Celestial

this is probably as good as it gets, right? you can’t beat an impromptu photoshoot with PIGEONS at the severance filming location?!? 

i guess i’ll sign off from social media for good now. 🐦🤭 📂 @kylewatkinsphotography and I will never  ever get more iconic photos than these.

📸: @ginkgolens 

#severance #lumon #photoshoot #pigeons #ginkgolens #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram

this is probably as good as it gets, right? 

hauntingly real supernatural historical horror that you NEED TO READ!!

📚 books mentioned:
- The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
- The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

thank you so much to Saga for gifting me these review copies! @sagapressbooks 

#horrorbooks #historicalhorror #horrorbookrecs #horrorbookreviews #SagaSaysCrew #sagasays #sagapressbooks #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #diversebooks

hauntingly real supernatural historical horror that you NEED TO READ!!

did you know there’s a library group for young literary new yorkers with boatloads of unique events? @nyplyounglions 

the new york public library young lions team invited me to join their young lions cocktails & conversation event featuring author, researcher, and rare book collector rebecca romney. she chatted with NYPL’s assistant curator of english and american literature julie carlsen about her new book jane austen’s bookshelf. it’s all about women writers who disappeared from the western canon but were once adored by austen herself - essentially, your favorite author’s favorite authors!

rebecca shared a bit about her writing journey, and how she discovered names that have been forgotten - but themes from their work that have continued to resonate with readers. i also loved hearing about rare book collecting, and how it can actually be accessible, fun, and, of course, totally unique to you! (when i say accessible, i mean some of these books are priced around $20, no more than an average new hardcover.)

there’s such an interesting web of connections and stories discovered through this research!
i did leave with a signed copy of her book … but also knowing i’m going to have ANOTHER fresh list of books to read after i finish.

this was a lovely group of nyc-ers in their 20s and 30s who love books and community, and i highly recommend checking out (and maybe even joining) the young lions community for other amazing events!

📚 books mentioned:
- Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney

📍Young Lions Cocktails & Conversation
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library

#NYPL #younglions #literaryevent #nycbookclub #booklover #NYPLYoungLions #janeaustensbookshelf #janeausten #nycbookclub #locallibrary #supportlibraries #supportyourlocallibrary #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #nycbookstagram #bookstagram

did you know there’s a library group for young literary new yorkers with boatloads of unique events?

A message from Mohammed (@mohamad.naseralla.3)

“Now I asked about a bag of flour, it has become equivalent to $120, while two days ago it was $5 or $8. Notice the big difference because of the closure of the crossings and the starvation process that has begun in Gaza. Sam, I want to help you and those around you. Please share. The situation has become unbearable.”

The situation in Gaza is deteriorating rapidly. There is no flour and very little food. Acquiring food and supplies is difficult as the costs are exorbitant and by the time money arrives in their account multiple fees have been taken out. 

Mohammed’s young son, Kenan, celebrated his fifth birthday under attack. Previously, he was injured in an explosion that resulted in a broken leg that has not healed correctly. The family is living on very limited supplies and the situation grows more dire by the day. 

Mohammed desperately wants to keep his young son alive and cared for. Kenan’s lack of food has caused malnutrition that exacerbates his injury. 

Take Action: 
- Contribute directly to Mohammed‘s campaign (line 13).
- If you can help further, contribute directly to the children’s initiative Mohammed runs.
- Interact with the post.
- Share widely.
- Get involved with BDS (@bds.movement) 

[IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS: All graphics feature a bright yellow background and blue text. Slide one displays Mohammed’s message with red markups to stress the price of flour and the unbearable situation. Slide two displays a photo of Mohammed and his wife Amal and his son Kenen before the aggression began. It also displays a circle image of Kenan celebrating his fifth birthday in the refugee camp. The last slide displays the action items and the logo of the children’s initiative as well as in image of Kenan when he was first injured.]

