Categories
Read Harder

Read Harder 2023 Task #1: Read a Novel About a Trans Character Written by a Trans Author

Welcome to the 2023 Read Harder challenge! I am honored to have this first slot, because Read Harder is always a great opportunity to diversify your reading in every sense. For the next 23 days, you’ll be getting emails like this with recommendations for every task, though of course you’re free to use any books you’d like to complete the challenges.

This first prompt is “Read a novel about a trans character written by a trans author,” and let me tell you, I had trouble narrowing down the books I wanted to feature in this newsletter. While trans books are still not as common as they should be, there are far more being published now than in prior years, which is something to celebrate. I tried to include a mix of books that you may already know, to remind you of them, as well as ones that are less well-known that might be your first introduction to them. Each of these are written by a trans (including nonbinary) author.

I started with adult titles and then listed some middle grade and young adult titles. Across all age groups, they include both realistic/contemporary books as well as sci-fi/fantasy ones, so there’s something for everyone. (Also, quick English class reminder: “novel” means fiction, so save the memoirs/history books for later!)

cover of Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

This award-winning novel follows three women, trans and cis, who — after an unexpected pregnancy — decide to raise a baby together. This was a bestseller that was named one of the best books of the year by a ton of publications last year, including NPR and The New York Times.

the cover of Nevada

Nevada by Imogen Binnie

This has recently come back into print with a new afterword from the author, which I am very happy about, because it’s one of my favorite books. Maria is an unforgettable main character: overanalyzing, ironic, dissatisfied, and so compelling. When she’s fired and her girlfriend breaks up with her, she steals her ex’s car and takes off on a cross-country road trip, eventually meeting James, who she’s sure she can help transition, even though James is not ready to face that yet.

the cover of The Bruising of Qilwa

The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia

This is a fantasy novel set in a queernormative, Persian-inspired world with an asexual, aromantic, nonbinary main character. Firuz is a refugee working at a clinic who discovers a deadly blood-borne disease that is spreading. But Firuz is a blood magic practitioner, and this disease might bring even more danger down on them.

Light from Uncommon Stars Book Cover

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

How do I explain this book? It has deals with the devil, a donut store run by alien refugees, and a trans teen runaway who is a violin prodigy. These disparate parts combine into a heart-achingly affective story, but do be prepared to read about both the kindness and the cruelty of humanity. (Check trigger warnings for this one.) It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

In the Watchful City cover

In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu

If you like experimental SFF, this is the novella for you. It includes multiple nonbinary characters, including one that is fused with the city’s security system. The main character, Anima, uses æ/ær/ær pronouns. The other character, Vessel, uses se/ser/ser pronouns.

the cover of Melissa by Alex Gino

Melissa by Alex Gino

This has been one of the most frequently banned and challenged books since its release, but it’s a very sweet, gentle middle grade story about a trans girl, Melissa, who wants to audition to be Charlotte in the school’s production of Charlotte’s Web.

the cover of Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

As a Black, queer, trans teen, Felix worries that he’s “too much” to find the romance he’s looking for. When someone starts anonymously harassing him by publicly posting his deadname and pre-transition photos, he never expects that his revenge plot would also be the start of a new relationship. This is a book about self-discovery and always learning more about your own identity.

cover of Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix (Remixed Classics, 5) by Anna-Marie McLemore; illustration of two young men, one white and blonde, one Latine with dark hair, dressed in 1920s outfits

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

This is a recent release that reimagines Nick and Jay from The Great Gatsby as queer trans boys, and Nick and Daisy as Latine. Aiden Thomas, author of Cemetery Boys, said that “With a breath of fresh life, Self-Made Boys shows us how queer love has flourished in quiet corners across history.”

Cover of The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

Speaking of Aiden Thomas, you may have already heard of Cemetery Boys, a very popular trans paranormal YA title with an M/M romance, but did you know he has a new series that also has a trans main character? The Trials pit the most worthy semidioses against each other: the winner will be the Sunbearer, but the loser will be sacrificed. Teo is shocked to be chosen, and now he has to try to keep him and his friends from becoming the sacrifice — while attempting not to get distracted by the handsome top competitor who was once his best friend.

hell followed with us book cover

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Benji is a trans boy on the run from a cult who have made him a bioweapon to try to end the world. He finds refuge with a group of queer teens, but they have their own secrets, and he’s a ticking time bomb. This is a rage-filled story that tackles transphobia head-on and has lots of body horror, so be prepared for that going in.

Want to read books from this newsletter? You can, for free! Get three free audiobooks with a trial to Audiobooks.com. Claim your 3 free audiobooks now!

But don’t stop there! Also check out 20 Must-Read Adult Books by Trans & Genderqueer Authors, 12 Books By Up-And-Coming Trans & Nonbinary Authors, and 8 Transgender YA Books Written by Trans and Nonbinary Authors.

Bon voyage on your Read Harder journey, and keep us updated on social media with your progress!

Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary. You can also read my weekly Our Queerest Shelves LGBTQ books newsletter, hear me on All the Books, or you can read my Book Riot posts.

Happy reading!
Danika


Click here for the full Read Harder 2023 task list, and for previous recommendations, click here.

