#Ashia Monet

[lgbtqreads]

January 2025 Deal Announcements

Adult Fiction Candas Jane Dorsey‘s (AT THE) FREAK SHOW, a literary speculative novel exploring the fluidity of gender identity by telling the life story of a non-binary rock star who was the lone survivor of an operation to separate conjoined twins at birth, to University of Calgary Press (world English). Continue reading January 2025 Deal Announcements

[jadedbirch]

Louis and Claudia’s Blackness alienates them from Lestat, while deepening their bond to each other. Louis’s newfound power as a vampire directly informs the way he pushes back to racism. This isn’t the “colorblind casting” that has become so popular within recent “diverse” works—this is an adaptation that genuinely wants to explore the Black queer experience, adding a new complexity to the power struggles between the trio that makes up this strange, toxic vampire family.

- Ashia Monet

A great article by a Black queer writer who is also a fan of the Anne Rice novel.

[stardustandrockets]

What are your road trip essentials?

I always ALWAYS have podcasts downloaded if it's a solo trip. Snacks are also a must regardless of if it's solo or not. I also usually pack more books than I'm going to read, but you never know when photo inspo will strike.

This toiletry case was inspired by The Black Veins by Ashia Monet and was part of the March Protect Your Own box from Rainbow Crate.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🖤 Black History Month ❤️

💛 Queer Books by Black Authors 💚

[ List Under the Cut ]

🖤 Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ❤️ Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 💛 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💚 I'm a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 🖤 Real Life by Brandon Taylor ❤️ Ruthless Pamela Jean by Carol Denise Mitchell 💛 The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 💚 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 🖤 Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney ❤️ The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 💛 That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole 💚Work for It by Talia Hibbert

🖤 All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson ❤️ The Deep by Rivers Solomon 💛 How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters 💚 Running With Lions by Julian Winters 🖤 Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters ❤️ This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender 💛 The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum 💚 This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow 🖤 Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa ❤️ Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 💛 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 💚 The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

🖤 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ❤️ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson 💛 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole 💚 Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 🖤 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann ❤️ A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney 💛 Power & Magic by Joamette Gil 💚 The Black Veins by Ashia Monet 🖤 Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon ❤️ The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow 💛 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 💚 Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

🖤 The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ❤️ Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee 💛 A Phoenix First Must Burn (edited) by Patrice Caldwell 💚 Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 🖤 Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles ❤️ Black Boy Out of Time by Hari Ziyad 💛 Darling by K. Ancrum 💚 The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode 🖤 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ❤️ Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 💛 Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 💚 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

🖤 How to Dispatch a Human by Stephanie Andrea Allen ❤️ Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans 💛 The Essential June Jordan (edited) by Jan Heller Levi and Christoph Keller 💚 A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 🖤 A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney ❤️ Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 💛 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 💚 Punch Me Up to the Gods by Brian Broome 🖤 Masquerade by Anne Shade ❤️ One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite 💛 Soulstar by C.L. Polk 💚 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

🖤 Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender ❤️ Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby 💛 Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair 💚 The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 🖤 If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann ❤️ Sweethand by N.G. Peltier 💛 This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 💚 Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon 🖤 Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett ❤️ Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez 💛 Memorial by Bryan Washington 💚 Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

🖤 Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon ❤️ How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole 💛 Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackosn 💚 Mouths of Rain (edited) by Briona Simone Jones 🖤 Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia ❤️ Love's Divine by Ava Freeman 💛 The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr 💚 Odd One Out by Nic Stone 🖤 Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden ❤️ Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons 💚 Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

🖤 Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert ❤️ My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson 💛 Pleasure and Spice by Fiona Zedde 💚 No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull 🖤 The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus ❤️ Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor 💛 The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 💚 Peaces by Helen Oyeyem 🖤 The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk ❤️ Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh 💛 Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, Joy San 💚 The Heart Does Not Bend by Makeda Silvera

🖤 King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender ❤️ By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery 💛 Busy Ain't the Half of It by Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar Cruz 💚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 🖤 Sin Against the Race by Gar McVey-Russell ❤️ Trumpet by Jackie Kay 💛 Remembrance by Rita Woods 💚 Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo 🖤 You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour ❤️ The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters 💛 Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi 💚 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyem

[the-bi-library]

Here is the part two of my bisexual BIPOC books posts!

Part 1 here

Books listed:

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea The Relic Spell: Book 1 of the Phyrian War Chronicles by Jimena I. Novaro The Warlock Snare by Jimena I. Novaro Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert The Aurora Circus by Viano Oniomoh Rescues and the Rhyssa by T. S. Porter Far Sector by N. K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon Flip the Script by Lyla Lee A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson Shatterproof by Xen Sanders The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan When Tara Met Farah by Tara Pammi Royally Yours by Everly James For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene More To Love by Georgina Kiersten False Hearts by Laura Lam Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues by H. S. Valley Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody Becoming Dinah by Kit de Waal Caught in a Bad Fauxmance by Elle Gonzalez Rose The Black Veins by Ashia Monet Hearton by Amy Jo Cousins

[richincolor]

3 YA Black Horror Books for Spooky Season

Now that spooky season is in full swing all around me, it's time to turn to some spinechilling reads. It's been an amazing year for Black horror in YA, from an anthology (out October 17th!) to exciting new books that will keep you up all night long. Here are 3 YA horror books with Black protagonists for you to check out!

