that earlier half-baked nature from the previous books. It coalesced in Heir of Fire and expanded in Queen of Shadows though! Still, I can see the gaps. Which is okay because let's talk about the reason I had so much fun reading this book:

The characters.

Manon is fantastic. Her arc is identical to Chaol's, which is why I will remain an ardent Chaol defender and point out that people aren't paying any attention to him as a person and what his story is meant to do. Manon and Chaol have endured the same propagandist brainwashing loyalty demands. It's not easy to break out of that and we see Manon more explicitly trying than Chaol, which I think is just a product of SJM being younger when she first wrote Chaol as a character. If it were written today, it would probably be more overt. Still, it's the same damage and the same struggle. I actually think Chaol had it worse because he does his deconstruction in isolation.

Dorian abandons Chaol without empathy or understanding for how hard all of this it on his friend's worldview after knowing him his WHOLE life. You're telling me Dorian grew up with Chaol and knows what a deeply loyal and unquestioning person he is and then resents him for being unquestioningly loyal? That's just being a bad friend if you never try to put yourself in their shoes. I hope Dorian changes my mind because I'm a bit miffed at him for a few more reasons than that.

Aelin immediately expected Chaol to drop his entire worldview, loyalty, and life and just support her unquestioningly. That's crazy. Do you understand how wild that is to expect of someone? Nobody ever expected Aelin to drop all her history and trauma for their cause, but she does that to other people? No. That's nuts. Chaol wasn't wrong for staying the path he thought was best based off of his understanding of the world.

In the end, Chaol winds up processing literally the entire destruction of what he thought to be true and the person he believed himself to be on his own. His friends who should have been there and had empathy for him demanded he just be okay with betraying his core values ditched him when he wasn't immediately like yeah sounds good. Manon had The Thirteen to help her see and understood why she couldn't just abandon her beliefs. And yet Chaol gets hated on. It's hypocrisy.

Okay! Moving along. Aedion? I love him. I'm so sorry. I know he's so toxic and I want to slap him in the mouth, but I love him. He reminds me of one of my most beloved, favorite people in my real life who I adore with my whole entire heart. Like. I was texting him paragraphs and saying "YOU" and he replied with "shut up you're so annoying" but he loves the attention so I kept doing it.

Elide? I love the introduction of Elide. She is kind and soft and still tries to find her emotional strength. I think she is such a phenomenal foil to Manon. I love her impact and how she is echoing the Crochan witch Manon regrets killing. I can't wait to see what they do with her.

Now. I'm about to make people mad.

Rowan doesn't really do anything for me. In fact, he upsets me actively because he never holds Aelin accountable for her actions or behavior. A good partner doesn't just tell you you're doing everything right and never do anything wrong. A good partner helps you see your shortcomings and your mistakes and stands by you while you experience and learn from them. Rowan is 300+ years old. He's seen kingdoms rise and fall. Yet he doesn't see the potential for ruin in Aelin never owning her shortfalls or learning from her mistakes? He just tells her she's never in the wrong? I actually find that super worrisome and detrimental to their romantic arc. It makes it unromantic to me that he doesn't see her mistakes - he's no different than Chaol idealizing her.

Also I make no apologies but I find him kind of bland and boring. His personality is be growl, am hot, have face tattoo. That's nice for a few days but I would be bored to tears if there wasn't more to a person. Still, just a first impression! There's 3 more books to go.

You're not allowed to be mad at me for this next bit.

Aelin lost me in this book. Lost me HARD. Which is a shame because Heir of Fire Aelin had started to win me to her cause. I'm sorry, she is absolutely the worst and I'm struggling to keep an open mind for her. I think my patience has thinned immeasurably because I was so hopeful for her in HOF when she really seemed to have actual growth. Then I felt it all fell apart in QOS.

First, she comes back and asks nothing about what it was like for Chaol, then decides he's to blame for Dorian being collared. Aedion had been captured, Chaol had no weapons, and Dorian was the ONLY one in that room who could've done anything to fight the king. Dorian told Chaol to run. If Chaol had stayed, what was he gonna do? Toss Sorcha's head at him and hope she was the deus ex machina he needed? No. If he had stayed, he would have been killed and Dorian STILL would have been collared. He heeded his doomed friend's perceived dying wish to flee and get out.

Aelin rails into him for not getting Dorian and Sorcha out but has NO idea that Dorian wasn't speaking to Chaol and Chaol DID try to get them out. People forget that. He attempted to tell Dorian to leave and Dorian declined to do so until Sorcha went. What was Chaol supposed to do? Kidnap a prince? Ah yes that would've been a splendid plan. Aelin would have known any of this if she had asked Chaol a single thing about how things had been for him while she was gone. She was in the woods falling in love and learning magic. He was in the sewers fighting for his life to free innocent civilians from demons.

The Arobynn of it all is where I started to get a bit frustrated. There are literally demons taking over and possessing people and an evil king bent on destroying the world, but Aelin decides to take over half the book to play games with her old master when she has several opportunities to just kill him. "She's looking for the amulet" and she could've gone to his house, killed him in his sleep, and looked for it. There were surely a dozen other ways we could've wrapped that up faster. I got frustrated because she was fixated on her revenge and not on the much more globally pressing issue of demons taking over the world.

This also feeds into my other frustration with her. She expects everyone to drop their kingdoms, lineage, trauma, heritage, etc. and rally to her because she's using her real name finally. Like. Girl. Ten years is a long time. She's made no alliance, these people don't know anything about her, she could be as hell bent on evil shit as the king is. Why would they sight unseen come to her aid? She makes no effort to build alliances and then says they deserve to die and she'll kill them all for not coming to her aid. WHAT? Diva, that's not how political maneuvering works! Like. I don't understand what she believes the impetus for everyone coming to help her is? Just because she carries the name Galathynius doesn't mean she's inherently good or noble. She is a stranger to everyone who hasn't really done anything to fight for their cause for the last decade. Why would they suddenly be unquestioningly devoted to her?