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Greetings From the Week That Doesn’t Exist

This is the last Our Queerest Shelves newsletter of 2022! It’s such a pleasure to be able to write this every week — it really is a dream come true. I hope your New Year’s celebration is as exciting and/or cozy as you are planning.

Speaking of the new year, don’t forget to check out the 2023 Read Harder Challenge! Starting in January, I’ll be giving queer book recommendations for some of the tasks, but sign up to the newsletter at the link to get even more recommendations every week.

Today I wanted to highlight Black Trans Advocacy, which advocates for health, housing, and employment equality for Black trans people. You can find out more about them on their website, and you can support them at their donation page.

Bookish Goods

a photo of bookmarks with book stack illustrations in pride flag colors

Pride Books Bookmark Collection by ShopGigiAndBo

These pride bookmarks are stunning, and they come in a variety of pride flag color variations. $3

New Releases

the cover of Together: A First Conversation About Love

Together: A First Conversation About Love by Megan Madison, Jessica Rall, and Anne/Andy Passchier (LGBTQ Picture Book)

This is the latest in the First Conversations series, and it provides a way into talking about love and relationships with young kids. It includes illustrations of all kinds of families, and it introduces words like “gay” and “queer.”

the cover of The Two of Them Are Pretty Much Like This Vol. 2

The Two of Them Are Pretty Much Like This, Vol. 2 by Takashi Ikeda (Yuri Manga)

This is a slice-of-life manga following two women, a voice actor and a scriptwriter, who are “just roommates” to the outside world, but inside their apartment, they have a cozy and romantic life together. This volume introduces more characters into the cast, including their neighbors.

The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Omnibus by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Irene Koh, and Killian Ng (Sapphic Fantasy Graphic Novel)

What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 19 by Fumi Yoshinaga (M/M Manga)

Making Love with the Land: Essays by Joshua Whitehead (Indigiqueer Essays) (Audiobook Rerelease)

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

Riot Recommendations

It’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s, AKA the Week That Doesn’t Exist, and all I want to do is curl up on the couch and page lazily through some gorgeous artwork. So here are two queer coffee table books from 2022 that you should check out.

the cover of You Grow, Gurl!

You Grow, Gurl!: Plant Kween’s Guide to Growing Your Garden by Christopher Griffin

You might already follow @PlantKween on Instagram, but this Black Queer nonbinary femme plant influencer now has a book! It’s the perfect choice for the queer plant parent, and it’s packed with hundreds of beautiful photos and illustrations, as well as helpful tips for developing your green thumb.

the cover of Paradise Camp

Paradise Camp by Yuki Kihara, edited by Natalie King

This is a fascinating book that is equal parts photography and history, challenging historical depictions of Pacific Islanders and dismantling colonial gender roles.

All the Links Fit to Click

92 of the Best Queer Books of 2022

Queer Women’s Lit Is Booming. #BookTok Could Be to Thank

Joshua Whithead’s Making Love with the Land is a Luminous Exploration of Queer Indigeneity

Eight Queer Cozy Baking Mysteries I Wish Existed

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 Holigays!

Happy Holigays to all that celebrate! Regardless of what that means to you, I hope you’re all keeping merry and gay.

Don’t forget to check out Read Harder 2023! Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge is in its ninth year, with a set of 24 tasks that invite readers to expand their worldview through books, including several specifically about queer books. To find the tasks and subscribe to our newsletter for tips and recommendations, visit Read Harder 2023.

The holiday season especially can be difficult for incarcerated people. That’s why this week, I want to highlight the charity Books Beyond Bars UK, which connects LGBTQIA incarcerated people with books they request. You can find out more on their website and you can help by donating.

Bookish Goods

LGBTQIA+ pride flag hearts original art washi tape

LGBTQIA+ pride flag hearts washi tape by AnneArchy

Are you planning to keep a reading bullet journal in 2023? Add these pride flag hearts in washi tape form! You can use it as a decorative border or snip out specific flags to keep track of the representation in the books you’re reading. $5

New Releases

the cover of Heartbreak Boys

Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green (M/M YA Contemporary)

This is the U.S. release of this title, and it looks adorable. Jack and Nate’s ex-boyfriends are dating each other, and they seem to be the perfect couple. So Jack and Nate decide to have their own Instagram-worthy summer together, documenting themselves as @TheHeartbreakBoys — and falling for each other along the way.

the cover of Run Away With Me, Girl Vol. 1

Run Away With Me, Girl Vol. 1 by Battan (Yuri Manga)

Midori broke up with Maki at their high school graduation, saying they were “too old to be fooling around dating girls.” But now Maki bumps into Midori years later and discovers three important things: 1) they both still have feelings for each other, 2) Midori is engaged, and 3) her soon-to-be husband is kind of a jerk. Can she show Midori that their relationships is worth rekindling?

Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 5 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (M/M Fantasy)

Ace Voices : What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace by Eris Young (Asexual Nonfiction)

The Legend of Korra: Patterns in Time cover

Red Lightning by Marco B. Bucci and Riccardo Atzeni (Queer Sci-Fi Graphic Novel)

The Legend of Korra: Patterns in Time by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Heather Campbell, Jayd Ait-Kaci, and Killian Ng (Sapphic Graphic Novel)

My Cute Little Kitten, Vol. 1 by Milk Morinaga (Yuri Manga)

Hello, Melancholic! Vol. 3 by Yayoi Ohsawa (Yuri Manga)

Adachi and Shimamura (Light Novel) Vol. 10 by by Hitoma Iruma, illustrated by Non (Yuri Light Novel)

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

Riot Recommendations

I can’t believe that it’s only a few days until Christmas. I’m behind on both shopping and holiday reads. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas these next few days, or the end of Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or just having a day off, I hope you celebrate with some good books! (And if you don’t have the day off, I hope books bring you some comfort.)

the cover of You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince

You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

This is supposed to be a perfect match for Schitt’s Creek and Red White & Royal Blue fans. Matthew Prince is used to a life of wealth and fame when a scandal results in his parents cutting him off and sending him to live in his grandparents’ small town. To try to rehab his image, he teams up with a local, Hector, to plan a charity gala. Hector is completely infuriating, but Matthew Prince’s heart just might grow three sizes this Christmas…

whiteout book cover

Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Nicola Yoon, Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, and Ashley Woodfolk

Stevie got an ultimatum from her girlfriend, Sola: apologize for her major mess-up, or they’ll break up. Stevie wants to prove that she can be emotional and romantic, not just coldly logical. So she plans an epic apology, with help from lots of her friends — until a snowstorm shuts Atlanta down. Can they pull this off before midnight?

This is a bunch of connected short stories from the friends’ points of view, but the framing story is queer (Stevie is gender-questioning), and there’s another story about an F/F couple. The characters celebrate a range of holidays, too.

All the Links Fit to Click

Check out the Queer Your Year challenge, run by Book Riot’s own Laura Sackton!

44 Notable Debuts by Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender Non-conforming Authors

Most Anticipated Non-Fiction: January-June 2023

Most Anticipated LGBTQ Young Adult Books: January-June 2023

A Roundup of LGBTQ Kids’ Book Roundups

Queer Cozy Fantasy Recommendations

15 Best Sapphic Christmas Books

I’ll Never Look at the Ocean the Same Way After Reading Sabrina Imbler’s How Far the Light Reaches

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 Jewish Books to Give for Hanukkah

We’re halfway through December! How are you all feeling about 2023? One thing I’d love to leave in 2022 is bans of queer books, so let’s hope those don’t follow us into the new year. If you want to help fight book bans, check out our Anti-Censorship Tool Kit.

Don’t forget to check out the 2023 Read Harder Challenge! There are 24 challenges to do throughout the year, including several ones specific to queer books. Just like last year, I’ll offer some recs in the new year for queer books that would complete the tasks, but sign up for the newsletter for more recommendations. To find the tasks and subscribe to our newsletter for tips and recommendations, visit Read Harder 2023

Bookish Goods

a rainbow sticker with an open book design and the text Read Queer Books

Read Queer Books sticker by CraftyQueerStudio

I love how this sticker includes the brown and black stripes of the progressive rainbow flag! $5

New Releases

cover of A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar (Sapphic YA Historical Fiction)

This is a sapphic heist story set on the Titanic. Need I say more? Josefa has recruited three other teen girls — including one she has a crush on — to help her steal the jewel-encrusted Rubiyat being transported on the Titanic. But they all have their own reasons for taking this job, and these secrets will come to a head just before they collide with a much bigger problem…

the cover of Snowflake Kisses

Snowflake Kisses (A Noahverse Story) by Jordon Greene and Yayira Dzamesi (M/M Holiday Graphic Novel)

This short graphic novel is the sequel to the novel Every Word You Never Said, but it looks like it could be read independently. Skylar is excited — if a little nervous — to spend the holidays with his boyfriend Jacob’s family. Meanwhile, Jacob is racing to find Skylar the perfect gift just in time. This looks like the absolutely cutest holiday read.

Camp Lost and Found by Georgia Beers (F/F Romance)

A Spark in the Air by Dena Blake (F/F Romance)

Picture-Perfect Christmas by Charlotte Greene (F/F Holiday Romance)

Citrus Plus, Vol. 4 by Saburouta (Yuri Manga)

The Summer You Were There, Vol. 2 by Yuama (Yuri Manga)

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 4 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, Marina Privalova, et al. (M/M Fantasy Light Novel)

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

Riot Recommendations

Hanukkah starts on Sunday, so I thought I’d highlight a couple of queer Jewish books you might want to wrap before then! Neither are Hanukkah books specifically, but if that’s what you’re looking for, a few queer Hanukkah romance and erotica books are Eight Kinky Nights by Xan West, Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle by Penelope Peters, and Eitan’s Chord by Shira Glassman.

the cover of How to Excavate a Heart

How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow

This isn’t a Hanukkah book, but it is set during the wintertime! Shani and May don’t get along on first meeting, which is fine by Shani: she’s concentrating on her paleoichthyology internship and trying to get over her recent breakup. But when they get snowed in together, they can’t deny there’s something between them. But is Shani ready for a new relationship?