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

There will be blood. Ace of Spades meets House of Hollow in this villain origin story. Laure Mesny is a perfectionist with an axe to grind. Despite being constantly overlooked in the elite and cutthroat world of the Parisian ballet, she will do anything to prove that a Black girl can take center stage.

To level the playing field, Laure ventures deep into the depths of the Catacombs and strikes a deal with a pulsating river of blood. The primordial power Laure gains promises influence and adoration, everything she’s dreamed of and worked toward. With retribution on her mind, she surpasses her bitter and privileged peers, leaving broken bodies behind her on her climb to stardom.

But even as undeniable as she is, Laure is not the only monster around. And her vicious desires make her a perfect target for slaughter. As she descends into madness and the mystifying underworld beneath her, she is faced with the ultimate choice: continue to break herself for scraps of validation or succumb to the darkness that wants her exactly as she is—monstrous heart and all. That is, if the god-killer doesn’t catch her first.

From debut author Jamison Shea comes I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, a slow-burn horror that lifts a veil on the institutions that profit on exclusion and the toll of giving everything to a world that will never love you back.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night? This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.

Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.

But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity's role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they'll need figure out what this killer is after. Is there is more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected?

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology by Circe Moskowitz (Anthology editor) -- Out on October 17th!

Welcome to the Dark. We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a lot of what they fear—through a twisted blend of horror lenses, from the thoughtful to the terrifying.

From haunted, hungry Victorian mansions, temporal monster–infested asylums, and ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners and cursed patriarchs in search of Black Excellence, All These Sunken Souls features the chilling creations of acclaimed bestsellers and hot new talents, with stories from Kalynn Bayron, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Sami Ellis, Brent Lambert, Ashia Monet, Circe Moskowitz, Joel Rochester, Liselle Sambury, and Joelle Wellington.

[onlymurdersintheafterparty]

Mystery/Thriller Books I Read This Year with LGBTQ+ Main & Side Characters 🏳️‍🌈

This year I read so many interesting mystery and thriller books and wanted to make this list because I didn't even know that there were that many mystery/thriller books that featured LGBTQ+ characters until this year. These books were all a joy to read and I hope that you'll enjoy them as well. I don't want to mislead anyone so I'll put the pairings in parentheses and let you decide which ones speak to you or not.

Ace of Spades - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Main Characters)

Students Chiamaka "Chi" and Devon are tormented by an anonymous gossip account that is hellbent on ruining their senior year. If you like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars you'll love it.

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology - Edited by Circe Moskowitz (Various Characters) and features the following authors:

Kalynn Bayron, Ashia Monet, Liselle Sambury, Sami Ellis, Joel Rochester, Joelle Wellington, Brent C. Lambert, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Circe Moskowitz

I'm not a big fan of horror novels but I found all of these short stories to be really interesting. They range from confusing to mildly unsettling to very creepy so there is something for everyone. Just a heads up there's a bit of gore but that's something to be expected in a horror novel.

And Don’t Look Back - Rebecca Barrow (Main Characters)

Harlow Ford is a teenager who has bounced from place to place her whole life due to her mother Cora attempting to outrun something or someone. While attempting to flee their current location, Harlow and her mother get into a car accident and her mother dies from her injuries. Before she dies, Cora instructs Harlow to take a key and find a safety deposit box and to "Keep running, and don't stop". In this box Harlow discovers money and new identities as well as a deed to a house and pictures of aunts she never knew existed. Harlow then has to decide if she wants to run forever or solve the mystery to her past. Nearly everyone in this book is sapphic except for a few characters.

Black Cake - Charmaine Wilkerson (Main & Side Characters)

Estranged siblings Byron and Benny Bennett, affectionately called B&B by their mother Eleanor, have to put aside their differences after her sudden death. The family lawyer reveals that Eleanor left behind various tapes detailing her life and that the last Black cake she made is in the freezer but cannot be cut until the time is right. Told in two timelines, we learn about Eleanor's life and how she came to be her mother and it's a tale of loss, heartbreak, and perseverance. If you haven't already seen it, Hulu has adapted it into a tv series and all episodes are available to watch.

Cutting Teeth - Chandler Baker (Side Characters)

The book's selling point is vampire preschoolers, but it's mainly about three mothers Rhea, Mary Beth, and Darby and their struggles with motherhood. When their children's teacher Ms. Ollie is found dead, cracks form in their friendships and personal lives as they struggle to manage their children's thirst for blood. There are two lesbian moms of one of the preschoolers that are mentioned here and there but they don't play a big part in the story.

