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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 16

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo; chosen by a friend on Insta, Ember.

7th book completed.

I DNF’d this. I would’ve preferred to be warned about what the first chapter had in it.

#booksky #12books12friends

This is the graphic of my 12 recommendations by 12 friends. The seven books I’ve completed or marked as DNF are marked with a green tick over the covers

Shows the cover of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 14

In the end, this was the wrap up for my August reading.

Also, sorry this is so late. I just forgot.

#booksky #augustwrapup

On a red to pink background at the top in white writing is the words August Wrap Up, underneath are all the books I read or tried to during August. Those books are:
- Goosebumps: The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb by R. L. Stine (3 stars)
- The Luis Ortega Survival Guide by Sonora Reyes (5 stars)
- Once Smitten Twice Shy by Chloe Liese (5 stars)
- After the Storm by Jack Lane (1 stars)
- Soundbyte by Cat Connor (4 stars)
- One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti (DNF)
- The Pastry Warlock by Laura Greenwood (DNF)
- Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham (4.5 stars)
- The Corsair’s Captive by Ruby Dixon (DNF)
- Daydream by Hannah Grace (5 stars)
- Caraval by Stephanie Garber (DNF)
- Adding Up to Love by Ginny B Moore (3 stars)

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 14

Daydream by Hannah Grace

11th down

I loved this. I really like Halle and Henry; their story was so good. I really enjoyed the writing style.

Rep: undiagnosed neurodivergent

📚 #romancebooks

The cover of Daydream by Hannah Grace featuring character art of Halle and Henry

My 25 in 2025 graphic with 11 books crossed off:
- Love on the Sweet Side by Mariah Ankenman
- BEAcon of Love by Jamie Sands
- Kink in the Road by Evie Mitchell
- Blessed by the Cupid Distribution System by Robin Jo Margaret
- Drown Me With Dreams by Gabi Burton
- Kept by Evelyn Flood
- Daydream by Hannah Grace
- The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- Burnout by Rebecca Jenshak
- Aces Wild by Amanda DeWitt

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 14

Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

Queer rep: demisexual
Disability: stutter, anxiety

I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s another one on my list.

#lgbtqbooks #lgbtqromance

Cover of Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

A.M. Weald - buy Fimbulvinter's Fires ❤️‍🔥 @amweald.com · Sep 9

#QueerPrompts

Always get consent 😊
Or else 😊🔪

🌈CJ Aralore @cjaralore.bsky.social · Sep 9

#QueerPrompts September 9: What lesson could readers interpret your story having?

Graphics: The background is a cat wearing glasses reading a book. The border has books in the colors of the pride flags.
Text: "September 2025" on top and "#QueerPrompts" and "Host: @CJAralore" on the bottom, all in a rainbow font.
Center text is:
#QueerPrompts September 9: What lesson could readers interpret your story having?

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 3

Adding Up to Love by Ginny B Moore

Rep: autistic coded FMC

I enjoyed this and loved the writing style, but didn’t really enjoy the infidelity that happened in it, but I love getting to read autistic FMC’s as I’m finally finding them.

Shows the cover of Adding Up To Love by Ginny B Moore

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 1

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Rating: DNF

This one sounded good but it didn’t deliver. I ended up DNFing this one as I just couldn’t get into this.

I wish I could’ve because I’d heard a lot of people say good things about it.

Shows the cover of Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Sep 1

Daydream by Hannah Grace

Rating: 5 stars
Rep: neurodivergent MC, queer SC

I loved this. It actually made me really happy. I really loved Halle and Henry. It really inspired me.

📚 #booksky #romancebooks

Shows the cover of Daydream by Hannah Grace with character art of Halle and Henry

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 31

The Corsairs Captive by Ruby Dixon

Rating: DNF

I’m sorry to say this audiobook was a DNF for me.

📚 #booksky

The cover for The Corsair’s Captive by Ruby Dixon

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 29

Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham

I got an ALC of this through Netgalley and I absolutely adored it. The narrators were so good. I absolutely loved the connection between the two MC’s. I don’t normally read historical romance but I want to read more.

📚 #booksky #romancebooks

Shows the cover of Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Foxy @foxylustygrover.bsky.social · Aug 27

CW: Suicide

Folk say "If only they had reached out" or suggest that if you're feeling suicidal to reach out to family or friends or even strangers, but in my experience when I was low/suicidal the sheer ability to reach out was beyond me

May I suggest if someone is pulling back, check they are OK?

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Violet Blue® @violetblue.bsky.social · Aug 27

Wellington Pride, one of the best #Pride celebrations on Earth, is being sued by a TERF hate group. Please show your support. #TransRightsAreHumanRights

givealittle.co.nz/cause/wellin...