Aelin never takes accountability or ownership of her behavior. She uses her self-claimed (which is what it is!) title of Queen of Terrasen to demand respect so she doesn't have to earn it whenever it's convenient, then drops that crown whenever it demands she be held responsible or accountable. She's volatile and has a cruel streak, which triggers Chaol's VERY REAL AND VALID CONCERN that she will use magic to destroy like the king did and believe herself righteous. Which she then immediately threatens to do. Frankly, I have a lot of worries about her having powerful fire magic and no emotional self control or sense of responsibility for her behavior. It's concerning, not charming to me.

Aelin regularly dismisses and disrespects and disregards and lies to everyone around her, then is shocked they are angry at her or frustrated with her and she immediately resents them for it. She's asked to meet at X place or Y time and don't follow, then immediately ignores that and follows. She interrupts missions without knowing the first thing about the risks these people are taking or why they told her to go a different direction. She just assumes she knows better than everyone and when it makes everyone else's plans go to shit, she blames them for bad planning when it was her fault they fell apart.

The lack of accountability for her character is making me despise her. A lot. And I'm annoyed with some of the decisions SJM made in writing her. Being able to outsmart Lorcan, a 500+ year old highly trained warrior-hunter with... a spare cloak? Are we real right now? And then she fights Manon, a 500+ year old battle-trained ruthless witch and beats her with... a leg hook? My problem with this is it makes Aelin feel plot armored. The stakes don't exist. Every plan she makes and fight she gets into she's going to win by some uninspired deus ex machina so where's my reason to worry about her? It also flattens the hell out of Fae and the witches. Like. They were built up to be such powerful, formidable enemies and... they're fooled and bested by a 19 year old human girl pulling out grade-school level tricks? This means one of two things. 1: Manon and Lorcan actually aren't very good at what they're doing OR 2: Fae and witches actually aren't very formidable. Both options conflict with everything SJM built up. Both are disappointing.

I also have a big problem with this whole... hiding things from the reader bit. It's one thing to surprise an audience, it's another to fool them. The overindulged plot device of "she switched it with a fake" fell flat after the second time. We are in Aelin's head in her POV, but we aren't let into any of her plans. We never get to see the exciting stuff like HOW she does it or what the plan is or what to watch for. We're just told "It was a fake she switched and the plan was a rousing success! Ta da!". That can work once, but this happened FOUR TIMES in the book. After a while, I just don't care about her plans. I'm not a part of them, so send a carrier pigeon when it goes off perfectly without a hitch and leave me to follow Manon.

The issue is these criticisms I have of the character make her feel so... flat. Not even likably unlikeable. She's just... boring. That's my thing. After the Manon fight, my feelings about Aelin kind of collapsed. I'm bored wit her. She's choosy about when she uses her trauma to justify her actions, she never shares with the class how the plan is going and it always goes perfectly, she's the best fighter and assassin and strategist and investigator and... after a while I just don't care. There's no threat to her. She has no flaws she acknowledges or explores. I don't care about the journey because "How do they pull it off" isn't a question that ever gets engaged. I know she wants to do X thing, she doesn't show me or share with me how she's going to do it, and I'm told it went perfectly. Like... great. What's her purpose to the story then?

Finally. I swear this is finally.

I do not understand why we care about Terrasen at all.

I know it's Aelin's former kingdom, but why would everyone around her with their own kingdoms and their own people and their own obligations throw all of that in the trash to prioritize Terrasen...? Am I missing something? I know she loves her homeland, as she should! It's her homeland! But I'm unclear why Rowan and Aelin expect everyone else to do the same? What's in it for them? I don't know why Terrasen is more important than everywhere else. "It was the site of a good kingdom" like... okay? Historically, that's been the case for thousands of years in different forms around the world. There's ruins of once great kingdoms all over the place. Why Terrasen?

I'm hoping some of my questions and holes and frustrations can be addressed in Empire of Storms. I've been advised there's a good transformation for Aelin as a character in that one and I really hope it's true because right now I'm fighting not to skim her sections entirely.

I'm about 70% of the way through our June book club pick and I'm really enjoying the premise so far. I didn't realize that this book was so short (just shy of 200 pages per my Kindle), so I'm definitely getting through it faster than some of the previous books we've read. With that said, I'm not sure how the story is going to wrap up with so little remaining, but I'm trusting the process! I would love to know: How's your reading progress coming along?

Happy Friday, and happy Juneteenth! I hope you will consider donating to a Black-led cause or organization near you today, especially if you're a white person with the day off work.

My favorite read this week was Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar. I know this is quite a shock considering I have literally tattooed This Is How You Lose The Time War onto my body, lol.

This book is a short story collection, which I often have a hard time with because I want more time in each story's world. But El-Mohtar is so good at spinning up perfect, tiny little universes in just a few paragraphs. Sure, I wanted some of these to go on longer, but that's just me being greedy.

I think what draws me to her writing is how ethereal it is. The descriptions of the settings are so gorgeous, and even when the action doesn't make Earth-bound logical sense, I'm willing to follow it. That's probably actually why I'm willing to follow it, actually, because I often have no idea where things are going to go.

El-Mohtar does bring the real world into some of the stories. There are a few that focus on queer and/or Arab experiences that weave the magic into the heartbreak.

I just love her so much. I hope you'll pick this book up, even if short stories aren't usually your jam.

My non-bo0kish fave this week is that I went to my cousin's wedding last weekend. It was held up in the mountains and we stayed in a lakeside cabin, and then we danced our butts off at the reception. I just love weddings so much, especially when it's some of my favorite people getting married. I made my spouse take a zillion photos with me because we never get dressed up anymore, so please enjoy, haha.