The Golden Spoon - Jessa Maxwell (Side Character)

Six amateur bakers are invited to compete on The Golden Spoon, a baking competition hosted by a famous baker Betsy Martin. They're all whisked away to Grafton manor, Betsy's family home. The competition starts off with undetectable acts of sabotage and ends in a shocking murder. One of the reviews compared it to Only Murders in the Building because of some amateur sleuthing done by middle aged tech guru bachelor Pradyumna and retired nurse Lottie, but I don't think they're similar at all just because of the age gap. One of the contestants Peter is gay and has a husband and daughter but he is not a major player in this book. Hulu got the rights to adapt this book into a series so I can't wait to see it in the next year or two.

Their Vicious Games - Joelle Wellington (Side Characters)

After getting into a fight with a classmate, Edgewater Academy student Adina Walker loses her spot at her dream college. In hopes of reclaiming her future, she charms her way into getting accepted into a competition called The Finish. Held at the estate of the Remington family, the founders of the Edgewater Academy itself, The Finish is an intense competition that consists of three challenges: a Ride, a Raid, and a Royale. Competing along 11 other girls, many of which are bloodthirsty for victory, Adina tries to keep her humanity intact to not only win but stay alive. If you like The Hunger Games I think you'll enjoy this book. While their sexual identities aren't clearly defined, two of the female characters are in a queerplatonic relationship that at times seems more romantic than platonic. The Gotham Group has acquired the rights to a live adaptation but I'm unsure of whether or not this book will become a tv series or a movie.

Books that are part of a series are mentioned below. Struck titles are the books that were read in previous years.

Andy Mills Series - Lev A.C. Rosen (Main Characters)

Evander "Andy" Mills is a gay cop who was fired after being caught in a raid at a gay club and is now a private investigator for the LGBTQ+ community in 1950s San Francisco. I can't say too much about the series without spoiling the contents of either book so be sure to check out the goodreads pages for the summaries of the books.

TW: because of the time period there are a lot of homophobic slurs, graphic or off-page police brutality, and some violence in general

Lavender House

The Bell in the Fog

Secret Staircase Mystery Series - Gigi Pandian (Side Characters)

Tempest Raj, a former magician, joins her father's Secret Staircase Construction company that specializes in creating secret rooms for clients. In each book she encounters seemingly impossible locked in mysteries that occur in the homes of their clients while also trying to figure out the mystery behind a family curse that claimed the life of her aunt and possibly her mother who disappeared several years ago. Dahlia, a true crime writer is the older sister of Tempest's best friend Ivy is married to Vanessa, a criminal defense attorney. They along with their young daughter Natalie often end up providing advice or clues needed to help solve the mysteries.

Under Lock & Skeleton Key

The Raven Thief

Thursday Murder Club Series - Richard Osman (One of the main characters but not revealed/confirmed until Book 4)

In the Coopers Chase Retirement Village, four retirees get together every Thursday to solve a murder: Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Ron, and Joyce the newcomer. With the help of their friends Chris and Donna on the police force as well as handyman with a shady past Bogdan, there's no case this crew can't solve. The books are full of charm, wittiness, and excitement and I can't wait for book number five. Not much is known yet, but there is going to be a movie! Filming is supposed to start next year but I don't think they have released the casting information yet but I hope that they choose their cast well.

The Thursday Murder Club

The Man Who Died Twice

The Bullet that Missed

The Last Devil to Die

[life-of-an-asexual]

5.14.24

Aces in Love by Elin Annalise = adult, romance; asexual MCs

Alexey Dyed in Red by A.M. Valenza = adult, urban fantasy; asexual LI, m/m/m romance

Alonso Munich is Now Dead by S. Gates = adult, urban fantasy; asexual MC in a strong platonic relationship with a trans woman, mystery with necromancy and vampires

Baker Thief by Claudie Aresenault = adult, urban fantasy; biromantic demisexual MC, bigender alloaro MC, strong platonic relationship, queernormative setting, subverting romance tropes

Blood-Bound by Kaija Rayne = adult, urban fantasy; gray-aromantic asexual MC, welsh folklore

Eidolon by E.S. Yu = adult, science fiction; asexual MC, light m/m romance, cyborg assassin, enemies-to-lovers

Fallen Thorns by Harvey Oliver Baxter = adult/new adult, urban fantasy; aroace MC, various other rep, vampires

For Better or Worse by R. Cooper = adult, romance; demisexual MC, m/m romance, firefighters

Heartsong by TJ Klune = adult, romance; asexual MC in an m/m romance, werewolves (part of the Green Creek series)

The Life and Death of Eli & Jay by Francis Gideon - adult/new adult?, romance; asexual MC, m/m romance, themes self-discovery

Liminal Hearts by Dawn R. Schuldenfrei = adult, urban fantasy; asexual MC, f/f romance with a unicorn, mystery

Luvian Code by Hailey Gonzalez = adult, fantasy; aromantic MC, other aro and ace rep, an anti-amatonormative take on Cupids

Margins and Murmurations by Otter Liefe = adult, dystopia; aromantic transfem MC in a long-term platonic relationship, themes of liberation

Moonshine by Jasmine Gower = adult, historical fantasy; bisexual aromantic secondary character, various other rep, themes of found family

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells = adult, science fiction; sex- and romance-averse robot MC in a strong platonic relationship, themes of personhood and self-determination

Of the Wild by E. Wambheim = adult, romance; asexual MC, trans LI, fey urban fantasy, cozy mystery

Open Skies by Yolande Kleinn = adult, science fiction; an aroace MC, queerplatonic relationship?

