Sally Bend's Blog, page 3

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

A few new purchases this week, starting with not a book, but a book-themed T-shirt:

On that theme, I also picked up a copy of King & Straub’s The Talisman for a reread, prompted by King’s reveal that he’s almost finished writing the 3rd book! I also picked up a copy of the first Hell’s Gate book by Weber and Evans for no other reason than season 3 of Strange New Worlds has me in a sci-fi mood,

For Review

Just the one book for review this week – episode 24 of The Dominion and the Sugilite by B.J. Frazier.

Currently Reading

That Star Trek influence I mentioned? Yeah, it’s had an impact on my currently reading pile as well. I’m still reading Falling in a Sea of Stars by Kristen Britain, the latest Green Rider book, and should have it finished this week; but The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton has been temporarily shelved in favor of Out of the Dark by David Weber – an alien invasion tale that, oddly enough, got shifted from TBR to Now Reading because of a reviewing mentioning (I kid you not) vampires.

Weekend Freebies – Gender Play & Power Play

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

Enjoy!

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

No new purchases (again) this week. What the heck is wrong with me? LOL

For Review

A pair of new review titles landed in the ruins this week. First up was a paperback ARC of The Isle in the Silver by Tasha Suri, a heart-shattering standalone romantasy of sapphic longing, medieval folklore, and a love that spans the centuries. Also landing this week was a digital ARC of A Grave Duet: Collected Halloween Horror by Melisa Peterson Lewis, Kasey Fallon, and Rissa Miller, a chilling collection of horror-infused novelettes crafted for mature readers who crave the macabre.

Currently Reading

This week I’m still focused on two books, my paperback porch read – The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton – and my take-it-everywhere ebook read – Falling in a Sea of Stars by Kristen Britain.

Weekend Freebies – Gender Exploration & Expression

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

Enjoy!

A Disappointing End in Human Rites by Juno Dawson

Title: Human Rites
Author: Juno Dawson
Publication Date: July 1, 2025 by Penguin Books
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Protagonist Gender: Female

I’ve taken some time to think about this, the eagerly-awaited conclusion to Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, and I’m sad to say my first impressions have not improved. The first two books of this series were so good, so well-written, with such amazing character development, that I was dying to see how Juno Dawson would resolve the impending supernatural apocalypse.

Unfortunately, Human Rites is a pale comparison to the first two books. The characters feel off, wasted in some cases, and the themes of women fighting against the patriarchy and transphobia that I found so meaningful just kind of fade out with neither validation nor conclusion. The story jumps around, abandoning established plot threads while introducing new ones as if Dawson was winging it, and all of the clever, sophisticated development that marked the first two-thirds of the series is replaced by lazy deus ex machina.

SPOILERS

I’m going to come right out and say it. Time travel. Yeah, time travel. The laziest, most hackneyed “I backed myself into a corner I can’t get out of” excuse for plot development around. Not only does it ruin the story, it introduces a wealth of plot holes.

For a while, it seemed as if the theme of this final book would be one of sacrifice, which was okay, I could get behind that, but even that is wasted and undermined by characters who just seem to give up. What could have been sacrifice becomes, instead, surrender. It’s frustrating at best and infuriating at most, and even then, what could have been a heroic moment for Theo is sullied by taking her choices from her.

Human Rites could have been so much more. Were it a standalone novel, it might have read better, but as the finale to a trilogy I loved, it’s just disappointing.

Rating:

Wowed by Blood and Embers by Jordan Michelle

Title: Blood and Embers
Author: Jordan Michelle
Publication Date: May 1, 2025
Genres: Magic Romance
Representation: Lesbian

Wow, what a read! I went into Blood and Embers with some pretty significant expectations, having been pitched an enemies-to-lovers lesbian romantasy with a (nb)butch/femme relationship, and for the first few chapters it seemed like that was exactly what we were getting.

And then it got weirder and wilder, darker and deeper. Jordan Michelle invests the story with its own mythology, one that goes far beyond the usual supernatural-themed entries in the genre, all while doubling down on the romance, weaving in some steamy erotica, and building a compelling story around it.

