Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Read These Queer Books for Their Covers

Sometimes, covers are beautiful enough that they really do justify buying the book regardless of the content. Today, I highlight some of my favourite LGBTQ book covers, but let me know what yours are!

Queer books, BIPOC books, and sex education books continue to be targeted by book banners. We know these can be life-changing — even life-saving — for kids to have access to. That’s why today I’m highlighting EveryLibrary, which helps fight back against book bans. You can donate to help out, sign up as a volunteer, or join the mailing list on their homepage to stay up to date.

What’s the secret behind Colleen Hoover’s explosive popularity? What’s the best reading tracker for power readers? And do you really *need* to read more this year? Check out these thoughts and more from experts in the world of books and reading by subscribing to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a photo of Felix Ever After with floral painting on the page edge matching the cover

Felix Ever After with Ombre Sprayed Edges by PaintedPagesLibrary

Later in this newsletter I talk about how stunning the cover of Felix Ever After by Kacen Callendar is, but if you want an even more beautiful edition, you can get it with sprayed edges! $32

New Releases

Unfortunately, this week’s LGBTQ YA and children’s new releases are disproportionately by white authors. We need more intersectional queer books.

no boy summer book cover

No Boy Summer by Amy Spalding (F/F YA Contemporary)

Sisters Lydia and Penny’s respective relationship dramas blew up their lives last year, so this summer, they have a pact: no boys. No drama. This brings them closer than ever, until Lydia has a coffee shop meet cute with Fran. Dating a girl isn’t against technically against the rules…right?

the cover of Jude Saves the World

Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley (Nonbinary Middle Grade Contemporary)

Jude is a nonbinary 12-year-old with a best friend named Dallas. When Stevie is bullied by her classmates for possibly liking girls, Jude quickly invites her into their friend group, and the three of them become inseparable. Together, they decide to found a Diversity Club, where everyone can be themselves. But will they be able to get the support to start it?

the cover of Sasaki and Miyano: First-Years, Vol. 1

Sasaki and Miyano: First-Years, Vol. 1 by Shou Harusono and Kotoko Hachijo (BL YA Manga)

This is a prequel series to Hirano and Kagiura, which is a BL romance between roommates. These short stories explore what these characters were like as first years, including seeing familiar situations from new perspectives.

Alondra by Gina Femia (Bisexual YA Contemporary)

Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar by Jessamyn Violet (Queer ’90s YA Contemporary/Historical)

the cover of If I See You Again Tomorrow

If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch (M/M YA Speculative Romance)

Against the Stars by Christopher Hartland (Queer YA Speculative Romance)

Drew Leclair Crushes the Case by Katryn Bury (Bisexual Middle Grade Mystery)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

I stepped away from queering the Read Harder challenge for a while, but I’ve returned today with task #10: Read a book you know nothing about based solely on the cover. You get a little bit of cheat, knowing that these books are all queer, but I won’t tell you anything else about them so you can follow the prompt. Instead, I’ll talk about why I find these covers so intriguing!

the cover of The Salt Roads

The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson

I feel like I never shut up about this book, but that’s because I love it. And at home, I have my copy face out, because that cover is stunning. It’s a gorgeous painting with a whimsical, magical feeling — and hints the story inside is a little bit…strange. Is that a chamber pot so prominently featured?

the cover of Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

I had to include this cover, which is such a beautiful, loving rendition of a Black transmasc teenager — I wish we had so many more book covers like this. Also, did you know this book was challenged in a school library because the cover shows someone with top surgery scars? (Attend your school board meetings! Vote book banners out!) Looking at reviews, I saw so many people mention that they felt seen by having this representation on the cover and that it was one of the reasons they picked the book up.

the yellow UK cover of Her Majesty's Royal Coven

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

This has several cover designs, but I’m talking about this UK variant today — though I like the American cover, too. I love the contrast between the old-fashioned illustration in the background with a pentagram, reflecting that same juxtaposition in the title. That’s only highlighted by the neon colors, which makes this a modern and eye-catching design.

All the Links Fit to Click

Sexy, Ambitious Novel Any Other City Explores Transition and Transformation

Lex Croucher was interviewed at The Bookseller about Gwen and Art Are Not In Love

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Protect Trans Kids

I hope you like new releases, because this week is packed full of them! I had a hard time narrowing it down, even after doubling up with Riot Recs, so be sure to browse through the full list for even more books to put on hold/order.

Today, I wanted to highlight the Trans Lifeline, a crisis hotline for trans people that also gives microgrants to help trans people change legal documentation to reflect their gender. You can find out more at their website, and you can help out at their donation page.

