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Sasa Hawk

@sasahawk

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🗝️ UNLOCK THE DARK (Feb 25, 2025; Harper Collins)
📚 Book lover | 🫖 Tea addict | 🍪 Stress baker
✨ Agent: @kissedbyink of @jdlitagency
She/her

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🗝️Book Review🗝️

Unlock the Dark by Sasa Hawk

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
Book 109 of 2026
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Other than this being a beautiful edition from @thelockedlibrary , I felt this was also a beautiful story of grief, love and sacrifice. I mean check out the sprayed edge and end papers!

Elia was such a strong character with great values and determination. Her family are her life, she would do anything for them and this gets tested more than once.

The slow build of trust and adoration between Elia and Trys was so lovely. Her nickname for him being ‘Prince Smudge’ tickled me, but I’m not sure why. I loved it and found it really endearing!

The fantasy and magic elements of this story were so well crafted and I thought original too, I enjoyed Elia’s conjurista abilities.

I would highly recommend to those who enjoy a low fantasy read with welcoming characters that feel like a hug. Dealing with such heavy subjects like grief can be so overwhelming, but the author deals with it in such a way that felt hopeful and calming almost.

#bookstagrammer #fyp #bookreview #specialeditionbooks #unlockthedark

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If someone offers you a magical quest, a cursed scroll and an arranged marriage... maybe ask a few more questions first.

I picked up Unlock the Dark expecting a fun YA fantasy... and ended up getting one of the most unique magic systems I've read in a while.

The whole idea of Elia's key magic was so refreshing. It wasn't just magic for the sake of magic, it felt woven into the world and I loved discovering all the different ways it could be used. Add in bargains with gods, magical libraries, monsters and a quest that goes spectacularly wrong, I was sold.

What surprised me most, though, was how much of the story revolves around family. Every decision Elia makes comes back to the people she loves and that gave the book a warmth I wasn't expecting.

And then there's Trys.

I have such a soft spot for characters who lead with kindness instead of arrogance. He wasn't trying to be the loudest or the strongest person in the room and I think that's exactly why I liked him. His relationship with Elia wasn't built on instant obsession, it grew through trust, shared purpose and genuinely getting to know each other, which made it feel all the more believable.

The world itself was another highlight. Floating kingdoms, magical libraries, strange creatures... it constantly felt like there was something new waiting around the next corner.

Safe to say I loved the book.

✨Are you more likely to pick up a fantasy for the characters, the magic system or the world-building?

#bookstagram #flatlay #bookcollector #specialeditionbooks #bookaesthetic

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Weekend plans? Ours involve dragons, dangerous magic, slow-burn romance, and saying “just one more chapter”... 🐉✨💖

What book has your heart this weekend?

Tell us what you’re reading in the comments! Whether you’re falling for a morally grey hero, surviving magical trials, or completely obsessed with your latest book boyfriend, we’re always on the lookout for our next favourite read. 📚✨

📷 by @el.reads13

#TheLockedLibrary #SprayedEdges #SpecialEdition #Fantasy #Romantasy

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Underrated Book Recs

All of these are books I love so much, and I think they’re all so underrated. Last I checked, all of these have less than 1000 ratings on goodreads (some might have surpassed it). I think they’re all deserve so much more. They’re all well-written with great plots and themes. They are some of my top recommendations from their genres as well.

The books:
✨Unlock the Dark by @sasahawk
✨Beyond the Border Forest by @into_the_bookish_wild
✨Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar by @ana_scribe
✨To Bargain With Mortals by @rabasuwrites
✨Split the Sky by @mariearnoldbook
✨Dust Settles North by @deenaelg
✨The Trouble With Anna by @rachel.griffiths.writes
✨Our Gifted Hearts by @jennifersghost

❔What’s a book you think is underrated?

#booksrecs #underratedbooks #fantasybook #gothichorror #yaromance

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FMC Front Cover Friday 👌🏻🥹

How amazing are all of these covers featuring Character art of Female Main Characters 😍 I have a lot of books with great character art, these are just a few of them 🥹👌🏻

Qotd: Name your Favourite FMC?

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So grateful for @plentybookshop / @wineandwords.official for a phenomenal event! I was only able to attend on Saturday, and the full day was packed with author panels, delightful vendors, and networking opportunities with friends!

I moderated my first-ever author panel, showcasing the YA and upcoming adult works of @byrachelmoore @mackenziemreed and @kallanharris , who kept the whole audience in stitches with their humor and charm. They shared how they build characters, what keeps them going through rejection, and the importance of a writer community to weather the storms of the pub industry.

The fun continued with @cjredwine , @sasahawk , and @ericaivyrodgers speaking on their YA fantasy books. It was fascinating to hear the very different paths these authors have taken to get where they are today!

Later I snuck into the romance panel with @naturallystephperkins (thank you so much for your advice/encouragement for debut day), @jeffzentner (the best emotional support extrovert), and @jennalevinewrites (the title=plot joke is funny every time you tell it!)

I also want to especially shout out Jaime, Ashley, and the other Plenty Bookshop staff who have been so incredibly supportive of my upcoming debut novel, The Sorcerer and the Swan. I have a launch event with them on Thursday, June 18th (more deets forthcoming!) and will be signing preorders! Stay tuned for all the specifics as soon as I have confirmation.