Hi there besties,

I'm finally starting to feel the urge to write, so I think you can expect more regular updates again. In the meantime, I wanted to share a little something that I wrote a few weeks ago but didn't have the guts to press publish. Grief is weird that way. This is for anyone wondering what those first few days were like and what happened to my dad. Thanks for your patience and support. ❤️

Even the Gator Knows

This month I'll turn 46 (the oldest I've ever been 😜), and it's also the first month that I'll be parentless.

My father passed away this weekend, and I'm unwell.

I'm currently sitting in his kitchen drinking coffee from one of his favorite mugs pondering where to even begin. There is so much to do, yet I feel paralyzed. It's as if I fear disturbing anything in his space will break the spell currently allowing me to hold myself together, albeit haphazardly.

Like I told my newsletter subs, for the past 4 years he and I have become closer than ever. He relied on me for so much after my mother's passing, and, in turn, I learned to lean on him for support I once sought from her. We spoke near daily, often for extended periods of time. We spoke about everything (weather, politics, his health, my relationship, dogs, recipes, life in general), and it's those daily chats that I will miss more than anything.

Barry was a wealth of knowledge, a born teacher who never got the chance to teach. A true Renaissance man, he could literally DO anything. Sculpt, paint, draw, play music by ear, sing, build, design: he could create like no one I've ever met. Sitting here surrounded by his pottery, paintings, doodles, and instruments, I know that I have a treasure trove of memories to sort through. And that feels both exciting and overwhelming. Buried treasure that will break my heart.

I'm here in Louisiana for the week to set affairs in order and prepare the house for the next inhabitants. Seeing his space as he left it the day he went to the Emergency Room feels unreal. The half smoked cigar in the ashtray, the laundry in the hamper, the grocery list...all ripping me into tiny pieces.

The truth is we knew this was coming; he had been suffering from advanced heart failure for a long time, with his symptoms worsening significantly since February. I was here to witness that struggle recently, so I know in my heart of hearts that his passing is a blessing. He's no longer struggling to breath or walk or any of the things that we take for granted every day.

Still, the suddenness of his passing is jarring. I spoke to him in the morning, and he sounded in good spirits though a little short-winded. He volunteered to go to the Emergency Room to get checked out and within 12 hours he was gone. The worst part: I didn't make it in time to say goodbye in person. I was standing in line to board my plane at LAX when I got the text saying "he's gone." I'll be forever grateful to technology for allowing me to Facetime him so that I could tell him that I loved him (and hear it back) one last time.

My sweet little daddy is gone. And I'm not ok. Sadly, I know from experience that I will be in time. One foot in front of the other. One day at a time. Deep breath. In. Out.

And what's wild, even the gator knows. Every year, a new little alligator would turn up in the bayou out back of his house. And every year, he would throw the gator scraps so they would continue to hang around and chase off snakes. This year, he had a little 4-footer hanging around ready for a handout. He swam up the day I got here, hoping that I had something to share. He must have understood me when I told him that Dad was gone, because he hasn't been back since. Even the gator knows.

Update on the Gator

Eventually he did swim back up, almost a week later. But I'm convinced he knows. It's funny how sensitive you become to the physical world around you in those early stages grief. Everything seems so alive, pulsing with the energy you no longer have. Birds in flight, flowers in bloom...everything in nature reminding you simultaneously of the life lost and the life left to live.

If you've lost someone dear to you in the past, then you know grief is a funny thing. It's heavy, and we all need a place to put it down for a while. Writing is one of the ways I like to do that. I appreciate you giving me space to grieve and share.

xoxo

c

Hi all!

Many apologies for being MIA. I've been reading and trying to beat the heat, but I'm happy to share with you a debut that I just finished and think you should add to your TBR.

Soft Spots by Leila Renee will be published in August, and it's an incredible debut. It follows Robin, a young Black college grad who has run away from her family. In her new home, she's focused on joining a teacher program (Like Teach For America) and becoming the best English teacher she can be. She meets Naomi, her roommate and fellow corps member, and develops an intense obsession immediately. The story unfolds over the course of 5-6 months and includes Robin's struggles with leaving her family behind, the abuse she suffered while at home, the observations she makes as a new teacher, and the parallels between her life and Naomi's.

I highly recommend if you enjoy character driven stories with heavy emotional themes.

Hi, my loves!

If you've been here a minute, you know I don't resell Advanced Reader Copies I am sent — it has a seal on the cover and everything! It tells you not to!

Anywho, I prefer to share the wealth wherever I can, and that means coming to y'all first. These are all 2026 releases, and if you're interested, comment below with the title you'd like me to send you! Any that aren't claimed by Sunday will go to a Little Free Library in my area.

"If I Ruled the World" by Amy DoBois Barnett (published January 27) follows Nikki Rose as she leaves her job at a prestigious fashion magazine where she is the only Black editor to take over an up-and-coming hip hop and lifestyle magazine called Sugar. Think late-'90s New York City, self-discovery, and the cost of ambition. — I definitely recommend this one! Just not one I think I'll reread, so she needs a new home.

"Body Electric" by Manoush Zomorodi (published May 6) is a non-fiction book that explores the very real health costs of being constantly plugged in to a digital world. The author also hosts the NPR podcast of the same name, to which I have become thoroughly addicted. — I enjoyed the book, but I think I prefer the podcast!

"The Lowe Job" by Grace Alexander (published June 16) begs the question: what happens when a young woman's salacious scandal meets a talent agent/momager's ambition? Fame, fortune, family drama... and all the comes with it. The cost of notoriety is high, but the tensions between mother and daughters may be higher. — I got a final copy of this in the mail just days after the ARC came, so I plan to read it soon! Meanwhile, I don't need both.

Let me know! I'm so happy you're here.

Hi Friends, and happy Trans Joy Thursday. This newsletter will look a little different today. There are two very special people I would like to honor.