Play It Again by Aidan wayne = adult, romance; bi jewish blind MC, gay ace LI, youtuber m/m romance

Shape Shifter Chronicles by Lauren Jankowski = adult, urban fantasy; several aspec characters (author is aroace)

Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo = adult, urban fantasy; bi asexual MC, mystery

Socially Orcward by Lisa Henry = adult, fantasy; ace4ace m/m romance

To Terminator, With Love by Wes Kennedy = new adult, science fiction; asexual MC, m/m romance, robots

Uncommon Tidy Poltergeists by Angel Martinez = adult, romance; gay asexual MC, m/m romance, urban fantasy

Welcome to Your Afterlife by Stephanie Rabig = adult, romance; asexual MC, f/f romance with bisexual LI

Winterbourne's Daughter by Stephanie Rabig = adult, fantasy; asexual MC in a polyamorous romance, queernormative setting, Snow White retelling

The Wolf Among the Wild Hunt by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor = adult, horror fantasy; aroace4aroace queerplatonic partnership, various other rep, werewolves

~

Amazing Ace, Awesome Aro: An Illustrated Exploration by Victoria Barron = non-fiction, educational; a comprehensive overview of the aspec community

It's Just Us Here by Christopher X. Sullivan = adult, memoir; the saga of an asexual man who falls in love with a male model

Warrior edited by Antonica Eikli = anthology, sci fi/fantasy; various queer rep including aro and ace

~

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcy Little Badger - young adult, magical realism; asexual MC (author of Elatsoe)

The Black Veins by Ashia Monet = young adult, urban fantasy; an asexual MC, various other rep, found family adventure

Darling by K. Ancrum = young adult, urban fantasy; asexual LI, various other queer rep, Peter Pan retelling

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody = young adult, fantasy; ace-spec/demi LI, various other rep, magical mystery

Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao = young/new adult, contemporary; two aroace MCs who develop a strong platonic relationship

Endless Days of Summer by Stacy O'Steen = young/new adult, contemporary; asexual MC, f/f romance, self-discovery

Fairy Roots by Alicia L. Wright = young/new adult, fantasy; demisexual MC, self-discovery and romance

The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta = young adult, romance; demisexual trans LI, aroace side character, various other queer rep including agender MC, magical realism with baking

Jensen in the Multiverse by Hailey Gonzalez = young adult, urban fantasy; aroace MC

Into the Blue by Pene Henson = young/new adult, romance; ace/demi MC, m/m friends-to-lovers romance, themes of found family

The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J. Hardy = young adult, fantasy; aroace MC, strong platonic relationship, various other rep

Royal Rescue by A. Alex Logan = young adult, fantasy; aroace MC, queerplatonic relationship, dragons

Skybound Series by Alex London = young adult, fantasy; an aroace MC

The Spy with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke = young adult, historical fantasy; demisexual MC in an m/m romance, strong sibling relationship (this book is a sequel to The Girl with the Red Balloon)

Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li = young adult, fantasy; aroace non-binary secondary MC

ace and aro books

went on a deep dive to find some aspec rep for myself and this is some of what i came up with. not official recommendations since i haven't read most of them, but they exist and i've put several of them on my own TBR list. these are all books i haven't seen on other rec lists, and i've done my best to confirm that the rep is aspec

if any of y'all have read these, feel free to share your thoughts or correct me if i've gotten something wrong

(organized alphabetically by title and separated by age demographic; mixed genres; subject to being updated)

(ftr just because an author is not specified to be ace or aro does not necessarily mean they are allo; i include that info if i happen to come across it, but i am not going out of my way to track down the identities of every single author)

(some of these books contain themes or scenarios that may be triggering for some readers; i have only done research to ascertain the ace/aro rep; if you find certain topics upsetting to read, it is your responsibility to do the research necessary to determine if a book is appropriate for you and to proceed into a story at your own discretion)

updated 5.9.24

~Mod Q

A Milky Way Home by Hsinju Chen = adult, romance; transmasc/cis f biace4panace romance, described as low heat (author is nonbinary)

A Pale Light in the Black by K.B. Wagers = adult, science fiction; asexual MC, various other rep, coast guard in space

Alchemy by Marie S. Crosswell = adult, mystery; asexual lesbian MC, genderbent Sherlock

All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher = adult, romance; ace4ace m/m romance, identity discovery

An Accident of Stars by Foz Meadows = adult, fantasy; allosexual aromantic MC in a poly relationship

