Okay besties… we failed our TBR.

We break down our April wrap up and May TBR, including what we actually read, what surprised us, and what completely derailed our plans. From Shield of Sparrows to The Deal and other viral BookTok books, this month had range.

We also get into:

00:00 We failed our TBR
02:00 DNF to obsessed… Shield of Sparrows pipeline
06:00 Is binge reading better than waiting for sequels?
10:30 The Deal review… fun or cringey?
15:30 Book to movie adaptations… are we doing too much?
21:00 The most divisive book of the month
26:00 May TBR… are we being realistic?
30:00 What we are actually excited to read

Then we reset for May with a more realistic TBR… or at least we are pretending it is.

If you are looking for what to read next or want honest reader reactions, this one is for you.

BOOKS MENTIONED

• Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
• Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
• The Deal by Elle Kennedy
• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
• Dire Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Fury Bound by Sable Sorenson
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
• Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
• The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
• Fame Sick by Lena Dunham

JOIN THE CHAT: What did you read in April? Did you stick to your TBR or spiral like us? What is on your May TBR?

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This week on Book Bits & Chill, we are joined by bestselling author Nisha J. Tuli, the brilliant mind behind the Artefacts of Ouranos series, including Trial of the Sun Queen, as well as contemporary romance and her highly anticipated YA dystopian debut, Storm Breaker.

We get into ALL of it: the iconic first line that started everything, how the Atlas misdirect was completely intentional (she knew exactly what she was doing to us), why the slow burn had to hurt that badly across four books, and how Nadir went from secondary character to the love interest we would absolutely die for. Nisha also opens up about being a Brown author in a very white genre, why Artefacts of Ouranos selling over a million copies still has not landed it on a U.S. bestseller list, and what that actually says about publishing.

AND we get into the big news. Storm Breaker, her upcoming YA dystopian romance, has already been optioned by Amazon for a TV adaptation before it even hits shelves on May 5th. Nisha walks us through the world, her discovery writing process (chaotic with zero notes), and what it was like to pivot from Ouranos to a brand new universe set 1,000 years into a storm-ravaged Manhattan.

If you love enemies-to-lovers slow burns, morally complex MMCs, diverse fantasy, and authors who tell the truth about publishing, this one is for you.

Pre-order Storm Breaker now. It releases May 5th and we are not calm about it.

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In this episode of Book Bits & Chill, we’re diving into Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry, book two in the Shield of Sparrows series, and asking the real question: is this sequel actually worth the hype or are we in another cursed Book 2 era?

We start spoiler-free (promise, not even a whiff), then move into full book club chaos with spoilers, unhinged theories, and gossip.

We’re chatting:

• Spoiler-free review: vibes, pacing, and where it sits on the romantasy spectrum
• Who should read it now vs who should wait until book 3 is out
• Our honest ratings: overall, spice, hangover, book club potential
• Is this truly romantasy… or fantasy with a side of romance?
• The curse of book twos (Iron Flame, Brimstone, we’re looking at you)
• Full spoiler book club section: dual timelines, THAT twist, new characters, side quests, and magic systems
• Why we wanted more for our characters (and maybe a whole novella?)
• Devney Perry’s fantasy era and what we think book 3 is setting up

If you love romantasy, fantasy romance, girlhood chat, book club-style deep dives, silly but thoughtful hot takes, and deciding your next read based on best-friend banter… you’re in the right place.

Subscribe for weekly episodes filled with romantasy breakdowns, spicy (and not-so-spicy) reviews, adaptation chats, and cozy chaos. 📚✨

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Is Rites of the Starling actually worth the hype?
01:38 The curse of Book 2s (Iron Flame, Brimstone, etc.)
03:39 Spoiler-free thoughts: vibes, pacing, and expectations
05:04 Romance vs plot: is this really romantasy?
07:51 Who should read it now vs who should wait for the full series
08:35 What Devney Perry does really well (worldbuilding, monsters, POVs)
11:19 Ratings: recommendability, spice, hangover, book club potential
14:15 Overall star ratings & the series vs the individual book
17:09 SPOILERS START HERE
19:58 Dual POVs, timelines, and the big plot twist talk
23:14 Caspia, Andreas, and why we weren’t fully sobbing (but kind of wanted to be)
27:29 Should Caspia & Andreas have been their own novella/book?
31:33 Girl power: Odessa, Caspia, and this being a book for the girls
35:09 The mavens, side characters, and missed opportunities
38:16 Being confused in the best (and worst) ways
42:08 Evie, emotional stakes, and why parts felt uncomfortable
48:13 Devney Perry’s fantasy writing style & expectations for book 3
50:02 Final thoughts + next week’s guest: Nisha J. Tuli & Stormbreaker

📖 Books Mentioned

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Brimstone by Callie Hart
Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Harry Potter Series
A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
Trial of the Sun Queen (Artifacts of Ouranos series) by Nisha J. Tuli
Stormbreaker by Nisha J. Tuli

💬 Let’s Connect

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Follow us on Instagram: @BookBitsClub
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

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