July is supposed to be a slow month for publishing. But that doesn't mean these July releases should be overlooked.

This month delivered some of the most quietly extraordinary fantasy releases of the year and of course they are all by women, and of course they all center women who refuse to be diminished by the worlds they inhabit. That is not a coincidence. That is what happens when you pay attention to the right voices.

Here is what you might not have known was out this month:

The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry release date: July 21

Wales, 1941. The world is at war and people everywhere have begun dreaming of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a plague, flooding sleep with visions of a returning king. But librarian Elaine Ambrose dreams of the Lady of the Lake instead and she is certain it is not a sign of salvation.

This is Arthurian legend refracted through the very real terror of WWII, written with the kind of lush, atmospheric prose that makes you feel like you are reading by candlelight in a blacked-out cottage. For anyone who has ever wanted their mythology to carry actual weight.

Misery's Wife by Joan Tierney release date: July 14

A trans woman sets out to rescue her sister from the Kingdom of Misery. She is aided by Luck's sister, Jinx — which tells you everything you need to know about how this journey is going to go.

This is a queer cli-fi reimagining of a Portuguese folktale, and it is exactly as lyrical, strange, and emotionally devastating as that description implies. Tierney writes folklore the way it was always meant to be written — as a map of what it costs to love someone and what you will burn down to bring them home.

Harbour of Hungry Ghosts by Eliza Chan release date: July 28

Opium War-era Hong Kong. The Au family are demon hunters — blessing shrines, honoring the dead, keeping their city safe from yiaoguai incursions. When British colonists disrupt the Hungry Ghost festival and Kiamling's grandmother is seized by something no one has seen before, Kiamling must lead the search with a mismatched crew of unexpected allies.

Babel meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the comparison being made and honestly it earns it. This one has the rare quality of being genuinely fun while also having something real to say about colonialism, family expectation, and what it means to be the daughter who is supposed to hold everything together.

There you have it! Three July releases. Three women. Three worlds that feel nothing like each other and everything like the kind of books Ink & Ether exists to put in your hands.

-The Keeper

The Letter Corner

Happy Sunday Book Friends,

Something I have wanted to bring to Ink & Ether since I discovered it, is finally happening.

I believe that books and letters live in the same world. They are both acts of reaching toward a story, toward another person, toward some part of yourself you haven't met yet. So when I discovered the Sunday Letter Project, it felt less like finding something new and more like recognizing something I had always been moving toward.

Ink & Ether will become an official Letter Keeper.

Here is what that means. Beginning in August at Communitea Coffee in Brea, there will be a letter basket. Inside that basket are letters written by real people who are looking for a pen pal — someone to write to, someone to be written back to. You can come in any time the shop is open, choose an intro letter that speaks to you, take a photo of it, and write back. No home addresses are ever exchanged. Everything goes through the Letter Keeper network safely and privately.

Send Locally or Abroad

You can also add your own intro letter to the basket to connect with pen-pals locally. Write a little about yourself, what you love, what you are reading, what you are looking for and leave it in the basket.

To connect with pen-pals abroad, you need to find a shop to send your intro letter to. You can find a shop in the Letter Keeper Network. Be sure to include us as the return address (see below) on the back of your letter and you're all set. Send it off and wait for a response. Easy!

This is community that does not require an algorithm. It is slow and intentional and a little bit magic, which feels very Ink & Ether to me. I hope you like the way that sounds.

To get you started, here is this week's letter writing prompt:

Write to a stranger about the book that changed something in you. Not your favorite book necessarily — the one that left you different than it found you. Tell them what it was, what it did, and whether you have ever recovered.

The basket will live at Communitea Coffee year round, even between pop-ups. So if you can never quite make it to an event, this is another way to find your way into the Ink & Ether community.

Return Address:

Ink & Ether
c/o Communitea Coffee
1015 E Imperial Hwy, Unit C1
Brea, CA 92821

Pages & Pour: Silent Reading Group

Last but not least, come join us for Silent Reading at Communitea Coffee today at 1pm.

This is for the introverts who want to do book club things without the book club socializing. Instead we each can choose our own book, and read at our own pace, in quiet community while enjoying an iced latte.

This may or may not be a ploy to give me more time to get some reading in but who isn't looking for a good excuse to read more. Right?

Hope you can join me today. But if you can't make it, look for the next one on Wednesday August 5th.

With gratitude,

The Keeper

Welcome to the Ink & Ether July '26 Dispatch

Hi Book Friends!

I know it's been a minute since you heard from me. I admit I haven't exactly been staying on top of keeping you updated. But that's about to change so expect monthly updates with all the details of what's happening at I&E. Let's go!

What's been on my mind

There’s been a lot happening for Ink & Ether in recent months. Doing consistent weekly pop-up events has been amazing and exhausting (in the best way of course). It’s definitely shown me that there are people who like this thing that I’m creating and for that, I am extremely grateful. I had to take a small break to reset and enjoy time with my family, but I’m back and I have some great plans for the future of Ink & Ether.

What's new on the shelves

The bindery books section has exploded! I’ve added some new titles and restocked some old ones so please be sure to find the new Bindery collection on my website. Catch a glimpse of some of these titles below.

Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes: If Beloved and Get Out had a baby in 1920’s Mississippi and gave her a coven.

The Devil Of The Deep by Falencia Jean-Francois: If Pirates of the Caribbean was Haitian, queer, and had something to say about blind faith in corrupt gods.