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon = adult, science fiction; aroace side character, intersex MC, themes of oppression and racism

Blank Spaces & Finding Your Feet by Cass Lennox = adult, romance; both feature asexual MCs (second one features a trans LI)

The Bone People by Keri Hulme = adult, magical realism; aroace MC, themes of family and identity, deals with child abuse

The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia = adult, fantasy; aroace nonbinary MC, queernormative world-building

Catch Lili Too by Sophie Whittemore = adult, fantasy; asexual non-human MC, paranormal murder mystery

Chosen. Again. by J. Emery = adult, fantasy; asexual MC, saves the fantasy world as a teen then has to do it again as an adult

The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong = adult, sci fi-fantasy; asexual MC and found family dynamic

City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault = adult, fantasy; various rep including aspec (author is acearospec)

Coffee Cake by Michaela Grey = adult, romance; asexual MC, m/m relationship, mystery elements

The Crows by C.M. Rosens = adult, horror; ace (and aro?) major character, fucked up eldritch horror

Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh = adult, romance; demisexual biromantic MC, m/m romance, dating show setting, super fluffy

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz = adult, science fiction; sapphic ace MC with a robot LI

Devon's Island by Si Clarke = adult, science fiction; aroace POV character, queernormative worldbuilding, various other rep

Earthflown by Frances Wren = adult, science fiction; ace-spec MC, m/m romance, an urban fantasy climate change apocalypse story

Eight Kinky Nights by Xan West = adult, romance; gray-ace MC, butch4femme friends-to-lovers, various other rep

Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace = adult, science fiction; aroace MC, dystopia, focus on platonic relationships (author is aroace)

From the Dark We Came by J. Emery = adult, paranormal; demisexual MC, m/m romance, vampires

The Heartbreak Handshake by J.R. Hart = adult, romance; asexual MC with a non-binary LI, fully chaste (author is autistic, adhd, and nonbinary)

How Not to Summon Your True Love by Sasha L. Miller = adult, romance; ace MC and ace LI, paranormal elements

Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss = adult, romance; asexual MC in an f/f relationship

Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky = adult, romance; demisexual MC, m/m relationship, mistakenly sent love confessions

Perfect Rhythm by Jae = adult, romance; rural lesbian romance with an asexual LI

Poisoned Primrose by Dahlia Donovan = adult, mystery; asexual autistic MC, middle-aged protagonist (author is autistic)

Rising from Ash by Jax Meyer = adult, romance; asexual MC in an f/f romance

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann = adult, romance; asexual MC, fake-dating (author of Let's Talk About Love)

Second Chance by Chelsea M. Cameron = adult/new adult, romance; demi bi MC in an f/f relationship, exes-to-lovers

Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed = adult, romance; demisexual MC in an f/f romance, pure fluff

Squared Away by Annabeth Albert = adult, romance; gray-a/demi MC, m/m romance with child acquisition

Stake Sauce: The Secret Ingredient Is Love. No Really by RoAnna Sylver = adult, paranormal; gray-a MC, deals with trauma

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert = adult, romance; demisexual MC, fake-dating, m/f age gap romance

Thaw by Elyse Springer = adult, romance; asexual MC, an opposites-attract f/f romance

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers = adult, science fiction; multiple ace characters, various other rep, space travel

The Trouble by Daria Defore = adult/new adult, romance?; gay aromantic MC, college setting

Upside Down by N.R. Walker = adult, romance; ace4ace m/m romance

Valentine by Julie Mannino = adult, romance; sex-averse ace MC, sexless kinky m/m relationship

We Go Forward by Alison Evans = adult, contemporary; aroace MC, centralized friendship

Werecockroach by Polenth Blake = adult, science fiction; aroace MC, deals with mental disability, also there are aliens

~

Common Bonds = anthology, speculative fiction; stories that highlight aromanticism and focus on platonic relationships

Goddess of the Hunt by Shelby Eileen = poetry, mythology; an exploration of Artemis being aroace

Queerly Loving = anthology, various genres; asexual and aromantic rep, various other rep including trans, polyamorous, and platonic relationships

~

A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell = young adult, paranormal; various rep including ace-spec, chosen family dynamic

Aces Wild: A Heist by Amanda DeWitt = young adult, thriller/mystery; several asexual characters

Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace = young adult, science fiction; aroace MC (according to author)

The Art of Saving the World by Corrine Duyvis = young adult, science fiction; asexual MC

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp = young adult, mystery; asexual (and aro?) MC

Belle Revolte by Linsey Millery = young adult, fantasy; biromantic ace MC in an f/f romance

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria = young adult, fantasy; major ace character, various other rep, centralized platonic relationship

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland = young adult, fantasy; asexual MC (demi-biromantic according to author)

Clariel by Garth Nix = young adult, fantasy; asexual MC, prequel to the Old Kingdom series

Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski = young adult, science fiction; asexual (and arospec?) MC

The Facts and Legends of Callie Catwell by Sophia DeRise = young adult, fantasy; asexual MC with lesbian LI

Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor = young adult, fantasy; several aspec characters

Forward March by Skye Quinlan = young adult, contemporary; asexual lesbian MC

Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari = young adult, science fiction; demisexual MC and asexual MC (author is aroace)

From Under the Mountain by C.M. Spivey = young adult, fantasy; demisexual lesbian MC, aspec secondary characters

Good Angel by A.M. Blaushild = young adult, graphic novel; angel characters where asexual, aromantic, and agender are the assumed default but is explored with nuance

Help Wanted by J. Emery = young/new adult, fantasy; questioning aspec MC (and gender questioning)

Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie = young adult, science fiction; aroace MC, various other rep

Immoral Code by Lillian Clark = young adult, contemporary; asexual POV character, friendship dynamic with "fuck the rich" vibes

Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron = young adult, fantasy; asexual (secondary?) character, various other rep including intersex

It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano = young adult, contemporary; asexual-questioning MC, gray-a side character, deals with a toxic friendship

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl = young adult, science fiction; aromantic MC, alien invasion apocalypse

Little Black Bird by Anna Kirchner = young adult, fantasy; questioning aspec character

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee = young adult, romance; trans male MC with asexual LI, m/m romance, fake dating

Meet You By Hachiko by Loren Greene = young adult, contemporary; aroace-spec MC, focus on friendship

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko = young adult, fantasy; asexual secondary character, centralized platonic relationship

The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath = young adult, historical; asexual MC, emphasized friendship, all main characters are also disabled

The Rhythm of My Soul by Elin Dyer = young adult, mystery; aroace MC, ballet academy setting

Running with the Pack by A.M. Burns and Caitlin Ricci = young adult, contemporary; ace LI, polyamorous romance

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand = young adult, horror; asexual POV character (all MCs are also sapphic), themes of grief, paranormal elements

Sea Foam and Silence & The Ice Princess's Fair Illusion by S.L. Dove Cooper = young adult, fairy tale; queerplatonic retellings in verse

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow = young adult, science fiction; demisexual (biromantic) MC, post-alien invasion dystopia

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman = young adult, contemporary; asexual (and aro?) MC, deals with family death

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson = young adult, contemporary; asexual MC, themes of family trauma and multiracial identity

Switchback by Danika Stone = young adult, thriller; aroace MC, survivalist situations

Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor = young adult, steampunk; aroace MC, various other rep, cat-and-mouse game

That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger = young adult, contemporary; asexual MC, deals with the aftermath of a school shooting

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria = young adult, fantasy; aroace MC (author is aroace)

Two Dark Moons by Avi Silver = young adult, fantasy; aromantic (and ace?) MC, f/nb queerplatonic relationship

Vanilla by Billy Merrell = young adult, contemporary; asexual MC, m/m relationship, coming-of-age

What We Devour by Linsey Miller = young adult, fantasy; asexual MC (biromantic according to author)

Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt = young adult, contemporary; asexual MC

~

A-Okay by Jarad Greene = middle grade, graphic novel; asexual MC, deals with self-discovery and body image

Come Drink With Me, Gold and Jasper, East Flows the River by Michelle Kan = all ages?; described as aromantic chinese fairy tales

The Dragon of Ynys by Minerva Cerridwen = all ages, fairy tale; aroace MC (author is aroace)

Hazel's Theory of Everything by Lisa Jenn Bigelow = middle grade, contemporary; questioning aroace MC, themes of self-discovery

The Faerie Godmother's Apprentice Wore Green by Nicky Kyle = all ages?, fairy tale; major aroace character, focus on friendship

[teenageread]

Review: The Black Veins

Synopsis:

In a world where magic thrives in secret city corners, a group of magicians embark on a road trip—and it’s the "no-love-interest", found family adventure you’ve been searching for.

Sixteen-year-old Blythe is one of seven Guardians: magicians powerful enough to cause worldwide panic with a snap of their fingers. But Blythe spends her days pouring latte art at her family’s coffee shop, so why should she care about having apocalyptic abilities?

She’s given a reason when magician anarchists crash into said coffee shop and kidnap her family.

Heartbroken but determined, Blythe knows she can’t save them alone. A war is brewing between two magician governments and tensions are too high. So, she packs up her family’s bright yellow Volkswagen, puts on a playlist, and embarks on a road trip across the United States to enlist the help of six strangers whose abilities are unparalleled—the other Guardians.