Continuum cover

Continuum (Pocket Change Collective) by Chella Man

If you’re looking for a smaller Hanukkah gift, the Pocket Change Collective is a series of pocket-sized, affordable nonfiction books on a range of topics. This one has Chella Man share his experiences as a deaf, genderqueer, Jewish person of color, and he discusses how all identity is on a spectrum.

All the Links Fit to Click

LGBTQ Reads posted Most Anticipated Middle Grade Fiction: January-June 2023 and Most Anticipated Adult Fiction: January-June 2023

Quiz: What Queer Holiday Romance Should You Read?

Marijane Meaker, trailblazing author of lesbian novels, dies at 95

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews was discussed on NPR.

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

Cozy Up With These Snowy Queer Love Stories

It’s December, and I regret to inform you that I am a Seasonal Person. It’s to combat the sadness brought on by lack of sunlight, really. We’re starting off with some generally snowy reads before diving into holiday recs, though.

The 2023 Read Harder Challenge has been announced! Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge is in its ninth year, with a set of 24 tasks that invite readers to expand their worldview through books. Read one book per task, or do some multi-tasking by counting one book for multiple tasks. It’s all fine! The point of the challenge is to push yourself to expand your horizons. Thank you to Thriftbooks for sponsoring Read Harder 2023.

To find the tasks and subscribe to our newsletter for tips and recommendations, visit Read Harder 2023.


If you live in an area where the weather is starting to get cold, consider researching LGBTQ-inclusive shelters near you and donating. (For example, Trinity Place in New York City.) Queer people, especially queer youth, are much more likely to experience homelessness, but not all shelters are accepting, especially of trans people. This is a great time to help out.

Bookish Goods

a photo of a handbound rainbow journal

Handmade Rainbow Journal by MermaidRonnie

Planning on keeping a reading bujo in 2023? Maybe you can to add some rainbow flair to it with this handmade journal. $52

New Releases

How Far the Light Reaches- A Life in Ten Sea Creatures cover

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creature by Sabrina Imbler (Queer and Nonbinary Essay Collection)

Don’t finalize your best books of 2022 list too early, because this December release turned out to be my favorite read all year. It weaves together fascinating facts about sea creatures with stories from their own life, and it’s also gloriously queer: queer people as feral goldfish, as swarms, as immortal. I savored reading every essay.

the cover of A Fractured Infinity

A Fractured Infinity by Nathan Tavares (Gay Sci Fi)

Hayes’s reality changes forever when Yusuf walks into his life. For one thing, he’s falling for him, but for another, he introduces Hayes to parallel universes. Soon, he’s trying to save an infinite cascade of universes, but it might mean sacrificing the man he loves…

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman (Sapphic Literary Fiction)

Reindeer Games by Finley Chuva (F/F Holiday Romance Novella)

A Dash of Salt and Pepper cover

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson (M/M Romance)

A Singh Family Christmas by Nisha Sharma (M/M Holiday Romance Novella)

Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 7 edited by Sinclair Sexsmith (Queer Erotica)

This Cursed Crown (These Feathered Flames #2) by by Alexandra Overy (Sapphic YA Fantasy)

Just. Like. You. by Meredith Steiner and Avneet Sandhu (Nonbinary-Inclusive (They/Them Pronouns) Picture Book)

Young Bloomsbury: The Generation That Redefined Love, Freedom, and Self-Expression in 1920s England by Nino Strachey (LGBTQ Nonfiction)

Whisper Me a Love Song, Vol. 6 by Eku Takeshima (Yuri Manga)

Qualia the Purple by Hisamitsu Ueo and Sirou Tsunasima (Yuri Sci-Fi Light Novel)

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

Riot Recommendations

It’s getting cold here, I feel like like cozying up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a comforting read. What better choice than a story about queer people in love as snow falls around them? It’s so much more romantic when I don’t have to feel the chill myself.

A Merry Little Meet Cute book cover

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

This one is next up on my TBR. It’s a bisexual/bisexual romance, which I always love, and it’s about two actors falling in love as they star in a Christmas romcom. She’s a plus-size porn star, he’s a former boy band star, and they’re both trying to keep their not-so-family-friendly histories from the producers.

whiteout book cover

White Out by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

From the writers who brought us Black Out, this YA novel is about 12 friends trying to help one of them pull off a grandiose apology to her girlfriend as the city grinds to a halt during a blizzard.

All the Links Fit to Click

The cover to The Faithless, the sequel to The Unbroken by C.L. Clark, has been revealed, it’s giving big lesbian energy.

Elliot Page is coming out with a memoir! It’s called Pageboy: A Memoir, and it comes out June 6, 2023.

Them posted Our 23 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books of 2022

The Bi Pan Library posted resources for Pan Week 2022

The Lesbrary (that’s my book blog!) posted 22 Bi and Lesbian Books Out In December 2022!

LGBTQ Reads posted Reader’s Guide: World AIDS Day 2022

Them: The Story of HIV/AIDS Is Still Being Written. These 7 Books Are Proof

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

LGBTQ Middle Grade Books To Vote For In the Goodreads Choice Awards

Happy December! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, I hope you’re keeping cozy and warm with a good book. And if you’re in the southern hemisphere, I hope you’re enjoying the sunshine with a good book!

