The people have spoken! We’re reading These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs in March and I couldn’t be more excited. This is our first sci-fi pick in the book club and I have a feeling we’re going to love it. Other reviewers have sung this series’ praises, lauding it as a character-driven and action packed story with excellent writing and pacing. I hope it lives up to the hype!!

Don’t forget to check the Discord for our monthly giveaway winner and for virtual meetup details. Some of us are also working through the rest of the Dandelion Dynasty series together on the side—feel free to add your thoughts to our forum discussions as you read the books. I’m almost finished with The Veiled Throne and am hoping to read Speaking Bones in March (along with our book club pick, of course). I’m so happy I get to read and discuss amazing books with you all ❤️

It’s time to pick our book club read for March! We have three great options lined up—a grimdark epic fantasy, a character-driven sci-fi, and a standalone fantasy romance. I’ve heard amazing things about each of these and will be so thrilled with whatever direction we decide to go in ☺️ I hope you all are having a great month! I’m not going to lie—February has been kicking my trash. But reading Red City by Marie Lu with you all has been such a highlight. I hope you’ve loved it as much as I did!

Whispers of the Storm by Z.B. Steele

Described as a moody, banter-laced, violent, and poetically framed story—“I wasn't always the monster they see me as. Half of the songs they sing are stories of my grandeur. The other half are tales of my misdeeds. The sad truth is that they're all true. So, listen to my tale and learn why it all happened. Learn the reason for the war, the reason for all the death. Listen to my tale and listen well. I won't be alive long enough to tell it again.”

These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs

“A dangerous cat-and-mouse quest for revenge. An empire that spans star systems, built on the bones of a genocide. A carefully hidden secret that could collapse worlds, hunted by three women with secrets of their own. All collide in this twisty, explosive space opera debut.”

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

“In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.”

The votes are in and we are reading Red City by Marie Lu in February! I’m very excited about this pick and hoping that reading an urban fantasy will be a fun change of pace for us ☺️ Also, don’t forget to check the Discord for the giveaway winner this month!

It’s time to vote on our February book club pick! We have three awesome options here. I’ve heard wonderful things about Red City, a new fantasy romance and the first book in an incomplete series. A few people in the book club have also requested to read Daughter of the Empire, the first book in a complete science fiction fantasy trilogy written by two widely respected authors! We can also choose to continue on with The Dandelion Dynasty series together. Full disclosure—I’ve already read Wall of Storms and I LOVED IT. It’s better than Grace of Kings and very action packed.

Happy voting everyone!! Can’t wait to see what you pick!

Red City by Marie Lu

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Blurb: The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. First and Janny Wurts

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy

Blurb: Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan.  Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni.  While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir.  Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival.  But first she must rally an army of rebel warriors, form a pact with the alien cho-ja, and marry the son of a hated enemy.  Only then can Mara face her most dangerous foe of all--in his own impregnable stronghold.  An epic tale of adventure and intrigue.  Daughter of the Empire is fantasy of the highest order by two of the most talented writers in the field today.

Wall of Storms by Ken Liu

Genre: Silkpunk Fantasy

Blurb: Kuni Garu, now known as Emperor Ragin, runs the archipelago kingdom of Dara, but struggles to maintain progress while serving the demands of the people and his vision. Then an unexpected invading force from the Lyucu empire in the far distant west comes to the shores of Dara—and chaos results. But Emperor Kuni cannot go and lead his kingdom against the threat himself with his recently healed empire fraying at the seams, so he sends the only people he trusts to be Dara’s savvy and cunning hopes against the invincible invaders: his children, now grown and ready to make their mark on history.

We’re voting on our January book club pick a little later than usual because I got distracted during the holidays 🤭 We have three great options lined up! Vote here on Bindery by Sunday, December 28th and check the Discord on the 29th to see who our giveaway winner is this month. Can’t wait to start the new year with you all!

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Genre: Epic Fantasy (Series)

Blurb: An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.

To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts

Genre: Epic Fantasy (Standalone)

Blurb: When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter.

As the princess's trail vanishes outside the citadel's gates, anxiety and tension escalate. But was the high-spirited princess taken by force, or did she flee the palace to escape a demonic evil?

The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri

Genre: Sapphic Romantic Fantasy (Standalone)

Blurb: In a Britain fuelled by stories, the knight and the witch are fated to fall in love and doom each other over and over, the same tale retold over hundreds of lifetimes.

Simran is a witch of the woods. Vina is a knight of the Queen's court. When the two women begin to fall for each other, how can they surrender to their desires, when to give in is to destroy each other?

The December book club pick is The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker! I’m so excited to start this trilogy with you guys. I’ve heard amazing things, including that it’s dark, gritty, intense, and inventive. A word of warning—I’ve heard a lot of people say the first 100 pages can be pretty confusing. Barker tends to throw you in the deep end of his world-building and you have to teach yourself how to swim 😅 The glossary will be our best friend!

Just a reminder that we have a virtual book club meeting scheduled for Sunday, November 30th at 8pm PT 📱

Check the Discord for the zoom link and for this month’s giveaway winner!

It’s time to vote on our December book club pick! I know so many of us have been struggling through massive reading slumps—here’s to hoping that the holiday season will give us lots of opportunities to rest and read 🤞🏼 I am super excited about all three of these book club picks and will be so happy with whatever we choose! Voting will close on Saturday, November 22nd 🗳️

The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu (The Dandelion Dynasty Book 2)

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Blurb: I don’t want to spoil anything for those of us who haven’t finished The Grace of Kings yet, so I won’t include details here. If we vote on this we’ll be continuing to read The Dandelion Dynasty series together which could be so fun!

The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Blurb: Two nations at war. A prize beyond compare. For generations, the Hundred Isles have built their ships from the bones of ancient dragons to fight an endless war. The dragons disappeared, but the battles for supremacy persisted. Now the first dragon in centuries has been spotted in far-off waters, and both sides see a chance to shift the balance of power in their favour. Because whoever catches it will win not only glory, but the war.

Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Fiest and Janny Wurts

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy

Blurb: Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan.  Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni.  While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir.  Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival.  But first she must rally an army of rebel warriors, form a pact with the alien cho-ja, and marry the son of a hated enemy.  Only then can Mara face her most dangerous foe of all—in his own impregnable stronghold.  An epic tale of adventure and intrigue, Daughter of the Empire is fantasy of the highest order by two of the most talented writers in the field.

Our November book club pick is The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu! I’m so excited to start this series with you all. I’ve heard really great things about The Dandelion Dynasty and hope it’s just as good as everyone says it is 🤞🏼Love that we’re starting a new fantasy series just in time for the chilly months and holidays! Also, don’t forget to check the Discord for our giveaway winner this month 📱