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Who’s with me? I picked up Zodiac Academy thinking, “sure, I’ll just see what all the excitement is about.” A year and a half later, and I’m still living in Solaria. NO REGRETS!!!!

Speaking of Solaria, wouldn’t it be fun to do a Zodiac Academy trivia night, especially as we all gear up for Zodiac Academy 10: On the Cursed Day of Christmas?

Yes, yes it would be! Thank the stars @whimsyirlevents is hosting one, and has invited me to come along.

So come join us at:

📍 La Petite Mort Books, Cockeysville, MD
🔮 October 13th, 6-30-8:30 PM
🐉 Free to play, RSVP REQUESTED, visit 🔗 in bio @whimsyirlevents or comment 🐉
🎄 wear an ugly Christmas sweater for a bonus point 🎁 Haven’t preordered your book yet? Visit La Petite Mort Books @lapetitemortbooks to preorder your copy!

***Purchase of the book is NOT required to come to trivia. Please RSVP separately to book purchase ***

Make sure to send to all your Baltimore-area Solarian Besties 🥰 May the strongest fae win!

Huge thank you to @iriseditionsco and @lapetitemortbooks for presenting this glorious event, and @whimsyspicepod for co-hosting!

#bookrecommendations #bookstagram #zodiacacademy #ruthlessboysofthezodiac #twistedsisters

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Ahhh had the best time yesterday at @lapetitemortbooks for an event by @whimsyirlevents 💜 Met absolutely amazing people and had loads of fun (and absolutely delicious drinks) 🥰 I came back home with so much goodies, thank you everyone 😭
I started reading the Kindred Saga only a couple weeks ago and when I saw this event, I just knew I had to go! 🤭 This is a series I’m thoroughly enjoying and definitely got me out of my fantasy reader block and for that I’m so grateful. @authorpenncole is a genius and when I say I’ll defend Diem with my life I’m not even joking 😤 (Audio chosen for my girl 🙊)
So happy to have been part you this cozy event 🫂
#bookstagram #bookishevents #booklover #thekindredscursesaga #bookishfriends

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Sometimes it really feels like there’s NO WAY we’re reading the same book 🫠

Genuinely, nothing has surprised me more in 2026 than the reception to this book, specifically regarding Diem’s character arc (okay, that’s a little dramatic, but at least in the bookish space!!!).

This book had me sobbing, raging, feeling like my heart was being scooped out by a melon baller… feeling so deeply ✨ SEEN ✨ at the agony of existing in a world so determined remain unjust. To accept things the way they are because “that’s just the way they are”. To allow power and violence and “efficiency” (which is being determined by the people in power btw) as answer to all questions.

How utterly hopeless it feels to look around and see a world so broken and realize most people do not care if it doesn’t affect them. Or if it does, just want to enact the same violence back on their oppressors. And the cycle continues.

The constant tapping at the back of your mind that there’s no point in trying. There’s no hope. Everything is too messy, too twisted, too unsalvageable.

But The Kindred’s Curse Saga is an antidote to this poison that plagues the sensitive beings of this world (I can feel the eye roll from here, but it doesn’t make it less true).

The ones who find empathy and understanding for everyone, even their oppressors. The ones who don’t understand why compassion and understanding should only be given to those that look like you. The ones who don’t understand why loyalty to your country should replace loyalty to another’s humanity.

For all of her flaws (and please let’s remember DIEM IS LITERALLY 20 YEARS OLD AND THE ENTIRE SERIES SPANS LIKE A YEAR), Diem is one of the most admirable FMCs I’ve ever read.

And personally, I cherished (yes CHERISHED!!!) that baby girl was not corrupted into believing the only logical decisions are driven by power, fear, and dominance. She continuously tries to carve a path with compassion, understanding, and LONG-TERM goals for EVERYONE IN EMARION to live equally, even when it’s horrifically difficult and 98% of her people are against her.

Diem’s youth is a burden in a lot of ways, but it’s also the source of her untarnished dreamer’s heart.

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✨ Something BIG is coming!!

Make sure your Atlas is charged and keep your 👀 peeled for a message from the stars!

@whimsyirlevents
@whimsyspicepod
@iriseditionsco

#bookstagram #booksta #bookishevents #books #bookish

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We have 3 tickets left for our Burn of the Everflame Book Club Social at @lapetitemortbooks on Thursday (10/08/26)! 🔥

Whether you were obsessed with the series and felt disappointed with Burn or absolutely couldn’t put it down and will defend Diem to your dying breath, this event is the place for you!

🔥 Guided discussion in a small group
🔥 themed activities
🔥 custom mocktails flight by @storyinasip
🔥 meet new bookish friends IRL

📍 La Petite Mort Books, Cockeysville, MD
🌟 10/08/26, 6-8 PM
💸 $25

Get your ticket at the link in bio or DM 🔥 to @whimsyirlevents, and I’ll send you the link directly!

Know someone obsessed with The Kindred’s Curse Saga? make sure to tag them or send this reel to them.

And huge shoutout to @authorpenncole and her team for sending us the artwork, so we could have this beautiful lifesize cutout of Luther for our event ♥️🤤

🗝️ Baltimore Events, Baltimore Bookish Events, Bookish Events, Diem Bellator, Luther Corbois, Lumnos, TKCS, Penn Cole, The Kindreds Curse Saga Event, Burn of the Everflame

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If there is duplicates I am sorry I almost went crazy triple checking the calendar. As always check with organizers for more info. Link in my bio, link in their bio. Peace ✌️ 👻
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#bookishbaltimore #bookevents #baltimorevents #thingstodoinbaltimore #ilovebaltimore

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📝27% of American readers read between one and four books in 2025. (That’s including digital, audio, and print formats.) Another 13% read between five and nine books.