Wellington Pride Festival

Wellington Pride Festival is being sued by representatives of a group in the Human Rights Review Tribunal

givealittle.co.nz

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 26

The Pastry Warlock by Laura Greenwood

I tried with this one, but I ended up DNFing it. I just wasn’t into it.

Shows the cover of The Pastry Warlock by Laura Greenwood

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Books R' Me @booksrme.bsky.social · Aug 24

Your words resonate with a powerful call for freedom and courage. Poetry has a way of lifting spirits and sparking change. Embrace that energy and let it inspire your next read! 🕊️✨ #booksky #books

Gpwriter @gpwriter.bsky.social · Aug 24

We elected a president,
not a king.
You don’t have to kiss the ring.
Lost in fear of what fascism will bring.
Don’t forget to let freedom ring.

Don’t do the fascist dance.
Don’t obey in advance.

#booksky #poetry #poet

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 24

One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti (Grimm Bargains #2)

Rep: misophonia rep

While I love dark romance and loved the first in this series, this one fell flat. I had trouble getting into it and couldn’t connect to either of the MC’s. I was disappointed by this one.

📚 #booksky

Shows the cover of One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Hayley @writagal.bsky.social · Aug 23

It is also worth pondering the impact of this silence on our elections - not so far away, now.

The erosion of the media landscape prior to and post 2016 has been a huge contributing factor to the erosion of the US.
The erosion of the media landscape here is creating consequences now that will echo.

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Hayley @writagal.bsky.social · Aug 23

One thing that demonstrates how eroded NZ media has become since late 2023 is the almost universal lack of coverage of the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill, which recently closed submissions.

This Bill is one of the most consequential to impact New Zealand’s public health system to date.
🧵

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 23

I don’t recommend this one at all. Thinking about it now, I barely remember anything, including the characters names. It’s easily forgettable and easy to put down and forget about it.

1 of the guys on the cover has an extra finger which gives me the ick, since it was never mentioned in the story

Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 21

After the Storm by Jack Lane

Rating: 3 stars
Rep: Achillean relationship

It was good, but sadly I could easily put it down and forget to pick it up. It was so slow in the beginning and it failed to pick up. It was only near the end that it got better.

📚 #booksky

Shows the cover of After the Storm by Jack Lane

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 23

I didn’t notice that. After looking at the cover, I thought it gave off weird vibes but I couldn’t see anything wrong with it, so I just thought it was me. Thank you for pointing this out. I don’t always see or notice some things. I’ll trust my gut next time.

Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 23

Soundbyte by Cat Connor

Rating: 4 stars
Rep: FMC who suffers from migraines

This one was really good. I loved the main story, but that ending was heartbreaking for me. (Note: read this series in order and check TW before reading).

📚 #booksky #thrillerbooks #indiebooks

Shows the cover of Soundbyte by Cat Connor

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 21

After the Storm by Jack Lane

Rating: 3 stars
Rep: Achillean relationship

It was good, but sadly I could easily put it down and forget to pick it up. It was so slow in the beginning and it failed to pick up. It was only near the end that it got better.

📚 #booksky

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 20

I hope you enjoy it. I perfected the recipe myself last year and it’s definitely what I imagine Xaden’s favourite food tastes like.

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 14

Once Smitten Twice Shy by Chloe Liese

Rating: 5 stars
Rep: autism, celiac disease, mixed connective tissue disorder, bisexual rep

I loved this. Both characters were so loveable and I loved rooting for them. The premise of them practice dating was really cute.

📚 #booksky #romancebook

Shows the cover of Once Smitten Twice Shy by Chloe Liese featuring character art of Will and Juliet kissing

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Reposted by Phoenix (she/they)

Astrid but Ibiki Morino @seraphrdm.bsky.social · Aug 12

Fuck AI. I never want to hear a fucking techbro tell us again that AI is going to help us. You’re ruining lives. You’re killing the planet. You’re probably killing people

Fuck GenAI.

Kelly McKernan 🔜 Dreamwalker’s Oracle Deck 🔮 @kellymckernan.bsky.social · Aug 11

Cool cool cool. I’ve lost my adjunct teaching job for pushing back on AI being adapted into the program.

The person replacing me doesn’t even have a working website.

My students love me & they’re PISSED.

Real cool of them to do this to a single mom with no notice. I had to figure it out myself!

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Phoenix (she/they) @bookishphoenix.bsky.social · Aug 12

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

Rating: 5 stars

Rep: autism, selective mutism, queer rep

I really loved the whole idea of the book. These characters working together to take down the person who hurt them was empowering and incredible. I loved the characters.

📚 #booksky #yabooks

Shows the cover of The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

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