The New Superman is Bisexual! Also: Creepy Sapphic Boarding Schools

This one overlaps with last week’s list about queer vampires, since it’s a take on Carmilla. It’s written in a diary format, in which a student chronicles the strange and obsessive relationship between her roommate and a mysterious other student. This was also made into a movie starring Lily Cole.

I’m halfway through the audiobook for this one, and so far it’s exactly what I want from dark academia. Felicity has returned to her elite boarding school after a leave of absence. Last year, she became obsessed with the history of the school and the rumors of witchcraft that resulted in those historical murders. Soon after, her best friend (and secret girlfriend) died. She’s convinced the two events are connected, but when she meets Ellis, an accomplished young author who command every room, she finds herself being pulled back into this history and witchcraft. This book deals a lot with mental health issues, including hallucinations, so be aware of that when picking it up.

This is an ambitious book that’s impossible to summarize, so I’ll just give some snippets: celesbians. Wasp-related body horror. Many generations of sapphic characters. A horror movie that may be haunted itself–or it may just be a marketing ploy. This is a very creepy book that will leave you thinking about it long after you finish it.

This is a Macbeth reimagining, packed full of brooding, paranoia, and revenge plots. This begins as an atmospheric, unsettling read and then descends into horror territory. It’s a Southern Gothic with tons of queer characters–but also a high body count.

If you’d like less on the horror side and more on the thriller side, try this one. Jess is in love her best friend Angie, but she’s content to admire her from a distance–until Angie falls for Margot. Jess is sure Margot is bad for Angie, and the tension between the three of them soon culminates in an event that changes everything. This is about a toxic, jealous friendship much more than it is about the thriller or mystery elements.

Another take on boarding school mysteries is Miss Timmins’ School for Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy, which is from the point of view of a young (bisexual) teacher. It’s part murder mystery, part coming of age story.

Finally, if you want something more on the “weird” side than the bloody side, I highly recommend SuperMutant Magic Academy. It’s told in vignettes (it was originally a webcomic) and isn’t a linear story, but there are significant sapphic characters. This is a boarding school for students with magical abilities, but they’re all very weird abilities. It’s another one on this list that deals with falling for your best friend, which is very relatable sapphic content.

If you’re still looking for a perfect Halloween read, this is the new release for you. An abandoned Heian-era mansion rests on the bones of a dead bride, its walls filled with the remains of the women killed to keep her company in the afterlife. It’s, of course, the perfect place for a party before a wedding–at least for these thrill-seeking guests. But the ghost bride is hungry… (This has a bisexual main character!)

Inspired by Mrs. Dalloway (as well as Sula and Zami), this takes place during a dinner party Liselle is putting on for supporters of her husband’s failed bid for state legislature. Then she gets a call that says he might be investigated for corruption charges, and she starts to wonder what brought her to this point and this marriage. Meanwhile, her ex-girlfriend Selena is reminiscing about their relationship being the last time she was truly happy.

This is the first middle grade LGBTQ+ anthology! It has both realistic and SFF stories, with a range of genres and identities represented. It has tons of fantastic authors, including Alex Gino, Mark Oshiro, Ashley Herring Blake, Justina Ireland, Molly Knox Ostertag, and so many more. I can’t wait to dive into this one!