#bookfestival #indiebookstore #independentbookstore

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I had the best weekend at @wineandwords.official and @delmonacowinery! It was lovely to meet all the authors old and new! Thank you for hanging out with us and discussing all the bookish things with us! Giving us the inside scoop about upcoming projects and sharing some of your most embarrassing moments! 😂 I have some many new books added to my TBR and I look forward to all their upcoming releases! I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was too caught up in the moment. 🥰 I tried to tag everyone sorry if I missed anyone!

My book bestie @ownyourhealth and I tried to read at least one book from all 29 authors that were attending the event. Between the two of us, we got through 25 before the event. Not too bad if you ask me! 😉 I can’t recommend this event enough! It’s my second time attending it and I look forward to it every year! @plentybookshop really knows how to bring readers together and host an event! 📚🍷🥀🐉⚔️🛡️👑🧛‍♂️💋🫆🔎🦄✨🖤

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Blind Book TBR Cart Picks for March !!

I promise no books were harmed in the making of this video despite my HORRIBLE unwrapping skills. Thanks to Caleb for putting up with this every month 🤪

How do you pick your monthly reads?? Let me know below!

Featured books:
House of Blight @maxymmckay
Unlock the Dark @sasahawk

#bookstagramreels #tbrcart #marchreads #newbooks #currentlyreadi̇ng

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This weekend was nothing short of magical!✨ @wineandwords.official featured such an amazing bunch of authors and artisans. I couldn’t hit every single panel, but the ones I did get to see were just so enlightening, inspirational, and downright fun! I also forgot to get pics. Or eat. Or act like a normal human. Major major major props to my hubby for just showing up with food or water or more and more books as needed. And for just being his incredible awesome self- even snapping pics when I wasn’t paying attention. He’s my best friend and I’m in love with him, in case you didn’t know. Lol
Anyway!!! @plentybookshop invited me to participate as a moderator this year and it was seriously a blast!! @cjredwine @sasahawk and @ericaivyrodgers were so fun and easy to chat with. They made the whole experience such a delight! 🫶🏻 I greatly enjoyed talking about magic escape trips, Disney mishaps, and even pickle powers. 🥒 You know, normal stuff.
Also pictured: the delightful @annie_hartnett doing a reading of an incredible book with a death predicting cat on a panel with @laurennossett. And a panel moderated by @lizgriffinwords with @mackenziemreed @byrachelmoore and @kallanharris - these women together are hilarious! @kristen.m.long and @meredithrlyons were a joy to learn from, too! Such badass women!
Sunday was such a great experience for all the writers, too! Hearing from the @nashvilleauthors about collaboration and community seems like the perfect way to celebrate International Women’s Day! Then we wrapped it all up with @yourpublishingprofessor with @maryglennwarnock talking all things publishing and PR. So much info and such a great group of women supporting women!!
I’d tag everyone, but honestly, I’m tapped out and ready for a nap. Lol I’m just so grateful for the entire weekend and so excited to do it all again next year! 📚
I should have known I’d find myself in the pages of a book. I just never figured I’d find my people there, too. 🫶🏻🖤

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I really enjoyed getting to be a part of @wineandwords.official this weekend at @delmonacowinery!

Such an awesome event with so many incredible authors represented! It was wonderful getting to learn more about their writing process, publishing advice and so much more!

#writingcommunity #authorlife #authorevent #authorsofinstagram #readmorebooks

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💐Badass Women's Day
Happy Women's day!
Head naistepäeva!

I gathered some recent and memorable reads about women who are resilient, badass, come into their power and start to embrace their inner cosmic greatness and light!

*Grim by DJ Krimmer, Joe Arden - absolute favourite book of last year, perfection of all the tropes and also a resilient woman finding her inner strength in this life and after. Also the audiobook was almost like a movie in your ears duet style.

*Little Pieces of Light by Emma Scott - one of my fav authors, everything she writes has such emotional depth. I loved seeing the journey of the main girl from childhood to oppressive father dimming her light to finding strength to finally fight for the life she deserves with a help of a genius boy who lifted her up.

*Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen - this had such an unique concept in a universe where there are monsters and funerary business is a rite. Mercy was such a firestorm and held so much on her shoulders but together with Hart they dared to walk the journey of healing and facing their demons.

*For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn - this had healing, redemption, and finding peace in the after life. It redefines what is hell or heaven and how entitled people will get their due. Not to mention the absolute badass woman who finds more life and kindness in Hell with friendly demons than she ever did in life and slowly heals many society induced wounds.

*Unlock the Dark by Sasa Hawk - magical story where the main characters go on a quest where they discover their true powers and intentions. Loved the courageous woman who finally embraced her true gifts and fought for the people she loved with ferocity.

Poetry section:
*Where Hope Comes From by Nikita Gill - always loved the depth of her poetry and here are her musings during the lock-down. I added a snippet.
*Vabavoolu veele, Stella Sterna - an Estonian poet who captured my heart on social media and of course I had to get the book. I added her poem that shows how every woman carries so much and how it is okey to let go of that lonely indipendence and lean on others.

Any recs?

#womansday2026 #naistepäev #bookstagram

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This weekend!!! 📚 @wineandwords.official is hosting a slew of amazing authors at @delmonacowinery including these and so many others! I’ll be moderating the YA Fantasy panel (“Becoming Legendary”) in the champagne room Saturday, 1:30pm! Come join us as we talk all things writing, fantasy, books, and more! I can’t wait to hear from @cjredwine , @ericaivyrodgers , and @sasahawk 🖤📚
Thank you to @plentybookshop for contributing to a culture of literacy and community! This is the good stuff. 📖✨

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