On Tuesday, June 16 my beloved Memaw left this earth. If you've read Coming Home, you have read the chapter dedicated to her, and our relationship spanning my entire life. If you haven't read it yet, she was my fiercest protector, my first best friend, my A1 since day 1, my favorite person on this entire planet, and the one I admired the most. She was my confidante, the one who made me laugh the most, and the only one who was allowed to misgender and deadname me (She was diagnosed with Dementia and in a memory care unit when I came out with my name change and trans non-binary identity and pronouns.) She was diagnosed with Stage 3C colon cancer, and I literally dropped my entire life in my mid-20's to be there for her on this journey and be one of her care-takers before she was moved to an assisted living facility, and then to the memory care unit.

I could share so many stories of how she took care of me spanning my entire life, from wanting to adopt me from my mother (that was family drama) to always sneaking me $20 bills in my hand every single time I visited her. She bought me books. I still have a box of books that I kept from when we went through her belongings at her house. She was my rock and my motivation. She never agreed with my "lifestyle" but always asked me how "gay sex worked." We would have this conversation often, and it never failed to make me laugh. She always, always made sure I knew she loved me the most.

The above photo was taken exactly two years ago today - which makes it even more bittersweet. I took Alisha and the kids to NC during the summer of 2024 to meet some of the family I still remain in contact with, and while they were napping, I went to visit Memaw. In my heart, I knew this would be the last time I saw her, and still, I remained hopeful of another visit face-to-face. I will hold these special memories close to my heart and know she's at peace. I will always do my best to honor her love for me.

In that same breath, Alisha and I are celebrating our 5 year mark of meeting. It's so funny to me that while I am grieving a significant loss of love, I am also celebrating a significant love that walked into my life (with 3 little loves, to boot.) She has shown me a type of love and peace and comfort that I didn't know was possible. I know my Memaw didn't agree with how I lived my life, but I just know that she would be happy with how happy I am - both internally and externally. Alisha has shown up and provided a type of nurturing and love that I never knew I needed.

I love my life now. It's so weird that two things are colliding, my two favorite people - Memaw, my grandmother, and Alisha, my wife, are showing me simultaneously what grief and love look like.

With that being said, for those of you on my social media, I may be absent for a while, as I've stated on there, due to returning to North Carolina for the funeral services. I will more than likely be traveling Saturday to my birthday on Wednesday. Not really how I imagined spending my birthday in airports, but my Memaw deserves all the things.

If you have your grandparents or loved ones you consider close to you, I hope you hug them extra tight for me. Memaw was the last living grandparent of mine, and that's an extra shock to my system.

As I navigate my immense grief of losing my Memaw, and celebrate my birthday next week, and my anniversary today, I hope you all remember that grief is ultimately just love with no place to go.

I will be traveling with some books, and figured I would also share with you in case you needed some recommendations. Not all are queer, but I believe they deserve a place on the feed:

1. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

2. Ship Happens by Mason Deaver

3. Among The Wildflowers by Anita Kelly

4. The Lovers, The Liars, And Me by DeAndra Davis

I hope you all have an incredible Thursday and the rest of your week.

With all the trans joy I can muster,

Sawyer Cole

Junes' Sad Rich Girl Salon dove into aging&beauty:

We talked about "fox eye" makeup and Frownies, and Clavicular and a plastic surgery procedure I had never heard of where they liposuction a 6-pack onto your stomach (insane). So much of our convo dealt with how one "learns" beauty standards and how to self-police that I made a game-time decision on the breakout question: What media diet would you want your daughter to have?

Suggested reading and media:

• 55 Brides on What They Spent to Look Their Best on the Big Day

• What Should a 30-Something Look Like? in The Cut

• Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

• Actors OBSESSION With Aging Is KILLING Cinema… (12 min video)

• "Neck tape works"

• "Examining 'iPhone face' and the Art of Timeless Beauty" by Sophia Butsch (essay)

• Reddit For women choosing to age naturally—how do you resist comparing yourself to other women when cosmetic enhancements have become so normalized?

• Kris Jenner’s Facelift Is Apparently Now “Slipping”

• Gen Z soldiers' plastic surgeries strain Korea's military readiness in The Korea Times

• Feeling Old: 44 Is the First Big Aging Cliff for Millennials in The Cut

• Frownies (a product that I kept getting served ads for once I started looking at anti-aging content)

• Perception drift

• self-congratulatory "i'm not having work done" (parody) reel

The Sun-Kissed Summer Reading Guide for the Whole Family Plus Free Printable Canva Trackers!

Summer vacation is officially here! Eleven long weeks of warm afternoons, beach trips, and lazy mornings mean one very important thing: it’s peak reading season. Whether you are packing a tote bag for a day by the ocean, loading up the car for a family road trip, or looking for a thrilling mystery to dive into during a late-night thunderstorm, a good book is the ultimate summer essential.

To make sure everyone in the house has the perfect page-turner, we have curated a massive, multi-generational Summer Reading Guide. We have broken it down by age group, from delightful beachside picture books for the little ones to thrilling young adult mysteries and sizzling adult beach reads.

Even better? We want to help your family keep track of their reading goals this season! At the bottom of this post, you'll find links to our custom, beautifully designed Canva Reading Logs and Trackers that you can customize and print at home.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Bookshop.org and Amazon. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support our book club community!