What’s the secret behind Colleen Hoover’s explosive popularity? What’s the best reading tracker for power readers? And do you really *need* to read more this year? Check out these thoughts and more from experts in the world of books and reading by subscribing to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a clear Protect Trans Kids sticker

Protect Trans Kids sticker by LanniMade

Don’t just buy and display this sticker: embody it. $5

New Releases

I don’t know why April 18th is such a huge release day for queer books, but there was a flood of titles to choose from this week! I know The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur is highly anticipated. And I’m excited for The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter, from the author of the wonderfully weird sapphic and trans “benign alien invasion” book The Seep.

the cover of Any Other City

Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante (Queer Trans Woman Fiction)

This is the newest book from the author of Little Blue Encyclopedia: (for Vivian), a novel about a queer trans women that I’ve heard only amazing things about — I’m waiting for my library hold to come in! This one is a “two-sided fictional memoir.” Side A is in 1993, when Tracy St. Cyr, a musician at the beginning of her career, finds a new friend group of trans women artists. Side B is set in 2019, when she is writing her memoir and processing a traumatic event that happened in between.

the cover of Love Is an Ex-Country

Love Is an Ex-Country: A Memoir (Revised and Expanded) by Randa Jarrar (Queer Memoir)

Love Is an Ex-Country made a big splash when it came out in 2021: this story of traveling the USA as a queer, fat, Muslim, Arab American femme explores both the country’s history and her own. It gave me a lot to think about. Now, it’s being rereleased in paperback, revised and expanded. Make sure to check out the content warnings for this one before diving in, including racism and sexual assault.

Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer (Sapphic Fiction)

The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter (Bisexual Speculative Fiction)

the thick and the lean book cover

Flux by Jinwoo Chong, narrated by David Lee Huynh (Queer Science Fiction) (Audiobook Rerelease)

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur (F/F Romance)

Furious Heaven (The Sun Chronicles #2) by Kate Elliott (F/F Sci Fi)

The Bone Shard War (The Drowning Empire #3) by Andrea Stewart (F/F Fantasy)

Bound In Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror edited by Lor Gislason (Trans Horror Anthology)

The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire Omnibus by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Michelle Wong, and Killian Ng (Bisexual Fantasy Graphic Novel)

the cover of The Fiancée Farce

BARBARITIES II by Tsuta Suzuki (M/M Historical Manga)

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs by Iman Qureshi (Lesbian Play)

a “Working Life” by Eileen Myles (Nonbinary Poetry)

Rising: From a Mud Hut to the Boardroom ― and Back Again by Graci Harkema (Queer Memoir)

Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)? by Zach Zimmerman (Gay Memoir)

The Opium Queen by Gabrielle Paluch (Genderqueer History)

the cover of Is It Hot in Here

Ace and Aro Journeys by The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (Asexual and Aromantic Nonfiction)

QUEER POWER: Icons, Activists, & Game Changers From Across the Rainbow by DOM&INK (Queer Nonfiction)

House Of Our Queer: Healing, Reframing, and Reclaiming Your Spiritual Practice by Bex Mui and Cordelia Eddy (Queer Nonfiction)

365 Gays of the Year by Lewis Laney (Queer Nonfiction)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

There were too many amazing new releases out today to only talk about two, so here are a couple more!

the cover of Sizzle Reel

Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald (Sapphic Romance)

Luna Roth is trying to break into Hollywood as a cinematographer, but right now she’s stuck with an emotionally abusive talent manager boss. When she hits it off with A-list actress Valeria Sullivan, who is about to make her directorial debut, Luna has found her way in. Now she just has to impress Valeria’s director of photography — and she might as well flirt with Valeria while she’s at it. Along the way, though, she starts to fall for Valeria for real, which endangers her career and her relationship with her queer best friend, Romy.

the cover of I Hear the Sunspot

I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons, Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino, translated be Stephen Kohler (M/M Manga)

Kohei is a college student who is adjusting to sudden hearing loss. His outgoing classmate Taichi offers to take notes for him — in exchange for food. Along the way, they begin to fall for each other. Start with the original I Hear the Sunspot series, then pick up I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons, Volume 1, which follows Kohei as he graduates and begins to look for a job — and his relationship with Taichi becomes more complicated when his ex reappears.

All the Links Fit to Click

15 Amazing Upcoming YA Books With Queer Characters

Lost Lesbian Lit: Murder! At the Retirement Home

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Powerful Pages: Queer Brujas and Brujos in YA

Kelly Jensen has been leading the anti-censorship coverage at Book Riot, and I’m her backup. This week, that meant writing about a Texas county threatening to close their public library rather than follow a judge’s order to return banned LGBTQ and BIPOC books to shelves — oh, and also about calls to burn books and jail librarians for carrying books like Gender Queer. And those are just some of this week’s censorship stories.