This week, I want to highlight the charity LGBT Books to Prisoners. You can donate either monetarily or with books. They’re especially looking for gay, bi, and trans books (they have an overflow of lesbian books at the moment). You can also purchase books off their Amazon wishlist.

Bookish Goods

a photo of five bookmarks with cows and pride flag colors

Pride Cow Bookmark by Cha0ticP3ncil

Wouldn’t your reading life be improved with a pride cow bookmark? If your flag isn’t featured, you can request it by selecting the “personalized” option. $3

New Releases

We’re getting into the season where there are fewer new book releases, but there are still some excellent ones out this week you can’t miss!

never ever getting back together book cover

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales (Bisexual F/F YA Romance)

When Maya is invited to go on a reality dating show called Second-Chance Romance to date her ex Jordy again, she agrees for one reason: revenge. Sure, it’s a little uncomfortable to be there with the person he cheated on her with, Skye — along with four more of his exes. But soon, Maya and Skye start to get closer to a romance that definitely wasn’t in the script.

We Deserve Monuments cover

We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds (F/F YA Contemporary)

Avery’s mom has moved them to a small town in Georgia to take care of her dying grandmother. There’s a lot of tension between Avery’s mother and grandmother, so she finds comfort in new friendships (and maybe a romance) with two other teenage girls in town. Soon, though, the racist history of the town begins to make itself known, and Avery is forced to face the impact it’s had on her family.

Confessions by Sean Eads (Queer Fiction)

The Gentleman’s Book of Vices by Jess Everlee (M/M Historical Romance)

Aquamen cover

Geometries of Belonging (Birdverse) by R B Lemberg (Queer Fantasy Short Stories)

Here’s To Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (M/M YA Contemporary) (Paperback Rerelease)

Aquamen by Brandon Thomas, Chuck Brown, Sami Basri (Queer Superhero Comics)

Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel (Queer Fiction) (Paperback Rerelease)

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

Riot Recommendations

This is the last Goodreads Choice Riot Recs! It’s the final round, and a few queer books still have a chance, like Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake in Fantasy, or The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes and I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston in Young Adult Fiction, so take a minute to vote if you haven’t already!

Here are some of the LGBTQ titles on the shortlist in the Middle Grade category.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor cover

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

From the author of Iron Widow, this middle grade fantasy with a gay Hui Chinese American Muslim main character promises to be Percy Jackson meets Yu-Gi-Oh!, while drawing on Chinese mythology.

the cover of Small Town Pride

Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper

This is from the author of The Gravity of Us and As Far as You’ll Take Me. Jake is adjusting to being the only out gay kid at his school. When his father hangs a Pride flag outside their house, neighbors start complaining to the mayor. What’s next, a Pride parade in their small town? Jake and his friends decide to do just that, even if it means fighting the mayor.

Another possibility is Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega, a queer-inclusive middle grade fantasy.

All the Links Fit to Click

Publishers Weekly posted an obituary for Ellen Wittlinger

32 of the best LGBTQ books to read yourself or gift others

10 Queer Graphic Novels To Read After Heartstopper

Epilogue Bookstore and Coffee Shop Starts Free Library for Queer Literature

Q&A: Sophie Gonzales, Author of Never Ever Getting Back Together

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 YA Books To Vote For In the Goodreads Choice Awards

This Thanksgiving, let’s take some time to unpack the colonial legacy of this holiday. Autostraddle has an Anti-Colonial Reading List for Thanksgiving. You can also pick up some great queer and Two-Spirit novels! It’s worth remembering that homophobia and transphobia are inextricably linked to colonialism and white supremacy, and there’s no way to address the former without also dismantling the latter.

This is a great time to research your local Indigenous nations and donate to the organizations and campaigns they’re running. Another option is the LANDBACK campaign.

Bookish Goods

a photo of rainbow chandelier beaded earrings

Rainbow Beaded Earrings by BiuluArtisanBoutique

Show some pride with these rainbow earrings while also supporting an Indigenous-owned small business. Biulu Artisan Boutique is a co-op including Huichol, Cora, Tikuna, Andina (Quechua), and Embera peoples. $51

New Releases

cover of Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake; illustration of a blond woman in a white dress and black high heels and a redheaded woman with short hair in overalls standing on the porch in front of a big wooden door

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (F/F Romance)

If you read Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, then you, too, have been eagerly anticipating the sequel following Delilah’s stepsister. Astrid is designing the Everwood Inn renovation for an HGTV show, but she keeps butting heads with the lead carpenter, Jordan — which turns out to make for good TV. But somewhere along the way, their animosity unexpectedly turns into something else…

The Red Scholar's Wake Book Cover

The Red Scholar’s Wake by Aliette de Bodard (Lesbian Space Opera)

Do I really have to say anything other than “lesbian space opera” and gesture towards the cover? There’s also space pirates, a sentient spaceship, and an F/F marriage of convenience. Oh, and did I mention that the sentient spaceship is who the main character is marrying?