🏖️ Picture Books & Early Readers Perfect for Beach Days & Read-Alouds

1. Jules vs. the Ocean by Jessie Sima

Jules is on a mission to build the biggest, the fanciest, and the most excellent sandcastle. Her sister will be so impressed! But the ocean has other plans. Waves keep smashing her creations, and when the ocean finally takes her bucket, Jules decides to take a stand. This is a tongue-in-cheek story of sand, sea, and sisterhood told with signature warmth and delightful illustrations.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

2. Sand Cakes by Kallie George Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

"Sand cake, Sun cake, Sprinkle-topped with rocks cake. Will you eat what I baked?" A fun day at the beach means making sweet treats out of sand! Unfortunately, this little beachside baker can’t seem to find anyone, not even the seagulls willing to try her seaweed pies and sea foam cream puffs. This buoyantly poetic, funny picture book is a treat for all ages.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

3. The Colors of Summer by Danna Smith

Celebrate the bright, beautiful shades of the season with this vibrant Little Golden Book. From turquoise beach towels and purple flip-flops to orange sand shovels and blue waves, young kids will love discovering their favorite summer hues across a fun-filled day at the shore.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

4. The Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy

An octopus is perfectly happy in his undersea cave until a diver captures him for an aquarium. Though the humans give him food and toy-like tests, he quickly tires of captivity. Under the cover of darkness, he plots a daring escape. This exciting, heartfelt story captures the thrill of hard-won freedom and the ultimate pull of home.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

5. See You Later by April Suddendorf

A quirky, darkly detailed, and funny cautionary tale proving the swamp isn't always greener on the other side! Gary the alligator grows tired of his small, soggy home and decides a nearby human house would be much more luxurious. He turns out to be very wrong, leading to a hilarious twist ending.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

🍦 Middle Grade & Chapter Books

6. The Underdogs Catch a Cat Burglar by Kate Temple and Jol Temple

Crime is rising in Dogtown thanks to a mysterious cat burglar stealing everything from handbags to ham sandwiches. The Underdog Detective Agency is on the case, but they are in a major slump. To solve this mystery, they do the unthinkable: hire Fang, a street-smart, one-eyed cat detective. Can a cat and dog work together? A paws-itively hilarious mystery!

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

7. Would You Rather? Summer Fun Box Set by Lindsey Daly

The ultimate road trip companion! This box set includes three bestselling books: Summer Edition, Animals Edition, and Made You Think! Edition. Packed with hilarious, thought-provoking questions, it is an essential summer activity to keep kids entertained in the car, at camp, or around the campfire.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

8. It Began with Lemonade by Gideon Sterer

On a scorching hot day, a spunky young girl decides to start a lemonade stand, only to find her street is already crowded with kid entrepreneurs. Refusing to give up, she moves her stand out to the river's edge, where she discovers an unexpected, quirky, and incredibly thirsty new clientele.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

9. Milkshake the Disappearing Milk Snake: A Graphic Novel by Akeem S. Roberts

The class pet from next door is missing! Carter and his ghost detective sidekick, Mr. Pebbles, are back on the case at Creek Elementary. Carter’s older brother reveals that his class milk snake, Milkshake, has vanished. The duo must follow the clues and solve the mystery before time runs out.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

10. What's Inside A Bird's Nest? And Other Questions About Nature & Life Cycles by Rachel Ignotofsky

From the creator of Women in Science comes a stunning nonfiction picture book exploring the lives of our winged neighbors. Perfect for curious minds, this book answers everything about eggs, nests, and life cycles using Ignotofsky’s distinctively beautiful art style, compassion, and subtle humor.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

11. The Dragon's Apprentice by James Riley

Warning: Do not read this book! The Emperor has forbidden magic, but twelve-year-old Ciara accidentally opens a book of spells and summons a fire-breathing dragon named Scorch. It turns out Scorch might be the only one who can help rescue Ciara's mother and free her village. A thrilling, magical fantasy ride.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

12. The Ghost in Cabin 13: A Graphic Novel by J.C. Phillipps

Twelve-year-old Leah is already nervous about attending sleepaway camp for the first time. But she didn't expect to deal with a real ghost in Cabin 13! Between mean girls, a séance gone wrong, and a potentially possessed doll, Leah's summer at Camp Cottontail goes from normal to straight-up spooky.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

🪵 Teen & Young Adult High Stakes & Summer Magic

13. Forbidden Mountain by Brandon Mull

In the Anoran Empire, children bond with magical spirit guides. Mako discovers a forbidden agent of chaos has returned to spread an ancient evil, forcing him into a deadly magical choice. Meanwhile, a girl named Arden infiltrates an underground criminal network to find her missing friend. When their paths collide, they must face bandit armies and dark conspiracies to save their world.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

14. Mythspeaker by Christopher Roubique

Inspired by Indigenous American folktales, thirteen-year-old Kyta has always known he was destined to save the world. When invaders steal the precious Egg of the World Turtle, threatening to destroy the land beneath them, Kyta assembles a ragtag team of kids to pull off a dangerous fortress heist. A heartwarming fantasy about teamwork and respect for nature.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

15. The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller

Luna starts seventh grade knowing exactly who she is: a quiet writer who loves making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines goes viral, Luna gets swept up into the school's popular crowd. Soon, she faces a major dilemma: how much of her writing, her beliefs, and her best friend is she willing to compromise to stay popular?

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

16. A Copycat Conundrum, The Misfits by Lisa Yee

After solving their last major case, the awkward underdog crime-fighters known as the Misfits are acing their missions for a covert agency. But when a friendly classmate starts receiving threatening notes, and unusual earthquakes shake San Francisco just as priceless art disappears, the team must uncover a massive scheme.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

17. The QB, Summer and Me by Tay Marley

From the author of the Wattpad hit The QB Bad Boy and Me comes a novel capturing the bittersweet heat of summer love. High school sweethearts Dallas and Drayton have eleven weeks of summer vacation left before leaving for separate colleges. While Dallas worries about their future, Drayton is harboring a massive secret that could change their entire love story.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

18. In Case I Go Missing by R. N. Swann

Sarah Vincenty, a small-town amateur detective, has gone missing. The police dismiss her as a runaway, but her sidekick Fenny knows something is wrong. When Fenny finds a binder titled In Case I Go Missing, she realizes Sarah was deep into a decades-old mystery tied to the town’s dark history. Now, it's up to Fenny to finish the investigation before it’s too late.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

19. Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights by Celeste Dador

Abigail, the eldest daughter of the President, just wants a normal teenage life. After an impulsive pizza order turns into front-page news, she is exiled to a Wi-Fi-free country inn for the summer. There she meets Gabriel, a camera-obsessed local unimpressed by her status. Armed with a summer bucket list, Abby discovers small-town life and unexpected romance.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

20. That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall

In this chilling Hawaiian Gothic tale, the ultra-wealthy escape to Kōpaʻa Island Resort for a luxury tech-free retreat. But for Lehua, it's a nightmare. She sneaks onto the island to find her missing twin sister, Ohia. Stranded when the boat leaves, Lehua uncovers a dark plantation history hidden behind the resort's sweet persimmons and must face the horrors lurking in the sugarcane fields.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

21. Summer Official by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Bubbly, popular basketball player Saylor and grumpy, artistic skateboarder Heaven could not be more different. But when Saylor breaks her arm and needs to escape her influencer mom’s viral videos, she strikes a deal with Heaven. Saylor helps Heaven build a social media presence for her tattoo art, leading to an intimate summer romance.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

22. Meet Me Under the Lights by Cassie Miller

Eliza Crowley is focusing on her hometown's community theater production to shake off her reputation as a rich girl. But her summer plans shift when Reed Fulton, the ace pitcher of a rival baseball team, returns to town. Drawn together despite a bitter thirty-year dispute between their families, Eliza and Reed find themselves caught in the middle of a high-stakes small-town summer.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

🔥 Adult Fiction & Beach Reads Romance, Thrillers, & Scandals

23. Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey

Madden Donahue, the new star catcher for the Yankees, has been in love with burlesque club owner Eve Mitchell since high school. When Eve’s sister suddenly leaves her with two kids, Madden steps in with a private marriage of convenience for the health benefits. What starts as a business arrangement quickly ignites into something much hotter as Madden fights to make it real.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

24. Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti

Fleeing London’s stifling marriage market, eccentric heiress Lady Ruby Ballimore crashes an absent princess’s Cornwall holiday estate using a forged invitation. Instead of a luxury vacation, she finds a derelict mansion occupied by Captain Malcolm Archer a former privateer turned con artist using the estate to cover his smuggling scheme. An entertaining, rakish historical rom-com.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

25. Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

Ten years after her sister’s mysterious death at a Hollywood party, aspiring pop star Scout Sage is framed for a slew of targeted L.A. murders. Overnight, she becomes the world’s most famous alleged killer. To clear her name and find justice for her sister, Scout must team up with an unusual detective to unearth a dangerous pattern of Hollywood crimes.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

26. Crash Into Me by Robinne Lee

Trapped in a complicated marriage within Los Angeles’s playground of privilege, artist Cecilia Chen is struggling to find her real identity. Everything upends when she literally crashes into Anouk Ferrand, an enigmatic model she shared a brief, explosive physical and emotional entanglement with twenty years prior in Mexico. A sweeping, intense story of the past colliding with reality.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

27. The Au Pair by Teddy Wayne

Steven Hammer's literary career and marriage are both crumbling. The only bright spot is Astrid, the young Norwegian au pair who cares for his children and reveres his writing. When their secret infatuation spirals into a salacious, headline-grabbing trial, Steven must confront the wreckage of his obsession, power dynamics, and betrayal.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

28. Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn

Renley Gossage is determined to restore a failing Cape Meril candy shop on her own. Theo Williams is a posh, wealthy escapee from his father’s control who rents the house next door on a dare. Forced together by collapsing drywall, gossiping neighbors, and eccentric family members, their proximity turns a summer fling into something dangerously real.

• Shop it here: Bookshop.org | Amazon

🖍️ Free Printable Summer Reading Logs & Trackers!

Ready to track your family's summer reading goals? We have designed three distinct, easy-to-use Canva templates perfect for printing or digital tracking. Click the links below to claim your free templates, edit the colors or names, and start logging those summer pages!

• ✨ Kids Weekly Reading Chart: Access Template 1 on Canva

• 📚 Family Summer Reading Bingo Log: Access Template 2 on Canva

• 🌊 Aesthetic Reading Tracker & Goal Setter: Access Template 3 on Canva

Happy reading, everyone! Drop a comment below and let us know which book you are adding to your library stack first?

Have you ever read a news headline and thought: "That's probably going to become a thriller in five years." A new AI breakthrough. Facial recognition software. Self-driving cars. Gene editing. Algorithms that know us better than we know ourselves.

Most of the time, technological progress is presented as something exciting and something that makes life easier, safer, faster, or more connected.

Techno thrillers begin with that promise. Then they ask what happens next, and the amazing thing is that the technology works, but that also turns into the problem.

💻 What Is a Techno Thriller?

Techno thrillers are built around a simple idea: innovation creates consequences.

The central conflict usually grows from a technological advancement, scientific discovery, or system that changes the way people live, communicate, travel, fight, or govern.

Unlike many forms of science fiction, the technology often feels uncomfortably believable. The suspense comes from watching those innovations collide with human ambition, greed, fear, or simple human error.

Because technology may be advancing rapidly, but people, unfortunately, are still people.

🚀 Why Readers Love Them

I think techno thrillers appeal to readers who constantly ask "What if?"

• What if dinosaurs could be cloned?

• What if social media companies had even more access to our lives?

• What if artificial intelligence became impossible to contain?

• What if warfare became automated?

The best techno thrillers take questions that already exist in the real world and push them one step further. That creates a unique kind of suspense where the threat feels possible.

Even when the story becomes larger than life, there's usually a moment where readers recognize a piece of the world they're already living in, and that's what makes these books so compelling and occasionally so unsettling.

🧬 When Progress Outpaces Control

One thing you'll notice across the genre is that the technology itself is rarely evil. The problem is usually what happens after the breakthrough.