Plot:

Blythe had her family, and that's all she needed. Her mother Amber, father Jamal, and little sisters Lily and Lena, along with her family's magical coffee shop, Full Cup; Blythe's life were full of happiness. Until she tried walking off the roof. In the dead of night, Blythe’s bodily controls were taken from her and forced her to walk off the roof of her house. This magical control would have worked if her father did not stop Blythe in time. Fear was that the Trident Republic, the group of rebels opposing the Black Veins, the magical government, was getting powerful and targeting the Guardians. Which is why they went to Blythe, one of the seven Guardians, to kill herself. The Guardians were children of magicians chosen to hold the magical powers of the universe until they were old enough to learn how to use their powers for good and to help the general public. With three of the seven guardians attempting roof walks that night, Black Veins decide to whisk all seven of them to the capital, Frost Glade, for their protection. Upset that she will be separated from her family for an unknown amount of time, Blythe was district when her family was taken from her. As the Trident Republic breaks into their coffee shop and kidnaps her family in front of her, there is no way Blythe is going with Katia to Frost Glade with the hope that their government can rescue her parents. Forming a plan, Blythe needs to convince the six other guardians that they need to work together to save her family by infiltrating Trident Republic headquarters in Electric City. Yet for this plan to work, Blythe needs to find them all first. Packing up her family’s yellow Volkswagon van, Blythe sets off on a cross-country road trip where she finds not only the other guardians but an unexpected family and a whole lot of truth along the way. 

Thoughts: 

Ashia Monet writes this tale of modern-day magicians, cross-country road trips, and everyone’s favorite trope of found family. The story is taken from the first-person perspective of sixteen-year-old Blythe, a bi-black teen who loves her family so much that she is willing to risk it all to get them back. Along with Blythe, we have the other six guardians who are a cast of racially LGBTQIA+ diverse characters, each with their own personality and background to add to the development of the story. As this story has such a large cast of characters, Monet spends a lot of time developing each character, so none seem any flatter than another. As Blythe spends the majority of the novel getting to these characters, we spend a lot of time seeing how they fit the group dynamic, before a new character is added. Which is one of the main problems I have with Monet’s story is that it is so long, and it feels long reading it. As this is a road trip novel, there is a lot of traveling and little action throughout the majority of the story, and where Monet tries to space it out, the novel just feels long and for the majority boring. Also for a book of “no-romance”, there seems to be a lot of flirting among all members of the Guardians, From Blythe, Antonio, Jay, Cordelia, and even Caspian at parts. An odd thing for Monet to claim about their novel is when flirting appears almost once in every chapter. Yet, the found family aspect of this novel is through the roofs, with enough drama to keep it going, Monet writes a truly spectacular story of urban magic, diverse characters, and what it means to be part of a family.    

Read more reviews: Goodreads

Buy the book: Amazon

[lgbtqreads]

hi! do you have any found family recs? preferably sci-fi/fantasy but i will read anything

Of course! Try these:

YA

Crownchasers by Rebecca Coffindaffer

The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon

The Disasters by M.K. England

The Black Veins by Ashia Monet

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder

Adult

Til Death Do Us Bard and *Fated Winds and Promising Seas by Rose Black

The Voyage of Cinrak the Dapper by AJ Fitzwater

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton

Empire of Light by Alex Harrow

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn

Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong

[stardustandrockets]

MARCH RAINBOW CRATE SPOILERS

My favorite item from this box is I Am Not Your Chosen One. Like, look at it! How gorgeous is that cover? I got some super pretty shots I'll share in a few days, but ugh! So good!

This month's box includes:

• Ravensong by Cayla Fay (trad pick)

• I Am Not Your Chosen One by Evelyn Benvie (indie pick)

• Monthly collectible magnet inspired by A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

• Travel toiletry case inspired by The Black Veins by Ashia Monet

These indie customizations are out of this world! I am enamored by each one I get.

[natelm2nd]

Ashia Monet tweets "I couldn't relate to it" is Ashia's least favorite critique of media because it incorrectly assumes that art exists to be relateable to you, specifically. (end quote) For example, I'm not a widower and I don't have OCD but in some way I could still "relate" to Danny Tanner on Full House. I'm not part of a space station but I can still attempt to RELATE TO CHARACTERS ON INSERT SPACE MEDIA HERE. I can't relate to a lot of things, but I can have an understanding and an empathy of things. If I only read things involving other white dudes with my specific disabilities and class background and religious/ political preference I'd be pretty lost.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

Books for Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

🦇 It's Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week (February 18th-24th)! In an effort to #ReadQueerAllYear, here are a few books featuring aromantic characters you can add to your TBR!