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese (Queer F/M Romance)

Up To Snow Good by Charlie Novak (M/M Christmas Romance)

At Midnight: 15 Beloved Fairytales Reimagined edited by Dahlia Adler (YA Anthology with LGBTQ Stories)

the cover of Up To Snow Good

Love and Rockets: The First Fifty: The Classic 40th Anniversary Collection by Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, et al (Queer Graphic Novel)

Men I Trust by Tommi Parrish (Sapphic Graphic Novel)

Hirano and Kagiura, Vol. 1 by Shou Harusono (M/M Manga)

Catch These Hands, Vol. 3 by Murata (F/F Manga)

Sirius: Twin Stars by Ana C. Sánchez (F/F Manga)

Even Though We’re Adults, Vol. 5 by Takako Shimura (F/F Manga)

The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (Queer Nonfiction) (Audiobook Rerelease)

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

Riot Recommendations

The Goodreads Choice Awards are still open for voting! If you haven’t voted already, consider giving some queer books a boost. Here are some of the LGBTQ options in the Best Young Adult Fiction category.

the cover of Hell Followed with Us

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

The New York Times calls this “A long, sustained scream to the various strains of anti-transgender legislation multiplying around the world.” It’s a post-apocalyptic story about Benji, a trans boy raised by a cult who used him to trigger the end of the world. He goes on the run, but he’s still mutating, becoming a monster that could end all of humanity. When he takes refuge with a group of queer teens, he soon finds they are keeping deadly secrets of their own.

the cover of The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

I’m just going to use the author’s description of this book as a Reddit post, because I love it: “I (16F) got sent to a Catholic school with my brother (15M) after getting outed at my old school. I’m not out at the new school, but there’s this openly queer girl (16F) there who makes my gay heart do happy little flips. How do I date her without letting her know I’m gay?”

Other queer nominees in this category include She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick, Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie, I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston, The First To Die at the End by Adam Silvera, and Loveless by Alice Oseman (American release).

All the Links Fit to Click

Holigay Gift Guide: Queer Cookbooks for Every Home Chef on Your Shopping List

Eight Romance Novels Featuring Trans Women, by Trans Authors

Eight Queer Romances to Read if You Love Hallmark Holiday Movies

The Well of Loneliness: The book that could corrupt a nation

All of the LGBTQ Characters in the MCU So Far

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Revisiting The Color Purple wars

Why Queers Should Play Tabletop Roleplaying Games

That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary, as well as on Twitter @danikaellis. 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 Fantasy Novels to Vote for in the Goodreads Choice Awards

Regardless of how you feel about Goodreads (and I’ve had my fair share of complaints), it’s worth scrolling through the Goodreads Choice Awards to get introduced to some new releases you might not have learned about otherwise. And, of course, I’m going to pull out some queer options you can vote for this year!

The charity I want to highlight this week is PFLAG’s Read With Love program, which is attempting to get more diverse books into libraries. You can find out more at their website, including ways to donate.

Bookish Goods

a photo of a T-shirt with the cover of The Gay Old Frog, showing a frog in a top hat

Gay Old Frog T-Shirt by MyLuckyShirt666

Let this shirt inspire you to be your best gay old frog self. $33

New Releases

Making Love with the Land: Essays cover

Making Love with the Land: Essays by Joshua Whitehead (Two-Spirit Essays)

From the author of Jonny Appleseed comes a collection of essays that are part memoir, part cultural commentary, “explor[ing] the relationships between body, language, and land.”

the cover of A Pros and Cons List for Strong Feelings

A Pros and Cons List for Strong Feelings by Will Betke-Brunswick (Genderqueer Graphic Memoir)

This memoir follows Will in the months after their mother is diagnosed with cancer, through hospital visits, jigsaw puzzles, and coming out as nonbinary. Each of the characters in this graphic memoir is represented as a bird!

Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park, translated by Anton Hur (Queer Fiction) (Paperback Rerelease)

Undercover” (Into Shadow collection) by Tamsyn Muir (Queer Short Story)

the cover of Her Vixen Actress

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, Vol. 1 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou (M/M Historical Fiction)

All Work, Let’s Play by Rosyln Faulk (Bisexual M/M Romance)

Shy by Ashish Rastogi (M/M Sports Romance)

Her Vixen Actress by Violet Cowper (F/F Historical Romance)

Securing Ava by Anne Shade (F/F Romantic Suspense)

Born Andromeda by K.M. Watts (Bisexual F/M/M Polyamorous Sci Fi)

the cover of Love and War

The Frenemy Zone by Yolanda Wallace (F/F YA Contemporary)

Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell (Sapphic YA Historical Thriller)

Beneath the Burning Wave by Jennifer Hayashi Danns (Queer YA Fantasy)

Wicked Little Things by Justin Arnold (Queer YA Horror)

Love and War by Andrew Wheeler and Killian Ng (M/M Graphic Novel)

Failed Princesses, Vol. 6 by Ajiichi (Yuri Manga)

Yuri is My Job!, Vol. 10 by Miman (Yuri Manga)

Futari Escape by Shouichi Taguchi (Yuri Manga)

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

Riot Recommendations

It’s the Goodreads Choice Awards, AKA the book popularity contest of the year! They usually end up with very boring results, let’s be honest: just the books the most people have heard about, which are usually (white, cis/allo/het, neurotypical) bestsellers. But one can dream, so I thought I’d highlight some of the queer hopefuls in a few categories! This week: the fantasy category.