• A corporation sees an opportunity.

• A government wants control.

• A scientist pushes a little further than they should.

• Someone builds a system without fully understanding the consequences.

The technology often performs exactly as designed, but it's the humans surrounding it who create the disaster.

That tension sits at the heart of many great techno thrillers. Progress moves faster than our ability to predict every outcome, and somebody eventually has to deal with the fallout.

📚 Why They Feel So Different

Many thrillers ask readers whether the protagonist can stop the threat. Techno thrillers often ask whether the threat should have existed in the first place.

The tension focuses on BOTH survival and responsibility.

• Who created this?

• Who controls it?

• Who benefits from it?

• And what happens once it can't be undone?

Those questions give the genre a different flavor than traditional crime novels or mystery-driven thrillers. The danger often feels bigger than a single villain because the problem is woven into a system, a technology, or an idea that has already been unleashed.

📖 If You Usually Read Other Genres...

One reason techno thrillers attract such a wide audience is that they naturally blend with several neighboring genres.

🚀 Science Fiction Readers

Start with: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

If you enjoy scientific problem-solving and high-concept ideas, this is a natural bridge into stories where technology drives the plot.

🕵️ Conspiracy Thriller Readers

Start with: The Firm by John Grisham

Power, secrecy, and information control play major roles in both genres, especially when technology becomes a tool for manipulation.

⚔️ Military Thriller Readers

Start with: Ghost Fleet by P.W. Singer and August Cole

Advanced technology, modern warfare, and geopolitical tension combine to create one of the most influential military techno thrillers of the last decade.

😱 Horror Readers

Start with: Cold Storage by David Koepp

A scientific discovery spirals into a nightmare, blending technological suspense with genuine horror energy.

📚 Beginner Pick

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Scientists achieve a breakthrough that changes the world.

Then reality arrives.

Why it works:

• instantly understandable premise

• relentless pacing

• fascinating scientific ideas

• remains surprisingly relevant decades later

This is still one of the best introductions to the genre because it perfectly captures the question at the center of every techno thriller.

Just because we can do something, should we?

📚 Advanced Pick

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

After a brilliant game designer dies, an autonomous computer program begins reshaping society according to a plan nobody can stop.

Why it works:

• ambitious scope

• frighteningly plausible concepts

• explores automation and power

• feels more relevant every year

This is the kind of techno thriller that leaves readers staring at their phones a little differently afterward.

🌙 Final Thoughts

I think techno thrillers tap into one of the most fascinating fears of the modern age: not that technology will fail, but that it will succeed far beyond our initial thoughts.

The systems we build are becoming more powerful, more connected, and more integrated into our daily lives every year. Most of that progress is wonderful.

Techno thrillers simply ask us to imagine what happens when those same tools are placed in the wrong hands, pushed too far, or allowed to operate without limits.

I wanted to talk about StokerCon a little more here because I’ve had a lot of feelings about it.

StokerCon is something I look forward to every year. I know it’s one of the biggest events in the horror world, and for those of us who write, publish, sell books, review books, or are just trying to be part of this genre in whatever way we can, it means a lot.

I’ve learned so much from the panels over the years. I’ve found new authors, learned more about publishing, listened to conversations I never would have been able to be in otherwise, and felt a little less alone in this weird little horror life I’m trying to build.

This year was also special because I got to be part of a virtual panel, which I really appreciated. I would love to do that again.

But I also have to be honest. The virtual side of StokerCon was frustrating.

Virtual tickets are not just a cute extra option for people who don’t feel like traveling. A lot of us attend virtually because we have to. Disabilities, money, work, family, health, travel, anxiety, all of it. There are a lot of reasons someone can’t just get on a plane and spend several days at a convention.

For me, virtual attendance is still attendance. I plan around it. I clear time for panels. I try to watch live when I can. I make notes. I save recordings. I treat it like a real convention because it is one.

This year, it didn’t feel like the virtual attendees were treated that way.

The recordings were delayed. Communication was almost impossible. One of the two recorded rooms had audio that was hard to understand, even after the recordings went up. And honestly, for an event this size, having only two rooms available virtually already felt limited.

I don’t think anyone set out to make virtual attendees feel forgotten. I know everyone running the in-person event is busy. I know conventions are a lot of work. I know there are always going to be problems.

But when people pay for a virtual ticket, especially when that ticket is being offered as an accessible option, there needs to be a better plan.

There needs to be someone virtual attendees can actually contact. There needs to be clear communication when recordings are delayed. There needs to be audio that people can hear. And if virtual access is going to be part of the convention, it needs to be treated like part of the convention.

Not something to deal with later.

This also ties into why I didn’t renew my HWA membership this year. Part of it was the lack of disability accommodation I’ve felt overall. The other part was the mentor program. I waited two years and was never assigned a mentor.

During the Stoker Awards, I heard people say more than once that you get out of the HWA what you put into it. I understand why people say that. But that has not been my experience.

I did try.

I joined. I attended. I waited. I reached out. I tried to be part of things in the ways I could.

And after a while, it starts to feel bad to keep showing up to spaces that say they want people included, but don’t seem ready for what that actually means.

I’m not saying this because I hate StokerCon. I don’t. I love what StokerCon can be. I love that it brings horror people together. I love the panels. I love seeing the genre celebrated. I love that for a few days, horror gets to be the main thing in the room.

I just wish the people who can’t physically be in that room were treated like they mattered too.

If virtual tickets are offered again, I really hope they’re handled with more care. Because for some of us, that’s the only door we have.

Hi gremlins and friends!

I am reorganizing my monster romance shelves and need some help.

Right now they are separated by standard edition, special edition, and NSFW special editions, but I am running low on special edition space. I always have them organized in alphabetical order, right now its genre sections as well(omegaverse, aliens, paranormal, monster, etc).