If you’d like to help, please sign EveryLibrary’s petition Don’t Arrest School Librarians in Montana. You can also donate, sign up as a volunteer, or join the mailing list on their homepage to stay up to date.

Alongside fighting back politically, let’s also celebrate queer books and the author who write them! Today’s newsletter has three different queer brujo and bruja YA books, plus a new nonbinary satirical thriller for fans of Only Murders In the Building.

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a set of bird stickers in pride flag colors

Bird Pride Vinyl Stickers by LiminaLost

One of the new releases this week is about a queer birder, so here are some pride birds! Available in eight pride flag variations. $4

New Releases

the making of yolanda la bruja book cover

The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila (Queer YA Contemporary)

First of all, it’s so rare to see disability representation on covers, especially for disabled people of color, so this is great to see. Yolanda is a Deaf, queer, Black Dominican high school sophomore who is about to be initiated into her family line of brujas, but her powers bring visions of the new white guy at school planning an act of racist gun violence.

the cover of Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans (Nonbinary YA Thriller)

Bianca is an anxious nonbinary teen who bird watches from their bedroom window — but instead, they see a neighbor murdered by someone wearing a plague mask. When it’s ruled a suicide, they’ll have to overcome their fears of a) talking to people and b) being killed to investigate with the help of some nerdy friends. This is described as campy and absurdist, and the official description ends, “perhaps the real murder investigation is the friends we make along the way.”

Big Bad Me by Aislinn O’Loughlin (Sapphic YA Paranormal)

Promises Greater Than Darkness (Unstoppable #3) by Charlie Jane Anders (Sapphic YA Sci-Fi)

There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… (Manga) Vol. 1 by Teren Mikami, Musshu, and Eku Takeshima (Yuri Manga)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

As far as I know, The Making of Yolanda la Bruja is now the third traditionally published queer bruja or brujo book, so let’s recap the first two!

the cover of Labyrinth Lost

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 

I have a big problem with this book: it has three gorgeous covers, and I’m never sure which one to choose whenever I talk about it. Alex is a bruja who wants nothing to do with her powers. When she tries to renounce it, though, she ends up sending her family to Los Lagos, a dark in-between world. She’ll need the help of a brooding brujo and her bubbly best friend to save them. (Guess which one in this love triangle I was rooting for…)

the cover of Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Yadriel is a teen trans guy whose family hasn’t been very accepting of his gender identity. He decides to prove himself by doing something only a brujo could do — but ends up summoning the wrong ghost. Now he’s stuck with Julian, who refuses to leave until he completes some post-death tasks. Yadriel reluctantly helps, but soon finds himself not wanting Julian to leave after all.

All the Links Fit to Click

LGBTQ Reads: Happy National Poetry Month!

Tillie Walden Becomes Vermont’s New Cartoonist Laureate

Juno Dawson responds to American and Irish protests against This Book is Gay.

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

The Epic Highs and Lows of Queer Space Operas

Today’s theme is queer space operas! If you like epic settings and a whole lot of personal drama in your sci-fi reads, these are the books for you.

Here on Earth, unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of anti-trans and generally anti-LGBTQ backlash to the progress we’ve made. One target right now is drag story time and other drag performances. There are many ways to fight back, including attending events and counterprotesting the protestors, voting, contacting your representatives, and much more, but another option is supporting the ACLU’s Drag Defense Fund.

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a photo of a Bi Pride Planet Cross Stitch in a hoop surrounded by matching bead colors

Bi Pride Planet Cross Stitch Pattern by Mathysphere

Since today’s theme is queer space operas, I had to go with a spacey bookish good. This one is for the crafters! There are 14 different pride designs to choose from. $5

New Releases

the cover of Pomegranate

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee (Queer Fiction)

Ranita Atwater is a queer Black woman finishing a four-year sentence for drug possession. She’s been sober for three years and is eager to get out and regain custody of both of her kids. But navigating the outside world isn’t simple, and she has to find where this new version of herself fits into it. This is being compared to Jesmyn Ward and Yaa Gyasi!

the cover of Some Desperate Glory

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (F/F Space Opera)

Kyr has been trained since birth to avenge the murder of the planet Earth. She is a skilled fighter, just waiting for her time to strike. Then she’s assigned to the Nursery instead, to produce babies, and her brother is given a deadly mission. Kyr is not going to give up her destiny as the sword of a dead planet so easily, so she teams up with an imprisoned alien and her brother’s rebellious friend to fulfill her destiny — and discovers the universe is very different from what she’s been taught.

Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah (Queer Fiction)

One or Several Deserts by Carter St Hogan (Queer Short Stories)

the cover of Something Spectacular

Falling For the Mark by Dominique Davis (F/F Romance)

Pascal and The Forger by Avril Ashton (M/M Romance)

A Thief in the Night by KJ Charles (M/M Historical Romance)

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall (Queer Historical Romance)

Tell Me How it Ends by Quinton Li (Lesbian and Aro/Ace Cozy Fantasy)

Snow Fairy by Tomo Serizawa (BL Manga)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Some Desperate Glory has got me thinking about queer space operas, so here are a few more to dive into!

Once & Future cover image

Once & Future by A. R. Capetta and Cori McCarthy

This is a YA sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian genre mash up retelling of Arthurian legends, with a queer teenage girl Arthur. Ari, as the 42nd reincarnation of Arthur, is destined to save humanity against a totalitarian corporate government with the help of a teenage Merlin — though the previous incarnations haven’t always lived up this destiny. This duology is packed full of queer supporting characters, too!

the cover of Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

Buckle up for an epic military space opera that will throw you in the deep end and let you sink or swim. The people in this world are governed by ruling classes that operate on a strict calendar system, which launches wars and consigns anyone who opposes it to death. Cheris is a soldier who has to redeem herself from a tactical blunder by taking advice from the undead tactician Jedao. Simple enough, right…?

Looking for more? Check out Book Riot’s 8 of the Best Queer Space Opera Books and Autostraddle’s 8 Great Space Operas with Queer Women and Non-Binary Main Characters.

All the Links Fit to Click

Here are the finalists for the Triangle Awards

Kids’ Book Illustrator Mitchell Watley Charged Over Terroristic Anti-Trans Notes. He’s also been dropped by his publisher.

the cover of The Sun and the Star

Trailblazing trans DC Comics writer Rachel Pollack dies aged 77

Casey Plett was interviewed at Shelf Awareness.

The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro is getting exclusive Barnes & Noble and Rainbow Crate editions

Rosewater by Liv Little was reviewed at The Guardian

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Queer Kids are Magic

I’ve been seeing a lot of protests against anti-LGBTQ laws led by teenagers lately, and they’re both inspiring and heartbreaking. I’m so proud of queer kids and teens fighting back, but they shouldn’t have to. Consider donating to the Trans Health Legal Fund, and keep on voting and contacting your legislators to have these kids’ backs.

We also need space for queer joy, though, so today’s newsletter highlights some magical queer YA to empower readers. Because queer kids and teens are magic.

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a photo of someone wearing a Queer Magic hoodie with illustrations of flowers smelling a flower

Queer Magic Cropped Hoodie by FabulouslyFeminist

It’s spring, which is the perfect weather for a cropped hoodie. But if that’s not your style, you can get this design on a bunch of things, including a tote bag, shirts, a mug, stickers, and more. $50

New Releases

the cover of Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick (Sapphic YA Contemporary)

Stevie and Nora have been secretly dating for years, and they have a plan to move to California so they can be together openly after graduation, once they’re free of their conservative hometown. But then Stevie has an accident that puts her in a coma. When she wakes up, she can’t remember the last two years — including Nora. I found this to be a completely absorbing read; I read it all in one day! You can hear my full thoughts on the April 4 episode of All the Books. (I also recommend another queer YA book on that episode: ¡Ay, Mija! (A Graphic Novel) by Christine Suggs.)

cover of Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker (Gay YA Fantasy)

Clement and Cristina Trudeau are 16-year-old twins and the heirs to a powerful magical family — but that means less than it used to. Thirty years ago, a murder led to a magical massacre and an upheaval in the power system. Clement finds comfort in his magic, while Cristina has walked away from it after a spell of hers killed their father. Now, they’ll have to work together to solve that past murder to prevent another massacre.

The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora (Bisexual YA Fantasy)

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline (Sapphic YA Paranormal)

the cover of Ay, Mija

¡Ay, Mija! (A Graphic Novel): My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs (Nonbinary YA Graphic Novel)

Dotson by Grayson Lee White (Trans Boy Middle Grade Graphic Novel) (Written by a trans kid!)

My Love Mix-Up!, Vol. 7 by Wataru Hinekure and Aruko (M/M YA Manga)

My Mommies Built a Treehouse by Gareth Peter and Izzy Evans (Two Moms Picture Book)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker and Spell Bound by by F.T. Lukens are both out today, so let’s celebrate the magic of queer kids and teens with these magical queer YA fantasy books!

the cover of Spell Bound

Spell Bound by by F.T. Lukens

From the author of In Deeper Waters, this YA fantasy romance follows Rook and Sun, rival apprentice sorcerers. They’ll have to find a way to work together when their mentors disappear, or they risk losing their magic. Luckily, spending time together isn’t so bad after all.

the mermaid the witch and the sea book cover

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Magic! Mermaids! Pirates! This book has it all! Lady Evelyn Hasegawa is on her way to her arranged marriage when she is kidnapped by pirates. But when she and Florian, the genderfluid pirate, fall for each other, they’ll have to take on a world violently opposed to their relationship. Despite the magic and the pirate adventures, this is also a story about the horrors of colonialism.

