lizard-reads-the-world

[lizard-reads-the-world]

25 Black Sapphic Books Out in 2025 to Preorder Now (The Lesbrary)

[lizard-reads-the-world]

I'm opening up commissions! I'd love to draw your pets, your favorite bird, whatever! Your drawing will be a finished, polished piece. 🌿

Delivery in time for Valentines Day is available if you order in the next few days.

If you are interested in something more detailed, a poster design, human art, or anything else, I'm versatile and would be happy to discuss your vision!

Your patronage helps this queer artist support their health, and buy food. 💚

[lizard-reads-the-world]

Reading diversely is one of the best things I ever started doing as a reader. While I read Black authors all year long, I feel it’s important to place emphasis on them during Black History Month. The US govt. is trying to erase Black history, and we can’t let that happen. The best way we can do that is by reading Black authors and listening to Black creators and learning the true facts of history (not just what we were barely taught in school). I’m expanding my tbr for this month by adding in some non fiction titles. I don’t normally read non fiction, but it’s something I want to do, something I need to do. I have already started a couple of these and I can’t wait to immerse myself in all of the different worlds and learn more.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

Traditionally associated with Porto, francesinha is a unique sandwich consisting of toasted bread, beef or pork, sausages, ham, and cheese, while the whole combination is then doused in a rich beer-infused tomato sauce. The sandwich has different variations that include mushrooms, chicken, or vegetables. Francesinha is not a sandwich you can enjoy on the go or as a quick snack; it is a wholesome meal that is usually found on the menus of traditional restaurants where it is served as a nutritious lunch or dinner. Among the numerous stories about its origin, one stands out, claiming that it was inspired by the famous croque-monsieur, a French sandwich enjoyed by many Portuguese immigrants. According to the story, a Portuguese immigrant Daniel David Silva first served the sandwich at the Regaleira restaurant. He adapted the French version with traditional Portuguese ingredients and created a dish that is today considered as one of the classics of Portuguese national cuisine. The sandwich is usually served with French fries on the side, and it is sometimes topped with a fried egg. src.: https://www.tasteatlas.com/francesinha photo ref.: Rui Borges

[lizard-reads-the-world]

Stephen Graham Jones (My Heart is a Chainsaw, The Only Good Indians) will publish The Buffalo Hunter Hunter on Match 18 via Saga Press.

Set in the American west of 1912, the 496-page horror novel follows a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. Told in transcribed interviews by a Blackfeet named Good Stab, who shares the narrative of his peculiar life over a series of confessional visits. This is an American Indian revenge story written by one of the new masters of horror, Stephen Graham Jones.

Pre-order The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

I tried. Maybe the author above? I don’t know how indie they are.

Agh, the book I had picked out for Malawi for my Read the World Challenge turns out to have been written by some white British lady, and all the books I can find actually by Malawian authors are nonfiction or poetry

[lizard-reads-the-world]

Sopa paraguaya or Paraguayan soup is a traditional food of Paraguay, North-East of Argentina and the area of Brazil near to the Paraguayan border. (As the zones near to the border of Paraná, Santa Catarina, some parts of Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul). Literally meaning "Paraguayan soup" (sopa paraguaya), it is similar to corn bread. Corn flour, cheese and milk or whey are common ingredients. It is a spongy cake rich in caloric and protein content. According to the Paraguayan folklorist Margarita Miró Ibars, sopa paraguaya is "the product of Guaraní-Spanish syncretism. The Guaraníes used to consume doughy food made of corn or manioc flour, wrapped in güembe or banana leaves and cooked between hot ashes. The Spanish introduced cheese, eggs and milk, which were added to the food made by the Guaraníes…"

