It's almost September, and we're getting closer and closer to the rainy, dark season. No better time than now to start stocking up on books with the eerie, mysterious vibes that are perfect for this upcoming time of year. Grab one of these recs, a blanket and cozy up for reading while rain beats down on your windows. This week's book recs feature thrillers, mysteries and crime novels (some cozy, some not), all sent in by independent authors!

We sat down with the author of "Before the World Moves On", Nathaniel Terrell, to speak with him about his work and his experiences being an author. A poet, storyteller, author and artist, Terrell explains to us how his work came to be, where he drew his inspiration from and what it means to be a man in midlife in this ever changing world.

This week's theme is Dark Destinies and Hidden Truths. It is a combination of genres, we don't want to just pick one genre each week––it would get repetitive––so we're creating broader, more vibe-based categories. A lot of the recs this week are fantasy or romantasy, but we have some really good different genres too, a mix for everyone. Give the authors some love!

This week, the theme is fantasy! We've included some urban fantasies, some fantasy retellings, and even paranormal fantasy. Because the book-market is getting increasingly filled up by AI "books", we try to only feature real authors in these recs.

If you're tired of regular romance novels and are looking for something with a bit more bite, these will do it for you. Featuring indie authors and traditionally published authors.

This week, we've compiled a list of six portal fantasy book recommendations. I think most people, as kids, have read books to escape their own small world. And why stop in childhood? If there's anything I'd like to do right now in this current state of the world, it'd be to escape to another world. One where things may be bleak, but there is one hero to save it all. A story about hope, instead of another news article about why capitalism and killing babies for land expansion

Not every story has to be soft. Sometimes you want the kind of book where the girl’s not asking for permission. Sometimes she’s tired, done, or just absolutely fed up. That’s what this week is about: six books that let women be angry in ways that are loud, quiet, ugly, or sharp. Some of them burn everything down. Some of them just walk away. All of them show what it looks like when a woman stops holding it in. These aren’t comfort reads. But they’re honest, and sometimes that

Dark romance isn’t for everyone, and that’s kind of the point. These stories play with obsession, power, control, and blurred lines. Sometimes it’s about toxic attraction. Sometimes it’s about surviving something brutal and still finding connection. Either way, these books are messy, intense, and emotionally loaded. If you’re the kind of reader who likes your love stories twisted, a little morally gray, and full of tension that might explode at any second, this week’s recs ar

Some of these are retellings, others are completely new stories built with old bones. But every single one is rooted in myth and magic that goes way deeper than dragons and immortals. Whether you’re looking for epic fantasy, quiet ghost stories, or something with a more modern voice, these books bring it. Each one carries its own take on fate, family, honor, or chaos. And yeah, there are some gods involved. Of course there are.

Summer doesn’t need to be dramatic to be good. Sometimes it’s enough to have a cold drink, a decent playlist, and a book with a love story that isn’t trying too hard. This week’s recs are romances that feel like long afternoons and slow burns. Nothing too heavy, but not fluff with zero substance either.

We’re focusing on books with transgender lead characters, whether they’re navigating identity, love, grief, revenge, or just trying to stay alive in worlds that aren’t always built for them. There’s a mix of genres here, some are contemporary and quiet, others are wild and witchy. What they all have in common is how fully they let their trans characters exist, love, mess up, and keep going.

It’s Pride Month, and this week’s lineup is celebrating leads who are pansexual, asexual, or bisexual. I wanted to make sure these aren’t stories where queerness is just a footnote. These are characters living it, figuring it out, or just vibing, and the stories are better for it. Whether it’s romance, grief, coming of age, or saving the world, these books offer characters who sit across the full spectrum and bring a lot of heart. I mixed genres here too, so there’s something

Sometimes you want the thrill of a mystery with the clues, the tension, the shady side characters, but you also want a cup of coffee, maybe a little flirting, and a lead character with just the right amount of personal chaos. This week’s book recs edition celebrates queer detectives, amateur sleuths, and cozy mysteries that get the job done while also giving us characters we actually want to follow, even when they’re getting in their own way.

Sometimes you want the thrill of a mystery with the clues, the tension, the shady side characters, but you also want a cup of coffee, maybe a little flirting, and a lead character with just the right amount of personal chaos. This week’s book recs edition celebrates queer detectives, amateur sleuths, and cozy mysteries that get the job done while also giving us characters we actually want to follow, even when they’re getting in their own way.

Pride Month is about joy, resistance, and community, and books are one of the best ways to connect with all of that. Whether you’re out and proud, figuring things out, or just here to support the stories that matter, these reads are a whole spectrum of experiences. This week, I’ve picked six books that hit different corners of the LGBTQ+ experience. Some are soft and romantic, others messy and emotional, and a couple will straight-up wreck you in the best way.

This week’s picks feature plus-sized heroines who get to be sexy, complicated, hilarious, vulnerable, and completely loved — not in spite of their bodies, but with them fully in the picture. Each story brings its own energy. Some are flirty and light, others dig deeper into identity, confidence, and self-worth. But they all have one thing in common: a main character who gets the romance she deserves.

If your brain's been screaming “I need out” lately, I got you. This week’s lineup is pure escape. From surreal libraries and magical time travel to tea shops for the dead, these six books are portals. And yeah, they’re all pretty enough to flex in your stories too.

In a land of moonlit trances and golden palaces, one runaway stumbles from ritual into rebellion, from dungeon into power. Along the way: feasts, betrayals, blood-soaked sand, crocodiles and a comet that falls just a little too perfectly. A hypnotic descent through opulence, power, and the ghosts of choices you can’t take back. Bubamara is the story of a fall told like a rise. And a warning wrapped in silk.

If your ideal romance starts with a scathing academic insult in a candlelit library, this one’s for you. Week 19 is all about books that bring the drama: forbidden knowledge, messy rivals, tension that could kill or kiss. From moody campus settings to murder and obsession, these six picks are smart, intense, and deeply chaotic in the best way.

Graphic novels aren't just about superheroes anymore (though hey, I still love a cape). This week’s recs range from space operas and coming-of-age tearjerkers to soft queer love stories and DnD chaos. Whether you're new to the format or already obsessed, these six picks are here to blow your mind or melt your heart — sometimes both.

This week’s list is basically one big group hug for anyone who read Darius and immediately needed to cry, laugh, or scream into a pillow. These six books deliver queer longing, chaotic friendships, emotional gut punches, and yes, plenty of romantic panic. Grab your annotated copy, light a candle, and prepare to feel everything.

Celebrate 4/20 with six books that embrace weed culture and psychedelic vibes. From Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Cheech & Chong.

We’ve got six Easter-inspired reads to match the season’s vibe. From renewal and rebirth to family, faith, and fresh starts.