All the Links Fit to Click

Federal judge gives Texas county 24 hours to return banned LGBTQ+ books to library shelves

Trans Stories Are So Much More Than Transition, Transphobia and Tragedy

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Live Laugh Lesbian

Happy April! I hope this month treats you well. I’ve been getting lots of dog cuddles, so things are going pretty well over here.

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

The Trans Rights Readathon raised over $234,000 and Mercury Stardust’s TikTok-a-Thon raised over $2.2 million for trans organizations and health care! But though the fundraisers may have ended, it’s still a good time to donate to the Trans Health Legal Fund and Point of Pride.

Bookish Goods

a ceramic mug stamped with letters that read Live Laugh Lesbian. A tea bag is beside it.

Live Laugh Lesbian Mug by Newburypottery

Apropos of nothing, here is a Live Laugh Lesbian mug. $22.50

Looking for lesbian book recs? Check out the recent Book Riot post 10 Books with Lesbian Main Characters That Actually Say the Word Lesbian.

New Releases

the cover of Natural Beauty

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang (Sapphic Fiction)

This is a literary horror novel about a talented pianist who has to abandon her career when her parents are in an accident and need her to support them. She ends up working at a high-end beauty and wellness store, becoming friends with the owner’s niece — and then falling for her. But while the products they sell promise to give their users a perfect body, face, and life, the high price tag is not the only price they’ll have to pay…

the cover of The People Who Report More Stress

The People Who Report More Stress: Stories by Alejandro Varela (Queer Interconnected Stories)

From the author of The Town of Babylon, this is a collection of interconnected short stories about navigating politics in everyday life, mostly about Latino queer men in New York City. The connection point between the stories is an interracial gay couple, Gus and Eduardo, who we revisit in different times and contexts.

Wild Geese by Soula Emmanuel (Trans Woman Fiction)

Spring in Siberia by Artem Mozgovoy (Gay Fiction)

the cover of The Big Reveal

The Winter Knight by Jes Battis (Gay Arthurian Fantasy)

Morphosis by Aj Saxsma (Gay Horror)

Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto by Clarkisha Kent (Bisexual Memoir) (Audiobook Rerelease)

The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag by Sasha Velour (Drag Memoir)

For even more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

The People Who Report More Stress has me thinking about queer short story collections, so here are a couple more to check out! Also, A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett, a trans woman short story collection, is being republished with a new cover this week!

the cover of 100 Boyfriends

100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

This was the 2022 winner of the Lambda Literary Award in Gay Fiction, and it follows queer men muddling through dating, hookups, breakups, and more. Roxane Gay calls it “raunchy, irreverent, deliberate, sexy, angry, and tender.”

the cover of The Collection

The Collection: Short Fiction from the Transgender Vanguard edited by Tom Leger and Riley Macleod

This was first published in 2012, but it’s sadly still unusual to see a collection all by trans authors. This includes stories by Imogen Binnie (Nevada), Ryka Aoki (Light From Uncommon Stars), Casey Plett (A Safe Girl to Love), and so many more. Be prepared to read a lot about transphobic microaggressions (and some more macro), but this is a powerful collection I still think about 10 years after reading it!

Look for more queer short stories? Here are 12 Amazing Queer Short Story Collection To Read Right Now.

All the Links Fit to Click

LGBTQ Reads: Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2023!

Teen Vogue: Trans Day of Visibility: Books About Trans Joy and Adventure to Read

Gutter Talk: On the X-Men and Visibility

Poison Ivy & Young Men in Love Win GLAAD Comics Media Awards 2023

Author Soula Emmanuel on Wild Geese, her Irish trans novel

Trans teacher gets death threats after Fox News articles about their LGBTQ+ books

Florida Parents’ Concern Over David Statue Resembles Long History of Homophobic Obscenity Claims

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Happy International Transgender Day of Visibility (Eve)!

Tomorrow, March 31st, is International Transgender Day of Visibility! We’re celebrating a little early in this newsletter. Also, read all the way to the end for pictures of my new pup!

Mercury Stardust, of TikTok fame as the Trans Handy Ma’am, and Jory (@alluringskull) are holding a fundraiser for Point of Pride, which provides financial support for trans healthcare. They’re doing a 30-hour livestream starting today at 4pm Central and ending on the 31st for Trans Day of Visibility! Check it out, and donate if you can!