💚 Little Thieves by Margaret Owen 🤍 The Bone Season - Samanta Shannon 🤍 Hullmetal Girls - Emily Skrutskie 🖤 Tarnished Are the Stars - Rosiee Thor 💚 Kaikeyi - Vaishnavi Patel 🤍 The Reckless Kind - Carly Heath 🤍 First Test - Tamora Pierce 🖤 No More Heroes - Loren Rhoads 💚 This Golden Flame - Emily Victoria 🤍 Baker Thief - Claudie Arseneault 🤍 Immoral Code - Lillian Clark 🖤 Loveless - Alice Oseman 💚 The Last 8 - Laura Pohl 🤍 The Midnight Bargain - C.L. Polk 🤍 The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee 🖤 Common Bonds - Claudie Arseneault, C.T. Callahan, B.R. Sanders, and RoAnna Sylver 💚 The Black Veins - Ashia Monet 🤍 Liar’s Guide to the Night Sky by Brianna Shrum 🤍 The Crow Rider - Kalyn Josephson 🖤 Summer Bird Blue - Akemi Dawn Bowman 💚 Hazel's Theory of Evolution - Lisa Jenn Bigelow 🤍 Summer of Salt - Katrina Leno 🤍 The Poppy War - R.F. Kuang 🖤 Not Even Bones - Rebecca Schaeffer 💚 Elatsoe - Darcie Little Badger 🤍 Rick - Alex Gino 🤍 Switchback by Danika Stone 🖤 Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe - Carlos Alberto Hernandez 💚 Gender Queer - Maia Kobabe 🤍 Their Troublesome Crush - Xan West 🤍 Every Bird a Prince - Jenn Reese 🖤 The Butterfly Assassin - Finn Longman 💚 Red Skies Falling - Alex London 🤍 When Villains Rise - Rebecca Schaeffer 🤍 The Bruising of Qilwa - Naseem Jamnia 🖤 Funeral Girl - Emma K. Ohland 💚 The Kindred - Alechia Dow 🤍 The Summer of Bitter and Sweet - Jen Ferguson 🤍 Dear Wendy - Ann Zhao 🖤 Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li 💚 This Dark Descent - Kalyn Josephson 🤍 Awakenings by Claudie Arseneault 🤍 Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White 🖤 Other People’s Butterflies by Cora Ruskin

Per @aroaessidhe: Little Thieves, The Kindred, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Gender Queer, (and I think The Bone Season?) have ace or demisexual MCs, not aromantic. also, a lot of the rest are side characters, not main characters.

Thank you, genuinely, so much, for this correction. I'm very sorry for the mistake. I create these guides between work assignments (I work from home, around the clock, trying to make ends meet in this mess of an economy) and didn't do my due diligence in double-checking every book. I think this started as an aro/ace list I was compiling and I tried to separate it into two guides. I apologize for the discrepancy vehemently and will strive to do better in the future. Thank you for catching my error.

[elwinged]

@storyseekers​ event 16: color palette

The magic wakes at midnight. It arrives in the form of a song.

[richincolor]

There are four books coming out tomorrow, plus one we missed earlier this month. Which of these have caught your eye?

Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra Wednesday Books

One girl. One boy. A promise broken. A magic stolen. Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily--said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army--Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life. Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter. Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.

If You'll Have Me by Eunnie Viking

Momo Gardner is the kind of friend who’s always ready to lend a helping hand. She’s introverted, sensitive, and maybe a little too trusting, but she likes to believe the best in people. PG, on the other hand, is a bit of a lone wolf, despite her reputation for being a flirt and a player. Underneath all that cool mystery, she’s actually quick to smile, and when she falls for someone, she falls hard. An unexpected meet-cute brings the two together, kicking off the beginning of an awkward yet endearing courtship—but with their drastically different personalities, Momo’s overprotective friend, and PG’s past coming back to haunt her, Momo and PG’s romance is put to the test.

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli Union Square & Co.

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes. Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps. As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right. Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again. But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love?

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology edited by Circe Moskowitz Amberjack Publishing

Welcome to the Dark. We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a lot of what they fear—through a twisted blend of horror lenses, from the thoughtful to the terrifying. From haunted, hungry Victorian mansions, temporal monster–infested asylums, and ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners and cursed patriarchs in search of Black Excellence, All These Sunken Souls features the chilling creations of acclaimed bestsellers and hot new talents, with stories from Kalynn Bayron, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Sami Ellis, Brent Lambert, Ashia Monet, Circe Moskowitz, Joel Rochester, Liselle Sambury, and Joelle Wellington.

The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert Balzer + Bray

The Blackwoods. Everyone knows their name. Blossom Blackwood burst onto the silver screen in 1962, and in the decades that followed, she would become one of the most celebrated actors of our time—and the matriarch of the most famous Black family in Hollywood. To her great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, she has always just been Bebe. And when she passes away, it changes everything. Hollis Blackwood was never interested in fame. Still, she’s surrounded by it, whether at home with her family or at the prestigious Dupree Academy among Los Angeles’ elite. When private photos of Hollis are leaked in the wake of Blossom’s death, she is thrust into the spotlight she’s long avoided—and finds that trust may be a luxury even she can’t afford. Ardith Blackwood has always lived in the public eye. A television star since childhood, she was perhaps closer with Blossom than anyone—especially after Ardith’s mother died in a drug overdose. Ever since, she has worked to be everything her family, her church, and the public want her to be. But as a family secret comes to light and the pressures from all sides begin to mount, she wonders what is left beneath the face she shows the world. Weaving together the narratives of Hollis, Ardith, and Blossom, award-winning author Brandy Colbert tells an unforgettable story set in an America where everything is personal, and nothing is private.

[water-gaw]

Shelf-Confidence book photo challenge March 3rd: Road trip

Ashia Monet’s The Black Veins

Found family urban fantasy YA with no romance and excellent queer rep