Buuuuut I used to have them organized just as one whole monstery section, combining all the inhuman stuff from aliens, to vampires, to omegaverse, just and alphabetical order.

I think I’m leaning back toward that plan, but the main question is: Do I mix my special editions back in? Or try to keep them separate? I have a LOT of books to add from Monsterotica, so I’m a tad worried, but we vibe regardless.

Help me pleeeease.

Hello comrades! It's time for another accountability post of what I'm reading and have up next on my TBR pile. In a few weeks I'm traveling to Europe to visit family (and maybe get some impulsive tattoos?? Stay tuned!), so I'm figuring out what I want to read on my flights/train rides/etc. I also smashed through a bunch of books in the last few weeks for podcast guest research, some of which were real home runs.

Here's what I've got on the docket:

• It's Different This Time by Joss Richard

• In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson

• The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn (I will be in Paris for a few days, so this is a perfect pick)

• By The Bootstraps by Alexa Martin

And here's what I've read recently that I loved:

• Let's Kiss and Tell by Joss Richard (eARC)— It's so refreshing to read a contemporary romance novel about characters who enjoy sex and have it often (and not necessarily with each other)!

• Whiteout by Andrea Anders — This was a reread because I was in the mood for a "we have to cuddle for warmth" scene. It's arguably the best romantic suspense I've ever read. A surly scientist and a hot chef working at a remote research station in Antarctica are on the run across the ice from mercenaries because PLOT REASONS.

• She Haunts Me Still by De Elizabeth (ARC) — Dark academia paranormal bisexual love triangle starring ghosts, vampires and theater kids!! A wild ride I couldn't put down.

• The Last Page by Katie Holt — Finally a rom-com for anyone who fantasizes about getting married in the rare books room at The Strand.

What are you reading this month?

Under a Hollow Sky by Wynter SaintClare

Representation: blindness

Genre: science fiction

In the Wake of the Gods by Kent Priore

Representation: bipolar disorder

Genre: fantasy

Love Variations by Victoria Lee*

Representation: multiple sclerosis, autism

Genre: romance

Mother Tongue by Sara Nović*

Representation: Deaf

Genre: memoir

Spur of the Moment by Juliana Smith

Representation: epilepsy

Genre: romance

Seams Like Love by Chrissie Harrison

Representation: chronic illness

Genre: romance

Never Back Down by Luna Peters

Representation: borderline personality disorder

Genre: romance

Smash or Pass by Birdie Schae*

Representation: autism

Genre: YA romance

Never Say Never by Kylie Skye

Representation: ADHD

Genre: romance

Stops Along the Way by Anna Sortino*

Representation: hard of hearing

Genre: YA romance

Pot Shot by Laura Piper Lee

Representation: Crohn's disease

Genre: romance

The Place Between Our Pains by K.J. Ramsey*

Representation: 7+ chronic illnesses

Genre: memoir

Score by Kennedy Ryan

Representation: bipolar disorder

Genre: romance

The Last Resort by Liz Leiby

Representation: migraines

Genre: romance

A Handy Duo by Sarah Madeline*

Representation: anxiety

Genre: romance

*denotes a book with own voices representation and/or an openly disabled author

DISCLAIMERS: I have not yet read these books myself and cannot testify to the accuracy of representation. Please do your own research if you have concerns! I am also sure many of the books that aren't marked with a * also contain own voices rep or are written by disabled authors, but I am only marking those that I am certain are by disabled authors!

I finished The Butcher of Nazareth and I have so many things to say about this beautiful, horrifying book. This book is a five-star read for me. However, with full sincerity, it is very much not going to be for everyone.

I'm going to do something I rarely do and put trigger warnings down so people know what to expect: child loss, blood, gore, religion, violence, pregnancy.

Okay. Now that that's out there, all I want to do is talk about this book. David Scott Hay wrote something unreal. Wholly original. I've never read anything like it in my life. This story is a prequel to the New Testament, told between the Old Testament before Jesus becomes Jesus.

We follow The Butcher who was a participant in the Culling ordered by King Herod. We follow the Butcher through his pain and agony, the death of his infant son, his isolation from his family, his loss of self in his fury and rage. We see the Butcher and his anger at God, his hatred of Jesus, his resentment of faith. Along the way, it's the Butcher who plants the seeds for the death of Jesus in his search to find him and cull the only babe who escaped when his infant son did not.

The Butcher copes with his son's death, his resentment at Jesus for not suffering the same, and the way the world was changing around religion for the Jewish people. His story is of suffering and a never-ending grief felt by a father. Hay wrote the story in an extremely specific way that removes the barrier between reader and anti-hero. You are neck deep in the Butcher's grief with him and there is no escape. You cannot look away and it makes the story a raw, emotional, painful experience for us just like it was for the Butcher.

He rediscovers hope and temptation, the chance to try again, only to have it snatched away and tumble back into despair. We see Mary Magdalene and Nazareth and Jesus and how community is so critical to their survival, success, and emotional growth. Without community, when we isolate ourselves, our grief and anger rule us and turn us into monsters. We need each other to create life and we need each other to navigate death.

This book made me think. It forced me to stop thinking of linear stories and read it differently. The paper texture, the text choice, the margins, all of them play a part in telling Hay's story and I think it is so much richer because of it. The writing is spellbinding, something new in the genre done so expertly I've never read anything like it before. He captures you immediately, then holds you with style that's saturated with substance. It reads like a scream of grief into the earth and sky. A terrible catharsis as if exhaled after holding your breath.

You rarely know what's real and what's imagined, but that isn't the point. The point is to witness the Butcher and what being consumed by his loss has done to him, what it has taken from him because he cannot find a way to atone and forgive and seek comfort in his community. This book is brutal. It's so raw and emotional I never knew if I wanted to cry or gasp or hold my breath. I just knew it was important to be a witness to this spectacle of loss and pray in the end there was a way for the Butcher to find his way home.

5/5. Incredible.