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a bat plushie with the trans flag on its wings

Trans Pride Bat Plushie by PlushMayhem

How perfect is this trans pride bat? It looks so cuddly! And yes, it’s available in different pride flags, including lesbian, bisexual, asexual, and more. $42

New Releases

the cover of Into the Light

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro (Queer YA Thriller)

I’m so excited to read this — while also being apprehensive, because I get the feeling it’s going to devastate me. This is a queer YA horror/thriller about religious trauma, alternating between points of view in different timelines. Manny is a homeless teen, kicked out for being queer, who has decided to gamble on traveling with the Varela family. Eli is part of a secluded religious community. He’s dedicated to the faith — but can’t remember his past. Then a body is discovered, and Eli and Manny’s lives will both never be the same. You can read an excerpt of this on Book Riot!

the cover of The Quiet and the Loud

The Quiet and the Loud by Helena Fox (Queer YA Contemporary)

This is currently #1 on Amazon for “Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Physical & Emotional Abuse,” so looks like we’re going with two heavy reads today. George is a teenager who finds peace on the water – and she needs that escape. Her best friend is pregnant; her estranged father just barged back into her life, bringing back memories she’s suppressed; and smoke is rolling over everything from the spreading wildfires. When she meets the vibrant and joyful Calliope, she finds a new escape — but it’s not long before everything she’s been running from catches up to her.

Welcome Back, Aureole by Takatsu (M/M YA Manga)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Of course, I had to include some trans and nonbinary book recommendations in honor of Trans Day of Visibility this week, but which? Then I decided to take a look at which books people read for the #TransRightsReadathon!

I took a look at about a dozen of the top TikTok videos under that hashtag to see which were mentioned by multiple people. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi was the most popular, with about 4/12 of the most-viewed videos including it.

Other books mentioned multiple times were The Tea Dragon Society, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Iron Widow, Light From Uncommon Stars, The Sunbearer Trials, Cemetery Boys, and Detransition, Baby.

the cover of Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

This is definitely the book I saw popping up the most on my For You page during the Trans Rights Readathon! It’s a middle grade book, making it a great quick read for a readathon. It’s also a Stonewall Book Award Winner. Jam is a trans girl growing up in a utopia: all the monsters have been defeated…at least, that’s what everyone claims. When a monstrous figure erupts from her mother’s painting — who Jam names Pet — it claims to be hunting a real monster. This book asks, “how do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?”

The Magic Fish cover

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

This book by a nonbinary author is about the relationship between Tien and his mother. They bond — and his mother learns English — through sharing fairy tales, but Tien struggles with how to come out to her. Can he find the words in Vietnamese to say that he’s gay? And if he does, will she accept him?

All the Links Fit to Click

Here are the results of the Trans Rights Readathon, including over 7,000 trans books read and over $200,000 raised!

100-year-old grandmother, WWII widow, and craftivist Grace Linn speaks out against book banning in Flordia school board meeting: “Banning books and burning books are the same…Fear is not liberty.”

Julie Anne Peters, the trailblazing lesbian YA author, has passed away at 71.

Queer books for life: podcast celebrates LGBTQ literature

two photos of a small black-and-white pitbull mix, one outside wearing a rainbow bandana and one on my couch, cuddling up and looking at the camera

Meet my new dog, Scrappy! It’s only been a few days, but I’m obsessed with this cuddlebug. (Was I bamboozled into adopting him because of the rainbow bandana? Perhaps.)

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Careful, the Queer Mermaids Bite

Killer queer mermaids! Do I have your attention yet?

But before we get there, an update on the Trans Rights Readathon: lots of people are continuing through to March 31st, Transgender Day of Visibility, and putting their donations towards Mercury Stardust‘s fundraiser for Point of Pride, which provides financial support for trans healthcare. This is a great time to donate!

I’ve been promoting Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, for a bit. Recently, the first one written by me went out! It’s about queer characters who write themselves out of tragedy, from video games to movies to — of course — books. I really enjoyed this chance to write in depth about something that means a lot to me. To see it and all the other articles, subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a detailed painting of two mermaids embracing and kissing

The Sea Princesses Mermaid Lovers by felixdeon

I love Felix d’Eon’s paintings, which feel like you’ve stumbled on some hidden queer artwork from an earlier age. Since this newsletter has a mermaid theme, I had to feature this gorgeous painting, available in two sizes. $68

New Releases

the cover of Chlorine

Chlorine by Jade Song (Sapphic Horror)

I cannot resist a sapphic mermaid story. Add in a horror element, and that’s even better. Ren Yu is a swimmer who is dedicated to her sport — but she has long been secretly obsessed with mermaids…the kind of powerful, deadly mermaids that pull sailors under to their death. She’ll do anything to have that kind of freedom. Anything.

the cover of Rainbow History Class

Rainbow History Class: Your Guide Through Queer and Trans History by Hannah McElhinney (Queer and Trans Nonfiction)

Queer history has long been suppressed, and you’re lucky if it was taught in your school history classes. This illustrated history book inspired by the TikTok account starts at the ancient world and goes up to the present day, making it a great primer for anyone unfamiliar with how we got to where we are now.