I’m hesitant to say too much about the plot, because I think it’s best unraveled and discovered naturally, but the way Michelle layers in each new development is fantastic. I was stopped in my tracks more than a few times, genuinely surprised by where the story went next, and each time the new layer paid off.

As for the relationship between the magical (and wealthy) Ellis Avalon and the reluctant detective Lilith Covington, it’s full of all the tension, drama, suspense, excitement, sorrow, and joy that a reader could hope for. It’s not just enemies-to-lovers, it’s enemies-to-mortal-foes-to-enemies-to-lovers. Their relationship shifts along with the reveal of each new layer, which means we get plenty of time to get to know them and become invested in what’s developing between them.

Blood and Embers is fast-paced, fun, and fantastic in the truest sense of the word. Well worth the read.

Rating: 1/2

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

No new purchases this week.

For Review

No new arrivals this week, but I did submit a pair of requests for Teenage Girls Can Be Demons by Hailey Piper (13 coming-of-rage stories where the monsters are real) & Neptune’s Fortune by Julian Sancton ( the true story of one man’s obsessive quest to find a legendary Spanish galleon with over $1 billion in gold and silver), so hopefully something to report next week.

Currently Reading

I finished 3 books last week, so yah for me, but I am woefully behind in getting them reviewed (soon I promise!). This week I’m focusing on two books, my paperback porch read – The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton – and my take-it-everywhere ebook read – Falling in a Sea of Stars by Kristen Britain. I feel a tad guilty about skipping over some ARCs with release dates coming up soon, but the call of the Green Rider was too strong to ignore.

Weekend Freebies – Paranormal, Fantasy, and Monster Romance

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

Enjoy!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – August Reads

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. Find out more here.

With the first of the month having come and gone, it’s time to look ahead to the books I’m most excited about seeing on shelves next month.

The Shroud Of Hades by Andy McDermott

Thriller
July 31, 2025 by Headline

THE WORLD’S RICHEST MAN IS DEAD
HIS FINAL ACT: A BILLION DOLLAR BOUNTY ON THE PERSON HE BLAMES
ARCHAEOLOGIST NINA WILDE IS ABOUT TO HAVE A VERY BAD DAY

A global social media message from late trillionaire Rafael Loost makes Nina the most hunted person in history. She and her husband, former SAS soldier Eddie Chase, are forced on the run – with everyone they meet a potential assassin.

When a deadly old enemy of Eddie’s joins the pursuit, the couple realise their only hope of survival is a mysterious ancient artefact: the Shroud of Hades. But can they stay alive long enough to find it?

I love the Wilde & Chase adventures, the perfect mix of Indiana Jones, The Relic Hunter, and Romancing the Stone. McDermott pulls his McGuffins from mythologies and histories around the world, which elevates this series for me.

A Tale of Mirth & Magic by Kristen Vale

Romantasy
August 5, 2025 by Forever

A maker of magical jewelry finds her life turned upside down when she ends up on the run with a half-giant in this spicy and cozy fantasy romance—perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and The Spellshop. 

Elikki may not have a family, but she has her fierce independence, boundless charm, and enough talent as a jewelry artisan to make a living on the road. Unfortunately for some, she also can’t yet manage to control her chaotic magic. . . and her temper. Sweet, soft Barra lives a quiet life with his mas and three sisters, managing the books for his family’s business. All he wants is to blend in and not make waves—a bit tricky, as a nearly eight-foot-tall purple half-giant. 
 
When Elikki lands in hot water after dealing with a particularly rude customer, Barra finds himself helping her flee the constables. With a bounty on her back—and a severe crush forming on his end—they decide to travel together to the next town. So begins a journey filled with cozy inns, delicious meals, heaps of excellent sex, and a sprinkling of danger.  As their adventures bring them closer together and the threat of capture rises they find themselves changing in surprising ways. He’s given up on finding love. She’s always refused to try. But traveling together, they may discover unexpected, powerful romance and stronger self-identities—if the bounty hunters don’t get them first. 

Okay, first of all, look at that cover! Isn’t it gorgeous? Add in a fiercely independent woman and her sweet, soft love interest, and I’m sold!

Black Flame by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Horror
August 5, 2025 by Tor Nightfire

One woman’s deadly obsession with a haunted archival film precipitates her undoing in Black Flame, from the USA Today bestselling author of Manhunt, Gretchen Felker-Martin.

A cursed film. A haunted past. A deadly secret.

The Baroness, an infamous exploitation film long thought destroyed by Nazi fire, is discovered fifty years later. When lonely archivist Ellen Kramer―deeply closeted and pathologically repressed―begins restoring the hedonistic movie, it unspools dark desires from deep within her.

As Ellen is consumed by visions and voices, she becomes convinced the movie is real, and is happening to her―and that frame by frame, she is unleashing its occult horrors on the world. Her life quickly begins to spiral out of control.

Until it all fades to black, and all that remains is a voice asking a question Ellen can’t answer but can’t get out of her mind.

Do you want it?
More than anything?

Yeah, this sounds weird . . . and dark . . . twisted . . . and deeply uncomfortable, but that is what Gretchen does so well.

The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford

Fantasy
August 12, 2025 by Orbit

The start of an edge-of-your-seat, action‑packed epic fantasy series from the irreverent Jackson Ford, where a wild band known as the Bone Raiders harness the power of gigantic, fire-breathing lizards to defend their homeland.

WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE . . . BUT OUR GIANT FIRE-BREATHING LIZARDS DID.

You don’t f*ck with the Rakada. The people living in the grasslands of the Tapestry call them the Bone Raiders, from their charming habit of displaying the bones of those they kill on their armour. But being a raider is tough these days. There’s a new Great Khan in the Tapestry. He plans to use his sizeable military to get rid of the raider clans. And then there are the huge fire-breathing lizards that are straying into the grasslands a little too often these days.

Sayana is a raider scout. She knows that to protect their way of life, she needs do something drastic. Like convincing her clan to ride those huge lizards, instead of horses. Sayana doesn’t know how to do it without being eaten and/or cooked alive, but she’d better figure it out fast – or she and her clan, along with every other raider in the Tapestry, will be wiped out.

Kick-ass women, huge fire-breathing lizards, and a warlord looking to end them? I am so down for this!

Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders

Urban Fantasy
August 19, 2025 by Tor Books

In the vein of Alice Hoffman and Charlie Jane Anders’s own All the Birds in the Sky comes a novel full of love, disaster, and magic.

A young witch teaches her mother how to do magic–with very unexpected results–in this relatable, resonant novel about family, identity, and the power of love.

Jamie is basically your average New England academic in-training–she has a strong queer relationship, an esoteric dissertation proposal, and inherited generational trauma. But she has one extraordinary secret: she’s also a powerful witch.

Serena, Jamie’s mother, has been hiding from the world in an old one-room schoolhouse for several years, grieving the death of her wife and the simultaneous explosion in her professional life. All she has left are memories.

Jamie’s busy digging into a three-hundred-year-old magical book, but she still finds time to teach Serena to cast spells and help her come out of her shell. But Jamie doesn’t know the whole story of what happened to her mom years ago, and those secrets are leading Serena down a destructive path.

Now it’s up to this grad student and literature nerd to understand the secrets behind this mysterious novel from 1749, unearth a long-buried scandal hinted therein, and learn the true nature of magic, before her mother ruins both of their lives.

I’ve loved Anders since her run on io9.com, discovering so many great reads through her eyes, but I’ve only read her short fiction, so this is a must-read for me.

The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand edited by Christopher Golden & Brian Keene

Science Fiction
August 19, 2025 by Gallery Books

An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

It’s stories set in the world of The Stand, selected by Golden & Keene, including authors like Poppy Z. Brite, Richard Chizmar, Jonathan Janz, Tim Lebbon, Hailey Piper, and Catherynne M. Valente. This sounds awesome.

House of Dusk by Deva Fagan

Romantasy
August 26, 2025 by Daw

A romantic epic fantasy featuring a fire-wielding nun grappling with her dark past and a young spy caught between her mission and a growing attraction to an enemy princess

With complex relationships, a rich and mythic world, and brisk pacing, this standalone novel is perfect for fans of Tasha Suri, Samantha Shannon, and Shannon Chakraborty

Ten years ago, Sephre left behind her life as a war hero and took holy vows to seek redemption for her crimes, wielding the flames of the Phoenix to purify the dead. But as corpses rise, a long-dead god stirs, and shadowy serpents creep from the underworld, she has no choice but to draw on the very past she’s been trying so hard to forget.

Orphaned by the same war Sephre helped win, Yeneris has trained half her life to be the perfect spy, a blade slipped deep into the palace of her enemies. Undercover as bodyguard to Sinoe, a princess whose tears unleash prophecy, Yeneris is searching for the stolen bones of a saint. Her growing attraction to the princess, however, is proving dangerous, and Yeneris struggles to balance her feelings for Sinoe with her duty to her people.

As gods are reborn and spirits destroyed, the world trembles on the edge of a second cataclysm. Sephre must decide whether to be bound by her past or to forge a better future, even if it means renouncing her vows and accepting a new and terrible power. Meanwhile, when the real enemy makes their bid for power, Yeneris must find a way to remain true to her full self and save both her mission and her heart.

As dead gods rise and corruption creeps across the world, this sweeping standalone fantasy tale of forbidden sapphic love and dark betrayal will set your heart ablaze.

Okay, the Tasha Suri, Samantha Shannon, and Shannon Chakraborty comparison is great, but this won me over with a war hero nun, spies, the undead, dead gods, and sapphic love.

Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland

Fantasy
August 26, 2025 by Feiwel & Friends

Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina meets The Priory of the Orange Tree in Lady Dragon, a sapphic YA romantasy from A.M. Strickland.

The age of queens is over…unless they can save it.

Since the last war between humans and dragons left the leaders of both species slain – the last human king of Andrath and the legendary dragon queen – both queendoms have been living under a tentative truce: only women will sit on the throne of Andrath, the dragons will have free passage through the human lands…and if men ever try to retake the throne, the draconic realm will retaliate.

Samansa and Kirek are two new leaders coming of age in war-scarred lands – Samansa a reluctant human princess and Kirek the favored contender for the draconic queenship. Per tradition, Kirek must undergo the distasteful task of using a mysterious gem called the Heartstone to shift into human form and maintain the strained ties between the species . . . and study human weaknesses, a new and secret task she’s been given by her queen. As the princess and the dragon girl grow closer, they are sent to investigate a potential breach of the treaty and encounter a plot that could reignite an even bloodier war. While fighting to maintain the peace their ancestors fought for and uncovering centuries-old secrets, Samansa and Kirek must grapple with betraying their clashing nations . . . or their unexpected feelings for each other.

Sure, it’s YA romantasy, but it’s also sapphic romantasy, and anything that compares itself to The Priory of the Orange Tree is going to pique my interest,

Announcing Carry On by Mx. Nillin Lore

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 3 years, but I first met Mx. Nillin Lore as editor of the Heckin’ Lewd: Trans and Nonbinary Erotica anthology when they chose my story “Better by Half-Elf” for publication. It’s a great little collection, and I’m very proud of that story.

Last year, we doubled down. Not only did I have the opportunity to give How Do I Sexy?, their non-fiction follow-up, an advance read, but I was also invited to answer some questions and contribute my thoughts to an upcoming project, which I can finally share!

Carry On (coming in March) is now available for preorder, with a publication date of next March, and you can check out the details below. I’m not sure how it’ll all come together (it’s still in the final stages of copyediting), but I can tell you I answered questions about joy, coming out, and advice for others, and I’m excited to read everyone’s contributions.

Carry On: Unpacking Your Internalized Transphobic and Queerphobic Baggage

by Mx. Nillin Lore

March 20 2026
Thornapple Press

Queerphobic and transphobic messaging can come at us from nearly any direction. Once queer and trans people are exposed to the fear, disgust and judgement people have for our otherness, it can easily fester into internalized oppression.

In a society that promotes the narrative of self-loathing queers, loving and accepting ourselves can be hard to imagine. Author and activist Mx. Nillin Lore has been afforded insight into the complex and convoluted inner journey of decluttering the guilt, shame and anxiety that can feed our inner discriminator.

In Carry On, they provide a guided expedition through the source material of our own erasure. A self-reflective journey and a toolset for dismantling inflammatory inner frameworks await those ready and willing to unpack their internalized queerphobic and transphobic baggage.