Black Salt Queen by Samantha Bansil: If Game of Thrones was set in precolonial Philippines, centered women entirely, and actually made you root for the villain.

From the grimoire

Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy dabbling in the mystic arts. Since Ink & Ether began, I have wanted to find a way to incorporate my esoteric knowledge in some way and I think I've come up with something.

Every month I will draw a tarot card to select a title to spotlight.

This month's card pull is drawn from The Good Tarot by Colette Baron-Reid.

The card pull: 8 of Earth (8 of Pentacles) - the card of the devoted craftsperson

This card reminds us Rome wasn't built in a day. Sometimes success is built from daily acts of devotion. Incrementally. By showing up day after day, doing the work, putting in the time, and mastering your craft. Every small act of devotion compounds. The work is the magic.

For your reading life this month I'm pairing this card with You Were Born For This by Chani Nichols. This read is a reminder that your purpose isn't found in a single moment but excavated slowly, through honest self-study and the willingness to keep going.

And for fiction, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna. After Sera Swann loses her power, she tends the Inn and keeps working to reclaim her magic.

This month the card is asking, what are you building quietly that deserves more of your attention?

Find Ink & Ether this month

I am making a concerted effort to have more events outside of pop ups. After all, how else is one supposed to build community? This month you can expect the first meeting of our Silent Reading Group. And soon we’ll be adding a Sunday Letter Writers group too! More on that to come.

July 17 - Summer Night Market @ Communitea Coffee

July 19 - Pages & Pour: Silent Reading Group @ Communitea Coffee

July 25 - Bagels and Boutiques @ Rekindle Coffee

July 25 - Mystic Night Market @ Lunam Love

You read that right I have 2 pop ups on July 25! What can I say, I felt bad for taking a few weeks off. I figured this was a good way to appease the bookselling gods LOL

Beyond this month there are already some big book events in Ink & Ether's future. Look out for us at Dragons & Dreamers and The OC Book Fair: Vol. 3!

For more events, visit the Ink & Ether website.

The Letter Corner

The Sunday Letter Project is something I discovered on Instagram. Started in 2025 by a couple in the UK with a stationery shop, The Sunday Letter Project is an analog path to connection with our neighbors in a digital world. I started writing letters on Sunday’s and have come to really enjoy the ritual of recounting my week to no one in particular.

Soon, Ink & Ether will become a full fledged “Letter Keeper” as they’re called, and will act as a poste restante for letter writers seeking a pen-pal. Write to friends and family, or your future self, or find a pen-pal on the other side of the world, the point is to find connection and slow down.

You can learn more about The Sunday Letter Project here and I’ll keep you posted on what’s next. It's my deepest hope that in the coming months we can create gatherings around letter writing and build network outside of this part of the country and world.

Before you go

Whew! That was a lot but thanks for getting through that with me. I’m manifesting magic for you this month.

With gratitude,

The Keeper

Nothing beats the post-market euphoria of a successful pop-up weekend.

This weekend I popped up at Magic Market in LA for the first time. A cool witchy event held at Heritage Square Museum. Amongst the wonderfully preserved Victorian homes, a small town center is erected selling food, art, vintage finds, and magic.

I had heard about the event previously, but hadn't been able to attend much less participate as a vendor. The nervous anticipation of the last month was all worth it in the end because I had an amazing weekend.

From a business perspective, it was a profitable weekend.

From a book lovers perspective, it was one of the best weekends I've ever had. Easily in my top 2 moments since opening my business last June.

I met so many smart and fun book lovers. I had never attended an event where I spent just as much time learning about the books I sell as I did educating readers. A testament I suppose to really finding my coven of like-minded readers.

I was so happy to see everyone enjoying what I had to offer.

Here's what the best seller's were for the weekend:

Hekate: The Witch by Nikita Gill

A poetic reimagining of the goddess Hekate, this collection explores feminine power, transformation, and the sacred darkness within. Gill blends myth with modern womanhood, inviting readers to reclaim their inner witch and walk unapologetically in their truth.

We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba

This powerful collection of essays centers abolition, collective care, and the ongoing work of building a more just world. Kaba challenges readers to rethink harm, accountability, and what true safety could look like beyond systems of punishment.

Woman Who Glows in the Dark by Elena Avila

Part memoir, part spiritual guide, this book follows Avila’s journey into curanderismo, a traditional Mexican healing practice. It’s a deeply personal exploration of intuition, ancestral wisdom, and reclaiming spiritual identity.

Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz

A modern guide to living a magickal life, Witchery blends practical rituals with empowering reflections on intuition, self-trust, and personal power. Diaz encourages readers to see witchcraft as a way of being—rooted in authenticity and connection.

Honorable Mentions:

Wordslut by Amanda Montell

A sharp, witty deep dive into how language shapes gender and power, Wordslut unpacks the biases baked into the words we use every day. Montell blends research and humor to challenge the status quo and reimagine more inclusive language.

Legendborn by Tracey Deonn

After the death of her mother, Bree Matthews uncovers a secret society tied to King Arthur’s legacy—and realizes she may be more connected to it than she ever imagined. This richly layered fantasy explores grief, identity, and the hidden magic woven into history.

That last one might have been mostly due to my own enthusiasm since after a year of recommending the book I finally started reading it myself. Spoiler alert: It's amazing and I'm definitely hooked. I might even be rushing to finish this post so I can read another chapter before it's daycare pick up time.