Queer Little Nightmares edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli, narrated by Danielle Verayo (Queer Horror) (Audiobook Rerelease)

the cover of Loki's Ring

Loki’s Ring by Stina Leicht (LGBTQ Science Fiction)

More Sure by A. Light Zachary (Nonbinary Poetry)

Why Don’t You Eat Me, My Dear Wolf? by Ao Koishikawa (Fantasy BL Manga)

The Heavy Bright by Cathy Malkasian (Queer Graphic Novel)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Chlorine has got me in the mood for dark sapphic mermaid stories, so here are a few of my favorites! Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant and Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner — now also available as a graphic novel — are some of the most well-known examples of this microgenre, but here are two more you might not know about.

cover image of New Suns edited by Nisi Shawl

New Suns‘s “The Freedom of the Shifting Sea” by Jaymee Goh

I don’t usually recommend a single story in an anthology, but I don’t usually have a story stick with me like this one did. The author describes it as a “pornographic triptych of three different individuals encountering a creature part human, part bobbit worm” — not exactly a mermaid, but I’m including it. This is for the monster erotica fans, with a heavy dose of revenge against misogynists.

cover of The Little Homo Sapiens Scientist by S.L. Huang

The Little Homo Sapiens Scientist by S.L. Huang

As the name suggests, this is a reverse version of “The Little Mermaid” about a human who studies the atargati (oops, I shouldn’t call them mermaids, either!). There’s gender discussion — the atargati don’t have a concept of gender — a queer identity crisis, and more. This is a retelling of the original “Little Mermaid,” not the Disneyfied version, so keep that expectation in mind!

All the Links Fit to Click

Let’s keep the Trans Rights Readathon party going!

I’m glad to see this got so much media coverage.

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Let Trans Kids Bloom

It’s still the #TransRightsReadathon, and it’s not too late to join! If you’re wanting to add some more quick trans treads to your TBR for this week, I have the perfect thing: a bunch of trans and nonbinary middle grade books! They’re perfect for giving to the kids in your life, stocking in school and public libraries, and reading yourself — if you don’t read MG as an adult, you’re missing out.

Whether or not you’re able to participate in the readathon, it’s a great time to donate to trans organizations. Consider supporting Trans Lifeline, a nonprofit “offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis — for the trans community, by the trans community.”

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

an enamel pin with the text Let Trans Kids Bloom  and a flower

Let Trans Kids Bloom Pin by DissentPins

Today’s Riot Recs theme is trans middle grade books, and it’s the #TransRightsReadathon, but it’s always a good time to support trans kids. 50% of the profits from this pin go to T.A.K.E. Resource Center (Birmingham), The Ali Forney Center (NYC), and Trans Lifeline. $15

New Releases

This week’s crop of queer YA and children’s new releases unfortunately are disproportionately by white authors. Do better, publishing.

Belle of the Ball cover

Belle of the Ball by Mari Costa (Sapphic YA Graphic Novel)

It’s a tale as old as time: the mascot falls for the head cheerleader. Unfortunately for Hawkins, Regina is already dating Chloe, and she convinces Hawkins to start tutoring Chloe for free. But Chloe and Hawkins knew each as kids — back when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school — and this plan and love triangle might be working out very differently than Regina intended.

the cover of Dear Mothman

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow (Trans Middle Grade Fiction)

Noah and Lewis bonded from their shared interest in the paranormal — and over being the only trans boys in school. When Lewis dies in a car accident, Noah begins writing letters to Mothman to process his grief. As he begins to connect to a new friend group, he also becomes more convinced that Mothman is real, and he prepares to delve into the woods to find him and prove it.

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores (F/F YA Fantasy)

The Future King (Emry Merlin #2) by Robyn Schneider (Bisexual YA Fantasy)

I Can Be… Me! by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez (Gender-Expansive Picture Book)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

If you’re looking for some quick reads to fit into your #TransRightsReadathon stack, why not pick up some trans and nonbinary middle grade books? I’ve heard a lot of people mention Pet by Akwaeke Emezi in their TBRs, and there are a couple new releases out this week that fit: Dear Mothman and today’s sponsor, Camp QUILTBAG. Here are two more options — but this just a sample of the trans middle grade book out there!