A story of the origin of the dish involves Don Carlos Antonio López (the first constitutional president of the country between 1841 and 1862) and one of his cooks (called machú in the Guarani language). It is said that Don Carlos liked a white soup made with milk, Paraguay cheese (fresh cheese), egg and corn flour. One day the machú mistakenly added too much corn flour to the mixture. Near noon, she found herself with two problems: first, the mixture was too thick for tykuetî; second, she didn't have time to start the process over, or replace the favorite dish with another. So, showing off a decided attitude, a mix of fear and wit, she poured the mixture into an iron container and cooked it in the tatakua ("hole of fire", a rustic Guarani oven made of clay and adobe), from which she obtained a "solid soup". Don Carlos, after tasting it, found it very delicious and immediately named it "sopa paraguaya". Legend has it, they came up with the word sopa because there wasn't enough livestock (meat) which is called so'o in Guarani, and since there was no more meat, no more means opa in Guarani. Therefore, so'opa became sopa. Another story, no less credible, says that in ancient times, this food was made with fresh corn and cooked in the ñaúpyvú (clay pot), not in the "modern" oven inherited from the colonizers. Everything suggests that the first Iberians who arrived in Guarani lands called food boiled in the ñaúpyvú "soup". It is believed that finished adding "Paraguayan" (demonym that was used in colonial times to denote the area of the Jesuit-Guarani missions), to distinguish it from the soup (broth) prepared by the Europeans. src.: Ministerio de Desarrollo Social (National Presidency of Argentina): "Sabores con sapucay", Rescatando lo autóctono desde la historia familiar, "Guardianas del Iberá: desde la cocina de sus casas mantienen viva la cultura de un pueblo" - Clarín Docs. Diario Clarín (24/11/2018), https://www.acritica.net/noticias/receita-aprenda-a-fazer-a-sopa-paraguaia-tipicamente/417982/, https://www.correiodoestado.com.br/arte-e-cultura/pascoa-de-mato-grosso-do-sul-e-com-sopa-paraguaia/351496/

[lizard-reads-the-world]

I don't want to give you my phone number I don't want to use the cloud I don't want to hook up two factor authentication I don't want to connect my facebook my instagram my contacts list I don't want to give you my first and last name I don't want to give you my zip code for the love of god why won't technology just mind its business.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

And we're back! The Rich in Color team is looking forward to spending another year with you reading and reviewing books. Our first post this year is to catch up with all of the January releases on our radar:

Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked, #1) by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee Wednesday Books

he first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy duology based on characters and teachings created by Bruce Lee!

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself.

Reign of the Talon (Talons #3) by Sophie Kim Entangled: Teen

How do you kill a prophecy?

The Prophecy has arrived…and with her, war.

A prisoner caged within the walls of her own mind, the once-fierce assassin known as Shin Lina can do nothing but watch as a tide of blood and chaos sweeps across the Three Kingdoms. After all, Lina is the one who unleashed the malevolent Prophecy upon her world.

So many secrets. So many lies. And it’s all her fault.

Yet Haneul Rui—the immortal Dokkaebi Emperor who stole her heart—refuses to surrender. He alone leads the armies against the dangerous, serpentine Imugi. He alone wields his scorching fire atop blood-soaked battlefields, and he alone rallies his soldiers against a terrifying future of death and destruction.

Now the red thread of fate ties them all together in love and hatred—Rui, Lina, and the merciless Prophecy herself. And the more Lina fights against her destiny, the tighter the thread becomes. For they are bound in both life and death; to wound one is to wound them all. To kill the Child of Venom is to kill them all.

And soon, not even the wrathful gods themselves can stop their inevitable ruin.

The Mirror World (The Upper World, #2) by Femi Fadugba HarperTeen

The explosive sequel to the genre-bending, time-bending YA debut The Upper World —a fast-paced, cinematic thrill ride perfect for fans of Neal Shusterman, Marie Lu, and Jason Reynolds. Eighteen-year-old Rhia is far from home in the hallowed halls of Oxford University. Struggling to find herself as a freshman, Rhia uncovers a disturbing link between the secret society recruiting her and her recent apocalyptic visions in the Upper World. But as the doomsday clock ticks louder and her worst nightmares seem destined to come true, Rhia must finally Who she is Where she belongs And if telling the truth can save her soul …And the world.

Togetha (Pritty, #2) by Keith F. Miller Jr. HarperCollins

Perfect for fans of Angie Thomas and Jason Reynolds, this highly anticipated sequel to Lambda Literary Award finalist Pritty finds Jay and Leroy togetha again as they fight to save not only their home but themselves from the powerful Bainbridge family's treacherous endgame to retake Savannah for themselves, no matter the cost.

After finally reuniting, Jay and Leroy have never been in more danger. Caught in the crosshairs of the affluent Bainbridge family, who they've learned is determined to reshape Savannah in their own image, the duo has only just survived a series of near-death experiences before reaching the safety of the Black Diamonds. But the BDs' ability to protect the Black neighborhoods of their city is slipping....

Missing the key piece of evidence that could have broken the Bainbridges' hold over Savannah, everyone is scrambling for options. But when one of their own is kidnapped, Jay and Leroy realize they can't rely on anyone but themselves to save them. Recruiting old friends, former enemies, and their most risky ally, Jay's once-upon-a-time crush, Will, they set out to do the impossible: find the evidence they lost in order to finally expose the Bainbridges' corruption to the world, by any means necessary.

But even as their plans bring them closer to revealing the Bainbridges' treacherous endgame, Jay and Leroy's own secrets from each other threaten to pull their love apart, just as old feelings between Jay and Will begin to blossom again. And as the battle for a brighter future boils over into the streets, to save their homes--and everyone they love--Jay, Leroy, and Will must decide: When the cost of justice might be each of their happiness, will they be able to make the sacrifice togetha?

This is the Year by Gloria Muñoz Holiday House

"In outer space, no one will know me as the girl with the dead sister." Seventeen-year-old self-proclaimed Goth and aspiring writer Julieta Villarreal is drowning. She's grieving her twin sister who died in a hit-and-run, her Florida home is crumbling under the weight of climate disaster, and she isn't sure how much longer she can stand to stay in a place that doesn't seem to have room for her.

Then, Juli is recruited by Cometa, a private space program enlisting high-aptitude New American teens for a high-stakes mission to establish humanity's first extraterrestrial settlement. Cometa pitches this as an opportunity for Juli to give back to her adopted country; Juli sees it as her only chance to do something big with her life.

Juli begins her training, convinced Cometa is her path to freedom. But her senior year is full of surprises, including new friendships, roller skating, and first love. And through her small but poignant acts of environmentalism, Juli begins to find hope in unexpected places. As her world collapses from the ramifications of the climate crisis, Juli must decide if she'll carry her loss together with her community or leave it all behind.

Told in gripping prose interspersed with poems from Juli's writing journal, this genre-bending novel explores themes of immigration, climate justice, grief, and the power of communities.

Bemused by Farrah Rochon Disney Press

The untold origin story of the 5 Muses from Disney's Hercules is revealed in this rollicking YA fantasy filled with mythical adventure, music, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. The Muses narrated Hercules's story. Now, in this novel for fans of the New York Times bestsellers Go the Distance and Fire & Fate, they'll narrate their own "gospel truth."

Living in a quiet seaside village with their overprotective mother, teenaged sisters Calliope, Clio, Melpomene, Terpsichore, and Thalia are talented performers with no audience. If Calli had her way, she'd pursue her dream of writing epic stories in the city of Thebes. But family comes first, and as the eldest, she'd never leave her beloved sisters behind.

Then, following a disastrous public music performance, their mother reveals a shocking secret: she is Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory, and for nearly two decades, she's been on the run from the gods of Mount Olympus, desperate to keep her daughters safe from their machinations. Before she can share more, she is kidnapped . . . and though the girls don't know it yet, the villain pulling the strings is none other than Hades, fiery God of the Underworld.

Under Calli's leadership, the sisters embark on a journey to save their mother and to learn more about their own divine origins. But the path ahead is filled with mythical trials and tribulations, and they'll need to rely on both their individual talents and the strength of their sisterhood to ensure that they ascend from "zeroes" to "heroes"--or more accurately, heroines.

The Wishless Ones (Dark Ascension #3) by Hafsah Faizal Disney Press

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Hafsah Faizal comes the untold origin story of Agrabah's future royal vizier Jafar and his brother Rohan. Before Jafar became Agrabah's grand vizier, there were two brothers wishing for a different life.

Living in the shadow of their mother's death and their father's cruel whims, Jafar only longs to protect one person--his soft-hearted younger brother, Rohan. But Jafar knows he is destined for more, and if he has his way, he'll soon be an apprentice at Maghriz's elite House of Wisdom, studying alchemy.

Then a fire destroys the remains of their shattered life, and Jafar has no choice but to resort to ruses and trickery, including convincing Rohan that the House of Wisdom is their only chance at rebuilding their lives. But Maghriz holds more danger and intrigue than either brother can imagine. Its powerful Sultana is plotting a grand deception that could shape the nation's future, and she believes the brothers are the missing piece of her scheme.

For the first time, Jafar can envision a future where he puts his own desires before Rohan's--and Rohan feels ready to escape his brother's shadow. As the brothers contend with their darkest impulses, they must decide: is their ambition worth their brotherhood?

Brewed with Love by Shelly Page Joy Revolution

Plant witch, Sage Bishop, is determined to run her family’s old apothecary one day. She spends her time trying to invent the perfect tonic to put Bishop Brews on the map. And she’s going to need one quickly, too, because their biggest competitor is drawing away customers.

Short-staffed, her nana hires Ximena Reyes, Sage’s ex-best friend and first crush, who’s more of an unwelcome distraction than anything. Ximena has always dreamed of leaving their small town behind while Sage wants to tend to her roots. And during one of their first shifts together, someone breaks into Bishop Brews, stealing several tonics, including the one Sage has been working tirelessly on, the same one that wipes a councilmember’s kid’s memory.

To avoid being shut down by the sheriff, Sage decides to investigate. If so much wasn’t at stake, she’d do it alone. But with her grandmother’s legacy and her future on the line, she must partner with her ever smug and unfairly pretty new coworker. As Sage begins to fall for Ximena (again), she’ll have to decide if the comfort of the familiar is worth missing out on a chance at real happiness.

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias Zando - Sweet July Books

On the run from her own dark secrets, a teen girl becomes the nanny for a prestigious family on their extravagant Jamaican estate—but things aren't quite as they seem, and she quickly discovers even paradise may be haunted.

Carina Marshall is looking to reinvent herself, and what better place to do it than Jamaica, her mother’s alluring homeland where she conveniently has access to an au pair gig for the wealthy and politically powerful Hall family.

After months of being the target of vicious rumors and hate online (which she just might deserve), the luxurious Blackbead House seems to hold everything she wants, a world of mango trees, tropical breezes, and glamorous parties—and a place to disappear. Once there, Carina joins up with her fellow junior staff members, the self-named Young Birds, and finds herself sinking right into her busy, but comfortable, new life. Yes, the Halls run a tight ship, and yes, there is some tension amongst the family, but she’s content flying under the radar, doing her job, and hanging out with her new friends—not least, the handsome and charming Aaron.

But when inexplicable things start happening to her in the house, only getting worse each night, Carina realizes that someone—or something—is out to get her. Is it the house itself? The Halls? Or, worse, is it her own past catching up with her? With the help of Aaron, she must figure out what is haunting her, and fast, before she is forced out of Blackbead House for good.

Eerie, propulsive, and full of intrigue, Honeysuckle and Bone is a deliciously atmospheric, young adult novel, following an imperfect yet courageous teen as she seeks to remake herself in the homeland she always idealized, only to discover that new beginnings don’t always come easy.

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine Penguin Workshop

Taiwanese American Catie Carlson has never fit in with her white family. As much as she loves her stepmom and stepsister, she yearns to understand more about her culture and find her biological mother.

So Catie is shocked when an opportunity comes knocking on her door: Her summer spa coworker, Toby, says he'll teach her Mandarin. In exchange, she needs to teach him how to date so he can finally work up the courage to ask out his crush. The only problem is that Catie doesn't actually have any dating experience. But she can fake it.

With her late father's copy of The Five Love Languages and all his annotated notes, Catie becomes the perfect dating coach. Or so she thinks. As she gets dangerously close to Toby and to finding out what really happened to her biological mom, she realizes that learning the language of love might be tougher than she thought.

Stefany Valentine's debut novel is both a fresh, fun romance as well as a profound, luminous story about grief, family, transracial adoption, and what it means to truly follow your heart.

Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

A teen deep-dives into her dating history to uncover her mistakes, become the perfect girlfriend, and get revenge on the wrong guy so she can ride into the sunset with the right one in this debut rom-com.

To the surprise of no one, Amelia Hernandez is once again single. It’s her family curse at work; whether it’s by heartbreak, scandal, or even accidental death, every romantic relationship that a Hernandez woman has will meet its demise eventually. And that may be fine with Amelia’s sisters, mom, and aunts, but definitely not with Amelia.

So, convinced that she is the problem, Amelia decides to embark on an “Ex Retrospective:” tracking down her exes, finding out where she went wrong, and using that information to finally become un-break-up-able for whenever her next relationship comes along. Because Amelia is determined to be free of the family curse…and her family.

However, when Amelia is unwillingly reunited with Leon, the ex to end all exes, she can’t resist having a little revenge on the side, too. After all, what better way to test out her new persona of perfect girlfriend traits than on the boy who broke her heart?

But old loves die hard, and as Amelia’s feelings grow more complicated, she suspects that she may be in for more than she bargained for.

The Queen's Spade by Sarah Raughley HarperCollins

In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.

A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .

The year is 1862, and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.

Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy.

Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon Union Square & Co.

Meet River Langston-Lee. In the past 24 hours, he’s dumped his girlfriend, walked out of his SATs, and quit his job at his parents’ cafe in spectacularly disastrous fashion—even for him.

Somehow, he manages to talk his way into a gig at a failing Korean cafe, Bingsu for Two, which is his lucky break until he meets short, grumpy, and goth: Sarang Cho. She’s his new no-BS co-worker who’s as determined to make River’s life hell as she is to save her family’s cafe.

After River accidentally uploads a video of his chaotic co-workers to his popular fandom account, they strike viral fame. The kicker? Their new fans ship River and Sarang big-time. In order to keep the Internet’s attention—and the cafe’s new paying customers—River and Sarang must pretend that the tension between them is definitely of the romantic variety, not the considering the best way to kill you and hide your body variety.

But when Bingsu for Two’s newfound success catches the attention of River’s ex and his parents’ cafe around the corner, he faces a choice: keep letting others control his life or stand up for the place that’s become home. And a green-haired girl who’s not as heartless as he originally thought . . .

Dreamover by Dani Diaz Top Shelf Productions

In this captivating debut YA graphic novel, two best friends becoming more than friends feels like a dream come true. But when one sleepover literally turns into a dream, will they ever want to wake up again?

“I wish we could stay here forever.”

Amber and Nico would make an odd couple. She’s a headstrong goofball with a temper. He’s a shy, self-conscious emo boy. But they’ve been best friends since third grade and are both very good at video games, and she can’t hide her feelings for him any longer. During the end of their eighth-grade class beach trip, she confesses her undying love to him. To no one’s surprise except hers, the feeling is mutual! Thus begins a glorious, blissful summer of first love.

But life gets complicated once high school starts. Amber and Nico are faced with their toughest challenges yet: getting to school by 7:25 A.M. every day, dealing with bullies, and juggling their relationship, friendships, and homework. Things start to spiral out of control, causing Amber and Nico to cling to each other and neglect their friends. Soon, they find themselves stressed, depressed, and friendless. Amber wishes she could run away with Nico and escape the never-ending nightmare of high school.

One night, as they play video games together, Amber gets her wish: She and Nico mysteriously fall into a shared lucid dream where anything they imagine becomes possible and endless adventure awaits. Will they run away together forever or choose to return to the real world?

Girl, Ultra-Processed by Amara Sage Faber & Faber

A searing look at diet culture and all its ugly consequences, from the talented writer of Influential.

New year, new me!

That's what Saffron Saldana tells herself as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.

Her resolution is the same every year: lose weight. Because Saffron has it hard-wired that weight loss equals happiness. It's what she's been told her whole life - online, in magazines, especially by her own diet-obsessed mother. But dieting is hard.

So to escape her own reality, Saffron creates Sydney, a super-slim, AI-generated 'perfect' version of herself. Boys online love Sydney, and for Saffron, it's just a bit of harmless fun.

Until the boundaries of her life online and offline begin to blur . . . And one boy in particular makes her question her desire to be someone she's not.

Can Saffron find a way back to herself, and learn to love who she actually is?

Girl: Ultra-Processed explores what it is like to be a teenage girl in our current body-obsessed world while juggling family drama, friend dynamics, dating, betrayals and major life changes.

Love on Paper by Danielle Parker Joy Revolution

The daughter of two prestigious writers, Macy Descanso has decided to take her own writing seriously. So what if her mother pulled some strings to get Macy into a prestigious writing retreat? Macy belongs here. But when she arrives, she learns that the theme has been changed to romance, per the bequest of the late, prolific romance author Betty Quinn. Though a cynic, Macy lives for a challenge.

What she’s not prepared for is to be partnered with Caleb Bernard, also the child of two prestigious writers. The Descansos and Bernards notably have beef—a rivalry that has lasted generations. With something to prove, Macy and Caleb decide to put their family squabbles aside to work together as critique partners.

But this retreat is anything but ordinary. According to lore, every year, authors leave easter eggs behind for new students to find. Macy and Caleb are eager to solve Betty Quinn’s mystery. And in the process, Macy and Caleb find that they have a lot in common. Still, will their connection be enough to surpass their families’ feud? Can the relationship they’ve built continue after the retreat?

The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears Flatiron Books

Deep within the imperial palace at Timbuktu, Amie has suffered a devastating loss. Once the daughter of a prosperous salt merchant Amie’s life was cruelly overturned in a matter of months. At sixteen, Amie now finds herself disinherited, framed for a scandalous crime, and forced to serve Princess Mariama of Mali . Her father, Emperor Sulyeman, has created a series of impossible trials for his daughter's suitors. When they fail, he publicly boils them alive, littering Mariama’s path to marriage with ninety-nine corpses.

At first, Amie’s life at court is drudgery—the chores are difficult, the servants despise her, and Princess Mariama is prone to mood swings—but the more she learns about the princess's circumstances, the closer the two girls become. Amie and her intended, Kader, plan to escape Timbuktu and make a new life far away from the shadow of death that has fallen upon the emperor’s court, but she finds herself increasingly drawn to the princess in ways she doesn’t understand.

When a mysterious discovery forces her hand, she must choose between fleeing with the boy she loves or helping the princess to end the trials forever. Amie will need to draw on all of her strength and courage to make the perilous journey through the desert to seek the aid of an exiled god in a final, desperate attempt to take charge of her own destiny.

On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres Knopf Books for Young Readers

Noche is a Lechuza by night, an ethereal jet-black owl who guides the dead to the after. Except now, Noche cannot bring herself to escort her dead girlfriend, whose soul is fading the harder Noche holds on—an aching romance about first and second loves and finding the strength to let go.

Death waits for Estrella (Noche) Villanueva. In her human form, she is a lonely science girl grieving the tragic accidental drowning of her girlfriend, Dante Fuentes. At night, she is a Lechuza who visits her dead girlfriend at the lake, desperate for more time with her. The longer Dante’s soul roams the earth, the more likely it is that she will fade into the unknown, lost forever, but Noche cannot let go . . .

That’s when a new kid comes to town, Jax, another science nerd like Noche. They connect in a way she can’t ignore, seemingly pulled together by an invisible thread. For the first time, Noche begins to imagine a life without Dante. As Noche’s heart begins to beat for two people, her guilt flares. Then, she finds herself at risk of losing both Jax and Dante, and Noche is forced to question her purpose as a lechuza and everything she has ever believed in.

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang HarperTeen

After getting rejected by every single Ivy League she applied to and falling short of all her Asian immigrant parents’ expectations, seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen makes a wish to become her smarter, infinitely more successful Harvard-bound cousin, Jessica Chen—only for her wish to come true. Literally.

Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, with access to Jessica’s most private journals and secrets, Jenna soon discovers that being the top student at the elite, highly competitive Havenwood Private Academy isn’t quite what she imagined. Worse, as everyone—including her own parents—start having trouble remembering who Jenna Chen is, or if she ever even existed, Jenna must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

From the comments by @bilboyagathechickenfootedhobbit

This is the correct answer.

No, no….you don’t go immediately to a section. You meander through the haphazardly stacked piles of books, letting your fingers trail over the covers and spines, relaxing your mind and body and becoming one with the dust jackets and brittle musty pages, breathing in the air of a thousand stories until you feel that electrifying tingle at your fingertips and you slowly pick up the book your hand just lit upon and peel back the cover to read the first line and see how it resonates with your Quivering soul at that exact moment in time, and if it reaches out and grabs your heart and holds it in it’s capable hands, then you grab that book, tuck it gently under your arm, and let your wandering fingers return to the magical task at hand. That’s how you enter a bookstore.

General question to reblog and tell me in the tags;

You go into a used bookstore - what are the two sections you head to first?

[lizard-reads-the-world]

The thing about reading diversely (and not watching movies at all), is you don't realize how dumb the mainstream still is.

So I'm reading a fiction book that says this Hollywood studio demands you kill off the lesbian characters - C'mon does media still do that in 2024? This other book has a fictional movie adaptation that completely americanizes and whitewashes the character's book - can you really get away with that with the fans anymore?

I guess they do.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

If you're into webcomics/graphic novels How To Be a Werewolf is fun. The MC doesn't have romantic involvement last I checked and there are several queer characters (including queer werewolves)

Happy new year to you all! I was wondering if you have any good queer and trans werewolf books that aren't like a bad copypaste self insert porn novel? I've no qualms with smut but sadly 99% of the books involving queer werewolves are way too similar. I tried getting into Wolfsong by TJ Klune and found that to be painful as well.

the year sure is truckin’

so far we’ve got 15 titles that pop up searching for ‘werewolf’ (+ a few different ones if you try ‘werewolves’ instead) these definitely run the gamut from campy smut to more literary

we’re fans of Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan, some of the stories in the Queer Little Nightmares anthology, and of course have to mention @thebibliosphere’s Hunger Pangs.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

WAR GIRLS is a dynamic, propulsive YA post-apocalyptic novel heavily rooted in the source material and impact of the little-known Biafran War, or the Nigerian Civil War, that took place in the 1960s. It features former child soldier Onyii, War Girl destined to become the Demon of Biafra, and her adopted younger sister Ify, an inventor with her eyes towards the stars. The two find themselves on separate sides of the raging war.

Onyebuchi’s novel is epic, rich science fiction. The characters and the world-building are incredibly vivid and complex; the action flies by. Occasionally I lost a thread of events, but was quick to catch up: the novel moves by with the speed and heart of a good superhero film, mixing wild robotic aerial fight scenes with intricate science with scenes of friendship, sacrifice, sapphic rep, and philosophical questions about what makes those who are augmented or synthetic human. The characters of this book, from commander Chimelo to synth Agu to the two sisters, will last with me for a long time, and I cannot wait for the 2nd book in the War Girls series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher at BookExpo in exchange for an honest review. War Girls is out October 15.