Cover of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

This book seems to just be getting more and more popular since it was first published in February (and has since been picked up by Tor). It’s a cozy sapphic fantasy about an orc who retires from a life of adventuring to open her own coffee shop.

cover of The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

I’ve recommended this book before, but I’m here to do it again. Devon is on the run with her young son, Cai. She comes from a society of book eaters; people who survive off consuming books instead of food. But Cai is a mind eater, and instead of giving him up to be used as a weapon, she’s willing to sacrifice everything to keep him safe. Even if it means feeding him human minds. This is a thought-provoking sapphic dark fantasy.

Other queer books in this category include When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake, Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel, and The World We Make (Great Cities, #2) by N.K. Jemisin — not a bad showing!

As always, if there’s a topic you’d like queer books recommendations for, let me know and it might be my next Riot Rec!

All the Links Fit to Click

Sapphic Literature Is on the Rise. Hopefully, It’s More Than Just a Trend

Sisters In Crime announced the winner of the Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers

‘My diabolical delight’ – Sarah Waters on her rip-roaring, salacious classic Fingersmith (Which is turning 20!! This is one of my favourite books of all time.)

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

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Playing with Pronouns

I live in the warmest city in Canada. We usually only see a dusting of snow around February. So why is there white on the ground on this, the second week of November?? Absolutely ridiculous. Luckily, there’s no such thing as bad reading weather.

This week, as I think about the people who don’t necessarily have cozy homes to escape the cold in, I want to spotlight The Okra Project. They offer “free, delicious, and nutritious meals to Black Trans people experiencing food insecurity.” You can help out at their donate page.

Bookish Goods

a phot of an I Read Gay Banned Books sticker

I Read Gay Banned Books sticker by DamiAnimatedShop

There’s a lot of “I read banned books” merch, but few of them feature the books getting banned right now: queer books, books about racism and antiracism, and sex ed books. So I appreciate this more specific sticker! $3

New Releases

the cover of The Foghorn Echoes

The Foghorn Echoes by Danny Ramadan (Gay Fiction)

Ten years ago, Hussam and Wassim’s lives are changed forever when they’re caught by Hussam’s father in a romantic moment. Now, Hussam is a refugee in Canada, struggling with a controlling sponsor, but able to be openly gay. Wassim is still in Syria, living on the streets. There, he stumbles on someone else’s buried secrets.

Cover of Even Though I knew the End by C.L. Polk

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk (Sapphic Historical Fantasy Novella)

From the author of Witchmark and The Midnight Bargain comes a new supernatural noir story. Helen sold her soul to save her brother. Before she spends an eternity in hell, though, she has one shot to have a happily ever after (at least in life) with the woman she loves. All she has to do is find the White City Vampire, a serial killer in Chicago. But she only has three days to do it.

Girlcrush by Florence Given (Bisexual Jekyll & Hyde Retelling)

This I Promise You (Noahverse #4) by Jordon Greene and Kalob Dàniel (M/M Romance)

the cover of The Stars Undying

Christmas Mouse by Rachel Spangler (F/F Holiday Romance)

The Fruit (Wrath & Athenaeum #3) by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun (Gay, M/M Fantasy)

The Last Hero (The First Sister #3) by Linden A. Lewis (Sapphic Fantasy)

The Stars Undying (Empire Without End #1) by Emery Robin (Queer Space Opera)

I Can’t Believe I Slept With You! Vol. 3 by Miyako Miyahara (Yuri Manga)

Holding Space: Life and Love Through a Queer Lens by Ryan Pfluger (Queer Photography)

the cover of My Paati's Saris

The Nightland Express by J.M. Lee (Trans YA Historical)

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith (Nonbinary Middle Grade Fantasy)

My Paati’s Saris by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and Art Twink (Gender Nonconforming Picture Book)

A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders, illustrated by Byron McCray (Gay Nonfiction Picture Book)

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

Riot Recommendations

I recently finished listening to the audiobook of Critical Role: The Mighty Nein — The Nine Eyes of Lucien by Madeleine Roux, which came out last week. I didn’t include it in last week’s newsletter because I wasn’t 100% sure if it had queer content or what the representation was. Now that I’ve finished it, though, I can tell you it has a genderfluid pansexual main character!

The main character’s queer identity is only mentioned in passing a few times in the book, and not until about halfway through, but there is another genderfluid side character in the story, and they change pronouns throughout, cycling through she, he, or they depending on the day. It was the first time I’d seen that in a book.

So, this week I’ve decided to highlight some books that use pronouns in ways I rarely see represented.

In the Watchful City cover

In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu

This is an experimental sci-fi story with multiple nonbinary characters, one of whom is also integrated into the city’s security system. The main character, Anima, uses æ/ær/ær pronouns. The other character, Vessel, uses se/ser/ser pronouns.