the cover of Tiger Honor

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee

This is a middle grade sci-fi book in the Rick Riordan Presents line that is inspired by Korean mythology, and it has a nonbinary main character. Tiger spirit Sebin dreams of being a battle cruiser captain like their Uncle Hwan. When Hwan is declared a traitor, it’s up to Sebin to clear his name. But someone is sabotaging their battle cruiser, and Sebin immediately becomes the prime suspect. They will have to find out the real culprit before they can even begin to untangle what happened with Hwan and restore honor to their clan.

cover of different kinds of fruit by kyle lukoff

Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff

I can’t resist including this middle grade book that has the nonbinary pride flag on the cover! When Annabelle falls for the new kid in town, Bailey, she has no idea that she’ll soon be questioning the community she calls home. She finds out that her father is trans, too, and that so many things she thought were binary — boy and girl, gay and straight, fruit and vegetable — are much more nuanced than that. But can she help make this town a better place for her father and Bailey to be able to be themselves?

All the Links Fit to Click

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Queering the Timeline

Happy #TransRightsReadathon week! I hope you’re picking up lots of trans books this week and donating to worthy causes. An important update: Sim Kern, who’s running the event, has shifted the focus to trans books in general, to avoid outing authors.

I thought I would do a quick round up of sapphic books by out trans/nonbinary authors at the Lesbrary, which ended up being a much bigger undertaking than I was expecting! I thought I’d have about 15-20 titles and ended up closer to 60. And that’s just specifically books with sapphic content by authors who publicly identify as trans and nonbinary! There are so many great options for the readathon.

For the #TransRightsReadathon, you can donate to local trans organizations, support other participants’ fundraisers, or even donate to Sim Kern’s! They are raising money for Tony’s Place, a shelter for trans and queer youth in Houston, Texas.

Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more from experts in the world of books and reading? Subscribe to Book Riot’s newest newsletter, The Deep Dive, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox. Subscribe and choose your membership level today at bookriot.substack.com

Bookish Goods

a shirt with a fairy cat on it and the text "queerness is infinite"

Queerness Is Infinite T-Shirt by ManyManyMoonsAgo

Since this newsletter’s theme is time travel, this Queerness is Infinite shirt was fitting — plus, I couldn’t resist the cat! Sizes S-4X. $30

New Releases

the cover of The Fake

The Fake by Zoe Whittall (Sapphic Fiction)

I just finished reading this one and flew through it! After Shelby’s wife dies, she is mired in grief, unable to do anything other than cuddle her dog in bed. When she drags herself to a grief support group, she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman recovering from cancer and mourning her sister, who helps Shelby through her grief. Meanwhile, Gibson has just divorced his wife and finds himself swept up in a whirlwind romance with a young woman named Cammie. Soon, though, Gibson and Shelby realize that some of Cammie’s stories don’t quite add up…

flux book cover

Flux by Jinwoo Chong (Queer Speculative Fiction)

This is a time travel adventure mashed up with a 1980s noir detective. It alternates between three point of view characters, including a queer Asian American man — but there’s something wrong with these stories. A corporation has invented time travel and using it for selfish means, throwing everyone’s timelines out of whack, and three of them will have to help each other to solve the mystery of what’s going on.

Home by Cailean Steed (Queer Thriller)

Infamous by Lex Croucher (Sapphic Regency Historical Fiction)

the cover of Infamous

Nicky Faces Catastrophe… and Survives?! by Matti McLean (M/M Fantasy Romance)

Sleep Alone by J.A.W. McCarthy (Sapphic Horror)

Pixies of the Sixties: You Really Got Me Now by Gihef, Jul Maroh, Christian Lachenal, Giulio Macaione, and Alberto Zanon (Sapphic Fantasy Graphic Novel)

Hirano and Kagiura, Vol. 2 by Shou Harusono (M/M Manga)

Pulse, Vol. 3 by Ratana Satis (F/F Manga)

Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Vol. 4 by Shio Usui (F/F Manga)

Black and Queer on Campus by Michael P. Jeffries (Queer Nonfiction)

Ace Notes: Tips and Tricks on Existing in an Allo World by Michele Kirichanskaya (Asexual Nonfiction)

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

In honor of Flux, this Riot Recs is about queer time-travel stories! There’s actually a surprising amount of lesbian time travel novels, but here are just a couple examples of queer people bouncing around the timeline.

cover of This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This is an epistolary sci-fi novel about two time travelers on opposite sides of a war who fall in love through coded letters to each other. Be prepared to sink into the gorgeous language and be carried away by their epic, star-crossed romance — even if you can’t always follow exactly what’s happening.

the cover of Yesterday Is History

Yesterday Is History
by Kosoko Jackson

When Andre received a liver transplant, it came with an unexpected side effect: the ability to time travel. Now he’s bouncing between the present and 1969, falling in love with a boy in each timeline. But which time, and which boy, will be his happily ever after?

All the Links Fit to Click

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also hear me on All the Books or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika