Overview

All we have is now.

Forty years before THE THREAD THAT BINDS, Juniper Starstitch returns to Caspora City young and hopeful. Chosen to be Head Librarian Opaline Sweetfrond's last apprentice, June arrives at the Eternal Library looking to discover the magical manuscript art of Illumination—and to recover the memories lost to the trauma of the massive earthquake that killed one of eir parents a decade earlier.

June quickly discovers that these memories can be recovered through the ancient art of reading etheric Threads, the spiritual ties that link the world together. But remembering can be painful, and living in the past means missing out on the present. Even to the point that June’s beloved apprenticeship is threatened by eir inability to let go.

It will take the help of friends both old and new for June to untangle the knotted threads of time, including the mysterious and stern Aeronwy Greengrove, who June may or may not be falling in love with, one song at a time...

The Tale That Twines is an adult fantasy novel about queer bookbinding witches, found family, memory, fandom, and the power of story to heal from trauma! It is the second book in the Eternal Library Series and the first of two prequels. It also has a companion divination deck called the Threadbound Oracle; the characters are on the cards, and the cards appear prominently in Book 1, The Thread That Binds.

For readers who like:

- Found and bio-family dynamics
- Entirely queer cast of characters, including many aro & ace-spectrum
- Autistic ADHD narrator & neurodivergent main cast
- Queernorm society
- Extremely slow burn friends to lovers romance
- The power of friendship and fandom
- Deep thoughts, cozy vibes
- Magical art, writing, & traditional crafting
- Fantasy 1970s/80s setting
- Intergenerational mentor/student friendship
- Trauma healing
- BIG LIBRARY