The Heartbreak Bakery book cover

The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta

This is the first book I’ve read with a main character who doesn’t use pronouns at all, and writing my review afterwards, I realized how difficult I found writing without them. This is a delightful, magical, and oh-so-queer YA book about a baker who accidentally bakes heartbreak into brownies, which cause everyone who eats them to break up.

Meet Cute Diary Book Cover

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

I loved this queer and trans fake dating YA novel — especially the deeply flawed main character. Another thing I appreciated about it was that a side character experiments with different pronouns throughout, which I don’t often see represented in books, though it sure happens a lot in real life!

As always, if there’s a topic you’d like queer books recommendations for, let me know on Twitter and it might be my next Riot Rec!

All the Links Fit to Click

LGBTQ Reads: Happy Native American Heritage Month!

10 Fabulous LGBTQ Magical Girl Comics for Queer Readers

When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar was reviewed at Autostraddle

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk was reviewed at Tor.com

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi was reviewed at Autostraddle as part of their Queer Naija Lit series

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

Happy reading!
Danika

Categories
Our Queerest Shelves

Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit Speculative Fiction

It’s Native American Heritage Month! I have a couple of queer SFF books by Indigenous authors to recommend, but before we get there, if you are living on stolen land (as I am), consider using this month to educate yourself on colonialism and Indigenous resistance in your area, and check out LANDBACK for more information on Indigenous sovereignty.

Bookish Goods

a sticker with a flower border that says From the queer library of...

From the Queer Library of…Bookplate by OWhatAFeeling

Make sure your borrowed queer books make their way back to you with these queer ex libris stickers. $2 each or five for $6.

New Releases

the cover of Màgòdiz

Màgòdiz by Gabe Calderón (Two-Spirit Sci-Fi)

In this dystopian future, after a war destroys most of the world, the remaining humans have forgotten how to read, write, or create the tools they once had. Enforcers controlled by the spirit who started this war roam the Earth to keep them in line. Màgòdiz follows six Indigenous people, some of them Two-Spirit, as they survive and fight back against this invading force.

the cover of How to Excavate a Heart

How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow (Lesbian YA Romance)

Hitting May with her car was an accident; Shani was a little distracted by her recent breakup. Still, it’s not surprising that it started May and Shani’s relationship off on the wrong foot. When they’re snowed in together on Christmas Eve, though, these two Jewish lesbian teenagers start to fall for each other — but is Shani ready for that kind of vulnerability? (Also, crucially, look at the corgi with his little booties on the cover!!)

Small Game: A Novel by Blair Braverman (Sapphic Survival Thriller)

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun (F/F Holiday Romance)

the cover of Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall (M/M Romance)

A Restless Truth (The Last Binding #2) by Freya Marske (Lesbian Fantasy)

Ocean’s Echo (Winter’s Orbit #2) by Everina Maxwell (M/M Sci-Fi)

The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath (Asexual YA Historical Fiction) (Paperback Rerelease)

Girls of Fate and Fury (Girls of Paper and Fire #3) by Natasha Ngan (Sapphic YA Fantasy) (Paperback Rerelease)

Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria (Asexual YA Fantasy)

the cover of Rethinking Gender

They Both Die at the End Collector’s Edition by Adam Silvera (M/M YA SFF)

My Pinup by Hilton Als (Queer Memoir)

I Am Onir and I Am Gay: A Memoir by Onir Onir (Gay Memoir)

Love This For You: How to Rewrite the Rules and Live Authentically by Deni Todorović (Queer & Nonbinary Nonfiction)

Heaven by Emerson Whitney (Nonbinary Nonfiction)

Rethinking Gender: An Illustrated Exploration by Louie Läuger (Trans & Nonbinary Graphic Nonfiction)

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On by Franny Choi (Queer Poetry)

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

Riot Recommendations

November is Native American Heritage Month! Here are a couple great queer SFF books by Native American authors to add to your TBR this month or any time.

the cover of Love After the End

Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead

SFF is pretty firmly rooted in colonialism, from medieval Europe as the default fantasy setting to literally colonizing or being invaded as a go-to plot in sci-fi. These Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit speculative fiction stories take a very different perspective, and I think just the introduction by Joshua Whitehead is worth picking this book up for, though I enjoyed all the stories! Also, there’s an M/M teen romance where one of them is an AI, cyber-engineered, super-intelligent rat, so what are you waiting for?

Book cover of Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

If you’re looking for an expansive high fantasy story that isn’t based on medieval Europe, you should definitely pick up the Between Earth and Sky series, which is inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas and packed full of queer as well as disabled characters. From the starred Kirkus review: “A beautifully crafted setting with complex character dynamics and layers of political intrigue? Perfection.”

As always, if there’s a topic you’d like queer books recommendations for, let me know on Twitter and it might be my next Riot Rec!

All the Links Fit to Click

Out100 2022: LGBTQ+ Literary and Publishing Stars

Life Advice for Book Lovers: Finding Solace in the Sad and Sapphic

Gutter Talk: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Making Queer Comics With the Creators of Blade Maidens

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

Happy reading!
Danika