❓Did you know this?

After reading this I had to give myself some grace and not feel like I have to "catch up" with other readers.

😮‍💨Relax
📖Read
🔁Repeat

😘

#dearreader #bookstagram #bookbestie #reader #relaxreadrepeat

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Reactions to Burn of the Everflame have been… interesting 🤔

Personally, I did not find the behavior of Diem or Luther disappointing or surprising in this book.

If anything, I was relieved at @authorpenncole choice to NOT go down the all too familiar path that in the end, losing your optimism for a better world, becoming quicker to act on violence or control, or “making the tough decisions for the greater good” is the inevitable outcome for a young hero.

We say we want unique stories and complex female characters, and we’ve been given one.

What’re we doing to do with it?

I completely understand people’s frustration with Diem, but I think it’s misplaced in our collective grief in a world that is filled with so much pain, suffering, or injustice and our continued acceptance that it just is the way it is. Our collective, continued inaction.

I think Diem ruffles feathers in us because it reflects our own acceptance of this fate, our own grief at letting our sense of justice, and fairness, and kindness, and compassion we intuitively had as kids, stripped from us as we grow up and are just trying to survive.

And I think this is something that we’re SUPPOSED to take from this story, supported by Alixe’s POV (not saying more to remain spoiler-free), as well as Diem, Luther, Henri, Auralie, and Ophiucae’s grappling with their choices, justifying what they’ve done.

How can the cycle of revenge ever end if we don’t forgive? If we don’t see the humanity in someone that looks nothing like us? How do we live in a world that justifies the suffering of others? That encourages us to stay in our lane and be grateful (or even entitled to) our good fortune at the expense of others’ oppression?

Burn of the Everflame was a masterpiece and pushed The Kindred’s Curse Saga into my top (or at least tied with my top) series of all time.

If you’ve been on the fence about reading it because of the negative feedback on Diem, I encourage you to go in with an open mind and heart and reflect on your reactions as they come up.

What do you find annoying? What do you find unrealistic? What seems ridiculous? What can you learn from it?

I don’t think you’ll regret it in the end 🔥

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Thank you, Diem. For the reminder (more like gut punch and stab to the heart but 🙄) that kindness, hope, curiosity, and compassion are not weakness.

That seeing people for who they are and not just what they can do for you (or who they are to YOU), matters.

That seeing the good in people doesn’t make you naive, it makes you brave.

That we have a responsibility to face our choices and actions, but also to have room to take accountability and change.

I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews to this book, and I have a lot more to say, but I’ll leave it at this for now…

Thank you @authorpenncole for giving us this story. Thank you for giving us Diem. Thank you for giving us hope to go on in a world that often seems set on staying in the never ending cycle of cruelty, self-preservation, and corruption. For creating a strong, revered (and realistically despised) character that sees a better future and fights with everything she has to make it for everyone, not just those she loves or understands. Thank you ♥️
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If you were as moved by this books as me (or even if you hated it and want to chat), and you’re in the Baltimore area, join me at La Petit Mort on October 8th for our Burn of the Everflame Book Club Social. Tickets and more info @whimsyirlevents 💖🔥

Burn of the Everflame, Diem Bellator, Luther Corbois, The Kindred’s Curse Saga, Penn Cole, Romantic Fantasy

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New events loading!! October is jam packed and many of the events are ticketed (and have special menus 👀) so grab your tickets early! Swipe for the rest of September as well!!

We are booking for November and December currently with very limited availability still in October for smaller private events. Don’t wait to reach out!!

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getting ready for our recording session for @whimsyspicepod 's RECAP EPISODE of RUTHLESS BOYS OF THE ZODIAC 1 DARK FAE in 22 hours was an experience ✨️

👉🏻 COMING SEPTEMBER 2nd 👈🏻
everywhere you can listen to podcasts

rereading this series turned out to be way more enjoyable than the first time meeting all the kings 🦁🐍🦅🐉
solid 4 stars. and if you wanna know more about my thoughts and feelings you better tune in next week and give it a listen. you will most definitely be entertained 👀

I am now sleep deprived after editing this video for you guys. but it was so worth it. 💫

THANKS SO MUCH to Josie and Madeline for having me. I had the best time and I can't wait to talk to you guys again very soon 💜

I also can't wait to listen to the next few recap episodes covering the remaining 4 books in the series including some lovely bookgirls 🎀
@bookswithlexy
@katewolfereads
@readingwith.ryann
@sarahsvolumesandvibes

@madelinethefae @faejosierae @carolinepeckham @susanne_valenti @kingshollowpublishing
#bookpodcast #whimsyspicepod #ruthlessboysofthezodiac #zodiacacademy #darkfae
bookish podcast readalong romantasy ruthless boys of the zodiac rbotz dark fae ryder draconis leon knight dante oscura gabriel nox zodiac academy the twisted sisters kings hollow publishing caroline peckham susanne valenti read with me aurora academy series bookstagrammer bookrecommendations

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Good thing I needed more books anyway 🫶🏻

@periwinkle.and.prose.books in Frederick, MD is officially open and super cute (not to mention the town itself is ADORABLE).

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#indiebookstores #bookstagram

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