[lizard-reads-the-world]

11 Great Queer SFF Books with Older Female Protagonists!

Recently, I got pinged on a Tumblr post asking for recommendations of speculative fiction/science fiction and fantasy books starring older female protagonists – 35 plus. I helped boost that post, and also turned the same question over to the usual crew of folks who contribute recommendations for Duck Prints Press lists, and now I’m back with our 11 suggestions! The contributors to this list are: Sebastian Marie, May Barros, boneturtle, Adrian Harley, hullosweetpea, Linnea Peterson and an anonymous contributor.

Great Cities series by N.K. Jemisin

Give Fangs A Chance by Tatiana Carey

Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

October Daye series by Seanan McGuire

A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys

The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin

An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows

What books with older, queer, female protagonists did we miss? Let us know in the comments!

[lizard-reads-the-world]

Mate or maté, also known as chimarrão or cimarrón, is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink. It is made by soaking dried leaves of holly in hot water and is served with a metal straw in a container typically made from a calabash gourd. Yerba Mate was consumed by the Guaraní and Tupí peoples. It has been consumed in America since pre-Columbian. Its consumption was exclusive to the natives of two regions of the territory that today is Paraguay, more specifically the departments of Amambay and Alto Paraná. Some ethnic groups that consumed it are the Avá, the Mbyá and the Kaiowa, and also, to a lesser extent, by other ethnic groups that carried out trade with them, such as the ñandevá, the Taluhets (ancient pampas) and the Qom (Tobas). It is the national beverage of Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay and is also consumed in the Bolivian Chaco, Northern and Southern Chile, Southern Brazil, Syria (the largest importer in the world) and Lebanon, where it was brought from Paraguay and Argentina by immigrants.

src.: Petruzzello, Melissa (ed.). "Mate - beverage". Encyclopædia Britannica, "Historia del Mate (Ilex paraguariensis): Su consumo durante los inicios de la colonización española - LA NACION". ISSN 0325-0946., Cervantes, Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de. "En busca del hueso perdido : (tratado de paraguayología) / Helio Vera". Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes, "Ley 26.871 - Declárase al Mate como infusión nacional". InfoLEG (in Spanish). Ministry of Economy and Public Finance, Barceloux, Donald (3 February 2012). Medical Toxicology of Drug Abuse: Synthesized Chemicals and Psychoactive Plants. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-11810-605-1, "South American 'mate' tea a long-time Lebanese hit". Middle East Online. Retrieved 11 March 2014

[lizard-reads-the-world]

200+ Sapphic Books Out in 2025

200+ Sapphic Books Out in 2025 (The Lesbrary)

On the Lesbrary, I shared a link to my spreadsheet of upcoming sapphic books out in 2025!

[lizard-reads-the-world]

🏳️‍🌈 FLATLAY FRIDAY 🏳️‍🌈

It’s LGBT History Month this month and I wanted to celebrate some queer books by Australian authors! (I’m sure I’ve forgot some, I always do, apologies).

[instagram]

Books pictured:

Column 1:

- The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist by

- From LA to London, With Love by

- Anything But Fine by

- Henry Hamlet’s Heart by

- Wrong Answers Only by Tobias Madden

Column 2:

- Not Just Gal Pals by Elizabeth Luly

- Upside Down by

- Where You Left Us by Rhiannon Wilde

- House of Hollow by

- Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

- The Boy From the Mish by

Column 3

- I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough

- An Unexpected Party anthology edited by

- Can I Steal You For a Second? by

- Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans

- We Could Be Something by

- The Spider and Her Demons by

Column 4:

- The Killing Code by

- Dancing Barefoot by

- Falls From Grace by

- Nevernight by

- Dark Rise by

Column 5:

- Honeybee by

- Aurora’s End by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

- Devotion by

- Nightbirds by

- The Isles of the Gods by

Column 6:

- Queens of Geek by

- From Darkness by

- The Monster of Her Age by

- Love and Other Scores by

- Lakesedge by

Column 7:

- Skysong by

- Take A Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden

Key words:

queer books • lgbt+ stories • diverse reads • aussie bookstagrammer • australian bookstagram • avid reader • always reading • book lover • bookworm

(ID in alt text)