A message from Mohammed (@mohamad.naseralla.3)

April book club & readathon!

sourcing trans book recs from some of the COOLEST and LOVELIEST bookish creators at shelves and the city 2025!!!

and just remember - even though the @transrightsreadathon is over, you should read trans book year round!

📚 books mentioned:
- Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi (@michael.laborn)
- Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead (@fromthemixedupdesk)
- Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang (@raethereviewer)
- She of the Mountains by Vivek Shraya (@aubs.kamilah)
- The Prospects by KT Hoffman (@serareadthat)
- I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea (@kenzibooks)
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (@krystallotuslang and @nycbookhoe)
- A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee (@_chronicallybookish)
- The Unpopular Vote by Jasper Sanchez (@mnmbooks)
- A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall (@pawneepubliclibrary_)
- Drag Me Up by R.M. Virtues (@tritneyslibrary)
- The Deep by Rivers Solomon (@bookrvws)
- In Universes by Emet North (@booksthat_slay)
- The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (@cemeterygay)
- Dragonfall by L. R. Lam (@novelniah)
- Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore (@aceofbooks)
- Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (@emmaskies)
- Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid (@daphsreads)
- and i had to include @allisonsaplusreads clip 😭

thank you to the harpercollins team for gathering us all for an extraordinary weekend. @harpercollins @harpervoyagerus @epicreads @avonbooks 

#shelvesandthecity #shelvesandthecityla #transrightsreadathon #trr25 #transbooks #readbannedbooks #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram

trans book recs from SATC!

the Trans Rights Readathon, a call to the community to read, share, and uplift books by and/or featuring trans and nonbinary authors and characters, was this past weekend, but just because it’s over, doesn’t mean the work ends!

we’re sharing a snippet of a speech by @starry.steph, one of the organizers of @transrightsreadathon, about the event and ways to keep this momentum going. 🏳️‍⚧️

trans rights readathon

it’s a journey from the first kiss to the breakup following threads of ambition, love, selfishness, and loss through a young couple living in NYC. 

we were very grateful to have been #invited!

🎭 show mentioned: the last five years @thelastfiveyears 

#newyorkcity #musicaltheatre #nyctheatre #broadway #thelastfiveyears #jasonrobertbrown #nickjonas #adriennewarren #nycinfluencer #theatrelife #theatrereview #starrysteph #bookstagram @relayinfluence

the last five years

a reading road to rings update that somehow perfectly aligned with the @transrightsreadathon!! and now @kylewatkinsphotography is getting close to the end! 

📚 books mentioned:
- The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

#readingroadtorings #bookproposal #bookengagement #thespiritbaresitsteeth #andrewjosephwhite #horrorbooks #transrightsreadathon #trr25 #peachtreeteen #horrorbookrecs #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #starrysteph @peachtreeteen

reading road to rings

give me all your Trans Rights Readathon 2025 updates!! 🏳️‍⚧️ the leadership team has so many resources and also action items this year, so please do check out the official website as well. @transrightsreadathon 

📚 books mentioned:
- Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi

#transrightsreadathon #trr25 #fantasybooks #scifibooks #transbooks #readbannedbooks #GetUnderlinedPartner #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @getunderlined

give me all your Trans Rights Readathon 2025 updates!! 🏳️‍⚧️ 

Hi friend! I’m Steph – let’s devour some otherworldly stories together.

Steph

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Reading is better in community, and I’m grateful to welcome you to mine! I’ve been a content creator most of my life & an avid reader my entire life. Celestial is our home base to celebrate imaginative stories from galaxy-wide voices. (Think: fantasy, horror, sci-fi, magical realism & beyond.) I love being playful with my recommendations, but I always read with intention – this is a discerning and deliberately diverse space. Join my chaotic community … and let’s have fun while uplifting all voices. 

steph ✨ 📚 ✡︎ (@starrysteph)

Hi! I'm Steph. You can mostly find me on booktok (@starrysteph). I love reading & sharing book reviews and recommendations.

book reviews & recs 📚 • animal lover 🐇 • actor & content creator 🎭
